Greg Sanders looked across the Gray silver desk in the moderately crowed
reception. Annoyed he looked back down at his watch reading the time it
showed slowly. 03:34 it screeched at him, two minutes since he had last
checked.
Two days ago he had been on top of the world, with the promise of being
moved into the field and a promotion on its way, for Greg, everything
seemed to be going straight for once. But in the last two days his plans of
becoming a world-renowned CSI were postponed once again. Grissom informed
Greg that the new intern that he was meant to be getting wasn't skilled
enough to be put straight into the lab so she would take Greg's place in
the field while Greg would spend many more weeks comparing DNA samples in
Trace.
He was more than disappointed, he had worked long enough in the Las Vegas
Crime Lab to realise that opportunities like this didn't come along very
often and when they do there's no option but to jump right in, heals and
all. Who knew how long he was going to stay in the lab for now? What was
more, his place on the team was going to be given up to some little fresh-
out-of-uni intern with a certificate in phyc with no experience at all.
Grissom had decided to import, find someone from out of town. Greg had no
idea how far out of town Grissom was willing to go to get the best.
Greg clicked the black biro in his hand for the third time as Nick Stokes
approached the reception carrying only an off-white coloured manilla
folder.
"What's this?"
Greg asked curiously opening the folder Nick had passed over to him.
"You have got to check this out man,"
Nick explained pulling out a sheet of white computer paper out of the open
folder
"It's the bio of the new intern, look at this!"
He passed the piece of paper over to Greg to have a look
"You're being replaced with a girl who has been a dancer and had a part of
a small TV drama! Everything but a CSI!"
"You have got to be kidding me!"
Greg said taking the piece of paper out of Nicks' hands. The name Chontelle
Hamilton stuck out immediately.
"Listen man, I'm really sorry,"
Nick said almost sincerely
"No-one deserved to be shot down like this"
Greg sighed.
"Wow, would you look at that."
Greg turned almost immediately at the sound of urgency in Nick's voice,
slightly covered but the sound of pleasure. Sitting in the far corner of
the now empty waiting room was a leggy blonde sitting anxiously checking
her watch, as Greg had been just a few moments ago.
"Grieving widow at six o'clock,"
Nick said running his hand through what was left of his short, brown hair.
"I 'spouse I should go and comfort our damsel in distress"
He said as he turned to grab a clipboard off the desk.
Greg sighed "Well, if you think that's necessary,"
He continued rolling his eyes as Nick turned his back to Greg and started
towards the blonde who was now looking straight at the off white coloured
wall.
Chontelle looked nervously down at her well-manicured hand. She felt slightly under dressed in her suit jacket over top of faded jeans and a short sleeved stroppy top. Looking at the guy standing at the reception desk wearing just a t-shirt and a pair of scruffy jeans reassured her. He was waiting, just like her. Damn, she thought to herself everyone here seems to be waiting for something. She sighed and looked again at her watch, now when had the receptionist said the senior in charge would meet her. Five, ten minutes still? She didn't know. She was nervous and she was sure it showed. She looked back at the guy wearing the scruffy jeans who was now joined by a dark haired guy who looked like he had just stepped out of a police movie. She knew the type, so cocky and full of themselves. She wasn't one to judge on appearances but she could tell just by the way he was standing, that was why she was here. She had applied to a number of crime labs all over the place the Las Vegas crime lab had been the only to reply. You see, no one wanted an unexperienced Forensic scientist on there crew, degree in phycology or not.
This was a once in a life time chance that she had to take, even if it meant leaving her dreams back in New Zealand with her script for the next episode of Shortland Street. A horribly bad soapy which ratings had 'skyrocketed' since Chontelle's character Cassandra had started with her small part and slowly moving up to an every episode character. She had to admit leaving the show was sad. With her character becoming pregnant and deciding to raise her daughter away from Cassandra's boyfriend and back with her family. Tacky though it was, it pulled in a brilliant amount of viewers wanting to farewell one of their favourite characters. So she had been offered a place on the Las Vegas Crime team. Looked into airfares and everything else that went along with that, handed in her weeks notice and in three weeks she was sitting in a really uncomfortable plastic chair wishing she had stayed home. "Excuse me Miss," Chontelle turned around at the light tap on her shoulder. "Hi, I'm Nick Stokes of the crime Lab. I am sorry about your loss but I would really like to ask you a few questions." It was the dark haired guy who looked like he had just stepped out of a police movie. She looked back at the reception desk where the scruffy jeans guy was staring at her as if he was trying to sort something out. Nice hair, she noted before the police wanna-be continued. "First of all, what's your name-" "I think you've got the wrong person" Chontelle said interrupting Nick mid way through the question but keeping her steady gaze on the scruffy jean wearer. "Stokes, hitting on the new inturn before she's actually started? Now that's bad." Accused a female voice from behind Nick. He turned so Chontelle could see the dark haired woman who was now smiling warmly. Chontelle stood up and offered her hand. "Chontelle Hamilton" She said trying to smile back and concentrating on the now pink Nick Stokes. "I know, we've heard a lot about you," The dark haired woman said, empathising the ' lot' to make it sound almost sarcastic. "The name's Sara Sidle by the way," She added in quickly, while looking over Chontelle's outfit. "Nice to meet you," Chontelle politely replied unsure of what else she was meant to say. Sara Sidle released the handshake and Nick Stokes offered his hand. "Nick Stokes," He said embarrassedly, "Sorry about before." He added before giving a slight wave and leaving towards the reception desk.
Greg looked up from the file he was supposedly reading in fact, he was actually trying to watch the scene that was unfolding in the far corner of the reception. The scene was getting interesting from what Greg could see. The blonde was up now, on her feet and shaking hands with Sara. He pretended to look down at his folder as she said something in reply to something Sara had just said. She was shaking hands with Nick now who had gone a sight shade of pink. Greg took another look at the blonde, now she was standing it was easier to see her. Her hair was quite long and was slightly curled in ringlet type curls. She was wearing a casual pair of faded jeans that highlighted her long legs. Yeah, he could see what Nick saw in her. Her face made her look younger than what she probably was, he was guessing around 25 –27. Letting his mind wander, Greg didn't notice Nick coming towards him, slightly pink but coping with his obvious rejection. He noticed Greg starring at the blonde who was now following Sara out into the long blank corridor. He tried to stop himself laughing as the now rejected Nick walked slowly past the desk Greg was now leaning on. He smiled guiltily.
"Mop it up Sanders, That's the new intern!"
Chontelle looked nervously down at her well-manicured hand. She felt slightly under dressed in her suit jacket over top of faded jeans and a short sleeved stroppy top. Looking at the guy standing at the reception desk wearing just a t-shirt and a pair of scruffy jeans reassured her. He was waiting, just like her. Damn, she thought to herself everyone here seems to be waiting for something. She sighed and looked again at her watch, now when had the receptionist said the senior in charge would meet her. Five, ten minutes still? She didn't know. She was nervous and she was sure it showed. She looked back at the guy wearing the scruffy jeans who was now joined by a dark haired guy who looked like he had just stepped out of a police movie. She knew the type, so cocky and full of themselves. She wasn't one to judge on appearances but she could tell just by the way he was standing, that was why she was here. She had applied to a number of crime labs all over the place the Las Vegas crime lab had been the only to reply. You see, no one wanted an unexperienced Forensic scientist on there crew, degree in phycology or not.
This was a once in a life time chance that she had to take, even if it meant leaving her dreams back in New Zealand with her script for the next episode of Shortland Street. A horribly bad soapy which ratings had 'skyrocketed' since Chontelle's character Cassandra had started with her small part and slowly moving up to an every episode character. She had to admit leaving the show was sad. With her character becoming pregnant and deciding to raise her daughter away from Cassandra's boyfriend and back with her family. Tacky though it was, it pulled in a brilliant amount of viewers wanting to farewell one of their favourite characters. So she had been offered a place on the Las Vegas Crime team. Looked into airfares and everything else that went along with that, handed in her weeks notice and in three weeks she was sitting in a really uncomfortable plastic chair wishing she had stayed home. "Excuse me Miss," Chontelle turned around at the light tap on her shoulder. "Hi, I'm Nick Stokes of the crime Lab. I am sorry about your loss but I would really like to ask you a few questions." It was the dark haired guy who looked like he had just stepped out of a police movie. She looked back at the reception desk where the scruffy jeans guy was staring at her as if he was trying to sort something out. Nice hair, she noted before the police wanna-be continued. "First of all, what's your name-" "I think you've got the wrong person" Chontelle said interrupting Nick mid way through the question but keeping her steady gaze on the scruffy jean wearer. "Stokes, hitting on the new inturn before she's actually started? Now that's bad." Accused a female voice from behind Nick. He turned so Chontelle could see the dark haired woman who was now smiling warmly. Chontelle stood up and offered her hand. "Chontelle Hamilton" She said trying to smile back and concentrating on the now pink Nick Stokes. "I know, we've heard a lot about you," The dark haired woman said, empathising the ' lot' to make it sound almost sarcastic. "The name's Sara Sidle by the way," She added in quickly, while looking over Chontelle's outfit. "Nice to meet you," Chontelle politely replied unsure of what else she was meant to say. Sara Sidle released the handshake and Nick Stokes offered his hand. "Nick Stokes," He said embarrassedly, "Sorry about before." He added before giving a slight wave and leaving towards the reception desk.
Greg looked up from the file he was supposedly reading in fact, he was actually trying to watch the scene that was unfolding in the far corner of the reception. The scene was getting interesting from what Greg could see. The blonde was up now, on her feet and shaking hands with Sara. He pretended to look down at his folder as she said something in reply to something Sara had just said. She was shaking hands with Nick now who had gone a sight shade of pink. Greg took another look at the blonde, now she was standing it was easier to see her. Her hair was quite long and was slightly curled in ringlet type curls. She was wearing a casual pair of faded jeans that highlighted her long legs. Yeah, he could see what Nick saw in her. Her face made her look younger than what she probably was, he was guessing around 25 –27. Letting his mind wander, Greg didn't notice Nick coming towards him, slightly pink but coping with his obvious rejection. He noticed Greg starring at the blonde who was now following Sara out into the long blank corridor. He tried to stop himself laughing as the now rejected Nick walked slowly past the desk Greg was now leaning on. He smiled guiltily.
"Mop it up Sanders, That's the new intern!"