A/N: Well, as it's Halloween, we may as well go for unlucky chapter 13, lol. May as well put our favourite couple into more peril to celebrate the occasion :) Evil hat demands it. Hehehehe.
Thank you for the great reviews, again remember if you want a reply to sign in and please make sure you don't have a blocker on. I've noticed I can't reply to some of you as you have disabled replies.
This chap is unbeta'd, so all and any errors are well and truly mine. So let's get on with the angst...mwahahahhaa... :D
Chapter 13
Jay pushed the gate open as the car engine was cut and cautiously poked his head out, checking the road and everything around them. He grinned and looked to his brother through the still pouring rain. "It's clear and...he's here..."
Sara tried to look over her shoulder to Ryan but with the way he had the gun, she couldn't really move much. "Who's here?" she asked almost breathlessly.
"You'll see," was all he gave her before he nodded to his brother. "Go...quickly."
The younger brother didn't argue and was through the gate in a shot. Ryan pushed Sara and they quickly followed him into the street. The trio stopped on the sidewalk once clear of the compound and Sara gasped when she saw what was waiting.
She was totally shocked to see her husband's vehicle and even more so to find him behind the wheel looking through his window at her, his eyes cloudy...afraid...
"How..." her mouth moved but nothing else came out. She understood then, exactly how. The two envelopes Ryan had given to him. Her keeper was very specific about her husband following his precise instructions.
"Get in the front, Jay; I'll get in the back with her."
The younger man nodded and complied with haste. Rushing to the Denali he leapt into the front seat and pointed his gun instantly at Grissom with a smug smile on his face. The CSI stared at the weapon but didn't react. His head turned and he watched as Ryan opened the back door, pushed Sara inside and quickly slid in beside her. The couple managed eye contact before Ryan cut their reunion short.
"Keep your eyes front!" Ryan demanded the supervisor, glaring at him.
Grissom swallowed the dry lump in his throat and faced forwards but watched through the mirror.
Waving his gun towards the front of the car, Ryan got his brother's attention. "Presuming this is a company vehicle, it will have a GPS tracker somewhere."
Jay shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, Bro," he admitted.
Sighing, Ryan nudged the back of Grissom's seat. "Want to help me out here before I start losing my temper trying to find shit?"
Shuffling uncomfortably in his seat, Grissom sighed. No one knew where he was or what he was doing and he was counting on the GPS to give that away and maybe get them some assistance. However, he knew he had no choice now and had to give it up.
He pointed to the front of Jay. "It's under the dash..."
Ryan nodded to his brother. "Find it, quickly..."
Manoeuvring in his seat, the younger brother managed to peek under the dash and there it was, the small black box blinking red back at him. "I see it," he said with enthusiasm. "What...do I do with it?"
"Rip it out," Ryan instructed.
Coiling his strong hand around the transmitter, Jay pulled, dislodging the GPS. It took another hard tug for the wires to come loose and a third for him to yank the detector totally free off the dash, snapping the wires and any communication Grissom was hoping on helping them.
The young man smiled, holding up the device for all to see. "I think it's broken," he joked.
Grissom rolled his eyes, finding no humour in his words.
"Get rid of it...out the window," Ryan instructed.
Jay nodded, opening the window and then throwing the GPS out onto the road.
Sara ran a nervous hand through her wet hair as water dripped down her forehead and cheeks, knowing their one and only communication was gone. It was not a good feeling.
Ryan looked around now, through every window and once satisfied, gave the order to move. "Get going," he said.
"Please secure my wife's safety belt," Grissom requested.
"What?"
"Fasten her belt," the CSI repeated himself. "She is, if you haven't noticed, very pregnant and I wish for her to travel safely. The weather is bad and I don't want to take any chances."
"Do you think I give a fuck what you wish?" Ryan spat. "Now move it!"
Sara flicked her eyes between both men, a little bemused by the conversation.
The CSI remained firm but remained calm. "It's a simple request."
As Ryan punched the back of Grissom's seat, Sara tensed, jumping a little. "Fine!" he growled as he leaned over Sara, grabbed the safety belt and clipped it in place. His eyes bore into hers as he pulled back and she knew, yet again, her husband had pissed him off.
"Happy?" he bellowed.
"Thank you," Grissom responded with a plain face and started the engine.
"Thank, shit!" Ryan roared. "Push my patience one more time, Mr CSI, and I swear to God, I'm putting a bullet between your eyes, you get me?"
Nodding faintly Grissom's eyes caught his wife's in the rear view mirror. He knew, by the look in her eye that she was terrified and he couldn't blame her. He offered her a faint smile and she saw it, providing him the same in return.
Clicking the car into drive the supervisor pressed his foot to the gas pedal and the Denali slowly proceeded down the road.
"Keep it nice and slow," Ryan instructed as they reached an intersection, continuing to look around. "And turn away from the direction of the scene."
Doing as instructed, Grissom turned right. "Where am I going?" he asked.
"Just keep driving," Ryan demanded, ensuring he kept his gun on Sara. "Just head out of town and make sure you don't get pulled over, otherwise, your wife may have a little accident."
Grissom's eyes flicked back to the mirror and he glanced at the gun pointing at Sara. He nodded slowly and returned his attention to the road, ensuring he kept his speed at an average.
CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI
They drove in silence until they reached the outskirts of the city.
"Take the exit," Ryan instructed and Grissom did as requested. "Take the highway towards Henderson and then turn off for Lake Mead when we get there."
Suddenly Grissom and Sara's eyes captured each other's through the mirror again and the couple swallowed simultaneously. Lake Mead wasn't their most popular destination. Sara shuffled uncomfortably in her seat and closed her eyes. Ryan noticed.
"Is Lake Mead not a happy place for you?" he asked with curiosity.
Flicking her eyes open, Sara turned her head to look at him. "No," she admitted. "I can think of better places I'd rather be."
"Oh?" He turned in his seat to look at her dead on. "And why is that?"
A flash of lightening hit followed by a roar of thunder.
She looked away, watching as her husband's fingers gripped tightly around the steering wheel. Reliving their ordeal at the hands of Kate Stevens was the last thing they wanted or needed right now. "That's not really something I want to discuss with you."
"Aww...and I thought you we were getting on so well..."
She remained silent.
He snorted a laugh. "Well...maybe later. He leaned forwards, eyeing the police radio on the dashboard. "Turn that on," he commanded, pointing to the appliance. "Let's have a listen to see what's going on."
Doing as told, Grissom reached out and flicked the radio on. It crackled, struggling through the weathers fury. Announcements came, just about audible, but nothing concerning them. And that is what Ryan was listening out for.
The elder gunman smiled and leaned back in his seat. He laughed. "Well, looks like they still have absolutely no idea we have departed their company."
Jay turned to look at him. "So we're in the clear?"
Ryan pulled a packet of cigarettes from his pocket and tapped one out onto his hand before slipping it into his mouth. "Looks like it," he said with a smile, reaching for his lighter.
"Do you mind not smoking that in here?" Grissom requested.
Pulling the smoke from his mouth, the young thug coiled an eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"
Grissom shuffled in his seat and cleared his throat. "It's not a good idea to smoke around pregnant women."
"Gil..." Sara whispered, appreciating his concern but his calm ultimatums, she knew, were only going to irritate their keepers more.
He heard her, but didn't react. After all it was her health he was thinking about.
Jay laughed but soon silenced when he saw the look on his brothers face. He did not look amused.
"I'll tell you what...Mr I'm in charge here..." Ryan spat, removing the cigarette from his mouth and leaning forwards, "...you smoke the fucking cigarette." He held the stick out to Grissom.
Grissom glanced at the offering through the mirror, trying to keep his eyes on the road. He gnawed on his lip. "I don't smoke," he replied, trying to sound calm.
"I didn't ask you if you smoked," Ryan countered. "I told you to smoke. Take the fucking cigarette or...your wife will!"
Sara's eyes widened and she looked at him in bewilderment. His head shot around and he glared at her while still holding out the cigarette to Grissom. "I've had enough of being dicked with," he snarled. "I say what goes, no one else."
Grissom reached his right hand over his shoulder and took the cigarette, anything to take the heat away from his wife. Although, he realised then, his actions hadn't exactly helped the situation.
Ryan's attention was brought back to him and he handed his lighter to his brother. "Light him up."
CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI
Brass hurried from the store as medics rushed in to tend to the hostages. He was met quickly by Nick and Greg who were waiting just outside the door.
"What's going on?" Nick asked. "They said the building was clear but...we didn't a hear struggle..." He shrugged his shoulders, "...where are the bad guys? Where's Sara?"
Biting down on his lip, Brass shook his head. "I don't know where she."
"What?" Greg questioned, obviously confused.
The captain blew out a breath of hot air. "I need to check something." He rushed away and Greg and Nick shared a worried glance.
"Jim!" Nick hollered, the two CSI's quickly following.
"What's he doing?" Greg said.
"No idea," Nick replied.
Brass stopped by the roadside and looked around. He ran a nervous hand over his cheek when his suspicion was realised.
The two CSI's reached him both a little breathless. "What are you doing?" Greg asked him.
The older man sighed and faced his co-workers. "Figuring out why we can't find Grissom."
Nick frowned. "What do you mean? What's going on?"
Brass pointed to the store. "The gunmen are gone, Sara too. The hostages are safe though. Found them locked in a store room."
"Well, where the hell have they gone with Sara?" Greg shouted.
"There's an old bomb shelter in the basement...seems they got out there," Brass informed them. "No doubt the car was a ploy to give them time to get away."
Both CSI's looked stunned.
Nick looked around. "But what's that got to do with Grissom?"
The Captain held out his hands. "You see his car anywhere?"
Nick and Greg looked around the scene and both shook their heads.
"Oh, crap..." Greg started, "...you don't think..."
"I do think," Brass cut him short. "The perfect cab ride..."
Nick blinked hard. "Wait...wait...wait...You think...Grissom picked them up once they got out?"
Brass nodded. "If they told him to and with Sara's life at stake, yes, I think he'd do anything."
"Explains why we haven't seen him," Nick pointed out. "What the hell is he thinking?"
"McKeen's going to freak," Greg cut in.
"You got that right!" the undersheriff's voice bellowed from behind them.
The three men slowly turned to face their superior. He did not look amused.
"Let me get this straight..." McKeen began, "...they got out and one of our own is helping them escape. Have I got that right?"
"They've got his wife," Brass spat. "Have a little empathy. Any one of us would have done the same"
McKeen gritted his teeth. "He's an accessory, Jim!"
"Stop it! Both of you!" Greg shouted and all looked to him in amazement. The young CSI swallowed hard. "Look...while were stood here arguing they are getting further and further away from us. Considering Grissom took his own vehicle...how about we try tracking it huh?"
The undersheriff smirked. "Ah...a little sense for once."
Brass rolled his eyes although he knew Greg had hit the money. He pulled out his cell.
"But..." McKeen stopped him before he dialled, "...Grissom has a lot of explaining to do once I get my hands on him. I won't be letting this go so easily..."
The captain worked his jaw as he pushed Archie's number and he waited for the lab tech to pick up...
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Grissom leaned forwards in his seat. The continuing bad weather was not helping his driving. It was raining so hard now he could barely see the road in front of him. His lights were on full and his wipers on maximum speed.
For the last twenty minutes or so they had travelled in silence. The atmosphere in the car was tense, well at least to its two captives. The CSI supervisor could still taste the bitterness in his mouth from the cigarette he had been forced to smoke. That was an interesting experience in itself. He'd tried not to inhale, which had worked for the most part and satisfied his captor, yet, he'd come to the conclusion, that from now on, he would try and refrain from silly nit picking requests. They weren't exactly working out well for them.
He was trying to come up with some sort of plan but he was struggling. Until he had some form of leverage, he could do nothing but comply with the gunmen even if it was hard for him.
However, his thought processes suddenly caused for a moments lapse in concentration and he didn't see the fallen tree in the road ahead of them...before it was too late...
His eyes widened as his lights flashed upon the huge piece of timber blocking his path. "Jesus..." was he all he could mumble as the Denali crashed straight into the tree...
A/N: Ugh, uhhhhh... Dun dun dun...Where is this going to lead? Heheheheh. Evil hat is loving today, he really is. I think Grissom needs to keep his mouth shut before he gets into some serious trouble, anyone agree? Now where do we go from here? Review please. Have a great day guys! :D