Chapter 7

Gibbs hung up after Crandall had delivered his diatribe and torrid little message. Gibbs felt his skin crawl. They'd get Alex back unharmed if Jethro gave himself up to Crandall so that he could finish what he started. It seemed that Gibbs was the first of his victims to really escape and that irked Crandall. Jethro had to shake his head at the chutzpah of the man. Imagine finishing your game by killing someone.

Gibbs mind raced in scenario after scenario of getting Alex back without giving into that mad man's plan. Not one plan succeeded. They all ended with him or Alex and a body bag or on a stretcher. That was not how Gibbs wanted this to play out. In his mind he saw Crandall in a body bag.

Gibbs placed a call to Nick. "How's it going out there?"

Nick showed surprise at the call from Gibbs. He motioned Ellie over. "Did you find her? Did Tim find anything?"

The first question hurt so Gibbs didn't bother answering it. "No…Tim didn't find much just the vehicle and the direction they took. It could be anywhere in California. I sent McGee back to his room to rest before we pissed off the doc." He took a moment to scan the parking lot. "I got a call from the sick bastard."

Nick nodded. "So he has Alex."

Gibbs got into Alex's Jeep. "Oh yeah he has her and he's loving the game."

Nick shook his head at his partner. He knew that Alex and Ellie had grown close over the last two days. The worry was written all over her face and it broke his heart a little. "Okay, he has her and we get her back." He didn't know who he said that for Gibbs or Ellie. "What does he want in return?"

Gibbs turned the key in the ignition. "Me…he wants me. He wants to finish his game, his way." He gave a small laugh. "I need you back at Alex's house. Can you break away?"

Nick smiled and thought 'ah, the one good thing I can tell my boss.' "We're done here. All the evidence is bagged and in the capable hands of the Inyo County Sheriff's office. They didn't really leave much behind."

Gibbs put the car in gear and began driving. "Good, I'll meet you there. He's calling back with time and place and Nick, don't say anything to Jeff.

Ellie and Nick just looked at each other as if to say 'What?' "Ah Boss, he already knows. The security guard at the hospital called him twenty minutes ago. He's pretty steamed by the fact that we didn't tell him. I'm sure he'll be at Alex's too."

Gibbs just nodded to himself. "Yeah he will be." He hung up and drove.

Twenty minutes later the all were at Alex's house, coffee perked and Gibbs paced the kitchen.

The front door slammed open and Jeff Colton stormed through it. "Who the hell are you to keep the fact that one of my citizens was kidnapped away from me? What gave you that right? This is not federal jurisdiction. It is Inyo County jurisdiction and that is me."

Gibbs went to the kitchen to get Jeff a coffee. He placed it in front of the Sheriff. Jeff still fumed but Gibbs was steamed as well and this pissing match was about to come to an end. "No…this started with Crandall and his people stealing armaments and equipment from the United States Navy. He then hunted down and killed Special Agent Jaime Ortiz. His people then shot and almost killed Special Agent Timothy McGee. Then it was my turn to be captured and tortured. That was what made it my jurisdiction. Now that he has Alex it's a shared jurisdiction. How's that for clarification?" Jethro took a few deep breaths before continuing. He sat next to Sheriff Colton and fidgeted with his cup. "I'll be honest I wasn't thinking about anything else other than Alex and getting her back. Crandall is after me and doesn't want to deal with anyone else."

Jeff, still pissed, took a sip of his coffee. "I don't care what that animal wants. I want Alex back in one piece. So how do we do that?"

Gibbs understood friendship but Jeff's concern over-reached and Jethro wanted to know why? "Before that I have a question…why is she so important to you? You have a wife and two young daughters don't you?"

Jeff nodded as if confused. "Yeah, my wife and I do have two girls. Alex is a godmother for the younger one and she's my wife's best friend. We also dated when she came here ten years ago. I care about her, she's here alone."

Gibbs took a couple of seconds to sip his coffee. "We give him what he wants with a few minor changes to his game." He thought more about what he would offer. "He wants to control the game. Jeff do you have maps of the area?"

Jeff nodded and got up to go get them from his patrol car.

Gibbs gave a small smile. "Now we wait for him to call."

An hour later after Gibbs shared his plan. Everyone seemed pleased with it and the parts they would play except Ellie.

She kept her feelings to herself.

Each member had added a bit or suggested something that made Jethro comfortable with the idea that both he and Alex would come out of this alive.

The phone rang.

Gibbs answered.

"Hello Leroy. Oh…you don't mind if I call you that do you? Your lady, Alex, is a feisty thing. I have to keep reminding her that she's my prisoner. She's really not taking to captivity well so maybe we should get the trade done. What do you think?"

The 'reminding' worried Gibbs and Crandall began to annoy him even more. "Yeah lets' get it done. Place and time?

Crandall seemed amused by the terseness of Gibbs response. "Alright then, here it is: Route 395 north to Lee Vining. Take the third left after entering town. About a mile up take a right and you'll find an old mine shack. We'll be there. Alex is beginning to bother me so hurry." His voice disappeared and a dial tone replaced it.

Crandall's final remark shook Jethro.

Gibbs looked to the sheriff. "What can you tell me about that area?"

Jeff nodded and began shuffling his maps. "I've been there a couple times. It is in Mono County so I don't have any clout there. I'll call Jake Simpson, the Sheriff of the county, and give him a heads up." He found the map he looked for and put it on top of the pile."

Elli couldn't contain her emotions any longer. The phone call set her off. "How does this plan get Alex back? She's probably terrified just like you were. And you…are you really going to give yourself up to this lunatic?"

Nick reached out for her hand. "Ellie calm down. We'll get her back."

Ellie shook her head no and pulled her hand away from him. "He's crazy Nick. What guarantee do we have that he'll give her back? None. Maybe she's another one of his games." She turned from Nick to Jethro. "Any you Gibbs, are you sure he won't gun you down on sight? Well I'm not."

Gibbs sank down in the chair. He'd thought of all of her arguments. He just sighed. "Come on Bishop, you helped plan this. You know he'll play with me for a while. His game isn't over so he won't hurt Alex. If he does then the game is over and he dies. That is not his plan."

The sheriff had watched this exchange and to be honest those were his questions too. He brought them back to the maps. "The area is hilly, very rocky and still has ice and snow in some places. Footing is going to be tough." He pointed to the area on the map showing where the cabin was.

Gibbs took the map and scoured where the cabin sat until he felt comfortable discussing it. He began to smile and then laugh. "I got you, you bastard! We'll take two cars. Ellie you and I are in Alex's car. We want to be seen. Nick and Jeff you'll be going here and hide in the rocks. Sheriff, grab your rifle. Let's go get Alex back."