This chapter was one of those that was really difficult to write. I hope you all like it, though I know with the ending, a lot of you will not, and I am really sorry, but since starting this story I knew that this is what needed to happen. If you want the reason behind it please PM me and I will gladly explain it. I hope you all are having a great evening or morning or afternoon or whatever time it where you are reading this. Please review and tell me what you think!
Gibbs and Daniel sat at a scarred kitchen table. A knife had gouged deep into the oak top, forever marring it.
The front door had been dusted for prints, along with everything else in the room that wasn't completely destroyed and they were already back to Abby.
Daniel sighed and looked at another piece of evidence from the undercover. Although it was obvious Tony hadn't gone back undercover, he had been taken, there still had to be something there, a link.
They just had to find it.
Gibbs sat back in his chair, his eyes darting all over the room.
The two men had turned Tony's ruined home into momentary headquarters, unable to go to Baltimore P.D., not wanting to put Daniel's family at risk and not wanting to get any farther away from Tony than necessary, his apartment was the only avenue.
His gut was roiling, his thoughts unable to get peace. Something in this room didn't make sense.
Well obviously. The room is torn to pieces.
But still.
Gibbs stood from his chair and walked across the room, his eyes glued to an air vent.
"Gibbs?"
"How often did Tony get back to his apartment when he was undercover?"
Daniel furrowed his brow.
"He didn't. It was too big of a risk. He hired a woman in the building to keep the place clean, set it up with the bank to have his rent and bills pulled from his account every month. I came by once a week to pick up his mail and check on the place."
Gibbs nodded thoughtfully, drawing closer to air vent.
"You ever notice something strange about the door, any sign of someone picking the lock?"
Daniel's eyes widened as Gibbs pulled out a knife and began to unscrew the air vent.
"Well, yeah actually, but I didn't think about it, there were already marks there. Six months after Tony moved here, he lost his keys and had to pick his own lock. I guess I just...never paid much attention to them. I….why?"
Gibbs reached in the vent and pulled out a small electronic camera.
"Oh my...is that a-"
Gibbs nodded.
"Is it?"
He shook his head.
"It's been deactivated. I'm going to send it to Abby and see what see can find, maybe it can be traced back to whoever placed it."
Daniel nodded, his throat tight.
Gibbs stepped out of the room and began to inspect other places where the camera could be hidden. Daniel sat at the table and stared at the opposite wall.
What kind of friend am I? I didn't even check the lock for someone breaking in!
Gibbs stood in Tony's wrecked bedroom and pulled out a cell.
"Abby, I have a wireless camera I need you to back hack. I'm going to bring it up to you tonight, along with a couple other presents."
Abby replied excitedly and then began to share what she had found on the car.
Gibbs scowled when he heard what she said.
"Thanks Abs."
He ended the call and hit one of the few speed dials he had allowed Abby to put in the hated machine.
Two rings before a curious voice picked up.
"Gibbs?"
"Fornell, I'm calling in a favor."
Daniel sat at the table, rubbing his forehead staring at the scars left in Tony's table. He sighed staring at the little camera sitting in front of him. That thing had been staring at his partner for...for how long? Watching him. Sending the information back to...who?
Daniel cracked his fist into the table and drew his elbows up before putting his head in his hands.
Gibbs snapped the phone shut and stalked back into the dining room.
"Alexander."
The man looked up from the internal beating he was giving himself.
"Gibbs?"
"The man who ruined Tony's undercover, Stephan Cline, what happened to him?"
Daniel shook his head.
"Bergan said he would handle it. A couple of our guys took him back to the station and booked him, then took him to a cell. I was on my to the hospital with DiNozzo. Last I heard he was in lock-up and then transferred to an actual facility."
Gibbs nodded to himself and went searching for a personnel file he had read over an hour ago.
He read through the file and his eyes narrowed, finding what he was searching for, his arm quickly reached out to snatch up another piece of paper.
He began reading through the two, comparing something that Daniel was not privy to.
"Gibbs?"
He smiled something so hard and thin it shouldn't be called a smile and stood.
Daniel followed him, jogging to catch up as the older man sped out of the room.
"Want to share what is going on?"
"We're going back to Washington, and then we're ending this."
NCISncisNCISncis
"...And you never know when to quit!"
The man shouted, punctuating every word with a hit. Drawing his tirade to close he took a step back, breathing heavily.
Tony drew in a shuddering breath, trying to keep himself from vomiting. Closing his eyes as tight as they would go, he worked on keeping the room steady. Breathing slow and steady he tried his hardest to keep his face still, the last thing he wanted was this man seeing his pain. D*mn it, he would rather have a complete stranger see him break down than this man. He could feel the restless energy coming off the other man in waves and knew he was about to start up again. Tony swallowed quickly and opened his mouth, going back to the defense he had fallen back on since childhood.
Talking.
"You know... in the movies the hero... always plans his daring escape while the... villain is monologuing. You might want… to keep that... in mind."
The man studied his bloodied knuckles for a moment before looking down at the man barely clinging to consciousness in front of him.
"Really? You planning some ingenious escape?"
Tony took the conversation as encouragement. At least if the guy was expecting an answer, he would stop hitting him long enough to get one.
"Wow, three... whole syllables in that... word, maybe I was... wrong about your... intellectual level all... this time. And no... I'm... not planning an... escape, I don't... need to. The... calvary is coming... for me... just wait... and see."
The man snickered and hit Tony in his his abdomen, pulling a gasp from the other man.
"Here's a news flash for you DiNozzo, no one is coming for you, you are alone. No family to come searching, no friends have been asking, even your old partner has been reassigned a new sidekick. No one cares about poor Tony DiNozzo. You're not going anywhere until we are done with you."
Tony narrowed his eyes and looked at the man.
"You know...you...might be right...but that's okay...because… I left some….things behind...and when they're found...they aren't going to shine very well on you… Bergan. I might not... get out... of this...but...neither... will...you. "
The police captain's face went white, then red and he jumped at Tony, shaking him and screaming.
"You're the one who stole my files! You son of a b*tch! Where are they? I swear if you don't tell me I'm going to-"
The sound of a slamming door pulled him from his madness long enough for him to register another man's presence. The other man glared and gestured angrily for Bergan to come meet him in the corner.
Bergan glowered at Tony, and hit him once more in the face before storming across the room.
The words were too muffled for Tony to understand past the roar in his ears, but one thing did catch his attention and he smiled at his feet, his mind focusing until he could follow the rest of the conversation.
"Why the hell is NCIS looking for him? He doesn't have anything to do with the army!"
"Navy. And it doesn't matter, the boss wants to see him."
Bergan bristled.
"I don't care what he wants, things have changed and I am now in charge."
"Oh really?"
A third new voice made Tony's breath catch. He closed his eyes and schooled his expression, blocking out Bergan's stuttered explanations and subsequent dismissal as he waited for the attention to be turned back to him.
He didn't have to wait long.
He heard the sound of expensive italian shoes crossing the dirty floor.
With his eyes closed, Tony could feel rather than see the man standing in front of him. Without opening his eyes he spoke quietly.
"I guess you were right, prison just couldn't keep you."
The man nodded.
"And you were right also my friend, trouble follows you like a bad penny. It looks like it caught up with you this time though and it was a bit more than you could handle."
Tony sighed and looked up, making eye contact with the man.
"Knew you were behind this, I have to admit though, I didn't think you were the type to show up and take care of the dirty work yourself."
The man smiled.
"I don't take very well to liars, I like to handle that particular strand myself. But I must admit, this was not supposed to happen. You were supposed to be detained so I could handle you myself, not...hmm..."
Tony nodded and muttered to himself.
"Figures."
The man waved a hand to remaining muscle in the room, who brought a chair over, situating it so he sat inches from Tony.
"Do not worry, I will handle the situation. I must ask though, what files of his did you take?"
Tony raised an eyebrow.
"Handle the situation? Like your handling this one?"
The man smiled but didn't answer, merely crossed his legs and studied him carefully, waiting for an answer for his question.
Tony sighed.
"I didn't take any files. I have no idea what he is talking about."
"But you did leave information behind? How so I wonder."
Tony went silent.
There wasn't a sound from either man for a moment, each one weighing his opponent.
The other man nodded and changed the subject.
"Seeing as you are not who I believed you were, I think it is time you and I were reacquainted. Pleasure to meet you Detective Anthony DiNozzo."
Tony grinned and dipped his head, acknowledging the glock resting in the man's hands along with his new knowledge.
Advantages one and two. Looks like I'm not getting out of this one easily.
"Likewise Vittorio Malachi."
NCISncisNCISncis
If Daniel had any doubts that he had called the right man, they disappeared the moment he and Gibbs showed up at Baltimore P.D.
On the drive over to the department, he had called a man named Fornell and asked if he had found anything. Obviously what he had found was what Gibbs had suspected because he pushed the accelerator down harder and screeched into the parking lot with a move that would have made Mario Andretti weep for joy.
Storming out of the car, Gibbs walked in the department with a single minded focus, Daniel chasing behind. Stalking pasts desks, officers and criminals alike, everyone glanced up, startled at the intruder until he came to Captain Bergan's office. Not even stopping at the closed door, Gibbs walked in.
Bergan looked up from wrapping his hands, shocked at the intrusion.
"Charles Bergan?"
"Who the hell wants to know? Detective Alexander what is going on?"
Daniel didn't answer, he merely looked at Gibbs.
Gibbs narrowed his eyes, taking in the sight of Bergan's hands. The skin had been all but ripped off the man's knuckles and there was blood crusted in the man's ring.
It didn't take a criminal genius to put two and two together.
The edge of Gibbs' vision went red.
"Charles Bergan, you're coming with us."
"For what? I demand you tell me what is going on!"
Gibbs walked behind Bergan and handcuffed the man before he was able to realize what was going on.
"You are under arrest for the kidnapping of Anthony DiNozzo, conspiracy to commit murder, and the murder of Stephan Cline."
Even Daniel couldn't stop the look of shock from crossing his face.
Bergan stuttered for a moment, before shouting-
"I demand you tell me who you are!"
Gibbs was silent as he pulled Bergan from his office and paraded him past the officers.
"I don't know who you are, but I swear when this gets sorted out I will have your career and your head! Detective Alexander, you are fired! Fired do you hear me?"
Daniel smiled as he once again followed Gibbs.
"Actually Bergan, I quit."
A lieutenant stopped Gibbs halfway through the jungle of desks.
"Excuse me sir, I don't know who you think you are but-"
"Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS. And this man is wanted by the FBI and unless you want to be arrested for obstructed of justice you will get the hell out of my way."
The man skittered to the side, whispers and shocked murmurs washing over the room.
Daniel worked hard to keep the shock off his face when Gibbs mentioned the FBI.
His thoughts were moving a mile a minute as they left they building, leaving chaos in his wake.
Gibbs shoved Bergan in the back of his car and slammed the door on his face. Daniel leaned forward conspiratorially.
"I hope you're going to tell me what the hell just happened in there and how you figured it out. Not to mention how the FBI got involved."
Gibbs was serious as he headed towards the drivers seat of his car.
"Actually, Tony figured it out, I just happened to be here to take care of it."
Daniel grinned and walked towards the passenger side.
Gibbs paused, halfway around the car.
Something was wrong.
Bergan was still in the backseat, shouting.
Daniel was smirking, but looking worried, his thoughts obviously still on Tony.
Faces were peering out the windows of police department, watching their captain getting hauled away.
Everything was fine.
Something was wrong.
"Gibbs?"
He looked back at the detective.
And noticed a small red dot on his forehead.
Gibbs shouted and moved towards the other man, warning him of the danger.
An instant too late.
A shot echoed across the parking lot, and Detective Daniel Alexander, partner, friend, husband, father, fell to the ground.