Disclaimer: Not mine, never have been, never will be.
Chapter One
7.48 am
The break room was deserted when Danny entered it. This was not unexpected as everyone had things to do. Stella, Hawkes and Lindsay were tied up with a triple homicide in Queens while Mac had a court appearance later that morning. Danny himself was working solo on a male DOA. Danny had spent the better part of yesterday processing the back alley crime scene. This morning, he had already planned to analyze and log in the remainder of the evidence he collected. With luck, he could wrap the case by tomorrow.
But first, a hot cup of coffee to get his brain in working order.
Coffee mug in hand, Danny caught sight of a copy of the day's New York Times, baseball scores lying face up on the table. He glanced at his watch and decided that he had enough time to check how the Mets fared against the White Sox yesterday.
He sat down quickly and began reading.
10.15 am
Howard Jones entered the elevator and pressed the button for the 35th floor. There were three other people who came in with him. None of them gave him so much as a second look. None of them will remember who he was or what he looked like.
One side of his jacket was heavier than the other. He felt a bit uncomfortable thanks to the uneven weight. His heart began thumping faster as the elevator ascended. But he knew that was just the nerves. His face remained calm and steady. He had planned his every move. He knew what to do and he had no fear of messing up. He is a careful and patient man. These two qualities will work in his favour.
Howard Jones knew everything will go according to plan.
The elevator door opened at the 35th floor. He exited the elevator into the NYPD crime lab. A bored looking receptionist stood behind a circular desk, scribbling phone messages for the officers that weren't in.
The floor was filled with activity. There were all kinds of people. Police officers in uniforms, police officers out of uniforms, lab technicians in lab coats with files in their hands, detectives with their badges attached to their belts and jacket pockets…
Nobody noticed Howard. Nobody cared.
Howard stepped towards the receptionist's desk. There was another man standing there, head bent low, writing something into an NYPD case file. The man looked to be in his mid-40s. He was dressed in dark pants, jacket and tie. His short brown hair was combed neatly. He had a kind face, one that gave off the impression of great depth and wisdom.
Howard noted the police badge on his belt, the small golden pin marked 'D' on his jacket and the gun in its holster on his waist. The man did not look up. He was too immersed in the file in front of him.
Howard turned to the receptionist and smiled, "Excuse me…"
10.16 am
Lindsay Monroe rounded the corner and nearly bumped into Stella Bonasera and Sheldon Hawkes.
Once she recognized their faces, she said, "There you are!"
Stella nodded, "We've been looking for you too. We got news."
Lindsay said, "I found something too." She was tired from being up the whole night, searching and matching fingerprints from the crime scene. But it all paid off as she got several matches that could really help the case.
"You first," said Hawkes as the three of them started walking down the corridor, destination unknown.
Lindsay started on her narrative about whose prints she found at the crime scene. When she finished, Stella jumped in about what Hammerback managed to find from the autopsies.
They were headed towards the front desk. Lindsay, being focused on Stella's words, barely registered Danny talking to some strange man at the desk. No, wait, they were not talking… The man was reaching into his jacket pocket for something.
When Lindsay saw what it was, she forgot Stella's voice entirely. Instead, she screamed Danny's name.
10.16 am
Danny was in the middle of running a piece of trace substance through the GC/Mass Spec. when his pager beeped.
Mildly irritated, Danny checked the message, "Det. Messer. Someone to see you at the front desk. Says it's urgent."
Danny frowned. 'Couldn't it wait?'
He got up anyway and headed over to the front desk, not bothering to take off his lab coat. Whoever it was, he hoped it will be quick.
When Danny got to the front desk, he saw Mac standing there, flipping through a file. "Hey, Mac," he greeted.
Mac nodded and said, "How's your case coming along?"
Danny shrugged, "Goin' fine. I'll fill you in on the details later."
Mac nodded again and lowered his eyes back to the file.
Danny went over to the receptionist, "Someone lookin' for me?"
Before she could answer, a male voice behind him said, "Yeah. Me."
Danny turned around. He saw an older man with graying hair reach into his jacket pocket. Danny's eyes widened as the man withdrew a gun.
"What the-?" Danny didn't get to finish the sentence.
He heard a loud bang from the gun and felt a burning hot pain searing through his side.
Next thing he knew, his legs gave way and Danny fell onto the cold hard floor of the crime lab. Several people screamed. He heard his name being called out.
His hand automatically went to his wound. The pain was unbearable. When he looked at his hand, he saw it covered completely with blood. His blood…
'I've been shot…' Danny thought numbly to himself, 'I'm gonna die…'
Suddenly, the man who shot him came into view, the revolver still in his hand, still aimed at Danny. He was smiling warmly, like a proud father to a son.
"An eye for an eye, Messer," he said.
Then, he fired again.
Danny felt like his neck had been set on fire.
The man's face disappeared and was replaced by Stella, Hawkes and Lindsay. They were yelling his name. "Danny!!"
They were so near, yet their voices were so far away.
Their faces became blurry. The voices shouting and screaming all around him started to sound like echoes.
The brightness from the florescent lights was dimming. Soon Danny will be surrounded by darkness.
It occurred to Danny that it might never become bright again…
Danny!
Danny!
10.17 am
Mac Taylor jumped when he heard the first gun shot. He quickly turned around, just in time to see Danny fall to the ground, the side the lab coat he was wearing had a big red blotch on it.
No!
Mac immediately focused on the man holding the gun. His experienced detective mind automatically memorized the shooter's features, everything from his clothes to his wrinkled face and grey hair.
Before he could do anything, the man said something to Danny that Mac could not hear. Then, he shot Danny again, at the neck area, just above the collar bone.
Mac's hand quickly pulled out his gun from the holster and aimed it at the man.
The shooter waved the gun around, finger placed right on the trigger, "Nobody move!"
Mac dare not shoot. The room was full of people. Mac couldn't risk getting another person shot.
The shooter backed away slowly to the elevator and pressed the down button. He was in luck, the door opened immediately. He stepped in.
Mac glanced at Danny, motionless on the floor. Something in his head clicked into place and Mac turned towards the shooter in the elevator. He was going to kill him. For Danny.
The man seemed to be anticipating what Mac planned to do. "Your boy needs help, detective…" he smiled serenely, "Take your pick… me, or him…"
Mac turned to look at Danny. He could see his chest rising and falling. Relief washed over Mac.
Danny was still alive. But for how much longer?
Hawkes, Stella and Lindsay had already rushed over to Danny. Hawkes started shouting instructions as he tried to stop the bleeding. Mac knew he had to go and help.
He turned back towards the shooter, who was actually holding the elevator door open, waiting for Mac's decision.
Mac glared at the shooter and said with so much anger and determination, that he had to fight to keep his voice steady, "I'll find you."
The man laughed and said, "I thought so…"
As Mac watched the elevator door close, he vowed to himself and to Danny, "I'll find him…"
TBC