April 2010

"I accuse...I accuse the following of sedition against the great AKCorp. Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Anthony DiNozzo, Ziva David."

He paused and licked his lips nervously before continuing.

"Doctor Donald Mallard...and Abigail Sciuto."

"Tim – don't please!"

Abby's anguished cry echoed around the great chamber. But Tim continued in a flat monotone – never looking up from his notes, never looking them in the eye.

"I have irrefutable proof that the accused have been attempting to fester unrest and to undermine the power of the Corporation."

The Chief Justice looked at the evidence summary in front of him, and turned to McGee.

"This is all documented and logged with the Tribunal?"

"It is - there's no doubt of their guilt."

"Then I have no choice – the accused will stand."

They got to their feet, reluctantly, but they knew they had no option. Tim had removed all of their options, he'd betrayed them and they had nowhere to turn. The Justice read from the screen in front of him.

"Your actions in attempting to undermine AKCorp in its quest to bring peace and stability to the world have contravened Section 18 of the Amun Code. You will be removed from your privileged position as members of the Corporation, and you will be cast aside into the Underclass – you will have no rights of employment, no Corporation housing, no financial resources – if you truly believe the world would be a better place without AKCorp you are about to find out – your names will be erased from all databases, from the moment you leave this Tribunal you cease to exist. You will be permitted no contact with each other, should you contravene this order you will be consigned to solitary confinement at Leavenworth – this is the sentence of this court – take them away."

Ducky pointed at Tim, and shouted.

"Do we have no right of reply? Do you take his word without proof?"

The Justice slammed his gavel on the desk.

"Silence! You have no rights any longer – the proof is entered in evidence.

In the eyes of the world you are vermin, now go, and scurry to the alleys where you belong."

As they were being dragged from the dock, they heard the final statement from the Justice.

"You see before you five more vicious subversives who failed to understand the glory that is AKhenaten. The Tribunal would like to place on record their thanks to Timothy McGee – a fine man who had the courage to expose the evil at the heart of the Corporation Security Force. We need more men like him to ensure the safety and security of our world community. This Tribunal is dismissed."

April 2010 – September 2010

That summer was the darkest time...unable to speak to each other, - they were being watched, they all knew it, and they couldn't risk trying to meet – it was a lonely time...

Abby had been lucky, Sister Rosita had defied AK by taking her in at the convent, Sanctuary for her body, but her spirit was very nearly broken. From the first moments of AK's takeover she had struggled to comprehend how her beloved science and technology could have been warped for such terrible ends. How AK had taken the marvels of modern communication and denied them to anyone who would not bow to their commands. But worst of all was Tim's betrayal – that had driven her to her knees and she struggled to get through each day...

Ziva, well she still had contacts, as only Ziva could, but they were very nearly as powerless as she in this new world order. Nonetheless, she could bide her time – one day things would change and she would be ready. So she ran every day, practised self-defence, maintained her knife skills, without a gun she felt...undressed – but there were other weapons, and she was determined to be ready to use them...

Ducky was trying to help the sick and injured who had no access to AK controlled hospitals, but without medical supplies there was a limit to what he could do. Jimmy had found out about Ducky's unofficial clinic and had offered to bring supplies when he could, but the risks were high, and Ducky had no desire to see Jimmy here on the streets with him.

"Your mother needs you lad – I have no one now."

He took a handkerchief and wiped his eyes.

"I can't tell you how much your offer means to me...but you must go – even coming here, they may be following..."

"But Doctor – I want to help, seeing these people – it's not right!"

Ducky gently guided Jimmy to the door.

"No Jimmy – it's not right, but I'm afraid it's the way of the world – and we all have to learn to live with it..."

Tony was surviving by his wits – and he wasn't doing too badly, he cursed Timothy McGee every day of his stinking 'underclass' existence, but he was prepared to wait for his own personal day of reckoning. Right now, he was more concerned with gathering as much information as he could on other 'alley-dwellers' who may be useful, be it for food, clothing, or better still – for taking on AKCorp – one day...

As for Gibbs – he'd slipped off the radar completely; no one had seen or heard from him since they'd been dragged out of the Tribunal...

Everywhere you looked the AKCorp logo replaced national flags, national icons – the Corporate motto was everywhere 'We are the Sunshine in your life.' Tony didn't appreciate the irony as he dodged the torrential rain driving down from a slate grey sky. Did they have this many summer storms before AK took over? He pushed open the door of an old lock-up storage unit that he shared with two others – two former Metro PD detectives who had refused to accept the 'honour' of working for the Corporation.

"Hey DiNozzo, a guy gave me this for you – said his name was Gibbs."

Tony grabbed the paper from Jake, his hands were shaking as he unfolded it and read the message...he'd been waiting for months, and finally...

Where we took out Freeman – Tuesday 22.00 – be there!

A broad smile spread across Tony's face – something to do at last.

"Good news Tony?"

"The best Jake – the best..."