Affliction

Chapter 13.

Grissom arrived at the scene. He got out of the squad car and was followed by the two officers as he approached the yellow tape and flashing lights.

“Catherine!” He called ducking under the tape.

She looked over. “Gil…” She peered behind him to see his shadows. “You got used to them yet?”

“Better to have them and not need them than not to have them at all.” He stated the only way Grissom could.

“What have you got?”

Catherine turned back to the car. “As you can see, blue pick up. Dent in the fender, matches the description given by your neighbours.“

“So you think it’s the car?” Hope very evident in Grissom’s voice.

Catherine flicked her flash light on and beamed it through the car window.

“You recognise this don’t you?” She gestured to Grissom to look inside.

Grissom walked up to the car and followed the light. Tears filled his eyes as he glanced upon the object on the back seat. “Y..yes…” He stammered as he stared at the soft toy innocently lying amongst the chaos. Michael’s ant.

Catherine patted him on the shoulder. “Then I think we have the car. Let’s just hope it tells us something. I’ll get it towed back to the lab right away. You coming?”

Grissom just stood, staring at the toy, picturing his son holding it so fondly.

“Gil?”

Grissom snapped out of his daze and stared at Catherine.

“Huh?”

“Are you coming?”

“Egh, yeah, sorry.”

Catherine looked at Grissom’s escorts. “It’s okay, we’ll look after him from here.”

“You alright with that Doctor Grissom?”

Grissom nodded.

“Sure thing sir, call us if you need us.”

“Thanks.”

“Ready?” Catherine asked.

“Let’s go.”

Grissom and Catherine rushed to her car and headed for the lab with haste.

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Sara lay curled up on the sofa, flicking through a magazine but not really reading it. The phone rang and she looked up. Grissom with news, she hoped. She rushed over to the coffee table and picked up the phone.

“Hello.”

Silence.

“Hello?”

“Hello Sara…” The sinister voice sent Sara’s heartbeat into overdrive.

“Kate!”

“Oooh good guess, ten points for you.” Kate chuckled.

“Where the hell is my son?” Sara screamed.

“Oh, he’s around somewhere.”

“You listen to me you freak…” Sara’s anger was taking over her. “If you lay one finger on my son I swear to god I will kill you! Do you understand me?”

The phone went dead and Sara stood, shocked that Kate had hung up. She swallowed hard and shakily put the phone down; wishing she’d controlled herself a little better.

“Please call back.” She repeated to herself glaring at the phone. She waited and waited…finally it rang. She grabbed it quickly.

“Now are we going to be nice Sara? Because there will be no third chance. You piss me off one more time and you’ll be getting your son back piece by piece. Do you understand?” Kate was calm, eerily calm.

Sara swallowed hard. “Yes, what do you want?”

Kate grinned. “What I’ve always wanted Sara. We have a little unfinished business don’t we?”

“That does not involve my son.”

Kate sniggered. “Oh but it does. Do you think your husband is willing to trade his life for his sons Sara? Are you?”

Sara didn’t answer, she knew they both would but she wasn’t about to give Kate the satisfaction of hearing it.

“Why are you doing this? Don’t you think we’ve suffered enough?”

“Oh no. I lost everything because of you, everything! Time for little pay back.”

Sara shuffled nervously. “Please let me speak to Michael.” She begged.

Kate looked across the room. Michael sat on the floor amusing himself with a train track. He spoke the odd word now and again, but nothing that really made too much sense to Kate.

Kate hitched her brow. “He can speak on the phone?” She laughed.

“Not much, but he will recognise my voice and I will recognise his. Please! I need to know he’s alright. Then I will do what ever you say. Just…please. Let me hear my son.”

“And what do I get in return for this favour?” Kate smirked.

“I’ll do what ever you ask.”

Kate chuckled. “You will anyway Sara and you know it.”

“Pleeeease….”

Kate’s smug grin broadened. “I love it when you beg Sara, you have ten seconds, that’s it.” She walked over to Michael who looked at her. He studied her closely. He still wasn’t too sure about this strange woman who had suddenly appeared in his life.

“Michael…would you like to say hello to your Mommy?”

Kate held the phone down to him and his eyes sparkled. “Mommy?” He repeated to Kate as she placed the receiver to his ear.

“Mommy!” He shouted down the phone.

Sara gasped hearing his voice. “Mikey? Mikey baby?” Tears rolled slowly down Sara’s cheeks.

“Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!” Michael repeated happily. “Mommy, Mike home? Mommy?”

“I know baby, Mike come home soon.”

“Daddy?”

Sara couldn’t hold in the sob that escaped her lips. “Daddy will see you soon okay?”

“See soon…”

Kate removed the phone.

“Mike? Michael!” Sara screamed, panic rolling through her words.

“Your time is up Sara…and as you can hear, your son is alright, for now. He’s such a lovely boy isn’t he? No trouble…”

“What do you want from me Kate?” Sara bit her lip, trying to hold in her anger.

“Hmmm…you want your son Sara?”

“You know I do.”

“Then you have thirty minutes to get to the corner of Fremont Street. If you are one second late, you will never see your son again.” The line went dead and Kate grinned. She was certain Sara would come alone and that’s exactly what she wanted. She had planted the car at the perfect time knowing Grissom would more than likely go to it.

Sara dropped the phone and looked at her watch. It was going to be tight but she could make it. She wasted no time grabbing her keys, she ran to her car.

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Sara drove fast, frantic to get to her destination in time. She had completely forgotten about the patrol car watching the her and they were following with haste. She didn’t notice them.

The driving officer picked up the radio.

“Control this is car fifty four. We are currently following Mrs Grissom to an unknown location. We were unaware she was leaving the house. No communication with her as to destination or reason. Seek advice, over.”

“Fifty four this is control please continue on course and wait for advice, over.”

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Grissom watched as the pick up was towed into the processing garage. Catherine, Nick, Warrick and Greg impatiently waiting to get started.

He turned hearing footsteps rushing towards them. Brass.

“Jim?”

Brass caught his breath. “Did Sara say she was going anywhere?”

“No. Why? What’s wrong?”

“Had the guys watching the house on the radio. Sara jumped into her car and sped off. They are following but have no idea where she’s going, or why.”

Grissom frowned and quickly pulled out his cell phone.

Sara heard her phone ring and flicked on the hands free.

“Hello.”

“Sara! What’s going on, where are you going?”

“Gil, she called. I heard Mike. She has our son.”

“But what are you doing? You should have called me. You can’t do this by yourself.”

“I don’t have a choice, she gave me thirty minutes or she’ll kill him, I didn’t have time to waste.”

Grissom felt more panicked than he ever thought possible.

“Sara, you can’t go to her, that’s what she wants! You can’t risk yourself, not in your condition.”

“Don’t you think I know that? What else can I do? If I don’t do as she says she will hurt our son. If I do…she will probably hurt me but…as long as Mike is safe, that’s all I care about. Please understand.”

Grissom was silent his mind racing a million thoughts a second.

“This is all part of her plan Gil; she won’t stop until she gets both of us. At least if I’m with Mike I can protect him, or at least try.”

“Sara listen, the patrol car is following you, they can…”

Sara gripped the wheel tightly. “Gil no! Please! Call them off. If she gets wind that I’m being followed something bad will happen. She’ll be watching, I know she will. Please, call them off.”

“Sara I will not let you willingly go to a mad woman who had already tried to kill us!”

The team looked on hearing the conversation. Nick looked at Brass who was gnawing nervously on his bottom lip.

“And what about your son? Do you want him to die?”

Grissom gasped at the question.

Sara sighed. “Gil, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

Grissom was silent while he weighed up his options. Risk his son’s safety? His wife’s? Both? Michael may be safe if Sara got to him but there was no guarantee. Would Kate hurt Sara again?

“Gil….” Sara spoke softly. “Call off the patrol car.”

Grissom sighed heavily then thought. “How much longer do you have?”

Sara looked at her watch. “Just under twenty minutes.”

“Where?”

“Fremont Street.”

Grissom looked at his watch. “I have enough time, I can meet you.”

“Are you sure you have enough time?”

“Yes I’m sure, I’ll call off the car but you wait for me Sara, we do this together. Pull up the street before, I’ll meet you there.”

”And if you don’t get here in time?”

“I will Sara, please, just wait for me.”

“Okay.”

“Sara?”

“Yeah?”

“Please be careful and hang in there okay?”

Sara struggled. “I…I’ll try okay?”

“I’m coming, I love you.”

Sara smiled a little. “I know.”

Grissom flipped off his phone and ran towards the door. The team watched in disbelief.

“Brass call off the patrol car.”

”What? Why?”

“I don’t have time to explain, just do it. I have to go.” Grissom was already running down the corridor before he’d finished his sentence.

Brass looked at Catherine and followed as quickly as his legs would allow him.

Grissom reached his car closely followed by Brass.

“Jim what are you doing?”

“I’m going with you.”

“No you’re not.”

“You gonna stop me?”

“Look, I don’t have time to argue with you Jim.”

“Then get in the car and drive.”

Brass got in and Grissom shook his head following suit. He gave Brass the look of death as he started the engine. The tyres screeched as the car sped from the lot.

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Sara’s foot was flat to the floor. She was almost there, she looked at her watch quickly before turning into the street to meet Grissom. Six minutes to spare. She gave a heavy sigh and looked around. Nothing, apart from a few parked cars. She tapped the wheel nervously.

“Come on Gil….” She mumbled.

Suddenly head lights appeared in her mirror and someone pulled up behind her. Her heart pounded so loud she could hear every beat. It wasn’t Grissom.

She closed her eyes for a brief second, taking in deep heavy breaths. There was a bang on the window and Sara jumped. All she saw was a gun.

“Out!” A voice commanded through the glass.

Sara swallowed hard and slowly opened the door stepping out. Before her stood a tall, muscular dark haired man. Joshua Stevens. She knew him from the photographs in the file but she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction that she knew.

“Who are you?”

“Why, I’m your chauffer for the evening Mrs Grissom. Did you get lost?”

Sara frowned.

Josh grinned. “Were you not told to go to Fremont Street?”

Sara felt her nerves building. “I…needed to steady myself.”

“I’m sure you did.”

“Where’s my son?” Sara had to buy some time.

Josh just smirked. “All in good time, now…hands on the car. I’m sure you know how a search works right?”

Sara reluctantly and slowly turned to face the car, placing her palms flat against the window. She shook a little as Josh padded her down. He reached into her jeans pocket causing Sara’s pulse to hitch to breaking point. He pulled out her cell phone.

“I don’t think you’ll need this.” He said taking it from her.

Sara bit her lip, her only contact with Grissom now gone. She had to stall him.
Josh finished his search and walked around to the driver’s side of Sara’s car.
He opened the door and placed the cell phone on the seat.

“Get into my truck Mrs Grissom.”

Sara looked at the truck, then up and down the street, in vain hope Grissom would arrive. Nothing.

“Look…” Sara began, holding up her hands. “What ever Kate is paying you I’ll double in, triple it, give you what ever you want. Please, just tell me where my son is.”

Josh chuckled and walk towards his truck. “Get in the truck Mrs Grissom.”
Sara felt lost, scared…alone.

Josh entered his truck. “You have five seconds Sara, or say goodbye to your son.”

Sara took one last look down the street and sighed heavily in defeat. She had no choice. Walking to the truck, she shakily got in. Feeling very, very uncomfortable. She looked at Josh who just stared at the road.

“If you try anything Sara, you will regret it and so will your son. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Sara managed to whisper.

The car pulled off into the darkness.

Grissom’s car screeched down the road barely a minute after Sara had left.

“There!” Brass shouted pointing to Sara’s car.

Grissom hit the brakes, pulling the Denali to an abrupt halt. He jumped out quickly and ran to the car.

“Gil wait!” Brass hollered pulling out his gun.

Grissom didn’t listen and ran to Sara’s car with lightening speed. He looked inside. It was empty.

“God damn it!” Grissom screamed punching the car. “We’re too late, she’s gone.” His voice trembled as he felt the bile rising in his stomach.
“I shouldn’t have let her do this, god what have I done?”

Brass peeked inside the car. “Gil…”

Grissom looked up to see Brass pointing at the passenger seat. He opened the door to see Sara’s cell phone. Picking it up he sighed heavily.

“Now I have no way of contacting her.” His heart was broken.