Nick slowly opened his eyes. His head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. He tried to get up from his chair only to remember that he was tied to it. He struggled but still couldn't get loose. He looked down at his thigh where he had been shot during his escape attempt. The wound had been bandaged.
As he studied his situation, Nick heard one of the guards say. "He's awake … get the boss."
He sat there for twenty minutes waiting for the inevitable. He had tried to escape. He didn't take heed to Brent's warnings. Now there was a price to pay, not like being shot and having the crap beat out of him was enough.
He could feel it coming. The anxiety. He couldn't get loose. He was in pain. He struggled with the ropes.
"Please let me outta here! You have to let me outta here!" He screamed. "You can't do this to me!"
The guards laughed at him. It only made him more anxious. He was shaking. 'Where were his friends? Where they even looking for him? Did they think he was dead this time? They have to get me out of here.'
Nick heard the door open and footsteps coming over to him. He still struggled.
As Brent walked in he saw Nick struggling. He smiled as he shook his head. Nick was reacting just like he knew he would. He had done his homework. He knew all about Nick's previous kidnapping: about being buried alive, and he could not forget the highlight of the whole evening, the fire ants.
"Nick."
Nick jumped when he heard Brent's voice.
"Didn't I tell you that you would be treated fairly if you didn't try to escape?"
Nick didn't answer. Brent punched him.
"Answer me!"
"Yes-s." Nick stuttered trying to settle down.
"Then why did you try?"
"N-n-needed to get out."
"Nick I've already told you, you aren't going anywhere until my brother's free. So don't try it again. Not that you could." Brent said looking at Nick's thigh. "I had a doctor come by while you were unconscious to tend to your leg. You were lucky the bullet didn't go in too deep. As for the rest of you, you will heal in due time. Now I suggest that you cooperate from now on, because we have a lot more bullets and you have plenty of places for us to aim at. Now if you'll excuse me I have to clean up. I have a videoconference in about four hours."
Brent walked back towards the door. "Mav get him something to eat and drink."
Nick closed his eyes and sighed. He was glad that was over. He started to calm back down. The anticipation had gotten to him. 'Get a hold of yourself Stokes'. He was ashamed of himself for losing control.
Bill and Jillian Stokes walked into the Las Vegas Crime Lab for the second time in a year. After the first time, they never thought they'd be back, at least not in this capacity.
When Judge Stokes received the call from Gil that Nick had been abducted again, and that they needed to come to Vegas immediately. He was shocked and outraged.
They walked up to the front desk and introduced themselves and asked for Grissom. The receptionist smiled and called Grissom. After a few minutes he walked up to them and extended his hand.
"Your honor, Mrs. Stokes."
"Gil, you want to tell us what the hell is going on?" Judge Stokes yelled.
"If you will please follow me sir we will try to answer all of your questions."
Bill and Jillian Stokes looked at each other then followed Grissom into a conference room. When they walked in Catherine, Sara, Warrick and Brass were already seated. Catherine stood up to shake their hands and to reintroduce the other people in the room.
They noticed that there was a TV with a camera set up in the room, and a tape recorder sitting in the middle of the conference room table.
Grissom cleared his throat and was about to speak when Judge Stokes interrupted.
"Gil, we've been patient. You wouldn't give us any information over the phone. Now do you want to tell us what the hell is going on around here?"
"Your honor, Mrs. Stokes. Last night Nick went out on a routine interview for a homicide with Warrick and Detective Brass here. The interview went off without a hitch. On the way back Nick went into a convenience store to get a bottle of water, while Warrick and Brass waited in the car. On the way out he was grabbed by two men and thrown into a van."
Bill Stokes looked at both Warrick and Brass. "Where the hell were you guys when my son was being dragged into this van?"
Warrick cringed and Brass just sat there looking straight waiting for Grissom to continue
"Your honor, both Warrick and Detective Brass attempted to help, but as they ran towards Nick they were fired upon and had no choice but to take cover. After Nick was thrown into the van it sped away, they pursued them, but lost them when a car came into the intersection and caused a major pile up."
"You are saying that you lost my son, because of a car accident."
"Sir, the car that caused the accident was set up as a diversion so that they could get away."
"And you have proof of this?" the judge said.
Grissom looked over to Catherine. It was her turn.
"Yes, I was sent over to that scene to look around. We were informed that after the accident the driver and passenger went missing. While going over the car I found a tape recorder with a message on it. I listened to it, and it concerned Nick."
"Do any of you know who has my son, is it someone from one of your old cases again?"
Catherine was about to answer, when Grissom put his hand up. He would answer that question. "No sir, we don't believe it's anyone from one of our cases, but maybe one of yours."
Judge Stokes tensed up, and Jillian put a hand to her mouth.
"Just what are you saying Gil."
"Let's listen to the tape, Catherine if you will."
Catherine pressed play. Everyone listened as the message started:
"By the time you hear this recording Mr. Stokes will be in our possession. A package will be arriving via courier to the Las Vegas Crime Lab; this package will contain an untraceable videoconference number. Please extend an invitation to his Honor Judge Williams Stokes. All of you will need to be on this call or Nick will suffer the consequences. Remember 8pm sharp."
After the message was over, Mrs. Stokes was crying into her husbands shoulder. Bill Stokes consoled her as best he could with the circumstances as they were.
Grissom watched Bill Stokes wrestle his emotions, but the calm demeanor of a Supreme Court Justice won out. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath then spoke.
"Has the courier delivered the package?"
"Yes sir. The package just contained a piece of paper with the videoconference number on it. We were unable to get any prints off of it."
"Thank you Gil. Look I want to apologize for my words earlier. I was out of line. You can understand what we are going through, what Nick is going through."
Looking at Warrick and Brass, he continued. "I'm sure you did everything you could to help Nick."
Warrick and Brass nodded to the Judge in understanding, though it didn't alleviate the guilt they still felt.
"Now it's my turn to feel responsible. All throughout our careers we always knew deep in our minds something like this could happen. We just hoped it never would. Our main priority was always keeping our family safe. It pains me that these criminals are using my son against me."
He looked up at Gil. "What is your plan?"
"We wait." Grissom replied.
"Wait?"
"Yes sir. We don't know what their demands are yet. After we learn of that then we will come up with a plan to get Nick back." Grissom looked at his watch. It was 7:15pm. Another forty-five minutes to go.
Nick didn't realize how hungry he was. When he thought about it he hadn't eaten in over twenty-four hours. They only untied one hand, he wasn't complaining. As Nick finished eating his dinner, Brent's men were setting up the necessary equipment for the videoconference. He watched just shaking his head. He knew his father he wouldn't negotiate, and even if he considered it, Nick would do whatever was in his power to convince him not to.
Brent walked in as his men finished setting up.
"Looks good. Is everything working?"
"Yes sir. We just did a test and we are good to go."
"Very good." He looked at his watch. It showed 7:50pm. Ten minutes to go. "Mav get this tray out of here, and please tie Mr. Stokes back up."
Mav grabbed the dinner tray and handed to one of the other guys, while a second man walked over and held Nick's arm down while he was tied up again.
Nick glared at Brent while Mav was tying him to the chair. This made Brent smile.
"Do you have something to say Nick?"
"Yea. You aren't going to get what you want. I know my father."
"And again Nick, I disagree with you. You see you are my ace-in-the-hole."
Nick shook his head in disgust. "I won't let him. I'll tell him not to cooperate."
Brent pulled out a roll of duct tape from his pocket. "Well Nick I don't think you'll have the chance to say anything. After all they don't know who has you, and they aren't going to find out."
"How …" Nick didn't have a chance to finish his question before Brent ripped a piece of tape off and tried to put it over his mouth. Nick moved his head away, only to be grabbed from behind. Brent placed the tape over Nick's mouth, and then teasingly slapped him on the cheek.
"What's the matter Nick, cat got your tongue?" Brent teased. "How you ask are they not going to find out who I am? Well let me show you."
Brent pulled out a ski mask and put it over his head. His men followed suit.
Nick just glared.
"Well if my watch is correct it's 8:00pm. Action."