This was originally a oneshot now extended. I have slightly changed Part 1, basically corrected the name of the FBI man to Jack Crawford rather than use the name of WP's character of Will Graham. At the time I could not recall the name (too lazy to look it up on the internet) but Reviews found this a distraction.
I have now added a second chapter.
CSI Manhunter Part 2
"Whatcha watching boys?" Catherine cheerfully asks as she walks into the break room. Nick and Greg are sitting relaxing with cups of coffee waiting for their shift to start
"It's a news report about an old serial killer who's just died in hospital. " Nick replies without taking his eyes from the TV.
Warrick, who had been helping himself to coffee, saunters over to stand next to Catherine. He looks over their heads at the TV.
After listening for a few minutes he says "Oh. I remember this guy. It's a real famous case. A Doctor or psychologist or something wasn't he? At a university? He apparently liked the taste of human flesh. Lots of body parts from several victims were found in his fridge. Man, he was one hell-of-a sick bastard."
"Yeah. They found one last victim. A young girl. He told them about it just before he died" Nick explains. "Go figure after 20 odd years?"
Nobody had noticed that Grissom had entered the room and was standing in the door behind Catherine and Warrick. His glasses were down the end of his nose and he held their assignments for the night in his hands. He listened quietly to the conversation in front of him.
The group of CSIs continues to watch the TV report which is now showing a reporter talking to camera with an all too familiar crime scene in the background. Local uniformed police and several others in FBI jackets were standing around crouched down looking at a patch of excavated earth within an area the taped off with Crime Scene tape. The site is near an old brick public building with what looked like a cultivated park or garden around it. The reporter is explaining the details of the case and the horror of the locals to the revelation that one of their lost pupils was buried so near for so many years. The reporter concludes with how the family of the supposed victim, one Ellie Smith, had never properly recovered from the loss of their daughter and how a community was forced to relive a nightmare from it's past.
As Grissom listens, he looks to the floor remembering interviewing the parents 21 years ago. That was so hard. The killer who was eventually identified as Lecktor was terrorizing the university town. Ellie Smith had been the youngest victim by far. Most of his victims had been students. The parents were well aware of the gruesomeness of the other killings and with the absence of a body and definite information of an autopsy; they were left with their worst imaginings as to what their poor little girl might have gone through. Now they may know but 21 years is time for a lot of nightmares. He only wished he could have given them closure then.
He takes a deep breath to bring himself back to the present day victims and their families and walks further into the break room, so making his presence known. Catherine and Warrick turn round and look towards him.
Grissom ignores the TV as the item wraps up and pretends not to have seen the team's interest in the case.
In his typical business like manner he announces "Catherine, Warrick you have two DBs at a convenience store off Strip. Looks like armed robbery gone wrong" he hands them the details.
"Nick you have a questionable suicide in Summerland. Take Greg with you as Sara is still on her robbery case " He hands Nick the assignment slip over his shoulder.
Catherine looks quizzically at Grissom. "And you?" she asks.
"Paperwork" he replies with a sigh.
"Ahh the burdens of command" she smirks at him. She leaves brushing her hand on Grissom's arm in a sympathetic gesture. She knows how much he loves the administrative side of being supervisor. Grissom just gives her a frown at her enjoyment of his misery at the prospect.
Several hours later Grissom is still sitting in his office deep into his paperwork. At least he felt the pile of reports to review and documents to counter-sign were smaller. He could only ignore his admin responsibility for so long before he knew he could just not leave it any longer and had to stop doing the job he loved to do a job he abhorred. But he knew his reward would be a guilt free period for awhile where he could happily let the paperwork slide for awhile.
His thoughts are interrupted by the phone.
"Grissom" he replied.
"Hi Gil" Grissom recognizes Jack Crawford's deep tones immediately.
"Jack" he states simply. Perhaps less surprised to hear his voice than he would have been a month ago, having seen him in Boston so recently and at the institute in Baltimore housing Hannibal Lecktor.
"Lecktor's information was correct as you may have heard. We found the remains of a child, approximately 12 or 13, in the grounds of the school near the headmaster's office. A rose bush was planted on top" Jack explains with no humor in his voice.
"Yes I saw the news reports." Gil responds. He takes off his glasses and turns slightly in his chair, away from his current paper strewn desk, so he can give the conversation his full attention without the distraction of current atrocities.
He then continues after a brief pause "I appreciate the courtesy of letting me know, but I guess there is more to your call than that?"
"Quite right. We found something interesting...something I think intended for you..." Jack replies enigmatically.
"For me?" Gil is genuinely surprised "How so?"
"Well even at the time of Ellie Smith's disappearance Lecktor was aware of your being the leading forensic profiler" Jack pauses then says "Look Gil I think the simplest thing is if I come to Vegas and show you. I want your input. I can be there by morning."
Gil doesn't quite know how to respond to this but he is intrigued never the less.
"OK. I guess" he replies, pausing to think "I could meet you for lunch". Grissom proceeded to give Jack directions to a small, out of the way diner where they could meet and talk uninterrupted.
After hanging up on Jack, Grissom sits staring into space, thinking about all that had happened recently. For him the confrontation with Lecktor was in many ways a patching up of old wounds. The physical wounds had healed long ago though they affected him still. He couldn't run like before and had scars on his legs. But some other wounds were deep within himself. He had been so glad of the support of Sara to talk through it all this time. He was not alone. It was something he had not had in a very long time. He longed for the shift to end so he could return to his island refuge, their mutual sanctuary from the worst that society had to offer.
But what could this new development mean? He was pretty sure that if Lecktor had left something in the grave of Ellie Smith somehow directed at him then it was not going to be good. He guessed that that was part of reason Lecktor had specifically asked to speak to him on his death bed. He had left something behind that was going to be lost. What could it be?
There was a tapping sound on the glass of his door that jerked Grissom out of his reverie. Grissom turned round in his chair to see Catherine standing in the office doorway. How long had she been standing there? Grissom wondered.
"Hey a bit jumpy aren't we?" She smirks. "Is everything OK? You look... upset"
"Yes I'm fine...I was thinking." Grissom replies slightly irritated, Catherine does not completely convinced. Grissom just ignores her "What have you got?" He asks.
Catherine proceeds to tell him the details of her and Warrick's case, but Grissom is only half listening to her, his mind constantly returning to the past.
"Grissom" She states loudly at one point.
"Humm yes?"
"Are you with me here?" She asks rather testily.
"Oh sorry, just distracted by another case." He responds.
"Well I know there is nothing here too challenging" She stands up ready to leave "So I will leave you to your thoughts!" He can tell she is just thinking it is 'just typical Grissom', 'all cerebral'. He watches her leave. How ironic. He ponders; it isn't thoughts that are preoccupying him but feelings, deep feeling many of which are what define who he is today. He realizes just how apprehensive he is of what Crawford may bring…..