Tony, Kayla and Jared crouched at the edge of the field. In the moonlight, they could see a farmhouse, but more importantly, they could see a barn. They had been walking for several hours and they were exhausted. "We'll rest here a minute," Tony said, knowing it was more for himself than the children.
He felt Jared curl up next to him, shivering in the cold. He wrapped his arm around him, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. But the truth was, things were not good.
When Tony crawled into the head of DaVoodi, he didn't like what he saw. Deceit and trickery were as much a part of the Mafia as threats and violence. Tony was now without his jacket, badge, ID, and gun. If Testidori had taken any one of those items, he could use it against NCIS. He had to contact Gibbs, but he couldn't take the risk. Testidori's men would be swarming the area and he was in no condition to mount an attack, or even defend against one. He knew what had to be done, but his thinking was being marred by the pain. "C'mon. Let's try and get to the barn. Walk quietly and no talking."
It took a while, but they finally made it. The barn had an old fashioned door that was being held closed by a large beam resting on a hook. Jared lifted it up and slid it over while Kayla swung the door open. Tony limped through, losing his desire for secrecy bit by bit. Once inside, Kayla pulled the door closed behind them. She clicked on the flashlight and for the first time, Tony felt a tinge of hope. There was a loft, which would have been an ideal place to do what needed to be done, but Tony didn't have the strength to climb the ladder. They found all kinds of farm equipment, horse tack, and even a half empty bottle of whiskey, but it didn't have what he needed the most, which was a bed and blankets. In the far corner, he found a small stall that was relatively clean, and he collapsed on the straw.
"Are you okay?" Kayla asked after hearing his heavy breathing.
"I'll be fine," he lied. "But you have to do something for me."
"What?"
"You have to get this bullet out."
Even in the darkness, he could tell her eyes were big. "You can do this. I'll tell you exactly what needs to be done.
"I don't think I can."
"Trust me, Kayla, you can. I saw you get us outta that movie theatre. I know you can do this."
She looked down at her little brother, but he was no help. If she read him correctly, he probably thought she could do it too. "I don't know…"
"Kayla, I need for you to do this. I'll explain everything to you. Then, when this is over, I'll take you wherever you want to go, Disney World, Paris, anywhere. But right now, we have to get this bullet out."
She bit her upper lip, then slowly nodded her head.
"Good. Bring that medicine kit here and tell me what's in it."
She described the contents of the first aid kit as he lay on his side staring at a wayward piece of straw.
"I got the water you wanted," Jared said, having found a hose.
With difficulty, he managed to pull his knife from his pocket and open it. "Take this to the hose and clean it off as best you can. See if you can find any matches. If you can, sterilize the blade with one."
Kayla and Jared shared a glance at each other before doing what they were told. They never did find any matches but they found an old kerosene lamp. Tony instructed them to dip the knife into the kerosene, and then run it under water again. After they did that, they sat down next to Tony and he laid out exactly what he wanted Kayla to do, from making the first incision, to using the tweezers they'd found in the kit, and pouring the antiseptic over the wound, to wrapping him with gauze. One of the most painful parts was determining exactly where the bullet was, and it was almost exactly where Tony thought: lodged just under his right shoulder blade. It wasn't too far in, but it was far enough that Tony knew he'd better take a hefty swig of whiskey before she began.
"One final thing, Dr. K," Tony said, gently giving her her first nickname. "I'll most likely pass out, so don't be scared, and don't stop what you're doing. You can do this, I know you can." He turned to address Jared. "And you, MJ, assist Dr. K as needed. Do you know who Michael Jordan is?"
"Sure! He's one of the greatest basketball players ever!"
"You're right. One of the reasons he's so good is his ability to assist his teammates. That's what you're gonna do, assist your sister. Can you do that?"
"I think so."
"I need for you to know. I need for you to be sure. There's going to be a lot of blood and Dr. K's gonna need your help."
He gave his sister a look, but she only stared at him, giving him that look that she saved for when she needed his help with something, mostly convincing Mom and Dad to let her do something.
"Yeah, I can do it."
He said it with conviction and that was good enough for Tony. "Good." He took another long swallow from the whiskey bottle and waited for the burning of his throat to subside. He tore some fabric from his shirt and soaked it in the alchohol. Then he folded it and put it between his teeth. He grabbed onto a leather strap that Jared found for him and when he felt he was ready, he nodded.
He was not prepared for the pain. Fortunately, he didn't stay conscious for long.
Chapter Break
Vance descended the stairs, deep in thought. He never imagined his children would ever have been put in jeopardy for something he had seen. Hell, he never thought the lives of his children would depend on the one agent he would have most liked to have been rid of. He was bone weary and was convinced that last night had been the longest night of his life.
"How's your wife?" Gibbs asked when he entered the bull pen.
"She's resting. This not knowing is killing us. Did you match the blood?"
Gibbs nodded, "It's DiNozzo's."
"What about the truck? You find that yet?"
"Not yet. We got every available local LEO and the FBI scouring the area. We'll find them."
"When, damnit! Agent DiNozzo could have taken them anywhere, assuming DaVoodi doesn't already have them!"
"Director," Gibbs said, soothing his own fears as much as everyone else's, "we're working this case very aggressively. You're tired and should be preparing for today. Go back upstairs and be with your wife. If anything breaks, we'll let you know."
The tension in the bullpen was high. It had become the unofficial gathering room for anyone who had anything to do with the case. Abby sat next to Ziva and Ducky now sat in Tony's chair, forcing Sachs to take up residence next to McGee.
"Look," Gibbs said, coming from behind his desk, "whatever you may think of DiNozzo, there's nobody better. There isn't a more qualified agent out there who could do a better job at keeping Kayla and Jared safe. Even if something were to happen to him, I'd bet my last breath of air that your children would be protected, because that's the way he thinks. He's always five and six steps ahead of the next guy."
On some level, Leon knew this to be true. Anthony DiNozzo was the most sought after agent in NCIS. Not only was he requested by other departments, but other agencies also requested his services. The one requisition that always intrigued him was the one from cyber crimes. They could have asked for McGee, or any number of other technically trained agents, but they didn't. They asked for DiNozzo. When he inquired about it, he learned that Tony could dance through an operating system better than Gregory Hines could dance on a stage—but only when he wanted to.
Leon looked at Ziva, wanting to hear more words of comfort. She nodded and agreed, "It is true, Director. Tony is one of the most capable agents I've ever met, inside NCIS and Mossad. He may not have all the extensive training, and he may be a bit unorthodox at times, but he manages to outsmart, out-think, and out-maneuver the bad guys."
Abby nodded proudly, knowing that he had that something special that few men possessed.
Tim felt the need to add his thoughts and said, "She's right, Director. It may not be pretty, but he always figures it out."
Gibbs brought Leon's attention back around and said, "I've never met his equal, not in the marines, and not in civilian life. So put your mind at ease and go back on upstairs and be with your wife. Let us do our job and find them."
Vance started to leave, but stopped abruptly. He considered his idea while remembering the thick file of requests for DiNozzo. "If he saves my children, I'm giving him any position in the agency he wants."
"Fair enough."
After the Director left, Fornell said, "Leon testifies in front of a Grand Jury this afternoon. If DiNozzo doesn't contact us by then, what's he going to say?"
Once again, Gibbs had pretty much been occupied with those kinds of questions most of the morning, and unfortunately, he hadn't come up with any answers. So, he did what is always does in situations like this; he looks away.
Chapter Break
The sharp pains and general throbbing woke him up. He blinked, focusing his eyes on his surroundings. With difficulty, he lifted his head and saw two sets of eyes, huddled together, staring at him. "Hey," he whispered, pushing off a mountain of straw that seemed to be covering him.
"We thought you were dead," Jared said.
Tony felt like that may not be too far from the truth. "Why would you think that? I feel great."
"Because you haven't moved since last night."
"Did you get the bullet out?"
Kayla held out a blood stained piece of gauze holding a copper colored slug, "I think so. Can I keep it?"
Tony's head was pounding and he wasn't sure of his answer, but she smiled and put it back in her pocket. He couldn't even focus on his watch to see the time, "What time is it?"
Kayla leaned over, brushed off the straw, and looked at his wrist, "Ten fifteen."
Tony sat up, but the movement was too sudden and the pain was too blinding. "Shit!" came flying out of his mouth before he could stop it. He lay back down, heavily breathing. It took several minutes before he regained his composure and, squinting his eyes from the pain, he hissed, "We have to move. Did you see a car outside?"
"I saw one drive up this morning," Kayla said.
Not good, not good, not good. "I don't suppose it could have been the owner of the house?"
Kayla shrugged.
After much effort, he made his way to the door and peeked out. Sure enough, the car was a dark colored SUV, the kind the Mafia is fond of driving. And the man sitting behind the wheel was dressed in a dark suit, the kind the Mafia likes to wear. "Did you see how many men were in it?"
"Just one. He went inside the house and came out with something to drink."
Tony furrowed his brow, his thinking still cloudy from the pain, "If he's looking for us, why didn't he come in here?"
"He did," she added with a speck of enthusiasm. "We covered you up with straw and then climbed up that ladder. He didn't look around too good though. I think he just wanted to get back inside his car where it was warm."
Thank goodness that good help is hard to find, even for the Mafia. Trying to ignore the pain in his back, Tony marveled at their ingenuity. "How'd you get to be so smart?"
Kayla blushed, turning her head. Jared rolled his eyes and muttered, "Oh, brother."
Peeking through the door again, it was evident that the man was relaxed behind the wheel, no doubt set in for the long haul of waiting, ensuring that this farmhouse didn't become a refuge for them.
"Why don't the people who live here call the police on that man?" Jared asked.
"Because…" Tony hissed at his severe discomfort, "they probably think he IS the police. He most likely showed them a badge and told them some lie about us." He leaned back, feeling the eyes of the children on him. He was so ready for this to be over. He did a quick calculation and determined that they had to get on the road now, not run into any of DaVoodi's men, and avoid any traffic jams around DC in order to make it to the courthouse on time. Even if the Gods were with him, it was going to be tight. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We need to lure that man into the barn. Jared, do you think you can get his attention without being seen?"
"How do I do that?"
"See those bushes next to the house. I want you to sneak up to them and then toss pebbles onto the roof of his car. Not too many, just one at a time until he gets out. Then hide there, and don't be seen. Can you do that?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Okay." He took a minute to adjust his arm, and swipe at the bead of sweat forming on his brow. He didn't really want to know how his back looked, but based on how it felt, he was going to be needing a doctor, and sooner than later. He adjusted the leather strap that was tight around his chest, and he guessed it was what was holding the bandage to his back. He had to force his mind to stop thinking about his injuries and get back to the plan. "When he gets out of his car, he'll be able to see the barn door open. Let's just pray he doesn't call his buddies before he checks it out."
When the plan was in place, they watched Jared crawl to the bushes and gather a handful of small rocks. The first one missed the car completely. The second one hit the rear window, causing the man to stir, but little else. The next couple landed squarely on the roof, forcing the man to get out and look around. He looked up and saw that there were no trees overhead. The noise obviously baffled him, but like most hired help these days, his IQ was about the same as his suit size so he dismissed it without much thought.
Tony motioned for the boy to toss another one. This time, the goon got out and walked around his car. That's when he noticed the barn door slightly ajar. He walked within a few feet of Jared, approaching it cautiously. Pushing the door further open, he pulled his weapon and entered.
When he was standing at the designated spot, Tony nodded to Kayla, and she dropped the kerosene lamp from the loft above, hitting him squarely on the head.
He crumpled to the ground almost before the lamp did, and, moving faster than he thought possible, Tony grabbed his gun and held it on him. But it was wasted effort as the man lay unconscious on the dirt floor.
"Nice work," he commended.
From up above, she yelled down, "Did I kill him?"
He couldn't help but smile at her matter of fact question, but then frowned at what his influence might be having on the young girl, "No, but his headache is going to be worse than mine when he wakes up."
After tying and gagging him, Kayla asked, "Why can't we just leave him here?"
"Because there are many ways he could get help, and I don't want him making any calls to anybody. I want DaVoodi to think that we're still on the run."
Satisfied that the goon wasn't going anywhere, Tony stepped cautiously outside and limped as fast as his pain riddled body would take him to the car. He backed it slowly into the barn, and with the help of Kayla and Jared, they stuffed the man into the back of the SUV and covered him with an old horse blanket.
After the exertion, Tony sat down in the straw, wondering how he was going to make the drive all the way to DC in his condition. Between jagged breaths, he forced his brain to do another quick survey of his injuries. His leg continued to bleed from the bullet that went straight through earlier. His arm was of no consequence anymore because it remained pressed tightly against his torso. But it was his chest causing him the most agony. No matter how still he kept his arm, every breath caused him pain. Add to that his pounding headache, and he suspected an infection was setting in.
Kayla and Jared stared at him again, knowing these bouts would eventually pass but unsure how to help him.
"I need to do something with my arm. Can you find a rag or some rope or anything that I can make a sling out of?"
They came back with an old shirt that appeared usable. Under Tony's directions, Jared tore it in half and tied both sides together. Then Tony cradled his arm inside the triangularly shaped fabric while Kayla tied the knot behind his neck. She performed a quick inspection of his bandages and adjusted the leather strap holding them in place. There was a lot of blood, but she didn't say anything. Her brother knew the expression, but he also knew better than to ask her about it.
"You want me to drive?" Jared asked.
Tony almost laughed at the offer. "No, I think I'll drive. As it is, I doubt your dad is ever going to forgive me for what you two have done." Folding his knees underneath him, he got up one leg at a time. When he was finally standing, he said, "Just point me in the right direction."
"I'll do it. Jared'll get us lost."
Chapter Break
"How can a grown man and two children just vanish?" Gibbs asked, his frustration apparent.
Nobody had an answer. The FBI was reporting nothing, and the local LEO's were reporting nothing.
Fornell finally said, "If DiNozzo wanted to disappear, I suspect he could. You yourself said he was the best."
Still, there was no way an entire state could be covered with law enforcement personnel and nothing come of it.
Vance entered the bullpen, dressed for court; his wife was noticeably absent. "Jackie isn't coming," he stated.
The elephant in the room needed to be addressed, but nobody was going to ask the Director what he intended on saying.
"You still have time, Director. You don't have to be at the courthouse for another two hours."
"Why haven't you found them?"
Gibbs shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "We're still looking. The good news is it's been quiet."
"Quiet! I don't want quiet! I want my children!"
"So do I. And I want my agent."
The tension in the bull pen was broken by an NCIS security guard, "Excuse me. I have a package for Director Vance."
Vance looked down at the large box and back up at the guard, expectantly waiting for an explanation.
The guard quickly added, "It's already passed through x-ray and the scanners. There are no explosive devices inside. The delivery man said it's imperative that I hand it to you directly." He pushed the large box towards the Director and waited for him to take it.
Instead, Gibbs stepped forward and took it. He placed it on his desk and felt the edges and inspected the writing.
"No return address," Fornell pointed out.
Gibbs pulled out his knife, sliced through the tape and pulled off the wrapping. Then he slipped his knife down the center of the box, slicing through that tape. He carefully lifted the flap and looked inside. When he lifted the other flap, Fornell peered down at the item. Gibbs reached in and pulled out the jacket, instantly recognizing it as Tony's.
The silence hung heavy in the room. The hole and the blood made it difficult to look at.
Fornell pulled out the leather case lying in the bottom of the box. He opened it up and showed it to Gibbs. "It's DiNotso's ID and Badge." He silently read the note attached and handed it over to his counterpart.
Gibbs read the note and handed it to his boss. Vance read it out loud: "You know what to do if you want to see your children again." He felt the prickles on the back of his neck, and when he turned, he saw his wife standing on the mezzanine looking down, her expression said it all.
Gibbs watched his Director ascend the staircase two at a time and disappear. Once gone, he said, "It looks bad, but it doesn't mean that Tony's dead. Abbs, I want you to analyze this jacket and note. Tell me anything and everything you can about them. McGee, go with her and help."
"On it."
"Ziva, pull the security tapes and find out who delivered this package."
"Fornell, give me a status of your agents in West Virginia. Why haven't we found that truck yet?"
When the bull pen had cleared, and it was just Ducky left, Gibbs let his guard down, "He's not dead, Ducky. If he were dead, DaVoodi would have sent more than his jacket and badge."
"And the children?"
Gibbs stared at his desk. Things were not supposed to go this way. He looked up in time to watch Ducky leave the bullpen. Alone, he contemplated the situation. Making a decision, he pushed away from his desk and headed towards the Director's office.
He knocked, and then opened. Jackie was sitting on the sofa with her head in her hands, and Leon was beside her, comforting her. "I know that DiNozzo isn't your type of NCIS agent, and I know that you'd rather have a house full of McGee's, but I'm telling you, he's not dead."
"How can you know that?"
"My gut's telling me that. Just like my gut's telling me that DaVoodi doesn't have your children."
"Your gut's telling you that, huh!" Leon barked. "Well, I can't risk it. I can't risk losing my family over this."
Gibbs felt helpless. There wasn't anything more he could say to put their minds at ease, but he knew, in the pit of his belly, that this had to be a trick. Unfortunately, like everything else, he didn't have proof. All he could do was stand there and watch the sadness grow on their faces.
He left the director's office and went straight to Abby's lab, "Whad'ya find?"
"Preliminary tests indicate that the blood on the jacket is Tony's. I won't know for sure for another couple of hours. The writing is basic penmanship. I can't tell anything more without something to compare it to."
Preoccupied, Gibbs turned on his heels and left the lab, returning to his desk. "Ziva, who delivered the package?"
She clicked an image to the plasma of a white van, "No name, no plates, no decals. The driver wore a hooded sweatshirt and kept his face away from the cameras."
"How'd he get past the gates?"
"He didn't. He gave it to security, who gave it to the NCIS guard, who brought it to us. Told the security guard that his van broke down. Since the package was for The Director of NCIS, he ran it through the scanners. By the time it had cleared the scanners, the driver was gone."
Gibbs pinched his nose. Never had he had such little information to go on this far into a case. "Fornell? Get Fornell on the phone."
Ziva handed the phone to her boss after she had reached the FBI agent. "Whad'ya find out?"
"We got nothing, Gibbs. Our agents haven't seen their truck or any other vehicle."
"Keep looking," he said, and hung up.
Ziva stared at Gibbs expectantly. Time was running out and they hadn't heard a word from Tony. Even though they had been taught to anticipate, they had no new information from which they could do that. Waiting seemed to be the game of choice; a game they had never been very good at playing.
"Damn, Tony, where are you?" Gibbs said to no one in particular.
TBC
