Chapter Eight: Searches

The steady beat of the rain against the window hadn't ceased since it started several hours ago. It wasn't a heavy rain, more of a drizzle, unlike how it had been earlier. Still it was enough to call the CSI's back to the lab.

Catherine let out a sigh as she gazed out the window, the lights from the other surrounding buildings were skewered against the elliptical drops of rain that still clung onto the smooth plain. Arms crossed, and one hand tapping against the other arm, Catherine turned back to the small television set that was provided in the break room. It had caught her attention.

"The search for the two missing CSI agents has been called off due to current weather conditions. Sources say that there is little hope of finding the two alive after evidence has shown that the two more in likely became lost in the river. A recovery mission will be sent out when it has been deemed safe enough. The two agents, Greg Sanders and Sara Sidle worked for the Las Vegas Crime Lab, and were working at a scene when the heavy rains started."

Catherine shook her head, turning her attention back out towards the window. She hadn't wanted to come back. She had been off shift now for some time, but unable to go home, she had stuck around, only calling to make certain the sitter could stay with Lindsey for a while longer.

"Hey Cath?"

She glanced over her shoulder, smiling some as Nick leaned in the doorway. "Hey," she replied.

"Is it true?" he wondered. "They're calling off the search already?"

Catherine nodded, "Search teams says they wouldn't have lasted more than twenty minutes in that river. They looked for three hours, didn't find anything. It's just too dangerous to keep people out there looking under those odds."

"It's only been day," Nick argued, "not even that. Searches go on for weeks sometimes. So why call this one off after only a few hours?"

"Those searches they had leads. In our case, we have nothing. I'm not saying that it is right, because I don't think that it is either. But the facts…"

"Screw the facts Catherine," Nick told her. He had ventured further into the room. "You know as well as I do that finding nothing doesn't mean anything. That river more in likely wiped out everything, but it doesn't mean that they are dead. Assume nothing, remember?"

She nodded, agreeing with him. He watched her for a moment longer, "I'm going to see what I can find," he told her softly.

"Nick," she called after him, waiting for him to turn around and face her. Nick did so, waiting for her to tell him it was foolish, dangerous. "Be careful," she said instead, surprising him some.

Nick nodded, "I will," he told her softly.

Catherine nodded as he left, watching the open doorway for a moment before heading after him.


It had taken a while to find a way across the river. It was still flowing fast, but not rising as much, even though it was still raining lightly. Catherine turned to Nick, watching as he worked to get his flashlight to turn on.

"There should be new batteries in my case," she told him, fastening her vest.

He nodded, moving over to where she had set her case down, flipping it open with one hand. Reaching in, he pulled the new pair out, dumping the old ones in their place before closing the lid, locking it down.

"Remember, we're on backup shifts, if we get the call, we have to go in. No exceptions," Catherine reminded him.

"Yeah," Nick nodded, turning on his flashlight. He stood up from his crouched position, taking a glance around. "That's why I want to find them fast. If they fell in the river, then they would have gotten out on this side. Cliff's too step to climb back up," he followed the muddy side with his flashlight, the beam tracing the apparent disturbance.

"Then let's start looking," Catherine gave him a quick smile. "Watch and listen, let's not make any mistakes."

He nodded, already falling in step behind Catherine, taking slow, even paced steps. His flashlight scanned the ground, his eyes searching for anything. Shoe prints, hand prints, impressions…anything at all would be helpful. He also checked the river every four steps; things became easier when you fell into a routine.

Nick made sure to stay several feet behind Catherine, making sure to search everything again, fresh eyes often saw something tired ones missed. He debated on taking pictures, but decided against it. Catherine had the call on what to do, besides that factor, the department wouldn't be happy to learn they were using company film on an unlisted case.

Ahead of him, Catherine came to a stop, letting out a low whistle. "Dead end," she told him as he came up behind her. He let out a similar sigh of frustration, eyeing the new cliff face that they had come up to.

"Now what?" Nick wondered.

"They could have gotten out further down," Catherine suggested, studying the rock face. "We're going to have to find another way around, there's no way we'll be able to climb that, not without gear."

"You see that?" Nick asked, taking a few more steps towards the bank. Catherine followed him, watching as he got to his hands and knees, shining his flashlight along the overhanging rock that led into the river.

"It's a tree," Catherine commented dryly.

"It's a broken tree," Nick pointed out, "looks like half its branches were ripped off."

"Nick, it's a flash flood, these rivers that accumulate from the rain can and will tear up everything in its path."

He shook his head, scanning the side that faced the river. "Break's not consistent with wear and tear, looks sudden almost. Check it out, the cliff side over here looks easily climbable."

Catherine nodded, stepping back as her phone went off. "Willows," she stated, lifting it up to her ear after the second ring.

Nick continued to study the cliff side, but it was hard to see in the dim light. His attention returned back to the river, watching the water flow, studying the current. It would have pulled someone right to the edge, right into the tree. He was sure of it. Now they only had to follow it.

"I'm going to try and get over this," Nick called back to her, standing up.

"That's going to have to wait," Catherine told him, "Homicide investigation, just got the call. We're the only ones available right now."

Nick nodded, letting out a short breath as he followed Catherine back. "No one else can take the case?" he asked.

"Warrick's already busy, and Sara and Greg aren't exactly available. Grissom's meeting us there, we'll swing by the lab real quick, grab a change of dry clothes but we have to make it quick."

"They're still out there," Nick told her, watching her nod.

"And we have work to do. Sara and Greg are going to have to wait a little longer. We'll be back out here soon enough, don't worry."

TBC