A/N: I'm sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been super busy. See first chapter for disclaimer. As always, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please please please review! :)
Chapter 3: Fighting
As Chip was led into the conference room, he smirked at Gibbs. "Long time no see, Agent Gibbs," he said.
"I'm not here for a reunion," Gibbs grunted. The guards sat Chip down, releasing his cuffs per Gibbs' request and leaving the room.
"Okay then. What are you here for?"
"DiNozzo."
"What about that scum sucker?"
Gibbs bent over, getting in Chip's face. "He's been kidnapped, and you're in on it."
Chip feigned sincerity as he said, "How can I be in on it? I'm in prison. You and your team put me here."
"Someone faked a crime scene. A pipe with your print on it was found at that crime scene. Tony was kidnapped from that crime scene."
"I had no part in that, Agent Gibbs." Gibbs stared Chip down as Chip stood up.
"Sit down," Gibbs said, forcing Chip back into the chair.
"You're not going to get anything out of me, Agent," Chip said, watching Gibbs walk around the room.
"I know you're involved. And if I don't get my agent back alive…"
"You'll do what? Incarcerate me? I'm already here. Kill me? You can't without ending up here yourself, which is something I know you don't want to do. So, tell me, Agent Gibbs. What are you going to do to me if you don't get Tony back alive?"
"I'll make your life a living hell," Gibbs said in a calmly threatening whisper. Chip smirked.
"I'm already living in hell, Agent Gibbs," Chip said. "So, good luck making it worse." Gibbs signaled for the guards, who came in and handcuffed Chip to bring him back to his cell.
"So, now what?" Ziva asked as Gibbs left the room.
"We go back to NCIS and see what else we can dig up," Gibbs snapped angrily. Ziva and McGee looked at one another, both noticing how much this was getting to Gibbs. They were all right there with him, as Tony was a staple in their team and he needed their help. Problem was, they weren't sure where else to go. Abby was still working on the evidence from the fake scene, and they silently prayed that something in there would help them out in finding Tony.
Tony lay sprawled on the floor, bleeding from more places than he thought possible. He painfully whimpered while alone in the room. He closed his eyes, sniffing back blood and wanting the pain to end. He fought to keep his mind focused on what he could do to survive rather than the pain he felt now.
He'd been there for over a day, he realized, as he looked at the sun coming up outside. The fire that had been built to keep him warm over the night was now nothing but a pile of smoldering ash, but the room still felt as hot as an oven. There was nowhere for the heat to go, and with the rising sun, the room was about to get hotter.
Tony sighed softly, rolling over onto his sore back. In truth, many parts of him were sore from many fights with his captors. One day into it, and he wasn't sure how he would survive many more.
The door creaked open, and the skinny man walked in. "Well, you're lively this morning," he said. Tony rolled his eyes.
"I'm just peachy," he groaned in his characteristic annoyed tone. The skinny man walked over, squatting next to Tony's head.
"You should be. We've got a lot more teaching to do, Anthony." The two big men came into the room, and Tony broke eye contact with the skinny man to glance quickly at them as they walked over.
"Lucky me." The henchmen walked over, and Tony eyed them. They knelt next to Tony, grabbing his arms. He fought against them as best he could, but he knew that he wouldn't win. The guys were much bigger than he was, and there were two of them. There was only one of him.
"Just relax, Anthony," the skinny man said. "If you do, this'll be a lot easier."
"You're a terrible liar," Tony replied.
"Just trust me, Anthony."
"Why in the hell would I trust you? You kidnapped me." One of the henchmen punched Tony in the face, and the skinny guy sighed, shaking his head.
"Either you trust me, or I'll kill you. It's a very simple game."
"Maybe I'd rather die, then."
The skinny guy laughed. "No, Anthony. I know you wouldn't. You want to get out of here, alive. There's things you haven't said to people. You've never told Ziva your true feelings for her. Never told McGee how much he means to you. Never told Gibbs that he's more like a father to you than anyone else."
"How do you know all this? Who are you?"
"Who I am isn't important, Anthony. This isn't about me."
"Then what the hell is it about?"
"Everything in due time, Anthony."
"You said that yesterday, and I'm wondering how long you actually plan to keep me here. You know I'll either die or get out of here long before you answer any of my questions."
"Maybe that's part of my plan, for all you know," the skinny guy mocked. Tony shook his head.
"I don't think so. Knowing you, you wouldn't tell me jack shit."
"That's not true. You need to trust me, Anthony. It's the only way you'll make it out of here alive." Tony shook his head again.
"I don't trust you at all."
"Well, that's your demise." The skinny man stood up, snapping his fingers. The henchman picked Tony up with ease, and the skinny man smiled. "Welcome to the next day of hell, Anthony."
Abby groaned, slamming her fist into the table. "Easy, Abby," McGee said, walking in.
"We have nothing, McGee," she said. "Nothing. Nothing to help Tony."
"Nothing yet."
"Nothing yet," she sighed in concession.
"You'll find something. You're great at what you do."
"What if I don't, McGee? What if…?"
"Don't think like that, Abby," McGee said, putting his hand on her shoulder gently.
"I'm sorry," she said with a sigh. "I'm just… I'm worried about him."
"We all are." Abby reached over, hugging McGee tightly. He wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her gently on the back. "We'll find him, Abby. I promise. We'll find him."
"What if he's not okay, though?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Abby nodded, giving McGee a gentle squeeze before letting go and turning back to her work. He sat with her, keeping her company for a bit because he knew that was what she needed at the moment.
