Chapter 1:

Las Vegas was a city that changed when the sun went down. As soon as the sun went down behind the mountains the city was virtually unrecognizable. Everyone knew it was Las Vegas, Sin City, the city of lost hopes and dreams, but everyone knew it was different. From the sky you knew it was the same, from the exterior, but once you went into the heart of Vegas you knew something had changed. It was like when the sun went down the city transformed from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde. This night was really no different than any other nights. The summer air was crisp and humid. The sound of slot machines echoed through the strip. ECG, the soothing harmonizing sound that brings happy tourists back every year, year after year. This night was a slow, uneventful night, even for the city’s Criminalists. With their fair share of drunken fights and robberies that night they were ready to call it a night.

“Man! I really hate these nights, its so boring!” Sara exclaimed as she strolled into the break room throwing her case files on the table in which Catherine and Nick were sitting.

“Yeah,” said Nick, “you’d think Sin City would be more interesting on a Saturday night.”

Catherine chuckled and said, “You’d be surprised on what goes on that we don’t know about.”

Nick and Sara looked at Catherine who sipped her coffee and then looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

“Not even going to ask,” said Nick. “Me neither,” finished Sara.

“Where’s Mr. Brown?” Sara asked playfully.

“He’s got the night off,” Catherine said, leaning back in her chair.

Sara sauntered over to the coffee pot. The heat of the day had kept Sara up so she was especially tired this evening. As the hot dark liquid came flowing into her cup the steam rose to her nostrils and she felt invigorated. Sara turned around to say something as Grissom stormed into the room. She had not seen him all night and it was always refreshing to him, even on his worst days. Sighing, Grissom threw down case files in front of Catherine and Nick.

“We have a DB at Washington Park, Brass said it’s a gruesome one so I need all of you.” Grissom exclaimed. Sara sipped her coffee and nodded at Grissom. Grissom looked at Catherine and Nick who were looking at Grissom.

“Isn’t that the park that’s closed from pedestrians for the summer?” Sara asked.

“Yes it is,” answered Grissom, sighing.

“We’re there, it’s been such a slow night.” Nick explained.

“Let’s go,” said Catherine.

Nick and Catherine got up simultaneously, seeming very eager to start the night. Sara devoured her coffee, almost burning her throat. She was also eager to start the night. Grissom disappeared through the door and Catherine and Nick followed. Sara sighed and got her coat and badge.

Outside, Grissom was loading his field kit in the Tahoe and Catherine and Nick were talking on the curb when Sara walked out to meet them. A brisk wind splintered her cheeks and Sara sighed.

“Catherine and Nick, you guys go ahead me and Sara will meet you there,” Grissom said struggling with the kits in the back of the Tahoe, “The scene is at the west end, near the pond, Brass should be there.” He finished.

Catherine and Nick loaded into their Tahoe and drove away, leaving Grissom and Sara in awkward silence. Grissom was still struggling with the kits in the back, trying to get them all in order, while Sara climbed into the drivers seat. Sara stared at Grissom through the rear-view mirror chuckling at his frustration. Walking to the drivers seat, Grissom straightened out his shirt, which had become tangled in mist of his endeavors with the field kits. They drove silently most of the way, Sara breaking the silence only to ask who found the victim. Grissom replied, “a maintenance worker.” Approaching the park Sara could see Brass talking with Catherine and Nick. Getting out of the car at the same time as Grissom they walked to the back where Grissom handed Sara a field kit, she nodded and walked over to Brass.

“So what do we have Captain?” Sara asked Brass.

“Well what looks like a female DB near the pond, probed up against a tree,” said Brass, reading from his notes.

Grissom approached holding two silver field kits, “are you sure it’s a female?” Grissom asked, for some reason already ahead of the conversation.

Catherine piped in, “Well, I think we better go take a look,” seemingly ignoring Grissom’s question and gesturing to a crowd of police officers near by, covering their noses with handkerchiefs.

The CSIs grabbed their kits and followed Brass, who led them to the body, or what was left of a body. Nick shooed the officers away, they let out a murmur and obeyed. The CSIs squirmed when they approached, the flies were already buzzing; they held their hands to their mouths. The victim was lying against a tree, naked and badly decomposed, tall tell signs that’s it been here for a while.

“I love the smell of a decomp in the morning,” Nick said, Sara and Catherine letting out a chuckle.

“She’s been here a while,” Sara said, swatting away a fly.

“She has a black garbage bag over her head,” Catherine said, “That’s odd.”

“ I would have to agree with that one,” Sara piped in.

“The way the victims body is propped up against that tree, this isn’t just a body dump, it’s supposed to be that way.” Nick observed. Sara and Catherine nodded in agreement.

Ignoring Nick’s observation, obviously making the same assumption, Grissom put his kit down and knelt by it. Slapping on latex gloves, Grissom grabbed a pair of tweezers and investigated closer. Paying no attention to the foul order of decomposing flesh and bodily fluids, Grissom peered onto the body, grabbing an insect with his tweezers.

“The Calliphoridae Family, more specifically Chrysomya rufifacies.” Grissom said staring at the specimen clutched between his tweezers.

“No Latin please,” Nick said with his hand to his mouth.

“Blow Fly,” Grissom explained, “This victim has been dead four to ten days.”

Sara sighed and grabbed her camera, taking pictures of the body. SNAP a picture of the black garbage bag that surrounded the victim’s head. SNAP a picture of the victims feet, perfectly set out in front of her, obviously posed. SNAP a picture of the victim’s hands, perfectly placed in front of her, her fingers stuck in a permanent position of anguish. SNAP a picture of the insects eating the victim, the Blow Flies, the Parasitoid Wasps, the many maggots crawling in and out of the victim’s body.

“Catherine,” Grissom started, “Gather the garbage bag into evidence and take samples of the surrounding soil.” Catherine nodded and set down her kit, rifling through the compartments.

“Nick, I need you to call David and get him out here to transport the body and then I need you to do a perimeter check for any other evidence.” Nick nodded and walked over to Brass, who was standing on the sidewalk surrounding the site, the uniformed officers were long gone.

Catherine grabbed latex gloved and put them on, the sound echoing in her ears and stinging her wrists a bit. Grabbing an evidence back she walked over to the body, where Grissom stood hovering over it with a jar, collecting the insects. Knelling down she carefully untied the ligature on the victim’s neck, the one holding the bag in place. She put the robe in a bag and sealed it up, returning it to her kit. Reaching out to the bag on the victim’s head Catherine stopped in her tracks. Her facial expression turned from disgusted to confused. Feeling around the garbage bag she realized something.

“Um…Grissom?” Catherine said, Sara and Grissom both looking up.

“What is it Catherine?” Grissom said, worried.

Catherine slowly and meticulously raised the garbage bag from the body, inch my inch exposing the victims flesh. When she finally got the garbage bag off Sara gasped.

“Oh my god,” Sara mumbled under her breath, “She has no head!” Sara exclaimed.

“I would have to agree with that one,” Grissom said, turning up to Sara, “Take a picture now!” Grissom said forcefully!

SNAP!

CHAPTER 2: COMING SOON!