Disclaimer: none of them are mine, still...
It's another quite long chapter, not as long as the last one though! Enjoy!!
Chapter 10
In Grissom's room, the team have started to work together pretty well, they've divided the case file between pairs, Joseph Mendels and Natalia had taken the first half of the file, Catherine and Danny the second half. Grissom was checking through the evidence log related to the case. The evidence was already in the necessary lab, but the technicians needed guidance before carrying out any tests. They had the case of the bodyguard that had been murdered, Marcus Seymore, he used to work for the first family. When the new President had been sworn in he'd been replaced. He was forty-two, and was a special unit bodyguard.
"Grissom, we can work this case, but if we can't compare to the others we can't link any similarities or connections" Catherine says confused.
Grissom takes his glasses off and puts one of the arms in his mouth thoughtfully. "You're right, but I think that's why myself, Lieutenant Caine and Detective Taylor have to meet with Standing at the end of each day" he replies.
Catherine thinks again, "but then that only gives the three of you the chance to make any connections, and don't get me wrong, you guys are very capable, but more heads, more chance of a link surely?"
Grissom nods in agreement. "Sure, but we're all staying together so maybe we can have our own forums in the evening at the hotel. Would that make you feel better?"
Catherine thinks for a minute, then nods, "I think that's a great idea."
...
Horatio's team had gelled very well, Lilly Drew, Stella, Delko and Hawkes were all working together, they had a board on the wall and were brainstorming and putting notes up against the pictures from the files. Horatio smiled, a happy team is a productive team. Although they were taking the case of Daisy Leeman very seriously, they were also having a bit of fun with each other. Daisy Leeman was only twenty-seven when she was found dead in her apartment by her boyfriend. She was training as a secretary in the White House, it seems she was earmarked for a higher internal job.
"Hey H" Eric calls, "this girl was clever, says in her files she graduated college early, like at sixteen."
"You think that has a bearing on the case?" Stella jumps in.
Eric thinks, turns to her and says, "possibly, but hard to tell, we can't compare to the other cases while we are working just this one, it's quite confusing!"
Horatio smiles "I agree Eric"
Hawkes adds his comment, "maybe we can discuss their cases with them later on."
Once again, Horatio nods, pleased with the team players he was allocated.
...
In room three, Mac's team were hard at work. Their victim was an administration asistant working out of the Pentagon, Jacob Davies aged thirty-five. CSI Marcus Stretford was fitting in pretty well with Nick, Warrick, Lindsay and Calleigh, at first they were all getting along just fine.
Mac says, "Marcus, I think we weren't given one of the other cases as the victim is also called Marcus."
Marcus looks up, "well if it makes it easier, call me Marc, everyone else does anyway, well everyone except Jonathan." They all nod, even though the other case wasn't theirs, that would make things easier.
"Hey, Mac" Nick begins, "does this mean we get to go to the Pentagon?"
"We can go anywhere the case leads us Nick" Mac tells him. Nick smiles.
Marc grimaces "well, Penatagon security is high, set to high alert."
Nick looks at him, "can't be that high, Jacob was killed inside the Pentagon"
"That was months ago" Marc frowns, "the alert is higher now"
"Hey guys, we're on the same team remember." Calleigh interrupts.
Mac nods in agreement, "I agree, conflict of opinion is good, gives us more scope; but we do have to get along, so cut each other some slack."
Lindsay says "This case is complicated, a murder inside the Pentagon, we know it's connected to the others, but we can't compare it to them as we can't see the other files!"
"Well, I've seen all of the files. But right now we have to concentrate on what we've been given. Then maybe later we can deal with any connections." Mac tells the room.
"With all due respect Mac, I think if there's similarities they need addressing." Lindsay pipes up.
"And they will be addressed, I, along with Dr. Grissom and Horatio, have to meet with Standing each day to inform him of anything that arises."
"Greg and that Wolfe guy might have a link in their case too." Warrick throws in.
Calleigh looks at him, "RYAN and Greg have to report back too."
"Ok, guys, how about we just see if everyone else wants to meet up at the hotel each evening to discuss the cases?" Says Lindsay, trying to calm the situation.
Nick nods, "I like that idea."
Mac sighs, relieved at the eventual harmony.
...
The day is nearly over and they all meet up in a larger room, the teams mingle back into their usual groups. Ryan, Greg and Flack join the room.
Mac, Horatio and Grissom have to report to Standing in half an hour, and they want to get up to date with the information from the new case. The teams had be familiarising themselves with the 'colder' cases and there hadn't much in the way of advancement. Greg, Ryan and Flack tell them all about the evidence from the scene the night before, that some of it was being processed as they spoke, the fingerprint and the blood samples. They filled them in on the days exploits at the White House, about the two computers they had seized and the disc Greg had spotted, all of which had been given to Archie and Cooper.
"Oh and we have an eight a.m meeting with a," Ryan reads his notes, "Jimmy Pennant, he was our vic's work station partner, very secretive. I think there is more to it, his name was her security password for her work computer."
"Good work gentlemen." Horatio states, nodding proudly at the young team.
Greg beamed. The lab techs appeared just as they finish up their informal report. Archie tells Greg that their A/V evidence has been returned to the locker for safe keeping. Valera and Mandy approach and tell them that their evidence is still pending and will be finished first thing in the morning. The whole group is then dismissed, the three supervisors agree there's no reason for them to hang around waiting for the meeting with Standing to be over.
"Oh I have something I'd like to suggest," Catherine says loudly as people turn to leave, "just while we're all together. I was wondering if, when shift is over you guys all want to meet up at the hotel to discuss the cases. I don't know how we're meant to note any connections between these cases if we're not able to see all of the files. There maybe things that we can't see on their own, but when viewed together makes sense."
"I said that too" Lindsay says, "so yes, I'd like to do that."
Hawkes laughs, "that's exactly what I'd suggested!"
There was a general murmur of approval, so it seemed the decision was made.
...
Mac, Horatio and Grissom arrive at Standing's office and knock.
"Yes?" Comes a voice from within.
Mac grabs the handle and opens the door. "Mr. Standing, we're here for our meeting" he tells the federal guy.
"Come in, come in, call me Jonathan." Standing replies.
Brass and Tripp are still sat in the room, looking like they wanted to die, who knows what they'd been stuck there doing for the last nine hours!!
Grissom looks at them, then back to Jonathan, "can they leave now?" he asks, nodding towards the officers.
"Of course" he smiles, "thank you for your time today, Captain Brass, Sergeant Tripp."
They both get out of their chairs and leave, sighing on their way out of the door.
Grissom, Mac and Horatio all take seats opposite Standing, he finishes typing something on his computer then turns to face them.
"So, update me." He says.
They all tell him how their teams seem to be working together just fine, and although there hasn't been much progress, the analyzing of the cases was going well. Very soon they would be ordering the re-processing of certain pieces of evidence.
"And the new case? How is that little team doing?" Standing asks, a little condescending.
"Very well!" Grissom says slightly indignant.
They tell Jonathan of the advancements, of the computers and the disc. They also tell him there's still a few bits of evidence to be checked through, but it would be got to after Ryan, Greg and Flack had conducted their interview with Jimmy Pennant at eight a.m the following day.
Jonathan dismisses them, seemingly happy with the progress.
...
Once outside of the room Mac says, "I don't know why, but I always walk away from him feeling angry."
Horatio nods, "I know Mac, I know" he places his sunglasses on and leads the way out of the building.
They arrive back at the hotel to discover all of the CSI's, Labrats, and Officers crowded into the meeting room they had used the previous night for their get together.
"I asked at reception, they said it was fine to use this room" Stella tells them as they arrive.
Everyone stopped milling around and grabbed a chair.
"I'm presuming everyone would like some off time tonight, so lets get started" Mac says, pulling up a chair for himself.
The gathering didn't last too long, each team reported about the positioning of their D.B, which was similar, but not exact in each case, including the newest one. There is also similar evidence found in each case, shoe prints, smudges, all things that needed re-processing.
Ryan, Greg and Flack reported on their case, it was the freshest and there was a lot of interest shown. They ended their mini-presentation with the announcement of their morning meeting with the secretive Jimmy Pennant.
A moment after they had finished, Warrick makes a sudden noise, "wait a minute," he says, "what name was on that disc you found in your vic's apartment?"
"Jacob Davies, why?" Flack says.
There's a murmur amongst the members of the group investigating the case of the Pentagon administration asistant...his name was Jacob Davies...
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