Affliction

Chapter 17

Grissom dropped his cell on the desk as Catherine appeared in the doorway. She saw the look on his face.

“What happened?”

Grissom swallowed. “Kate called.”

Catherine looked shocked. “What? Did you get anything?”

Grissom smiled in sarcasm. “Oh yeah. The opportunity to chop up my wife and son.”

Catherine frowned. “What?”

Grissom shook his head. “It doesn’t matter; we are running out of time.”

“I know. We may have a lead.”

“What?” Grissom said quickly

“Possible address for Joshua Stevens. Got hold of it through one of his marine buddies. It may be nothing, so don’t get your hopes up but it’s all we have. The guys and Brass have gone over there already.”
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“They need some help?” He asked, not knowing what else to do, a little hope in his voice.

“Sure. Let’s go.”

Grissom nodded and they headed down the corridor. Suddenly Hodges appeared and passed them carrying a box. Grissom eyed the contents and stopped.

“Hodges!”

Hodges stopped and turned to face Grissom.

Grissom walked close to him and looked into the box. Michael’s ant lay frailly on top of the pile.

“What are doing? Where’s all that going?”

Hodges looked at his box and then back at Grissom.

“Errr, storage. It’s still evidence but….”

Grissom cut him short and reached into the box removing the evidence bag holding Michael’s ant. “I’d like to give this back to my son when I see him.”

Hodges opened his mouth to object but Grissom shot him a look so deathly he dare not speak. Hodges looked at Catherine.

“It’s alright Hodges, I’ll clear it okay?”

Hodges simply nodded and slowly backed away knowing this was not a Gil Grissom he was used too and it was simply not a time for any games.

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Catherine drove towards their location as Grissom took the ant from the bag. He stroked it softly. He would give it back to his son, he would. He looked at Catherine.

“You really think we are going to find anything?”

Catherine sighed. “I don’t know, no word from Brass or Nick yet.”

Grissom looked back to the ant. “Why do I have a feeling she is playing with us again?” He was about to put the soft toy on the back seat when he noticed a loose thread. Grissom frowned as he pulled on it and the stitching began to un-do. His eyes widened. No way? God damn it, was he that stupid!

“Catherine pull over.” He said sharply.

“What?”

“Pull over. Now!”

Catherine quickly found a side street and pulled the Denali to a quick stop.

Grissom flicked on the light and tugged all the thread from the ant, carefully and quickly he pulled his son’s toy open and low and be hold, inside was a piece of paper. His mouth fell open as he took it between his shaking fingers and frantically unfolded it.

“It was here all the time.” He gasped. “How could we be so stupid?”

Catherine shuffled closer as Grissom looked at the map. Two crosses marked on it, one next to the other. Grissom quickly tapped the location into the Satellite Navigation system and then pulled up how long it would take for them to get there. One hour and ten minutes. He looked at his watch. 1.00am.

“Catherine get out, I’m driving.”

“What? Gil, slow down, we have to call for back up.”

Grissom got out of the car. “I’m driving Catherine, get out now and get in the passenger side, we don’t have any time. You can call Brass en route.”

The ferocity in Grissom’s voice made Catherine do as asked and they quickly exchanged seats. Grissom slammed the Denali in drive, flicked on the lights and siren and screeched out onto the road.

“I suggest you buckle up.” He said quickly, doing so himself. Catherine quickly put on her safety belt, pulled out her cell and called for back up.

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Kate walked around the back of the house to the barn. She slowly slid open the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Before her stood the glass tomb Josh had built for her and inside on the floor, Sara.

Kate smiled as she approached the glass. The cage was perfect. No way in or out unless you knew exactly how to gain access. A secret sealed panel in the floor held the key to entry and the only two people who knew about it were her and Josh.
The glass was thick and almost impervious to any kind of force. Only the most brutal attack upon it would cause it to break.

Cocking her head from side to side Kate watched Sara in her unconscious state. She grinned, shame she had to wake her but it was time to say goodbye.
She pulled a remote from her pocket and pushed one of the buttons. A vent above Sara suddenly opened and cold water ran in at a steady pace.

Sara woke with a start as the water splashed onto her face. She frantically struggled to her feet but stumbled backwards and hit the glass. Her eyes darted through the small space as she attempted to gather her composure, her breathing quick and heavy. Her terrified eyes met Kate’s smug evil stare. Sara looked up to the vent and the water seeping through then back at Kate, who smiled tauntingly.

“Do you like your final resting place Sara?” Kate asked chuckling.

Sara cocked her head, she could see Kate’s lips moving but couldn’t hear anything. She slowly walked towards her nemesis, but the cage was sound proof.

Kate sniggered. “Oh yeah, can’t hear me hey? Shame. Could have told you all about Josh, he’s a master at building things.” Kate opened her arms to the cage. “As you can see, he isn’t all muscle and no brains.”

Sara shook her head, still unable to hear Kate. Her attention suddenly went to her feet, the water was rising. Her apprehension grew as she looked back up at Kate. She was in serious trouble now.

Kate gave Sara one final smile before pulling a piece of paper from her pocket. She held it up to the glass for Sara to see. Sara read the writing on the paper. She gasped at the two simple words…

‘Goodbye Sara.’

Kate turned and left with a skip in her step and a grin on her face. It was time to leave.

Sara panicked and quickly scrambled around the cage, looking for a door, a lever, a switch, anything. She found nothing. Moving to a corner Sara leaned against the glass, tears filled her eyes as she slithered to her knees. The cage was filling at a slow pace. The 2am deadline was approaching but there was still time, she knew he’d make it. Grissom would find her, he would…he had too…

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Grissom’s foot was flat to the floor. They were almost at the destination marked on the map. Back up only five minutes behind them but he wasn’t about to wait for them. He looked at the clock on the dashboard. They had barely two minutes left as the Denali screeched down the dark dirt track road. They reached the gate and Grissom hit the brakes. Skidding to an abrupt halt Grissom slammed the Denali into reverse.

“Hold on…”

Catherine looked at him. “Gil wait, you can’t...”

“I said hold on!” Grissom hit the gas. They bolted forward at a tremendous pace and crashed through the gate sending wood flying everywhere. It was no much for Grissom’s driving. He sped up the driveway and in an instant they reached the house. The car came to a screaming halt and without a moments hesitation Grissom jumped out and headed for the front door. The house being the first cross on the map…One minute remaining.

“Gil we should wait for backup!” Catherine hollered.

“We don’t have time Catherine and I’m pretty sure Kate is long gone.”

Catherine knew she was right but Grissom being Grissom never carried a weapon, she had to go with him just in case. She wasn’t about to let him do it alone anyway. She quickly followed pulling out her gun.

Grissom was in such a hurry as he entered the front door he didn’t notice snagging a trip wire. A signal was sent through the connection and across to the barn…

Grissom headed for the stairs shouting Sara’s name.

“Cath you take downstairs, I’ll take up.”

Catherine nodded as Grissom ran up the stairs.

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Sara kicked furiously, the tank was now three quarters full and she knew her time was almost up. She tried to stay afloat with every last ounce of strength in her body, but then, the sound of the vent opening wider sent of jolt of despair through her body. The water poured in five times faster. The trip wire Grissom had released caused the water flow to increase. Sara cried out in an agonising breath as she knew she had mere minutes before it would be over.

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Grissom reached the top of the stairs and ran to his left, frantically checking every room, while calling out for his wife and son. He got no response and found nothing. He got back to the stairs and tried the rooms on the right. Opening one of the doors he stopped suddenly, freezing on the spot. He knew that sound. He looked around the room. He gasped seeing Michael on the bed and slowly approached. The noise got louder as he approached the bed. Beep…beep…beep beep beeeeeppp……..

He peered around the far side of the bed and saw the noise emitting object on the floor. He knew it, it was a bomb. His mouth dropped open and the timer jumped from the bomb, slapping him in the face. Ten…nine…eight…

“Shit!”

He quickly pulled Michaels still form against his chest and ran for the door.

“Cath!! Bomb!! Get out….!” He shouted as he ran down the corridor.

Three, two, one…..

Excruciating pain crippled Grissom’s ears as the bomb exploded just as he reached the top of the stairs. The force of the blast propelled him past the stairs and down the corridor, so strong he hit the floor with a thud, unconscious.

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Sara gasped for air, she was almost totally submerged. She clawed at the top of the glass, desperate for grip. Alas she found none. It was almost over…..

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Grissom’s eyes shot open as Catherine shook him, coughing slightly, Michael tightly wrapped in his arms. Smoke filled the house as fire began to engulf it. Grissom looked at his son, he was breathing but still out cold.

“Sara?” Grissom coughed, getting to his feet.

“Not here.” Catherine chocked struggling to breathe. “Come on we’ve got to get out of here.”

She pulled on Grissom’s arm and tugged him down the stairs. He clung to Michael tightly, but cautious with his grip. They ran from the house as flames tore it apart.
Grissom passed Michael to Catherine.

“Wait for the paramedics; make sure they take care of him.”

“Wait, where are you going?” Catherine took Michael and held him closely.

“I’ve got to find Sara, our time is up. She has to be at the other location.”

Grissom didn’t wait for a response and ran around the back of the house.

Catherine waited the high pitched sound of sirens catching her ears.

Grissom ran faster than he thought he possibly could. He reached the converted barn, the second location marked on the map. He quickly slid the door open and ran inside. His heart lunged from his body when he saw the glass tomb and Sara's struggle within it. He ran to the glass, just as it filled completely. He desperately searched for a door, a switch, a lever, anything.

"Sara!" He furiously banged on the glass.

Sara kicked frantically, barely an inch of space left and then the water completely engulfed her. She heard a muffled banging and fought to move closer to the noise. Despite the blur in her vision she knew it was him banging on the glass. The color of his eyes gave him away. Grissom held her gaze and saw nothing but his own fear and horror reflected back at him.

Sara placed her palm weakly to the glass as bubbles floated before her. Her lungs were burning and she was helpless. She could not fight the demands of her oxygen-deprived body any longer. She drew a final gasping breath. Her lungs filled with water and she knew it was over.

There was nothing, only darkness and defeat. Her eyes drifted shut and she became weightless, floating, oblivious to the furious beating on the tomb enclosing her......

"Noooooooo!" Grissom screamed punching the glass once more, harder, harder, harder. The glass held strong as his knuckles began to split and bleed and his hands began to bruise. Grissom did not feel the pain, only the panic running through his soul. The fear, the helplessness.

"Sara!!!!!! God.....Sara..........!!"

He turned and looked around quickly, frantically, for anything that could help him. He saw a sledge hammer propped up against the far wall and shot towards it. Grabbing it he dashed back to the glass. He positioned himself to strike and with every ounce of strength he could muster he swung the hammer, hard and heavy into the glass. It hit the cage and sprang back towards him, didn't even make a dent.

"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Grissom swung again, to the same effect. He dropped the hammer in despair and strained for his own breath now.

"Sara...." Tears filled his eyes as Sara floated before him. He could not break the glass.....