A/N: CLIFFHANGER (resolves around ch. 68). You've been warned. Also, I apologise for the spam of postings you're going to get for the next few days.

Aarna tapped her fingers on her knee as she waited for Agent Rizzoli to come collect her. Noemi had been disappointingly mute about the final exam, resisting all of Aarna's charms and promising only that Aarna would 'like it'. Which was absurd. Who liked their finals? Only Noie and her nerdy self and maybe Doctor Isles. Yep, Aarna smiled to herself, Doctor Isles definitely seemed the type to enjoy her finals. Aarna's phone buzzed. Aarna's heart fluttered when she saw Noie's text: You've got this! Aarna was just debating texting back when a very relieved and tired looking recruit exited with Agent Rizzoli. Rizzoli said something Aarna couldn't quite hear to the recruit, wearing a smile that wasn't quite reassuring, before turning on Aarna.

'You're up Dhar,' Rizzoli said. Aarna turned off her phone and tried to centre herself under the mischievous glee she saw in Jane's eyes. She was in for it now. Aarna stood to look her instructor and friend in the eyes. She saw a spark of concern in Jane's face, 'you okay recruit? You aren't going to pass out on me are you? I've got a hot date I don't want to be late to.'

Aarna licked suddenly dry lips, 'I'm well. I won't keep you from Doctor Isles. In fact, feel free to pass me on the spot and call it a day.'

'Ha. Ha. Ha.' Jane said dryly. 'You're about to run your first crime scene recruit. You're the lead Agent and you'll be graded on your ability to work a crime scene. I know its a dummy in there but if you do it right, the next one won't be and its my job to make sure you don't muck up the first case you're handed. I don't expect you to solve the case though you might pull it off in the end. Your grade is not dependent on breaking the case though, its dependent on how you work the case. Got it?'

Aarna nodded, her mouth dry, 'I understand.'

'Any questions?' Jane asked.

'I assume you're here to be an impartial observer,' Aarna said airily, trying to fake her way in to a confident pose. This was it. Her last final. The last thing standing between her and her dream was a very intimidating woman that Aarna admired more than anyone. Gods help her.

'That's correct. I will provide information at specific time intervals or as you uncover clues. I can also tell you how much time you have left. I will not answer questions or give hints.' Jane's face was mostly unreadable but Aarna thought she saw a challenge there. As though Jane was daring her to solve this case. Aarna rolled her head from side to side, loosening her neck and shoulders before nodding to Jane.

Jane opened the door to crime scene tape across the doorway and Aarna had to resist laughing at the 'crime scene' in front of her. A dummy and, judging by the smell of tomato and vinegar, ketchup made up most of the crime scene. Jane had drawn X's for eyes and a tongue sticking out on the dummy's face. Aarna grinned at Jane, earning a small one in return before she dug around for some gloves in her backpack, forgoing the box of gloves obviously sitting on the desk in front of her. Jane actually did smile at her that time. One of Jane's first lessons had been to throw a bag of gloves at every recruit and tell them never to go anywhere without them ever again. Jane had even had 'pop quizzes' in which they each had to produce a pair of clean gloves or risk being dismissed for the lesson. Jane's motto was you never knew where you'd find evidence. Aarna had suspected that quite a few of her classmates had gotten points knocked off for not having their own gloves on hand.

Aarna looked for a log to record her entrance but did not see one so she turned to Jane. 'Agent Aarna Dhar. Trainee ID 3142 5667 7658.' Jane noted it down.

'You've got point Agent Dhar' Jane said before lifting the tape with a pen to admit Aarna.

Aarna stepped carefully under, the tape and then looked at Jane. 'Is there designated camera equipment?' Jane fished out a digital camera from her back pocket. Aarna turned it on and checked for any left over photos before she started documenting anything. When it was clear Aarna looked around once more, 'do we have evidence markers?' Jane pulled a handful of yellow laminated cards with sequential numbers from the back of her clipboard and passed them over. Aarna began the process of documenting everything. Starting with a few general shots of the scene, making sure she had a digital timestamp on every photo. After, she began laying out evidence tags and photographing them with the evidence. She was careful to avoid stepping in 'blood' or touching the dummy's 'body.'

'Agent Rizzoli?' Aarna asked as she bent over looking at the dummy, 'will the ME be joining us?'

Jane grinned, stepping smoothly to the body and pulling it up to sit in it's seat. Then she passed Aarna a list of notes that were congruent with a preliminary medical exam. Aarna read them carefully before asking, 'okay to touch now?'

Jane nodded and wrote another note. For a moment Aarna wondered what she was writing before her attention turned to the dummy. Aarna thought Jane might have a future as a ketchup painter if she wanted it. The dummy appeared to have a self inflicted gun shot wound, the shot entering his right temple and exiting his left. The toy gun lay on the desk just beyond his right hand. Ketchup pooled around the desk and on the dummies head and face. A convincing splatter pattern coated the wall. Aarna looked at both hands. 'Agent there's some black residue on the left palm. Is there a way to test for GSR?'

Jane produced another set of notes. Some GSR on both hands. The black mark was broken down in to a series of chemical dyes, pigments and water. Ink. Aarna frowned, a hypothesis forming. She looked back at the ME's notes, 'the ME ruled this a suicide.' Jane looked at her expectantly. Aarna tip toed around the scene again chewing her lower lip. 'I think the ME is wrong. The gun was fired as though the victim was right handed but the office is set up for a left handed person, further more the victim has ink on his writing hand.'

Jane grinned at her and handed her another set of notes, this time ruling the death a suspicious death. Aarna shifted through the notes carefully, trying to make sense of the victim's information. She shifted through the personal, the financial and the professional. She nibbled her cheek before looking around the office again. 'Is there a list of people who had access to the office?' Another list. And so it went. Aarna would ask a question and Jane would feed her some minute bit of information, enough to spur more questions but never enough to form a whole picture. Half of it conflicted with itself. Aarna had to admit it was an intriguing game and she knew Noie had been right. She was loving this. She almost forgot there was time limit until Jane informed her she had fifteen minutes remaining.

'Was there a second interview with the secretary?' Jane passed her another paper, her eyes sparkling with an invigorating gleam. Aarna was close. She could feel it. She skimmed the interview before circling the dummy again, letting a mental image of the man's life form. She felt herself settle in to his frame of mind, let herself walk in his shoes, as she circled and circled.

'Five minutes Dhar,' Jane muttered quietly, not wanting to disturb the process.

Aarna flipped back to her autopsy report. Her eyes fell on a particular injury report. 'Agent Rizzoli?'

'Yeah?'

'I believe I'm ready to submit a final report,' Aarna said taking a deep breath. 'It was suicide after all. The victim was having personal problems, he was in love with his married secretary which was why he chose to commit suicide at work. He wanted her to be the one to find him. He was also in financial trouble which may have motivated him some as well. The reason he pulled the trigger with his right hand instead of his left is because of an injury her had to his left rotator cuff and bicep which would have made the angle he took hard for the left side to make. Most men would shoot themselves through the mouth but he wanted his love to see his face. He wanted her to see him. To finally, truly see him, and to regret him. So he shot with his right hand to leave his face unblemished. The secretary's alibi is tight and she is no longer a suspect in this investigation.'

Jane's face remained impassive but she marked a few things more before gesturing Aarna out the door. 'You're dismissed recruit.'

Aarna, who had followed Agent Rizzoli out, balked as she looked at Jane. 'That's it? You aren't going to tell me if I solved it correctly?' She pulled off her gloves, putting them in to an evidence bag, labelling them with her name, the crime scene number and her ID number before dropping them inside the door.

Jane winked at her, 'nope. You'll get your grade the same time every one else does.'

Aarna stares at Agent Rizzoli with an open mouth. 'That's so unfair, Agent Rizzoli!' She couldn't believe Jane was going to leave her in suspense.

'Oh Dhar this is the easy stuff. If you get it wrong, the dummy won't care. Just wait until someone is being locked up for life because of you.' Jane said emphatically. Aarna winced. 'Learn to live with uncertainty, it'll keep you from getting too comfortable and convicting the wrong person. Justice rarely feels certain Dhar.'

Aarna considered this, looking in to Jane's office over her shoulder. 'Your office smells. You should probably clean all that ketchup now.'

Jane cackles. Actually cackles at her. Which was why Aarna missed that they had company, noticing too late as a pair of strong hands grabbed at Agent Rizzoli pulling her away without warning or compromise. They pulled hard enough to startle a yell from Agent Rizzoli before she was pulled backwards out of the covered hallway and in to the night. Aarna darted after her, into the cover of darkness and snow.


Vinnie wakes before the sun, his eyes popping open in the dark, wide and wild. Today was the day he made Maura Isles pay. Vinnie could hardly breath as he prepared for the day, dressing in overly large clothes that wasn't readily identifiable. Everything depended on him doing things just right. Starting and ending with a clean break away. It was imperative no one recognised him. If he played his cards right, he'd be home with company by dinner time. He'd have several hours to play with her before any one would even suspect she was missing. Vinnie felt a thrill travel up his spine as he considered his plans for the evening. Taking her from Maura Isles was just the start. He was going to make sure he exacted every anguished thought he'd had about Maura Isles on her. She'd learn to loathe the name Maura Isles as much as Vinnie had. And when he was done, he'd walk away. Disappear in to the woods. They might find her in the spring, if the snow melted early, or perhaps late summer when the stench of her would call all manner of creatures to the cabin. It didn't really matter. Not to Vinnie. He'd be gone. A ghost of a memory. Maybe he'd find Mia, show her exactly what he had done. Maybe he'd hunt down every woman who had ever so much as looked at Vinnie wrong. Women every where would fear him and men every where would envy and respect him. It didn't matter any more, as long as he knew Maura Isles would live every day knowing she had caused this. Vinnie could hardly contain his glee.

Vinnie left early, sparing a glance at the grey sky. It was going to snow and Vinnie couldn't help but feel vindicated. The universe was gifting him with cover and privacy to extract his revenge. Everything was working perfectly. He parked in the one spot he had avoided for the last several weeks, knowing it was secluded and close to her final class. Tucking his poncho under an arm he made his way to the coffee shop down the block. He ordered himself a large coffee and decided to treat himself with a pastry, after all, it had taken hard work and patience to make it to today. He thought he deserved something special. He smiled in to his coffee as he considered the treat he was in for in just a few hours. He whiled away the first part of the day with a newspaper watching as she hurried in and out of the buildings. Much as it pained Vinnie, he knew he had to wait for the majority of the people here to head home. At lunch, Vinnie wandered off, searching for something to satisfy a craving he couldn't quite give in to. He knew where he'd find her.

After what felt like an eternity, Vinnie grinned ear to ear as he watched the sun sink below the horizon. Street lamps every where popped on, casting long shadows on the world around him. That worked to his advantage. The snow, which had been falling on and off all day, gained a sudden chill, the wind whipping it in to a flurry. Vinnie watched as she emerged with another woman, standing in a covered hallway talking, protected against the snow. Vinnie tugged on his poncho. Vinnie pulled out the phone he had purchased months ago, dealing the one number he had programmed in it. He watched the woman as the phone rang in his ear, once, twice, before the woman on the other side of the phone answered.

'Doctor Isles,' the woman said. Vinnie couldn't suppress the shiver of pleasure in his back.

'Hello Doctor Isles,' Vinnie said, 'I've been waiting a very long time to meet you. I'm sorry it has to be done over the phone. I'd much prefer to do this in person.'

'I'm sorry, who is this?' Maura Isles had the audacity to ask, her voice cold. Vinnie wanted to scream that she had no right to talk to him that way but that would draw unnecessary attention to himself.

'You don't know me yet. We haven't had the pleasure.' Vinnie kept his voice calm and quiet, though it took every ounce of self control he had. 'You took away my family.'

'Vincent Russo?' Maura asked softly.

Vinnie laughed, keeping it quiet so that the woman he was watching wouldn't hear, 'so you do know me.'

A sigh met his ears. Vinnie wished he was doing this in person. He would smack that petulant sound right from her lips. 'I didn't take your family Mr. Russo.'

'Bullshit,' Vinnie hissed, 'you took Isabella. You made Mia run. She took my sons with her.'

'Because you were beating and raping them,' Maura shot back heatedly.

'I was the man of the house,' Vinnie growled, 'it was my right. It wasn't as if that bastard girl was mine.'

'No one has the right to beat and rape another person,' Maura retorted, 'and thinking you have that right because you have a penis doesn't make you a man Russo.'

'No, having balls and the power to take what I want makes me a man and I'm about to show you exactly what I mean,' Vinnie said with a grin, taking his first step towards the women in the alcove.

'What do you mean?' Maura asked. Vinnie knew she was trying to hide it but he could hear the fear in her voice. He fed off of it, shivering with delight.

'The bible says an eye for an eye, Maura Isles. You took my family and now I'm going to take yours. I'll teach you both the kind of obedience a man like me deserves. I'm going to take everything I want from her over and over again and there's nothing you can do about it.' Vinnie laughed lightly. He'd never felt such overwhelming pleasure in his life. 'Say goodbye Maura Isles.' He hung up, snapping the phone in half and dropping it in the trash as he moved long ways around the building.

This was it. The moment his months of careful planning would finally pay off. Vinnie knew where every light, every camera, was. He inched in to the space just beyond the women's alcove, preparing to take what he wanted. He fidgeted as the women went on. He wanted to take her now. He'd waited long enough, damn it! And then they were shifting, she was an arm's length away. It was her laughter that broke him. She was too close. He was too close. Everything he wanted was right there in front of him and all he had to do was pull and she was laughing?! Vinnie couldn't stand it. He wouldn't stand for it. He lunged, grabbing, tugging hard enough to startle a scream from her that made Vinnie's heart race. He wanted, no, he needed to hear more, but not right now. He needed her silence so he shoved his hand over her mouth as he dragged her backwards in to the cover of darkness and snow.

'Shut up bitch, if you make a sound I'll snap your neck,' Vinnie growled in to her dark hair. She stiffened but nodded and Vinnie pulled her roughly against the back of the building just as the woman she had been talking by ran out, yelling her name. Vinnie watched as she turned on the spot, peering in to the darkness, trying to find them. Vinnie felt his prize tense in his arms, he could tell she was thinking of fighting him. 'Try it. I'd love an excuse to shoot you both,' Vinnie whispered hotly in her ear, 'you wouldn't want to get her killed now would you? She's sooo young, pretty too.' All the tension flooded from her at once and Vinnie grinned. 'That's good, very good. You're going to learn how useless it is to fight me.' The woman in his arms nodded and Vinnie began pulling her away, edging in to the night and further away from the rest of the world.