An Unfair Act of Vengeance
Notes: It's actually getting a bit easier to write these from here, as my ideas are a little more organized. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter, and thanks a bunch for the reviews!
Summary: The team can hardly believe what happens to Nick when the camera starts up again, and when it is over they are left with one demand: that Grissom must be present in one hour. Warrick goes straight to the hospital to retrieve Grissom, and Greg accepts the task of trying to console Nick's brother. Meanwhile, Catherine and Brass interrogate the delivery man.
They watched as the anger in the man's eyes was suddenly replaced with fear… Catherine could tell that Nick's brother had never truly accepted what was happening to Nick, and now that he had seen it for himself he was going to lose it. No one was sure of what to do, but they didn't have much time to think about it when a new screen flashed up. It was the same one as before, the words once more caused the team to shudder.
Nick Stokes… He really is a good guy, overall, but he is about to undergo horrors that probably rival your darkest nightmares… Vengeance is mine, and you can only watch him suffer…You Can Only Watch…
Archie wasted no time in pushing the button, and this time they realized that the camera was positioned closer to Nick's limp form that still hung against the wall. They could clearly see the terror in his eyes, and the tears that he was desperately trying to hold back… Once more Dr. Alberts voice came on…
"Ah, you're lucky, for now I plan on going somewhat easy on him… It'll be a little while more before things get really interesting. Make no mistake though, he will suffer…"
"Wait a second, Archie, there is no sound on this right now except his voice, how is that possible?" Warrick asked, forcing himself to look away from his best friend…
"Well, he probably already taped the message and found a way so that the tape blocked out all other noises. I can't be a hundred percent sure, but there are plenty of ways to do it."
"Shh!" Catherine hissed as she tried to focus on anything in the camera that could help them locate their friend. This time her attention was diverted as Dr. Alberts came onto the screen, gave a bow to the camera, and showed them the syringe that he held.
Sara clenched her hands tightly around the armrests of her chair, as she watched the man viscously ram the needle into the Texan's arm. She instinctively clutched her left arm with her right hand. Tears were slowly beginning to fall down her face… We have to do something…
Nick cried out as he felt the poison once more enter his system… This time the effects came sooner, and he immediately felt nauseous. He tried franticly to fight off the urge to throw up, but the effort seemed to make it harder for him to breathe…
Catherine forced herself to watch as the bound CSI finally threw up all over the concrete at his feet. She wanted to turn it off, she wanted Nick to be sitting in the break room waiting cheerfully for his next assignment… Get a hold of yourself! Nick needs us, and right now the only thing I can do for him is to make sure that we don't miss anything on this damn tape that could help him! She shook her head, and managed to focus… Nick's life was more important than her feelings, and she wasn't going to let them get in the way of possibly finding the one clue that would save Nick…
Carl Alberts sat comfortably in his wooden chair as he watched the man vomit several more times, but once more he felt his beeper vibrate. Another hour was up, but this time he had a demand for them… He walked up, and hit Nick in the gut a few times forcing the CSI to throw up once more. He then turned, gave the camera a slight bow before he walked up and turned it off.
The team watched the screen go black… The image of Nick hanging against the wall still fresh in their minds. Then a new screen flashed up.
I have one demand for now. If it is met then Nick won't die as soon, and you may get a chance to save him… I want Grissom present in one hour, and trust me, I'll know if he is or isn't. I have something special planned for him. But, just in case, I wouldn't get your hopes up with the possibility of seeing your friend alive in person ever again… If I were you I'd make sure every demand I set is met, or you'll find yourselves regretting it…
"Damn it!" Catherine shouted, but she once more forced herself to calm down. "We have one hour, that isn't much time, so Warrick, get the hell over to that hospital as fast as you can and get Grissom out of there, and back here. I don't care about paperwork, it can be filled out later! Sara, stay here with Archie, review the tapes as much as you can, and look for clues. Greg, I need you to go talk to Nick's family. I'm going to go find Brass so we can talk to this delivery guy…"
They all hurried out of the room leaving Sara alone with Archie.
"You ready to go over this again Sara?"
"Not really, but let's just review the initial footage of all those tools. If anything can help us find this guy it could be that."
"Sure thing. you'll work on the computer over there, and keep that screen up. These buttons will freeze the screen for you. I'm going to keep trying to track this signal."
Catherine slammed the door open. She had already planned on how she'd handle this guy. This man was about to feel her utter fury of what was happening to Nick…
He immediately looked distressed as he saw the anger in her eyes. At first glance he had thought that this would be easy, but he supposed her soft flowing hairhid thefact thatshe could be sothreatening…
"Where in the hell did you get that packageand who gave it to you!"
"I want my lawyer…" he shrugged defiantly.
"Oh, you'll get one, but no lawyer is going to be able to keep you from getting life in prison without parole when the jury hears about everything you helped do to our CSI. They'll lock you up and throw away the key, and I shouldn't have to tell you that even prison inmates don't take well to someone who tortures innocent people! You won't last a day…"
"She's right man, it's best for everyone if you just tell us what happened, where you got the package… everything." Brass interjected. This was probably breaking certain rules, but at the moment he didn't really give a damn. Word traveled fast in this place, and he knew what his favorite CSI team had been forced to watch… He found it was getting harder to fight off the storm of rage as he pictured Nick bound to a wall…
Warrick ran every stop sign and every stop light on his way to the hospital. Sofia had just gotten back from processing Grissom's home, and it didn't take her long to order a few cops to escort Warrick to the hospital. His hands were clenching the steering wheel, and he hardly slowed around corners. He had to get Grissom back there… for Nick's sake…
Greg slowly pushed open the door to the break room. He was surprised to only find Nick's parents and his brother left in the room, and was about to ask when Nick's father broke the silence.
"I told them to get a hotel room… that we'd call them with news. My son told me about the tape… I don't care what you have to do; just find my son and bring him back in on piece!"
"I'm s-so sorry… I don't know what to do anymore… we're doing our best, but this shouldn't even be happening…" Greg stated solemnly, suddenly wishing that he was in a bar, with several beers in him helping him to temporarily erase the horrifying images of Nick being tied to a wall and beaten…
Nick's brother grabbed his shoulder, and looked him in the eyes. "Look, man, everything will find a way to work out.It always does somehow…"
It was almost too much for Greg… Nick had always given him little bits ofencouragement like that. Nick had always been so optimistic, and when he looked up at the man holding his armit was almost as if Nick was there saying it himself… He just couldn't fight that voice in the back of his mind that told him Nick could never make it out of this alive, and that even if he did he would never be normal again…
Nick tried to relax as it slowly became easier for him to breathe, and the nausea died down. He hoped his body would be able to fight off the poison more quickly now that he had been injected with it twice… His eyes once more wandered over to the other side of the room. He could see numerous tools and even some surgical equipment, but his eyes didn't like seeing that every item could easily bring a person pain… He tried to look at the tools more closely, he tried to find one that was rare, but he found himself focusing a sledgehammer and a large pair of shears…
Sara focused her attention on the small surgical tools that hung from the wall. Dr. Alberts certainly would've had access to them, but she couldn't hold back her fist as it swung into the table. They knew it was Dr. Alberts, and what she really needed right then was a clue as to where they were…
Warrick wasted no time in grabbing a wheelchair from the lobby and racing towards Grissom's room as two officers in his escort hurriedly explained the situation to the nurse in the lobby. Warrick could see the door that would open to Grissom's room, and was forced to a stop as the doctor stepped out and gave him a questioning look.
"That is simply out of the question! This man has been shot, and he needs more time here!"
"Hey! You remember my friend? The one you were so concerned about earlier? Well the man in that room may be the only way we can save him, and if that means risking him hurting his arm a bit more then I'm willing to risk it!"
"I-I…" he didn't know what to say… the man standing there in front of him was clearly anxious, and he could tell from the tears the man was fighting back that this had to be important, "Ok… fine, I'm advising against it, but if you need to leave as soon as you can I'll fill out the paperwork…"
Warrick didn't waste any time to reply, but instead thrust the wheelchair through the door, and moved to get Grissom into it so they could get back to the lab…
He was scared… Dr. Alberts had told him he'd be off the hook in minutes, that the CSI team would be more concerned with trying to find him and the Texan guy. Nothing could've prepared him for the questions flying his way, and he knew he couldn't hold back much longer, even with a lawyer sitting next to him… He quickly glanced up into the red-haired woman's eyes, and regretted it. The look of fury almost hid the pain there, but he could see how much the man he had helped abduct meant to her…
"Alright… alright… I'll tell you everything I know…" his voice was shaky, and he was trying to fight back tears. How had everything gone so wrong?
Catherine listened as he told them about helping Dr. Alberts keep tabs on everyone on their team. He told them how he had posed as a repairman and searched the whole building for hiding places, and to locate all the security cameras… He told them how he had taken Dr. Alberts' gloves after he had shot two men in the parking lot, and how he helped set Nick up… She looked away in disgust, and she wasn't surprised when he finally said that he knew nothing of Nick's current whereabouts… She needed air…
Brass looked up and watched Catherine silently slip out the door and into the hallway.
"We're not through here." He gave the lawyer a stern look, and exited the room to find Catherine.
He could see her kneeling on the floor, with her hands over her face. He walked up to her, and placed his own, slightly trembling, hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, and managed to make herself stand up.
"It's going to be ok Catherine…" Brass said as soothingly as he could, but he needed to reassure himself just as much as he needed to reassure her, "We both know Nick… he's the toughest guy in the lab, and if anyone can make it through this ordeal it'd be him… I know it'd be him…"
"Thanks…" she didn't finish, and her eyes fell on what would have been a comical sight had Nick's life not depended on the groggy man being pushed as fast as possible by Warrick down the hall.
His surroundings slowly became clearer, and he could make out the familiar rooms of the lab. He shook his head, and looked down when he realized he was still wearing his hospital gown, and he really wasn't sure about why he was moving so quickly down the hall. Then a door swung open and he found himself staring wild-eyed at Sara and Archie.
Warrick immediately pushed Grissom over by the others, and looked up to see Catherine and Brass hurrying after him.
"I've got to get Greg, and I'll see if Grissom has any extra clothes in his locker…" Warrick said as he walked swiftly out of the room. He needed to keep busy… he didn't want to sit around thinking about what this son of a bitch was going to put Nicky through next…
He poked in his head into the break room and saw Greg sitting in silence with Nick's parents and his brother. He pointed at his watch, and Greg left the room without a word before heading down the hall to where they would all discover Nick's fate…
Warrick rushed into the locker room and used Grissom's spare key to open the locker. He quickly removed the extra pair of clothes he kept stashed there. He then returned the spare key to it resting spot near five others… Nick had accidentally found the slot on his first day there when he had dropped his wallet under the bench… and once they had discovered his hiding place Warrick had decided to ease the Texan's embarrassment by placing his own key there, and eventually everyone on their team had followed suit…
He sighed; there wasn't time for that now… He had a job to do, and he was going to make sure it was done right.
Grissom looked up at him and was glad to see the clothes in Warrick's hands. He quickly slipped the clothes on, and removed the hospital gown with slight difficulty from the thick bandage on his arm. He sat down once more, and their eyes stared intently on the black screen…
Another white screen popped up, and they began to carefully read the text that had just appeared.
Now, for the moment of truth… You have all watched in silence, up to now, but I am happy to inform you that soon you'll be able to hear your friend's screams of pain and agony… But, first, I'll have to ask Grissom to reach under the desk and remove the phone taped to the bottom of it… When you answer it I had better be talking with Grissom, otherwise your friend will suffer the lose of his left hand…
The message disappeared and was replaced with an image of Nick kneeling on the floor of the featureless room with his left hand tied firmly to a table. Their eyes all came to rest on what was unmistakably a very large sharp blade.
Nick eyed the blade apprehensively. His other hand had been secured behind his back while his left hand was beginning to lose circulation from the rope that held it to the table… He shook his head… This is just a dream. Come on, man, just wake up… But he couldn't. He knew it was all too real, and he didn't bother trying to fight back the tears that flowed down his face.
Grissom ripped the phone from underneath the table, and watched it fearfully. Once more he was all that stood between Nick and an unimaginable amount of pain. They all jumped as the phone began to ring…
"This is Grissom…"
"Ah, it's nice to see that you care enough to pick up the phone. Perhaps I'll even let you talk to Nicky when we're done…"
To Be Continued…
Next Chapter: Grissom tries to bargain for Nick's life, but Dr. Alberts isn't interested. Grissom is allowed to talk with Nick, but the conversation only makes the situation worse for the team… Once it's over he sends the team out to continue processing evidence while he looks over the past two hours worth of film before the entire team regroups after two and a half hours to watch the next scene unfold on the computer monitor…