DISCLAIMER: "CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION" and other related entities are owned, (TM) and (c) by ANTHONY E. ZUIKER, JERRY BRUCKHEIMER Television, CBS Worldwide Inc., Alliance Atlantis Corporation, CSI Productions and CBS Productions, All Rights Reserved. This is a purely an outlet of creative writing inspired by a superb TV series. The character of Iris King is my own creation.
A/N: A phone call Jim receives sets in motion a chain of events that threatens what he holds dearest and from a source he can't fathom.
Acknowledgements: "I Would've Loved You Anyway", sung by Trisha Yearwood, written by Mary Danna and Troy Verges. "As If", sung by Sara Evans, written by Hillary Lindsey, John Shanks, Sara Schelske. "I'd Rather Miss You," sung by Little Texas, written by Dwayne K. O'Brien, Porter Howell. "Watching Airplanes", sung by Gary Allan, written by Jonathan Singleton, James M. Beavers. Beta assistance from Joan P. and sounding board from Mel O. appreciated and couldn't do it without them.
Dedication: To Beaujolais whose question of could I write this type of story was its genesis.
Episode Influences: "Ellie. Hollywood Brass. Way to Go."
Rated: T
"C-H-O-I-C-E-S"
CHAOS
A bet gone bad topped off his night as Brass finished talking to the young patrolman who'd been first to the scene of a quadruple 419 at the Pool Shark Billiards-n-Bar on South Decatur. The place had been in the process of closing when all hell had broken loose. Making some more notes, he looked up to see Nick, Sara and Iris walking in with kits in hand. He could appreciate Grissom promptly sending out his CSIs and grinned slightly upon seeing Iris. The fact they were seriously dating was hard to see when they were at a crime scene together.
"Hey, Nick, over here!" Brass called out to them.
"Jim, Grissom told us we had a quadruple homicide tonight so he sent the three of us," Nick said in his Texan drawl.
"So what's the scoop?" Sara asked confidentially as she nudged Iris while Nick talked to Brass.
"Scoop?" Iris replied casually as she looked in her kit, presumably to make sure she had everything. Sara shook her head slightly; Iris never came to a scene without a completely stocked investigation kit.
"Come on, girl, you're not one to feign ignorance now," Sara persisted.
"JB hasn't asked me if that's what you mean but I can wait," Iris said after several moments.
"Patience, he'll come through. You got him hook, line and sinker. It's just taking a little longer to reel him in all the way," Sara reassured her as they walked over to Nick and Jim.
"Evening, ladies," Jim said with quick wink at Iris.
"What you got for us tonight, Brass?" Sara asked with a nod at the pool hall.
"Kind of a tossed salad in there for you guys. There was a little wager on a pool game that went south. Two guys were shooting a game and a wager was made, but a kiss shot came into dispute. Tempers flared and we're still sorting out what all happened. End result was a melee with two men shot, a woman stabbed, and another guy with a cue stick through the chest," Brass summarized from his notes.
"Let's get in there," Nick told Sara and Iris as he headed inside.
As Iris passed Brass, she gave him a slight smile as their fingertips brushed but he suddenly seized her hand. Her large brown eyes widened fractionally as she looked up at him with a questioning expression.
"We need to talk, hon, 'cause I want to run something past you," Jim whispered into her ear.
"Sure, call me later, pet," Iris agreed before following Nick and Sara inside.
X X X X X
A low groan came from the bed as the alarm clock went off at 4:00 a.m. A hand fumbled over it, seeking the snooze setting to silence the shrill buzzing. Her eyes felt glued shut as she rubbed at them and yawned groggily, feeling a sticky wetness as her hands touched her cheeks. She had to pee in the worst way and sat up slowly as her eyes adjusted to the dark room. The urge to go to the bathroom now was critical as her feet slid to the floor and felt carpet and not the cool tile floor of her bedroom. Had she fallen asleep in her guest bedroom again? Mumbling that her memory was slipping, she got up and headed to the bathroom, stubbing her toe on a post of the bed and eliciting a quiet swear word at the resulting discomfort.
Opening the bathroom door, the light switch was not where she thought it was and again she wondered if she was awake or dreaming. Her fingers finally found the switch and upon seeing her reflection in the vanity mirror, a soundless wail of terror came from the pale apparition reflected tracked with clotted dark red smears. Glancing down, she found she was nude with the same redness congealed all over her torso and arms and legs. Her purse was on the floor by the toilet as she sank down by it, her body shaking as she felt disoriented and nauseous. Rummaging through her purse, her hand found her cell phone as she pulled it out and flipped it open. Pushing back her long auburn hair, her eyes focused on the first phone number, the only phone number she trusted calling.
X X X X X
"Hey, Iris, eight ball in the corner pocket," Brass joked at her while she was going over the body of one male victim sprawled on the floor with the end of a pool cue protruding from the chest.
David had just released the bodies for transport to the morgue, saying that "Doc" Al Robbins was returning back from vacation none too soon.
"Funny one, hon, I'll write that one down to go in my list of Brassisms," Iris said drolly as she rolled her eyes at him before taking another series of pictures.
"The girl can't appreciate my sense of humor tonight, can she?" Jim asked Sara who was bagging a knife found by the female victim who lay on her side. Sara raised an eyebrow but merely shrugged without replying further.
"I'm getting nowhere with the fairer sex tonight, Nick," Brass wisecracked as he was handed the gun presumed used to have shot the last two male victims who lay two feet apart on the floor. Brass was well-known for having an aversion to touching a body as Nick gave him an amused look.
"Well, odds have been laid by the rest of us and Sara is sure she's going to win the kitty," Nick declared in a low voice to Brass as he stood up and took off his latex gloves after doing a preliminary check of two side-by-side victims. Nick gave Brass a cautioning look as he pointed outside.
"Sara, I gotta get something from my truck. I'll be right back," Nick told Sara as she waved him on while she and Iris continued to work the crime scene.
"Odds?" Brass asked as he followed Nick into the parking lot.
"Yeah, there's been a riding bet on with the rest of the team as to when you're gonna pop the question to Iris!" Nick exclaimed.
"Uh, does Iris know about this?" Brass stammered slightly.
"Only Sara's asked her but she's clueless about the bet," Nick assured him, "and I'm not asking for insider information here either."
"Lord knows we're serious, Nick, but marriage is a big step," Brass said quietly.
"So what's holding you up, Brass man, because I don't see her waiting forever," Nick said pointedly as he turned to head back inside.
"Trust me, Nick, she's not going to have to," Brass said firmly as his cell phone began to ring.
"Let me take this call and I'll be right in," Jim said as Nick stopped, expecting them to go back in together.
Nick watched as Jim's expression became intense as he gazed at the number displayed as he put his ear to the phone and heard a slurred voice.
"Jimmy…Jimmy…help me…I'm…I'm in trouble."
"Annie? Annie, where are you?"
"I…I…I don't know. I'm in a bathroom somewhere and it's not home. Jimmy, help me, I think I'm covered with blood!"
"Annie, sit tight and stay on the phone with me. I'll get your number traced and your location confirmed through your cell carrier."
'I don't know where my clothes are…I'm wrapped up in a towel on the toilet."
"Hang on, babe, help's on the way."
Nick looked at Brass questioningly, the name didn't register with him.
"Nick, lend me your cell phone. I'll be back in there shortly."
"Okay, Brass man," Nick replied as he reached into his pocket for the phone and handed it to Jim before he went back inside.
"Dispatch, this is Jim Brass. I need to have a number traced," Brass said before giving Annie's cell number.
"Captain Brass, the cell phone is in use and global positioning per the cell carrier places the caller in Las Vegas at the Luxor Hotel," said the dispatcher.
Brass swore out loud in astonishment as he covered part of the phone. "Thanks," Jim said before returning to his cell phone. "Annie, you're at the Luxor here in Vegas!"
"Vegas? The Luxor? That can't be! I was at my home," Annie said in bewilderment.
"Hon, go out of the bathroom to the phone by the bed. If a room number isn't on the phone, use a washcloth to pick up the phone and call the desk to see what room you're in and call me right back. Whatever you see - ignore. You call me! Get me?"
"Yeah, Jimmy."
Brass waited several tense moments before he heard Annie's voice and this time he heard her crying softly.
"Annie! Annie! Talk to me!" he demanded tersely out of concern.
"Jimmy…I'm…I'm in room 513," Annie said thickly as her voice trailed away into silence.
"Annie, come on, I'll be there in fifteen minutes," Brass assured her as he heard her sobbing again. His heart lurched to hear her distress.
"Jimmy…I'm not alone…there's someone else in here," Annie choked out finally.
"Hon, who is it?" Brass asked trying not to sound alarmed.
"V-V-Vic Patterson. Jimmy, he's been shot…he's…dead," Annie stammered tremulously.
"Don't touch anything, Annie, I'll be there fifteen minutes tops," Brass said urgently.
Nick was helping Iris and Sara dust for prints when Brass burst into the room. His face told them something had happened and it wasn't good news. Jim grabbed Iris by the arm, his grip so firm she winced. She saw his troubled features and her throat tightened. Brass handed Nick his cell phone back.
"Nick, can you two do without Iris? I need her to come with me to help with an emergency," Brass said tight-lipped.
"Sure, Brass man, I'll let Grissom know, go ahead and bolt," Nick told them.
Iris grabbed her kit up as Brass continued to hold her by the arm as they left the building. After getting into his Dodge Charger, Brass hit the gas as the tires squealed, marking his rapid exit from the parking lot.
Nick and Sara exchanged a curious look as they heard the squawk of burning rubber from outside.
"You think he's gonna propose?" Sara considered with a thin smile.
"No, more like there's something way rotten in Vegas," Nick replied as a frown knitted his eyebrows.
As he sped toward the Luxor, Brass brought Iris up to speed about the nature of the emergency call. He prayed she would understand.
"How can I help?" Iris asked softly as Brass squeezed her hand gratefully as he heard the unconditional support in her voice.
"Hey, I'm flying by the seat of my pants here but I want to make sure she's fine before I report this to homicide and Gil gets involved," Jim said emphatically as he maneuvered the Charger expertly through traffic after putting his red light and siren on. He watched Iris out of the corner of his eye as she moved in sync with movements of the car as he weaved between cars, SUVs, trucks or motorcycles.
"You scared?" Jim asked her.
"Nope, no different than riding Kyrie at a full gallop along a wooded trail dodging branches and stuff," Iris replied matter-of-factly.
Jim allowed himself a dry chuckle as he thought, "That's my Iris."
X X X X X
Ben Pierce, the night manager for the Luxor, sat in his office scratching absently at his butt before yawning again. Just another uneventful night and that was fine by him. No irate guests to contend with over trivial matters such as a loud TV in the next room or that room service wasn't fast enough or trying to calm an inebriated guest who was belligerent. The sudden strident buzzing of the phone on his desk startled him out of his half-sleepy thoughts.
"Danae, this had better be important," grumbled Ben.
"Sir, we have a situation and you're needed here right away," Danae responded.
"Be right there," sighed Ben as he got up and put on his suit jacket and straightened his tie.
Ben came up to stand beside Danae and saw her worried expression and then the two persons waiting for him. He cleared his throat. "I'm Ben Pierce, the night manager, how may I be of assistance?"
Jim showed his badge to the curious manager. "I'm Captain Jim Brass of the LPVD and Investigator Iris King from the crime lab. We're responding to a tip of a possible crime and, discretion being the better part of valor, need your card key to gain entrance to room 513 right now."
"Absolutely, Captain Brass, the Luxor is always happy to accommodate the LVPD, but I'll need to accompany you," Ben insisted as he promptly found the card key and gave it to Jim.
"Of course, Mr. Pierce, your prompt assistance is appreciated," said Jim as he stressed the word prompt.
"Miss, do you have a hotel robe?" Iris suddenly asked Danae.
"Yes, we do, ma'am, here you go," Danae replied as she stepped away for a moment to return with a package.
"What's that for?" queried Brass.
"You'll see," Iris said as they followed Ben toward the elevators.
Within five minutes they were at the door of room 513, Brass was taking the card key from Ben when Iris grabbed his hand and put a pair of latex gloves in it. He nodded in agreement and quickly gloved up and then put the card key in the slot. It flashed green and the lock could be heard disengaging as Brass slowly and cautiously opened the door as he called out "Las Vegas Police."
Iris gloved up quickly and was right behind him, followed by Ben.
Jim turned on the light switches as he entered the room first. The room was a bloody mess, literally.
"Jimmy," Annie's weary voice called from the bathroom.
Brass glanced at Iris who mutely nodded and headed to Annie. Tapping on the bathroom door and opening it partially, Iris said, "Annie, it's Iris. I came with Jim to help. We brought you a robe." Jim's eyes widened slightly as he now understood her thinking ahead. "Tell Grissom I'll take the case if he'll approve it."
The door opened enough to let Iris inside as Jim took a quick survey of the room. He heard a choking sound as he looked at Ben who suddenly looked green. Jim seized Ben by the arm and escorted him to the door. "You puke out in the hall, pal, this is now a crime scene and I don't need you adding to it. Very shortly this floor is going to be crawling with police and crime scene personnel that I'm calling in, so please return to your desk where you can be the most help to us."
Ben nodded weakly as he put a hand over his mouth and then he turned to run down the hall to the elevators. Brass gave him fifty-fifty odds that he wouldn't make it and yak in the elevator before it reached the first floor.
Jim took a moment to survey the room/crime scene. The bed was in total disarray with blood all over the linens. As Brass viewed the body, his eyes widened as he recognized the victim. Vic Patterson was laying on his back, nude, a bullet wound to the middle of the forehead. Brass noted a pillow beside Patterson with minimal blood splatter present on one side and a hole present in the non-stained side of the pillow. A secondary wound was present in the genital area where the most blood loss had occurred that saturated the sheets and blanket. A .45-caliber pistol was on the nightstand beside the bed. Sighing heavily, Brass took out his cell phone thinking this was going to be a complicated case no matter what the outcome.
"Dispatch."
"Yeah, this is Jim Brass again. I've got a 419 at the Luxor, room 513, page Detective Curtis for me to respond to cover this case and the rest of the cavalry. I'm calling Gil Grissom on my own."
"Will do, Captain Brass. Do you require any immediate assistance?"
"No, I've got the scene under control. The night manager of the hotel is aware of the situation."
"Very well, Captain."
Jim then hit his speed-dial for Grissom who answered on the first ring.
"Jim, you pulled Iris off a case?"
"Sorry, Gil, I've got a unique situation here and needed her help, okay?
"That's what Nick told me but what are the details of this so-called unique situation?"
"Gil, Annie called me…"
"Annie? How the? I mean you haven't seen her in a while since she last visited you and Iris."
"She's in trouble, Gil, in a bad way. I'm in room 513 at the Luxor with a 419. Annie called me for help. She may have been here when it happened. Iris is with her in the bathroom. I've notified LVPD and requested Sofia to take the case."
"Wise, Jim, you're too close to this but Iris…"
"Gil, she can do this and she's not involved, I mean with the past about me and Annie. Besides that, she's above reproach with how she approaches a case as far as integrity goes."
Grissom didn't reply right away as he mulled over his decision. Jim was being factual and not persuasive about Iris handling the case. He had to admit that she was already there which would expedite the processing of the scene.
"Okay, Jim, she's in but I'll be there when I can just in case there's anything I can do," Grissom declared and Brass knew he wouldn't accept otherwise.
"Thanks, Gil. See you soon," Brass said in relief.
Jim pocketed his phone and walked over to the bathroom door to knock on it softly.