Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:Miami in any shape or form – so I am not making any money from this. I will put them back gently after I am finished playing with the characters. As before anything appearing in Italics means that the character is using American Sign Language.
Chapter 5 – Brother and Sister
"Yes, I'm sad to say that your mother was raped by my father. But I do have to say that I'm not sorry that you are my half sister."
"What?" Mari looked up at Horatio with a shocked expression.
Horatio gave Mari a comforting hug. "Welcome to the family sis."
"I have family again," Mari started crying on Horatio's shoulder. Eventually she stopped crying, sitting up - wiping her face with a tissue. "I always seem to end up crying on your shoulder," laughed Mari.
"I don't mind, that's what big brothers are for," chuckled Horatio, his blue eyes damp with tears. "You should know that that you also have a niece and a nephew. And also Eric Delko is your brother-in-law as well."
"Really, wait until Eric finds out that we are related - now I can really torment him. And who is Madison and Ray Jr.?"
Horatio explained about Ray Jr and Madison and also mentioned how Mari resembled his Aunt Leslie and that she was Mari's aunt as well.
"Horatio, do you want to keep our new-found family relationship quiet? I know that you like to keep your personal life private."
"No, I would be proud to call you my sister. But we do not need to go into any details," said Horatio, smiling at Mari. "I've always wanted a sister."
"Thanks, I just thought of something, is this going to cause problems? You being my supervisor and my brother? Especially with Rick Stetler and IAB."
"No, it shouldn't. Eric being my brother-in-law didn't cause any problems so you being my sister will be no problem."
"Calleigh told me about you and Marisol, I wish that I could have known her."
"You two would have liked each other," Horatio's phone rang. "Excuse me," Horatio signed before answering his phone, and walking out of Mari's lab. Mari watched Horatio leave then returned to her work.
Calleigh stopped Horatio in the hallway and waited until Horatio finished his phone conversation. "Cooper and I finishing analyzing the video tape from the bank's ATM' camera. It didn't have footage of the shooter, the shooter was out of range," Calleigh reported.
"It was worth a shot."
"It's too bad that the ATM cameras don't have audio. Ryan is checking the traffic camera's from the front of the bank."
"Okay," Horatio nodded. "Anything on the GPS unit from the car?"
"Eric traced it back to a high end security equipment outlet. The unit was purchased with cash, no sales record."
"Another dead end."
"I wonder if our unknown suspect is in the law enforcement field, a CSI or something."
"That is a thought or perhaps they are just very lucky at cleaning up evidence," agreed Horatio.
"All we can do is keep going back over the evidence and hope that we get lucky."
"We keep plugging away," Horatio agreed.
At quitting time, Mari rushed towards the reception area to meet Dean, along the way she almost mowed Alexx down.
"Hey there sweetie, where's the fire?" laughed Alexx.
"Sorry, I'm running late to meet Dean," Mari apologized.
"I'll walk with you. So did Horatio tell you the results of those DNA tests?" Alexx asked gently, as Mari adjusted the velcro straps for the kevlar vest and clipped her gun holster to her belt.
"We got the results back and mom was right about her suspicions about my father's identity."
"So that means that you and Horatio are..."
"Related," Mari finished Alexx's question. "Yeah, we are half brother and sister."
"Wow! How did Horatio react? And how do you feel about the situation?"
"Horatio was happy about the whole thing. Me, I think that it's great to have family again - a big brother. But no one can replace Aaron in my heart."
"Of course not," agreed Alexx. "It doesn't surprise me about Horatio's feelings. Family is so important to Horatio."
"I gather that, and he has agreed that the relationship is not going to be taboo. We are just not going to explain the details."
"Well, there is just one thing left for me to say. Congratulations on your new found family," said Alexx, hugging Mari
"Thanks' Alexx, you are a good friend." They looked up when an attractive African American woman walked towards the reception desk.
"Hi Hedy, what are you doing here?" Mari asked. "Alexx, this is Hedy White, Dean's assistant. Hedy, this is Dr. Alexx Woods."
"Hi, Dean was delayed in court, so he asked me to meet you and take you to the courthouse," Hedy explained.
"Oh, okay," Mari turned to Alexx. "Alexx, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye sweetie and tell Dean that I said hi."
"I took a taxi here, we'll have to use your car service," Hedy and Mari walked out the front door.
Horatio came out of his office and saw Mari leaving with Hedy.
"Hey Horatio, Mari told me the good news. Can I offer you my congratulations on finding your sister?"
"Of course," Horatio smiled, he accepted Alexx's hug and kiss. "Thanks pal." Horatio and Alexx continued talking about this latest twist of events, walking out of the building.
"Hi Horatio, Alexx. Is Mari waiting for me inside?" Dean asked, walking up the sidewalk towards them.
"Mari? No, she left about 15-20 minutes ago to meet you at the courthouse," explained Alexx.
"Why? I was supposed to meet her here. I got a message in court saying that she was delayed at work."
"Your assistant Hedy came and told Mari that you were delayed in court and that you wanted Mari to meet you at the courthouse," answered Alexx.
"Hedy gave the bailiff the message from Mari."
"Alexx, did they leave in Hedy's car?" questioned Horatio.
"No, they left in Mari's car service."
"Dean, call the security company and find out if their cars are equipped with GPS, if so, get them to locate the car that Mari is in," Horatio ordered, as he flipped his own phone open and speed dialed Frank. "Frank, send some officers to the courthouse, there may be a situation. We can't locate Mari. I'll contact you with further details." Horatio snapped his phone shut. "Alexx, please find Calleigh, Eric and Ryan."
Alexx rushed back inside the CSI building as Dean finished his phone call. "The car has been located outside my office, they tried contacting the guard, but received no response," reported Dean. The rest of the team joined the two men outside.
Horatio contacted Frank and told him to deploy SWAT to the address that he gave for Dean's offices.
Meanwhile at Dean's office, Hedy stripped the kevlar vest off of Mari, along with Mari's gun, as the guard aimed his gun at Mari.
"Why are you doing this?" asked Mari, looking at Hedy and the guard.
"Why? Because you have ruined everything," Hedy said in an angry voice.
"How did I ruin things for you?"
"It was your fault that Dean got shot, then he fell in love with you. He was supposed to love me - you stole him from me."
"Okay, but why is Carlos helping you?"
"It's Dean's fault that his sister is dead," answered Hedy.
"Who is your sister?" Mari asked looking at Carlos.
"Cleo, she killed herself when she saw the announcement of your engagement in the paper. She's been crazy about him ever since he dumped her during their senior year."
"So, how did you two meet?"
"We do volunteer work at the airport together," explained Hedy.
"Enough talking, let's finish her off," growled Carlos.
The phone started ringing, Hedy and Carlos turned towards the phone. Carlos finally answered the phone.
"This is Lt. Caine, who am I speaking with?"
"Never mind who this is," snarled Carlos. "You find Dean Allan and get him up here."
"I need to know something first. Is Mari okay? I want to talk to her first," Horatio insisted.
Carlos held the phone out towards Mari. "The cops want to talk to you, so don't get cute."
"Does this cop have a name?" Mari asked.
"Yeah Caine. Are you gonna talk to him or not?"
Mari took the phone and spoke into the receiver. "This is Mari speaking and I am okay."
"That's enough," Carlos snatched the phone away from Mari. "You've talked to her, now find Dean Allan and get him here now," Carlos slammed the receiver down in the cradle.
"Why do we need Dean here?' asked Hedy.
"I want him to realize the pain of losing someone he loves; I want him to see Mari die in front of him."
"Then what will you do after you kill Mari?"
"Then I'm going to put a bullet in his brain, we can't leave any witnesses behind," sneered Carlos. "Are you stupid or what?"
"What did you just say?"
"Are you deaf, as well as stupid?" retorted Carlos.
Hedy turned away from the window with Mari's gun in her hand, shooting Carlos in cold blood. Mari winced as Carlos fell down dead, blinking blood spatter out of her eyes. "I will not allow anyone to call me stupid," said Hedy, standing over Carlos's body.
Outside in the hallway, SWAT officers were waiting, one officer reported in his throat mike. "Shots fired, permission to breech?"
Inside the command trailer, Horatio looked up in alarm when he heard the report. "Does your team have visual yet?"
"Negative," answered the SWAT commander.
"I'm going to call them again. Tell your team to standby until we have more information," Horatio requested. The SWAT commander reluctantly agreed with Horatio's request.
Upstairs, the phone started ringing again; Hedy snatched the phone off the cradle. "What do you want?"
"I'm just calling to let you know that Dean is on his way," replied Horatio.
"Fine, call me when he gets here," Hedy disconnected the call, and started pacing around the office - waving her gun.
Mari was looking around the office and her eyes widened when she spotted a thick wire snaking under the door. She quickly looked over at Hedy, who wasn't paying attention to her. Mari swiveled the office chair that she was tied to around, so that she was facing away from the door and started signing.
"We have visual," exclaimed a SWAT officer in the command centre. Horatio and the commander started watching the monitor.
"What is the hostage doing with her hands?" asked the commander.
"She's signing ASL; can you rotate the picture upside down? And someone get Calleigh in here," Horatio ordered.
Calleigh joined Horatio and the rest of SWAT in the trailer, where Horatio quickly gave Calleigh a "Sitrep".
"Gotcha," Calleigh started watching the monitor and interpreting Mari's signs.
"Carlos, the guard is Cleo's brother; he was looking for revenge for his sister's suicide. Hedy killed him because he was going to kill Dean and Hedy got mad because she loves Dean. Hedy was behind all the harassing. Hedy blames Mari for Dean being shot, and for spoiling her dreams of making Dean love her."
Upstairs Mari kept asking questions as to why Hedy was doing all this and what she planned to do when Dean arrived. And continued to sign Hedy's answers in hopes of giving Horatio more information.
"Hook me up, I'm going to join your team upstairs," Horatio ordered. The commander refused Horatio's request until Horatio informed him that he was going in - with or without permission. "Calleigh, you keep interpreting for us," Horatio requested as he was being fitted with a sensitive throat mike, ear receiver and body amour.
"Be careful and get Mari out of there safely," Calleigh replied.
Upstairs Mari kept Hedy talking and whenever Hedy wasn't looking at her, Mari was gradually moving her chair from the front of the doorway.
In the hallway Horatio joined the SWAT team and continued listening to Calleigh's voice. "Horatio, Mari is moving her chair away from the door. Mari is preparing for the breech by SWAT."
"Understood," whispered Horatio.
Inside Mari realized that the huge office chair hid her from the view of the camera, which meant that they didn't know that she was no longer protected by the kevlar vest. Mari quickly signed the information about the vest.
"Be advised that Mari is not wearing the kevlar vest. Horatio, Mari will not be protected," Calleigh said in an anxious voice.
"Roger, no vest," acknowledged Horatio.
Inside, Hedy stopped pacing back and forth. "He's not coming. I'm thru waiting for Dean; I'm not waiting any longer. It's time for you to die," Hedy aimed her gun at Mari's head.
"Go, go, go," Calleigh shouted. SWAT battered the door open and tossed a flash-bang grenade inside the office. There was a sudden flash and a loud bang which startled both Hedy and Mari. SWAT poured into the office with Horatio following, Hedy was quickly subdued by several heavily armored officers and handcuffed.
Horatio turned Mari's chair around to face him. "Mari, are you hurt?'
"No, I'm so glad to see you," Mari blinked, her eyes watering from the smoke of the grenade.
"Just a moment and I will cut you free," Horatio pulled a multi use tool from his pocket and cut the zip ties that bound Mari's hands and feet. Mari threw her arms around Horatio in relief, and Horatio hugged her in return.
"Come on, there are some people who really want to see you," Horatio escorted Mari out of the officer, leaving the SWAT officers to take Hedy into custody. When Horatio and Mari emerged from the building, the crowd of people behind the barricades started clapping. Dean broke thru the line of police officers, running towards Mari - gathering her in his arms and kissing her - as news cameras flashed and video tapes whirred capturing the moment for posterity.
"Oh Mari, are you really okay?"
"Yes, I am, thanks for Horatio and everyone else," Mari smiled at Dean and Horatio with watery eyes.
"Come on you two, before we get mobbed by the press," smiled Horatio, who spotted the news hungry reporters. They continued walking towards the Hummers, Frank and the rest of the team joining them - escorting them thru the crowd.
At the station, Mari answered questions and gave her statement until all the i's were dotted and all the t's were crossed. Mari and Horatio finally came out of the interrogation room, where Dean was waiting for them. "Is Mari all finished here? Can she go home now?" asked Dean.
"Yes, Mari is free to go," Horatio smiled at Mari.
"Come on Mari, I'll drive you home," said Dean.
"Just a minute Dean," Mari turned towards Horatio. "Please come with us Horatio. We need to explain some things to Dean."
"You two go ahead, I have to check on a few things before I can leave," replied Horatio.
That evening Horatio and Mari told Dean what they had found out about their parents and their new found status of brother and sister. Dean was shocked, but he had no hesitation welcoming Horatio as Mari's brother and his future brother-in-law.