Summary: A serial killer comes to town on the boy's night to work. Things don't go calmly for Nick or Warrick when the killer decided to not play nice.

Disclaimer: This is all written in fun and trial for something new. Everything CSI is not mine and never will be. It belongs to the creative talent of the actors, the writers, the directors, and producers. I am not making any money off of this. Only meant to offer something new on something already so great. No reason to sue.

Author's Note: Sorry to say, but this is the shortest chapter in the tale. But there are some answers and some interesting developments going on in it, so it shouldn't be too bad. And, sounding like a broken record, thank you for all the reviews, from old and new. I am glad that people are enjoying this twisted story I came up with after one sleepless night. Keep reading and I will keep posting. Seven more chapters to go! Have a great Labor Day and best wishes to those suffering from Katrina. See ya!

Breath for me

Written by: duffshel

#10

The still warm body slammed to the ground from the bed. Ken really didn't feel like sitting next to her anymore. She hadn't been his most interesting kill. Unlike many of the others, once she knew it was over, Colleen stopped struggling. But probably the most disappointing, so had his two new friends.

Both CSI's were sitting like little children whom had just been told Santa Claus was nothing, but a joke they had put full faith into. They were docile. Ken wanted them all fired up and ready to go.

"She was pretty wasn't she? The chick really knew how to use her tongue too. I gave her full marks for that."

Only Warrick took the bait and lifted his head to look at the sandy blonde man, "What is your deal? What did anyone ever do to you to make you like this?"

Ken studied the green eyes that were glaring back at him. There was a great deal of hatred in them, but also something curious. The man really wanted to know how this got to this point. Nick hadn't looked up from his shoes yet. Something was weak about him. Ken would learn it.

"It really wasn't anything. I met a girl in college, loved her, hated her, decided to kill her. It became a thrill. And I even came up with a pattern."

This peaked Nick's attention, but he didn't look up. He had no desire to look the man. The muffled screams of the girl still rang in his ears. He was willing to listen to anything that Ken said. It could be used later in court when they brought him down and arrested his ass.

"Would you like to hear it? I can tell you guys. I mean, it won't matter. Neither of you are going to make it out of here alive. And yes I know, it is a cliché, but I don't care. You won't"

Warrick continued to stare. The passiveness that still radiated off of Nick was getting on his nerves. The Texan was supposed to say something hot headed and get hit again for it. It happened in every Western that Grams ever made Warrick watch when he was a kid.

"I suppose even if I told you I never wanted to hear your voice again, you are going to attempt to talk us to death anyways."

Ken laughed, "I really think I am beginning to like you. The pattern is simple. I keep it within the family. Well, when it's a planned thing anyways. I never pass up a free-be though."

!#$&()!#$&()!#$&()+

Gil raked his hand through his hair as he starred into the open door of the Denali. There was no sign of heat from the hood. It had been sitting there for awhile. And there was also no sign of the driver and passenger.

Brass was stalking around the park looking for something that might lead to where they two men had disappeared to. Grissom could hear him barking off orders on his talkie, calling for back up and extra help. The trail stopped cold right here. They both could tell the guys had stopped here first and went no where else under their own power,

The park was completely deserted when they had pulled up next to the parked truck. The street lights were the only witnesses to whatever had happened in the still of the night.

"Hey Gil. I found something!"

Grissom looked up and glanced around to find the cop. The other man was standing up by the water fountain. His flashlight was pointed down, as were his eyes. The lead CSI wasted no time is walking over towards him.

"I found something from someone. Blood."

Sure enough, there was a section of grass covered in red, glistening blood under the bulb of the flashlight. Gil pulled out a pair of gloves and slipped them on. He reached back into the bag he had carried over with him and pulled out a cotton swab. Carefully, Grissom rubbed it across the blood to collect his sample.

Brass keep his flashlight steady, "You don't think it is one of the guys, do ya?"

"Well, if the killer came back, it could very well be."

"How do you know it is the serial? Could be random violence that unlucky Nicky got caught up in."

Gil pulled out his camera and focused the lens. The stain became clearer even with the limited light that was provided. There was an odd shape to the way it was imprinted in the grass.

"Just a feeling. It feels wrong here and those two do have the knack to find trouble anywhere."

Brass sighed. He was worried. Those two kids were like the sons he never had. Over the past few years of working with Nick and Warrick, he had learned a lot about them and taught them a lot back. He loved his daughter, but had always hoped for a son. Warrick was less open to the attention the cop gave him, but Nick was always open to affection. He was one of the few people allowed to call the boy Nicky.

The white flashes of the camera stopped and Grissom pulled himself to his feet. He scanned the entire area around the blood with his flashlight in tight circles. There was nothing else there other than indents in the grass. He flashed a couple more pictures of what looked like the scene of the grab. The guys had fought here in this spot.

"They fought, but it looks as if one was used against the other. The lab will be able to tell us which one of them was wounded enough to bleed on the grass.'

Even as Grissom spoke, his mind was running wild with what could have happened here. He stopped himself with an inward groan when his mind flashed with Nick being stabbed while Warrick was bleeding on the ground.

"When are you guys getting here, Jim?"

"Well, if you would stop thinking so much and listen, you would hear the troops coming a blazing."

Gil tried to hide his flushed face at the comment. His hearing had gotten worst, but he didn't think it was bad enough that he couldn't hear the sirens of the cop cars racing to the park. "I am going to need this entire park swept and documented."

"I will get that going for you. You just try to figure out what happened to our guys and get back to the lab when you need to.'

Grissom shook his head, "I am not going back to the lab until I know where they are. I shall have Sara process any evidence from here at the lab."

Without waiting for a response from Brass, Grissom walked towards the crime scene of the first victim. If he knew his guys, they would have started there. His hands suddenly felt wet and slimy within his gloves. He just hoped he wasn't missing anything. Grissom would never forgive himself if he did.

!#$&()!#$&()!#$&()+

Catherine stood up and wiped the sweat from her brow with her arm sleeve. The large garage they were processing the car in didn't seem to have any air conditioning that day. It was hot.

The car was an interesting piece of evidence. It was the best lead they had gotten so far. The hair found in the back seat was a match to Heather Lewis. Sara hadn't found anything special with the white cloth. It was similar to the black one that Nick had been working one, just ordinary cloth used by major retailers all over the U.S.

Within the interior of the car, a few more hairs had been found. Greg was currently working on processing them to see if any of the matched the DNA found from under the girls' nails. There was no blood found anywhere in the vehicle.

But the best thing the car had to offer the CSI team was the rental form. It was filled out with a full name and address along with a photo copy of a driver's license. The car was loaned out to a Thomas Steeler from San Antonio, Texas. Catherine had Hodges checking out the databases to see if there was anything on file for the man.

Catherine was about to dive back into the car when her phone rang. She grabbed it quickly and flipped it open without looking to see who it was.

"Willows."

"Catherine, it's Gil. I need you to send Sara to the first scene of the case, the park. I have some stuff that she needs to gather and take back for processing. You and Greg keep doing what you have going and work on this when it comes in."

"I will as soon as I see her. Gil, we have a name to the car."

"Anything from it?"

"Nothing yet, but we are checking. Hopefully some sort of red flag will come up on the guy."

"We can only hope. I am going to stay with Jim and follow anything we get from out here. Keep in touch."

The head CSI hung up and Catherine was listening to air through her phone. She flipped it closed and looked back into the car. She had the backseat to tape yet. Catherine took a deep breath. It was still hot.

!#$&()!#$&()!#$&()+

Ken drove past the park slowly. There were way too many cop cars. He had to say he was impressed with how the departments handled the situation. A car was stopped in front of him by the cop directing the traffic around the area. Ken braked and turned to take in the scenery.

There was that mean looking cop from before with Heidi and someone standing next to him. Squinting his eyes, Ken got a good look at the graying hair and serious frown covering the face. This had to be the Gil Grissom he wanted to see earlier.

"This is even better."

He couldn't have set this up any better even if he tried. The only problem, he wanted to dump Colleen's body at this sight. Two crimes committed here, one more shouldn't have been a problem.

The police officer was waving for his line of traffic to continue moving. Ken gave the car gas and moved forward slowly. His mind was racing. If the cops were here, where would they not be? This game was getting good and Ken really didn't want to stop. He knew he should, but it was just like crack.

Ken smirked at his reflection in the rear view mirror. There was something he could do to up the stakes and see what the great Grissom could do. He took the next left, hard. The flashing lights of the uniforms faded from behind him. His grin grew and grew as he got closer to his new drop site.

TBC…getting' good…