Title: "Not Without Truth" By: Sammy CSI: Crime Scene Investigation:: Grissom, Catherine, Nick and Greg A geologist finds a dead body in the Nevada desert just outside Las Vegas. He calls 911 on his cell phone. -------------------- Phone rings in Grissom's office. Grissom: "Grissom" Brass: "Gil, got another body in the desert, but this one's different" Grissom: "On our way" Grissom grabs up his bag-o-tricks and heads out the door. On his way through the CSI lab he instructs, "Catherine, Nick, you're with me!" Nick and Catherine fall in behind Grissom as familiar music begins from somewhere unknown, "Who-o-o are you". --------------------- Police are roping off the scene when Grissom, Catherine and Nick arrive. Brass walks over to meet them, "We got a dead nun" All 3 CSI simultaneously exclaim "dead NUN?" as they come upon the body. The coroner is there, "Dead, maybe, 4 hours" Grissom leans down to inspect the body, "Maybe?" "It's hard to tell with this powder all over it" the young coroner relates. "A body, fully-dressed, covered with a white powder like substance, probably lime - only the outlying clothing is visible, and this crucifix" Catherine remarks "Killing a nun, nasty habit" Grissom raises an eyebrow in her direction. Nick is still standing behind Grissom, almost transfixed, his shadow casting over Gil's shoulder. Grissom looks back, "Nick? You ok?" "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine" Nick mumbles as a tear rolls down his face. Nick goes to help Catherine inspect the surrounding area. "Notice anything else, Gil?" Brass has an odd look on his face. "Yes, a dead body that smells nice", Grissom says, somewhat perplexed. "I got shoe prints and tire tracks" Catherine shouts as she photographs the find. Further away Nick finishes his interview of the man who found the body. Reporting to Grissom, Nick reveals, "That guy found the vic; he says he's a geologist out here on a regular basis looking for rocks, meteorites, stuff like that." ---------------------- Back at the lab Greg confirms, "That white powdery substance is lime". Grissom nods, "Thought so. Lime is often used in aiding in the deterioration of bodies" Greg grins, "hopefully after they're dead" Grissom raises an eyebrow and says nothing as he leaves. Nick comes along-side Grissom as the two men continue to walk, "Our geologist checks out. He's a professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas." "Good", Grissom acknowledges. Nick veers off as Grissom continues towards his office. ---------------------- Catherine struts into Grissom's office, "We have no reports of a missing nun...well, no living nun" Grissom looks at Catherine with that puzzled "What the heck are you talking about now, Catherine" look. Catherine smiles, "We *do* have a missing *corpse* report though." Again the "?" look from Grissom. Catherine continues, "Seems the Convent of the Immaculate Conception in Quito, Ecuador is missing a saint" "Go on", Grissom suggests, with that "How truly fascinating" look crossing over his face as he folds his hands up under his chin, resting his heavy fact-laden head, ready to absorb even more information. "Our dead body is, possibly, Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres and she is 400 years old. She went missing 2 weeks ago." Grissom looks puzzled again, "What is she doing in Las Vegas?" Catherine smirks, "Not everyone comes to Vegas to gamble". ----------------------- Grissom and Catherine walk into the morgue to find it empty, "Where's 'Doc'?" Catherine asks. "Where's our saint?" Grissom questions. That music starts again from somewhere unknown, "Who-o-o are you" ----------------------- Grissom and Catherine find the coroner in his office with Ecklie, the mayor, the governor and 3 very large men in sunglasses and 1 smaller man, a priest. Dr. Al, "Gil, I was just about to call you. I need you to sign off on this release." Grissom reacts, "What's going on?" Dr. Al answers, "These men are here for the body. Dr. Grissom this is Bishop Grumman of the Catholic diocese of Nevada; the governor and mayor you know." Grissom nods but doesn't sign, yet. After an awkward silence, the Bishop speaks up, "We are here for the blessed Mother Mariana, to return her to Quito, Ecuador where she has been for nearly 400 years and where she belongs". Grissom looks puzzled, yet again, "Al, your man said the body had been dead only about 4 hours." "Yeah, well, about that, it appears this", the doctor is interrupted by the priest, "Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres is an 'incorruptible' and is laid to rest at the Convent of the Immaculate Conception." Grissom nods knowingly. The priest continues "The sisters at the convent discovered she was missing about 2 weeks ago. They think communist insurgents may have stolen the body to dissuade believers. They have been harassed and threatened by such thugs for years." "How did she get here?" Grissom queries. "We suspect she was transported here, to this desert, in hopes of speeding body decomposition and less likelihood of discovery before such time." the priest speculates. "The reason for the lime" notes Catherine. All nod. ------------------------ In Grissom's office Catherine and Nick sit with Gil as he pours over an encyclopedia. Catherine speaks up, "Gil, that body was still no closer to decomp when you released her". Nick adds, "Yeah, Gris, even after being dumped in the desert and covered with lime...whatsup with that?" Grissom begins to read, "Incorruptibility is the property of a body — usually a human body — that does not decompose after death and without the benefit of embalming or mummification. Such a body is referred to as incorrupt or incorruptible... or as an *incorruptible*." Nick ponders, "But what causes it?" Grissom picks up another book but doesn't open it, an ancient text "The Book of Causes" by Thomas Aquinas; he removes his glasses, "the soul's incorruptibility, as it is only capable of truth - the sweet smell of truth...as truth is incorruptible, so is it eternal." That music plays again, "Who-o-o are you". The End
No, that was it, LOL. I'm new here so have to get the feel of what people want to read in their FF. I usually write in hopes of inspiring curiosity rather than satisfying the libido, LOL. I suppose I could have given this one a "G" rating, if it weren't for the dead body in the desert, LOL. Sammy