Hi everyone,

I'm so sorry it took so long for this chapter and I have my excuses all line up. Well here they go: 1- The dog ate my homework. 2 - There was a blizzard and I had to walk uphill both ways to school. 3 - My computer crashed. 4 - Did I happen to mention that the dog ate my homework. 5- I went and got a dogsoit could eat my homework.

OK so maybe all that homework stuff was not believable since I have been out of school for ... I don't have enough fingers and toes to use, but anyway I really have been sick and it's hard to get motivated when you are down and out. I hope the chapter was worth the wait.

Tefla - Thanks for your help and suggestions. I really appreciate it.

Enjoy!

The news had come as a surprise, but the evidence didn't lie. Though the evidence they had was circumstantial at best. They still had enough to warrant an interrogation of Carl Stenson.

The CSIs had gone back to the break room with the officer. Believe it or not, when the door to that room was closed, it was the only place where the walls didn't talk.

The collection of documents still lay on the table and each CSI waited for Grissom to start.

"OK. Before we go after Carl let's see what else we have. Most of this evidence is circumstantial." He looked around the table expectantly.

Warrick glanced down at his fingerprint results. "Well before everyone ran out of here I was going to say that I found a print at Nick's place that matched Carl."

"How come you didn't mention that earlier?" Catherine asked.

"Catherine, if you recall, you were giving the results of the hair analysis. I was waiting for my turn. It's called professional courtesy."

"Warrick I don't give a damn about professional courtesy." She retorted.

"Catherine, Warrick that's enough." Grissom interrupted. The entomologist sighed before continuing, " I know we are all on the edge here, but we aren't going to accomplish anything if we are at each other's throats. Warrick where did you find his fingerprint?"

Warrick glanced over to Catherine who had sat back in her chair, but kept her defensive posture.

"I found his print on the underside of a flipped over table in Nick's living room."

"Well that's an odd place for his fingerprints to be. Don't you think?" Sara said to break the tension in the room.

Grissom glanced to the rest of his team before responding. "Yes. It is odd. Why would Carl's fingerprint be there? Especially since Warrick has already confirmed that Carl has never been over to Nick's place before."

Warrick smiled, "The prints are fresh … say within the last twenty-four hours."

"OK. I say that gives us more than enough to get him in here." Grissom looked over to the officer who had managed to melt into the background. "We need Carl Stenson brought in for questioning."

The officer sat forward in his seat to look Grissom straight in the eye, "I understand the importance of what you're asking, but I need to follow procedures. I need to get the order from Captain Brass."

"I understand. I'll get Brass on the phone then. Thanks for your help." Grissom replied.

The officer got up from the table and left the break room. He closed the door as he walked out. Grissom pulled out his phone and dialed Brass's number. The break room was quiet. The only sound was a drip coming from the sink in the corner.

Grissom listened as the phone rang and waited for the experienced Homicide Detective to answer. He faced the windows and was able to look out into the hallway to see the Lab staff hustling back and forth. No sooner had Grissom hit the 'send' button then Brass walked by the window as he grabbed his cell phone. He stopped in the hallway right in front of the windows to answer it.

"Brass."

"Hey Jim … it's Grissom. Turn to your left."

Brass did as he was instructed and found five CSIs staring at him. Grissom waved him into the room. The detective smiled and shook his head as he hung up his phone. He turned around and walked over to the break room.

"I'm sorry. I haven't been by to see you guys yet. It's been a busy night. Have you found anything on Nicky?" Brass asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee and took a seat at the table.

"Well actually that's what I was calling you about."

"Oh yea … what's up?"

"Carl Stenson."

"Carl Stenson … he works in the ballistics lab. What about him?"

"We believe that he was in on Nick's abduction as well as our witness, Erin Matthews' disappearance."

"Show me what you got."

Grissom showed him the hair analysis, fingerprints and told him about the tattoo.

"Sounds like enough to bring him in for interrogation. You said he is working tonight … right?"

"Yes … he is." Grissom said with a smirk.

"Well he is convenient … isn't he?"

"That he is."

Brass got up from his seat. He had only returned back to work at the beginning of the week. Make no qualms about it though he still wasn't one hundred percent, but being the man he was … he returned to work early. He was still required to go to physical therapy. Also, along with Nick, he went to see the counselor. He had been affected just as much as Nick, if not more. Brass felt that he should have done more and placed the guilt of those three people dying upon his shoulders. No matter what anyone said to him, he couldn't change that feeling. With time the feeling would eventually bury itself, but he knew at anytime it could emerge.

Nick could feel Erin's grip tighten in his hand when the four men entered their cell. He tried to comfort her the best he could, but he had a feeling the only way she would be comforted was to be far away from this place.

One man held his weapon at the prisoners while one grabbed Erin and pulled her off the cot. She struggled with her captor only to receive a slap in the face. Nick saw what happened and tried to grab for her, but with one arm cuffed to the cot he could only reach.

"Leave her alone!"

Nick received a punch to his face for his outburst, which caused Erin to scream out. One man pushed Nick back to the wall and pulled his weapon from his holster and held it close to his face. Nick sat still, he didn't want to endanger Erin anymore than she already was. He just watched as the last man uncuffed him from the cot.

His freedom was short lived as he was yanked up from the cot. He winced and sucked in a breathe from the violent movement on his ribs. He repeated the action as his hands were cuffed behind his back. He tried to glance over to Erin to give her an encouraging look, but was unable to facing the direction he was. He heard a grunt and the cot squeak. It was obvious that they had thrown Erin back down on the cot.

Erin sat upright fairly quickly and tried to get another glance at Nick. She didn't know if this was going to be the last time she saw him or not. Erin hoped that she would. Nick told her that they were going to be killed. In a way she wished he had sugarcoated the truth, but in reality the truth was always best. She just didn't want to die alone.

"Where are you taking him?" she asked in barely a whisper.

None of the men heard her as they grabbed the roughed up CSI by both arms and pulled him from the room. Nick was able to spare her one last glance before the door closed behind him.

Erin brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. She had tried to put on a brave front. At least when Nick was there with her she felt somewhat safe, somewhat protected. Now that he was gone she no longer had that feeling. She looked up at the camera and just watched as the red light went on and off.

Erin let out a loud sigh that turned into a sob. She turned her head away from the camera and could feel herself starting to cry. For some reason she felt that this was private and they had no rights to watch her emotional outburst. After all, it was their fault that she was there in the first place.

She remembered, before Nick had been taken away, that she had asked him if he was scared and he said yes. She tried to focus on that. Nick was scared too, but he was putting up a brave front so she had to as well. She wiped the tears from her eyes and lay down on the cot. She fell asleep within minutes.

The hallway was familiar to him, but unfortunately he could only remember one-half of the trip. He was led back into the room where he was brought before and forced into the same chair. Nick scanned the room and the gun that Harris had used now sat on the table just to his left. He could suddenly feel the gun once again pressed against his forehead.

The pain in his leg brought him out of the memory. His guards weren't exactly easy on him. The bullet wound, up until that point, had stopped bleeding, but he could now feel the blood trickle down his leg. He glanced down at the makeshift bandage only to see it seeping with blood. He silently cursed to himself. He could only hope that Erin would be able to stop the bleeding.

He glanced over to door when he heard voices. He was not looking forward to the meeting. The last time he didn't come out of it too well. As Harris entered the room, Nick could feel his heart racing. The CSI tried to hide the reaction, but Harris merely chuckled in delight.

Nick could feel himself under close scrutiny from his captor. Harris reached down and grabbed Nick's chin. He moved his head from one side to another admiring his work. Nick jerked his head back, but regretted that action soon after when he felt his ribs protest. Harris smiled at Nick's reaction.

"Just admiring my work Mr. Stokes." Harris said as he moved away from Nick.

"Yea well you can admire from over there." Nick replied back.

Harris shot Nick a look, "Careful Mr. Stokes. I have no problem putting another bullet in you."

Nick just remained silent and watched as Harris dragged a chair over next to Nick and sat down. This made Nick squirm. He did not want to be anywhere near this man. He leaned towards the opposite side, trying to create some space between him and the other man.

"Why Mr. Stokes, do I make you uncomfortable?"

Nick resisted the urge to throw out a comment but he thought it instead. 'Um … yeah. I just love sitting next to the man that wants to kill me … idiot.'

Instead he answered, "Just trying to get comfortable. This isn't exactly the best chair I ever sat on."

"Well that's the whole part of this Mr. Stokes. The chairs aren't supposed to be comfortable."

"I kinda got that part, but thanks for clarifying it."

"So Mr. Stokes are you ready to make a phone call?"

"You know what? Let's cut it with the 'Mr. Stokes' business. Just call me Nick. After all, anyone who shoots me should be on a first-name basis."

"Well I'm afraid that we strive by formality here Mr. Stokes."

Nick didn't want Harris to know how much it bugged him to be constantly called 'Mr. Stokes'. Sure it was his last name, but he was always reminded of his father when people called him that. It took him a long time to get out of his father's limelight. That was the main reason he came to Vegas.

Harris could see the wheels in Nick's mind working, "Do we have a problem Mr. Stokes?"

"No we don't Mr. Harris." Nick answered back with a trace of sarcasm in his voice.

He watched as Harris pulled out his phone and dialed Grissom's number. He wondered if Grissom had found anything on that CD. He knew his time was running out and had to try and convey that message to Grissom somehow. The other CSIs were under the impression that Nick was going to be set free when Harris had the CD in hand. He wished that were true, but Nick knew better. His only hope was Grissom … just like the last time.

Grissom had a large part in figuring out where Nick was. All it took was hundred of his closest friends and the bug doctor went to work. Unfortunately Nick wasn't sure how Grissom was going to find him this time. Then it came to him … Carl Stenson. He would try to tell Grissom about Carl somehow.

As the CSIs left the break room they all went in different directions. Warrick and Sara headed over to security to see if they could find any security footage from the parking lot. Catherine went to see what she could dig up on Carl Stenson. Greg went to the locker room to change his coffee-stained clothes. After that he was to go to the A/V Lab and get status on the CD.

Grissom and Brass were also on their way to the A/V lab.

Brass had suggested that Grissom have a trace put on his phone. Why Grissom hadn't thought of that made him wonder. This whole case was getting to him. He was losing his edge and he didn't like it one bit. One mistake on his part could cost two people their lives.

The two men walked the long halls of the Las Vegas Crime Lab. They had worked together for a long time and knew each other's style. Grissom would let Brass take the lead on this interrogation, but he would chime in when he deemed it necessary. Both of them knew how important this little talk was with Carl. More than likely Carl knew where both Nick and Erin Matthews were. If they played their cards right hopefully they could get both of them back before it was too late. If not, they would rely on the phone trace to find them. That is if they were on the phone long enough for a trace.

Grissom turned the corner into the A/V Lab with Brass on his trail. He had left the young Asian man Archie Johnson working on the CD. Archie, the resident technical guru, sat hypnotized in front of his computer. Grissom could see that he was working on decrypting the disk.

"Archie … I need you to set up a trace on my phone." Grissom said as he walked into the room with his phone in his hand. "I'm going to be getting a call from Nick's kidnappers soon and I want to see if we can trace the call."

Archie turned around to see both Grissom and Brass standing behind him, "Sure it will only take a minute." He replied taking the phone.

Both men walked up to the computer screen to see if they could understand anything on it, but all they saw was gibberish.

"So how's the CD coming along?" Grissom asked.

"Very slow, but I think I'm almost got it. There were a lot of algorithms so it made it more of a challenge. "

"That's good news. Let me know as soon as you get something."

"You will be the first person I call … so any new leads on Nick?"

"We do have a lead and we will be bringing him in for questioning."

Archie had just finished setting up the trace when Grissom's phone rang. The A/V tech just about dropped the phone in surprise, but managed to catch it before it fell to the floor.

Grissom took the phone from the young man and answered it, "Grissom."

OK I know that you are all about to send hate mail. First she makes us wait so long and then she leaves the chapter like this. AHH! Well all I can say is that it's still the illness. I'm all stuffy and it's cutting off oxygen to my brain. Well not really (tee hee). Please send those awesome reviews. Thanks and see you next chapter.