And I present you with...chapter 6. Plot twist included! And I have to admit I'm not completely sure what is in this chapter as the Olympics are on and there are some very good looking men swimming across my television. I'm more than a little distracted. Sorry about that. I just can't escape from it. Everywhere I turn, beautiful men are on the screen, soaking wet. This is becoming a problem.
Anyway...
Hope you enjoy. Pretty please review and tell me what you think! I love hearing everyone's thoughts, it makes my night so much better!
Even better than the gorgeous men swimming on the tv. So that's really saying something.
Sorry.
I should really turn off the tv.
I can't.
Go Michael!
Help me.
~Renee.
Patrick gave a meaningful look to Lawrence, who pushed Tony back into the love seat. His head spun slightly at the movement but he forced his eyes to focus on the man sitting next to him.
"Alright Tony, you want your answers so badly, I'll give them to you. On one condition. You have to give me answers too. Understand?"
Tony swallowed and took a breath.
He knew nothing about Jonathan.
Nothing.
Everything he knew came from the babbling of a seven and four year old.
That wasn't going to impress these men.
Could he bluff his way through this?
Well I guess we're about to find out.
"Alright. Age before beauty. You first. What's going on?"
Laughter gushed from Patrick and Tony leaned away from the sound.
"I'm afraid if we are not given what we came for your beauty will not last much longer Mr. Eliot."
Tony's patience was gone.
"Well I can't give you what you want if you don't tell me."
Patrick nodded and Tony could feel Steven and Lawrence moving behind him. A firm hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Watch your tone Mr. Eliot. I do not appreciate your attitude."
Calm down Tony. Don't antagonize them.
Tony bit his tongue and held back a sigh.
"Didn't mean to offend."
Patrick reached out and patted him on the knee.
"Do not let it trouble you. Now, you wanted answers? Where shall I commence?"
Tony shifted his weight until Steven's hand was no longer holding down his shoulder.
"I find the beginning is usually a good start."
He laughed again and Tony felt his stomach twist at the sound.
"Of course."
Xxx
Greg sat on his bed and swung his legs back and forth while he listened to his sister.
"And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again. Is there one you like Mr. Cowboy? Greg picked that one, it's your turn."
The phone was quiet for a brief moment before Gibbs responded sounded slightly out of breath.
"Hush Little Baby. Do you know that one?"
Maggie nodded.
"My mommy sings that one. Are you ready?"
"Yup. Go ahead."
"Hush little baby don't say a word, mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird, and if that mocking bird don't sing, mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring. If that diamond ring turns brass, mama's going to buy you a looking glass… hmm... I don't remember the-"
There was shouting coming from the living room. Maggie lurched to her feet and spun around, facing the door.
"Mr. Cowboy? People are shouting! I can hear Tony yelling!"
Maggie heard Gibbs say a very bad word.
"Maggie, stay away from the door, I want you and Greg to hide okay? In the closet, under the bed, anywhere you can find, but stay on the phone."
"Okay."
Maggie reached out her hand and grabbed Greg's arm pulling him behind her to the closet. Greg looked around in confusion and then grabbed his favorite stuffed dog before being shoved in the dark by his sister. Maggie followed him in and then pulled the doors closed behind them.
"Maggie I don't want to be in here! It's dark! I don't like the dark!"
Maggie gave him a hug with her free arm.
"It's okay Greg. Remember Daddy did the no monsters dance in here. All the monsters went away, it's safe."
Greg looked at her for a long minute before nodding and settling himself on the floor to play with his dog, trying to pretend that he wasn't in the dark closet that was previously occupied by scary creatures.
Maggie sighed and looked around herself and tried not to think about giant one eyed monkey that lived in her closet.
Daddy's monster dance hadn't gotten rid of that.
Let's hope it worked better in Greg's room.
She took a deep breath and turned her scattering attention back to the phone.
"We're in the closet, now what do you want us to do?"
Xxx
"We're in the closet, now what do you want us to do?"
Gibbs cursed under his breath as he blared on the car horn.
He needed to contact his team but he couldn't end his call with Maggie, nor could he put her on hold. He didn't have a radio in his car and his only option would be to hang up on Maggie and call McGee. And that was not even to be considered. She was a little girl and he was not leaving her alone. But... Tony needed him too.
Gibbs growled as he maneuvered down the road.
"Okay Maggie, I want you to be really to be really quiet alright. Can you hear what they are yelling about?"
The phone was quiet.
"I can hear Tony, he's saying…'Jonathan'… and 'No.' I don't know what else, other people are yelling too loud. I don't know."
Gibbs tightened his grip on the phone.
"It's okay honey, you did a good job. Now I need you to tell me where you are. You aren't at Tony's apartment?"
"No, Tony took us to ours so we could get some clothes."
"Okay, can you tell me your apartment number?"
"411 B. Mommy made me memorize it."
"Did she? That's good. That's a good thing to know. I'm almost there Maggie. Just a couple more minutes."
"Okay, hurry I-"
Her voice cut off with a small shriek as a familiar echo came through the phone.
Gibbs pushed the car further as he yelled into the receiver.
"Maggie! Maggie answer me!"
"There was a loud noise! I'm scared... I don't…. I want Tony...I want my mommy!"
Maggie began to cry and Gibbs swerved around a truck.
"It's alright, Maggie. I promise everything will be alright. I'm almost there. I'm going to take you to your mommy, Tony'll be with you soon. Can you tell me what the noise sounded like?"
Maggie sniffed.
"Like...like a...firecracker. I don't like firecrackers."
Gibbs could hear Greg saying something in the background but he couldn't focus on the little boy's frantic words.
Firecracker.
Men with guns.
A noise like a firecracker.
A gunshot.
Tony.
No.
He could see the building rising in front of him.
He swung in front of the entryway and ran to the door, punching in the code Tony had set up when he first moved in.
1906.
Tony had smiled when he set up the numbers and answered Gibbs' questioning look.
"It was the year the first full length feature film was ever released. The Story of the Kelly Gang. It ran for just over a hour but it was the world's first."
Gibbs' had rolled his eyes but had not forgotten.
The code blinked and the doors clicked allowing Gibbs access.
"I'm coming Maggie. I'm almost there."
"Hurry. There's no more yelling. It's really quiet."
Gibbs swallowed hard and ran through the doors and up the stairs, his heart pounding.
When he hit the fourth floor, he slid to stop and checked himself.
"Maggie, do you remember how many men were in the house?"
He could hear her counting quietly.
"Three or four. I'm not sure. Tony was in front of them. I don't think he wanted me to see."
Gibbs nodded. That sounded like DiNozzo, keeping the kids away from the danger as much as he could, even to the point of blocking their view.
Didn't make his job any easier.
But he didn't blame him.
It's what he would have done too.
"Okay Maggie, I'm right outside the apartment, but I need you to stay put until someone comes to get you. I have to hang up so I can help Tony, I'll be right there, got it?"
"Okay."
"Stay in the closet and stay quiet okay? Promise?"
"Promise you're going to help Tony?"
"I promise."
"Then I promise too."
Gibbs' lips twitched in spite of himself. He could see why Tony liked the kids so much.
"I'll see you soon."
"Bye Mr. Cowboy."
Gibbs ended the call and dialed another number.
"Hello?"
"McGee, we have a hostage situation at DiNozzo's apartment. Get me back-up and bus, now!"
"Boss? What's-"
"Not a good time for questions McGee. Just get help and get down here. Now!"
He snapped the phone shut and eased his way to the door.
He pressed his ear to the wood but didn't hear anything.
Silence.
Wait…
There was a slight murmur of voices, but it was too muffled. Then there was quiet cry.
Tony.
Gibbs took a step back and quietly touched the doorknob.
It was open.
No back-up.
No idea what I'm walking into.
But Tony's in there.
Kids are in there.
Tony's hurt.
There is no other option.
He braced himself and raised his gun.
One. Two…
He pushed the door open.
"NCIS! Freeze!"
For less than half a second Gibbs was able to take in the room before things went to chaos.
Tony lay on the floor, blood pouring from his side. Three men stood around him, two with guns aimed at him loosely and the third smiling down at him.
Two guns immediately came up, but before Gibbs could react, one was snatched away and was suddenly pointing at Tony's head.
"NCIS? Curious..."
Gibbs narrowed his eyes at the voice...there was something eerily familiar about it. And he didn't like it.
Suddenly the man pointing the gun at Tony laughed.
"Oh. Oh of course, it would be you. This could not be more perfect." He chuckled again, as if he simply could not stop himself. "I suggest you put that down, unless you want to be responsible for this young man's untimely death. And I know you wouldn't appreciate that...Agent Gibbs."
Gibbs' shoulders straightened slightly at the sound of his name coming from the strangers lips.
How does this man know who I am?
No answers jumped out at him as his eyes darted to Tony, hoping for clarity, but his friend looked about as confused as Gibbs felt. Gibbs debated silently for a moment, his gun trained on the man holding the weapon on Tony, with another gun pointed at his own head.
Tony, for his part, struggled to focus on the man standing in the doorway. How did Patrick know Gibbs' name? He didn't say anything. They still thought he was Jonathan's brother. And why the hell was Gibbs' here anyway?
Patrick smiled at Gibbs, a satisfied look on his face.
"You shoot me, you'll be dead before I hit the ground, and that would be leaving dear, injured, innocent Tony in the hands of two very angry men. Is that what you want? Because if I know you at all, that would defeat the purpose of you bursting in here in the first place am I correct?"
Tony shook his head.
Don't do it Gibbs. Don't put down the gun. Shoot him. Shoot him now! You have no idea what's going on, shoot!
Gibbs narrowed his eyes and then raised his own hands, his gun pointed at the ceiling.
Tony closed his eyes and raged at Gibbs internally.
Why are you here alone? D*mn it Gibbs! Just this once you couldn't have followed the rules and waited for back-up?!
Patrick nodded to Steven who stepped forward and relieved Gibbs of his gun.
Steven then moved away and Gibbs took a half step towards Tony.
Patrick shoved the gun into Tony's temple.
"Ah ah ah, stay there."
Gibbs moved back to where he was and gritted his teeth, watching the violent man next to his agent.
Patrick looked down at Tony.
"Now Tony, things just got a bit more complicated. The list of people you're responsible for just keeps getting bigger. Now we have an NCIS agent joining the party. How did this happen I wonder."
Tony said nothing, just stared Patrick in the eyes.
He clicked his tongue and sighed.
"There is that attitude again, we're going to have to do something about that."
He turned back to Gibbs.
"Agent Gibbs. It had been too long. Care to tell me what you are doing here? I must admit this time you surprised me."
Gibbs ignored him, his eyes focused on Tony and the growing pool of blood surrounding him.
Tony blinked several times trying to clear his vision and meet Gibbs eyes.
There was a brief moment of unspoken communication.
I'm okay. Answer him. Be careful.
Gibbs swallowed.
"Was in the area. You're not very subtle. Gun shots tend to alert people something is wrong."
Gibbs at least hoped that was true. Someone had to have heard that, somene had to have called the local police before he got ahold of McGee. Someone had to be coming soon...
Patrick chuckled.
"And yet here you are all alone. Doesn't your protocol state that you need a partner or back-up before entering a hostage situation? Now what was so important about this one that you felt the need to break the rules and burst in?"
Gibbs' lips twisted.
"Make a deal with ya."
Patrick tilted his head.
"A deal? Interesting. Go on."
"Let me stop his bleeding and then you can ask all the questions you want. I'll even be honest."
Patrick raised an eyebrow.
Tony looked between the two men and then coughed, flinching at the pain that rippled through him. He turned his attention to Patrick and used some of his quickly fading energy to speak.
"Your plan's not going to work too well if I bleed out."
"Hmmm… very well. I don't suppose I need to warn you however that we will be watching. Very closely."
Gibbs moved towards Tony.
"I gathered."
He hit his knees next to his bleeding agent and lifted his shirt.
Tony looked at the concern and anger on his face and winced.
"It's just a graze."
"Shut up."
Gibbs turned back to Patrick.
"I need towels and something to wrap around him. Now."
Patrick leaned back slightly.
"Your attitude needs some work as well. Common courtesy can do a lot for you Agent Gibbs."
Gibbs growled out a please and Patrick look extraordinarily pleased with himself.
"Lawrence, some towels if you will."
Lawrence muttered something in Spanish and drifted to the restroom.
Patrick stood and stepped over to Steven and began speaking excitedly, gesturing to Gibbs and Tony.
Gibbs glanced at him and leaned close to Tony's ear.
"You getting any of that?"
Tony shook his head and whispered.
"Having difficulty focusing on one language at a time. Sorry."
"Don't worry about it, understandable."
Tony blinked a couple times and looked at Gibbs trying to remember what was so important. There was something that he had to tell him. Something…
Eliot.
He paled and opened his mouth, whispering furiously.
"Gibbs...there's something I have to tell you, they think-"
Lawrence stepped up and handed him the towels cutting off Tony's words. Gibbs took the cloth and pressed it into Tony's side and felt a rush of anger at Tony's hiss of pain.
"What the hell did you get yourself into this time DiNozzo?"
The room went silent.
Patrick turned slowly, his face cool and calm but his eyes burning.
"I'm sorry, what did you call him?"