Disclaimer: I am not Anthony Zuiker, Ann Donahue or Carol Mendelsohn. All the characters of CSI: NY are not mine…I'm just borrowing them for a little bit. I promise that I will put them back, exactly the way I found them when I'm done….Oh, Cory Reid is mine and I will take credit for anything she does. :)

A/N: I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. I meant to updated yesterday, but was still out of town. It may be a couple of days before I update the next chapter due to some problems at work! Another chapter….as you can tell from this, the Ortiz case is coming close to ending! Please R&R! My muse is still upset from her vacation, please, review and get her back into a good mood. :p Thanks!

A/N #2: I reposted this on July 9, 2006 to correct some grammatical errors!

Chapter 23.

Revelations

When Cory woke up the next morning, she still was feeling giddy about her date. "Danny was so romantic last night. I can't believe how happy I am." She walked into her bathroom so she could start getting ready for work. In a good mood, she decided to listen to music as she showered and turned on her radio.

She smiled in happiness as the song Bring Me to Life by Evanescence was just starting to play. "How can you see into my eyes, like open doors? Leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb…" Cory began to sing along with the music, feeling that it perfectly described how she felt about Danny. "Without a soul. My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold. Until you find it there and lead, it back…home." Cory had to stop singing as she washed her hair, but she kept humming along with the song.

Humming, she finished her shower and got ready for work. She was just picking up her keys to leave when she heard a knock at her door. Puzzled about who would be knocking this early in the morning, she grabbed her gun and cautiously opened the door. "Can I help you?"

The man outside looked at her. "Are you Corrine Reid?"

Still being cautious, she slowly nodded her head.

"I have a package for you from the law firm of Pierce, Davenport and Lohman. If you'll just sign here."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Cory put her gun on the table by the door and signed where he had pointed. The man handed her an envelope.

Confused, Cory closed the door and locked it. She glanced down at the official looking envelope. She slid her finger under the flap and withdrew the folded papers. She opened them up and began to read.

'Dear Cory,

If you're reading this, then I must be dead. I left my attorney with specific instructions only to deliver this after my death.

Firstly, let me say how sorry I am. I never meant this to happen, but I knew what a dangerous game I was playing. I hope that my death has some meaning.

Now let me tell you what has been going on. A year and a half ago, Armando called me. He told me that he had infiltrated Mala Suerte and was trying to gather enough evidence to put Ortiz away for James' murder. He asked for my help. He wanted a person to give the evidence to, so that he would not blow his cover. So I went to New York to help him. I didn't tell Mom and Dad and I told them to not tell you anything. I didn't want you involved in this, in case things went bad. I didn't want to put you through that again. Now I have no choice.

So, I've rambled on for a while, trying to think of the easy way to break this to you. Here's the most important information for you. All of the evidence we've gathered…I put it in a safety deposit box at the Hudson United Bank on Broad Street. I've enclosed the key to the box. As a precaution when I opened the account, I added your name as a signer.

Cory, I'm so sorry. I never meant this to happen. Remember how much I love you. You are the closest thing I have to a sister. I never meant to hurt you. I promise that James and I will continue to look out for you.

I love you.

Mike'

Cory felt the tears sliding down her face, but didn't care. She took the key out of the envelope and sat down. "Damn you, Mike. Why didn't you at least give me an idea of what was going on. I could have protected you!"

Cory sat there for a couple of minutes, still trying to process what she had just learned. Still shaking with emotion, she opened up her cell phone. "Mac, it's Cory. Can you and someone else from the team meet me at Hudson United Bank on Broad Street? Yeah. I think that I might have found the reason that Mike was killed. Thanks."

Her next call was to Travis. "Hey, Travis. It's Cory. Meet me at Hudson United Bank on Broad Street. I might have some evidence on Mala Suerte."

"Really? How?"

"I'll explain later. Just meet me there in 20 minutes." Cory hung up the phone and grabbed her gun and coat and rushed out the door.

(Hudson National Bank)

Cory walked up to the bank, the first person to arrive. She waited patiently for the others to get there. Mac and Danny arrived minutes before Travis.

Travis acknowledged the two men with a nod. "What's going on Cory?"

"I told you about the case I've been working with the NYPD. The murder of Hector De La Cruz?" Travis nodded. "I knew both men. Their names were Armando De La Cruz and Michael Hogan. Armando was James' best friend and he had infiltrated the gang under the name Hector De La Cruz."

"Hogan?" Travis asked his eyebrows rising up in surprise.

"Yes. James' twin brother. This morning I got a posthumous letter from Mike. He said that the reason he came to New York was because he was helping Armando try to get evidence to put Ortiz behind bars for James' murder. He opened a safety deposit box here."

"Cory, I hate to burst your bubble, but we need a warrant." Travis cautioned her.

To this, Cory only smiled. "No we don't. When Mike opened the account, he listed me as a signer. In the letter, he included the key." Cory turned to Mac and Danny. "I hope y'all have extra gloves and plenty of evidence bags. I want this evidence processed by y'all, although I need copies of everything to take back to my lab."

Travis got a glint in his eyes. "Cory. Protocol states that any evidence be processed by the FBI lab."

Cory got a steely look in her eyes. "I know what protocol states, Travis. But if you don't remember, we had a mole in our team and I'm not taking any chances with this evidence being tainted or compromised." With that she turned and walked into the bank.

The three men looked at each other and followed her.

Inside the bank, Cory immediately went to one of the tellers. "Hi. I'm looking for a safety deposit box. My friend opened it and put me down as a signer. I have the key."

The teller just looked at her, bored. "Like I haven't heard that one before."

Cory's eyes lit up in anger. She took out her badge and slapped in down on the counter. The girl looked at her, her eyes wide. "Now that I have your attention. I need to know the box number."

The girl stammered something unintelligible and walked away, only to come back with her supervisor. "I'm Mr. Dean. How can I help you?"

Cory blew out an exasperated breath. "My name is Corrine Reid, FBI. A friend of mine, Michael Hogan, opened up a safety deposit box at this bank. He was murdered and I'd like to get into his box. I have the key and I'm listed as a signer on the account. Can you help me?" Cory was trying hard not to take out her anger on the man.

The man looked in the computer and then nodded to her. "This way, ma'am."

The group followed Mr. Dean to the vault. Mr. Dean led them to box number 6200.

Cory looked at the box number, her throat closing up. "Excuse me. How are the boxes assigned?"

Mr. Dean looked confused at the question, but answered her anyway. "We assign whichever one is free, although in Mr. Hogan's case, he specifically requested this box."

Danny looked at Cory as she was growing pale. "Cory. You okay?"

Cory nodded bravely. "Yeah. It's just the numbers. 6-2-0-0." Looking at the confusion on the men's faces, she tried to elaborate. "The date that James was killed was June 2, 2000. 6/2/00."

All the men went sober as the realization set in. Mr. Dean cleared his throat. "We should open the box, so I can leave you alone." Both him and Cory put their keys into the box and opened it.

Cory lifted the box to a table and then motioned for Danny to give her some gloves. With caution, she opened up the lid and looked inside; not knowing what to expect. "Wow. This is full of folders." Cory smiled as she looked further at the folders. "Just like Mike. It's all neat and organized."

She began pulling folders out. Some of them were labeled with dates, others with the specific type of content. "This is going to take time to work through. Let's start bagging it and I'll look at it further in the lab. I see a lot of computer discs so I'll need access to a computer to see what info is on them."

Mac and Danny agreed. Carefully they began to transfer the evidence into folders to take back to the lab.

(Somewhere in an unknown apartment)

Carlos Ortiz sat in a chair in front of the television. He was not watching it; he was watching the stunning woman in front of him take off her clothes. He had chosen this woman because she bore a resemblance to Cory.

Just as she was reaching to take off her undergarments, there was a knock at his door. Ortiz scowled in anger. Muttering to himself in Spanish, he motioned for the woman to stop and walked to his door. "This had better be good," he said as he opened the door.

Outside the door stood a lackey, looking nervous. "Why do you dare interrupt me?"

"I'm sorry, El Jefe, but I thought that you might like to see the surveillance from last night. It's very interesting." The man was trying to be meek and not to wake the legendary wrath of Ortiz's anger. The last person who had done that was dead.

"Fine. Where's the tape?"

"Here." The toady quickly handed over the tape and left. He did not want to be anywhere in the vicinity the boss when he watched the tape.

Ortiz looked at the tape in his hand and then back to the almost naked woman. Sighing in resignation, he decided to watch the tape first.

Ortiz put the tape in the VCR. He watched as the unknown man walk up to Cory's apartment obviously dressed up. He growled in rage when he saw Cory and the man walk out of her apartment building. His rage grew as the tape kept playing.

The tape ended with Cory walking back to her apartment with the man's arms around her. Once the tape had stopped, he turned and threw his bottle of beer at the call girl. She ducked and the bottle hit the wall, shattering on impact.

Ortiz's temper snapped and he began shouting at the woman in Spanish. She got nervous and started to put her clothes back on, but he grabbed her and dragged her body to his. In his rage, he kissed her, imagining that she was Cory. She responded to the kiss, sensing that this was the only way to stay alive.

After Ortiz was done ravaging the woman, he forced her to leave. He was still very upset at the fact that Cory was going out with that guy. "Stupid woman! Does she think that I'm joking? She's mine. No one will have her but me!"

Slowly the plan began to formulate in his mind so that he could exact his revenge on Cory and her loose ways. He went to his door and called to one of his most trusted underlings. "Antonio, come in here."

"Si, El Jefe?"

"I want to make Cory pay for her indiscretion. I need a plan to bring her under my control. She must not be allowed to continue her stupidity. Let's start planning to bring her to me and make that bastard who touched her pay for his mistake."

A/N:

tylerhiltongroupie53- (hangs head in shame)...i'm sorry it took me so long to update! you're welcome for the tattoo! um...danny talking dirty in Italian...it wouldn't matter what he was saying, it's just sexy! don't worry, he'll keep talking in Italian and Cory will keep responding in French:)

axellia-yes the timing was right! i was singing it as i wrote it, so... :D i'm worried about ortiz, too:s asyou can tell from this chapter, ortiz is not a happy man!hope this helps you get through another day of work!

chili-peppers-hopefully the wait won't be too long...the only reason this one took so long was because i had not uploaded it to ff yet and while at my parent's house i had no way to upload it since they only have dial-up and it's all saved on my laptop! i like the different languages, too. admittedly, danny speaking Italian is one of my fantasies! i speak a little French, so i try to write that in whenever possible!

pnkrckprncss- smooches! was it worth the wait? they are still not going to be full on fluff all the time...ortiz still has to be dealt with!

the little corinthian- (blushing)...merci beaucoup! no worry's about food in this chapter! do i need to start disclosing when the chapter is going to include food, so you can eat before hand?