ACT TWO

FADE IN:

EXT. KENT FARM - NIGHT

Nick and Greg climb out of the SUV, grab their field kits, and head inside. The house is in a remote area, the perfect place to murder someone.

SUPER: Five Days Earlier

There are two police cars, Brass' car, and the coroner van parked in the yard. One officer stands next to the front door.

GREG
At least there's police here.

NICK
(cold)
Didn't stop Petra.

Greg doesn't respond. The two enter the house.

INT. KENT FARM house - NIGHT

Just inside the door David kneels next to a female corpse. BRASS stands nearby jotting notes in his notebook. David glances at the two but is quick to look away.

BRASS
It's about time. I was beginning to
think we'd have to process the
scene ourselves.

Neither Nick or Greg offer an explanation for their tardiness.

NICK
What do we have?

BRASS
We received a call about three
bodies here; this one, another in
the kitchen at the back, and one
out in the garage.

NICK
T.O.D.?

DAVID
Between two and five this afternoon.

GREG
Any idea what killed them?

DAVID
The one in the garage died from two
gunshot wounds. The one in the kitchen
I counted fifteen entry wounds. I
thought that was a little excessive,
until I counted holes in this one.
She has twenty. None of the vics
had a through and through.

Nick and Greg head off in separate directions. Suddenly the two stop, turning back at the same time.

GREG
You said one was shot twice, the
other fifteen, and this one twenty?

DAVID
Yes. Why?

Greg turns, suddenly anxious. He looks into the house, as if he's expecting something to happen. Nick hides his nervousness a little better.

NICK
Who discovered them?

BRASS
An anonymous, Good Samaritan called
it in. I'm sure it was the killer.

NICK
Was the call traced?

Brass narrows his eyes, suspicious of Nick's questions.

BRASS
No. I thought that was your job.

Greg and Nick exchange a worrisome glance.

BRASS (CONT'D)
Is there something about this crime
scene I should know about?

NICK
No. We'll get started with the body
in the garage.

BRASS
Together?

NICK
Yes.

BRASS
Well, doesn't it normally go faster
if you two split up? I don't really
want to be here all night.

The remark makes Nick mad. Greg attempts to intervene before he blows up.

GREG
Nick, he has a p--

NICK
(pissed)
Hey, you know, we're the CSI, and
if we believe working a location
together benefits the case, we'll
do it, alright?

David slowly looks up. The officer standing by the screen door turns, staring at Nick. Brass and Nick stare at each other, but only Nick is angry.

BRASS
All right.

Nick and Greg walk away. Brass clears his throat, but they don't stop moving.

David watches them disappear, then looks up at Brass.

DAVID
That was a little weird.

BRASS
Everything with those two is getting
weird. You were about to check for
a photograph, weren't you?

David opens the corpse's mouth and finds a photograph. He pulls it out, unfolding it. Brass leans over. It's a photograph clipped from a newspaper of Greg and Nick processing a crime scene. There is nothing suggestive or intimate about it.

DAVID
This is different.

BRASS
How so?

DAVID
All the other ones I've found have
them with a woman in some rather
compromising situations. This is
the first one that isn't like that.
They're just working.

BRASS
Bag it. I'll hold onto it.

DAVID
You don't trust them?

Brass looks in the direction they left.

BRASS
I get the feeling they know more
about what's happening than they're
telling anyone.

David nods. He finds an evidence bag in his kit and slides the photograph in it.

INT. CSI - CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Langston approaches a meeting room, catching Catherine's eye, but Catherine doesn't leave. Nick and Greg's families are supporting each other through this, and listening intensely to Catherine.

SUPER: Present

The conversation is somber as Catherine tells them what's been happening. She motions to the computer monitor that's been brought into the room so they can watch what's happening to their boys. She answers questions from both families.

She finally leaves the room, stepping into the corridor with Langston. She starts walking, leading Langston away from the room and upset families.

LANGSTON
I could have helped you with that.

CATHERINE
I didn't need any. They're being
very supportive of each other right
now. Do you have anything new?

LANGSTON
No. Swing finished the SUV, but
there's nothing new.

CATHERINE
Has Riley gotten the phone records?

LANGSTON
She's working on it. Our carrier is
throwing up the subpoena red tape.

This is upsetting news for Catherine. Catherine moves a little closer, lowering her voice.

LANGSTON (CONT'D)
I overheard a rumor before tonight
that some of the other CSI and lab
techs thought they were dating.

Catherine is disgusted by the notion.

LANGSTON (CONT'D)
All any of us really knew is that
they were falling apart before our
eyes and none of us had any idea
why. Had they told us about the
calls, about their investigation,
or that they were afraid for their lives--

CATHERINE
Ray, this guy wanted them alienated
from everyone who could have helped
them. Nick and Greg likely knew
that he would have resorted to
murder if we started helping them.
They were trying to protect us.

LANGSTON
How can you be sure they were
trying to protect us? That they
weren't simply set on solving the
case alone?

CATHERINE
Something Hodges overheard them
saying convinced me.

Lab tech MANDY runs into the corridor.

MANDY
Something's happening!

Langston and Catherine hurry after her.

EXT. KENT FARM HOUSE - NIGHT

Greg and Nick are packing their equipment and evidence in the SUV.

SUPER: Five Days Ago

GREG
I left a bag on the stairs. Be
right back.

I/E. CSI VEHICLE - NIGHT

Nick climbs into the driver's seat. He hears Greg talking and looks in the rear view mirror. He's talking to a policeman.

Greg trots over to the SUV and hops into the passenger seat. He drops the evidence bag behind Nick's seat with the other bags before settling back in the seat with a long sigh. He glances at his watch. It's two o'clock.

NICK
What's up?

GREG
They're stuck here for another five
hours. Wanted to know if we'd
cleared the restroom.

Nick starts the vehicle and pulls out of the driveway onto a dirt road.

GREG (CONT'D)
(yawning)
He didn't call us tonight.

NICK
Maybe he finally got bored.

Greg is having a hard time staying awake.

GREG
Mind if I catch a nap?

NICK
Go ahead.

Greg settles into his chair, falling asleep. Nick glances at the radio clock: 2:10 AM.

EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - NIGHT

Nick pulls onto pavement and sees a van down the road with flashing hazards. Closer he can see the driver is change a flat tire.

Nick turns on his emergency lights and pulls up behind the van. He shakes Greg's arm.

NICK
Greg. Wake up.

Greg wakes. It takes him a few seconds to become aware of the situation.

NICK (CONT'D)
This guy needs a hand with a flat.
Come on.

Nick grabs his door handle to open the door and Greg latches onto his sleeve. Nick looks at him. Greg is staring at the motorist, openly suspicious of the situation.

The driver is dressed like a painter in painter overalls and wears a paint stained cap that shadows his face -- the face of Blaine Juhl.

GREG
Nick, I don't like this. Let's just
call the guy a tow truck and get
our evidence back.

NICK
Greg, it's just a--

Greg looks at him.

GREG
Our stalker knows our lives, Nick.
He knows everything we do. He knows
what calls we're on. What better
place to ambush us than in the
middle of nowhere where help is
miles away!

Nick yanks his sleeve away.

NICK
I am sick of this guy controlling
my life! If this is him, then let's
get this over with once and for
all. Are you coming?

Greg doesn't answer. Angry with everything, including Greg, Nick throws the door open and gets out, leaving Greg behind.

Greg considers his options as he watches Nick talk to the man. Nick kneels down by the man, and the man stands, stepping back. Blaine keeps his face hidden in the shadow of his cap.

Greg gets out and joins Nick and the motorist. Blaine takes several steps back and slides his hand in his wide pockets. Greg watches him, his suspicion on his sleeve.

GREG
It's kind of late for a painter to
be out here.

BLAINE
I was headed into work.

GREG
Kinda early for a painter to be
heading into work.

BLAINE
Maybe.

Nick pulls the flat tire off and rolls it aside.

GREG
What's your name?

Blaine doesn't answer. Greg's instincts have put him on edge to the point he isn't going to tolerate the silence.

GREG (CONT'D)
I asked what your name is.

Blaine doesn't answer.

GREG (CONT'D)
Nick we need to go.

NICK
I'm almost done. Can you hand me
the lug nuts?

Greg looks down at Nick to insist that they leave, giving Blaine the opportunity he needs to draw a dart gun and shoot Greg.

The dart lodges in the back of Greg's neck. He grabs it but the drug works fast.

Nick springs to his feet as Greg hits the ground, and the second dart lodges into the spare tire. He turns, reaching for his side arm as another dart lodges in his throat. He yanks it out, but enough drug injects to make him woozy.

He fumbles for his gun, draws it, and tries to aim at Blaine. He's seeing six of the serial killer casually loading his tranquilizer gun. Nick shoots and the bullet flies harmlessly into the night.

Blaine shoots him again, the dart lodging into the side of Nick's neck. Nick reaches for it as he sinks to the ground next to Greg. Blaine throws up his arms in triumph.

BLAINE
I LOVE THIS JOB!

Collecting himself, Blaine pulls a filled syringe and alcohol prep pad the front overall pocket. He pushes Greg's sleeve up, swabs his arm, and injects the fluid.

BLAINE (CONT'D)
(merrily)
That should add some drama!

Blaine digs through their pockets and retrieves their phones. He walks over to the SUV and hops onto the hood, lounging across it. He disables the voicemail on both and sets them down on the hood.

Nick doesn't answer. He looks into a camera with a flashing light.

INT. CSI - BREAK ROOM - DAY

The room is packed as people watch a large, flat screen monitor. When Nick looks into the camera they relax. Except for Catherine. She rushes out of the room. Langston follows her, finding her pacing in the locker room.

INT. CSI - LOCKER ROOM - DAY

Langston approaches slowly.

LANGSTON
What can I do, Catherine?

CATHERINE
Nothing! We can't do a damned
thing! We can't save them!

She starts to cry. He grabs her shoulders, stopping her.

LANGSTON
Stop.

She tries to pull away.

LANGSTON (CONT'D)
Catherine, stop. This isn't helping them.

She rips her arms out of his hold and continues pacing. He racks his brain for something to calm her down.

LANGSTON (CONT'D)
Tell me about them. About the day
they were hired.

CATHERINE
I didn't hire Greg. Ecklie did.

LANGSTON
And Nick?

CATHERINE
Grissom hired him.

LANGSTON
You weren't there? He didn't tell
you about it?

Catherine's pacing slows to a stop. The memory has brought her to a peaceful moment when things made sense. It even coaxes out a smile. She sits on the bench and Langston joins her.

CATHERINE
He did tell me about the interview.
About the reason he hired Nick.

LANGSTON
Tell me about it.

CATHERINE
He had just graduated with his
bachelors, fresh out of college.
His transcripts were impressive,
amazing letters of reference, but
he had no field experience. So
Grissom asked him why he should
hire someone who didn't know
anything about the job. He told
Grissom that learning the job and
processing the evidence was the
easy part. The hard part was
solving the crimes to help people
find closure, even if they were
already dead.

LANGSTON
He is a very compassionate young man.

CATHERINE
It becomes him. Greg too. They're
both really good guys that don't
deserve this. They were just doing
their job. They were just protecting people.

She starts to tear up again.

LANGSTON
I didn't know Nick was allergic to
Hymenoptera venom. How severe is
his allergy?

CATHERINE
He and I were on a scene south of
town about four months after he
started and a bee stung him. His
epinephrine injector was back in
the SUV and I tried to make it back
with him, but it hit him so fast!
He was near dead by the time I got
back to him. He was in the hospital
for three days and that was only
one bee. This other time he was bit
by thousands of fire ants and it
was touch and go for two weeks. He
went into cardiac arrest seven times.

LANGSTON
But he always came back. He won't
give up, and we'll get to both of
them in time. I know we will.

She doesn't have Langston's confidence. Catherine looks up at a locker.

CATHERINE
I searched their lockers. There's
nothing in them that can help us.

Riley comes to the door, holding papers.

RILEY
I finally got their phone records
and into their voice mail. For at
least the last two weeks they were
each getting messages from this guy,
sometimes as many as a hundred a
day. He was keeping them up all
day, when they should have been sleeping.

CATHERINE
It's no wonder they were tired and
late all the time.

LANGSTON
What were the messages?

RILEY
All he left was a time. On Greg's
he left two-fifteen, and on
Nick's two-twenty.

CATHERINE
Did you look in their personal
files on the network?

RILEY
Yeah. Whatever evidence those two
have on this guy is in their heads,
in an empty pool, in some building,
somewhere in the United States. What
are we going to do now?

Catherine looks up at Nick's locker. She doesn't have a clue.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO