Chapter 1

Brass turned his attention from Vartan as Grissom's team suddenly surrounded him. "Brass…are you saying they are missing?" Nick asked with alarm. "Both of them?" Sara found herself asking as well. Warrick and Greg stared at one another in concern.

"Guys…just that's what we think currently. Maybe they had another emergency call, and Catherine just left her kit behind," Brass tried to reason. "No…NO…that's not like Cath at all," Sara said as she turned to Nick in worry. "No she's very thorough," Nick whispered as he ran a hand through his hair in fret.

"Can we enter and process the scene Brass," Warrick finally managed as his team turned and looked at him. "We need to get any evidence that is in there. Like now."

"Sure…go on in, and I'll call Ecklie asap." They watched as Brass walked away as he dialed Ecklie's number on his cell phone.

"I'm processing the room Catherine was in," Sara said as she walked in with a mission. "Fine…Greg go with Sara. Nick you are with me," Warrick said briskly.

Sara rounded the corner, and found the bedroom where Catherine's kit was left. She leaned down as she took a picture of her kit. Quickly, she dusted for prints knowing whose prints would come back, but they were going to work this by the book. "Greg…do you think she fell over her kit?" Sara asked as she stood up and followed in her head how things could have gone down. "I bet her back was turned away from the closet. She probably just set her kit down when he/she jumped her from behind."

Greg's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Sara…check this out! Look at the door frame. I found a finger nail. I bet she held on to it." Sara quickly walked over as she pulled the finger nail from the frame with a pair of tweezers. Bagging it in record speed, she handed it to Greg. "Go…back and process this. Please Greg. I bet she scratched at him before she grabbed on to the door frame. I think she might have been trying to purposely leave evidence behind." She watched as he quickly darted off leaving her alone, but not for long.

"Nothing…we found NOTHING," Nick said in frustration as he found Sara. "Nothing to indicate that Grissom was even in this house. It's like he was never here," he sighed as he ran a shaky hand through his hair.

>> > >

He opened his eyes, and found it difficult adjusting to the darkness. His heart beat quickened as he remembered what had happened. Searching the room with squinted eyes, his eyes fell on a small bed in the corner of the room. He noticed that two suitcases were sitting on top of it. He swallowed hard, and realized then that his throat was dry and it felt like it was engulfed with fire.

He continued on looking and noticed a small table in the middle of the room with two bottled waters and sandwiches that were wrapped from a deli. His eyes narrowed in on the water, but quickly moved on. On the opposite wall from the bed contained a small old looking, rusted sink with an equally repealing toilet that was missing its seat. There was a small frosted window above the bed which allowed a bit of light to enter the room which emitted a hazy glare into the diminutive room. Other than that, they were surrounded in complete darkness. THEY? His mind stopped at that single word. Then he remembered Catherine. His eyes shut in fear as he heard a slight murmur from behind him. Turning quickly he nearly fell over from dizziness as he saw her lying on her side. "Catherine…," his voice barely cracked out because of his dry throat. He noticed as her eyes fluttered open slowly as she moaned a bit louder. "Griss?" Her eyes widen as she tried to sit up on her elbow. He immediately sat down next to her to help support her. A sudden loud noise caught their attention as a door next to the bed heavily moved open, and someone stepped in.

He seemed to be a size of a body builder. Huge. Catherine looked at Grissom as her blue orbs widened with fear and confusion. She mouthed Grissom's name, but remained quiet. "You're awake," the voice boomed as he walked further into the room. "The game has just begun, and you can call me Peppers! STAND UP," he shouted at Grissom. Grissom raised his hands in an attempt to surrender as he slowly stood up. "Whatever you need…I'm sure I can help."

"SHUT UP…You are not here to help with anything. You try to escape; YOU die, and trust me we will know," he stopped suddenly as he noticed Catherine starting to rise. "I don't remember telling you to stand." He looked at her with fury.

"I…thought that was what you wanted," she whispered as she went to sit back down. He looked at Grissom as he walked towards Catherine. "DON'T MOVE." He demanded from Grissom.

"Get Up," the kidnapper that called himself Peppers said calmly as his jaw pulsated. She stood slowly as she kept eye contact with him. She could not help but notice as he walked purposely towards her as he undid his belt. She swallowed hard as she kept walking backwards until her back collided into the wall. "I'm sorry…really." He laughed at her as he grabbed both of her hands and held them over her head. His other hand freed his belt from his pants.

"Let her GO," Peppers heard from behind him as he felt something strike him on his back. Catherine became of little interest as he let her go, and released his anger on Grissom. Catherine's mouth opened in revulsion as she watched on in fear as he hit Grissom repeatedly with his belt until he saw the blood seep through Grissom's shirt on his back. She clenched her eyes tight but the echoing noise of leather on skin had a deafening effect as it whirled repeatedly through her mind.

Breathing hard in horror, Catherine watched as the kidnapper finally left the room, and she quickly ran over to Grissom. "Gil…oh my God Gil…," she stopped as she fell to her knees beside him, and immediately started to unbutton his shirt. He protested at first from pride as he struggled to sit up. "I'm fine," he winced out loud as his eyes fluttered shut briefly. Fine beads of perspiration had popped up from his forehead as he struggled to hold in the obvious pain he was feeling. He groaned loudly as she gently tugged down his reddened shirt. "You need to let me look at that. NOW."