A/N. Thanks very much to all of my lovely reviewers, I'm so glad you like the sequel. Anyways, about the following chapter, I'm not sure about this whole military and National Guard thing, I'm not a US citizen, so, if that might be wrong, please don't hate me....

Disclaimer: I own Ryan's parents and his uncle as portayed here as well as Ann Evans.

Chapter 8

When they arrived in the AV room, Erika was just getting started on her news report:

"My source has confirmed that the terrorists are after a nerve toxin which the scientist Hans Kaufman is currently developing. To get it, they have apparently kidnapped a known safecracker and are now using him to get his workmate to open the safe. My source has furthermore confirmed that the safecracker in question is Ron Wolfe, uncle of CSI Ryan Wolfe. It's going to be interesting to see how the local CSI team is going to handle such a delicate case. Of course now it is legitimate to ask why the National Guard hasn't been informed yet, why we have no military here to protect the people of the city from this terrorist danger and why not even the FBI seems to know about the danger. I try to ask the supervisor of the Dayshift, Horatio Caine, about it. This was Erika Sikes."

Valera turned off the TV. The team though continued staring at the screen, trying to understand what had just happened. Horatio was the first one to speak:

"Mr Wolfe, is there a possibility that Ms Evans has talked to the press?"

Ryan frowned, "I doubt it. I don't know her really well, but I don't think she'd run to Erika Sikes. She likes my uncle too much to do such a thing…"

"Then how did Ms Sikes found out about it?"

"You ask me, somebody overheard us in the bar when Ann told me about it."

Horatio nodded, "That sounds possible. Well, we do have a problem now. Now that Ms Sikes has revealed everything, we absolutely have to inform the FBI and have them send military forces over. It's out of our hands now…"

"You should have informed them earlier. If the military was here, they would have found my brother already." said a voice from the door.

Horatio turned around, "Didn't you want to leave, Mr Wolfe? I don't think you can be of any more use here."

Ryan's father leaned against the door pole, "I seriously doubt you know what you're up to. This is a terrorist situation. It's out of your hands."

"We know what we do. Good bye."

Duke shrugged, "Well, the national guard and the military will take care of this. Saving the world from terrorists has never been the work of… scientists." He nearly spat the last word out.

Delko frowned, "If I'm not mistaken, your lot has not yet managed to catch Bin Laden? Well, while you're on that ghost hunt, we at least caught some serious mafia people over here." Then he shook his head, "Just why am I actually talking to you? God knows, you should be in prison for child abuse."

Duke laughed, "Aw, was that little prick crying all over the place about his bad, bad father?" He looked at Ryan, "Didn't think you would want anyone to know how weak you are. I would be ashamed if I was you."

Ryan just shrugged, "I learned along the way that I don't have to. And now, excuse me, but I have something to take care of. Guys, I see you around."

He walked towards the door where his father was standing. Duke looked at him, but Ryan didn't look back. His mind was far away from the crime lab. He wouldn't let military or the FBI take over. That would just take too long. He would do it the Horatio-Caine-way. He would take matters into his own hands. And seeing Ann Evans was the first step. He was just about to leave the building when he heard Paula at the reception desk saying:

"Look, I cannot call Lieutenant Caine when he's in the middle of an interview, even if it is your husband he's interviewing."

Husband? Ryan turned around to see to whom Paula was talking. He recognized her immediately. The hair was shorter and of a more dark blond than he remembered it. She had become thinner but she still was a beautiful woman. His mother, Doreen Wolfe. The feeling he had earlier when running into his father was nothing like the feeling he had now. She had always been good to him, she had comforted him when his father had been too hard on him and she had tried to convince his father to not throw him out… He bit his lower lip. To see his mother hurt him even more than to see his father. He watched her for another second. She stood there, waiting impatiently for her husband to come back, and Paula had already an annoyed look on her face. He had to smile. Although his mother actually was the calmest in the whole family, she could really make a point if she wanted to. Now she turned around to check if Duke wasn't approaching. Her eyes met Ryan's. Ryan looked back. Paula was just staring to explain something to her again, but she waved her silent and started walking towards Ryan.

When she stood in front of him, she eyed him for a minute and then said, "You've grown up, Ryan."

"And you haven't changed a bit, Ma'am…" It was a lie, though. Now that she stood so close in front of him, he could see the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. It hurt Ryan to think that she had cried because of him.

But now, she smiled, "I know you're trying to be polite…" But then her smile faded, "What happened to your face?"

"I beg your pardon?" He didn't know what she meant.

She raised her hand to his right eye, "That scar. It wasn't there when I saw you the last time…"

Ryan stepped back, "Oh... that… I… err… I had an accident…."

"Accident?"

"Yeah… I…" He didn't want to tell her. She would tell her husband. Ryan still felt that it was his fault, because he had ignored all the rules. He wouldn't have been shot with that nail gun if he had waited for backup, if he had waited until they had cleared the scene. He had failed at that point, and his father would just feel as if he had been right and Ryan wasn't good enough to be a cop. But then he saw his mother's look. Worried. And he decided that it didn't matter to him whether or not his father thought like that. "I got shot at with a nail gun."

"With a nail gun? How did that happen, I thought you were a criminalist?"

"I… How do you know?"

She smiled, "Do you really think I could forget you? You're my son. Ron and I talk on a weekly basis. Although, I see now that he hasn't told me everything. My poor little one, is everything alright with your eye?"

He nodded, "That was years ago…"

"And nobody told us…" She shook her head. Then she asked, "Have you met your father yet?"

Ryan bit his lower lip, "Yes."

"And?" Her eyes were so full of hope; maybe, after twelve long years, they would come to their senses?

But Ryan shook his head, "Forget it. He made fun of me, put my work down, almost slapped me in front of my colleagues and said that now that the military will be involved they'll find Ron in the blink of an eye."

Now it was Doreen's turn to shake her head, "In less than an hour… that's a new record even for him…. I'm sorry, Ryan. You know, I…"

But she got interrupted by Duke who was just walking around the corner. "Doreen, we're leaving." Then he saw Ryan. "You're still here?"

Ryan decided to ignore his father this time. He wasn't in the mood for another fight. So he just said to his mother, "It was nice seeing you again, Ma'am. I hope you have a pleasant stay here in Miami. And don't worry. We're gonna find Ron. Regardless of other people's opinions in this room." He turned around, walked to the door, left the building and walked over to his Hummer. It was time to visit Ann.