LT MCCUTHENS APARTMENT: Monday 1703
It didn't take the trio long to find Lt. McCuthen's apartment which was located not far from the base. They were all bundled together in the NCIS crime scene truck, with, as usual, Kate in the front with Tony and McGee designated to the back to 'look after the equipment.'
Tony, in his boy-ish mannerism, was driving and stepped by accident on the brake a little too late and was rewarded by a loud and heavy thud from the back of the van.
"You all right there, Probie?" Tony quipped.
Kate shot him a glare before exiting the van and muttering, "Dinozzo…" under her breath.
She walked around the back of the truck to retrieve the gear they needed to do their search. The apartment was a little run down and was part of a block of about 7 or 8 identically built homes. McCuthens was the one closest to the roadside and had a few broken tiles on the roof and the usual wear and tear from years of neglect.
Tony had retrieved the keys from the evidence lockup where the rest of Lt McCuthens on hand possessions were being held.
Just as a precaution they approached the apartment with their weapons drawn, with Kate and McGee taking the front and Tony leaping a few untamed bushy grass spots to cover the back.
Kate and McGee entered via the front door and met Tony in the center and to everyone's relief after checking all cracks and crevasses in the two-bedroom apartment the house was empty. Although it looked like someone had beaten them to the search.
Tables and chairs had been turned upside down with half of the floor boarding leading all the way into the kitchen being ripped up.
"This doesn't look like the place of someone making millions in a terrorist smuggling network…" Observed Kate.
"So he's either really smart or incredibly dumb." Added Tony, who then flashed Kate a trademark smile before flexing a pair of gloves onto his hands.
"I'll check the bedrooms…" Kate initiated
"I'll start over….here…" Tony said indicating to the small "kitchenette" part of the room to the right side of the door, "…does anyone here hear that buzzing sound?" He added.
"Ahhh…well, it might be the radiator…" said McGee and indicated to an old radiator on the opposite side of the room in the sort of lounging area, "…or a faulty bit in a fridge motor." He suggested.
Tony just looked over to Kate and mouthed her a 'Right-io' expression before heading into the 'kitchenette' area. McGee just shrugged and started to sift through some of the overturned belongings of the lieutenant.
Kate headed for the first room that led in from the lounge area. On the walls there were the usual mid-20-something boy fantasy posters, a chest of drawers opposite the door had every one of the six drawers open with all its contents sprawled either on it or on the floor. There was a bed next to the chest of drawers and next to the now reaching the other corner of the room a work desk also similarly scattered with papers and documents. The label on one of the discarded shirts had Lt. McCuthen, so she now knew that she was in the right room. Kate scanned over the floor and then noticed a broken picture frame on the floor next to the bed. She picked it up and looked it over, it was a picture of a stunningly beautiful woman however the photo looked like it had been torn and then stuck back together.
"Must have been that ex-girlfriend…" She muttered, "…how lucky can he be to get her?" Kate noted and then turned her attention back to the laptop computer and checked for any recent files.
"Damn…" She growled, "…they must have wiped the hard drive" As the screen flashed,
"0 FILES FOUND"
Suddenly from outside the room she heard a yelp from the kitchen…
Simultaneously in the Lounge/kitchen
As Tony entered the kitchen area, nearly all the cupboard doors were either flung open or ripped off! The fridge door had also been left open and had started to leak out water from the freezer and a strange smell from inside the other cooler half. He 'professionally browsed' the area not noticing anything out of the ordinary until…
"Hey, McGeee…" He yelled, "Get over here."
As McGee came over to see what all the fuss was about, Tony began to unscrew an electrical socket on the wall in-between the kitchen counter and the cupboards fastened to the wall.
"Hold a light up, will you McGee, com'on," instructed Tony.
Tony slowly separated the plastic front cover of the socket to affirm his suspicions. The electrical socket was clean and clearly new and was the only one in the entire kitchen with no sign of other appliances other than the fridge. There were no wires connected inside either, rather a small hole with something pushed to the back corner.
They both peered closely at the hole to get a better angle and paused for a second.
"Hey Probie, get out of my light!" Snarled Tony. Nobody was going to beat him to this prize.
Tony pulled his glove on tight and reached inside the dark hole to retrieve a small solid box. He placed it carefully on the counter and looked at it closely.
"There are no signals emanating from it…or any trip wires around the edges." Concluded McGee and he put his equipment to one side to return his attention to what they were going to do.
With two steady hands, one on each corner, Tony easily lifted off the lid to reveal what looked like a miniature dozen set of wire-blocks with springs on the end, about the size of a dried sultana.
"You ever seen anything like this before, Tony?"
"No, the question is whether you know what this is McGee?" Quizzed Tony, although not at all sure himself.
"Well.." McGee began, "I would guess that they would be some type of sophisticated surveillance system…"
"…and how would you figure that?"
"You see here…" McGee indicated, "These springs on the end are most commonly used as a way to transmit sounds or images to a receiver."
"But I thought that you said that they weren't transmitting any signals?"
"Well, it would either mean that they are off, or…"
"Or what! McGee?" Tony interrupted.
"…they could be so highly discreet that they wouldn't be detectable on the equipment…"
The two agents suddenly went quite for a few tense moments.
They then looked from the box to each other and then McGee replaced the lid and carefully put it in one of the evidence bags and sealed it. Tony took the bag from McGee and was about to leave and place the evidence securely in the truck when McGee indicated for his attention by means of a pencil hitting the back of his shoulders.
Tony looked less than pleased, as he remained stiffened as he turned around to face the culprit.
However rather than stepping back defensively McGee pointed to something below the kitchen sink.
"Tony, check this out," he mouthed.
Tony caught on quickly and slinked back inside the kitchen to stand next to the agent.
Simultaneously they bent down and opened completely the twin cupboard doors under the sink. The buzzing sound that they had heard earlier had now revealed itself and in no way was it some faulty part.
14, 13…
A quick glance at each other and they knew…
12, 11…
"Aaaahh…..!" Yelped McGee as he started to scramble for the front door exit.
"Kate…get out now!" Screamed Tony as he headed for the bedroom.
10, 9, 8…
In-between short gasping bursts Tony got out, "…under sink….bomb…no time…"
7, 6, 5…
Tony had come in the back way so he knew it was closer, he grabbed Kate by the hand and dragged her out the bedroom, out the open screen door and in one giant leap, over the back steps and out into the street.
4, 3, 2…
They were barely 15 meters from the back doorstep when from behind them…
1……!
There was a giant explosion from the house that sent shock waves throughout the entire street. Breaking all the windows in the surrounding apartments with those closest receiving most of the impact. They caught on fire themselves and the apartment right next door had its sidewall almost completely destroyed.
Kate and Tony had dived from the force of the explosion and were covering their heads from any other failing debris from the former apartment. Well, now since 'the apartment' was in bits and pieces all around them, all that was in its former space was just one large fiery hole.
a/n: Now with all that excitement, do u want more! Huh! Lol :O)! well the next chapters gonna bring it and for all those little ones who got where I was leading with the end of ch6… it's comin' real soon! (sorri Charmed-angel4...:(... but i'll make it up 2 u with some kibbs fluff:)..) Now for the usual… reviews, reviews, reviews..! luv Claire!