But Not Forgotten S

by Rhea's Teleplays

When the CSI in Las Vegas discover a victim they're looking for may be a kidnapped CSI from Miami, the case becomes cross jurisdiction as both teams search desperately to find the victim and his abductor.

4. Act Three

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

INT. CSI NEVADA - CORRIDOR - DAY

Catherine comes around the corner and finds Horatio, Calleigh and Delko waiting in his office. Horatio is looking over her book collection. Next to Calleigh's chair is a well-cared for but worn leather satchel. Catherine enters.

CATHERINE
Hello, Horatio.

Delko and Calleigh stand. Horatio turns and smiles. The two shake hands

HORATIO
It's good to see you again, Catherine.

CATHERINE
I just wish it were under better circumstances.

HORATIO
So do I. I'm sure you remember my CSI
Calleigh Duquesne and Eric Delko.

CATHERINE
I do.

They shake hands.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
I'm glad you all came.

Catherine grabs another chair for Horatio and sets it down, and then sits in her desk chair. Horatio sits down in the chair.

HORATIO
You haven't found Ryan yet, have you?

CATHERINE
No. And we're still processing the coffin and
hearse. We did lift several prints from under
the coffin lid. One set flagged a Chrissie
Mandais. You did confirm she is Ryan's
kidnapper?

HORATIO
Yes.

CALLEIGH
The prints were only on the inside of the coffin?

CATHERINE
The hearse and coffin had been burned so
there were no recoverable prints anywhere else.

CALLEIGH
Was the inside burned?

CATHERINE
It was scorched around the edges, but otherwise
no. We think that whoever set it on fire intended
for him to die in it, but the weather saved him.
It began raining the night we found it.

The news relieves Calleigh.

DELKO
Have you found accelerant?

CATHERINE
Yes. They used ether as an accelerant.

Horatio leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
Did you bring your case files on his kidnapping?

Calleigh grabs the satchel and pulls a very large file from it, setting it on Grissom's desk. He's surprised at how large it is.

CALLEIGH
We started it when we began receiving death threats.

CATHERINE
She was threatening to kill him?

CALLEIGH
No. Us.

HORATIO
Mister Wolfe was suspended for a short time.
The letters were threatening us if he wasn't
reinstated.

Catherine lays her hand on the folder, holding Horatio's eyes.

CATHERINE
I could read this, but as CSI, I think I would get
more information if you three could tell me
what's been happening from the beginning.

Horatio begins to recount events for Catherine.

INT. CSI NEVADA - GARAGE - DAY

Riley pulls on a pair of wraparound fluorescence glasses and picks up a florescent light. She aims at the white satin of the coffin as she flicks it on, revealing even whiter patches covering the inside of the coffin.

RILEY
Oh my...

She jumps when Greg lays his hand on her shoulder.

GREG
Sorry. What's wrong?

Turning back to the coffin.

RILEY
This is not good.

He grabs glasses and is confused by what he's seeing.

GREG
Semen?

RILEY
I'm sure it's more than that. Hold this for me,
will you?

Greg takes the light, aiming it inside the coffin. She cuts out several swatches with bright spots and slips the swatches in an evidence bag. She turns to leave but he stops her.

GREG
I can run that.

She stares at him a moment, then hands it over.

RILEY
Brace yourself.

Greg looks at the bag, then her. She's already turned back to the coffin. He leaves with the fabric.

INT. COFFIN - NIGHT

Ryan has fallen asleep. His wrists are bloodied from struggling against the ties. A door creaking wakes him. He hears someone walking on cement and the door at the foot of the coffin opens. Someone's moving outside the coffin and then the lid opens.

SUPER: Two weeks ago

Ryan stares at Chrissie's smiling face. She carries a take out container and cup.

CHRISSIE
Are you hungry?

He doesn't answer. She turns, setting the items on the floor. He looks past her. All he can see is another coffin next to him and high lights. The back door of the hearse is closed and he can't see out.

RYAN
Where are we?

CHRISSIE
Illinois. Did you say good-bye to Florida?

Ryan doesn't answer her.

CHRISSIE (CONT'D)
We're on a tight schedule though. Gotta get to
the airport in a week. That's when we
scheduled all these dead people to fly out of
the U.S.

RYAN
To where?

CHRISSIE
Russia. That's where you and I are going to
get married. I have the perfect church picked out--

RYAN
I am not marrying you.

CHRISSIE
And a gorgeous dress--

RYAN
I am not marrying you.

CHRISSIE
And a gray suit for you. You look so good in gray.

RYAN
I AM NOT MARRYING YOU!

She ignores his protests and picks up a fry, dangling it in front of his mouth. He ignores, holding a glare on her.

CHRISSIE
I got you a hamburger. Just like you like it.
Ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise on your
hamburger - but not that sweet mayonnaise,
the salty kind. No pickles, double cheese and
bacon. And the fries are crispy too. I got lots of
ketchup for them. I would have gotten you a
beer, but I think water is better for you. You
should eat better, know that Ryan?

He doesn't respond.

CHRISSIE (CONT'D)
Do you remember the day we met? I'll never
forget it. You were so sweet and gentle. I was a
little out of it, but you weren't even rough when
you handcuffed me.

RYAN
I never...

Suddenly he remembers what she's talking about.

INT. RYAN'S PATROL CAR - (RE-ENACTMENT) - DAY

With lights flashing, Ryan pulls over a flashy convertible. He types the license plate number into his mobile computer. The car comes back as stolen.

EXT. RYAN'S PATROL CAR - (RE-ENACTMENT) - DAY

Ryan climbs out, resting his hand on his side arm as he walks along the side of the car to the driver. Chrissie is smoking a joint, unconcerned that he's there.

RYAN
Ma'am, I need you to step out of the car.

CHRISSIE
Go to hell!

RYAN
Ma'am--

CHRISSIE
You want me out of here, you're going to
have to drag me out, bitch!

She blows smoke at his face. Ryan maintains his cool.

RYAN
Ma'am, please step out of the car.

She flips him off. Ryan grabs the door handle and pulls it open before she can lock it. He reaches for her arm and she slaps at him, and then flicks the joint at him. Ryan lays a gentle hand on her shoulder as she looks up at him. Her entire attitude suddenly changes. She smiles. Ryan doesn't return it.

RYAN (CONT'D)
Ma'am, please step out of the car.

She obeys. He handcuffs her and then grabs the purse in the passenger seat. He pulls out her driver's license.

RYAN (CONT'D)
Are you Chrissie Mandais?

CHRISSIE
Yeah. And you are?

RYAN
Officer Wolfe. Are you aware you're driving a
stolen car, Ms. Mandais?

CHRISSIE
Yeah. I needed it to find someone like you.

Ryan looks up at her. He takes her arm and leads her back to his patrol car. Following standard procedures, he protects her head as he helps her in -- a small act that seals his fate.

BACK TO SCENE

She leans over the side of the coffin, offering him fries. Ryan turns his head.

CHRISSIE (CONT'D)
It's been almost three days since you had
anything to eat or drink. If you don't eat something
you'll die. Is that what you want? To die?

Ryan doesn't. He slowly turns his head back and accepts the food.

She smiles, feeding him a bite of hamburger. By accident his lips brush her finger and her expression changes to lust. She startles Ryan when she climbs on top of him.

RYAN
What are you doing?

She leans down, kissing his neck.

CHRISSIE
I've waited so long for tonight, my pet.

RYAN
GET OFF!

He ducks his head when she tries to kiss his lips. She pulls off her shirt and drops it. Then she begins unbuttoning his shirt, kissing skin as it's exposed.

RYAN (CONT'D)
Stop it! STOP IT!

She bites him.

EXT. MOJAVE DESERT - DAY

SUPER: Present

Ryan's eyes snap open and it takes him a minute to realize a scorpion is stinging him. He scrambles to his feet, smacking at it until he hits it off. Ryan hobbles back, grabbing where he's been stung -- it hurts like hell!

The scorpion retreats to the shelter of the bush Ryan had been lying next to. Ryan looks across the desert around him, and then continues walking west.

EXT. MOJAVE DESERT (AERIAL) - DAY

To the south search parties are out on horseback and ATVs. They're searching south. Further south is well traveled road. Even further south is Las Vegas. Ryan is moving away further into the desert, away from rescue.

INT. CSI NEVADA - CATHERINE'S OFFICE - DAY

Greg stops just inside the door holding sheets of paper. He has disturbing results to deliver. Catherine and the Miami CSI are concluding their discussion about Ryan's case. Catherine notices him, but doesn't acknowledge him right away.

DELKO
We've learned Chrissie was producing at least
a hundred pounds of meth a month, and twice
that of heroin.

CATHERINE
Do you think she knew you were getting
close? Maybe that's why she took him?

HORATIO
We didn't find her lab until three days ago after
she'd kidnapped him. We believe she became
obsessed with him and planned all along to
take him when she left Miami.

CATHERINE
If that's the case, this woman is very unstable.
If she was so obsessed, why kill him? That
doesn't make any sense.

CALLEIGH
I'm guessing he either made her mad or made
himself an inconvenience. He doesn't take
being pushed around real well.

CATHERINE
Perhaps.

Catherine motions back to Greg.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
This is one of my CSI, Greg Sanders. Greg,
this Horatio Cane, Calleigh Duquesne and
Eric Delko. They work with Ryan. Do you have
something for us?

The three look at him. He offers a weak smile.

GREG
Catherine I need to speak to you a moment.

CATHERINE
I'll be right back.

Catherine goes into the hall with Greg, shutting her office door behind her.

INT. CSI NEVADA - CORRIDOR - DAY

Greg hands the results to Catherine. She reads them and they disturb her too.

CATHERINE
Did you run this using STR?

GREG
Yeah.

CATHERINE
Run it using PCR.

Greg's shocked by the order.

GREG
That takes a week, Catherine!

CATHERINE
I want these results verified.

Catherine hands back the papers and turns to go back in.

GREG
The results are going to come back the same.
This is just as good as a PCR test.

Catherine turns back.

CATHERINE
Do you want to go in there and tell his friends
and co-workers that it appears Ryan had sex
with his kidnapper without being absolutely certain?

GREG
It wasn't consensual.

CATHERINE
Did the STR test tell you that?

Greg doesn't answer right away. Catherine turns to go back in.

GREG
He wouldn't have agreed.

CATHERINE
You do not know that, Greg.

Greg looks her in the eyes.

GREG
He's a CSI. He was a patrolman before that.
He never would have agreed.

CATHERINE
He's also human. He may have had to in order
to save his life. Run the test, Greg.

Catherine goes back in, leaving Greg alone with the results. He slowly turns and walks away.

EXT. MOJAVE DESERT - DAY

Ryan limps across the desert, keeping his eyes on a shack ahead. The desert heat is causing optical illusions of water around him. He trips and stumbles against a large boulder. Catching himself makes him burn his hand on the hot surface. He pulls back, and then continues limping.

Suddenly he stops as the illusion of the shack gives way to a dead Joshua tree. Ryan limps up to it and stares. Slowly he limps off into the desert again.

INT. CSI NEVADA - LAB - DAY

Greg is unusually quiet and somber. Nick comes in with a bag of hair.

NICK
Ray got lucky and found some hair under the seat.

Greg glances at the bag when Nick sets it down next to him. He turns to another machine. Nick watches him.

NICK (CONT'D)
Did I say something wrong?

GREG
(dark)
No.

Nick walks around the counter, watching him preparing a slide.

NICK
Ya can't let this case get to you, Greg.

GREG
That's your best advice?

NICK
Yeah, Greg.

Greg slams down what he's working on it. The slide cracks on the counter.

GREG
What she did to this guy... It's not right!

Nick nods. He pulls on a pair of gloves and picks up the slide, preparing another. He holds the slide out.

NICK
You're right, but this guy managed to stay alive
for twenty-five hundred miles, Greg. If you give
up, if you let this case get to you so it makes
you break slides and ruin evidence, then he
fought for nothing.

Greg takes the slide from him, staring at it. Nick walks to the door, then stops, turning back.

NICK (CONT'D)
Or, you can take Calleigh out with SAR and I
can run it. Which do you want, Greg?

Greg sighs and then looks at him.

GREG
You take forever processing DNA.

Nick smiles and Greg returns it.

NICK
Alright. Keep us updated, man.

Nick leaves and Greg goes back to work.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE