Hey Hey! Thanks so much for the reviews, the puppy has made it!! Here's the next part of the saga from me and Smilie-Loz-x (Laura).
Back at the crime lab, Warrick was just getting ready to start his break. He had worked a double shift now and was just heading into the break room to catch a quick and well-needed nap. As he arrived he noticed that the computer in the break room was oddly free. He thought he might as well take advantage of the situation, and sat down to check his email.
He got what he was expecting – an inbox full of spam from various bookies, a reminder of his gambling days. He was just about to delete them all when he saw and untitled message from an unknown source. Something told him that he was going to regret opening it - but he couldn't resist. The message, written in the same nondescript Times New Roman font used in all the CSI's official reports, shocked him out of his mind.
The screen in front of him showed an old abandoned nursery. It was filthy – and uninhabitable. Yet – someone was there. The same someone who had come to mean more than life itself to him recently stared out from the screen, looking completely petrified. She was tightly bound in a thick rope, creating blood pools in her skin. Her face was nearly unrecognisable with the red hand marks and black streaks of mascara where she had been crying. Her beautiful long strawberry blonde hair had been viciously scraped back from her head in a tight ponytail. Yet Warrick saw none of this – he only saw the look of terror and unrelenting pain in her eyes and the inhuman way she had been bound. He could hardly speak.
"Catherine" was all he managed before he fled the break room to leave CSI and look for her.
"Whoa man! Where's the fire?" Nick asked on his way out. Getting no reply, he followed Warrick out of the building and out to his car. He grabbed his friends elbow just as he was about to get in the car, forcing him to turn round. Seeing the streaks down Warrick's face, he started to worry. "Man, what's wrong?"
"Nick, I can't talk about it"
"War, man, you can, I'm always here for you."
"Nick, you have to leave me to do this myself. You – can't know."
"Okay man, but if you ever need anyone to talk to."
"I know. Thanks" Warrick finished, climbing into his car and speeding out of the car park.
As Nick returned to the break room, he was completely bewildered as to the cause of his friend's distress and upset. He barely heard anyone as he walked past the labs, as he was deep in thought.
As he arrived at his destination, the coffee pot, he too noticed the unusual sight of a free computer. He sat down and turned the screen on, and was confused what he saw. Warrick had left his email open, which was very unlike him, as he was a very private person and didn't like people snooping. Nick, respectfully quit off the screen. What he also saw, which was unusual, was a piece of paper coming out of the printer as it beeped. Picking up the paper, his jaw dropped automatically as he lay eyes on the picture.
"What the..." He uttered to himself, as he realised that was why Warrick had suddenly left, having left Nick clueless. "Archie!" He shouted, as he spotted the A/V technician making his way over to his own section of the lab. Jumping up, the paper in hand, Nick ran over to him, his breathing was unsteady, as he worried for his friend. "I need you to process this., off the books for now." He instructed, in a low voice so he didn't attract the attention of Grissom, who stepped out of his office.
"Why?" Archie questioned, as Nick handed over the printout. His eyes widened as he stared at the picture. "Is that?" He began, as the texan led him to the A/V lab. "Is that Catherine?" He stressed as he slid the paper into the scanner.
"Yes, it is, Archie. It's Cath." He confirmed, biting his lip as Archie switched the projector off so the two could use the computer without the image being blown up upon the SMARTboard.
Missing:
As Warrick knocked on the front door of Catherine's home, he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He bit his lip as the door opened to Lindsey Willows. "Lindsey, where's your Mom?" He demanded, as she tucked away her iPod.
Shrugging, she opened the door further to let him in. "I don't know, when I came home the front door was open. I figured she forgot to close it." She replied, watching as Warrick bent down beside the sofa, picking up Catherine's ID for the lab.
"Lindsey," he said as he got up, hlding the ID card by it's edges. "Your Mom's been kidnapped. I gotta call it in and the guys have to investigate." He informed her as he moved closer to her. Her eyes broadened as her mouth gaped.
"Oh my God." Her voice trembled, her lip quivering with fear for her mother's life. She knew how dangerous Catherin's job was, and knew of the predicaments it had placed her in. Seven years ago a man had tricked her into a fake kidnap deal, as her mother had told her, she had cunningly passed the finger to Sara as she left the diner with the suspect.
Missing:
"Still don't remember me, Catherine?" The man asked as he watched her wake. As she moved her head it dawned on her she was in a different room, one that caused alarm bells to ring in her head. She knew who he was; it was the best friend she had abandoned in high school, for a group of girls who changed her from a tomboy into a glitz and glam party girl.
"Ma- Matthew?" She stuttered, wriggling like there was no tomorrow, realising that her arms and legs were bound tight with rope, chafing her skin and causing her pain as she struggled to try and free herself, with no avail. Tears fell from her eyes as he walked in circles around her, holding the gun by his side - her gun. Her nine millimetre Smith and Wesson, or as the CSIs liked to call it, her Sig Sauer. She bit her lip as she recalled refilling the magazine with bullets earlier that day after a shootout with a suspect.
"That's right, Matthew Conners." He came to a stop by the untouched, dusty bed, it's metal frame full of rust and decay. He picked up a photo from the bedside cabinet, preserved within a silver frame. He kneeled down beside her head, holding the photo to her eyes.
Catherine swallowed as her eyes widened. The photo was of two young teenagers; a smiling, happy boy and a beautiful redhead with a crooked smile, both holding the American flag. "Fourth of July... 1978? You still have that?" She asked, her voice hoarse and low.
"Yeah." He nodded his head, glancing at the photo. "Yeah I do!" He exclaimed as he threw the photo at the window opposite, smashing it with an almighty crash. "What do you have, huh?! Nothing!" He shrieked as he got up, pointing the gun to her head. "You just totally blanked me, you turned me into a nobody!"
Missing:
"We'll find her, War'. We will." Nick assured Warrick, who was pacing around the A/V lab as Archie tweaked the photo Warrick had received just about into oblivion. "Where's Lindsey?" He asked, his arms crossed as he worried not only for Catherine, but for Warrick. He was breaking down. Catherine had been missing for at least three hours and they were getting nowhere.
"She's..." He began, taking a seat by Archie, placing his head in his hands. "She's with Lily, Cath's Mom. I took her over there, and filled her in. They're waiting by the phone." He spoke, staring at the picture which was blown up on the SMARTboard, the case was now official, with Grissom, Sara and Brass processing her house.
"Archie... Zoom in on the top left." He instructed the technician, having spotted something peculiar. "Oh God." He whispered to himself as they focused on the image. There were at least twenty photos of Catherine on the wall, some at crime scenes and some with Lindsey. "The son of a bitch has been following her."
Nick bowed his head as Archie zoomed in further, focusing on two images. A blossoming young girl with the same hair, cheekbones and eyes.
"He knew her," Archie confirmed, glancing behind him to Nick.
Review.... Or the puppy AND the kitten die from blunt force trauma.