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-Chapter 35-
"I could never imagine the horror that Calleigh and Eric are going through," Natalia commented as she and Ryan processed the newly warehouse crime scene. "Who's this Hank Kerner guy?"
Ryan snapped photographs. Blood on the walls; blood on the floor; what looked like throw up, was rested in the corner; a baby's pink t-shirt, on the floor. What the hell did they do to this little girl? He walked around a little. Used duct tape, more blood, a pillow case... Ryan paused and put his hand over his mouth. "This is unbelievable."
Natalia stood up and placed her hand on her hips. She ran a hand through her hair. "H says Eric and Calleigh came in here when Kerner was arrested. I really hope they didn't see this."
Ryan bent down and collected the pink t-shirt. From there, he collected the pillow case, the duck tape...anything that was in the room, he collected it in the standard CSI protocol procedure.
Natalia collected all the blood and trace samples. Two hours later, the entire warehouse had been processed and they headed back to CSI. The time was 10:41pm.
...
"You can't save her," Hank Kerner sneered. "Its too late. Charge me with anything but I'll never tell you where he is with the little girl."
"Didn't think that you would," Horatio said. His lips drew in tightly. He looked at the awaiting officer, motioning for him to take Kerner away. "Book him." He looked towards the door and noticed Natalia standing there. As soon as the officer took him away, Natalia came in the room.
"That guy is just creepy," she commented.
"What do you have?" Horatio said. The entire team had been working nonstop for the last thirty-four hours. They'd been in the building for the longest time, working hard to solve the case. The night shift supervisor offered to take over but Horatio wouldn't allow it. After all, his day shift team was the best in what they did.
"Based off DNA from Eric and Calleigh, the blood...all of the blood, belonged to Jayden. There were little pieces of glass we found..." Natalia had tears in her eyes. "...Blood was on it. The blood belonged to Jayden." A tear actually slipped out at her next piece of information. "There's reason to believe that her clothes were off at one point," Natalia stated. "We found a bloody t-shirt. We believe it can be Jayden's. EZ nose picked up traces of tri nitro toluene, its the same ingredients in the day care attack." She ran a hand through her hair and sighed.
Horatio nodded his head. "Is that all?" He switched positions.
"Well the boat rental place on Flager reports a man ordered a boat. The place is in a three mile radius from the kidnapped girl's home. I thought it was worth a shot to investigate."
"Good work," Horatio said. "I need you to locate the owner of the shop. I'll get coast guard out in the waters immediately. He stepped out of the room, out the building and towards his hummer. He really needed to talk to this owner right now. Every moment was precious. They were no longer dealing with Hank Kerner but Stewart Otis.
...
12:00am. Midnight. It had been officially thirty-six hours since Jayden had been kidnapped. Horatio talked to the shop owner. It was confirmed that the boat had been ordered. Not by Hank Kerner or Stewart Otis but ordered by Mason Hall. All of this would be sorted out as soon as the kids had been found.
Horatio was currently on his way to the Miami pier. Coast Guard reported a stray boat in the waters. Coast Guard had the boat cornered. They used thermal imaging and reported an adult male on board. However, there was no child. They wouldn't know for sure until a search was done.
Horatio parked the Hummer at the Miami pier. Eric and Calleigh were already there. Horatio got out and once he was briefed on the current situation, he reported it to the worried parents.
In less than twenty minutes, they were in the waters, heading in the direction of the boat. Coast guard already had the boat cornered and Eric worried if that could've provoked Stewart. He didn't have to think because he was climbing out of the police boat and onto the other one. It was decided that Calleigh would stay on the police boat. Of course she protested, but she gave in.
Stewart was cornered in. He looked at the little girl; her eyes were closed. He subdued her. The strong scent of chloroform was apparent and he knew that they would know. "Wake up." He shook Jayden.
Tape still covered her mouth. Her hands were still taped behind her back..Otis looked at her. Her eyes would not open. He wasn't sure if he killed her. His hands moved over her chest to start CPR on her.
"Freeze!" Horatio shouted.
Stewart Otis turned around. "I...I didn't kill her."
Horatio looked at Jayden and back at Stewart. He was familiar to that smell. Chloroform. Before Horatio could even think about what happening, Eric had charged Stewart.
Once Stewart fell, it was over. Eric punched the man repeatedly, beating him up really badly. "You killed my daughter? You taped her up? What did you do to her?" Each question was followed with a powerful blow to the face.
Horatio holstered his gun and went over to Jayden. He check for a pulse; He didn't feel one. "Oh no," he whispered, carefully removing the tape from Jayden's lips. She was dehydrated. His hand went back to Jayden's neck. He wasn't going crazy. This time he felt her pulse. It was a weak one but she was alive. "Eric, she's alive."
Eric delivered another powerful blow to Stewart's check and rose off his body. He walked over to his little girl. "Jade, you're going to be okay. You're going to be okay princess." Tears fell from his eyes. He never wanted to see her like this. It was just a parent's worst nightmare.
Officers moved in and put Stewart in handcuffs.
"You're going to be okay princess," Eric whispered again. He leaned down and kissed Jayden on the cheek. He turned around towards Horatio but he was gone. The next footsteps he heard, belonged to Calleigh.
She looked at Jayden and then at Eric. She saw the disappointment in his eyes and tears welled in her own. "Aw Jade." Calleigh got on her knees and pressed a kiss to Jayden's forehead. She immediately took note at everything. Her little girl was dirty, bloody, taped up and just unconscious.
Jayden began to wake up from the effects of the chloroform. Her eyes were a little drowsy but her eyes immediately picked up on the two familiar faces. "Mommy!" She lifted but lost her balance and fell back to the floor. Eric caught her head before it hit the floor.
Calleigh began removing the tape from around Jayden's small wrist and Jayden whimpered a little. "Its okay, its okay Jade," Calleigh soothed, trying desperately to calm Jayden.
Daddy-" Jayden was cut off by an abrupt cough. Her cough was so dry. She was so helpless. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she struggled and continued to cry out. She truly thought her mom was attacking her.
"Almost done Jade," Calleigh said.
Eric stroked Jayden's cheek. "Mommy is almost done, okay?"
Jayden nodded her head. She didn't understand anything. Not to mention she was still disoriented from the effects of the chloroform. "Okay." She said that in the smallest of her voices as tears continued to fall from her eyes.
Eric didn't know what to do. Jayden, she was so scared to death of everything right now.
Calleigh removed all the tape. It really didn't take all of that to hold Jayden down. This was just done out of cruelty. "All gone." Calleigh looked up as the emergency crew came in.
"Mommy," Jayden said, pushing her body up from the floor. She fell backwards and coughed. She tried again, trying hard to get away from the paramedics but it was a failed attempt.
Calleigh grabbed Jayden's uninjured hand but Jayden didn't want that. She wanted to be picked up. Calleigh listened as Jayden called out for her. She called out to Eric.
"We have to stabilize her on the gurney," the paramedic said.
Calleigh knew they would have to transport her. She turned to Jayden. "Sweetie, they're just going to lay you down."
"No!" Jayden screamed. She immediately started coughing. "No mommy, mommy, mommy..." She continued calling out for Calleigh until she literally couldn't. The coughing subdued her and she was now wheezing badly.
The paramedic strapped Jayden to the gurney and stabilized her head and neck. They were well aware of the fact that Jayden was afraid.
Calleigh and Eric both stood where Jayden could see them.
The paramedics got her off the boat and onto the coast guard ship and headed towards the shore. From there, they went to the hospital.
Here's the chapter. I hope everyone enjoys it. :P