Whee! Next chapter. I had a bad day. Wrote this, all better! Las Vegas crew finally gets involved and no one complain because they don't like how I portrayed someone. Give me a few tips, sure. But don't complain. Because that's just irritating. ^_^ Anyway, enjoy!

Paint It Black

Chapter 2

Las Vegas, Meet Chicago

            Brianna was not tired at all by her hasty midnight flight to Las Vegas. Used to traveling at weird hours with weird time changes, something like this didn't bother her at all.

            It didn't mean she enjoyed it. Cramped on a flight for two hours, when most sane people were sleeping, didn't not count as 'fun' to her.

            Stretching a little, she got off the plane; her backpack slung over one shoulder. She had dressed plain, in flare jeans, a black tee shirt and a hoodie wrapped around her waist. Running a hand through her dark hair, she sighed and looked around.

            All Damian had told her was that someone from the Las Vegas lab would be meeting her. Damian had sent her, just her, at first and was coming over with Tarshen, a few days later. He had a case to finish up and Brianna was the right choice, being the only one with no close family, no cases, and an expertise in strange weapons/wounds.

            Now, she just had to find whom she was supposed to meet…

            "Brianna McCarthy?" She jumped at the voice, whirling around to face whoever was behind her, reaching for a gun that wasn't there.

            "Whoa! Sorry bout that!" It was an African American, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "Didn't mean to scare you."

            Brianna just nodded and forced a smile. "It's okay. I've always been a bit jumpy. Yeah, I'm Brianna." She held out her hand.

            "Warrick Brown, Las Vegas Crime Lab." He took her hand in a firm grip. "I was told to get you to the lab ASAP. You think we'll have trouble getting out of here?"
            "Yes."

            "Why do I feel very uneasy with how quick you answered that?" Warrick asked as they began to walk.

            Brianna offered him a small, apologetic smile. "I've already determined one of the weapons used in the attack. And I had to bring it with me… along with my firearm."

            "Okay… you have the right papers, the guns fine. Why is the weapon so hard?"

            "Because it's basically illegal in every country and lethal to even the wielder?"

            Warrick stared then nodded. "I see. Something tells me this won't be an open and shut case."

            "I don't think so either."

            "Where the hell is Warrick?" Sara Sidle huffed, placing her hands on the common room table in front of Gil Grissom who was looking over a magazine.

            Grissom looked up at her slowly, tugging off his glasses. "Warrick said they were going to have trouble getting out if the airport. Give them time Sara."

            "We don't have time!" Sara sighed, righting herself again and leaning against the edge of the table.

            "She's got a point." Nick Stokes admitted, walking into the room and pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Two bodies, about two months apart, for all we know, whoever this is, could start attacking more people more often."

            "Then we'll have to catch them before they do." Grissom said simply, standing and facing the doorway.

            "The cavalry… has arrived." Warrick's voice started a couple seconds before he entered the room with a mock bow.

            Sara whirled to face him, hands already on her hips. "What took you so long?!"

            Warrick jerked his thumb to the figure behind him. "Our Chicago girl. She brought evidence that... umm… isn't quite standard."

            "Sorry but I was correct in the assumption you have none here." Those in the room eyed the small woman critically and she in turn looked at each on of them.

            Grissom was the first to step forward, hand extended. "Gil Grissom. I want to thank you- and Damian- for sending someone out here so quickly."

            The woman shook her head, her straight hair swishing. "Brianna McCarthy. Don't mention it. You can thank Damian in a few days when he gets here. He had a few things to finish first."

            Grissom nodded to Brianna and turned to the other two in the room, wait, three. Catherine had slipped in two. "Brianna, this is Sara Sidle, Nick Stokes, and Catherine Willows. You'll be working with them and Catherine offered to let you use her house while you stay."

            Brianna looked mildly surprised at the last part and looked to Catherine." Are you sure? I might be here for awhile."

            Catherine shrugged and smiled at the younger woman. "Hey, if you pay for you food, stay neat, it'll save you a few bucks and make life a bit easier."

            Brianna nodded slowly. "Thanks."

            "I'm sorry, for being impatient, but is if pleasantries are over, we have a case to solve." Sara suddenly butt in, looking at everyone else.

            Grissom watched Brianna smirk. "My thoughts exactly."

            "It's referred to, I think, don't put me down as saying this, garrote wire. It can be high grade, top quality fiber wire of it can be as simple as a piano cord. It is illegal but you can buy it on the black market or on the Internet." Brianna explained as she pulled the wooden bow out of its paper bag, grabbing a pair of gloves.

            "And how do you know this?" Nick Stokes asked at her side, looking at the bow with raised eyebrow.

            "I travel a lot. And I amass a lot of weapons. While in Spain once, where it was most recently banned, I was witness to a body that seemed to be hanging in mid air. It was the wire. Don't ask how it came to be mine, you don't want to know, but I researched it after that and added it to my collection at work."

            "Collection?" Brianna smiled faintly at Grissom's curios tone, pausing in her work.

            "I collect odd weapons from around the world. Use them for reference at the lab." She explained, snapping open the case and donning a pair of thick leather gloves.

            "You're… not gonna use lab gloves over that?" Nick spoke again, giving her a dubious  look.

            "No point. This isn't the murder wire, only something similar to it and it would cut right through the gloves as is." She murmured, carefully removing the delicate coiled wire from its case. Carefully she laid it on the table, knowing it could suddenly uncurl and easily cut her, despite the thick gloves.

            True to her suspicions, as soon as she set it down it did uncurl, snapping towards her. Unsuccessfully she tried to pull out but got a stinging cut across her arm.

            "Shit." She swore quietly and pulled her arm up to stop the blood from getting anywhere. "Knew it was gonna do that. Anyone else get hit?"

            "We're fine. You okay?" Warrick asked, handing her a towel.

            "Yeah, I should have been more careful. As you can see, even a slight touch can pierce skin. So being suspended by it would definitely do some damage. It also depends on the grade of the wire." Brianna added, pressing the cloth to the skin as the others peered at the weapon.

            "Do you know about the other wounds?" Sara looked up from her examination to look at Brianna.

            She shook her head, peering at her cut. "No, had to dash out here quickly and didn't have enough time to look."

            "Catherine will take you down to the coroners to get a look. Do you mind if we look at this while you're gone?" Grissom asked, barely sparing a glance up.

            "Not at all. Use the gloves and be careful. It's hard to control and easily wraps around limbs; that's why it's often as lethal to the killer as the victim."

            Grissom's piercing eyes focused on her fully and Brianna had no doubt this man would find the killer. "Well, that's something to take into consideration, isn't it?"

Disclaimer: CSI and all its characters do not belong to me. Damian, Tarshen, Aisha, Brianna, and Michael, do. Any discrepancies should be pointed out so they can be fixed. And no, garrote wire is not fake. It does exist.