Sounds of Screaming

-Chapter Ten: Nature Within Us

Disclaimer: That's it! I am not going to say how I don't own Miami! I will not tell you that my only property used here is Aaron Vincent, the victims and killer, the plot of this story and any other characters you don't recognise! I won't say it, ever, ever again!

...Aw damn it!


With eyes set on the evidence locker, mind focused on getting Marie's file stored safely and getting back to work, Natalia quickly walked through the lab. Nearing the cage, she signed her name into the log.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the file be tugged from under her elbow.

"Ryan, what are you doing?"

Caught, Ryan looked up to the small laughter with a smile of his own. The look he gave Natalia was one of a child with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Just wanted to see what the vic said."

He tugged slightly at the file again. Natalia smirked, an eyebrow rising at his odd behaviour.

"Eager are we?"

Oddly again, Ryan didn't seem to smile. Something in his eyes told Natalia he wanted the file so hastily for another reason, but she couldn't pin it down.

He really is acting odd lately...

A beep emitted from Ryan's hip interrupted both silently thinking CSIs. Looking down at his pager, Ryan frowned.

"I gotta get back to the scene."

He left with a small wink, a sign to Natalia he was returning to normal. She let his bizarre behaviour go and, after handing the file over to the stationed officer, she walked over to AV, watching Aaron type away furiously for a moment before entering.

"Any breaks with the CDs?"

Aaron looked over his shoulder and offered a smile. Turning back to his work, he continued to type, bowing his head over in concentration.

"None yet. I was hoping the guy had used a laptop or computer to play the CDs but looks like he used a stereo or something. Something that's remotely operated and doesn't give out a signal."

Taking a break from typing, Aaron sighed. "This guys good, better than me even! Defiantly covering his Wi-Fi tracks well."

Natalia sighed too as she stepped closer to the screen, watching over Aaron's shoulder as countless numbers zoomed across the screen, the words No location found appearing almost every few seconds.

Marie's haunted, tortured eyes floated to the front of her mind again. She had promised to catch her attacker but so far, it seemed as though he'd never be caught.

"We really need to catch this coward..."

Aaron heard her whisper, looking over his shoulder with a puzzled expression.

"Coward?"

Realising she had spoken her thoughts aloud, Natalia snapped out of her daze to answer him. "Well, yeah. He attacks lone girls at night from behind, then blinds and straps them to chairs? He's a coward if you ask me."

Aaron seemed thoughtful for a moment, "Hmm...Good to know."

Both laughed. The rage that had fuelled Natalia's angry outburst left her. She didn't know how he did it, but the Aaron always seemed to make her feel better. One look into his deep eyes and it all vanished.

Natalia knew she couldn't feel any bad emotion looking into any warm, hazel eyes.


Standing over his desk, Horatio stared down at the two letters both he and Frank received with a determent frown.

"What do you think they mean Horatio?"

Frank's question voiced his own thoughts, the Lieutenant was left clueless, a feeling he hated. The vulnerability caused by the unknown taunted him; the unknown was dangerous, unpredictable. Fighting the unknown would be a losing battle.

So he would need to identify the threat before attacking.

"Well we know it wasn't Cooper, I already checked his background before and the kid was a saint. You don't think Speed could of...you know...?"

Horatio's eyes stayed low, hearing Frank's question and thinking of his long fallen CSI with a heavy heart. Though he doubted any of his team would have the potential to murder, to kill someone outside of the job and especially not tell him, the Lieutenant knew that anyone could hide that secret.

He had been hiding it ever since he returned from Rio all those years ago.

Though he was simply murdering a murderer, and almost everyone in the lab knew that, Horatio had never planned for anyone to find out. What made his hopes that Speed was one of the "innocent" ones crumble was the fact that his inner killer wasn't the only one brought out in Rio.

Eric had planned to kill Antonio too...and though he understood Eric's pain it still brought a shocking truth to Horatio.

Anyone could be killers if they had enough reason to...even his own team...even Speed.

"I think its best not to think of that Frank."

Frank nodded, turning his attention back to the four photos.

"Well, that leaves Wolfe and that new guy. I've already done a check on him, kids clean so far. Mississippi loved him anyways. I'm still working on his life overseas though."

Horatio gave a stiff nod, "Keep up the work Frank."

Once again, Frank nodded. His eyes rested on the picture of Ryan, it looked like the one carved from his ID badge. The thick lines connecting Ryan to Speed and Aaron to Cooper confused the detective for a moment.

As though a light bulb was sparked over his balding head, Frank thought of an answer. "I could be wrong Horatio but...I think these two are the "guilty ones" this loony's talking about."

The Lieutenant watched with curiosity as Frank pointed two fingers towards Ryan and Aaron.

"How so?"

Frank breathed heavily, he wasn't sure if his idea was right or even sane, but it was worth a shot.


"I told you Cal, I searched this entire area twice, there's nothing here."

Calleigh ignored Ryan's crest-fallen claims and continued to scour ever inch of the alleyway Marie was found in.

There has to be something here...there has to be.

She looked to the soon setting Miami sun; it had slipped even lower from when they first arrived at the scene. Nothing else had been found and, though she hid it from the other officers well, Calleigh felt exhausted, her stomach churned and her head pounded.

It looked like it was time to call it a day.

A sudden flash caught Calleigh's eye, atop a small, corner shop across the street. It took milliseconds for her mind to register what it was.

Sunlight hitting off a glass/plastic lens...

Calleigh gasped as a loud bang echoed through the alleyway.


Bam!

Ooooh, I know I am super totally evil to leave ya'll on such a cliff-hanger! ...and my muse has turned super-evil and won't think up the next chapter for me!

Don't worry folks, I'm gonna have a serious talk with her for you!*holds baseball bat behind back*

Hmm...friendship in AV, or is there something on the under-current there?

Why did Ryan want to see what the solo witness had to say so badly?

Why does Frank think Aaron and Ryan are the guilty ones?

And what has happened to Calleigh?

Why am I asking you all when I don't even know yet! I better go rest my confuzzled mind!

-Mel out ;D

Title is "Nature Within Us" by Robert Patterson, give a guess what it's about, there's an obvious and secret answer too ;) I'd be shocked silly if someone got the secret answer but give it a shot. If you get it, you'll get the answer to the burning question: Is Ryan guilty or not?

So start guessing guys!