Author's Note: Hey guys, here's another my story. My special thanks belong to zmatuje and Drama-Duchess because they help me with my bad English:-) Without them, this story would probably never be here. Than, my next thanks are to LadySzmanda and my "boss", who are supporting me. Girls, you're the best all of you:-)

Chapter One: Escape and Terror

It was night and all was quiet at the Las Vegas State Prison. A caucasian man in his early thirties with short brown hair and icy blue eyes sprinted carefully through the quad of the prison. His massively tattooed arms brushed fervently against his sides as he ran. If the prison guards were doing their jobs correctly, there would be no need for worry about escapees. But when it came to bribes, corruption, and bullying, this man's expertise was beyond comprehension. He excelled at it.

The arrogant-faced man threw a shirt over the mesh of barbed wire and hoisted himself over the fence. He ignored the pain coming from the cuts on his hands. Freedom was worth it. Time was of the essence and he made a dash for the final wall. Climbing over brick was easier to manage and less painful.

His friends were conveniently waiting for him in their getaway car on the other side of the wall. A skinny caucasian man sat patiently behind the wheel. Another dark-skinned man with short tight black curls and a round face sat in the backseat. After hours of laying low and waiting, they finally spotted their friend running towards the car. The convict took the passenger side seat and the dark-skinned man threw a knapsack at him. The knapsack contained a fresh change of clothes. As the car sped away, he gladly threw the prison clothes out the window. All that was left of Cole Tritt, was his dusty old jumpsuit lying at the side of the road. He was now a free man.

„Now what?" The driver asked.

„I need to change my appearance." Tritt informed him. „I can't walk around the city with a wanted face. By morning, my mug will be all over the news."

„We got you out, now do you remember your end of the bargain?" The dark-skinned man in the backseat protested.

„No worries Aaron, my man." Cole calmed him. „You'll have your vengeance. I get it. It's all about family. Your brother's revenge - I didn't forget. We have something in common." Cole laughed. „We're after the same friggin' man. Mark my words, that little prick will pay for locking me up and for putting your brother six feet under."


Grissom sat in his office and with a worried face as he read Brass' police report. Cole Tritt's escape was one of things he would rather not know about. But on the other hand, it was better to know it sooner than later. Grissom had an unpleasant feeling that Tritt could come after Greg

Grissom put his reading glasses down and rubbed his temple. Then he looked at Jim Brass, who was sitting directly across from him. „Does the press know?"

„There's a manhunt out for him. But we've managed to keep it under wraps for now. The mayor will be forced to sign a press release," Brass' voice trailed off. „I told Sanders. He needed to know."

„Until Tritt is recaptured, Greg should be careful. We don't know what Tritt is capable of."

„He'll be stupid if he tries anything on Sanders." Brass growled. „He'll be sorry if he does. My first impressions are usually right."

„Cole Tritt is ruthless. He'll do anything for vengeance." Grissom replied. „Greg's still upset about yesterday's trial. Did you know Demetrius James' family intends to sue him?"

„What?!" Brass couldn't believe what he heard. „Hasn't the kid been through enough?"

„He keeps quiet and won't tell anyone anything. This whole trial has hit him hard. I don't think he's sure of himself anymore." Grissom remarked. „It makes him the perfect target."

„Better not tell him there's a bullseye on his back or he'll get a nervous breakdown...or something." Brass mumbled.


Greg parked his car in front of his house. He turned off the ignition and remained inside the car. His head was still full of yesterday's trial. Something in Aaron James' eyes scared him. The lament and complaints of Aaron's mother filled the young CSI's ears. He wanted to apologize to her. Say it was an accident or say it was in self-defense, but there were no words that could begin to describe what he did. There were no excuses.

He could never forget Demetrius James dissapearing under the front wheels of his car and the sound of the tires as he slammed on the breaks. It was like someone carved it into his memory with a scalpel. Then, the crackling of falling glass, someone's hands clutching his shoulders and dragging him out through the broken window. There was an endless storm of kicks and blows to every part of his body. A metal crow bar hit Greg in the head. Everything was blurry after that as the concussion and shock settled in. Amidst the kicking and beating, he must've bitten his tongue, because he felt his own blood filling his mouth. He was lying face down, choking on his blood. He woke up with the taste of blood in his mouth. Someone turned him over and continued kicking him in the stomach. He remembered the man with a pig's face, bent over and spat on his vest. In the last tremors of consciousness, Greg gathered up all his strength and buried his nails deep into the Pig man's calf. Then everything went black…

He remembered it all – the death of Demetrius James, the stay at the hospital, countless interrogations, the look on Catherine's face when he returned to the crime scene with the others, the gratefulness of Stanley Tanner - the tourist from Texas whom he saved, confessing everything to Grissom, and then the episode at the coroner's inquest yesterday.

Sofia Curtis was right when she said the trial was like a three-ring circus. The honorable Judge Clayton Trueblood made things quite unfair. He was like the ring leader yet acted like the beast at the same time. The verdict should have been not guilty due to self-defense. No one was satisfied with a bleak verdict like „excusable".

The thoughts ran through his mind again, like a thousand times before. Now that man is free again. He questioned whether or not Cole Tritt would come after him. Would that be the first order of business? His paranoia was getting the best of him.

Greg sighed, took the keys out of the ignition, and stepped out of the car. He slammed the door shut. Heavy in thoughts, he absentmindedly walked up to the front door of his house. Just as he was about to plug the key into the lock, he immediately jumped back. To his complete horror, he found a knife thrusted into the wood of his door.

Greg looked around nervously to see who might have done this. But there was no movement on the streets.

End of Chapter 1

So, that's it:-) I hope you like it. Reviews are welcomed:-)