Mac rode to the edge of town and then stopped. He wondered why he felt so eerie. He did not know why he felt like he was trapped in a loop and could not go any further than around and around. He went a little further and saw a police car drive by. He wondered why that looked so familiar. He had one of his dizzy spells again. He shook his head. He could not have dizzy spells while he was riding that motorcycle. He would be a greasy spot on the road.

Mac saw a bar further on down the road. It was already starting to get dark now so he went to the bar. He went inside where it was not much lighter than it was outside. He stopped as he got inside. Why did he feel so out of place? He felt out of place at Melinda's castle and wherever he went. He rubbed his forehead and realized he was sweating. He went over to the bar and the barkeep came over to him. "What'll you have?" he asked.

Mac stared at him a moment not sure what he wanted. He was not sure what he was doing here. Did he want to get drunk? That would not help anything. "Uhm…"

"Hey, just let me know when you make up your mind."

Mac sat down on a bar stool. He rubbed his face as he propped on his elbows. "Hi," someone said. Mac looked around to see a woman sit down beside him.

"I am in no mood for company," Mac said. "Sorry."

"Everybody needs company."

"Not me. Just go away, please."

"Fine."

Mac rolled his eyes. He did not care what she thought. He stared into the mirror behind the bar. He was beginning to think he did not really know the person in that mirror. He had shot two people and had stolen thirty million dollars worth of jewels for a woman who just wanted to use him. He knew she was cold hearted and wanted nothing but her own pleasure. What did he get out of it? Of course, he got to live in that castle and he had everything he wanted….or did he? He thought he wanted more in life than to be a jewel thief but he supposed he would have to just settle for that right now.

The bartender came back over to Mac. "You made up your mind yet?" he asked.

"Yeah," Mac replied. He ordered a Long Island Iced Tea and then waited. He had not had one of those in a long time…or had he. He felt like he could not remember much lately. Mostly what he remembered was that trip to Brazil. He did not know why that was so vivid. He rubbed his eyes as he was trying to remember his purpose for being a jewel thief.

The bartender brought the drink to Mac. "You better be careful with that one," he said. "It will hit you like a ton of bricks."

"Thanks," Mac replied. He turned the drink up and drank it all before he stopped.

The bartender stared at him as Mac said "Give me another one."

"Alright."

Mac downed the next drink the same as the first and two more on top of that. He knew what it was going to do to him but he did not care until he stood up. He felt like the room was spinning around him. He looked at the bartender as he swayed back and forth. "Call me a…cab," he said drunkenly.

"Just have a seat," the bartender said. "And I'll get you one."

"Okay." Mac sat down in the floor and just fell on backward.

A lot of people laughed at him but the bouncer came over and got him up. "Come on," he said.

"Where are we going?" Mac asked.

"You're going to wait for your cab."

"I think I have to go to the bathroom."

The bouncer shook his head. "I'm sure you do." He had seen what Mac drank at that bar. He took Mac to the bathroom. "Can you make it?" he asked as he tried to steady Mac on his feet.

Mac tried to stand up straight. "I can make it," he said but when he tried to take a step, he almost fell forward.

The bouncer grabbed the back of Mac's shirt. "You're really messed up," he said.

Mac looked at him. "I'm the head of the crime lab," he said. "I have to get back to work."

The bouncer stared at him a moment. "You can't be the head of the crime lab."

"I'm Mac Taylor! Don't tell me who I am."

"Okay, CSI, just get in there and get busy."

Mac weaved his way on into the bathroom. The bouncer scowled as he stood beside the bathroom door. He remembered seeing something about a missing cop and he thought it was the head of the crime lab. He did not know if this was really him. He had seen a lot of whackos in this bar. He thought the guy might have read that story and just said that because he was stone cold drunk.

When Mac was done in the bathroom, he stumbled his way back over to the bouncer. "I think I'm really drunk," he said.

"Come on," the bouncer said. He grabbed Mac by the arm and got him out of the bathroom.

"You don't have to be so rough," Mac said. "I could arrest you for assault."

The bouncer looked at him. "If you're the head of the crime lab, what are you doing here like this?"

Mac considered that. "Oh yeah," he said. "I'm not the head of the crime lab." He put his finger on his lips and said, "Shhhhh. I'm a jewel thief."

The bouncer shook his head. "Shut up and let's get out to that cab before I lay you out."

He finally got Mac outside although it was not easy with him stumbling and grabbing everything in sight to keep from falling. The bouncer put Mac into the cab. "Where are you going?" he asked.

Mac looked at him and told him the address of the castle. The bouncer told the driver. "Take care of him," he said. "He's so drunk he doesn't even know his name."

"What about my motorcycle?" Mac asked. "I can't just leave it. Melinda will be upset."

The bouncer looked in the parking lot. There was only one motorcycle out there. He looked at the cab driver. "You wanta take it with you?" he asked.

"I'm not taking a motorcycle in this cab," the driver said.

"I'll take care of it, but you have to come back and get it tomorrow or we'll sell it or have it towed."

"Sure," Mac said.

By the time he arrived at the castle, Mac was asleep and snoring loudly. "Wake up!" the driver said. "You're home!"

The door of the castle opened and one of Melinda's body guards came out to see who was there. "I brought this guy home," the cab driver said.

The body guard looked at Mac. "Alright, I'll get him," he said. He opened the cab door and got Mac out roughly.

Mac woke up then. He looked at the body guard. "Oh, it's you," he said.

"Come on!"

The body guard paid the cab driver and then practically dragged Mac into the house. Melinda was waiting inside. She put her hands on her hips and stared at Mac. "Where have you been?" she asked.

Mac tried to stand up straight. "Out!" he said.

"You sure are out." She looked at the body guard. "Bring him up to my room."

It was not an easy task to get Mac up the stairs but finally he was up there and carried down to Melinda's room. "Just drop him on the bed," she said.

The body guard dumped Mac on the bed and then left. Melinda looked at him. "What a mess you are," she said. She walked over to the bed. "How do you feel?"

"Drunk," Mac replied.

Melinda climbed onto the bed. "How about now?" she asked as she kissed him.

Mac frowned. "Is that why you had me brought to your room?" he asked.

"Of course. I want some more of what we had today."

Mac stared at her. He had to admit that she was attractive but he had no feelings for her. "You're cold-hearted," he said.

"So are you, my dear."

"Not as cold hearted as you. You only love yourself and live for pleasure."

"What's wrong with pleasure?"

"Nothing if that's all you want."

"And just what do you want?"

"I don't know."

Melinda climbed on top of him and sat down. "I'll give you what you want," she said.

Mac rolled over so that she fell off on the bed. Melinda thought he would give in like he had done earlier that day but instead, he sat up on the side of the bed. Mac rubbed his face as he felt so dizzy he thought he would fall on his face. He stood up and looked at Melinda. "I know I don't want you," he said. "Yeah, I used you for pleasure too but I don't need it that bad."

Melinda glared at him. "How dare you!" she said.

"How dare I?" Mac asked as he weaved on his feet. "You seduced me! Wait till I tell Thomas!"

"You're a lousy drunk!"

"I know." Mac put his hand on his stomach. "I think I'm sick." He threw up on the bed.

Melinda rolled off on the other said and glared at him. "Just look what you did!" she said.

Mac smiled. "Well, it's not like you don't have plenty of other rooms."

Mac weaved his way to the door. He thought he got more pleasure out of that than he did the sex. Melinda came over to him and put her arms around him. "Don't you want to share a night of passion?" she asked as she rubbed his stomach and tried to move her hands down further.

Mac turned around and looked at her as she continued to try and seduce him. "We don't have to be lonely tonight," she said.

"You'll always be lonely, Melinda," Mac said. "You don't know how to love."

Mac pushed her hands away from him. "Good night," he said and went out the door.

Melinda was furious. She went out the door and shoved him against the wall which was quite easy since he was drunk. "If you don't give me what I want, I'll tell Thomas what happened," she said. "I'll tell him that you seduced me and raped me!"

Mac leaned toward her and she thought he would kiss her. "I've got news for you," Mac said. "He won't believe you and besides that, he told me that he loves you. I shouldn't have given in to you today but I was lonely. I think I'm thinking better while I'm drunk."

"I don't like rejection," Melinda said. "I mean, there are plenty of men who would like to have your opportunity right now."

"Probably, but they're just as cold hearted as you…or stupid."

Mac started on toward his room weaving. Melinda glared at his back. "You'll be sorry," she said.

"I don't think I will. Thomas will be back in the morning."

Melinda watched Mac go on into his room. She was not ready to give up yet. She would wait until he was settled down. She would get what she wanted…

Mac got undressed and got into bed. He did not care about wearing anything to bed. He knew he was going to have a serious hangover in the morning. He could not remember much of what happened. He knew the bouncer hand gotten him out to the cab. He would have to go and get that motorcycle in the morning…

Don Flack was sitting at his desk when someone came in that he had not seen in a long time. "Marty?" he said. "What are you doing here?" Don stood up and shook his hand. "You still playing bouncer out there at that crazy bar?"

"Yeah, Don," Marty replied. "How have you been?"

"Alright."

Marty sat down in a chair at Don's desk. "I hear your boss is missing," he said.

Don looked at him a moment and then nodded. "Yeah, he's been missing for a while," he said. "We don't have a clue as to where he is but…" Don knew he was not supposed to tell anyone about the fact that Mac was the jewel thief. He looked at Marty. "What brings you here?"

Marty leaned on the desk. "Can I see a picture of your boss?" he asked. "What's his name?"

"Mac Taylor," Don said with a scowl. He took a picture of Mac from his desk and gave it to Marty.

Marty stared at it a moment and then looked at Don. He turned the picture around. "He was at the bar tonight, Don," he said.

Don almost stood up. "What!" He looked around them as a lot of people looked that way. He took a deep breath and leaned on the desk. "What?" he whispered.

"He was at the bar. He got stone drunk and when he was babbling he said he was the head of the crime lab and I didn't believe him of course, but then he said, 'oh yeah, I'm a jewel thief'…it was like he wasn't sure who he was. I've seen a lot of drunks and I've heard them talk out of their heads but I've never heard anything quite like that."

"So, where is he?"

"The bartender called him a cab."

"Where did he take him?"

"He gave me an address." Marty told Don the address.

Don stared at it and then looked at Marty. "You have no idea how much you have helped us," Don said.

"He left a motorcycle at the bar and he'll be coming back in the morning to get it."

Don frowned. "In the morning?"

"Yes. He couldn't drive it. I put it away to keep it for him."

Don stood up. "Marty, you may have saved Mac's life," he said. He went around the desk. "You keep this to yourself," he whispered. "This is a sensitive case. Just act like everything's normal. Does anyone else know about this?"

"No, just you." Marty stared at Don. "What happened to him?"

"We think…" Don looked around them. "I'll let you know. We can't let this leak out."

"Right. I understand."

"I'll be there in the morning."

"Alright."

Don watched Marty leave and then he got the picture of Mac and hurried to the elevator. He had to tell Jo about this…