You are Screwed

Chappy 2: Failure and Success

Greg and Nick arrived at the first scene an hour later. It was a park on South Reedington Avenue. The body was gone and the scene was being released that day. The only reason it hadn't already was the fact the serial never left much evidence, so they had to get as much from one scene as possible.

Greg started looking over the east end of the scene and Nick took the west. A drop of red caught Greg's eye. He had found a blood trail they had missed before, leading away from the scene. Silently he followed it, foolishly forgetting to signal Nick.

He followed the trail into the trees until he couldn't see Nick anymore. Greg turned to call his friend over, when a cloth clamped over his mouth and nose. An arm wrapped around him pinning his arms to his side. Greg struggled but couldn't break free. He dropped his case aiming for it to fall on his attackers foot.

His attacker yelped, but didn't let go. Slowly Greg felt himself getting dizzy. Something smelt sweet. The last thing he heard was Nick calling his name.

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Nick heard a yelp of pain come from the bushes. Quickly he surveyed the scene for his partner, but Greg was no where to be seen. He ran towards the source of the sound and saw Greg struggling with a man wearing a ski mask.

When Greg slumped forward he called out, "GREG!" Nick dashed at Greg's attacker. The man swung Greg over his shoulder and started to run.

The chase lasted what seemed like hours to both men, but really it was only five minutes. The man realized he wasn't going to be able to keep up his pace with the young man over his shoulder and paused.

Startled, Nick stopped also. Quickly regaining his composure he commanded, "Put him down."

"Fine," the man said and threw Greg at him. Greg's limped body crashed into Nick, knocking him down. The man in the ski mask ran off and Nick didn't try to follow him.

"Greg, man come on wake up," Nick pleaded with his friend, "What the hell did he do to you? Shit! Greg. I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

Nick saw that it was useless and dialed for an ambulance.

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Nick paced around the emergency room waiting for news on Greg's condition. He'd already been lectured by Grissom and Catherine. When Warrick arrived, he knew it would be deja vu.

"Nick," Warrick said, trying to disguise his anger.

"Uh huh," Nick acknowledged him.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, letting him wander away like that! I thought maybe you'd be smarter than that. I thought you'd learn from my mistake. What if he ended up like Holly!" Warrick's rage burst from him.

"He didn't, because I was there for him. I protected him, which is a whole lot more than you did for 'her'!" Nick retorted angrily. Upon realizing what he said, he apologized, "Warrick I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."

"No, you're right. I'm sorry. I was just worried about Greggo," Warrick insisted.

The doctor strode in the midst of their apologies. "Mr.Stokes," he addressed Nick.

"Yeah?" Nick asked anxiously.

"Your friend is fine. He just breathed in some chloroform. We will release him as soon as the effects wear off.," the doctor told him calmly.

Both of the CSI's breathed sighs of releif. It could have been much worse.

"Lets go tell the others," Nick suggested.

"Yeah, lets go," Warrick agreed.

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Groggily Greg opened his eyes, expecting to see his attacker. He was relieved to find that he was in the hospital. Instinctively, he knew Nick had saved him.

A man in a doctor's clothing came in. "Mr. Sanders, I see you're awake. You can go home as soon as you change."

Greg looked down to find he was in one of those horrible, hospital, paper gowns. "Oh, ok," he answered. The doctor left so he could change and when he was done a different one came in with a wheel chair.

"I can walk you know," Greg commented.

"Just in case you get dizzy, sir," the doctor said.

"Alright, alright," Greg said as he sat down relunctantly.

Greg was silent as the doctor wheeled him towards the waiting room. Suddenly the doctor turned a corner sharply toward an emergency exit. "Hey," Greg said startled.

The second time that day a cloth was clamped over his mouth. Greg struggled wildly, desperately hoping someone would notice, but the corridor was empty. He slid into the unwelcoming darkness.

The man, disguised as a doctor, wheeled Greg out of the hospital, put him into his car and drove off.