Bookends (7)

[failegaidin.livejournal.com]

Title: Bookends (7)
Written by: failegaidin and rorylie
Rating: R
Fandom: CSI NY/24 Crossover
Pairings: Flack/Stella, Jack/Chloe, Kim/Tony, Danny/Lindsay
Summary: Kim is accused of a surprising crime, and the CSI's have to figure out the truth.
Disclaimer: We own nothing.

Mac was surprised to see Flack come striding through the doors. He had expected the younger man to stay at the hospital, calling in when he knew how Stella was faring. When he saw who came in behind him, though, his confusion only deepened. Walking over, he stopped Flack by taking hold of his elbow.

 

            "What the hell is going on?" he asked.

 

            "Don't start, Mac."

 

            "She was shot. She should be in the hospital."

 

            "I'm fine," Stella insisted, coming up to stand beside them.

 

            Mac turned to look at her. "No you're not."

 

            "I can do my job, Mac," she said firmly. "You can't expect me to sit in the hospital while this little girl is still missing. I won't do it."

 

            Without another word, she walked away, heading to Mac's office where everyone else was congregating. Mac watched her go, worry and frustration lining his eyes. When he turned back to Flack, he just looked tired.

 

            "See?" Flack said. "I tried to make her stay, Mac. I swear."

 

            "There wasn't some way you could have kept her there?"

 

            He shrugged. "How would you have stopped her? You know when Stell wants to do something, she does it. She's not gonna let something keep her down – not even a gunshot wound."

 

            Mac finally nodded. "I know." He sighed. "Let's just make sure she doesn't get hurt again, okay?"

 

            "I swear to God, Mac," he said fiercely. "Nothin' else is gonna happen to her."

 

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            "Are you sure you want to do this?" Mac asked, everyone gathered around him in his office.

 

            Jack nodded. "I don't think we have a choice. We have to get Karen and Angela back, and this is our best chance."

 

            "They might take them back to the man in charge too," Danny added. "Wouldn't hurt to know that."

 

            Mac nodded. "Alright. We're outfitting the both of you with ear pieces and trackers –"

 

            "That will never work," Chloe said simply.

 

            "You don't know that," Lindsay objected.

 

            "These guys are too good," the analyst insisted. "They'll be expecting it. And if you put trackers inside of us, I can almost guarantee that they'll have no qualms about cutting off limbs."

 

            Danny held up the trackers. "Well, these go in the heel of your shoe. So if they find 'em, you just lose some footwear."

 

            "It won't work," she said again.

 

            Jack sighed. "We have to at least try it, Chloe. We don't have CTU's resources to help out with this."

 

            She rolled her eyes, but stayed silent. Seeing that she was done arguing for the time being, Mac turned to the rest of the team.

 

            "Alright, let's get this straight now – not all of you are coming. There's too many of us, and I still need people in the lab. Stella, you're staying here." She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "No. You're injured, and I'm not exposing you to potential gunfire yet. You'll stay here, and you'll help Danny and Lindsay with the ransom call. I want you to get everything you can off of it."

 

            Mac had expected some argument from Danny, but he saw a look pass between the younger man and his wife, and he knew that he wasn't going to put up a fight. He silently thanked God before continuing. "Flack – you, Tony and I will go to the fountain."

 

            "Are we letting them take Jack and Chloe?" Tony asked.

 

            "I think we have to. Killing henchmen isn't going to get us anywhere, and then we won't know where they'll hit us next. They want something – let's find out what it is."

 

            Danny stood up, holding two belts. "I want you guys to wear these."

 

            Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Is now really the time to be making a fashion statement?"

 

            He rolled his eyes. "Aren't you the comedian," he mumbled. "No, there's a small knife in the belt buckles. If you guys get into a jam, at least you'll have something. Watch it though, these suckers are sharp."

 

            As he handed the belts over, Bill stood up. "I'm coming."

 

            Jack shook his head. "Bill –"

 

            "No, Jack. This is my wife. And I promised to take care of that little girl. I'm coming."

 

            Mac looked the older man up and down. "You're sure you're up to this?"

 

            He nodded. "I'm making sure these bastards give me Karen back."

 

            Mac sighed, knowing that arguing would get them nowhere. "Alright then. Let's suit up – we move out in twenty minutes."

 

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"Hi sweetheart," Jack said softly, entering the room where Kim was waiting.

 

"Hi."

 

"How are you doing?  I'm sorry I haven't had more time to check on you."

 

"It's okay."  Kim sipped the water in front of her.  "They're been nice to me, you know, considering they thought I killed Chase."

 

"I know how hard this has been on you."

 

"You're going to find her, aren't you?  You'll find Angela and bring her back?"

 

"I'm going to try."  Jack sat uneasily on the chair across from her.  "Look, there's something I need to tell you."

 

"What is it?" she asked quietly, not meeting his eyes.

 

"The kidnappers called.  They want to trade Karen and Angela for Chloe and me."

 

"You're going?"

 

"I have to."

 

"No you don't.  It doesn't always have to be you."

 

"Kim…"

 

"I lost my mother.  I lost Chase.  I've even lost you before."

 

"I know."  He reached for her hand.  "I have to try to get them back.  I'm sorry."

 

            Kim bit her lip.  "But you'll come back, right?"

 

"I will always fight to come back to you, Kim.  I love you."

 

"I love you too," she said, wrapping her arms around Jack and hugging him tightly.  "I know why you have to go Daddy.  I understand.  It's okay."

 

Jack held her to him for a long moment.  "I'm so proud of you, of who you've become.  Your mother would be too."

 

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"Oh, hey," Flack said, looking up when he heard Stella enter the room.

 

"You're getting ready to go?" she asked.

 

He nodded.  "Find anything on the tape yet?"

 

"Not yet.  I have the feeling it's going to be a long night."

 

He gave her a smile.  "Is it too much to ask if I ask you to take it easy?"

 

She shook her head.  "I have something I need to ask you too."

 

"Anything."

 

"You can't go getting shot, you know," she said, closing the space between their bodies.  "You have to be careful."

 

"I will be."

 

"I mean it, Flack.  I've just found you.  I can't lose you again."

 

"Then I guess I better hurry back," he said, kissing her passionately. 

 

"Take care of yourself," she said, giving him a final hug.

 

"You too, Stell," he said softly.  "You too."

 

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            Jack and Chloe stood next to the fountain, their eyes roaming over the land around them. There weren't too many people out – the weather had taken a decidedly nasty turn, and snow was starting to fall heavily. It blanketed the ground, muffling the sounds of the traffic on the outskirts of the Park.

 

            Jack could feel the others standing around them. They were hidden by trees and brush, but he knew that they were there, watching them. He wished that that gave him some sense of comfort, but he knew all too well how easily things could go awry. Right now, the only thing he cared about was getting Karen and Angela back safely. He'd worry about the rest later.

 

            His attention was caught by three men walking towards them. They looked no different from the other people he had seen in the park, but to Jack, they stood out like sore thumbs. He watched them warily, unconsciously taking a step closer to Chloe.

 

            "So nice of you to join us," one of them said dryly.

 

            "Where are Karen and Angela?" Jack demanded.

 

            The shortest of the three stepped forward, jabbing a gun into Chloe's side. "Start walking and we'll tell you."

 

            Chloe's eyes met Jack's, and he was once again amazed at how well she handled these things. There was fear in her eyes, but it was overshadowed by her determination. Wherever they were going, she would go with every ounce of courage that she had.

 

            Giving her a small nod, Jack turned and let the men lead them away from the fountain. The one who spoke first took his place behind the former agent, his gun pointed at his lower back.

 

            "Since we know your friends are listening, the woman and the girl are tied up in the northwestern corner of the Ramble." He smiled wickedly. "If they hurry, the girls won't be too cold by the time they get there."

 

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            "Our missing girl is somewhere in the Ramble!" Flack shouted into his radio as they took off running across the park.

 

"Fuck," Tony cursed as they got to the entrance.  "How the hell are we supposed to find them in here?"

 

"We have uniformed cops on the way," Mac reported.  "They'll canvas the whole area."

 

"We might not have that kind of time," Bill argued.  "My wife is in there, I'm not just going to stand around and wait."

 

Without waiting for a response he took off down one of the paths.  He could feel his blood pounding with each step, his breath coming in frantic puffs.  He tired quickly, suddenly aware of the way his body was screaming in pain.  He knew he should still be in the hospital.  He didn't care.  He hadn't to find her, to find them.

 

He almost didn't see it, the tiny flash of blue in his peripheral vision.  He actually ran past it before turning back.  He stumbled off the path, up a hill, falling to his knees next to Karen and Angela, huddled together in the snow, their hands and legs bound.

 

He felt clumsy, trying to untie them.  "I found them!" he called out.  "They're up here!"  He wrapped his arms around his wife, taking his jacket off and wrapping it around her as she pressed her face to his chest.

 

He didn't hear Tony approach, making his way carefully through the snow.

 

Tony knelt next to him, lifting Angela up and wrapping his own coat around her.  "Hi there sweetheart," he said softly, carrying her back to the path.  "Are you okay?"

 

The girl's brow wrinkled as she stared at him.  "You used to know my mom," she said.  Frowning, "Chloe, I mean," she added.

 

"I did.  I do."

 

"Are you gonna take me home?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"To my dad?"

             

Tony sighed.  "Right now, I'm going to take you and have you all checked out, make sure you're okay, and then we're going to see if you can help us catch the bad guys who tried to hurt you okay?"

 

Angela nodded tired, resting her head on his shoulder.  "Okay."

 

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            The men led Jack and Chloe down through Central Park, passing Sheep Meadow and the carousel. They walked on until they reached Columbus Circle. As they neared the traffic, a nondescript black van pulled up beside them, the side door sliding open. The men threw their captives in without any preamble, climbing in behind them.

 

            A large black man sat inside, his dark eyes sliding over each of them.

 

            "First things first," he said, his voice a deep rumble. "Why don't you hand over those little earpieces? That way we can be alone."

 

            As the man next to her took her earpiece, Chloe shot Jack a look that plainly said, "I told you so." Mentally rolling his eyes, he watched warily as one of the men came closer to them, a scanner in his hand.

 

            "We have to check for trackers as well," the black man explained. "I'm sure you understand."

 

            The trackers in their shoes were found easily enough, and thrown out the van windows. When he was finally satisfied that they had no other devices on them, he settled back in his seat.

 

            "I would suggest you make yourselves comfortable. We have quite a long drive ahead of us."

 

            Jack and Chloe exchanged a quick glance as their hands were tied behind their backs and they were buckled into their seats. Whatever the man had said about being comfortable, it was obvious that he had no intentions of letting them go anytime soon.