Todd coughed harshly as he hung over a wastebasket, throwing up whatever he had eaten that day. He didn't even have time to say hello to Abby when she walked in it came on so fast.
When the EMTs had arrived at the scene, they had alerted Gibbs that the house must've been filled with chemicals. However, McGee wasn't sick, which meant that the chemicals hadn't been activated until around when Gibbs arrived. As he continued vomiting, his eyes teary and burning, he tried to think of something else other than the pain sinking into his body. However, all he could think about was the constant feeling to simply lay down and die.
After what seemed like hours, Todd had finally calmed down and was now laying on his bed, panting heavily and sweating. Abby smiled as she sat next to him, looking at him. "Ducky should be coming soon..." She trailed off as she looked at the IV in Todd's arm. "We're just lucky Tony wasn't in there." Todd raised an eyebrow, coughing as he asked, "How so?" Abby looked at him and exclaimed, "Because, Todd! I told you this already on teh phone! Tony had the pneumonic plague and he almost died! Do you know what that means?!" Todd chuckled softly, making him cough even more.
Abby gasped slightly and asked, "Todd, do you want a drink of water? Sh-Should I get a nurse?!"
"I'm afraid that is not neccesary, my dear." Ducky stepped into the room, smiling softly as he looked from Abby to Todd. He sighed, looking at Abby again and saying, "Abbygail, Jethro would like to speak to you." Abby nodded, standing up and looking at Todd. "I'll...Come back and see you." She kissed his forehead before rushing from the room. Ducky sighed and took a seat next to Todd. "She's right you know." He said calmly, looking into Todd's eyes.
Todd raised a brow, asking, "Right about...Wh-What, Doctor?" Ducky chuckled softly and placed a hand on Todd's. "About Tony being lucky on missing out on this one." Todd nodded and swallowed, trying to breath, but having no luck. "B-But he's...Suff...Suffering more than...H-He should...." He swallowed again, before looking at the doctor and asking quietly, "Wh-What do we...H-Have, Doctor?" The pain in his chest seemed to be getting worse and Todd hated it, hated the feeling of pain and not being able to breath.
Ducky smiled and said softly, "Nothing major, my boy. It appears that Bryce let off some ammonia gas in the building...Affected you immediately and then creeped on to Ziva." He said softly, "You were closer to the source of the ammonia gas...And were greatly affected." Todd nodded, coughing harshly into his hand, wheezing after every cough. He then looked at Ducky and murmured, "My chest...I-Is killing me..." Ducky nodded and asked, "Anything else painful, Todd?"
The newest agaent had to think for a minute, before replying a tad bit quietly, "M-My stomach..." Ducky nodded and looked at Todd's bluing fingernails. He sighed softly and patted Todd's cheek. "Get some rest. I will be back to check on you." He stepped out of the room full of blue, dim lights and into the outside, seeing Dr. Brad Pitt walk up to him. "He's growing weaker, Doctor." Pitt said softly. Ducky nodded and looked back at Todd, watching him cough. "Indeed...I just hope we can cure him in time..."
WITH ABBY AND GIBBS....
"Abbs." Gibbs said seriously, pulling her away from a crowd of people and looking at her. He handed her his cellphone and whispered, "I want that damn phone tracked. Got me?" Abby blinked and asked, "Gibbs, what phone? Your phone is sitting right he--OH! Bryce's?! He called you?! What did he say? Is Tony alright?!" Gibbs raised an eyebrow as he asked plainly, "Can you track him down, Abbs?" Abby thought for a minute, looking down at the phone and then up at Gibbs. She smiled confidentally and said with ease, "Yes!" She then earned a kiss from Gibbs before rushing off to her lab, trying to find the crazy S.O.B. who had Tony.
Gibbs sighed, running his hands through his hair and looking down the hallway. He wondered how Todd and Ziva were...Well, according to Abby and Ducky, she was sleeping. But he at least hoped that these two agents would have the strength Tony once did and fight this illness like the plague.
Suddenly, Ducky's voice cut into into his thoughts. "Jethro! Jethro, I have bad news!" He rushed over to Gibbs, handing him a clipboard with papers on it. Gibbs looked at it and then at Ducky. "What about it?" Ducky sighed and pointed to a certain area on the paper, saying with worry, "Both Special Agent Todd and Ziva have come down with ammonia, Jethro. Only...Special Agent Todd's heart has collapsed a few times. If he does not make it another forty-eight hours Jethro...Well, obviously, he'll die!"
Gibbs walked past the short man as Ducky called after him, "Where are you going?!" Gibbs yelled back, "To talk some damn sense into this stupid agent!"
Ducky sighed and smiled softly as he watched Gibbs walk off.
ELSEWHERE WITH TONY...
Tony panted heavily, his back leaning aganst a tree as he clutched his bleeding leg. The bullet had naturally simply tore through Tony's leg more he moved and it was getting too painful for him to even move. He wiped sweat from his brow before murmuring, "Dammit...Wh-Where's Gibbs when you...Wh-When you need...Him." He swallowed and began moving again, limping on his leg and wincing painfully. "I gotta find...A river or something. That'll...G-Get me home..." He began walking towards the sounds of running water and suddenly, he heard something go flying past his ear.
Tony quickly looked up to see Bryce sitting on a rock, aiming a bow and arrow at Tony. He giggled and Tony tried to run, tripping and falling onto his face. He coughed and tried to stand up again, but was grabbed by Bryce and held by his arms.
"Game over." Bryce growled, dragging Tony off somewhere South of the river. He sigehd heavily, looking up at the sky and wondering why him of all people had to be choosed for torture such a this. Why...Why, why?
Bryce suddenly slapped Tony in the back of the head and Tony felt a bit queasy. He set the Senior Field Agent down against a tree and tied him up to him, looking at his still bleeding wounds. He sighed softly and reached into his backpack, sliding it off his shoulder. He shifted through the bag before pulling out a pill container filled with a white powder like substance. He grinned as he neared Tony, popping open the lid.
Bryce sighed as he giggled happily, removing a few pieces of torn pants away form Tony's gunshot wound. Tony began breathing heavily, watching as he pinched a bit out of the container. Before Tony could give the man a smart remark, the powder hit his wound and his eyes widened. His face twisted in pain as he kept trying to move away from Bryce, yelling at him.
"Dammit! That's cheating! You said I had a frickin' hour! THIS IS CHEATING!" He screamed, at a complete loss of words, snotty remarks, or even cheerful teasing. Bryce simply laughed as he poured a lot of the substance into his right hand, which Tony now recognized as salt, and then smothered it into some of the cuts and scratches on tony's face. Tony screamed in pain, fighting agaisnt the ropes that bound him and feeling tears roll down his cheeks. "LEAVE ME ALONE, DAMMIT! YOU FRICKIN' CHEATER!"
After smothering the salt until all of the salt was gone, Bryce stood up, untied Tony and lifted up two fingers. "Twenty minuts left, Tony." He grabbed his bookbacg, flinging it over his shoulder, and then walking off, laughing the whole way.
Tony moaned in pain, clutching his leg and looking at the way his hands trembled as though he were going to have a seizure. He wiped off his nose and then stood up shaking. He simply had to stall for time until Gibbs got here. That was his main motive and that was exactly what he was going to do..."
BACK WITH GIBBS...
Gibbs sighed as he stood next to Ziva in her bed, looking at her. She was sleeping peacefully and he could feel Todd's eyes staring holes in his back. He looked back at Todd, watching him look away quickly as another coughing fit took over. Gibbs walked over to him, asking, "You know something I don't?"
Todd blinked and looked Gibbs in the eyes. "I...Huh? Well, I was just...Thinking about Tony and Ziva." Gibbs nodded and flicked Todd in the forehead. "Don't die, Todd. Direct order." He began walking out of the room and Todd looked down slightly, before calling after him. "Special Agent Gibbs!" Gibbs looked back at Todd and Todd smiled, calling out to him, "Bring back Tony..." Gibbs smiled as he left the room and continued walking. He chuckeld slightly at his words. Of course he'd bring Tony back...What worried Gibbs aws what kind of state he'd be coming back in.
Suddenly, just as Gibbs was re-filling his coffee, his cellphone rang. He quickly answered it, hearing Abby on the other hand exclaiming, loudly, "He's in the woods, Gibbs! Tony's in the woods! I finally figured out whrere and what the riddle meant, Gibbs! We found Tony!"
"Abbs!" Gibbs snapped, something he rarely did with Abby. "Where the hell is he?"
He heard what sounded like a choked sob as Abby said happily, "Three miles west. You'll hit a clearing and you'll have to keep going into the forest until you hit a swamp. McGee is on his way!"
Gibbs nodded, murmuring kindly, "Abbs...That's good work. I'm proud of you." He heard Abby say something about loving him and savind Tony, before he hung up and rushed to his car. Gibbs started the car and slammed on the gas, desperate to find his agent no matter what. Suddenly, Gibbs cursed and slammed his fists on the steering wheel. He just realized what the riddle had meant:
When water fills the air, there may be a chance. This meant that Bryce was going to drown Tony and there was a chance of saving him because it was water. Swamp water...
However, when mud fills the air, all is lost. In a swamp there was a total of three things in it. Water, god knows what else, and mud. And if Bryce was planning on drowning Tony in a swamp, all he needed to do was push him down a bit farther in the swamp and have his airways be clogged with mud. It was a foolproof plan and all it needed was Gibbs stopping him before he went through with his plan.
WITH TONY...
Tony breathed heavily, staring at the ground before him. He was wobbling now, swaying from side to side. He felt drunk, but knew he wasn't. He felt sick, but knew he wasn't. He felt alone, but knew he wasn't.
The feelings that possesed Tony's body made him nervous and tired all at once. It hurt moving his leg, but he needed to keep pushing on for Gibbs. What if he was waiting for him or looking for him just past here? What if he passed by one of the dogs searaching for him?
It suddnely dawned on him, that maybe they had no clue where he was. Maybe they had gotten a false lead and were rewarded with false hope. Like when Ziva was kidnapped...But everyone had thought she was dead except McGee, Tony, and Gibbs...So why would they think Tony was dead? How was it any different?
"Maybe because...G-Gibbs actually...Likes...Ziva..." He mumbled, shivering as he walked. He looked up at the sun, staring at the sky full of pinks, purples, and reds. He swallowed and heard Bryce say calmly, "It's time." Tony whirled around just in time to be punched in the face. He tottered backwards as Bryce grabbed him under his arms and dragged him off somewhere. Tony, however, did not fight back this time. He simply lay limp in the man's arms, not caring at the moment what he would do to him.
"Go ahead and...S-Salt me, again...See...See if I care." When Bryce didn't respond, Tony suddenly felt like something was wrong. He was too quiet this time. Was something up? He looked at Bryce, asking, "What's on your mind, Rice?"
In the next few seconds, Tony's back and legs made contact with icy cold, dark water. He quickly tried to struggle free, hearing Bryce chuckle. "Damn this is just too good!" Tony felt his heart racing as he wriggled free, facing Bryce.
Bad idea.
Bryce grabbed Tony by his shirt collar and pinned him down into the water, holding him down under as Tony floundered around, trying to escape and breath. Bryce laughed hysterically, still holding him down and then bringing him back up. Tony got a few breaths in before being swallowed by the water once more, hearing his splashing underwater.
Everything seemed so fast at that moment, like he was dreaming. He didn't want to drown and he most certainly didn't want to...Die. Tony didn't want to die. He found this to be strange, especially after everything he had been put through the last few days. He finally pulled one of his arms loose from Bryce's grip and slammed his fist into Bryce's face. Bryce reeled back, clutching his nose as Tony stood up and began taking as much air as he could.
It was during that short amount of time, that Tony heard something off in the distance. It was...A dog! He heard a dog! As he continued to listen as best as he could, he heard more than just one dog. He smiled with relief as he screamed, "HELP! HELP ME! I'M OV--!" He was cut off as Bryce tackled him, sitting on him this time in the water. He laughed hysterically, watching as Tony tried to get the man off him.
Tony covered his mouth and nose with his hands, feeling pressure building up in his lungs and head. He removed his hands, and shoved Bryce off, watching as he fell into the water. Tony stood up and took a deep breath, hearing someone call his name...Someone familair.
"DINOZZO! TONY! TONY, WE'RE GONNA FIND YA!"
Tony felt tears rush down his cheeks as he screamed as loud as his hoarse throat would allow, "GIBBS! GIIIIBS!" He had never called Gibbs by Gibbs before, but it had just slipped out. He wasn't sure if it was because he was panicking or because he was scared. Truly, truly scared this time. They were so close, so close that Tony could've sworn he saw someoen.
However, his thoughts were cut off short when Bryce grabbed him from behind and pulled him into the water. This took Tony by surprise, water rushng into his mouth and nose. He tried to get out of the water, feeling Bryce's grip tighten around his shoulders. Tony began grabbing something as he choked on the water, drowned on the water. He found a rock and quickly threw it out of the water as hard as he could, hitting Bryce in the chest. Bryce fell back, but just as Tony came back up, he grabbed his neck and brought him back under. Bryce pushed him down further this time, laughing as he watched mud begin to encircle Tony.
Gibbs rushed through the forest, hearing Tony's cry for help. He heard some of the dogs barking and howling as the search team stayed on Gibbs' heals. Gibbs heard the frantic splashing of water and quickly removed his gun, running faster. If anything happened to Tony, he would be sure that Bryce would pay. And he would pay painfully. As he continued running, jumping over a few rocks and branches that could trip him, he came into view of the swamp.
Tony gripped Bryce's hands, trying to shove them off as he drowned helplessly. He felt mud sinking into his mouth and he tried not to swallow, but it was hard. He thought about Gibbs, Abby, Ducky, Palmer, McGee, and Ziva. He loved everyone and he knew that Gibbs was finding him, but he needed to make more noise. So, instead of focusing on breathing, Tony began splashing around, kicking his feet up and slapping his arms up and down. However, he was losing his strength fast and he could see Bryce disappearing from his vision as he flailed weakly. The last thing Tony saw before knocking out was the smile, wide and happy, on Bryce's face. That smile would stay with him forever...
Gibbs didn't take a chance to introduce himself, to flash his badge. He simply aimed, shot and watched as blood splattered from the other side of Bryce's head, his body going limp and falling over where the bullet had exited.
Gibbs holstered his gun, rushing over to Tony and pulling him out of the water with one hand, grabbing his sweatshirt's collar. He ignored the cold water turning his legs numb as he grabbed Tony by both of his arms and dragged him out of the water. He placed him softly on the grass as he put an ear to Tony's chest. Gibbs swore as he coverd Tony's nose with his right hand and began breathing air into Tony's mouth with the other. After he was done that, he placed his hands on top of each other and began pounding into his chest, begging, praying for Tony to spit out the water that was lingering in his lungs.
"Dammit!" He shouted angrily, repeating the process several times. When he did this the fourth time, Tony made a strange noise before coughing up water. Gibbs sighed with relief, rolling him onto his back and panting heavily, patting his back. "Easy does it, Tony." He looked back at Bryce, not fazed in the least by the dead body. Well, to be honest, he was rather glad that that monster of a man was no simply laying there, limp and...Dead.
Gibbs then looked back at Tony and said softly, "Come on Tony. Deep, steady breaths." Tony continued coughing for a bit before sitting up and looking at Gibbs. He took one look at Gibbs' blue eyes before beginning to sob, hugging him tightly. Gibbs sighed with relief, his faceial expression softening as he hugged Tony back, placing his right hand on the back of Tony's head. "It's okay...You're alright, Tony." He took a deep breath before murmuring, "You did good, Tony...I'm proud of you."