As always CSI etc. doesn't belong to me...I'm just an obsessive fan. Apologies to anyone waiting for this for the time its taken, more coming a lot sooner I hope! Please read and review.

Bloodstains – Chapter 2

Carter stood at the front of the room, preparing to brief the gathered CSIs and FBI agents. He cleared his throat authoratively and gestured for everyone to focus their attention on him.

"Firstly, I'd like to emphasise that CSI Sara Sidle is to have no involvement or input in this case," he begun.

"Why would that be?" Catherine demanded.

"Because of her personal involvement." Carter stated.

"You-"Nick's comments were cut short by Carter who clearly intended this meeting to be a personal monologue.

"Some years ago in San Francisco," he began, "There was a series of murders, each victim's throat and wrists were slit and the blood was collected and carried away by the assailant. After some investigation, we finally discovered the identity of the killer, a man named Luke Mason, who unfortunately was an FBI agent. Mason had been committing these murders in the belief that he was a vampire and had consumed the blood taken from his victims. However, recently the case has been reopened since more victims have been murdered in an almost identical way, and we believe that this killer knows Mason and may even have been his accomplice."

"There's no doubt as to Mason's guilt?" inquired Grissom.

"He confessed. But we are going to talk to him, hopefully he'll be able to tell us who this new killer is."

"Sara mentioned a leader," Warrick commented, "That suggests there's more than one person committing these murders."

"Sara Sidle," said Carter, with evident disgust, "Always wanted this to be more complex than it is, probably to excuse the fact that she was sleeping with Mason," Carter paused, "When he wasn't out committing murders."

The gathered CSIs made no comment but did exchange concerned glances at this news.

Another FBI agent poked his head around the doorway and addressed Carter. "Sir, Luke Mason is here."

Carter nodded and turned to the group, "I presume you'll want to watch this?" he queried.

Grissom, Catherine, Nick and Warrick stood in silence behind the glass as Carter begun questioning Mason. Mason was a man of average height in his late 40s with greying hair and searching blue eyes, he sat calmly across the table from Carter as the other began speaking.

"So, who's carrying on you work, Luke?" he demanded almost mockingly.

Mason regarded him in silence.

"Who's copying you?" Carter hissed.

"Why do you always ask the wrong questions?" Mason replied.

"Don't try to be clever."

Mason looked Carter directly in the eyes, "You can never look beyond what your told, can you, Peter? You can never use the evidence or even see how important it is – you just expect everyone to tell you the answers."

"Are you going to talk to us or not?"

"I don't get anything out of talking, Peter, and even less out of talking to you," he paused, "Send Sara in here. Sara Sidle. Find her and let me talk to her, 'cause I'm not going to talk to you."

Carter stood up and walked out of the room to the waiting FBI agents and CSIs. "Find Sara Sidle," he ordered, "Find her and bring her here now."