The screen finally came to life in the conference room of the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Everyone sat there holding their breaths. One masked figure stood in the middle of the screen. Catherine and Grissom exchanged glances. Warrick straightened up to get a better look. Bill and Jillian Stokes watched stoically.

The masked man looked at each one of them individually. He focused directly on Bill Stokes, and began to speak.

"Your honor."

"Where's my son?"

"Your son is right here." Brent replied as he stepped to the side. The camera panned out revealing very pissed off Nick gagged and tied to the chair, flanked by two more masked men. The whole room was in view.

Jillian Stokes gasped when she saw Nick's condition. He was still wearing his CSI vest along with a black shirt and jeans. His faced was bruised, and he had a black eye. They could see the bandage around his right thigh.

"What the hell did you do to him?" Bill Stokes demanded.

"Careful, your honor." Brent warned. "Nick here just had an accident." Brent said as he stepped next to Nick, and touched Nick's shoulder.

Nick inadvertently jumped from the contact. Grissom and Catherine exchanged glances once again to confirm what they both saw. Warrick balled his fist. He saw Nick's reaction. He couldn't believe this was happening again. He would do anything if he could just jump through that screen and help Nick, but he couldn't. He sighed to himself.

Grissom finally spoke up. "You have our attention. Now what are your demands?"

Brent smiled. "Always right to the point Mr. Grissom. I like that. Our terms are these … Michael Mitchell is to be released from the Dallas State Prison in forty-eight hours time. He will be allowed to cross over the Mexican border with no tail. Any attempts in following him will result in our Nicky here having another accident." Brent said as he grabbed the back of Nick's neck.

Nick attempted to jerk his head away and started to shake his head no. Brent grabbed his neck tighter. Nick cringed in pain. He so desperately wanted to be on the other side of the screen, with his friends, his family.

Warrick squirmed in his seat as he saw the desperation in Nick's eyes.

"Nick here seems to think he knows you Judge. He says that you won't negotiate, but I disagree."

"My son is correct. I fully believe in the law. I don't give in to threats. If I were you I would release my son now…"

Brent interrupted. "I'm sorry but you aren't the ones making the demands here, and now you force my hand." Brent turned around and shouted to his men. "Bring it in."

Two men left the picture then came back in rolling a wood box coffin. Nick saw the box, and started to scream into the gag. He tugged at his ropes.

Everyone in the conference room was now standing.

Jillian Stokes finally spoke. "Please don't do this. He's been through enough."

Brent replied forcefully. "You are doing this to him."

Brent's men took the top off of the box, and started to untied Nick from the chair. Nick still screamed as he looked at the screen. His eyes begged for them to help him. He shook his head no.

Bill Stokes shook his head as he watched what unfolded on the screen. He barely whispered. "OK. I'll do what you ask."

Four guys lifted Nick from his chair; he tried to fight them by kicking out, but received a punch to his injured thigh. He screamed in pain and stopped kicking.

The judge screamed at the screen. "I said that I'd cooperate."

"Yes, yes you did, but you fought. Now Nick here is going to pay the consequences." He said as the men placed Nick in the coffin.

Nick's muffled screams could be heard through the speaker. Grissom cringed inwardly as he heard Nick's screaming. He closed his eyes to force the sound from his ears. He couldn't let this get to him. He had to remain objective for Nick."

"Now I will contact you again in forty-eight hours. Michael Mitchell better be released or Nick will be having visitors with him in that box."

The screen went blank.

The only sound you could hear were the sobs coming from Jillian Stokes. The judge turned around to look at Grissom with pain filled eyes.

"Find my son Gil." He helped Jillian up out of her seat and they exited the room. Leaving the CSIs and Brass still standing there.

Grissom looked around the room at each person. Catherine and Sara were wiping the tears from their eyes. Warrick looked like he was about explode. Brass was angry.

Grissom finally spoke. "OK people. We have forty-eight hours to find something on this guy. He looked at his watch. "I want you guys to pull whatever information you can find and meet me in here in an hour."

Warrick looked at Grissom in shock and finally spoke out. "What the hell is the matter with you Grissom? Don't you have any feelings? How can you be so calm?"

Grissom looked at Warrick and answered. "Yes Warrick … I have feelings. I care about each one of you. But I will not allow my feelings to cloud my judgment, especially when Nick's life is on the line. Now I suggest you get yours in check and start working on this case. Nick is depending on us."

Grissom grabbed his folder off of the table and left the room.

Warrick stood there as everyone followed Grissom out. Brass stopped and looked at Warrick and gave him a pat on the shoulder in understanding then left the room. Warrick sat back down and placed his head in his hands. He needed to compose himself.

Nick still fought his captors as they placed him in the coffin. He couldn't hold the tears back. Brent took his mask off and looked into the coffin while he spoke to his men.

"Tie his hands behind his back, and tie his feet together. Leave him in here but do not put the top on."

Nick watched Brent give the orders. He shook his head.

Brent pulled the tape off Nick's mouth "No, please don't do this to me. I can't be in here. You have to let me out." Nick said in desperation.

Brent looked down at him. "You can thank your father for this Nick. I warned him. Now you will pay the consequences. I suggest you get nice and comfortable." Brent said as he walked away.

Nick was turned onto his stomach while his hands were tied behind his back. He was pushed back onto his back, while his feet were tied. With a slap to his face his captors left him in the box.

Nick closed his eyes and took a steady breath. 'You can do this Nick. You've been through this before. As long as they keep the top off, you will be OK.' he said trying to convince himself.

Nick didn't have anything better to do than think. He couldn't help but remember the looks in all of their eyes. He felt horrible for putting them through this again, but he also felt relief. His friends and family hadn't given up on him. They were being strong for him, so he would have to be strong for them.

The last time he had been through this, it was one way. His teammates could only watch through a web cam. Initially when he found out that they were watching him the whole time it made him feel vulnerable. All his feelings, his reactions were out there for everyone to see. Then he realized that watching him, looking over him made them feel better. He still didn't like it, but accepted it.

Now it was his turn to see the reactions of his friends. He grimaced; he could see the guilty looks on both Warrick and Brass's faces. He wished he could have told them that he didn't blame them.

He could still see the tears coming from Sara, Catherine and his mother, he wished that he could reach out and give them each hugs and say that everything would be alright.

He could still see the look of determination coming from both his father and Grissom. He wished that he could tell them that he trusted them with his life.

But he couldn't, the only consolation that he had was that Brent just stirred up a hornet's nest and God help him. Nick grinned in self-satisfaction.