Chapter Thirty: Overload

Tony walked swiftly away after Abby told him about the prospective murder weapon. He had been ordered to re-interrogate Captain Rogers 'using any means necessary' by Gibbs. He worked his way into the room and sat down across from a frightened Rogers.

"What's going on?" Rogers asked in a harsh whisper of a voice. "That guy's crazy."

"An eleven year old girl, who that guy is close to, is presumed missing right now," Tony started in a low angry voice. His eyes had hardened as he stared at the man across from him. "Her mother was murdered a couple days ago, and now we think that the man who did it took her as well."

"See I didn't kill her I told him that!"

"Tell me who did or you go down as accessory to murder and aiding and abetting," Tony snapped.

"What? I had nothing to do with this! I admit I am part of the weapons deal, I'll testify to that, but I had NOTHING to do with this murder or the kidnapping!" Rogers bellowed the fear heavy in his eyes as his body shook.

"Tell me who else is involved," Tony growled as his cell phone made a beeping noise. Rogers was breathing heavy now as he thought about what to say. Tony pulled his cell phone from his belt and noticed he had a message. He tossed the phone to the table and stared at Rogers again.

"I already told the other guy," Rogers pleaded.

"Who's the top?"

"What?"

"Powell, You, and Deeves. None of you are the top, who's running this show. We know Dangle isn't top dog either, come on, tell me who is," Tony continued.

Rogers didn't answer him as the man's eyes dropped to the table, studying his own hands. Tony was running out of patience and his phone beeping again reminded him there was a message. He leaned farther over the table, closing the gap between him and Rogers, their faces mere inches apart.

"You were about to tell Agent Gibbs who fixed the problem with Deeves," Tony reminded the man. Rogers looked up slightly confused for a moment before the earlier conversation clicked in his head.

"I…it was an Admiral. Admiral Kirkpatrick from San Diego. He stepped in and covered our tracks, Powell got him."

"How else is he involved?"

"I don't know, we meet up at Ty's house but he's never there. There's me, and Deeves, this other Navy guy. Of course Ty is there. And Kev comes. Then there is Another Navy guy, low rank, I can't remember his name but he works, shit I think he works for the Admiral or something. I don't remember," Rogers said shaking his head. He was not sure of anything anymore.

"Sit tight," Tony said as he grabbed his cell phone and left the room. He dialed into this voice mail and listened to the message McGee had left him. He then called McGee's cell phone.

McGee sat up in a panic when the cell phone went off in his ear. He had fallen sound asleep and was disoriented for a moment before his brain registered where he was. He reached for his phone, seeing Tony's name on the screen.

"Yeah," McGee said trying to shake the sleep from his voice.

"Sleeping on the job, Probie?" Tony said quickly.

"There was nothing more for me to do out here, Tony. I left messages, no one picks up there phones out there."

"What'd you find?"

"I questioned Ensign Deeves and Lt. Malford but no one could find Rogers, I think he slipped the base."

"Nope, Probie, he's in custody here."

"What?"

"He was shipped to Norfolk with Lariman, we have him in custody here," Tony replied. McGee went on to relay the information he had gathered in the two interviews as Tony filled him in on everything that was happening in Washington.

"What do you want me to do?" McGee asked when they were all caught up.

"Sit tight there until morning. Bring those two here for further questioning," Tony answered before ending the call. McGee slipped back to sleep while Tony went to the bullpen to find Gibbs.

"What did you get," Gibbs said landing cold eyes on Tony. The look made his spine shiver.

"Gave me the name Admiral Kirkpatrick. Captain Lariman mentioned seeing this same Admiral argue with Commander Conrad before she transferred."

"Does he meet with them at the house?"

"No. Rogers said it's Deeves, him, Powell, a Navy guy that McGee identified as Lt. Mike Malford, Dangle and another low ranking Navy man he didn't know the name of but thought worked for Admiral Kirkpatrick," Tony continued.

"We got five of the six that run this thing. What have we heard from Iraq? Has Powell been taken into custody?"

"They have him now waiting on an Agent for interrogation, should be there within the hour," Ziva said from her desk. Gibbs nodded.

"Find this Admiral Kirkpatrick and everything you can on him. Also I want the name of this other man Rogers mentioned," Gibbs said the strain in his voice causing major concern in his team. "Find that little girl."

Tony watched Gibbs a moment longer, before remembering what Abby had told him earlier. "Boss, Abby told me earlier she thinks the murder weapon was a fire poker and that the killer most likely took it with him when he left."

Gibbs simply nodded his attention glued to the computer in front of him as he searched for information on the Admiral. He could feel his chest tightening with each breath as he fought to maintain his composure. Memories of a case from the past crashed through his mind, mixing with the thoughts of this one. He was confused and disoriented. He was frustrated with himself.

"Ziva, have you found where they housed the girl!" he barked at her loudly making her jump. She looked up at him with cautious eyes.

"Social Services have sent Metro PD to the location of the house. They have yet to arrive I'm monitoring their progress," she replied. Gibbs nodded and stood. He felt light headed and almost tipped to the side. No one noticed which he was grateful for. He walked stiff legged towards the elevator, punching the button hard. The light came on and he leaned heavily against the wall as he waited.

The ding brought him back upright to his feet but his eyes remained closed as he fought to maintain control. The emotional tidal wave cascading through his very core was overwhelming to say the least. He had failed, he had broken his promise. The images of Kelly flooded his mind, only this time Nicole's face was superimposed over his own daughter's. The scar on his shoulder flared with remembered pain as his arm went numb from memory. The doors slid open, the world moving in slow motion as he stepped forward, opening his eyes. Director Shepard stood motionless in the middle of the elevator, stopped short of stepping off on the floor. She stared at him in his current condition and reached out for him.

He avoided her touch, moving swiftly around her to the back of the car, leaning his forehead against the far wall. Jen didn't leave the car, instead waiting for the doors to close and the machine to move slightly before she pulled Gibbs' trick and hit the emergency stop.

The elevator jolted to a stop, the lights flickering briefly, as Gibbs stumbled to the side, his equilibrium trashed from the tirade of thoughts and emotions attacking his very sanity. Jen walked up to him afraid for his well being and gently reached a tender hand to his shoulder. He shuddered under her touch, finally feeling the overload of emotion that had plagued him since the phone call. He turned around and leaned against the wall eyes clenched closed, fists balled tightly, tears squeezing from his closed eyelids.

Gibbs tried desperately to control his body's motions and reactions, but his breathing had become erratic, his heart rate was too high, and his mind was lost in a torrent of emotion and memory. He felt his knees give way, buckling under the pressure of his mind, his guilt, his anger, and his fear. Jen tried to catch him but his weight was too great and her speed was too slow.

He collapsed to the floor, knocking her down with him as he shook with release of emotion. Jen kneeled beside him and wrapped her arms around him pulling him close to her. He turned his face and buried it in her chest, shaking and crying. Jen had never expected such a break down for a man like Gibbs. Her heart broke as she tried to console him, calm him, help him. Finally she heard him speak.

"I failed," he said in a hoarse voice against her chest. "I failed her, I failed everyone. I'm a failure."

"Shhh," Jen said quietly rubbing a hand through his hair, the other making circles on his back. "You didn't fail, Jethro."

"But I did. I promised her he wouldn't get her, now he has her and I can't find her," he said. "I failed her, just like I failed Kelly," he said, his body shaking once again as another wave of emotion crashed though him. Jen felt her own tears falling, not knowing how to bring him around.

"You haven't failed her yet, Jethro," Jen said. "Go find her, bring her home."

"Home," he said dryly. "To a home that is empty."

This new hopelessness from him scared her. She feared for his own safety now, and his sense of mind. What shape was he in mentally? She held him tighter and caressed his back and head trying to find the right words to snap him out of this current melt down.

"I failed you too," he said softly, his body still quaking from the torrent of emotional distress.

"How?" she asked him laying her cheek on top of his head.

"I'm a lost cause, I don't know how to respond to other people," he said his voice a ghost of his regular self. He seemed so small and fragile to her at that moment that she could hardly believe that it was Jethro Gibbs huddled against her chest in the middle of an elevator at NCIS, stopped between floors, having a mental melt down.

"You didn't fail me," she replied in a whisper.

"But I did, I showed you part but wouldn't let you have it all. I kept my secrets, I failed you. I failed Nicole, she's going to die."

"Not if you can save her, Jethro," Jen said with more boldness to her voice. "You can save her still. You need to pull yourself together and find her, she still has a chance, and so do you."

Gibbs was silent while he consumed her words, mulling them over in his mind, formulating meanings and intentions. He finally pulled his head from her chest, leaning back against the wall. He looked up at her, with eyes caked in sadness, sorrow, and fear. She reached out and cupped his jaw line with her hand. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the contact.

"I'm sorry," he whispered with his eyes still closed. The utterance of an apology was so rare from him that she sat shocked at the words. She shook the stun from her head so she could reply.

"For what?"

"For my behavior, seven years ago," he said in a whisper, turning his head and kissing her palm. She closed her own eyes for a brief moment before looking at him again. She didn't respond, simply shaking her head in acknowledgement.

"There's an eleven year old girl out there that needs your help," she said. She watched as the emotion disappeared slowly from his face, his eyes still holding the turmoil for a moment. Then she nodded when Special Agent Gibbs was back. He stood up and wiped at his face, taking a couple deep breaths to settle his erratic heart, before reaching down and helping Jen to her feet.

He reached out and released the emergency stop and the elevator moved once again, jarring when it started up. They ended up on the floor for the lab and Gibbs pushed the button to go back up to the bullpen. He didn't know how he would accomplish it but he knew in his heart that this time he would save the girl even if it meant his own life.

TBC…