Title: In The Line of Fire

Timeline: 7x25 "Seeing Red"

Author: Quitethefangirl

Genre: Angst/Crime

Summary: Eric is missing and on top of that the team is facing another battle and Stetler is behind the gun. As the team' searches for Eric and they put under administrative review by IAB.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Author Note: It been a long minute since I updated and there are many reasons and excuses I can make for that and all of them valid but I'm not going to waste your time to explain myself. Partially because I don't feel like typing it and I don't really think you care. So without further to do my latest chapter

Chapter 8

A Promise and a Threat

Frank roughly walked Sharova up the stairs of the Crime Lab. The car ride up was dead silent; Frank was preparing himself mentally to face the chaos ahead. He really just wanted the chance to go at it with Sharova and beat the information out of him. He was losing patience; the search thus far had brought forth no fruit and he wanted answers now.

He hated that Eric had associated himself with scum like Sharova. Though it didn't seem like it looking in from the outside, Frank was very much a part of Horatio's Crime lab family. It was unclear exactly where he fit to the family portrait, but he was always there when the team needed him and he cared deeply for them, even if it didn't show as much. He'd give his life for anyone of them just like a protective uncle and he was going to do his best to help Eric maintain his innocence, he just prayed to God that he was.

Sharova winced as Frank dragged him up the last step, opening the door and thrusting him into the lobby of the Crime Lab. Frank scanned the room for Stetler, maybe it was his lucky day. Turning, he proceeded down the hall, pulling Sharova with him. As he turned the next corner toward the holding cells, however, his luck appeared to have run out.

In front of the holding cells, stood the infamous and hated IAB officer, Rick Stetler, as if the stress of the day wasn't enough already, Frank really didn't need Rick spitting his doubled edged, venomous words at him. He didn't have anything against Stetler; he'd never wronged him personally. It was just the way he handled Horatio and the team that made Frank dislike the man. Stetler sometimes let personal, foolish issues between him and Horatio get in the way of closing cases and that really pissed the detective off.

Standing next to him was another one of Horatio's enemy, Ron Saris. He was handing Stetler a manila envelope. He was Stetler's little snitch. He'd gotten lucky, Stetler cut him a break from his charges in exchange for secrets about the inner circle of criminals Saris surrounded himself with, or that was the story. Though Rick had said it was in the best interest of the department to utilize the information Saris had to offer, he was well aware of the history that Saris and Caine shared and having him as a police informant was a good weapon to have in his arsenal, even if only to spite Horatio. Now he had an eager dog at his disposal, one who was just as willing, if not more, to destroy Horatio.

Frank stepped back quickly, but he was too late, he'd been spotted.

"Det. Tripp, just the man I was looking for. Do you have a minute?" Stetler yelled, far too cheery, down the hall as he walk toward Frank, who thought it strange. Saris stayed behind.

"While I'm taking our friend here to booking," Frank said, motioning to Sharova, who was standing alongside him with his head down. "Then I'm heading back out and joining the search of Eric. My plate's full" Stepping past Stetler, he quickly continued walking towards booking.

Ignoring his reply Stetler persisted, jogging after him. "As you know, when it's a police involved shooting IA has to run an investigation. We need to be on this while the wound is still fresh. You should be making it a priority to speak with me." He stepped in front of Frank.

Frank was starting to get annoyed. "My only priority is finding Eric Delko; saving the life of one of our own is far more important than your investigation. So if you will excuse me." He angrily pushed past Stetler this time.

"Well that is a matter of opinion." Stetler replied in a low voice, grabbing Frank's arm to stop him.

"What?" He was confused, the look presenting of his face.

Stetler hissed in his face. "It's a matter of opinion if he is in fact one of our own."

"Guess it is." Frank barked, stepping past Stetler and finally heading to booking.

Ryan was pacing back and forth in the garage of the crime lab, deep in thought. His mind was fighting a war that was seemingly unsolvable. He was so deep in thought he didn't notice when someone had entered the room.

Stetler stood hold a manila folder in his hands, grinning. "Mr. Wolfe."

Ryan did not answer.

"Mr. Wolfe" he said again, this time clearing his throat to make his presence known.

Ryan still continued to pacing and mumbling to himself.

"Mr. Wolfe" Stetler yelled, making the CSI jump and breaking him from his pacing trance.

"I need to have a word with you" Stetler continued in a stern voice.

"I'm busy" Ryan replied, distracted yet annoyed.

The IAB agent placed the manila envelope on the desk. "Well this can't wait,"

Ryan looked at him with a cocky but sly expression on his face and crossed his arms. He was curious at what Stetler had up his sleeve now. He looked at Stetler, not saying a word and giving him his full attention. He was expecting another one of Stetler's flawed traps.

"Thank you" Stetler said once he saw he had the younger man's full attention. "Now, would you please step away from the evidence?"

"What?" Ryan looked at him in utter confusion.

"Step away from the evidence" Stetler repeated sternly

Ryan laughed and sarcastically replied, "Yeah, I got that much, but why?"

"Step away from the evidence, remove your lab coat and head to the nearest interrogation room."

"What? Interrogation room?"

"Yes, Mr. Wolfe. Effective immediately you have been suspended, pending further investigation."

"Suspended for what, Stetler? Really? Ok, H has played your games too long and right now my coworker, my friend is missing and you want to pull something crap like this. I don't have time for your STUPID GAMES." Ryan stepped toward Stetler in a swift, threatening stride, 'til he was in his face.

Rick just stood there smirking, before he started to open the manila envelope and pulled out some photos, placing them on the desk in front of Wolfe. There were picture of him and the Gantry's, him and Eric entering the Russian fight club, along with several other pictures with him and another guy he didn't quite recognize. Stetler then tipped the envelope over and a tape fell out. He looked down to watch it clang against the desk as it landed, before looking back at Ryan.

"Some new evidence has come to light, so we can do this the easy way or the hard way." As he spoke, two cadets walked into the room, one held a pair of hand cuffs. As they headed towards Ryan, they both looked apologetically at him.

The CSI put his hands up, shooing away the cadets. He wasn't going to resist Stetler's demands and make matters worse; he would go willingly. He knew H would work the situation out when he got wind of what Stetler was doing. Roughly removing his lab coat, he glaring at Stetler as walked out of the lab.

"I thought you would comply." Stetler smirked as he followed Ryan out of the garage. "I caught you red handed. You can't talk yourself out of this one." He murmured low enough for only Ryan to hear.

"You have nothing, because I haven't done anything wrong, I promise you that," Ryan hissed back, "and you'll only regret your accusation in the end and pay for it dearly."

Stetler laughed. "Are you threatening me, Wolfe?"

"No, I'm just stating facts." Wolfe spat and widened the distance between them as he walked into an interrogation room, closing the door in Stetler's face.

The day was fading and the dark was winning the war over the sky, yet the glades were still bustling with activity. Cars were scattered across the lawn, as everyone was searching for Eric. The news station had gotten wind of the shooting and had set up camp on the glades, reporting about the missing officer and pleading for any information, promising to keep the viewers updated as the search developed.

They had been searching for hours; it was discouraging and hope was in short supply. They'd searched the entire glade twice over with still no sign of Eric, not even a tiny hair of evidence. Though there were many people looking for his friend, but Horatio couldn't help but feel like he was on his own.

His team had been sent off on different task. Unfortunately, the more news he received from them it seemed the worst it got. Natalia had finished her scene and the body of Ivan Sarnoff was missing, Ryan was processing Eric's car when he found a gun and Frank was at the lab taking Sharova into custody, when he ran into Stetler. Horatio was starting to grow weary and if his team felt anything like him, they were all tired and ready to quit. Despite that feeling they would carry on and not sleep a wink 'til they knew every resource had been exhausted and Eric was found.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, Horatio's phone rang. Gripping it in his hand, he tried to postpone more bad news to be delivered and trudged through the glades for the umpteenth time before his phone rang once more.

"Horatio Caine." He answered in a weak and tired voice.

"It's Frank, we got a problem. Stetler suspended Ryan."

Horatio was fed up, he had neither the patience nor time to deal with Stetler. He was through with this and was going to settle it once and for all.

"Suspended?" Horatio hissed "for what?"

"He's claiming some new evidence regarding Ryan and the Gantry boy's kidnapping has come to light. He says it has put Ryan's true involvement into question. I think he's just pulling at straws to get to you. We thoroughly investigated the kidnapping and Ryan story checked out, he was clean."

"We did, do you have any knowledge of the source of this information?" H asked.

"No, I'm not definite. However, when I was walking to booking and first ran into the Stetler, I forgot to mention that rat Saris was buzzing around." Frank sighed heavily; all those problems were started to pile up. "What do you want me to do now? Should I see what I can do to help Ryan or deal with Sharova?"

"I can't afford to lose another one of my team; I'm already short staffed as it is, I need Ryan working this case. We have enough on Sharova to hold him over night, he's not going anywhere. See what you can do to help Ryan without Stetler having any knowledge of it. I'm heading to the lab now. I'll deal with Stetler." Horatio hung up.

Trudging out the water, he walked towards his hummer, hoping that during his ride to the lab he would cool down. He was fed up with both the Russian's and Stetler's games. If Stetler had appeared in his sight at the current moment he would not have been safe from the fury of Horatio Caine. He probably would have received a couple of well deserved punches to the face. With a deep breath H got into the hummer and prayed to God for help to maintain his usually calm persona; violence would only make matters worse. He put the key into the ignition and sped to the Crime Lab.