Author: Sam

Story: Perilous Triangle: 1 of ?

Series: Speed-Burn

Chapter Characters: Nick, Cath, OC

Rating: M: Language, Abuse of Minors, Violence, and Sexual Situations

Summary: Las Vegas, New York, and Miami experience a series of minor-related crimes, but are they a sign of something even bigger, even more sinister than a handful of kids in trouble?

Spoiler: Yeah, seasons 1 – 6 of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, seasons 1 – 2 of CSI: New York, and seasons 1 – 4 of CSI: Miami. Also, please check note, as this story has spoilers for the entire Speed-Burn time line so far: “Speed Trap” (CSI: Miami and CSI: New York), “Prison of Sorrow” (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), “Ten Little Indians” (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), “Life Altering” (CSI: New York), and “Moral Judgments” (CSI: New York).

Category: Crime-related; Drama; Science; AU

Setting: AU: Speed-Burn: 2005: Las Vegas

Disclaimer: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: New York, and CSI: Miami are produced by Alliance Atlantis Communications and CBS Productions, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films; the series are distributed worldwide by Alliance Atlantis, and by CBS in the USA. I am in no way connected with these people, and I do not claim ownership to these characters, lands, or names. I have borrowed them to share a story... and most likely not a story any of them would have written, had they had the time or no. I am making no money from this, and it is just for my entertainment, and that of free entertainment to a select group of friends. Thank You.

Distribution: Please ask first?

Note: Speed-Burn is a time line in which the events in CSI: Miami’s “The Lost Son” and CSI: New York’s “Summer in the City” and “Grand Murder at Central Station” unfolded in a different way. To understand how this might have happened, you are advised to read “Speed Trap” and “Moral Judgments”. (“Ten Little Indians” is during “Speed Trap” in the time line, but does not touch upon the differences between Canon and Speed-Burn.) Thank you.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive. samwise_baggins@yahoo.co.uk

Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/samwise_baggins/index.html

Taking a sip of his beer, Nick smiled as the pretty blonde bent closer in her dance. As she swayed to the sensual rhythm, Nick nodded slowly, appreciatively. Off duty, as long as he didn’t pay for anything illegal, there were no rules against the young criminal investigator enjoying one of the many dance clubs or show rooms that lined the Las Vegas strip. Thus, that night, after a hard day of working on a burglary case he’d finally gotten cracked, Nick Stokes sat at a stage-side table enjoying a cold beer, some nachos, and a sensual dance by a scantily clad, well-built woman. In his eyes, it was the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of the end of a grueling case.

As the tune ended, Nick sat back, waiting in pleased anticipation for the next dancer to come onto stage. So far, there had been a wide flavor variety, starting with a big-hipped redhead, a woman of Asian descent, and the voluptuous blonde who’d just finished. That was the great thing about this club: the floor show catered to a large variety of visual tastes, ever since the new owner had taken over a few months previously. A man could sit back and get his fill of all the exotic beauty nature had to offer.

The relaxed, almost smug attitude didn’t last past the opening beats of the next song, however.

Nick suddenly thrust forward, trying to get a good look at the dark-skinned beauty as she wove in and out amid the flashing disco-like lighting and smoky haze that accompanied her number. Something didn’t feel right, every instinct in Nick’s worldly-knowledgeable body screaming that the dancer was not what she was supposed to be. It took only a few more bars of sensual music to trigger the awareness in Nick’s now alert brain.

That woman’s on drugs!

Following close on the heels of the first thought was a second, more troubling one: Her body’s underdeveloped! Even with the ripening breasts and well-proportioned swaying hips, it was readily apparent to Nick that this dancer was not an adult, though she was close to it. He wondered if she was even the requisite eighteen years, and decided that no way in Hell was she old enough to legally be dancing on that floor in that club.

Standing, almost casually, trying to appear as if the current dancer bored him, Nick tossed a few bills on the table to cover his unfinished meal and headed slowly, nonchalantly towards the door. Once in the front lobby, keeping an ear out for the continuing dance number, he picked up his pace hurriedly pulling out his cell phone and speed-dialing a well known number.

“Catherine Willows,” came the almost immediate reply, and Nick sent a silent prayer of thanks Heaven-ward to whomever protected minors. “Hey, Cath, it’s an emergency. I need your professional opinion five minutes ago at the “Cat’s Meow” club on the main strip.” He glanced furtively around, trying not to be too obvious, in case someone was overhearing his conversation and decided to hide the girl on stage. Fortunately, Catherine Willows was as cooperative as quick that night and she replied, “On my way, Nicky. Stay put.”

Far from taking her order to mean he had to stand around in the club’s lobby, Nick headed back to his table, which was fortunately still untouched. Slipping back into his seat, as if nothing untoward had occurred, the criminal investigator went back to watching the too-young dancer, all enjoyment in the feminine displays thus far presented having vanished with his dawning horror over the almost certain minor age of the girl before him. Nick hated child abuse, and even if the pretty girl was a month shy of eighteen, she was still a minor, and letting her dance for these not-always-respectful men was nothing short of illegal in Nick’s opinion. A kid like that deserved a chance to make something more of her self than a dancer down-spiraling quickly towards prostitute. Added to that the fact that he was sure the girl was on drugs, and Nick felt his nachos and beer turning in his uneasy stomach. Cath couldn’t come fast enough for his unsettled mind.

Three songs passed before the red-haired investigator showed up, slipping into the seat next to Nick as calmly as if women were a normal occurrence in the club’s audience. She signaled a nearly topless waitress and smiled as she ordered a beer, skipping any food. Neither investigator spoke as they waited the six or seven minutes for Catherine to get her drink, but as soon as the waitress was busy with other customers, Catherine near-whispered, “What’s up, Nicky?”

Equally quiet, Nick responded, “I need your expert opinion on one of the dancers, Cath. And I’m deadly serious.” His tone said as much, apparently effectively holding Catherine’s ready quip at bay.

Rather the woman scanned the room as if admiring the ambiance, then nodded agreeably. “Is she even scheduled to come back on tonight, Nick? Some dancers don’t work more than one or two sets.”

Nick’s brown eyes turned to his companion and he looked troubled. “I’m not sure… how do I find out without alarming them, Cath? She’s a tiny black girl, but…”

Immediately, Catherine seemed to get the gist, for she grabbed Nick’s warm beer and gave him a delicious smile. Standing, she sashayed to the bar, attracting enough attention from the males present that no one would possibly think she was trying to be covert… Who drew that kind of attention when they didn’t want people to notice? At the bar, she leaned forward and slid the mug towards the man with a smile of invitation.

It worked, as she’d planned, for the man smiled eagerly in return, grabbing the mug and replacing it with a full, cold one. “Heya, sexy lady. Whatcha doing in this kinda place?”

She laughed, a low sensuous sound that drew eager looks from nearby patrons. Ignoring everyone except the bartender, Catherine leaned even closer and purred, “I love that little dark number you’ve got here, but I missed her tonight. Any chance she’s coming on again?”

The bartender was apparently torn between the exciting image of two women in each other’s arms and the disappointing idea that this woman was a lesbian. In the end, he merely mentally sighed for the loss to mankind, and shrugged. “Yeah, she’ll be on next song.” Letting his eyes trail over the redhead, it was very evident in his eyes that he was trying to find a way to ask her for the chance to turn her away from female lovers.

Catherine didn’t give him the chance, standing and laughing low once more. “Thanks, Babe.” She gave him another knock-out smile, picked up the mug, and wound her way back to Nick’s side, slipping into the chair with an attitude of total relaxation. “Next song, Nicky.” Her eyes didn’t leave the stage, playing her image to the hilt in case the bartender was still watching her, which she didn’t doubt he was.

Sure enough, as the next song started, the flashing lights and smoke started once more. With a frown, Nick was pretty certain the effects were being used to distract the audience from the youth of the dancer, or at least from her dazed eyes and lost look. Beside him, Catherine signaled the girl over and held up a bill, still playing her part for the watching bartender and, no doubt, alert but hidden manager.

As the girl squatted down to receive the offering, Nick became more than certain this was no grown woman; she couldn’t be more than sixteen. Aside from the youthful build of the dancer, the glazed, dilated eyes were very evident signs of her drug usage. When the girl moved to back up and stumbled nearly onto her butt, it became evident to a couple of other people that there was a problem. Someone off-stage turned the music off, and the lights flickered to signal the girl to retreat just as another woman swept out of the far left entrance, ready to replace the young druggie.

Nick didn’t give the girl the chance to follow her cues; he grasped her wrist firmly and said “Police, you’re coming with me.” Both investigators knew there’d be hell to pay for his actions, and that any chance of Nick being allowed to relax in that club unmolested in the future had just gone up in smoke. The manager would no doubt bar him from the club. Ah well, it was a price Nick was willing to pay to help this poor misguided kid get a second chance to make some good decisions, instead of what she’d apparently chosen so far.

Surprisingly, the manager didn’t make an appearance as the pair led their new charge from the still fully active club. Perhaps he’d decided that absence was the better part of valor.