Contamination.
The house looked like any other from the outside. Apart from the police cars and yellow tape around the perimeter. Inside was a large entrance hall with a thick rug leading into the house. On the rug were chintzy flowers and years of muddy feet. On the ingrained dirt was a soggy pool of blood and the body of Mrs Dalgety.
Grissom, Greg and Nick ducked under the crime scene tape and approached the house. The chill was palpable as they stepped out of the blazing sun and into the shadow of the house.
"Ok Greg" said Grissom "until David arrives, you can't touch the body. But you can process the area and see what you might want to get a better look at later."
"Sure thing. Look but don't touch" said Greg. It hadn't been in the field long, but he was a fast learner. He knew what to look for and was trusted to get the best information from a body before it was taken away. Grissom tried to catch Greg's eye but he turned his head. Hiding his bruised cheekbone.
"Nick, why don't you take the stairs and the hallway. I'm going to take a look upstairs."
"Yup, you got it." Nick replied.
Grissom set off up the stairs, walking carefully. Nick and Greg set to work in the hallway. Greg wasn't phased by the body, but stepping closer to it he smelled something that turned his stomach.
Nick was at the end of the hallway shining a powerful torch along the walls and the floor, looking for anything that could help.
"Hey Greg, what was that all about with you and Warrick yesterday?"
"You mean you didn't hear all the grizzly details around the lab this morning?" bitterness seeping through his voice.
"I don't listen to gossip, I listen to my friends. Warrick said you tried to hit him."
Greg didn't look up from the body on the floor.
"I guess that's what happened yeah"
"Why man? What could he have done?"
"He said some things he shouldn't have. He has a hot temper you know."
"And I didn't know you had too. I don't think I've ever seen you get angry."
Greg didn't reply. He just slowly knelt down to look at the victim's face. It looked like he was in pain.
"So what was it?" Nick asked
"What was what?" Greg was slightly irritated about the interrogation.
"What did Warrick way to get you so mad?"
"Well if I told you I'd just get mad again wouldn't I"
"Hmm" was all Nick replied.
He was worried about Greg today. When he came into work rumours of Warrick and Greg having an argument and throwing punches were flying around the lab. He went to the locker room and saw Greg in the corner tying his shoes. A dark red bruise was visible on the side of his face. Figuring Greg probably came off worse he decided to talk to Warrick.
"Hey man" he greeted Warrick as he walked into the break room. Warrick was sitting at the table with a newspaper and a steaming mug in his hand.
"Hey there how's it going." Warrick asked.
"I heard something happened yesterday and I saw Greg's face" Nick got straight to the point.
Warrick leaned back and looked Nick in the eye.
"I know it looks bad but honestly he went crazy at me."
"Why? Why did he 'go crazy' He looks awful man."
"I probably better not tell you. Don't take it personally, it's just something Greg probably wouldn't want me talking about. You know."
"Well it must have been something big, I've never known Greg to get violent. Why did you have to hit him?"
"I'm telling you he freaked out. He went for me, and I mean full throttle. It was a sharp left hook and a kick to the ribs or have my throat torn out"
"You kicked him too?" Nick was shocked. He imagined Greg gasping in pain and Warrick landing a foot into his ribs.
"Like I said, he was gunning for me."
"Well I'm in the field with him in half an hour, I'll talk to him then."
Greg leaned in close to the victim's lifeless cold face. He seemed to be smelling something.
"Warrick said he kicked you too" said Nick.
Greg stopped what he was doing and stood up. He looked angry. Just then Grissom came back down the stairs.
"Nobody go up there, it's covered in footprints. I'm just going to get some more equipment to get a better look."
"Ok, sure" said Nick.
Greg and Nick stood in silence until Grissom had left. Then Greg turned to face Nick head on. The bruise on his face practically glowing in the half light.
"What is this? We had an argument, that's it. What is it any business of yours?" Nick was taken aback but apparently getting angry was the new Greg.
"I'm worried about you man, I want to know what would make you try to attack Warrick."
"He attacked Me! Did he not tell you that himself? Why is it my fault?"
"Yes, he did. He also told me you went for him first. That you freaked out. I'm worried that there's something going on that you aren't telling me."
"There's a lot I don't tell you Nick."
"Ok. Fine, just talk to me if you want to ok G?"
Greg's answer was little more than a mumble. Both men went back to their work with less enthusiasm than before. Nick was examining the skirting boards for blood and Greg was back down next to the cold face of Mrs Dalgety.
A few minutes later Greg took out his cell phone and scrolled through the address book. Finding the number he wanted, he pressed dial.
"Hello?"
"Hi David it's Greg"
"Greg, I'm on my way it's ok. Just don't touch the body I'll be there as soon as I can get past this jam."
"No, no its not that, I just have a question for you."
"Ok, shoot"
"Well I'm looking at the victim and there's a distinct smell coming off her."
"What kind of smell?"
"It's like vinegar but a bit orangey. There's also some sort of mould on her eyes. Is this something we need to be swabbing when you get here or is it some sort of weird dead body thing that just happens?"
There was a pause on the other end.
"Hello?"
"What kind of a mould?" David's voice was a little shakey.
"I don't know, it's kind of black and nobbly."
"And the smell is like vinegar?"
"But orangey yeah."
There was another pause.
"David?"
"Yes, I'm here. I need you to listen very carefully. I need you to step away from the body and hold still. Don't go anywhere. Someone will call you back" and with that David hung up.
Greg stepped away from the body and backed slowly down the hall examining his hands.
"What are you doing?" asked Nick.
"David said to get away from the body."
"What? Why?"
"I guess it was the black mould." Nick raised his eyebrows. He looked from the body to Greg's face. This might be serious. They both backed down to the end of the hall into the kitchen and waited.
Warrick was in the morgue with Doc Robbins going over the body of a young mountain biker.
"I heard you had a fight with our Greg" said the Doc.
"If one more person asks me about that, I'm going to be throwing some more punches!" Al opened his mouth to chastise his colleague but was interrupted by the phone ringing.
"Well I hope I'm not next is all" said Al before picking up the receiver.
"Yes… David hello… what?… that sounds about right… did anyone go near the body?… no, that's not enough, if it has started to spore, it will be airborne and that stuff can rot the flesh off an elephant before it hits the ground…. Ok well who is there now?… Grissom left? Well he will have to be quarantined…. Nick and Greg, nobody else went in?… Tell them to get as far away from the body as possible then stay put."
Warrick's jaw dropped.
Grissom was standing by the trunk of his car when a police officer approached. He was walking slowly with one arm out as though to shield himself. Grissom just looked at the officer and raised one eyebrow.
"I'm sorry sir, I'm going to have to ask you to follow me." He said.
"Why exactly do I have to follow you?"
"We have a possible contamination and you are going to have to be quarantined immediately."
"What's contaminated? With what?"
"There is a possible biological contaminant in the house, sir, but please, just follow me right now!"
"What about Nick and Greg?"
"They are to stay in the house for now until further orders."
"You're going to leave them in there?"
"As far as I know, nothing is to go into or out of that house until further orders. Please, just come this way."
Grissom reluctantly followed the officer who was keeping a large distance between them. He hoped Nick and Greg would be taken care of.
Greg sat on a high stool at the counter in the kitchen looking at his hands. Nick stood by the back door looking out into the sunshine. Neither of them said a word. Nick had gone over the room for evidence but found nothing of importance. All they could do was wait.
Nick approached the counter where Greg sat.
"Hey Greg, are you ok?" he asked.
"Sure, just dandy." Greg replied insincerely.
"I mean it, what's eating you? I've never known you to be this…. this… depressed" Nick looked down at Greg's hands which had bitten, dirty nails and were unsteadily picking at the counter. Small scratches covered his knuckles.
Greg sensed him looking and put his hands under the table.
"I've just had a lot going on, you know. And that thing with Warrick sent me over the edge." Greg said, trying to be honest but not give too much away.
"Weren't you off last week? Something to do with that?"
"Yeah, I just had some things to do, places to be." He said, shifting slightly on the stool.
Just then Greg's phone's shrill ring cut through the conversation.
"Yup?" he answered. "Right….. But isn't that a bit stupid? I mean that's the thing we weren't supposed to do right?" Nick looked quizzically at him. Greg kept talking. "Well I guess so….. I reckon I better do it since I got closest before, I mean Nick wasn't really that close, I was right in her face….." Nick was looking worried. "Ok, just talk me through it…." Greg started to leave the kitchen but Nick interrupted the phone conversation.
"Greg, wait what are you doing?"
Greg covered the phone with the palm of his hand.
"I have to take some samples from the body so they can find out what's growing on it."
"Can't we just get hazmat out here and leave? If it's as dangerous as all that we shouldn't be here."
"It's because it might be that dangerous that we can't leave here. What if they came in with their magical suits only to find it's not enough. They need to know what's growing on the body before they can do anything."
"I'll come with you then." Said Nick.
"It's best if you don't. I already got as close as I could get. If I'm already doomed, there's no point in you being doomed too."
"If you're doomed, so am I anyway, I've been sat in here with you for about half an hour."
Greg thought about this for a second. Then a muffled voice from the phone made him get moving.
"Sure, David I'm here. Nick's going to come along too."
Nick nodded and followed Greg into the hallway. The smell from the body was almost overpowering now. It was acidic but sweet and would have turned the hardiest of stomachs. As they walked towards the body, the extent of the mould was obvious. Thick black crusty looking growths covered the victim's face and extended down the neck under her clothes. Nick and Greg had to take a moment to get a breath before going any nearer.
"Hey David, this black stuff has grown…." Greg said into the phone. "How far? Well It's gone under the clothes and I'm not so excited about peeping under there…. Oh god you want me to do what?"
Greg took a pair of gloves and pulled them on tightly. Nick stood in silent support of his young friend as he knelt down painfully and pulled back the blackened eyelids. Greg gagged at the sight underneath. He then took a swab and scraped it in the black goo that trickled out from underneath. He coughed a few times then came back to the phone. "Ok, This lady better just be allergic to cat fur coz I do not want to end up like this! ….. Oh, no way. Dude you owe me one after this."
Greg propped the phone back between his ear and his shoulder as he took out a small knife. He cut into the thick black crust and took out a sizeable chunk of flesh. "Ok you asshole, you better work the hardest you ever worked on this coz I don't want to be here one more second!"
Greg double sealed then triple sealed the samples then dropped them through the letterbox onto the doorstep for someone to whisk away to the lab.
"Now we wait?" asked Nick.
"Now we wait."
Warrick was helping Al Robbins to check all his medical journals for the suspected virus. If Al's suspicions were correct, his friends wouldn't have long before their breathing slowed, they started hallucinating and their organs would shut down. He had called the rest of the team and was trying his hardest but the medical journals were so complicated and his eyes were beginning to blur. He was scared for his friends and was hoping Al was wrong about the whole thing. So far, Grissom was completely fine, held in some quarantine room somewhere. If he was fine, maybe the others would be too.
In the kitchen of the house, Nick and Greg both sat at the kitchen counter. Waiting for news. Greg's eyes were heavy. The last week had been so hard he was exhausted and in pain.
"Well, are you?" Asked Nick.
"Am I what?"
"Ok. I asked if you were Ok, you look pale."
"I'm just tired, it's fine." Said Greg.
"You don't look fine."
Greg was staring at his hands again.
"He said something about male rape."
"What?" Nick asked.
"Warrick." Replied Greg. "He was making comments about male rape."
"But why…." Realisation crossed Nick's face. "Oh Greg."
"So I was gunning for him it's true."
"When?"
"Yesterday."
"No, when was the rape?"
"Oh." Greg's eyes were really trying to close now.
"I guess it doesn't matter when does it."
"I guess not. Just thought. You know."
The pair sat in silence with a big awkward piece of information filling the table between them. Greg folded his arms on the table and laid his head down.
"Not much air in here don't you think?" he mumbled through his arms.
Nick, who was feeling fine, leaned in to Greg's face and placed a hand on his forehead. He felt hot. Greg had closed his eyes.
"Hey Greggo what are you doing? Come one, sit up you're on duty."
Greg just mumbled something and sat still. His breathing was becoming deeper.
"Greg! Hey, come on man" Nick shook Greg's shoulder roughly. Greg just groaned and screwed his eyes tighter.
Nick grabbed Greg's phone off the desk and dialled Doc Robbins. He wasn't prepared for Warrick to answer.
"Warrick? What are you doing?" asked Nick
"I'm helping the Doc, trying to get some information about this virus. What's going on, are you ok?"
"I'm fine, but Greg doesn't look so good"
Warrick hissed air through his teeth.
"Where's the Doc?" asked Nick
"He's fetching some more books, he'll be back in a second."
"Good, I'm worried about Greg, he look's really sick."
"Ah, shit. Yeah, he'll be one second. Hey, I don't suppose Greg has said much about yesterday to you has he?"
"Yeah, he told me what happened. He told me what you were talking about I mean."
"That's good. I hoped he would."
"I don't think he wanted to. He is pretty out of it."
"I didn't say anything bad you know. Just thinking things through. I had no idea." Warrick said, as if in apology.
"People often don't have any idea."
"Do you think he'll be ok?"
"Well that depends on how fast the lab is working." replied Nick
"No, I mean the other thing."
"Oh. Um, Well I never knew about it before so I reckon he is dealing."
"Oh, man. You never knew about it before because it happened last week." Warrick said sadly.
Nick looked down at Greg. So pale. Breathing hard. So vulnerable. He didn't want to think about him fighting for his life, fighting off some attacker. Only to come to work hurt and scared and hear someone talking about something so raw and personal. A film of sweat was forming on Greg's forehead.
"Hey man, the Doc's here now, I'll put him on." Warrick interrupted Nick's thoughts.
"Hey Doc, Greg looks sick." Nick said urgently. "He's kind of out of it. It looks like he is having trouble breathing." Nick gazed over his friend slumped on the counter. "No, he's not cold, he feels hot. He's sweating." Nick listened to the Doctor's advice on the other end intently. "Ok, I'll try, hang on."
He placed a hand on Greg's shoulder and shook him hard. "Greg hey man come on wake up!" He yelled into his ear. Greg made a small response but it couldn't even be called a mumble. "He's trying to respond but I can't make out what he's saying." Nick leaned close to Greg's face and carefully pulled back his eyelid. "His eyes pupils are pinpoints! Jesus, is he really sick? Is he going to turn out like the body in the hallway?" Al tried to calm him down and give advice but without the test results, there wasn't much they knew about what was happening to Greg.
"Ok, I'll do that and call you back in half an hour. Is Grissom ok? Do you know where he is?…. Oh that's good. I don't suppose they'll be letting him out anytime soon though?…. Ok well call me with any news at all. Anything!…. Sure, Ok bye." Nick hung up and turned to Greg who had firmly closed his eyes and was now gasping for breath.
"I'm sorry buddy, I'm going to have to move you down here ok?" Nick put an arm around Greg's waist and pulled his arm over his own shoulder. He pulled Greg off the counter and laid him on the floor so he would be able to get more air into his lungs. He then undid the top buttons of Greg's shirt. There wasn't even an effort of response now, just gasping and a rapidly draining colour.
Warrick heard only half of the Doctor's conversation with Nick. By the instructions he was giving it didn't sound good at all.
"What's going on?" He asked once Al had hung up.
"Greg is getting sick. He is having trouble breathing and is pretty non responsive."
"What's happening? Does he have this virus we are looking for?"
"I'm not sure, Nick said he was burning up, but I would expect the opposite."
"Could it be anything else? Is there something else that could have happened to him that would cause this?"
"Well that's pretty unlikely since it's come on so fast it must have been something really recent."
"Like last week?"
"What are you getting at Warrick?"
"Well I don't think he'd want me to tell you unless I had to."
"Warrick. If you know anything at all you better tell me right now!"
Warrick looked down at the text book on the table. He didn't know Al that well and knew that Greg would be pissed if he knew he was betraying his friendship. But it had to be done. What if it was important?
"He was raped last week."
Al didn't seem taken aback at all.
"Well with a shock like that, the body can react in strange ways. It can take time to respond and react."
"So could it be related?"
"I'm not sure without seeing him and without getting these test results back. All we can do is keep reading and getting all the information we can."
"Ok, we keep reading. It feels pretty useless though." Warrick wished he could be there with his friends helping out in some way. But he knew if he went down to the scene, all he would be able to do is stand outside and look at the front door.
"And that information is private ok?" He said. He didn't want to make common knowledge of Greg's life.
"Sure" Al nodded understandingly.
On the kitchen floor, Nick was talking quietly to Greg, hoping he could hear what he was saying. A shrill sound made him jump. His own phone was ringing this time.
"Hello?"
"Nick, it's Grissom. What's going on, are you guys ok?"
"Grissom! Where are you?"
"I'm still in quarantine but they did get me a phone - after a lot of hassle."
"Are you ok? You aren't sick or anything?"
"I'm fine. What about you guys? You aren't still trying to process the scene I hope."
"Not exactly."
"How do you not exactly process a scene?"
"Not exactly ok."
"What? What's wrong?"
"It's Greg. He's sick."
"What's wrong?" Grissom sounded panicked.
"He cant breathe."
"Can you put him on?"
"No, he can't talk either. He's burning up Grissom. He looks awful."
"Did you call Doc Robbins?"
"Yeah, I talked to him but he doesn't have many answers until they know what's going on with that virus."
Grissom wiped a hand over his face. He was stuck in a sterile little room while his team was suffering out in the field in a rotting virus ridden house.
"Where's Greg now? Are you with him?"
"Yeah we're both in the kitchen. Greg's on the floor. He got right up to the body you know. He had to touch it too. He had gloves but who knows if that even did any good. I should have said something. I shouldn't have let him get that close."
Nick put his hand on Greg's chest. His breathing was slightly easier now but he still looked awful.
"I was the one who told him to look at the body Nick. Don't start feeling guilty. Greg needs you to be strong."
Nick knew there was another reason why Greg should have been taken more care of but didn't want to mention it. It wasn't his place to talk about it.
Greg was starting to move. He looked like he was trying to get away from something in a dream. His muscles tensed and his breathing was quickening yet more.
"Grissom I'm going to go, Greg's getting worse. I'll keep in touch." With that Nick hung up.
"Hey Greg what are you doing?" Nick tried to sooth the younger man by putting his hand on his forehead. It felt hot and raw.
"Greg? Hey man don't freak out on me!"
He decided to help keep Greg cool by taking off his shirt.
"I'm just trying to cool you down ok? Just keep calm." he reached down and carefully undid the buttons on Greg's shirt, slowly revealing a chest that looked bruised and sore. Nick took a deep breath, feeling sick at the thought of his friend being in so much pain. He pulled off the shirt completely and couldn't help but examine Greg's body, looking at the bruises and marks. There was one large round mark on his ribs presumably from where Warrick had kicked him. There were also older marks and a surprising amount of scars.
"Oh Greggo what's been happening to you?" He traced a hand over Greg's stomach where there was a deep but obviously old scar running across.
Nick decided to give the Doc another call.
"Hi Nick, are you ok? Is Greg any better?"
"No, he seems to be in pain, his whole body is tense, he's shaking all over."
"Yes, I expected that. It means he is fighting."
"So that's a good thing?"
"Actually, it means he does have some sort of aggressive virus like I thought."
"How come I haven't got sick yet? I've been with him all this time and if it got him this quick how am I still fine?"
"Greg wasn't born in the States right?"
"Um, no I think he was born in Sweden and he came over with his mom when he was a kid. What does that have to do with the virus?"
"It's just an idea I have, but the childhood inoculations are different in each country. The drugs they use and the diseases they treat can vary. The victim in the house was brought up in Finland and the only other similar cases were with people from Northern European countries."
"So you know what it is? That's great!"
"Well, not quite. It is the virus I thought it was, but has some properties nobody expected."
"What does that mean?" Nick was getting frustrated.
"It means it has mutated. It means you have to keep holding on until we can do a couple more tests."
"No, no way. You should see Greg. He is in a state, I don't know what to do for him."
"Just keep him cool, try to get some water into him and let me know if anything changes."
"Ok, but you better be working damn hard on a cure."
"Nothing less." Replied the Doctor.
"Is Warrick still there? Can you put him on?"
"Sure, he's still here." Nick took a deep breath as Al handed the phone over.
"Nick? Are you guys ok?"
"No we aren't. I saw what you did to Greg, there's a decent size twelve welt on his ribs." Nick was spitting anger. Warrick wished he could trade places with Greg right now. Anything to make it up to him.
"Ah, shit."
"Yeah, shit. You knew what happened to him, you knew what state he was in but you had to take it too far and kick him down.
"I know, I went too far. But he was in a rage, I've never seen him like that."
"And you've never seen these scars on his chest."
"Oh my god."
Nick shook his head, still stroking Greg's face, trying to keep him calm.
"Well I've got to go now, I need to take care of Greg."
"I'm sorry man." said Warrick.
"Tell that to Greg."
-tbc-
So what do you think? Yes, I went overboard on the phone calls and the whole Sweden thing was a stretch! But I'm just ploughing through this, I don't have a plan so any suggestions of where to take it? Any ideas at all are more than welcome!