Title: First Kill
Author: Bj Jones
Rating: FRM
Disclaimer: I don't own them. They are owned by people who have mean nasty lawyers that can and will eat me for lunch. Not making any money - just borrowing them for a moment or two... or three....I'll return them when I return them.
Summary: The first kill.
Genre: Slash
Series: A Second Can Change the World, Revelations, Playing It Forward, Vacation's Over, Decisions, Consequences, The Past Returns, Investigation, It's Personal, The Past Leads to the Present
Beta: Christina (Dino)
Challenge: 12 Stories - Horatio Caine/Timothy Speedle/Rick Stetler
Prompt: #11 - Present
Word Count: 1549

~*~

Horatio stood out by the ocean, letting the waves wash up against his bare feet, soaking the cuffs of his pant suit. Speed had come home, a few days earlier, but the young man was ignoring the doctor’s orders and was working on getting any and all information on Mr. Wolfe. Rick had managed to at least get Tim into bed, on the condition, his laptop and phone were nearby, and then he turned his attention onto Horatio trying to get him to rest. He was failing miserably.

"Is he asleep?" Horatio asked as Rick joined him out by the surf.

"The sleeping pill I put in his milk, saw to that," he looked over at the redhead. "You should get some rest."

"I'm not tired," Caine answered. "And I can't believe a) you gave Speed milk, b) he drank it, and c) you spiked it. Devious."

"He was too concerned for you to notice he was drinking warm milk," Rick smirked. "Though he cursed my name as he passed out."

"I would avoid him when he wakes up," Horatio turned back toward the sea.

"I'm not letting you go by yourself." Stetler stated firmly. "And don't even give me that look or stance. I'm a stubborn asshole and you know it."

The redhead just looked over at his lover, "You know what I'll be asking you to do."

"Put a bullet in Ratner's head." Rick said calmly.

"And it doesn't bother you?" He turned towards him and slipped off his glasses.

"I don't know honestly," Stetler held the piercing blue eyes. "Theoretically, I should be freaking out, but I'm not. I'm not sure if it’s because it hasn't hit me yet what I'm going to do or that I want the fucking bastard dead..."

Horatio pulled Rick into his arms and kissed him hard, almost brutally. "Let the emotion go."

"What?" Stetler blinked at him.

"You can have no emotion while doing this," Horatio took Rick's face in his hand. "Leave your heart behind."

The two stared at each other, he watched as realization settled in Rick's eyes. "Speed owns your heart."

"Yes," Horatio nodded. "And now he owns yours."

Stetler nodded, "I understand now."

"Good, get your weapon and meet me in the garage." Caine walked back toward the house. First he would make sure their lover was well guarded, and then he would deal with Mr. Wolfe.

~ Warehouse ~

Rick had to enjoy the sense of irony as they walked up to the warehouse. It was the same one Horatio had dragged him into, with the intent to execute him. He shook his head; that night seemed like a lifetime ago. Stetler took a deep breath and settled his nerves. Horatio was right. This was no time for emotion. There was a job to be done. He moved away from Horatio toward the back of the warehouse.

The Intel Speed had given them, showed that Wolfe would want to face Horatio alone, a bit of honor among assassins; in reality Wolfe wanted the kill. Late in the game, they discovered Ratner would be there, he wanted to see who the infamous assassin was, and wanted to see him destroyed. While Horatio took care of Wolfe, Rick would deal with the judge.

Stetler moved inside the shadows of the far wall. He caught movement up in one of the abandoned offices that looked over the warehouse floor. He could see two figures moving around the office. He couldn't help but think that Wolfe was clearly stupid or overly confident. He had made himself an easy target for Horatio and his sniper rifle. Rick blended back into the shadows as the door opened and Ryan stepped out onto the landing. The assassin paused glancing around the warehouse, before pulling his own gun and making his way down the stairs and toward the front of the warehouse.

Stetler waited until he was on the other side of the offices before easing out of the shadows and heading toward the stairs. Quietly, he made his way up them and into the office, quickly closing and locking the door before Ratner could respond.

Ratner stared at him in shock. "You're the assassin?"

Rick smirked, "Today I am."

He pulled his gun and aimed it at the Judge's head, "You don't have the balls."

"Before you die, I honestly should thank you," Rick motioned toward the back office. "If it wasn't for your scheming and dealing, I wouldn't have met him."

Ratner's eyes narrowed, "If you're not the assassin, who is?"

"That's something you will never know," Stetler's face lost all expression. "Now sit." He nodded toward the office chair. "Might as well get comfortable."

~*~

Horatio stayed in the shadows just enough to be seen, but not identified. He stood there hands on his hips, sunglasses firmly in place. He watched as Wolfe moved across the warehouse floor. It was time to end this charade.

"Mr. Wolfe."

Ryan turned and pulled his gun out, aiming it in his direction. He tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes at the figure before him. "H?"

"You seemed surprised," Caine kept his hands on his hips.

"Mr. I speak for the victims, a cold blood killer," Wolfe shrugged. "Color me surprised."

"Ah, that's why you make a lousy CSI," Horatio smirked at the annoyed twitch from the younger man. "The evidence was in front of you, you just didn't know how to interpret it."

"Well it does explain, Speedle." He sneered slightly. "So are you fucking him?"

Horatio looked over at his glasses at the young man. "Do you honestly think I'm going to answer that?"

"I guess not," Ryan said.

The two stared at each other, the silence deafening in the warehouse. Neither moved, two hunters studying their prey.

Watching.

Waiting.

For that perfect moment to strike.

~*~

Ratner looked up into the cold brown eyes, "You won't get away with this."

Stetler just smirked and laid a piece of paper onto the desk, along with a .22 revolver, Ratner recognized it, as his own gun. The Judge looked at the paper, his eyes going wide. "I won't do it."

"Oh, I think you will," Rick gave him a cold smile.

"You have nothing on me, and I'll have you hung for..." Ratner stopped in mid-sentence when a file landed on the desk. He flipped it open to see copies of his ledger: names, dates, check amounts. He looked up, "Why not just arrest me?"

"I would like to say revenge," Rick smirked at him. "But honestly, someone paid good hard money. You have a choice." He pointedly looked at the revolver.

Ratner sat back in his chair, "I won't give you the satisfaction. You'll have to pull the trigger yourself."

~*~

A gunshot echoed through the warehouse.

~*~

Ryan blinked and looked down at his chest; a blood stain was beginning to spread across the fabric. He glanced up to see Horatio step out of the shadows; in his hands was a 9mm with a silencer. He frowned, as he fell to his knees. He looked up at the older man, a questioning gaze.

"You make an even worse assassin, Mr. Wolfe." Horatio knelt down in front of him. "Never let your target stay in the shadows because you never know what he may be hiding."

Ryan fell back, his eyes rolling into the back of his head, as he struggled for his last breath. Horatio looked up to see Rick walking toward him. "Everything taken care of?"

"It's done." He glanced over at the body. "Now what?"

Horatio slipped the weapon into his holster and turned toward his lover. "We go home, and let Speed do what he does best."

"Then tomorrow?"

"We investigate the tragic deaths of Detective Ryan Wolfe and Judge Ratner," Caine moved out of the warehouse and headed for back parking lot. Stetler moved in behind him. "Did you leave everything behind?"

"Just like you said," Rick kept in step. "Does it get any easier?"

"No." Horatio answered honestly.

"Why keep doing it?" the brunette asked.

"Someone needs to," Caine stopped and turned toward his lover. "I'm going to give you..."

Rick slipped his hand into the bright red hair and kissed him deeply. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Horatio nodded, "Let’s go home."

"You'll protect me from Speed, right?" Rick asked. "I mean it was for his own good." Horatio didn't say anything. "Oh come on H...."

Caine grinned. "A pissed off Speed is sexy and hot as hell."

Stetler paused. "How sexy?"

"You'll want him to fuck you,." Horatio's voice dropped in to a husky tone.

Rick shivered in anticipation. "Home. Now."