Okay, I totally meant for this to be the second to last chapter, but the story keeps wanting to continue. Are things looking up for our boys at last?
Phoenix studied her handiwork, and commanded the doc, "Take him off and bandage him well." Glancing down at Tony, she smirked, "Ah...yes..you might give him shorts too." Finished with him, she started to leave. Seeing Gibbs still standing there, she added, "Holly, you can take him down and ungag him. He can stay here until we're ready." Holly had Gibbs down quickly, and left as well.
Gibbs groaned as he struggled up to the table. The other slave already had Tony's arms and legs free. He handed Gibbs gauze and said, "I'll just grab some shorts for him...there's always spares in the cupboard." He hurried over and found a pair. "I hate it when she does that. I'm sorry, man," he softly said as he tugged them on Dinozzo. The injured man just lay there with his eyes closed, worrying Gibbs as he cleaned him up. The doc saw the look of concern and shook his head, "If I know her, he'll not have gotten any rest last night. He really should have some fluids, but that will have to wait until they put you guys back in your cells. Here, help me sit him up so I can bandage him."
The two carefully eased Dinozzo up into a sitting position. The doc grabbed some bandages and started the process. Gibbs asked him, "So...who are you and how long have you been here?" The black haired man glanced up from his work for a second and answered, "I'm Ian. I've been here long enough. I think it's been about four years for me. They only got me because I was an ER doctor and I'm trained to deal with all sorts of situations. Well, yeah sure I can, but it's just patchwork here." He sighed and continued, "I mean the slaves come to me like you did, beaten or whipped, and I'm expected to just...patch you up, knowing you could be whipped again in a few days. And we're not allowed any kind of painkillers for anything at all. And on top of that, I gotta be careful of myself. There's been lots of times I've been whipped myself, and still got to go and put together the slaves for them. I get no breaks at all. It's a hard life." He stopped to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and finished Tony up.
Done that, he got Tony to sit on the floor and lean against the wall. It'd be easier to get him up later instead of leaving him on the table, and besides he had been ordered to take him off anyway. He dropped in exhaustion next to Dinozzo, while Gibbs made himself walk around. "Come on, man, you should rest too," Ian said. Gibbs shook his head. He wasn't going to stay down long, no matter how he felt. He paused to ask Ian, "How many slaves?" The doc shook his head, "Damned if I know. They come and go all the time. They're shipped out all over, and we get more in all the time. Like a bloody revolving door."
It seemed about a half hour later when the door finally opened. Victoria and Holly walked in. Holly kicked the doc in the side before saying, "You're wanted in Section C. Some idiot dislocated his shoulder trying to get out of the chains." Ian sighed, and hurried out the open door. The ladies clipped leashes on the agents' collars, and led them away. Gibbs supported Tony as they walked, even as his own back was screaming at him. Eventually they found themselves in a large fancy office. Phoenix sat there, writing up a document. She looked up when they staggered in. "Just in time, boys, I was finishing this up." She shut her laptop and cocked her head at them. "Ready for the second surprise?"
Gibbs growled, "I hate surprises. Yours have been no fun, so far." She smiled at him, "Well, you'll like this one. You're both going back to NCIS today." Both men stared at her in stunned silence. Finally Dinozzo queried, "Is this some sick joke of yours?" Phoenix stood up and replied, "Oh no joke. You really are going back. As long as you agree." Gibbs spat, "On what?!" She laughed, "Oh, well, Vance and I came up with an agreement to be nice to each other. All you have to do is listen to us, and if you consent, then you're back." The agents looked at each other, each thinking the same thing. There had to be more to it than that. Gibbs shook his head at her, "Director Vance would never cooperate with you." She looked at him, and smirked, "Well, he already has. Just you wait."
She nodded to the slave at her side, and he got up from his kneeling position to open a drawer. He brought out clothes: shirts, pants, briefs, and socks. He checked the label sizes and squinted at the shocked men before deciding he had the right sizes. He gave each man their clothes and went back to kneel beside Phoenix. She shrugged, "No shoes, sorry. But those should do for now until you get back. If it doesn't work out, it won't matter much now will it?" She chuckled at the bewildered expressions on their faces. "Now go and get changed. We'll leave in an hour." As they were dragged away, Tony managed a question, "Wait...where's Jared?" She looked up from her papers in surprise, but answered, "He's already at NCIS."
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Director Vance gathered together McGee, Bishop, Abby, Ducky, and Palmer together in the conference room. He looked at each person in turn before he spoke. "Okay everyone, I think you know why you're here. You know that I've made an agreement of sorts with Phoenix to get our agents back. But it covers a lot more than that, and I think she will clarify it." Ducky shook his head and said, "I realize, of course, that we are willing to do anything to get our agents back, especially after what happened last time. However, I do believe you have made a Faustian bargain." McGee quizzically asked, "A Faustian bargain?" The doctor replied, "A deal with the devil, so to speak. Apologies, Director. I did not mean to interrupt."
Vance nodded, "It's fine. I have the same feeling myself. In short, what she wants is for Gibbs and Dinozzo to continue working for us, but also to be able to pass information from them to her. If we disagree, we are not only endangering their lives, but also for a lot of NCIS agents and their families here. It's also up to them to decide whether they want to do this. If they disagree, then…," He shrugged, and continued, "And that brings me to another point. Our agents are likely going to be worse off than Gibbs was the first time. So you'll have to be prepared for when you see them. I...saw...Gibbs being...whipped. That was yesterday. He'll not be recovered yet I should think. And we have no idea what happened to Dinozzo. Just a forewarning."
The team had nothing to say to this. Abby finally asked, "Are you saying that Gibbs might decide not to agree, and go back with her?" Vance looked at her and replied, "I cannot answer for him. But it would be best for them if they did go along with the plan, wouldn't it? By the way, how's it going with Jared?"
Abby sighed, "He's very emotionally traumatized. I've taken him to see Ducky and he's comfortable with him. He's quite nervous with me, which is totally understandable. He barely eats anything and anytime I move too quickly he jumps away or looks like he's expecting a hit. It's going to take a good bit of time and lots of TLC for him. I don't mind at all, really. I gotta be strong for him and show him there are good people in his life now."
They all discussed the case a bit longer, and then got up and went back to work in their respective areas. Every person was filled with happiness that they'd see their beloved agents again, but all were also wary of what Phoenix had planned.
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Gibbs and Dinozzo were taken to a room very similar to the one Gibbs had been whipped in yesterday. They were immediately nervous...was this a trick? Would one of them be tortured again? After what happened this morning and yesterday, nevermind last night, they had reason to be concerned. The women undid their shackles and ordered them to strip and change. The stripping part was easy… it was only the one pair of shorts to come off. Gibbs needed help with his shirt as he was too painful to raise his arms up. Tony remembered how the hated whip had snaked around Gibbs' side and caught him a few times on the belly. He helped his boss with his shirt, noting that the whip must have wrapped around one of Gibb's arms once as well, as he had lacerations on that. It was visible with the t-shirt, but that could not be helped. Once dressed Gibbs turned around to help Tony. Dinozzo had a little trouble with the very snug briefs as he was still throbbing from early this morning. The shirt was easier as it was just the front of the chest that was aching.
The women were satisfied and stated they would send a slave in to shave them, as the last time was two days ago. They left and the door locked. Soon enough though, an older man walked in with a shaving kit. He set things down after hearing the door lock once again. "Who wants to go first?" he asked, pulling up a stool for the purpose. Tony waved Gibbs over. Gibbs carefully sat on the stool and was foamed up in a trice. Tony questioned the man, "So you are?" He turned blue eyes on the young agent and answered, "Ah, I'm Adrian Trent, slave of Victoria." He busied himself with shaving Gibbs. He looked up and realized that Tony had hoped for more info. "You want to know more about me?" He shrugged. "What difference does it make? I've been here for quite a few years now. I used to fight in the ring for Phoenix, then later she sold me to Victoria and I fought for her too. Now that the fight ring has been done away with, I usually help prepare the sold slaves for shipping." He paused, not wanting that one tear from his eye to fall. "I miss my wife and kid though. They didn't deserve this." Tony sighed. It seemed every slave had a terrible history attached to them. "What happened?"
Adrian finished up Gibbs, and helped him up. Dinozzo sat carefully down for his turn. He finally answered him, "I, um, was in a bar after work. She was there too, but I didn't know who she was at the time. There was a guy flirting with her, and she was having none of it. He was being nice enough, though. Not being pushy, like some guys are, yeah? Anyway, I was watching when she punched him good. Keeled him right over. I went over to her and went hey you didn't need to do that. She says 'What's it to you?' and I replied that she needn't be rude. She got pissed at me and shoved me away, and I, um, grabbed her...basically shouted in her face that she needed to back off and get a new attitude. I realize now the terrible mistake I made. A few days later she came to my house in the evening. She had some of her girls with her and they beat me up pretty good. My wife tried to step in but she couldn't break through. My boy was there. It was bad. My wife tried to phone the police but they came prepared. They'd cut the phone line and shut down our cell phones. Eventually they chained me up and took me away. I just wish that Connor never had to see that."
His tale spun out, and Dinozzo freshly shaved, he stood and cleaned up. "Good luck to both of you. I hear that you're going back. That's good. The last slave I prepped was headed out to Germany somewhere. Next one I'm doing is going to India. You guys sure are lucky."
Soon the ladies were back for the agents. They were quickly drugged up and blindfolded. Phoenix had them shackled, just in case but decided the wrist chains were off for good. She had them bundled into the shipping cages for transport. It was probably a kindness to Tony that he was drugged up as he started to panic that he was shipped off to somewhere across the pond for all he knew. He had heard rumours...but he soon drifted off.
Phoenix double checked that all was set for their transportation. Victoria stepped up and shook hands with her. "Good luck at NCIS! If this works, this will be a big step for you. We're all rooting for you."
Yay, they ARE going to NCIS! Everyone will be happy! Right? Well, we'll see ;)