nickngreg | Go Jackals 2 Chapter 1

2!
Credit for banner to the amazing OnlyTrueLove!

Title: Go Jackals 2: old Wounds
Ratings: R, for later on.
Spoilers: None really, AU
Summary: A Nick/Greg AU. Takes place after the events of Go Jackals!. Give or take CSI Season 1-4... ish. All credit for Nick, Greg, Riley, Don, Danny, Aiden and Adam go to CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer.

Go Jackals!:
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine

Go Jackals 2: Old Wounds
Prologue

Chapter 1

“So, is this your first time out this far off the Strip, Holly?” asked Nick, looking in the rearview mirror to Holly Gribbs sitting in the backseat of the Denali.

“This far out? Yeah. I had that robbery at The Palms last year that was kinda close” she replied, eyes staring out the window, desperate for some landmarks.

Greg caught her reflection in the passenger side mirror, there’s not much out this far. A couple of sub-developments, a McMansion or two, but that’s it. You ever go to Deuce’s Wild?”

“G…” started Nick.

Holly looked curiously between the two boyfriends, they had been out at work for a while. Holly didn’t really care one way or the other. It didn’t affect her work and they were nice guys.

“Isn’t Deuce’s Wild a gay bar?” she asked.

“Yeah, but they do have a Ladies’ Night,” Greg turned around to face Holly and winked.

Holly smirked and smacked Greg playfully, “Get your mind out of the gutter, you pervert! No, I haven’t been there. Nor will I unless I get really drunk.”

“Oh! So there’s a chance?” asked Greg.

Nick cleared his throat as he pulled into the parking lot, “If ya’ll are done, we’re here.”

~~~

“Hey Nicky, Greg,” said Captain Jim Brass, “Holly,” he said, nodding briefly at her, “the body’s in the alleyway.”

Brass led the way, the CSI’s trailing behind. With Brass well out of earshot, Holly leaned closer to Greg and whispered in his ear, “I can’t believe he still doesn’t like me! I’ve been a CSI for four years!”

“You think he still believes you got in ‘cause of your mom?” replied Greg.

“I’d like to think I’ve proven myself on my own skill, you know?”

“Maybe tonight will be different.”

Brass cleared his throat, “The bouncer found the body and called it in. I’ve got some statements to collect. I’ll catch up with you guys later,” he hurried off towards the crowd by the front door.

The body had been pulled out of the dumpster and was laying on a tarp in front of the group.. The coroner, Doc Robbins was hovering over the body. His cane made a loud clang as it hit the edge of the dumpster. The victim was male with black hair and bright blue eyes. His clothes were torn and bloody. His skintight black tanktop and black jeans clung to a well built body. It was hard to imagine there was room in the pockets for anything, let alone a wallet. What little of his skin that wasn’t bruised or cut was covered in body glitter.

“Hey, Doc. What do you have for us?” asked Nick, setting his kit down.

“Hey guys. Young vic. I’d say, late teens, early twenties. The bouncer said he worked here as a dancer. That would explain the body. Numerous bruises on the chest,” said Doc Robbins, peeling back the victim’s shirt, “reveal blunt force trauma over, I’d say roughly 75% of his body. The cuts seem like an afterthought. What I noticed first though, was this,” Doc Robbins explained, replacing the shirt and gently turning the victim’s head. The hair was matted and bloody, a huge hole seemed to have opened up above his ear, “blunt force trauma to the head probably did him in. Must have been a strong one too. Although I am a little confused about the fact that he’s barefoot,” he indicated the victim’s bare feet.

“You think this is a hate crime, Doc?” asked Greg.

“Given the location and the severity of the bruises? Probably. I’ll know more in post.”

“Thanks, Doc. We’ll catch up with you later,” said Nick.

Doc Robbins signaled to his associates as they loaded the body into the coroner’s van and drove off.

~~~

The group drew straws to see who would check the dumpster, Holly lost. Greg agreed to stay with her and check the alley while Nick looked around inside.

“Ugh!” Holly groaned, waist deep in garbage, “Is it homophobic to be worried what I’m going to find in here?”

Greg was scanning the perimeter with a flashlight hoping something would catch his eye, “Only if you’re afraid it’ll turn you gay.”

Holly pushed aside a long, cylindrical object and groaned, “Oh, I really hope that wasn’t what I thought it was!”

The object thunked as it hit the side of the dumpster and started vibrating.

“Oh! Gross!” exclaimed Holly as she dug out the vibrator and turned it off.

Greg doubled over in laughter, his flashlight still on. Putting his hands on his knees for support, his eyes caught a reflection in the distance. It was a small golden ball with a tiny spike coming from one end, “It looks like the back of an earring,” he said.

“Great, now all we need to do is find a woman in this city missing an earring back,” said Holly, sarcastically.

Greg shot Holly a look.

“Oh, right, forgot where we are. Or guy.”

~~

Inside the club, Nick was talking to the owner, Brian Davidson.

“His name was Evan Walford. He was a good kid. Always came into work on time. The patrons loved him. He was pretty popular. On and off the floor,” said Brian leading Nick into his office.

“Did you know he was only eighteen?” asked Nick, using the information Brass had passed him on the way inside.

Brian looked genuinely remorseful, “Not until tonight, I swear. He told us he was 21.”

“You didn’t think to do a background check?”

“When I met him he was an emaciated rent boy. He’d bounce back and forth from place to place, doing whatever he needed to survive. Before he got here, he was hooked on any drug he could either snort, smoke or swallow. This job was kind of his last hope after his parents kicked him out.”

“Why’d they kick him out?” asked Nick.

“His father owns The Genie’s Lamp Night Club and Casino. He’s a pretty big guy in the business circles around town. From what I hear, Evan was their only son. When he told his parents he was gay, they kicked him out onto the street and never spoke to him again.”

Nick’s jaw dropped. He hadn’t come out to his own parents yet, but he continued to dread that their reaction would be similar to Evan’s parents.

“But, you know, not all coming out stories are bad. You inspired me to come out of the closet to my parents and they’ve been great.” said Brian, leaning forward from behind his desk, closer to Nick.

“What? How’d I-?” Nick stammered.

“I went to WLVU too. I was a year behind you. After your coming out, I realized that if the star of the football team was ok being gay, than maybe the somewhat quiet Business major could be gay too. I joined the GSA after you graduated. You’ve become a legend on campus.”

Nick blushed and tried desperately to change the subject, “So, um, I’m going to need to see Evan’s locker. Does he have a place to put his stuff?”

Brian smiled and stood up. He directed Nick to the back of his office. Opening a closet door, he saw a series of divisions for each of the club’s staff. On the far end, written in glitter was Evan’s name, “We’re a pretty small place, so everyone just puts their stuff here. What little Evan had he mostly kept here. He crashed at one of his coworkers apartments when he needed to. Let me know if you need anything.”

Nick nodded and smiled at Brian as the owner walked off to the main room of the club. Nick sighed. He still couldn’t believe he had been an inspiration, let alone a legend. Before he could get too lost in thought, his eyes fell on a small journal on the shelf in Evan’s section of the closet. Putting on his gloves, he opened up to the last page:

OMG! I can’t believe it! He wants to meet me again! Maybe my shitty life’s finally changing! He’s so fucking hot too! Baby, this star’s rising!
-E