Thanks for all the reviews! Nice to know this is getting read by you lovely people. Working on the next chapter as we speak...Also, Happy Holidays, people!

(x)

Jim stood in the very center of the crime scene left in the wake of the knife-wielding EMT, surveying every part of the damage. Blood dotted and smeared the once pristine white tiled floor. Next door in the emergency room, medical staff treated the survivors and witnesses reported their testimony.

Harvey walked back from the ER through the industrial-strength sliding doors, pen and notepad in hand. "Kim Yanagi worked here for fifteen years, and according to what witnesses are saying, something, nobody knows what, but something about today made Kim stand up from his desk and say 'you know, I've tried a lot of things in my life, but knifing my co-workers hasn't been one of 'em.'"

Jim walked towards the EMT's station area and pointed. "They say that he was sitting here, putting in his notes like he always did, when he just stood up…"

"And turned all Jack the Ripper on the place."

Jim's brow furrowed. "How many?"

"Two," Harvey said. "One orderly and another fellow EMT tried to stop him."

"And they paid with it with their lives."

"Poor bastards bled out in seconds." He said, "You know, I've talked to these people. It's the same exact story as the trucker. 'Never would hurt a fly.' 'Had some problems, but nothing like this.' Just woke up, got into work, and went postal on the place."

"No prior acts of aggression either. At least nothing on the books with us."

Harvey looked around, his face weary. "Don't make no sense. Good news is the rest of 'em were only a few feet from the ER when it happened. If it this went down anywhere else? We'd be looking at a way higher body count."

Jim's raise of his eyebrows came with a short nod. "Once forensics clears it, we'll dig through every piece of evidence in that station room and his locker. Then we'll talk to Lee. See if she found anything in Yanagi's blood sample to shed some light on how much of this is the drug and how much of this is killer instinct."

"If there even is a drug."

Jim nodded, giving him that.

Harvey said, "We better make something stick. I don't need Captain Tightass making life any harder than he already is."

Jim cleared his throat. "Since you mention it, Barnes called me in before we left this morning for a talk with Dr. Scott."

Harvey breathed a 'hmph'. "Oh yeah? What'd the battleaxe have to say?"

"It wasn't what she said. It was what Barnes said. I'm to report to mandated counseling sessions starting tomorrow."

"Cut the crap. You're kidding me." Harvey and Jim started to pick up speed as they walked back to the squad car. When Jim didn't correct him, he added, "I always said you needed professional help. I just didn't figure anyone was listening."

"Hopefully we'll find something that makes this case more of an immediate concern than my mental health. That'll make this session coming up that last one I go to."

Harvey arched an eyebrow as if to say '...the hell?' "Whoa, wait a minute. Please tell me that you're not actually thinking about going along with this counseling crap."

"Captain's orders," Jim said, opening his arms. "I didn't come this far to lose my badge over a few counseling sessions."

Harvey said, "I call bullshit. If he was gonna make your ass grass, he'd have done it months ago."

Jim narrowed his eyes at his partner. "So that's your advice. Call his bluff."

"I said it. You heard it."

"I could remind you of the end result of all the times you've given me that advice before. But I don't think you'd like it."

"Save it. If I wanna hear about the past, I'll turn on the History Channel." Harvey kept thinking and came up with, "What about a, uh… Whatdaya call it?" He snapped his fingers until the phrase came to him. "Conflict of interest. She's gotta know half the officers in this city."

"Yeah, I thought of that." Jim reached the car and got into the passenger side. "Something she said made me doubt that'd work."

Harvey let out a soft growl and pointed to him. "See, that's where it starts." He climbed into the car before saying, "Little piece of advice? You actually go to this session? Don't get sucked in. Give an inch, and she'll take the whole football field. Maddie might look all cute and innocent, but that shark's got teeth."

"Maddie?"

"Dr. Scott. Whatever."

Jim gave Harvey a look.

Harvey looked back and said, "What?"

"If someone ever told me that you'd be on a first name basis with my therapist, it would've been my cue to wake myself up from whatever nightmare I was having."

"Yeah, well." Harvey started up the car. "It's complicated."

"Yeah," Jim said shortly. "I'm startin' to see that."

They took off, heading back to base at the GCPD.

(x)

Lee picked up the next blood sample and clicked the slide into place underneath the microscope. "It's not Methohexital. It's not a methamphetamine. It's not modifinil, and it's not benzoylmethylecgonine."

Harvey, Jim, and Captain Barnes all squinted their eyes as they looked at her. Barnes said, "So, what is it?"

Harvey said, "This time translated into English. If you please."

Lee sent him a look followed by a half-smile. "It stimulates the brain, kicks up adrenaline, and it is not anything currently available to be prescribed or taken recreationally." She took off her plastic gloves. "Quite frankly, I don't know why anyone would want to take it, if it wakes up the part of your brain that tells you it's a good idea to murder someone."

Jim leaned against her desk. "But it might be a drug someone a little more criminally-inclined could use."

Harvey provided. "You know, if only just to stimulate some general mass murder and mayhem."

Captain Barnes pointed to the slide. "What is it about this drug that kills whoever takes it?"

Lee said, "So… let me back up a bit. When a body's is experiencing extreme trauma to the brain - which both men were - the body either does one of two things: It shuts down or it lights up." She continued, "Starting with the front of the brain which consists of the orbital prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate, it would put both men in a heightened state. Big time. The dose given to them was so concentrated that the brain and their bodies weren't able to take the sudden, immense shift in equilibrium. Both men died of a brain aneurysm within minutes."

Jim said, "So they take this and to them, it's like everyone they see is…"

Lee finished, "A potential threat."

Harvey asked, "Okay, but what does that accomplish?"

"Well," Lee said. "In both these cases, it made both men feel that they were in danger, and they reacted accordingly, attacking every person in sight."

"How's it getting into their bodies?" Jim asked. "Pill? Syringe?"

Lee sighed, frustrated. "I can't find any needle marks. So, through their food, drink, or medication is my best guess right now."

Harvey said, "But why these two mugs? You could not have found two Joe Shmoier guys in all Gotham if you tried."

Lee sent the men a sympathetic stare. "I'm afraid that's your department, gentlemen."

Captain Barnes turned to both Jim and Harvey. "Find out whatever you can on Torres and Yanagi. Who they knew, what they ate for breakfast, if they preferred the mountains or the beach. If we can find a common link between the two, we might stand a chance."

Harvey announced, "We're on it, Cap."

As they headed back to their desks, ready to dig up whatever information they could find, they shared an unspoken look. Whoever was running this three-ring circus was two steps ahead of them. They had some catching up to do.

(x)

A few hours later back on the main floor of the GCPD, Harvey yelled into the receiver of his phone. "Yeah, well, if I wanted to know all the ways I can't get access to a file, I would have asked you that instead. … Oh yeah? Yeah, you try that. See how far you get." Harvey slammed down the phone on its cradle and said, "Kiss my ass, poindexter."

At the same moment, Dr. Madeline Scott walked past. "Little trouble greasing the wheels down at city hall?"

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Dr. Dread. Manage to drag enough cops into touchy-feely therapy sessions today?"

Madeline smirked in his direction. "I figure I've done enough damage. Time to jump on my broomstick and fly myself out of here."

"Try not to mentally unhinge anyone on your way there."

"Can't make any promises." She added, "I heard about your case. You know, if you want my help, all you have to do is ask."

Harvey went through the papers on his desk and quipped, "Consider it duly noted."

Madeline stopped in her tracks suddenly. She reached out toward him.

Harvey flinched and then watched her lift something from inside the brim of his hat.

Madeline held up a tiny shard of glass. "Walk through any picture windows lately?"

Harvey returned her earlier smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Well, whatever you were up against, it's nice to see you didn't take second place."

He sat back in his chair. "Aw, Maddie, that's so sweet," he said flatly. "Your concern is so genuine and touching."

Madeline set down the shard of glass on his desk and took her leave.

"No, really," he continued. "I'm tearing up over here."

She sang back, "See you tomorrow, Detective Bullock."

Harvey settled in, holding the phone between his shoulder and his ear as he dialed. "Can't wait."

As he sat there working up to telling off the official down at records once and for all, he overheard an all-too-familiar voice coming from the television next door.

"... That's the thing about self-regulation. It depends on having a friendly relationship with your body. Suppressing your feelings does more damage than it's worth."

A perky newscaster turned back to face the viewers. "We'll be back in a few minutes to continue our chat with Dr. Madeline Scott on her breakout book 'Getting Past Your Past' after a few words from our sponsors."

Harvey stood up, flattened his right hand, and pointed it directly at the screen. "Could somebody please for the love of all that's holy shut up that noise?"