A/N-Once again I am so sorry it is taking me so long to update. I guess I didn't have the time I was hoping to have to write. But I am still going to try to finish this, it might just take awhile. For those still reading...thank you! Let me know what you think by reviewing.
Archie looked up as Nick and Greg came into his lab. "I heard you guys had something important for me to do." Nick and Greg had already filled in Catherine on the email Greg received. Greg had avoided Catherine's gaze the whole time as she looked at him with worry. She was worried about how this would affect his work but also just worried about him. She knew, from what Nick had told her, he was still very sensitive about what happened and still had nightmares.
"We need this to be kept quiet Archie. We don't want anyone else to know about this video right now. This has to do with Greg's kidnapping. We need to find out who sent this email to Greg and anything you can about the video," Nick told him. Archie looked over at Greg who was looking down at the floor, concentrating on his breathing. He was trying to prevent the oncoming panic attack he was feeling. Having anyone else watch this video, even someone he trusted like Archie, was horrifying to him.
Nick saw Greg's paleness and knew this was difficult for him. "The video is very graphic Archie. It's of Greg," he warned him.
Greg thought he could handle someone else knowing about this video but it was too much. "Excuse me," he said quickly and darted out of the room. He went to the locker room and sat down on the bench. He could feel himself shaking. He buried his face in his hands as he tried to hold back tears. He was kidding himself thinking he could handle this.
"Greg, are you okay?" He looked up and saw Sara standing in the doorway looking concerned for her friend. He shook his head. "Not really. Everything is a mess."
She walked over and sat down next to him. She looked at him with concern. "What's going on?"
He lowered his head again and avoided her gaze. "I wish I could tell you but I just can't right now."
She was curious what he was talking about. It was obviously something more personal. "Does it have to do with this case you and Nick are working on?"
He sighed heavily knowing she wouldn't give up easily. He knew she only asked out of concern. "Some of it does but not all of it. I just feel like my life is being pulled apart again."
Sara was really worried and hated being in the dark and unable to help. "You know you can trust me Greg, with anything."
He turned to look at her and knew he could. She gave him a small smile to encourage him. He looked down again and took a deep breath. "I was sent a video by email to my personal account. The video was of me…they videotaped me at one point." He couldn't say any more. He hoped she got the gist of what he was trying to say.
Her mouth hung open as she grasped what he was saying. "Oh Greg, no," she exclaimed.
He closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. "Yes," he said softly. He felt her put her arm around him. He turned into her for a sympathetic embrace. He managed to hold back tears.
"I'm so sorry Greg," she said as she hugged him. She now understood why he was so upset. How could this be happening to one of the sweetest men she ever knew?
After a minute embrace, she pulled back and looked at him. He looked tired. "Where's Nick right now?"
"He's with Archie and the video. We're going to try to see if he can find out who sent it or anything in the video that might give us a clue to the one guy," he told her.
"What one guy? I thought you said there were only three of them?" She asked.
He forgot they never told anyone else about the man with the hidden face. "There was another. He was only there a few times from what I remember but he always wore a black leather mask or I guess it is more of a hood really. He was in this video."
Sara shook her head. "I'm so sorry Greg. I can't understand what this must be like for you. Did you remember them taking this video?"
"No, not at all and it was because they gave me some drug apparently from what they said in the video."
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Sara offered him.
"Just being here right now is enough. Thanks Sara. You've always been a great friend to me," he said sincerely to her.
She smiled. "If there hadn't been Gil Grissom in my life and you hadn't preferred guys, I think we could have had something," she laughed.
He broke out into a smile and chuckled too. "Well I guess that is better than nothing." He looked at the time on his cell phone. "I guess I should probably catch up with the officers who questioned a few of guests we needed to talk to and see if they found anything out, while Nick is with Archie. I just can't watch that video again."
"That's understandable. And I have a case I need to be working on too. So if you need anything, you have my number. Just call, okay?"
"I will. Thanks again, Sara." He gave her another hug before she left him sitting in the locker room. He finally got up and decided to head over to police headquarters. He sent a text to Nick to let him know where he would be so he wouldn't worry.
Nick wanted to go after Greg when he left the room but he also knew he probably needed his space, so he continued with Archie in hopes to find who this creep was who sent this video to Greg.
He watched Archie go about trying to trace the email address it was sent from and get an IP address from it. After a few minutes he heard Archie sigh. "Sorry Nick, this email domain traces back to India. I'll never be able to find the real source. It's probably a fake anyway by a hacker."
Nick frowned. "I was afraid of that. If you watch the video, would you be able to tell what kind of camera it was shot on? I mean maybe that can help us if we find someone with the same make of camera."
"I can try. Does this video really show part of what they did to Greg?" He asked first, not sure he really wanted to see it, even if it was his job.
Nick swallowed and nodded. "Yes, it's very hard to watch. I mean we already know where it took place and all that. However there is a 4th man in this video who only Greg told me about and this is the first time I've seen him but he is wearing a black hood and pretty much all covered so no way to ID him, but I have a feeling it is his idea to film this. I think he is behind it, so anything that might give us a lead on who it is would be great."
"I'll do my best. I know how important this is." Archie heard Nick's phone beep.
Nick looked at it and saw that Greg had texted him. He was glad he was going to focus on their case for a while. He hoped it would help him forget about the video for the time being. "Greg's busy working on our case, so we can continue here."
Archie nodded and started playing the video. When he saw the video focus on Greg he felt a little sick to his stomach. This was going to be extremely difficult to get through but then he thought of Greg and knew it was nowhere near what he had gone through.
After a few minutes Archie turned off the video, feeling nauseous and hating his job at the moment. "The video looks to be made from a fairly good camcorder, with 1080p HD. Not some FLIP type one. It was definitely set up on a tripod. Whoever uploaded it knew how to remove the properties of the video and hide their trails. I would say this person is extremely internet savvy, a possible hacker of some sort."
Nick sighed, not really hearing what he wanted to hear. He was hoping for something to really tell him who made this video and where they might be. "Thanks Arch. I know this is not easy. I would appreciate you keeping this quiet. Only we and Catherine know about this. We don't want word getting out that someone is taunting Greg again with this video."
"I understand completely. My lips are sealed. I hope you guys find this sick bastard," Archie said to him.
"Thanks, so do I. If you come up with anything else, let me know. I'm going to catch up with Greg now."
Nick headed over to LVPD where he ran into Greg about to exit the building. "Hey," he called to him as he had been walking with his head down.
He looked up and saw Nick. He could read by the look on his face that he was worried about him and that he had no good news for him. "Hey. So anything on the video, who sent it?"
Nick shook his head. "No unfortunately there is nothing to trace. Archie believes the person is very internet savvy and possibly a hacker. They hid their trails deep. What about here, any news on the guys they questioned?"
Greg frowned. "No, it seems we have no new leads. The guys didn't know who this Jason Carbone is and they said they never met him before. I still think we need to talk to the Jamison's again. I do not trust the son. I think he is hiding something."
"We do need to ask them about the finds on the video of their house. So do you want to go there now?" Nick asked him.
"Sure, because we aren't getting anywhere here," Greg shrugged. He had tried putting out of his mind his own problems and focusing back on the case.
On the drive to the Jamison's house, the two partners remained quiet. Nick knew Greg had to be dwelling on the video. "You know, you got through all that stuff. You're here today because you survived what they did to you in that video. You have to remember that. You beat them; you are alive today because you had that will to live. This video can't bring down all that you have accomplished since you have been back."
Greg chewed on his lower lip. He knew Nick was trying to cheer him up and make him feel better but it really was not working. He didn't want to let Nick know though. He wanted to be strong for him. "I know. I know I can't let them get to me. I'll be fine. Let's just try to figure out who killed this Jason Carbone guy."
They pulled up to the Jamison mansion. Nick went ahead of Greg and knocked on the door. The maid, Rosa, opened the door. "Hola! Can I help you?" she asked in a strong Spanish accent.
"Yes, we need to speak with Brad or John Jamison. Are they here? Tell them LVPD is here to talk to them some more," Nick said to her in Spanish since he knew enough.
"Um momento," she replied and then gestured for them to step inside the foyer. She walked off and left the two CSI's to study the place again.
"What happened to the wife? Did you ever ask?" Nick asked Greg since he had been the one to talk to John Jamison.
"No, just by what was in their file, she died when Brad was 10 years old from cancer," Greg told him.
"So he never remarried. The son doesn't seem to have been married either but I guess with that lifestyle it might be hard to keep a full time partner unless they are into the same thing," Nick said, thinking aloud.
Greg kept quiet, not wanting to shed any light on the subject. He looked over to the staircase when Brad Jamison came into view at the top. He seemed to hold his gaze on Greg for a second before coming down the stairs. Once again Greg felt something off about him, something he didn't like. He made him feel uncomfortable.
"What can I do for you gentleman tonight? I was getting ready for a night out," he said. He was dressed in designer jeans and a tight black t-shirt that showed his build underneath. His eyes traveled over Nick at first and then a small smirk fell on his lips as he looked at Greg. He could feel the nervous energy from him and it excited him. He remembered he was not alone with Greg though and quickly wiped the smirk off his face.
Greg had caught it though and felt a chill up his spine. He didn't know why he let this man get to him.
"We need to ask you a few more questions. Is your father around?" Nick asked him.
"No, sorry. He had to go out of town at the last minute for a crisis at the New York office. I can give you his phone number to reach him at. He had called Det. Vartann who gave him the okay to leave. What can I help you with? Do you have a new lead?" He asked the Texan, keeping his focus on him for now.
"We got your surveillance video and noticed that someone let the victim in the backdoor and then someone else later on left that was not recognized by anyone either. I have their screen shots here. Think you can take a look at them and see if you recognize any of them?" Nick produced a couple pictures he had in his jacket pocket. He showed them to Brad.
Brad looked at them for a short while before replying. He pointed to the one photo of their victim and the person letting him in the door. "Well unfortunately many people wore this type of hood into the party. I own a similar one myself," he glanced at Greg a moment to see his eyes widen before adding, "in red." He enjoyed taunting him.
"Can we see the one you own?" Greg asked after clearing his throat from his nervousness.
Brad smiled. "Most certainly. I will take you to my room where I keep a trunk of my stuff. I was actually going to be going into it to grab a few things for tonight. See I am heading over to Vegas Underground for some action tonight, since we can't have any parties here until this murderer is found."
Nick looked over at Greg to make sure he seemed okay with going to see this stuff. Greg just motioned for Nick to go first, following Brad. Brad led them up the stairs to the second floor. He walked them over to one of the large bedrooms they had searched the night of the murder. The room was decorated in black, red, and white. It was mostly darker with touches of white throughout. He opened his large closet door and pulled out a wooden chest. He took out a key from his pocket and unlocked the chest. He opened it up. "Behold my chest of goodies," he proclaimed.
Nick frowned at his excitement in all of his tools of BDSM in this chest. He glanced at Greg who was expressionless as he looked at the whips, chains, handcuffs, and other things that reminded him of a world he was trying so hard to forget but seemingly kept coming back into his life.
Brad took a glance at Greg and smirked before digging around in the chest to find the red hood he was referring to. He pulled it out and showed it to them. "Here is the mask I wore that night." Nick took it and examined it.
Greg was still looking in the chest. "Can I go through it and see if there is anything else that might help us in this case?" He eyed Brad carefully. Brad smiled briefly and said he could. Greg put on gloves before handling anything in the chest. He didn't know where the things had been. He pulled out leather whips, cat-o-nine tails, paddles of different sizes and shapes, pinwheels, and other sorts of pain devices. Instead of feelings sick he felt a fury building up in him over seeing all these, knowing the pain he had suffered from similar items. He wanted so badly to take out all his anger and aggression on someone with the same items. He looked up at Brad and stared at him. Brad wore his glasses and looked innocently back at him. "Do you enjoy causing people pain?"
Brad smirked. "I only enjoy causing pain to those who want the pain. I don't use these on anyone who hasn't wanted it, if that is what you are implying. I mean you shouldn't knock it if you haven't tried it." He knew this would goad the younger CSI.
Greg was about to speak but Nick broke in first. "Listen, thanks for showing us your hood here but can you look at these pictures again and see if you recognize any of these guys? It would really help." Nick didn't want Greg losing his cool over the comment Brad made to him, so he had deflected from it.
Brad took the photos from Nick and studied them again. He knew exactly who two of the men where but he wouldn't admit to anything. "Nope, with those masks on it's pretty hard to recognize anyone. That's the idea most of the time, to be anonymous in my world. You just know people who want to be dominated and like pain. You go to the right places and you find what you need. Now is there anything else I can assist you with this evening? Otherwise I would like to start my night, if I may."
Nick looked at Greg, who just stared at Brad in a strange way. "Uh, no that's good for now. Thanks for your help again. We will be on our way."
"Let me know if you find out anything new," Brad said to them. He called Rosa in to lead them out of the house. Greg was quiet on the way out.
When they got into the SUV, Nick looked at Greg. He seemed to be in deep thought. "What's going on with you?" Greg suddenly looked up at him.
"I'm just not feeling so good. I guess you were right that I should have eaten something. I feel nauseous," he said to him.
"Are you going to be okay working the rest of the shift? How about we get something to eat?" Nick suggested.
Greg shook his head and regretted it immediately. He opened the door quickly and threw up out the door. Nick leaned over and put his hand on his back. "Hey, why don't I take you home and I can explain to Catherine that you got sick and went home early."
Greg slowly wiped his mouth with his sleeve and sat back in the SUV. "Yeah, that would be good." He shut the door again.
"Are you going to be okay on the way home?" Nick asked him in concern. He was worried about him getting sick again.
"Yeah I'll be okay," Greg said. He looked back at the mansion and thought he saw someone looking out the window at them. He stared back and knew what he was going to do once he got home alone.
