It was the next day before either of them saw or heard from Grissom. It wasn't unusual since they worked the graveyard shift and were used to being up all night. At about nine o'clock, Grissom burst into the room.
"Greg, I need your help!" he said.
"Oh, sure. Now you need my help." Greg said. "Are you sure it's safe enough for you?"
"Greg, you're the only one that can help. Please."
Greg was confused. He wanted to help, but he remembered what Grissom had said to him the day before. He looked at Nick who nodded his approval.
"What is the problem before I answer?" Greg asked.
"The DNA lab tech from New York backed out and his fill-in from Miami never showed. You, Greg, are the only DNA tech here. So…"
"So you want me to take their place." Greg finished.
"Alright. Why not? But, you owe me." Greg said after a few moments of hesitation.
They started towards the conference hall. Grissom briefed Greg the entire way.
"All you have to do is answer a few questions. Actually your whole speech can be comprised of the answers. Greg, are you…"
Grissom stopped short. They had lost Greg. Grissom turned around to see a petrified Greg just standing in the middle of the hall.
"Greg, are you O.K.?" Nick called back to him.
But Greg didn't move. He just stood there.
"S-S-S-Speech. Y-You didn't say anything about a s-s-speech."
"Greg, it's only DNA. It's what you've done for the past six years in Vegas." Grissom tried to help.
"Let me talk to him." Nick said. "You go see whoever you need to see."
"Meet me outside of the main office as soon as you can."
"No problem." Nick said as he headed over to Greg. " Hey G. What's up? It isn't like you to freeze up like this. I mean, how many other techs would blast their rock music and play drums with test tubes wearing a latex glove on their head and masks with teeth drawn on them while they're supposed to be working?"
"I know. I can do anything in the lab in front of you guys. But when I get in front of an audience I choke."
"O.K. So just picture all of us sitting there instead of the audience."
"Nick, remember what I said yesterday about us being brothers."
"Yeah."
"It's true."
They started walking towards the main office. As they got there, they saw Grissom come out.
"Great you're here." he said, "They need to talk to you."
Greg froze again.
"Greg, you can do this. All you have to do is answer simple questions like 'What is DNA?' and 'What is it used for?'"
Greg looked away from Grissom.
"Greg, you can do this. Do it for all of your friends back in Vegas. Do it for Nicky. I'd ask you to do it for me, but you have a right to be mad at me. I was completely out of line and I'm sorry."
Greg looked over to Nick. Then up at Grissom.
" I CAN DO THIS!"
"I found a replacement for Chad Willingham and Maxine Valera," Grissom said as they entered the main office.
"Oh really. And which of these two fine boys is our DNA replacement?" the manager asked.
Nick pushed Greg forward.
"Greg Sanders." Greg said, trying to keep his nerves from showing.
"How long have you known Dr. Grissom?"
"Well, I've worked for him for the past six years. But, I've known him longer."
"And how many years have you worked with DNA, specifically?"
"I was the DNA lab tech in Vegas for all six years."
"One more question. Can you be ready in an hour?"
"Yeah. Sure. I guess."
An hour later Greg was on stage and all ready to go. He saw Nick and Grissom sitting in the front row. All he was doing now was waiting for the cue to go. It finally came.
"Hello. My name is Greg Sanders. I've been the lab tech in the Las Vegas Crime Lab for six years. And I'm here to talk to you about my job in DNA and why it is important. DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid. It is made up of four different nitrogen bases: adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine. These bases form pairs, the adenine pairs with the thymine and the cytosine pairs with the guanine. The order of the pairs is different in every person this causes the person to be unique. This idea was first used in crime labs by Tommie Lee Andrews in 1987 to catch a suspect from what they "leave behind", i.e.: hair, skin cells, etc."
He looked out into the audience and saw Nick and Grissom. He had to force himself not to smile. He went on to explain CODIS, how to isolate DNA, how to match it up, and all the other ways to use DNA.
Before he knew it, his time was up. He met Grissom and Nick at the bottom of the stage. He hugged Nick, then turned to Grissom.
"I'm proud of you." Grissom said.
"I love you, Dad."
"I love you, too, son. Both of you."
The three hugged and went back upstairs.
Just a note to clarify. If you don't know,Chad Willingham is from CSI: NYand Maxine Valera is from CSI: Miami. At least i think so.If these are the wrong names let me know and give me the names if you know them. Thanks in advanced.Only one more chapter. See you there.