Tony hung up the phone. He had never heard Abby sound so frantic, ever. He swore to her he'd have everything sent to her ASAP, all properly bagged and tagged. He promised he'd take care of Kate and Gibbs until Ducky arrived, who'd left as soon as he heard the situation. Tony knew that there was no one that any agent in NCIS would rather have by his or her side in a situation like this. Ducky's experience was incomparable and likely to prove lifesaving. His next phone call was to arrange for another team to assist with the poison lab. He detailed the likely known pitfalls for recovery and told them to equip for the worst. As he finished his second call, he could hear Kate talking to the EMTs behind him again.

She leaned around from behind the ambulance in response to his bellow. Abby wants to know if it's possible to get a blood draw from you and Gibbs. She wants to get her own analysis going.

I'll check with the EMTs and see what we can do, okay?

A thoroughly calamine-daubed Agent Bourne approached Tony and said, You know, if Abby or Ducky didn't tell you to get that mud off you, I'd be pretty amazed, Bourne's hands clenched the sides of his slacks, trying valiantly not to scratch at his poison ivy blisters.

Tony sighed, accepting the older agent's gentle chiding. Thanks, Bourne. More worried about Kate and Gibbs at the moment, though. How're you holding up?

I itch like hell, but what do you expect? Other than that, I'm waiting for you to ask me to help. At Tony's surprised look, the balding man added, Gibbs is my friend, too. We've all been watching and listening since you and Kate helped him in there. Bourne gestured to the ambulance.

Tony thought fast. He needed help here, but he needed evidence transported back to the office as well. And that evidence was time critical. Are you up to some fast driving? I need to get Gibbs' and Kate's........

Say no more, I've left as soon as you strip out of that jumpsuit so I can take it, too. No taking chances with this jackass, okay, DiNozzo?

He hesitated only a fraction of a second, then nodded his agreement. Grab me a clean one and I'll see if the EMTs can hose me down. We'll get this one ready and make sure all the rest is set to go.

The EMT's had rigged a temporary shower on the opposite side of the ambulance; both Gibbs and Kate had been through already. Tony motioned for Kate to join him once he'd stepped behind the makeshift curtain setup and undressed.

Kate, can you bag and tag this for Bourne and then gather all the other stuff from you and Gibbs? Tony handed out his filthy jumpsuit as Kate finished putting on clean gloves. She winced slightly as the latex snapped against the edge of the raw skin where her rash, or whatever, began. The EMTs began to hose Tony down and he had to raise his voice to be heard over the water. Ducky's on his way; that should make Gibbs a lot happier. Bourne's offered to drive all the evidence back to Abby, who's extremely worried about the two of you, by the way.

Well, the EMTs want to get us out of here, posthaste. They're concerned about Gibbs, and I don't blame them. Call Ducky back and ask him to meet us at the hospital. Kate finished securing Tony's jumpsuit and stripped off her gloves. She began quickly packing up their evidence for Bourne. Tony finished his and then emerged wearing a clean, if slightly baggy, NCIS jumpsuit. He promptly rolled up the sleeve for a blood draw from the waiting EMT, which Kate also bagged, tagged and packed.

Bourne stopped scratching and grabbed the box. All right guys, I'm outta here. Got my cell if you need me, but I drive like Gibbs... so try not to need me.

Good God! Tony moaned.

Just get it there in one piece, please! Kate said at the same time. The partners looked at each other for a moment, then two EMTs came and virtually dragged Kate to the ambulance.

We need to transport, they shouldn't wait any longer! said one as Kate turned around to keep from being propelled backwards. Suddenly she put a hand to her head. Wow,' she thought, that headache came on fast.' As she stepped up into the ambulance and the antiseptic smell hit her she knew she was going to be sick. She spotted a basin and made a wild grab for it just before she vomited.

Got you too, did he? croaked Gibbs. To Kate his words sounded like thunder in her suddenly too sensitive ears. Clutching both hands to her head to still its pounding, she slumped down on the other gurney. She didn't dare nod, her stomach still felt too rebellious. They stared at each other for a minute as the EMT safely buckled them for transport. Then the ambulance lurched on its way. As did the victims' stomachs. Violently. The EMT just sighed.

Tony flipped open his phone to call Ducky the minute the ambulance doors were closed, telling him to meet Kate and Gibbs at the hospital. He also gave the doctor an update on their condition, including the fact that Kate looked considerably worse. I think she just didn't want to feel she was letting the team down, Duck. But she was about to fall over. She looked pale and shaky. If I had to guess, which is a bad thing, I know, I'd say she also had a killer headache.

Don't worry, Anthony. I'll take good care of Caitlin and Jethro. I have a few friends at Memorial; we won't let anything happen to them. Ducky did his best to reassure the young man, but privately he was quite worried. Poison was always a tricky thing.

Thanks, Ducky. That means I can concentrate on this whack job and his poison factory. Keep me posted, okay? With Ducky's reassurances ringing in his ears, Tony put away his phone and sought out the remaining casualties from the morning's search.

Hey guys. The other ambulance should be here soon. Thanks for waiting. Tony sat down near the other two agents.

Terry, the one with the splinted leg, spoke up. No problem, DiNozzo. When we saw Gibbs puking on the lawn we knew it was serious. How's he doing?

Don't know right now. We're thinking the little shit poisoned him. He didn't look good when he left. May have gotten Kate, too. Don't know yet if he got me.

Terry's partner, Bill, nodded his head and asked, Did they each find something where they were looking?

I know Kate did, I'm not sure about Gibbs, but I think so, yeah. Why?

And what about you, did you find anything?

No. Again, why?

Terry took over, Me and Bill been talking it out ever since Bourne overheard you guys start talking bout poison. We figure the dirtbag booby-trapped all the locations where we were supposed to find the evidence. Poison in the house is the bonus booby trap, supposed to sideline anyone quickly if they've managed to get that far.

Tony found himself nodding along with their analysis, adding, Gibbs said he had a feeling that getting to that poison lab today was going to be very important. He thought it was in the basement. If you guys are right it means getting there is going to be even more difficult than we thought.

There are two haz-mat suits in the truck we were driving, Bill added. I don't know if either one will fit you, DiNozzo, but if I were you, I would seriously consider staying out of that house unless you're properly suited up.

Yeah, Bill, I..... Tony trailed off as he looked over his shoulder to see an ambulance bumping down the long, unpaved path that served as a driveway for the malevolent house squatting behind them. As the vehicle rolled to a stop, two EMTs flung open the back doors and hopped down. Tony greeted them and found that the other medics had briefed them via radio on the patients that had remained behind.

Did they mention if there was any change in Agents Gibbs' and Todd's conditions? Tony couldn't stop himself from asking.

No, sir, I'm sorry. But their ETA was five minutes when we spoke to them, so your partners should be in the hospital now. Try not to worry, sir. The EMT patted Tony's shoulder absently on his way past to assist Terry into the ambulance. Tony walked around to the rear of the vehicle and watched as both men were secured inside.

Listen guys, take it easy, okay? And if you need anything special, Ducky's there, so just let him know. He stepped back so the doors could be closed and latched, and then moved to a position of safety as the ambulance lurched and rolled back down the bumpy track. The sudden quiet felt very unnerving. Tony tried not to let it get to him as he continued to think through the other two agents' theory.

For Gibbs, the ambulance ride was horrible. He'd felt marginally better after being hosed down, although the process had been excruciating. The pain in his head had expanded to fill every possible space. The burning itch on his face was eased only slightly by the cool damp cloth of a burn pack. But the bump and sway of the moving vehicle caused the man to retch more than a few times. By the time he had nothing left to vomit, he was weak and exhausted, but the poison in his system gave him no peace. Pain and an unrelenting need to void an already empty stomach stayed his constant companions through what seemed an interminable ride.

Kate fared little better. Her exposure to her particular toxin had been minimal compared to Gibbs, but it was painful nonetheless. The skin on her arms, from where the tops of her latex gloves had been, all the way up to her collar bones and her upper chest and midriff area were red and itching, painfully so. Burn pack dressings covered those areas, and they provided slight relief. Like Gibbs, she had been retching nearly nonstop since the vehicle began its roller coaster ride. A deep throbbing headache had started somewhere in the center of Kate's skull, as well. She envied Gibbs the ability to curl up into a ball of wretchedness; the dressings on her arms and chest forced her to lay flat and let the pain assail her. She was dependent on the attendant every time she vomited, as bending or twisting to reach the basin was out of the question. At last, the ambulance pulled into the emergency entrance. The wailing sirens were silenced, to the relief of the patients inside.

Ducky had briefed the emergency room staff, and was now waiting to assist then in any way he could. He watched as the ambulance rolled to a stop, and the rear doors swung open. Oh, Lord, what have you two gotten yourselves into? he muttered, before capable hands whisked them away.