He opened his mouth but no words managed their way out. It was then he came face to face with Timothy McGee.
"You…how…did they just?" He struggled to form a complete phrase, but he wasn't the only one.
"I…McGee…I'm…I don't know." Tony mirrored his friends shock.
Donald Mallard decided to bring the four of them together. "Come Ziva." He motioned that they form a small circle, and placed his arms around both Ziva and Tony. "Anthony…listen to me." He made eye contact with him, and took in a breath. "I know you're in shock, we all are…but stay with me. Where is Gibbs?"
"He... made… me." He replied slowly. "He made me."
Ducky shook his head. "Made you what my boy?" But even after the last word of the question left his mouth, he knew what Gibbs had made him do. He then removed his arm from around Tony's waist and took a step back. "Please tell me you didn't?"
He watched his friend move away. "It was either I watch him do it, or do it myself…"
Ziva stepped closer to him. "Where is the body?"
McGee shook his head and interjected. "You didn't kill the boss, you couldn't."
"His basement." Tony replied, taking in a long labored breath. "You didn't see him Probie…they had been in his basement with Abby, they left him a video of them with her…he was playing it over and over…"
McGee stood in front of him, his eyes now welling up with tears. "Steeples lied all along; she never had a chance did she?"
Tony placed his hand on McGee's shoulder and shook his head. "I'm so sorry man."
He turned away from him, but only to turn back quickly catching Tony square in the face with his fist. Tony steadied himself on the nearby filing cabinet and peered back towards him. "Hit me again." And McGee did just that, this time sending Tony to the floor. It was then Tony lifted himself up and drew his weapon.
"Tony!" Ziva yelled, reaching for hers as well.
He tossed his weapon at McGee. "You want to blame me Probie, then do it."
McGee stared at the weapon in his hands and struggled to wipe the tears that now blurred his vision. "Do it!" Tony yelled putting his arms out. "Put me out of my misery Probie."
It was then, Ducky stepped in between the two of them. "Stop this." He swiftly grabbed the weapon from McGee's hand and tossed it into the closest desk drawer; he then motioned for everyone to lower their weapons. "We cannot let this man have any more control over us, then he's already gotten, now please, get a hold of yourselves…for heavens sake…we've just lost Abigail."
At the sound of Abby's name, both Tony and McGee nodded apologies towards each other. Ziva holstered her weapon and watched as the two friends closed the distance between them and uncharacteristically embraced. She watched Tony pull McGee in tight and speak a few reassuring words before releasing him. Ducky wrapped his arm around Ziva as he struggled to find some comfort; his gaze finding its way to the empty desk across from him. Ziva and McGee then stood solemnly for a few moments as they looked to Tony for direction.
But before he could give any his phone rang and within a few moments he closed it slowly. "Another body was just dropped off outside…"
--- ---