His heart was racing for a reason unknown to him, and his head was pounding. Perhaps it was the alcohol he drank no more then an hour ago. Or was it more then an hour?

He tried to look at his watch in the dim light, but the blurred vision and unfavorable lighting did nothing to help the cause.

"Caroline?" Ty's throat dry, he distinctly remembered being with her. The sweet smell of her hair.

God. Where was she? If she was hurt... He didn't even want to go there.

Something moved to his right, a shadow within shadow, and a sharp pain shot through his body.

Moaning slightly, he sank sideways, catching himself on shaky hands. Now was not the time for this.

Images shot into his vision. His first case in his rookie year. A dead cop on the side of the road. A dead cop in the rain.

Same killer

Scrambling to his feet unsteadily, Ty tried to remember anything from his youth. Any of those years of martial arts. The years of fighting with an older sibling.

Scolding himself in his mind as a foot lashed out and caught him in the jaw.

Falling to the nearest wall in pain, Ty was already panting. He hadn't done anything like this in ages.

"John Sloan." Holding his breath, the investigator waited for the blow to come.

The kick stopped in mid air, waiting to strike. "Ty Jensen," Raspy and harsh, the unseen killer put his foot down. "We meet again."

A flash of black metal. A blade.

Lifting his head weakly, Ty grimaced. "You gonna kill me?"

"Of course, Ryan." The wrong name, an instigation attempt. "There is no other way."

"It's Ty." The man's jaw was set, and his temper flaring.

Side stepping the killer's sudden attempt to stab, Ty grabbed the mans wrist and tried to twist the blade out of his hand.

A second hand shot out and sliced Ty's cheek, causing him to drop the killer's other arm.

A small gasp was drowned by an echoing gunshot, and Ty looked down.

His hands were shaking as he noticed his white shirt was becoming a dark scarlet, soaking him in his own blood.

He staggered forward, falling into a second blow that came from his first attacker.

The knife sticking into his side, Ty dropped to the floor.

The past was all around. The dead of his brother echoing in the dark room.