Part 3 – What's going on inside the lab?

Horatio slowly closed the door behind him and took one small step forward, his hands still slightly raised. "Alexx," he said, his eyes never leaving the man holding the remote and gun. "Alexx, why don't you apply a bandage to Eric's arm? We don't want him to bleed to death, do we?"

When he noticed that their captor didn't object, Horatio gave a slight encouraging nod into the ME's direction. He watched how Alexx hesitantly climbed to her feet, then switched his attention back to the perp, studying him closely. The man was still young, probably in his mid-twenties, Horatio guessed. He had a fairly dark skin, deep brown eyes and pitch black hair. His fingers were long and slender, but what was most alarming, they were trembling slightly. The man was nervous, which made him unpredictable.

Horatio knew who the man was, and the situation which had led to him being brought in. There'd been a double homicide at Castillo del Mar, a middle aged couple had been slaughtered in their hotel room. The evidence had spoken and his colleagues had enough proof to put this suspect at the scene, although it was mostly circumstantial and not enough to press charges. Speed and Delko were interrogating the man to find out why he'd been in that hotel room. Horatio wondered why there hadn't been a cop present in the interrogation room, as mandated by protocol. It was a question that would have to be answered later, though.

Meanwhile, Keith had taken a few steps back, moving to a location that easily allowed him a better vantage point of the lab. He still had Speed's gun in one hand and the remote in the other. He switched his attention between the slowly moving woman, who had gathered a small first aid kit to treat the injured man on the floor, and the tall red-haired man, who was far too calm for comfort. The young man hadn't failed to notice the older man's scrutinizing glances making him wonder what was going through the man's mind.

"Calleigh, I want you to stay as still as you can, all right?" Horatio said, looking at his CSI sitting on the chair. Taking in her faint nod he continued with a gentle, reassuring voice. "It's going to be okay." Tilting his head slightly to his left, he turned his attention to the other occupants in the lab. He noticed Alexx working on Eric's injured arm, so he glanced at Speedle first. "Speed, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, H," Tim answered.

"Eric?" Horatio questioned, as his gaze shifted to the injured man leaning against the desk.

Eric's face was screwed up from the pain, drops of sweat rolling down the side of his face as Alexx was applying pressure to the wound on his arm. "I'll be okay, H," he hissed through gritted teeth and managed to throw his boss a slight smile.

"The boy needs medical attention," Alexx spoke up. "The bullet is still lodged in his arm."

"That's what you get from trying something stupid like that," Keith barked. "Just slap a bandage on his arm and he'll be okay." Agitated, he shifted his weight from one side to the other.

Horatio threw a cold stare at their captor before turning his attention back to Eric and Alexx. "Can you do that, Alexx?" he asked gently.

The dark haired ME nodded. "I'm sorry, sugar," she apologized to her colleague as he winced at her ministrations. As gently as possible, she wrapped up the injured arm, hoping it would stop the bleeding and offer some support. "Done. Try to keep it as still as possible, or it will start bleeding again, all right?"

Eric gave her a faint nod. "Thanks."

Keith coughed, indicating he'd had enough. Pointing roughly in Speed's direction, he motioned for Alexx to retreat.

Understanding, Alexx gave Eric a smile and, with a gentle pat on his uninjured arm, she rose to her feet then assumed her previous position next to Tim.

Satisfied that his injured detective was going to be all right, Horatio now shifted his attention back to the next threat and smiled encouragingly at Calleigh before turning to look at Keith. "Reynolds is your name, isn't it? Keith Reynolds? Listen, Keith. I'm going to take a look under here, all right?"

Alarmed, Keith looked back. This man with his self-assured, dominating attitude and silky voice was making him more than nervous. He stepped closer, alert, watching every movement of the other man.

Horatio slowly moved closer towards Calleigh and crouched down next to her, placing his left knee on the floor. Leaning with one arm on the other knee he cocked his head to look underneath the chair. "Clever," he said, quickly accessing the device. "You know what you're doing, don't you Keith?"

Tilting his head, Horatio looked up to glance at the younger man.

Keith didn't respond, but his eyes never left the man kneeling on the ground.

Horatio slowly shifted and examined the explosives again. "From what I can see, these explosives have both an electrical and a mechanical ignition. Where did you learn that, Keith?" Again, he looked up.

A faint smile appeared on Keith's face, and he shrugged his shoulders, unwilling to share information.

Smiling at his CSI, Horatio continued. "Calleigh, if you don't move, you'll be okay." He took another look underneath the chair. "And what is this, a blasting cap type of detonation?"

Keith had enough. With one quick, fluid motion, he swung the gun with all of his strength. The butt slammed against the kneeling man's head, hitting him just behind the left ear.

The sheer force of the blow threw the Lieutenant sideways. His head crashed loudly against a pole of the desk. He crumpled in a heap on the floor, and didn't move.

"Horatio!" Calleigh cried out, but forced herself to stay still. She tried to look over her shoulder without moving her body but couldn't see where her boss and friend had ended up.

Both Alexx and Speed jumped forward, only stopping dead in their tracks after a threatening look from the guy holding the best cards in the game. Eric hadn't moved, but if looks could kill, Keith would have been dead. Speed was outraged and barely able to keep still, while Alexx's face was filled with concern.

Keith slowly moved forward, sending another warning glare in the direction of his captives. Checking out the man lying on the floor, he sighed in relief when he found the man deeply unconscious. "He was getting on my nerves," he commented. He gave the Lieutenant a swift kick into the ribs and nodded in satisfaction when there was no response. "But now, he's out cold."