See Part 1 for Disclaimer.
AN: Sorry for the delay. I was busy with studying for my final exam I'm going to write next Tuesday and Wednesday. Finished with that I will update more. Promise. Thanks to my beta, Becky.
Part 11
The first thing Max did was looking for Tony. She found him surrounded by Gibbs and Kate.
"Didn't I tell you to stay with Joshua?" She asked both of them.
"Max, you haven't know them long enough to know that they never do what they are told." Tony grinned at Gibbs and Kate. Gibbs swatted Tony on the head.
"OW, Boss. Be careful, I'm injured."
Max head snapped up. "You are? Where?"
"Max, calm down. I'm fine, now that you're out of that hell hole."
"I don't believe you, Logan. Don't act like that brave ass you used to be in Seattle. Go to a hospital and let them have a look."
"Okay, you're right. There are a few spots hurting like hell. I would love to tell you the same, but I know it's not necessary. You look like death warmed over."
"Gee, thanks. But you know I will be okay in a while but you won't. So let's get going."
"Will you keep me company? You know I hate hospitals."
"Sure I will come with you. Someone needs to make sure you really see a doctor."
So all of them ended up at a hospital. Gibbs and Kate came with them while Dix and the others went back to there headquarter. It didn't take long before Tony was examined. The doctor told them that Tony had a mild concussion and some bruised ribs. But nothing life threatening so he was allowed to go back to the hotel.
Arriving there they all ended up in Gibbs and Kate's room. They needed to make some plans.
"First of all I want to thank you for saving my life. If I'm ever going to do something like that again, just shot me. Okay?" Tony said.
"I would love to do that without a reason, you know?" Kate said smiling. She was glad Tony was going to be okay.
"It was your idea. We tried to tell you not to do it. But I'm glad you are back, Tony." That was something Gibbs had never said before.
"Well back than it had been a good idea. Little did I know about the new generation. I'm glad you took care of them." Tony said.
"Me too. But I'm not sure they were the only ones. I'm sure there are more of them and Lydecker will not stop until he has me." Max answered.
"I know and therefore we need to do something." Tony stated trying to sit down on the sofa, which wasn't an easy task with his bruised ribs.
"You are in pain?" Max asked worried.
"Just a little bit but otherwise I'm fine. No need to worry, darling."
"I just can't see you hurt. You sure you don't want a transfusion? It helped before."
"Max, I won't die so I don't need a transfusion."
Gibbs and Kate looked puzzled not knowing what that was all about. So Tony explained. "Back in Seattle when I was shot, Max gave me some of her self-repairing blood hoping it would repair the damage to my spinal cord. It worked for some time, but only temporary. We tried again with the same result. We even tried some blood of Joshua, the first Transgenic ever. Still with the same result and we gave up all hope." Tony explained.
"Speaking of Joshua. There is someone who wants to see you. But I think it's not good for you to move more than necessary."
"Joshua is here? You brought him with you?"
"No Joshua came on his own with Dix and the gang. First time he's ever left Seattle." With all that said they came to the problem.
"Are we finished here? I mean do we have enough evidence to arrest Lydecker? Abby did record the conversation you had with that guy. We can use that against him. It will put him behind bars for some time since he killed Alec and Claire" Kate said.
"Well technically he didn't. He just captured them and I'm not sure he even did that. He said they come to him of there own free will. What had happened to Alec and Claire was just a terrible accident." Gibbs explained.
"So we have nothing against him?" Kate asked.
"I don't believe Lydecker. I knew Alec. He hated him as much as I did. He wouldn't have stayed there of his own free will. Perhaps we can arrest him for kidnapping?" Max asked hopefully.
"Even if there are changes to arrest him he won't stay there for long. And then the game starts from the beginning again. He is an evil person. You have heard him. He won't stop with his dirty experiments."
"So we have to do something."
"I have to take care on him once and for all. I have to destroy his lab with all his search results. There is no other way." Max said out of the blue.
"No, it's too dangerous. Don't you remember what he is capable of?" Tony asked. Gibbs and Kate had the feeling this was going to end in a fight.
"I know perfectly well what he is capable of. I'm one of his little experiments. I have to live my life with that. I have lost so much because of Lydecker and Manticore but I have found close friends because of him. I have to do this, so we all can live in peace. Don't you think we have a right for that? Just a little peace."
"But is it really necessary to destroy him. I mean he stop going after you for about two years. Isn't that enough?"
"He won't stop now. He will get me and I'm not going to be a part of his project. I just want to spend the rest of my life in peace with you. Is that too much to ask for?"
"No, it isn't."
"Okay, let me see if I got that right. You will take care of Lydecker? How, if I may ask?" Gibbs asked.
"Are you planning to kill him?" Kate asked frighten.
"That would be the best solution. I know I can't ask any of you to help me. It could be dangerous for your careers. I'll do it alone with Dix and his gang. I won't tell you about the plan so you won't be in any danger. And it would be better for you to go back to Washington."
"I will not leave you, not again. I know you need to do this, but not without me." Tony said.
"This is not your problem, Logan. Lydecker hasn't messed up your life. This is between him and my kind."
"He hadn't messed with my life? He shot me, I needed a wheelchair because of him and he made it impossible for me to be with my girlfriend. I would call that messed up."
"But it's too dangerous for you. He can hurt you again. He can kill you!"
"He can do those things to you, too. Do you really think that I would like to live my life without you, now that you're back? It would kill me. I wouldn't be able to live with that thought." So, it's both of us or none of us."
"You're hurt." Max countered.
"Yes, I'm injured but I won't leave you. I'll stay here. I won't fight with you, but I won't leave you either. Okay." Gibbs and Kate were surprised about this outburst. It was so unlike Tony.
"Okay Tony, you can stay here on sick-leave but Kate and me we have to go back."
"Why?" Kate asked plainly. "The case isn't closed. I mean the deaths of Claire and Alex was a terrible accident but this Lydecker-guy did capture them. I'm sure they weren't here of their own free will."
"I know Kate, but Morrow will be on the war path, if we don't get back. We don't have anything against Lydecker, so there is nothing we can do to support Max."
"Boss, Max doesn't need any support. What she is going to do isn't legal, I suppose. We won't put you in danger. It could be bad for your career. Yours too, Kate. So the best thing is for you to go back. Like you said, Morrow will be on the war path for staying here so long without any evidence."
"Tony, you are right even if I don't like the thought of leaving you here alone. Even with Max to take care of you." Kate said.
"Oh, Kate. I'm impressed. Are you really worried about me? I'm touched, but it's really the best for you to go back. I promise you not to do anything stupid."
"Now that everything is clear, it's best for you to go back to your room. You need some rest and something to eat. We will see you tomorrow before we fly back, okay?"
"Sure thing, Boss. All I need now is a shower, something to eat and a good night's sleep." Tony grinned.
"Max, make sure he gets some sleep." Kate grinned back, knowing what Tony was thinking of. So the two couples parted. Tony and Max went back to there room, where Tony took a shower, while Max ordered room service. The dinner arrived just when Tony came out of the bathroom. Together they had dinner and went to bed.
In the room next to them, Gibbs and Kate packed their suitcases for tomorrow's departure.
"Jethro, I don't want to leave." Kate said giving Gibbs a hug.
"Why not, honey? Don't you want to see Abby again? And think about work; no Tony!" Gibbs smiled.
"Yeah, that's great but here it was just the two of us, and Tony. We could be ourselves, no acting."
"Why change that? You don't need to act different when we go back. Just be the one I love." Gibbs kissed her on the top of her nose.
"I love you, too. But what will our colleagues say about us being together? You are my superior. Won't they think I just slept with you to get promoted?"
"I hope that was not the real reason for you." He grinned. "And you don't need to be afraid of that, since I'm not planning on promoting you. I don't want you to leave my team. And now stop worrying. You'll see everything is going to be just fine."
"I hope so! Let's go to bed." Kate said taking Gibbs shirt off…
The next morning all four of them had breakfast in Max and Tony's room, so he could stay in bed. After that Gibbs and Kate left for the airport enjoying the last bit of time together.
After landing in Washington, Gibbs drove to his favorite coffee shop and bought two cups of coffee and a large cup of Caff-Pow for Abby. Like the workaholic he was he went straight to the office, Kate in tow.
She went to her desk and started to write the report on Alec's case. Gibbs went to Abby's lab. She was just running a test and didn't notice him. Gibbs looked over her shoulder.
"What are you doing, Abbs?" he asked.
Abby jumped. "Gibbs, don't do this ever again. I'm too young to die."
"Oh, come on. I know you love it when I'm doing that." Abby didn't answer instead she took her drink out of his hand.
"So you're back?"
"Just landed an hour ago." He answered smiling.
"Have a good time in New York?"
"Perhaps!" he smiled even more.
"Oh Gibbs, you are bad. I know something happened up there."
"And I'm not going to tell you. It's my dirty little secret."
"How dirty?" Abby asked, trying to get more information.
"I'm not telling you, Abbs."
"Fine, then I try Tony. Where is he?" Abby got up, ready to leave.
"He's not here. We left him in New York so he could spend some time healing his wounds. And besides, he doesn't know about that."
"Gibbs, you are a real bastard."
"I know, Abbs." Gibbs said, leaving. He went to the bullpen to start his report. When he came in, he felt Kate's eyes on him.
"What are you grinning about?" she asked.
"Abby. She tried to get information about New York. About what had happen there."
"And what did you say?" Kate asked afraid. Abby was her best friend, but she was not sure how she would react on the news.
"Nothing. She and Ducky can figure it out themselves. Just like Tony."
"You know what that means? Abby will grill you until she gets more information."
"Well, I'm an ex-marine with three ex-wives. I can keep a secret. I'm more worried about you."
"You are right. Abby will grill me, too. I don't know anything. Why should I know anything about your mood?"
"Are you sure you don't know anything about my mood, Kate?" Gibbs bent down to kiss her. At that moment both of their cell phones ringed.
"Grrr." Gibbs barked. He answered his phone. It was Morrow. And Abby was calling Kate.
While Gibbs was on the phone with Morrow, Kate went down to Abby.
"Abby, what do you need?" Kate asked, entering the lab.
"What had happen to Gibbs? He's smiling all the time. That's never happened before."
"Well, I don't know. Why should I know, he doesn't even speak to me, privately."
"But you were with him on the trip to New York for almost four weeks. Something must have happen. And I'm not going to rest till I found out why he's grinning." At that moment Gibbs entered the lab, unnoticed by the girls.
"Abbs, there are just two people who know the reason for my mood. Me being one of them, and I'm not going to tell you the other one. And I'm sorry to tell you; your tries have to wait. We've got a case."
"We don't have a complete team and Morrow is giving us a case? What has happened?" Kate asked when McGee was entering the lab.
"We got a kidnapping case we have to solve soon. The kidnapped person is the newborn child of Special Agent Johnson. The boy is just a week old and was taken out of the hospital by an unknown woman three days ago. Luckily a security camera at the hospital's entrance got a good shot of the woman. This case is very urgent, since the infant is ill. He has a heart failure and needs surgery as soon as possible. He needs to get his medicine on time otherwise he is going to die." Gibbs explained.
"Oh god, what kind of sick people are out there? Kidnapping an infant. How awful."
"Kate, relax, we need to focus on the case." Gibbs tried to calm Kate.
"Abbs, I got the tape from the hospital security cam. Get me a picture of the woman and tell me who she is and where I can find her. McGee, go help her. Kate, you are going to the hospital with me. Perhaps we can find some evidence there." Abby went to her computer and started working. McGee went to another computer and helped her. Gibbs and Kate went to the hospital.
"This poor woman. Giving birth to a child just to learn it is seriously ill and is going to die and than some sick girl kidnaps the infant. It's terrible. I just hope, we find the baby in time."
"So do I. But Kate, I know it's an emotional case but you need to focus on the facts, even if it's difficult. The evidence will tell us the story. You are not going to help by getting to emotional."
"You know something strange? A friend of mine said just the same thing. 'Let the evidence tell the story.' And I know that I'm no good in the state that I'm in. It's just… I don't know. Perhaps I just imagined how I would feel in this situation. Jethro, why don't you have any children?" Kate asked.
Gibbs looked shocked, but he didn't answer the question. "You don't have any children, do you?" Kate asked again.
"No, I don't have any children. I never felt the need to have children. Why do you ask?"
"Just curious. I mean, you are the guy with three failed marriages."
"And I'm not planning to have any children soon. You?"
"No babies planned, Jethro." Kate calmed him, hearing the panic in his voice.
When they arrived at the hospital they went to Mrs. Johnson to ask her some questions. She couldn't think of anyone who would do this. She and her husband didn't have any enemies. So they hadn't had any new leads and went back to the headquarters, hoping for news from Abby and McGee.
"Abbs, do you have anything for me?" Gibbs asked entering.
"Do you have anything for me, boss-man?" Abby asked back and earned a look from Gibbs. But he put down the Caff-Pow on her desk.
"We got a good shot of the woman and ran her through the database. Her name is 'Angela Smith', she's living in Arlington, alone."
"And?" Gibbs asked waiting.
"She's a nurse at Galilee hospital."
"Okay, give the address to Kate. We are going up there. Can you get her personal file?" Gibbs didn't wait for an answer he left the lab. Kate followed him closely. Together they went to Angela Smith's Arlington home and weren't surprised when nobody was home. Gibbs entered through the back door.
It was a nice home with comfortable looking furniture. Baby toys and cloths lying shattered everywhere.
"Obviously a baby had been here." Kate said.
"The question is if it is our baby. Let's ask the neighbors."
So Gibbs and Kate went outside and questioned the neighbors. Most of them said Angela wasn't seen pregnant but for a few days a baby was living with her. They had no idea where it was come from. Angela didn't even have a boy friend. And they told the agents that they hadn't seen her the last two days.
"Let's go back, we won't get any more information here."
So Kate and Gibbs went back, going straight to the lab. "Abbs, anything on her background?"
"Boss-man, where's your good mood?"
"Abbs, the background check? The life of a baby is depending on it."
"Okay, I got it. Like I told you before, she worked at Galilee Hospital for four years. Her boss told me she was never late of sick for about seven months. She's been on sick leave for three weeks.
"That's not going to help us. Anything else?"
"She went to college with Johnson. They were in almost all the same classes."
"That's something to work with. You try to find more while I go see Special Agent Johnson." Gibbs left the lab. Kate stayed with Abby and McGee.
Gibbs found Special Agent Johnson at his cubicle. "Special Agent Gibbs, do you have any good news?" he asked when Gibbs stood in front of his desk.
"Depends. Abby was able to identify the kidnapper. We already searched her house, unfortunately without any leads. The neighbors have seen her with a baby recently but she was not pregnant."
"That's obvious; otherwise she won't need to kidnap my baby. Anything else?"
"Like I said, Abby was able to identify her. Her name is Angela Smith. Rings any bells?"
"Not that I know of?" Johnson said after a while.
"Well, that's surprising. We did a background check. She was in the same classes as you in college."
"Now that you say so, I can remember an Angela. Really nice girl. I think we were a couple for a few weeks, but I broke up with her. She was too demanding, if you know what I mean."
"Well, that could be a motive. She was in love with you and possible still is while you dumped her and started a family with someone else. She's just jealous."
"You don't think that yourself, do you? This had happen at least ten years ago."
"Well, I would tell you that is pretty good motive. You don't know what this woman is feeling. Any idea where I can find her?"
"If she isn't home, try her parents. As much as I know she has a very strong relationship with them. Last residence I know of was in Maryland."
"Thank you. We will find your son."
"I know you will, Gibbs."
Gibbs went down to the lab again. "Abby, check for Smith's parents. She probably is hiding there."
"We already got the address. I was just going to call you."
"Good thinking, Kate. Let's go." So Kate and Gibbs went to the car again and went to the parents of Angela Smith.
They had a short conversation with them, but didn't learn anything new. Her parents were worried about her, too. They hadn't heard a word from her for about two months. That was really unusual since she called at least twice a week. And the parents told Gibbs and Kate that she hasn't had a recent boy friend but she has often told them that she has been in love with some guy since college. They had no idea where Angela could be hiding.
"We need to go back to her house. There may be a lead about her whereabouts." Gibbs said entering the car. When they arrived at the house again, Gibbs let them in through the back door. They began to search the house. Kate searching the basement while Gibbs did the upper floor.
He started searching her bedroom, going through every drawer and her wardrobe. And he found something; a box hidden in the depths of her wardrobe. He took the box out and was about to open it when he heard Kate calling for him. So he took the box with him.
"What is it, honey?" he asked when he reached Kate. She was standing next to a desk.
More to come soon.