"You're not trained for this."

"I know the bridge, Mac. I've studied it back to front and inside out. I can reach him. You have to let me try."

Mac looked around desperately searching his brain for an alternative option. Every instinct screamed 'stop her' but he knew she was right. He also knew Jorgenia would try to kill them both.

"Okay, but you wear a harness and we'll be right behind you."

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Sarndra cautiously poked her head above the top tread of the stairway. She didn't know what to expect but what she saw froze her in her tracks. Danny and Jorgenia were locked together on the narrow walkway the sunlight glinting off the silver knife blade suspended between their hands. She bit back a scream as Jorgenia suddenly twisted slicing the knife through Danny's radio belt and grazing his side. Danny responded by forcing Jorgenia back a step as he tried to prise the blade from the girl's grip. The metal dimples in the walkway surface caused Jorgenia to stumble and fall pulling him down with her where their combined weight proved too much for the railing support.

"Danny!" Sarndra lunged forward screaming as Jorgenia went over the side, her fingers still locked around Danny's wrist. There was a sickening crack as Sarndra's cast hit the walkway floor. She closed her eyes and prayed the fastest prayer in history simultaneously closing her fingers around the first thing they touched.

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Mac and Lewis made it up the stairs in record time. It took the New York CSI a split second to assess the situation before he threw himself at Sarndra locking his fingers around Danny's wrist just as she let go. He could tell by the position of her shoulder the release had not been voluntary. The joint was swelling fast and the discolouration spoke of internal bleeding.

"Don't move her!" He all but snarled at Lewis. The detective changed ground and climbed over both of them to help pull Danny up. Mac had just mustered the strength to lift the unconscious form of the younger man when Lewis's voice at his shoulder stopped him.

"How long do you think you can hold on?"

Mac inched forward and glanced over the edge. Danny hung facing the walkway and just below the edge of the cantilever strut Mac could see a darker object, the hilt of the knife, protruding from his abdomen.

"I can hold him but I can't turn him."

"We pull him up the way he is that knife will slice him open."

"Can you reach it?" Mac didn't want to think of the consequences of removing the knife but he also knew they were running out of options … fast. Lewis climbed back over Mac and undid Sarndra's radio belt.

"Can you undo yours?"

Mac fumbled one-handedly with the buckle and slid the belt free. Lewis buckled the three belts together and used them to lower himself over the edge. The remaining railing supports groaned under the extra pressure. It took three attempts to get a grip on the handle which was by now slippery with Danny's blood.

"I can't pull it free. He's swinging too much."

Mac rested his head against Sarndra's. Her breathing was becoming more laboured and he knew her time was running out. He was also feeling the strain of holding Danny creeping up his arm. He and Lewis were the only hope Danny had because no-one else could get close on the narrow surface. If he let Danny go he could move away and let them secure Sarndra for the airlift to hospital. If he held on and Sarndra … somehow … fell … off the walkway it would let the others close enough to get Danny up and safely off to hospital. He reached out a shaky hand and felt for her pulse. It was there. It was weak but it was there. He drew an even more shaky breath as the bright red Westpac Rescue chopper drew closer. 'Think!' he commanded his brain. 'There must be a way to save them both.' He closed his eyes and thought of his time with her. He couldn't deny it. He liked the way she thought. 'Who else' he asked himself 'would think of tying themselves to the inside of a rubbish skip? Who else would send Danny waterskiing right outside the office window? Who else would …' he lifted his head.

"Lewis!"

"Yeah Mac?"

"Do you think you could stop the stretcher from tangling in the bridge struts if we bring it in under Danny?"

Lewis frowned.

"Under Dan..? He suddenly saw what Mac was suggesting. "We can give it a shot." He radioed the idea to the pilot and the chopper veered away from them. A few tense minutes later it was back complete with stretcher and crewman dangling beneath it. Mac reached over and brushed a lock of stray hair away from Sarndra's face.

"It won't be long, I promise." He adjusted his body position and added his free hand to grip Danny's arm just below the other hand. The blood was beginning to drip from the knife handle onto Danny's boots and into the harbour below. He pulled back as much as he was able as the stretcher flew into view, the cable snaking eerily close to his position. He felt it smack against the structure.

Lewis caught the cable with his foot and pinned it against the beam as the crewman tilted the stretcher into a vertical position. The pilot was given the thumbs up and he started the winch. Lewis and the crewman worked together to position the stretcher frame against Danny's back and buckled chest strap around the injured man. Mac slowly released his grip on Danny as the two men slowly returned the stretcher to a horizontal axis, pausing slightly to ease the cables around the patient. Then Lewis gently pushed the stretcher away from the bridge and the chopper headed off with its cargo.

"Next stop Auckland Hospital." Lewis hauled himself back up next to Mac. "How is she?"

"Not so good." Mac winced as rolled onto his back.

"You look like you need to be checked out."

"Sarndra first. I'll be alright in a few days."

"You'll be alright when a doctor says you are." Lewis gently eased his arm under the CSI Supervisor's shoulders and helped him to his feet. The effort drained more colour from Mac's face as his shoulders screamed in protest. The walkway seemed to sway beneath his so he put his hand out to steady himself … and clutched at thin air.