~~Chapter Three~~
"I told you they wouldn't answer!" Abbie shouted at McGee, running towards his car in the parking garage. McGee was a few strides ahead of her, keys in hand. He cast a worried look over his shoulders.
"I'm sorry Abs, I didn't think Gibbs would've left his phone in the office," McGee stated as he reached the car. He slid the keys in, opening the door and getting it started before Abbie could even blink. She slid into the passenger seat, banging on the dashboard as she did so.
"Go McGee! I hardly think seatbelts matter right now!" She slammed her hands against the back of his chair in an urgent motion.
"I'm going, I'm going," He said.
"So, Gibbs, you thought you could catch me?" A voice shouted out across the way, behind some boxes. Gibbs was crouched behind some crates as well, Tony on the opposite side of the hallways. Tony met Gibbs' gaze, looking for any kind of signal.
"You killed a man, you will be caught," Gibbs shouted back. The man laughed, tossing a few random pebbles across the floor.
"Don't tease me Gibbs, otherwise bad things will happen," The man let out a cackling laugh.
Gibbs met eyes with Tony, giving him a silent signal with his hands. He gestured a bit towards the man, then moving his gun as if to signal shooting. Tony nodded, getting the idea.
Gibbs leaned forward, ready to peak his head around the corner on cue. Tony did the same.
Gibbs moved his fingers down from three, two…
One…
"You better drive faster Timmy!" McGee looked over to the frantic Abbie, nodding in silent agreement. He was too scared to argue with her right now.
"We're only a few block away Abs," McGee wanted to ask her what was so bad, but he couldn't find the nerve to.
"McGee, this guy has bombs strapped to every part of the building he's in. If he shoots his gun, he has some signal that goes out and blows the whole place up," Abbie spoke in a flat tone, as if the realization had finally set in. McGee let out a startled gasp.
"You couldn't have mentioned that earlier Abbie?" McGee gave an extra push to the gas pedal.
They rounded to corner to come face to face with a squad of police cars and ambulances. Before McGee could stop the car, Abbie was out the door. She ran to the first ambulance, asking where Gibbs was. The man only looked at her, confused for a second.
She turned with an angry huff, storming off inside the building.
"Ma'am, this is a lock down, no one has the right to go in or out of the building," a policeman stopped her with a hand to her chest.
"What do you mean? Like a hostage situation?" Abbie's voice was now frantic.
"Yes, there are two NCIS agents-"
"I know! I'm their forensic scientist!" She practically shouted in the man's face, her eyes full of anger. The man backed away a few steps.
"Did you know that if he shoots, this whole building goes down? He has bombs strapped to all four walls," She backed away, placing a hand on her temples and sighing. McGee came up behind her, rubbing her shoulders a little. He showed the man his badge, the man giving him a sympathetic look.
"No, miss, we didn't know that Miss," The man ran over to a few other officers, relaying the information.
"Timmy…. What if they don't make it?"
"Gibbs never gives up without a fight, much less some tactic," McGee said in a reassuring tone towards her.
Gibbs felt a stab of pain shoot through his abdomen. He fell to the ground, the crackling noise of another gun going off behind him. Tony ran to his side, lifting him up onto one shoulder. The walls started to crumble around them, fire blazing behind them.
"Gibbs, you have to walk," Tony practically yelled the words in his ear. Gibbs found his feet, dragging them under him. His eyesight started to blur, but somehow he kept a grip on Tony.
They exited the building, Tony diving them both for cover as the rest of it exploded behind their backs.
The pain in Gibbs' abdomen almost doubled as they fell towards the asphalt.
"Gibbs! Gibbs! Oh my god!" Abbie ran towards them as she saw them run out of the exploding building. She reached them right as Tony regained his senses, calling for help.
"Abbie, what the hell are you doing here?" He looked up to her as she bent over Gibbs.
"Is he going to be okay? Is he okay?" She met eyes with Tony, hers as frantic as anything could be. She seemed to have all of hell in her eyes.
"Abbie, he was shot and nearly exploded," Tony stopped when he saw the tears at the brinks of her eyes. "But he's Gibbs, I'm sure he'll pull trough."
Abbie broke down, laying her head on Gibbs' chest, the tears overflowing.
She had been too late, and now Gibbs was shot because of her.
She had been too late.