Chapter Twelve
The Awakening
Tony suddenly became very aware of his surroundings, his heart began to race when he felt a thin line of pain cut across his chest. The line was precise and landed in the perfect places, to Tony it seemed almost surgical but he knew Atalo was good and so as he forced himself to wake from his current semiconscious state he began to fight at his attackers. His hands forming fists as he flung them at the person who was cutting him, he made contact but groaned as the blade that was being used pressed deeper into his flesh. The pain sent his body into overdrive and he leapt from the table he had been laying on with a new sense of adrenalin.
His eyes blinked away the bright light of the operating room, a man dressed in light blue tried to grab him but Tony flung another fist his way. There was a crack as the fist made contact with the man's jaw which sent the man into the wall opposite him. The crack was neither the wall nor the jaw, it was in fact Tony's hand as his wrist shattered. He let out a strangled cry at the sudden and unfamiliar pain before his instincts told him to tear out of there. His good arm flung before him sending the doors flinging out into the hall and slamming against their respective hinges. He couldn't stop running now, his whole body hurt but he had to get to Gibbs. He had to get out of this hell hole and he had to survive, he just had to. There before him was the sliding door of the warehouse, all he had to do was reach it and he'd be free.
A clean and quick pain shot into his neck as a needle made contact with his flesh, there was an injection but that didn't stop Tony. He twirled, his fist hitting the nurse in the chest and sending her to the ground with a strangled cry of her own. He turned back, his body moving to the doors he knew led to freedom. But his body began to feel like lead, every muscle made him work a bit harder to move them. He pushed on his hand hitting the door as he fell to the ground with a rough slap of flesh on linoleum.
The doors edged open slowly as Tony hit the ground, his eyes falling on the people before him with pain and panic. Gibbs fierce eyes met his and in an instant Gibbs found his way to Tony's side. His hand rested on Tony's exposed shoulder as the man ebbed into unconsciousness once more. Gibbs glared down the hallway at the destruction that Tony had caused in his escape attempt. Nurses from all over the OR came running to get the man off the floor and onto a Gurney.
Once Tony was back into the operating room Gibbs turned to the three people that were standing by now. The Director's eyes were still boggled, Ducky was trying desperately to comfort young Abby, and then there was Gibbs. He moved in behind Abby and took her into his arms, tossing his head to Ducky to tell him to go with Tony. They didn't need him pulling another stunt like that in his condition. Gibbs fingers ran through the hair of Abby, her tears falling upon his lapel as he leaned down to gently kiss her forehead. "Shh, Abby. He'll be alright, he was just scared."
"I know Gibbs...that's why it hurts so bad. What did that madman do to our Tony to make him like that? And will he be our Tony when he wakes up, or the creation of that beast?"
"I don't know Abs, but either way the man in that room is our Tony. Regardless of what has happened to him, he will always be our Tony." He pressed his lips to her hair gently as she dug her head into his shoulder. It had shaken them all to see him in such a state of fear, even the Director looked shell shocked as she lowered herself into her seat once more. He'd never say a word, but Gibbs could see the quaking of her legs. Gibbs' mind was still in a state of panic he hated not being in control but he also hated not having enough information. Today was going to be a long ride, that much he knew as he held on to Abby for all she was worth.
Later
It had been fourteen hours since Tony flung his way out of the operating room and still no word on what was going on inside that room, that is until the doors swung open to reveal a rather pale faced Dr. Donald Mallard. "Jethro, we need to talk." He spoke softly, his aged voice holding a new shake to it as he directed Gibbs to the vending area.
Gibbs' hand slid over Abby's shoulder as he followed Ducky, his way of reassuring her. Once he got into the area his eyes settled upon Ducky, "How bad Duck, and don't give me the candy coated version."
Ducky took an inhale of breath, his fingers running through his hair after he had removed the cap he had been wearing. The breath he had taken had been weary and ragged and as he leaned against the wall his eyes showed more than most would think. "He is in recovery, but Jethro the things that man did to him..."
"What are his chances? And you know what I mean."
"He isn't out of the woods, by any means Jethro the injuries he sustained in the initial attack weren't that serious. But, as we both know Atalo is a brutal man. The things he did to young Anthony are things that I never thought any man could survive."
"Get on with it Duck."
"He has a shattered wrist, but the intern from the operating room has informed me that happened in his escape. His shoulder is dislocated, he has several stab wounds and a bullet wound that was widened greatly. He has some first and second degree burns from where it appears he was electrocuted, as well as some internal damage that had to be fixed. He suffered a mild concussion in what appears to be a fall. There is an extreme chance of infection due to the fact that he has had the first layer of his epidermis very cruelly scrubbed off. He also suffers from a severe case of dehydration and has a fever that is just below brain damage temperatures. As of right now, he'll be lucky to survive the hour much less the night."
"Can I see him Duck?"
"No Jethro, even I can't see him with my medical license. He is undergoing skin treatments on the hour to try and keep infection down and is being kept in a clean environment. But recovery is marginal at best, he may never completely recover from all his injuries especially in the mental sense. Which is another aspect, they are keeping him sedated for now, heavily sedated for as you saw earlier a minimal sedation is no good at all."
"Ducky, stay with him. Stay here, if Abs wants to stay that's fine. But I'm going to find that bastard if it's the last thing I do. Call me with word, and it better be good." And he was gone, his hand gripping his coat as he walked past the worried faces of the Director and Abby. The doors let out a loud whooshing sound as he exited, and then the silhouette of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs could be seen as the doors whooshed closed once more. Closing the door on their thoughts about where he was heading, and opening the door on what was about to come.
Author's Note
Sorry about the delay all, it has been hectic trying to juggle life and leisure. But I'm making it wind down for now. I've been reading your stories, and your reviews in my absence. And once more thank you for all of your good words. Your stories are wonderful, and I hope to read more soon. Thanks again all for sticking it out with me, this story is as exhausting to write as it can be to read at times. Simply because the entire time your heart is racing.
