Disclaimers: The CSI theme belongs to whomever created them, as well as the characters. Any other names and places used in this story not belonging to CSI theme are purely fictional.

A/N: Okay, this one is a little different from anything else I wrote /at least I think so/ . It isn´t a case file, it isn´t a character study. It should be an action/thriller. But maybe it will end as something totally different:-)

My thanks go once again to my beta Sabrina and to all who reviewed my previous stories and encouraged me to write another one.

Okay folks, now go on and enjoy the story.

Trapped

by Nicol Leoraine

Chapter 1

"There should be a turn to the left somewhere ," Nick said, sceptically looking at the map while Grissom drove them out of town.

"I didn´t know there were some buildings out there," Nick noted as Grissom slowed down, not wanting to miss the road. They were going to the desert, away from Henderson and Lake Meadow. Nick couldn´t imagine who would want to build a company out there.

"Maybe they don´t want attention," Sara spoke from the back seat.

Nick turned from the map and looked at her curiously.

"What?" she asked, seeing the smirk on his face.

"You know we´re heading away from Nellis, right?" Nick asked in serious tone. The AirForce base located near Vegas brought many speculations, mostly from the fans of UFO and paranormal activity. There were hotels for people who came just to "watch" the sky. "No little green men, remember?"

"And I thought you were watching only Animal planet. Obviously, you got hooked on the X-Files too," she bit back.

"This has nothing to do with army, does it?" Sara asked and Grissom let out a sigh. Having those two in the car was like having two kids - the sooner they arrived at the place, the less bickering.

xxxx

Nick Stokes climbed out of the car and pulled the jacket closer to his body. It wasn´t the coldest season yet, but the night desert air could be chilling. He was hoping for a quiet night, having to pull a double shift already. He was in the lab with Greg, listening to his newest find and wondering how could a guy like Greg have so long a list of potential girlfriends, when Grissom told him to get his kit and a map.

That was almost an hour ago.

Now they were standing before an ugly one story object that was embedded in darkness. The only light came from the moon and from the police cruiser parked before the entry. There were also two other cars - one undoubtably belonging to Jim Brass, the other was a white Nissan and Nick figured it belonged to the victim. Nick wondered about the fact there was no one guarding the gate, although there was a booth. Before the fence were several signs warning trespassors that the fence was under high voltage, but right now everything looked abandonned.

Grissom was already heading toward the building when a faintly familiar figure stepped out of the door and waved at them. Nick turned on his flashlight, wondering if perhaps there was no electricity at all.

"Damn it Nick, turn it away," Jim Brass shouted as the light hit him in the face and Nick offered a short apology before moving his flashlight so it now shined at the building instead of the agitated detective.

"What´ve we got, Jim?" Grissom asked, straight as ever. He wasn´t in a good mood, partially because he had to listen to Nick and Sara the whole ride there, partially because of a growing headache. He hoped it wouldn´t turn into the migraine from hell.

"Grissom," Brass acknowledged his presence, waiting for Sara to reach them. "I am afraid it´s a little complicated."

"You mentioned a male d.b. I believe we´re in the right place?" Grissom felt he was maybe a little too sarcastic, but Brass didn´t comment on it, instead he pointed toward the door.

"Follow me inside, I´ll tell you what I know."

Nick raised his eyebrows and looked at Sara, confused by the crispness in Grissom´s voice. Sara only shrugged, unaware of the problem.

"I got a call from dispatch. Someone reported a dead male in the building of Faston Research Institute. I called you before I arrived here, so sorry for any inconveniences. We didn´t find a body, but I think this is good enough reason for you to come."

As Brass talked, he led them through a narrow corridor into a big hall. Nick and Sara were pointing their flashlights around, trying to find anything that would justify the call. The walls were bare as was the floor. No carpets, but also no dust. The hall was spacious but empty as well. There was an admission desk with security glass and as Nick moved the flashlight, he spotted a camera: Curious, he turned around and shined the light to the other corners, only to find more watchful eyes.

"Closed circuit TV," Nick muttered but no one paid him attention. Both Grissom and Sara were shining their lights at the bloody puddle on the other side of the admission desk. As Nick walked up to them, he saw the the splatters of blood on the wood and the nearest wall. There were smears of it on the floor, leading out of the hall and deeper into the building.

"Someone left a trail," Grissom commented, eyeing the puddle of blood.

"Maybe our body wasn´t as dead as it looked?" Nick asked, looking at Brass for some kind of explanation.

"I doubt anyone would lose this much blood then walk away on his own two legs."

"He didn´t," Grissom spoke and pointed the light several feets away. There were several bloody footsteps and two long smears, as if someone was dragged. Several yards away the smears stopped and there were only the footsteps and drops of blood.

"Whew. Looks like there were at least two people. Now why would anyone take the body and leave the blood?" Sara asked, shaking her head.

"Most importantly - why would anyone take the body inside the building when outside is a car?" Nick corrected her question, looking at Brass.

"The car was there when we arrived. The hood was cold so I assume it was there for a while. Nothing inside, the trunk is clean, too. No blood."

"Who does it belong to?"

"It´s registered under the JetRo Security Agency in Henderson. They´re the ones responsible for this facility I called them and they told me there were two agents on the night shift assigned here. But we didn´t find anyone."

"Could be one of them was... killed... and the other called it in?"

"Then what? Panicked, took the body and hid it somewhere in the building? " Brass shook his head. "Maybe the killer was still there and got also the other guard."

"In that case, he´s probably still here," Sara assumed and they all jumped when one of the cops chose that moment to appear. He stopped dead in his track, seeing the gun poised his way.

"Shit, Kevin, give some warning!" Brass cursed and shook his head, letting out a heavy breath. The young uniformed cop gulped, then nodded.

"I-I found some plans of the building in the security room. There are also several monitors, but they´re blank. No power."

"Good. Give us the plans," Brass looked around and frowned. "Where´s Jenkins?"

"He was looking for the generator-"

"Damn it, I told you not to separate. What the hell is wrong with you?" Brass barked, earning several surprised glances from the CSI´s. He knew he was acting weird but he didn´t care. He just had a really bad day and to make matters worse he had to deal with two greenhorns.

"I am sorry sir," Kevin stuttered, ashamed by the dressing down as well as angry at himself for acting so recklessly. He knew the detective was in a bad mood and he should´ve been more careful, but he just felt excited by the prospect of working on a real murder. Now he could only hope to make things better before they returned to the station and Brass could tell his captain about his screw ups. "I´ll bring him back."

"Not alone! We probably have a killer running wild in the building, I don´t want anyone left alone. Nick, can you go with him?"

Nick blinked, surprised by the request. He threw a quick glance at Grissom and seeing him approve, he nodded.

"Be careful," Grissom said to Nick, then turned back to the scene.

As the two men walked away, Brass let out a sigh and shook his head, frustrated by his own actions.

"I am sorry," he said, "Don´t know what´s the matter... I just have this strange feeling we should be careful."

"You´re probably right," Grissom agreed, frowning. He didn´t felt very cheery when they left the lab earlier, but he sure as hell wasn´t this irritated. Maybe it had more to do with this case than with Nick and Sara bickering.

"Tell me the rest, Jim. Do you know who called it in?"

"Now I'm sure it was one of the security guards, but he didn´t give a name."

"So how can you be so sure?" Sara asked, trying to sound as normal as she could, though she felt a little angry at Brass for the earlier outburst. She almost cringed when she saw the guilt in Kevin´s face after Brass shouted at him.

"Because the call was made from here," Brass replied, looking at the addmission desk and searching for a place that wasn´t covered with blood. Finding one, he unfolded the plan Kevin gave him. Grissom walked up behind him and shone the light so they could get a better look.

"So by this plan, there are just offices on the first floor. We are in the lobby. There should be a hallway, several rooms, a cleaning closet. The staircase is to the right from the bathrooms and oh see... there are two more floors underground. Probably the laboratories."

"Is there any other exit?" Sara leaned closer to the plan, frowning. "I can´t see it. That´s weird. I thought they´re supposed to have a fire escape."

"Maybe there is something, but the plan is already five years old," Brass sighed.

"Why is it empty anyway?"

"All I know is that the company moved out of Nevada. They were doing some research in gene engineering. This facility was sold two months ago to a Japanese company. From what the guy from the security agency told me, they´re planning to move in the next month."

This time both Kevin and Nick made enough noise to warn the others of their approach, not wanting a repeat of Brass´ pulling the gun on them. The detective looked at the three men, not letting on the slight relief he felt at seeing Jenkins with them.

"Jenkins?"

"I´m sorry, detective. I was able to locate the generator but I couldn´t turn it on, nor could I find anything wrong with it."

"Did it look like someone tampered with it?"

"I can´t tell, detective," Jenkins looked really sorry and Brass let him off the hook, concentrating on the more pressing matters.

"Well, we´ve got six people to search the whole building, with no power while the killer could be still here. It doesn´t look good."

"Is the coroner coming in?" Nick asked, hiding the slight shiver that ran through his body at the mention of the killer.

"No. I was about to call him when we arrived but then thought it would wait until we find a body. For now, we´re all there is," Brass clearly didn´t like the fact.

"Well, we can call some backup, but Warrick and Catherine are already on their way. Think we will manage until then?" Sara looked questioningly at Grissom, then at Brass. She was suddenly glad that Grissom didn´t turn down Catherine´s offer of help when she called in that they finally closed the case she and Warrick were working on for the last three days.

"They should be here within half an hour," Grissom nodded.

"Well then, what about we start to search this place?" Brass suggested, feeling both impatient and nervous. Grissom eyed him for a second then nodded, turning to his team.

"Nick, you´re coming with me. Sara, you should stay here and process the scene. Jim-"

"Hey, why should I stay?" Sara protested.

"Because I need you there," Grissom replied, looking at her pointedly and Sara swallowed another protest.

"Jim?"

"Jenkins, you´ll stay there and make sure nothing happens to her. Anything suspicious, you call me, or shoot. Kevin, you´re coming with me." The rookie gulped, trotting after the detective nervously. Nick grinned at Sara trying to cheer her up, knowing well enough she was feeling left out. She just rolled her eyes and turned away from them. "Men," she mumbled and knelt down next to the puddle of blood, pulling out the camera. She tuned out the voices and concentrated on her work, taking in every detail.

xxxxx

The dark room was lit only with the shining monitors. The man sat comfortably in his chair, following each step of the six people that invaded his place. He couldn´t help but grin as he saw the group separate.

"Ah, my friend, you´re making it even easier for me," the man sneered with fake pity, before he stood from the chair and leaned over the keyboard, his delicate fingers quickly hitting each key with care.

When the monitor beeped, the man turned and walked out of the room, leaving the computer on, the timer on the monitor counting down the remaining minutes.

TO BE CONTINUE

A/N: Well, what do you say?