The Return

Chapter 6

Ryan felt himself drifting slowly toward consciousness. His senses began awakening telling him he was laying on something soft – a bed perhaps. Opening his eyes, his vision was blurry, but he could make out objects and a small amount of light. Closing his eyes, he moved an arm attempting to reach for his face, only to realize his arm seemed glued down.

What is wrong with my arm? Disoriented he thought he was at home in his bed after too much to drink, after all, his head hurt as if that were the case. He soon found that he could not roll over on his side fully, whatever was holding his arm down interfered with that move. Concentrating on clearing his vision, he began blinking rapidly, trying to focus on something… anything so that he could know where he was.

In the meantime, Horatio and Eric were silently running along the outside of the house, through trees and around shrubbery with guns held high, ready to encounter any opposition. They had found four men were playing cards in one of the front rooms, laughing and talking instead of paying attention to their surroundings, something Horatio was grateful for when they initially glanced through a front window.

They had left Frank and Natalia with the SWAT commander and his men. Horatio had asked for ten minutes before the officers raided the building, giving him and Eric time to enter. He certainly would rather handle this situation quietly to insure Ryan's safety, if in fact he was being held at this site.

Reaching the back corner of the house, Horatio in the lead as usual, took a quick look around the corner finding the area clear. Turning back to Eric he used hand signals to show where he wanted the young man to stay. Eric was to watch for anyone approaching, while Horatio looked for a way he could enter the house as silently as possible.

Eric knew this would be extremely dangerous, especially if it turned out that the tip was a setup, but Horatio wanted to take the risk himself and wouldn't allow anyone else in harm's way. The CSI watched as his boss stopped at a back window and cautiously looked inside. The look on his face told Eric that the redhead had seen something or someone. Could it be Ryan?

Horatio moved to a door in the center, at the back finding it locked. He holstered his weapon then reached in his jacket's breast pocket and removed a tool. Working on the lock for just a minute, the door moved slightly. Pulling out his weapon once again, Horatio slowly opened the door, not knowing what to expect on the other side, but found an empty laundry room. Turning back, he signaled to Eric with a smile that he was going in. Eric felt a little relief, Ryan must be in there. Moving closer to the door, Eric wanted to be closer to help back up Horatio if need be.

Horatio could hear voices from the front of the house and they sounded real relaxed. Maybe they are having some drinks – that would be the best case scenario. Mentally noting that the room he saw as he looked through the window would be to his right, he made his way down the hallway in a semi-crouched position; his gun at eye level toward what he thought would be the correct door. Resting against the wall to the side of the door, his heart was pounding from the adrenaline pumping through his system and sweat beaded on his forehead with the anticipation of opening the door to the room where he felt sure Ryan was being held.

Outside, a Hummer stopped beside Horatio's and Calleigh stepped out and ran down the drive toward the SWAT team standing in a group seemingly waiting for a command. Catching her breath, she saw Frank standing with Natalia and hurriedly walked to them.

"What's going on? Walter said Horatio had gotten a tip that Ryan might be held at this address."

Frank began bringing her up to date.

Calleigh immediately snapped her head back from looking toward the house to focus on the detective,

"WHAT?! You mean you let Horatio go in there with only Eric as back-up?"

Frank retorted, somewhat irritated, "There is no letting Horatio do anything… you know that. When he's determined to do something, who's gonna stop him?" Realizing he was just as concerned about the Lieutenant and Eric as Calleigh, his voice softened, "Horatio can take care of himself. Eric will make sure he's alright." At least I hope so, Frank thought as he returned his attention on the house.

Horatio turned the door knob slowly. When I looked through the window I couldn't see anyone besides Mr. Wolfe, but who knows. He tightened his grip on the gun in his hand, ready for any encounter. Stepping inside, Horatio quickly closed the door behind him. The only person he saw was his CSI slowly shifting his body in the bed as much as his restraints would allow.

Running over to the young man, Horatio went down on one knee beside the bed and with a low voice called out, "Mr. Wolfe… can you hear me?"

Ryan forced his eyes to open. The voice was familiar… Horatio… What is he doing in my bedroom? Oh man, I must be late for work. Ryan strained against the handcuffs that secured him to the metal bed frame, attempting to get up.

"Settle down son," Horatio whispered. "I'm getting you out of these cuffs. Then I'm going to help you sit up once you're free, ok?"

Confused, his throat parched, Ryan managed to croak, "Horatio… I'm sorry… I'm late. I don't know… what happened."

Horatio knew the young man was disoriented as he struggled to keep his focus on unlocking the cuffs with his key, while at the same time, keeping an ear tuned to any sound coming from the hallway.

Finally freeing the CSI, Horatio asked in a soft voice as he leaned close, "Mr. Wolfe, you need to help me. Can you sit up?"

Moving his hand freely around on the bed, Ryan answered, "This isn't my bed. Where am I?"

The CSI sat up in the bed with Horatio holding his arm, keep the young man upright. This might prove to be difficult, he's not too steady, Horatio thought. We have to move. They could come back here to check at any time.

Ignoring the young man's question, Horatio instructed,"Mr. Wolfe, on the count of three, I'm going to pull you up on your feet… you need to help me by pushing off the bed."

Horatio managed to get Ryan to his feet, now the problem was getting him mobile and out of the house so he could give the command for SWAT to move in.

The door to the room suddenly opened, stopping Horatio in his tracks. His breathing began again with the realization it was Eric.

"H, let me help," he whispered as he put himself on the opposite side of Ryan. "I was just messaged that a car is heading in. SWAT and everyone out on the road is out of sight, waiting for the car to arrive. We've got to get out… now." Horatio knew it would be difficult to move fast, but they had better try.

Outside, Frank, Natalia and Calleigh watched as a black Cadillac rolled slowly past where they were hidden. Calleigh knew whose car it was for she had just been in it earlier.

Just as I suspected, Daniel Caine is involved in this. He lied to Horatio and to me. The trio watched the car stop in front of the house. A rear door opened and a woman stepped out, turning around briefly as she said something to the other person still inside the vehicle. Calleigh raised the binoculars in her hand and immediately recognized the woman, from the picture in that file she looked at in the break room, as Deidra Comocoski. The woman walked to the front door and the car drove out.

The two men struggled getting Ryan out the door and down the hallway as quietly as they could. Each time Ryan began to talk, not being aware of what was happening around him, Eric clamped his hand over his colleague's mouth to mute the sound.

Then they heard voices coming closer behind them. It was past time to give another injection into their captive's IV and the man left in charge, didn't want his boss returning to find the police officer coming out of the induced fog they were keeping him in, for they all knew the consequences of letting that happen.

Horatio stopped momentarily and quickly told Eric. "Go on, get him out. You can make it now, I'll cover."

"H…" Eric softly called out, as he looked at his boss and friend with concern. "You can't stay. Come on, we'll all make it."

Horatio smiled slightly, "Go Eric. I'll hold them up."

Then Horatio turned, raised his gun and walked back a couple of steps and crouched in a shooter's position as he aimed his weapon at the door. Just as Eric and Ryan reached the back door, deafening gunshots rang out behind them and Eric turned to see Horatio pinned down behind a large cabinet, with one of the captors down.

Horatio knew it was time. Speaking into a microphone fastened to his wrist he shouted to the SWAT commander, "Go… go… go."

Just as Horatio finished his call for help, a door to his right flew open and before he could react, his eyes fell on the gun the large woman held pointed in his direction. She fired.

I've got to get Ryan to safety, then get back and help Horatio, Eric thought as he began to run toward a bank of high shrubs as quickly as he could with his friend's dead weight slowing him down. Then he looked up, relieved to see SWAT officers approaching with guns at the ready.

"Lieutenant Caine needs help…" Handing Ryan over to an officer, he saw Frank, Natalia and Calleigh running, with guns drawn, toward the house behind the officers.

Joining them, they entered with the others. The gunshots had stopped, SWAT had everyone secured. Two were dead, two wounded. Then they saw him. An officer was kneeling beside the redhead, frantically talking into his radio.

For a brief second, the CSIs couldn't believe what they were seeing. Then Calleigh's sharp intake of breath and her shaky voice calling out "Horatio…" caused them to realize that it was true. Their beloved leader was down.

The officer who was tending to the Lieutenant was relieved to see the others appear to help him with the injured Lieutenant.

"He barely has a pulse… I radioed for Air Care. They have a bird on the way," the young man anxiously assured the others as he watched the blond woman fall on her knees beside the wounded man.

"Horatio…" Calleigh called out with a frightened voice as she began gingerly turning him over on his back.

Then suddenly, she realized someone else was helping her turn Horatio. She looked up into Frank's worried eyes and nodded.

When her watery gaze returned to the man she loved, she cringed. There was a single hole in his chest and with each ragged gasp Horatio took, blood spurted out. Calleigh quickly shrugged out of her jacket, wadded it up and pressed it against the bloody wound. Slowly Horatio's eyes opened and the first person he saw was Calleigh.

"I'm good Sweet…" his words abruptly ended with several deep coughs. Recovering enough he painfully whispered, "Eric… Ryan."

Struggling to keep her composure, so she wouldn't upset Horatio, she answered, "They're safe Handsome… don't try to talk. Help is on the way."

Eric, his face reflecting the shock he felt, dropped down on one knee on the other side and shakily began, "H… I'm right here."

Horatio's eyes gradually followed the sound of the other voice.

"Ryan…" he managed to gasp before blood began slowly seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"He's gonna be alright H. Listen to Calleigh… hang on. We're getting you help."

Horatio turned back to Calleigh.

"I'm… sorry about… earlier."

Calleigh gently stroked his hair back and whispered, "Shh, it's not important." Greatly alarmed when Horatio's eyes closed she instantly shouted, "No, Horatio… stay with us. Please stay with us."

His eyes gradually opened again and with some effort he smiled at her.

Calleigh could no longer contain the tears that began flowing freely down her cheeks. Frank angrily got to his feet and strode over to one of the wounded men, forcefully snatching him from the grasp of two SWAT officers and pulled the handcuffed man up on his toes until he was face to face with the arrogantly smirking perp.

"You better hope that man over there makes it, 'cause if he don't… you won't have to worry about prison… I'll make sure you never live that long."

What had seemed like an eternity to Calleigh they finally reached the hospital, even though in reality, it had only been thirty minutes since Horatio was shot. She had to run to keep up with the gurney that held Horatio as doctors and nurses crowded around him, one nurse even riding on the gurney with Horatio keeping air pumped into his lungs manually until he could be connected to machines. Medical jargon was shouted between the group as they entered through a pair of double doors, but a strong pair of hands held Calleigh back.

"You can't go in there Sugar," a familiar voice broke through her fog of shock.

Slowly, the awareness of whose voice penetrated through her distress soothed her momentarily. Alexx, it was her dear friend and former MDPD Medical Examiner, Dr. Alexx Woods.

Blankly staring at the African-American doctor, Calleigh softly whispered, "Alexx… Horatio…"

Alexx gently put her arm around Calleigh's shoulders and began guiding her away from the doors toward a row of chairs against the wall.

"I know Sugar… I know," she solemnly responded as she hugged her friend closer to her. "He's in good hands. All we can do is wait and pray… I'll be right here with you."

Alexx looked away momentarily so Calleigh wouldn't see the concern she felt for her former boss and long-time friend because from her medical training, she knew he was in serious condition.

TBC…

A/N: I wish everyone a happy, prosperous and safe new year. May 2014, be a great year for everyone! I want to thank you all for your continued support of my writing; you make it all worthwhile. Thank you!