Title: Vendetta
Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)
Summary: Clavo Cruz escapes from prison and goes after those Horatio holds dear in order to really get back at him. Clavo sees that there's more between Horatio and one of his co-workers, and takes Calleigh... (takes place before current season - I swear this was thought up before "Man Down")
Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio
Genres: Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense
Characters: Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne, Frank Tripp (Other), Clavo Cruz (Other)
Warnings: none
Rating: PG-13
Chapter: 7 "Pain"
Author's Notes: none
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Frank had immediately noticed the Hummer parked in the middle of the dirt road, but there was no one in sight. He climbed out of his vehicle and looked back at Eric Delko, who was getting out of the Hummer parked behind him. "We sure Cooper said this is the spot where Horatio's phone is?"
"Let's check the Hummer," Eric said, not feeling it was necessary to worry until they checked the vehicle and the immediate surrounding area. They were supposed to be there for Calleigh and they didn't know if she was injured, but paramedics were right behind them. He approached the Hummer, Frank's men had their guns drawn and were sweeping the area. Eric peered into the Hummer and saw Calleigh unconscious in the back seat. Reaching for the handle, he squeezed it. The door was locked. "Calleigh!" Eric yelled worried that it was June in Miami. The heat alone was enough to worry about. He noticed Horatio's phone open on the floor. It had been placed there, and Eric was sure Horatio had done it so that they could find Calleigh. "It's locked," Eric told Frank.
Frank moved to the driver's door and found it locked as well. He observed the keys on the driver's seat and hurried around to the other side and tested the two doors on the side. Both were locked. Rounding to the back of the Hummer, Frank tried the back cargo door, but it was locked as well. "We've got to get her out…" he said looking at Eric. He could hear the sirens of the paramedics and turned to see that they were pulling in behind the pile of cars parked on the dirt road.
"We need to get in there!" Eric told him and moved back to the Hummer he had arrived in to find something to break the window in. Who knew how long Calleigh had been in the Hummer, she could have been in there before Horatio's phone had dialed Frank… He returned with a crowbar and made sure Frank was back before bringing it to and through the glass of the front driver's side window. Dropping it, he stepped up onto the step rail along the bottom of the vehicle and reached inside not minding the jagged glass to unlock the doors.
The familiar click of the doors told Frank that they could pull Calleigh from the hot vehicle. He squeezed the handle and pulled the door open. He climbed up into the Hummer and felt her forehead, and though she didn't seem too warm, he still knew she needed to get out. He carefully pulled her out and into Eric's waiting arms. He watched as he handed her off to the paramedic and as she was put on the gurney. Getting down out of the Hummer, he watched as the medics looked over Calleigh. The other visible injury that could be seen was blood dried through strands of hair, so it was assumed a head injury.
Grabbing Eric's shoulder, Frank stopped him for a minute as they both followed the medics towards the ambulance. "You go on with Calleigh, call me when you know something. I'll put in a call to Natalia and get her out here to look over the scene."
"Thanks, Frank," Eric said before catching up with the medics just as they were getting the gurney into the ambulance.
……………………
The ride had been just as Horatio had expected it. Fast. That seemed like how Clavo always seemed to run things. He pulled at the handcuffs that kept his hands in place behind his back laced into the metal stabilization of the chair. The handcuffs rubbed against his skin, the metal of the handcuffs hitting the metal base piecing of the chair's frame.
Clavo laughed a bit as he watched Caine, "You're not serious, are you? I mean, I have a gun, and you're fighting with the chair?" He let out a breath before continuing, his face still plastered with a smile. "The GREAT Horatio Caine…Miami's 'we never close' man is going to get closed…by me," Clavo said pointing the gun at Horatio's head. "And I'm going to enjoy this…so much…."
"You know I have video of your lunches with her…that's how I knew she'd be the perfect target…bait," Clavo told him. He leaned back and sat down in a nearby chair. "You touch her hand during those lunches…" He smiled, "I wanted to be happy for you, Caine. I actually think you could be a little more fun once you get laid, but…now I'm just going to have to kill you. And to think that that pretty blondie isn't going to smile like that anymore…mmm tsk tsk tsk That right there isn't right… Maybe I'll have to try to make her smile myself…"
"You stay away from her, Clavo…" Horatio said lowly.
"You really should have told her how much you love her, Caine," Clavo told him. "I mean, she does know, right? Have some kind of clue? You even walk her to her car and the touching and kissing that goes on…" Clavo laughed, "At least you're not bad with the ladies, Caine…"
"You wanted me…now you have me, leave Calleigh out of this," Horatio told him. He knew that she'd most likely be in the hospital if she was still unconscious when Frank had arrived, so he just hoped that someone stayed with her… He didn't want Clavo to try anything.
Clavo leaned forward in the chair and grinned, "I think…maybe taking her in the garage might be the best way…. Mmm mmm not only would that be hot, but I doubt security in your building would get there in time…" He smiled at the thought. "You know what would be sweeter than me just shooting you? Shooting her, and letting you watch her die and then shooting you…"
"Leave her alone, Cruz."
"You should suffer, Caine. Lose everything…but maybe I should let you watch her die…and let you live," Cruz taunted with a smile still in place.
Horatio looked up at Cruz, anger in his eyes. "I would hunt you down and kill you myself for just touching her… Imagine what I'd do if you hurt her…" His eyes narrowed and he watched Clavo's smile disappear. At least he knew that he meant it.
"I think maybe you should call her and tell her how you feel, Caine…before you die," Cruz said before getting up and heading out of the room. "I'll be back, Caine! Maybe with a nice piece of ass!"
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TBC…