LOST SON OF AVALON
Chapter Fourteen: Maneuvers Unseen
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."
- Albert Einstein
Natalia and Walter returned to the Lab, both feeling frustrated and more than a little confused.
Finally, the tall black man turned to his companion. "What do you think his problem is?" he asked.
"I'm not sure, but that rosary really set him off. We'll have to prove that one really was Carson's." Shaking her head, the dark-haired CSI frowned. "We'll have to find a link."
"Maybe putting a customization request on Etsy is a good idea." Walter suggested.
Natalia grinned, appreciating the irony. "There's more than one way to compare a rosary."
Horatio looked over at at each of the people in the room, then back at Ian.
"I'll be your distraction."
"No!" Ian's sharp denial had everyone's eyes on him. He closed his eyes, struggled with his emotions. After a moment, Ian forced calm. "You have only just recovered." He looked around, then spoke more gently. "I need your help." He looked around the room. "I need all your help."
After a moment, Eric looked over at Horatio, who met his gaze. The young Cuban turned to Ryan and Speed, then looked back at the redhead.
The lean CSI felt Calleigh behind him, and sorted through his thoughts. Finally, he said quietly, "All right. Eric, Ryan - go out the front and support those officers. Speed, Jason..."
A little self-conciously, Eric picked up his fallen weapon and looked over at Jason.
Jason reached again into his backpack, pulled out a map, and opened it. He moved over to Eric and Ryan. "Round and round the mulberry bush..." The little tune was brief, as he indicated the area, then pointed to a corner four blocks away. "Head there, after you round up the uniforms, then backtrack," he pointed to another building, "here. After they chase ya a bit, they'll wonder where me and Speed are. We'll jump 'em, they'll chase us, and you guys make tracks back to yer Lab. By then, Ian's distraction will...ah...well, they won't be chasing us for a while, and this place'll be safe."
Calleigh frowned, then moved again, her fingertips touching her weapon. "Horatio and I'll hold down things here." she promised.
Alexx finally moved over to Gil and took his wrist, checking his pulse and then his heartbeat. Sara didn't let go of her husband's hand as Horatio came back to crouch next to the woman. Greg stood nearby, wishing there was something - anything - he could do.
The black doctor looked over at her friend next to her and said softly, "Right now, he's running a little fever, and I think he's in a lot of pain. There...there's not a lot I can do. I'm sorry."
Gil looked up and managed a reassuring smile, finding a little more strength to lean on. He held on to Sara's hand, and found comfort in that.
Natalia leaned over Walter's shoulder as they worked on their ad.
"Mahogany, 59 beads, swirl design background on the beads, a silver cord..." Walter said, absently, as he worked.
"Crucifix of silver." Natalia added, watching their work take form.
"Okay, got it. Now we just go to the account, access the ad, post our request for customization...there." The young black man leaned back in his chair.
"Now, we just wait for a reply."
Horatio touched Gil's shoulder lightly, then rose and stepped over to where Speed, Eric, and Ryan were standing, and spoke quietly. "Be careful."
"Don't worry, H. We'll be fine." Speed met his former boss' eyes, shifted a bit, then added wryly, "We'll just run them in a circle."
The redhead cocked his head slightly, and regarded the trio in front of him, steadily.
Jason spoke up. "Hey, if anything crazy pops up, they won't make it two steps toward 'em." It carried a note of promise. He grinned and jerked his head toward the back entrance. "C'mon, bro. Let's go for a jog."
Ian moved up behind the CSI and said softly, "They'll be fine. Believe me, their target is...elsewhere."
Horatio's voice was soft. "You mean me."
Emerald eyes met sapphire, and Ian's reply was surprisingly gentle. "In part."
When the CSI cocked his head again, considering, the other man knew his answer was being analyzed.
Inwardly, Ian felt a surge of first fierce pride, then a very acute pain. If only, Horatio. Time is running out, and I am running out of options. I lost you once, I could not bear to lose you again.
Calleigh watched the two, then looked over at Speed as he walked over to Jason. "Be careful." she mouthed, including all three in her concern. She looked at Jason and added, "You, too."
Jason winked mischievously back at her. "I'm good at this craziness." he said, then spoke up. "Okay, Eric, Ryan - out you go, and make sure we have three minutes. Remember the route, and stay sharp."
Eric and Ryan exchanged a look, looked back at their mutual friend and boss, then the Cuban nodded silently and after a moment, the pair slipped out the front.
Jason looked over at Ian, and when the raven-haired man turned his head to meet his gaze, he glanced over at Horatio, then lifted a questioning eyebrow.
The other man closed his eyes, then turned back to the redhead, who had observed the exchange.
Calleigh put a hand on Horatio's arm, and his intense gaze turned to meet her's.
Before he could speak, another blast of complete agony ripped through him, this time sending him lurching to the side.
Ian caught him on one side, Calleigh held his arm, supporting him on the other. Somehow, he managed to stay upright, though everything whirled wildly around him.
Alexx was instantly at their side, checking the CSI's pulse and eyeing him with frustrated concern. "Horatio, you are gonna drive me to an early grave...can you follow my finger?" She watched his eyes move with the indicated digit, and frowned. "This isn't the Narcan, but something is going on. I'm afraid there might be some sort of neurologic reaction..."
Calleigh whispered, "Horatio, please let us help you."
His sapphire eyes met her green ones, as Ian helped the redhead to a chair and lowered him into it.
Speed watched this and took a step toward them, but Jason caught his shoulder.
"We have to go, Speed. Or they'll be back here." Jason's grey-blue eyes met Speed's dark ones, and the ex-CSI nodded slowly.
"Just a little...dizzy." Horatio's voice was steady, though Alexx scowled at him.
Calleigh looked into the redhead's eyes and was torn between wanting to comfort him and shake him. "All right, you sit there and be my backup. Okay?" I love him, but sometimes he makes me completely crazy - okay, that covers a lot of ground...whoa, there...down, girl. Down! Her own thoughts were so strong in her mind that the blonde had to haul herself back on track. I need to talk to him. I... Aware of Horatio's concerned and puzzled look, she looked back into those vivid, captivating, sapphire eyes.
The familiar tilt of his head was accompanied by a slight, but reassuring smile.
"It is, I fear, a bit more complex than what any drug might do, Doctor." Ian's voice was soft.
"We need you guys to spread out and cover the area." Eric was saying to the grouped officers. "Do not attempt entry. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." nodded the most senior of the group, and motioned for his men, including the original, somewhat frazzled pair, to spread out.
Once the officers had moved away, the two CSIs started walking at a brisk pace.
Eric and Ryan had barely left the parking lot when Eric's glance behind them showed two figures trailing them.
"You see them?" he whispered. Despite the darkness, the approaching figures were visible.
Ryan kept pace with his friend. "Yeah. Two?"
"Two."
The pair looked at each other, then Eric said under his breath, "Okay, let's do this. Ready?"
"Yeah."
"One...two...three!"
With that, the CSIs took off running, rounding the corner at a sprint.
Jason looked over at Ian, then at Speed. "Let's go. Time's a wastin'." he said, swinging his backpack over his shoulder.
Speed glanced back at Horatio, then nodded.
The two exited via the back door, and it was Gil who spoke next.
"Maybe you should all get to safety, Horatio." Gil's voice was soft and tired. "I'm sorry about your place. Sara..."
"I'm not leaving." Sara's voice was firm and unyielding. She was still struggling with the idea of her husband dying. Gil dying. It all seemed so unreal. No, unbelievable. Terrifying. Holding his hand in her's, she could only watch helplessly as the man she loved slowly slipped away, a little at a time.
The redhead looked over at Gil and Sara, then back at Calleigh, covering her hand for a moment with his own.
Alexx, meanwhile, looked at Ian. "What do you mean? If you know something..."
Emerald eyes met dark ones, and the black-haired man only shook his head. "Right now, I must deal with an imminent assault." His gaze swept the room. "I must ask that, the moment that door opens - do not move. Please. There are limits to this...ah...technology...can accomplish." There was a kind of wry irony in his voice. "I believe the correct term is, "Freeze"." Unobtrusively, his hands were moving gracefully.
Ian was suddenly abundantly aware that Horatio saw, and was alertly observing.
One thing at a time... The black-haired man thought, though he ached to simply tell the other man everything. But...
One thing at a time.
Eric and Ryan rounded the last corner, the unknown pair in hot pursuit, when Jason popped up with a board in his hands, swinging it at the left pursuer's shoulder. The blow knocked the man hard into his companion. After a startled moment, the pair turned, the blonde man sketched a mocking salute, and he and Speed took off running back around the other corner.
"We will meet again, blasphemers." the right-most of the two promised, and ran after the newly-departed pair.
Ryan was bent over, catching his breath, as he gasped out, "I wish we knew what the hell is going on."
Equally winded, Eric was in the same position as he managed, "You aren't the only one."
Jason and Speed were at a sprint, but careful to make sure their pursuers didn't lose sight of them.
"You know," and Speed's gasped hiss carried a note of dry humor. "It's no wonder...we keep...in shape..."
"Aw, man, this is fun!" How the man could keep talking while running, the former CSI would never understand. "You prefer a borin' old gym?"
"You know, you're...completely...out of your mind."
"You just now noticed, eh? Congrats, yer a genius..." The blonde man actually managed a mischievous laugh. "And keep up the pace, not too much further..."
"Shut up...and run..."
Ian lifted one finger to his lips as the door banged open and Jason and Speed shot through, diving behind the kitchen bar.
Their two pursuers were close behind them, both carrying 9mm pistols out and ready.
Greg saw them pass by him, not even glancing his way, and puzzled at it. Despite his misgivings, he held himself still.
Sara was watching Gil's face, aware of each breath he inhaled and exhaled, gently holding his hand as if to ground him to the world of the living.
Her husband's eyes were closed, his body still, breathing soft. He looked strained and exhausted.
Despite the world wavering oddly in and out, Horatio watched the newcomers alertly. If they looked their way...
Calleigh...he thought, aware of her presence, her steadying hand still on his own, and stayed unmoving. I can't...I can't let myself...I won't let her die too. He forced down his emotions, keeping his eyes on the pair prowling around the room, taut but still.
The blonde CSI felt the lean, intense redhead's tension and echoed it. But she followed his lead, remaining still as the two men moved around.
"They're not here." One of the men, dressed sloppily and haphazardly, was saying.
"But Joseph...they were here. You saw them!" Frustration was in the more muscular of the two's voice.
"The demon must have tricked us. Led us here on a wild-goose chase..."
"There's no one here. We must return and warn the brethren, before the monster and it's minions spread their filth!" The pair rummaged through the apartment, looking everywhere - and seeing no-one. They moved back toward the door.
"We must tell the Father." the messy one, Joseph, was saying. "We must warn him!"
"Yes - before the demon and it's servants can escape. Come, we should hurry."
The other man nodded, and with a final, frustrated look back, the pair stormed out, united in their fury.
Alexx spoke up first. "What's going on? They didn't see a thing!"
Jason popped up from behind the bar, nearly knocking Speed back so quick was the movement. "Hey, Doc." He grinned. "They weren't supposed to."
Horatio looked over at him, then spoke with quiet intensity. "And what technology, exactly, did you use?" His gaze turned on Ian.
"Ah..."
"Proprietary?" suggested Jason, shrugging both in an apology to Speed and in answer.
The redhead did not look away, and even Ian looked uncomfortable under that steady, intelligent appraisal.