Chapter 24
Gibbs finished his phone call to Fornell and walked back inside the hospital building. "Director of the FBI has agreed to the deal with Benson."
"Excellent." Ducky said. "So, who gave him the six thousand dollars and why?" Ducky said.
"Fornell's just about to ask that question Ducky." Gibbs phone rang again. He saw the faces of the nurses and moved back outside with Ducky. "Gibbs."
"Boss, it's McGee."
"Yeah McGee, I can see that; you put that picture id. thingy on my phone, remember?"
"Ahh."
"What the hell was that?" Gibbs urgently said.
"Sorry Boss, Ziva is driving us to the hospital, we're about a minute away; seems she's forgotten the correct side to drive on, again."
Gibbs heard Ziva cursing in Hebrew.
"I thought I told you to stay at the Navy Yard." Gibbs said.
"We went through the security footage like you asked. We know who took the paperweight." McGee said.
"And you didn't tell me this before because...?" Gibbs threw up his free hand in frustration.
"Well you're with Tony Boss, so it's not like he's in any danger."
"I'm in the damn forecourt of the hospital. No one's with Tony."
"Actually Jethro," Ducky interrupted, "Agent Nova is currently with him."
Gibbs felt his heartbeat escalate. "Who took the paperweight McGee?"
OOO
Tony could see the monitor; his heart-rate was escalating. He hoped he'd be able to raise it to a level to set the alarms off, so the doctors and nurses would come in to find out why.
He looked ahead into the corridor, hoping to find Gibbs, Ducky or even the Metro Officer. None were anywhere to be seen, but he almost cheered when the familiar face of Professor Norman enter his room.
"I'm here to check on Agent DiNozzo." She said matter-of-factly to Nova. "You'll need to leave"
"What are you doing here?" Nova sternly stated. The professor's brown eyes bore into him. "I mean, I thought a doctor had just checked on him."
"I'm sorry Doctor Lovell didn't get your permission first Agent Nova, but he was a little concerned about Anthony's breathing and asked for my opinion."
Tony's eyes darted between the two. He prayed that professor would order Nova to leave.
Nova hesitated before making his way out.
The professor shut the blinds on the door and window, allowing them some privacy. "I don't think we want Agent Nova looking in; I can tell that he is not a fan of yours."
Tony removed his mask. "You've got to get Gibbs." Tony gasped.
"Calm yourself Anthony. Why do you need Agent Gibbs so urgently?"
"Knew about drugs. Father was doctor. Need Gibbs."
"You're not making sense Anthony. Who knew about what drugs?" She frowned, looking concerned at his agitated state. "No one is going to harm you Anthony, but I promise I will speak with Agent Gibbs as soon as I'm finished; I believe he is currently downstairs with Dr Mallard. The first thing to do is to calm you down." She retrieved some latex gloves from the packet on the side table and having placed them on, gently removed the mask. "I'll give you a sedative in a moment, in the meantime just breath deeply through your nose and it will calm you down." She turned to the infusion pump machine and flow grips, and frowned. "These don't look right. Has someone altered them?"
"Nova." Tony's voice was raspy.
The professor adjusted several of the flow grips, allowing more fluid to be released. "That's better. I'll just get the sedative and then leave you in peace." She retrieved a syringe from the silver tray set on the table to Tony's left. She removed a bottle from her pocket and attached it to the syringe. She checked for air bubbles before moving to inject it into Tony's left antecubital vein.
"What's going on?"
The professor turned to see Nova in the doorway.
"I told you to leave Agent Nova; I suggest you do so before I call security." Her voice was stern and uncompromising.
Tony's heart was pounding. He was finding it more and more difficult to catch his breath. He tried desperately to draw in oxygen, but his lungs refused to comply; punching out air as soon as it hit them.
"You changed his oxygen intake and fluids." The professor said. Sensing the danger, she reached for the table, where she could see a scalpel. "Agent DiNozzo informed me that you had been messing with them."
Tony's eyes focused on the professor, urging her to notice his distress. He could feel his lungs fill with liquid. He starting coughing, trying to dislodge the fluid that felt like it was pervading his entire upper body. He tried to sit up, but his body refusing to obey.
He gasped, willing even the smallest wisp of air to enter his starved lungs.
End of Chapter 25