Hi guys, you'll be pleased to know that thanks to my friend AshleySusan visiting I've managed to break through my writer's block! I've got chapter 17 finished in my notebook and I'm pretty confident chapter 18 will be finished soon. I think there will probably be one more chapter after that. Thank you to everyone who's still reading this, sorry I haven't exactly been the most consistent with my updates. Anyway, back to the story!

This was it. Everything had been building to this moment. The years he'd spent alone in dark rooms, working and honing his skills. The months he'd spent building trust and rewriting the plan, mentally playing out every possible scenario until it was damn near perfect. The weeks of final preparations, including the moment he pressed play and it had all begun. The last few days, watching their every move like ants in a colony, waiting for the moment he would bring down his boot and crush them all beneath it

Nothing but silence greeted him as he twisted the handle and eased the door open, entering the den as a ghost. His pulse jumped slightly, adrenaline flooding his veins now he was finally in the same room as the three people who had ruined his life. Four strides and he would be behind Dr Grissom, close enough to put the muzzle of his gun to the back of the other man's head and splatter his brains across the room. So easy, it would be over before anyone saw it coming.

But where was the fun in that?

One more step and he cleared his throat, delighting in the way their three heads snapped in his direction. Captain Brass' right hand flexed at his waist, instinctively wanting to reach for his gun; the other two just sprang to their feet.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Martin addressed the former, unzipping his jacket to unveil his coup de gras - an explosive vest strapped to his chest.

"This contains more than enough TNT to blow us all of the face of the earth." He held up his left hand. "I flip this switch and it's goodnight Vienna." He could see the cogs whirring in all three heads so he waited a few moments before adding his final piece of information.

"And just incase Captain Brass decides to shoot me anyway, I've modified a fire fighter's PASS device. If it doesn't detect any movement from me for 30 seconds, the bomb will detonate automatically. So whatever happens, the four of us will be dying tonight."

"Ok Archie, I've connected my ear piece to the sat phone so I can keep you guys on the line. I want to know everything that's happening in that room."

Sara and Greg exchanged looks as Vartann approached and they caught the tail end of his conversation. He fiddled with his ear piece and placed the sat phone in his jacket pocket before turning to them.

"Archie accessed Grissom's laptop, the guy behind all this is Martin Palmer. His brother was sent to prison for rape and murder, Grissom, Catherine and Brass all worked the case."

"So we know who he is, now what? We're still no closer to getting them out!" Greg remarked in frustration.

"Archie and Wendy are monitoring what they assume is a a live feed from the laptop's webcam, we've got eyes in there now..."

Vartann trailed off, pressing the ear piece further into his ear. "You're sure?... Shit... Keep me posted."

"What now?" Sara didn't like the look on Vartann's face.

"Palmer's in the room with them, and from the looks of things he's wearing an explosive vest."

"We need to get in there!" Sara and Greg exclaimed simultaneously.

"We're not storming in there and running the risk of him detonating that vest. The only good thing about him being in there with them is that he's no longer monitoring the security cameras. My guys with Vega are surrounding the perimeter, they've found and disabled all but one of the signal jammers; we don't want any cell phones going off in there and blowing our advantage. I want everyone out of there alive, I'm not letting this scumbag miss out on the needle by blowing himself up."

" This is torture!" Wendy exclaimed, eyes never leaving the screen while trying to ignore the incessant clacking of Archie's keyboard." What are you doing?"

"Trying to hack Sam's security system, I want to give Vartann eyes on the rest of the house, see if we can get them inside unnoticed."

"I feel so useless." The brunette's heart lurched as Palmer raised the arm not holding the gun; she could just make out what looked like a detonator in it. "I wish we knew what they were saying..."

On a whim she grasped the mouse, moving the cursor to select the audio settings. Hovering over the microphone icon she hesitated momentarily before clicking on it. There were a few painful seconds of silence before Grissom's familiar voice echoed through the lab, halting Archie's fingers as it drew his attention.

"... The last thing we want is anyone else dying."

"Great job Wendy!" He pressed a button on his ear piece. "Vartann, we've got audio in the room now, we'll pass along anything relevant."

"No Dr Grissom, the last thing you want is anyone else dying."

"Who died?" The two lab rats questioned simultaneously. Archie disconnected the ear piece, placing the sat phone in loud speaker and allowing Vartann's voice to filter through to the whole room.

"... Warrick."

"Shit."

Wendy stayed silent, focusing back that the screen; processing that could wait until everyone else was safe.

Archie lowered his head and resumed typing, his speed now reduced significantly.

"I know it's a body blow guys, but we need you. Grissom, Catherine and Brass need you; you're our eyes and ears in that house and our best chance at getting them all out alive."

"You'd be a pretty good motivational speaker if this whole cop thing doesn't pan out Vartann." A ghost of a smile flitted across Wendy's face at the chuckle her comment elicited.

"I do what I can. I'm handing you over to Sara, I've got to radio Vega a loop him in."

There was silence before Sara's voice came in the line.

"You're doing great. What's happening in there now?"

"I'm into the security system, checking on the rest of the house. It looks quiet."

"Well his accomplis is in custody and there's nothing to suggest he's working with anyone else... Can you check the external doors? When we were released he said the house would blow if Cath tried to follow us. Maybe there's a motion sensor that would've activated it?"

" On it." Archie meticulously swept his gaze over every inch of the main door, enlarging the image everytime he moved to allow for a closer inspection.

"I don't see any evidence of sensors, a trip wire or bomb on the main door. Now that I'm in the main security system I'll check the rest." The lab tech went quiet as he jumped from room to room, repeating the process from the first door.

"All clear, just the patio doors in the den now."

With a click of his mouse a similar image as the one Wendy was studying filled the computer and main AV screen. This angle allowed them to see the entire room. Palmer was still between the three CSIs and the door, Catherine closest to the couch, Grissom and Brass had moved so they were flanking her but slightly in front of the red head.

"I don't like the look of this," Archie mumbled and Wendy nodded as the AV tech channelled the audio from the laptop through the main speakers in the room

Hope you guys enjoy the update.

Lily

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