Author's note: This one is a fairly large deviation from my usual McAbby fluff pieces, and as such I'm finding it challenging to write. I may not post on it regularly because of that.
It's going to get quite dark, just so you know. F.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters etc etc.
One of the more irritating things about being an NCIS special agent, McGee decided, was the weekend duty. They got it about one weekend in 6, a weekend where they had to remain on standby. Criminals and training accidents didn't take weekends and holidays off, so neither did NCIS. This was one of their 'on duty' weekends. Most of it consisted of listening to DiNozzo's constant whining about not being able to make plans, with occasional death threats from Ziva; the rest involved following up any legitimate sounding tips from the hotline.
They'd received one such tip early this morning, concerning Marines dealing drugs in an abandoned storage facility just outside of Anacostia. The tip had been anonymous, and a little vague as to details, but it had sounded genuine enough for the team to mobilise.
Upon arriving at the storage facility, Gibbs had split them into two teams so they could cover more ground; he and Ziva had headed one way, sending McGee and Tony in the other direction. The facility was vast, each locker oversized compared to the majority of such places, with the storage spaces being arranged in blocks of ten.
As they rounded a corner and found another row of lockers stretching off into the distance, Tony commented
"This is going to take all day"
"Can we just get on with it, Tony?"
"We've been out here for hours, Probie. I'm starting to think there's nothing to find"
Silently McGee agreed with him; this one looked like a wild goose chase. He went over to the first locker in the new block, pulling open the access door and shining his flashlight inside. All they found inside was dust and cobwebs, same as every other locker they'd searched
"Right, that's it" Tony burst out "Let's split up, get this done faster." He turned and headed across the broad road that divided each block
"Tony, Gibbs said we have to stick together" McGee called to his disappearing back, receiving a dismissive wave in reply
McGee grumbled to himself about Tony's defection as he yanked on the door of yet another storage locker. The door seemed to be stuck somehow; he gave it another tug, feeling it move slightly. Another yank ought to do it. A noise caught his attention as he pulled on the door. He half turned, expecting it to be Tony returning. The world exploded
Half shielded by the door, the ball bearings and nails in the homemade claymore shredded into his side and arm, the force of the explosion knocking him to the ground. Through the excruciating, burning pain, he was dimly aware of Tony's yells, Gibbs and Ziva sprinting towards him before the agony became overwhelming. Everything went black.
