Diligence Rewarded
Abby rested her head in her hands, tired and frustrated. It was getting harder and harder to swallow back the fear she was feeling, and now her head was starting to feel like a bunch of conga dancers were going to town inside her skull.
Tim paused a moment, and crouched down next to Abby's chair. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and resting his cheek next to hers, said softly, "We'll find them, Abby. They're smart kids."
Tony reappeared suddenly, having concluded that the employee list was, for the moment at least, a dead end, and wanting to see if he could lend a hand in the lab. He moved over to Abby's other side, wrapping an arm around her other shoulder. "Hell yeah, they're smart," he said gently. "Caitlin's smart as a whip, I mean, look at her parents. She can't help it. And JT, if it weren't for his classic DiNozzo savvy he'd never keep himself out of trouble. My boy never misses a trick, just like his old man." Abby and Tim looked at him. They appreciated the display of bravado, but they weren't the least bit fooled by it.
"What can I do? I'm at a dead end, I might as well lend a hand here." Tony asked Tim, whispering quietly. Tim smiled at him. "You know how to track GPS, right?" Tony grinned. "I've picked up a few things working with you over the years." Tim smiled and shrugged, saying, "That road travels in both directions, my friend. Follow me," he said, waving Tony over to one of Abby's computers.
Tim had his phone in hand, ready to send a message to Caitlin, when it chimed. Abby walked over to her computer, peering over Tony's shoulder, and her face lit up. "There they are!" she squealed, excitedly. Let's go get them already!"
Tim looked at the message, Tony glancing over towards him.
"train sounds."
Abby's excitement was quickly quashed as the GPS blip vanished from the screen.
"No no no no nooooooo!" she wailed.
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"JT, my phone died," Caitlin said, fearfully. "Now they'll never find us."
JT thought a second, then remembered his own phone. "Wait Katie," he said. He wriggled around until he found his phone, then flipped it open and turned it on.
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"Train sounds," Tim repeated. Tony's face lit up in comprehension, and his eyes followed Tim as he went back to his search, and sighed with relief. "One of the roads under repair is parallel to a railroad track."
Abby was near panic when she thought of something.
"Tony, JT has a cell phone, doesn't he?" Tony nodded, then grinned. "I'll trace his number, maybe he has it on. In fact," he said, as he punched keys, "I'd almost guarantee that if Peanut's phone crapped out, JT turned his on."
"Boss, I think we found the forest," Tim said, as Gibbs walked in to the lab. Tony fairly jumped for joy as he watched the computer screen, and suddenly, the signal reappeared. "Got em!" he said excitedly. "I'll get the car," he said, sprinting out of the lab.
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The car raced down the road, throwing up loose stones coated in road tar. The sticky stuff would be a bugger to get off the car later on, but they really didn't care at that point.
McGee watched the GPS, keeping an eye on the signal. "Hang a right up here, Boss," he said, trying to remain calm.
In the backseat, Tony was sending a message to his son. "On our way Slugger. Hang tight. We're coming for you."
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The way Gibbs was driving, passing the lumbering van wasn't much of a problem. The car skidded to a halt in the middle of the narrow backroad, sending up a spray of gravel, and the three agents emerged, weapons drawn.
The driver didn't put up much of a fight, all things considered he might have been crazy, but he wasn't stupid. He didn't fight them as Gibbs cuffed him, and Tony and Tim rushed over to the van, opening the back doors.
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JT had gotten the message from his Dad, and he held his breath as he and Caitlin felt the van come to a stop, after hearing a car speed by, crunching gravel, and flying stones rapping against the back door of the vehicle they were in.
They lay, quiet as mice, squeezing each other's hands, terrified of who would take them this time.
They held their breath as they heard the doors open, and then suddenly, the heavy tarp that covered them was lifted, and they found themselves in the safe, strong arms of their fathers.