"Did you know that shrunken heads are known for their mandibular prognathism, facial distortion and shrinkage of the lateral sides of the forehead, and the heads were believed to harness the spirits of those enemies and compel them to serve the shrinker?"
"Really Doctor?" Palmer answered unenthusiastically. He sat on the edge on one of the metal slabs used for autopsies, his head in his hands and his glasses to one side. There didn't seem like a need for glasses when it was too dark to see with them anyway. Palmer hoped someone would come for them soon, he'd been listening to his mentor for nearly half an hour.
"Yes, the spirits Wakani, Arutam and Muisak. To block the last spirit from using its powers, they decided to sever their enemy's heads and shrink them. It also served as a way of warning those enemies."
Palmer had been assisting Doctor "Ducky" Mallard on the last autopsy of the day when the lights had gone out. The emergency lighting had switched on sometime since, but unluckily for the pair, the power wasn't keeping the body drawers cool, meaning that if someone didn't turn the power back on or get them out of there then the room would start smelling. Badly.
"I-" Ducky began, but was distracted by Palmer's relieved face. He looked over to where Palmer's eyes fell and noticed Gibbs, Ziva and Abby standing outside the locked doors.
Before exiting the stairwell, Gibbs had noticed something attached to the wall that would hopefully come in handy. Yanking the fire axe off the wall, he held it loosely in one hand. In front of the autopsy doors stood Abby and Ziva, waiting for him. Abby pressed her face up against the glass and laughed.
"What?"
"I think Ducky is also enjoying the blackout," she answered cryptically.
Gibbs looked over her shoulder into the room and saw Palmer sitting with his head in his hands and Ducky quite happily talking his head off. Palmer raised his head and instantly noticed the trio standing outside the door. Ducky noticed and also turned his head towards the door.
Gibbs placed the axe between the doors to act as a lever. Once there was a small gap between the doors, Ziva and Abby grabbed a door each and pulled in opposite direction. Gibbs took over from Abby and, with his added strength, the doors slowly split open. Once fully opened, Gibbs placed the axe in-between the doors to stop them from closing again.
"Glad you could join us Jethro, it's really starting to smell in here," Ducky spoke with his distinctive English accent as he joined the trio that had rescued him and Palmer. Palmer gleefully hopped off the metal table and joined everyone at the door.
"Well you know, had nothing better to do," Gibbs replied sarcastically.
"You know, I was just informing Palmer here about the world of shrunken heads, maybe I could-"
"Another time, Ducky," Gibbs spoke quickly.
"Ah yes, this may not be the best time. Where is young Anthony and Timothy?"
"Lets get back to the squad room first and then try and find them," Gibbs decided.
"Wise decision Jethro, lead the way." Ducky nodded to Gibbs.
"Director Shepard and Jason Jackson are waiting for us in the squad room," Ziva told the newer members to the group.
"Who's Jason Jackson?" Abby questioned.
Ziva shrugged. "He says he's a janitor, but I've never seen him before."
"Okay, here's the plan," Gibbs spoke over the chatter. The group immediately silenced at Gibbs' commanding tone. "The director will have called for back up by now and they should be arriving any minute. We'll all go back to the squad room and then Ziva and I will go looking for the brothers Grimm."
Ziva looked at Ducky questioningly. "Brother's Grimm?"
"German professors, Ziva," Ducky answered. Abby and Palmer's eyes widened as they recognized the signs that Ducky had much more to tell. "Best known for publishing collections of authentic folk tales and fairy tales. Modern psychologists and cultural anthropologists theorize that the stories are actually representations of emotional angst, fear of abandonment, parental abuse, and or sexual-"
"He means McGee and Tony," Abby translated quickly at Ziva's lost look.
"Can we please just get out of here?" Gibbs spoke impatiently. He opened the door for the group. Ziva led the group, with Palmer and Abby not far behind. Ducky stopped at the open door.
"You're worried about the boys," he spoke intuitively.
"They're fine, Duck," Gibbs replied.
"Are you hoping that they're fine or is your gut telling you that?" Gibbs didn't answer. Ducky raised an eyebrow. "You and I both know that until you see them for yourself, you won't stop worrying." He turned away from Gibbs and headed up the dark stairwell after his co-workers.