Journey Through the Past- Chapter 26
Officer Daniel Pritchard checked his Glock and made sure that it was fully loaded. McKeen had made it clear that under no circumstances would both Sidle and Grissom to come out of this raid alive. His job was to shoot to kill. Pritchard holstered his weapon and donned on his flack jacket. According to McKeen, Mallory also had two armed guards and Mallory and these two guards would also be casualties of this search and seizure.
"You ready?" asked McKeen.
Pritchard gave the under sheriff a nod and picked up the shotgun lying next to his LVPD ball cap.
"Okay, let's load up then. Brass and his two CSI's are waiting for us. Remember, stick close to me."
McKeen led the way out to the patrol car and observed both Nick Stokes and Warrick Brown wearing flack jackets under their CSI vests. Donning on a flack jacket of his own, Brass walked over to McKeen to get the final details of the raid.
Zipping up his own jacket, McKeen gave Brass the low down. "Taylor will lead us in, but we'll be behind him. It'll still be dark when we get to the dirt road. We'll wait until just before dawn so that we won't have to use headlights when we get on the dirt road. Pritchard and I will team together and Taylor with his deputy will partner up. You, Stokes and Brown will back us up."
Brass waved to Nick and Warrick to load up , and then climbed into the front passenger side of the Denali. Nick glanced over at the veteran detective, noting the determined look.
"Okay, what's comin' down, Jim? Something's up. What can we expect?" asked Nick, curiosity getting the best of him.
"I dunno…Something about this feels a little off. This is just more than a search and seizure raid, even with the strong evidence that Mallory and Grissom might be holed up there. There should be more law enforcement here. Just my cop's intuition telling me something's going down , and it's going to be bad. We're back-up to McKeen and Taylor. We'll back McKeen all right. Nicky and Rick, you need to be on your toes. Nicky, you and I are going to keep close tabs on the under sheriff and Pritchard. Rick, you take the sheriff and his deputy. Switch your radios from channel 2 to 6. I want communication between the three of us only, got that?"
Warrick and Nick both acknowledged Brass with a nod as they followed their escort north.
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Sara ran a light hand over Grissom's forehead and noted the beads of sweat forming along his hairline. He had hardly stirred since he laying down on the examining table. Sara felt along his arms and felt sporadic spasms travel through his limbs. The shuddering was slowly increasing in number and intensity. Though he was not awake, his countenance seemed to show that he was in the midst of a nightmare.
"Scott, ready to go get Jones? Your father is going to come to soon."
Scott grabbed the keys from the counter and headed towards the lab door. Sara took the Glock Scott had taken off of Mallory. They quickly unlocked and opened the door to room next to the lab. Sara stepped into the room and pointed the Glock at Mallory. His eyes widened with fright as Sara slowly cocked the trigger. She lifted her head slightly, gave him a slight smile, and uncocked the weapon.
"Perhaps today is not your day to die," Sara said softly, staring at the man with deadly seriousness.
Mallory slumped back with relief and then lifted his head to observe Scott enter the room with a pair of scissors. Completely ignoring Mallory, Scott stepped around the bound man and approached Jones.
"I'm going to let you go, but you're going to help us find the right dosages for my father in order to best wean him off the poison you and Mallory have been giving him. You understand?" Scott said in a quiet voice.
Ken Jones nodded quickly, and Scott quickly ripped the duct tape off Jones' mouth. The bound man shook his head slightly, worked the tightness out of his jaws, and licked his lips.
"Arthur…I mean Scott…you can trust me. I'll help him…I never wanted this, really. You have to believe me," said Jones earnestly, searching Scott's face.
Scott only nodded a "Yeah, right," and proceeded to slice through the tape that bound Jones' hands and feet. Throwing the tape aside, Jones rubbed his wrists to help restore the circulation to his hands. Scott rubbed the man's ankles in order to do the same thing. Looking up at Scott, Jones gave him a nod and Scott stood up and helped Jones to stand.
"You ready?" asked Scott.
Jones nodded and glanced briefly at Mallory who was straining against his bonds as he glared at Jones.
"What about him? You just going to leave him here?" asked the doctor.
"For now. Right now you have other business to attend to," Scott said, shoving Jones towards the door.
Sara gave Mallory one last look over to make sure that his bonds were secure and then quickly left the room.
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The early morning light was just beginning to peek over the desert mountaintops. It was that early morning darkness that spread over everything before the skies started to lighten with the sun. The three law enforcement vehicles were pulled over to the side of Highway 95 at the entrance to Dry Canyon Road. They would have to travel another ten miles of gravelly dirt road to get to their destination.
With flashlights shining on the hood of Sheriff Taylor's SUV, a map of the Nevada Treatment Center for Addictions lay before the law enforcement officers gathered around the truck. McKeen pointed out areas of the map that he wanted each team to cover. Unbeknownst to the others, McKeen knew the layout of the buildings and which building Grissom was being held in which also happened to be next to Mallory's lab. He had received explicit instructions from the leaders of the 5th Street Knights that Mallory was to be taken out. To protect their hidden asset in the police department, that being McKeen, incriminating evidence had be created and planted to implicate Grissom. A case against Grissom would bring into question every case he and his team had investigated.
McKeen directed Brass, Nick Stokes, and Warrick Brown to search the buildings on the opposite side of where he and Pritchard would be investigating. He assigned Taylor and Deputy Hunt to the administration and infirmary. Satisfied that he and Pritchard would have adequate time to accomplish their mission, McKeen proceeded to hand out radio units to each member of the raid.
"We'll be on channel 2. No heroics, gentlemen. The guards and Mallory will certainly be armed. I'm not sure about Grissom's and Sidle's status, but let's be safe and assume that they will also be armed and dangerous," directed the under sheriff.
"Whoa…wait a minute, Jeff…you're just going to assume that Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle are a willing part of this drug ring? You're not going to give them the benefit of the doubt?" asked Brass incredulously.
Turning to Brass and in an angry voice, reprimanded the police captain. "I gave Gil Grissom the benefit of the doubt after he was released from the hospital and look where that got us. Three officers dead. No, he's wanted for questioning and suspicion of murder, drug trafficking, and anything else I can think of. You got that, Captain?"
"Yes, Under Sheriff, I got it all right," said Brass, "I got it loud and clear."
Turning to Nick and Warrick, Brass waved his hand to the Denali and marched away from McKeen. The two senior CSI's trotted back to where their vehicle was parked and got in. McKeen watched the three men retreat to their vehicle with an uneasy feeling that they would be complicating his plans.
"What now, Brass? How do you want this to go down?" asked Warrick once he was settled into his seat.
"We have our separate radio sets, right? We use 'em in case we get separated. We'll start off with the buildings we're assigned, but then we don't waste any time in heading towards McKeen's area."
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Baker and Lopez emerged from their quarters. They had only a few hours of sleep, but nevertheless, felt somewhat refreshed. Baker stretched and yawned widely.
"Man, I could sleep a while longer, but there'll be hell to pay if Mallory catches us not looking for Grissom. The guy's got to be dead by now. He couldn't have made it the ten miles to the highway, especially being barefoot. Any big ideas of where to look?"
"I have no idea. We probably should try to find Mallory and see if he has any suggestions," replied Lopez, as he looked out over the lightening horizon.
What he saw stopped him in his tracks. Grabbing his partner's arm to get his attention, Lopez pointed out towards the mountains lining the eastern sky. In the distance, a faint trail of dust was being kicked along the road that led up to the clinic.
"Do you see that in the distance, way out there? Is that dust being kicked up? Looks like someone coming this way…why aren't their lights on? It's still a little dark for no headlights."
"I dunno…but I think we should try to get a hold of Mallory. Who would be coming here this time of day? This can't be good."
Baker snatched the radio from his belt and tried to raise Mallory. He was met with only static. Meanwhile the cloud of dust was slowing approaching the complex. Both men took a couple of steps backward and then turned and hurried off towards the building where they thought Mallory might be. They would check Jones's house and the administration building.
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Grissom woke with a start, momentarily confused by his surroundings. His head felt heavy, and there was a dull pounding behind his eyes. He lifted his head slowly and gradually got himself to a sitting position. He blinked hard and tried to remember where he was. I'm in a lab. Sara was here…she was here. Scott brought her. They're both gone…they're gone.
The disoriented man slipped carefully off the examining table and set his feet on the cool cement floor. Grissom almost collapsed from the shards of pain shooting up both his legs when he tried to stand. The pain triggered the memories that got him in his present situation.
Grissom leaned heavily against the table and clenched his teeth as he waited for the pain to slowly subside. Taking in slow deep breaths, he managed to straighten himself up and experimentally shuffled his feet in small deliberate steps to the counter where Mallory's notebook lay open. The medicine cabinet had been left open. With shaking hands, he attempted to read the page of notes that lay before him, but the words shifted in and out of focus. Not knowing where Sara and Scott were had him worried. His anxiety level was rising rapidly, his headache was increasing, and the spasms shaking his body were increasing in intensity.
Grissom took in gulps of air in an effort to gain control over his emotions that seemed to be careening out of control. Hearing the lab door swing open, his head jerked up. He sighed in relief when he saw that it was Scott, but then his relief turned to rage. Jones came trailing in behind Scott and then followed in by Sara. Jones's hands were unbound and he was too busy rubbing his wrists, working to get the circulation going in his hands, to notice Grissom. Grissom tried to take a step forward, but it seemed as though his feet were stuck to the floor. He reached across the counter where the Beretta lay and with shaking hands, brought it up and aimed the gun at Jones.
Ken Jones heard the trigger of the Beretta cock back and looked up in alarm, halting in his steps. Sara quickly stepped forward. She had tucked the Glock in the back of her waistband and now she held her hands up and free. She stood in front of Jones, blocking Grissom's view.
"Grissom…Gil…what are you doing? Gil, put the gun down before you hurt someone. Please Gil," Sara said in a low calming voice.
"Sara, why did you let him loose? He…he stole Rachel and Scott from me. Now, he's trying to take you, isn't he? Why are you protecting him?" growled Grissom. "Get out of the way, Sara."
"Gil, it's not like that. He can help you. Gil, you need to put the gun down."
Jealousy and rage coursed through Grissom. Clenching his teeth, Grissom's body sought to fight off the convulsions that were racking his body as he attempted to steady the gun. As Grissom's knees started to buckle, Scott dashed forward and grabbed his father in a bear hug to prevent him from collapsing on the floor. Sara moved quickly and took the Beretta from Grissom's shaking hands and laid it on the counter. Heaving a sigh of relief, Jones rocked slightly back on his heels and watched Scott and Sara maneuver Grissom back onto the examination table.
When they had him sitting on the table, Grissom's arms were still wrapped around his son in an effort to control the spasms. Soft moans were escaping from his lips as the man rocked back and forth. Scott gently, but firmly, pulled his father's arms from around him, and then Sara sidestepped in between them, bringing her hands up holding Grissom's face on either side. She gently rubbed his beard and touched her forehead to his. Grissom's left arm had automatically wrapped itself around his injured ribs and his right hand came down on the table to brace himself on the table. Scott stepped back and turned to Jones. He cocked his head towards Mallory's notebook, indicating that he wanted Jones to look over the notes. Nodding, Jones hurried over and quickly studied the pages laid out before him. Wanting to give Grissom and Sara a little privacy, Scott moved over to where Jones was standing to watch over the doctor.
Meanwhile, Sara was whispering calming words to a distraught Gil Grissom. Grissom had his eyes shut tight but was obviously listening to Sara's calming words as he didn't attempt to move his head away from hers. He was nodding and taking several deep breaths.
Grissom whispered over and over again through clenched teeth, as Sara held his head to hers, "Sara, you're here…can't lose you…can't lose you…can't lose Scott."
Gently caressing his face and beard with her forehead still touching his, Sara was whispering softly in reply, "I'm not leaving, Griss…not ever…you've got me…you've got me…I'm right here…I'm not leaving."
Jones quickly moved to the medicine cabinet and pulled down several vials of clear liquid. Taking a syringe, he partially filled it from one vial and then picked up another. He checked the dosage and said softly to Scott, "This will relieve the worst of the symptoms and still allow him to function. I'll prepare some additional dosages so that he will regain more control with each dose."
Scott gave Jones a grateful nod and glanced over at Grissom. Sara was still talking softly to him. Scott stepped over to the couple, not wanting to interrupt, but knowing the need Grissom had for the medication that Jones had prepared for him.
"Grissom, Father, we have something that will make you feel better," Scott said quietly as he touched his father's arm to get his attention.
Grissom sat up a little straighter and gave a shaky sigh.
"Okay," came the shaky whisper..
Sara took a step back and slowly rolled up his sleeve so that Jones could administer the shot. Grissom gave a shudder when the needle entered his arm.
"Grissom, you should feel a little more like yourself in a minute or two. Things will still be hazy, and things might seem slightly out of kilter, but you'll at least be able control the worst of the symptoms ," said Jones as he withdrew the empty syringe from Grissom's arm.
Sara eyed Grissom critically as he sat with his eyes closed. The shaking was starting to subside noticeably and his breathing gradually evened out. When he opened his eyes, the world was not spinning. The panic that had been rising in him was receding. Grissom tilted his head to stare at Sara, using her as an anchor to get his mental bearings, ignoring the other two men in the room. The cobwebs were fading, his mind working overtime to try to put his thoughts in a logical order.
"Sara...," Grissom said softly, still holding his sore ribs and using his right hand to hold himself upright on the table.
"Hey…sh…sh…just let yourself get your bearings. Then we'll figure out what to do next."
"I know what you can do next Miss Sidle," came the voice from the door.
All heads turned to the man standing at the entrance of the lab, his service weapon pointed at the three people gathered around Grissom.
"The three of you need to back away from Grissom," said McKeen.
Confusion crossed Sara's face and took her hand away from where she had laid it on Grissom's shoulder. With their hands up, Sara, Scott, and Jones backed slowly away from Grissom, who was staring hard at McKeen, clearly trying to understand what was going on.
"Under sheriff, what…why," stammered Grissom.
"At a loss for words, Grissom? You always were one with a quick come back, weren't you? Where are your manners? Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends here? I already know Sidle, but who are these two?" said McKeen with a smile on his face.
Grissom shook his head, trying to wrap his head around the fact that the under sheriff was pointing a gun at him. Sara was watching McKeen with growing confusion. She had never really liked the man. He was abrupt and unyielding. He was supposed to be one of the good guys. Why was he holding them at bay with a gun?
"Wait a minute. Wait a minute," said McKeen when Grissom started to speak. "Let me guess. The young man must be your son. Scott Arthur, isn't it? And you," continued McKeen, pointing his gun at Jones, "must be Dr. Ken Jones, chief administrator of this facility. Well, the only one missing from this little party is your cousin. Don't worry. Lucas will be joining us in a few minutes. Officer Pritchard is releasing him as we speak and then the party can start."
A/N: This chapter was getting way too long and I had to cut it off somewhere. Thank you to all of you who have stuck with me on this story. Your reviews have really spurred me on and encouraged me…so thanks again. becky