A/N: Ok you know what guys, its a really slow Sunday and it turns out I'm not going to the football till tomorrow now sooooooo chapter 7 is here todayfor your pleasure. I love spoiling people!

Some time later Paul returned, seemingly ready to continue his rant at a helpless Greg. "But even after their sickening gush of love for you I still wasn't decided. I was still thinking. Do you know how I came so close to killing Nick and Sara from right under Grissom's nose? I seriously considered it. It would give me enormous satisfaction". He seemed to be remembering an incident, a sadistic smile was playing on his lips. "You remember when Sara and I accidentally got stuck in the mailroom?"

Greg nodded, he remembered it well. "In that room I considered killing her there and then, Grissom was just two rooms away, do you know how much of a buzz that gave me, how close I was to snuffing out the life of one of his precious CSI's. I fantasised about just grabbing her around the throat and squeezing all the life out of her with my own bare hands, just like I did to the others".

Greg could feel a rush of bile in his throat, but the gag forced him to swallow it back down. This guy was an absolute sadist. He looked at Paul in repulsion and fear as he continued.

"And then there was Nick, I followed him home, the poor clueless sod didn't even realise. He really needs to get better security; it was too easy for me. I watched him sleeping, I could have done anything to him I wished but I didn't because of you" Poor Greg was so confused and absolutely terrified.

"Nick told me that you were applying to be a Level 1 CSI and that he was so proud of you!" Fed up having a one way conversation, Paul untied Greg's gag. Surprised, Greg immediately took in big gulps of fresh air, unsure what to do with his new found freedom of speech. He didn't know what to say. At least when he was gagged, he couldn't say anything to tip this psychopath over the edge. He feared one wrong word and that knife would be coming dangerously close to his skin. What he came out with, his words of freedom surprised even himself.

"Nick really said that?"

This seemed to confuse Paul momentarily "Yeh"

Despite the perilous situation he was in. Greg's heart was singing inside. They believed in him. Nick was proud! He wished he had been able to express his gratitude to Nick in person.

Paul continued "Why did you get that chance, what makes you so special?"

Greg was stunned, up until that moment, he had no idea that he was special, hell he didn't even know if Sara and Grissom liked him. "I honestly don't know" he answered truthfully. He decided to take the plunge and ask him a question, he had nothing to lose, well except his life but he figured he was going to lose that one way or another, at least if he pissed him off, he might die quickly. "Why them? I understand why you're mad at Grissom and at me but what about the others?"

Greg tensed, braced himself for an attack that never came.

Paul was surprisingly rational. "Don't you see they've got what I want, they must suffer too!" He seemed to be on the verge of a breakdown. "Do you really think that I ever wanted to be like this? A feared man? All I ever wanted to be was a hero, like in the comic books. I wanted to fight crime not be the baddie!" His voice had become almost child like.

"Nobody ever wants to be the bad guy" Greg said quietly, thinking his thoughts aloud. Paul looked at Greg.

"Gil Grissom made me what I am today" he said hatefully "You see how he has lured me to the dark side Greg? Don't you?" Paul was almost begging Gregg to agree with him.

"Yes" Greg dutifully agreed, his heart hammering in his chest as Paul came to stand behind him.

"I have to go out now but don't worry I'll be back and if you're good I may even get you some food and even untie you." He retied Greg's gag tightly around his mouth. "You understand why I have to do that right?"

Greg nodded that he understood and watched Paul leave the room and heard the sound of a car leaving. The fact that Paul had insisted on gagging him suggested to Greg that he may be in a position where he could call for help, or then again he thought, I could be somewhere in the Nevada desert. He sighed and looked around the room for anything that might aid him. Despite Paul leaving him relatively unharmed, Greg firmly believed the only way he would be getting out of here alive would be if he escaped. Frustrated he found nothing that was useful or within reach, the room had been swept clean and Paul had taken the knife with him. It was times like this Greg regretted not carrying a weapon with him. He silently promised himself that if he survived this he would always do just that.

He was about to give up and resign himself to his fate when he spotted something shining in the corner. He dragged his chair over to get a closer look and to his delight discovered it was a shard of broken glass, not very big but should be sharp enough to cut through the duct tape. He edged closer to it and using his considerable athletic frame picked it up with his bound feet. He jammed it between his ankles and used it to saw through the tape, moving the edge of the glass up and down. He winced as the glass caught his pants and began to make deep cuts on his ankles and bare feet. He gritted his teeth and ignored the pain concentrating on the task at hand; he may not get another chance. His ankles were a bloody mess before he got his reward and the tape snapped. With his ankles now free, he gripped the piece of glass firmly with his feet as blood ran down from his slick ankles. He pulled his chair over to the table and rocked it back against the wall as far he could without falling over. He stretched his legs up high to place the glass on the edge of the table. Then he slid his chair backwards so his bound hands were able to face the table and strained to reach the glass. If he dropped it, Greg knew he would probably not have enough time to pick it up again. He succeeded in getting a tight grip as possible with his hands tied and moved the glass upwards, cutting his hands open as he desperately tried to break the tape. After a lot of pain, his bonds were broken; Greg brought his bloody hands quickly up to his face to remove the gag and then removed the rope around his waist that bound him to the chair.

I'd like to see Nick do that he thought smugly, thinking of the elaborate way he had freed himself. In his elation at getting free, he hadn't even considered the very likely possibility that the door was locked.

"Damnit!" He cursed trying the handle. He threw himself against the door, it wasn't budging. There was no window at all in the basement. Greg sank to the floor defeated; he only had one option left. "HELP!" he screamed at the top of his voice "Please God somebody help me!" But no help came. Greg couldn't stop the tears that were forming in his eyes. He suddenly heard the roar of a car engine and made his mind up what he was going to do.

As soon as the door opened, Greg threw himself on a startled Paul, pushing him to the floor and making a deep cut on his face with the glass. Paul, who had been initially shell shocked at finding his young captive free, quickly regained the upper hand. He used his slight weight advantage to pin Greg down, forcing him to drop the glass.

"Don't make me hurt you Greg!"

Greg looked Paul defiantly in the eyes and kicked at him, forcing Paul to let him go momentarily. Greg scrambled clear of him; the open door was just a few feet away from him. Paul grabbed hold of his already tender ankle and pulled Greg back towards him, Greg howled in pain as he desperately tried to pull free. Then he felt something plunge into his arm, at first he thought it was a knife but as he looked back in horror, discovered it was a syringe. Greg saw spots dancing in front of his eyes and the room began to spin, slowly the world was being taken away from him. He saw again the open door, his escape to freedom then nothing.