Chapter 6

Tony couldn't help it - he started to grin, even more as he looked around at his colleagues and friends.

But it was Gibbs' silver, scowling face as the Tin Man that finished what was left of Tony's resolve off.

He smirked, then guffawed, and finally, when he could control it no longer, laughed out loud.

'Scarecrow!,' Dorothy/Kate cried, 'What's so funny?'

Tony leaned against a tree and fought for breath.

'H-h-h-h-have you any idea what you guys look like?!'

'That's not a very kind thing to say, Tin Man!' Gwenda/Abby told him, wagging her finger as she did so.

'I concur, my dear.' Ducky said, nodding in agreement.

'Poor Dorothy is only trying to get home and you're being so unkind!'

Cowardly Lion/McGee huffed, walking up to Tony and putting his fists up, 'C'mon, c'mon! Put 'em up!' and so saying, started to bounce from foot to foot.

The thought crossed Tony's mind - should that be paw to paw?

Whatever.

Tony walked closed to McGee, and headslapped him.

McGee cried out dramatically, and fell to the floor in a ball.

Kate ran to his defence ans knelt down, stroking the lion's mane.

'Scarecrow, that was so unkind!' she told Tony, 'Poor Cowardly Lion -

does it hurt so?'

Abby stepped away from Ducky and pointed at Tony with one hand, the other holding her broomstick aloft.

'Scarecrow - if you can't play nicely it's time for you to go!' she said sternly, and raised both arms and her eyes to the darkening skies.

'My sister! My poor sister! Hear my cry for justice!'

The wind started to pick up, making Toto yap.

The skies darkened further and black clouds rolled in, bringing flashes of lightning with them.

'Woah!' Tony told Abby, 'Abs! Calm down!'

But Abby was not in a mood to be placated, and from the eager looks on everyone else's face, neither were they.

The wind blow stronger and stronger around Tony, making him stagger about drunkenly.

'Abby! Stop! I'm sorry for headslapping McGeek!' Tony cried out.

But Abby still wasn't listening. Tony could see her eyes were now closed, and her lips were moving ever faster as she commanded the wind to seek justice.

'Jeez Abs! It was a headslap - not Murder One!' Tony yelled through cupped hands, but the wind speed did not abate, it picked up speed around him.

Tony started to get even more worried as he looked above him and realised he was now in middle of a tornado.

He staggered about, buffeted about the small circle he was trapped in by the wind, unable to find a flat still surface to gain purchase and cling to.

He watched the faces of his colleagues, all dressed up in their ridiculous costumes. Somehow they didn't seem so funny now.

As he continued to be spun round by the wind, Tony found himself being lifted into the air.

'Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!' he cried out, 'Somebody - help me!'

But the last thing he saw before he was sucked up into the sky was Gibbs, the Tin Man, smile and give Tony an ironically little salute...