A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I had run out of ideas for this story, but, after a lovely review and after re-reading what I had already written, some new ideas came up. I'll be trying to update the story more often.
The bomb squad had cleared the building, and now the team was inside, looking for anything that might help them. The cold case was no longer a cold case with the evidence Tony had uncovered. If they could find the actual parts of the bomb, then they had enough to put the culprit in prison forever, regardless of them confessing or not. Tony groaned as the smell hit him first. It was almost an acrid smoke smell, and the full stench of it hit him in the face as he opened the final door on his and Gibbs' side of the building. Covering his mouth and nose, Tony started into the room, but he was met with resistance before he could even take two steps into the room.
"Don't go any further or I'll detonate this bomb," said a voice that belonged to someone Tony could not see.
"Who are you?" Tony asked, before he started coughing uncontrollably.
"It doesn't matter who I am."
"It matters to us," snarled Gibbs as he and McGee came up behind Tony. "Where are you?" he asked, silently signalling to McGee to get Tony out of the room.
"Nowhere."
McGee nodded at Gibbs as started to pull Tony backwards, out of the room. Gibbs stepped further in, disappearing into the blackness.
"McGee, let go of me," Tony said once he had gotten his breath back. "Gibbs needs help in there."
"No. I won't let you end up in the hospital. That smoke is really bad," said McGee.
"Don't worry about me. You didn't care all week, don't start now." Tony pulled his arm from McGee's grip and stumbled into the room, quickly finding his way to Gibbs' side. "Show yourself," said Tony, "you say you have a bomb, so show us."
"I said I will detonate the bomb. It isn't on me," said the disembodied voice. "It is in the building, however. If you don't believe me, I can just push this button in my hand."
"Is it a nuclear bomb?" Gibbs asked, his hand on Tony's shoulder, both as a reminder to keep calm and to support him.
"What do you think?"
"I'll take that as a yes. Okay, so, how much damage will it do?"
"Enough damage. The city will be devastated by the effect."
"That's what I thought. What I don't understand is, you've done so well in not getting caught all this time. What changed?"
"Nothing changed. Those bomb squad people didn't find me. It was your dumb agent that stumbled upon my hideout and now it seems like he won't be able to tell anyone about it anyway. The smoke smell in here is deadly. Without an oxygen supply, you won't last more than thirty minutes in here."
Thirty minutes isn't long, thought Gibbs as Tony sagged next to him. I can't imagine that Tony has thirty minutes with his scarred lungs though. I need to get him out of here and get this guy into a police car.
"Boss?" wheezed Tony. "Don't let him get away."
"I won't, DiNozzo." Gibbs squinted into the darkness, looking for movement now that his eyes had adjusted. "I can see him. I need you to get out of here before you pass out."
"Not leaving... you."
"Go, Tony. McGee can back me up if I need it."
"No... can't... I can't walk..."
"Crawl if you have to. Just get out of here." Gibbs nudged Tony backwards. "I'll be right behind you, Tony. I promise."
Tony tried to talk but ended up just nodding weakly as he attempted to stand up. After a minute, Gibbs pulled him to his feet and Tony stumbled back out of the room, collapsing into a heap just in front of McGee.
"Tony?" McGee asked worriedly as several bomb squad officers ran past them. "Can you hear me?"
"I'm awake," gasped Tony. "Can't breathe..."
"I already called an ambulance. They should be here any minute now. You just have to try and breathe." McGee pulled Tony up. "Let's get out of here. The fresh air will make you feel better."
"Gibbs..."
"The bomb squad will get him."
"Bomb... in the building..."
"There's nothing in the building, Tony. They cleared it before we went in..." started McGee before he was interrupted.
"Actually, Agent McGee, there was a bomb in the building. Just not this building. There's a small outhouse in the back. We found the bomb in the toilet," said one of the bomb squad officers.
"You're kidding?" McGee asked in surprise.
"Definitely not. I don't know how well it would have worked, given what it was sitting in, but it was there."
"Did you get it out?"
"Yes. It's being detonated as we speak, far off in the field behind us just to be safe. If it is nuclear, we want to avoid any injuries and illnesses."
"Won't that make it airborne?"
"No. It's contained in a sealed barrel. It's fine."
The sirens from an approaching ambulance interrupted the rest of the conversation, and McGee pulled Tony to him to lead him to the newly arrived ambulance.
"Gibbs?" questioned Tony as they walked.
"Right behind us," lied McGee. He was focused on getting Tony some help.
"Look after... him, Tim," said Tony as he spotted the paramedics waiting outside the ambulance.
"I will. You let the medics look after you, Tony." McGee turned to one of the paramedics. "His name is Tony. He has scarred lungs from the pneumonic plague."
"Very well," said the paramedic as she gently took Tony's arm and guided him into the back of the ambulance. "Hi, Tony. I'm Amber. How are you feeling?"
Gibbs coughed as he stepped out of the room with one of the bomb squad officers. Two more were coming out behind them, dragging the man that had been threatening to blow up his bomb between them.
"Agent Gibbs, you should get checked out, too," said the bomb squad officer.
"I'm fine," said Gibbs. "How's Tony?"
"Agent DiNozzo is in an ambulance, getting checked over."
"Good. I need him to be accompanied by Agent McGee, please. I'll see a doctor later."
"Smoke inhalation..."
"I know. I really will get checked out. I just need to get this guy to interrogation first."
"Your health is more important, Agent Gibbs."
"I promise you, I'm fine." Gibbs shook his head to end the conversation. "I need to get going. Just look after Tony, please."