CHAPTER 39- Lost Time
Nick and Greg laid unconscious, Nick by exhaustion and Greg by pain. Greg was no longer bound to the chair, so both were sprawled out on the floor,
They were awakened by the sweaty warmth on their shoulders as Smalls shook them to attention, one with each hand.
In a show of unsurprising strength, he tore Nick from his newly rediscovered friend and threw him against the wall.
"Go easy on that one, Smalls," said Louie, casually. "That one might be more receptive to our…" – He grinned at Greg, who shuddered in response – "persuasion." He smiled another toothy grin at Greg before turning a more sympathetic smile to Nick. Nick still thought he looked like an evil shark monster.
"No!" Greg yelled.
"No, Mr. Sanders?" He moved towards Greg, leering. "And you intend to stop me?" He poked at one of the many burns littering Greg's body and Greg cried out in pain.
"Just what I thought," he smirked, as he roughly grabbed the arm that had fallen victim to the boiling water. Greg gasped, and Louie squeezed the arm, and Greg screamed, finally succeeding in pulling his arm out of Louie's grasp. He blinked back tears as his pain came out in further slowed gasps.
"Leave him alone," Nick yelled. He lost his control on seeing the pain his friend was going through because of him. "What'd he ever do to you?"
Greg, through his pain, looked up shocked at Nick. Nick grinned back, and Greg gave him an expression between irritation and confusion.
"Mr. Stokes, I suggest you not speak of things you know nothing of," said Louie coolly. He added, with the smile Nick was already sick of seeing, "I know everything you know… everything that's been going on." Turning around, he addressed his younger captive, "Don't I, Greg?" Louie twisted his arm further, twisting the skin as well, simultaneously pushing him back into the barber's chair.
Greg trembled, trying to breathe deeply and slowly through the pain. It was doing very little good.
He turned back to Nick, motioning to Greg's trembling form with his head. "See what quick work I make of my … shall we say, informants?"
Nick merely glared in response.
"And I didn't just use fire by coincidence." Moving back to Greg, he took out a lighter. Even through Greg's pain-hazed eyes, great fear was evident. Though looking directly into Greg's terrified eyes, he continued: "I know, Nick, what your worst fears are." He grabbed Greg's chin, forcing Greg to look into his eyes. "Right, Greggo?"
"You can't call him that," glared Nick.
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Grissom checked his new clock. It was an authentic Shakespeare clock Sara had picked up at a local thespian festival years ago, though he had been to cautious to put it up before, especially because their relationship had still been a secret. Now he had no qualms taking risks, like leaving it to stare out over the desk.
Greg had called the Bard's expression arrogant. Greg had imagined, on one of his many purposeless ventures into the office, that the Bard was looking disdainfully at the mess that was Grissom's office, and especially at the evaluation sheets left unfilled – the ones that helped get the CSI's paid.
Grissom willfully distanced his thoughts from Sara, as he was used to doing, as well as from the youngest member of his team, as he hoped he would not have to get used to doing.
Staring at the clock more purposefully this time, with his original intentions, he quickly realized that Nick ought to be back by now. Grissom glanced up at the sky – or rather the ceiling – and hoped that something would improve, and that he would simply be able to chalk his fear up to paranoia based in recent losses – or fake losses. He sighed. This was getting complicated.
He glared at the clock and tried calling Nick for the fifth time.
He didn't want to add the Texan to the list of those he couldn't think of.
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Throwing Greg back to the ground, Louie turned to Nick. "This one" - he motioned to Greg - "has been less than cooperative." He kicked Greg in the ribs for emphasis. Greg winced.
"You, I expect, will be more… helpful."
Greg interrupted. "He doesn't know anything."
"Well, I know he's been investigating."
"Anything he's got the Feds already have. You're not getting anything from him. He's not even running the case."
Louie glared at Greg. "Mouthy, are we, now?" He motioned to Smalls, who delivered another kick. Turning to Nick, he added, "I know what your worst fears are, same as I know about his. I know what happened in the coffin. I know about your stalker." Nick's eyes widened. "I know about every terrifying incident that has occurred over the course of your entire life." He leaned in to whisper something in Nick's ear. Nick, still wide-eyed, glared in shock and anger.
Motioning to Greg, he continued. "He may have the information. But he also, apparently, cares about you." He seated Nick with another toothy grin. He turned to Greg again. "I have to go take care of something else. But, tomorrow, if you aren't ready to spill, then your friend had better be ready to face his worst fears. Comprendes?"
Greg glared, but nodded, as Louie left the room at last, done taunting his prisoners.
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Author's Note: Thanks to PisceanPal and Racefh for beta, and to SuzSeb, GregsLabRat, SawyerFan and Mma63 for reviews!
SuzSeb- Nick, and the whole team, now knows that Warrick is alive, due to the meeting with Howard, where he reappeared (see chapters 27: Answers and 28: Prodigal Son). Gedda's gang went to get Nick because his investigation was putting them in more heat, as he seemed to be basically continuing what Warrick was doing.
GregsLabRat- Have fun camping, and I can assure you there will be at least one more new chapter by the time you get back :)
SawyerFan- I promise not to burn Greg's pretty face. It feels like that would pretty much be blasphemous, or at least a very awful crime for an author to commit.
Any comments on the poll? Any suggestions for the next story? I'd love to hear it, and, as usual, reviews are love :)