Tony was just finishing another round of investigating the room when he heard footsteps in the hall. Tucking the knife into his sleeve, he set himself for whatever might come through the door.

The steps had been light and hesitant, Tony didn't really expect Morgan to come through the door. Still he was surprised when the door inched open and Ben poked his head into the room.

"Tony?" He peered around the dark room searching for his friend.

"Ben!" Tony was so glad to see the kid, he wanted to know if he was alright, but he also didn't want him putting himself in danger. "What are you doing in here? Where's Morgan?"

Ben glanced quickly over his shoulder as if he were afraid that just by speaking his name, the man would appear. "Leo's gone out to set the perimeter," he said it like he'd been repeating it to himself over and over, so he wouldn't forget.

"Is he really your father?"

Ben shrugged, "He says he is. I don't know. I don't care." His eyes flashed with anger, "Tony he hurt my mom. I think…" his eyes welled with tears. "I think she may be dead. We need to get out of here, Tony. I think he's going to hurt you some more." The boy looked down at his toes, "I'm afraid."

Tony limped over and put a hand on the boy's shoulder, it was tense and knotted. "It's okay, Ben." He shook the shoulder until the boy looked up into his eyes. Tony gazed deep into Ben's eyes, speaking quietly, "I'm afraid, too. But fear's a good thing, you know, it can be your friend as long as you use it and don't let it take control of you. You know what I mean?"

Ben looked up, returning Tony's searching gaze. He swallowed and replied, "No, I'm sorry, Tony."

Tony squeezed the tense shoulder. "Hey, it's okay, Ben, I don't know what it means either." He quirked a smile at the boy, "But I heard it in a movie once, and I've always wanted to say it."

His tactic worked, Tony could feel the small shoulder under his hand relax, just a little. "Now, you said this Morgan guy, he's gone to set the perimeter? With what? Do you know?"

Ben shook his head, "He has all this stuff, dynamite and things I've never seen before. And Tony, there's this." He held out his hand with his prize dangling from his fingers - the car keys.

Tony's smile widened, "Who's the man!"

He couldn't help himself, he pulled Ben into a quick embrace. For once Ben didn't push him away, his teenage dignity offended. He held on tightly, letting go reluctantly.

"What say we blow this joint?" Tony asked lightly, smiling down at Ben. He gripped Ben's shoulder again for balance and pushed himself off against the wall.

"Uhm, Tony?"

"Ben?" They really couldn't afford to be wasting any time, but the boy was so serious.

"Uhm… Where are your shoes?" He pointed down at Tony's feet.

For the first time, Tony realized his shoes were indeed gone. He bit his tongue to keep the expletive from slipping out. Why hadn't he noticed that sooner? Not like he had anything else on his mind.

Okay, he was barefoot, they were going to go to the car and drive away. Even if there was gravel outside, he could deal with it. They'd be okay.

He wriggled the toes on his good foot. "I needed a new pair anyway. What say we go shopping tomorrow?"

Ben smiled at that, and Tony felt victorious. They left the room cautiously, Tony limping along, using the wall to keep himself moving straight.

"You know it's a real good thing you found those keys. I thought we were going to have tunnel out."

The boy regarded him askance from the corner of his eye, "Tony. We wouldn't have time for anything like that."

Tony hid the small smile that escaped with a low moan as he stepped wrong. The kid was so like McGee sometimes it was frightening, never quite knowing what to take seriously and what to let slide. Kate had caught on much quicker. But he had made it his personal duty to help Ben learn to lighten up and not take life so seriously.

"No really, Ben, we could have done it. It would have been just like in the Great Escape."

"The Great Escape? I don't think I've seen it."

"Oh," Tony let out a quick laugh, "great flick. A bunch of POWs in a Word War II prison camp decide to stage an escape…" he trailed off as he got a look at the main room.

Tony let out a low whistle. He didn't say it out loud, but there was enough explosives scattered around to blow up ½ of DC. And Morgan had gone to 'set the perimeter.' They had to get out and warn Gibbs.

Tony made his slow, halting way to the windows and canted a curtain to look out. He was careful to avoid casting a shadow that could be seen outside. All he could see beyond the cabin was black, inky darkness. There was no light of any kind to give him any indication of what might lie beyond.

"Do you remember what was out there when you came in?" He asked Ben.

"It was dark," Ben said slowly, trying to remember what he saw when he arrived.

"I know, kid, but was the road paved? Are we close to the city?" As he spoke, Tony surveyed the room, looking for anything he might be able to use as a weapon. He couldn't believe it when he spotted his own gun on the table with the dynamite and the electronic equipment.

"No, we drove a long way, at least it seemed that way… and the road outside is a gravel road…. and there's lots of trees."

"That's good, Ben, real good." Tony smiled approvingly at his young friend. "What say we blow this popsicle stand?"

Ben just nodded.

"Good. Now, listen to me, Ben, when we leave here, stay with me. Stay down and move fast. And if Morgan shows up, if anything happens, you make a run for it." He pulled the phone from his pocket and gave it to the boy. "Gibbs is number one on the speed dial. Do you know how to use it?"

The boy nodded solemnly. "But Tony…"

"Don't interrupt, Ben, we don't have much time. You run and don't look back if anything goes wrong. You find someplace out there and you hide until Gibbs comes to get you. You got that?"

"But what about you?" There was tears in Ben's eyes. Tony was sorry to put them there, but he had to know that Tony was serious. If he was recaptured, no way was he giving Ben back.

"Ben, I can take care of myself. And I'll do better if I know you're alright. Now, if Leo shows up what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to run…"

"And then what?"

"I'm going to hide…"

"Until?"

"Until Gibbs comes to get me."

"And he will come to get you, Ben, you can count on that. Leroy Jethro Gibbs will never let you down. Always remember that."

"I will, Tony."

"Good. Now, it's about time we get out of here." He gestured for Ben to turn the light off. He made his way to the table and picked up his gun. Checking to make sure it was still loaded, he shoved it into its holster.

"Let's move, Ben, time's awasting."

Tony wanted to run, he felt it deep in his gut that they needed to get out of that cabin and down the road. But the reality was that he couldn't run, it was all he could do to put one foot in front of the other. He was afraid that any moment he was going to fall flat on his face, he kept the smile plastered on his face for Ben's benefit. The kid didn't need to know how bad he felt.

He cracked the cabin door and surveyed the landscape. He found lots of trees silhouetted against the night sky, just like Ben had said. He spotted the car parked just in front the cabin. It was only a few steps away, they only had to cross the wide porch and they'd be good to go. He marked out their path, his gaze sweeping the porch, one, two, three steps, no more…

He didn't know how he saw it, maybe it was light from the room behind him, but there was a glint on the floor of the porch. Upon closer examination he found that the floor was scattered with shards of glass.

"Son of a bitch," he said under his breath.

"Tony?" Ben wasn't quite sure what was wrong, but he sensed the hesitancy in Tony's manner.

"We've hit a roadblock, kid. Let me think for a sec."

Standing quietly behind him, Ben allowed Tony the quiet he needed to think.

There was no choice. They had to go now. There wasn't going to be a next time. Morgan wouldn't allow them another chance.

He calculated the distance across the port, it was three steps he could do that. What was a little more pain with all the rest his body was already enduring?

He could do it.

He had to.

Thank you for your wonderfully encouraging comments!