Chapter 4
Grissom put the tape into the cassette player and pressed play. Expecting a ransom message, he was surprised to hear music startup in preppy beat that had no place in the grave room. He looked up to the faces of his team, minus one. All their faces mimicked what he was feeling: confusion and anger.
Sara recognized the song. She couldn't remember what it was called but remembered listening to it a long time ago. And she certainly recognized the lyrics…which, she found, were appropriate for a kidnapper.
"You don't stand an out side, you don't stand and outside, you don't stand and outside chance! But you can try."
Catherine voiced Sara's opinion, "He's toying with us."
Grissom realized that the tape was not going to show them anything else, so he picked up the other item on the table; something Sara hadn't noticed was even there.
Grissom put the jump stick into the computer and waited. The ransom message was expected but when "Now, you can only watch" appeared on the screen, he knew it was more. He took a deep breath and pushed the button. What they saw would scar them for the rest of their lives.
Warrick looked at the image, first in disbelief, then in disgust.
Greg nearly lost his lunch looking at the image of Nick.
Grissom was plain surprised as to why anyone would do this.
Catherine felt so scared. "Why were these people doing this to our Nicky?"
But Sara was the most torn up of all of them. The normally tough woman felt herself slipping away. She thought she might break down right there in front of them. She felt the tears coming, but she willed them back. She was just stood there. She didn't understand and thought she might just faint. Right there in the middle of the AV lab in front of her boss and co-workers, listening to The turtles sing about chance. "That's who sings that song" she realized, trying to divert her attention so she would remain standing.
Miles away, Nick jumped at the sudden change in scenery. The light that he hadn't noticed was blaring at his feet. He looked down at it and wondered what had turned it on. He tried to understand, but couldn't so he tossed on the hard floor, slowly suffocating him in his little coffin.
Grissom walked over to the table. He had used to say that "whenever in doubt, rely on the science," so that's exactly what he did now. He quickly calculated the breaths of a human and told the people still transfixed to the computer screen.
Sara was still trying to understand what was happening and she couldn't understand how Grissom was still able to think clearly.