A/N: Break over! Time to write and upload again! And we're on the final stretch of this story (only like 4 or 5 more chapters to go)

When I read this one, I hope it confuses you in a good manner.

Happy Holidays!

Horatio and the CSIs (c) CBS, Daikonran and Secondet (c) my sister, the rest (c) me

21, Redemption

The farmhouse was literally covered in chains ropes and other bondage as the unfortunate men that survived the onslaught were brought inside. One was held upside down five feet above the ground, tied and gagged. His partners were tossed into separate areas; the first into a customized Iron Maiden, the second onto a stretching board, the third onto a bed of nails plus needles and the last strapped to a chair with a headpiece.

Archimedes stepped to his most desired room, Horatio hauled close behind. Besides them was a servant holding a silver tray, just like Cecile's, instruments strewn on the top. Archimedes's hand wavered over which device he would use on the hanging agent, between the Roman whip covered in spikes and iron marbles, an axe littered with the blood of others, pure and unforgiving hydrochloric acid or the melting iron pick, with its point still white-hot and steaming with the area's moisture. His choice made, the parasite took the whip and amused himself with it for a moment.

"Welcome, gentlemen. You are all my property now and I do so value honesty, so you will all tell me who sent you." Archimedes stated with a blank smile. Horatio could only stand back, held by the same sentries, as the first crackle of leather and metal struck the target. Two more excruciating cracks at the body and Horatio yelled,

"I sent them! I sent them!"

Archimedes was fed up with Horatio's defiance, his so-called humanity, so after dropping the whip to the floor, he brutally slapped the lieutenant into submission.

"Don't you get it?! I am YOUR master, YOU obey ME and that's the way this godforsaken world commands! SHUT UP!" Archimedes roared, holding Caine's face in his sharp glass nails, his composure slightly unhinged.

Horatio spat some blood onto Archimedes's ivory face, his expression in a defiant smile.

"I'm not like the rest of your mansion; I'm not like Elizabeth…"

I was never yours to begin with.

In that fit of rage, the vampire seized the whip and, with every inch of his preternatural strength, struck the body one last time with the Roman whip. A sickening rip and half the man that was fell to the ground, dead on impact.

"Now do you fear me?" Archimedes asked as he turned around to find himself alone. The lieutenant had escaped with no one even paying attention. Archimedes' rage bubbled in his pallid complexion, his fangs fully exposed and revealing the monster within. To one of the remaining and cowering agents, he commanded vociferously,

"Find him or you'll end up just like your comrade, dead and my dinner!"

Had Archimedes taken his time and assessed the situation, he would've noticed a missing pick from his persecution arsenal. Horatio hid behind the barn, just out of reach of the SWAT post. In his hand was his only weapon and he knew he'd only have one chance. He waited until the agent was far enough from Archimedes for him to sneak back, something easier said than done with the prostheses on his back. Nevertheless, he managed and drew closer…silently hovering over the fragile hay and the wasted remains of Archimedes' past victims.

Archimedes, on the hand, was dragging the other agent to the Iron Maiden. "You stay here while I play with your friend." He said to the stretch board victim, who was already going through a panic-induced seizure. As the vampire arranged the spikes specifically to the man's shape, his deceased senses perked up too late.

Ryan could see a blurry connection with each case that sprang up in the Crime Database computer. Out of all the 200 transferred bodies, only ten were of Asian ancestry. That list was then reduced to just two when redirected to Miami-DADE County.

"Yoshimiko, Miharu and Hong-Kim, Silvia." Wolfe announced to Secondet, who was reading into Sally's marks and scratches. "Both bodies were sent the upstate federal labs just over two months, Miharu arriving first sent by priority. Guess which one's missing a jaw?"

Secondet sighed in relief. "The better we know the name of the original Onna, the better we have a chance of surviving if we have an encounter."

Calleigh then opened the Trace lab door with a grin on her face. "It might not be Horatio but I think Eric and I found someone who's been very busy lately while H is out." She said while holding a folder. The evidence of body extradition and peculiar credit card expenses just before Marla was discovered pointed to one man.

"Tom Kerman? Isn't that State Attorney Hammel's assistant?" Ryan inquired while reading the file. He thought for sure some gang had sold Horatio but every day you learn something new, right?

"Eric and Dai are interrogating him. Secondet, Alexx wants you over at her post, ASAP." The boy nodded and ran off.

"Still can't believe it." Wolfe said, a bit shocked at the revelation.

"Kino said that Marla starts at the top. Would you believe anything else?"

Tom had set up a very unconvincing poker face, especially to Eric. This guy's guilty of something.

"Mr. Kerman, are you aware of the latest news?" Kino asked, with a smile that would melt any feminine heart.

"I am sorry for your loss but I still don't see where I come in play." The assistant stated. "I have done nothing wrong."

Eric took out some files and laid them bare on the table. "You were arrested four times for identity theft, home invasion and possession of an illegal firearm. But that's not why you're here."

"Good, 'cause then I'd have to call my lawyer." Tom shot back, his fingers involuntarily fidgeting.

"You're here for conspiring the abduction and consequently torture of Horatio Caine."

Greg stared incredulously. "You think I had something to do with that?! All I did was stab that Louisiana whore!"

Daikonran was taken aback but Eric knew perfectly what Kerman was talking about. A second photograph of a butcher knife in a pristine sink was laid along with the other evidence. "This one it?"

A nervous nod from Tom confirmed Delko's suspicion. The classic vacant stare of guilt appeared in Tom's face.

"My boss told me to…was bad for business and his perfect family life."

"You mean Darren Hammel?" Daikonran questioned. Was he trying to pass the buck?

"Yeah. He made spend all that money on that bitch Marla Ruez and for what? So he could have her all to himself? I was so glad when he told me to off her." Tom explained.

"Where did you kill her?" Eric continued.

"A meat locker in lower Miami. Left her to bleed out. She died enjoying it."

"Well that explains a lot; she froze in a pleasurable position and, using your pick-up's massive trunk space, you moved her to her house late at night." Delko stated. A fact bothered Daikonran though; Kerman was telling the truth on except one thing.

"Kerman, did your boss send any extradition forms to Japan or Korea?"

Tom looked up. "Yeah, about a couple of weeks ago."

Daikonran smiled, in his mind ecstatic. Caught you.

As two police officers took Kerman away, Eric put away the evidence. "We got him for attempted homicide. He probably didn't know that Marla was undead."

"Delko, Kerman may be in for those charges but Hammel knows where the Onna is."

It dawned on Eric when Kino said that. "And if he knows where that thing is, he can get rid of it."

"Good boy, you guys are way faster than my interns. They take a good two minutes to figure out that a patient had strep throat." Daikonran smirked.

"You're a doctor?"

"Bounty Hunter by day, Doctor at night. Studied both and I decided to stick at Dade Memorial. " The bounty hunter explained. "Gotta feed my family."

Horatio woke up with a sun barren daze over the horizon. His head was heavy with a slight concussion but overall he was much better than what he was just a few hours before. His eyes still closed, he felt around to see where he was. The unfamiliar scent of old milk and decaying fish burnt his airways as he opened his eyes to a dump.

The last night's events were a blur to him; all he remembered was a swift stabbing motion and quick bursts of pain in total darkness. He checked around for any of Archimedes' guards and found himself missing one of the attached wings.

What the hell…wait a minute, I'm not in the plantation anymore!

As much as he wanted to dance in joy, the lieutenant's stomach yearned for food.

Two weeks and I had was a couple of bites to eat…

Cautiously, he exited the wasteland, taking extra precaution with his remaining wing. As far as he knew, this wasn't the French Quarter, but just besides the Louisiana Super Bowl into the city of New Orleans. Homeless relief didn't open for another forty-five minutes, so Caine headed to a local public shower. He didn't mind the stares he got as he walked barefooted, with one protruding wing sticking out of the torn robe while arriving at said location.

Cold and relaxing drops rained on his body, watching away the red tint that dimmed his facets. Horatio then scrubbed the robe and for the hell of it his wing; both to a more clean shade of their original color. His amnesia fortunately extended to only the last 12 hours, unable to recall what happened the night before or why only one wing was torn from his back.

I guess I had some luck after all.

After dressing up with donations from the nearby Salvation Army, Horatio decided he would sleep in a church that night as he enjoyed his first real meal in over 17 days; a bowl of Cajun stew brought in by a local restaurant. He knew that whatever he did in those forgotten twelve hours, Archimedes would be looking for him, with a rage that had no bounds over day or night.

A/N: So how was it? Reviews are greatly appreciated!