Hi there again! I am back with an update for this story :) Just got the amzing news yesterday, that Stella isn't going to die! I'm so glad to hear that. Seems as if those people at least have some heart. Well... I know I promised to update a bit faster, but I was kinda stuck with writing lately, but the muse is back now with a lot of new ideas, for new stories and for my active one. Hope some of you will drop by and read my other active story 'Tragedy And Joy', too. Could use some more readers ;)

That's it for now. I hope you like this chapter! A bit mor drama will be here.

Chapter sixteen: Monkey Wrench In The Works

"If I only knew what he's planning… And if I knew who he really is. The killer doesn't seem to have an accomplice. He seems to act alone."

"He doesn't trust anybody. Maybe it's Dimitri Patos' brother who want revenge for his brother's suicide." Mac suggested.

We were sitting in the car and heading back to the lab. Mac was driving and I had been looking out of the window and thinking about the case. Now I looked at Mac and we were talking about it. I was happy about the fact the ride to the lab wasn't spend in silence, as the ride to the crime scene.

"How do you get to that idea?"

"I looked at the case file of Melissa Coleman again. Harris Worthfield was the man who married Melissa after Dimitri Patos went to jail… Patos committed suicide and the guard said that his brother picked up his personal things and the suicide note. Maybe he thinks that this had made Dimitri taking his life."

"That's the only connection between all his targets. Melissa had started to talk to me. Jennifer Grace had witnessed my actions and was working on the case, too. Jamie Lawson was the judge who put Dimitri Patos into jail and I…" I thought out loud.

"You were Melissa's rescue and a witness. You worked the case and arrested Dimitri. You also were in the court for the trial. And because you are one of the best CSIs in New York you are his masterwork, as he said." Mac finished. I nodded my head and just looked out of the window again. What else should I say? He said what I was thinking and that's all that needed to be said. Well, inside I wished he would say something about the moment we shared in his apartment… something like he didn't regret it or he still wants to take the first step, but he didn't and I didn't want to push him, so the rest of the ride to the lab was spend in silence.

xXxXxXxXx

"So, are you going to check on my idea?" Mac asked as we walked through the car park the door to the lab our next destination.

"I don't have a better idea so… yeah, I'm going to do some researches on yours. Maybe Danny got that number from Patos' parents." I answered.

"You're really going to call them?"

"Do you want to do that?" I teased.

"Ah, no. You're the one who speaks Greek."

"You sound like Danny, Mac. By the way… you know some Greek, too."

"Sorry… that few words I know from you, aren't enough to talk to someone in Greece."

"True. I won't argue that point. What are you going to do? Staying at my side?"

"Ah… I think inside there you're save enough. Besides someone needs to talk to Sid and Sheldon."

"Would do that, too."

"You call Patos' parents if we have a number and than we can go and see Sid together." Mac suggested and I agreed.

Mac had just rounded the last corner of the car park when he suddenly stopped and raised hand to show me to stay where I was. At the same time he pulled his gun, but it was too late. I heard a shot being fired and saw Mac being hit by the bullet and falling down to the ground.

"Mac!" I called his name, rushing to him.

I had pulled my gun, when Mac did and peered around the corner, but I couldn't see anything. The moment I saw Mac breaking down I knew the responsible one was gone. Mac, however, was bleeding badly. The bullet had hit him in his abdomen, a place where a bullet can do much deadly damage. For me it was a bad sign that he was bleeding so badly and had already lost a quite big amount of blood, which caused the fact that he was only barely conscious by now. And that after only a few seconds passed.

"Mac! Come on, stay with me!" I tried to keep him awake, while I had pulled my jacket off and was pressing it on the wound trying to stop the bleeding. It was kinda hard to do what needed to be done, but somehow I managed to pull out my cell phone and call the ambulance. Mac's condition worsened faster than I wished it would.

"Mac, can you hear me?" I asked him, but he didn't answer. "Mac! Stay with me, okay? Don't you dare dying, you understand? Come on!"

I tried to keep him awake, but in vain. I had just finished my last sentence when he already had lost consciousness. My jacket was full of his blood and so where my hands. At least one of them.

"Mac…" I whispered in misery and a single tear started to run down my cheek.

What do think? I know, kinda mean of me to let you guess and fear, but thought it might keep the story interesting and suspenseful. ;) So let me know: Will he survive? Will Mac be okay again? What is going to happen and who is behind this? That brother, Mac talked about, or someone else?

Please, just leave a small note for me, letting me know you're still interested :) This time I might update a bit sooner. Have finished a few more chapter, so that'll be no problem. Stay tuned, Smackies (borrowed this word from AIP ;) ) there will be lots more to come!

blackrose538