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Detective Mac Taylor sat behind his desk and studied the man in front of him. Spiky brown hair, piercing blue eyes behind a pair of glasses and sun-tanned skin. He wasn't an old man, late twenties or early thirties, but there was something with the kid that made him seem older than he was. Maybe it was the aura of concealed awareness, like he was ready for anything anytime. Maybe it was the hint of something in his eyes. Like those eyes had seen more than they should have seen. The conclusion was that there were something with the kid he just couldn't place.
«It's in your file that you were in the Army?» Mac started the interview.
«Yes sir. Staff Sergeant Danny Messer, 303rd Logistical Studies Unit.» the young man quickly answered.
«There is no need to sir me, this interview will go a lot smother for the both of us if you just call me Mac.»
The young man gave him a apologetic smile. «Sorry Mac. Integrated habit I have almost managed to get rid off.» Mac knew all about that. He had also gone trough a similar period when he left the Marines.
«Don't worry about it. As long as you don't make it an habit we will be okay. Why don't you tell me why you want to become a CSI?»
«My time was up and I had to make a decision if I wanted to make a career in the military or do something else. And I couldn't picture my entire life doing paperwork for the military. I wanted to do something where I could help people. Make a difference. And I remembered that I always admired and wanted to be a cop as a child. I have also been interested in science most of my life. My CO sat down with me one day and we talked about my plans. He also know about my geeky side and told me about you and what you were doing here. He promised me that if I busted my ass in the Academy and graduated among the top ten he would recommend me for a job here.» Messer shrugged and gave Mac a loop sided grin. «And here I am.»
«And who was your CO?» Mac asked out of curiosity.
«Colonel Tom Ryan. And I think you are the only Jarhead I have heard him speak nicely of.» Whatever Mac had thought he had seen in the ex-soldier's eyes was gone now, maybe it hadn't been there in the first place, and instead replaced with humor.
«Ryan? He's a Colonel now? Good for him. Somehow I can't place him behind a desk.» The short laugh that erupted from the young man on the other side of his desk brought Mac back from his memories.
«He said something similar when he found our you were the Head Investigator.» Messer explained before Mac had the chance to ask what was so funny. «And the Colonel is in perfect health, he just got promoted.» He answered another question Mac had wanted to ask, but thought would be out of line.
«It's over a year since you graduated. If Colonel Ryan had promise to lay in a word for you then why haven't I heard anything sooner?» Mac continued his professional talk. After hearing how Danny had ended up where he was now this was a question that would tell him much about the man in front of him.
«Ask the Colonel if he could wait a little while before keeping his word. Wanted to spend some time on the streets. Wanted to know what it was like. Didn't want to jump right into a CSI position. Thought I would learn a great deal about how things work on the streets.» Messer shrugged, looking for more words, but finally settling for what he had said.
«And did you?»
«Yes.» That hint in his eyes was back, but Mac still could not figure out what it was.
Mac stood up, ending their little chat where he had gotten to know his new CSI better. Most of the stuff they had talked about had been in Messer's file, but it was something different to be told about it from the man himself.
«You are on one month probation, but unless you do a terrible blunder in that time I see no problem in giving you a full time job here Messer. Why don't you come with me and I'll introduce you to your new colleagues?» The last part was more of an statement than a question.
«Sounds good Mac, only one thing; My name, it's Danny.» Danny gave Mac a small smile. «One benefit being a civilian is that I like to use my first name more than my last name. And as you probably know in this city the Messer name tends to have a bad reputation.»
Before Mac had a chance to find a good answer to that they were out in the hall way where Stella and the rest of his team was curiously waiting to find out who the man he had been talking to in his office for the past hour had been.
«Danny. This is Stella Bonasera, Raymond Tram and Fiona Walker. Guys this is Danny Messer, our new CSI. Take good care of him and teach him all you know.» Mac saw the chief coming over to talk with him and he couldn't help the groan that managed to get out. «Looks like I have some fun to take care off. Stella do you mind...?»
Stella grin grew bigger and she stepped up do Danny and hooked her arm with his. «Don't worry Boss. Danny is safe with me and I'll show him where everything is.» Mac knew that Danny had seen Stella's grin and that he had correctly interpreted is as a promise that the Greek woman would interrogate him while she showed him around, but the humor in his eyes also told him that the native New Yorker didn't mind. He didn't seem the slightest bit surprised. On the other hand Danny knew Stella was a detective and his new co worker so Mac shouldn't be surprised that his new subordinate was prepared for multiple questionings.