Title: Sight Unseen
Chapter 1 – Darkness Falls 
Rating: Rated PG-13
Series: Original Thriller Story 
Author: Andorian Ice Princess
Contact: jazzy_
Summary: When one of the Agent's is blinded by a chemical toxin can the other get the antidote in time? Or will they suffer permanent blindness? Who will make the ultimate sacrifice? Sheldon or Caleb?

"N-no pl-lease no more…" a ragged voice struggled to say.

"Now now…do you want me to stop?" The captor taunted.

"Y-yes…please…" the voice yelled.

"Then…beg me," the voice returned in an evil tone.

"I…beg you…please don’t…kill me…" the badly beaten man managed in a harsh raspy tone, as his tortured body lay helpless on the dark dungeon floor.

"You beg me?" The evil voice laughed as it looked down on it's pitiful prey. "Never thought I'd see the day. Say it again…"

"I…beg you…" the voice pleaded as it gasped for whatever air it's punctured lungs could take in.

"And again…"

"I…be…g…y…ou…" the voice pleaded once more…it's life force rapidly leaving it's defeated body.

"And again!" The captor taunted harshly, his evil laughter bouncing off the cold stone walls.

"I…b…" the voice tried. But as it struggled to get the last letter out, it finally drew it's last laboured breath and slumped to the floor dead.

"See I was stronger than you," the voice laughed as it looked down at it's prey. "And now I'll never have to be reminded of your bettering me again. Ever! And soon…" he said turning his beady little eyes towards a small dingy window. "And soon the rest will fall…one by one…just like you…and no one will be able to stop me."

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1 DAY LATER

"Tell me it's not the same as the other two," Sheldon moaned as another manila folder was handed to her.

"Sorry ma'am but I'm afraid it is," the young clerk said with a frown.

"Thanks," Sheldon said with a sigh. "That makes three now," she said looking up at Caleb walked into the room.

"Three what? Kisses I owe you?" He smiled as he bent down and kissed her three times full on the lips.

"No but I'll take those anytime," she said firmly kissing him back. "So you look all spiffy today," she said noticing his black suit complimented with a burgundy shirt and matching tie. "Very hot."

"Why thank you," he said looking at her with a wink.

"Hot date?"

"Oh yeah," he said sarcastically. "Try a lunch date with the mayor and the Director  of the NSA."

"What's up?" Sheldon asked softly.

"Just a follow up with after that Simpson fiasco," Caleb sighed. "Why me? Why didn't they send you?" He moaned. "I mean you look hot today too," he said noticing the suit she wore with it's short skirt and fitted jacket.

"Thanks for noticing," she said with a wry face. "I mean I realize that I didn't look special yesterday but…"

"What? Sheldon you look great everyday."

"I mean it's okay if you don’t want to tell me everyday but…" Sheldon rattled on.

"Sheldon…" Caleb said with a sigh.

"It's okay not to notice the little everyday mundane things…" she said looking away. "Just because I do."

"What? You're kidding me right?" Caleb asked weakly.

"Okay let's just drop it. Thanks for the compliment."

"Hot date?" Caleb asked with a frown.

"Why yes," she smiled. "I just met this man and…"

"What?" Caleb asked quickly. "What man?"

"And his name is Caleb Kwan and he offered to take me to his really exotic sushi place for lunch and…except he has a really bad memory and…"

"That was today?" Caleb asked weakly to which she nodded her head and smiled. "Oh man Sheldon I forgot," he said with a frown.

"Obviously," she said firmly. "No worry. I'll just make sure you make it up to me."

"Oh my pleasure," Caleb smiled. "So about the three?"

"Well apparently we now have our third victim that was sprayed with that seemingly harmless mist and ended up being permanently blinded and was attacked and…beaten to death. You should see the pictures," she said softly.

"No thanks," Caleb said with a frown matching hers. "See one you've seen them all. What does it tell us this time?"

"Same stuff…beaten to death…strange chemicals in their system…traces of the chemicals on their faces…their eyes…yuck! This stuff leaves burns like acid. I'm going to run a check to see what they all have in common."

"Does the report say what the toxin is?" Caleb asked taking the file from her.

"Nothing I have ever heard of before," Sheldon said softly. "But apparently whatever that stuff is it causes permanent blindness…after a week."

"So it was man-made?" Caleb asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"Because whoever made it I'm sure devised an antidote just in case they were ever infected with it," he offered.

"Makes sense," Sheldon agreed. "Our lab is analysing it right now to try to trace its origin. But I have never heard of any of the chemicals on that list."

"I have," Caleb said softly as his eyes continued glued to the list of chemicals on the page before him. "Most of these trace elements are so small that a normal readout wouldn't detect them and most chemists would never combine them. But I have seen them and am aware of what they do. Told you Grayson was the best."

"You have heard of them? You are aware of what they do? Caleb…"

"Yes back home in Beijing. For example, 'Aceton'. Besides being extremely flammable it causes permanent eye damage by acting like acid, virtually eating the eye out of the socket or the veins attaching it to the stem. And these ones 'citric acid' and 'formic acid' combined in their raw form are extremely corrosive to the eyes. But there are a few other ones in this formula that aren't toxic so that when they all combine will slow the process down allowing…" he stopped and looked up at her.

"An antidote to be applied if necessary," Sheldon finished for him. "But if all of these are so corrosive to the eyes then why wouldn't their eyes be eaten away instantly? I mean if they are like acid then…why not sooner?"

"Because there are only traces of them and they are highly diluted and in a soluble base that slows the process down. Almost as if whoever sprayed them wanted them to suffer before they were permanently blinded."

"But they were also beaten to death," Sheldon said angrily. "Talk about kicking someone when they are down."

"That's it," Caleb said looking up at her. "There were no rope marks, or cuts from anything metal to indicate they weren't given a fighting chance."

"They were…only they couldn't see so…"

"So they were unable to defend themselves but were still given the opportunity to try," Caleb finished.

"That's sick," Sheldon said softly. "I mean beating someone to death who can't see…that's just sick."

"And demented," Caleb frowned as he leaned himself back in his leather chair. "Where were each one when they were sprayed?"

"The exact place is still trying to be determined," Sheldon frowned. "We have agents looking into tracing each of their daily patterns before they had some kind of run in where they were sprayed in some way to determine if there is a pattern. We also need to see what connects them all. If we find that then perhaps we can warn someone who might be next."

"Next," Caleb said looking over at her. "Now that is a scary thought."

"That and the fact that they were all males and…" she said looking away.

"And what?"

"And one of them was Asian," she said sheepishly.

Caleb looked at her with a frown. "You're seriously not thinking that I…that I could be a target?" Caleb asked weakly.

"What? No," Sheldon said brushing that exact thought away. "I mean I'm not paranoid or anything," she sighed making him laugh. "Okay so not all the time. Caleb it's just so creepy. I mean they were sprayed and over the course of a week's time the toxin slowly ate their eyes and then just before it caused permanent blindness they were beaten to death. We have to stop them. Do you think this could be domestic?"

"Not likely," Caleb sighed as he put the file down and stood up. "But we have a meeting with Rory remember?"

"Ah yes our trusty snitch," Sheldon smiled weakly. "Let's go."

"You know we kinda match today," Caleb told her with a smile.

"Thanks for noticing," Sheldon mused.

"Shel-don…" Caleb sighed making her laugh. "Come on let's finish this and then I'll make us dinner tonight."

"Don’t forget your lunch date," Sheldon snided.

"Yeah don’t remind me," Caleb sighed as he followed her out the door.

---------------------

"Home sweet home," a low sinister voice said as it crawled along the hidden passageway to it's underground lair. "I bet they all lived in nice homes and had women and money and…" he trailed off in angry misery. "Well I showed them… they thought they were so tough and strong…that nothing could ever beat them…well I showed them…I beat them – literally!"

The tall bent over man slowly pushed the door to his home all the way open and drank in a breath of the musty smelling air. "Honey I'm home," he said with a small mocking laugh. "Oh that's right Bessie," he said walking up to a small cage on his table. "It's just you and me. Quite the pair…you're blind and I'm brilliant!" He settled himself down on top of a small stood and stared meanly at the papers before him. "And soon the whole world will know I'm brilliant. Soon no one will be able to stop me…for how can you stop what you can't see?" He asked with an evil laugh that echoed in the small room he was in and bounced off the long dark tunnels until it dissipated in the daylight. "See no evil…" he laughed. "Soon they'll all know that phrase by heart. And every last one of them will pay with their very lives. And I think you'll be next…" he said looking down at a picture of a smiling man. "Think you'll catch on before it's too late?" He snided.

---------------------

"So is your father really coming here for a medical conference?" Sheldon asked as they drove towards their meeting place.

"Just for two days," Caleb said with a soft smile. "I really need to get back to see them."

"Oh Caleb I'm sorry. I have been telling you we would for some time now and it just seems that something always comes up," Sheldon said looking out the window. "As soon as we nab the mad scientist I promise we'll go."

"That sounds great," Caleb said with his trademark smile. That smile however quickly turned to a frown as he rounded the corner and spied their snitch 'Rory' being attacked by two men. "I'll take the one on the left," he said bringing the car to a screeching halt.

Caleb dashed to the one man on Rory's left while Sheldon took the one on the right that when he saw them started to run. She pushed her way past a fallen Rory and caught up with the thug. She was about to lunge at him when he stopped suddenly and turned around to face her making her body slam into his. Sheldon quickly countered by taking a step back and swinging her leg around and catching the thug in his. He crashed to his knees and wrapped his arms around her legs and pulled her down with him. Sheldon let out a yelp as she crashed to her knees but managed to hit the thug in the face making him cry out and loosen his grip. She twisted herself out of his grip and kicked at him once more. The winded thug finally decided to stay put as she turned her attention to Caleb. He just landed another powerful leg to the man's stomach propelling him backward with such force he slammed into the wall and was out cold.

"Wow," Sheldon smiled. "Man I love to see you fight."

"Likewise," he smiled as he fixed his tie. "And in heels no less."

"I’m a modern woman," she teased turning back to the thug. "Look another pair of ruined nylons!" Sheldon moaned as she headed back to Rory. "You got some explaining to do. And you owe me two dollars for these!"

"Rory you okay?" Caleb asked helping him up.

"Alive thanks to you. Who are these guys?" Rory asked with a frown.

"Was about to ask you that. What have you got for us? Anything they want?" Sheldon asked walking up to them, the thug behind them cuffed to a pole.

"Got some info on those blind murders," Rory said looking around nervously.

"Something wrong?" Caleb asked quickly.

"This case…well it gives me the creeps and…and it just does," he said shoving a piece of paper in Caleb's hands.  He leaned forward with a serious frown. "Be careful," he warned. He looked at Sheldon and smile grimly. "Thanks again. Later," he said turning and dashing away from them. "I'll Fed-Ex ya the two bucks," he yelled from the distance.

"Did he just warn you?" Sheldon asked sharply.

"No he warned both of us," Caleb told her as they waited for the cops to come and claim their two thugs.

"Caleb he leaned in and was talking directly to you," Sheldon said crossing her arms.

"So what do you want me to do lock myself away until this guy is caught?" Caleb asked weakly.

"No that'll be my job," she smiled. "Just listen to what he says."

"Hey I'm not the one always rushing in where…" he started only to have her cross his arms and give him a sardonic look. "Okay so I do tend to but…but so do you," Caleb insisted.

"Yes that's true. But thankfully this guy isn't targeting women," Sheldon smiled. "Please just be careful."

"I will be," he smiled.

"Well while you're at lunch I think I'll check out a lead that Garth told me about this morning," Sheldon said as they walked to their Crown Victoria as the local NYPD pulled up and took the thugs away.

"Wait until after lunch," Caleb told her.

"It might be too late," she said warmly. "Besides it's broad daylight. What could go wrong?"

"Famous last words," Caleb sighed.

---------------------

"I see I made the front page again," a sinister voice laughed in his darkened lair. He looked at a small cage on his rotting table and let a sinister smile play across his twisted lips. "But you like the dark don’t you?" He questioned. But all he got in reply was a few high pitched screeches the captive bat offered him. "I'm giving them all the same chance they gave me," the evil villain said looking at the small vial before him. He poured the entire liquid contents into a small mister and smiled. "Three down…two to go," he said looking at two pictures on the table before him. "Then my victory will be complete. That will teach them to laugh and snide at me, always thinking they are better than me. Even you," he said looking down at the last picture. "Even though you never persecuted me personally you always proved yourself better in other ways. Better looking, better fighter…better everything. HA!" He yelled loudly. "I'll show you…when it's your turn I'll show you that your skills mean nothing! Then you'll see that…well actually you won't," he laughed. "You won't see a thing!"

---------------------

"I wonder if Cecil would let me bail out of this one?" Caleb moaned as he readied his files for his lunch meeting.

"Uh no," Sheldon smiled as she pulled off her torn nylons. "Just go and endure."

"Funny," Caleb sighed. "Oh afterwards I'm going to just stop by the club and go a few rounds with the bag."

"Need to wear off some tension?" Sheldon asked easing herself out of her leather chair and walking up behind him.

"You could say that," he said with a slow smile as he felt himself tingle as her fingertips played with is ear.

"You know how I ease my tension?" She asked in a soft whisper as she bent down to his ear and planted a soft kiss on it.

"Um how?" Caleb asked weakly. Sheldon whispered something in his ear that made him blush – all over. "I'll go only one round," he laughed. "You be careful," he said in a more serious tone. "I mean it Sheldon. Take Garth or someone."

"I'll be fine," she said with a frown. "I just want you to watch your back. We still haven't figured out when these three were sprayed. Could have been anywhere, even lunch."

"I'll be careful. Anyone with a spray bottle I'll be wary of."

"Caleb don’t mock me," she said firmly. "I'm just concerned."

"And I love that, but really I'll be fine. See you tonight. I love you," he said kissing her on the mouth. "Did I tell you you look hot today? So why are you dressed up? Was it really the lunch I forgot?"

"No it was for dinner," she teased. "Actually I have a meeting with the hearing board for Niles Pickering. This is the last one and then he gets the death sentence. Trust me I'd much rather have worn jeans."

"Nah I like undressing you in this better," he smiled. "See you later."

"Bye," she said watching him leave with an uneasy feeling inside. "Be…careful," she whispered. She picked up the phone and dialled. "Garth anything on these blind deaths?"

---------------------

"Thanks for coming Caleb," Cecil said with an uneasy smile. "The sooner we get this over the better."

"Yes sir," Caleb said following after Cecil to their table outside. "Outside?"

"Is that a problem?" Cecil asked quickly.

"Ah no…" Caleb said with a forced smile. "Course not," he said taking his seat. I'm just feeding off Sheldon's paranoia, he said inside. Which sadly most of the time is right. Damn it. For the next few hours instead of really listening, his eyes darted nervously to anyone who came near them and examined every staff member as if they were the intended criminal. Only a little more to go, Caleb said inside. Then I'll show Sheldon there was nothing to worry about.

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However Caleb failed to notice the pair of eyes watching his every move from across the street. "Enjoying your lunch?" The sinister voice taunted in a low tone. "Hope you like what you see. Commit it to memory now Caleb, because very soon you'll never see it again. Sadly it's not your turn," he said looking at his watch. "Time for my next appointment. But soon Caleb…soon we will meet and the you'll be taught the folly of your ways. Then you'll see that I'm not just some nobody."

---------------------

"Okay so we know it doesn't take effect immediately and uses extreme pressure or stress to spread rapidly," Sheldon said as she sat at Garth's desk reading the file on their new case. "We just need to pinpoint the time the toxin started to take effect. Once we figure that out we'll be able to trace where they were when they were sprayed."

"Coroner's report also says there was a distinct non-human DNA pattern found in trace amounts on various parts of the victims skin and clothes," Garth told her.

"So they…were beaten to death in a barn?" Sheldon asked with a smirk.

"Or a zoo?" Garth offered with a faint smile.

"What kind of animal?"

"Unsure yet," Garth told her. "The lab is still trying to figure that out."

Sheldon looked at her watch with a frown. "I have to check out something and then I'm due at the State Pen. If you find out anything…anything at all just let me know," Sheldon told Garth. "I don’t care where I am, just call."

"Will do," Garth called out as Sheldon hurried out of his office and down to the parkade. The entire drive to her destination was fraught with frustration as she thought of Caleb. I am paranoid, she said to herself with a wry smile. But usually I'm right, she mused inside once more. She finally stopped her mental battle as she pulled in front of a small dingy store standing alone in the industrial sector. She got out of the Crown Victoria and headed for the front door, her gun at her side.

"Hello? Mr. Swarsky?" She called out loudly as she pushed the front door open.

"You alone?" A voice called out from the shadows.

Sheldon felt herself slightly jump and her eyes started to scan the small area before her to see if a the voice could be matched with a face. "Where are you?" Sheldon called out.

"Are you alone?"

"Yes," she answered firmly. "Do you know about the blind deaths?"

"You mean the three men beaten so far with the bats blood on them?" The low male voice asked.

"Bats blood?" Sheldon asked in shock. "How did you…"

"Why did you come?"

"Garth sent me. Look if you know something about these murders I can help you. I can offer whatever kind of protection you need," Sheldon said taking another step further into the small store. "Just come out where I can see you."

"I want to move," the voice said nearing her. "And I want to move now," he said from behind.

Sheldon turned around with a start but when she saw his size felt herself start to ease immediately. She stared at the short man before her with a frown. "Do you know who is doing this?"

"The mad scientist," he laughed. "At least he is now. He was once a brilliant chemist."

"What's his name?" Sheldon asked impatiently.

"He just couldn't take it you know," the man continued, ignoring her question.

"Take what?"

"The teasing, the jesting…you know the jokes and stuff," the man said looking at her. "He never could. His temper was bad before…but now…" he said looking away. "Now something must have set it off for him to take revenge like this. I think the five…"

"Five?"

"Yeah the five he hates the most," the man told her.

"Do you know why he is doing this?" Sheldon questioned.

"I do," the man said turning back to her. "To be noticed. He's right there in plain sight and no one ever sees him."

"That could refer to anyone," Sheldon said dryly. "Why does he want to kill these particular men?"

"To be seen," the man sighed heavily. "He was my friend once…but I said something he didn't like. I said he was the same height as me," the man laughed sadly. "He beat me up after school."

"Who is he?" Sheldon half yelled.

"Shesh already," the man said in annoyance. "Don’t you want to know where he got the chemicals?"

"China?" Sheldon ventured.

"Your friend told you," the man smiled.

"Friend?" Sheldon asked in fear.

"You love him don’t you?" The man asked.

"You mean Caleb?" Sheldon asked with a frown, her heart starting to beat a bit faster.

"He's very lucky to have you," the man told her. "But with his looks and stuff it's not surprising. No wonder he is hated so much."

"Hated? Caleb? Who hates Caleb?" Sheldon demanded. "Is this mad scientist?"

"He probably doesn’t even know. I mean he's not as bad as the rest but…" the man started. "I think he still does it."

"How do you know Caleb?" Sheldon asked in haste. "Is he in danger?"

"He thinks he's strong," the man told her. "But he'll have to be really strong to beat him. I mean he'll have to see with his other set of eyes."

"Other set? Okay what the hell are you talking about?" Sheldon said cocking her gun. "Now I'm not the most patient person so here's how it works. I want his name and you'll tell me right after I ask. What's his name?" Sheldon yelled.

"P…" was all he got out before a sniper shot caught him in the back, propelling him forwards into Sheldon's arms, killing him instantly.

"NO!" Sheldon cried as the two bodies slammed into the floor.

Sheldon let out a yelp as her body fell to the floor with the dead informant's on top of it. She quickly pushed him aside, got to her knees and aimed her weapon at the direction of the hole in the window. When there were no more shots fired, she called the police and finally stood up. "What the hell just happened?" She asked angrily as she looked down at the growing pool of blood at her feet. She looked up and stared at the hole in the window. "Did he really mean Caleb?" She pondered out loud. She felt a small growing pain in the pit of her stomach as she slowly headed for the front door, not noticing the small spattering of blood on her suit. "Is Caleb a target? And who is the mad scientist? P…" Sheldon mused as she waited for the police. She tried Caleb's cell only to get voice mail.

After the police had arrived she rushed back to her car and called the State Pen, cancelling her appointment. "Just make sure he gets life," she said firmly as she raced towards the lunch area Caleb was meeting. She pulled her car across the street and sat watching Caleb with Cecil and the mayor. She noticed the way his face creased when he smiled and how handsome he was. "I am the lucky one," she said firmly. "Caleb I'd die without you," she whispered as she sat back and continued to watch him. Even in his suit he looked strong and powerful. She closed her eyes but upon doing so was flashed images of Caleb not being able to see and being beaten. "Caleb…" she said immediately opening her eyes and looking at him once more. He was explaining something serious and she just studied the way his strong jaw spoke the words and how his mouth creased when he said something that made the other two men laugh. Man he's handsome, she mused once more. Anyone tries to hurt you Caleb and I'll kill them, she vowed inside as she started up her car and headed back to the office. "I wonder where the mad scientist is now?" She asked out loud.

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"Have a good game today Mr. Nicholas?" A small voice asked the man before him.

Greg Nicholas simply looked at the man before him and sneered. "What's it to you?" Greg asked in a hauty tone.

"Oh nothing much," the man said softly. "You know you always pick on me," the man said with anger rising in his voice.

"Yeah so?" Greg snided. "I can do whatever I want," he laughed. "You're nobody. Who the hell cares what I say or do to you," he said giving him a little shove. "You're here to serve me. So shine my shoes," he demanded.

"Yes sir," the man said bending down.

"I said here…" Greg said bending down as well. Sadly he just played right into the hands of the mad scientist. Upon getting back up Greg Nicholas was sprayed in the face with what seemed like a harmless bottle of water. "You idiot!" Greg yelled as he tried to rub his eyes of the water. "You got water in my eyes, and it really stings."

"Sorry sir," the man mumbled. "It won't happen again. I promise."

"It better not," Greg said getting up and heading for the door to leave some of the deadly chemical residue still on his eyes and starting to take effect.

"It won't," the man smiled. "You'll see…then again maybe you won't," he laughed as the door closed. "Maybe you won't…ever again!"

---------------------

Sheldon finally finished up her paperwork and headed home before Caleb. Her mind constantly reviewing the events of the day. Could that man really have meant Caleb, she asked herself? Or was it perhaps someone else close to me? Like my father? He's always a target, she told herself inside. And who is this mad scientist? She reached home in a cloud of heavy sorrow at the fact that Caleb might be a target. "Can I make him understand that?" She questioned herself as she let herself into their apartment. She readied a few things and then waited for him to come home.

Caleb finally finished up and headed home with a weary look on his face. "I'll skip the club today," he commented as he pulled his BMW into it's stall beside her truck and headed upstairs.

"Sheldon?" He called as he slowly pushed the door open.

"In here," she called out softly from the bedroom.

Caleb locked the door and felt the smile on his face start to grow. He slowly slid his suit jacket off and loosened his tie. "Hope there is still some left for me," he teased.

"Always," she said standing in the bedroom doorway with just her suit jacket and heels on. "I wasn't going to ruin all your fun."

"You are so beautiful," Caleb smiled as he rushed up to her. He took her in his arms and pulled her close against his strong muscular chest and started to kiss her. But as he pulled his hand away from her side he noticed a faint trace of blood and let out a small gasp. "Sheldon?"

"It's not mine," she said quickly as she pulled his lips back to hers muffling his unjust concern. "Don’t worry. Right now you have other things to think about."

"Okay," he smiled as she slowly undid his tie, letting it fall to the floor, and then started to slowly unbutton his dress shirt. Caleb gently scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom and gently laid her down on the large soft bed, easing himself down on top of her. "I love you," he whispered as he planted soft kisses on her neck, moving down to her chest.

"Caleb I love you too," Sheldon whispered as she ran her fingers though his dark hair and then started to kiss him once he came back up to her. A few hours later they lay side by side on the bed with happy smiles on their faces, a light sheet draped over their naked bodies.

"So how did it go?" Sheldon asked turning over and running her fingers over his smooth but sweaty chest.

"Boring," Caleb smiled as he looked down at her playfully. "It would have been better if you were there."

"Well I'm sure Cecil appreciated your full attention," she smiled.

"So what did happen today? Who's blood was that? The informant Garth told you about?"

"Yes," Sheldon said rolling onto her back and staring up at the ceiling. She let out a sigh and Caleb knew more than just a simple shooting happened.

"Sheldon what's wrong? Please tell me."

"I don’t know his name yet, coroner is still working on that. But he told me that the strange DNA traces are bat's blood and that…"

"Bats?" Caleb asked with a frown. "That's odd."

"Do you know anyone who likes bats? Or has them as pets or…"

"Oh that's right…I forgot to tell you I was visiting batman the other day and…you know he and I are quite close and…" Caleb teased.

"Caleb this is serious. This bat's DNA was found on the dead men and…Caleb he knew you told me the chemicals came from China and that…"

"What?" Caleb asked interrupting her. "Sheldon I swear I didn't tell anyone that…"

"Then how did he find out?" Sheldon questioned.

"I have no idea," Caleb insisted. "Unless the room is bugged in some way. What else did he say?"

"Caleb he told me this guy is called 'the mad scientist' and that he hates you and…"

"He said me personally?"

"No but it couldn't be anyone else," Sheldon insisted.

"Sheldon there could be a hundred guys on this guys target list and…"

"You're the only one I love," she said firmly.

"He…he got that personal?"

"He said you were hated and that you would have to see with your other set of eyes when he…" she said looking back up at the ceiling as her eyes slightly watered. "Caleb what if you are next? What if …"

"Sheldon we can't dwell on what if's," Caleb told her. "Now I'm careful and…" he said making her look at him with a roll of her eyes. "Okay I can be," he said with a groan. "Sheldon you don’t even know if this guys story is concrete. I mean he didn't mention me by name. Maybe it's your father. You love him right? And trust me he has more enemies than I'll ever have. In his position it's easy for him to be hated."

"I know," she said turning onto her side, her back to him. "But his words and…Caleb I can't lose you like that…not like those others…those pictures and…" she said, her voice trailing off in a whisper.

"You won’t," he said leaning in close and gently kissing her bare shoulder. "Sheldon we'll find him and that'll be that."

"Okay," she said with a forced smile.

"Sheldon," Caleb said sarcastically, sensing immediately that something was wrong.

"Caleb I'm okay. How can you expect me in light of recent things not to worry?"

"Just don’t let it eat at you," Caleb said warmly. "That's my job," he said gently nibbling her soft flesh on her arm making her laugh and turn her warm naked body back to him. "mmm and I'm hungry," he teased making her laugh as he pulled her close once again. The next time they awoke breakfast would be the meal they ate.

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"Can you give Caleb an assignment in China?" Sheldon asked her father walking into his office.

"Pardon?" Nickel asked with a frown. "In China? Care to tell me why?"

"Not really but I guess I will," Sheldon sighed. "I talked to a man yesterday and…"

"Vern Fowler," Nickel told her.

"What?"

"The man you talked to yesterday is Vern Fowler. Swarsky was just a cover-up name. Just got an ID confirmation back this morning. You think he knows something about these blind murders?"

"He thinks Caleb might be a target," Sheldon said softly.

"What?" Nickel asked in shock. "He told you that?"

"Well he didn't mention his name specifically but…well it could be you," she said directly. "All I know is he said that someone I love was hated and for him to be careful. I guessed it was Caleb."

"Sheldon I just can't up and give Caleb and assignment in China on the assumption of one man…a man who I might add didn't mention him by name," Nickel told her.

"A moot point. Look I've offered to keep him chained up at home but he didn't go for that," Sheldon said sarcastically.

"Can't imagine why not," Nickel said dryly.

"Because I'm not afraid," Caleb said walking into the director's office. "Sheldon I said I'm not afraid of this guy. This mad scientist as you call him."

"Well you should be," she said standing up to confront him. "Caleb this man told me things…like for example he knew that you told me the chemicals came from China and…"

"Is this true?" Nickel asked with a frown.

"Doesn't prove anything. He probably just guessed that right because I'm Chinese."

"Oh right so on the off chance that you might tell me those chemicals came from China it  proves that he's wrong and I'm a total raving lunatic," Sheldon snapped. "Caleb there is freak out there blinding certain men, causing permanent blindness and then beats them to death. And the fact that someone said that the same man doing this hates you means no never mind?"

"All I'm saying is I'm not going to keep myself under lock and key just because…I fight my battles head on," he said firmly. "We'll find this guy and that will be all."

"Okay you two so just keep on doing what you are doing and Caleb…no calls alone," Nickel directed.

"Yes sir," Caleb said following Sheldon out the door. "So where do we start first?"

"We start with Vern Fowler and pray he leads us to the mad scientist."

---------------------

1 WEEK LATER

"Well this has been an interesting week," Sheldon sighed as she and Caleb sat finishing up some paperwork on the mad scientist case later that Friday night. "All our preliminary leads on Vern Fowler got us no where. I mean it's as if this guy just up and appeared from no where. But he had to have come from somewhere. Even university didn't check out."

"Well no credit cards, no unpaid parking tickets and he even tips the milk man," Caleb said reading the file in his hands.

"Okay so basically the most boring person on earth," Sheldon snided. "But he knew this guy. He knew the victims had bats blood on them and he knew enough to get himself killed."

"We are missing something obvious," Caleb mused. "It's always something obvious."

"Yeah the one thing you don’t see until you can't," she said looking directly at him.

"Hey there have been no attempts on my life this week," Caleb said proudly.

"Not yet," Sheldon told him with a frown. "Week's not over."

"You just can't let it go can you? All week long…Caleb don’t do this and Caleb don’t go there…well I showed you there was no danger. But you just couldn't let up?"

"So I was worried. Sue me!" Sheldon argued back.

"Sheldon there are probably lots of people that don’t like me in my line of work, it doesn't automatically make me some open target," Caleb explained in a firm tone.

"Yeah but it should make you more aware. You've been parading around in the open all week," Sheldon retorted.

"So if I was a target don’t you think he'd take me then?" Caleb countered.

"Maybe he's waiting until you are asleep!" Sheldon snapped.

"Sheldon it's been one week and nothing. Maybe it was just a freak thing. Maybe this guy had some stupid vendetta against these three men, took his revenge and now is someplace else," Caleb said lowering his loud voice.

"So that makes it okay? So then we just up and walk away when others could be in danger?" Sheldon asked him.

"No but I think maybe you should drop your paranoia."

"Paranoia? Okay so being concerned is now paranoia?" Sheldon asked loudly. "Well I'm sorry. You're right Caleb. Go prancing around outside in the open taking no precautions," she said standing up in a huff.

"Sheldon calm down," Caleb tried.

"Caleb this man hates you. He has blinded and beaten others – to death. You mean you're not even a little bit worried?"

"Sheldon my father arrives for his weekend conference tomorrow morning. The last thing I'm going to do is appear weak and paranoid while he is here."

"And you call me stubborn?" Sheldon snapped. "Caleb that is just stupid. Has it ever occurred that he is just waiting for the right moment? That maybe just maybe he knew that after Vern's death the heat would be a little too hot and it would be too soon for another hit? Has that ever occurred to you? Or are you just so busy pushing my concern away that it's blinded you to the real danger…pardon the pun," she finished with a sarcastic tone.

"And I said I appreciate your concern but I don’t really need it," Caleb said firmly. "I have never worked with anyone who had an affinity for science, never dated anyone who liked science and didn't even do that well on it in school. Trust me Vern was mistaken," Caleb said standing up and facing her.

"You just can't stand the fact that you had to hear it from me," Sheldon said crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You just can't stand the fact that someone warned me about you instead of coming straight to you."

"What? That's ridiculous," Caleb huffed.

"Well I'm sorry then," she said heading for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To blow off steam…alone!" Sheldon said firmly.

"You know you are the most stubborn person I have ever met," Caleb said firmly.

"Don’t get out much do you!" Sheldon countered. "You just can't stand the fact that I might be right," she said proudly.

"What?" Caleb asked with a mock smile. "Sheldon you are not right. If this guy wanted me out of the picture I would be out of the picture."

"Caleb forget this stupid nonsense. When you are blind don’t come running to me," she snapped as she turned and stormed out of the room.

"Fine I won't!" Caleb called back. Caleb watched her leave until the door slammed shut and slumped down in his chair in a huff. "Damn that woman," he said firmly as he opened his side drawer and grabbed a small gym bag. "I need to blow off steam as well…since the gym is occupied I think I'll head for the club."

"Unbelievable," Sheldon said hitting the punching bag a few times. She was well into her second bout when her father rushed into the room with a panicked look on his face.

"What?" She asked quickly.

"Where's Caleb?"

"Who knows," she said hitting the bag once more.

"We have another body," Nickel said gravely.

"What?" Sheldon asked in shock. "Who? When…was he…"

"Blind and beaten like the rest? Traces of bat's blood on him? Yes," Nickel said as Sheldon rushed to get ready and followed him upstairs.

"Greg Nicholas was found with the same chemical residue around his eyes as the other three victims. His body was massively beaten and that's what killed him. The massive strain on the heart as well as the other organs being crushed from the many blows."

"Greg Nicholas," Sheldon pondered. "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

"You know him?" Nickel asked in surprise.

"Not sure," she said typing his name into their database.

"Where's Caleb?" Nickel asked softly.

"I don’t know," Sheldon replied in a small voice. She glanced at the phone for a few seconds before actually picking it up and dialling his cell phone. "Odd," she voiced as she listened to only empty rings on the other end. But as she hung up her stomach was already tight with the feeling that something just wasn't right. "But if he was found dead today…what was the time of death?"

"About 2pm this afternoon."

"What? That means he would have been sprayed…"

"The day you talked to Vern Fowler," Nickel told her.

"Caleb," she said in dread, dialling his number once again.  "Where the hell are you!"

---------------------

"I can't believe it!" Caleb mumbled as he landed another blow to the bag he was working on in the gym at the men's club he belonged to. Caleb hit it once more, totally unaware of the keen pair of eyes watching him intently.

"You see frustrated Caleb," the low voice taunted. "Too bad that frustration is just starting. I wonder how you'll fair when I take everything away from you? Will you fall as easily as the others did? I wonder……."

Caleb went a few more rounds before heading into the locker room to change. He always had his shower at home and decided that just because him and Sheldon had a small spat that things should remain as they were. Besides he reasoned inside, if it were her in danger then I'd be worried too, he had to admit to himself.

"Good workout Mr. Kwan?" A small voice asked him.

"Yeah," Caleb mumbled. "Rough day," he continued absently.

"Shine your shoes for you Mr. Kwan?" The man asked in an eager voice.

"Why not," Caleb said with a sigh as he leaned back in the chair and the small strange man work on his dress shoes.

"What's this?" The man asked looking at something below him.

Caleb bent down, playing right into the hands of the 'mad scientist'. No sooner did he but the man sprayed the harmless bottle of water into his eyes and then quickly mumbled his apologies.

"Hey be careful," Caleb said as he tried to rub the stuff out of his eyes.

"Sorry just some water. Here let me," the man said offering him a cloth that was doused with the same chemical toxin.

Caleb took the cloth only to be spreading more of the killer disease into his eyes than wiping it out. He blinked several times but his eyes still watered and continued to sting.

"Oh Mr. Kwan I'm really sorry," he man said in mock humility.

"Sure," Caleb said with a forced smile as he stood up, grabbed his bad and headed for the front door of the club. "Damn that really stings," Caleb said looking around for a water fountain. He reached his car and was thankful for the small water bottle in the front seat. Sadly it only had a few drops that seemed to add a little bit of soothing relief but didn't wash them completely. "Sheldon is going to kill me," he mused as he started up his car and headed for home, the deadly toxins already starting to work their evil magic.

---------------------

"Here he is Greg Nicholas," Sheldon said reading the screen before her. "Thirty-two, investment banker…yadda yadda…okay so nothing here that…wait a sec," she said in horrible realization.

"What?"

"Oh my go…" she started just before she started frantically typing names into her search window.

"Sheldon what is it?" Nickel asked quickly.

"I think I know what connects all these men together," she said waiting for the results.

"What?" Nickel asked in a hurry.

"This," she said pointing at the screen as the computer displayed the results she was sure of but didn't really want to see.

"Nero's Gentlemen's Club. So what? I mean it's just…just the same club Caleb goes to," Nickel's voice trailed off in dread.

"He goes there because it's martial arts studio is one of the best and most private," Sheldon said reaching for the phone and calling the club.

"I’m sorry Miss but Caleb Kwan just left for the night," the receptionist just told her.

"Thanks," Sheldon said hanging up and dialling Caleb's cell number. "Please pick up."

---------------------

"Oh man…" Caleb said rubbing his rapidly blurring eyes. He tried to make them water to keep them moist but the more he blinked the larger the black circles got until he was squinting to see. He heard his phone ringing but after swerving a few times knew he had to keep the car from killing himself and possibly others as it tried to veer off the road.

"Caleb pick up the phone!" Sheldon said in a worried tone. She looked up at her father with a worried face. "What if he…"

"Try him again," Nickel told her as he pressed the speaker button. Sheldon dialed his number once more and waited with bated breath for him to answer. Please answer, she said inside. Caleb please pick up.

Caleb heard the phone ringing once more and tried to reach for it. He finally managed to get his hand on the button and press the 'send' key while he swerved once more, the darkness getting thicker, his vision getting weaker.

Sheldon finally heard it connect and let out a small sigh of relief. "Caleb?" She asked in a tepid voice.

"Sheldon!" Caleb gasped in horror.

"Caleb what's wrong?"

"Sheldon I can't…" Caleb started. But much to his horror he was blind sided by a truck approaching from the right that he failed to see. The truck slammed into the passenger side, crunching up the metal reinforcements and sending the car and Caleb ploughing into another parked car. Thankfully Caleb's airbag deployed but as he lay dazed in the front seat his world went dark and he knew he was doomed. "Sheldon…" he whispered in torment. "I'm sorry."

"Caleb?" Sheldon asked in haste. She listened to the horrible sounds of metal on metal over the phone and felt her heart start to race at top speed. "Caleb!" Sheldon yelled when she heard the sound of breaking glass and his cries of agony. "Caleb no…" Sheldon said as her eyes immediately watered.

"Oh my god," Nickel said standing up in a panic.

"Caleb!" Sheldon called into the phone.

Caleb's head swam in dizzy agony as he tried to fish around for the phone. He heard distant sirens and prayed that nothing else was damaged on him or broken.

Sheldon heard the sirens near on the phone as tears started to run down her cheeks and splash off the phone receiver. "I can't believe this," she whispered in torment as the phone fell from her hands, crashing onto the top of the desk. "Caleb…"

Caleb felt the hands of the paramedics reaching for him and let out a small cry when he was finally pulled from his car and laid on the stretcher. He heard one of the medics mumbling about the condition of his eyes and could only guess what the deadly toxin had started to do. Soon however he was inside the ambulance and racing for the hospital.

"I got him," Nickel said rushing back into her office. "Let's go."

Sheldon stood up and numbly followed after her father and got into the passenger side of his Lincoln LS. All the way to the hospital she kept thinking about the horrible sounds of the crunching metal and Caleb's cries of agony. She tried to close her eyes and block out the images her mind was conjuring up due to the accident but they were all horrible and ugly and she snapped them open to try to think on anything else. They finally arrived at the hospital and Sheldon didn't even wait for the car to stop before she hopped out and rushed inside.

"Where is Caleb Kwan?" Sheldon demanded of the receptionist.

"Are you family?" Asked a doctor walking up to him.

"Yes," she rushed to say. "Where is he?" She asked, her eyes watering once more.

"Please come with me," the doctor said to her and Nickel once he joined them.

"Is he…is he alive?" Sheldon managed in a weak voice.

"He is alive, " the doctor told him as they entered a small patient waiting area that was quite and empty.

"Is he…"

"Caleb Kwan was in a rather serious car accident tonight when his BMW was broadsided by a large truck. Caleb sustained…"

Sheldon listened to the doctor's words in horror. "It's all my fault," she whispered.

"He's alive thanks to the design of his vehicle and the airbags but I'm afraid that…"

"He can't see," Sheldon ventured.

The doctor looked at her in surprise.

"I'm right aren't I?" Sheldon asked angrily.

"Yes I'm afraid you are. Caleb has suffered severe trauma to his eyes but…"

"But there is a chemical residue that you can't flush out and it's a virus like infection slowly eating away at the retina," Nickel added.

"Are you two doctors?" The doctor asked slowly.

"CIA," Nickel said dryly.

"Course," the man said sarcastically.

Sheldon just looked over at her father with a sad face. "I…dad I pushed him away tonight…if I hadn't he…"

"Sheldon you can't blame yourself," Nickel said looking at the doctor. "Is there anything you can do?"

"Just try to make him as comfortable as possible for now. I have my top men working on this but…well I'm afraid that if we don’t find anything that will combat it and fast he'll be permanently blind."

"Have you seen this before?" Sheldon asked softly.

"I have," the doctor said glumly.

"You mean with the other four?"

"Sadly yes," the doctor told them.

"Were you able to treat any of them…at all?" Sheldon asked in small weak voice.

"No," the doctor replied in a soft voice. "I'm sorry…but I think you should both prepare yourself for the worst. He might never see again…just like the rest."

"Just before they died," Sheldon whispered in horror. "And Caleb is next."

**Dear readers…wasn't sure anyone still was reading my Sheldon/Caleb thrillers. I hope you liked this and will please review as it's hard to know if people want more or I should just stop. This is a shorter story but one I hope you'll all like and enjoy this adventure with our two hero's. Remember to check out the bio page under my profile to see who our hero's look like. And remember under my profile are other adventures! Thanks again for the reviews – it's what keeps our two hero's employed! Hehe review away!!