ACID BATH

CHAPTER 8

Brass stood at the entrance to Brina's home, once again watching as a friend and colleague was placed into an ambulance. Thankfully, Sara didn't appear to be badly injured, but they'd have to await the x-rays and doctor's exam to be certain. Catherine trembled at his side. He could see the anger in her eyes, but also a tinge of fear and guilt playing around the edges. He knew she felt responsible, just as he did for Bree's condition. This was the second attack in this house by what appeared to be the same lunatic. When he got his hands on that creep ---

"Let's go, Brass," Catherine broke into his thoughts. "I don't want Gil hearing about this from the nursing staff."

"Yeah. Okay. Can't do much from here anyhow." He moved toward his vehicle, Catherine following behind to her own. "You go with her. I need to get back to HQ."

"How did that slime ball get inside the house with all those cops around," Catherine asked.

Brass grimaced. "I don't want to think about it," he stated. "The only way would be if he was ---"

"A cop," Catherine finished. "Or at least dressed like one."

MMMMM

Warrick and the police officer accompanying him moved through the half-opened doorway into the Marriott's home. The foyer was large with a chandelier lighting its parquet floor. A small table sat at the right of the door with letters strewn upon it. Warrick listened closely for a moment, realizing that the noise he had heard at the door was coming from the left.

Walking through the doorway, he rushed to Mrs. Marriott's side. She sat on the floor, white as a sheet, groaning and rocking herself back and forth. "Mrs. Marriott," he asked, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Mrs. Marriott," he whispered as he took her hands in his. "Mrs. Marriott?" He turned to the officer for a moment. "Get an ambulance." He then looked in the direction of her eyes, seeing the video that she had been watching.

NNNNN

Horatio walked through the doors at the CSI lab. He knew he might not be welcome, as he was out of his jurisdiction, but he had to do something besides sit around. He hoped he would be able to help the staff understand something of what might be happening.

Brass was standing at the front desk, going over some pictures with Nick and Greg, when Horatio walked up. Brass stood up a little taller, anxious as to why this man was intruding on them. He knew that Horatio was a friend of Brina's, but he didn't like the fact. He wanted to know more than he did about Horatio. Even though they had met in the past as colleagues, something about Horatio's being a friend of Brina's bothered him. He couldn't put his finger on why he felt this way, but he was very protective of her and wouldn't let anything else happen to her, if he had the ability to stop it.

He was looking at pictures of the fiber that was found in Brina's showerhead. The lab crew had not been able to positively identify it, but it appeared to be some sort of detonation device. With the information they now possessed about the cameras in the bathroom, the perp must have been watching from a distance of some kind. He must have pressed a button to detonate the acid-filled vial. Still, who was this man and what did he have against Brina?

"Brass," Horatio nodded toward him, trying not to let his feelings toward this crude man get to him. "I've come to help in whatever way I can."

"Help?" Brass cocked an eyebrow. "What makes you think we need your help?"

"Perhaps it isn't so much that you need my help as that I need to help, if that meets with your approval."

"Great," Nick said. "We could use all the help we can get."

"Then," Horatio stuck out a welcoming hand; "I am at your service."

"I understand from Brass that you are an explosives expert." Nick continued, handing him the photographs. "Can you tell me what this is?"

Horatio looked at the picture for a moment and nodded, whispering, "It's a very sophisticated detonator, used mostly by terrorists. Where was this found?"

"In Judge Grissom's bathroom by Sara Sidle," Greg informed. "We thought it might be a detonator of some type, but weren't sure."

"And that would mean she was being watched at the time of the attack," Brass growled.

OOOOO

Brina gasped harshly as she was pulled upward by strong yet gentle hands. Coughing wrecked her sides as she tried to open frightened eyes. "Brina," Grissom called through her fog. "Brina Jane Grissom," his insistent tone pierced its way through the nightmare. "Wake up! Breathe!" One hand left her shoulders momentarily. She heard a nurse's voice come over the intercom. "Get a doctor in here fast," he ordered. "She can't breathe!" The free hand went to her face, patting her cheek gently. "Brina," he whispered as tears rolled down his face.

Her eyes fluttered open, the orbs rolling from side to side. Another harsh gasp and round of coughing arose from her lungs as he pulled her up into his arms. She buried her head in his chest, clinging to his shirt with all her strength. Tremors rumbled through her body in waves of sudden relief as tears washed down her cheeks.

"Oh, Gilly," she whispered his childhood nickname. His arms wrapped around her like a thick winter comforter as he whispered into her hair.

"It's all right, Bree," his eyes closed as with the struggle to hold back his own tears. "I'm here."

"I thought," she gasped, "I was drowning,"

"It was only a dream. You're safe now."

The nurse stood back watching this exchange and preparing to listen to Brina's lungs. Bree looked up at Grissom, batting her eyes quizzically. "A – a dream?" She looked around and realization entered her puzzled face. The speaking between gasps of air, "I – I'm still ----in the hospital?" Grissom nodded. "Horatio," she asked.

"At your place getting some rest." Brina took in another gasp of air, trying to relax her own breathing. Grissom's brow furrowed with concern as the nurse checked her pulse and respirations. She pulled the nasal cannula off its perch near the bed and quickly placed it in Brina's nostrils as the doctor arrived.