Nick kept his hand steady on the wheel of the Denali.
Lauren flipped through radios stations and finding nothing, turned the radio off.
They were driving to an abandoned apartment to go over a crime scene once more.
"There had to be more evidence, something we missed, you know?" Lauren said looking over at Nick.
"Yeah the pieces just don't fit." said Nick, turning the Denali into the apartment complex' parking lot.
The headlights shined on the old, decrepit building.
He parked the Denali. He stepped out into the darkness of the night. This was definitely not the Strip.
No neon to light the way. Just a fading street lamp.
Lauren grabbed the field kit from the back of the Denali. She also took Nick's LVPD jacket, seeing as she was a bit chilly.
"Cold ain't it?" Nick said. He could see his breath under the street light.
The Vegas midnight had a chilly bite to it.
They ducked under the crime tape which had been left up, just in case.
"Let's try to hurry this along. This place gives me the creeps. It's like the ghetto." Lauren said pulling Nick along.
"No, it's worse." Nick said opening the creaky door, which had quite a few bullet holes in it.
"Do you have your gun?" Lauren asked, worried.
"Yep."
"Ok good." Lauren took the black light out of the field kit and went over the carpet, looking for anything they may have missed.
Nick shined his flashlight across the tables and the rotting furniture.
"I didn't find anything." Lauren said, putting the black light away.
Something made a tch tch noise causing Nick to whirl around, gun drawn. Lauren stood and looked around. Nick's flashlight went out.
"Turn it back on Nick. This isn't funny."
"I ain't tryin' to be funny. It won't go back on" Nick toggled the switch a few times. Nothing.
Tch. Tch.
There was no electricity in the apartment. No lights. Total darkness.
Nick only felt a jolt of pain shoot down his spine. He collapsed onto the floor, smacking his head hard. Reaching up he felt his forehead. Blood.
He lay immobilized and unable to help Lauren.
Lauren felt her knees give way. She landed face down. She felt the distinct shape of a foot press hard on her back. A hand pinned her arm to the ground.
Crack.
Then she felt it. The excruciating pain. Unable to breath and unable to think.
Instinct took over, bringing her knees to meet her chest, protecting her stomach.
Another kick. This time to her lower back.
Nick tried to reach out to grab Lauren's hand, to give her a sign that he was still there, still with her.
But no avail.
A large foot stomped furiously on his hand. Nick began to fade in and out. He felt sick.
A swift rock solid kick to his head, knocking him unconscious. Nick was bleeding. A lot.
The attacker dragged Nick across the room. He took up a metal bat. Nick was already out cold, but the bat was for assurance. The attacker swung it into Nick's stomach.
Not once had Lauren screamed in pain. Not once. Another kick placed to her ribs and she felt them split. Attempting to get up, she was forced down and kicked in the head.
She let out a sharp yelp.
Her attacker kicked her again in the ribs, back and finally her head again.
"This one's bleedin' too." said a mysterious, yet familiar voice.
"Good" said another one.
Lauren's vision blurred as she saw a light. She attempted to lift her head, but let it fall back down and blacked out.
As Nick's attacker had done, taking up a bat, he hit her square in the stomach, emptying her of her stomach contents.
The attacker's ran out the door, all the while laughing at the two helpless CSIs.
Nick opened his eyes. He felt nothing but pain. He was still laying on the floor of the apartment, bleeding from his head.
"Help" he muttered softly. He started to fade out again.
Please come find us guys, Nick pleaded in his mind, please get us out of this godforsaken place. He closed his eyes once more.