A/N: I have never actually been anywhere near New York in my life so I can't say for sure what's over there… So my descriptions of places might be a little vague…
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
The ride in the back of the truck was a bumpy one. Lindsay could hear Danny curse every time they hit a particularly rough spot in the road. She would've smiled if she could but the journey was giving her too many bruises. Otherwise, the two of them were perfectly silent. Danny appeared to still be angry at her and Lindsay was waiting for him to cool down. Except for his muttered curse-words, not a sound was made by either of them.
Lindsay finally decided that Danny Messer already had enough time to sulk, not to mention she was still feeling terrible. When they got to their destination at last, they might not get the chance to talk anymore and Lindsay still owed Danny an apology. Two apologies in fact, one for their argument in the lab and one for the small fight a little while ago. This was getting ridiculous. They needed to settle this while they still could. They'd both seen enough cases where their victims never got to say what was important to those who mattered.
"I'm sorry." Lindsay said.
There was a short silence, and then Danny muttered. "Damn right." He didn't sound as angry as his words though. She heard him move slightly, as if coming closer again.
"I'm sorry I'm always fighting with you." Lindsay continued talking, "Back in the lab and just a while ago… I know why you did it but I shouldn't have gotten angry like that. It's just that…I don't know…I guess the case got to me. I should've apologized back at the lab but I guess I was too proud to admit I was wrong…" Her voice was getting uncharacteristically small and she didn't like it.
"Hey, hey, we all make mistakes." Danny was alarmed with the despair she was showing. Lindsay was usually as bright and perky as they come. "Look, I'm sorry too. I should've tried to stay serious. I know I goof off a lot. You were right to yell at me. I mean, someone's gotta keep me in line when I go too far."
She sniffed a little, "So how are we going to get out of this?" Somehow, Danny could tell she was trying to put on a front.
"Don't worry Montana, Mac will figure it all out. And they'll all come down here to get us." Danny assured her confidently. "In the meantime, gimme a smile and we'll think of something together."
"I am smiling."
"No, you're lying." Her words were cheerful but forced, and that didn't link with the mental image of a genuine smile. "I got x-ray vision remember? I can see you but I don't see a smile." The quip came out of his mouth before he could stop it. He grimaced, wondering if she'd start reprimanding him again.
Surprisingly, she chuckled instead. "Fine, I'm smiling now. You happy? Now use your super-strength and bust us out of here." Maybe Danny was onto something here. Having something to laugh at really relieved the stress and tension that had been hanging in the air.
Danny could feel his mouth pulling into an irrepressible grin. Now see, that wasn't so hard to do, was it? He thought triumphantly. "I'm sorry ma'am," He put on his best superhero voice, "You must've confused me with Superman. I don't have super-strength."
"Oh too bad," Lindsay mocked. She was going to say something but the truck stopped abruptly, sending the two of them tumbling and giving them more bruises on top of the ones they already had.
"We've gotta complain to our chauffeur 'bout this." Danny said lightly after muttering a few more choice oaths. If she wasn't black and blue all over again, Lindsay would've laughed. "That was some pretty nasty driving."
"Rise and shine Detectives," A rough voice greeted them mockingly. "We have a long walk to cover before we reach home sweet home."
Someone climbed into the truck with them, loosening the binds to the weights. Lindsay felt a pair of arms around her, carrying her off the truck. She struggled hard. "Where're you taking us?" Lindsay demanded once her feet touched solid ground again.
"Nuh uh uh," She got the distinct feeling someone was wagging his finger in her face. "It wouldn't be much of a surprise now if I told you, now would it Detective?" A pair of hands shoved at her back. "Now start moving!"
Lindsay stumbled into the ground and spat out a mouthful of dirt and grass. "Hey, leave her alone!" Danny yelled, somewhere behind her. Someone pulled her to her feet but Lindsay felt frozen when she felt the cold metal barrel of a gun poke into her side. Danny heard the safety of the gun clicking and he stopped, listening desperately for the next sound.
"Do you know what's being pointed at your friend right now Detective?" The voice said tauntingly, next to Lindsay's ear. "It's a gun. Your gun in fact. How'd you like that? I shoot her now and all your friends will think that you shot her."
"You bastard!" Danny struggled against the person who was holding him. If he had been free and now blinded, he would've leaped for the bastard's throat but Lindsay's life was at stake here. He didn't dare do anything rash. "Leave her alone. She has nothing to do with this."
"I knew it was a good idea to bring her along." The person said smugly to apparently, the person holding on to Danny. He leaned down next to her ear, so close that Lindsay could feel the hot breath on her cheek, even smell the cigarette smoke that tainted his breath. "I don't think the pretty lady wants to leave. You won't leave your friend alone now would you Miss?"
Lindsay swallowed hard but she kept her head held high. "I'm not going anywhere without Danny."
Despite the danger, that simple statement made Danny feel better. He still wished she was far, far away right now but knowing she wouldn't leave him comforted him.
"Now ain't that sweet?" The voice mocked and the tone changed abruptly. "Now move!" They were both shoved by their shoulders once again and they were forced to move forwards. Their first few steps were faltering at first and they stumbled many times on the uneven ground, only to be hauled once again to their feet. They had been bruised during their ride in the truck but now they were getting more bruises on top of bruises, with cuts and scrapes to match.
There was no telling where they were except that they were in a forest of some kind. There was that cool, leafy scent typical of a forested area and the ground that they came to know very well only confirmed that. It was covered with leaves and dirt and all sorts of little stones that impeded their tentative footsteps and got into their mouths when they fell. Bugs and birds of all kinds seemed to trying to make some kind of nature choir but it just sounded like a load of noise to Danny. It was nothing like the city sounds he was used to. The strange cricket sounds and bird songs filled the air like a jarring racket.
To Lindsay however, the sounds were familiar and welcoming. She quickly got used to walking blind and being led around. There was no getting used to the cold gun pointed at her back however. The touch of the cold steel sent shivers up her spine and goosebumps down her arms.
They hiked for what felt like days and Danny's shoulders soon ached with the continuous shoving he received whenever he tried to stop and take a breather. Lindsay seemed to be in better shape. By the sounds of her breathing, she wasn't as exhausted as he was. Country girls must hike a lot. He thought randomly.
Finally, they stopped. Danny stood still for what seemed like a long time to him, straining to hear something…anything… "You guys aren't lost, are you?" He couldn't help the cocky grin that was starting to spread across his face but he supposed he deserved the punch that came a few seconds later.
"No talking." A new voice, much more cold and gravelly than the first, ordered.
Danny spat the blood out of his mouth. Oh, if only he wasn't tied up, he'd take this guy down. To hell if the man might be seven feet tall and whatnot, at least he'd die trying.
The clink of keys rattled and then there was the distinct sound of a door being unlocked. The two CSIs were shoved into a musty, wood-smelling room, landing against hard wooden floors and walls. Danny grunted slightly when he felt Lindsay's body tumble against his chest. "Hey Montana, you all right?" He whispered. Whoever their captors were, they seemed to be talking outside.
"I'm battered and bruised and I'm in need of a nice hot bath." Lindsay struggled to sit up. "But I'll live. How did you make out?"
"I've seen better days, I can tell you that." Danny said bravely as Lindsay's squirming nudged against several of his bruises at once. He grunted and hissed at the pain.
"Sorry." Lindsay apologized softly.
"It's all right. I should be the one apologizing. I got you into this mess."
"Don't start apologizing to me Messer." She told him sternly, "I wouldn't be much of a friend if I'd left you in the lurch against those thugs."
Danny was silent and finally, he smiled though she couldn't see it. "Thanks. That means a lot. It's too bad though," He added quietly. "There isn't much we can do right now except wait for Mac and the others to come for us. Makes a man feel useless, you know?"
"Men and their need to feel macho," Lindsay teased lightly. "I know what you mean though. You were right the first time. We still might find a way to get out of this yet. And they won't abandon us either. If anyone can find us, they can." There was a hopeful edge to her voice, as if she was trying to convince herself of that fact too.
Heavy footfalls announced the return of their captors, apparently having finished with whatever they had been talking about outside. "Well Detectives," The first voice drawled mockingly, "Have you had time to get reacquainted? And how do you like your new quarters so far?"
"I dunno. Maybe if I could actually see, I could give you a better opinion." Danny said sarcastically. "I'll say one thing though. I don't think much of your room service."
A hand lashed out and pulled at his hair, yanking him upwards. "You've got a smart mouth Detective." The voice whispered maliciously in a tone as cold as ice, "I'd watch it if I was you. And as for the room service, I'd suggest you get used to it." He was thrown backwards again, colliding hard against the wooden wall. Danny grunted at the impact, gritting his teeth together.
Lindsay felt the blindfold being removed from her head and blinked at the sudden brightness, trying to focus her eyes together. Danny was lying next to her, breathing hard as a huge man tore the heavy cloth off his head. He blinked blearily and squinted hard at the two men towering over them. Lindsay took note of her surroundings instead. They were in a little wooden shack, barren except for two chairs and a small table. From the only window, she could see the dense forest outside.
Danny was glaring hard at the two men. The loss of his glasses was of no particular handicap. Things were only slightly blurry but he could still make out most of the features on the men. The first thing he noted was that neither of them had been in the group that had attacked him and Lindsay on the train.
"Where're your friends who jumped us?" Danny asked.
"No idea," The smaller man said with an indifferent shrug. He was still pretty big, bigger than Danny at any rate, and wore a checkered shirt. I'll call you Checkers, Danny thought. And your friend would be Beefcake. He glanced appraisingly at the other man who was a huge and beefy person, with wide shoulders and gigantic hands. Danny thought he could take the smaller guy but this big one was not one to be tangled with. "We simply hired them to bring you to us." He was quite obviously the one that had been taunting them all this time, and probably the mastermind behind it all. The other guy, despite being the bigger and more powerful one, had a subservient look that was classic of those who were the brawn behind others' brains.
"What are you going to do with us?" Lindsay demanded, a hint of fear in her voice.
"Not you Miss," Checkers corrected, "We only wanted Mr. Messer over here. He put a very good friend of mine in jail and destroyed our relationship, as well as our business." Checkers' face became dark and menacing. "You're going to pay for that Detective. You'll pay for it far more dearly than you can imagine." He looked back at Lindsay and was suddenly all smiles again but a chill ran through both of them at that look. His smile didn't quite reach the frigidness in his eyes. "You, Miss, are here as ah…insurance I suppose. Those boys who brought Mr. Messer wanted to keep you so I had to buy you off them. Wasn't that nice of me?" The look he ran up and down her body was more than suggestive. "Technically, I suppose that means you're mine now."
Danny felt rage boil up within him. "Don't you dare touch her!" He nearly came to his feet in his fury but was knocked back down with a heavy blow from Beefcake's big fist.
"You're not in charge here Detective." Checkers said coldly. "Get used to that too. What I say goes and there's nothing you can do about it."
"It's getting dark." Beefcake said in his gravelly voice, pointing out the window.
Checkers sighed theatrically. "All right, we'll deal with them tomorrow. It's too bad. I was looking forward to hearing them scream." A sadistic smile lit his face insanely as he said to Beefcake. "Especially the girl. The sound of pretty girls screaming is so mesmerizing, so thrilling… Isn't that right, my friend?" He laughed shortly, "But I'm sure Mr. Messer's screams will be equally satisfying. Revenge always sweetens even the most terrible dish, don't you think?"
The two left, shutting the door firmly behind them. "You sick bastard!" Danny snarled at the door. It was clear that they were in the hands of a nut job, a sadistic psycho to boot. And to make matters worse, his partner didn't seem to mind Checkers' obvious madness. That probably meant he was either used to his partner's insanity or he was just as much of a psycho as Checkers was. Danny tried desperately to think who their friend whom he had arrested could be but there was just so many. Danny was sure he had never dealt with any mad people, at least not yet.
While he fumed, Lindsay buried her head into her knees, struggling to keep the tears inside. She didn't regret staying with Danny but the look in Checkers' eyes had brought back haunting memories of another sick criminal. And she wasn't sure that she could escape unscathed again.
And that's it for Lindsay and Danny for the time being. It's back to the lab in the next chapter. Thanks to all the wonderful reviewers! You guys are great!