Disclaimer: Not mine. Not pretending like they're mine. Just borrowing.

I know it's been a while. My muse has suffered from the long days of summer. Luckily, a drop in temperatures has brought her back. ;) Enjoy.

Just to renew previous warnings—let your virgin eyes be forewarned. (I drop a few choice expletives in here…)

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Chapter 21:

Don Flack entered the main area of the lab carrying a tray of coffees in his hand. After nearly two weeks of overtime, the lab and the detectives on the street shooting case had grown tired of the sludge that passed for coffee in the lab. Flack's turn to buy came around rather quickly, but he didn't mind because it meant a chance to get away from the tension filled building.

Turning the corner and heading toward Lindsay's office, Don found himself approaching a strange group. Hawkes, Stella, and Sid were standing in the hall trying very nonchalantly to look in on Mac's office. Turning his head, Flack knew why they were staring.

Adam and Lindsay were seated with their backs to the gawkers and were facing Mac and two men in black suits. Flack immediately pegged the suits for Feds. Shaking his head, he approached the small grouping.

"Don't tell me the Feds are taking our case after we did all the work?" Flack said softly as he approached the group.

Sid tried to look like he wasn't watching Mac's office and Stella faced Flack head on. Hawkes just kept watching intently.

"No, I think it's about something else." Stella continued. "Mac came in and pulled them out of the trace lab when the suits showed up."

Flack's brow furrowed. He kept focus on Mac's office as he silently handed Stella her coffee and Hawkes his cup.

He saw Adam look at Lindsay and then look at the suits. Mac's face was unreadable. His gaze was focused on his two young team members in front of him. Lindsay was talking. Then her head was shaking and she was looking down. She started to stand and Adam put his hand on her arm. She sat back down.

Flack's brow furrowed some more. Lindsay was upset. "Wonder what it's about."

Stella shook her head and moved to stand next to him. "Guess we'll just have to wait to find out." She patted him on the arm and started to move away toward the trace lab. "Thanks for the coffee."

Flack just nodded silently and watched as the group in Mac's office continued to talk. Mac noticed him standing in the hall—by himself now that the group had scattered—and gave him a knowing look. Flack gave a short nod and wandered off to the print lab to see if there were any new reports.

--

Nearly forty minutes later, Lindsay wandered back to her office to find Don Flack playing solitaire on her office computer. When she opened the door, she smiled a little, forgetting the last hour that she'd spent in Mac's office. He looked up when she walked in, but before they could greet one another, Stella and Hawke herded Adam into Lindsay's office behind Lindsay. As soon as the door closed, the pair began interrogating the duo.

Lindsay made her way over to her desk where Flack casually slid the coffee cop across the desk to her. Their fingertips met briefly as did their eyes. Flack noticed for the first time that her eyes were glistening. He went to reach for her hand and she stepped away slightly taking the coffee cup with her.

"So, what's with the suits?"

"What's the deal?"

Adam had taken a seat at Danny's empty desk and Lindsay was leaning against her own desk facing the duo. Flack could only see the profile of her face and she seemed to be avoiding his eyes now.

Adam just looked to Lindsay and then looked at his hands. Lindsay was staring intently at her feet. And then, Adam began to laugh. It was an odd sounding laugh—it actually sounded like he was choking a bit.

"Sorry. I just…I can't help it." Adam looked up and the smile that he had on his face quickly turned into a cringe. "It's just unfucking believable." He ran his hands through his hair and leaned into this arms with his elbows on the desk. He groaned into his arms. "UN-FUCKING BELIEVEABLE."

Flack was worried now and rolled the desk chair out around the edge of the desk to see Lindsay's face. Tears were streaking down her cheeks, but she made no sound. Her hands were gripping the edge of the desk and he could see white in her knuckles.

Stella and Hawkes looked at one another but said nothing. Clearly, something major had happened.

Flack reached up to touch Lindsay's hand, but she didn't meet his eyes. She cleared her throat. "It's not over." She paused and closed her eyes momentarily. Summoning strength from somewhere, she opened her eyes and met the waiting faces of her friends. "The suits are Feds. They're been tracking some communications relating to Flack's big bust….to the warehouse." She turned to face Flack. "There are a few guys left."

"Yeah, and they want to fucking kill us." Adam spoke, startling the others. His face was red and he was shaking a little. "I should have listened to my mother. I should have been a freakin' biology teacher. UGH." With that, he stood up and stormed out of the office.

Lindsay sighed and crossed her arms in front of her.

"So what does this mean?"

She met Hawkes's eyes for the first time. "I'm not sure yet. I don't think they're sure yet."

"What do you mean they're not sure?" Flack's tone was harsher than he intended. "Do they think…I mean… Are you safe?"

Lindsay shook her head. "According to them, no, we're not. They're still not sure what's going on for sure, but all they would tell us is that we were mentioned in some conversation that they intercepted."

"And they think that they could be coming after you two. You and Adam." Stella was shocked by what Lindsay was saying.

"And the two patrol officers. Because we're witnesses."

Flack was standing next to Stella by this point. "What're they doing?" Lindsay gave him a quizzical look. "What're they doin' about this? What're they doin'?"

Lindsay shook her head. She was shaking slightly. "I don't know. They're working on it. Trying to get more information. But they want us to go to safe houses while they collect more information. They want to split us up…in case…you know." She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. Tears were falling down her cheeks again.

Before really thinking about it, Flack takes two steps forward and wraps his arms around her. Though everyone knew she was staying at Flack's, no one really knew how far their relationship had progressed in the last few weeks.

Lindsay wrapped one arm around Flack and patted her other hand on his chest. Whispering into his chest, she said, "I'm okay. I'm okay…."

Flack stepped back and flushed slightly when he saw Stella and Hawkes's rapt attention as his reaction. Clearing his throat, Flack announced that he was going to talk to Mac about the plan to keep Adam and Lindsay safe.

Once he'd exited the room, Stella stepped forward and touch Lindsay's arm. "What can we do?"

She smiled and met her friend's eyes. "Nothing. Thanks. I'm just going to work on a few more things until I get my marching orders."

"So, they're taking you into protective custody?"

"That's what they were talking about. After I argued against it and continued to argue with them, they tossed us out. It's up to Mac and the Feds."

Hawkes looked surprised. "They're going to force you to go?"

"Mac's pulling rank, you saw Adam, and the Feds say it's real. And from the look on Flack's face, he may be stashing me away in Saskatchewan if that's what it takes."

Hawkes nodded. "I'm gonna go check and see where they're at. Make sure Flack's not hitting anyone."

Stella watched Hawkes leave and then turned to Lindsay. Lindsay was staring out the door after Hawkes. Her mind was racing and Stella could see her trying to make sense of what was going on. "We're going to keep you safe. Promise." Stella gave her a tight smile and squeezed her hand before following Hawkes out of the office.

Lindsay let out a slow breath and sat down at her desk. Unbelievable.

--

Flack spent 30 minutes in Mac's office arguing with him about the best way to keep Lindsay and Adam safe. The Feds had already gone. They left after Mac got them to agree to local protection for the time being and increased protection should another threat be identified. And now Flack was trying insert his two cents on the matter.

"Look, Mac, all I'm sayin' is that there's got to be something else we can do. Why won't they give us all the info they've got. You know they've got more. You know it as well as I do."

"Yeah, Flack, I know that. And for right now, this is their baby. They took our case—remember—we had a few conflicts and the Feds always cherry pick the solid cases. I don't like it, but I've already tried all the connections I've got. We're stuck."

Flack squared his jaw and put his hands on his hips.

"I'm sending Adam home with a patrol unit to get some things. He's going to decide what he wants to do. Stay there or go to a safe house."

Mac sighed and clasped his hands in front of his face as he leaned on his elbows across his desk.

"Lindsay is refusing the safe house. She wants to stay here." Mac paused and met Flack's eyes. "That obviously involves you." A look of surprised crossed Flack's eyes. "Yeah, I know she's still at your place."

"If she stays with me, she'll be safer. I'll watch her back."

"And you'll have patrol units watching the place and she's going to have a shadow."

"I can do all that Mac. Come on'."

"No. Absolutely not. You're involved."

"Mac…"

"I said No." Mac stood. "That's it, Flack. Take it or leave it. She can stay with you on my terms or I'm sending her with the Feds."

Flack shook his head. "Okay."

"Good. Take her home. She and Adam are on a LOA until further notice."

With that Flack left to find Lindsay.

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Next Time: It's no idle threat.