DISCLAIMER: Now it's just rubbing it in! No, I don't own NCIS.
*!*!*!*! ATTENTION! Cursing is involved in this chapter! Sorry if it offends, but this is just a warning! (What can I say; Gibbs had a few moments where I felt like he'd definitely curse!)*!*!*!*!
Chapter Seven: Progress?
McGee stood in front of Abby's large desk, typing away and periodically glancing away, towards the young forensic scientist. She was asleep on the small couch in her office, snoring lightly. Tim looked back to one of the monitors and found himself searching through everything Mikel had done in prison. An art class, a writing class, and a few meetings with a psychiatrist had been the only things he had signed up for during his time in the big house and there were still no leads or any sign of where he could be. He was frustrated, as was the rest of the team. Tony and Ziva still had eyes on Abby's apartment and old hotel room, but they doubted he would go back there. Mikel Mawher wasn't an extremely smart man, but he knew enough to stay away from the places that would be watched.
"Timmy?"
McGee looked between two computers and saw Abby wiping her eyes. He frowned at the dark circles.
"Hey Abs, how are you feelin'?"
She shrugged her shoulders and shuffled over to her computers. Tim glanced at her feet and smiled again when he spotted her bat slippers.
"What cha workin' on?"
"Looking for any of Mikel's favorite places and trying to figure out what's coming next."
"Oh. Where's Gibbs?"
"Coffee run."
"Oh."
Abby turned on another computer and started to type.
"Abby, you heard what Gibbs said, no working."
"No, McGee! I'm soo bored! Please, just one or two case files?"
"Go back to sleep Abby."
"I don't even feel sick anymore."
She grumbled, but went back to the couch none the less. McGee chuckled slightly, glancing up towards the window, noting the new stormy clouds gathering up.
Gibbs sipped his coffee as his phone buzzed.
"Yeah, Gibbs."
"Hey Boss, I'm heading back to NCIS now. There's no way Mawher's coming back, he knows Abby isn't here. "
Tony's car was vaguely heard as he started it up and began to drive.
"I know. Find anything?"
"Nothing important."
"Contact Ziva and tell her to get back here too."
"Oh, boss, there's a big accident over here, I'm gonna be a while getting back."
"Don't take too long DiNozzo. We have leads to track down."
Gibbs ended the call and looked back at his computer. Mikel's prison file had been sent over, including some of the notes from meetings he and a psychiatrist had. Opening the file, Gibbs skimmed over the long details of each appointment.
"Paitent still shows signs of obsessiveness towards Ms. Scuito. Meds are currently making the new symptoms of paranoia easier to deal with. Believes Ms. Scuito is trying to break him out of jail. Forming a bond with cellmate Parker Quinn- incarcerated for attempted murder of an ex-girlfriends lover. Negative attributes being passed on from one to another (includes stalking techniques)."
Gibbs looked at the date of the appointment, which was several months ago. Searching the name of Mikel's friend, he realized Quinn was released on parole before Mikel escaped. Parker lived a half hour from Abby's apartment and was also hidden in a small building far away from any busy places.
Gibbs stood in front of a run-down home with McGee and Ziva. Tony was still driving back to NCIS and then had to take the task of watching Abby. With a swift kick, the door was down and the three entered the living room. A large piano was sitting in the middle of the room, accompanied by a warm, inviting fireplace. The home's inside looked much more impressive than the outside. Separating, Gibbs searched through the lower level of the house as McGee and Ziva searched the upper.
"Boss!"
McGee's voice echoed in the house as Gibbs came running. Ziva was not far behind when they reached the master bedroom. Parker Quinn was half out the window with his hands up while McGee was on the other side of the room with his gun up in the air. Gibbs pulled him out and cuffed him. Taking him by the shirt, he glared at the man.
"Where's Mawher?"
"I… I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Where?"
Gibbs growled and the man stopped his charade.
"He left, like, an hour ago! I don't know where he went!"
"Damn…"
Ziva led Parker out of the house as Gibbs searched through the rest of the house.
"He'll come back eventually. When he does, we'll be here."
Tony pulled into NCIS' parking lot and headed inside. Rain started to splatter and he ducked underneath the doorway of the building. Hurrying to the lab, he wondered where the rest of the team was. All he knew was that McGee had called him to say they were following a lead and to keep an eye on Abby while they were all gone. He took the elevator to Abby's lab and walked straight into her door.
"Ow! Abby! Open your door! Why's it closed anyway?"
He grumbled. After a few moments of no response he knocked again.
"Abs? You okay?"
He pushed on the door, but it didn't open at all. Crap. Pulling his phone out of his jacket pocket, looked back at the steel door.
"Gibbs."
"The door to Abby's lab is locked and she won't answer."
Tony yelled in a hurry.
"How long ago did you get there?"
"Like just now. Stupid traffic…"
"Get the keys from the janitor and get in there. We're already half way there."
Gibbs hung up and Tony sprinted down the hall. Stopping the nearest maintenance worker for keys, he rushed back to the lab.
"Abby!"
He opened the door and scanned the lab. Abby's window was broken, her computer was smashed off her desk, a few things were strewn across the floor, and her lab coat was in a pile on the floor. Gibbs appeared from behind him, the rest of the team upstairs holding Parker Quinn in interrogation.
"Shit…"
