WHAT? ANOTHER UPDATE?! Yep. Inspiration came barreling into me, and I decided to take this opportune thought process and make it into a new chapter. Lucky you people.

ImmortalPhantom22- I meant to reply to you, but it didn't go through. Yes, Ryan can be very impulsive. Why doesn't that surprise me, even? Because he got fired in Season 5 for gambling. -fumes- But he's back now.

mystery writer5775- YES, Ryan! He's scary and impulsive, like I said. But in the end, it's going to save Sam and Tucker.

Thanks for the reviews Hordak's Pupil, mystery writer5775, Miraim1, princess moon shadow, ImmortalPhantom22, Le Pecore Nere

12. Resilient Torture

The door was open, and a red alert screamed in Ryan's head as he made his way inside the now-dark room. Not a light was on- no flashing lights, no lights from where he was inside his bubble, nothing. Something had definitely gone wrong because he last remember leaving the room with the lights on.

It was then that the young CSI realized that the entire room and seemingly froze over. A cold chill rushed down his back as he steadied his gun and made his way deeper into the darkness. "I know you're in here, Plasmius," he called, his voice straining to not crack from worry and fear. "So why don't you just show yourself, forget about Sam and Tucker, and take me back?"

A soft magenta light suddenly lit up the room, and Plasmius stood around six inches away from him, a demonic grin on his face. "I think that's a wonderful idea," he smirked, reaching out with that same hand and grabbing Ryan by the throat. With the other gloved hand, he grabbed his nine millimeter glock and crushed it, eyes blazing. "You allowed them to escape, and yet you sacrifice yourself for them. How disgusting." He wrinkled his nose. "Just like Daniel."

There was that name again. Ryan blinked, swallowing at the gesture by the half ghost and took a step back. "Okay, look. I know we all have our reasons for revenge and everything, Plasmius. But can't you just tell me what the heck is going on and why you hate this Daniel kid so much?"

"Oh, that's merely the little pet name I call him," the half ghost replied airily, grabbing Ryan's hand and sending a wave of electricity through his body. Ryan howled. "His name that everyone else decides to call him is Danny, but Daniel is much more formal and affectionate. But that's not the reason why I'm back.

"Where are Samantha and Tucker?"

Ryan swallowed slightly, growling lowly. "No idea."

Plasmius sent another shock though his body and smirked. Ryan began to scream in agony once again, writhing in pain. "Come now, Ryan. Surely you can offer me a better excuse than that. I know that you've allowed them to try and escape back to Miami. Rest assured, they'll get there and there will be no crime lab for them to go to. Now, I'll ask you again. Where are they?"

"Told you... already... have... no... clue!"

This was seriously beginning to annoy the hybrid. Sighing and rolling his eyes, he picked up Ryan by the hand and waved his own hand. The pink bubble appeared, and he threw the young male inside. Ryan's hand went on the inside of the bubble, horrified in realizing he couldn't escape once again. Plasmius arched an eyebrow. "Ryan. You tell me where those two annoying brats are, and I'll release you. It's not that hard."

Indeed, it seemed like a tempting proposition. But he already knew his answer. He stared at Vlad defiantly. "No. I won't tell you!"

"Suit yourself," the male growled, poling the bubble. Vibrations began to echo inside the ectoplasm, and Ryan had to cover his ears and bite the inside of his mouth to keep from yelling out. "I offered your way to freedom, and you spat it back in my face." His nostrils flared. "You can help me, Ryan! You... of all the people in the lab, it was your talent that made me kidnap you!"

Ryan was in too much pain to actually comprehend what he just said.

"And goddamnit, I can make your life easier!" He hit the bubble with an unusual amount of force. "Think about it, Ryan!"

The CSI screamed in agony, hunched into a little ball in the bubble. He wanted to vibrations to stop. All of them...

He swallowed, looking around the lab. No one seemed to really be interested in working at the moment. They were busily chattering amongst themselves about the ghost attack they had just seen in the lab. He silently laughed, shaking his head and making a turn towards the Audio Visual Lab. 'I think Miami needs to see more excitement than from sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll,' he thought, grinning slightly.

Walking into the lab, he saw a young woman in her early thirties stand in front of a large panel and moving things on a board. She turned back and blinked, smiling slightly at the new visitor. "You must be Danny," she acknowledged. "I've heard a lot of talk about a teenager roaming these halls."

"Really?"

"It's not often we get someone your age working on a case with us in finding a missing CSI. Or on any other case for that matter." She nodded. "I'm Sam- Sam Barrish, the new A/V tech for the crime lab."

He smiled in return. "Danny Fenton."

She turned back to her console, pushing up pictures of Sam, Tucker, and Ryan. "So, we're looking for a cabin in the Rockies that belongs to a Vlad Masters," she told him, oblivious to the fact that he knew this already. "Apparently, he has a half-ghost side that has taken all three people. Once we find him, we can take him out, grab Ryan and the others and get out of there." She chuckled. "Well, you guys can. I'll be here in helping you guys find him."

Danny was very tempted to burst out that he already knew that Vlad Masters and Vlad Plasmius were the same person, but one other thought crossed his mind.

'I wonder if Tucker would pass out on the floor if he saw this place,' he thought.

Sam winced as she heard Ryan's scream from outside. "I still say we should go back for him."

"He'll be fine," Tucker tried to reason with her just as much as him. "Ryan's a CSI, Sam. He knows what to do in situations like these." His eyes landed on a sporty 2006 Convertible. His eyes gleamed. "Hey, maybe we can get out of here with that!"

The Goth shook her head. "We wouldn't get to Miami for a couple of days. There's got to be something around here that's a lot more efficient than a sports car to get us to Florida. Maybe a helicopter or a plane or something." She looked around and spotted a stairway towards the rooftop. "Come on. I think we might have more luck if we're outside."

"This has 'bad' written all over it," Tucker grumbled, keeping his hand close to his body and following Sam up the stairwell.

The door was opened to the outside world, and Sam grinned. "Well, what do you know? A helicopter."

The boy next to her shook his head. "You've gotta be psychic or something to know that there was actually a helicopter out here."

"Very funny," she replied dryly. "Let's go. We've got to get to Miami and help the others get Ryan out of here."

Tucker sighed and got into the front seat of the helicopter as Sam began checking controls for liftoff. He couldn't figure out why simple vacations always had to end up in disaster or something other than peaceful times with his friends.

Gah! Vlad's torturing Ryan- slightly. I won't do any real damage to him yet. YET being the key word here, people. Anyways, next chapter:

REUNION! Sam and Tucker are reunited with Danny in a heart-wrenching moment, and Alexx Woods is seen again to help Tucker with his broken hand. More Horatio and Stetler, too. What's up with the Internal Affairs agent, anyways? (Stetler)

At least you have something to look forward to. Thanks for reading, and feel free to review!