Author: Sam

Story: Perilous Triangle: 3 of ?

Series: Speed-Burn

Chapter Characters: Calleigh, Speed, Delko, OC

Setting: AU: Speed-Burn: Tuesday, December 13, 2005: Miami.

Note: Carmen first appears in “Bad Decisions” then again in “The Swimsuit Murders”, both in the Speed-Burn time line, however, both of these stories are still in production, and thus appear out of chronological order. For this, Merrianna and I are very sorry and thank you for your patience.

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

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

The Latin rhythm seemed to hum right through her as Calleigh Duquesne stepped past the doorman and onto the darkened balcony. On the under-lit dance floor below, colorful lights strobed over the dancers, pulsing with the throbbing beat of the music. Couples moved, entwined in various simulations of a passionate affair, bodies moving as one. Calleigh wondered why she’d never really noticed how downright sexual Latin dancing was. Feeling her heartbeat increase, as if trying to match that sensual rhythm, the attractive blonde moved down the catwalk, heading for the spiral stairs that would take her into that world of sensual passion.

Arriving on the edge of the dance floor, Calleigh let herself indulge in a little people-watching before she would try to find her party. She was here to enjoy herself, after all. Calleigh wasn’t unaware of the admiring glances shot her way; the petite blonde knew she was a rarity in the mostly Hispanic crowd. Smiling confidently, she let the tip of her tongue dart out to moisten her lips, eyes roving appreciatively over several of the men in return. Her attention was so caught up in the flirtatious game that she was unaware that a dark-haired observer broke away from the crowded sidelines to approach her from behind.

“Catch a glimpse of Delko?”

With a small gasp of surprise, Calleigh’s hand fluttered up to cover her heart. She whirled, a glare settling on her pretty features. “Don’t do that, Speed!” Just to have him sneak up on her was bad enough; add that to the fact that she’d thought he was dead for a year, and it made for a potent combination of fear and tension. Letting the frown slip from her face, Calleigh was rarely ever angry for long, the blonde turned her gaze back to the dancers, nodding absently at her companion’s quiet, apologetic rumble. “So, is he on the dance…” her voice drawled off as she spotted the obvious answer to her question.

Eric Delko was in the middle of a rather heated Rhumba with his beautiful partner. The pair seemed oblivious to all of the other couples, their eyes rarely, if ever, leaving one another as they moved to the slow beat and throbbing music. Out of all the dancers, though some were extremely talented, it seemed that pair was the most in-tune to one another, the most connected, and it seemed somehow decadent watching them: like spying through a window of a private bedroom.

Calleigh’s hand moved from covering her racing heart to fanning her heated face as she watched the pair practically making love on the dance floor, though if one looked carefully enough, neither touched the other in any way inappropriately… their synchronized movements and intense connection were enough to turn any head.

“I think I need a drink,” the petite blonde said, faintly.

Speed chuckled and handed over his glass, watching the tiny woman as she downed the contents in one long draught. When she handed the empty container back, he followed her gaze once more to their friend and his sexy partner. Speed found himself having to bend his six foot frame to catch what his five foot, two inch partner was saying.

“Is that his new girlfriend?” The music was coming to an end.

The dark-haired man frowned softly at the blonde. “No, that’s Carmen, she’s…”

But he didn’t get to finish as the pair turned and caught a glimpse of them. The woman’s dark eyes widened at the sight of the pair then rolled back into her head as she slumped to the floor, Delko grabbing her just before she hit. He looked embarrassed and worried and apologetic all at once. “Carmen? Damn! I forgot to tell her!”

“Tell her what?” Calleigh called as she and Speed hurried to the pair near the middle of the floor. He didn’t answer her inquiry.

They had to wade through a gathering group, and it wasn’t until Speed pulled his badge and called, “Police, let us through,” that they were granted access to Eric and his dance partner. She was coming around, but no one wanted to let her up just yet.

Kneeling, Speed sent a glare to Eric. “You forgot to tell her about me, didn’t you?” His voice was intense with anger; apparently he thought Carmen had fainted when she saw a man supposedly a year dead. Eric’s helpless look only confirmed his friend’s suspicion.

Interrupting the two men, Calleigh leaned forward and smiled gently at the prostrate woman. “Hey, take it easy. Did you hit your head on the way down?” She drew the deep, dark eyes of the woman and nodded in encouragement as Carmen slowly sat up, using Speed’s strong hand and arm for support.

In bewilderment, the woman looked at Speed, studying his dark curls, brown eyes, and lightly tanned skin. She reached a careful hand up to stroke his stubbled cheek once then brought it around in a hard, resounding slap across Eric’s darker cheek. Fire lit her eyes and she glared at her dance partner. “How dare you keep this from me, Eric!” Her accent was lightly Hispanic, with a hint of something else tucked in, reminiscent of Eric’s mixed Cuban-Russian accented English.

Speed looked wickedly amused while Calleigh was a bit surprised.

“You had a couple of months,” Speed added maliciously, and the woman bent another forceful glare on the usually popular ladies man.

“Two months, Eric?” Her voice dripped venom. “Two months to tell me Timothy was really alive, and you kept it quiet?” Then she was off in a peal of Spanish invectives hurled at the man’s head, not that his two friends couldn’t understand her; both were fluent in the Spanish language.

Eric tried to interrupt her several times before finally giving up, shooting a pleading look at his now chuckling friends. “Help me out here…”

“But she’s right, Eric,” Calleigh grinned. “You had plenty of time to tell her Tim’s back before shocking her at a night club.”

For his part, Speed apparently took pity on his best friend. He gently tapped Carmen’s shoulder, drawing her suddenly silent attention. “Hey, Carmenita.” His voice was gentler than either investigator had ever heard it.

It worked and her expression softened considerably. “Timothy…” she threw her arms around his neck and started sobbing. Speed hesitated a fraction of a second before sliding his arms comfortingly around the young woman and simply holding her.

Relief crossed Eric’s face at the reprieve. He looked to Calleigh and explained, “Carmen’s know Speed for a couple of years. She met him at one of our block parties in Little Havana. She took it pretty hard when he… well…” Eric ended on a shrug and looked at his dance partner and best friend still down on the dance floor.

“We better do this reunion elsewhere,” Calleigh laughed and tugged on Speed’s arm.”

He nodded and helped Carmen up, guiding her around Eric, whom she glared at, and up the spiral staircase towards some tables near the entrance. Calleigh slid her hand onto Eric’s arm and tugged him after the pair, her dancing blue-green eyes echoing the laughter in her light voice. Eric followed, a deepening frown on his handsome face.

“No children,” the voice of the bouncer rang out, drawing the attention of the quartet sitting at one of the closest tables. The large man stood, arms folded, towering over a pair of blonde boys, one in his later teens, the other no more than thirteen. It wasn’t the sight of children trying to get into the club that drew attention so much as how those children were dressed.

The older boy was dressed in complete leather of a soft, green color, studs lining the upper part of what could only be called his tunic, which hung down past his hips in a sort of skirt. Near thigh-high leather boots of brown and a brown belt completed the odd ensemble. The younger boy wore a floor-length purple cloak over a truly odd outfit: a fur loin cloth, a couple of crisscrossed leather bandoliers and a pair of fur-lined boots. It was like looking at some throw backs to a Renaissance Festival.

Then the behavior of the pair became apparent. The younger listlessly leaned into the elder, seemingly unaware of his loud, colorful surroundings, but the older boy seemed a bit more lucid, despite his dazed blue eyes. He wasn’t backing down, facing the man squarely.

“Sir, we’re in danger… please…”

Immediately, the investigators realized there was something wrong and began to rise to their feet, Eric taking long enough to turn to Carmen and tell her, “wait here,” before following his colleagues. They approached carefully, intently watching the encounter as it played out before them.

“I said no kids. Get out before I have to get nasty.”

It was obvious the teen was searching his brain for a way to reply when his eyes fell on the approaching officers. Relief crossed his features and he gestured towards the trio. “There…” he never took his eyes from the investigators, “We’re here for her.” The boy was pointing straight at Calleigh.

She did a small double-take, resisting the urge to check over her shoulder. Thinking fast, the ballistics expert stepped forward and smiled at the bouncer then turned her attention to the older boy. His eyes were definitely dull, most likely with drugs. “Well, you’ve found me. What can I do for you?”

The bouncer rolled his eyes and gestured towards the door. “Great, they found you. Now you can all leave.”

Calleigh merely nodded and walked towards the door, Speed following with a frown, eyeing the kids distrustfully. Eric looked torn between accompanying his friends and going back for his dance partner. With a frown, he turned towards the lone woman at the table and signaled that he had to leave. She nodded, and as he turned back towards the exit, she got up to follow, apparently taking his signal to mean that she should come with them.

Once outside, the petite investigator turned to the two boys, her smile firmly in place but her body poised for action if necessary. “I’m Detective Duquesne. How can I help you?”

With a tilt of his head, the younger boy leaned heavily against his companion, staring dully past the adults, no sign of interest in his light blue eyes. His behavior was so listless, it was almost terrifying. He seemed unaware of what was happening directly around him, more dead weight than alive, leaning on his friend.

“I’m Hugh,” the older boy nearly whispered, his eyes darting around suddenly as if he suspected someone of overhearing. “We… we need sanctuary.”

“Sanctuary,” Speed’s frown deepened. “Do we look like a church?”

Confusion flitted briefly across the older boy’s face, but he struggled to regain his equilibrium. “They’re going to kill us.”

That did it. All three officers were on the alert now.

Eric noticed Carmen following them and frowned severely. “Carmen, go home,” his words were curt, to the point of rudeness, surprising Calleigh. He didn’t give her a chance to protest, handing his keys to the pretty Hispanic woman. “Go.” Carmen frowned, but took the keys to the Lexus and walked off without a word.

Speed shook his head, muttering, “You’ll get it the next time you see her.” But his attention was directed more towards the boys than the retreating woman. A little louder, he asked, “Who’s going to kill you?”

“Master Vincent,” murmured the younger boy in a defiant, if almost deadened voice. He sounded as if he were in a dream, sleep walking and merely vaguely reacting to what happened. His reactions alone were enough to worry the investigators.

“Let’s get you to safety,” Calleigh said, gesturing towards her car.

It took a long moment before the older boy, Hugh, responded. “Right. Come on, Billy.” Then he surprised the trio of investigators by actually hefting the rather stocky near-teen into his arms and heading towards the car.

With a deep frown, Speed gripped Calleigh’s upper arm and quietly said, “Listless and dull, delayed reactions, but a great deal of strength… possible paranoia… what are those kids on?”

She shook her head, “I don’t know, but they belong in a hospital.”

The three headed towards the parked vehicles: Speed for his bike and Eric following Calleigh, since his car was headed who knew where with his pretty dance partner.

Once in the vehicle, Eric opened Calleigh’s kit and pulled out a pair of gloves and a couple of swabs. The gloves were a very tight fit, as his hands were larger than hers, but he put them on anyway. Turning, he watched as the older boy settled the younger on a seat and belted him in then belted himself. At least he’s safety conscious, the man found himself thinking.

“I’m going to swab your mouth,” he didn’t add why, and the boy didn’t ask. Hugh just looked at him blankly for a moment or two, then nodded and opened it. Eric looked at Calleigh then turned and swabbed the teen’s cheek, swabbing the younger Billy’s cheek after. “Have you had any drugs?”

He knew what the obvious answer was, but wanted to hear what the boys would say. Surprisingly, they remained cooperative and complacent.

“I think so,” Hugh frowned, light blue eyes troubled but dull. “I think they put it in our food.”

“Who’re they?” Calleigh piped up, carefully maneuvering around the night traffic of Miami.

“Master Vincent and Master Douglas,” Billy once more spoke up. “We thought Master Douglas was our friend, but he’s as evil as Master Victor!” There was the beginning of interest in the boy’s voice, and he turned slightly in his seat, one hand feeling around as if searching. “Hey!”

Hugh immediately reached over to cover his hand and soothe him. “They took them.” The words were ambiguous until Calleigh realized they were meant for the preteen, not the adults. Hugh’s next comment was for his rescuers, though. “Master Vincent must have found a way to corrupt Master Douglas. And now they’re trying to kill us.”

Suddenly Eric wondered if these kids had gotten toked up on drugs and were thinking some sort of fantasy game was their reality instead. He frowned, but kept his disbelief to himself as he carefully asked, “Where are these two masters?”

Billy fell back into disinterested listlessness, but Hugh turned towards the man, looking like he was struggling with thought. “I… I’m not exactly sure. After they killed… Daneesha and Aaron…” his voice broke on the names, but he fiercely continued, “I knew we had to get out. I couldn’t get everyone, but I had to at least get Billy out. Sarah would want that.” His story didn’t explain much, but it did paint a larger, more horrible picture than they thought. “So, I didn’t eat tonight. I fed it to the…” again, he seemed to have trouble thinking, finally shrugging and skipping ahead. “Well, I waited until it was dark, then grabbed Billy and headed out of camp. I wanted to grab Unity, because she’s so little, but they had her tied up.”

At that, the stocky younger boy frowned and turned a fierce look on his older, leaner companion. “We need to get Unity and Sarah. We have to go back!”

“We will.” Hugh tried to soothe his young friend. “But we need help. We can’t do it alone, without weapons.”

Fortunately, they were pulling into the emergency room drive at that point. It wouldn’t be long before they could identify the children and their attackers, if these men even existed outside the boys’ drug-fueled imagination.