A/N - Starting a new story, right now it's very case based, focus on team interaction, will eventually be GSR. I type these up quickly, please excuse any typos!

Disclaimer - You know the deal, if I owned it, I would not be here.

Sara sat dusting the edges of the broken glass, the smell of the enclosure starting to get to her.

"Who knew monkeys had fingerprints?" Greg called from the inside.

"They even have distinct tail prints." Grissom answered back.

"Of course you would know that." Greg quipped back.

"But this particular species does not have a tail right?" Sara asked.

"Right." Grissom smiled. "This is the last family of Barbary apes in the United States, and despite the name, they are macaques, a monkey - not an ape"

"Is there anything you don't know?" Greg sighed.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I don't know why you are standing in that feces, it could be evidence." Grissom quickly answered back.

"Ahhh, shi... ugh! I have monkey poo on my shoes!" Greg yelled as he violently shook his foot.

Sara laughed. "Be careful with that evidence Sanders" She was now laughing so hard, she was finding it hard to catch her breath.

Grissom smiled as he turned to find Brass, Sara's laugh still have him butterflies in his stomach.

"Ok, so you remove the monkeys from the enclosure at night?" Brass was questioning a tall, very slender looking man, with small round glasses.

"Right, we call the troop in at night, there is a door to the back of the enclosure, they go in and out that way."

"How does staff get down to that room?" Grissom asked he came to stand next to Jim.

"Through this door and down the hall, we have entrances to all of the animal's enclosures." The man answered.

"Will you take me down there?" Grissom asked politely.

"Sure. The rest of the troop has been moved to the veterinary building, they are all very upset, just like we are." The man sniffled.

Brass shot Grissom a confused look.

"Monkeys meant a lot to you eh?" Brass' dry sense of humor did not go over well with the man in the glasses.

"We are here all day, we have bonds with our animals, we are there when they are born, we cry when they pass, they become a part of our family." The man said, starting to look quite upset.

"Were you here last night?" Grissom questioned as they started down the hallway.

"Yes, we close at 5. I called the troop in at 6, fed them dinner, and clocked out around 7:30."

"What was on the menu last night?" Grissom questioned.

"Last night was select fruit, roots, and mealworms. We are dedicated to providing all of our animals with a balanced, natural diet"

"I'm sorry sir; I didn't ask your name."

"Frank. Franklin Thule."

"I'm Gil Grissom; I'm with the crime lab"

"I hope you find them, and soon. I am just sick knowing they're missing."

"I understand Frank; we're going to do everything we can to find them." Grissom assured him, afraid they may find the monkeys the same way they had found the bear from the same zoo a few years before.

Frank opened the door to the small concrete room. "This is it, be prepare food in the kitchen and bring it down here on a cart. We slide it to the troop through these openings."

It reminded Brass of the jail... a slot big enough to get a tray of food in and out, the rest - steel bars.

"You don't interact directly with the monkeys then?" Gil questioned.

"Not unless they need veterinary care. They are still wild animals, we try to keep human interaction to a minimum" Frank explained. "But they still know me, and I know all of them. They all have distinct personalities. Through the bars we still form a bond."

Grissom nodded. "We're going to have to process this room, and see the other members of the troop."

"Ok. I will be with them in the veterinary building until you are finished." Frank nodded at Gil as he turned to leave; he paused to give Jim a dirty look.

When Frank was out of sight, Brass whistled. "Whoa, monkey boy means business."

"Would you be using that tone that if it were his children that were missing?" Grissom asked.

"You know I wouldn't Gil." Brass huffed.

"These animals are like his children, and they are living breathing creatures. This is a serious case." Gil said as he started to process the room.

"Are we going to need more help?" Brass asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, call Nick." Gil called over his shoulder as he made his way to the back of the enclosure.

"I cannot believe I stepped in poo!!!" Greg yelled as he switched his shoes at the back of his Denali.

"If that is the worst thing you step in on this job, be thankful" Sara giggled as she took another bite of her granola bar.

"I don't even want to know what you've stepped in..." Greg sighed as he bent down to tie his shoes.

Sara giggled and waved to Nick as he pulled into the parking lot.

"Hey guys!" Nick called as he retrieved his case from his backseat.

"Hey!" Sara called out as she snapped open a bottle of water. "We're just taking a little break, getting fresh air."

"It stinks in there." Greg huffed.

"Especially when you step in fecal matter" Sara laughed.

"Did you step in doody Sanders?" Nick asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Yes, I stepped in doody." Greg muttered.

Nick laughed as Sara led him back to the enclosure.