Chapter Two

Scene opens with Tim McGee arriving at the squad room. No one else is there. He drops his bags on the floor in his desk area and then sits down, ready to start his day.

"I know I'm early but Ziva, at least, is usually on time," he said to himself.

"McGee!" Director Leon Vance called from the top of the stairs.

Tim turned, "Morning, Director."

"Morning. Welcome back, how was your vacation?" Leon asked.

"Too short, as usual. But I'm glad to be back. Where is everyone?" Tim asked as the Director walked down the stairs and into the squad room.

"They went out late last night on call. We got a hit on the BOLO for Malchus Fayak Hatem. I'm waiting to hear how the take down went."

"Nice, we've been trying to get him for weeks. I'll bet Gibbs was pleased."

"He cracked a smile, so yeah, he was definitely pleased," Vance joked and Tim laughed. "Let me know, I want a report as soon as he gets in."

"Will do, Director."

.o0o.

Tim started typing on his keyboard, researching and reading the updates on the case they've been trying to close for weeks. Even a few short vacation days meant you miss an awful lot of things going on at NCIS. Nearly a half an hour later, he realized how much time had passed and is concerned.

"Even Gibbs is late, what the hell happened last night," Tim said. He looked up as movement caught his eye.

"It's about time, you're late… Agent Fornell? Gibbs isn't here, no one is actually. I'll tell Gibbs you want to talk to him when he finally…"

"That's why I'm here, Tim." Fornell said softly. "Call Director Vance to join us, and Abby and Ducky, too. I only want to say this once."

Tim immediately picked up the phone, "Abby, bring Ducky and Jimmy up right away." He hung up before she could respond then called Director Vance. "Fornell is here, something has happened."

This time Leon hung up first and he burst out of his office, and started running down the stairs. Tim rose to his feet and came around his desk.

Shortly after, the elevator door open and Abby rushed out. "McGee, you jerk…" Then she noticed Fornell and Director Vance with twin stone-faced expressions. "Where's Gibbs? Where's Tony? Ziva?" She ran into Tim's arms, eyes already glistening with unshed tears.

"Tobias, what's going on," asked Director Vance.

Agent Tobias Fornell looked everyone in the eye. "You should all sit."

No one moved a muscle.

Fornell shook his head. "The take down last night went badly. Gibbs…" he started but his voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Gibbs and Ziva are missing, we're assuming they have been taken hostage. Tony is at Bethesda, he's been in surgery for a few hours, but he's still in critical condition."

"What!?" all five of the team members yelled at the same time, then each continued, all trying to make themselves heard over the others.

"Quiet!" Fornell yelled. All heads turned toward him with their mouths open in mid-sentence, but not a peep sounded.

"Leon, it was a setup. I don't know for certain if Malchus was there or not but I'm guessing so because his brother, George, was still at the scene. We found him in the front room and he'd been shot. Three times, right through the heart." He pulled out a few bullet casings. "I don't now for sure but my guess is these are from Gibb's Sig Sauer."

Abby reached out her hand and took the evidence bag from Fornell.

"Any shots from the other guy?" Leon asked.

"One in the wall next to the door, so Gibbs' shots are clean. These were found right inside the door. Gibbs went in the front, Ziva and Tony through the back. Gibbs didn't police his brass, and that means that the whole mess got ugly in a hurry."

"Gibbs is hurt, too?" Abby started crying.

"We don't know yet, but as far as we can tell, there is only one area with blood. We've only just begun to process the crime scene. Ziva had time to call 911 but was taken down before she was able to make a report to the dispatcher."

"How did the FBI get involved? This is an NCIS take down?" Leon stated.

"We got the call because the local LEOs didn't know who to call, it appeared to be drug related to them. Fire and Rescue arrived less than ten minutes after the 911 call was placed, and by then, only George Miller and Tony remained."

Tim shook his head. "No, that doesn't make sense. Even if Tony was shot, Ziva would still have moved in, guns blazing. There's no way she would go down without a fight."

"Agreed, and my guess is a tranquilizer of some type. That's the only possible explanation. Nothing else would stop her without leaving her blood, and her target's, all over the place. There was also a strong pepper spray smell in the air."

"Same for Gibbs." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"We'd like to keep your team involved, but the FBI will be taking point on this case."

"The hell you are," Tim said vehemently.

"McGee, you are a team of one. You can't—" Fornell began.

"The hell he is," Abby interrupted, her eyes blazing. "Our team, our boss, our friends, OUR case."

Leon looked at his staff, looked at Fornell, and then back at his team. "Agreed, NCIS will work this case, but we'd like to keep the FBI in the loop."

Tobias started to argue but then stopped and sighed heavily. "Can you work the case without your emotions getting in the way? These are your friends, and EXACTLY the reason why agents are not allowed to work on cases where they are personally involved."

Leon nodded, "Yes, that is true. However, you, too, are personally involved, Fornell. Gibbs is your friend. Which is why NCIS and the FBI will work as partners, if you can spare two or three of your agents. Tim will be lead agent—"

"Leon, you're making a mistake," Fornell stated.

"With the caveat that my team operates as expected. The first moment they let it get personal, FBI will take over and my team will be benched. Is that acceptable?"

Tobias sighed. "Yes, I suppose it will have to be."

Leon looked at his team. "If you can't do it, tell me now. If you can't put your anger away, or at least put it to good use, then I suggest you back out now. I will not allow you to put Gibbs and Ziva in further harm or delay their return."

Tim, Abby, Ducky, and Jimmy all stood straighter, and nodded in agreement. "Yes, sir," Tim spoke for the group. "We'll find them, sir."

Tobias stood still, looking directly into Tim's eyes. For long moments, no one moved, barely breathing. Tim's gaze was hard, determined, and confident.

"Okay, then," Tobias said, impressed with Tim in spite of the seriousness of the situation. "Myself and three agents will return in an hour. No one is allowed at the crime scene until I return, I'll notify our team to hold off and wait for our arrival. I expect to hear your plan when I return."

.o0o.

Leon turned to his team as the elevator doors closed on Fornell. "I'll go to the hospital and check on Tony. You all concentrate on finding Gibbs and Ziva. I suggest you start at the crime scene." Vance turned and walked out of the squad room, headed for his office.

"I'll go back through my case notes and see if I can find us some leads." Tim said to his team. "There were buildings we checked out before, maybe Hatem is using one of those to hold his hostages. And I'll put a BOLO on Gibbs and Ziva, and another on Malchus."

"When I get the samples from the crime scene, I start processing and see what I can come up with. I'll check bank records, phone records, and… um… well, computer stuff while I'm waiting."

"Jimmy and I will get started on the autopsy of George Hatem nee Miller, that is as soon as the body arrives. Tim, excellent job, my boy."

Abby, Ducky, and Jimmy all try to hug Tim at once, resulting in a huge, though infinitely comforting group hug.

"Don't forget," Vance called from the midway point on the stairs. "You still have the case of the murdered marine to solve. Abby, fill in Mr. Vacationer here with the details."