Chapter Nine: How to be Alone
"Caine, I have some bad news," Agent Thompson said as he walked into Horatio's cubical.
"Alright, let's hear it," Horatio said, turning his chair so it faced Thompson.
"It seems you're right," Thompson began. "Someone's hacking into your files and altering evidence. The IT department's put a trace on your computer and someone within the building is ghosting their way into your system."
Horatio sighed. He rubbed his eyes with his left hand as he tried to decide what to say.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he quietly responded. "Thompson, you have to believe me when I say I have taken every precaution necessary to protect my reports and evidence. I've made multiple copies, locked them away." He hesitated for a moment, knowing what he said next could cost him his job and integrity. "I also made electronic back-up copies on my personal USB drive."
Thompson nodded his head. "I understand, and I want you to know in no way do we think you brought this upon the department. I also understand the copies on your personal USB, and I won't be reprimanding you for that. Under the current circumstances I think we can make an exception for your actions. You were trying to protect the evidence."
Horatio nodded his head and stood from his chair.
"So what do you want me to do?" he asked the other agent.
"Keep doing what you're doing," Thompson replied. "Export the evidence and crime scenes to Miami Dade and continue your work with their Lieutenant."
Horatio nodded his head once more.
"Will do," he quietly replied.
Horatio crept along the charred walls of the building, Ryan following close behind him. They peered around every corner, weapons drawn and their senses on high alter.
"You're sure about this, H?" Ryan quietly asked.
"Positive," Horatio whispered in response, "She's been doing this at every crime scene for almost four years."
Something dashed past them and Horatio and Ryan took off running. They passed Eric and Calleigh, and the CSIs were quick to follow. There was a loud clattering noise and the sounds of someone retching. They almost ran past the person, but Eric doubled back when something caught his eye.
"Miami Dade Police!" he yelled advancing towards the figure in the hooded sweatshirt that was doubled over vomiting. "Put your hands in the air and get down on your knees!"
Two slender hands slowly raised in the air. Then something caught Eric's action. Around her left index finger was a ring, but not just any ring. It was a ring that had belonged to his grandmother.
She slowly turned around and faced him. He stared at her for several seconds, unable to believe it was her standing before him.
"Mari," Eric whispered.
"I'm sorry, Eric," she whispered.
She kicked him in the stomach and he dropped to his knees. She ran past him and out through the open door. Shots fired all around her and the hood of her sweatshirt fell, revealing her face. She ducked into a forest green car and sped away once again.
Ryan groaned as he dropped his arms to his side.
"Great, she got away again," he grumbled.
Calleigh stood next to him stunned.
"Ryan, did you see who that was?" she quietly asked.
"No," Ryan replied confused, "Who was it?"
"It was Marisol," Eric said as he limped out of the building.
"But Marisol's dead," Ryan replied.
"I know, but it was her," Eric continued on. "I know my sister. That was her. She was wearing our grandmother's ring. Her hair's short now, but it was her. I know it was."
"But that's not possible," Ryan said. "How can it be Marisol?"
"Collect the vomit," Horatio quietly said as he slipped his gun back into its holster. "It'll tell you what you need to know."
He walked away and back to his CIA government vehicle. He sat in the driver's seat for several minutes before he was actually able to pull away.
Natalia stared at the results as they slid from the printer. She picked it up and read over it again.
"This can't be," she whispered. "This isn't possible."
Ryan sighed and shook his head as he read over her shoulder.
"I know it isn't," he quietly said, "but it is. People lie, but the evidence doesn't."
"But she's dead," Natalia continued to whisper. "How could we find biological evidence of her?"
"She's not dead. Eric and Calleigh both saw her, and I know Horatio knows something that he's not willing to share. What database spit her out?"
"The Federal Bureau of Investigation," Natalia read off the computer screen, "Seems she's some kind of super secret agent."
Ryan looked at the computer and shook his head.
"Or maybe not," he whispered, pulling out his phone.
Horatio knocked on the door to her apartment. He had never been there before and didn't even know if the address listed in her file was really hers. She opened the door and smiled at him timidly.
"I knew you would come back to me," she whispered. She stepped aside and let him in.
Horatio silently stepped into her apartment and just looked at her. She was wearing only a short, silky light blue robe. He could see how it clung to her slender frame, accentuating each curve.
"I was going to take a bath," she quietly said. "Would you care to join me?"
"I might," Horatio quietly said.
They sat together in her large bathtub. The water was hot and bubbles floated around them. She poured them each a glass of wine and they sipped it together.
"Why are you doing this?" Horatio quietly asked her.
"Because I love you," she responded.
"I mean, why are you blowing up people? Just because the FBI said you had to?"
"There's more to it, Horatio," Marisol whispered.
"Then tell me."
"I can't."
"Or you won't."
She looked deep into his eyes. She set her wine glass down and took his from him, setting it next to hers. She slid onto his lap and kissed him tenderly.
"I know you had things you couldn't tell me when we were dating," she whispered between kisses.
"Because I was a cop and had to keep the evidence confidential," Horatio responded.
"So you know there are things I can't tell you," Marisol quietly said.
"Yes, but I know you can tell me the truth."
"Well the truth is I still love you," Marisol whispered in his ear. "And I know you still care about me."
"Why would you think that?" Horatio inquired.
"Because you wouldn't be sitting here in my bath with me, drinking wine and making love if you didn't," she said.
"I thought you had to be in love to make love."
"You do, and we are," she whispered.
"How do you know I still love you?"
"Because I'm your wife, I know everything about you."
"Then why don't you know the truth?" Horatio whispered.
Marisol pulled back and looked deep into his eyes.
"What do you mean?" she whispered.
The bathroom door slowly opened. Marisol turned and looked at the large group of people standing inside her master bedroom.
"Marisol Delko Caine," Ryan said, stepping forward, "You're under arrest for the murder of twenty-seven people, along with the bombing of twelve Miami shipping warehouses and conspiracy to commit murder, per the Miami Dade Police Department."
"You're also under arrest for leaking and altering valuable information within the Central Intelligence Agency, tampering with open investigations," Agent Thompson said.
"Not to mention for impersonating a Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent," a man in a blue suit with a gold badge said as he stepped into the bathroom.
Several people pulled Marisol from the bathwater. She looked at Horatio with a pained expression.
"You tricked me," she whispered. "How could you?"
"You were a double agent and a murderer, Mari," Horatio said as he stood. He wrapped a towel around his waist and just looked at her.
She looked at him as small tears formed in her eyes.
"You bastard," she muttered as she was pulled into her bedroom.
Lisa handed her a set of clothes and Marisol pulled them onto her wet body. Ryan pulled her arms behind her back and cuffed them together. He began leading her from the room, but she stopped. She looked at Horatio, her bottom lip quivering.
"For what it's worth, I quit the FBI," she quietly said. "I haven't worked for them for three weeks."
Horatio stared at her, not sure whether to believe her or not.
"Everything I've done in the last month has been for me, not the FBI," she said. "I did it because I wanted to win this war, not because someone told me to."
Horatio continued to stare at her with a hard expression.
"Maybe you should have found another way," he whispered.
Ryan led her from the room, followed by Thompson and the FBI Agent. Horatio stood there and watched her leave. Lisa walked up and stood next to him.
"I knew you were having an affair," she whispered in an angry tone.
Horatio sighed and shook his head.
"You know, Lisa, I was," he said in a bitter tone. "But if you want to get technical Marisol was my wife, so you're the other woman."
Lisa scoffed and stomped from the room, leaving Horatio feeling more alone then he had ever in his entire life.