Chapter 3

He woke up, on his side, back in his cell and was momentarily thankful for the small mercy it brought, as the name Pedro Hermandez buzzed around his head, Tim recognised the name but couldn't immediately place it, even as the image of a man with dark greasy hair and mean eyes leaning over him swam into view, why was it any time he heard that name that image always appeared? Shaking away that particular thought, as it wasn't important, Tim refocused his attention back on the demand that had been made ~Pedro Hermandez...~, ~Pedro Hermandez...Where have I heard that name?...Oh Crap!~ Realisation dawned, however it wasn't the only thing that he realised at that moment, as a hand slipped softly over left hand side his face.

"I see you've finally realised the reason for your current predicament or a least part of it" Paloma Reynosa crowed, with a sinister smile.

Looking at the woman made his skin crawl, however Tim shifted in his position raising himself up the best he could so that he was leaning heavily on his right arm as he recalled their meeting.

***Flashback***

"My name is Timothy McGee. I'm a United States federal agent. I'm worth a lot to them, Okay?" he said before handing her his badge. "Now, if you just let them go, you can keep me."

She looked at the badge and then tossed it back to him. "You're a brave man, Timothy McGee. Do you know who I am?"

"No." Tim replied honestly.

"My name is Paloma Reynosa." she stated factually.

"Reynosa, as in..." Tim gulped.

"Reynosa Drug Cartel. At least that's what you would call it." Paloma replied.

"Yeah, we're screwed," Tim whispered to Abby, but noticed that Abby and Paloma exchanged a silent acknowledgment to each other which confused him.

Paloma obviously heard what he had said, even if she didn't notice what he saw, because she laughed whilst signalling to her men. "Yes, I would say you in particular are, Agent McGee. I'm sure however, your colleague and these students, will be grateful that I am accepting you're generous offer." Three very beefy guys had stepped forward as Paloma spoke, one of the men nudge Abby out the way before he and one of the others took hold of Tim's arms firmly from either side, whilst the third kept his gun firmly levelled, pointing directly towards Tim' chest.

"Now Miss Sciuto; you and your students may leave." Paloma informed and instructed at the same time.

Tim watched as Abby hesitated for the briefest of moments, throwing him a quick glancing glare followed by a smirk, ~What the hell was that about and how the hell does Paloma know Abby's name?~, before moving away and getting on the bus with the rest of the group. As the bus pulled away something heavy made contact with the back of his head sending Tim into oblivion.

***End Flashback***

"Where are my manners, we haven't fed you since you came to us" She cooed, as she slipped a finger under the gagged and pulled it out of his mouth, before untying it from behind.

"They won't release him" Tim rasped, it felt strange hearing his own voice out loud, it also hurt as his throat was raw with dryness.

"Still trying to play the brave little agent." Paloma laughed lightly. Taking hold of Tim's head, none to gently, tilting it slightly before placing a bottle of water against his lips and instructing him "Drink."

Tim didn't trust her but also had no real choice in the matter, as the water started to flow, if he didn't swallow the liquid, he would have chocked, so he drank the water and enjoyed the little relief to his thirst and dry throat that came from it, though the bottle was all too soon removed.

"Now you need to eat, sit up." Paloma instructed, Tim slowly and painfully manoeuvred himself so he was sitting up, which wasn't easy with his hands still tied behind his back and no help, leaning himself back against the concrete wall behind.

"Why are you doing this?" He questioned

"To get my father back." Paloma replied as if it was obvious.

"No this – feeding me? You're only going to kill me anyway." Tim pressed

He thought he made out a ghost of a smile cross Paloma's features for a moment, she ran her hand down his face again but this time didn't stop there as she ghosted it over his bare chest, causing Tim to flinch and shiver involuntarily especially when her hand slid into his trousers.

"What makes you so sure of that?" she asked as she removed her hand turning away and picking up a bowl from the tray on the floor "After all my men like having a human punching bag and you play the part so well."

"Yo..." Tim started but got cut off as a spoonful of food was shoved into his mouth.

"Eat!" Paloma ordered

Whatever the food was, not that it taste particularly nice, it made Tim realise how hungry he actually was so he ate, each time he swallowed a mouthful, another one was there to replace it, however being of a logical mind Tim counted and they'd only reach eight spoonful's when the food stopped coming and the gag was put firmly back in place.

"Can't have you getting your strength back, after all you may try to put up a fight." Paloma stated as if she read his thoughts, she gathered up the bowl and bottle before she got up but turned around making an announcement that shocked Tim more than anything else could have since, his ordeal had started "By the time I'm through with you, you'll wish you had died, like you should have, with the rest of your pathetic family, in the explosion." before he could even try to ask what the hell she had meant by the comment Paloma had walked out the door closing it firmly behind her.

Tim sat there staring at the door; his mind filled with confusion at the comments that had been made, as images that had haunt his dreams for as a long as he could remember, floated through his mind, the strongest they had ever been.

Walking down a road with a man in a dark uniform and a strawberry blond woman by his side, laughing and joking - that image always made gave him a safe feeling whilst the ones that followed, always left him feeling scared and afraid.

Hearing a strange popping noise, the sound of breaking glass and screeching tires

Turning from the shop window, he'd been looking through, in time to see a car blow into those same safe people he been with moments before.

Running towards the up turned car as flames started to engulf the vehicle.

The feeling of flying through the air moments later.

A man with dark greasy hair and mean eyes leaning over him, as he lay unable to move, swimming into view.

The feeling of being scared as he was carried away as he called out for the safe people he could no longer see.

Being dump in a darkening alley way

Shaking his head to rid himself of the unwanted memories that scared him, that he'd worked so hard to bury so he could move on with his life, his thoughts gave way to the earlier part of the conversation he didn't particularly want to contemplate being forced to live like this for any length of time either, so instead he forced himself to recalled a more recent memory - the threats that had gotten him into this mess in the first place.

*** Flashback ***

"No Abby we're not taking the students out there it's too dangerous" Tim argued back as forcefully as he could.

"Don't be such a party pooper McGee! You're such a baby and to think the Director believes you're the future of the Agency - what a joke! I'm going whether you like it or not, with or without you, oh and before you get any other ideas of not coming, just remember who's still the favourite as far as Gibbs is concerned. All I have to do is tell him that you upset me and he'll make your life a living hell" Abby stated triumphantly, she still firmly believed it in spite of everything.

"You wouldn't" McGee countered in disbelief of what he was hearing, after all the relationship he had with Gibbs had gotten onto a good footing in the last few month, but Tim was scared it could just as easily slip away again.

"You know I could always imply that it was something a little more physical, then you could kiss your job goodbye as well" Abby smirked.

***End Flashback***

NCIS

By the time Tony and Ziva got back to the director's office with Abby, Sarah was nowhere to be seen and neither was Ducky or Jimmy Palmer, which told both agents exactly what they needed to know, the young woman had been removed from the Directors office to avoid the possibility of a confrontation with the woman they were currently escorting and from the looks on Fornell's and Sack's faces they had been brought up to speed, during their absence.

"Morning" Abby greeted everyone, happily and seemingly completely unaware of what was about to happen, looking as though she was unsure why the FBI agents were in the room, as she made her way towards Gibbs.

"Abby" Gibbs growled backing off, pointing to a chair in a silent order telling her to sit, a look of confusion spread across her features but she complied ~so I guess they found out about McGee, well I just need to stick the plan and play dumb, after all they don't have a clue~

Vance stepped forward as Gibbs moved over to the window, apparently playing with his phone.

"So Miss Sciuto tell me about Mexico." Vance ordered

"I told you everything in my report, which I emailed to you first thing Director" Abby replied simply with a touch of confusion for good measure ~Well not everything~

"Really are you sure about that?" Vance questioned, trying to keep calm and poker faced, as not to give anything away

"Yes sir." Came the short reply

"So would you care to enlighten me as to where I might find Agent McGee?"

"Well if he isn't here, how would I know sir?" Abby feigned ignorance. ~At the ranch being beaten to a pulp hopefully~

"Are you really that stupid?" Ron asked before he could stop himself, everyone knew that the pair didn't get on and that their 'relationship' was almost as frosty as Abby's and Tim's.

"I began your pardon?" Abby questioned pretending to take offence, but much to her annoyance no one jumped to her defence and Vance quickly regained her attention, whilst Fornell and Gibbs sent scolding looks to Sacks, who shrugged apologetically at them, but not at Abby.

"So you didn't go out to the dessert and meet up with anyone, whilst you were in Mexico?" Vance asked.

Abby immediately decided to turn the tables on them, after all Gibbs would believe her over anyone any day, since she had worked hard to make sure she was his favourite, besides it had been the perfect way to get close to the man her family wanted to hurt the most - even if things were still a little pear shaped right now because the incident with the dog six months ago, which was all McGee's fault anyway.

"Well, yeah we went out there, McGee thought it would be a good idea for the students to see a real crime scene." Abby stated defensively whilst happily thinking things couldn't get any better.

"Really?" Vance questioned as he again placed the tape player on the table and hit play, cutting it off before the recording play the part where it informed that McGee hadn't yet been located.

Abby listened to what was being said, with growing horror as it dawned on her, that the students had informed on her, whilst also realising that not only had she been caught lying, but everyone in the room knew it.

"Would you care to try again Abby?" Gibbs asked from right behind her, making her jump as she hadn't been aware that the man had even moved, when Vance hit the stop button on the recorder, unable to keep the anger from his voice

"Gibbs...I" Abby started only to be cut off as Gibbs slammed his hand down on the table right next to her

"Don't even think about lying again." Shocked by the fury in his tone, tears started to well up in Abby's eyes but she blinked them away fast, knowing no sympathy would be coming her way, at least not at this moment.

"Fine, I took us out there! But nothing happened." Abby admitted feeling extremely annoyed at the way she was being spoken to by Gibbs of all people ~Well nothing that wasn't planned anyways~

"Unbelievable!" Gibbs shouted as he turned and walked back across the room, before temptation got the better of him, as he wouldn't have just dished out one of his legendary the head slaps.

"Hate to tell you this Abby - but we know you're lying" Tony stated coldly

Deciding to let them think that she thought Tim wouldn't have been held hostage long, she continued to fake stupidity over what happened "Oh let me guess, poor little Timmy couldn't handle a getting a little roughed up and he's sulking down in the bullpen, making you all feel sorry for him, whilst Ducky and Palmer make fuss over his minor bruises" Abby's voiced dripped with sarcasm.

"Do you really believe that Abby?" Ziva questioned with distain

"So you're admitting Agent McGee risked his life to save you and the students" Fornell

"Oh come on, that's a little over the top even for you Fornell, 'risked his life' - that woman was all talk, just making a show, because of the students. Nothing bad would have happen to him, it's not like it wouldn't have taken them long to recognise that he's not a real agent. They probably only kept him a couple of hours to shake him up a bit. He was probably on the next flight home after mine" Abby retorted continuing to play her part in the deception.

"Not a real..." Tony lost his words in his anger at Abby stupid comment, Ziva place a restraining hand on this arm, even whilst fiddling aggressively with a knife in her other one, whilst Vance hit the remote for the television making the still image of Tim McGee bruised and battered filled the screen.

"Yeah good one guys, hate to tell you this, but it's not April fool's day or all hallows eve" Abby scoffed pretending not believing the image was real, whilst being secretly pleased that McGee was finally getting what she thought he deserved. Gibbs was back behind her and he lean down so his mouth was next to her ear, but he spoke loud enough to ensure everyone heard him.

"You better hope that we get him back in one piece Abby or I'm going to make your life a living hell" Gibbs threaten, Abby visibly flinched as her own threat to McGee was directed towards her.

"It's not a joke?" Continuing her pretence, she ensure to lower her voice, making the words almost a whisper, as if shocked.

"We have just under seventy hours to find him, or he's dead Abby" Ziva informed her harshly

"But you're going to get him back? Right Gibbs" Abby questioned, faking concern.

"Of course we are" Gibbs informed forcefully without enlightening the forensic scientist that he wouldn't be going and Vance jumped in to stop Abby from responding throwing another spanner in the works that she hadn't expected to happen.

"Miss Sciuto, unlike my predecessor I am not willing to overlook your behaviour. I have regular meeting with Human Resources and your conduct is a constant topic of conversation and the accounts department keeps me informed of any outstanding monetary issues and it has been brought to my attention that you have never paid the five hundred dollars to them so they can reimburse Agent McGee back for the jacket of his that you ruined, like you've been asked to."

"Bearing this in mind and with your conduct last week I am here by relieving you of your duties, without pay until further notice whilst a full investigation is launch into your behaviour and we will be docking the five hundred dollars money from this month's wages; Agent McGee has waited long enough!"

"But you can't do that! I haven't done anything wrong!" Abby splattered, realising she was fast losing control of the situation, but at least she knew that Gibbs was going to Mexico to try and get McGee back which meant that the plan was still working.

"I most certainly can and you most certain have, the falsified the report you sent me this morning that alone is reason enough! Agent Smithe will escort you out and no, you may not go back to the lab to get anything." Vance informed before he opened the door to the office revealing Agent Smithe standing there waiting "And just so you're aware after the investigation is complete, and if I have my way, which is highly likely - you'll be lucky to get a job cleaning toilets"

"Guys...I..." Abby faltered as she made another attempt at playing the victim

"Forget it Abby we are no longer interested" Gibbs informed her as his phone rang, Gibbs deliberately turned his back on her and answered the call as Smithe forcefully usher her from the Directors office.

NCIS

Tim didn't know how long he'd starred at the door after Paloma's visit, but he must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing he knew he was lying on his side, drenched in water. Shaking his head, trying to clear the fog, he heard laughter all around him, seconds before the first kick landed heavily in his groin.

The contact made him gag as the food he'd had eaten threaten a return journey, that never actually happened, as numerous kicks landed on his abdomen, the dull aches that had been there from the previous beatings where instantly replaced with severe pain, before rough hands were suddenly pulling him off the ground.

"Time to move pretty boy." A gruff voice informed him

"Yeah the boss lady wants have some fun, before we get to play again" Another voice enlightened happily

~Fun, what does he mean by fun?~ Thought Tim in complete confusion as he was dragged from the room.