A/N: Again thank you to everyone who reviewed...it really makes me continue and write more. A little less wait on this one...Free time is a wonderful thing! (don't get me wrong I wouldn't give up hockey for anything). Anyway, here is the eleventh installment hope you enjoy...its a little bit shorter than normal but hopefully Chapter Twelve is right around the corner. There will probably be two more chapters maybe three on this story but things are wrapping up! ok enough! on to the story! Enjoy!--dark rolling sea.

CHAPTER 11—Finding Hope

Abby was silently processing the evidence that the team had brought her while McGee helped. Tony was standing around trying to look busy while Gibbs paced the room, his cell phone in hand. Ducky came into the lab and everyone but Gibbs looked up. Ducky went straight to Gibbs and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll find them, Jethro," Ducky said calmly. Gibbs looked at him a moment then pulled away. Ducky frowned and watched Gibbs pace. Gibbs then left the lab in a flash and everyone stared blankly at the door, as it slammed shut.

He took the elevator up to the bullpen and made his way to his desk. He didn't want to tie up his cell phone in case Kate tried to contact him. The agent in him kicked into gear and started to function. He pushed away the pain and fear and concentrated on what he could control.

He lifted the receiver and dialed Fornell. He waited anxiously as the phone rang. Finally he heard the line being picked up.

"Agent Fornell."

"Tobias, I need your help," Gibbs said calmly.

"Problem, Jethro?"

"Yes, someone snatched Agent Todd and the boy."

"You're kidding, when?"

"About an hour ago. We haven't had any communication. I need to know anything you have on this case."

"I'll be at your office in ten minutes."

"I'll be here," Gibbs said and hung up the line. He sat down at his desk and stared at his computer but before long his gaze landed on the empty desk. Kate's desk. He got up and walked over to it. He stood inches from it and scanned over her things. He felt the fear and panic surging over him again and he fought to stifle it. To the lab he told himself. He left a note on his desk for Fornell, making sure to make it large enough for the agent to see. Then he made his way to the elevator and back to Abby's lab.

Kate and Hunter ran down one hallway and rounded a corner. It lead to another long hallway with similar doors along the wall, all numbered. She couldn't figure out where she was or where she should go. They just kept running down the hallway to the next hallway. Soon she didn't know where she had been or where she was going. She internally yelled at herself for letting her panic over take her.

She then remembered she had grabbed a cell phone. She flipped it open as her and Hunter stopped to catch their breath and leaned against a doorway. She froze as she went to dial. Damn cell phones and storing numbers she thought as she tried frantically to remember Gibbs cell number. Finally it popped into her head and she had to restart twice because she had accidentally hit the wrong numbers on the keypad. Her fingers were shaking and her heart was pounding through her rib cage. She was trying to slow her breathing but it was coming in gasps.

The phone was ringing. Her one connection to sanity. Hunter stood clinging to her leg. She laid a hand on his head and waited. Pick up Gibbs! Her mind shouted. She waited. Finally she heard the line click on.

Gibbs was exiting the elevator when his cell phone suddenly began ringing. His heart began to race as his mind forgot where it was. He finally found it and flipped it open. He didn't recognize the number.

"Gibbs," he said hesitantly.

"It's Kate," she breathed out. Gibbs felt a load lift from him.

"Where are you," Gibbs asked quickly.

"I don't know. They grabbed us from my place. I was knocked unconscious and I have no idea how long we were in a vehicle or anything. We are in a building with lots of hallways and doors. The doors have numbers on them. The room they were keeping us in had no windows."

"Where are your captors, Kate?"

"I don't know. Honestly I don't even know where we are in the building anymore. We ran down so many hallways."

"How'd you get away?"

"We tricked the guys into the room and then instinct took over."

"How's Hunter," Gibbs asked quietly.

"He's shaken but unharmed physically."

"And you?" Gibbs asked softly.

"I'll heal." Kate replied. Gibbs cringed. The anger swelled inside him again.

"Keep moving. Find something that can tell us where you are. We'll keep looking on this end." Gibbs said.

"Ok," Kate said pushing off the wall and pulling Hunter with her. She walked down the hallway and rounded the corner. She let out a startled cry as a body charged around at the same time and lowered a shoulder. The head, shoulder, and elbow of the other body slammed into Kate's rib cage. The phone flew from her grip and she dropped to her side as the body continued over top of her. She heard Hunter yell, but she couldn't get up. She couldn't suck any wind in her lungs, and the pain was excruciating.

Gibbs heard the startled cry and the smashing of the bodies. He heard Hunter yell and then a loud thump from the phone. He waited a beat.

"Kate?" He asked. He got no response. "Kate!" he shouted. Still no response. He pulled his phone from his ear to look at it. It still had a connection. He hurried into the lab with the phone still at his ear. He looked around and saw everyone stop and stare at him as he came in. He didn't care. He went straight to Abby.

"Find where this call is coming from," Gibbs said harshly. Abby looked at him and nodded. McGee slid in front of the computer and started the trace on the call. The lab was deathly silent.

Kate tried to keep calm and regulate her breathing but the pain in her side was stifling her efforts. Hunter had bounded around the corner and was out of sight but the man that had pummeled her was kneeling next to her with a smile on his face. Kate held the emotion from her face as she felt the surge of adrenaline course through her body. The man stood up, and Kate saw that it was the one with the broken nose.

"Thought you could get away?" He said roughly. His words not clear with his nose being broken. "Tough luck lady. No one will find you here."

Kate sat still while she finally could breath again. The adrenaline was flowing now and she could feel herself more aware. She didn't dare to look around for the phone hoping the man thought it of no consequence. She also hoped that the connection had lived through the contact.

"You have no idea." Kate breathed as she drove her shoulder forward and came in contact with the man's sternum and drove him backwards. She heard his knee make an ugly popping noise and he bent over backwards with her added weight. The man grunted and twisted an arm around her slamming her to the ground. She landed on the ribs that he had slammed into and the pain immobilized her. She struggled to breath before she found the adrenaline soaked strength to swing her leg around and kick the man full force in the head.

He slumped to the floor and Kate jumped up. The cell phone was furthest from her mind as she rounded the corner grabbed Hunter and ran down the hallway towards yet another set of doorways. Finally it dawned on Kate where they could be. A storage unit she thought to herself. These looked like storage units. It was then that she realized she had lost the cell phone but didn't go back for it. Too late now she thought as she started to pay attention to the numbers on the doors. They were going down; maybe it led to a way out of this place.

Abby and McGee located the cell tower that was transmitting the call from Kate and started to search the area for possible buildings that could be being used. Gibbs rethought what Kate had told him, lots of hallways, and doors, numbers on the doors, no windows in the rooms. Gibbs continued to run this information through his brain. Think dammit think his brain screamed at him. Finally he looked up at Abby.

"Abbs, look for a storage unit or a building of that sort. Lots of hallways, doors, numbers on doors, no windows."

"Gibbs, you are not making sense but I will look for a building like that," Abby said as she continued to punch away at the keyboard.

"DiNozzo, get a vehicle ready to go," Gibbs barked and Tony instantly was out the door.

"Found one, Gibbs!" Abby shouted in triumph and Gibbs came up behind her.

"Where, Abbs?" Gibbs said quietly. Abby turned to look at him first before answering. She then gave him the address and he just nodded and turned to leave.

"Gibbs?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, Abbs?" he threw over his shoulder as he reached the door.

"Bring her back ok?"

"Of course," Gibbs replied and was out the door. He met up with Tony out front and they left for the address that Abby had given Gibbs.

Kate and Hunter finally came to a doorway that had a window and no number on it. Kate ran up to it and looked through the window on the doorway and saw the stairs leading down. Her heart screamed in triumph as she pushed open the door and pulled Hunter through with her. They bounded down the steps towards what she hoped was freedom. She only prayed that Gibbs could trace her location from the phone call.

TCB………………………………………………………………….

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