A/N:  I know, I know.  I promised a chapter every night but RL got in the way.  Not to mention the 6 other stories I'm working on.  Oh and then of course there's all the reading to catch up on in regard to all the juicy spoilers about G/S.  Gotta love 'em!

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Same day - 4:00 p.m.

            Matt and Jackson headed down the hallway leading to the lobby as they heard a gunshot coming from the lobby.  They both reached for their guns and had them at the ready when they arrived to find chaos.  They saw a blonde woman dressed in a business suit by the Events counter lying on the floor, blood oozing from her back.  They raced over to her and found she was already dead.  Guests were milling around everywhere since the conference had ended for the day not more than a half hour earlier.  They were not able to distinguish anyone in the crowd who may have been the shooter.

            "Miss Sidle, Miss Sidle.  Are you okay?"  One of Jarod's agents raced over to Matt and Jackson as she had assumed it was Sara lying on the floor.

            Matt stepped toward her before she reached them and stopped her.  "Margot, it's not Sara.  Sara isn't here she went to the airport."  Margot, perplexed at their words, frowned and said, "Thank God, I thought it was her."

            "It's not.  We need you on duty.  Check in with James and then get back here.  You'll be on detail for Sara when she returns.  Keep alert and let me know if you see anyone looking suspicious."  Matt gently pushed her toward the elevators.

            At the same time in the parking lot of the Hotel, Sara and Jarod had just arrived back with Sydney from the airport.  As they walked to the hotel, Sara looked over toward the lounge and saw Grissom and the others watching her.  She stopped.  It was the first time she had seen them.

            A gunshot resounded from inside the Hotel and she jumped as though she had been shocked by an electric jolt.  She was immediately on alert.  She looked toward Jarod and then they headed inside with Sydney following closely.  Guests were scattered in the front lobby.  They entered to find Matt and Jackson in control of the situation and they blocking off an area near the Events counter.  Sara and Jarod approached them.

            "Matt what happened?"  Sara looked around and then down at the woman who was shot and lying on the floor.

            "Well, Sara, I don't know.  What we've been piecing together is that Kristie was standing here talking with Tom and next thing we know she's on the floor.  We can't locate the person who did the shooting.  I was just about to head out…"

            "No, just stay here."  Jarod also looked down at Kristie.  Sara knelt down and started to examine her.  She felt for a pulse but knew she wouldn't find one.  She looked up at the others and shook her head. 

            Jarod helped her back up and as she stood she whispered so that only Jarod would hear, "She's dressed like me.  Jarod, we look a lot a like from the back. They could very easily have thought it was me standing there since I routinely go over the arrangements for the evening's activities every day."

            Jarod nodded.  She looked past him to see that Grissom and the others had stepped inside.  This can't be happening now.  Sara thought.  "Jackson, has anyone called the Magistrate?"

            "Yeah, I think Steven over there did just now?  It shouldn't take very long for him to get here…" As he said that they could here the sirens approach.  "Someone else in the hotel must have called."  They also saw reporters filing in.

            The Magistrate arrived and walked over to Jarod and Sara and nodded at both.  "So what happened?"  They briefed him on what they knew and then he squatted to peruse over the body.  When he stood back up he wore a grim face and said, "Well, we have a little problem… with the conference going on, our lab cleared out and went on vacation. They decided nothing ever happens and even if something did we'd have plenty of people who could handle it."

            Sara blinked in bewilderment.  "You have got to be kidding Paul.  What about the coroner?"

            "Nope, he went to see family… You think we can get some help on this?  You know, since the conference is going on and all."

            Sara looked back at the group.  She hated the thought of what she was about to do but the irony of the situation wasn't lost on her.  "What about the number two crime lab in the states?"

            Paul looked at her and smiled. "So, who do you know?"

            She motioned to Grissom and the others to come over.  Paul turned around and saw them.  He held his hand out to Grissom.  They shook hands as Jarod made introductions.

            Grissom had somehow worked his way to stand directly next to Sara as the others introduced themselves to the Magistrate.  He spoke softly to her, "Hi, how are you?"

            "Just fine.  And how are you?"  Sara asked in a whisper.

            "Just fine."

            "Would you, uh," Sara cleared her throat in an attempt to regain her voice. "Mind helping out on this, it seems the local lab went AWOL on us?"  Sara hated this.  She had to remain calm.

            Catherine had moved in on their conversation and looked over at her and smiled, "Anything to help."

            Paul told them that there was some gear out in the truck.  Then Jarod approached Sara and grabbed her elbow.  "Sara, the press are here, you'll have to go talk with them."

            She looked at Paul. "Anything they need… Okay?"  He nodded at her and she took a quick look at all of them then sauntered off.

            While the group was working on the scene, Sara was talking to the press.  She wasn't able to tell them much because nothing was known yet.  After about five minutes, the press started to depart.  Someone took the opportunity of the crush to press a note into Sara's hand.  Startled by the contact, she looked around but couldn't tell who it was. 

            Margot had been assigned to stay close to Sara during the press conference and for asked her if she'd seen who did it.  "Margot, did you see that?"

            Margot looked around her to see what Sara was referencing.  "See what Miss Sidle?"

            Sara glanced around and spared a quick glance back at the woman and just brushed it off.  "Oh, nothing.  Go ahead and get to your normal post."  Without arguing with her, Margot walked away and left the Hotel.

            Jarod and Grissom both noticed Sara's movements and they saw her try to discreetly read a note then very quickly she looked up and around again with a startled expression.  She looked pointedly at Grissom and then over at Jarod.  She smiled at them trying to appear calm.  Then she turned away and tucked the note into her bra.

            She approached Jarod and they discussed keeping the guests comfortable and not anxious.  Deciding to keep normalcy a priority, Jarod told her to get ready for their performance in the lounge.  She uncharacteristically agreed and walked off to change.

            He stared after her then glanced over at Grissom, catching his eye.  They shared a look that spoke volumes.  They had both seen her try to hide the note.

            Grissom and his team left for the Coroner's and Jarod went to change.

            Later, he and Sara met up and headed down to the lounge.  Tensions were running high.  In hopes of alleviating the fears and apprehensions of their patrons, they did their bit on stage then danced a little.  After a couple of songs, Jarod went to sit with Matt, Jackson and Sydney while Sara continued to mingle with the guests and kept up the good spirit of the gathering.

            Afterward, Sara decided to go down to the beach like she would normally do every night.  She felt safe knowing that Jarod had placed agents on the grounds and in the trees overlooking the beach.  She grinned at his over-protectiveness.  It was actually comforting –unnecessary but comforting.

            She'd just reached the beach when Jarod saw her.  Unbelievable, what is she thinking?  He couldn't believe that with the possibility of someone targeting her, she went off by herself.  He got up from the table and headed down the pathway to join her.  She was facing away from him looking out at the ocean.

            He called to her just as he got to the end of the pathway where it met with the sand.  As he said her name, she turned around and immediately fell limply to the ground.  Jarod took out his gun and ran over to her and instinctively surveyed the area looking for the person who had just shot her.  There hadn't been any indication of a shot but Jarod had recognized the faint sound of a report through a silencer.  He would recognize that anywhere.

            At the same time, Matt had been watching them.  He saw Jarod draw his gun and his eyes darted to Sara, she was lying on the ground.  He startled Jackson and Sydney as he scrambled out of his seat.  They quickly followed him down to Jarod and Sara.

            Jarod heard running feet and quickly targeted the encroacher.  He saw it was Margot and lowered his gun.   She had her gun drawn and took position to cover him and Sara as another agent joined them.  Margot quickly related to Jarod that she hadn't seen anyone, however, the other agent reported that he did see someone in her area.  Margot emphatically refuted that statement.

            Matt reached them and asked Jarod, "Is she hit?"

            "Yeah, but I can't tell how badly, it's too dark.  She's out cold."

            Sydney crouched down to inspect Sara's wound.  He looked up at Jarod. "It appears the bullet grazed the side of her head.  We should get her up to the infirmary before the guests start noticing."

            Jarod instructed the two agents to get back to their posts and to keep their eyes open.  He was not a happy man.  He then squatted down and gently cradled Sara in his arms and easily lifted her.  Matt, Jackson, and Sydney surrounded him and Sara all the way to the door of the operations center known by them as the "Pit".

            They reached the infirmary and Jarod laid her down on one of the three beds occupying the open space.  He and Sydney immediately started to check her head for the wound which was located on the back right hand side of her head.  She had lost a good amount of blood and it had matted her hair down and was all over her dress.  "Damn, if I hadn't gone down there and got her attention… she'd be dead."

            They stepped aside as Dr. Linn arrived.  He pretty much told them what they already knew.  "It's just a grazing but she's going to have a mighty headache when she wakes up.  She may also have a slight concussion.  Keep her down tonight.  Most concussions would require someone to wake her every few hours but I don't think it requires that kind of attention.  When she wakes up, make sure her eyes are clear and looking straight forward.  If so, you'll just need to get her to rest.  She may have some dizziness, other than that she should be okay.  I'll get you something that you can give her later if she has trouble sleeping."

            Jarod decided that everyone should leave for a while so he could get her changed and more comfortable.  He then remembered that the group would be returning from the Coroner's if they hadn't already.  "Jackson, someone needs to go and tell Dr. Grissom and the others what has happened but don't startle them.  Let them know she is okay.  If they really need to, go ahead and bring them down."

            Jackson nodded at Jarod with a grimace on his face.  He wondered how it was that he got the wonderful job of delivering the news to them.

            Jarod turned to Matt and told him what he thought he heard and what direction it would have came from.  Matt headed out to do some reconnaissance.

            After everyone had cleared the room, he proceeded to get Sara changed then covered her with the sheet and blanket on one of the other beds.  That was when she started to wake up.  Jarod sat on the bed with her.  He held her hand as he peered into her eyes to see how they appeared.  She tried to sit up but Jarod pushed her back down.  When his glance met her eyes, she glared at him and then licked her lips before telling him, "Jarod if I sit up it'll help with the throbbing in my head."

            "Fine, but let me readjust the angle of the mattress so you can lay against it.  I don't want you getting queasy."

            She sat up and he readjusted the mattress setting so that it was at a hundred and eighty degree angle.  Sara repositioned herself and started shivering.  It wasn't from the cold.  She pulled Jarod down onto the bed next to her to hold her and keep her warm.  They were discussing what had happened when the door to the Infirmary opened.