Payback Can Be A Killer, Literally

Disclaimer: CBS owns CSI, ever wonder if any of CSI ever reads this stuff?

Oh dear, well at least they are all alive.

Chapter 6

Jim Brass was bearing up well, his back was severely bruised and the sharp splinters had cut into the flesh, his broken leg was set in surgery and started to feel somewhat normal again, especially on those marvelous painkillers.

Catherine wasn't doing quite so well however, her spine had suffered quite a trauma, three ribs on each side broken, crushed hand, broken lower arm,and both legs broken. Emergency surgery saved her life and now she was basically stable, but she would need more surgery to fix her crushed hand properly. She was in ICU when Nick and Greg went up to visit her. The nurse let them go in for five minutes.

"Hey Cath, you don't look so hot, but a lot better than you did earlier, but still beautiful as always," smiled Nick.

"Nicky, up yours, but thanks guys, looks like I'm going to be here a while. The doctor said my spine could be damaged or just severely bruised but they don't know yet. Nicky, what will I do if I'm paralyzed?"

"For starters Cath, you can sit still and listen to me play my music drive you insane," grinned Greg.

"Ok wonderful motivation to get better I guess. How is Sara doing, after all that I'd hate to lose her and what about Jim? I can't get any information off the nurses at all, all they keep telling me is that I need my rest and that they can't discuss other patients."

Nick gave her one of his patented Texas smiles. "Jim is fine, a bit bruised and a few cuts and Sara will be fine too, the surgeons repaired her lung, pinned her ribs and when the rohypnol totally clears her system she can get some morphine for the pain. Grissom hasn't left her side. Masterson has moved on but we'll get him, we have enough evidence on him now and we think he's in a coastal state."

Greg cleared his throat and began. "At least we're all gonna be ok, and the team survives another day to fight the bad guys."

-/-

Catherine did have her reconstructive surgery on her hand and her mobility came back although she was still undergoing extensive and initially painful physiotherapy to get back to full fitness, something she was looking forward to. Actually the doctor's diagnosis hadn't been as bad as first thought, her spinal trauma was only that, trauma, no actual damage. Her ribs healed quickly while she rested and her legs had pins in them that helped them heal better. A good result considering what could have happened.

It had been a month since all the surgery and everyone was working twice as hard trying to find this guy.

Three months passed since the house had collapsed and all the team were fighting fit again then Grissom received another letter.

Grissom

I see your team beat my efforts, next time they won't be so lucky, but this time I won't give you as many clues nor tell you whose life is at risk. Be careful because it may be yours or even dear Sara's.

Me Again

P.S. Say hello to Sara for me, I do miss her company.

Grissom immediately paged everyone to meet in the break room in five minutes, and looked stony faced at them when he arrived there, letter in hand.

"You can all read this, everyone is wear his or her sidearm, with spare clip, until this guy is caught, and no one goes anywhere alone. I want you doubled up even in living arrangements. Catherine, it's a lot to ask you but could Lindsey stay with your mother or sister for while? I don't want her to get caught up in all of this."

"That's no problem Gil, but what about the pairings, are you going to do that or should we work it out between ourselves?"

"I'll do it Cath. you and Sara together, Greg, you and Nick, Warrick and myself, if it doesn't work we can switch around later ok? One other thing keep your cells with you at all times along with your guns, sleep with them, eat with them, bathe with them."

"I think we get it Grissom," answered Catherine ,"but do you really think he will try again? I mean he failed once and he knows we'll be on our guard. That makes him either very stupid or very dangerous."

"Trust me, he isn't stupid, but he is very dangerous, and this time I doubt he'll hesitate to use a gun."

Every crime scene they went to had them all looking over their shoulders, jumping at every shadow, even Brass had called in for extra uniforms for each crime scene for protection. Everyone had to wear bullet proof vests under their CSI vests. No chances were taken. This went on for two weeks and everyone's nerves were so frayed that even breakfast at the diner held no charm for them anymore. They were simply worn out with worry and work, and began to let their guard down, not expecting trouble anymore. When it arrived they were prepared but not ready for it.

Sara and Catherine were running late for work, very late in fact. Catherine's car had run out of gas on the way in, to which she was very surprised as she'd only filled it the day before. She got out of the car to check the filler cap. Sara was slightly suspicious and so reached her cell to call Grissom where they were and why they would be late. She never made that call.

The side window shattered, showering Sara in safety glass fragments, then she found herself looking down the barrel of a Desert Eagle. Catherine was nowhere in sight, no traffic was in sight either, this was not looking good.

"We meet again Ms Sidle, I missed you but somehow I don't think you'll survive this time now get out of the car and lie face down on the pavement. It's either that or I spread your brain all over Ms Willows car interior."

Sara was speechless, she was frozen to the seat until he roughly dragged her out and threw her onto the ground. "Don't disobey me Sara, or Catherine will suffer more for it."

As Sara lay on the ground, in the dirt, she saw a mop of strawberry blonde hair behind the car, she also saw that the hair was bloody, this whole setup had been staged to get them alone in a bad part of town.

"What have you done to her you animal?" growled Sara.

"Never you mind, she'll be alright, and if you speak to me like that again, you won't be alright."

Taking out a pair of handcuffs, he cuffs Sara's wrists behind her back, opened the tailgate of Catherine's car, and threw Sara into the back, adding another set of cuffs to her ankles. He then did the same with Catherine, the blonde letting out a small moan of pain. He brought out from his hiding place a can of petrol and partially filled the tank, got in and drove the girls away with him. He was back and he was about to make life HELL for the all the CSIs in Las Vegas.

A/N All fun and games for this team, who knows what will happen next?

Now I daresay someone out there actually reads this. No reviews, no updates.

Many thanks to everyone who reviewed this story, encouraged is appreciated, suggestions welcomed, inspiration priceless.

If you would like to know what comes next, you know what to do.