Piecing it all together
Sara's hand flew to her face at the devastation that was displayed before her. Tech after tech, lying dead on the floor killed by a single fatal bullet. Behind her, she heard Catherine sobbing as Warrick and Grissom arrived with her. "Oh my god" Grissom cried out.
"You got the same note too?" Sara said in disbelief. It took awhile to check all the dead. Finally, they realised that Greg wasn't among them; Greg was nowhere to be found. Far from feeling relieved the CSI's were even more worried. Nick walked into Greg's lab, it seemed perfectly normal, undisturbed away from the horror that previously befallen them. Greg's rock music was blasting out. His eyes fell on the stereo a familiar brown envelope was taped to the top. He didn't even have to look at it to know who it would be addressed to it. "Guys!" he screamed reaching for the now familiar envelope. It was another note.
Sorry CSI's you were too late weren't you to save your colleagues? Well, you probably broke Las Vegas speed limit, heroically trying but you weren't quite in time were you. And as for little Greggy you ask? Well, he's mine now, don't worry I haven't hurt him. Yet. I may give him back to you in time. Tick Tock the clock is ticking CSI's.
Nick slammed his hands down on the table top, startling the shell shocked CSI's. "Damnit!" he said angrily "he lured us away he played us for a fool"
"Nick there was no way we could know" Catherine had tears in her eyes as she comforted him, she felt so so numb. Her relief at not finding Greg as a dead body, as the first note insinuated, had now turned to fear again at finding him gone. God this guy was clever; he knew that this was a sure-fire way to twist the hearts of each and every CSI. Catherine was practically a mother figure to him, and it felt as if part of her had being taken away inside. Nick was obviously taking it really badly. Both he and Warrick treated him as a younger brother. Warrick just looked stunned, unable to comprehend what had had happened and Sara? Sara was openly sobbing, devastated at what had happened to her friend. Grissom was silent. Catherine suspected that Griss was blaming himself, beating himself up in side. For a moment they all stood stock still, too stunned to do anything and then somehow, somewhere their brains kicked into gear.
"Let me see the note" Grissom demanded. Nick handed him the note and was about to give him the envelope too for analysis, when he spotted something else tucked inside it. His initial shock at the note had prevented him from seeing it before; he pulled it out and gasped. A Polaroid shot of Greg gagged and handcuffed in the lab, Nick was unable to look at the picture, the picture of Greg so helpless, so terrified, the fear reflected in his eyes, staring at whatever madman had him captive. Nick had never seen somebody look so scared; he flipped the photo over not wanting to look at the kid's terrified eyes any longer. There was a number on the back with a message "You want him back? Call Me" written underneath it. He held up the photo for the rest of the team to see, there was an audible gasp from the group. Although he was unhurt, there was no denying the fear in his eyes.
"He left us a phone number" Nick solemnly said.
Grissom raked a hand through his hair, this wasn't good the guy had deliberately left his phone number; he doubted that they would be able to trace the call but set it up anyway. "Give me the number Nick" he sighed.
"No" Nick argued "I want to be the one to talk to him, please Griss" He begged.
Grissom relented and handed Nick the phone, shaking inside, Nick dialled the number of the madman that had taken their friend away from them.