Here's where things start to get interesting...

"How did you convince Horatio to work for you?"

"It took a little gentle persuasion." He smiled before continuing, "I went to visit him while he was convalescing in hospital, I made him aware that he couldn't keep everyone around him safe and that maybe he needed a little…..help."

Her eyes narrowed at him once more, "What did you do?"

"I did what any good agent would do, monitored my target and used his weaknesses against him. I had instructed my team to follow his girlfriend around for a few days to give the impression that someone was watching her. She fell straight into the trap and went to visit him the very next day and told him what had happened. I gave it a few days to let the seeds of doubt grow in his mind, and then I went to see him again. I found him much more….cooperative, shall we say."

"You bastard! You made him think those thugs were stalking the people he cared about. How could you?" She could feel her blood pressure rising at Agent Collins words.

"It would have happened eventually, all I did was speed up the process a little. Thankfully your man began to see things my way; I gave him my word that his friends and family would be protected."

"So that was it, he just agreed to work for you?"

"Reluctantly he agreed he knew it would be for the best. I advised him that it would be better to get his colleagues to close the case on his attack if he wanted to keep them safe." He let out a small laugh, "He always was so righteous, he told me he hated lying to people. Trouble was, the longer he spent lying to people the better he got at it. He was pretty good at playing the two sides off of each other."


Flashback. New York 1994:

He had been released from the hospital three days ago, it still hurt like hell to move but the pain lessened slightly with each day that passed. Andy had driven him home from the hospital and tried to stay with him the first night but the older man's constant hovering had irritated him to the point that he had shouted at his partner to leave and let him get some sleep. Andy had looked hurt at his uncharacteristic outburst and mumbled something about being ungrateful before leaving him to his own devices.

Andy hadn't called or visited since and he felt deeply guilty for snapping at him, even with the painkillers he was finding it extremely hard to sleep. Visions of Andy, Lori or Robin being murdered by the Malucci's flew through his mind. Even though Collins had given his word that they would be protected he couldn't help worrying what would happen to them if this whole undercover sting blew up in his face. He wasn't worried about himself, only the people around him. They didn't deserve to get caught up in his problems.

Robin had visited on a daily basis, cooking and cleaning for him at the same time as giving him pitying looks. Several times she had pleaded with him to stay with her so that she could look after him properly but each time he politely declined her offer. "I'm fine, Robin. In a few days I'll be back to work anyway."

It was meant to be reassuring but she frowned at his statement. "That was what put you in hospital in the first place, Johnny. Can't your lieutenant put you on desk duty for a while?"

He balked at her words, "No. No way am I riding the desk for the rest of my career."

She held her hand out and placed it on his arm as he lent back on his sofa, "I didn't mean permanently. Just until they catch the bastards that did this to you."

He looked up at her and saw the tears in her eyes, threatening to fall. As far as Robin was concerned he had been attacked because of his work on a case even though he had let Andy believe he had been caught in a married woman's bed. Trying to keep the lies straight in his head was becoming taxing work, he hoped that he didn't slip up and let the cat out of the bag. He placed a hand on top of hers and tried to reassure her, "I'll be fine out on the streets; I'll have Andy with me. Besides, those punks know where I live anyway, what's to stop them from coming round and finishing what they started?"

She gasped, shocked at what he had said. "That's why you should come and stay with me; you shouldn't be on your own at the moment."

"Robin, just leave it." His tone was unnecessarily harsh, causing her to break down in to tears. Her constant nagging had begun to grate on him, combined with the stress he was already under his overworked mind couldn't handle all of it at once.

Pulling her hand away she rubbed at her eyes before stalking over to his front door, picking up her purse she looked at him sadly. "Fine, have it your way. You need to decide whether you want me in your life or not. You can't just pick me up and put me down when you feel like it."

He felt terrible for hurting her feelings; he hung his head but said nothing, wincing as she slammed the door shut behind her. He knew it was for the best, he needed time alone to think about how he was going to keep the charade up.


He must have closed his eyes and fallen asleep at some point, he was woken by a knocking at his door. Figuring it might be Robin and sensing a chance to apologise to her he careful lifted himself from the sofa, wincing as he moved, and shuffled over to his front door. His face fell when he saw Agent Collins standing on the other side as he opened it, "What the hell do you want?" he snapped as he ran a hand through his hair.

The other man regarded him with an amused look on his face, "Really, is that any way to talk to your new friend?"

"You're not my friend. Have you come here to goad me or was there something you wanted?" He narrowed his eyes at the other man before checking the hallway outside his apartment.

"Worried we'll be seen, Detective Kelly? Don't worry, my men are stationed all around, the coast is clear for now. Your lovely girlfriend left some time ago, in tears I may add." He sniffed derisively, "Are you going to let me in? Wouldn't want your neighbours to start gossiping would we?"

He stood back and reluctantly let the other man in to his apartment, "What have you come here for?"

Agent Collins made himself comfortable on the sofa, straightening out his black overcoat as he sat down. "Well, not for your hosting skills, obviously." He ran a finger along the coffee table with his gloved hands. "Have you had any contact from our friends the Malucci's?"

Standing awkwardly by the kitchen counter he answered, "I had an envelope shoved under the door yesterday. It said that my attendance was required tomorrow on the corner 56th and Lexington, 10am sharp."

"Good." The other man answered as he rubbed a piece of lint between his fingers, "You'll be there I take it?"

He folded his arms across his chest and winced as one of his hands came in to contact with the wound on his abdomen. "I don't get a choice, do I?"

"Not really, no. I'll have some of my men watching from a discreet distance. Listen to what Frankie and his brother have to say, I'll be in contact with you so you can report back."

"And when will that be? What are you expecting me to do, play nice with those goons?"

"Yes, Detective Kelly. I want you to become bosom buddies with them, do whatever it takes to convince them you're committed."

"What if they don't believe me?"

The other man stood and walked across to the window, gazing outside as he spoke. "Then you'll have to learn quickly how to lie, from what I've seen so far you're already quite good at it."

"How am I supposed to get in contact with you?"

"You don't, I'll contact you."

"So I'm just supposed to sit around with my finger up my ass waiting for you to call?" His voice rose in anger.

"Detective Kelly, that temper will get you in trouble one day," Collins admonished him. "Just do as I ask and I will take care of the rest. If you do get caught I don't want this coming back to me."

"So you're going to let me put my ass on the line and you're just going to sit back and watch? What if my cover gets blown, what happens then?"

"That would be…..unfortunate. I'd have to find someone else to replace you; I hope for both our sakes that you've got the balls to pull this off."

"And if I don't?"

"It will be your funeral, Detective Kelly. Not mine."

With that the other man left the apartment without looking back. Leaning back against the kitchen counter he ran a weary hand over his face, he came to the startling realisation that he was stuck in a never-ending nightmare and that in he was in it alone.