Chapter 14

McGee jumped back when he saw what had been hidden in the trunk. Gibbs just stared at the two guards in the boot. They were placed together so their legs were interlocked much like two wrestlers would be. Gaffer tapped tied around their mouth, hands and feet. They had clearly tried to removed the tape but failed.

"Well McGee, are you going to help these men out or what?" Gibbs said quickly removing the tape off the first officer's mouth and McGee the second.

"Ouch," the guards said simultaneously. McGee then assisted Gibbs in removing the men from the back of the vehicle.

McGee and Gibbs made short work of removing the tape from their legs and feet. "What happened?" Gibbs barked once the guard's limbs were free.

The two guards looked at each other before the taller of the two began to speak. "Sir, we, ah, don't actually know."

"What?" Gibbs shrieked.

"Well, one minute we were standing guard, and the next minute, we were being put in the trunk." He looked down at his watch. "We've been in the trunk for 38 hours now." The smaller guard nodded. Gibbs pulled out his cell phone and called for an ambulance to check the men over.

"I want written statements from both of you at 0900 tomorrow morning," Gibbs told them as they were being loaded into ambulances.

As Gibbs and McGee were entering the sedan his phone rang. "Gibbs," short and straight to the point as always.

"Ah, Hi Special Agent Gibbs, This is Dr Craig from Bethesda Naval Hospital where I examined Thomas and Emily Parker," Dr Craig's voice was calm and self assured. "I know it's late but I had a priority put on the tests and I have found something quite intresting, I checked the tests myself to make sure there was no mis…" Dr Craig was interrupted by by an impatient Gibbs,

"Dr Craig what is it?"

"My tests conclude that Emily has been sexually abused and for some time. There was considerable damage done. Once a guardian is confirmed she will need to return for more tests to ensure the damage is not permanent." Dr Craig's voice attempted to remain impersonal but it was difficult. On the other end of the phone she could hear Gibbs jaw lock.

"I am afraid that's not all my tests concluded. Thomas and Emily are only half brother and sister. They only share one parent. Their mother." Dr Craig answered. Gibbs just stared at the steering wheel for a second when he realized what that meant, before focusing back on the road.

Soon they had reached the Old Navy Yard. Without saying a word to McGee, Gibbs walked straight to Abby's lab where she was staring at the screen.

"Gibbs, my hero," she exclaimed. Gibbs raised his eyebrows at her.

"Where's Kate, Tony and the kids?" He asked as he walked over to switch off the music blaring out of the speakers.

"Gibbs!" Abby exclaimed. "You know I need my music to work!"

"Well, I need to talk. Where are they?" Abby shot McGee a confused look, unsure of what had caused Gibbs' grumpiness. McGee raised his hands as if to say 'don't ask me'.

"They're in the break room getting something to eat. The kids were hungry," Abby retorted, trying to maintain her usual effervescent manner.

"I want them here, now. Send the kids to Ducky for babysitting."

"Yes, Boss-man!" Abby mock saluted before grinning broadly at him.

"NOW, ABBS!" Gibbs barked. Abby's eyes widened in shock. Gibbs had never used that tone of voice with her before. She turned on her heel and picked up the phone resting on the bench.

"Kate! It's Abby! Something is definitely hinky. Gibbs wants you and Tony here now. He said to take the kids to Ducky." There was a pause before Abby spoke again. "He needs coffee."

"Abby!" Gibbs yelled from behind her.

"Did you hear that?" Abby said to Kate. "He's not a happy camper."

"Abby! Tell them to get their asses down here now or else I will fire them."

"Hear that, Kate?" Abby asked.

No more than two minutes later, Kate and Tony came running into the lab. They saw a perplexed Abby and McGee and a very angry Gibbs. "Gibbs, what's going on?" Kate asked cautiously. Since she'd been in the break room with Tony and the kids, she'd relaxed considerably and was beginning to put some distance between herself and the case.

"We found the car that was tailing you," Gibbs said.

"At the house?" DiNozzo asked.

"Hear me out," Gibbs ordered. "The two guards assigned to watch the Parker's house turned up in the trunk. They're on their way to hospital now and they'll be kept in overnight for observation." Tony and Kate nodded. McGee stood there unaffected by that news, but he didn't know what had made Gibbs so angry. Gibbs had not said anything to McGee about the doctor's results. "Dr Craig called me," Gibbs continued. He focused his eyes on Kate. He could see her shoulders tense up. He noticed that Kate shifted her weight onto her left foot at the same time that Tony shifted his weight onto his right foot, drawing them closer together. "Tom is fine. Emily has been sexually abused over a long period of time." Kate gasped loudly, and instinctively moved even closer to Tony.

"Your face tells me that there is more, boss," Tony stated. Gibbs diverted his eyes to Tony for a brief moment before focusing his gaze on his female agent. There was a lengthy pause before Gibbs told them the small piece of information which would change the way they looked at the case.

"Emily and Tom are only half-brother and sister."

Tony looked at Gibbs and he nodded his head slightly. Kate could feel the bile rising in her throat. Tony sensing it reached under Abby's desk and put the bin, where Kate involuntarily threw up. Kate looked up and saw the team looking at her and ran out of the lab to the bathroom. Abby moved to follow her, but Gibbs shook his head slightly. "Tony, go and bring Agent Todd back. We have a case to solve." Gibbs said. Tony looked at Gibbs for a moment and nodded his head slightly in recognition. Tony found Kate in the bathroom. Her face was wet.

"Kate," Tony whispered.

"That bastard," Kate yelled. Tony moved towards Kate. "Stay away from me." She yelled. Kate was irrational. She wanted the pain to go away.

"Kate," Tony said his voice rising slightly.

"Don't Kate me Tony, you have no idea…" Kate moved to try and get around Tony but he anticipated her moved and he managed to catch her in his arms.

"Let go of me," Kate raged. Her fists began hitting Tony in the chest. He just stood there not letting go.

"Kate, I am not letting go, don't push me away," Tony said. Kate soon became too exhausted to fight back and reluctantly accepted his embrace. Slowly they slid down the wall until Kate was sitting in Tony's arms.

"Kate, we need to get back," Tony whispered. Kate nodded. She brushed her clothes. Together they walked back to Abby's lab.

Gibbs looked up when he heard the doors open. DiNozzo, Todd and McGee stood there awaiting their instructions. They were focused. They had to find Richard Jones. "DiNozzo, I want you to run an extensive background check on Jones. He obviously had an accomplice which would explain the highway incident." Gibbs ordered. "Todd, I need to try and trace the history between Jones and Parker and try and trace the money we found in the fax. And McGee assist Abby in tracing the email, maybe he was stupid enough to split up. Then analyze all emails. Try and find history. Open the engine drive or whatever you do." Gibbs said. Abby snickered at the last comment.

"Gibbs it's called a hard drive," Abby said.

"Abbs I don't care get it done and meet back in an hour."

"Yes Boss," The three agents replied before moving off to do their respective tasks. Tony and Kate sat down in the bullpen. Although concentrating on their work they would often sneak a look at each other and smile.

"That's interesting," Tony remarked. His comment gained the attention of his co-workers.

"Define 'interesting', DiNozzo," Gibbs snapped. He looked at the clock on his computer. It read 00:05. He'd hoped his Medical Examiner was looking after the children.

"Richard Jones lived next door to the Parkers for eight years until he was turfed out by the Navy." Tony picked up the remote control and brought up the former Lieutenant's file on the plasma. "He shared the same office space as Lieutenant Parker."

"That is interesting, Tony," McGee pointed out.

"Ah ha!" Tony exclaimed. "But that's not all." Three pairs of eyes focused on him, thinking he was about to unveil one of the worlds hidden secrets. "He was demoted once, seven years ago."

"And that makes it more interesting, how?" Kate asked.

"Captain Parker was the one who brought about his demotion."

"This kidnapping is personal," Gibbs stated.

"If it's not already a double homicide," Kate stated dryly.

Please review:)