Author's notes: Ok, as always I don't know a whole lot, other than what I glean from watching the show. I'm assuming that officers get to keep their weapons on them, as opposed to checking them in when they enter. So unless someone cares to enlighten me, so be it in my little world!
I also got a chance to implement my crime scene investigation skills this weekend! Had a deer poacher that was trying to say that he shot a deer off our property and it ran on to our's. We were able to determine that he was lying, but unfortunately the game warden couldn't just take our word for it, we would have needed a witness.
CSI:NY CSI:NY CSI:NY
Don watched with horror as the young man in the waiting room grabbed the woman who had just entered. His mind took a moment to assess the situation unfolding in front of them, the woman was turned as the man arm wrapped around her neck. He heard Stella's shout of exclamation. Then it hit him, the woman was his sister, Denise.
"It can't be." The detective halted his move towards the glass wall. What would Denise be doing at the lab? She wouldn't be here looking for him; she would have gone to his desk and asked the shift captain for him.
Flack's attention turned back to the classed in waiting area. Johnny Siebert's eyes were wide with panic. A panicked man is a man with no plan and often, nothing to lose. It would be up to Flack to deescalate things rapidly. Opening his hands to show Johnny that he had no weapon, he turned his palms outward; trying to indicate for Johnny to slow down and take things easy.
"Stay back!" Johnny shouted through the glass wall, his voice muffled. "Stay back or so help me she's dead."
"You don't want to do that Johnny." Flack's deep voice was firm. "You don't want to hurt anyone, let her go and we can talk about this." Flack edged slightly closer towards the door to the lab.
Danny and Stella watched as Don moved closer talking to the young man. His sister, Denise, did not struggle. Her lips moved as if she were talking to him. Stella reached for her cell phone in her pocket and without looking pushed the button that would connect her to Mac. Hearing him answer, she spoke quietly without raising the phone to her face, not wanting to attract the attention of the man in the waiting room. "Mac, we've got a situation here in the lab."
CSI:NY CSI:NY CSI:NY
Inside the waiting room, Johnny tightened his grip slightly on the woman. The tall detective was moving closer to the waiting room, but he didn't have his gun out. Could he possibly take him? Get his gun and the leverage he would need to walk out of a police station. He glanced down at the baby in the carrier. It looked enough like his own baby, but he couldn't be sure. Hell, all babies looked alike. The baby would probably be his better choice. He suddenly realized the woman was talking to him.
"Why don't you let them take the baby? In a little bit it will start to cry and the last thing you need is a crying baby to distract you." Denise spoke softly, trying to calm the shaken young man. "I'll cooperate, I promise. Let them take the baby."
"Shut up bitch!" He pulled her closer to him and the baby. Johnny reflected on her words. Thinking about how crazy the screaming of the baby had driven him when Bobbie would run errands he made his decision. "Hey cop, open the door. But don't try anything stupid. I'll break her neck."
Flack moved slowly to the door and pushed it open. He made eye contact with his older sister and with his eyes conveyed to her that everything would be ok. Looking over her shoulder at the young man he spoke calmly "Let her go Johnny. It's over."
"It isn't over. I've got her and the baby."
Denise spoke, "She's going to wake up hungry and I don't have any bottles for her. She'll be screaming to be feed. You don't need the baby."
Johnny shook his head violently, as if he were trying to clear his jumbled thoughts. "No! Yes! I don't fucking know!"
"Easy Johnny." Flack spoke again, "She's right. That baby is a liability right now to a guy how needs to travel fast and light. Let me take her." Flack glanced at the sleeping baby, his eyes filled with concern for the baby and his sister.
The plan in Johnny's head suddenly shifted again as he looked down at the baby. "Ok, take her, but I'm keeping the woman." Johnny turned his body, giving him a slightly different angle towards the baby.
"Good idea Johnny, I'll take the baby and then I'll come back in and we can talk." Seeing the agreement in the suspect's eyes, Flack leaned over to pick up the baby.
Without warning, Johnny pushed Denise away from him and he lunged for the detective. Flack was bent over, his center of gravity off, when the young man tackled him. With a lucky hit into his injury recovering side, Flack folded over; pain affecting his functions. He braced his arms and pushed himself away from the infant carrier. He hit the floor and felt the younger man's hands on him, reaching and searching.
Finding what he wanted, Johnny grabbed the gun from the detective's holster. Jumping up he hurried out the door, deciding that he had a better chance on the run than in a hostage situation.
Denise recovered from hitting the couch and then to the floor, moved quickly to where her brother lay stunned. "Don! Are you ok?"
Stella and Danny rushed into the room. Flack pushed himself into sitting position, grabbing his tender ribs. He waved aside the two detectives, "I'm fine. Get him."
Drawing their own weapons they hurried out into the hall. Stella saw Mac and several uniforms coming to meet them. "The suspect's got Flack's weapon and he ran."
"Suspected headed down and is now armed" Mac spoke rapidly into his radio. Motioning towards the stairwell, they began the descent.
CSI:NY CSI:NY CSI:NY
He had gotten his breath back and raising his head he expected to see his sister glaring at him. Instead she had moved to the baby and removed the infant who was now awake. She rocked the baby slightly and made low, singsong conversation as she fumbled in the diaper bag. Pulling out a bottle she removed the cap and slid the nipple into the baby's mouth.
"You told him you didn't have a bottle."
"I lied" Denise lifted her gaze to her brother. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, he got in a lucky hit. That area's still real tender." Anger and embarrassment played over his face. "Bastard got my gun."
"You were focused on the baby Don. He blindsided you when you were worried about someone who couldn't protect themselves." Denise looked at her brother firmly. "You didn't do anything wrong."
"Stay here, I'm going to see if they've got him yet." Don stood up slowly and made his way towards the hallway.
"Don," his sister called to him as he was walking out. He turned to look at her, "Thank you. Not only for me, but for the baby."
He smiled, realizing he still had some unanswered questions. Such as, what his sister was doing with this particular baby? Knowing that he could find out later, he headed down the stairs towards the main floor.
CSI:NY CSI:NY CSI:NY
Mac stood in the lobby looking at the body sprawled across the floor, blood pooling from an unseen wound. As he and the others had exited the stairwell, they had heard several shots fired. Hurrying to the main lobby they had found their fleeing suspect on the floor, an uniformed officer kneeling next to him.
"Sorry Sir," he said as Mac approached. "He drew and fired and I didn't have any choice."
Mac knelt and felt for a pulse, none beat beneath his fingers. Pushing back up, he turned to Danny and Stella. "Secure the scene and start processing. It should be ruled a good shoot, but let's not rush anything. How did he get Flack's gun?"
"The guy jumped him while Flack was getting the baby out of there. The guy had agreed to let the baby come out and so Flack was reaching down and wham-o, the guy jumped him." Danny wanted Mac to know that there was little Flack could have done to protect himself.
Flack approached the group, looking at the dead man. He sighed and shook his head slightly. Mac looked sideways at him, "Don, are you ok?"
"Yeah Mac. I'm fine. Damn it," the dark haired man appeared slightly angry. "It shouldn't have happened. He got my weapon from me."
"Don, he made choices, one of them lead him down that path. We can only do so much to prevent others from making the wrong decision. You were worried about the welfare of the child in there, no one will fault you for that." Mac reached out and clasped his hand to Flack's arm. "Let's go back up stairs and you can tell me, from the beginning, what happened.