17.
"He's here somewhere." Gibbs stalked through the trampled snow drifts, ignoring the muttered protests of the muttered protests of the Mossad agent. "DiNozzo is injured and barefoot."
"So he couldn't have gone very far," Tim concluded.
"Ya think, McGee?" Gibbs said sarcastically.
Tim and Ziva floundered in the snow, falling behind their supervisor.
"This place gives me the crabs," the Israeli said, suspiciously eyeing the stark skeletons of the woods, dusted with snow and glistening with icicles.
"Creeps, not crabs," Tim corrected her absently. "Crabs are shellfish and, uh, a slang term for an STD."
"STP? Crabs are also motor oil?"
"Not 'P', 'D'. STD, sexually transmitted disease." He could feel the blush heating his cheeks.
Gibbs yelled for his missing agent, holding his hand up for silence. "Answer me, DiNozzo!"
"Gibbs, I do not…"
"David, either shut up or go back to the cabin. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"DiNozzo, you're pissing me off here. Answer!"
"Tony!" McGee's voice now joined in.
They continued on through the woods, calling out in increasing volume and decreasing hope. The trees gave way to an open field.
"Hold it." His blue eyes narrowed, Gibbs moved slowly forward. He scanned the area ahead, looking for something out of place, some clue to the location of Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. He held up his hand to stop the others from following. "Someone's been through here."
They split up, staying behind the imaginary line that Gibbs had indicated, looking for signs of their friend and teammate.
"Boss, over here!" McGee was pointing to the ground.
Brow furrowed, Gibbs crouched in the snow. "What the…this is an Ace bandage. And it's bloody." He looked around, his sniper eyes searching the area for clues to Tony's location. Or that of Annabelle and Billy Giles.
"This way, Gibbs. There's blood in the snow." Ziva stared up the hill.
"Good job. He's moving up. There's some broken twigs."
"I don't see any sign of anyone following," Tim said, puzzled.
"They're bracketing him. Go to the right and Ziva to the left. Slow and careful, people. I think we're getting closer."
The three agents began climbing up the hill in earnest, their attention on their surroundings and their weapons ready. The snow was getting red with more and more blood splatter. Gibbs also saw that there were more signs that Tony was needing support, no longer able to stand upright in his flight. His pace increased, leaving the others once again struggling to keep up.
Then the woods echoed with the sounds of gunfire.