Chapter 2: Alexx's Findings

17:36pm

Miami CSI Building, Autopsy

Alexx stared down at the victim of the latest case with heavy eyes. Young woman aged 27, out partying and gets shot twice in the chest and once in the head.

"Choked on you own blood didn't you honey." She muttered to the somewhat peaceful corpse in front of her. "Never had the chance to live with the bullet in the head." The door to the cold room opened and Calleigh walked in, fighting the urge to scream with the pain in her hand. However, she put on a brave face.

"Hey, Alexx, have you got those bullet fragments for me?" She asked sweetly. Alexx grinned and passed her the small glass pot. Calleigh reached out for them, not thinking, with her left hand.

"Oh my god, Calleigh, what did you do with you hand, honey?" Alexx gasped, placing the pot on the table and holding Calleigh's hand very gently. Calleigh instantly came up with a story.

"Oh, I was emptying the dishwasher and caught myself on a knife. It's not that bad." Calleigh lied quickly.

"Honey, you have to be more careful. Here, why don't you take the last 2 hours off and go and get it checked?" Alexx said, examining the plaster, which covered the real wound.

"Nah Alexx, it's nothing." Calleigh said in a slightly choked voice, trying her best not to wince as Alexx slowly turned her hand.

"If you're sure, Calleigh. I will tell Horatio where you are." Alexx offered. Calleigh shook her head and slowly withdrew her hand.

"Really Alexx, I am fine." Calleigh assured her, though her own heart was racked with guilt.

"Ok then, but you should tell Horatio that you're not up to best performance." Alexx sighed, passing Calleigh the bullet fragments. She smiled as Calleigh laughed slightly and walked out of the room.

18:14

Miami CSI Building, Lt. Caine's Office

Horatio was sitting in his chair, going over the moment when he had entered the Ballistics lab. Why had she jumped like that? Surely there were people going into see her in the morning. Horatio had seen that she was lying and had seen the guilt in her face. But he wasn't going to react without a proper reason, or else he'd probably seem as an intruder on Calleigh's personal life. Sighing, he looked out his window into the Ballistics lab, hoping to see Calleigh. But she wasn't there. Horatio frowned and checked his watch. It was only another 15 minutes until the end of Calleigh's shift. Horatio stopped himself from rushing down to the lab. She was probably looking at some more evidence. But, she was meant to be working at the bullets they had found at the scene. He suddenly remembered that Alexx had found bullet fragments in the victim's skull, so Calleigh must have gone to find those. But, he wasn't convincing himself at all.

There was a knock on his door and he turned round, hoping to see Calleigh. However, it was Alexx that came through the door.

"Horatio, the cause of death on our victim was actually strangulation. The bullets were fired after she died." Alexx said grimly.

"So, whoever did this wanted to make sure that she was dead. But why." Horatio murmured to himself.

"My guess is as good as yours." Alexx said. She turned to leave but suddenly Horatio called her back.

"Alexx, is Calleigh with you?" Horatio asked intently. Alexx shook her head.

"No, the last time I saw her was about an hour ago, when she came to pick up some bullet fragments. Why, what's wrong?"

"Calleigh was acting strangely when I last saw her this morning. I think there is something wrong." Horatio said, started to feel panicked.

"Not surprised." Alexx said suddenly. Horatio snapped his gaze on her, looking concerned.

"What do you mean, Alexx?"

"She's hurt her hand, Horatio. She said it was nothing, but it looked pretty bad." Alexx replied, starting to put the pieces together.

"We need to find her now." Horatio said urgently. He grabbed his gun off his desk and hurried out of the door.

18:14

Calleigh Duquesne's House

Calleigh was sitting on her couch, tears spilling down her cheeks. She had lied to 2 people that she thought that she could trust, 2 people that had told her anything. But this was to keep them safe. Calleigh took the plaster care fully over her hand and winced at the sight of the wound. It had now gone even darker and it was beginning to look infected. She grabbed the phone off its base and went to the bathroom with it. She dialled the doctor's phone number as she put her hand under warm water, hissing slightly at the sharp pain. A woman's voice came back over the phone.

"Dr. Jeremy Smith's Surgery, how can I help?" She said.

"Hi, could I book an appointment with Dr. Smith today?" She asked, her voice slightly higher than normal.

"Yes, miss, let me just check the schedule."

Calleigh heard the secretary turning pages and shifted the phone to a better position.

"Could I ask how urgent you are to see the doctor, miss?" The secretary asked.

"Err, pretty urgent." Calleigh said, gazing down at the wound. Suddenly she heard a bang and the sound of glass breaking. Calleigh jerked and the phone clattered to the floor. The secretary on the end was beginning to panic. Something was wrong. Calleigh gathered up the phone and ended the call. She was shaking again and she edged toward the window and careful looked between the blinds. It was the same man that had hurt her last night. He was carrying a rifle, a hunting rifle. He had already fired at the hummer. It had shattered the back window and had gone straight through the windscreen. Calleigh gasped and felt the fear making her heart race. She grabbed her mobile and instantly called Horatio.

18:18

Hummer

Horatio was driving at full speed, his own heart banging against his rib cages. He wasn't sure of what was happening. Alexx was in the passenger seat next to him, looking like what he felt. When his phone rang, he grabbed it instantly.

"Horatio Caine here."

"Horatio!" The voice was sobbing, but Horatio knew who it was anywhere.

"Calleigh, where are you?" He asked, trying to stay calm, but the tone of Calleigh's voice was making him panic. But suddenly he heard gunshots and a single scream. His eyes were wide as he heard a cry of pain.

"CALLEIGH!"

I know I put it up early, but I got a load of reviews for it that I thought I'd be nice, so I put it up anyway. Enjoy!

TheNextTitan