My apologies for the multitude of POV changes in this chapter. This was just to set everything up and I promise it will be more consistent as the chapters go on! :)

~Miranda~

When I came to, bright lights assaulted my vision. I had to stop myself from hissing as I squinted my eyes shut. It took a few moments, but I was eventually able to ease my eyes open little by little. The room I was in was big enough for the worn-out mattress I was on and that's it. The paint on the door in front of me was chipping, some spots on the wooden door completely bare. The grey walls around me were bare, showing no indication of where I was.

Memories of what happened before I came here remained locked in my brain. I haven't seen a clock since I was taking but I'm assuming hours have passed since I was taken. I wonder if anyone from the lab has noticed my absence yet. Knowing Nick, he was probably going ballistic. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of a restless Nick, itching at the fact that I wasn't back when I said I was going to be back.

My eyes roamed over my body, checking for any obvious injuries. Other than a few bruises and cuts from when the glass shattered, I was ok. I don't want to jinx myself because the guy that took me made it quite clear that I wasn't getting out of this situation unscathed. I quickly checked my pockets and cursed when I found nothing in them. Of course, did I actually think that they'd be stupid to leave me alone in a room with stuff in my pockets? Highly unlikely.

I wasn't able to absorb my surroundings any further as I heard the sound of heavy footsteps climbing up a set of stairs. I don't know why but I tried to make it seem like I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was in a room with nothing but a mattress and a door, there was nothing I COULD do wrong!

The door swung open suddenly, slamming into the wall beside it. The man that stood in the doorway was the same one that had taken me earlier in the day. His black hair was greased down to his head, giving the man more of a disgusting look than I thought was possible. A thin white scar cut through his eyebrow coming to rest just above his right eye. Just looking at this man sent chills down my spine. I knew what he was capable of. That fact alone scared the shit out of me.

His eyes roamed over me, taking in my obvious disheveled state. "See your adjusting well for someone that just got kidnapped."

Just play it cool Bridget, play it cool. "It's hard to get worried when you know you're not going to be where you're at long."

"Don't think you're getting out that easily missy. Still gotta talk to the boss. Then we start the plan." I couldn't help the confusion that took over my face. I assumed that I was taken for a purpose, I just didn't that these bozos were smart enough to have a plan behind all of us.

"We've got a few tricks up our sleeves when it comes to you, Bridget."

Nick's POV

The second that Catherine called in Bridget's kidnapping; she had sent me back to the lab. Believe me when I say I fought tooth and nail to get put on the case. I knew in the end though Catherine was doing the right thing. Us, especially being on the case goes against every rule in the book. We were going to have to leave this to another crime lab.

Despite that I couldn't help but grind my teeth as I walked back through the lab doors an hour after we discovered Bridget's car. Word had traveled fast because everyone I passed by had given me a sympathetic look in one form or another. I didn't want the sympathetic looks though. I would give anything for my brain not to panic about Bridget and how scared or hurt she is. The last thing she needed was for us to lose our focus. We had no clue had taken her or why. She couldn't afford for us to lose our focus. Not now.

I entered one of the back labs, snatching a lab coat off the metal rack. I knew none of us would be allowed near anything to do with Bridget's case, so I figured the best thing for me to do was focus on routine DNA and blood tests.

Even with my hands busy, my mind wandered. Bridget was a tough girl and it was obvious from the scene that she put up quite a fight. Being kidnapped can make the strongest person become the weakest and as much as I hated to admit it, it was going to happen to Bridget. It was just a matter of time before her spirit was broken.

"Nicky- "I jerked my head up to watch Warrick walk into the room, a grim look on his face. "I just heard about what happened. Is it true?" I could tell from the look in Warrick's eyes that he was desperately wanting me to tell him all of this wasn't true. That moment wouldn't happen.

All I could do was nod my head, continuing doing the monotonous work. "They're probably going to transfer the case to another lab." Once again, I just nodded my head briefly looking up to meet his eyes. I watched as a concerned look took over Warrick's features.

"Are you ok man? I know this- thing has to be rough for you."

"No, I'm not ok," I answered truthfully as I avoided his eyes. "But I have to act like I'm ok. Bridget can't avoid for any of us to lose our heads, no matter how much I want to." The end of the sentence came out strained, my throat tightening at the simple mention of Bridget's name.

Warrick wasn't able to respond as Grissom entered the room. The man usually all business but even he had conflict in his eyes as he looked between the both of us. "Briefing over the- "He paused, grasping at the words to complete the sentence as he looked at me the entire time. "kidnapping in the conference room." He wasted no time leaving the room as he turned on his heels and immediately left the room.

Warrick and I exchanged glances as I silently took off the lab coat, hanging it precariously over the back of a metal chair. I then followed him out of the lab and navigated the halls to the conference room.

Bridget's POV

I was left to my own devices after the man left the room. I tried to get some sleep, but it was a failed attempt. The longer I sat in the room the more the gravity of my current situation set in. I had to come to terms with the fact that I most likely wasn't getting out of this situation alive. As much as I was scared out of my mind, I knew that I needed to stay strong because on the off chance that I have the opportunity to make it out of this alive, I need to be ready to do so.

To pass the time I found myself counting the splices in the wooden door. Most of the time I'd get halfway up the door, forget the number I was on and have to start all over. If this is what the end of my life was going to be like than someone can just come in and shoot me now to get it over with.

My mind wandered as I blankly stared at the blank wall in front of me. I began thinking about all my past life decisions and what brought me to this moment. I came across the ad for the position in Vegas on a whim. I wouldn't be in this position if I hadn't applied for the job. My life wouldn't be in grave danger if I hadn't applied! On the flip side, I wouldn't have met all these wonderful people that I call mt family now; Sara, Catherine, Greg everyone. Especially Nick. God, I wouldn't have met one of the best guys I've come to know if I didn't apply.

I was brought out of my reverie yet again by the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs. Much like before, the door swung open revealing the same man from before. Except for this time, the man reached out to roughly grasp my forearm. I was unable to resist him as he yanked me off the mattress, causing me to yelp in response. I kept pulling and yanking my arm, but it was no use. He acted as if my efforts weren't bothering him in the slightest.

The man looked at me out of the corner of his eye as he continued to tug me down a narrow hallway. "Quit fighting already. The boss wants to see you."

"The boss?"

"Yes, the boss sweetheart. Rivera's not gonna like that you've been fighting with us. He'd prefer that you just gave in." Rivera? As in Jesus Rivera?! And here I thought the bastard jumped bail to Algeria. It's obvious that he didn't leave if he's behind this.

Knowing that Jesus was back in the country made all the lone dots connect. He knew we were close to getting him, which is why he 'jumped' bail. Jesus wanted to lull us into thinking that he'd left the country, so we'd let our guards down. We all fell for it, but I just happened to be the first one working the case they could get alone.

He led me into what I assumed was a worn-down living room. Another man sat perched on an old cloth couch across the room. This man's black hair fell in long locks across his face and down his shoulders. Though his build was scrawny, the python tattoo snaking around his right bicep and countless white scars cutting through his olive skin made me fearful of what he was capable of. Even without anyone introducing the man I knew who this man was; This was Jesus Rivera.

Jesus stared at me from across the room, a look in his eyes that I wasn't quite able to place. "Bridget Graves, the woman that's been causing me all this trouble.

"You're acting as if you've never fucking seen me before but we both know that's not true." I spit out, narrowing my eyes at Jesus. My holder's hand tightened around my forearm, bruising my porcelain skin beneath. With a pointed look from Jesus, the man let go of my arm.

"I'm going to make this easy on you Ms. Graves. Here's what I want you to do- "He crossed his right leg over the other, leaning forward on the couch. "With all of the- legal trouble I've gotten myself into lately, it's now impossible for me to stay in the US. I need to head back into Mexico and that's what you're going to help me out with."

"Couldn't have you just called?"

Jesus chuckled, pulling a cell phone out of his jacket pocket. "A simple phone call won't do. We're going to call your- friends at the crime lab you work at. You're going to assure them that your alive and well, all that jazz." He waved his hand through the air. "You're then going to hand the phone off to me."

"Your friends are going to get me safe passage out of the country and back to Mexico. Once I'm guaranteed a police helicopter to Mexico, we'll trade-off. Safe passage for the safe return of their precious crime scene technician."

"Did you ever stop to think about what if they decided to not help you. You are a wanted fugitive after all." The sinister look appeared in Jesus' eyes once again as he reached into his suit jacket, this time pulling a gun out.

"Then I'm just going to have to kill you."

Nick's POV

Warrick and I entered the conference room with Sara, Catherine, Greg and Grissom already in there. Everyone looked as dazed as I did. They all had the same broken look in her eyes, some more composed than others as they stared at Grissom. We all knew the subject of this meeting and we all desperately just wanted to get this over with.

Grissom cleared his throat as he stared at all of us gathered around the wooden table. "We all know what's happened with Bridget. I've just been informed that they've handed the case to another crime lab. I've been assured that we'll be kept up to date on where they're at."

"That's it, we'll be kept up to date?" I couldn't help the harsh tone that came into my voice as I spoke.

"Nick, you know as well as I do that, we can't have anything to do with this case- "

"I hate to say this, but Nick's got a point. Bridget's been kidnapped, she's one of our own and we're just supposed to sit on our hands and wait for updates from them?" Catherine's boisterous voice spoke up, challenging Grissom.

"My hands are tied here- "Grissom was interrupted by the phone in the middle of the conference room going off. We all stared at the phone with our eyebrows raised. No one's ever called this phone before. We didn't even know the number for it.

Grissom cautiously reached across the table, answering the phone as he put it on speaker.

"This is Gil Grissom." He answers professionally, staring down at the phone. For the first few moments, no one had said anything. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of heavy breathing. We all sat there, staring at the phone as we waited for the person to respond.

A meek, quiet voice came through the speaker. If she wouldn't have said their name, I wouldn't have thought it was her. "It's Bridget."

"Graves? What's going on, where are you?" We were all surprised when a shaken tone rose in Grissom's voice as he somehow managed to get closer to the phone.

"I'm fine, everything's fine." There was something off in Bridget's voice. It was almost as if she were reading off a script.

"Bridget, talk to us here. What's going on?" I raised my voice as I called out towards the phone. I adjusted my position in the chair, bringing myself as close to the table as possible. Bridget's name falling from my lips was enough to bring tears to my eyes as I stared wide-eyed.

There was a shuffling sound over the other end before another voice came through. "It seems that you guys have been looking for me. Well- here I am."

"What is it you want?" Grissom asked the man on the phone.

"My name's Jesus Rivera, though some of you may know me as Dominic Vazquez. I've got Bridget here with me and I was hoping we'd make a little deal. I want a guranteed safe passage back to Mexico as well as a police helicopter to get there. If you get me what I want, you'll have Ms. Graves back before you know it."

"What makes you think we want to help you?"

"Let's just say it will be your best interest to help me. I'll give you ten minutes to discuss it before I call back. Choose wisely." Just as quickly as we had answered the phone, Jesus ended the call, the dead tone cutting through the otherwise silent air.