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Chapter 18

Warrick tries to open his eyes but all he sees is darkness around. He punches his hands up and hits something solid and smooth. He pushes his arms against it trying to get free. The top was too heavy. He couldn't breath. He could feel himself hyperventilating. He needed to calm down and take a couple of deep breaths. There was a way out, he just had to figure out how. He feels around and feels the glowstick with his left hand. Warrick grasps it with his and pulls it close to his face. It was neon green. He tries to look around but there is darkness. He feels something cold against his right hand. He picks it up and feels the cold butt of the gun. He picks it up and looks at it. He thinks about Catherine. The box. What was he doing in the box ? Nick had been in the box. Warrick could feel himself losing it. He tries to scream but hears no sound. Then he looks up and sees Catherine with Novak behind her. She doesn't see him. He needed to get to Catherine.

"Cath he's right behind you."

Warrick tries to speak but he can't get a word out. He tries to scream but nothing comes out. Novak puts a hand down on the box and looks at Warrick.

"You're too late. She belongs to me. You lose."

" No ! "

But no one could hear his voice. Warrick wakes up in a cold dank sweat. He brushes a hand across his forehead. It takes him a couple of minutes to orient himself where he is. He hears the beeping of the fetal monitor and the hissing of the machines. He was at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He opens his hand and looks down and sees the medallion in it. He still couldn't believe that he was Novak's target. He was because Catherine loves him. How did Novak know when he worked ? How long had he been watching them ? Why didn't she tell him the truth sooner ? Warrick had so many questions running through his head. He looks and sees Catherine still sleeping. She had been given a sedative when they first arrived at the hospital. Warrick questioned if it was safe for the baby and Catherine. The doctor told him that her high blood pressure and anxiety could bring on another bout of premature labor.

" Another ? "

" Yes she had one a couple of weeks back. We thought that she wouldn't make it. It would have been too soon for the baby. We told her to go on bedrest and get her blood pressure under control. "

Warrick brought his hand to his mouth and bit his lower lip. He rubbed a hand through his dark hair.

" And now ? "

" The baby is fine right now. A good steady heartbeat and no contractions. We did a non-stress test and Catherine and the baby both look good. Catherine's cervix isn't dialated which is a good sign. I understand that her daughter was kidnapped this morning. "

" Yes. "

" Any news ? "

" Nothing yet. Will she be o.k. ? "

" She'll be fine but I'm going to keep her here under observation for the next couple of days. I think that it's best untill all of this is over. "

Warrick watches Catherine sleep. She was sleeping more easily. He gets up out of the chair and stretches. He feels a kink in his back. He tries to stretch it out to no avail. He hears a knocking on the window. He looks and sees Grissom looking at him. Warrick gives Catherine a kiss on the forehead. Warrick walks over and opens the door. He heads outside.

" Griss..."

" So how is she ? "

" Better but not out of the woods. You knew didn't you that's why you sent me down here ? "

" I did. I told Catherine to tell you right away but she wanted to hold off. Any news on Lindsey ? "

" None yet. Horatio went out about an hour ago. He wanted to go over the evidence that Calleigh and Wolfe found at the Tobin place. Hopefully there is something there that will help."

Grissom looked at Warrick. He could see dark circles appearing under his eyes. He looked exhausted. Grissom questioned what was bothering him. He knew that it was a lot finding out about Catherine and the baby. Lindsey being kidnapped didn't help but it seemed like more. He'd known Warrick for so long and knew when something was bubbling under the surface.

" So how are you ? "

" I'm not sure really. " Warrick opens his hand and looks at the medallion. Grissom sees the medallion.

" Wait...that's what was in the box that Novak hid. I remember Catherine's reaction. Why is she still carrying it ? "

It had been bugging Grissom since he pulled it out of the box. Everything that Novak had put in that box made sense yet Grissom didn't understand the point of the medallion. He didn't like when cases didn't sew up nicely. It bugged him. He also questioned about the night Catherine left all the sudden. It was as if there was something more. He wondered what Novak had told her. He didn't want her to go into the interrogation room but she was determined. She needed to face him. She needed to understand. Grissom understood. She needed to understand why the medallion was placed in the box.

Warrick looked at him unsure of how to begin. He still couldn't wrap his head around it himself.

" Grissom...Can we sit for a moment ? "

" Sure. "

Grissom and Warrick went over and sat down on the bench. Warrick looked at the older man with the soft blue eyes. He looks down at the medallion.

" Griss...I don't know how to say this. I still can't fathom it myself. Nick's kidnapping..."

" Are you still worried about that ? Nick's doing fine. I just talked with him down in Texas. He's getting settled. The coin toss was a fluke Warrick. You have to put it aside and focus on your family."

" Griss..."

" What is it ? "

" Nick. He wasn't supposed to be kidnapped. I was. I was supposed to be in that box. "

" What ? " Grissom looks at Warrick with shock on his face. Warrick...was the target.

" I gave this medallion to Lindsey when Eddie died. She couldn't sleep one night. My grandmother gave it to me when my mom died. I thought that it might help. That's why Catherine freaked out when she saw it. Novak's been watching us. I don't know how long or what the circumstances are. She was trying to tell me when she collapsed. He knew about the baby. He knew about everything Griss. Catherine left Las Vegas to keep me safe. Novak threatened her. I was supposed to be in that box. "

" Are you sure about this ? "

"Yeah. It's personal Griss. Novak wants to get even with her for what she supposedly did. What our lab did to him. He blames us. He followed me here from Vegas. I saw him at the airport. I didn't realize it at the time. Now he's got Lindsey. Griss..."

" We'll figure it out. "

Pieces began to fall into place for Grissom. Gordon didn't really care who it was that was kidnapped. It just had to be a CSI. Someone had to pay for his daughter being in jail. He blamed the CSIs. It was revenge with Gordon. Pretty simple. It was too well planned and with Novak in the mix it meant something more. Gordon had pushed up the timetable on Novak. Novak had wanted Warrick because he had become obsessed with Catherine. That coin toss had probably saved Warrick's life. Who knows how long Warrick would have survived in that box ? Would Novak have let him survive in the box ? That was the look on Catherine's face. She had been thinking the same thing. She wasn't sure if he would survive and it had eaten at her. She had left Las Vegas to protect them all.

Another voice enters the conversation startling them bringing Grissom out of his train of thought. But how did Novak know the schedule at the lab ? He had to have had help.

" Gentlemen I may have just found the help that we need. "

Warrick and Grissom look up and see Horatio standing beside a short brown haired man in a dark charcoal grey suit. There was a younger man with glasses and short curly brown hair and a tall slender woman with long curly dark brown hair wearing a navy blue suit.

" Mac it's good to see you again. I was sorry to hear about Cathy. She wasa great lady."

Grissom gets up and shakes Mac Taylor's hand.

" Thanks Gil. I just wish it was under better circumstances. You know my partner right Stella Bonasera ? "

" Stella. "

" Gil good to see you again. "

Stella leans in and kisses Grissom on the cheek. Grissom pulls back unsure what to do.

" This is Danny Messer one of my best forensic guys. Sheldon Hawkes is down at the lab going over evidence."

" Sir. I've heard a lot about your work. "

Mac looks between Horatio and Warrick.

" And you must be Warrick Brown right ? "

" Yeah. "

" Horatio pretty much told me everything that he knows concerning the Novak case. We are going to do everything we can to find your daughter. So how is Catherine doing ? "

" Better. So what can I do to help ? "

Mac looked at the younger man. He could see the dark circles and concern in his eyes. It was obvious how much he loved the little girl and her mother. He always hated missing children cases.

" Nothing just watch over Catherine and the baby. I wish it was under better circumstances that we met.

I'm going to do everything that I can to find Lindsey. I wanted to ask you if it's alright if Stella talks to Catherine after she wakes up. I need to know everything that Novak told her in the interrogation room. "

" He's a psychotic nutcase who has Catherine's daughter. He's never going to leave us alone..." Warrick brushes a hand through his thick hair. " Sorry. "

" I know it can be frustrating. Maybe Stella should just talk to Catherine by herself."

" Sure. "

"Gil I want you and Horatio to keep your teams away from this case as far as possible. All of you are emotionally attached. Horatio made the right choice calling me. When we find Novak and we will I want to make sure the case stands."

" Fine. Warrick you don't have to worry Mac is one of the best investigators that I know. We worked a serial murder case a couple of years back. Mac and his team are very efficient. "

Warrick looked at Grissom's. He knew that he could trust Grissom's word.

" O.k. I just wanted to touch base and tell you what we are doing. I'm using the Miami Crime Lab as our command center. Danny I need you to go to Vegas and find out everything you can about Novak. We'll make sure that you have the warrants. Everything. Stella will call you after she finishes talking with Catherine."

" I'll go with him to make sure that everything flows neatly. I have the helicopter here. Sherriff Atwater let me use it. We have the full resources of the lab at our disposal. We will find her Warrick. I promise you that. "

Warrick looked at Grissom. He could see the worry in the older man's eyes. There was something about missing children cases that always got to Grissom. He always tackled them with more of a vengance. Danny and Grissom leave.

" Stella, I want to know everything about what happened up until Lindsey was kidnapped. I also want to know what happened during the interrogation."

" o.k. I'll meet you back at the lab afterwards."

" Good. Horatio and I will head back there and see what we can find out. Horatio I want to interview the Tobin family again. "

" Sure."

Warrick looked in and saw Catherine rustling in bed as if she was fighting off a nightmare.

" I need to go see her."

" O.k. Warrick we will find Lindsey I promise you. "

Warrick looked at Catherine through the window then at Horatio. He hoped that Horatio was right. He wasn't sure what would happen to Catherine if something happened to Lindsey.