A/N: Usual disclaimer applies. See chapter one for more. By the way, I do realize how incredibly unlikely it is to find EST equipment lying around an abandoned mental hospital, but too bad. Bear with me. We'll pretend that they brought it with them. Oh, and Anna State hospital is not mine. It belongs to the good people of Union County, Illinois.

Chapter 4- From the Inside

"I don't know who to trust

No surprise

Everyone feels so far away from me

Heavy thoughts sift through dust

And the lies

Trying not to break

But I'm so tired of this deceit

Every time I try to make myself

Get back up on my feet

All I ever think about is this

All the tiring time between

And how

Trying to put my trust in you

Just takes so much out of me

Take everything from the inside

And throw it all away

'Cause I swear

For the last time

I won't trust myself with you"

From the Inside by Linkin Park

Sandra walked next to Greg, with Bruno on his other side. All three entered the room at the same time. Greg stopped and stared, fear and bile rising in his throat. "Ah, Mr. Sanders, here we are. I'm sure you recognize this place. It's where the old doctors used to give EST. Do you know what that is, Greg?" Her voice was over-sweet and it made Greg even sicker to his stomach.

"Electric Shock Therapy," he muttered, not looking at her.

"That's right, Greggo." The perversion of his nickname made Greg want to vomit. "In honor of this," she continued, "I thought we should have some fun."

Greg shrank back in fear. "No, please," he begged. "Don't do this! Don't hurt me."

Bruno's fist knocked Greg through the air. "Stand up like a man!" sneered Bruno, a malevolent grin on his face.

"Now Bruno," said Sandra mockingly in a bored voice, "We don't want to frighten our guest." She strode over to where Greg lay. "Now, Mr. Sanders, do you want to do this voluntarily, or should I ask Bruno to assist you?"

Greg trembled, muttering repeatedly, "No, please don't hurt me, please don't hurt me."

Sandra sighed. "Bruno, I'm tired of this. Strap Mr. Sanders in, will you?" Bruno smiled and picked up Greg as if he were nothing more than a doll. As Bruno strapped Greg onto the table, Sandra warmed up the ancient equipment. "Ready or not, here I come," she chanted under her breath.

Grissom's cell phone rang. He immediately answered it with the customary "Grissom." As the voice on the other end spoke, Grissom gestured frantically at Nick for a piece of paper and a pen. He quickly scrawled five words: Anna State Hospital, Union County. After hanging up the phone, he turned to Nick and said, "We got it. It's the only abandoned hospital within Greg's specified coordinates."

Nick nodded grimly and gestured to Catherine. "Let's go."

Anna State Hospital was a desolate place, at least in Grissom's eyes. Sequestered from the world by surrounding forests and farmland, the abandoned sanatorium had only one entrance, a long, winding dirt road that was little more than a horse track.

Catherine knelt, looking at the road, then called Grissom over. "Griss, come take a look at this!" She pointed to the tire tracks sunk deep into the soft dirt.

"Someone's been here recently," mused Grissom aloud.

Nick jogged up. "Well, I can understand how no one saw anything. There're no neighbors for miles." Suddenly the sound of screaming split the air, a tortured, horrid scream of such pain and fear. "Greg!" shouted Nick. "Oh my God, Griss, listen to him! We gotta go!"

He took off running, drawing his gun as he went, Grissom yelling after him, "Nick! Wait!"

Nick's heart pounded in his chest like his feet on the ground as he ran, only one thought echoing in his head. I've got to get to Greg in time! When he reached the door, he stopped, pausing to look around. The screaming, having stopped for a brief time, began again in earnest. Nick steeled himself and pushed open the door, creeping through the halls toward the source of the screams. When he reached the room where they were, he stopped, listening. The screaming had once again finished, but now he could hear Greg pleading.

Greg's voice was strained and it hurt Nick deep in his heart to hear the helplessness in it. "Please, don't, not again, please!"

Nick leaned against the wall and whispered, "Hold on, buddy. Hold on."

The cold voice from the phone drifted out of the room. "Alright, Bruno, that's enough for now. Leave him strapped down and stay here. I'll be back."

Nick automatically shrank back into the shadows, but he needn't have worried. Sandra walked out without looking left or right, and continued straight up the central corridor. Nick waited a few seconds before following her. He poked his head around the corner just in time to see her turn into a room. Gun held in front of him, he followed, turning slowly and pointing the gun into the room. Sandra sat calmly behind an old desk, a gun drawn and aimed at Nick.

"Hello, Mr. Stokes. I've been expecting you."

Grissom nervously paced around the dirt road, waiting for the local SWAT team to arrive. His stomach lurched in fear of what could be happening to Greg, or now to Nick. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. "Cath, let's go!" cried Grissom, drawing his gun and darting forward.

A/N: Oo, cliffy! Who gets shot? Do they get to Greg in time? Review and maybe you'll see…