The New Recruits

Chapter 11

" Jacinda, make sure you have enough line," Eric said as he called out to Jacinda who was already in the water. She put up a 'thumbs up' signal and put on her mask. Before slipping on her mouth piece, she inhaled quickly then let it out. Eric saw her as she went under.

RJ glanced at the water with a feeling of uneasiness. He had never seen her dive and it worried him to a point. Eric looked at RJ and smiled. He knew that his 'nephew' was smitten with Jacinda Willison.

" She's okay," Eric said as he watched the line descend into the dark water. Calleigh walked up behind them both and watched the line as well. She never knew that putting Jacinda in a swim class would lead her to this.

" I've heard of things happening to divers," RJ said as he watched the line stop.

" Nothing's going to happen. This line can tell us where she's at," Eric replied as the line got a little tension. " She must've gotten to the bottom."

RJ continued to look uneasily at the line when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. It looked like a fin.

" Delko," RJ said as he watched the fin swim closer.

" Speedle, she's going to be fine," Eric said as he watched from a set.

" Eric! There's a shark!" Calleigh exclaimed as she saw what RJ was staring at.

Eric looked up for a split second when he saw the fin drop under the water. He tugged on the line then took out his radio.

" Jacinda , come up ! Come up! There's a shark in the harbor,"Eric yelled into the radio.

Down in the water, Jacinda was reaching to the body when she saw the black form as it advanced on her quickly. She turned and began to swim for the surface. Eric felt as the line got tighter then snapped. Maddison had come over as well as Raymond and Jen. RJ watched as Eric pulled the line out of the water and held the frayed end of it in his hand. Then he saw it. Blood had bubbled up to the surface.

TNR

" Tim , honey are you awake? The phone's for you," Robin called from the kitchen. Tim turned over in his bed and groaned. He didn't like it, but he was on sick leave and that meant that he didn't have to answer the phone.

" Take a message, Robin," Tim called back to her. Moments later he heard her footsteps as she ascended the stairs.

" You told me to give you the phone if your doctor called. He's on the phone," Robin said as she handed him the phone. Tim sat up quickly and cleared his throat.

" Dr. Richardson,..."

" Yes, Mr. Speedle, you can return to work today," the doctor finished. He knew that his patient was eagerly awaiting this news.

"But you said that it would be another week."

" You have been doing so well in therapy and you said that you don't use your cane as much as you used to . I don't see why you can't return to work. Just don't run any marathons."

" You don't know how happy you have made me, doc. Thanks," Tim said as he hung up the phone. Robin sat on the edge of the bed smiling.

" You're going back to work?"

" I'm going back to work," Tim replied with a smile as he tossed the covers off of him. He got up quickly and went to his closet, limping. Robin noticed the slight limp and smiled a little.

"Oh, you have a limp. It's kinda sexy."

"I've had it since getting out of the hospital. You never said anything about it.," Tim said as he picked out his favorite blue button up and a pair of black trousers. " And you can forget about talking me into sex."

" You know me so well .I can't talk you into staying out at least another day?" Robin asked.

" Sorry, sweetie, but I gotta get out. I'm going stir crazy."

" Fantastic thing to say to your wife. I'm hurt."

Tim walked over to her and planted a kiss on her lips, " I'll make it up to you later."

Robin nodded and watched as her husband walked into the bathroom. " I tried." she said to herself as she turned and walked out of the door.

TNR

" Does anybody see anything?" Maddison said as they continued to scan the water. Jacinda had been missing since the blood was spotted in the water. The shark had also disappeared.

" I don't see anything," RJ called out frantically. His nerves were working overtime. Calleigh paced up and down the pier looking into the water for any sign of her daughter. She thought about calling Phillip , but decided to wait until there was definite news.

Eric had suited up and jumped in the water and was about to go under, when he saw something floating on the surface. He swam over to the item cursing to himself. It was her mask.

Just as he went under another Hummer drove up to the scene, and everyone turned to see Tim step out of the vehicle. He strode over to where they were congregated and spoke to Maddison.

" Maddison, what's going on here?"

" Tim, what are you doing here? Where you released from the doctor?"

" This morning. I went by the lab to file the paperwork and Paula said that you were all out here. What are we looking for?" Tim said as he glanced at the team who kept a sharp eye on the water.

" Jacinda."

Tim felt his color drain as he glanced at Calleigh and then to RJ as they continued to watch the water.

" Ja- Jacinda? What happened?"

" She was retrieving a body and a shark was spotted in the harbor. We tried to tell her, but it's unknown as to whether she got away in time. There was blood in the water."

" You haven't found anything have you?"

" No. Delko's down there now. I hope that she got away," Maddison said as she dropped her sights.

The minutes ticked by with no sign of Jacinda or Eric and the tension was building on the board walk. Tim walked to Calleigh and stood next to her. He saw the desperation that was written all over her face.

" Calleigh?"

" She's got to be alright, Tim. I can't lose my little girl," Calleigh said as she turned to Tim.

" She's fine. Delko will find her," Tim said reassuringly. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

A splash of water startled Calleigh as she moved out of Tim's grasp to see what was breaking the surface. Her hopes were dashed when she saw that it was Eric.

" Eric, what did you find?" Maddison called out.

Eric held up her mask and a swimming fin, then began to swim towards the pier. Raymond bent down to help him out of the water as RJ ,Calleigh ,and Tim approached them.

" Speed, the doctors let you go?" Eric asked as he handed the items to Raymond.

" Yeah. Did you find anything?" Tim asked as he glanced back out into the harbor.

" Just what I brought up. It's like she disappeared."

" Dammit, she's got to be somewhere," RJ exclaimed as he kicked the post.

" RJ, why don't you go back to the Hummer and sit for a while," Tim asked as he saw the all too familiar form of the Speedle in him. Speedle men didn't handle frustration very well.

" No, I want to be here when she is found," RJ returned.

" RJ, your father's right. Go take sometime out," Calleigh said as she glanced once more out into the water.

All of a sudden the radio that Eric was holding crackled to life, " Delko? Are you there Delko?"

Eric bent down to pick up the radio and answered, " I'm here, Jackson. What do you see?"

" Your CSI climbing out of the water on the east side of the pier," Jackson replied.

" Is she okay?" RJ asked as Eric motioned for him to be quiet.

" She seems to be fine and she's pulling something behind her. It looks like a body."

"I'll be damned. She got away from the shark and got the body," Alexx said as she walked up to the team. She had heard the story over the radio in the coroner's van. " That girl is good."

Calleigh smiled, joyous that her daughter was okay, " She's got Duquense blood in her."

RJ and Calleigh began walking in the direction of the eastside of the pier and the rest of the team followed. It had been a harrowing day so far and the clock had not even struck twelve yet.

TBC...