Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership over any character from the show CSI.
No profit is being made from this story.
A.N.: I'm back! Sorry for the delay. Without much ado, here is the tenth installment. I see the end coming in one or two chapters. Enjoy, and please do tell me what you think, good and bad. Thanks so much for all your support.
First Do No Harm
By Moose
Chapter 10
"Things are awfully slow tonight," Sara commented, leaning back beside Nick on the hood of the SUV.
"You're complaining?" Nick asked incredulously, but his twinkling eyes told Sara he was teasing her.
"Well, yeah," Sara said, deciding to go along with him. "I happen to like my work, Nicky."
"Love is more like it," Nick corrected her. He stepped in front of her and put his hands on the hood, on either side of Sara.
"Yeah, I love it," Sara agreed, feeling light-headed. Nick was so close she could smell his aftershave. "Don't you?"
"I love this," Nick said softly, his lips finding hers. All he could think of was how he just can't seem to get enough of Sara. He felt Sara sigh happily, her arms snaking around his neck. They were so captivated with each other that they didn't notice the presence of a third person.
When they finally came up for air, Sara closed her eyes and laid her head on Nick's chest. Nick looked down at Sara. From the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw that they were not alone.
Standing close to them, with his arms crossed in front of him, was Warrick. His grin was even wider than the Cheshire cat's.
"Jesus, Warrick, you scared me," Nick said, looking at his friend.
Sara sharply raised her head and saw Warrick. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here, remember?" Warrick replied, still grinning. "So -"
"So -" Nick raised an eyebrow.
"So, how long has been this going on?"
"Warrick -" Nick started. When Warrick just stood there, grinning, Nick continued, "Grissom's waiting for you."
"Already reported to him," Warrick said, dismissing Nick's comment. "In fact, he sent me to get you two. He wants us to talk this case over at the break room."
Nick and Sara reluctantly pulled apart. They followed Warrick back in, brushing off his jibes. Grissom, from the breakroom, could hear Warrick's taunts and Nick and Sara's attempts to make him stop the moment the three stepped out of the elevator. He greeted his team with an amused look, and watched them take their usual places around the table.
"Okay, you three seem strangely upbeat," Grissom commented. "But we have to get back to business. Nick, how did the interview go?"
"Meredith Jones did not know that her roommate was dead," Nick began. "Sara and I got to their place a little earlier than she did, and I had to be the one to tell her. Anyway, she was clearly upset, so we had to stop the interview for a while. When she had regained her composure, I asked her the basics, but she couldn't give me any helpful information. According to her, Jodie Fleming had no enemies, no addictions, no medications. She also said that she thinks Jodie was doing well both academically and personally, and that Jodie seemed happy."
"So we still have no suspects," Sara finished for Nick.
Grissom nodded gravely. "Warrick?"
"Jodie Fleming was doing well in school," Warrick confirmed. "She wasn't at the top of her class, but she wasn't flunking any subject. I talked to the dean and to some of her teachers, and they were all quite shock to find out that she's dead. I got her school record, including her current schedule," Warrick reported. "Still no suspects, I'm afraid."
"My turn," Grissom said. "I already showed Nick and Sara what Doc Robbins found in Jodie Fleming's stomach. They're some sort of bead-like material, small and black, embedded on her stomach wall. Greg is analyzing them, along with the herbal supplements that Sara found in Jodie Fleming's desk. We'll just have to wait for the results."
"And I have them right here," a voice from the doorway said. The four CSIs turned and saw Greg at the doorway, waving a sheet of paper.
"Let's hear it then," Grissom said, motioning Greg in. The lab tech handed Grissom the paper, who beckoned the others to look at the results.
"Notice anything?" Greg asked.
"Yeah," Warrick remarked. "This tells us what the capsules contain. What about the material Doc Robbins found in the stomach? Where are the results for it?"
"You are looking at it."
Grissom looked at Greg sharply. "You mean those things and the capsules are the same thing?"
Greg nodded. "One and the same. I've also done a little research, you know, looked it up, in case you guys might ask me how this was possible."
"So how was it possible?" Nick asked.
"The capsules contain the chemicals listed here," Greg began, pointing to the list of chemicals on the paper. "When ingested, the capsule arrives at the stomach whole, but the gastric juice quickly erodes the external covering until the granules are released. The granules then react with the enzyme pepsin, a naturally occurring enzyme in the human stomach. Pepsin causes chemical changes. Glutamate is released, and this could account for the memory enhancing effect of the capsule. However, this reaction also brings about conformational changes, and this involves the crystallization of the granules immediately after the release of glutamate. The crystals then adhere very closely to one another, until a bead-like material is formed. The material is not as smooth as it appears to the naked eye. It has projections that could easily lodge themselves into the goblet cells of the gastric mucosa. This adhesiveness is very strong, and this is why the bead-like things fail to leave the stomach along with the digested food."
"Other than glutamate, is there any other chemical released?" Sara inquired.
"Ah, the poison," Greg said. He pointed to three peaks on the paper. "These chemicals here, when you mix them in an environment with a pH of 4, forms that toxin."
"But the pH in the stomach is lower than that," Grissom said. "It's around 2."
"In most people, yes," Greg said. "But there are always individual differences. My guess is that Jodie Fleming's normal stomach pH is roughly 4." He crossed his arms and grinned smugly. "Am I good or what?"
"Good job, Greggo," Nick admitted. "So now we just have to find out where these capsules came from."
Grissom looked at the clock. "It's nearly 2 a.m.," he said. "But since they are med students, I think Jodie Fleming's roommates are still up. Why don't we give them a call?"
"I'll do that," Sara volunteered. "What's their number?"
Grissom leafed through his organizer until he reached the place where he had written the case data. "Here it is," he said, passing it to Sara. Sara got the number and left the room. She was back in a few minutes.
"Were you able to talk to them?" Warrick asked.
She nodded excitedly. "Yeah, Grissom was right, they were still awake. I talked to Meredith Jones. She said that Jodie got the capsules from their biochemistry teacher, Dr. Daniels. He has a lecture tomorrow at 8."
"I'll ask Brass to bring him here for questioning," Grissom said, standing up. "I can question him later, unless two of you are willing to work overtime."
"I can do it," Sara quickly said. "I know you'd like to visit Lindsey right after our shift. I'm sure one of the guys can stay."
"Rock, paper, scissors," Warrick said, turning to Nick. They always do this whenever Sara volunteers for an overtime and has to have a partner; the winner gets to go home early, and the loser stays and takes on the extra hours. On the contrary, Nick was about to volunteer to stay, not at all bothered to put in several extra hours of work, but since Warrick spoke up, he shrugged and went along with him. Warrick almost always beats him anyway.
True enough, Warrick threw a rock, and Nick scissors. Warrick grinned, "I know you don't mind, man."
Nick just grinned back. Nope, he doesn't mind, not at all.
A.N.: I'm back! Sorry for the delay. Without much ado, here is the tenth installment. I see the end coming in one or two chapters. Enjoy, and please do tell me what you think, good and bad. Thanks so much for all your support.
First Do No Harm
By Moose
Chapter 10
"Things are awfully slow tonight," Sara commented, leaning back beside Nick on the hood of the SUV.
"You're complaining?" Nick asked incredulously, but his twinkling eyes told Sara he was teasing her.
"Well, yeah," Sara said, deciding to go along with him. "I happen to like my work, Nicky."
"Love is more like it," Nick corrected her. He stepped in front of her and put his hands on the hood, on either side of Sara.
"Yeah, I love it," Sara agreed, feeling light-headed. Nick was so close she could smell his aftershave. "Don't you?"
"I love this," Nick said softly, his lips finding hers. All he could think of was how he just can't seem to get enough of Sara. He felt Sara sigh happily, her arms snaking around his neck. They were so captivated with each other that they didn't notice the presence of a third person.
When they finally came up for air, Sara closed her eyes and laid her head on Nick's chest. Nick looked down at Sara. From the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw that they were not alone.
Standing close to them, with his arms crossed in front of him, was Warrick. His grin was even wider than the Cheshire cat's.
"Jesus, Warrick, you scared me," Nick said, looking at his friend.
Sara sharply raised her head and saw Warrick. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here, remember?" Warrick replied, still grinning. "So -"
"So -" Nick raised an eyebrow.
"So, how long has been this going on?"
"Warrick -" Nick started. When Warrick just stood there, grinning, Nick continued, "Grissom's waiting for you."
"Already reported to him," Warrick said, dismissing Nick's comment. "In fact, he sent me to get you two. He wants us to talk this case over at the break room."
Nick and Sara reluctantly pulled apart. They followed Warrick back in, brushing off his jibes. Grissom, from the breakroom, could hear Warrick's taunts and Nick and Sara's attempts to make him stop the moment the three stepped out of the elevator. He greeted his team with an amused look, and watched them take their usual places around the table.
"Okay, you three seem strangely upbeat," Grissom commented. "But we have to get back to business. Nick, how did the interview go?"
"Meredith Jones did not know that her roommate was dead," Nick began. "Sara and I got to their place a little earlier than she did, and I had to be the one to tell her. Anyway, she was clearly upset, so we had to stop the interview for a while. When she had regained her composure, I asked her the basics, but she couldn't give me any helpful information. According to her, Jodie Fleming had no enemies, no addictions, no medications. She also said that she thinks Jodie was doing well both academically and personally, and that Jodie seemed happy."
"So we still have no suspects," Sara finished for Nick.
Grissom nodded gravely. "Warrick?"
"Jodie Fleming was doing well in school," Warrick confirmed. "She wasn't at the top of her class, but she wasn't flunking any subject. I talked to the dean and to some of her teachers, and they were all quite shock to find out that she's dead. I got her school record, including her current schedule," Warrick reported. "Still no suspects, I'm afraid."
"My turn," Grissom said. "I already showed Nick and Sara what Doc Robbins found in Jodie Fleming's stomach. They're some sort of bead-like material, small and black, embedded on her stomach wall. Greg is analyzing them, along with the herbal supplements that Sara found in Jodie Fleming's desk. We'll just have to wait for the results."
"And I have them right here," a voice from the doorway said. The four CSIs turned and saw Greg at the doorway, waving a sheet of paper.
"Let's hear it then," Grissom said, motioning Greg in. The lab tech handed Grissom the paper, who beckoned the others to look at the results.
"Notice anything?" Greg asked.
"Yeah," Warrick remarked. "This tells us what the capsules contain. What about the material Doc Robbins found in the stomach? Where are the results for it?"
"You are looking at it."
Grissom looked at Greg sharply. "You mean those things and the capsules are the same thing?"
Greg nodded. "One and the same. I've also done a little research, you know, looked it up, in case you guys might ask me how this was possible."
"So how was it possible?" Nick asked.
"The capsules contain the chemicals listed here," Greg began, pointing to the list of chemicals on the paper. "When ingested, the capsule arrives at the stomach whole, but the gastric juice quickly erodes the external covering until the granules are released. The granules then react with the enzyme pepsin, a naturally occurring enzyme in the human stomach. Pepsin causes chemical changes. Glutamate is released, and this could account for the memory enhancing effect of the capsule. However, this reaction also brings about conformational changes, and this involves the crystallization of the granules immediately after the release of glutamate. The crystals then adhere very closely to one another, until a bead-like material is formed. The material is not as smooth as it appears to the naked eye. It has projections that could easily lodge themselves into the goblet cells of the gastric mucosa. This adhesiveness is very strong, and this is why the bead-like things fail to leave the stomach along with the digested food."
"Other than glutamate, is there any other chemical released?" Sara inquired.
"Ah, the poison," Greg said. He pointed to three peaks on the paper. "These chemicals here, when you mix them in an environment with a pH of 4, forms that toxin."
"But the pH in the stomach is lower than that," Grissom said. "It's around 2."
"In most people, yes," Greg said. "But there are always individual differences. My guess is that Jodie Fleming's normal stomach pH is roughly 4." He crossed his arms and grinned smugly. "Am I good or what?"
"Good job, Greggo," Nick admitted. "So now we just have to find out where these capsules came from."
Grissom looked at the clock. "It's nearly 2 a.m.," he said. "But since they are med students, I think Jodie Fleming's roommates are still up. Why don't we give them a call?"
"I'll do that," Sara volunteered. "What's their number?"
Grissom leafed through his organizer until he reached the place where he had written the case data. "Here it is," he said, passing it to Sara. Sara got the number and left the room. She was back in a few minutes.
"Were you able to talk to them?" Warrick asked.
She nodded excitedly. "Yeah, Grissom was right, they were still awake. I talked to Meredith Jones. She said that Jodie got the capsules from their biochemistry teacher, Dr. Daniels. He has a lecture tomorrow at 8."
"I'll ask Brass to bring him here for questioning," Grissom said, standing up. "I can question him later, unless two of you are willing to work overtime."
"I can do it," Sara quickly said. "I know you'd like to visit Lindsey right after our shift. I'm sure one of the guys can stay."
"Rock, paper, scissors," Warrick said, turning to Nick. They always do this whenever Sara volunteers for an overtime and has to have a partner; the winner gets to go home early, and the loser stays and takes on the extra hours. On the contrary, Nick was about to volunteer to stay, not at all bothered to put in several extra hours of work, but since Warrick spoke up, he shrugged and went along with him. Warrick almost always beats him anyway.
True enough, Warrick threw a rock, and Nick scissors. Warrick grinned, "I know you don't mind, man."
Nick just grinned back. Nope, he doesn't mind, not at all.