AN: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine.
Thanks for all the reviews, and no B1U3B311 bI couldn't kill off Laura although the evil muse did want her to flatline!
16. A lead
Stella re-entered the staff lounge. Danny looked up, she nodded at him and walked over and sat next to Don on the couch and tried to wrap her arm around his, but he stopped her, still staring at the floor where she had left him a few minutes earlier.
"Don, ... we need you to tell us what's going on, ... I want you to do it in your own time, but if we stand a chance of working out what happened here we need you to level with us. ... the good news is that the babies were OK for the transfer which means they're stable. .. What happened to Laura?"
Don said nothing, just sat staring at the floor. Stella tried to comfort him by rubbing his arm. He twisted out of her hold again. She shot Danny a concerned look.
"Don, ... The nurse said Laura is in intensive care, what happened?"
He finally shrugged. "It all happened so fast. ... After they were born everything seemed OK, then, ... She passed out, her blood pressure dropped and ... the monitors went crazy, everything- ... at first they were too busy to say, ... the blood, ... she's - ... They don't know what will happen now. They hope- ... Where are the twins?"
"Hawkes and Mac are on it. We'll find them. ... have they said how long Laura will be in ICU?"
"A couple of days maybe, depends."
The nurse from earlier came in. After casting a glance and Stella and Danny she looked at Don. "Mr Flack, I just had a call, ... you're wife is settled upstairs, you can see her whenever you want to."
"Flack, do yourself a favour let the nurse explain everything to us. Any questions ya got later we can help. Don't expect to do all this yourself. We got your back."
Don finally conceded and nodded his head. The nurse sighed with relief. "Mrs Flack delivered the twins fine, but as the second baby delivered there was some bleeding that took time to control. She responded well to the post natal drugs and is receiving a blood transfusion, ICU is more a precautionary step. They'll keep her sedated a while to let her rest and boost her recovery. If everything is ok tomorrow, she'll be moved back to a room."
"Thank you. I'm going to have a police guard stationed outside, just in case anything else happens." Stella advised. Don looked up. "Danny's going to take you home, you can grab a shower and something to eat then you can come back. It'll make you feel better." The nurse nodded her agreement and left the room.
"Stella, I don't need all that, I need to find my kids. ... I can't go up there and tell their Mom we lost them. We have to find them. ... That'll make me feel better."
"We will."
Mac appeared at the door and beckoned Stella out.
--
Stella pulled the door to as she stepped into the corridor. "Mac, any news?"
"The nurse just filled me in on Laura, how's he holding up?"
"Not good, ... I've never seen him so crushed. It's been a hell of a deal, have we got anything?"
"Hawkes found a discarded plate, Adam's running GPS on the ambulance, it isn't going to Presbyterian. ... We think they hoisted a real vehicle, rather than disguise something else. ... There's a recognised doctor with them and for that set up they have to be taking them somewhere with the right equipment to handle the babies."
"Apart from hospitals, not a lot of people will get their hands on NICU equipment."
"I've already got Lindsay on it trying to find a lead."
"Good. I'm gonna take him up to see Laura, I'd like Danny to hang around a bit."
"Hawkes and I are going to head back to the lab, we could use you both there."
"I don't want to leave them alone right now, the state Flack's in he could jump a million ways."
"OK, stay in touch."
"You know I will"
Stella slipped back into the room.
--
Adam walked into the lab to find Lindsay dancing and waving her arms. "Lindsay?" She stopped, rather embarrassed.
"Sorry Adam, I got something." She smiled anxiously.
"Me too. GPS has the ambulance stopped in Queens between La Guardia and Flushing."
"OK, good tell Mac and tell him that I've tracked the purchase of some high end monitoring and other medical equipment which was delivered to a house out there last week. Here's the address. Tell him I'll meet him there."
"Shouldn't you wait for Mac?"
"He's closer than I am, he'll probably get there first, but I'll have back up."
Lindsay turned and rushed out.
--
Danny watched Don and Stella through the large window, as they sat with Laura, who was hooked up to several machines which were monitoring her, the bag filled with blood hung ominously above her, but the heart monitor emitted a steady beep.
"Detective, there's a call for a Detective Bonasera." One of the nurses advised.
Danny nodded. "I'll take it."
A few moments later Danny stuck his head in the closely controlled room. "Flack, Stella, we got a lead. Mac's gonna-" He stopped when Don stood up and came out of the unit, followed by Stella.
"She doesn't need to hear this." He sighed tiredly. Danny shrugged and filled them in on the latest developments.
"So Mac and Lindsay are on their way there now."
"The babies?" asked Stella.
Danny looked at Don for a brief moment. "We don't know." He finally conceded. Don stared at him. "Mac wants one of us there too." He said to Stella.
"I'm going. Stella, you stay with Laura. ... Tell her I'll be back soon, make something up, I don't want her to know yet if she wakes up."
"She'll be fine, but Don you'd be better waiting here, we'll let you know the minute we find out anything."
"They're my kids out there Stella, I need to be there, I don't want half of NYPD knowing what's happened to them before I do, that's ... not right." Stella was a little encouraged as the shock seemed to be wearing off and he was starting to think and focus again. "They're out there on their own, I want to be there, ... whatever they find I have to know first."
Stella looked at Danny and nodded. "Danny goes with you, he'll have your back, he drives. You don't move an inch without him you got that?"
"Listen, Mac doesn't even know for sure the babies are there. Why don't we find that out first." Danny suggested.
"Because then it'll be too late, all it takes is one guy on a radio and it'll be all round the city, I have to be there, and the next place and the next until we find them."
"I know." Whispered Stella. "Go see Laura before you go, it could be a while before you get back."
Don nodded and returned to his wife's bedside. Stella looked at Danny. "Don't let him do anything stupid." She counselled.
--
Lindsay arrived at the scene in Queens and went straight over to where Mac was standing with Hawkes and Angell while a number of uniformed officers moved into position around the large tenement building. She quickly filled them in with more details and Mac advised her what the plan was for raiding the place.
"Lindsay, Danny's on his way with Flack, I want you out here to stop them going in. As soon as we know they're in there, we'll let you know."
"OK Mac."
"Ready Jess, Hawkes?"
They nodded at him and all walked across to the officer controlling the raid.
--
Danny pulled his SUV up next to the ambulance and Don jumped out. Lindsay appeared in front of him and firmly placed her hand on his chest, making him stop for a moment.
"Don wait, Mac and Angell are in there with Hawkes. As soon as they know anything we'll know. You go can't go in yet."
"She's right." Danny confirmed coming around the vehicle from the driver's side. "You need to be able to go straight to them, wait until we know where they are."
"Piss off Messer, I'm going to find my kids!" Don blustered as he tried to push past them. Danny pushed him back against the car.
"Listen, I know you want to, but Mac's got it under control, as soon as they find them they'll tell us. ... You gotta stay here, wait a bit. I know it sucks, but these are your kids, Laura won't want you in there putting yourself in harm too. Hawkes is there he'll make sure they're looked after until you get there." Danny refused to let him move from against the car. "Don, they all need you right now, you've had a hell of a week, you're not a cop on this one, if I have to I'll make you stay and you'll like that even less."
Don looked at Danny and realised his friend was serious. His energy flagged and he slumped to the floor, his back against the car. Danny sat down next to him. For a few minutes they sat in silence, their eyes focused on the entry to the building.
--
Hawkes and Angell were clearing rooms on the upper floor, when they opened a door on a small room crammed with medical equipment. Raising their guns Hawkes eyed the man in the white coat standing with a clipboard. A woman in hospital scrubs at his side. Angell glanced down the corridor and waved over a couple of uniformed officers.
"Dr Ahmed I presume?"
"Don't come any closer." He replied threateningly as Angell's eyes alighted on the two tiny babies in incubators in the centre of the room just an arms length away. They still bore their hospital bands around their ankles.
"It's over, ... the parents want their babies back." Claimed Hawkes quietly.
"But they gave them up. They didn't want them." Replied the Doctor.
"So whose babies are these?" Asked Angell.
"A young couple who came to me about a week ago, they fell on hard times and wanted the babies adopted." Replied the woman.
"A name would be good, let us confirm it with them." Angell pressed for more information.
The woman tried to bluff the situation. "Stevens, Danny and Katie Stevens."
"Where are they now?"
"I have no idea. We accepted the babies as soon as they were born two days ago." The Doctor replied.
"How are they doing?" Asked Hawkes lowering his weapon and taking a step closer to the incubators to take a look.
"A few more weeks in here and then they'll be ready to go to their new home." Answered the doctor confidently.
"If these are the Stevens twins why does their name tag say Flack? And these don't look 2 days old. My guess is more like a few hours." Hawkes continued.
"How would you know?" scoffed the woman.
"I'm a doctor."
At that point the doctor and nurse realised their situation was hopeless and several things happened in quick succession.
--
Outside Danny and Flack were still sat on the floor waiting. Lindsay was nearby as a window shattered on the first floor and something resembling a body flew out. Danny and Flack were immediately on their feet with Danny firmly restraining Flack against the SUV. Lindsay glanced at them as she drew her weapon and headed towards the body along with a couple of uniformed officers.
"Let her do it. You need to be here for when the babies are found Flack, they are going to need you."
Danny half watched Lindsay and the officers pull "the body" to his feet and drag him limping towards a squad car. Finally their attention was distracted by Danny's radio crackling.
"I have the twins." Crackled Hawkes voice confidently across the airwaves. Flack stood up straight.
"I'm going in there and you can't stop me. ... I waited like you all wanted. Danny they're my kids I need to see them."
"Have EMS ready, we're bringing out the babies." Hawkes voice crackled again.
Don saw a couple of paramedics move forward and pushed Danny aside to follow them. As they reached the door Hawkes appeared with one of the incubators, a uniformed officer right behind him with another.
Don stopped and stared. The tiny forms inside wailing softly as the medics rushed forward to take control. Mac hurried past them, stopping next to Don, as Hawkes started briefing the medical team that had been on standby.
"Hawkes says they're doing OK. ... It's some operation they had, ... they had everything to look after them. ... Go with them." Mac counselled as Don's eyes wavered, but only between the two incubators which were being rushed to an ambulance. "We'll see you at the hospital when we've cleaned up here."
"Flack! ... Stella's on the phone, Laura could be awake soon. She thinks it would be good if you were there." Danny called from a few feet away.
"Tell Stella he's on his way." Advised Mac as he nudged Don towards the ambulance. "Go, your family need you. Angell can handle this."
Don nodded wearily and turned to the ambulance, climbing in after the babies were safely on board. Hawkes pushed the doors closed and banged on the side to indicate it was safe for the driver to pull away.
AN: Babies have been rescued!! ... The evil muse is still lurking however, send me amunition to get rid of her for a while ... please?