— Simon Prescott, NCIS ! Gibbs shouted as he walked in the man's direction. Hands up ! he immediately added, deeply staring at him.
— No worries…the man smiled with a smoky voice and didn't move from his chair, focusing, in turn, on each agents. I do not intend anyhow to contest my arrest…
— That would be the last straw…! Tony bitterly chuckled, approaching as well.
— McGee ?
— On him, boss, he answered, gun on Prescott, his neck slightly tensing under a spasm.
— Ziva ?
— Right here, she deviously smiled, feeling a personal pleasure to hold her gun next to the man's head.
The four agents stood still in the end for a dozen of seconds, forming a perfect, temporary circle around the new accused, until Gibbs finally quickly shook his head, inviting Tony to move closer. Tony took out his pair of handcuffs and begun telling Simon about his rights, pulling his arms behind his back.
— Yeah, yeah…Prescott groaned, I already know all that shit !
— Oh, really ? Tony forced a smile, 'cause I would be glad to send you directly to jail, if you don't mind anymore about the big trial thing !
Gibbs discreetly grinned at the comment and nodded at his two other agents, who lowered their guns at the signal...
Ziva relaxed a bit and walked to him, taking a despising look at the man waiting next to Tony before speaking.
— Boss, she said, I have some new information about Pres…
— Holy shit, it's good to be done, I'm in Hell, down here !
Tony immediately got ready to tighten his grip around the man, and both Gibbs and Ziva reflexively wrapped their hands again around their gun…until they saw who was really talking.
— Uh…Tony froze, unexpectedly looking for his words.
Jethro watched Tim with crazy facial features, his agent getting rid of his bulletproof jacket, sweat on his forehead.
— McGee, are you alright ? Ziva neutrally asked.
But Gibbs only walked in his agent's direction, not minding her question at all, visibly annoyed by such a public demonstration.
— McGee, what the hell are you doing ! he lowly groaned.
Tim only chuckled and slowly stared at him, revealing an amused facial expression Jethro would have been very glad to punch.
— Funny thing that…Tim stopped and kept smiling.
— What, Gibbs commented. What is so funny, McGee ?
— This, Tim chuckled again, you, talking about Hell...
Gibbs heavily breathed out, but tried keeping calm the best way he could, reluctantly listening to what would be next…
— That's exactly what I said : it's hot like Hell in here ! Tim almost laughed.
Simon Prescott suddenly started laughing as well, glancing at the two men.
— Oh, I would love to see what will be next…
— Yeah, the only thing you're gonna see is the box we're gonna put you in ! Tony forced the man to stand up, trying to get rid of the thought of his teammate's previous insane reaction.
— Put on that jacket, McGee, Gibbs seriously said. And that's an order !
— But, boss…his agent retorted, revealing a bit of the plaintive Tim they were sometimes used to know.
— I said now ! he insisted, Tony beginning to walk to the exit, in that large empty space, still holding his prisoner closer.
— Oh, come on, boss ! Tim unexpectedly continued. Look at him, he's not gonna go anywhere, now, is he, I can take it off ! This thing must weigh about ten kilos, for God's sake !
Tim wiped away the additional drops on his forehead, his jacket still waiting next to his feet.
Gibbs lowered both eyebrows and furiously stared at him for a minute…before moving away.
— Dinozzo, he shouted, faster ! Ziva, he added, go with him !
Ziva approached Prescott without a word and only gave him another despising look, the man glancing at her legs.
— Hey ! he complained. Less violence, man. I'm trying to talk to your beautiful colleague…
— That's what you call 'talking' ? Tony pushed him forward.
— One step at the time…Simon grinned. Conversation is secondary...
— Why don't you shut up, Prescott, Ziva finally commented, or I blind your eyes and feed the fishes with them...
Gibbs heard the voices getting further as he stared a last time at the big empty space, still not believing his ears concerning what had just happened.
But after all, maybe it was only a dream...
— McGee ! he interrupted his own thoughts and yelled without looking back. If you're not in the car in two minutes, I let you come back to NCIS by walk !
Gibbs tried to get rid of the warm anger around his cheeks. He was so upset...
Yes, now he did not mind anymore being judged by any kind of criminals. Tim had crossed the line more than once, therefore he would receive the treatment he truly deserved, witnesses included if necessary.
— You and me, he continued, we're gonna have to ta…
— Oh, why don't you shut the fuck up, for once, Jethro !
The unbelievable sentence suddenly resonated like a curse in the air, Tony and Ziva immediately stopping near the exit, everyone, even Gibbs, ready for a heart attack.
He couldn't have walked faster... Yes, if Gibbs could have had propellers behind his shoes, it would have been now…
...Tony blamed himself for such a stupid thought, but he didn't dare speaking, nor even ask for any head slap…
Yeah, silent comparisons were still better than this.
— What did you just say, McGee ? Gibbs finally slowly asked, fire in his eyes.
— I…I don't remember, Tim strangely answered.
— Say it again, McGee, whether or not you decide doing it, you'll be fired anyway !
The current conversation was pretty hard to hear from their silent spot, but Ziva finally decided to act, impatient and frustrated, leaving both Tony and the disgusting smile of the man where they were.
Something was definitely wrong, she could feel it.
— Gibbs ! she said as she ran next to him, an idea in mind.
— Wait, Ziva, he held a hand next to her. McGee has something to remember before he gets fired.
— Fired ? she asked in shock.
— I... I remember, boss, Tim shyly spoke in the end, breaking the previous heavy silence.
— We're listening, Gibbs angrily said, ready to explode.
— My mum…
— Your mum ? Ziva questioned him.
— She used to bring me to school to feed the animals, he now smiled incoherently, suddenly blinking more than necessary.
— McGee, what are you…
— Gibbs, Ziva insisted, grabbing his arm. That's what I thought !
— What, Ziva ? he turned impatient.
— Don't you see, Gibbs ? I think he's got fever.
Tim didn't seem to be listening and only strangely stared at the walls, feeling lost and dizzy.
— Elephants…they're very dangerous, you know… Oh God...it's so hot in here ! he now tried to unbutton his shirt, Ziva putting a palm on his forehead.
— McGee, sit down, she immediately ordered, walking near him.
— What is going on ! Jethro gravely asked from behind, not really knowing who he was really talking to, still mad, and not mad, at once...
— I think it's like with the other victims, Ziva calmly continued, he must have poisoned McGee as well.
Now Gibbs was really alarmed... Indeed, if he'd always thought he was ready to face any kind of situation, he knew now he had been wrong…
He heavily breathed in and bent down to the floor, observing, helpless, his agent slowly leaving reality.
In the meantime, Ziva dialed 911 on her phone, and begun talking to the voice while her boss was desperately trying to keep Tim awake.
— Don't touch me, Agent Gibbs, he dizzily said, I don't want Dr Stanberg to run away again…
— That was another case, McGee, now we've just arrested Simon Prescott, remember ?
— What a strange name for… he reacted. Oh, why do I feel so hot outside, but…
— But what, McGee ? Gibbs asked, sensing his agent was now struggling with breathing.
— I'm a bit cold inside, Tim smiled. It's...you know, like the sea, during night time, when…
He stopped for another handful of seconds...
Heartbeats… How painful.
...Ziva hang up the phone after some time, silently explaining Gibbs that an ambulance was coming, glancing at the still sweaty agent on the floor.
— How stupid we were…he was just saving time ! he suddenly whispered.
Jethro ordered her to stay with Tim and started running in Tony and Simon's direction. Tony seemed ready to open his mouth when he saw him coming, now seriously wondering what could be going on out there, but Gibbs punched Prescott in the face and didn't answer any questions, visibly decided to be the only one asking.
— What did you do to him ! he yelled, Tony jumping as he heard him shout.
— Well…looks like little Timmy's ready for Heaven…the man slowly said and smiled, blood coming out of his nose.
— What's the antidote ! Gibbs continued, trying not to kill the murderer in front of him.
— They'll probably be too late anyway…the man grinned and stared at him, delighted as hell. And now…he deviously added, I will not say another word without the presence of my lawyer...
— You stayed here to watch the show ! Jethro grabbed the opposite collar and felt the pressure getting bigger than ever, raising a second fist in the air, but Ziva's voice interrupted his violent action, and he directly knew what it meant.
— I'm…cold, now, weird Tim reflexively smiled, but this…this is a…great place to have fun…
Ziva heard the small nervous chuckle and watched him blink a few more times, Gibbs finally joining them onto the floor, with bloody knuckles.
— McGee…hold on, he desperately sighed and pronounced, not really knowing what else to tell him.
But Ziva was already pulling both her sleeves up, facing Tim's weak chest.
— He's out, boss, she neutrally said, bending forward...
And she started massaging…
