Chapter 11

Earlier

Eric didn't understand the sudden tension in both Horatio and Ryan; well, after all the mess with Speed and his now not-so-apparent death, Horatio's stress he got. But Wolfe's, his had started after he had seen something at the airport, something that spooked the hell out him, but when Eric looked he hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary, save a very beautiful; so beautiful, she put even Calleigh's gorgeous looks to shame. And if a beautiful girl scared Ryan then, well, that wasn't his problem.

But Horatio had stiffened as well.

And he wasn't sure, but, he thinks that the same woman had followed them from the airport; he had been looking back, seated in the front seat, and thought he saw her in the cab theirs. Then they had turned left, the one behind turned right, and that was that.

Still, a feeling of unease had buried its way into Eric, what his mother would call his 'sixth-sense', and it was screaming all kinds of warnings. He shivered.

He didn't like New York that much, too cold, too dark, too forbidding. While Miami and New York both had a welcoming presence, Miami's was inviting in an open way, comforting with sun and ocean and sand; he felt like New York was a trap, just waiting to devour an innocent whole. He couldn't wait to go home.

And, if Speed really was alive and here, drag his friend back with him, handcuffed if need be.

Arriving at the New York lab was interesting, and meeting the other team was an experience. Detective Stella Bonasera and Detective Don Flack met them outside, and while he admired her beauty, Eric was also struck by the bleakness in her eyes. A glance at Flack produced the same look, except his was tinged with hopelessness; eyes tinged with the knowledge of what forty-eight missing usually meant. Flack already believed his friend dead.

After the introductions they were led into the lab itself, and while the heavy walls and cages were not to Eric's taste, he thought that they fit this city well.

"Here, you can drop your stuff off in the break room and grab some food if you want; we're all meeting in Mac's office, it's just to the left, there." Bonasera was blunt, focused on the job, and Flack followed her out of the room without a word.

"I can't blame them," Alexx said, collapsing in a chair. "After all, if it was Speed missing, would we be any better?"

"It is Speed," Calleigh sighed and reached for the open pizza on the table. "But you're right; at least knowing Speed was dead is preferable to wondering where he is, if he taken by force, and if not, why?" Her voice trailed off, but they were all thinking the same thing; if not by force, why did he leave?

Horatio rubbed his forehead. "No what ifs. Grab some food while you're here; I'm going to get started."

"H, you okay?" Eric asked, studying his boss's furrowed brow.

"Just a headache." The red-head said, walking out the door. After a short pause, Ryan decided to follow him.

"You're not hungry?" Horatio asked.

"Naw, not really. I want to get started on this as much as you do." Ryan said, hands in his pockets.

"Why?" Horatio stopped. "You've never met Danny, or Tim Speedle."

Ryan chose his words carefully.

"I respect that they're your friends, and fellow officers. I know that I'm new to the team but, from what I've heard about Speedle, he was a good man and I want to do honor to his memory. I really do want to help in anyway that I'm capable of, but I understand if I'm making things awkward, being the new guy, who some think took his place. But, if he is still alive, all I want to do is bring him home. That is the truth."

Horatio was looking at him, into him, and then smiled as he deemed what Ryan said authentic.

"You're a good man, Mr. Wolfe, and I am proud to have you on my team. But," He paused and focused a hard gaze on him, searching. "If I find out that you've lied in any way, I couldn't see keeping you on my team. I will not work with someone I can't trust."

"W, what do you think I'd hide from you?" Ryan stuttered, heart beating loudly in his ears.

"At times you have this look in your eyes, like you know more then you're saying." Horatio looked off in the distance. "I saw your reaction to the woman at the airport; the blonde. It wasn't natural."

"What, it's not natural to be stunned by a beautiful woman?" Ryan evaded, mind racing. Out of all of them, he should have known that Horatio would be the most perceptive.

"Ryan, before we left, that woman looked straight at me and said, 'Lieutenant, here there be monsters.' How did she know me, Ryan?" The blues eye bored into him. "What did she mean?"

"Ahem." Ryan fidgeted, than stilled, looking at his boss.

"Honestly, Horatio? I don't know. It's not like a big conspiracy," And really, wasn't THAT a lie, "And there are things that I haven't told you, but not because I want to hold them back." Ryan hastened to explain. "But because they're strange and fantastic, and I had no proof. That's all, I swear on the Father."

"I believe you. And I have believed in you, Ryan." Horatio answered, walking again, "Shouldn't you have done the same of me?"

Ryan hung his head, pushing back the tears of frustration that beckoned. He was screwed either way, whether he told all he suspected or not; he felt for Speed in the moment, wondering if this was exactly what he had gone through before he left.

When Ryan raised his eyes again and moved into the office, after Horatio, the man behind the desk took one look at his face and paled.

It wasn't possible.

Mac Taylor believed in two things with certainty; that all things are connected, and that science, ninety-nine percent of the time, answered all things.

There was no plausible answer for this.

A face he had seen in a dream, and a very strange dream at that, was standing before. It was a face he had never seen is person, or at all, but he had dreamt it; seeing it on a person in his office made it real, which really made him wonder about the rest of his dream.

How much of that, was real?

And what did it mean?

"Mac?"

He vaguely heard Stella's voice, and other questions, but he kept his eyes trained on the young man, almost afraid to blink, that he would vanish.

"Who are you?" He asked.

The young man blinked, nervous under his scrutiny. "Ah, Ryan Wolfe, a CSI from Miami."

Mac turned to Horatio, who was studying them both, calculating. "He's one of yours?"

Horatio nodded.

"What the hell is goin' on, Mac?" Flack demanded, taking an aggressive stance. "This guy bad news?" He glared at Ryan, who took a step back in response.

"I don't know," Mac said, standing and moving towards him. "After these last few days I don't seem to know much anymore; but this I know." He stopped in front of Ryan, eye to eye, with Horatio closing in on his left, Flack and Stella his right, uncertain of his move.

"You know what's going on."

Ryan vehemently shook his head. "NO! I don't know anything!"

"You lie," Mac hissed, hours of frustration bubbling up. "I saw you."

"Mac?" Sheldon and Aiden hovered in the door, wary of the vibrant tension.

"As crazy as it sounds, in my dream I saw you; you warned me." He didn't look away from Ryan, neither did Horatio, and both of them caught his flinch.

"What?" The young man breathed, still looking confused, but underneath was some kind of knowledge, and it drove Mac on.

"You warned me about Danny, about the shadows." Mac paused. "You told me only I could save her."

He didn't realize the slip, but Ryan did.

"Fuck," He gasped. "Messer's one of them?" It was said near whisper, but the vigilant ears around him caught it. He had all of their attention now; Stella and Flack looking almost murderous, worry ruling their emotions. Aiden and Sheldon looked confused, and hung almost out of the door. Horatio's face both cleared and darkened at once.

"One of who, Ryan?" Horatio immediately pressed, and Mac looked triumphant at being proven right. They had boxed him in.

"It's, I can't, Horatio." Ryan protested, looking from face to face, ending on his boss. "Please understand, that I can't."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, just, drop it." He was almost begging, his hands flexing in frustration.

"Fat chance," Stella snarled. "After what happened to Danny's apartment, the answered questions and inconsistence? If you know anything, I won't rest until I get everything from you, one way or the other."

Horatio's voice was calming, and Ryan latched onto it, like a drowning man to a raft.

"Why can't you tell us what you know, Ryan?"

"Because it's not my place!" Ryan cried, backing up a step and falling into a chair. "It's theirs."

He shivered suddenly, a chill passing over him.

Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

"They're both alive?" Aiden asked, hope filling her voice.

"I don't know," Ryan quietly said. "I…had a feeling that Speedle was alive, but had moved on. The reasons I don't know, but, I think he felt like he had to." He blinked up at them, their gazes softening at seeing the visible anguish in his eyes. "I didn't know about Messer, I swear it. It was only after you called that I suspected that Speedle came here seeking help, but they both had to flee after being attacked at the apartment. That's all."

"Who attacked them?" Flack asked, fists clenched.

Ryan visibly shivered. "I don't know, but I can guess. It's just," He broke off. "We don't say it's name; it acts like an invitation. We don't say it's name. But as for your friends, I don't know where they would go. Or even if they still live."

"They're alive," Mac and Horatio spoke as one, glancing at each other.

"I dreamt as well," Horatio admitted. "But, I don't know what it means. Or why."

"I think I know that," Ryan offered. "You have a connection with Speedle; you care a great deal for him, maybe more then any living human. I think that's why."

Stella grinned at Mac, going for levity. "You care for Danny."

He rolled his eyes in response and would have responded, when they heard a commotion down the hall.

Looking out of the window Mac saw the slender blonde form Horatio's team, Calleigh, his mind supplied, on the floor with a young woman standing over her and helping her up. His eyes narrowed as he watched the girl's body language; it was strained with acting normal, setting off alarm bells in Mac's mind. She looked like she wanted out of there, now, and wasn't liking the attention she had garnered.

Mac ran out of the office, reaching the girl as she looked to be making a break for it, and grabbed hold of her.

"Do you work here?" He asked, pulling her around to face him. She nervously looked at him and then looked past him.

Her body froze.

Mac looked behind, seeing only his team and Horatio's. and then he noticed who the girl's gaze was locked on; Horatio. Movement behind her drew his attention, marine training kicking in, in regards to the approach of a new threat.

It was his turn to freeze, arm slipping down and freeing the girl, who stepped away from them, backing towards the two standing behind her.

Danny.

Admittedly, it was a Danny that looked halfway to death, leaning on a woman Mac didn't recgonize; skin paler then Mac had ever seen it, eyes burning fever bright, and scratches marring his skin, he never looked worse to Mac.

Or better.

"Danny?" He asked, reaching out towards his wayward CSI. He heard his question echoed behind him, voices catching. He then heard Horatio's voice, choked.

"Tim?"

What?

And Wolfe's breathy exclamation. "Tuatha."

What?!

He stepped towards Danny, whose gaze had slid over Mac like he wasn't there, and to the ones standing behind him. Mac nearly recoiled at the sudden flash of rage in the cerulean blue, at the way Danny's lip curled in a quiet snarl. He watched, stunned, as the middle-aged woman standing with Danny struggled to keep a hold on him.

"Milesian!"

Neither team seemed to know what to do, confused and shocked, staring at the strange spectacle. Mac finally recovered himself to try to move forward again, when the girl suddenly turned and cried out, moving speedily towards Danny's position.

"Wraith!

Mac's world flickered as the shadows from his dream manifested, and then everything went dark.

Elsewhere-

The sudden pain that washed over her sent her stumbling into the airport wall, gasping in agony at the cold flame. It felt like the walls between the worlds had been rent, torn, and the bleed was seeping into everything.

Her kin was in trouble.

Forgetting her bag, Nick relied on all her preternatural skill to seek out her family.

Halfway across the city, grabbing her purchase from the herb shop, Tony stopped and closed her eyes, senses reaching out. When they opened again the merchant stepped back at the look in them, crossing himself.

In this woman's eyes he saw death.

She flicked a hundred at him and left, moving quickly.

She had places to be.


Disclaimer: not mine, never mine, but I love them so!

Wow oh wow, I hope that brings it all up to date. This one is so fun to write.

Let me know what you' all think!

And if you think that Horatio and Mac jumped the gun, remember, they're investigators! They can smell a lie at twenty-paces.