I apologize on the long wait!


Annabeth

Percy ran a hand through his hair. "Was she aware?"

"That she was adopted? Yes. That her ex-boyfriend was her brother? No. That she had a twin brother? Again, no."

"Yikes. I would hate to figure that out." I smacked Percy on the chest. He rubbed the place of contact and muttered "Ow."

Nico scratched his head, like he was still processing the new information. "So the girlfriend did it?"

"Yes and no. The dead skin under the victim's nails did match the brother's DNA, but its been dead for a while. Like a week old, I almost couldn't get any DNA off it."

"Rachel," I interjected. "There are human fingernail marks on Jimmy's arm. They look fresh however, not a week old."

"Yes!" Rachel pointed at me and smiled. "I swabbed the marks on his arm and, bingo, there was a fragment of a nail. There was enough DNA on it and I matched it to Jimmy's wife."

Percy hummed. "So he wasn't lying when he said he got into a fight with her then."

"No," I mused. "The angle the marks are indented into his skin would suggest he caught her as she fell." Rachel nodded with a happy expression. "What?"

"You're really good at this stuff Annabeth." She praised.

"Assassins were trained to be aware of everything, even if we could not see it." I shrugged it off. Rachel's eyes went huge. I looked at the boys. "She did not know?" Percy and Nico sent me a sheepish smile.

Rachel gave me one last look that said she was going to question me about it later, and recovered remarkably fast. "But you're right, Jimmy's wife went to the hospital yesterday. She fell on glass, said a kid hit a baseball through the window and she tripped over the carpet into it. Left with a few minor cuts, the worst was only two stitches. Her husband brought her in."

"What time?"

She turned and clicked on something in her computer before responding a minute later. "At about 9:30pm."

"Who plays baseball that late?" I questioned.

"There's a field right next to their house, it has night lights so I wouldn't be surprised if kids snuck out to play. I used to do it all the time." Percy smiled.

"Rachel," Chiron said. "What about the gun? Was the mom in on it or not?"

"Well, it's hard to tell. I mean, her fingerprints are on the gun-no one else's, but when you interrogated her yesterday she said she wasn't at home at 9 o'clock; that she was out for dinner. I had Annabeth hack into the cameras and sure enough, she was eating with some other old ladies at the time her son was murdered."

While the boys were laughing, Chiron questioned "When did she leave?"

"Around 2130." I answered. "She called police around 2200 and they notificated us-"

"In the morning, yes very considerate of them." Chiron commented. He opened his mouth to say more, but a voice beat him to it.

"I can explain that." James walked into the main lab. His medical clothes had dried blood on them. Chiron motioned him to continue. "Annabeth was a tad off when she predicted how our news reporter died. He was beat with a hammer, that much is true, but he wasn't shot until after."

"He was dead before he was shot? Then why shoot him in the first place?" Nico offered a small trashcan to the doctor; in which he placed his bloody gloves.

"Excellent thought Nico, I suspect someone else came in while the boy was being beat to death and finished the act by shooting him in the shoulder." James used his index and thumb to simulate a gun shot.

"The mom was in on it." Percy whispered, mostly to himself.

Chiron nodded and patted James on the shoulder. "I'll have them picked up, good job team." With that he left, James followed shortly after him.

I watched them go. "That is it?"

"Well yeah," Percy shrugged. "We only investigate and get the murderer, or whatever the case may be. Then the courts use our evidence to convict, they go to jail, and we feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Come on Annabeth, I want to show you D.C.!" Nico beamed at me. "America's actually really cool, when you cut out the murders."

I chuckled and looped my arm around his waiting one. "Sounds like fun Nico."

As we were walking through the door, Percy called out to us. "Hey!" We turned around "Can I come with you guys?" Nico and I shared a look, we burst out laughing and continued out the door. Almost two hours later, Nico and I had stopped for lunch at an outdoor cafe when a familiar face flashed in my peripheral vision. I turned and searched for who I expected I saw. Nico noticed.

"Hey, Annabeth, what's wrong?" He asked.

I looked back at him. "I apologize Nico, I thought I saw someone I knew." My eyes flashed back to the park across the street and sure enough, there was my old partner. "You know Nico, why don't you go back to the office. I see an old friend and I wish to catch up with him."

"Well, alright, see ya in a few hours, Annabeth." He stood and walked to his car, but before he started it, he opened the window and called out to me. "Annabeth, call if you need anything."

I nodded in thanks and walked across the street. I stopped behind a man on a park bench. I couldn't see his face, but I already knew what he looked like. His brown hair cut short and tousled in the front, brown eyes, and the typical dark skin most Israeli people have.

"Shalom Navah." He greeted.

"Calev. What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"No hello, how are you," He stood from his bench and walked around next to me. He was wearing a dark blue striped dress shirt and dark slacks with dress shoes; a suit jacket slung over his shoulder. He's always been formal. "Always right to the point with you, Navah." When I didn't say anything, his amused smile faded and he sighed. "Alright, but not here. Come on."

I followed behind Calev as he lead me down the street, not stopping until we reached a warehouse where he pulled me in. "Now tell me, why are you here?"

"Your father sent me."

I sighed, "He wishes me to return?"

"Actually no," Calev pulled lightly at his hair. "He wants you to stay here and gain the government's trust. He's giving you four years."

"What is this, college?" I said, exasperated.

He shrugged. "I don't know Navah, but this CIS thing, was a good idea. He doesn't stop talking about it. 'My daughter has done what none of you could in 10 years!'." He attempted an impersonation of my father, a bad one at that.

I scratched the side of my neck with my index finger. "It is CSI, not CIS."

Calev shook his head. "Can't you just accept the praise Nav? Gosh. Infiltrated the American government on the first day, first time ever on American soil. My first day was with a bunch of hobos. I knew you were good, but I never knew you were that good."

"I was just in the right place at the right time."

My partner merely rolled his eyes. "For a cold hearted killer, I can always count on you to be humble."

"We all have ours."

Cal smiled at me. "I have to go, I'm only on a quick drop in. Ami wanted me to tell you to call weekly, oh and to buy a loft, car, and a real cell phone; using a disposable for this long looks a little suspicious don't you think?"

"Why would he want me to buy all these things?"

"Do you know how paranoid this country is right now? You are Israeli, people will be suspecting you in the first place, so you need to make it look like you want to live here. You are undercover Navah. Don't make it like Quebec."

I rolled my eyes, "You will never let me live that down, will you?"

"Nope." He popped the 'p'. "It is the only time you have ever messed up, and probably ever will; unfortunately for me."

"Whatever Calev. I need to get back to the work my father is so proud of." I turned and walked to the door.

"Hey," I felt him grab my wrist, but I didn't throw him on the ground like I normally did if someone touched me. "They need to believe you."

"How long would that take?"

Cal shrugged. "Do not know that, but you better find out! See you back in Israel...Annabeth."

I laughed out loud "Todah...Caleb." We walked out and back to the cafe I first saw my best friend at, Calev stopped me.

"Here, let me give you a ride since you sent your buddy off."

I nodded. "Alright, and maybe I can give you a tour." Calev gave me a kind of wolf smile and placed his hand on my back, leading me to his car. We pulled into the CSI building and I got out. "Come on, Caleb." I smirked at him.

After I got him a visitor pass, we went up to my level four lobby. I walked over to my desk, laughing at an old memory from Quebec, despite the fact it was at my expense. Percy and Nico both sent me confused and skeptical looks.

I composed myself and gestured to Calev. "Boys, this is my friend, Caleb."

Nico stepped forward and offered his hand. "Name's Nico. This the dude you saw at the cafe?" The second part of his question directed at me.

"Yes, I am going to give him a tour."

"You hardly know your own way around, Annabeth." Percy argued.

I shrugged. "We have a bit of catching up to do anyway. Oh, and this is Percy. Now, come on," I grabbed Cal's hand and pulled him towards the elevator. "I want to introduce you to Rachel."

"Who is Rachel?" He asked.

I waited until the doors closed to smack him. "Do you want to know how the CSI operates or not?"

Cal kissed me on the cheek. "I ever tell you you are the smartest person I know?"

I chuckled. "Do not let my father hear you say that."