I'm back! The countdown is on as the mystery gets even more complicated. I won't say much here, so go read!

Disclaimer: I'm a college student short on change. Nope, don't own anything copyrighted.

(A/N 10-23-07: Oops? Sorry! Now corrected!)

An English Werewolf in America

Part VII

Calleigh stared at the evidence that had been accrued from the past three murders. All three bodies looked alike, when one only looked at the wounds. The first murder had taken place in February. The victim was a young woman about twenty-three years old. The evidence list included a carefully made stick (for what purpose they weren't sure), and a bag containing her clothes, which had been robes of some sort.

The second murder had taken place the second of March. The victim had been a young man, still a teenager, actually, nineteen. He had evidently been attacked from behind, as the laceration to his upper vertebra had shown, and had probably been dying when the carotid artery was punctured.

The third victim, brought in just three days ago, had been a little more forceful in his retaliation. A small handgun was discovered about ten feet away from the body. One shot had been fired. It had only grazed the beast, however, as they found the bullet lodged in a wall, its tip coated in blood.

Calleigh sighed. If Speedle was right, and so far he had been, then they only had about twenty-five days until the next murder took place. If a werewolf was responsible for these killings, he certainly had the attention of the entire CSI: Miami senior staff.

"Anything?" Calleigh started. She hadn't even heard Delko come in the room.

"No, nothing yet."

Delko frowned. "What is the connection?"

"Well, they're all young people. Takes place in alleyways."

"No, I mean, direction-wise. Is he moving north, south, east, west? Can we pinpoint the next alleyway before he does?"

Calleigh bit her lip. "It certainly is possible. Let's go try that theory out, shall we?"

Delko grinned. "Lead the way."

"Look here." Calleigh had put three pushpins on their map of downtown Miami, and was now taking string and attaching them together. "The first one took place near Northeast 1st Street and Biscayne Boulevard. The second one took place near East Flagler Street and Northeast 3rd Avenue." Here the two pushpins were connected by a thin line. "The third was near Northeast 2nd Avenue and Southeast 1st Street." She connected the string. "Which means that a fourth attack would be…" She frowned, studying the map. She snapped her fingers. "Would be at either Southeast 2nd Street and Southeast 2nd Avenue or Southeast 2nd Street and Southeast 1st Avenue!"

"I see! He's moving southwest. And look. The Metromover runs parallel to Southeast 1st Avenue for a while, then crosses over the Southeast 2nd Avenue."

"How many alleys are registered on Southeast 2nd Street?"

"Two. One of them is an empty alleyway right below the Metromover. The other has a handful of restaurants down it that are open all night long. I doubt the werewolf will try to kill someone there."

"Well, then, we've got our next crime scene. Let's go tell Horatio."

"Are you sure?"

The words that came from Horatio's lips were expected by the two young CSIs.

"Yes," said Delko. "Since we are basing our assumptions that the werewolf is sentient, and is moving in a certain direction, we can only assume that he'll continue this logical path." His fingers traced the map in Horatio's office. "As you can see, the crime scenes lead directly to the Metromover. He'll probably catch it to get away and leave Miami. Where he goes after that, we don't know. If we work this right, we can catch him."

"Calleigh, are the silver bullets ready yet?"

"Almost. They need another day in the mold to make sure they form properly, then another three to completely adhere to the bullets themselves. I'll have enough to fill two 9-mil handguns, with one extra cartridge apiece."

"Good." He spotted Speedle coming toward him, some papers in hand. "Are those the test results?"

"Yeah. The sandy-brown hair has the same structure as the black hair. Two strands human, male, one strand unknown, all covered in the same wolf genetics."

"Is it a match?"

"No. This sample was left by an entirely different werewolf. One with sandy-brown fur."

Horatio nodded. "And the red, blue and black hair?"

Speedle shook his head. "Now that's odd. Look at this. Two strands human, female, one strand unknown, but this one is covered in a different material. This material actually allows the DNA to change its form. And it's inheritable, unlike the wolf gene."

Horatio smiled. "Let me guess, shape-shifter?"

Speedle made an iffy gesture with his hand. "Whoever she is, she can change what she looks like, but the closest she'll come to a guy is shrinking her breasts flat, changing her voice-box and making stubble grow on her chin. And that's it. She is a she, never a he."

"But she could change hair color and length?"

"Yes, definitely. And her nose and her skin color and her eye color–"

"Yes, I get it. Any luck with the unknown strand?"

"Well, yes and no. It glitters whenever it's put under a microscope."

"Glitters?"

"Yes, sir, glitters. All three of the samples glittered."

Horatio tapped his sunglasses thoughtfully in his left palm. The answers were just out of reach and it was annoying him. Suddenly, he had an idea. It was a vague but possible. Why hadn't he seen the connection before? He cleared his throat.

"Keep working on it. Do you have a copy of the files?" Speedle handed him an extra file. "Good. Now listen, I'm just a phone call away, so if there's a break in the case, call me." He left, putting on his sunglasses as he stepped outside. He hopped in one of the CSI H2s and drove out, dialing on his phone as he stopped at a traffic light.

"Yeah, Yelina, listen, I need you to go talk to Speed, Delko, and Calleigh. They have some information on those alley killings. Uh, huh. Yeah." He hung up as he made a corner. Minutes later, it seemed like, he pulled in front of the apartment building where he hoped he might find some more pieces to the supernatural puzzle.

Part VIII

"So, let me get this straight, Horatio," said Remus, sitting on the couch with Tonks. They had moved it away from the TV and put the coffee table in front of them. Horatio sat in a chair across from them. "You want our help to catch a murder suspect. One that has eluded your capture three times in a row, at last count."

"That's correct."

"And–" prompted Tonks.

Horatio blinked. "And what?"

"And where do we fit in the puzzle at, Horatio?" asked Tonks.

Horatio sighed. He drew out the extra folder that Speedle had given him. "These are the three victims of what we think might be, funny as it sounds, a werewolf. We also know where he plans on attacking next." Remus and Tonks exchanged worried glances. As he laid the pictures out evenly, facing Remus and Tonks, he also put out the evidence listings for each victim. "Is anything familiar?"

Remus picked up the first victim's information. "Tonks–" He handed it to her.

She gasped. "I see. Well, this is a first."

"I know. The American Ministry won't like this."

"True. And if they find out that he" – she cocked her head at Horatio – "knows because of us, I'll lose my job. Permanently." She groaned. "Good bye, hefty retirement plan. And goodbye on your medication for a while. Teddy and Jessie would have to spend the night with Mom once a month."

Horatio was confused. What on earth was going on? "Well, are you going to tell me or just leave me with tantalizing clues?"

Remus and Tonks exchanged a glance. Horatio stared as they seemed to telepathically communicate their intentions.

"We might as well," said Remus finally. "The damage is done and if we tried to fix what happened, it'd just scramble his brain."

Tonks rubbed her forehead and sighed. "All right." She stood up and Horatio's hand automatically moved near his gun. She noticed and said with a grim smile, "Don't worry, Horatio, we aren't about to attack you." She went over to each window and pulled the blinds down. She also locked the door.

"We can't afford to be interrupted," explained Remus. "Just trust us."

Finally, Tonks gave Remus the thumbs-up. He nodded and she came back, but didn't sit down.

"Do you believe in the supernatural, Horatio?" asked Remus, standing up.

Horatio raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "I'm beginning to." He stood as well.

"Then this'll be a little easier for you to accept." Remus reached into his red Hawaiian shirt and pulled out a long, thin stick. It was similar to, but not the same as, the one that had been found with the first victim. "This is a wand, Horatio. It channels the magic in a witch or wizard." He brought it down suddenly, red sparks coming out of the end. Horatio jumped backward. "See?"

"So that explains the tri-helix structure," he said, eyeing the stick, no, wand, with an expression of curiosity. "But that doesn't explain why you two have DNA coated with something else."

"What did you find on our DNA?" asked Tonks suddenly.

"Well, on Remus's DNA, we found that his tri-helix structure was coated in wolf genes. Explanation, please?" It actually came out sounding more like an order than a request.

Remus sighed, fingering his wand. "It's very simple, actually. You're looking for a werewolf with black fur, correct?" Horatio nodded. "Well, I'm a werewolf with sandy-brown fur. You probably picked some of it off the couch. Remnants of the last full moon."

Horatio nodded. "That's one mystery explained. But what medication was Tonks talking about?"

"Wolfsbane Potion, Horatio," she said. "I make it for Remus the week before full moon, and he keeps his mind when he transforms. I think, based on Remus's description of the black werewolf's actions, that he also took his Wolfsbane Potion, to allow himself control over the wolf."

"Ah, and how long has the Wolfsbane Potion been available?"

Remus jumped in. "It's been around since 1993, but the cost of the ingredients is still high. It's dropped somewhat with the addition of synthetic and substituted ingredients, but it's still expensive and hard to get. It doesn't help it expires three months after the product is finished." He shook his head. "Also, a few of the key ingredients I can't touch myself, so I have to entrust someone else" – he nodded at Tonks – "to prepare the potion. Otherwise, I'm a bloodthirsty maniac every full moon."

"And what about you, Tonks?"

"I'm a witch, complete with wand." She giggled. "Sorry, no warts."

"Our DNA analysts say that the DNA they got from you was actually shape-shifting."

"Yeah, I'm a Metamorphmagus. In layman's terms, I can change my form. Watch."

She concentrated and her hair turned white. Horatio's eyes widened, but she didn't stop there. Her nose grew to the size of a tomato before shrinking down to the size of a button. Her height also decreased, making the top of her head just barely brush Horatio's chin. Her skin wrinkled up and became pruny. She opened her eyes, showing ice-cold blue irises. "Wotcher, Horatio," she said. Even her voice sounded old.

"Wow," was all Horatio could say. Tonks shifted back to herself.

"It helps with my job. I'm an Auror, a professional Dark Wizard catcher," she added at Horatio's blank face. "And trust me, it's a pretty hard job. Our children inherited my abilities too," she added proudly.

Horatio turned to the silent Remus. "What do you do for a living, Remus?"

"Oh, here and there. I was a teacher for one year."

"Why aren't you able to hold a steady job?"

"I'm a werewolf," he said simply, as though those three words defined his existence. Which, in the magical world, practically did. "As soon as people see that I've put down lycanthropy as an illness, they turn me away. I've grown used to it, but it still hurts every time I'm rejected."

Horatio shook his head. "It's prejudice, that's what it is."

Remus shrugged. "Things have actually improved over the past year. This one woman, she campaigned to have werewolves rounded up, tagged and branded, like the Nazis did to the Jews during World War II."

"What happened to her?"

"She was arrested on charges of abusing and killing Muggle-born witches and wizards. That means they have non-magical parents," he added in response to another of Horatio's blank looks. He kept forgetting that Horatio didn't know anything about the magical world. "Just about everyone hated her. She looked like a toad somebody had swollen up and made to walk on its hind legs." Remus shuddered. "About the only one who liked her was former Minister of Magic Fudge."

"He certainly didn't have very good taste in women then," said Horatio, a twinkle in his blue eyes. Remus gave him a strange look and then burst into laughter.

"You remind me of our former Headmaster," he choked out, his face a light red. "He always had a twinkle in those blue eyes of his, no matter what. Hey, maybe you two are distantly related! He even had auburn hair when he was younger!"

Horatio shrugged. "Maybe. You never know. I think I have a great-aunt in England, but I'm not sure."

"So, Horatio," said Tonks suddenly as Remus calmed down. "You said something about knowing where the werewolf would attack next?"

"Yeah. Why don't you come to the lab and talk with my people?"

Tonks and Remus shared identical looks of shock. "We would have to tell them about magic," warned Tonks.

Horatio smiled. "I wouldn't worry. The top three CSIs, besides me, of course, would be the only ones to know; and they're really good at keeping secrets."

Tonks bit her bottom lip before sighing and turning to Remus. "What do you think, dear?"

Remus kissed her forehead. Even at her normal height, Remus was still slightly taller than her. "I think we should trust them. They've kept their results from the public. Maybe all we need is some non-magical help."

"You're kidding me."

Speedle had walked into Horatio's office, arriving at the same time as Delko and Calleigh. Before their eyes, Remus and Tonks gave a full demonstration of magic (all with the blinds closed and the door locked, of course) and explained to them the results of their lab findings. Currently, Speedle's jaw was close to hitting the floor as Tonks shifted into a near replica of Calleigh.

"Try and tell us apart," smirked Tonks.

"If you can," added Calleigh.

"Um, Calleigh, you're the one on the…left?"

"Correct! What gave it away?"

"Um, you got Calleigh's hair part wrong. It's supposed to lay the other way."

Tonks looked at Calleigh, then a mirror she had conjured with a twirl of her wand. "You're right. I forgot to take into account the mirror effect. Thanks."

"So, werewolves, witches, wizards, vampires, they all exist?" asked Delko.

"Yep. Remus here is a werewolf." Remus waved shyly at the CSIs.

Speedle actually fainted at that one, while Calleigh cocked her head. "What color werewolf are you?"

"Sandy-brown colored. I believe you have some of my fur somewhere in this lab building."

"Yeah. Wow, I can't believe this. No wonder you hide from the…um…what do you call it again?"

"The Muggle world. Non-magical people."

"Right. Now, I have two questions for you. One might seem a little silly."

"Calleigh, I have learned that the only silly question is the one not asked. What is it?"

"First, what would happen if someone found out about the magical world and wanted to tell the rest of the world?"

"Their memory is wiped used a charm and the person is put on a watch list if they keep at it."

"Okay. And are werewolves really allergic to silver?" She held her breath. If he said no, all that silver on the bullets would be worthless.

"Yes. Even in human form, if I come in contact with silver, I have the same reaction I would if I were exposed to poison ivy. Silver bullets will kill werewolves, no doubt about it." She breathed a sigh of relief. "Did you make some silver bullets?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. Mostly, they're just regular 9-mil bullets with silver plating. Will that still work?"

Remus pondered this question. "Will one bullet work? No, only make him angrier. Two should slow him down and three to four would probably wound him enough so that you could contain him. Five or more would kill him." He gave her his best 'Professor Stare,' as Harry had called it. "Just be careful where you aim, okay?"

Calleigh smiled. "That's why I'm the gun expert!" she chirped.

Remus sighed, glancing at the prone form of Speedle. A flick of his wand and the resulting gush of water woke him up quickly. This was going to be a long couple of weeks.

So, now we have the two sides working together. Horatio didn't believe that Remus and Tonks were guilty, just that they were withholding information. So that's why he went to their apartment instead of bringing them in. Is Horatio related to Dumbledore? Beats me. They do look alike, you know. So, will they succeed? Will it be a simple bring-in or will the werewolf escape yet again? Also, all those roads and crossroads really do exist. Look it up on Mapquest if you want to.

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers. Today, y'all get...Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans:

Sasia93, sirval, and Houseaholic88.

So, until next time, you've read, so now review! Make my day!