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: Hey all! New chapter time for ya all! This one should answer some of your questions about how safe our guys actually are. Also, I had gotten a review with a couple of questions and I hope I can clear them up (let me know!). With Brass thinking the blood in the park was Nick's, well, he knew they were there and it seems (to me anyways) that Nick is the unlucky one first so Brass just throws his name in. And for Ken keeping them in the car without the getting away, Nick is in the trunk and Warrick had his hands tied by Nick and was hit in the back of the head as he climbed in the back seat. The hotel isn't that far from the park so he wouldn't have time to wake yet (I have never been knocked out so I am taking a guess on that one). Hope that was enough. Thanks again for the time you take to review and read. I have started a new CSI story and hope to have it ready to go after this one. Hope it works as well as I feel this one has. Talk to ya all later!

Breath for me

Written by: duffshel

#11

Nick pulled at the cuffs again for what had to be the hundredth time. He was frustrated and impatient. And his throat was sore from all that damn useless yelling for help. The damn killer had been gone for at least twenty minutes and neither man was no where closer to getting their hands free. The metal table was welded to the floor too well.

"Just give it up Nicky. We are screwed."

The Texan glared up at Warrick. The black man had stopped trying to help pull of the table and was currently starring straight at Nick. What was making Nick more upset at the moment was that the other man seemed as calm as ever while he was trying his hardest to not freak out.

"Sorry if I am not so willing to give up as you are."

Warrick snapped back, "Oh whatever man. I just can see that it is pointless to waste any energy at trying to get this table out of the ground. We should be working on a plan for when the man frees us to move us around again.'

"And what makes you think that will be happening?"

"Just a hunch. He won't want to be on his knees to kill us."

Nick huffed and pulled again. He was caught off guard when Warrick reached up and seized his upper arm in his larger hands. His body was pulled off balance and he landed on his ass without any dignity.

"Are you trying to piss me off?"

"Relax bro. I just want to take a look at your arm. We finally have time and I want to see what the fuck that bullet really did to you."

"It doesn't hurt," Nick mumbled as he tried to remove his arm from the grip.

Warrick didn't even respond. He pulled the other man closer and downward so he could be able to move his hands under the restraint of the cuffs. The black cloth pulled up and away from the wound with a sticky sound. More blood began to escape once the "bandage" was removed. Warrick grimaced at the sight. It was definitely a flesh wound.

"Looks like the bullet went right in and out. Gonna have to pound a couple more bags to get the muscle back. The bleeding is mostly over."

"Yeah, I can feel it. Thanks a lot."

Nick pulled himself into a more comfortable position. It was sore, but he didn't want to make a fuss over it and have Warrick mothering him anymore than necessary. He appreciated the concern, but right now, he wanted help more.

"How long do you think he is going to be gone?"

"Not a clue."

"So what was the plan you wanted to make up, oh fearless leader?"

Glancing over at Nick, Warrick could see the other man staring at his shoes again, "Don't have one yet. And I am not the leader. We are partners, remember?"

Nick sighed deeply as he studied his left laces, "Yeah I remember. But you are one going on and on about forming some sort of plan to use against this asshole when he gets back."

"We need to be ready for whatever he throws at us. Who knows what kind of shit he has up his sleeves for us. As far as we know, we are the first men he has pulled this shit with. He even has a gun, but never used it before now."

"I know our deaths are at the end of his list."

"Whatever happened to the happy little Texan who always looked at everything with a positive point of view?"

"It got shot out of me for the night."

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

The car speed along the roads, sirens blaring into the night. Brass was using little caution as he whipped around other cars. He was going to do anything in his power to get back to the lab as fast as he could. From the way Gil was gripping his door handle, he had the same thoughts.

Catherine had just called them about four minutes ago. New body, new girl. It was the drop spot that was intriguing.

"Why in hell would this guy go and do something stupid like this?"

Grissom shook his head, "I have no idea. But I am thinking this is becoming a game for him and this is simply one of his moves. Ours will be next."

The car in front of the cop car refused to get over. Brass turned the wheel hard into the opposing lane once it was clear of cars. Grissom had been kind enough to get the plate numbers.

"But Gil, anyone could have seen him. There was too much risk."

"Risk leads to excitement. It adds to the thrill and power rush. If he can do this without getting caught, he adds to the thoughts of invincibility."

"And then heads off to take it out on our guys."

The lab was within their sights. Grissom could see Catherine, Sara, and Greg all gathered together outside looking at the same spot in the parking lot. Their killer had a lot of guts dropping his latest victim in the CSI lab parking lot.

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

Ken walked up to the hotel door, whistling a little tune he had learned from his mother. The drop had gone off without a hitch or a witness. But from the sudden eruption of sirens in the area, Colleen had been found soon enough.

The door opened with a jimmy and Ken stepped in quickly. He hadn't gagged the two CSI's and he didn't want them to attract any attention through the open door. Ken had scoped out the hotel before he had left and found only one other guest. The elderly man was in the very last room on the other side of the stretched out hotel.

"Well, that was fun."

Warrick and Nick looked up at the entrance. Ken looked way too happy. Both men felt rage course through their veins more now that the man was back.

"What did you do with the girl?'

Ken wasn't ready to talk with either of them yet. He needed a nice hot shower after the work out he had with Colleen. Not worrying about any opinions, Ken began removing his shirt and dropped it onto the bed. His bathroom supplies were in a brown bag lying on the floor by the night table. He reached down and grabbed it as he unzipped his jeans with his other hand.

Warrick adverted his eyes quickly once the he saw the jeans drop. The psycho didn't wear any underwear. It was nothing Warrick was interested in seeing. Hell, he avoided Nick for a week after he walked in on his partner in the shower after a case.

"Be right back. I want to smell nice for ya guys."

The bathroom door slammed shut. Nick could hear the man singing to himself. The water turned on and he could make out the sound of a body entering under the spray.

"I never understood how someone could go commando in jeans. I know my boys wouldn't be too happy with the arrangement."

"And if you ever were to go that way 'Rick, don't ever tell me."

"Deal. I wouldn't want you to check out my ass anyways."

"If I could find your scrawny ass, I am sure it nothing worth my time."

"Scrawny! I don't think so man. Many a women have been pleased with what I offer to them and I know for a fact that word was never used in their descriptions."

Nick chuckled, "You know man, we are pathetic. We are handcuffed to a table with a serial killer in the shower and we are arguing about your ass. I think we have hit a new low."

Warrick was about to respond, but the water stopped. They could hear the shower curtain as it was thrown to the side. Any fun they were offering themselves as a respite was now done. The killer would be coming out of the bathroom soon. They shared a meaningful look.

"Now remember Nicky, no matter what happens to me, don't do anything stupid."

"Same applies for you bro. If one of us can get away, one of us will. Remember what Grissom told us before we headed to that damn park, no heroes."

"Yeah, no heroes."

Warrick trailed off as the bathroom door opened and Ken walked out. He only had a towel and that was in his hands, drying off his hair. The guy was not ashamed of himself, that was for sure. The man walked over to the side of the bed Warrick couldn't see and reached down. There was some rustling sounds and the man stood with a pair of flannel pants in his hand. He slipped into them with ease.

"Well, Colleen is most likely with your friends now. I pretty much gave her to them. The park was loaded with cops so I had to change plans. Your Gil Grissom was there too."

"What are you talking about? Where did you leave her?" Nick questioned.

"I left her right on your front door. I pulled up to your precious lab, opened the door, and gave her a little push. I do believe she landed on her face."

Nick was shocked. The girl was left in front of the lab. Grissom was at the park. People knew the two men were missing and looking for them. And know they had a new body handed right to them.

"But that is the past. I am more interested in looking at our future together," Ken walked over towards his captives, "I am interested in what I can do with you two."

Ken reached over to the table that the TV stood one. He stood straight again with his gun in his hand. Warrick had never even seen him put it on that table. The gun had been that close to them the entire time. Ken raised it and pointed it at Warrick's head.

"Now, I am going to untie Nick here and lead him over to the bed. Anything happens, I will put a bullet in your gut. You understand Warrick?"

"Yeah. I got it."

With a smile, Ken walked over and pulled out the key he had placed in his new pant pocket. Nick cringed away slightly, but made no other movement. Once again, only one of his cuffs was released. He allowed Ken to pull him to his feet and shove him towards the bed.

"Sit."

Nick complied and sat on the edge. He stayed tense. The gun was still pointed at his partner, though Ken's eyes were on Nick.

"Lay down. Get comfortable."

The Texan hesitated. He really didn't want to lay down on this bed. Colleen had died here and maybe the other girl as well. He didn't want to make this his death place.

"Come now Nick. Lay down now!"

With a grunt, Nick was on his back. Ken walked over to the bed and took a hold of the double cuffs attached to his left wrist. He quickly removed one of the links. Ken placed the gun to Nick's temple.

"Don't move. I need to make a few adjustments."

Nick couldn't see what the man was up to, but Warrick could. Ken reached down to the front of the bed and attached the newly freed cuff to the bed frame. He placed Nick's free wrist back into the other cuff so his hands were locked together again. The cuff attached to the bed was locked over the chain of its companion. Nick was effectively handcuffed to the bed frame with his arms above his head.

The frame was not terribly strong, but it was strong enough to work. Nick may be able to break away if he really tried, but Ken was not worried about it. He had the upper hand.

"How much pain can you handle, Cowboy? My brother and I used to play a little game before he died. We would see what it took to get the other to scream. I was thinking, I could try it out on both of you. We could see which of the pair the better one is. I bet that is something you both would like to find out anyways. You are brothers after all."

Ken walked back over to where his bags were on the floor. He picked up the blue one this time and set it on the bed next to Nick's thigh. There were several clinking noises as it shifted that made Nick tense even more. The zipper was quickly opened and Ken pulled out what looked like a nail file. Nick's brow crinkled up into a frown.

Warrick had pushed himself up to his knees to see the best he could. The table stand spread out towards the top so he was only able to straighten out so much. He could see Nick was as tight as a bow sting though with whatever was going on.

"Now, I am going to gag you for this one. I don't want any scream to get too loud."

He used a strip of white cloth he ripped from the sheet. It effectively trapped Nick's tongue to the bottom of his mouth. Ken kneeled on the bed and with a groan, ended up straddling Nick's legs. He grinned down. If he was a gay man, he would have liked this position a lot. Even being straight, Ken had to admit, Nick felt good squirming around between his legs.

"Okay, I would breath out if I was you."

Nick barely had anytime to think before Ken sat up on his body and grabbed his hands. The nail file tip was quickly embedded underneath his index finger nail. Nick bucked up and shouted the best he could with the cheap cotton in his mouth.

TBC…ouch…