18.56
Catherine and Grissom could only pray, when Brass once again avoided a near collision with another vehicle. Since the moment they had got into the car and Grissom had explained the situation in a few sentences Brass had driven like a mad man towards Grissom's house.
Taking an incredible sharp turn which made both Grissom and Catherine wonder if they would survive the trip and still be alive. Brass spoke "So I understand why this….Thayer is so mad at you, since you literally destroyed his career in the court room but what I don't understand is why he would blow up the lab and take Nick."
Clutching Catherine's hand, Grissom managed to speak between clenched teeth. "The lab discovered the tampering with the pig and the flies, I think he decided that by destroying the lab he would get even. As for the question why he took Nick, I honestly don't know…..I couldn't even take a guess about…"
Grissom never finished the sentence because on that moment they stopped in front of his house. Jumping out of the car Brass began shouting orders towards the cops who had followed them, only stopping when Grissom put his hand on his arm.
"Brass, I think that I should go in there…..see if I can get Thayer to talk to me. It's me he wants…if I can distract him long enough it may be possible to end this without endangering Nick's life further….and Brass you can't stop me. Just make sure you guys stand by, ok?"
Taking a deep breath and ignoring his two friends he slowly walked toward the front door of the house with his hands raised above his head, briefly noticing that Sofia Curtis had arrived and was running towards the back door. Hoping that she would not do anything foolish he stopped halfway to the door and called out to Thayer.
"Thayer, it's me Grissom. I'm here to talk to you. I'm unarmed."
As in slow motion the people outside the house saw the front door opening, revealing a barely conscious Nick who was held in front of an armed Thayer. Even from the position Catherine and Brass stood it was obvious that Nick was hurt pretty badly, his shirt was soaked with blood from a nasty head wound and he was cradling his right arm in front of him.
"Well look who decided to show up," Thayer sneered, while pulling Nick closer against him. "The 'expert' has returned, I do hope you are happy at what you made me do."
Still holding his hands above his head, Grissom spoke, with what he hoped to be a reasonable voice, "Let Nick go and we'll talk about it ok? You made your point, now please release Nick and come out of the house. Nobody needs to get injured"
A hysterical laughter met him, shaking with laughter Thayer shook his head. "Grissom you don't honestly think that I would blow up a lab and then care about the fact if a few more people could get injured? Smell the air Grissom, I'm not expecting anyone to remain uninjured." with those words Thayer pulled Nick into the house again and closed the door.
For the first three seconds Grissom remained frozen. Then he reacted, shouting over his shoulder to the cops to back off, while he himself began running the remaining meters towards the house. All of his focus had been set on saving Nick, so he had completely missed the gasoline smell that had been released when the front door had been opened. He could not allow Thayer to blow everyone up. But even running towards the house he knew that he would never make it…and he was right. Seconds before his hand could grab the doorknob there was an incredible blast, knocking him backwards, tossing him into the air before he landed in a heap on the pavement.
With his last effort he raised his head, saw his house being engulfed by flames and with it all hope to get Nick back alive, with the despair of that knowledge came also the darkness which Grissom welcomed. For unconsciousness held no pain for the moment, and that was something he wanted very much at this time…….
TBC…
