A/N: Thanks for the reviews and sorry for the delay. Enjoy the story.

Deceptive Intentions

by Nicol Leoraine

Chapter 13

"I am not debating on this one, Nick," Grissom thought this was a clear enough command. But Nick wasn´t one to be commanded.

"Neither am I," he heard Nick say with determination. He didn´t hear from him for quite a long time, then he ended the call, leaving Grissom open mouthed, his Denali dangerously swerving on the road. Nick just hanged up on him? Grissom still pondered over it, when the blaring horn of a passing car and a raised middle finger brought him to reality. He cursed out loud, a thing he also didn´t do for a long time now and turned the car.

It didn´t take long to apprise Brass of the plan, and by now Grissom wasn´t the only one cursing. But just as Nick didn´t listen to his commands on stopping the car, Grissom waved off Brass when the detective said just the same.

"Whatever, you´re both pigheaded!" With that Brass slammed down the receiver and Grissom rolled his eyes. As if he could control Nick! And what had Jim thought? That he will leave one of his people to go into a possibly dangerous situation alone? No way in hell. Grissom speeded up the car, not even realising how alike his thoughts were to Nick´s.

xxxxx

The music was loud enough to push back the shrill ringing of his phone, but Nick still knew it was there. He turned on the radio, not really caring who was on the phone, though he needed to get his act together. The owner of the shop told him that Brandon had a trailer parked outside the city. There was a small camp with own electricity and water supplies. Nick was there once before, looking for evidence in a case of double murder. They found it in the trailer along with photos of the next victim, but the killer was already behind the bars.

Nick turned off the music as he arrived at the camp and slowing down, he drove the car around the trailers. Some of them were unused, looking deserted. Then there were the ones with clothes hanging all around, drying in the hot sun. Two kids were playing before a door but they fell silent as soon as they saw Nick´s car. Their eyes grew wide when he stopped the car and leaned out of the window.

"Hey, kids, can you tell me which trailer belongs to Brandon Kirsh?"

The kids pointed to their left, their huge eyes stopping at Nick´s clothes.

"You a cop?" the bigger boy with red hair asked and Nick smiled at him.

"Something like that. Did you saw someone else come here in the last hour?"

The kids looked at each other, than shrugged.

"We aren´t supp´sed to talk to strang´s," the young one said, frowning.

"He´s a cop, Jamie. We can talk to cops, mom said so. Mister... are you gonna arrest him?"

"Who?" Nick had a bad feeling in his stomach, but he tried to look normal, not wanting to scare the kids.

"That man. He looks really mean. And he was chasing that girl."

"What?" Nick yelped, then sighed as he saw the scared looks. "That´s okay, I'm not angry at you. Just tell me when did you saw that man?"

Again, the childrens exchanged a look and the older one shrugged.

"Just a moment ago. He came in that red Chevy. He didn´t stop though, he headed straight to Brandon´s trailer. We saw him kick on the door and heard the girl scream. They were fighting, but the girl kicked him in the uh... where it really hurts. The bad man was cursing, then he took off after her."

"Where did they run?"

"Think they´re in that old building, it used to be a hotel. Billy and I was inside only once - but it was really dark and creepy. Mom told us not to go in, cause we could fall through the floor, and-" Nick quickly thanked the kids and drove over to the building, hoping he wasn´t too late.

He knew the old hotel was built early in the twentieth century by the people who built the railroad. There was still a water reservoir, although now it was empty. He knew little of the history of Las Vegas, but he was aware of the importance of water and railroad to the existence of the city. Seeing now the empty, desolate hotel, he wondered why it wasn´t pulled down.

He saw the red Chevy still parked before one of the trailers, the door of which was hanging on the hinges, clearly it was kicked out.

Nick get out of the car, casting a glance at his cell phone. He quickly dialed and spoke as Grissom picked it up.

"I'm already there, Gris. Some kids saw Dummont fighting with Brenda. She ran off but he´s behind her. It´s an old hotel - the only building here, you should find it. I'm going in."

xxxx

"Nick, wait! I´m only two minutes away-" but his words were cut off by the beeping tone and Grissom once again cursed. He could already see the trailer camp and he knew that Brass with the backup were just minutes later. But would it be too late?

Grissom´s car raised dust and he rode around the two children that were now curiously watching from the safety of the trailer, their mother quietly sleeping inside.

xxxx

The sweat trickled down his temples and Nick doubted it had anything to do with the heat of the day. More like his nerves trying to let him know they didn´tlike it. Nick ignored the protests his mind screamed at him, probably because his mind sounded too much like Grissom.

He pushed open the door, noticing the blood on the handle as well as in the dirt on the floor. He was just glad that the door didn´t screech, though he had his doubts about the wooden floor. Carefully stepping inside the hotel, Nick was glad he didn´t rush in like the people before him. He still felt the tiny particles of dust in the air and raised his left hand to his nose and mouth, trying to push back the cough.

Blinking in the semi darkness, Nick looked around the hall, surprised how small it looked. There was a rusty reception desk to his right side, and by the marks on the floor, Nick guessed that at some time there was also a table and probably a couch, although those were long ago taken. Otherwise, the hall and reception were totally empty. No pictures on the walls, nothing, only dust and dirt. And trails.

Nick looked around, both hands on his gun. He was tempted to run up the stairs to the next floor, but he took a second to just listen. Not a sound, if he didn´t count his own heartbeat. Could it be he was already too late? Maybe it wasn´t Dummont or maybe Brenda was lucky and ran away. But it wasn´t likely and Nick knew that he couldn´t just get out and wait for backup.

He headed toward the stairs, intent on looking through the rooms, when he heard a sound. It was more like a gasp and Nick spun around, but there was no one in the hall, nor at the stairs. Blinking and gripping the gun with even more force, Nick took a deep calming breath. He could´ve called out, hell, he was supposed to do so, to identify himself as a policeman. But he didn´t care. He don´t wanted to give Dummont any chance of getting away. Giving him a warning just wasn´t in his plan.

He was already on the first floor when he heard the gasp once again, this time he could determine it came from a woman and his heart quickened. Maybe he wasn´t too late.

"Where is the knife?"

Nick jerked at the voice and stopped dead in his track. It came from one of the rooms before him, but he couldn´t tell which one. It was a man´s voice, dripping with venom and maybe a little too much confidence. The only reply was a soft moan, that turned into gasp.

"You bitch, tell me, or I will slash your throat just like I did to that bastard."

Nick took a step forward and froze as the wooden floor betrayed him.

"Shit," Nick silently cursed and quickly backed into the closest room, as he heard the door opening.

"What the hell was that!" the man shouted and Nick tensed, but otherwise didn´t move, didn´t breath. The room he was in was totally dark, there were no windows and by the stale air, Nick thought he was in some kind of closet or cleaning room. He left the door open mere inches, so he could see what was going on outside.

"You - hearing - things?" Brenda gasped as she was dragged out of the room.

"Shut up!" Dummont hissed, and she felt the knife digging deeper, the arm around her waist pressing harder. "Tell me where the hell is that damn knife that Gonzales kept talking about."

"You know... I can´t shut up and... talk. It just... doesn´t fit." she bit back, the panic getting the better of her. She knew whatever she told him, she was as good as dead. It was a stupid mistake to go to Brandon but at the time, he was the only one that wouldn´t turn her in to the cops. Now, feeling the pain in her bruised body and death breathing down her neck, Brenda thought she would be much better off behind bars. Damn Gonzales to hell, with his greed for money. If not for him... a hard kick into her legs reminded her she should be going.

"I won´t repeat the question. And I advise you answer it, otherwise I would deem our encounter as unsuccesfuland simply end it."

"You do that," Brenda thought . If she did know where that stupid knife was, she would´ve sent it to the cops the minute she learned Gonzales was dead. Now she would die, too.

"Where - is - the knife?" Dummont repeated the question and dragged her towards the stairs. He wasn´t sure what he heard, but he had enough of this old hotel. He still felt the dust filling his nostrils and he hated that.

Brenda opened her mouth, ready to say that she didn´t know, already feeling the knife cutting through her throat. But something to the right just caught her attention. She knew for sure that the door to the closet was the first Dummont opened in his pursuit of her, and she knew he didn´t waste the time to close it again. Now there was a slight crack and Brenda would´ve sweared someone was there, hiding. She stopped, her eyes scanning the stairs, as if wanting to make sure nobody was there. When her eyes paused on the closet door, she heard a soft gasp.

Nick could´ve kicked himself. He knew Dummont was getting closer by the nearing voices, and the screeching floor. He gulped, trying to push back the fear gripping his heart. He managed quite well, until Dummont, along with Brenda, stopped right before the closet. What made him gasp, though, was Brenda. She looked straight at him, as crazy as it sounded. But it was as if she knew he was there.

Dummont narrowed his eyes, turning slightly to the right.

"O-okay, I´ll... I'll show you where it is," Brenda said, suddenly finding her voice. She wanted to distract Dummont so that whoever was in the closet could take him down.

Nick gulped, trying to push back the fear gripping his heart. He heard what Brenda said, but by the look on her face he also realised that she was just playing for time, hoping someone would save her. And that someone was now hiding in the closet like a coward. Nick´s jaw clenched as he gripped the gun. It was the only safety he had and he wasn´t about to let go.

But there was no way in hell he could shoot Dummont without endangering Brenda. Dummont had her in his grasp, effectively shielding his own body with her. He knew he should just take the chance and shot him in the head - but he also knew he wasn´t capable of just killing the man, and even less chance he would risk hitting Brenda. The girl looked so young, more like a child than a woman. Her huge eyes trailed toward the closet and he saw the absolute hope in them. It was as if someone stabbed him in the gut, slowly turning the knife.

As the duo approached the stairs, leaving the closet behind, Nick slowly opened the door and took a step outside, his gun trained on Dummont´s head.

"You better not lie, bitch. Your face is too pretty to end up in pieces. Cause that´s what I´ll do if I don´t get that knife, you understand?"

Brenda nodded, then frowned. Did she just seea movement down the stairs or was it only her imagination?

Nick took a step forward and instantly regretted it as the floor betrayed him. Dummont spun around with Brenda in her arms.

"Put down the gun," Dummont hissed angrily at Nick. He was aiming the gun at Dummont but there was no way to hit him without the bullet going through Brenda first. Nick cursed and kept on cursing when Dummont pulled the girl closer to him, the knife at her neck turning red with new blood. He heard her gasp out in pain and fear, the eyes wide, but still trusting.

"Leave her, Dummont. We already know you killed Gonzales and Mason, too. We found your fingerprints all over both places." Dummont flinched at Nick´s words, then grinned, his eyes turning even darker and Nick saw the craziness creeping in there.

"We can end this without any more deaths," Nick tried, but Gonzales shook his head.

"Put down that gun, hotshot, or I´ll just cut her throat right here. Come on!" Dummont shouted and Brenda whimpered. It was the pain in her face that brought Nick to do the stupidest thing that he ever did. The words of his instructor from the school resounded in his head loud and clear.

"Never put your gun down. Never. First rule is - keep yourself alive. You won´t help anyone dead."

He should´ve listened to the voice, but right now he could only look into Brenda´s clouding eyes and see the blood running down her neck. To hell with rules - he wasn´t a cop anymore.

"Okay. I'm putting the gun down," Nick said and with slow motions, put the gun on the ground.

"Kick it over to me," Dummont commanded.

Nick looked at Brenda and was surprised to see the fear turn into anger. She was now scowling at Nick, as if daring him and he blinked. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out, although her lips were moving. Nick watched them and read the silent plea. He nodded at Dummont as if agree with his command, but it was more of a signal to Brenda.

"Okay," Nick said and kicked into the gun, sending it far away from both him and Dummont.

"What the hell? I said kick it to me!" he shouted and the hand gripping the knife lowered. Brenda´s eyes fluttered as she felt the pressure on her neck abate. She also saw the encouraging nod and knew what she had to do. With all the force she could muster, she showed her elbow into the stomach of her attacker.

Dummont gasped and bent a little, screaming in rage. Brenda pulled free of his hold and took several wobbly steps to the side. Dummont grabbed for her, catching only her leg. She kicked out and he released the grasp, but she lost her balance and fell.

Dummont raised the hand holding the knife and lashed out at her.

Nick was pulled out of his stupor as he saw the glinting knife heading right at Brenda. He leapt at Dummont, at the unprepared killer.

Neither of the men knew about the man standing on the stairs and aiming his gun at Dummont. Neither of them saw the man pulling the trigger, just as Nick collided with Dummont.

For a moment, everything went deathly still. Then the two bodies, entangled in fight, dangerously swayed. There was nothing that could stop their fall.

to be continue

A/N: I will post the next chapter as soon as I can. As for this one, please, review:-)