Amanda walked up to where Greg was sipping a milkshake, sitting across from him, earning a blinding smile.  "Someone pointed out that we should probably preserve some of you for future generations, Greg."

"So you can make baby evil genius Gregs?" he teased.  She nodded.  "I wouldn't mind.  Did you try Ryan's coffee solution?  We worked to get the diluted portion down to about six cups a dropper.  Works very well."

"I heard how you didn't dilute it the first time.  That's why we're worried about losing you," she said, giving him a look.  He just smirked back.  "How long did you crash for?"

"I didn't need coffee for *days*," he said with a wicked chuckle.  He felt something jump onto his shoulder and looked over.  "Hey, Juliette.  Done using the bushes?"  She chattered at him, playing with his hair.  "Good girl."  He smiled at his step-boss.  "This is Juliette.  She's my evil genius pet."

"I can tell.  Hello, Juliette."  She let the monkey play with her fingers.  "She seems very well trained."

"I'm even training her to work in the lab," he said proudly.  "Did you hear Ryan's idea box was found and graded?"

"I hadn't but it doesn't really surprise me.  He doesn't keep the bad ideas in there."  She gave him a look.  "Should we reserve a small vial in the cryogenics lab in Chicago, Gregory?"

"If you want.  I'd like authority over who got to use it if I'm still alive."

"Agreed.  We'll get you into Hals in a few days to take a few samples."  She patted his hand and the chimp stared her down.  "What's wrong?  Don't like women touching your human?"

"She's very possessive and she likes my blue paisley silk shirt.  She's decided that's part of my evil genius wardrobe," he said proudly, handing his chimp his milkshake.  She drank, then hopped over to toss it out for him.  She came back and went back to his shoulder.  "She's very well trained," he said proudly.

"I can see that.  Have you introduced her to the others?"

"No, or to my local work area."  He gave her a look.  "They don't know about the subsidiary lab?"

"Not that I'm aware of.  What are you working on?"  He smirked.  "Please, Greg?"

He leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.  "You'll see in about two weeks if I'm right."  He winked, getting up and walking off with his new bags of clothes.   He needed to go to his workspace and get some things done today.  His last idea was quickly taking shape.  It needed him to be there.  "Maybe we'll take a few days off, Juliette.  How would that be?"  She chattered at him, hopping onto his car's roof to look around while he got the car unlocked.  An unwise person got close so she shrieked at him, making him run off.  He smiled.  "Good job.  C'mon."  He opened the driver's door, letting her inside with him. He started the car, backing out of his spot, heading for the rental lab.  "Maybe Daddy will make millions of dollars and get you pretty collars, how about that?"  She hugged his arm on the gear shift.  "I know, it's a pipe dream but money like that would be nice.  We'd get to go on a lot of vacations."  He shifted and went back to petting her.  She was a good friend.  Even if she had scared Hodges when he had popped around the other day.  She made an excellent burglar alarm as well.

***

Amanda walked into Grissom's office, smiling at him.  "Missing someone?"

"I think I am.  Did you recall him to tame down Wolfe's newest project?"

"No, Horatio gave him a hellish case," she admitted.  "You do know that Hals isn't our only lab space?"

"I hadn't.  Is he there?"  She nodded.  He rolled his eyes.  "Thank you.  I'll have my wayward tech retrieved by one of the other CSI."

"You might not want to send one of the ladies.  I think he's working on a pheromone solution but I'm not sure."

"I can send Nick," he agreed.  "That way we make sure Greg's night off doesn't get the city blown up."

"He doesn't deal with the nuclear stuff anymore, Grissom," she said dryly.  He gaped.  She smiled.  "College."  She walked out, leaving him alone to wonder.  Wondering about Greg was always more fun than knowing for certain in her experience.

Grissom called Nick's phone.  "On your way in, check on Greg please.  He's at the other lab space Hals rents.  Thank you.  I don't know.  Let me look it up."  He got into the city database, finding it, reading off the address.  "Thank you."  He hung up, going to take something for his headache.

***

Nick was let in using his work ID.  "I was told to check on Greg Sanders," he said calmly.  "Grissom wanted to make sure he wasn't going to do something that would make us all shudder in horror again."

"No, he's figured out the proper dosage he needs on Wolfe's coffee solution."  He led him to the overlooking window to Greg's lab.  "There he is, with Juliette being her usual helpful self."

Nick watched the chimp hand him test tubes when he asked or pointed.  She handed him a beaker, earning a smile.  Then she dove into his labcoat pocket, eating her treat.  "Is she a bother in the lab?"

"Her?  No," he said fondly, grinning at him.  "She's great in the labs.  She's adored around here even more than Doctor Washburn, who has six ferrets."  Nick whimpered.  "They're good but they get into some of the strangest places.  She's good though.  She helps him, she makes sure he eats.  Look."  Nick saw her offering him a bite of her treat, making Greg smile and nibble.  "If it's been too long since he's eaten she'll do that until he takes a break.  The night he knocked himself silly she came rushing out to find someone.  She bothered Washburn until he went to check on him.  She's a good helper."

"You do know he calls her his evil genius pet?"

"Well, she's a genius pet but Greg's the evil one," he said with a smirk.  "I've been with the company for a few years now.  I've seen both the boys go into evil genius and playful genius mode.  I'm just really thankful we don't have any of the clothing-eating foam around here."

"Clothing-eating foam?"

"Yeah, something Wolfe came up with during one of his evil genius moments.  Works really well and those two have games of tag with their foam shooters.  They play with the ladies a lot."  Juliette hopped up onto the window ledge on that side, staring at them.  "He's checking on your daddy, honey.  It's all right."  She hopped down.  "You need in there to talk to him?"

"Grissom wanted me to check on him."

"The boy hasn't played with fissionables since his early undergrad days."  He let him into the lab, walking away to make notes.

Nick looked around the lab, staring at Juliette when she came over.  "Hi, sweetness."  He let her have his hand, smiling when she shook it.  "That's a good girl.  Want a ride back to Greggy?"  She climbed up him, letting him walk her back.  "Grissom's worried about you again."

Greg smirked at him.  "Why?"

"I don't know."  Juliette hopped down, getting Greg the test tube he was reaching for.  "She's well trained."

"She is and she beats George in the lab," he quipped.  "George likes to watch but Juliette can help.  She's a very good helper and even helps me shop," Greg said, smiling at his chimp.  She waved and ran over to hug him.  "Ah, there's my good evil helper."  He gave her a pat and she ran back up onto his shoulder, staring at Nick.  "I promise I'm being good. You can tell Grissom I said that."

"What are you working on?"

"Well I figured out how to make one of the Weasley Twin's treats from the Harry Potter books," he admitted with a grin.  "But that's a fun, naughty project since it's the one that creates nosebleeds and things.  Someone covert could use it to taunt someone that they had infected them with something to get information."

"That's not legal."

Greg looked at him.  "Neither is half the stuff the CIA does.  Haven't you been reading the papers?"  Nick nodded his head at that.  "So I won't be releasing that but my *real* project is a new lubricant because we've needed one around the office for things like the battle robot and Ryan's body armor system."  He pointed at a side table.  "I'm doing an open-air breakdown test to see how long it lasts in the open air.  That one I might sell so we can go on a fabulous six month vacation and then come back to work.  You'd like that, wouldn't you, Juliette?"  She petted him and he grinned. "Yes, Daddy will take good care of you."  He petted her side, giving Nick a grin.  "See, I'm being good."

"You're being odd," he told him.  "What happened on the date Warrick set you up with?"

"She was nice.  Thought I was too geeky.  I didn't even talk about my work here or at the lab, just told her I was with the lab.  She asked me if I liked Star Trek, I said no, Doctor Who was more my style.  She stomped off calling him to beat him ass for setting her up with a geek."  He shrugged and Juliette petted him again.  "It happens.  Not everyone can appreciate great brains as well as a great body."

Nick gave him a shoulder squeeze.  "Try to come back to the rest of our's reality now and then, okay?"  He walked off shaking his head, but he waited until he was in his truck to call Grissom.  "It's me.  He's only a bit warped.  Well, right now he's making something that'll mimic being given a biological weapon, possibly for covert use but he said he won't sell it.  He's also testing a new lubricant.  No, Grissom, not for sex.  For robots and things.  It's blue.  I did get to meet Juliette.  His helper, Grissom.  Sure, you call him and ask him to bring her in tonight."  He hung up, starting his truck so he could go to work.  A good few scenes and he'd be right again.  Until then, his head would hurt.  A lot.  He hoped the first scene came quickly.

***

Hodges looked over at the thump on his table, frowning at the monkey there.  "What are you doing in here, beast.  Down!"  She gave him a look then held up a slide.  "Yes, I needed one of those."  He took it, getting back to work.  "SANDERS!" he bellowed.  He finished that slide and ran it through the machine it needed to go in, turning around to find her watching him.  "What!" he demanded.  She looked around and held up a swab.  "Oh, is that one next?" he said, frowning at her.  "No, I need to do this one next."  He picked up a different sample.  She put down the swab and came over to look then got him a small testing bottle, holding it up for him.  "I can't believe he trained you to do that," he muttered, taking the bottle and moving to prepare the solution where she couldn't contaminate it.  She hopped onto his shoulder, staring at what he was doing.  "Not allowed."  She got down, sitting further away.  "Go back further.  Onto the table again.  Now."  She hopped back there, waiting patiently.  He sighed, shaking his head as he got back to work.  "He managed to warp an innocent creature."

Grissom walked in, looking at the monkey.  "I didn't know we got you a lab assistant, David."

"She's Sanders' lab assistant."  He ran that sample and she picked up the swab again.  "Yes, that one next, thank you," he said patiently, taking it to snip off a small corner.  "Where is the demented one?"

"Up the hall in the break room.  Greg's getting soda."  She shrieked and hopped down, running off.  "Apparently she thinks that's a bad thing," he said, going to follow her before she got into trouble.  She ran over Warrick's foot, making him flinch.  "She's Greg's," he said, following her.  She climbed up Sarah, making her shriek and try to get her off, then leapt off to hide under Catherine's hair until she spotted her father and climbed down Catherine to climb up him.

"Did you get lost?" he asked, looking at her. "I told you to stay with me."  He petted her.  "Sorry, Sarah, she's affectionate."

"That thing should not be in here!" she screamed back.

"Um, actually, she's a fully approved therapy animal, so yeah, she can be in here since she's lab trained.  I've even handed her certificates to Ecklie in case we need someone to crawl through heating ducts to find something again."  She stomped off.  "Sorry!" he called, waving at her.  He looked down at Juliette.  "She's just not friendly.  It's not you, it's her.  She's a grumpy one who needs Warrick's help to find a better date too."  He sipped his soda, finishing most of it before letting her have it.  She finished it off and went to toss it in the trash.  "Blue can," he ordered.  She tossed it in there, coming back to cuddle some more.  "Good girl.  Now, where were we?"  He looked at Grissom, scratching her stomach idly.  "Where was she?"

"Helping David."

"She likes to help in the lab," he agreed happily.  "I've taught her what all the bottles and things were for."  He grinned at her.  "Such a good girl!  Very good girl!"  He handed her a treat from his pocket, getting a smile.  "We'll go have dinner on the way back to our lab.  Yes we will."  He walked out, letting Catherine see her better.  "This is Juliette."

"She's cute."  She patted him on the cheek.  "You need help, Greg."

"No I don't.  She's very good at helping me."  He grinned at David.  "Did she mess anything up?"

"No, she was *very* helpful," he said, slamming his lab door shut.

Greg beamed.  "See, and she's fully trained and recognized for the therapy and guide- animal stuff too," he said proudly.   "Her former mommy died."  Grissom patted him on the back, walking off shaking his head.  He grinned at Warrick.  "Meet Juliette."

"Hey," he said, waving at her.  She waved back, making him smile.  "She's cute, Greg.  Will your landlord accept her?"

"I own my own condo, Warrick.  No landlord but the bank."  He walked her out.  "Since it's my day off, I'm going to have dinner and then go back to my other job."  He waved at David and so did she from his arms, making him look like he was holding his breath.  "We'll get Hodges used to you too, princess.  I'm sure he appreciated your help."  He waved at Ecklie, making her do the same.  "Grissom wanted to meet Juliette."

"Is that the service animal you're working with?"

"Yup, she's very well trained in the lab.  Helps me by handing me all sorts of stuff," he said proudly.  "Even the right thing usually."  She waved again.  "We've got to go eat dinner.  She's hungry."  He walked her off, taking her out to his car, letting her down inside.  They drove off to get decent burgers and go back to the lab, letting her have all his fries because she was so great.

Catherine put down her camera.  "Let's see what Horatio and Mr. Wolfe think of his pet," she decided, going to email the picture of Greg with her in his arms scratching her stomach to Horatio.  Twenty minutes later she got a groan back.  So apparently he understood what they felt like very well.

Nick shook his head, going to calm Sarah down before she did something stupid.  Because he firmly believed Greg would protect that little chimp like any good Texan would protect his dog.  He'd hate to miss Sarah after Greg shot her.

***

Ryan walked in the next morning smiling and happy, until Horatio found him.  "What's wrong, Horatio?"  He held up the picture he had printed.  "Awww, Juliette looks so cute in his arms.  She's a fully trained service animal too.  Her mommy forgot to turn off the oven and her family sold her.  She's been trained in all the lab protocols and helps Greg a lot."

Horatio looked at him.  "Do you not find this a little bit odd, Mr. Wolfe?"

He considered it then shook his head.  "No.  Greg needed a good pet that understands him.  The same as I needed something calm that wouldn't make too big of a mess for me to clean up.  Even if she is shedding and I'm thinking about shaving her bald at the moment."

"Should you I will report you to animal control," he warned.

"I'm trying not to."

"Perhaps you weren't ready for a pet yet?" he prompted.

Ryan shrugged.  "It's okay except for the brushing.  She's been nibbling on her back leg.  I've got to see if we can use flea medicine on her."  He walked around him, heading for the locker room, smiling at Stetler when he ran into him.  "Morning."

"Why are you so happy?"

"Because my next idea hit me last night at two, I've had two droppers of my coffee potion, and I'm a generally happy person," he said with his most irritating smirk.  "Aren't you?"

"Go away."

"No, this is my lab.  You're not supposed to be here.  So you go away."

"I can have you suspended."

"And I can sue the department," Ryan shot back with an evil smirk.  "And have you fired.  I'll laugh and we'll hold a party in your honor.  I'm sure someone will be very happy to throw you a going away party."

"You're being drug tested."

"Go right ahead," Ryan agreed.  "That's your right.  Want me to fill the cup out here or did you want to adjourn to a bathroom?"  The man gave him an evil look and drug him off.   "There's no need for physical contact and I'm filing a sexual harassment suit," Ryan said in a sing-song manner. Maybe he'd had too much coffee potion this morning.  Ian had asked him if he was on drugs too.  He was handed a sample jar and undid his zipper.  "How much did you need?  Full, half?  A few ounces?"

"Fill the damn cup," Stetler growled.

Ryan did it there in front of him, handing it back.  "There you go.  Anything else you needed?  And do remember that I was kidnaped and drugged approximately nine weeks ago."  He did back up his pants and went to wash his hands.  He dried them off, using the paper towel to open the door.  "Remember to wash your hands since that is a biological substance and you have a good day," he said smugly, walking out whistling.

Stetler carefully capped it and put it into a plastic bag, washing his hands before walking it off to have it tested.  The chem tech gave him an odd look when he saw the report.  "Well?"

"Caffeine.  Lots and lots of caffeine.  Looks like coffee additives. His blood sugar may be a little high at the moment.  Just mostly coffee."  He handed the report over.  "Sorry, couldn't find anything illegal.  Coffee's still a good thing to many techs, Sergeant."  He looked at the name on the vial then at him.  "Should I warn Wolfe to have his blood sugar checked?  It could be a developing problem from all the coffee he's been drinking."

"He called it a potion."

"Huh."  He nodded, then shrugged.  "Some chemists are odd like that.  He does have a doctorate in chemistry."  He stomped off.  "And oddness," he muttered once he was alone.  He walked out, going to find Wolfe himself.  "Hey, Ryan?"  He grinned at him.  "I just ran your test.  You're clean but I spotted an issue.  Join me please?"  He nodded, following him back to his lab.  He reprinted the results.  "See, that's a problem with your blood sugar."

"I'll see if Alexx can check it for me," he agreed.

"You might want to think about cutting back on the coffee, man.  It could be the reason for the problem."

"It's not real coffee, it's my new coffee flavored solution.  It's a six cups of coffee in a single dropper and you can put it into water since it tastes like coffee."

"How many did you have today?"

"Two."

"Uh-huh.  Have someone check that to make sure it's not killing your kidneys or any other vital organ, okay?"  He handed over the report.  "I'll tell Alexx in an hour if you haven't."

"Sure.  I can do that."  He went to talk to her, finding her putting up a body.  "Hey.  My random drug test for pissing off Stetler came up with a bit of sugar build-up in my urine."  He handed it over.  "Do we have a meter down here?"

"I have one in my desk for emergencies."  She led him into her office.  "How many droppers did you have this time?"

"Two," he said happily.  "Oh, Horatio's got a picture of Greg's helper chimp Juliette.  She's adorable.  Is it really wrong to want to shave George?  She's nibbling on her fur and throwing it around.  She's being evil in a bad way."

She patted him on the cheek.  "No more double dosing, Ryan."  She grabbed his hand, taking his blood to check the sugar content.  "Well, it's a little high.  We need to keep that in mind and monitor it, Ryan."

"I will. Thank you, Alexx."  He kissed her on the cheek and went back to work.

"I want to see you an hour after lunch," she called after him.  "So we can check it again!"

"Yes, ma'am," he called back as he walked out, smiling at Horatio.  "I'm clear."

"I'm sure you are.  Is there a problem?"

"Chad thought my blood sugar might be a little high, which it was, so I had Alexx check it for me.  She wants to see me an hour after lunch for another check."

"I'll make sure you go.  Why don't you go take a nap?"

"Why?  I'm perfectly fine."

"You're babbling, Mr. Wolfe.  Go nap off the second dose."  Ryan grimaced, shaking his head as he walked off.  "I mean it!"

"I'm fine."

Horatio followed, going to knock him out and put him in the break room.  He saw Stetler's look and smirked back.  "Too much coffee.  Thank you for having him checked, Rick.  It did look like his blood sugar was a bit high."  He walked out, visually making sure Ryan wouldn't be moving before he went to work in the labs.  "Eric, I knocked Ryan out."

"Why?"

"He was babbling.  He was smirking at Stetler.  He was baiting Stetler."

"Ah, double dose of his serum of joy?" he asked bitterly.

"Yes, yet again," he sighed.  "We will have to stop that one."

"That's easy, have them ground him.  Or take it away from him."

"I thought I had," Horatio admitted.

"He does have a Ph. D. in chemistry," Speed said as he walked in.  "It was also his formula.  Besides, it's his day off and he got called back.  He was probably gearing up to work all day in the other lab."

"I'll have them keep him from making more," Horatio promised.

"Why?  I love the stuff first thing in the morning," Speed told him.  "I'm not stupid enough to take two doses however."

"I heard that he put vitamins and minerals into it at your prompting," Eric said.

"He did.  It's as fully good for you as a Centrum.  Why?"

"Ryan's blood sugar was a bit high," Horatio said.

"He probably had ice cream for breakfast at the caf at the other lab," Speed said, nodding a bit.  "He did that yesterday too.  That could be the cause of the extra hyperactivity too."  Horatio moaned, going to check on Ryan.  He looked at him.  "I noticed he had crashed."

"Double dosed, baited Stetler, and babbling.  Horatio knocked him out."  He smirked at him.  "Looks like we get to go home on time tonight."

"Hopefully.  My last scene was a pain in the ass."  He set things out so he could get to work on them.

***

Ryan came in two days later, giving Horatio a sheepish look.  "If I created something that may be very bad for humanity are you going to kick my ass?"

"Yes," he said.

"Good.  Because I think we need to see how to store my newest thing.  It's good for people but probably not for humanity as a whole."

"Why?"

"My body controller can be used to make people do bad things and with the new solution Greg worked on to go with it can do it without their consent.  And from that I got a new idea."  He handed him over his testing file.  "That's what I did on my day off, using something older.  Amanda knows I had the older one but pulling it back out and updating it with the new body controller system is probably not good for everyone."

Horatio looked up at him.  "As long as certain elements didn't get their hands on it."

"They'll want it though."

"Possibly."  He walked him up to his office so they could talk about this and call someone at the labs.  "Tiff," he said in greeting.  "Ryan's here with me about a new project he has ethical concerns about."  He put her on speaker.  "We're both here."

"It's a good thing we're in a design meeting, Ryan.  I'm with Sal and a bunch of others. You're on speaker on our end too."

"My new body controller system with Greg's new potion can make people do things against their will.  It's not his solution and it's not my controllers, but together they react that way.  And then I put it into the Bio-Dex system and you know what that was."

"I do," Sal agreed quietly.  "And you're right, that is an ethical concern.  Can it be used to put someone in there and then make them use things?"

"With his solution, yeah."

"Okay then we're going to hide the Bio-Dex system again," Tiff agreed.  "In the vault.  Just in case, Ryan.  Then we'll see about Greg's solution."

"Thank you," he sighed.  "I know some of Stephni's best work went onto the weapons but I realized how potentially dangerous it was last night when we were nearly broken into again."

"No, that's a good thing to worry about," Tiff assured him.  "What's your other formula?"

"Um, the green or the purple?"

"Either," Horatio ordered.

"The green is a new coolant to go with Greg's new lubricant for the mechanical systems we have around the office.  Or Tiff's new bike.   Um, the purple is probably going to need to be sent to Chicago for testing since it's biomedical."  Horatio gave him a look so he swallowed.  "It's the vitamin solution hyped up from the stuff I use in the coffee solution. I'm thinking it's for severely damaged bodies and things."

"Which could be helpful," Tiff agreed.  "I can gather it if you want, Ryan."

"No, it's not ready for testing yet.  I'm still doing stability tests on them both.  But I did accidentally drop some together and they did explode," he offered more happily.

"I was wondering how you blew the hole in the floor," Sal admitted.  "We'll study that too, Wolfe."

"Thanks, guys.  I want to keep those two here until I'm done but the Bio-Dex is worrying me."

"It should," Horatio agreed.  "Weapons are a good thing to worry about."

"No, he's got other weapons in the labs," Stephni offered.  "He's been helping me for years, Horatio.  Sal too.  The coffee solution was one of his first purely chemical projects.  By the way, Rebecca downstairs has it locked up and is doling out dosages now.  So we all have to go ask."

"That might be better, yeah," Ryan admitted.  "Oh, my blood sugar went a bit high with it."

"You had ice cream and cream puffs for breakfast that morning, Ryan.  Of course it was," Sal reminded him.

"Good point."  He nodded.  "Okay, just so you guys know I do have *a* dangerous project.  Ooooh, I got the new one together, Stephni.  I left it in your lab."

"Thanks, pookie.  Anything else we should know?"

"No, we're fine here.  Thank you, ladies," Horatio said, hanging up.  He looked at Ryan.  "Thankfully someone took the dosing away from your hand."

"I'm sorry about the days I double dosed, Horatio.  Even if they didn't I wouldn't do it again."

"Good.  Get to work.  Do you need this?"

"Those need to go with it."

"I'll send them over there then."  Ryan nodded, walking out while Horatio sent Tiff a message saying he had the testing folder in his desk from Ryan.  He locked it up and went to work as well.

***

Tiff bounced in, giving Horatio a hug.  "It's fine.  He's had to store it before.  It was too powerful for nearly everyone.  It's good, but it's very powerful.  Stephni was on a rip that week she put the weapons on it."  He smiled and got the folder for her, letting her tuck it into her briefcase.  "Hey, pookie?"  He came out of DNA.  "We figured out why it exploded.  It's very pretty and very useful in small doses.  We like it for lock applications."  Horatio moaned.  "We do and it doesn't leave a residue."  She handed over that folder with a grin.  "Amazing what can come out of a lab, huh?"  She gave him a hug.  "We stole a small bit of the coolant to test too.  It does work very well.  Greg's new lubricant stuff is great too.  So yeah, very helpful inventions."  He nodded, still not looking too happy.  "Hey, you had us store the other thing before, pookie.  You said then it was too strong.  Now that it can take over people with the right things being done, it's just worse."  He nodded, giving her a hug.  "We all have stuff like that.  Amanda doesn't like my battle robot at all because she thinks it's too hyped on the weapons side."

"We can tone it down," Ryan pointed out.

"The same as we can yours."  He nodded at that.  "Good boy, pookie."  She smiled at him.  "Now, what's next?"  He whispered in her ear, getting a cackle.  "Oooh, that one I want to test," she said fondly, walking off smirking.  "Oh, I had Sal look at George since she's at the lab.  She does have fleas.  We've applied the meds and she's not chewing her hair off anymore."

"Thank you!" he said, looking up happily.  "No more shedding."  He went to get his results from Valera, weathering the giggle.  "George has been chewing on her back leg and throwing the fur around.  I nearly shaved my poor evil genius pet."  He walked out, going to his work area.

Horatio shook his head with a small sigh.  "I don't know which is worse."

"Juliette is very cute.  She helps by handing Greg stuff in the lab," Tiff told him with a pat to the arm.  "She's *very* helpful and decided he needed more colorful shirts, but she likes blues.  So his evil genius wardrobe is silk shirts and really tight jeans.  Ryan's is his track jackets."

"That is an interesting thing to know," he agreed, smirking at her.  "If I don't let him wear them...."

"He won't but it won't stop his mind.  This is his undercover persona," she whispered, making him laugh.  "Now, I'm here to run a full breakdown of the equipment to make sure it's all going right.  Including your hummer, Red.  So lead on."  He nodded, letting her into the lab.  "We're testing the bike in the field this week to make sure all her weapons work.  Then the speed test is this weekend.  Mac and a few of his toys up there are coming down."

"That would be fine.  We like the New York lab."  He watched her work, texting that to Speed, who sent back an 'I'm there'.  "Speed said he'll be there, even though he is on-call."

"That's fine."  She dug into one of the scanners.  "I swear this one needs a rubber band over one thing."  She got to work replacing the broken screw.  "It keeps doing this."

He pointed at something.  "That's probably shifting."

"I know but we can't anchor it any other way.  It's only *this* one."  She pulled apart another one to look, finding it was a different sized moving part.  "No wonder."  She made a note and tucked the broken one into her bag.  She put the other one together again and got to work on the bigger machines, running self-checks.  "Haven't used them in a week?"

"We haven't had a case with trace in a week," he admitted.  "DNA, blood evidence, ballistics, a knife, but no trace samples."

"Wow.  Good job, Red."  He smiled at that.  Speed walked in and hugged her then went back to work.  "Well, look at that butt of doom in the suit."

"He was in court," he said, smirking at that.  "He is still single."

"Yeah but I'm too smart and sexy for him."

"Maybe not.  He is very bright.  He did his masters in a single year."  She looked at him and he nodded.  "He did."

"Wow.  That is kinda smart and even bordering on hotty smart."  She got back to work.  "I'll think about it."

"Please do.  I'd like to see him happy with someone."

"But we'd be very naughty."

He gave her a look.  "As long as you didn't keep him off work when I needed him."  She laughed, batting him on the arm.  He left her alone so he could go check on the others.  Plus talk to Mr. Wolfe about upping his wardrobe of choice in the labs.  He didn't like him wearing the track jackets before, now he had a better reason to ban them. Even if he did have to put up with sweater vests.

***

Horatio looked up when Ryan came in two days later.  The day before had been his regular day off.  He didn't look pleased.  "Mr. Wolfe, bad day in the lab?"

"No."  He gave him a look.  "I finished George's secret hideout."

"Congratulations."  He gave him a smile.  "No coffee potion?"

"Or coffee. The kitchen got blown up last night when Amanda accidentally fired off a rocket in her lab, which went through two walls and into the kitchen to explode in there."  Horatio gaped.  Ryan shrugged.  "We've all done it.  Hers wasn't half as bad as Tiff's.  Tiff fired something of Stephni's off the roof once and caved in three floors."  He went into the breakroom, coming out with a cup of real coffee.  "Thank you whoever made the real coffee!" he called.  He sipped it on his way back to Horatio.  "Anyway, I've got her bunny hutch done at home.  Finished installing the automatic doors last night.  Had to adjust them because they caught her tail the first time but they're better now."  Horatio looked confused.  "She's got a bit of a futuristic house.  It's three stories.  The top is an area for her to hide in.  It's got automatic doors.  Like on Star Trek," he explained with a small grin.  "It's got an automatic litterbox on the bottom and carpeted ramps to each new level.  She's got another one in my lab.  It's got timed feeders that's got a movement sensor.  The water has a pressure sensor, like the toilets we have in the bathrooms here.  So if she drinks it'll be refilled straight from the line. I've even finished the little robot that comes out once a week to sense and suck up anything biological she's left outside the litterbox.  It dumps it when it gets to the litterbox then goes back into the little box on the side of the cage."

"I didn't know we had robots that intelligent yet."

"I gave the scanner a 'match this' command, and when it finds something that it matches to it vacuums it up until it hits something like sand, which it then dumps into.  Scoopable litter is very fine, did you know that?"  He walked off, finishing his coffee on the way to the locker room.  He got another cup and went to work.

"Please tell me you're not drinking regular coffee on top of your potion," Speed begged.

"Amanda accidentally blew up the kitchen in the lab last night.  No potion at the moment."

"What?"

"She fired off one of her inventions and it was a bit too strong so it went through a few walls and into the kitchen, where it exploded.  The kitchen's down for the next few days.  So if you wanted to cook Charlie dinner, tonight or tomorrow night would be a good time."

"I'll try to get free tonight," he decided.  "How's George?  I know you were planning on finishing her house."

"It's done.  I had to adjust the automatic doors but she likes it since it won't bite her tail anymore."  He finished that cup of coffee and put the cup down, coming over to help.  "Now that I'm awake again, where am I starting?"

"There," he said, pointing at an envelope.  Ryan nodded, getting to work once he had gloves on.  "Automatic doors?"

"On her hiding area.  She's got a small rabbit swing to sit on and a few other places to cuddle up on.  It's three rabbit stories high."

Speed shook his head.  "Okay.  What's Greg's evil pet?"

"Juliette is a helper chimp who was actually a therapy animal.  He's trained her in how to help him in the lab by holding things and handing him test tubes.  She's very good.  He said Grissom called him in to meet her and she went to help Hodges one night.  Nearly caused a fit but she was very helpful and backed away from the samples when he told her to.  Ooh, he'll be down for the demo too."

"Let's hope they get the kitchen redone by then."

"They should," Ryan agreed. He gathered his first report, frowning at it.  "It didn't look like a soil."

"I've been getting that all morning.  I have no idea where it's coming from."

"The other lab," he decided, going to do that.  He found the problem and tagged whoever had logged in or hacked into that computer, settling in to trace it back, calling Stephni with one hand.  "It's me.  Someone was logged or hacked into our laptop here at the station.  Trying to.  Yeah, that way."  He kept going.  "It's at....Croans?  There's hackers at the Latin academy?  Sure.  Please."  He hung up.   "Horatio?"  He came in.  "The ladies are coming in to see who hacked in and why.  Right now it's leading back to Croans and they're not happy either.  An IM box popped up, asking him who he was.  So he gave his lab and then PD credentials.  The IM box suddenly disappeared.  "Uh-huh.  Try it.  They invented the system.  They'll get you anyway."  Stephni rushed in.  "He just popped up an IM box asking me who I was."

"Let me, pookie."  She got into the system, finding what she needed very easily.  "It's someone at St. Eppie's bouncing off the systems at Croans and Winchester."  Tiff huffed, going to fix that so she could beat someone.  She looked at Horatio.  "Have you used it today?"

"No."

"Speed said a soil sample keeps printing out," Ryan said, going to get it and bring it back.  "Here.  This one.  Looks like city soil."

"Maybe they're doing a lab class," she said dryly.  She found the little snot and tapped into his system using her Admin privileges.   He gave her a frightened squeak and the teacher came on so she asked what was going on.  They chatted for a minute then that student had to log out and change computers.  "He had someone else's laptop.  He was borrowing.  That person is apparently hacking Croans and Winchester."

"Where is Winchester?" Horatio asked.

"Utah," Ryan said with a grin.  "They've even got a school motto of 'hiding in plain sight'."  Stephni nodded at that, tapping in a message to Tiff.  "Greg's coming down with Juliette for the demo."

"Will he need space at the lab?"

"I said he could have my spare room as long as Juliette didn't hurt George."

She smiled at him.  "I saw the deluxe bunny ship in your lab."  She got back to work.  "What's in that little box on the side?"

"The shit sucking vacuum," he said, shrugging at Horatio's odd look.  "It is."

"More polite terms, Mr. Wolfe."

"Sorry, boss."

"Sorry, boss," Stephni said.  "In advance probably.  The owner of the laptop is going to make me swear."

"Do so outside, Stephni."

"Yes, boss."   She looked at Ryan.  "The kitchen will be fixed tonight."

Ryan smiled.  "They can hang at my house if they want.  It's pretty secure."

"I'll let Ian know."  She tapped that message to him then went back to her screwing the little mini-hacker over until he gave up and begged.  "Go ahead and do important things, Ryan.  I've got him."  He nodded, going back to work.  Speed came in a few minutes later with another test and she got back into there, logging that whole classroom off.  She smiled at him.  "Fixed, cutie."

"Can I ride the bike?"

"Sure.  After I break the speed of sound."  She pinched him and he headed off.  She did remember to tell Tony as well then finished fixing the links the little creep had made.  Someone was going to be very sorry.  Tiff came back.  "Got him.  Oh, I invited Tony down for you."

"Thanks."  She leaned on her shoulder, looking at what she was doing.  "Poor classroom."

"They'll come back online soon enough," she said dryly.  "The teacher came over to see why the student was squeaking in fear when I tracked him down.  She knows something's wrong so it'll be fine."  They shared an evil look. "Greggy's coming down."

"Oooooh, and Ryan's still in evil genius mode."

"Pity," they agreed in unison.  Then Tiff cackled and felt better.

***

Ryan came home to find Greg on his couch, Juliette in with George, petting her, and Charlie in the kitchen.  "I said I'd cook, Charlie."

"I haven't gotten to in a while and I enjoy it," he said with a small smile.  "Bad day?"

"Long day.  Someone at St. Eppie's kept crashing the system so we got soil samples from a science class down there all day long in the trace lab for some reason."

"Poor man.  Is Horatio all right?"

"Having a headache with Stephni I think."  He came in to see what he was fixing.   "You could've used the chicken."

"I'm adding it after I get this done."

"Good."  He grinned, patting him on the back.  "Let me know when I can help."

"Sure.  Go say hi to Greg."

Ryan beamed, going out there to hug Greg around the throat.  "As long as Juliette is nice."

"She's been very nice to George.  She's petted her and made her hide a few times, but she brought her over to show me and then put her back and climbed in with her.  That is one serious bunny house."  Ryan grinned, letting him go.  "You did good putting it together.  I even ran the little mini-you in there so you wouldn't have to lysol the cage."

"Thanks, man.  Let me change.  Hey, Ian, I wasn't ignoring you."

"I'm perfecting being invisible anyway."

Ryan gave him an odd look.  "I thought I left that back in the lab."  He went to change clothes, coming out without a shirt on.   "You were being facetious, right?"  Ian nodded.  "Oh, good.  I knew I left that in the lab."  He went to finish getting changed while Greg laughed.  "They stole some of your lube," he called.

"So I got told.  Amanda asked me to donate sperm to the next generation."  Ryan came out pouting.  "I'm sure she'll ask you but she was thinking my team's going to kill me soon for being bouncy."

"Horatio nearly killed me.  I was double dosing on my potion."  Greg snickered.  "I was."  He opened the wider cage front, getting a cheeping noise from Juliette.  "Hi, baby."  He petted her the same way she was petting George.  "Are you loving my George?"  She smiled and held her up.  "Thank you.  Let's go sit on the couch."  He let her use him to bounce off of so she could reach her daddy.  He closed the cage door, sitting down with George in his lap to pet her.  "You're a good evil genius pet, George, even if you aren't complicated or that smart."

"A pet like Juliette would drive you insane by arranging things on you," Greg pointed out.  "She reset my alarm for me this morning.  Nearly didn't make the flight.  By the way, I borrowed your shower but I cleaned it afterward."

"Thanks."  He grinned.  "We've got to work on that one last project.  The ladies were cackling earlier."

Greg grinned back.  "We should but your lab is being fumigated."

"She had that many fleas?"

"No, they're doing the whole building.  Bushman's pets had fleas too."  That got a nod.  "That may be where she got them from."

"Maybe," he agreed, petting Juliette when she came over to help.  "You are very helpful," he told her, getting a pat from her and a chimp smile, then she went back to playing with his bunny.  "Charlie, you could come talk to us."

"In a minute. I'm nearly done."  He came out after the oven door closed a minute later.  "There, done."  He sat down, taking a picture of the bunny and chimp, sending it to his brother.  "Don had to go back yesterday.  He ran out of leave time."  They both nodded at that.  "And then the assholes on campus broke into my office to see what I had on my chalkboards.  Dad nearly shot the one that tried it at the house."

"Were they arrested?" Greg asked.  Charlie nodded.  "Kept?"

"Charged but released into the custody of their bosses," Ian admitted.  "My boss wanted to know how I liked my vacation so I sent him film of Charlie walking around mumbling math stuff.  He said it was a good thing I could follow him when he was wandering.  I think this is the longest I've stayed in one place since college."

"Not true.  The case you met me on you were there for how many months in the same town?"

"Six," he admitted.  "Good point, Charlie.  So, what's for dinner?"

"Chicken and veggies."

"Okay."  He grinned.  "His father's demanding we return him.  That Don can shoot more of them."

"There may be a way around that," Greg said, looking at Ryan.  Who shrugged.  "You think?"

"No.  I think Amanda would shit bricks if we tried it out that way.  It'd be exposing the lab."

"Point.  I'll ask during the demo."  He petted Juliette again.  "When did you make something for invisibility?  You said you gave up on that."

"No, I finally finished it."  He grinned.  "It's a light refraction system.  It wouldn't bend right before but now it will."

"Like using a whole coat?" Ian asked.

"You could or something smaller probably.  I had planned a tent, like for hunters."

"I want to see that."

"Sure but you have to ask Amanda if you can have it."

"I can do that during the bike's demonstration."  He smiled when Juliette hopped into his lap, looking at him.  "Hi, little one."  She tweaked his nose and laughed, going back to petting the bunny, making him smile.  "She's a trip, Greg."

"She's very helpful," he agreed, smiling at her.  "She even helped me question a child witness the other day by being hugged nearly to death.  The little girl asked her mommy if she could have her but Grissom stuck up for me."  He looked at Ryan.  "When are we leaving for Cambridge?"

"Um...next month?"

"That's what I thought.  I've got forms in but I can't find my copy at home.  I wanted to make sure Grissom filed them for me.  He's bad about forgetting paperwork."

"Horatio's too backlogged with work to worry about the petty admin details but he gets the personal stuff in," Ryan told him.

"Grissom waited until two hours past deadline to *start* our cost of living paperwork."

"I'm sorry.  Can he have a secretary?"

"Not unless I want to put on a skirt according to Ecklie.  I offered him the new hypnosis potion so he'd do that.  He walked off fuming."  Greg grinned.  "So I'm actually on suspension this weekend.  Saves leave time for later."

Ian shook his head.  "I'd never get to do that to my boss."

"Me either," Charlie admitted. "Then again, my dad would protest if I did that to my boss since he's dating her."

Ian looked at him.  "That's got to be fun."

"Only when he interrupts my special nights with Amita."

Ryan giggled.  "That's so bad."

Charlie nodded.  "Very.  Last time we were in pajamas."  He shrugged and smiled when Juliette brought him George.  "I saw George.  She's a very pretty bunny, Juliette.  Just like you are."  He petted her and she ran a hand into his hair to pet him back, earning a smile.  "Am I like the bunny?"  Ryan and Greg both snapped pictures.

"Don'll want a copy," Ian said.

Greg had used his phone so he sent one to Don.

***

Don looked at his phone, then snickered, handing it over to his father and Amita.  "That's Charlie, king of the evil genius pets."

"The monkey seems to think he is a pet," Alan said, smiling before handing it to Amita.  "Who were they?"

"The rabbit is George, Ryan Wolfe's evil genius pet, and the  chimp has to be Juliette, Greg Sanders' evil genius pet."  His father smiled but shook his head.  "They're serious.  They're also very smart men.  Not like Charlie smart but that coffee stuff I told you about?  That was Ryan.  Greg's a super chemist or something.  He did DNA stuff for years before moving into field work.  Amita handed him back his phone.  "See, he's fine.  Ian's probably in the corner making fun of him in my place."

"I'm sure he is," she said, shaking her head.  "Where was that?  That didn't look the chairs at the lab."

Don looked again.  "That may be Wolfe's place.  I was over there once when I was dropping him off after a coffee crash.  Yeah, I think that is.  So he's making Charlie dinner or Charlie's fussing and making dinner."  He put the phone back into his pocket.  "I'll print out copies of that later."  Alan smiled.   "He's just as frustrated as you are, Amita.  He keeps getting stuck too."

"They don't have him doing all the math stuff?"

"Them?  Not really.  Now and then they'll ask for help if they're stuck but it's like being in the middle of a campus for him.  All the professors are good, but now and then a few need help with something.  Like that plan to make men have the kids.  Charlie finished the math on that one and Amanda made her stop it before she warped the natural order."  Alan laughed.

Amita smiled at him.  "I can't imagine any of you three being pregnant.  Maybe you, Don.  Megan would fuss forever."

"Megan would fuss?" he snorted.  "Colby would treat me like I'm fragile.  David would laugh his ass off.  Megan would snicker for days on end every time she saw me waddling."  Amita snickered at that, nodding a bit.

Alan looked at him.  "I may want grandchildren but I want them the traditional way, Don.  Don't even think about volunteering."

"Me?  No. Charlie might."

"Not if he knows what's good for him," Amita told them.  They both smiled at her for that.

Don's phone rang.  "Yeah, Epps."  He listened, standing up.  "I don't think so, buddy...."  He looked at his phone when he heard the explosion.  "Hello?"  He heard another voice.  He hung up and called him.  "Wolfe, what just happened?"  He listened then nodded.  "That works for me.  Will you get into trouble?"  He smiled.  "Good man."  He hung up.  "They are at Wolfe's.  Someone did try to kidnap Charlie.  Ryan made their engine blow up.  That's who called."  He sat back down.  "He said Caine's already there and growling at someone.  So are my counterparts, and they're in deep shit."

Amita smiled.  "Is that the last of them?"

"I can only hope so," he admitted.  "Colby misses having Charlie babble at him too."

"He gave me funny looks when I tried to babble in math geek at him," Amita sighed, shaking her head.  "Anyway."  She dug in again.  "How much longer?"

"Hopefully soon," Don said.

She nodded.  "Hopefully."  She stuffed her mouth again.

***

Ryan looked at the officers who had responded.  "And the next time that they try to break into my house, I get to destroy them, right?"

"Sure," the officer agreed. "If your boss lets you, Officer Wolfe."  He pointed at Horatio, who was not looking happy.  "If he lets you."

"Horatio, can I pull them apart at the molecular level next time?"

"You have something that can do that?"

"No but I'm pretty sure I can build one," he said grimly.  "Oh, Greg's inside.  Juliette was very helpful and he's already yelled at me for letting her do that."

"What did you do?" the officer asked.

Ryan grinned.  "I work in an experimental lab as well."  The officer shuddered and nodded, walking off.  He looked at Horatio.  "Just a little smoke bomb, boss.  Really."

Horatio stared at him.  "Smoke?  I heard there was an explosion."

"Well, kinda their fault.  One of the strike team got out and sprayed it with a chemical extinguisher.  Chemical reaction made it go boom."

"I see.  I would like to see those as well, Mr. Wolfe."

"If they let me," he said with an impish grin.  "Want to come inside?  Charlie's making dinner."

"In a few minutes."  Ryan nodded, bouncing inside, only pausing to sneer at the leader of the strike team, who was on his knees in handcuffs.  "Let me handle it, Mr. Wolfe."  Ryan nodded, going back inside.  Horatio walked over there, making him look at him.  "He could have done much worse.  He has vowed to do much worse.  He simply didn't want to risk his friend's pet."   The man shuddered.  "Am I clear?" he asked quietly.  He nodded at that.  "Who sent you?"

"Paladin.  They want Wolfe."

"Not anyone else?"

"We didn't think he'd have guests tonight," his second admitted.  "He never does.  Usually he comes home, eats, then goes to the other lab, sir.  We heard he's in weapons?"

"No, not usually.  He's a lab tech."  They sighed.  "My lab tech.  My CSI, gentlemen."

"Lieutenant, we're the government," the second said.

Horatio stared at him.  "Then why are you in handcuffs?" he asked.  The man shuddered and shrank away from him.  "You'll find Miami doesn't play that way.  I don't care who you are, if you're kidnaping you're in trouble.  I thought I had proved that point."

Greg came out, handing him something.  "Here, they look like they could use some water."

"CSI Sanders," he said, giving him a look then the bottle.  "Should I test it?"

"Probably not."

"We do not give chemical or biological agents to those in custody."

"Pity because I can make sure that they never come back with a simple solution and a command."  He offered the water again.  "It would help."

"Only if you got the head.  There's always more," the head soldier told him. "We'll be shot if we disobey orders."

"If I give you this you're lab rats," Greg told him.  They all shrank away from him.  "Am I clear?  If I have to deal with you I can.  I might have to wait until someone bails you out, but I will deal with you.  Ryan's the *nice* one of us."  They all nodded, shifting away.  "Good."  He handed Horatio the water.  "Here you go, just in case *they* want it."  He walked inside, slamming the door.  "Thank you for not really endangering Juliette."

"They hit it with the fire extinguisher," Ryan said, giving him a 'sorry' look.  Greg gave him a hug, getting one back. "We'll stomp them.  You know we will."

"Maybe our grandkids."

"But we'll be there teaching them."

Greg smiled.  "I can be a cool grandpa like my Papa Olaf."  Ryan nodded, making him smile.  "Thanks, Ryan."

"Welcome.  Now, Juliette, please put George up.  She begs when I'm eating."  She put the bunny back into the cage.  "Good girl!"  He gave her a cuddle then let her daddy have her. "You have definitely trained her very well, Greg."  He beamed and went to wash both their hands so they could sit down.  Juliette sat in his lap, nibbling on his dinner with him.  She even stole pieces now and then when she was tired of waiting, making Ian chuckle.

"We should go to the lab tonight," Greg decided.

"I've got to work tomorrow, Greg," Ryan admitted.

"Can you call off?"

"I don't know.  Horatio, did you want to join us for dinner?" he yelled.  "Also, Greg wants to go to the lab with me tonight."

"As long as you make it to work tomorrow, Mr. Wolfe."  He walked in, taking off his shoes since the others clearly had.  He went to wash his hands and Charlie got him a plate.  "Thank you, Charlie.  It looks delicious."

Charlie smiled.  "I like to cook, but man I'm going to miss the kitchen at the lab when I go home."

"That's because they feed you whenever you walk past," Ian said, adding more to Charlie's plate.  He handed the bowl to Horatio, getting a small smile.  "I think Greg wanted to help Ryan make something that would take them all day tomorrow."

"With Speed off for the demonstration we need him."

"I'm supposed to be there too," Ryan reminded him.  "Also, where is the New York lab staying?"

"The Hyatt, I went over their security arrangements already," Ian told him.  That got a mass nod from everyone.  "Greg, are you staying here?"

"Sure.  I like bunking down with Ryan.  We give each other funky dreams that result in some of the best stuff, like his body armor."

"Which is back in storage," Ryan said.

"Again?" Greg asked.

"I made it worse."

"Oh.  Sorry."  He patted him on the arm and Juliette leaned over, patting him on the hand.  "That's a good girl, Juliette."  She smiled at him then waved at Horatio.  "That's Horatio, he works with Ryan like I work with Hodges."  Horatio waved back with a small smile. "She's very helpful in the lab.  Grabs all sorts of things for me."

"I'm sure she and Grissom have met."

"She did, though Sarah does not like her in the least.  She's even a bit monkey phobic I think."

"Yelled?" Ian asked.

"Screamed, tried to beat her when she ran over her, ranted for two hours," Greg told him.  "Warrick thought she was cute."

"I think she's adorable, Greg," Horatio assured him.  "I heard she's picking out your evil genius wardrobe?"

"My baby knows what looks good on me.  Mostly blue silk.  She likes to roll around on it when I'm not wearing it."

"It's soft and it smells like you," Ryan agreed.  He frowned, eating another bite.  Then the frown cleared and he smiled.  "Huh."  He hurried up.

"I know that look."  He ate faster too, making Juliette scowl at him.  "We're going to the lab.  Hurry up."  She ate faster too, then jumped up onto Ryan's shoulder, going to grab George from the cage, holding her up. "Yes, we'll take George with us.  She's got a super bunny hatch in the lab."  He took George while Ryan went to clean up everything very quickly.  He left the food there for the other three and Greg waved.  "Gotta get him to the lab before he blows up the house again."

"It's not a blowing up idea," Ryan protested, but he still petted George on the way out.

Ian looked at Charlie, pointing with his fork.  "You look like that when you go into math voodoo mode."  Horatio snickered.  "He does.  He gets this look on his face then smiles and grabs his chalk holder or a pen."  Horatio dished up more food, shaking his head.  "Should we do the dishes?"

"I will since you two cooked," Horatio promised.  Charlie smiled.  "It's fine."

"I've been in that state before.  Some of my best work yet has come from that state.  I still think it's cute Juliette grabbed George for him."

"I think Greg's in for a chimp fit when he tries to bring her home without George," Ian noted.  "Oh, fair warning, Amanda asked Greg to give semen samples for the future generations of evil geniuses to study."

"I'm sure she'll ask Ryan as well," Horatio said, giving them a fond look.  "It can only make the future more bright."

Ian looked at Charlie.  "You could use that formula."

"My father would scream for months on end," he said, shaking his head.  "At least until he held his grandchild.  Who he'd turn against me.  I'll wait, thanks.  Amita might want kids."  He finished up, taking the last of the food.  "Are you coming to the lab tonight, Horatio?  I know Mac and them were planning on coming to take a real tour."

"I wouldn't mind."  He finished up and went to put things int the dishwasher, starting it so Ryan wouldn't come home to a mess.  Then he led them out.  "I'll drive you in the hummer," he offered.  They nodded, getting in with him.  He locked Ryan's door behind himself, heading over to get in and drive, though he did check it over first.  He found Ian had attached a sucker cup to the roof.  "What's that?"

"Bug jammer.  Which I'm keeping."  Horatio smiled as he backed them out of the driveway and headed to the lab.  "You got to miss all the excitement of Amanda nearly destroying the building."

"Stephni pouted and said that it was her job to destroy it," Charlie quipped.

Horatio laughed.  "I'm sure if they're going to blow it up when the new one is built that it's going to be quite funny."   It only took a few minutes before they got to the lab, letting him park in the parking garage this time.  He got them out and inside, nodding at the security people.  "Is Mac in yet?"

"Conference one, Horatio.  Wolfe and Sanders are in Wolfe's lab.  Juliette is walking George around in the garden area so she can be around grass apparently.  Or she's climbed another tree with her to give her a better view."

"We were at dinner when Ryan got the genius look," Ian told him, walking Charlie on.  "Thanks, man."

"Welcome.  Oh, Doctor Hawkes is up, Charlie.  He wanted to if you wanted tapes from some neuro symposium?"  Charlie beamed and went to conference one with Horatio.  "Bug jammer, Agent Edgerton?"

"Can't I have the toy?"

"We'll get you a full pack of toys of your own," he promised.  Ian handed that one over, heading to find Charlie.  "Remind him to call his father."

"I will."  He found the groups together.  "Charlie, don't forget you're video chatting your father."

"I won't."  He grinned at Sheldon.  "Did anything new come up?"

"Quite a bit."  He handed over the DVD set.  "Here you go.  I told the presenter I knew a math person who was helping map out neuro conductors.  Those are his lectures and a few others he had taped."  Charlie hugged him and bounced off to watch them.  Sheldon smiled at Ian.  "I like making others happy."

"You gave him work for *months*," he assured him.  "You should see Wolfe's body controller and the ideas they spawneds."  He walked out, going to follow Charlie to their suite.  He was already watching one of the DVD's.  "Don't forget to call home."

"I won't," he said absently, making notes on one of his chalk boards.  This one was lap sized.  Ian put down a new box of chalk since he was nearly out, getting a smile for it.  He knew Ian would turn the DVD off on him if he forgot to call home.  He wasn't going to keep nagging.  Twice was his limit.

Horatio smiled at Mac.  "Apparently we missed the excitement.  Amanda managed to blow up the kitchen with a rocket."

Mac laughed.  "I heard.  She gave me a sheepish look and said that lunch tomorrow was going to be from a different source."  He smiled at Sheldon and Don Flack.  "Stella said she'd come but she'd never go home.  She's hating the cool weather we've had recently."

"We don't get much of that down here," Horatio agreed, smiling and Don.  "How's my former city?"

"Doing pretty good.  Same old same old, ya know?"  Horatio nodded.  "Can we take the tour or are we waiting on someone?"

"Probably one of the ladies."  Horatio got up to look out at the guard.  "Who's giving the tour?"

"We had planned on Sanders and Wolfe, but they're deep in something to do with scent and touch memory.  I've tried Tiff, Stephni, and Helena.  They're all grunting back.  Give me another ten, Lieutenant."  He got a nod and Horatio sat back down.  He called upstairs again. "Tiff, hold on."  He buzzed in the newcomer.  "Agent DiNozzo.  Down for the demo?"

"I am," he agreed happily.  "Is anyone here?"

"They're all at the grunting stage."  He put the phone back against his ear.  "Agent DiNozzo's here, Tiff.  Also, the group for the tour?  Taylor and his group plus Horatio?"  He smiled and hung up.  "She'll drag Stephni away from the final weapons test."  That got a smile from Tony.  "The others are in conference one."  Tiff came off the elevator and pounced him, pushing him against a wall to cuddle him.  "Okay, or not.  Stephni, the others are in conference one."

"Why can't Ryan?"

"He and Greg are together.  Juliette has George somewhere in hydroponics."

She whimpered, shaking her head.  "Okay."  She walked into the conference room, weathering the stunned look Don and Sheldon gave her. "Yes, we dress like this every day."

Horatio nodded.  "She has in my lab too.  Many men have drooled."

She pinched him on the arm.  "Of course they have.  I'm worth it.  Come on, boys.  We'll see if we can talk Juliette and George out of hydroponics on the way."

"Juliette apparently likes George," Horatio told her.  "She was petting her through dinner."

"Awww.  I bet that was cute."  She pinched him again giving him  a smile.  "Keep up, Flack.  You can stare at my ass later."

"I think I've got the perfect view right now," he admitted.  "We weren't waiting on anyone else, right?"

"Speed's asscheek deep in a test," Tiff called between kisses.  "Lab?"

"Wherever you want," he promised.  She drug him off to her lab and the hammock in there.   That way she could show off her new brilliant ideas and he could be even more impressed.

Mac hid his smile.  "They're adorable."

"They are," Stephni agreed, pinching him. "Young lust."  She got them into the rear areas.  "This is our computer and physical testing area.  The big stuff that'll need crated up and drug out of here. Our bikes are in room three."  She opened the door, letting them see it running on a treadmill type system.  "We're doing an endurance test.  It is a fully chemical based engine.  It's low emission.  It's got great fuel milage.  And I designed the weapons," she said happily.  "I can take over modern Russia with it."  She walked them on.  "This is our computer core center.  All the teacher applications are run from the other lab but this is our local hub and where we put things in for people like Greg and Ryan."   She opened a door, peeking in. "This was where we did the ballistics demo the last time.  Right now it looks like Sal's measuring the elapsed time on her new bouncy ball."

"Sixteen hours and still going," she called.  "Shut the door before it escapes and no one can find it."

"Okay.  Watch out for Juliette and George."  She closed it and led them to the nearer elevator so they could go up.  "The second floor are personal labs, both biochem and mechanical.  Most of the labs are on this floor.  Hydroponics is also on this floor so we've got to hunt the helper chimp and the rabbit if they're not back with Ryan and Greg."

Horatio coughed.  "Greg told someone that Amanda suggested he store seed," he said quietly.

"Oh, yeah.  We want to have the chance of it if something happens and Greg blows himself up."  He smiled at that.  "We've had Ryan's for years, Horatio.   We can get new samples though.  We have no idea if increased IQ changes semen in any way."  She led them around, peeking in on Ryan and Greg. "Pookie, are the evil genius pets back yet?" she called.

"No," Greg called.  "Juliette!  Bring George back please!  She's got to use her litterbox soon!"

"They were in hydroponics the last time I knew," she admitted, heading that way with the group and Greg following.  They found George bunny-stroking around a lettuce and carrot growing tub and Juliette eating an apple from a tree.  "Hungry, kids?"

Greg gathered the pets, not minding that George was sopping wet.  She gathered the food they were nibbling and took it back with them, helping him put them into the deluxe bunny hatch in here.

"I thought the one at Ryan's was huge," Horatio said.

Ryan beamed.  "That was my initial design.  I scaled it down for at home.  This one has four sets of automatic doors, including a biohazard setting so if I do something stupid she's safe.  It's linked to the automated alarm."

They got to look at the bunny hatch and the little robot that Don accidentally released coming out to search out dropped poop.  Don giggled at it, but it did work very well then went back into his lower chamber once he had bumped into the litterbox and dumped his load.  George went to dump his own load then hopped back up to sit and let Juliette feed him stuff.

"It's only right that they're friends since you two are," Horatio said, smiling at the boys, who grinned back.  "Behave today.  Remember, he is on shift tomorrow, Gregory."

"Yes, Horatio.  I'll try really hard."  That got a nod and they walked the group out, letting Greg grin at Ryan. "Do you chronically call off for days in here?"

"No.  I think I've done it once.  We've got a few of us going to the demo so we're going to be short."

"Ah.  That makes more sense."  His phone rang.  "Speak to the great one," he said.  "Hey, Grissom.  Miami.  Bike demonstration," he said dryly.  "I gave you the form last week?"  He found it on his desk. "Yeah, that one.  Maybe you should ask Ecklie for an assistant who's not me in a skirt, Griss.  That would keep you from doing all the paperwork."  He heard the comment and looked at the pets.  "Actually, Juliette is biting off pieces of her apple that she picked in hydroponics and is feeding them to Ryan's evil genius bunny George.  The two ladies get along fabulously."  He smirked at Ryan.  "Well, we are together.  It's either we're in the lab or we're getting drunk, Griss.  Which do you want?"  He hung up on the spluttering.  "I think he'd rather we get drunk, but oh well.  This could be helpful in repression cases."  They got to work again, devising a way to unblock scent and touch memory for recall purposes.  "Did they ask you to store sperm?"

"I've had some stored for the last few years.  Stephni demanded.  Said I was going to drive myself nuts with the OCD and she wanted the untainted stuff stored for posterity and future generations.  They just asked you?"

"Amanda did a few days back."

"Huh.  I guess she thought you'd do it the natural way with how many girls you get."

"Babe, I get *all* the chicks," Greg said fondly, smirking at him.  "That's what the evil genius mojo is for."

"I guess that's why I got hit on the other day at a scene.  I've been repressing mine so I don't warp my coworkers."

Greg snickered, giving him a hug.  "I have to let mine out or they'd never unstiffen at work.  Sarah would be unbearable if I didn't."  They grinned at each other and got back to work, though Greg did pull out the bottle of tequila.  The last time they had done this stuff, some amazing stuff had come out of it, but it was all stored safely away from humanity before they destroyed the planet.

TBC...