Disclaimer: Anything you recognise is not mine.
First update of the new year! :D We are back with the team for chapter 14. I apologise if Gibbs seems OOC. I'm putting it down to him not being quite able to cope with the fact McGee and Tony have only hours to live and he might not be able to save them... Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. And please leave a review. :)
Fourteen
Nearly an hour had passed since Ziva and Gibbs had last spoken. Now, the silence was broken as Gibbs swore.
"Gibbs?"
Mentally kicking himself for not thinking of this earlier, he removed a hand from the wheel and pulled out his cell. "Shoulda phoned ahead. Son of a bitch..."
Ziva's eyes widened but she remained silent as Gibbs put the phone to his ear. "Put me through to Blackburg," his voice was strained and gruff. There was a pause before a reply was heard; a tinny voice that sounded loud in the quiet car.
"Sheriff Jim Wilkins."
"Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS."
"How can I help you, sir?"
"Need you to start a ground search in Jefferson National Forest. I have two missing agents that have been kidnapped and buried alive. We've narrowed down the area to a two mile radius."
Sheriff Wilkins instantly sounded more serious when he replied. "I can rope the area off and have a scout team go through immediately. What are the coordinates?"
Gibbs swore again. Abby had only printed out a map and he kicked himself again for forgetting such routine procedures. Despite every refrain, it was clear he was still being deeply affected by the loss of Tony and Tim.
"Agent Gibbs?"
"Give me your cell number. I'm driving. Someone will text the numbers through soon."
"One second."
Gibbs passed the phone to Ziva. "Take down the cell number he gives, then get Abby on the phone for me."
Ziva nodded, taking the phone and a moment later she wrote down the numbers. "Thank you, Sheriff," she said and disconnected before he could reply. Speed dial four got her through to Abby instantly and she passed the cell back to Gibbs as it rang.
"Gibbs?"
"Listen to me, Abby. I need you to get the coordinates for the Jefferson Forest, map, radius... thing," his mind had drawn a blank and had settled on trying to communicate in basic terms. He swallowed roughly and pushed the worry back, refusing to let it overwhelm him further.
"Hold on, Gibbs. I can get them..." Gibbs could hear a brief rustling and then the muffled questioning of Ducky's voice.
"Abs, where are you?"
"In the truck with Ducky and Jimmy," was the firm reply. "You couldn't just leave me back in my lab. I would have..."
"I know, Abby. It's fine," he cut her off gently. "Do you have the coordinates?"
"Yes."
"Ok, I'm passing you to Ziva. Give her the numbers."
"Wait Gibbs..." But the older man had already passed the phone. He knew Abby was about to offer words of comfort and he didn't want to hear them.
It took less than five minutes for Ziva to take down the coordinates, text them to the Sheriff and get a reply of thanks with a promise that they were starting to rope off the area and begin searching. Ziva relayed everything to Gibbs and received a grunt of thanks in return.
"Did you want me to drive, Gibbs?" He had been driving continuously for the past three hours.
"No, it's-"
"You won't be doing any good if you get tired and crash," Ziva pointed out and Gibbs shot her a murderous look. How could she even suggest he'd fall asleep at a time like this? "You know I will drive as fast as you do."
And Gibbs almost laughed. Ziva could definitely match him in driving speed. "Fine," he said.
They pulled over into the dirt and swapped seats with a quickness that would have been impossible any other time. Ziva speed off less than a minute later, leaving a spray of gravel and dust behind her.
~ *XX* ~
It was late again, he was back at the wheel and Gibbs realised he'd only had 4 hours sleep in the past 36 or so hours. Ziva had driven a short while, but he refused to sleep. He couldn't even think about resting. Not until he'd found McGee and DiNozzo. His two agents he didn't ever want to lose. Not like this. So he kept on driving, fully aware that Ziva sat beside him, as wide awake with fear and worry as he was.
Neither spoke as they hammered along the highway, hours passing as they chewed up the miles.