"If this is going to work it might be easier to bring in one of the Tahoes," Jim said, looking at Grissom. "Because there's no way to fit four people and two dogs in my official car."

"Mine is closest," Nick said. "Greg, do you want to move it into the garage? Cath can say we're using it as a test if my folks ask. If Gris drives it back out with Jim as a passenger then Greggo and I can hide in the back with the dogs and we can get out of here."

"Nicky, there's a good chance that even if your parents leave in the morning they will come back," Gil said. "You might have to make some hard choices in the coming months."

Nick rubbed his eyes and sighed. "Can we just get me out of here and talk about it later, Gris? I just want to go to bed."

"What about Sanders?" Brass asked. "We can go change out your rigs no problem but then what?"

"Nicky and I have a guest room," Grissom replied. "Greg can stay with us for a few days. He's been over a few times to take care of the dogs. I know Nick is more relaxed when Greg is around after a panic attack and I'm not going to argue that point."

"All right," Brass said. "Then let's go."

Catherine and Warrick were mad that anyone would dare to hurt Nick in any way and it showed in their eyes no matter how hard they tried to hide it. Sara was just puzzled by everything but was willing to help out because Grissom asked her to.

"Hi Judge Stokes, Mrs. Stokes," Catherine said, leaning up against the driver side door of the black rental car. "Nicky didn't tell us you were stopping by tonight. What can we do for you?"

"You could get Nick," Judge Stokes said, his temper starting to show a little. "That moronic boss of yours won't let us in the building."

"Nick is in the middle of a homicide investigation," Warrick said. "Ain't no one going to be able to pull him out of the labs til morning. It's looking like a serial and him and Gris are trying to put the pieces together."

"But we could take a message in, couldn't we guys?" Sara asked. "I mean, just to let Nick know his parents were here because I thought I heard him say you guys were leaving in the morning and it'd be a shame to let him think you just left without saying good-bye or anything."

Everyone paused as Nick's Tahoe rumbled to life and drove towards the lab garage. "That's Nick's," Jillian Stokes said. "Where's it going?"

"Didn't Nicky say something about having to use his rig as a test?" Catherine asked. "Because I'm sure I heard him mention peanut butter and detailing in the same sentence."

Warrick laughed. "Poor guy, I know how much he hates that stuff," he said. "Is that the mystery substance they found at the scene?"

"They think so," Catherine said. "But the question is how did it turn clear like it did. I wanted to watch this trial, actually." Her phone rang. "Oh, excuse me a moment. Willows."

"It's me," Grissom said. "How's it going?"

"Not good," Catherine replied. "What about you?"

"We're getting loaded up now," Gil said. "Make sure they can't drive off after us."

"Okay, Gil, will do," Catherine said. She put her phone away and turned to her friends. "Grissom and Brass just got a call; it sounds like another kidnap scene."

"Linked?" Sara asked.

"They're not sure," Catherine replied. "But Gil's Tahoe is broken so they'll be grabbing Nick's."

Warrick laughed. "Damn, so that means that Nick bought that peanut butter for nothing," he said. "Maybe we can make sandwiches or something."

"Judge Stokes," Catherine said, turning back to the car and leaning back against the door. "Did you want us to take a message in to Nick? We don't mind and it'll probably make our drive home easier because you'll know he's safe."

"How can we know he's safe when no one will let us talk to him?" Rodger demanded. "He could be a prisoner in there and no one would know about it. Is this how the criminalists work here in Vegas?"

"I'm not sure what you mean, sir; but I assure you Nicky is being taken care of," Catherine said. "We all love him like a younger brother and watch out for him all the time. I can promise you he's safe. Just because you don't agree with some of the choices he's made doesn't mean that he's in danger."

Warrick caught Catherine as the black car sped off into the night. "Man, what a jerk," he said. "You all right, Cath?"

"Just bruised," she said, shaking her head. "I just hope we gave Gil and Nick enough of a head start."

There were some who knew Vegas well; the street cops and detectives who had to know where to go fast. Then there were those who had spent so much time wandering the streets that they had an intimate knowledge of the city and one of those was Gil Grissom. He took the Tahoe on some back roads that Brass didn't even know existed and they were soon out in the desert where they were alone and hidden from view.

"Impressive," Jim said, looking around. "So are you planning to dump our bodies out here or what?"

"I saw Nick's parents behind us back in town," Grissom said. "This was the only way I could think of to lose them. I just hope they didn't hurt anyone at the lab."

"So now what?" Brass asked. "We just hide out here in the darkness for hours until they go away?"

"No; now you tell me where the Denali is and we go swap rigs," Grissom said in that infuriatingly calm tone he used whenever he saw an answer that no one else did. "I just want to get Nick home, Jim; I don't want to put any more stress on him."