The next day, Mac called a meeting to brief everyone on the situation. I asked if he could tell them about what happened after I was kidnapped and the investigation, because I wasn't a part of it and I'd recount my experiences. Aiden had been fired for tampering with evidence weeks ago. I didn't really know Aiden that well, apart from work. We had a new CSI for a few days, and I like her. Her name is Lindsay Monroe and she's from Bozeman, Montana. Danny seems to like her too, immediately giving her the nickname 'Montana'. Lindsay is his new partner and I've been partnered up with Flack, not that I'm complaining. Everyone's in the conference room when Mac and Stella enter. Mac clears his throat and looks at me before turning the monitor on. The pictures of evidence from all the Gage killings, and my attack on the monitor on the left, and the 'crime scene' photos on the right monitor, including my old apartment. Nobody apart from Stella, Danny, Mac, and Flack know but they will soon.
"This is a case from 4 years ago. The suspect was sentenced and has been in jail, but broke out 2 days ago. We will review all evidence from the cases, but there's something we haven't told you, but are going to now." Mac says, turning and clicking a button on the remote, showing pictures of me, after the attack. Everyone looks at me, shocked and then to Mac.
"Elena was Steven Gage's 5th victim, but we were able to get to her in time to save her. She is the only surviving victim." Stella says.
"I was attacked in my apartment, and was held for three days while he- he tortured me." I said, nodding at Mac to click to enlarge the photo of my old apartment.
"He was waiting in the bedroom, and grabbed me while I was walking to the closet. He hit me with a pipe or something, and tied me up with rope. I woke up tied to a chair in the dining room. He wanted to to know where I worked, what I did. I didn't tell him, and he burned me with his cigarette until I told him I was a cop. My gun was in the drawer by the front door, and I couldn't get to it. Then he-" I looked at Danny, begging him to continue for me. He sighed and nodded at me.
"Gage had a pattern. His victims were women aged from 23-31, and worked in a forensic profession. Like a cop, or a forensic nurse, or a CSI. He would kidnap them, and torture them for days. He'd rape and kill them after three days. He never kept them alive for more than three days." Danny said not looking at me.
Mac displayed the photos taken of me from the hospital, and everyone gasped. I felt a tear roll down my cheek, and Lindsay grabbed my hand. I shot her a 'thank you' look, and she nodded.
"We arrived at Elena's apartment to find Gage choking her and we arrested him. He appealed several times but they were all denied. Then yesterday, Katie Carter, a forensic nurse at trinity, was murdered. Elena matched the palm print off a broken bottle to Gage's booking card." Danny said, glancing at me.
"This stays between the people in this room. All evidence will be examined by the people in this room. Nobody else can know about this case, except Flack, and Sid. He attacked one of our own and we will put him back where he belongs." Mac said, the last part more for me, which I appreciated and gave him a small smile.
"Hey, want to get some lunch? You look like you could use a break and Danny's buying." Lindsay asks me, and I laugh a bit.
"I'd really like that, Lindsay. Thanks." I tell her and she grabs my arm and we walk after Danny.
"So you have nowhere to live, Montana?" Danny asks, as we walk to our table. Lindsay sighs.
"Not currently, no. I'm staying with my uncle, his kids are driving me nuts." She says as we sit down.
"I have a spare room if you're interested." I tell her and she perks up. I take a sip of my soda.
"Really? That'd be great, Elena! I really appreciate it, Thank you." She says, and I laugh.
"No problem. Since my roommate moved out, it's just empty. I live 3 blocks from work too."
"Walking distance, huh? Sounds perfect." She smiles. Danny laughs.
"Yeah, it was perfect for Lena cause she doesn't have a car. And she didn't like living with me."
"You lived with Danny?" Lindsay asked, looking at Danny, and I laugh.
"Yeah, it was after the Gage thing, and I couldn't stay at my place, so I moved in with Danny. It was for about 3 months and it was until I found a place, my current apartment." I told her taking a bite of my pepperoni slice.
"Lena's a great roommate, you'll see. She keeps the fridge stocked with pizza and beer, and she has the best movies. Plus, she's not too clean or too messy." Danny says biting his pizza. I smile at him.
"You can move in anytime, Linds. I can help you this weekend if you want. Maybe rope in Danny and Flack to help." I tell her and she grins.
"Speaking of Flack... Stella was filling me in on the office gossip. You and Flack?" She asks, smirking.
I almost spit out my cherry pepsi, especially when I see Danny's face. I swallow and look at her.
"Office gossip? Like everyone knows?" She nods and I groan and shake my head. Danny laughs.
"You guys were practically kissing yesterday in our office. Someone could've walked by and seen."
"Shut up, Messer." I said as we threw our trash away and walked back to the lab.
After the morning I had I decided, since I didn't have any active cases, I'd head to the precinct and see what Flack was doing. I got Danny to drive me instead of walking. I walked in and found him sitting at his desk with a kid, about 17-18 sitting in the chair next to him, and he was talking to him about something important. I walk over and he looks up and sees me, and so does the kid, who whistles at me.
"Damn, who's the chick?" He asks, looking me over and pausing at my chest, before looking at my face.
"My partner." Flack says, glaring at him. Then looks at me. "What's up, El?" He asks.
"I had nothing going on and you look busy. So, Flack, I gotta ask. What's with the kid?" I smirk.
"Hey! I'm 19, I ain't a kid." He said, winking at me. I roll my eyes.
"And I'm not a chick. You can call me detective." I tell him, and he nods. Flack laughs.
"You certainly have a way with perps, Elena." Flack says, waving a uniform over to take the kid, and looking back at me.
"How are you doing? The briefing was this morning right?" He asks, looking worried. I smile.
"I'm okay. Danny and Lindsay took me out to lunch at my favorite pizza place to cheer me up."
"I like that new girl. She knows how to handle Danny." Flack says grinning. I laugh.
"Danny likes her too. He calls her Montana." I tell him sitting on his desk. He grins at me.
"So, Lindsay's gonna stay with me for a while.. I was wondering if you'd help move her in this weekend?" I ask him and he nods.
"Sure, I don't work this weekend so that works." He says smiling.
"So, I was thinking you could come over, we could order chinese tonight?" I ask him, biting my lip.
"Sounds perfect." He says, smiling. My phone starts buzzing. I sigh.
"Matthews." I say answering the call. Mac tells me there was another victim, possibly by Gage.
"Case?" Flack asks after I end the call. I nod.
"Another victim. Danny's picking me up. He should be here soon." I told him. He nods.
"I'll see you later? Maybe 8?" I ask him standing up.
"Yeah, 8 works." Flack says smiling. I lean forward and kiss him before leaving, but not before hearing the wolf-whistles from the uniforms in the bullpen. I laugh and turn back and blow a kiss, winking, before walking out of the station and hurrying to Danny's waiting car. I get in and he drives off.
"What took so long?" He asks as we pull up to a red light. I smirk.
"Just giving Flack's coworkers something to talk about." He laughs and shakes his head. The light turns green and we move forward.
"I'll bet." He says, looking at me. I laugh hard, thinking about the day I met Danny.
Then he yells my name right before the truck slams into my side of the car, and my head slams into the dash. I hear Danny talking, but it's fuzzy and not very clear. After a while I feel the door next to me move, someone grabbing me and pulling me out of the car. I open my eyes to see Danny standing over me, his face paling, and I try to speak but I can't speak loudly. My vision blurs and I hear Danny yelling, looking at me scared, and I think he grabs my hand but soon, the darkness envelops me.