However, Gibbs' gut was telling him that they were missing something. Why was the second victim in the closet? Why did the boyfriend call if he murdered her? Why did Tony even go down that way?
Tony.
It suddenly occured to Gibbs that he hadn't seen Tony in quite some time, which was a bit unlike his senior agent. He stood up with his coffee and made his way to the elevator, pressing the button. Gibbs took a sip of coffee and when the doors opened, he blinked slightly, staring at none other than Tony. However, Tony wasn't standing in the elevator. He was sitting in the elevator with his legs stretched out in front of him and a bag of chips in his hand.
Gibbs stepped into the elevator and pressed another button, looking back at Tony. Tony smiled up at him and waved slightly. "Hey Boss." He took a chip out of the bag and ate it, staring at the closed doors of the elevator. Gibbs flipped the switch, stopping the elevator and turning on the dim lights. He looked at Tony and asked, "What're you doin' DiNozzo?" Tony looked up at Gibbs and replied, "Eating."
"DiNozzo."
"Yeah, Boss?"
Gibbs stared at Tony before snapping, "Get your ass up and do something." Tony looked at Gibbs for a minute before standing up and murmuring, "Alright..." Gibbs ripped his chips out of his hands and turned back on the elevator. "You don't need these." Tony frowned and complained, "Boss, come on. I'm not in the mood." Gibbs looked at him and said, "Then GET in the mood, DiNozzo. It was an accident. She was drugged and couldn't figure out who the hell you were." Tony blinked slightly and murmured, "What?"
Gibbs sighed with annoyance as he stopped the elevator once again. He looked at Tony and said, "I'm not sayin' you're off the hook, DiNozzo. You still shot and killed a woman, but she had no clue who the hell you were." Tony clenched his teeth together as he stared into his Boss' eyes.
"You still need to get your act together and calm down. If ya don't," Gibbs turned back towards the elevators and flicked the elevator back on. "I'm takin' ya off the case." The elevator doors opened and he stepped out of the elevator, walking over to his desk. Tony stepped out as well and followed, taking a seat at his own desk. He sighed heavily, rubbing his face and staring at his computer screen.
McGee and Ziva both entered the room at the same time and were just about to speak, when Gibbs said, "Grab your gear. We've got another case." McGee sighed and rushed over to his desk, Ziva doing the same while she said, "Gibbs, his alibi checks out. He was at work and when he arrived home, he called the police. We already checked the records and there is no way he could've called her that quickly." Gibbs nodded, walking towards the elevator. "Yeah, I know, Ziva." Ziva growled angrily, looking at Tony.
Tony was staring at his phone as he stood. Ziva frowned sadly and watched McGee walk past them. "Tony...It was not your fault." She spoke gently, hearing the elevator doors close. Tony looked up at her and nodded, muttering, "I know." Ziva watched as he began to walk over to the elevator and Ziva quickly followed. She pressed the elevator button and looked him in the eyes. "Tony, we will find that bastard." Tony nodded and looked her back in the eyes, asking coldly, "Before or after I'm dead, Ziva?" He stepped into the elevator after the soft ding and the doors opened. Ziva followed and waited until the doors shut to turn off the elevator. She turned to Tony and slapped him in the face.
Tony blinked and looked at her with a bit of shock, his mouth hanging slightly open. Ziva felt tears rising to her eyes as she said softly, "You are Anthony DiNozzo, Tony. YOU are not a killer. You are a good man. Not very funny at points, but you are not a killer!" Tony nodded slightly and Ziva flicked back on the elevator. "I would not have fallen in love with a killer." Tony smiled at this and laughed slightly, looking at Ziva.
AT THE CRIME SCENE
Gibbs sighed as he walked around the apartment, picking things up and looking around. Ziva was questioning people at the moment as McGee and Tony were trying to find more clues. Ducky and Palmer were working on getting the body into a bodybag.
Gibbs walked over to the bathroom, staring at the young girl. "T.O.D., Duck?" He asked, flipping open his notebook. Ducky looked up at Gibbs and smiled. "Approximately five to six hours ago, Jethro." Gibbs nodded and sighed, writing it down. Palmer stared at Gibbs for a bit before asking, "How's Tony doing?" Gibbs looked at Palmer and replied, "Fine, Palmer. Why?" Palmer shook his head and turned back to the body. Ducky looked at Gibbs and sighed slightly, saying, "She was strangled with some type of fabric. Something you'd find on a towel, washcloth, or...A hankerchief even. The bullet came first...Like the others. Explains why they did not struggle."
Gibbs nodded and shut his notebook, watching Ducky and Palmer carry the body out of the room. Gibbs looked around the room and walked over to where the washcloth lay; in front of the bathroom door. He picked it up, placed it into an evidence bag, and then set it down. He walked into the room, taking pictures of the bloody water, the soaked floor, and wet sink. Gibbs sighed and walked around the room some more, coming to the fireplace. He picked up something in the fireplace and placed it gently into another evidence bag. He stared at it and murmured, "Rubber gloves..." Gibbs trailed off as he walked back into the living looking around and taking more pictures.
As he took pictures, he heard a car slam on its breaks outside. He rolled his eyes and continued taking pictures, then hearing the car speed off. Gibbs walked over to the window and peered through the blinds. However, what he saw was not what he was expecting. His eyes widened as he quickly rushed from the room, down a few flights of stairs and outside. Gibbs rushed over to where McGee lay, blood running from his left side. McGee was wheezing, panting heavily and gripping his side. He stared at Gibbs and tried to talk, but Gibbs cut him off, yelling, "I'm calling an ambulance, McGee, hang on!"
Gibbs flipped open his cellphone, talking into it and keeping his eyes peeled on McGee. He then shut the phone and looked around frantically. He should've been more careful, more alert. He should've looked out the window and he probably would've been able to shoot the guy. Then again...Tony should've got him, right?
Tony!
Gibbs looked at McGee and looked him in the eyes, putting pressure on his wound as he yelled, "McGee! Where's DiNozzo?!" McGee shut his eyes slightly and Gibbs patted his cheek. "Come on, McGee! Stay with me!" He heard Ducky yelling something to him before he was beside him. Ducky looked at Gibbs and said quickly, "Jethro, move!" Gibbs stood up and watched as Ducky put pressure on McGee's wound and Palmer placed an oxygen mask over his mouth. Gibbs sighed angrily and heard Ziva say gently, "We have a witness."
Gibbs looked at her and stared at the towel she was trying to hand him. He took it, wiped his hands off sloppily, and then asked loudly, "Where?!" Ziva sighed and said sadly, "She's standing by the car..." She turned her eyes to McGee as Gibbs rushed over to the car to a young man. Gibbs immediately snapped, "Hey! Where's my agent?!"
The man blinked and looked at Gibbs. "The man who got hit by a car?" Gibbs stared at the man and slammed his fist into the car, feeling it begin to bleed. He swore and glared at the man, snapping again, "What kind of car?"
"Uhm...A uh--!"
"WHAT KIND OF CAR?!"
"A T-Toyota Matrix! Black!"
Gibbs growled angrily, looking back at McGee and then at the man. "How fast was it going?!" The man chewed on his lower lip before replying, "Well, p-pretty fast. The guy uhm...Y-Your agent, almost went through the uhm, windsheild, so I guess it was...G-Going pretty fast." Gibbs felt like punching something, screaming at someone and chasing after the damn car on his own two legs. He sighed angrily and looked at the man, asking, "That it? What the guy look like?!" The young man jumped slightly before saying, "He was uhm...Looked like that Carmen guy on the news. Arrested for those uh....Murder thingys. He had a uhm, a cylinder thing on the end of his gun."
Gibbs shook his head angrily and heard Ziva shout, "Gibbs! I've got a bloodstain and tire tracks!" Gibbs looked back at Ziva and yelled back, "Get as much evidence as you can, Ziva!" He ran his hands through his hair before walking away from the man, hearing him yell a welcome, and storming over to McGee, hearing sirens. He stared at McGee and watched as the young agent tried to stay awake. Gibbs looked towards the road, watching cars drive by, and he murmured, "Where are ya, DiNozzo?"
Now onto part 2 sorta...
Carmen smiled as he adjusted a videocamera on a tripod. He stared at Tony, the young man tied to the metallic chair painfully, and murmured, "Smile for the camera, Tony." Tony whimpered slightly, blood dripping off his forehead and legs. Pain, burning and aching ran down his legs painfully. He looked up at the camera as Carmen walked over to him and placed the tip of the knife against Tony's cheek. He laughed softly and whispered ,"Try not to cry, Tony." Tony shut his eyes and felt a tear roll down his left cheek as Carmen left a long cut down Tony's cheek. Tony panted heavily, feeling more pain rush through his body and soon, his eyelids fell and he passed out.
Carmen: "Naval Criminal Investigative Service, be warned. Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo only has three more hours left. If you do not get to him in time, he shall be dead. I will make sure of it. If you do get to him in time, I wonder if he'll ever be able to go back to work and be himself. Hahahahahaha! Revenge is sweet!"