The Return

Chapter 29

Horatio concentrated his attention on the car's movement, mentally counting the right and left turns as it travelled down the paved streets of Miami. I can't see from down here on the floor, but I can perhaps figure close enough to the area where they're taking me. After all, I know the streets pretty well in this city. Suddenly, a kick in his ribs caused him to temporarily lose track of their journey. Determined not to let his captors see the effect the blow had on him, Horatio gritted his teeth – refusing to appear weakened from the treatment, but the rush of breath that escaped his lungs could not be stopped.

Vinny heard the commotion in the back and immediately turned and growled, "That's enough! I want to him in one piece."

After completing the gathering of what evidence was left, Calleigh and the team returned to the lab.

Ryan pulled out his cell phone as the group exited the elevator and start dialing. Eric noticed.

"You calling the monitoring center?"

"I am. Since the waiter gave us a description of the car, I feel it's our best chance at the moment. Besides, a friend of mine works for the security company that operates the street cameras – and he owes me."

"It'll be a long shot without a tag number."

Ryan nodded as someone answered and he asked for his friend. "You got a better idea?" he quickly shot back at Eric while waiting, his tone of voice reflecting the frustration everyone felt at the moment.

Eric and Calleigh quietly listened standing a few feet away while Ryan began giving his friend the information on the car and what had happened. The last thing he wanted to hear was a repeat of Eric's comment, but that's what he heard.

"I know it's a long shot Tom… but it's all we have. I've got a time frame… if you could just pick up the car as it left the alley behind Joe's you'd have a pretty good idea which direction it headed."

Ryan turned silent causing Calleigh to turn and walk toward the glass wall of the hallway giving a wide view of the front grounds. A shaky hand rested on her forehead, worried that this time, she might not get Horatio back. Eric had caught a glimpse of her crestfallen expression before she turned away and after a moment, walked over and stopped beside her.

"Cal," he called out softly, "we're gonna find H. You gotta believe that. He's made it through so much…"

Calleigh threw her head back while her watery, green eyes looked at the blue sky through the tinted glass wall, desperately wanting to believe that, but she wondered if Eric really believed what he was saying himself.

Her voice quivering she responded, "I want to believe… it's just…" Ryan's angry voice stopped her abruptly in mid-sentence.

"THANKS FOR NOTHING TOM! I thought I could count on you!"

Ryan punched his phone off and blew out a frustrated breath before sagging against the wall roughly running a hand through his hair. Frustrated and angry about not getting the help they needed, he began walking toward his colleagues.

Eric and Calleigh's hearts sank as they knew they'd struck out with the idea of getting any information.

"Sorry guys… I thought for sure we'd get some help there," Ryan's voice nervously admitted.

"You tried Wolfe… that's all you could do." Turning toward Calleigh Eric then added, "I'm going over to the organized crime unit – see if I can at least find out some of Vinny's contacts and hangouts."

Calleigh watched Eric walk away then softly commented, "I feel so helpless. There must be some way to find out…"

"You bet there is," Ryan grasped both of Calleigh's arms as he tried his best to assure her, his expression stern, "We didn't get H back only to lose him again."

Later that afternoon, Ryan was sitting in the trace lab methodically looking over the information Eric had managed to collect from the OCU, when his concentration was suddenly broken by the buzzing of his cell phone on the counter beside him.

The chair which he'd been chained to was becoming extremely uncomfortable, but at least, Horatio thought, it would help to keep his senses sharp, but as time went by he knew the frigid air in the room was affecting him more and more. The thin material of the suit doing little to protect him, he was finding it harder to stay focused – prepare for whatever was coming his way. I know I pissed Vinny off - just blatant stupidity on my part to let my emotions cloud my judgment… What was I thinking, enticing him to follow me into that men's room. Had they been following us, or was it purely coincidental? If his plan was to kill me, he would've already gotten his two goons to do that. This must involve my father in someway… not that he would have ordered this, but…

Horatio could feel himself slipping toward unconsciousness… Sleep… I just need to… He jerked his head from where it had slowly fallen towards his chest. NO! Stay awake Caine… the team is bound to be looking for me. He thought of Calleigh and smiled. I bet she's real pissed at me right now… I can just hear her. What on earth were you thinking Horatio? Going after Vinny like that – alone!

It seemed like it had been hours since they drug him in this room and chained him in the steel chair that was growing more uncomfortable by the minute. His knee was swelling, tight against the cloth of his slacks. Damn Vinny… I just hope he didn't do permanent damage. His eyes scanned the room for what felt like the hundredth time. The dim light revealed tanks; large slim, cylinder tanks, similar to oxygen tanks. Am I in a hospital? Maybe not… there are other places that use oxygen tanks. Certain types of industries that do welding use it. Then it suddenly came to him that oxygen requires cold storage! These are not empty tanks.

The sound of the lock turning on the door caused Horatio to quickly turn his attention in that direction. The door creaked open and Vinny strutted in, past his man holding the door open for him, toward Horatio with a smirk of a smile relaying his feeling of superiority over his prisoner.

Horatio felt his anger rise at the sight of the thug; the momentary flash of internal warmth doing little to relieve the numbness of the cold while feeling his body betray him by shaking. The two men's eyes silently met, Vinny, amused by how helpless the feared lieutenant now looked as the man sat waiting… wondering what his fate would be. For once, Vinny was in total control, it was a feeling that had been long returning and he wanted to savor every minute of it.

Vinny had grown up in Hell's Kitchen, a notoriously rough area of Manhattan in New York City. It was an area dominated by working class Irish-Americans and those not of Irish descent, like Vinny, had a rough time. He had never known his mother as she died right after childbirth. His father was an uneducated Italian dock worker, who left work most nights headed straight to the nearest bar where he stayed until the early morning hours, leaving his son to fend for himself. He had no time for raising a son and wanted little part in it – his belief was that the boy would be stronger learning how to fend for himself anyway.

In the early years, Vinny's grandmother saw after him as much as she could, trying to provide some stability for her grandson, but when Vinny was twelve, she had a stroke and died. With a father who didn't care where he was or what he did, Vinny soon found a replacement family on the streets – people who needed him, or at least, what he could do for them. At an early age, Vinny began do his part by helping to collect protection money from merchants in a certain territory. As he grew bigger and stronger, he advanced to being one of those who took care of those who didn't pay. He became hardened – no respect for the property or life of others. The way he saw it, everything was his for the taking, and take he did. He worked his way up the "ladder" in the business and caught the eye of Daniel Caine.

Daniel had already advanced in the business, but thought the young man could be an asset to help him advance up into the hierarchy. Daniel liked to give orders, not follow them. The two formed a partnership and became a formidable force. Together they rose in the ranks, but Daniel was the one who made it to the top. Vinny always thought that the elder Caine had purposely held him back – using him to gain power for himself. After years of being more or less a flunky, Vinny saw his chance to take power after finding out about the health problems Daniel was experiencing. Thinking at first the old man would soon succumb, the younger man waited – after all – it would be easier to just step in the position as opposed to a battle, but the man kept hanging on. Vinny being the impatient man he was, decided to take matters into his own hands.

"I bet you've wondered why you're here," his eyes focused on Horatio.

Horatio didn't respond, instead he pulled against the heavy restraints, itching to get his hands on this scum.

"I understand you and your old man have gotten close in the past year." He paused, observing the anger building in Horatio's eyes. "You know, in all the years I've known your pop, never once did he mention he had a son – at least one he knew of," he smirked.

"Then one day – I find out you… the great Lieutenant Horatio Caine, fighter for justice - is the son of a Don! You can imagine my surprise!"

Horatio turned away, staring at anything but the arrogant bastard standing in front of him. His breathing steadily quickening, which didn't help his painful ribs, he now was certain that this may have something to do with his father.

"LOOK AT ME WHEN I TALK TO YOU!" Vinny screamed.

Vinny reached out and roughly grabbed Horatio's chin and jerked his face around wanting to see fear registering in the blue eyes before him, but instead he saw contempt which only served to anger him even further. Releasing Horatio's chin, the hand clenched into a tightly balled fist.

Almost like a coiled snake, Vinny's fist instantly slammed into Horatio's chin with such force that it slightly lifted him off the seat of the chair. His head still to one side, Horatio spit the blood on the floor which rushed into his mouth from the gash on his lip, and slowly turned back to Vinny.

"That's all you have… you hit like an old lady."

Infuriated, Vinny struck the other side of Horatio's face with an even harder swing than the first. This time Horatio was faster about turning back and instead of spitting blood on the floor, forcefully spit it toward the front of Vinny's nice Italian suit.

"YOU FUCKING PIG… YOU RUINED MY SUIT! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS CAINE!"

Horatio felt his body shivering as he gradually became aware of his surroundings. He shifted his body slightly and immediately felt the soreness that seemed to envelop his entire midsection. The confusion he felt at first slowly drifted away and he realized that he was lying on concrete, cold hard concrete that felt rough against his skin. Slowly opening his eyes, with the help of dim light that cloaked the room from a small light on the wall, he discovered that they had removed all of his clothes except his pants. Suddenly a powerful shiver caused him to shake severely and the ensuing pain created a wave of nausea to add to his misery. Squeezing his eyes shut, he concentrated on stopping the shivering. After a few minutes the it did diminish enough that he attempted to raise a hand to his face. He found that something pulled at his wrist keeping him from lifting that hand. Opening his weary eyes once more, he looked down toward his hands to find out what was restraining them.

Leg irons? His eyes widened at the sight. Pulling up into a sitting position against the concrete wall he could barely move his hands in the cuffs to yank the chain that led from his waist to the iron clasps around his bare ankles. What in the hell have I gotten myself into. I'm strung up like a damn criminal!

The sun was just peeking over the horizon as Eric stood in front of the large windows at the end of the hall watching Miami stir to life through the large plated glass of the building which housed the lab. He held a mug of steaming hot Cubita coffee which he sipped on and off as he focused on how they were going to find Horatio.

"Couldn't sleep either?" a soft feminine voice behind him broke his concentration.

Turning around, he watched as an exhausted Calleigh walked up and stopped beside him.

Trying to lighten the mood she exclaimed, "How can you drink that stuff? I wouldn't sleep for a week if I drank that."

He gave her a half-smile and replied, "I could use something even stronger… you never went home did you?"

She had on the same clothes as last night and her slightly disheveled appearance gave her away.

She took a minute before responding. Finally she said, "I borrowed your office, the couch was enough to just lie down for a while. I couldn't face going to that house alone."

Eric closed his eyes briefly, he understood how she felt. He opened his eyes and watched her in silence as she stared out over the city. He could tell she was putting up a strong front for them – and he knew it couldn't last. She's faced so much in the last year; the supposed death of Horatio, then the shock of finding him alive; living another life far away from family and friends and surviving a Russian mafia retaliation; now this. How much more can she stand?

"The camera footage will help us find him Cal… Ryan's friend is working on it. We didn't have much of a chance before, but now the odds are better."

Calleigh pulled in a deep breath replying in a whisper, "I just hope we won't be too late."

Horatio opened his eyes. Loud voices were approaching the door. Vinny's voice he could pick up, but there was a different one he hadn't heard before. Within moments, three men stood before him. A new man in an expensive tailored suit towered above him. The man was younger than Vinny, but had a more sinister expression that matched his hardened features. He was a tall, slender man, but appeared physically strong. Vinny, on the other hand looked nervous, jittery by the younger man's presence.

"Lieutenant Caine, may I introduce myself. My name is Napoleon Lisi, the family calls me 'The Emperor'. May I first make apologies for your harsh treatment? I can tell Vinny overstepped his bounds. While I authorized him to use necessary force to bring you here, it appears his temper got the better of him; a problem that shall be corrected."

Pulling a 9mm Ruger with a silencer attached from inside his coat, the man turned immediately and pointed the gun at Vinny who now was sweating profusely. The other man quickly stepped away having no desire to get in the way.

Vinny began backing away with his hands in the air stammering, "I'll have him cleaned up… nobody'll know, I swear… please Capo… don't." Pffft.

The move even took Horatio by surprise.

Lisi then turned to the other man and ordered, "Get this trash out of here – NOW!"

Turning back to Horatio Lisi began, "I'll see to it that you are cleaned up and given new clothes. You must look better because I'll need your help shortly."

With that the man turned and walked out between two other men who had appeared in the doorway. Lisi quietly gave the men orders. They then approached Horatio and each took an arm and pulled him to his feet.

After the room stopped spinning halfway to the door, Horatio asked, "How long have I been here?"

TBC…

A/N: Thank you for patiently waiting for this update. This past summer was extremely busy time for me and while I longed to continue this story, everything hindered me from doing so. I hope to continue to keep your interest until the end. Again, thank you very much for your support.