Greg was jolted awake as the door crashed open. Mickel strode into the room grinning.
"Morning boys." He said loudly. Greg groaned and stared at Nick, who was glaring at Mickel. Mickel reached for a key in his pocket and walked over to Greg, undoing the shackle from his ankle. Mickel grabbed Greg's arm and pulled him from the room, ignoring Nick's yells and protests. Greg was roughly pulled downstairs and into the dingy lounge. Ronny came with a roll of tape and tied Greg's hands behind his back. Mickel forced Greg onto his knees.
"Get the other one." Mickel ordered. Ronny ran upstairs and was soon coming back down with Nick in tow. Nick had his hands forced behind his back and roughly taped before being forced onto his knees beside Greg. Mickel grinned down at both of them. Ronny was back into the room again with a camera. The camera flashed on, Mickel didn't even bother covering his face with a mask anymore as he stood behind the kneeling Greg and Nick.
Greg started to tremble, Nick shuffled closer to him.
"Hello once again CSI's, as you can see I have little Greggo here once again," Mickel kicked Greg in the back, sending him flying face first onto the wooden floor, Mickel pulled Greg back up from the floor, revealing his now bloody nose.
"And now I have little Nicky to keep him company. I have the same demands as last time, release those prisoners from jail within the next 48 hours and these two will live to see another day. If not," Mickel pulled a gun, pressing it against Nick's temple.
"Well, you get the idea." Mickel laughed.
"Until next time." The camera was flicked off and Greg was pulled roughly to his feet.
Mickel stared at him, his eyes hard.
"And what you two don't know is that my niece is working within the police force, now working with Grissom." Nick growled, upset that someone could do this.
Mickel gave a small smile before swiftly kneeing Greg in the stomach. Greg cried out in pain as his knees buckled beneath him. Nick tried to leap forward but was quickly kicked in the chest. Ronny held Nick back as Mickel continued his assault. Greg was being savagely kicked, punched and just all over beaten. Nick was forced to watch on as Greg, now lying lifelessly on the floor, was continued to be kicked. Mickel stopped his assault on Greg, breathing heavily as he stood back, examining his handy work.
"Take him upstairs, Ronny." Mickel panted, indicating to Nick. Ronny dragged Nick upstairs before coming back downstairs for Greg. Ronny heaved Greg up from the floor, and supported him upstairs. Nick was sitting on the floor in the room and was pulling at the shackle fastened around his ankle. He quickly jumped up as Greg was brought in. Ronny dumped Greg on the floor and quickly fastened the shackle around Greg's ankle before quickly leaving the room. Nick inched his way to Greg. Nick turned Greg onto his back.
"Greggo?" Nick murmured, shaking his shoulder gently. Nick was shocked at the state Greg was in. Bruises covered his face and several cuts were spread across his cheek, forehead and lips.
Greg gave a small whimper as his eyes fluttered open. Greg's brown eyes met Nick's ones.
"Nicky?" He whimpered. Nick swiftly wiped a tear from Greg's cheek.
"Yeah, you're safe now, G," He replied softly. Greg sighed and closed his eyes again.
"Who are they after, G?" Nick asked quietly a few moments later. Greg opened his eyes and thought for a moment.
"Antonio and Rodriguez Lopezaio," Came a voice from the doorway. Nick and Greg looked towards it. Ronny was leaning on the open doorway, staring into the room. Nick glared at him.
"What are you doing?" He snarled. Ronny shrugged and walked into the room, sitting on the floor, cross-legged, just out of Nick's and Greg's reach.
"Why do you want them?" Greg asked quietly. Ronny turned his deep stare onto Greg. Ronny glanced back towards the doorway and shrugged once more as he looked back to Greg. Ronny opened his mouth to speak.
"They're… old acquaintances of ours," Mickel's cruel voice floated into the room. Ronny got to his feet and went to leave the room.
"Undo their shackles, son, they won't be needing them because attempting to escape would be a fatal mistake, wouldn't it boys?" Mickel asked. Greg gave a small nod while Nick just glared at Mickel. Ronny lightly tossed the shackle key to Nick and left the room. Nick quickly unlocked the ankle shackle from his foot before quickly moving to Greg's. Nick jumped up and walked to the door cautiously.
"It's no use, Nicky," Greg said quietly. Nick turned around and looked at him.
"Why not, G?" He asked.
"Because for one thing the door's locked, secondly Mickel or Ronny will always be downstairs, armed, and thirdly, we're in the desert somewhere, we wouldn't make it." Greg explained. Nick thought about that for a second before joining Greg back on the floor. Nick sighed and looked at Greg who was looking slightly dejected.
"What are we going to do, Greg?" Nick asked quietly. Nick watched Greg slowly raise his brown eyes to meet his eyes.
"I don't know, Nick, just like last time,"
Grissom and Brass walked out of Grissom's office.
"Grissom," Catherine called out after him. She hurried and caught up with them.
"We've got another tape," She said sadly. Grissom and Brass nodded solemnly and followed Catherine to the AV lab. The rest of the team plus Ruby were already gathered there. Grissom had trouble restraining himself when he saw Ruby.
"Play it, Archie," He said stiffly. Archie glanced at him, concerned while Ruby looked at him suspiciously. Archie sighed and pressed play.
Warrick snarled when he saw Greg and Nick kneeling on the floor. Grissom's felt a lump in his throat as he caught sight of Greg trembling and Nick shuffling closer to him.
"Hello once again CSI's, as you can see I have little Greggo here once again," Mickel kicked Greg in the back, sending him flying face first onto the wooden floor, Mickel pulled Greg back up from the floor, revealing his now bloody nose. Sara turned away from the screen.
"And now I have little Nicky to keep him company. I have the same demands as last time, release those prisoners from jail within the next 48 hours and these two will live to see another day. If not," Mickel pulled a gun, pressing it against Nick's temple. Warrick punched a wall.
"Well, you get the idea." Mickel laughed.
"Until next time."
A couple of hours later, Brass and Grissom were discussing how to deal with Ruby when Catherine came running up.
"We've got the releases for Antonio and Rodriguez Lopezaio." She panted. Grissom nodded.
"Jim?" Grissom asked, turning to the silent Brass. Brass nodded.
"I'll go get Miss. Clare," He said before he walked off. Catherine looked at Grissom in confusion.
"What was that about?" She asked. Grissom beckoned her to follow him as they walked into the room behind the interrogation room.
"Ruby is Renaldo's daughter." He said quietly. Catherine scowled.
"She was playing us?" She asked angrily. Grissom gave a small nod.
"Seems like it," He said stiffly. Grissom left the room behind the interrogation room, leaving Catherine to wait to watch the interview that would take place in moments. Brass was leading a slightly confused Ruby towards the interrogation room.
"Please sit down, Miss Clare," Brass said indicating to the chair. Ruby sat down and crossed her arms.
"What is this about?" She asked haughtily. Grissom, who had followed Brass into the room, came into Ruby's line of sight.
"I think you know exactly what this about, Miss Clare," Grissom answered. Ruby rolled her eyes.
"It's Sergeant Clare actually," She answered stiffly. Brass dropped a file in front of her.
"Not for long," He said. Ruby eyed the file.
"Am I supposed to know what this is?" She asked. Grissom sat down opposite her.
"It's your file," Grissom said simply. Grissom flicked it open and pointed to a certain part.
"Can you tell me what that is, Miss Clare," He asked. Ruby sighed and looked at the part he was pointing at. Ruby's face hardened.
"Can you tell me what that is?" Grissom repeated. Ruby leant back in her chair, her eyes flickered towards the clock.
"It's my family history," She answered. Grissom nodded.
"And your birth name is?" Brass asked. Ruby sighed.
"Ruby Clare Malinsky." She answered harshly.
"And your father, uncles and cousins name?" Brass asked.
"Renaldo, Mickel and Ronny." She answered, annoyed. Grissom nodded.
Mickel glared at his son when he came back down stairs.
"What were you going to tell them?" He snarled. Ronny shrugged.
"Nothing," He answered. Mickel glared at him.
"What does it matter?" Ronny asked, getting a drink from the fridge. "It's not like they're going anywhere to blab before we do what we planned to do," Mickel sighed and shook his head.
"You're 29 for god's sake, don't ruin the plan before we can…" Mickel was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. He pulled his cell out of his pocket and smiled.
"It's Ruby," He said gleefully. He was very fond of his pathetic brother's daughter and he became more proud as she managed to infiltrate the CSI's. He flipped his phone open.
"Hello, dearest Ruby, what news do you bring us?" Mickel asked.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mickel, but I'm not your dearest Ruby," Grissom's voice floated over the phone. Mickel snarled.
"Where is she?" Mickel growled.
"In interrogation," Grissom answered. "And we have the release forms for the Lopezaio brothers." Grissom added. Mickel nodded.
"Excellent, release them then," He said.
"How about a trade?" Grissom asked. "Them for Nick and Greg?" Mickel gave a low snarl and answered.
"Fine, the empty lot on 62nd street at 5:00pm today," Mickel answered. He heard a sigh of relief on the other end of the line. Mickel flipped the phone shut, ending the call. Ronny stared at his father.
"Are you seriously going to trade?" He asked. Mickel grinned.
Grissom entered the interrogation room once again, relieved, after his phone call to Mickel. He sat opposite Ruby who stared at him.
"You should be happy to know that we've organised a trade," Grissom told her. Ruby sat up straight, her eyes glinting.
"The Lopezaio brothers for Greg and Nick," Grissom finished. Ruby's eyes dulled for a moment but only for a moment.
"What time is the trade?" She asked inquisitively. Grissom frowned, considering her for a moment.
"Five p.m."
Ruby's eyes flickered to the clock.
"I think you need to go get yourself ready, you've only got an hour left," Ruby said. Grissom frowned.
"Why exactly did you change your name, Ruby?" Grissom asked. Ruby faltered for a moment.
"When my father," She spat his name out, "was sent to prison, he changed…he wasn't the man he used to be and I didn't want anything to do with him." Grissom's phone rang fifty minutes later.
"We're at the empty lot, Griss," Warrick told him. Grissom nodded.
"Okay, keep me posted." He said before he snapped the phone shut. Silence filled the room.
"Why do you hate your father?" Grissom asked. Ruby gave a smirk.
"He was accused of killing my mother…of course you know that, and he was sent to prison," Ruby said. "Five years he was in that hell hole and when he came out he was a changed man…he wasn't my father." Grissom frowned as Ruby's eyes flickered to the clock again. Grissom looked at it. Ten minutes remained to five o'clock.
"How had your father changed?" Grissom asked Ruby. Ruby ran her hand through her pink streaked hair.
"He became obsessed with finding the 'real killers' of my mother." Ruby answered simply. Grissom leaned back in his chair.
"He wasn't the killer?" Grissom asked. Ruby shook her head, her eyes flicking to the clock again. Five minutes remaining.
Warrick, Sara and Catherine stood by the police van, which was holding Antonio and Rodriguez Lopezaio. Warrick stared around the empty lot.
"Something doesn't feel right." He murmured. Catherine looked to him.
"Keep focused, Warrick…we don't want any casualties." She said softly. Warrick nodded in agreement.
"I can't believe that Ruby is that monster's daughter." Sara said after a few moments. Catherine sighed.
"'Ey, how much longer, gorgeous?" The sleazy Antonio asked through the open window.
"Shut up." Warrick drawled.
"We just want our freedom." Rodriguez muttered. Warrick rolled his eyes. He straightened when he saw a white van roll into the empty lot.
"Let's get this over with." Warrick muttered, getting the brothers out of the van.
"Start walking but if you don't stop when we stay stop then you will be shot." Catherine warned them. The brothers sniggered and started walking. They were halfway between both vans when Catherine yelled for them to stop. Sara's phone started to ring.
"Hello?"
"Why did your father become obsessed with the case?" Grissom asked. Ruby's eyes flicked to the clock. It was a minute to five.
"He was innocent and he went to find out the people who actually killed my poor, sweet mother." Ruby drawled out.
"Did he find out who was responsible for murdering your mother?" Grissom asked. Ruby gave a half smile.
"My uncle, my mother's brother, helped of course and they both swore to kill the low life's that murdered my mother!" Ruby laughed. Grissom's heart began to race.
"Who murdered your mother?" Grissom asked slowly, dreading the answer. The clock flicked to five p.m.
"Antonio and Rodriguez Lopezaio." Ruby laughed. Grissom pulled out his phone and quickly rang Sara.
"Hello?" Sara answered.
"Sara, it's a trap!" Grissom cried into the phone. Five shots rang through the phone and the line went dead.
Sorry its taken soooo long, but I haven't had the inspiration…
Read and Review please :D
Luv HGP