A/N: I am so sorry that I haven't updated this fic (or any fic) in 2 or 3 years. I've had horrible writer's block, and something has seriously just knocked the floodgates in my brain wide open. I'm going to do my best to update this in a timely fashion, but please bear with me. I'm also trying to watch seasons 8. 9, and 10 of CSI (I stopped watching for whatever reason). Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.
Spoilers: None. This also takes place before Sara left for Costa Rica.
Title: Mars
Summary: Seven dead women, one mysterious tattoo. Can Sara find and stop a serial killer?
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Sara placed a warm hand on Nick's arm to stop him from moving toward the sixteen year old. Let me, she mouthed, slightly tilting her head in Andrea's direction. "Why don't you quickly check in with Brass and Gris, and then rejoin us?" she suggested.
Nick bit his lip, gazing at his partner. Of course he trusted her judgment, but Andrea was currently their best lead toward tracking down the location of the Mars Commune. He wanted to do what he could in order to help the team gather useful information about the Commune, and he knew that checking in was not where he needed to be. But it did have to be done, and it seemed as if Sara had a plan.
"Nick," Sara calmly and quietly repeated. "Please, check in with Brass and Gris, and let me see what I can learn."
"Yeah, okay," he finally agreed, carefully extricating himself from the family room. "But I'll be right back in case you need me," he added, punching in Brass's speed dial number on the way to the hallway.
Sara nodded her understanding, shifting her attention to Wes, Eileen, and Andrea. "Would you like to take a seat?" she gently asked the young girl, pointing to one of the plush chairs in the room.
"No," Andrea half-laughed in defiance, the laughter not quite genuine enough to reach her eyes. "No, I really wouldn't like to take a seat. Would you like to leave? I think leaving would be a fantastic idea," she snidely added.
Noticing the pallor of Andrea's face, Sara couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid. She seemed terrified, despite her attempts to put on a confrontational front. "I understand that you're scared, but—"
"I am not scared!" Andrea interrupted. "You have no idea whatI am!" she screamed.
At the sudden outburst, Nick quickly ended his call, glancing back into the room.
"Don't you dare talk to CSI Sidle like that!" Wes thundered to his daughter, lunging across the room so that he was standing toe-to-toe with her. Shaking with rage, he stared at Andrea. "Now you sit down, and you tell them what they want to know!"
"Sir," Nick calmly intervened, returning his phone to his pocket. "Please try to calm down. I know that this is an emotional situation," he nodded toward Eileen, who was now crying, "But please let us try to do our jobs. Why don't you join your wife on the couch?"
"But I just want her to cooperate with you so that we can figure out what happened to Caitlin. That's all I want. Why can't you understand that?" he asked Nick, the anger fleeing as quickly as it had arrived.
"We do understand," Nick tried to placate the older man. "We truly do. But screaming at Andrea won't help bring back your other daughter."
Wes sadly nodded, shuffling back over to his wife's side. Taking a seat, he stared at the ground, holding his head in his hands as if he were a defeated man.
Blocking out the parents, Sara again gazed at Andrea. "Is there anything at all that you can tell us that might help us find your sister's killer?" she gently prodded. "We just want to help, Andrea. I get the feeling that there's more going on in your mind than you're telling anyone."
"Are you calling me a liar?" her eyes narrowed. "Because I'm not!"
"I know," Sara attempted to soothe her, perched on the edge of the couch in a way that she hoped came across as non-confrontational. "I don't think you're lying, I just think that you're afraid," she held up her hands to ward off the young girl's imminent protests. "And that's okay, because if you want to know the truth, so am I."
"We all are," Nick added, taking a seat beside Sara.
"…Why?" Andrea whispered, directing her question to Sara. "Why are you scared? You're not the one who's going to die when they find out that I'm talking to you. They're too powerful," she continued. "He's too powerful, and he'll kill me.
"Who?" Nick interjected. "Who's the he?"
Andrea rolled her eyes at Nick. "I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to her," she pointed to Sara. "Men are—whatever," she muttered under her breath.
Nick looked at his partner, slightly shrugging.
So Sara simply repeated Nick's question. "Who's the he? Anything you can tell us will ultimately be helpful. I'm worried that we won't be able to stop the killings, which is why we're really trying to get information from you."
Andrea finally took a seat in the chair near Sara, her expression a mix of anger, frustration, and fear. "You'll never figure it out," she informed the CSI. "You can poke and prod all you want, but you'll never find the Mars Commune no matter how hard you try. Harold is sneaky, and he'll move the moment that he knows you're on to him."
"Do you have a last name for Harold?" Nick couldn't help but ask, silently apologizing to Sara when she shot him a quick glare.
"No," Andrea answered his question anyhow. "And I don't know the Commune's location, except that it's within two miles of the Strip. That's all Caitlin would tell me," she added, the anger now completely replaced with resigned fear.
"Thank you," Sara smiled at the girl. "We're going to do our best to bring your sister's killer to justice."
"Yeah, whatever," Andrea swallowed. "But while you're looking for her killer, you might have to find my own. I won't be alive for long."
Nick and Sara exchanged glances. "Do you really think they're going to come after you?" Sara gently asked. "We can protect you, you know."
"Don't bother," Andrea bitterly laughed. "They'll find me anyhow. It's inevitable."
Eileen gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Don't worry, Ma'am," Nick turned to Mrs. Walker. "We're going to have a unit watching your house at all times. We'll make sure that your family is safe. The Mars Commune is now our number one lead, making it our top priority." Although he didn't say it aloud, both he and Sara knew that seven dead women were somehow connected to the Commune.
"If anything happens, or if you hear anything, please don't hesitate to call us," Sara handed Wes her card. "We'll be in touch, though."
Mr. and Mrs. Walker stood up, following Nick and Sara to the door. "Please let us know what you find," Wes mumbled, wrapping an arm around his distraught wife.
"We will," Sara nodded, flashing the family a small smile.
"Like we said, the unit will be keeping an eye on things, and is already down the road. Hang in there. Don't hesitate to call us if you need anything at all."
With one final nod, Wes closed the door on the CSIs.
"Well at least we have a starting point now," Sara sighed to Nick as they walked back to their vehicle.
Nick nodded, hopping behind the wheel of the Denali. "When we get back to the lab, let's crosscheck the name Harold with all of the realstate and rental properties within a one mile radius of the strip. Maybe go back five or ten years?"
"Sounds good," Sara mused, staring out of the passenger side window at the changing scenery. "Did you see how nervous Andrea was?" she asked. "She was rude, definitely, but the rudeness seemed to mask fear and sorrow. Nick, I don't think she's really happy with the Mars Commune."
"Well can you blame her?" Nick glanced at Sara for the briefest of moments before returning his attention to the road. "The Commune is somehow connected to seven deaths, her sister's included. Something isn't right with that place, and she seems to think that she's next."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Sara whispered.
Unbeknownst to Mr. and Mrs. Walker, as well as to Nick and Sara, Andrea was in even more danger than they ever could have imagined.
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TO BE CONTINUED