Hi ya!
Ok, you all have GOT to read the poem Rehgai is writing for my story! IT IS AWESOME! It's in the reviews right now, but when she finishes it (when the story is finished) I'll ask her permission to put it right on my profile for all to see! Or…maybe not cuz it would ruin the whole story. I'm confoozed! O well, I'll figure it out later!
Anyway, for my other reviewers, new and old:
James' Grl: I know, it's pretty lame, but I thought it was good at the time! (sweatdrop) And I'm surprised how well it turned out too, hopefully these will turn out to be the same way.
Sprite Sweetheart: Thanx very much! I was hoping the details would bring the story to life a little more!
Taz3: Well, maybe we were related sometime before; that would be cool! Finding my long lost sibling! And I have been reading your stories; and I love them! Keep up the great work!
Jojojojo01: Yeah, I didn't notice that I had done that until the day after I posted the chappie and was watching an episode of CSI. I meant to make that fact known in this chappie and I will after I finish here! Thanx for pointing it out tho!
Angw: Yeah, I know the thing with Hodges was weird, but I thought, since he was nice in Grave Danger, I guess he could be nice when it was really needed. And the thinig about sleep, yeah…I kinda do this a lot. Like, as I type these words, it is 11:45 P.M. I usually can stay up till around 2 or so, and I prolly will be tonight too. Thanx for your concern though!
Sillie: Well, you'll just have to find out. I still have A LOT of ideas for this story, so we'll see what you think!
Lins: You seem to be as hyper as me! I like it when people say my story is brilliant! But you'll just have to be patient like all the others to see if they find Greg or not. 8P
GreggoAddict: Hey! Thanx for the review! I have been reading "When Your Past Comes Back", my computer is just being really funky and wouldn't let me review the last chappie; so I put one up as an "anonymous who isn't so anonymous!" Haha! Keep up your great work and I'll do my best to keep mine on the straight and narrow!
So, for the little thing jojojojo01 was saying, I accidently put down Archie's last name as Kao. That is the name of the actor who plays him (coincidence? I think not). The name of the character he plays is named Archie Johnson. Sry for the confusion!
Oh, and in case there is any confusion, this story is taking place while Greg is a CSI, but the team hasn't been split. I totally loathe the idea of the split, so I didn't have it happen! My story, my plot. Ok? Ok!
Here we go! Ok, I've all but given up on buying CSI from CBS cuz nobody is willing to lend a few coins to the cause. But I have just realized that I do own the characters that I killed, and the killer, (who you will find out this chappie! hint hint) So let's just move on already!
Chapter 6: Their Only Connection Broken
XxX
Grissom pulled up to the old house that had so abruptly become the worst crime scene he had ever had to process. Sighing heavily, he thought through Catherine's story. "Greg was sent out back to check for an entrance. But Catherine found his vest covered in blood on the front yard." Making his way slowly to where Catherine had picked up the vest, he found a small pool of blood. Pulling a swab from his kit, he took a sample and moved to the backyard. The weeds in the back were very tall and thick, so Grissom could easily see the path of broken weeds Greg had walked through.
"Only one path," Grissom noted, "Assailant may have never been back here."
Turning around to head back, a couple of the weeds caught his eye. Barely visible along the length of a few weeds were miniscule traces of blood.
"From some scratches while walking through here no doubt. But is this all Greg's?" Walking over carefully, he snapped off each bloody branch, placing them in separate bags. By the time he walked back around front, he had a dozen bags in hand.
Looking through the front door, he saw no disturbance in the dirt-covered floor, besides the place where Catherine said she had fallen. "Whoever this was had this thoroughly planned out, as if they wanted Greg only. They could have just taken Catherine while Greg was around back, but they seemed to want her out of the way for the sole purpose of getting Greg unnoticed. What would they want with-"
Grissom was cut from his thoughts as his phone echoed loudly through the empty house. "Grissom."
"Hey!" Nick yelled, causing the senior CSI to jerk the phone away from his ear. "Archie narrowed the search. I'm heading toward trace to find the others. I also got a hold of Greg. He said he found a note that made it sound like the attacker was seeking revenge on him for something." Nick's breathing was slightly faster than normal; he must be running down the halls still.
"Good job Nicky. I'll be there in twenty. I need to stop by DNA and have something checked." Grissom snapped the phone shut and ran back to his car. He didn't know what to expect from the case, but he was certain he wouldn't remember seeing any of the street lights on the way back to the lab.
XxX
Nick continued to run down the hall as he shoved his phone in his pocket, keeping a tight grip on the talkie and map in his other hand. Turning the corner, he ran straight into someone, sending papers everywhere. Catching his balance, Nick took a quick glance back while he continued running and grinned happily when he saw Conrad Ecklie snatching up his fallen papers and mumbling under his breath. "Couldn't have happened to anyone more worthy than Ecklie." Nick smirked as he came to an abrupt halt in front of trace.
Rushing into the room, he saw Sara and Warrick look up at him in surprise. "Guys, I've got our search areas!"
"Great," Warrick said, "And we have found a link between the four victims and Greg. Two years ago, the FBI brought in a huge mass killing. Only five of our specialists were chosen to work the case and it was kept heavily under wraps. Tyler Mitchell, Katie Peters, Mike Stevens, Debbie Thompson and Greg Sanders were the team."
Sara added her two cents worth next. "Because of their work, Peter Jackson was arrested on seven charges of first degree murder. He served two years, then was given the injection."
Nick raised an eyebrow. "So, this is who we think it is? Some murderer's ghost come back to seek revenge?"
Warrick reached over and slapped Nick in the arm. "Come on man, this is serious. He's the only one all five of the victims have in common. Someone on the outside must be seeking revenge for Jackson."
Nick looked at his watch. "Grissom will be here in a few; he wanted to check on something. I'll go get Catherine and we will figure this out." He set the map and talkie on the table. "Guard these with your lives." Then he was gone.
Warrick rubbed his hand over his face with a sigh. "I'm going to grab some coffee while we wait. You comin'?"
Sara shook her head, "I'll stay here. See if there is anything we missed."
Warrick knew they hadn't missed anything after working for about an hour, but he just shrugged as he walked out. "Suit yourself. Be back."
Sara sagged in her chair and held her head in exhaustion. "Where are ya Greggo?"
"KCHH…Nick?…KCHHH"
Sara's head shot up. She heard the static more than the whisper of a voice, but she immediately sprang for the talkie. "Greg? Greg, are you there!"
A slight moan was heard from the other end, then a weak chuckle. "Sara? I'm…under ground with like a six-inch radius…KCHH…around me. You don't have to yell."
Sara's cheeks tinged red slightly in embarrassment. "Sorry Greg. Are you all right? How are you doing?"
Greg's short, ragged breaths were the only sounds heard for a moment before he answered. "I know this isn't what you …KCHH…to hear, but not well at all. My…KCHH…started…KCHHH…again, and I'm starting to feel…KCHH…sick. Then my hands are…KCHHH…raw and bloody from…KCHHH…those ties."
Sara noticed how bad the reception seemed to be getting and started to worry about Greg's battery power. "We've got five places set out to find you Greg. Do you remember the case you did for the FBI two years ago?"
Greg stayed quiet for a minute as he thought. "I helped convict…KCHH…Jackson for seven murders. What's that gotta…KCHHH…with anything?"
Sara's hands were visibly trembling now. She didn't know what she was doing telling Greg all of this, but she couldn't stop now. "He's a connection between you and the other four victims. You five were the ones who worked the case."
"I had never met…KCHH…other people…KCHHH…the team. We did our part and kept quiet about it. But Peter…KCHH…was injected last month, how could he have done anything?"
Sara nodded in understanding at hoe ludicrous the whole thing sounded, but she was sure that this was the only lead they had. "Do you know if he has any friends or family who may want revenge?"
Greg moaned quietly, his head beginning to throb in pain again. "I don't…KCH…Sara. I can't think very straight…KCHHH…now. And…KCHH…seem to be…KCHH…out."
Sara started to panic. She couldn't let their only connection with Greg be lost, but she didn't have much of a choice in the matter. "Greg! Hey, you still with me?"
Static filled the talkie, but she barely heard Greg's whisper.
"I'm sorry Sara. KCHH…you guys were…KCHHH…best friends. KCHH…Tell Grissom I'm sorry. I never should have gone against him. KCHH…and please tell everyone I said goodb…KCCHHHH…"
The line went dead.
XxX
"No! Greg? Greg!"
Everyone ran into the room as Sara was desperately crying out the name. Not only did the team run in, but Archie and Jacqui were close behind.
"Sara! What happened!" Nick yelled as he ran up to her.
Sara was crying openly now as she dropped the talkie. "It died!"
"Greg!" The others yelled in horror. They couldn't believe that was the answer. Not when they were getting closer to finding him.
Sara shook her head. "The talkie. Greg was talking to me about Peter Jackson and his talkie was cutting out badly. He said…to tell Grissom…he was sorry…and that…we're all his best friends. And…to…say…goodbye."
Everyone stood in complete shock. For what seemed like an eternity, nothing moved or made a sound; even the machines located around the room seemed to be awkwardly silent.
Catherine finally broke down and cried into Grissom's shoulder, who tried to comfort her through his own stupor. Archie and Jacqui seemed to be in about the same position, while Warrick fell heavily onto the chair behind him, staring unknowingly at the table in front of him.
Nick didn't move. His hands were clenched into ghost-white fists, and he was shaking his head slowly. "No, we'll still find him. We've got the locations! We just gotta find which one it is!"
Grissom looked at the trembling hand by his side. It held a piece of paper he had just brought from DNA. "All right, we're not giving up. I went back to the scene and found traces of blood in the backyard on some of the weeds. Most of it was Greg's, but I did find some unknown traces. They came out to be from one Christopher Jackson."
"Is he a relation to Peter?" Warrick asked, pretty sure he was stating a very stupid question. But it seemed to help him after it had been said.
Nick ran over to the nearest computer and typed in the name. "Christopher Jackson. Only some petty parking tickets on file. But he's the son of Peter and Mary Jackson."
"Do they own any kind of land where they could bury something large unnoticed?" Jacqui asked from her place next to Archie. Neither lab tech was planning on leaving until they had found and helped their long lost friend find his way back to them.
Nick looked through the file quickly. "You gotta be kidding me. The guys owns the warehouse where you got the box from!"
Grissom felt like he had been punched in the stomach. "He could be under the very ground where we first started this while fiasco?"
"You can't be serious," Catherine whispered.
Warrick snatched the forgotten map off the table and looked at the five red dots. "It's one of the hot spots!"
Grissom was already heading out the door. "Let's get out there and see if we can find anything! Greg can't have much air left. Archie, Jacqui, grab Hodges and come; we'll need all the help we can get right now. Catherine, get Brass and tell him to meet us out front."
No one else had to be told twice as they followed out the door.
XxX
Ok! There we go! I'm gonna add one more chappir tonite too. I would have added it here, but it would have made it much longer than I wanted; so it will just be a whole nother chappie! Aren't you all so happy! (crickets chirping and coughing) Fine then! If you don't want to read it, I'll just put it up for my own satisfaction! Geez! J/k. C ya all in like another hour!
Kittyluv