Like Father, Like Daughter or History Repeating

Pairing: Sara and Nick (later on in the story though)

Nick and Sara along, with Warrick and Greg, meet with Anthony to find out what happened to Carolyn. How will they react to seeing her in the web cam?

Disclaimer: I don't own Nick, Sara or any CSI character mentioned in the story, I only own my original characters. No, I didn't collaborate with Quentin Tarantino on this story.

The Stokes, Warrick and Greg Go to Washington

"Mr. and Mrs. Stokes, I wish that we had met under better circumstances," Anthony said to the sixty something couple sitting before him. "Who are these two men that came with you?"

"We are Nick and Sara's friends," Warrick replied. "I'm Warrick Brown and this is Greg Sanders. We're both here to support Carolyn's parents, offer assistance and keep Mr. Stokes from doing something he will regret later on."

"Did you find the Neanderthals who took our daughter?" Sara asked extremely distraught and very angry.

"Mrs. Stokes, we are doing all that we can to find Carolyn," Anthony said. "There is a ransom for two billion dollars."

"Just bring her back alive," Nick said with anguish in his voice. "We'll come up with the ransom even if I have to sell my share of the ranch my parents left for my six siblings and myself."

"I'll take you to the A/V lab to see you daughter on the web cam," Anthony said. "I have to warn you that it is not for the fainthearted."

"That's my oldest daughter that in there," Nick hissed.

The four older people followed Anthony to the A/V room where the main attraction was the web cam showing Carolyn imprisoned in that underground coffin. She was squirming and trying to fight her way out. Suddenly a screen saver with a banner saying 'Two billion in 11 hours or your pretty CSI is dead' appeared. Anthony immediately moved the mouse to reveal Carolyn's hell once again.

"Somebody please get me the hell out of this shithole!" Carolyn shouted and her shouts were getting progressively louder. "I need help! Hello! Hello! Hello! This is getting fucking scarier by the second!"

Nick couldn't bear to look at the web cam and his daughter struggling any longer. He closed his eyes had a flashback to when he was buried alive 30 years before. He opened his eyes and walked out of the room to a place that he would calm himself for awhile. Warrick and Greg immediately followed Nick to wherever he was going. Sara looked at them with concern and understanding.

"We are just going to talk to him and see what's eating him up," Warrick said. "I want to make sure he doesn't get a bill for damaging crime lab property. I definitely don't want him to return to Vegas with a broken hand. Do you want to join us?"

"Yes, but give me a minute," Sara shrugged and turned to the web cam video. "Oh Vivi, how could those sons of bitches do this to you? They are going to pay dearly for this!"

Washington, DC Crime Lab Conference Room

Nick was sitting at the table with his face buried in his hands. He was sobbing hard. Warrick and Greg stood across from him and were almost helpless. They felt that way when Nick was in his daughter's shoes. Unlike Carolyn's situation, Warrick and Greg were able to help rescue Nick. Warrick walked slowly towards the slumped man and sat near him.

"Nick, her colleagues are going to get her out of there," Warrick tried to reassure his friend. "We never gave up on you! They won't give up on Carolyn! You have to have faith!"

"How could something like this happen to my family again?" Nick asked.

"I don't know, Nick," Warrick said softly. "I really don't know."

Sara arrived in the room and saw Nick was still a wreck. She stood next to Greg and they exchanged a knowing look of concern.

"How's Nick taking this?" she asked with a whisper.

"He's an emotional wreck, Sara," he whispered back. "Remember he had been through a similar experience."

"How can we forget something like that?" she shook her head.

"Sara, how are you holding up?" Warrick asked.

"Not really well," she sighed. "The A/V recorded an audio from the web cam. Somebody put a recording of his or her voice praising Carolyn for following the evidence and told her to kill herself."

For the first time since arriving at the DC crime lab, Nick went from distraught father to a livid one in less than five seconds. He was frightened for her.

"Sara, is there something else that we should know?" Nick asked.

"Mr. Barone had one of the A/V techs record that recording," she heavily sighed. "This psycho claims to know us and Carolyn. I have a feeling that Hank Peddigrew, Jr. or his sister is behind this fucking nightmare."

"It can't be any of Walter Gordon's grandkids," he said. "Kelly doesn't know that Carolyn lives in DC. I know for sure that it can't be Nigel Crane's kid because he never fathered any because he was killed in that prison riot in 2015. Sara, do you think that Hank wants revenge?"

"I am certain he does," she shrugged. "Why did he come after Carolyn? She never did anything to the fucking asshole."

"Forgive my intrusion," Warrick said. "If Hank was behind this, he would do that to get even with you."

"That's a good theory, Warrick," Nick agreed. "Still, Sara and I don't understand why he got his kids to do it."

"Talk to that jackass," Greg interjected. "Your daughter Lisa is working towards a masters in psychology. Maybe she could talk to him to get inside that pig head of his and figure out why he hates you. She could get an idea about this for her thesis topic."

"Nice try, Greggo," Nick said. "I don't want Lisa to practice psychology until she starts her doctorate program. As for a possible thesis topic, I forbid it. She is too close to this. First, it's her father and now it's her oldest sister."

Outside Dulles International Airport

Nicholas Stokes, Jr. and his sister Lisa wait for a cab arriving from Bradley International and Logan International Airports respectively. When a free one pulled up they entered the back, sit down and put their seatbelts.

"Where do you want to go?" the driver said.

"Take us to the Washington, DC crime lab," Lisa said.

"Do you suppose mom and dad are already there?" Nicholas asked.

"I don't know," she replied. "We'll find out when we get there. I am worried about Carolyn."

"I'm frightened for her," he said. "Lisa, don't forget she is my twin sister."

"I understand," she sounded sympathetic.

As the cab drove away from the airport, the driver briefly looked at the two young passengers and wondered what was going on with them.

TBC