A/N: Been trying to post this for a day or so but every time I came to it my brain wouldn't work enough. Ugh, I hate being back at work. Anyhoo, it's here. Time for a little Grissom time, lol. And some explaining…That, should be fun!

The hat thinks it's fun but he just likes being mean. And he is on super mean mode right now. Think you are getting somewhere and them… wham, a hat moment. Pahahahaa.

Thanks for the super duper reviews. I am absolutely loving the predications, Nancy1 so far you get the cookie! You have to fight Hat for it though :D I would love more insights as to what you all think is happening/going to happen…who is involved, who gonna die (someone will).

No beta, so if I mess up I bow in shame.

The party is just getting started so let's take a looky….

Chapter 11

Grissom's eyes flickered closed but he forced them back open again. He looked down at his hand. Thankfully it looked like the bleeding had stopped. The blood had congealed around the spike causing a sort of plug preventing any further blood from coming. As long as that seal wasn't broken, the bleeding should remain stilled.

It didn't make him feel any better but at least he knew he wasn't going to bleed to death. Well, at least not from that injury anyway.

He licked his dry lips. He was immensely thirsty now and he wondered what time it was. It seemed like he'd been incarcerated forever and he had no idea how long it had been since he last ate or drank anything. Breakfast on the plane but how long ago was that?

The metallic clink came again and the door to his prison opened. His heart beat fast. It did so every time his captor returned.

Basderic approached him with a smile on his face. He looked very pleased with himself. "I thought I'd pop by for a chat now that my little job is complete and I've left your ex associates with another little distraction," he said looking down at his victim. "How are we feeling?" he asked mockingly.

Grissom swallowed but the lack of saliva in his mouth made it very uncomfortable. "Thirsty," he answered hoarsely.

"Oh…" Basderic puckered his lips. "Well we don't want that if we're going to have a little talk, do we? And I wouldn't want you dying of thirst…"

The entomologist watched as Basderic walked off to the left and disappeared into the darkness. He then heard a tiny squeal and what sounded like pipes chattering. It must have been a tap because Grissom could then hear water running.

A few moments later Basderic reemerged with a white porcelain cup in his hand. He stepped close to his victim and held out the cup.

Grissom looked down at the offering suspiciously but noticed the cup was full of water.

"Open up if you want to drink," Basderic directed. "And I will only offer once."

Without hesitation, Grissom tipped his head back a touch and slowly opened his mouth. Not only because he was thirsty but because he was afraid of what might happen if he refused the sudden bout of generosity. Basderic didn't look like a man who took kindly to rejection.

Basderic smiled and held the cup to Grissom's lips, tipping the water into his mouth. The former CSI drank quickly and the cup was soon emptied.

Pulling away, Basderic placed the cup on the floor and Grissom licked his now wet lips.

"Thank you," Grissom whispered. The water offered a slight hint of refreshment although he knew it probably wouldn't last long.

Basderic smiled again and walked to the table, grabbing a folder before sitting in the chair in front of the former CSI. "It's good that you have manners," Basderic said to him. "It might make our relationship a little easier."

Grissom remained silent and just stared at his kidnapper. He just couldn't work this guy out.

"So…" the younger man began, crossing his legs, placing the file on his lap, "…I thought it was time that I helped that little confused brain of yours. Because you are confused, aren't you?"

Grissom slowly nodded.

"You know…" the younger man began on a snicker, "…I'm a little shocked your wife didn't tell you about me. I mean, I know you were having a little relationship problem but…"

"What does that have to do with you?" Grissom cut in.

Basderic's eyes narrowed and Grissom immediately tensed realizing his mistake. Probably not the best idea to interrupt…

Springing to his feet and knocking the file to the floor, Basderic swung his right fist hard across Grissom's face and the entomologist cried out, his head smacking back against the chair. The older man groaned as he felt his cheek crack and his head immediately slumped forwards.

"Damn it!" Basderic shouted, shaking his right hand and then squeezing it with his left. He'd hurt himself and he didn't look happy about it. He inspected the damage, noting three out of four of his knuckles were red and most certainly going to bruise.

Grissom's entire body shook as his pain and fear barrier were once again challenged. The younger man grabbed his hair, yanking his head up and a whimper escaped his lips as Basderic's eyes bore into his.

"How dare you interrupt me?" the kidnapper spat. "Do you have any idea how much I hate getting my hands dirty?" He pushed Grissom's head back and the former CSI continued to shudder. "Look what you did!" Basderic growled holding up his now injured hand.

"I'm sorry," Grissom cried unable to do anything but apologize to try and fix his error. The thought that Basderic was blaming him for the injury was simply ridicules, this mad man had hit him and he was the one that was being tortured. But what else could he do other than beg?

Basderic took a breath and tried to calm himself. "You interrupt me one more time and I'm going to introduce you to another spike. Do I make myself clear?"

His threat was chillingly made and Grissom immediately nodded his head.

On a huff, Basderic bent to retrieve the file and sat back in the chair. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, your marital issues…"

Grissom took a breath, and moved his jaw, damn it hurt. It felt like his entire face was on fire again and he wouldn't be surprised if that punch had fractured something. He kept silent though apart from his heavy breathing.

Basderic opened the file and pulled out a photograph. He held it up for Grissom to see and the former CSI stared at the picture of his wife kissing another man. He closed his eyes for a second and forced the growing bile in his stomach to settle.

"Quite a photograph, wouldn't you agree?" Basderic asked. "Although I know you've seen this before and…" He pulled out numerous other photographs of Sara with Taylor Wynard, "…a few more which I politely sent you," he said, showing each one in turn.

Grissom blinked hard, trying to take in what Basderic was telling him.

The thug smiled. "I can see you are itching to say something. Go ahead, I give you permission."

"You sent me those pictures?" Grissom slurred, his speech difficult because of the pain in his face.

Basderic smirked. "Oh yes," he admitted. "Were you a little shocked when you received the email?"

Grissom's mouth opened but he stalled.

"Answer the question," Basderic ordered.

"It…I…I couldn't blame her," he sighed. "But yes, I was…" He tilted his head back, looking up to the ceiling above him. How on earth was he supposed to discuss his personal issues with this lunatic? He could barely even talk to his wife let alone someone who was torturing him. Taking a breath, he looked Basderic back in the eye. "We were already having problems at that point."

"Yes I know."

A frown gloomed on Grissom's brow.

The younger man leaned forwards. "But it still hurt didn't it?"

Grissom closed his eyes. "Yes," he whispered.

"Are these what pushed you into asking for the divorce?" the thug asked with a hint of glee.

The entomologist's eyes popped open. "Sara deserved better than what I was giving her."

Now Basderic laughed. "Wait, wait, wait," he chuckled, holding up a hand. "She is the one messing around with another guy and you think she is the one who deserves better?" He held up a finger and pulled another picture from the file. "I'm curious as to when you started thinking this." He held up another photograph and Grissom stared at it. This time he looked back at a picture of Sara with Doug. "Remember this? I kindly sent this to you as well." Basderic himself looked at the picture. "She looks happy with him doesn't she?"

Grissom squirmed. Indeed that photograph had been sent to his email months ago, from a sender he did not know and fine, it did begin his realization that Sara was possibly beginning to move on due to their time apart. Again, like he had for so many years before, he had become consumed in his work and neglected her.

"Did you ever confront her about the photographs?" Basderic asked.

"No," Grissom replied flatly. "She deserved to be happy."

Basderic smiled again, "Ah, but she wasn't happy and that was my intention all along."

Now Grissom truly frowned, his right eye closing a little more as the swelling slowly grew. What had this mad man done?

"You didn't even know your wife was a suspect in his murder, did you?" Basderic waved Taylor's picture through the air.

Grissom looked totally stunned now. "What?" he almost sobbed.

Basderic winked, "We'll get to that in a minute when I'm finished with the previous subject." He dropped the file to the floor and crossed his legs again, rocking a little. "You know, you kept on missing Sara's calls but you got her emails though, didn't you? Pleading her heart out to you that she was struggling, that she needed her husband? That the distance was no longer working for her." He pulled a small tablet from his inner jacket pocket and scrolled through some files as Grissom watched on. The younger man sniggered to himself as he read out a copy of one of Sara's emails…

"Gil, where are you? I can't get hold of you. I keep ringing and leaving messages because I always get your damn answer phone but you never get back to me. We need to talk. We haven't talked in almost two weeks and I haven't seen you in nearly three months. Damn it, Gil, I miss you. I don't know how much longer I can deal with this. Please, call me!"

Basderic lowered the tablet. "That was just before her Ex paid her a visit. But wait…" He looked back to his machine and read out another message.

"Well I guess you are about as good at checking your emails as you are your voice messages. I still haven't heard from you and you are still not picking up. What is going on? I'm getting so tired, Gil. I need more than this. What this is now, I just don't know. Call me."

"That one was sent after she reunited with her old boyfriend," Basderic informed him. "Do you think he gave her some satisfaction because you didn't?" he joked.

Grissom shook his head, not appreciating any of the comments. "I didn't receive any of those emails."

"Of course you didn't," Basderic laughed, slipping the tablet back into his pocket. "Because you always left your personal laptop in your tent and I had a friend of mine erase them." The younger man gave him a cheerful smile. "He managed to erase quite a few of your voice mails too. He's just a whiz with electronics and you shouldn't be leaving your phone lying around. Always too busy with work…tut, tut…"

"Oh my God," Grissom mumbled now realizing this psychopath must have had someone in Peru helping him. But what shocked him even more was the amount of time Basderic must have been planning and executing this. Grissom felt so sick. His private life was being manipulated and he knew nothing about it.

But the former CSI still didn't know why apart from the obvious that Basderic wanted to destroy his marriage. And by the looks of it, he'd almost succeeded. But why?

He hadn't heard from Sara much because the messages were erased, so he just presumed she was busy with work. He knew what the life of a CSI was like. He too had a very hectic schedule with the project he was on and he worked all day and slept all night. It demanded all of his attention and the time difference between the two of them didn't help.

So, without the urgency of private affairs, his work had consumed him. He'd just got so lost in it. But there was another side to that also. Totally blocking himself out with work helped with the pain of missing Sara because he did, immensely. And, because of their lack of communication when they eventually got to talk to each other, it just made him sad. So it was just easier not to.

Sara wanted to change things and he didn't know and when the pictures came he was ignorant enough to think she was moving on. He had never been good at personal confrontations with her, so he just let things go. She looked happy in the pictures so he presumed she actually was and that she didn't need him anymore. He was such an idiot at the time but later, he knew deep in his heart, they could work it out. That's why he decided to return to Vegas. He just wasn't prepared to let her go so easily.

"You still look very puzzled," Basderic offered.

Grissom coughed, the churning in his stomach not dissipating any. "Why are you doing this?"

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

It was 9pm and almost dark by the time Nick and Sara arrived along with two squad cars and the requested warrant.

Both CSI's quickly exited their vehicle at the gate to meet their boss. He was standing by his truck with Finn and the captain.

Nick pulled the warrant from his pocket and handed the envelope to Brass. The captain slipped it into his pocket.

"The cab driver was telling the truth," Nick informed Russell. "I found the note. It's been checked for prints as we speak."

Russell nodded.

Sara looked to her boss, nerves pinching her gut. "You got a match to the granite we found?" she asked desperately.

Russell reached through open the window of his SUV and picked up the evidence bag which was lying on the seat. He handed it to her. "You're standing right on it."

Sara looked down and then to the bag. "It looks the same," she said with a glimmer of hope. But then she swallowed hard. "He could be in there, couldn't he?" Her head turned and she stared at the gate, a heavy lump forming in her throat. She knew he was in there, she could just sense it.

Kinking his head, Russell took the bag and dropped it back into the truck. "We are here to find evidence, Sara. Don't get your hopes up too much. I'm not saying he is or isn't here, okay? We have some granite and right now that's all we've got but it's a link. I am trusting you to be here and do your job but you don't do anything unless I tell you to. Are we clear?"

She quickly nodded and took a deep breath.

"You want to do the honors, Jim?" Russell asked opening the door to his truck and getting in.

Brass walked to the call box and hit the button. A high pitched buzz cut through the lazy chirping of the birds as they began to sing themselves to sleep. The crickets were just starting to take over the vocals.

A few seconds passed by before a woman's voice was heard on the intercom. "Hello?"

"Emily Hicks?" Brass asked.

"Yes," she answered. "Who is this please?" The woman sounded polite which made a change.

"My name is Captain Jim Brass, Ma'am, and I am from the LVPD. I am here with members of the crime scene team and we have a warrant to search your premises. Can you let us up please?"

A pause came.

"Why?" she questioned sounding confused.

"Just, buzz us in, Ma'am, please, and we can explain everything to you face to face," Brass remained polite as she had and looked over his shoulder to the waiting crew.

There was another pause, this time it was longer. "Can you stand under the camera please so I can see you?"

Brass looked around and noticed a very small camera on the top right hand side of the gate. It was so small they hadn't previously noticed it. He did as requested and moved to stand under the appliance, holding up his badge as he did so.

After a few seconds there was another buzz and the gate lock released.

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

Emily stepped away from the line of five CCTV screens which sat in an open cupboard in her office room and she nibbled on her middle finger. She didn't like this; it made her very nervous and confused.

Feeling panicked, she picked up her cordless house phone and hit number one on her speed dial…

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

"Why are you doing this?" Grissom asked.

Basderic smirked but then he felt a vibrating in his left pants pocket and he plucked inside it for his cell phone. He flipped it open, looked at the screen and checked the caller ID. Pointing a finger of warning to Grissom, his smile faded. "Keep your mouth shut or I'll staple it closed," he threatened.

He hit the small green button and held the phone to his ear. "Hey, sweetheart," Basderic answered the smile reappearing on his lips.

"Ronald, um..." she gasped, her voice worried and a little breathless.

"Emily, what's wrong?" He instantly picked up on the anxiety in his sister's voice.

Grissom listened, getting any information he could that might help his situation. Who was Emily?

She moved from the office and began through the spacious living room, towards the large, oak front door. "Police are here, Ronald. They say they have a warrant. What do I do?"

Basderic's eyes widened and there was a seconds silence before he answered. "What?" Now he sounded concerned.

Running a hand through her long brown hair she opened the door upon hearing vehicles getting closer. "Captain Brass I think he said and…crime scene people?" she didn't sound confident and was finding it hard to remember what Brass had said. "They have a warrant to search my home. Why..." she stuttered now, "...why would they want to search my home? I haven't done anything. I don't know what to do. I had to let them in, didn't I? That was the right thing to do?"

Basderic looked to the ceiling and then swallowed hard. Grissom's eyes narrowed as he watched his captor. He seemed nervous all of a sudden.

"Is Joan not with you?" he asked.

"No, silly. You know Joan always has Wednesday nights to herself, she went out. You normally come, Ronald, but…" she shrugged her shoulders, "…I just guessed because of the trouble you'd had and because you'd just got out of that nasty place that you needed some time to yourself so, I didn't want to bother you. I'm okay on my own though. Well, I was…"

He sighed, staring Grissom right in the eye. "Emily, I'm sorry," he apologized. "Something came up and I forgot."

"It's ok."

"Listen to me, okay?" Basderic continued. "I am your big brother and I have always taken care of you haven't I?"

She nodded watching as the cars pulled up. She turned her back to the open door. "Yes, Ronald."

"Okay. Keep calm, that's very important. I don't want you having a fit or a panic attack. If you keep calm and just do what they ask, you'll be okay. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes. Well, I'll try."

"I'm coming to you, baby, alright? I'm very close by, so I won't be long." He walked to the table and Grissom watched as he picked up a roll of black duct tape. Now the entomologists gut pinched again.

She cleared her throat as the CSI's and officers disembarked their vehicles. "Okay..."

"Just don't mention anything to them about me coming, okay?" He approached Grissom and the former CSI swallowed hard.

"No, Ronald, whatever you say."

"Good. Relax and I'll be there very soon."

Emily hung up and Basderic slammed the phone closed on a very unhappy huff. He thought for a minute, looking at the ceiling again and Grissom noticed he seemed very edgy. Then as the mad man shot his eyes back to him, Grissom knew he was more than edgy, he was pissed off.

He held up the tape and angrily ripped off a piece, leaning over the CSI until their foreheads almost touched. "You better pray I'm not this unhappy when I come back," he spat. Stepping back he slapped the tape over Grissom's mouth and the former CSI closed his eyes as Basderic pressed hard upon the sticky material, ensuring it was secure.

As Grissom's eyes opened he mumbled a little and wondered why Basderic had taped his mouth. He hadn't before. Then his CSI brain kicked in and he worked it out, recalling the conversation and his captor's actions. Basderic kept looking to the ceiling…not that far away…do as they say…and now Basderic definitely wanted to keep him quiet…

The team was above; they were here, he just knew it and he now looked to the ceiling, his eyes working in nervous circles as he chewed down on the tape.

Basderic noticed and sniggered. "Smart aren't you?" he realized. "But they won't find you. I can guarantee you that. Even if you manage to get the tape off, which I probably wouldn't advise, you'd more than likely have to pop a lung before anyone could hear you scream down here." He gave the tape one last press just to be sure. "Plus, it's dark so I doubt they're going to come out here…" He gave Grissom a heavy whack on the shoulder. "We can finish our chat later. Be seeing you soon…" he promised before rushing from the room.

A/N: Interesting? What do you think on my explanation so far? Where is Grissom and are the team that close? Oooohhh…. Will they find him? Mr. B doesn't seem very happy does he? Oh dear, Hat is in the cookies. I feel a crazy sugar rush coming on! Or will it be a blood rush… Yuck.

Lol. Thoughts very much appreciated.

Thanks for reading :D xxx