ANNI!
*tackles*
Thanks so much for the reviews! And apologies for not getting a chapter up sooner, I've been doing some bedroom demolition this week. :/
Mwahaha...sneaky Scotty. See? He and Lori are meant for each other. :lol:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miami lab, 3 months later
Horatio: *walks in* Speed.
Speed: *lifts head*
Horatio: Tell me something good.
Speed: Got through the red tape from the feds. Vegetation inside the warehouse from 3 months ago is wetland rainforest, namely African Palm.
Horatio: South America.
Speed: *nods* I spoke to some experts and they say it's most likely from an area of Colombia named Riosucio. It's a small town that borders Panama and it's inaccessible by air and vehicles. Quickest way to get there is by river.
Horatio: Makes sense if our drug runner friends want some seclusion and access to the waterways.
Speed: Not to mention there's a big cattle and forestry industry so with the right connections, one can get pretty far in the import/export business.
Horatio: Have you got a name for our friends?
Speed: Feds faxed me over the information. Pesadilla. It's Spanish for n-
Horatio: Nightmare. Okay so we know what these people are about. Do we know who their American affiliates are?
Speed: All we know is they're recruiting children to peddle their stuff. NYPD hit a brick wall when Homeland got involved and our investigation halted once Connor died. It's been months, our leads are long gone.
Horatio: Not...all of them.
Interrogation room
Tom: *leaning back in chair*
Speed: *sits* What happened in Colombia?
Tom: *stares at Speed*
Speed: How did you get hooked?
Tom: I wasn't as great being undercover as I arrogantly expected. Um...I'm not going to sit here and tell you I had a gun pointed to my head or anything but basically, I was told to take a hit and I did. I screwed up and when I got back, I was taken off the case.
Speed: *nods* What was the nature of your investigation?
Tom: Drug cartels were coming in off the coast and being distributed through the school system. We found that the food in some of the junior highs were laced with heroin and that was only found out once 7 students died of overdoses within the same week. We believed at the time it was a way to attack American youth and send a message but eventually, it evolved into a business and kids began to be involved with the actual selling.
Speed: Okay. So you knew who the men um, in the warehouse were from your previous stint.
Tom: Yes.
Speed: You bought heroin from children.
Tom: ...Yes.
Speed: I need you to tell me which schools you went to.
Tom: *shakes head, looks down at table*
Speed: Tom, listen to me...they're going to kill you. You're the last target and you have the most information. We need this to get them so you need to start cooperating.
Tom: I can't.
Speed: Why not?
Tom: *crosses arms*
Speed: I just need a school name. We'll do the rest. Tom...killing Connor didn't make the problem go away.
Tom: Do you realize who these people are?
Speed: We can assign you protection. And on top of that, you're a police officer, w-
Tom: I don't want protection. I want to live my life while I still have it.
Horatio: *takes off shades* You're obstructing justice, Detective.
Tom: What makes you so sure I know anything?
Horatio: The crack house you traveled to in order to buy your drugs was in the vicinity of 2 Miami schools. I want to know which one had the dealers and I don't want to hear you say you don't know.
Tom: *looks out window* ...Miami Senior High.
Horatio: *nods* Thank you. *walks away*
Tom: *lowers head*
Speed: You're doing a good thing.
Tom: Doesn't feel like it. Feels like I'm just ruining more lives.
Speed: *closes folder* All you need to worry about now is getting your own life together.
Empire State Building, 79th floor office
Scott: *unpacks box*
Lori: *knocks on door frame*
Scott: *lifts head, smiles* Hi.
Lori: *steps in* Hey.
Scott: Where's Stephanie?
Lori: She's playing in the reception area. The girls out there are drooling over her.
Scott: *laughs*
Lori: *looks around* Wow, new office.
Scott: They just finished remodeling.
Lori: It's nice.
Scott: *sits on desk* So what brings you up here?
Lori: Just wanted to visit. *bites nail*
Scott: Seems like something's on your mind.
Lori: Does it?
Scott: Yes.
Lori: Oh. *steps closer* Well I um...no, I just wanted to see you, is all. I kinda miss hangin' out with you. Y'know 'cause you've been working 9-5 and I've been lookin' out for Steph and we never have any husband/wife time.
Scott: *nods slowly*
Lori: That and we've been a bit...disconnected lately.
Scott: I apologize.
Lori: *smirks, lowers head* It's not your fault.
Scott: *stares at Lori*
Lori: Maybe I got a little bit ahead of myself before when I said I wasn't going to let this thing hold me back.
Scott: *places hand on Lori's cheek* It's okay.
Lori: No it's not. I mean you're...as far as I've heard, a regular guy. You have needs, right?
Scott: Your needs come first.
Lori: No see that's not fair. You deserve to have a healthy wife. So I'll do whatever you need.
Scott: Lori, I want you to be healthy and happy but not for me, for
you. You understand what I'm saying? You're not my pet, I don't own you.
Lori: Right, I-I know that. *grabs Scott's tie, fiddles with it* I just...I want to be there for you, I don't want you to always have to be
my support all the time.
Scott: I appreciate that.
Lori: So what are you working on today?
Scott: *smiles* Unpacking.
Lori: Yeah I can see all the boxes.
Scott: *nods*
Lori: See this is awkward. *rubs forehead* It doesn't feel like...I just want to feel the way I felt about you when we first met.
Scott: You didn't like me when we first met.
Lori: Yeah but at least it wasn't weird. You know?
Scott: What's weird about us now?
Lori: I don't know. Maybe it's this job of yours and all this money and this city with everything happening at warp speed...*looks around* I mean, look at it. You're this big corporate guy with all these employees that look to you and respect you and you have this commanding presence about you and...y'know I'm not this angry, intense person anymore...everything scares the crap out of me. You intimidate me.
Scott: ...
I intimidate
you.
Lori: Yeah. There, I said it.
Scott: Um...okay.
Lori: And like I said, it's probably because of what happened to me and I got
way ahead of myself with you in Miami.
Scott: *scratches eyebrow*
Lori: I'm sorry, I'll just go. *turns around*
Scott: Whoa, hey. *takes Lori's elbow* You don't have to apologize to me, Lori. I might not entirely understand what you're going through but you don't have to do this alone. We can work this through. A little at a time, whatever makes you comfortable.
Lori: *sigh*
Scott: It'll be okay. I promise.
Lori: *smirks*
Scott: *kisses Lori's cheek*
Lori: *grabs Scott's face, kisses him*
Scott: *blinks*
Amy: *walks in* I have the last box from downstairs, I thought you might w...
Scott: *lifts head*
Amy: Oh I'm sorry! I'll come back.
Scott: No. No, it's okay.
Lori: *wipes lips*
Scott: This is my wife. Lori.
Amy: OH! *smiles* Hi! *runs over, grabs Lori's hand* It's great to finally meet you, Scott's told me so much about you!
Lori: *looks at Scott* Has he.
Scott: *smiles*
Lori: *looks at Amy* And who the hell are you?
Amy: Amy Walker. I work downstairs but Scott and I shared an office for 8 weeks while they fixed everything up here.
Lori: Uh huh.
Amy: We actually met in Lower Manhattan quite a few years ago.
Lori: What'd he do, save your life?
Amy: *smiles* As a matter of fact, he did.
Scott: Uh...I'm going to go fire some employees. Excuse me. *stands, leaves*
Lori: *frowns*
Amy: *looks around*
Miami Lab, hallway, 3pm
Speed: *walking down hallway*
Anni: *runs over* Hey.
Speed: Hey, you off?
Anni: Yeah, listen...how do you feel about turning the office into a nursery?
Speed: *looks a Anni*
Anni: *smiles*
Speed: *stops walking*
Anni: *smiling*
Speed: Y-You're serious, right?
Anni: Yup!
Speed: *smiles*
Anni: HEE! *jumps up and down* WE WIN!
Speed: This is wonderful news. *wraps arms around Anni*
Anni: *hugs Speed*
Speed: I have to get back to work but I should be home later tonight.
Anni: I'll be waiting.
Speed: *kisses Anni* See you later.
Anni: *smiles*
Speed: *walks away*
Anni: *looks around* ...I WIN!
Trace lab
Speed: *flips pipet into air, grabs orange cone*
Katie: *steps into doorway*
Speed: *hums, opens GCMS*
Katie: *lifts brow*
Speed: *presses buttons, turns around*
Katie: *stares at Speed*
Speed: What.
Katie: In a good mood?
Speed: *frowns*
Katie: *walks over* Eric wanted me to pick up the results from his case if you have them.
Speed: Yeah, I should have them over here. *walks over to drawer, opens it*
Katie: Thanks.
Speed: *picks up folder* Here it is. *walks over, throws folder onto table*
Katie: *grabs folder, opens it*
Speed: *takes off gloves, leans on table*
Katie: Interesting.
Speed: *smiles* Science is very interesting.
Katie: *lifts head* Are you on drugs?
Speed: *smile fades*
Katie: Sorry, it just automatically comes to mind whenever I speak to someone who's a partial match to Lori.
Speed: I'm...having a good day. Well, at least I am now.
Katie: Why? You solve the meaning of life?
Speed: *laughs*
Katie: *smiles nervously* Okay, you're freaking me out.
Speed: Anni's pregnant.
Katie: *lifts brows* Huh. And you're...happy about that.
Speed: Yes.
Katie: *frowns*
Speed: *sigh* Come on, Katie.
Katie: *crosses arms*
Speed: I don't want to fight with you.
Katie: ...Me neither.
Speed: *nods*
Katie: I'm...happy for you.
Speed: Thank you.
Katie: *walks around table, hugs Speed*
Speed: *looks down*
Katie: *lets go* Good luck and all that.
Speed: That means a lot to me.
Katie: I'm sure.
Speed: But don't tell Anni that I told you. I don't know if she wanted anyone to know.
Katie: My lips are sealed.
Speed: Katie...
Katie: *smiles* What? I swear.
Speed: Sure.
Katie: *runs away*
Speed: *frowns* I need to stop talking to her.
TBC.................................