A/N--HEY! I'm back...yes it has been a while and I appologize. This chapter didnt come out as easlily as the others did. I think it works now and I'm happy with it so I hope you are too! Sorry again about the wait I know it was long and I hope to not keep you as long from Chapter 10! Also thank you tons for the reviews! Keep it up! Now on to the story! Enjoy :-D!

Chapter Nine: Stolen

Gibbs got to the hospital before Fornell and went in to see Jeb. Jeb was resting staring out the window when Gibbs came in. They nodded to each other in greeting but then Jeb's gaze returned to his window. Gibbs sat in a chair at the end of the bed.

"Agent Fornell from the FBI is coming up to talk to you," Gibbs said.

"Think that is a good idea?" Jeb asked.

"He wants to talk to me too. He doesn't have to know."

"Same play."

"Same play as always. Do you have any idea who this leak is?"

"I had it narrowed down to a few possibles. Can we wait for Fornell? I really don't want to have to say things twice." Jeb said wearily. Gibbs nodded and got up and left the room. Jeb closed his eyes for a moment.

As Gibbs sat down the hall from Jeb's room, away from the guards, he waited for Fornell to show up. It wasn't a long wait before Gibbs saw him step off the elevator. Fornell spotted Gibbs and made his way to him.

"What room?" Fornell asked. Gibbs pointed down the hall to where the guard was sitting. Fornell nodded and the two walked in silence towards the room. They came in to see Jeb staring at the ceiling. Fornell walked to the chair at the foot of the bed and took a seat. Gibbs closed the door behind him and leaned against it. Jeb continued to stare up.

"Son?" Fornell asked Jeb. When Jeb didn't respond he asked another question. "What are you doing?"

"Counting tiles," Jeb replied nonchalantly. His gaze never diverted from the ceiling. Fornell looked at Gibbs who just shrugged his shoulders.

"You know who I am?" Fornell continued.

"Yeah, Agent Fornell, FBI," Jeb replied.

"I came here to ask you some questions about the assignment you took."

"You want to know what I found out and what evidence I have."

"Yes that is part of the point of my visit. I also want to find out who is after you and the child."

"He's my nephew. And yeah I got an idea of who could be after me. No I don't got any proof on anyone. They tossed me out of there before I could squeeze."

"Who do you think it is?" Fornell asked sitting up straighter in the chair. Jeb studied him for a moment then looked out the window. He waited a while longer while organizing his thoughts. He finally looked at Fornell.

"Couple Agents raised my radar while working the case. I was able to get into the files of one of the guys and he had four files with names I recognized. Three are agents one is military."

"What names did you see?"

"Agents were Casper, Dillfer, and Cannon."

"Who was the military?" Gibbs asked suddenly. Fornell looked at him. Jeb's gaze remained on Fornell.

"Gunny James Hardell," Jeb replied. Fornell looked back at Jeb, and missed Gibbs clenching his teeth. Jeb finally made eye contact with Gibbs.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Gibbs asked softly. Jeb just shrugged his shoulders. Gibbs looked away.

"You know this gunny, Jethro?" Fornell asked.

"Yes," Gibbs replied as he ran a hand through his hair. "How well do you know the other three agents?"

"Cannon is in my unit. The other two operate out of a different unit but they are together as far as I can tell."

"You think they were the link?" Fornell asked.

"Not necessarily but they were working with them. They had a connection."

"What kind of connection?"

"I think Hardell was the most involved. He was running for them. Guns from somewhere I couldn't find out. I ran out of time. But I'm pretty sure the gunny was bringing in guns. Dillfer and Casper were in deep too. They didn't just have basic info on them. There were papers in the folders that looked like they came from them personally, or someone that knew them."

"Like?" Gibbs asked.

"I wasn't sure what they were. I had planned on going back when I got a chance and taking film of the documents. I never got the chance," Jeb replied. He then leaned deeply back into the pillow on the bed and his good arm went up to readjust the sling on his bad arm. Gibbs could tell he was in pain.

"How in depth do you think the three agents are?"

"Cannon I don't know. But he could be in. I didn't find out about him until the day I was discovered. I saw a file on Bixler's desk with his name on it. The other two are involved whether it's willingly or by blackmail I can't tell you. A lot of money was changing hands though."

"Dillfer and Casper failed to report to work this morning," Fornell said.

"The police as well as DiNozzo think that someone was either killed or seriously injured in the attack on my home," Gibbs replied.

"You think it was them at your house?" Fornell asked.

"Possible," Gibbs said looking at the floor. "But the play smelled military. I bet Gunny Hardell was involved in the shooting. Jeb, did you see anything that could harm these players?"

"Like I said I don't have concrete evidence but I mean their names were in the files. They know I saw those files."

"Tobias, can you start a search for the agents? I'll run down Hardell."

"Why don't you let us handle the operation, Jethro?" Fornell asked sternly. Gibbs looked at him. "I'm serious, Jethro, you need to step back. This isn't a NCIS job. There is nothing Navy about this."

Gibbs clenched his teeth again and glared. He held his tongue while he calmed his thoughts. He didn't want to say anything stupid right now. Jeb was watching him like a hawk.

"He's right," Jeb said quickly. "Let the FBI handle this, Gibbs. You should go and take care of Hunter."

Gibbs finally blew out a breath and nodded. Jeb nodded back at him and Fornell sighed a breath of relief. Gibbs was about to say something when the door opened and a nurse came in.

"I'm sorry gentleman but I'm going to have to ask you to leave," she said politely. Gibbs and Fornell both nodded and stood to leave. They both left the room with out another word and made their way to the elevator in silence. Once in the elevator and moving towards the main floor of the hospital Fornell turned to Gibbs.

"Can I ask you something," Fornell asked. Gibbs just looked at him. "What's your connection?"

"To what?"

"This case, Jethro. Come on. What's the connection between you and the boy?" Fornell asked. Gibbs stared at him and didn't answer for a moment.

"Ask me again some other time," Gibbs finally answered as the doors opened. He stepped off the elevator and headed towards his car. He flipped his phone out and dialed Kate's, but she didn't answer. The phone just rang….and rang…and rang.

Kate was curled up on the couch reading a book while Hunter colored quietly kneeling at the coffee table. The third movie had ended. Kate jumped when she heard a knock at the door. Hunter tensed and dropped his crayon.

"It's ok, Hunter," Kate said getting up to see who was at the door. She looked through the peephole and saw two men in suits standing there. "Who is it?"

"FBI, Ma'am," the man on the right said and held up a badge. Kate cracked the door enough to see the badge and then opened the door completely. Kate stepped back.

"Can I help you?" Kate asked cautiously.

"You are Agent Todd?" The same one asked her.

"Yes," Kate replied.

"I'm Agent Tollinger and this is Agent Maxwell. Agent Fornell asked us to stop by and ask you a few questions on the shooting earlier." He continued.

Kate looked at him cautiously since she knew Gibbs had gone to meet with Fornell and nothing was said about this. She took a step back away from them and started to search for something she could use as a weapon. The other man lunged at her when he noticed her intention. Kate grabbed the lamp and brought it around, smashing it across the agents face. He roared in pain and Hunter cried out jumping up.

Kate ran towards the back hallway, trying to get to her gun. The man she smashed in the face was slumped over behind the couch. The other one chased after Kate.

"Grab the kid!" he yelled back to the wounded agent. He picked himself up and lunged at Hunter. Hunter was no match for him and he scooped him into his powerful arms and bear hugged the boy. Hunter screamed and yelled as the man carried him down the stairs to the car waiting.

The other man caught up with Kate just before she reached her bedroom. He sprung forward and crashed into her back. She was slammed into the closed door to her bedroom. Her cheek crashed against it and sent pain waves through her jaw and head. The man grabbed her arms before she realized what was happening. She tried to lash out with her arm but he had a firm grip so she kicked back with her leg. It connected with his inner thigh and she heard him grunt.

She took advantage of the moment when he loosened his grip slightly and freed one of her arms. She swung it around and the side of her hand connected with this temple. He staggered backward but tightened his grip on her other arm and twisted it violently as he caught his balance. She yelped in pain and tried to pull it free. He then swung his fist and connected with her just below the eye on the same cheek that hit the door.

Colors and stars burst before her eyes as the blow stunned her. She staggered backwards and felt the tug on her arm as he caught her. He then quickly grabbed both her arms and dragged her towards her front door. She was groggy from the blow but she heard her phone start ringing after he had pulled her through the doorway. He slammed her door shut but the latch didn't catch and it came to a stop ajar.

Kate was tossed roughly into the back of a van and she felt a small body wrap its arms around her. She realized it was Hunter and wrapped her arms protectively around him. She just hoped the call was from Gibbs and he would come after them, as the van speed off. The man not driving turned in his seat and took another swing at Kate connecting with her temple. The colors exploded again in front of her eyes and she heard Hunter scream and then there was nothing but blackness.

TBC……………………………………………………………………