A/N: thanks to those who feedback! You're the best....
Part 8 – Preparing for a possible explosion
Detective Frank Tripp looked anxiously at the entrance of Miami Dade PD. The swat team should have taken control of the situation and he expected to see some results any time now.
As on cue, the two swat team members appeared in the doorway, with somebody in their middle. Tripp, having watched the surveillance tapes, immediately recognized the man as their suspect, Keith Reynolds. The suspect had his hands cuffed behind his back, and the swat team quickly took him to a waiting car to take him away.
Only moments later, Frank saw three of the CSI hostages appear, Alexx, Tim, and Eric who supported his injured arm with the other. They crossed the parking lot, heading toward the command center.
Captain Jackson stood next to Frank, waiting for his three people. "Are you all right?" he asked once the criminalists were reaching the tent.
"We're fine," Tim Speedle acknowledged.
"Eric needs a medic," Alexx filled in, "there's a bullet in his arm."
Frank looked his friends over, then motioned for the waiting paramedics. "Let's get that looked at, Eric," he said. "Go with them."
"I'm not going anywhere until I know Calleigh is safe," Eric protested, trying to shrug off the paramedics that were attempting to guide him away.
"Honey, you need them to take care of that arm," Alexx reasoned. "They can do that in the ambulance, all right? I'm coming with you." Not taking no for an answer, Alexx now assisted the paramedics in taking Eric with them to the waiting ambulance.
Speed stared after them, before turning his gaze back to the Captain and Frank Tripp. "Nice show," he complimented the men.
"How's H?" Frank asked, needing to know. He knew now that his friend hadn't been talking nonsense after the blow to his head, and he wasn't really surprised that Horatio had stayed behind with Calleigh, but he couldn't help worrying.
Speed shrugged. "The suspect knocked him out, and he was unconscious for a while. According to Alexx he's going to need some stitches, but she's managed to stop the bleeding. For a while, we thought he'd really had it, he started to talk funny."
"He was informing us of the bomb," Captain Jackson joined in.
Speed nodded. "That's what I understand now as well. So apart from a mother of a headache, I guess he should be okay."
"Sirs," Wogan interrupted the men. "I've got Sergeant Orrick on the line. He needs some protective clothing and a shield."
"What for?" demanded the Chief, as he threw an alarmed glance at his building.
"Sergeant Orrick explained that he's got to cut the last wire of the bomb. Lieutenant Caine is going to assist Calleigh in jumping behind the shield they are requesting for."
"I'm just going to assume they know what they are doing," Captain Jackson sighed. He absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair. "Do we have any information on the force of the explosives?"
Lou Wogan repeated the question through the phone, listened for a while then faced the Captain. "The lab is the only place that could be damaged, sir. Some windows might blow, but the area is clear."
Jackson gave a brief nod, then turned to look at Frank Tripp. "All right. Let's do this. I'm going to make a call." He stepped aside, with the receiver in his hand and dialed.
Tripp turned to Sergeant Orrick's colleague. "Can you get the stuff he needs, please? Do you have anything protective to cover Miss Duquesne with, too?"
Orrick's colleague nodded affirmatively. "Yes, sir. I'll get right to it."
"Thank you," Frank replied. "Inform fire and rescue of a possible explosion, too, please?" He watched as the man took off to take care of things then noticed that Captain Jackson had finished his call.
Again, Lou Wogan called their attention. "Sirs, we've been looking at the surveillance tapes. I think you better come and take a look."
Jackson stepped forward first, followed suite by Frank and Tim.
"We've been searching for possibilities to get those explosives inside," Wogan explained. "On all the video tapes from today we didn't find a thing. But, this tape is from last night." He pointed at the screen. It showed one of the workers coming inside the building, carrying a plastic bag.
"What's in there?" Speed asked, moving closer to get a good look.
"I don't know," Wogan said. "But we've been checking for people entering the building carrying something that could hide the explosives. Next, we've been checking the available surveillance tapes from CSI, hoping we could put one of those people entering the building with a package at the scene. This is the first opportunity we've found. Of course the man could have brought in anything in that bag, but what's drawn our attention is that he's actually been in the fingerprint lab that night."
"He doesn't work for CSI," stated Tim. "He's got no reason to be there, especially not in our lab."
"He's a desk clerk. His name is Ralph. Ralph something. What was he doing there?" Frank asked, vaguely recognizing the man. "Do we have images from that?"
Wogan shook his head. "No. Just of him entering, nothing more. I guessed it was worth checking out, though."
Jackson agreed. "So Keith Reynolds could have had help from one of our own. Let's bring him in for questioning. Adele can pick him up."
"Excuse me," Frank apologized, as he walked away to pass on the instructions to his female colleague. When Adele and two officers had left, Frank walked over to talk to Zamboni. He quickly informed the man of their discoveries and ordered him to look for any clues of Keith Reynolds having met the man they were now also suspecting.
Upon returning, Frank looked at Speed. "When they've disarmed that bomb, you need to swab the lab for prints. You might find something that ties this Ralph to the scene."
"We will," Tim nodded confidently. Looking up, they watched as the bomb squad man returned from having delivered the requested items.
"First, we wait, until the area is cleared," Captain Jackson said, rubbing a hand wearily over his face. "And pray that our people will come out unharmed." One glance at his people told him they were all at least as nervous as he was feeling.