Abby scooted along the corridor with the gun clicked into gear, shaking out in front of her.
"Common Abbs, pull your self together!" She muttered.
She couldn't understand how Kate, Tony, Gibbs or even McGee could do this. Some days she wished and dreamed she could be more useful, out in the field, not in the safety of her lab while they get shot and hurt. But now, with her favorite black pants soaked in blood, pain shooting with every step, she wasn't so sure. She cleared her mind of all thoughts when she reached the elevator. Where should she go? After much thought she pressed the down button, deciding Ducky would be as defenseless as her self and Kate was tough. She could handle it, she hoped.
The silver doors slid open and she swung around, gun out. The elevator was empty; she stepped in, pressed down and waited for the journey down.
Kitty slid easily through the air vents. It was a stupid idea, Kitty thought; it only worked in the movies. But she had no choice; the men back there would have gotten her. She flinched as the vent shuddered under her weight; she hoped they'd hold. Finally she reached a grate. Looking down she saw three agents and four terrorists, the agents surrounded. They sat, tied to chairs. Quietly as she could, she slid over the flimsy grate and made it. Letting out a sigh of relief she continued on. She reached another grate and looked through it. It looked out into the elevator well, going meters down and up. She pushed it open; the grate on hinges swinging out. She looked around to find a ladder to the side. Carefully she climbed across and started moving cautiously up, the rumble of an elevator below. Glancing down she saw it moving down, it was noting to worry about. After what seemed hours of climbing she reached a grate with number 4 painted above it. She pulled it open and slipped in. The first grate she came across was out the front of the toilets. A man was standing there banging on the door.
"Now Caitlin, there's no point hiding in there. If you want Katherine to be alive when we find her, you better come out!" He shouted, a grin spread across his face like a snake, till he heard movement in the room. He shot around, eye scanning the duct. He was sure he heard a gagging gasp. He watched but nothing more came, he turned his attention back to the door.
Abby was breathing hard, from nerves and from the pain. The doors opened and quickly she crouched and shuffled under the window. She peeped through the window, seeing Ducky and Palmer tied to chairs, one man to the right close to the door, the only man on guard. This was it. She took a deep breath.
Ducky saw her coming, jumping up. She'd be shot down in an instant and the way her face showed the slightest sign of winching meant she was hurt. Abby pushed both doors open western style and before the man could blink she cocked the gun and fired. The man fell to the ground and she quickly untied Ducky and Jimmy.
"My goodness Abigail, I never knew you could shoot a gun" He said, a little in shock. Jimmy took a look.
"She got him smack between the eyes!" He exclaimed. Ducky took a look for himself and Abby beamed.
"Neither did I!" She said, her old twinkle returned, but only for a minute. She grabbed the phone and called McGee.
Kitty held her breath, the dark but clever eyes looking right at her, or so it seemed. He turned away and she slid more silently than ever. She came to the next grate, dreading what she'd find. Looking cautiously down she saw something that made her heart ache. There was Kate, standing right below her, looking teary eyed into the mirror. Quickly Kitty pulled the grate away, as Kate looked up startled.
"Katherine!" She shouted, struggling to keep at a whisper. She caught the girl as she jumped down and hugged her tightly.
"I wa…was so scared!" The little girl sobbed.
"They tried to shoot me, but Abby saved me. She got shot and she went to save you"
Kate hugged her more "Hush baby, your all… oww! What's that!" She yelped.
Kitty pulled out the pepper spray.
"Caitlin… who are you talking too" Came Ari's voice. Kate had an idea.
"Kitty" She whispered.
"I want you to go to the last cubical, close you eyes and block your ears. I'll come back for you," She said, giving her a strained smile. Kitty gave her a small nodded and ran to the last cubical, locking the door. Kate took off her vomit-covered jacket revealing a sky blue knitted t-shirt. She tucked the small can in her bra, testing her smile and walked to the door. She opened it and Ari grinned.
"About time Caitlin. I was getting worried" He finished, trying to look past her.
"I…" She said in the most sexy and seductive voice she could muster.
"have been thinking. I want Kitty to be safe. If I…" She trailed off. She could bear to say it.
"Oh yes Caitlin, she'll be safe. Can't promise anything about Gibbs" He finished, letting his hands run up her top and catching her lips before she could speak. Quick as lightning she ripped out the can and sprayed contents into his eyes. Before he could react she kicked him between the legs and snatched the gun off him. She only hesitated for a second, watching the man crumple to the ground. She let her finger clench the trigger as he went to get up. Bracing against the force she unloaded the whole round into him, blood splattering all over her. Finally the gun clicked over and Ari lay in a pool of blood, he was dead.
Kate stood, slightly in shock till Kitty's quiet sobbing broke into her thoughts. She dropped the gun and ran to the little girl, she knocked on the door.
"Kitty sweetie. It's me…" She said quietly.
Kit slowly unlocked the door to revealed Kate standing there, white as a ghost, blue top with splotches of blood, little droplets running down her face. Kitty burst out crying and ran to Kate and together they crumpled to the floor.
Tony ran in, past the back up team as they took down terrorist after terrorists. He reached their floor and went to Kate's desk. There was duct tape still stuck on her chair, vomit on the floor. Kitty's chair too empty, Abby had gone back up with him to find the lab trashed and no Kitty to be found. Abby was bawling her eyes out, for losing Kitty, having her home away from home trashed and the pain in her leg she refused to have anyone touch. He ran to the other elevator, looking around he saw someone laying on the ground a mass of blood surrounding it. With his heart in his mouth he walked slowly to the body. A mass of relief came over him when he saw Ari's lifeless eyes looking up at his own. Two bullets to the head, one to the neck, 6 to the torso from what he could see. Whoever did it, Gibbs would love them, but still he needed to find Kate. He heard sobbing and quiet talking coming from the toilets. He gently pushed the door open to reveal Kate and Kitty, sitting on the floor. Kitty still crying, Kate still in shock. Tony walked up to them; Kate saw him and she started to tear up. Tony knelt on the ground and grabbed the pair in a massive hug, hugging his girls.