Chapter 2
Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing. Tony had to be crazy not to have called them in by now. "Gibbs, we can't let this happen," she said in an undertone. Then she watched in consternation as Gibbs suddenly dug out his wallet, badge holder and cell phone and tossed them on the floor by her feet. "Gibbs?"
He pulled his headset off and dropped it in her lap. "Remember, I won't be able to hear you. You'll only be able to communicate with DiNozzo."
"Gibbs, what are you doing?"
"Not letting this happen," he said. "Give me one of the drop phones we have ready for Tony."
Stunned, she dug one of them out. "What are you going to do?"
"My name is Gibson Jasper Howe. Get Abby working up a background on me. Make me borderline respectable, a former marine, I'll get the details later." With that, he got out of the car and strode off towards the bar.
She stared after him for a long moment, utterly flabbergasted. Then she called Abby, trying to listen in on the progress of events while she explained what she needed to the Goth. One thing she knew for sure, Tony still hadn't called them in, so he was going to be a little startled when he saw Gibbs. She didn't dare say anything to him over the mike at this point for fear that Marino was close enough to hear the warning.
Though fear was threading through his belly, Tony still hadn't given up on talking Marino out of his insane proposition. If and when he did, he'd have to call the others in and hope he got out of here alive. Marino seemed to be enjoying the whole menacing thing and clearly wasn't in any hurry, so he had a few minutes to keep trying to change his mind.
"Give me a break," Tony said, going on the offensive. "You sound like a villain in a bad romance novel."
Marino's expression darkened. "Do I?" he asked, taking a step towards Tony who refused to quail back. For one thing, he knew he wasn't getting raped. The minute it sounded like Tony had lost control of the situation, Gibbs and Kate would be inside and dealing with things. He might get shot then, but not raped. Marino put his hand out to cup Tony's cheek, and Tony jerked sideways to avoid the touch. Marino grabbed the front of Tony's shirt and leaned close. "If you fight me, Vellucci, I'll call the boys in. I don't think you'd enjoy that."
Tony reached out with his free hand and shoved. "Let me go, you son of a bitch. I've got friends who won't like this."
Marino grinned. "You're going to tell your friends you got messed up by a fag?" he asked with a chuckle. "I don't think so." He brought his hand up and stroked the back of Tony's arm, bared by the rolled up sleeve of his D&G shirt. Unnerved slightly by this gentle response to his shove, Tony jerked his arm away, inadvertently bashing his elbow against the bar. Marino took a step closer so that there were only inches between them. In a lightning fast move, he whipped out another cuff and snapped it around Tony's left wrist.
"Son of a bitch!" Tony growled, jerking his left arm free and punching Marino in the face. The free end of the cuffs impacted slightly after the punch. The other man fell back with a curse, and Tony yanked on the cuff that was already attached to the bar. The railing was stronger than it looked, though. He kicked out when Marino came towards him again, to ward him off, but Marino dodged and came in with single-minded determination. He ignored Tony's legs and focused all his attention on Tony's left arm, shoving it back and cuffing it to the bar railing as well.
Kate listened with intense frustration. She hadn't been able to see Gibbs since he'd slipped around the corner to the bar's entrance, and all she could hear over the wire were the sounds of struggle. Tony was still growling and yelling, and he still hadn't uttered the words that should call her in. Now, though, even if he did, she wasn't sure what she should do. If she went barreling in now, she might screw up whatever Gibbs had planned.
"Gibson Jasper Howe, huh?" Abby said, and Kate nodded.
"Quick as you can. God knows how soon they'll take the time to check it, but Gibbs is going in now."
"Got it, Kate. What's up? Is Tony in trouble?"
Kate grimaced. "Yeah. Of course he is. It's Tony."
"What? What kind of trouble?"
"Not now, Abby," Kate said, listening to Tony's grunts of pain in her ear.
"Look, there's a chance of really good business here," Tony said suddenly. "But it's going nowhere if you don't uncuff me now."
"What makes you think I need your business, Vellucci?" Marino asked sardonically.
"Are you saying you're overextended? That you can't handle the extra trade?" Tony demanded, hoping that he could sting Marino's pride in that direction. "Or maybe you're afraid your associates will like me better."
Marino grabbed Tony's crotch in an agonizing grip, causing Tony's voice to choke off. He squeezed hard and then let go, and Tony, robbed of his hands, fell to his knees with a groan. Marino tangled his fingers in Tony's hair and forced his head back. Still gasping from the pain in his groin, Tony stared up at him in alarm. Marino smiled down at him maliciously and started unzipping his pants. Tony was trying to draw in enough breath to call the op when he heard a voice that made him freeze in surprise.
"Back off now!" Gibbs ordered. His voice was calm, but no less deadly for that, and Tony couldn't see him.
Marino turned, one hand in his fly, the other still gripping Tony's hair. "Who the fuck are you?"
"Back off or I will shoot you," Gibbs said, and Tony believed him.
Evidently Marino did as well. He released Tony's head with a snap that smacked him back against the bar and stepped away, doing up his fly as he went. "Who are you?" Marino demanded of Gibbs. "And what are you doing in my bar?"
"He's mine," Gibbs said, gesturing with his head towards Tony. Tony stared at him in shock. He didn't appear to be playing NCIS agent at all, and it wasn't his Sig he had pointed at Marino. It was his back up.
"What of it?"
"He's here for my business, not your pleasure," Gibbs said, crossing to Tony's side. He cupped Tony's chin and lifted his face, looking into Tony's eyes, never taking his gun off Marino. Apparently satisfied, he released the hold and turned back to Marino. Tony stared down at the floor, heart beating fast. Gibbs was here, Gibbs had stopped it, but he hadn't ended the op. That added a whole new level of complication to the situation, but it still left them with a chance to catch Colonel Sullivan. "I thought you were a businessman," Gibbs said disparagingly to Marino. "Evidently I was wrong. I'll be taking my money and connections elsewhere."
"Wait just a minute," Marino said, now looking alarmed. "How did you . . . why did you come in just then?"
Gibbs gave Marino a disgusted look. "You really think I sent my boy in here without back up? With your reputation?"
"Thanks Boss," Tony said, his voice and breathing finally under control again.
"Shut up," Gibbs snapped.
"Yes Boss," Tony said, lowering his head.
Marino glared at Tony. "You didn't say you worked for someone else," he said accusingly.
A gentle hand on Tony's head stopped him from speaking. "I ordered him not to," Gibbs said. "It was a test. One you failed. I'll have to go with Corsely now." Tony saw where he was going, and grinned faintly at the floor. Corsely was Marino's chief rival. He was at roughly the same level, but in a different syndicate. Gibbs gestured with the gun. "Unlock him."
Marino looked down on Tony, an oddly calculating look in his eye. "Can't we come to some kind of an arrangement?" he said after a moment. "I didn't realize that I was poaching on claimed territory. Your boy is an incorrigible flirt."
"That was kind of the point," Gibbs said, but he sounded somewhat less hostile. In fact . . . Tony glanced up, hoping Gibbs didn't sound or look uncertain. He didn't, he looked calculating.
"If I'd know he was someone else's property, I would never have put the moves on him, but you can surely see the appeal." Gibbs nodded slowly. "Can I offer you a drink and maybe we can talk?"
"Give me a sealed bottle, and we'll give it a try," Gibbs said. "And unlock him."
Marino walked over with the keys and unlocked the cuffs. Tony wasn't really sure he wanted the bastard that close to him, but he was all business in the process. He took the cuffs and pocketed them, then turned towards the back of the bar. "This way," he said. Gibbs gave Tony a hand up, and Tony followed him, moving a little slowly. His groin was still none too comfortable. They went further back into the building, and Tony wondered what he should call Gibbs. Boss clearly worked, though it couldn't be all. He had to have a name picked out. Where was Kate? Was she still in the car, or was she running back up somewhere?
Gibbs followed Marino into a private room that had several chairs around a coffee table. It also had a private bar and a TV set with DVD player. He'd recognized an undercurrent of something he wasn't sure how to handle in the way Marino was interpreting his behavior with DiNozzo. Apparently he'd laid claim to DiNozzo in a way that made the younger agent his property. Trying to play to that somewhat, he fixed DiNozzo with a stern look and pointed towards one of the chairs. DiNozzo, always sensitive to subtleties, immediately sat down without speaking. Gibbs turned to Marino and raised an eyebrow. "What exactly is there to talk about?"
"Business," Marino said.
"I thought you didn't need our business," Tony said snidely.
"Vellucci!" Gibbs snapped, and Tony subsided instantly. Gibbs turned back to Marino. "He makes a good point, though. You were willing to forego business with him."
"He is clearly not a senior player," Marino said, dismissing DiNozzo with a glance. "You are. So far as I was concerned, he was a bit player trying to seem important. I was willing to give him an intro, but he had to pay for the privilege."
"And I don't?"
"I think my associates would like to meet you," Marino said. Jutting his chin towards Tony, he added, "He would have been safer meeting them as my subordinate than as an independent."
"Subordinate?" Tony exclaimed, and Gibbs turned a glower on him. Tony rose. "I've had enough of this, Boss. We should just go."
"Sit down, Vellucci," Gibbs ordered, and Tony mastered what Gibbs assumed was a manufactured irritation and reseated himself.
"If you don't mind my asking, what's your name, sir?" Marino asked.
"Gibson Howe," Gibbs said, and he noticed DiNozzo's eyes flashing his way briefly. "Mr. Marino, after this demonstration, you're going to have to be very persuasive. I don't appreciate people touching my property without permission."
Tony flushed faintly and looked down. Having Gibbs talk about him like that made him feel very weird since it was quite evident now that Gibbs knew exactly what he was implying.
"I had no way of knowing he was yours," Marino said. "Please, have a seat. Can I get you a drink?"
"You can get me a bottle of good bourbon and a glass," Gibbs said, settling regally into a chair that had a good view of the room. "You'll forgive me if I don't want you serving me a drink after what you tried to do to Vellucci."
"It's a kindness, really," Marino said, bringing over a bottle of Maker's Mark and a highball glass and handing them both to Gibbs.
"Drugging the poor bastards before you rape them is a kindness, huh?" Gibbs replied with a twisted grin that made Tony wonder what he was thinking. "Whatever." He opened the bottle and poured himself three fingers.
"Do you want me to give your boy a drink?" Marino asked.
Gibbs took a sip of his bourbon, then tilted his head and looked over at Marino. "I think I'll kill you if you ever try to give him a drink again," Gibbs said, his voice perfectly calm and conversational, but the expression on his face as he looked at Marino made Tony shiver internally. He was glad that wasn't directed at him. "Now, you had business you wanted to discuss."
Marino got himself a neat whisky and sat down across from Gibbs. That put Tony's would-be rapist less than three feet away from him, which did not make Tony happy. "Is what Vellucci told me about the opportunities he could offer accurate?"
"As far as it went," Gibbs replied.
Marino's brows went up at the implication that there could be more. "Then I really think I should introduce you to my associates."
"Your superiors, you mean?" Gibbs asked.
Marino flushed faintly. "I guess," he said, then he shrugged. "I've already made the arrangements for Thursday night, in anticipation of Vellucci's . . . cooperation."
Tony narrowed his eyes and glared at the bastard. If he hadn't refused that drink, Marino might have gotten a lot farther before Gibbs and Kate realized what was wrong. How many idiots had been tricked into Marino's clutches that way? There was no way they'd ever know, but if he had anything to say about it, Marino was going to prison as a rapist. He'd be real popular in there with that tag.
"Cooperation is an interesting word for it," Gibbs said, and Marino's eyes flashed with irritation. "Fine, Thursday works for me. Now, I can't imagine what else we have to talk about, Marino."
"I do have one question," Marino said. He stood up and walked around behind Tony. Not wanting to give away just how freaked out that made him, Tony feigned nonchalance, but then he felt Marino's hands descend on his shoulders, one of them sliding down to slip inside the front of his shirt. He froze, knowing he didn't dare respond without risking the new turn their cover had taken. "How attached are you to Vellucci? Is it personal, or is there any possibility of an exchange? I am doing a service for you, introducing you to my superiors."
Gibbs rose to his feet and loomed over Marino. He looked pointedly at the hand inside Tony's shirt. "How attached are you to your fingers?" he asked.
Marino removed his hands from Tony's person and stepped back. "Fine, I get it." Tony let out a discreet sigh of relief, feeling a bit like a bone being pulled between two alpha dogs. Fortunately for him, Gibbs was about as alpha as they came.
"What time Thursday?" Gibbs asked.
"Let's say ten," Marino said.
"Vellucci?" Gibbs ordered and Tony stood up and followed him out of the room. They exited the bar and headed around the corner to the car where Kate was waiting behind the wheel. Tony slipped into the back seat with a sigh of relief. The plan had called for him catching a cab, but the plan was shot to hell. Gibbs slid into the front passenger seat. "Kate?" he said, and she put the car into gear and took off.
