The next shift was just starting and Grissom checked out the roster and saw he had a full staff on for a change. Warrick and Sara had finished up yesterday with their armed liquor store robbery where the unfortunate soul behind the register had decided to try to be the hero and had pulled out a shotgun from behind the counter. The clerk hadn't even realized it wasn't loaded until it was too late. Nick and Catherine were waiting on some DNA results running through CODIS in Greg's lab. He wandered about the office, poking into various rooms, visiting with Archie who had just picked up DS9 Season Four on DVD and was completely psyched about it. Grissom hadn't watched anything on TV since PBS ran La Boheme, so he couldn't contribute much of his own enthusiasm. He wandered up front where he found Judy looking profoundly uncomfortable while Hodges leaned on her desk.

"Judy? Everything copasetic here?" he asked while looking pointedly at Hodges.

"Yeah, thanks Dr. Grissom. Ummm… I don't think I have anything new for you. No calls have come in."

"Hodges? Don't you have trace from the liquor store robbery to work on?" still looking pointedly at the still leaning lab tech.

"Um, yeah, Boss. Actually, while Judy was away from her desk I took a call from some sheriff up in Humboldt County." Grissom could figure out why Judy was away from her desk.

"And….?"

"Well he said something about dead bodies and asked for a CSI team to head out there."

"What about the bodies? Head out where?" Grissom asked impatiently.

"Well…it was a bad connection. I didn't get much more. But I did get the location he's waiting at - some bird sanctuary up towards the northern border."

"Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge?"

"Yeah. That's it. You've heard of it?"

"Give me the information that you actually got, Hodges," Grissom said with an audible sigh. I think I know exactly who would like to come with me.

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Nick and Catherine were hovering over Greg's computer, watching the animated icon he used of a dagger that covered with blood, then dripped, then started all over again.

"That's sick, even for you, Greg," Catherine said with a grimace. "What's wrong with a nice normal hourglass like everyone else uses?"

"Exactly! Just like everyone else uses. Besides, this is more appropriate to the work we do here, dontcha think?" Greg asked with a smile.

Nick just shook his head and smiled. He glanced up and noticed Grissom walking their way. He had been on the Big Guy's shit list since he flapped his gums to his old baseball buddy, Kenny, and had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. He figured the only way to avoid the shoe dropping was to stay out of the man's way as much as conceivably possible, or at least make sure one of his team members was there if Grissom was.

"Hey, Grissom," he said with a feeble smile as his boss entered the room with his own very odd smile on his usually unemotional face. "Just waiting on our results from CODIS," he said quickly, just to make sure Grissom didn't think they were slacking.

"I know, Nick. Actually, we have a call out at the Sheldon Refuge. Thought you might like to join me?"

Nick was torn. Boss is asking me personally. Kinda nice. It is an amazing place- could add a few birds to my life list…but then Grissom might know I have a life list! Plus it would be hours trapped in the truck with him…plenty of time for "talking". "Talking" about me and my big mouth. But how can I say no?

Grissom now had an amused smile on his face. He had a pretty good idea what was going on in the younger CSI's head, and he found it interesting to witness one man's battle with himself. He waited patiently for Nick's response and was gratified to hear, "Sure, Grissom. Sounds great." And the smile on Nick's face looked genuine.

"Great, " Grissom echoed. "Load up your stuff in the truck. We're headed out."