Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Except the mistakes those are mine.
A/N: This is something I've wanted to write for a long while and I've finally started. Hopefully you enjoy this as much as I am writing it. I've gone for a novel type of style so there's not so many line breaks. Hopefully it's less confusing.
Enjoy*
Prologue
They were counting the hours, minutes – even seconds. Nature was in full bloom right outside the second story window of their office – the warm summer sunlight flooding through the skylight, giving their oppressively dark world a sliver of hope – even if it was just for a minute. Cases had been relatively open and shut the last few weeks, making them wonder what some sick psychopath was plotting somewhere in an abandoned shed. They didn't necessarily have the luxury to spend a weekend at home doing nothing.
Tony smiled to himself in his dormant computer monitor, checking to make sure his charming good looks where to utter perfection for when the new recruits walked past his desk after their grand tour – even if it was just to impress his new female co-workers. He heard the irritated scoff, but paid very little attention to it. Flicking his fingers through the fringe that stood rigid in one specific direction – thanks to copious amount of hair product – he slammed his case report shut and pushed it to the edge of his desk.
Beautifully dark brown eyes met his green ones and he raised an arrogant eyebrow. Paying his rather attractive co-worker no mind when she pulled her face at him, in what looked like disgust, he leaned back in his chair placed his expensive Italian leather clad feet up on his desk and pulled a desk drawer open. Rummaging through the contents until he found the gleaming cover of the latest issue of GSM.
Flipping straight to the centerfold he held it up in the air, "Zee-vah," he drawled tauntingly as he flipped the magazine to show her the picture. "Would you consider wearing this to work Monday?"
The switchblade sliced right through the magazine, imbedding itself in the flimsy blue divider. Tony let out an involuntary squeal and looked at Ziva slightly astonished. "How'd you do that?" There was a certain level of awe in his voice as he inspected the knife that had penetrated the divider easily.
"If I tell you," Ziva's voice dropped lower than usual, her dark eyes dancing slightly, "I really will kill you."
"I think it's 'I'd have to kill you'." Tim spoke from behind his computer, looking like the novelist he truly was with his slightly cocked eyebrow.
Ziva waved her hand in the air flippantly as she regarded the geek. Turning back to her partner a grin steeled over her lips, "Don't spoil my fun."
Tony gave her a slightly terrified look, but it disappeared quickly, she was all bark and no bite – at least he hoped that was the case with her taunts towards him.
There were loud determined footsteps somewhere in the building and he quickly folded his sliced-through magazine and dropped his feet back on the floor. Tony grit his teeth as a large palm collided with the back of his head in anyway, lifting his head with a slight snap he met his boss' glare. "Won't happen again, Boss."
Jethro gave a curt nod and dropped in his chair, poking at his keyboard with distaste. He was in desperate need of coffee, the dark rich Jamaican blend he'd grown slightly addicted to. Clearing his throat he tuned out his teams banter and tried finishing the files he'd been putting off for the last few days. The slight knot in his stomach alerted him that he'd been without food for nearly three days and that he needed to find something edible on his way home.
He refused to believe that it was his gut, he was looking forward to a weekend of nothing, but boat building and a healthy supply of bourbon to keep the nightmares at bay for a little while. He glared at something his senior field agent tried to say, warning him to keep his obnoxious jokes and movie references to himself – at least until it was time to leave. Jethro cracked his neck and placed his glasses on his nose to read the last paragraph of the report he was busy with.
The churning was back and he could feel bile rise in his throat the moment the elevator dinged.
The quiet whispers of his team died down the moment whoever had emerged from the silver box found their way into their bullpen. Jethro dropped his pen on his desk, he'd sign off on the report on Monday. Looking up he felt his mouth run dry as he met a look of pure terror and fear.
It was something he'd seen in his own eyes days after his family had been taken away from him.
"Can I help you ma'am?" He watched the woman nod almost blindly – desperately.
"My son," She blurted out before a sob racked through her, "they have my son."
The entire team reacted as one man as they moved to jump into action. Jethro placed a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder, hoping to have her stay calm enough give them a decent description of her child and the people who took him. He didn't notice the slight quiver in his muscles as he touched her, or the violent kick his heart gave the moment he met her bloodshot emerald eyes.
"Do you have a photo of your son, ma'am, we'll need it to send it to Metro PD and the FBI. Once that's done we'll be contacting the FBI since this is their jurisdiction." Jethro kept his voice low and calm, knowing that getting impatient about the time sensitivity would only make things worse.
"No," The woman shook her head, almost angry with herself. "I mean… yes I have a photo of him." She yanked the designer handbag off her shoulder almost violently, its contents spilling out over the floor in her haste to find the picture of her son.
Jethro dropped to his knees, helping her gather her things. He took the photo from her as she held it towards him with a shaking hand.
Pools of dark emerald green stared back at him as he looked at the photo. The little boy, no older than maybe five, stared up at him showing off perfectly white teeth as he grinned at whoever had taken the picture. Handing the photo to McGee, he helped the woman to her feet as she finished throwing everything back in her handbag.
"You're Special Agent Gibbs, right?" The woman asked, slightly more in control of her emotions. When the agent gave a slight nod with his head, she returned the gesture with a watery smile. "My husband said you'd be able to help."
After the briefest moment of calmness, chaos ensued.
The usual rhythmic thumping that would echo inside his skull was missing as he stepped off of the silver box. He was aware of the two women behind him, one shifting impatiently and the others knowing gaze boring into the back of his skull. Shaking off yet another overwhelming feeling his gut thrust upon him, he marched purposefully into the quiet lab.
Cobalt eyes scanned the immaculate lab, wondering where his forensic scientist had disappeared to. There was movement in the back of the lab before the bubbly goth popped around the corner, her pigtails swinging with each bouncy step she took. Abby stopped the moment she took notice of the three figures in her lab.
Large olive green eyes flicked from each individuals face. She could see on Gibbs' face that he was almost in pain with the amount of churning his gut was enforcing on him. There was a slightly concerned look on her Israeli friend's face, something that she knew her friend didn't usually show. The large emerald green eyes, that were now completely bloodshot, caused her heart to leap into her throat. The colour drained from her already pale face.
"This is bad." Abby mumbled to herself, seeing the tense nod her friend gave her, she pushed everything to the back of her mind – it had to wait.
"Abs, I need you to sit with miss..." Jethro trailed off, he didn't even know the woman's name. Looking at her, he gave her a somewhat apologetic look.
"Shepard, but you can call me Jenny." She smiled at the younger woman that had rushed to her side, her eyes showing nothing but sympathy for what was going on.
"I need you to sit with her and compile a sketch of the men she saw abducting her son." Jethro pulled the picture out of his pocket, taking one last look of young Roy Shepard as he grinned up at him. There was a gentleness in his gaze that reminded him of something that felt almost familiar. Pushing it from his mind he handed the picture back to the woman and spun on his heel.
Abby's eyes flicked to Ziva's momentarily, a quiet conversation passing between them.
Jenny felt a sense of frustration wash over her, "I hate to interrupt, but my son is missing and the longer we waste time staring at each other, the closer I am to losing him."
The elevator jarred slightly as it arrived back on the squad room floor. Jethro stepped off, his long determined strides carrying him to where the rest of his team was making phone calls to other agencies and local police departments. They were all just waiting for the phone call that would demand whatever the kidnappers wanted.
"FBI's already sent out the picture of little Roy to all their agents, as soon as we have a description they'll run it against their database." Tony pushed away from his desk, the clicker already in one hand, while he snapped his fingers at his team mate to indicate their boss was waiting for what they had managed to find withing five minutes.
"Louis Henry McPhillips, was a Sergeant Major. He was in every way the poster boy for what the Marine Corps stood for, he climbed through the ranks faster than anyone else. He was well liked by absolutely everyone, a natural leader."
"Was?" Jethro asked tensely as he looked at the man on the plasma screen, marginally aware of McGee flipping through his notes.
"He passed away four years ago while climbing Mount Everest – he had slipped and fell, they found his body a few days later." McGee looked at his boss, a certain look of sympathy in his eyes as he finished reporting his information on the little boy's father.
"Jenny Shepard, or should I say the greatest Neurosurgeon Georgetown University Hospital had, until her husband passed away and she gave up her life as a surgeon to raise her son. She now has a part time job at a research facility that is one of many she's opened over the years." Tony clicked the clicker violently and pulled up a professional photo of the beautiful redhead. "Neither have enemies, both seem like decent people, why abduct their son?"
"I'd like to know that too Agent DiNozzo." The Director's voice boomed behind him, his eyes hard as he looked at the pictures on the plasma, for a moment an indiscernible look passed over his face, but he hid it quickly. "Gibbs, SecNav wants our full co-operation, the Major was a friend."
Jethro nodded, watching as the Director disappeared up the stairs, a sense of urgency in his footsteps as he thunder towards his office. He looked at the pictures on the plasma, trying to figure out what this maelstrom held for them in the next forty-eight hours.
Tim's computer dinged and he thrust the file in his hand towards Tony, ignoring his childish huff. He bit the tip of his tongue nervously as he waited for the file to download so he could put it on the plasma screen. The computer beeped again and automatically displayed the image on the plasma screen.
Tony looked at the sketches curiously, his head slightly cocked to the side. Years as a Baltimore cop had taught him a few things about the various criminals he dealt with. There was always a difference between a druggie and a murderer, a prostitute and a thief – most importantly he'd seen various M.O.'s of various kidnappers.
Whatever these two men were, they sure as hell didn't fit into that category.
One man had long black hair, reaching his shoulders – his jaw square and his forehead high, with his nose pulling his features together perfectly. The other was less angular, his face round and his shaved head only adding to the shape. He wasn't as nearly as handsome as his partner, but neither of them typically fit the profile of someone who abducted children for money. They looked in every sense of the word well groomed and sophisticated despite the fact that they were merely pencil sketch representations.
Jethro felt his blood boil through his veins. Now that he had a face to his hunt he felt determination set into his aching muscles, willing his body to co-operate and function for as long as needed until Roy Shepard was safely back with his mother. Two strides had him climbing on top of his desk with ease, putting him higher than the rest of the agents on the squad room floor.
A loud whistle echoed through the room, causing a hushed silence to fall over the room.
"About an hour ago Roy Shepard was abducted right in front of his mother. We have two suspects, you're all aware of the time sensitivity pertinent to a case like this. If you are willing to help, Special Agents DiNozzo and McGee will bring you up to speed."
Jethro gave an appreciative nod towards the few agents who left their desks to join his team in the bullpen. He met Agent Balboa's gaze as he jumped off of the desk, the two men shared a long look. They both had seen their fair share of cases like these ending in heartache and they both hoped it wouldn't be this case with this one.
They had ushered her from one place to another, not once telling her what was going on. It registered that they were simply doing their jobs, but she desperately needed someone to tell her that her boy was going to be okay. She let out a soft sob before clamping a hand over her mouth, trying to draw strength from deep inside herself.
She doubted she'd be able to move on if her little boy was taken from her as well.
Henry's death had been hard to bare, knowing that he'd died due to bad timing and faulty climbing gear. Roy had only been two and she had only cried the first week after Henry had passed, knowing her son would never be able to know the wonderful man that his father had been. She had grieved and had moved on, knowing she'd always love her husband, but she had a son to raise and holding onto the past was futile.
Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she'd have to suffer the agonizing fear of wondering what had happened to her child. It was something that happened in films or fiction novels, but there was always a hero swooping in at the last minute and saving the day. Somewhere in the recess of her mind she knew that it was childish to cling to such belief, but it was her only hope.
The heavy metal door opened, revealing the agent who had dealt with her as calmly as possible despite the frustrated look he'd worn when she had babbled in circles. She didn't know where the other two women had disappeared to. Abby had hugged her from out of no where whispering to her that she had to have faith in Gibbs. She assumed that it was the confidence and reassurance with which the woman had said the man's name that made her trust him.
"Agent Gibbs, please tell me you have news?" Jenny tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear, failing to notice his intense gaze as he watched her.
"Doctor, please have a seat." Jethro pulled out one of the leather chairs at the conference table, waiting for her to take a seat.
"No one has called me that in a while, so please, call me Jenny." She looked at him with the same emerald pools, the fear and uncertainty obvious on her smooth face.
Jethro inclined his head respectfully, taking a seat across from her he pulled his notepad out of his pocket and clicked his pen. Clasping his hands together on the wooden table he looked at her, "I need you to tell me exactly what you saw."
Jenny bit her lip, trying to fight back the tears that welled in the corner of her eyes.
/
She was running a little late, but not by much, checking the clock on the dashboard she let out a breath of relief when she noted that Roy's art class had just ended – it gave her another ten minutes to park the car and meet him. Easing the large Mercedes to a halt she cursed silently for being late. It very rarely happened, but when it did she always had Cynthia wait at least and hour before Roy came from kindergarten.
The young Tech that had talked to her had seemed so excited, she didn't want to be rude by telling him to get to the point. Parking the sedan, in probably the furthest spot from the school, she killed the large engine and got out before Roy got worried about her not being there. It occasionally worried her that her five year old son was so attached to her, but given everything they had been through she wouldn't be expecting anything else.
There was laughter and she smiled to herself – she could recognize her little boys grumbling laugh anywhere. Quickening her pace she could see him scamper around on the grass along with the boy who had become his best friend. She had a feeling their friendship had started when they realized that Roy and Rory sounded almost the same.
The disappointment on her son's face when Rory rushed to his mother almost broke her heart. She knew that having no one there waiting for him was worrying him. They usually waited for Rory's mother before they left. Although the woman didn't wait for Roy's mother to show up, Jenny pushed it from her mind reminding herself that the woman was having a tough time after her husband had left her.
Roy's slightly long brown hair flopped across his forehead as he dropped down on the grass, hugging his Superman backpack against his chest. She shook her head, if his father could see him now he'd probably take him for a haircut as soon as he had a chance. Quickening her steps she crossed the street quickly, narrowly avoiding a speeding SUV. She glared at whoever was behind the tinted windows, the SUV skidded to a stop and her glare darkened.
Roy's head snapped up and Jenny couldn't help but smile, waiting for the excited look to pass across his face when he saw her.
In a matter of seconds her entire world shattered to pieces.
They slid out of the SUV, heading purposefully towards her little boy as he looked up at them. She wanted to scream, but everything slammed together in her throat. The tallest of the two ran a hand through his impossibly dark hair, a strange smile on his face. Rage burst through her, she felt blood pump viciously through her veins as her muscle worked to carry her towards her son.
"Roy!" She could hear her voice echo around her, drawing the attention of the teacher who had been more concerned about charming one of the fathers she had been speaking with.
"Mommy!" Roy's terrified scream sliced through her as she watched the bulkier man grab her son and haul him effortlessly towards the SUV.
"Roy!" She screamed his name again. She couldn't hear her son's scream as the man clamped a hand over his mouth. The one with the long hair looked at her, an almost sadistic smile on his face as he watched her run towards them. Both men were looking at her before they got in the car and it sped off.
She was still running. She stumbled to a stop when she saw them disappear around the corner. She felt her heart pound in her ears, sliding her hand into her trouser pocket she felt for her phone, but she'd left it in the car in her haste to get to Roy.
/
"I headed straight here after it happened." Jenny wiped the tears away as she finished recounting the story.
Jethro nodded, scribbling the information down on the notepad. He was thankful for the woman's sharp mind because she had been able to give him almost all the numbers on the license plate with only a letter and number missing. Closing his notepad with a soft snap, he reached across the table placing his hand on the woman's. "I will find them."
He didn't know why he said it, whether it had been the pleading in her eyes or the faith she had placed in him without realizing it. All he was aware of was his sudden need to find whoever was behind everything and make them pay. Rule ten rang in his ears, warning him that he was getting too enveloped in the case.
"Did the Major have any enemies you're aware of, anyone who might gain something by taking your son?"
Jenny gave a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "No, Agent Gibbs. Henry might have been a military man but he was kind and everyone liked him."
"The research you do, anyone that might feel threatened?"
Jenny let out a quiet sigh, "No, they're all bright men and women. They all adore Roy, and we prefer to share out research mainly because someone else might have a solution or answer to our flaws. As for me personally, the only enemy I have is our house cat who likes to bring various things into the house that he caught."
Jethro couldn't help the small smile he let slip. Pushing away from the desk he slid his chair back in place and headed for the door.
"Did you know my husband, Agent Gibbs?" Jenny asked as she watched him get ready to leave the conference room.
"Yes, very fleetingly." Jethro answered. It had taken him a moment to place the Major, but it had been easy and painful to remember that he had met Sergeant Major McPhillips weeks before he had charged head on into a minefield.
"He trusted you, I hope I can do the same." Jenny watched as the former marine straightened out of respect not only for her, but for her deceased husband as well. He gave her a tight nod before disappearing out the door once again.
The sun spilled through the large window, casting strange linear shadows on the crimson Persian carpet. Dust particles floated through the air as he pulled a thick weathered bundle off of the bookshelf. Avoiding the heat of the sun he moved back to his ancient desk, the wood equally weathered. Stretching out in his well worn, well loved leather chair he opened the bundle's leather bound cover.
Old gray eyes flicked over the words and diagrams – absorbing the information hungrily as if they hadn't seen it before. He felt a rush of excitement in his body as he drank in the knowledge. He heard the slight creaking of wood somewhere down the long hallway, paying it little attention he turned the worn page. He looked at the pages with growing delight, running his tongue over his teeth in anticipation.
There was a hard short knock on the door leading into the old study. Rolling his eyes he waited for the door to creak open. He commanded that the other party enter, he paid the man no attention as he shuffled into the room and closed the door behind him. Finishing the page he was busy with, he pushed the old bundle away and looked at the man with a cocked eyebrow.
"Speak, Damascus, your silence isn't helping the fact that you disturbed me when I had asked to be left alone." He snarled at the man in front of him, growing impatient with his servant's obvious decision to remain silent.
Damascus shifted from one foot to the other. The man behind the old African Black-wood desk had terrified him since the day he had taken him in as his servant. He felt his throat constrict slightly as he watched the man's eyes darken from light gray to an almost charcoal black. "Thanatos is on the phone, he would like to speak with you."
The man made a sound of annoyance in the back of his throat and pushed away from his desk. He'd refused to have a telephone in his study, it was tasteless and he usually went to the large semi-sphere room for some peace and quiet. Pulling his fingers through his long black hair, he resisted the urge to pull it out of his scalp.
Damascus swallowed nervously and stepped quickly to open the door. He followed at a respectful distance behind his master, being mindful to keep his head down as they moved down the dark corridor. Swallowing again he rushed to open the door that led into an office.
There was a large meeting table in the center of the room, easily accommodating fifty men on either side. At the head near the north wall stood a chair, it's size that of a throne. There were various scenes carved into the old wood. All of them depicting various battles, where there was always only one victor.
Apollyon – the destroyer.
Damascus turned on the old chandelier that hung over the large table, illuminating the rather large room that also facilitated the rest of his master's library. Motioning towards the phone, where he had left it resting on the table, he stepped out of earshot – preferring to familiarize himself with the titles of the bundles.
"This better be good for you to disturb me during this time of day." There was a coldness in Apollyon's voice that sent a shiver down Damascus' spine.
"My apologies, Master, but the boy – we found him."
"Wonderful, I'll have Damascus give word. Tell that pathetic Moldark to ready the plane, you'll leave there just after midnight. Tell me, Thanatos, the boy's mother, was she there?"
"Yes, Master, as beautiful as you described her."
There was a moment of silence before Apollyon spoke again, "Bring the boy back, then we'll talk about her later."
Apollyon slammed the phone down in its cradle. Damascus was standing off to his side, waiting for further instructions. He watched as Apollyon's eyes darkened again, the vengeance and lust in his eyes making him sick to his stomach. The silence dragged on.
Apollyon threw his head back, his black hair cascading like a waterfall behind him as he laughed – his jugular bulging. The sound echoed in the large room.
Damascus gave a forced smile, hoping to fool his master that he was sharing in his joy. When he had stopped and instructed him to call the rest of Apollyon's men, he had stayed in the large room – wondering what he had done to end up in this horrifying nightmare.
/
Thanatos slid his phone in his jacket pocket, looking over at Kearne as he steered the SUV down the busy streets of Washington DC. He turned around in his seat, looking at the boy strapped in the back. The same smile from earlier steeled over his face, although it faltered when the boy looked up, his large green eyes boring into him, creating the feeling of a hole being burnt into his forehead.
Letting out a soft snarl of distrust he turned back to looking out the windscreen. Kearne shifted around in his seat, clearly unsettled about the fact that they had to leave so many witnesses behind. "Relax, old friend. Our time is near, Apollyon wants us to depart just after midnight."
"He's a fool, we should leave now." Kearne snapped, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"Patience, he wants everyone present when we bring the boy." Thanatos grinned menacingly as he watched the boy over his shoulder, his face partially shielded by his long hair.
Roy looked out of the tinted window, wiping his eyes furiously as he fought against the tears. He squeezed his eyes shut, digging deep inside him to find the courage to stay strong. He prayed quietly that his mommy would find him.
The tension in the squad room was palpable, every last agent had voluntarily stayed. Metro PD had sent someone to help as well as the FBI. They were all just waiting for the inevitable phone call that would give them their ultimatum. The phones were ringing off the hook, people were either claiming that they were behind it or that they knew where the men were hiding, but they had a price.
Gibbs had disappeared when he had stepped out of the conference room. Tony cracked his neck, there was no doubt that his boss was trying to secure a SWAT team to execute a nation wide search – if not international.
Abby had been a mumbling mess ever since she had returned from her lab to set up shop with them in the squad room. Tony stuffed the rest of the spring roll in his mouth, chewing it quickly. There was nothing they could do, they had agents on the street and Tim was running a search for the number plate and going through camera footage.
"Ziva," Tony whispered quietly, she was seated right next to him, picking through her own container of food.
"What?" She sounded tense.
Tony frowned, he'd noticed ever since her return from Abby's lab that something was different about her. Looking at her out of the corner of his eye he pushed forward. "Have you noticed that Gibbs seems… different?"
Ziva looked at him long and hard, her deep brown eyes almost knowing as she regarded him from where she sat slightly in the shadow his lamp cast on her. "He's always different when there is a child missing, given his past, I think he knows all too well what it feels like to lose one."
Tony looked at her with a raised brow. He always suspected that she knew more about Gibbs' past than any of them. Shaking his head, if only to himself, he continued picking through his carton of food, his appetite suddenly lost. He knew what Ziva meant, he was just running things through his own mind. It wasn't the first time other agencies helped them with a search.
Something was different, it crackled and snapped in the air, he could feel the hair on the back of his neck and arms stand on end with anticipation. Whether his body was simply waiting for the rush of adrenalin that would surge through him the moment they got a break in the case, or even if it was just the briefest moment of victory they'd all share when Roy was safely back with his mom – he didn't know. All he knew was that something was different.
Jenny ran her hands up and down her arms, trying to calm herself down before she took a weapon from one of the many agents and went after the men herself. She had been moved from the conference room down to the squad room, she had stopped asking questions the moment one of the agent's had looked at her with a slight flash of annoyance.
She had been on the verge of snapping when Gibbs had done it for her, although he'd simply done it with a glare that could chill anyone down to the bone.
Cynthia had called her hysterical, asking whether she and the rest of the research team could do anything to help. Truth was – there was nothing anyone could do. She kept repeating the same thing in her head, if Henry had still been alive something like this would never have happened. The man had been aware of everything around him all the time, he never would have been late and he would have had the men on the ground before they could have even thought of touching Roy.
In the five hours that had passed since it had happened she had run through everything. Checking and then double checking her past. She had been raised in Washington, her mind set on becoming a neurosurgeon, it had been during her residency at Georgetown University Hospital that she had met Henry. After a rather short courtship they had married. Starting a family of their own had been the difficult part since doctors – who in some ways were her friends – told her that she wouldn't be able to have children.
Due to some miracle she had found out one afternoon that she was expecting – and now there was a chance that her little boy was going to be taken away from her. She doubted she'd be able to do anything other than torture herself to death with images of her son if something happened to him.
Leaning her head against the cool glass of the large windows, she closed her eyes in desperation.
There was a quiet noise next to her before someone cleared their throat. Using the last of her strength she pushed herself away from the glass and looked at whoever had managed the guts to approach her.
Gentle blue-gray eyes looked at her, she felt herself relax marginally. The old man's face was lined and only slightly weathered, but those eyes spoke volumes despite the man's silence. The depths in them suggested that he'd seen carnage and horrors beyond her wildest imagination. He held out a delicate cup, a warm and tender smile spreading over his face as he looked at her.
"Brewed it myself, I thought I might come check on you my dear. I can only imagine the things you are going through." The barest hint of a Scottish drawl was evident in his accented voice. Something her own father had had despite being born and raised in the States.
"Thank you..." She trailed off.
"Where are my manners? Donald Mallard, but you can call me Ducky. I must admit that I already know who you are, Doctor Shepard." Ducky smiled at her warmly again.
Jenny shook her head, taking a sip from the warm tea, "Jenny." The old man inclined his head slightly and smiled at her again. "If you want to ask me more questions, I'm afraid I wouldn't be of much help."
Ducky shook his head violently. "Oh, my apologies for misleading you. I'm just a Medical Examiner." Taking a drink from his cup he moved a little closer to the redhead, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Jethro had come down to see me a few minutes ago. He is doing everything he can to find your son."
Jenny gave the doctor a small smile before turning back to look out the large windows again. She felt helpless as she waited for other people to look for her son. All she could think about was the fear on his young face as he realized she wouldn't be able to help him. Fresh tears sprung to her eyes and she wiped them away quickly. The hand on her shoulder dropped when the old man felt the tension in her muscles as she squared her shoulders.
Spinning on her high heels she marched to the cubicle where the team sat that had helped her. She slammed the delicate cup down on the desk closest to her, glaring at the wide eyed faces that stared at her slightly in shock.
"I've been waiting for five hours, and still none of you can tell me where my son is! He could be on a plane already halfway to a foreign country, or dead, and still you won't be able to give me answers!" Jenny felt her chest heave with every breath she took, she knew it wasn't her place to order people around, but it looked as if they weren't doing anything to find Roy.
The entire squad room had quietened down for the second time that day. Agents were peaking over dividers and others had abandoned their chairs to see what team Gibbs had to say for themselves. Agent Balboa watched with mild fascination as Tony squirmed in his chair, grasping at whatever they had managed to find thus far. It was always difficult to explain situations like these to parents of missing children.
Tony gaped slightly, feeling himself slip further into the deep end as he looked between his equally stunned team mates.
"We're doing everything we can, miss Shepard." Jethro spoke as he rounded the corner.
Tony let out a soft sigh of relief, but his body tensed either way. His boss seemed tense, his face set in a hard scowl and the creases on his forehead and around his eyes deeper than he'd ever seen them before – he looked almost in pain. If experience and years of working with Gibbs had told him anything, it was that the man's gut was running away with him.
"You don't have children, do you Agent Gibbs?" The question was cold – almost brutal given the man's past.
The deafening silence seemed to drag on forever. After the Pin Pin Pula debacle there wasn't an agent who didn't know about the events of '91 when Gibbs had joined NIS. The tension was even more unbearable as everyone waited for the inevitable explosion.
Jethro clenched his jaw, feeling his teeth ache with pain and his muscles quiver with anger. Meeting the old M.E.'s gaze where he stood near the entrance of the bullpen, he willed himself to calm down. "No,"
Abby closed her eyes, she doubted anyone else heard the pain in his voice, but she knew it was there, simmering just underneath the gnarl in his voice. She met Ziva's gaze across from her and she knew that her friend had heard it as well. Looking up she saw the Director on the catwalk, although his face was neutral she knew he was just as anxious as the rest of them to see how it would turn out in the end.
Jenny let out a rush of air through her nose. "I'm sorry, Agent Gibbs, I know you're doing everything you can. I just… I want my son back."
Jethro opened his mouth to say something, but closed it instead – no wasn't the time.
The squad room turned back to what they had been doing. Jethro turned back to his team who had already gathered in front of the plasma screen. "Update!" He bellowed.
"So far neither one of our suspects are registered anywhere. Their faces aren't on any of the most wanted lists, domestic or foreign. I can't even find a passport photo – as far as everyone is concerned these men don't even exist." Tim pulled the sketches back up.
"The FBI is doing everything they can, but they keep hitting a dead end." Tony ran a hand through his hair, placing his hand on the base of his skull just in case his boss felt like slapping him on the back of the head in frustration.
There was a ding behind them and they all spun around.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" Abby jumped out of her chair, her arms above her head in a sign of victory, "I got you."
Jenny felt her heart rate pick up, her pulse thundering in her throat as a sense of relief and fear washed over her. There was no guarantee that Roy was still alive, but she was clinging to the determination in agent Gibbs' eyes that had told her that he'd do anything to prove her wrong.
"Abby..." Jethro growled as she looked at them almost smugly, even if it was just for a second.
"Okay, so maybe our creepy friends are invisible – but not to me." Abby grabbed the clicker out of Tony's hand and pulled up the last image they had of the SUV speeding down the street. "We lost them somewhere after they had taken Roy from kindergarten. Not before I triangulated a call made to an encrypted number."
"We already know this, Abs." Jethro growled impatiently, they didn't have the time to play games.
"Yes, but unlike Timmy I don't give up." The geek blushed when the mother of the little boy gave him a cold look. "I kept running a search on the number I had managed to triangulate. At first it was a last ditch attempt and I wasn't expecting any results, but fate is on our side."
"The exact same number made a call about seventy miles from here near Shenandoah Park. At first I thought I might have the wrong number. So I called my friend who's a ranger to be on the look out and he just confirmed that they saw that SUV with that registration."
"Balboa, gather your team, meet us there. Tony, you and Ziva go with them, Tim and I will meet you there."
"I'm going with you." Jenny stepped forward, finding the courage to speak again.
"No, miss Shepard, I can't risk them trying to wrangle a deal out of you when it isn't necessary."
Jenny grit her teeth, her eyes darkened dangerously. Taking a step closer to him she she tilted her head back slightly to look at him. She could feel his chest press against hers with each angry breath she took. "You don't get to tell me what to do, agent Gibbs. Roy is my son, I doubt you'd be able to keep him calm when you find him. Now, if you won't let me go with you, I'll have to ask agent Balboa to take me with them – since he seems to have a shred of human decency."
Jethro raised an eyebrow, impressed by the fire that burned inside her and the determination that brimmed in her dark green eyes. "Fair enough, but you'll stay in my line of sight, is that clear?"
"Crystal."
Thanatos flicked his shoulder length hair as the wind blew through the warm nigh air. He watched the constellations as they slowly moved as the earth spun around its axis. The full moon's light touched his skin and he tilted his head backwards, enjoying the way the pale blades of light danced across his pale skin. He could feel the hunger in the pit of his stomach growl and churn as he enjoyed the gust of wind that carried with it the smell of a meal.
Licking his lips he could feel his friend shift around with anticipation. He laughed to himself – Kearne, always impatient and always ready to react. The years that had passed had taught him the things he needed to survive when he couldn't give in to the animal that raged inside him.
"Patience, Kearne, we have to wait until we're back home." Thanatos opened his eyes, watching the leaves rustle in the wind, wafting yet another mouthwatering scent towards them.
Kearne let out a low snarl and turned back towards the cave, unable to stand around and not give into his instincts. He watched the boy as he looked around the vast cold room, licking his lips as he saw the boy's pulse hammer against his skin.
"How is it that they haven't found this place?" Kearne muttered, trying to keep his mind clear.
Thanatos laughed, "Old friend, you should know by now, the human race is terrified of the unknown, they still cling to the belief that it is only them in this world."
"Soon," Kearne growled with childish excitement, "they will know who they bow to."
Thanatos laughed, the sound drifting across the clearing, sending the animals skittering towards safety.
/
The car skidded to a stop, sending her heart to shoot straight into her throat. Taking a moment to get her head to spin the right way again, Jenny managed to glare at the man seated in front of her. Tim seemed undeterred by the abrupt stop. Gathering her wits she opened her door, stepping out into the warm night air.
The other agents were already in position, a perimeter set up up around the entrance of the cave-like structure. Jenny watched as Tony jogged towards them, affording her a reassuring glance before he turned serious again.
"We just finished setting up. Balboa's got men near either side of the entrance, we checked out the car doesn't seem like Roy was injured or anything. We're just waiting for you to make to call, Boss." Tony walked alongside Gibbs as they moved towards the cave.
Jethro took the bulletproof vest from Ziva as they neared the edge of where several federal cars blocked any escape. He felt the woman shift behind him nervously and he could suddenly see himself chasing after her as she tried to get her son back from the men who had taken him. A frown passed over his face. Turning around he pushed the vest into her hands, quietly telling her to wear it.
Tony looked at Ziva slightly bewildered.
"I don't want any incidents tonight, do I make myself clear." Jethro growled at his team and the other agents gathered around him. He met the redhead's eyes as she looked at him.
The agents all nodded. Jethro inclined his head towards them and pulled his SIG Sauer out of its holster, checking his clip. Zipping his NCIS issued jacket up he slid his weapon back in his holster. He listened as Balboa announced that they had their suspects surrounded and that they had a choice of surrendering or resisting.
Silence fell once again.
A cloud drifted along as the wind blew, revealing the large sphere that sat in the night sky. Jethro felt his muscles tighten underneath his skin, quivering and bulging. He could feel the nervousness with which an agent chewed his gum, could sense the uneasy glances and shifts amongst the men and women as they waited for a response.
The sickening feeling in his stomach reared its head again, constricting his throat and almost causing him to gag. Something felt wrong, as if they had missed something crucial. A feeling of anxiousness washed over him, sending the hair on his body to stand on end. Taking a step forward, he felt a delicate hand lace around his wrist.
"Please, be careful." Jenny whispered as she watched him make a decision. She doubted he knew that she could see his nervous system react to the feelings he felt. Once again she found herself placing profound trust in a man she hardly knew. His eyes, there was just something about his eyes.
Jethro ignored the shouts of objection as he marched across the small field. He motioned for his team and everyone else to stay put when he noticed them moving with him.
Taking a calming breath he stepped inside the cloying darkness.
It took several seconds for his eyes to adjust to his surroundings. He felt his way along the slippery floor, somewhere he could hear the steady tap-tap-tap of water as it dripped. The overwhelming smell of soil wrapped around him as he pushed himself further into the cave.
He couldn't remember this cave being here, or that anyone ever told him that this was here. He wondered if Roy's abduction was an act of some strange ritual. Moving forward he felt his foot connect with something hard before he stumbled forward, planting himself almost face first on the floor of the cave. Letting out a sound of annoyance he lifted himself back on his feet.
Jethro reached for the small flashlight that was clipped to his belt. His hand stilled for a moment, thinking better of it he left it on his belt. He didn't know who was watching and whether they had heard his footsteps when he had entered. In the distance he could just make out something that looked like the flicker of pale blue light.
A few strides had him right in the light as it shone through the vegetation that grew entwined with each other. He frowned slightly, finding the obvious gaping hole in the roof of the cave strange. Looking around, he felt his resolve momentarily sink to the soles of his heavy-duty leather boots.
The cave seemed to disperse into various branches, each looking more promising than the other. Jethro swore violently. Using the illumination from above him he tried to see footprints in the muddy earth, but all he could see was his own boot prints. Jethro took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down enough to rely on the instincts that been drilled into him in the Core.
Closing his eyes, he tilted his head up, trying to clear his mind. He felt the moonlight on his face as he listened to everything around him. He felt his muscles react before he could even make up his mind.
Tightening his grip on the butt of his gun he felt his way along the narrow walls of the cave. Bile rose in his throat as he moved forward. Something told him he was close as he smelled the faintest waft of flowers the deeper he moved into the cave.
/
Thanatos spun around, his own gray eyes large and dark as he felt something behind him. Looking at the boy with narrowed eyes he watched him as he still hugged his backpack to his chest, his young face streaked with tears. He felt Kearne tense beside him, having sensed the same change in the air.
"What is that?" Kearne snarled savagely, his face wrinkled in distaste.
"It's getting closer." Thanatos balled his fists, taking a step back. The smell was strange – something he hadn't smelt in years. It was strong, crushing his other senses. He felt Kearne bristle next to him ready to attack or kill whatever was closing in on them.
"The boy," Thanatos snapped, "get the boy."
Roy looked up as the bald man moved towards him. Squeezing his eyes shut, he forced the tears away, relying on what his mother called his sixth sense to will her to save him before the man took him away.
"Don't," A voice boomed in the small alcove that led into the open end of the cave.
Thanatos and Kearne snarled simultaneously as someone stepped into the pale moonlight.
Jethro trained his weapon on the man who had moved to grab Roy. He shook his head at him and stepped closer to Roy, shielding the kid with his body. "Roy, I'm Gibbs," He spoke calmly, "I'll get you out of here."
Thanatos laughed, his eyes darkening beyond measure. "It has already begun. Nothing you do, can stop it. You shall bow once again and serve as you were intended to."
Jethro trained his weapon on him instead. Reaching out a hand to Roy he felt the little boy grip his hand tightly and pull himself to his feet. Both men snarled at him as he pulled Roy to stay right behind him. "Roy, you okay, son?"
"Yes, sir." Roy gripped the man's leg tightly, the sense of fear and angst evaporating – he felt safe.
It was a mistake, something a rookie would have done. He looked down at Roy for a split second and it was the biggest mistake of his entire career. There was a reason his gut hadn't stopped churning. He felt the chill run down his spine as the loud noise echoed around them in the cave. He watched with calm horror as the red casing fell to the ground. The nine pellet buckshot careened towards him.
His own scream of pain rang in his ears as the silver pellets ripped through him.
Jethro stumbled backwards, his back hitting the cave wall with a thud, his head crashed against the rock hard enough for him to hear his skull crack under the heavy blow. The coppery taste of his own blood pushed up his throat and pooled in his mouth. The heat was rapidly escaping his body.
Using what little strength he had he pulled Roy towards him, his SIG resting on his thigh limply as he looked up at the two men. His head lolled forward and he stared through the four gaping holes in his chest, trying to look at Roy he prayed that his ill judgment hadn't cost the boy his life.
Emerald pools looked at him with fear. He tried reassuring the boy that everything would be okay, that Tony and Ziva would save him. His voice came out as a gurgle and he coughed blood – the tangy copper smell made him gag again.
Thanatos holstered the sawed off shotgun in its leather holster. He didn't need it but there was nothing like the smell of fear when his victim realized that they had met their end. His head fell back again inhaling the dark rich scent, his body quivered with the smell and he knew that Kearne was simply waiting for him to allow him to indulge himself.
"Get the boy, we've already wasted enough time."Thanatos gave the little boy his usual sadistic grin.
Roy clung to Gibbs' limp body, burrowing closer to him when Kearne prowled towards him. He kicked his legs violently as the man tried to grab him. He felt Gibbs try and hold on but he didn't seem to have the strength. Roy kicked the man's arm with as much force as he could.
"Stop it!" Kearne thundered, shaking the foundation of the cave.
Roy felt the heat rise in his cheeks, he knew his mommy told him not to get angry over petty things, but he knew she'd understand. Holding onto Gibbs as tightly as his small arms and hands would allow he screamed as loud as he could and kicked his legs violently.
Jethro groaned with Roy's weight that pushed against him. He was somewhere between alive and almost dead. The boy's scream boiled his blood and he couldn't do anything about it. He felt an immense heat spread through his body as Roy pressed closer against him.
Bright light enveloped him, warming his cold clammy skin. There was a strange whirring in his ears as the ground underneath him started shaking. He tried opening his eyes but his eyelids were too heavy.
The noise stopped and the heat seeped out of him again.
He wondered what he had missed, where had he gone wrong and what the hell had just happened. Using the little warmth he had left in his body he tried pulling Roy closer, to protect him as much as he could until help arrived.
"Gibbs," The boy spoke against his chest as he held onto him, "it's going to be okay."
Jethro tried laughing or even just grumbling but the darkness pulled him deeper and before he knew it, it enveloped him completely.
"I promise it's going to be okay." Roy whispered as he gripped Jethro's shirt in his fists.
To Be Continued
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