The moment they had word they were clear to see the captain, Gibbs and Tony made their way back to the cabin. They could hear the sound of McGee retching long before the cabin door was even in sight.
"Guess he couldn't last that long", Tony shrugged.
Gibbs glared at him for a moment and pushed the door open. McGee was sitting on a chair slumped against the wall with a small plastic vomit bag clasped firmly in his hands looking pale and shaky with dark rimmed eyes and sweat fringed hair. From the mess on the floor, and across the walls, and down the back of the door, the first and possibly second and third bouts had taken him completely by surprise.
Tony surveyed the damage.
"Probie!" he complained "It's like a chainsaw massacre movie in here".
He watched fascinated as one of the chunkier pieces slid gracefully down the wall leaving a browny-orange trail in its wake.
"Hey", he said indignantly as it hit the floor, "I distinctly said hold the diced carrots on that burger".
McGee managed to shoot him a withering glance with his last remaining ounce of strength. He was well aware of his fate now. If he had been able to hold it all in, he might, just might, have had a chance of getting off this ship suffering merely two days of nausea. Once his stomach contents had actually started coming out, however, he had reached the point of no return and the floodgates were, quite literally, open.
He had been unprepared for the first bout arriving as it did in a great sudden spurt as lay dozing miserably on the bed. Then began the frantic search for the plastic sick bag Gibbs had handed him for the car trip. He'd shoved it in his jacket pocket. He had taken off the jacket in the cabin because of the heat. He knew it was lying around here somewhere and in his haste; he spun a full 360 degrees looking for it. Never a good move at the best of times, the manoeuvre had caused his stomach to immediately attempt to evacuate its contents.
Tony was right: It was like a scene from a horror movie in the cabin but, quite frankly, that was not his problem. They wanted this, they got it.
"This reminds me of something", Tony pondered examining the dripping brown slime slowly oozing down the walls, "Ah yes, it's radiating from a central point! It's like a really gross crime scene."
"Are you finished, DiNozzo, or do you want to bag and tag?" Gibbs queried.
"No, no, I'm fine", Tony backed off.
"Have you got enough left to meet the captain?" Gibbs asked eyeing the rather full bag in McGee's trembling hands.
McGee uttered a piteous whimpered and let forth another blast causing Gibbs to rethink his plan. He still had to make sure the captain and the suspect were not suspicious.
"OK", he said suddenly making his decision, "I'll see the captain and DiNozzo you take McGee to sick bay. Take the scenic route. Pretend to get lost: Anything. See how many people you can get to see him on the way."
Tony looked down at McGee and grimaced. "Boss", he complained.
"What"
"It's just, you know, Blahhhh, yeach…."
"DiNozzo!"
"On it Boss"
"Then see if you can get someone to clean up this mess."
Tony bent down and took one of McGee's arms. Wrapping it across his shoulders he hoisted McGee up and headed for the door. He could feel McGee's sweat starting to seep through his own clothes. At least he hoped it was sweat. One thing was sure: He was having a shower the moment he dumped McGee in sickbay.