Gibbs had his small revolver in hand and had moved a fair distance across the hangar. Duvall was still shouting at him, but the enraged man was slowly winding down.
Hey cop-man whoever you are! Nice try! But your lies didn't buy you anything; you're still trapped. Round him up, boys. Duvall turned around and for the first time noticed that Kate and Tony were missing. Shit! What do I pay you for? Find them! he snarled, waving his weapon around carelessly.
By then, Tony had reached the laboratory space and slid beneath its glass-laden table. As the business end of Duvall's gun flew past flasks and tubes, two of the chemists ducked in fear -- only to be met by the grim-faced agent and his revolver. As their eyes widened in shock and one prepared to call out, Tony drew back the hammer on the gun and shook his head. He motioned for them to crawl ahead of him toward the wall and the door his sharp eyes had detected.
Gibbs had reached the far wall ahead of his pursuers. He wedged himself in a narrow space as he waited for the first of the guards to reach him. Snaking out an arm, the former Marine applied a chokehold to the man, then disarmed him as he sagged to the ground. Picking up the guard's weapon, he headed for the hangar doors along the wall.
Kate slipped out the door they had entered and found the team leader. Quickly she informed him of the situation inside, answering his questions and pointing out her security concerns. The agent in charge, Mike Watson, detailed the placement of his personnel for her. Since she was already familiar with the interior, she would go back in and help her partners take down as many as they could. Outfitted with an earpiece and mini-transmitter, Kate waited for one of the agents to check the situation inside with the video probe before sliding back through the door. As she crouched down she saw a sliver of light along the wall behind where the meth chemists had been working. She watched Tony slip back into the building and drop to the floor, the door disappearing as it was closed.
Gibbs had just reached a door near the hangar doors when all hell broke loose. Gunfire erupted from the area near where they'd entered. Duvall swung around and headed in the direction of the sounds as Gibbs discovered the exit he'd planned to use was barred and locked. Swearing under his breath, he prepared to shoot the lock holding the bar in place. Muffled thumps and grunts from somewhere else in the rooms filtered through his consciousness. Through it all, he could hear Duvall yelling; the once tough, assured voice slowly becoming that of a whiny bully now that his gang was missing.
= = = = = = = = =
The frightened lab tech fumbled the catch on the hidden door before it swung inward. Tony caught it then shoved his two captives out the door and into the surprised hands of two of the backup team members.
Jackson, take these two. There are two more in there...
Jackson's partner grabbed Tony's arm with one hand and pressed his other to his ear. Kate's on comm and she's going back in; she says there are eight left?
Six now, and I can get two more out the same way. I don't know where Gibbs is or how many he's taken down. Heath, I'm going back in; either give me a comm unit or get out of my way!
Frustrated, Heath jerked a thumb over his shoulder and Jackson took off toward the front of the building. The agent then yanked his unit off his belt, removed the earpiece, and handed it to Tony. Don't screw up, DiNozzo. Gibbs chews ass worse than the Director.
Thanks, Heath. Get the door, will ya? He dropped low and slipped in, checking out the room before sliding all the way to the floor. Watching the feet of the remaining two chemists, he gave a whisper to his partner.
Hey, Kate.
Tony. I saw you come back in. What's the body count?
I dragged half the pharmaceutical staff out. I'm going for the other half now.
Okay. I think Gibbs has taken out at least one, possibly two of the guards, but I haven't seen him so I can't be sure.
By my count that leaves one left besides our loose cannon out there. Watch your six, Todd.
You too, DiNozzo. Kate flattened herself against the wall, watching her partner drop and disappear from view as she did so. She began to carefully slither along the wall only to be surprised by the last remaining guard several feet from the door. Instinct took over and Kate slammed her right hand forward, the fist containing the gun creating a sickening sound as she connected with his throat. Gurgling sounds replaced words as he brought his gun up to fire. She grabbed for it with her left hand and they struggled for the weapon. Two or three rounds were discharged during the scuffle, the bullets ricocheting wildly. Finally, with an elbow to the face and kick to the knee, Kate was able to fell the man. Kneeling above her former captor, Kate yanked his own handcuffs from their holder and snapped them on the still writhing man.
Watson... Todd... she gasped into her headset.
Todd. What's wrong; we heard shots.
Kate bit down hard on the pain threading through her body. I have another guard down. Shots fired, but no one hit. Still no sight of Gibbs. I'm going to try and find him; can you send someone in for this guy?
Heath, DiNozzo. I've got my last two, but they're not happy. Need a little help here.
Kate was slowly climbing to her feet, her ribs complaining from the rough treatment, when she discovered that one of the bullets hadn't completely missed her after all. Swearing violently under her breath, she tried to take a couple of steps, keeping low. The searing pain in her lower calf was manageable by itself, but compounded with her ribs and difficulty breathing, she wasn't certain she would be able to cross the room safely. She eyed her options carefully.
Duvall had run out of everything: men, patience, options. He took one last look around the lab, and seeing no one, vented his rage in a childish display of superiority. Firing his weapon indiscriminately, he screamed incoherently, Emily! Not Lynn! No! I won't go down for this! The random hail of bullets rained down; they struck glassware on the lab tables, shattering flasks, spilling liquids. As the chemicals splashed into one another, fire ignited. Duvall watched the seconds tick by in slow motion as one pristine flask blossomed into rainbow shards, its contents cascading to the table only to bounce back white hot and explosive. The sound tore through his body, as did the metal flask stands. Fire raced along the lab's surfaces, flames licking hungrily at the remains of avarice.
