Disclaimer: Same as, but, I unfortunately, I don't own CSI or any of our fave characters. I'm just borrowing them for the duration of this fic
A/N: Thank-you to everyone that's read and reviewed. It's nice to know that there are readers who enjoy this fic.
Chapter 13: Going For A Ride
"Yo 'Rick. You alright there?" Nick asked, gasping for air. The kick he took to the abdomen had winded him rather badly.
A few groans escaped Warrick's lips. "You know, I don't feel so good." He tried to sit up, but the dizziness took over. "I think I might just -" he began, setting down his head. The blackness swarming inside his head finally beating the will of his conciousness.
"'Rick?" Nick asked. Silence filled the air. "'Rick?" he asked again, this time panic tinging the edge of his voice. He stood, losing his balance slightly, the pain in his abdomen forgotten for the moment. Hurrying over, he lent over Warrick, turning his head so his ear was hovering over his mouth. The cool rush of air wisped past it, indicating that he was still alive. His breathing though was now even more laboured then it had been previously.
"Still alive," he whispered silently into the darkness. The walls seem to mock him as it echoed slightly in the room.
Upstairs, hidden from view from the curtains, Tyrone and Jason were conversing across the table.
"It's time to put the next stage of the plan into action," Tyrone said to Jason. "We need another vehicle. You'll need to rent us another van."
Jason nodded, although doubt crossed his face.
"Won't they be looking for me?" he asked.
Tyrone smirked. "No, you'll be fine. Go to another rental place. They won't know who you are. Besides, remember the fake ID. No problem." Tyrone's words sunk into Jason slowly.
"Anything in particular?" Jason asked. "Need anything else while I'm gone?"
Tyrone shook his head.
"Anything big enough for those two will do," he said, referring to Nick and Warrick. "Now, get going."
Jason stood, up, exiting the house through the back door. Tyrone watched, a smirk on his face, shaking his head.
Nick sat crossed legged beside Warrick, deep in thought, his breathing the only sound in the room.
'How did things come to be like this," he thought to himself sadly. 'If only I'd listened to Grissom then maybe I could be helping them find this bastard. I found him alright. Just not the way it should have been.' He let out a soft sigh. 'It's not about the ifs now. It's about getting us out of here. Alive.
Closing his eyes, he tried to formulate a plan, any sort of plan, that could get them out of this predicament. Nothing however came to mind. There was no way out from the basement, and they had no-way to escape while Tyrone and his cronie were seated upstairs.
'And even if they do leave I've still got to get Warrick out as well. We're here together, and we'll get out of this together. We've got each others backs.'
The sound of footsteps and the door opening brought him out from his thoughts.
"Get up," Tyrone hissed. "We're going for a little ride."
"What?" Nick asked.
"You heard me, get up." He grabbed Nick by the collar of his shirt.
"Well, what about Warrick?" he asked, thinking he was stating the obvious.
"He's staying here."
"Wait, you can't leave him here. I mean - " Tyrone cut him off.
"He's staying here. Besides, he'll be dead soon and hauling a dead body around is too much hassle." He nudged the unconscious Warrick with his foot.
Nick shook his head violently.
"If he's staying here, I'm staying here," Nick said firmly.
Rage contorted Tyrone's face. He reached for the waistband of his trousers, pulling out a gun, pointing in Nick's face.
"Listen. Me and you are leaving this place. He's staying here, understand?"
Nick looked down the barrel of the gun. He was no stranger to this situation having been in it twice before. He remained calm, his face set in a dead stare. His insides on the other hand were raging. His heart was beating twice as fast as the adrenaline pumped around his body. The fight or flight response.
'Do I stand here and fight?' he thought to himself, "Getting myself killed but staying here with 'Rick, or do I stand down and go with this maniac?'
He didn't see in the darkness Tyrone lower the gun, pulling the trigger.
Jason Green walked the remainder of the way to the rental place, making sure to act calm, keeping his face covered. He opened the glass doors, and was approached by a young brunette.
"Hello sir, may I help you?" she asked politely, flashing him a smile.
"Er, yes, you can," he looked down at the name tag. 'Lillian Howard,' he read. "Lillian," he said, smiling back at her. "I need to rent a van."
She nodded at him.
"Come this way and I can sort that out for you," she said. She took a seat opposite the computer. "Okay," she said. "I need to see your driver's licence and some other form of ID," she said. He handed both over to her. She looked over it carefully. Something on the licence glared out at her as not being normal. She smiled back at him again.
"Okay Mr Burrell, that's fine" she said. "I just need to speak with my manager so he can sort you out." She stood up, taking the ID and licence with her, and headed for the manager's office.
Nick screamed out in pain as the bullet flew past his leg. Although it hadn't penetrated deeply or lodged in the leg, it nicked the edge of his thigh, tearing the denim material as it went. Fresh blood trickled down his leg. His hands were bound behind his back so he wasn't able to apply any pressure. He hissed through his teeth.
"Next time," Tyrone said, "I won't miss, and the bullet," he put his finger and thumb on his left hand together in a mocking gun pose, "Will be in your head. Bang," he said, pretending to shoot Nick in the head.
Nick didn't say anything, the pain still fresh.
"Now, move," Tyrone said, gun in hand. He pushed Nick forward to the doorframe. He winced as he put pressure on his wounded leg. Standing in the doorway, the small amount of light filtering from downstairs, he took one final look at Warrick on the floor, as the cold metal of the gun pushed deeper into his lumbar spine.
Okay, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Should have the next one up in the next few days :)
