"Hlp, Boss."
Tim? Where are you? Talk to me, McGee! Tim!"
Before Gibbs had even gotten McGee's name out that third time, Tony and Ziva were out of their seats and gearing up. Tony was calling for a car.
"Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs! I got something!" Abby's voice came at them in her normal above average decibel level before they could do anything else, as she nearly ran from the back elevator to Gibbs' desk.
"As do I, Jethro!" Ducky's voice chimed in with Abby's. The M.E. was also coming from the back elevator, albeit at a somewhat slower pace than their resident Energizer Bunny.
One look at Gibbs' face slowed her down to a crawl. Something was wrong.
"Gibbs, what's happened?" Abby asked with concern. Gibbs' attention snapped to the two oncoming team members. Their timing couldn't have been worse this time.
"Where' McGee?" she asked with fear now radiating off her. It had to be Timmy. Everyone else was standing right here in front of her.
"Jethro?" Ducky's voice of concern was quickly heard.
"McGee's in trouble. Whatever you two have for us will have to wait, No time to explain. Abbs. Run the trace on this #. Call us when you get it! Check near Spring River! Gibbs urgently ordered. "Duck, need you to ride with Tony! McGee's hurt, don't know how bad. Let's go!"
"I'll need my medical bag. You have no idea at all how badly he might be injured?"
"None, Duck. He was barely able to say anything. I think he passed out. I heard the river in the background though. Hurry!" Gibbs answered as he hurried toward the elevator.
"Meet me out front, Doc." Tony said as he came back from checking out two vehicles and headed toward the elevator, handing Gibbs one set of keys as he quickly met up with the man.
"Notes Gibbs!" Abby called out. "I found one on Navy Chief Petty Officer Ward's laptop."
"I found the second one in Navy Chief Petty Officer Andrews' mouth." Ducky added before he quickly headed back down to Autopsy to get his medical bag.
"Agent Gibbs, got a personal letter here for you, It's marked urgent. That's funny, there's a handwritten note on it that says you need to open it now!" David, the mail room clerk said as he narrowly avoided being run into by the racing team.
"Give it to Abby, Now" Gibbs ordered as he kept going. "Abby, find McGee, then call me Get that open, then you can tell me about the notes. We don't have time to waste." The elevator doors closed, taking the team down to the parking garage.
Abby took the note and just for a second, stood watching the team disappear, as the tears guided by fear rolled down her face, then she squared her shoulders, wiped her eyes and stomped down to the lab. No one was gonna get away with hurting Timmy. She would find him. And Gibbs and company would save him. No other outcome was acceptable.
Once in the elevator, Gibbs silently handed Ziva the keys; too angry and worried to get behind the wheel. Tony realized what that meant. Gibbs was scared and pissed; too much so to trust himself to drive. He wanted Ziva to get them there faster than even he could do. The boss wanted the miracle of time warp she always came close to achieving. Tony didn't blame the man; he wanted to get there twenty minutes ago, himself.
Ziva had the look of murderous intent in her eyes. When Gibbs handed her the keys, her eyes seemed to change focus instantly. Now, instead of having free time to stew in her emotions, she had a job to do, something else to focus on; something urgent and necessary. Having Tony take a second car and wait on Ducky, had given him something to do with his racing mind and raging anger and concern, too. Gibbs, even in midst of a crisis; was silently taking care of everyone the best he could. This was the first time Tony could remember being conscience of the reason behind Gibbs' specific actions in a crisis.
"Hey, it's me. I need your help. Spring River area. Got the call not ten minutes ago. Check the river. Gonna need paramedics. Call me when you find him. Thanks." Gibbs ended the call he'd made enroute to the car, for once, grateful he'd made friends with the law enforcement in most of the 60 square miles from the Navy Yard. It had taken a while, but eventually, he'd figured out being on their good side came in extremely useful. Times like this, they could even make the difference. He certainly prayed he was right about that now.
Ziva wordlessly got behind the wheel and hurtled them off the navy yard. A short two minutes later, as they barreled down the highway, Gibbs' phone rang. Gibbs put it on speaker, not wanting to repeat anything.
"Oh, Gibbs!" Abby's distress spoke volumes. Whatever it was, wasn't' good.
"Abby?" Ziva and Gibbs replied in frustration together.
"Abby, call Tony in on this." Gibbs directed.
Abby called Tony on her cell and put him on speaker and then began reading the notes to them.
****************
Note #1:
"Hello NCIS"
You did such a bang up job of ruining my career
I thought it was time I paid you back.
**************
Note #2:
Figure it out yet, NCIS?
"One body look just like any other body to you?"
*****************
"Gibbs, this last one is the one that just came through the mail. I've already started testing for prints and saliva and all that good stuff." Abby promised. Then she read them the note.
****************
Tell me Special Agent Gibbs,
Does one your people look just like any of the others?
Unfortunately, by the time you figure it out, it'll be too late for the poor guy.
After all, your good work must be rewarded, right?
****************
It didn't take any of them long before their faces were masks of anger and concern; Tony and Ziva both respectively put the pedal to the metal as they barreled down the road, both feeling the need to get to McGee thirty minutes ago.
Gibbs gut churned painfully and he sent up a silent prayer that McGee would be all right. This entire case had been a set up. And in all probability, Tim had just walked straight into a trap. The words from the notes now rattled in his brain. They had to mean something.
Before Gibbs could even process what he'd just heard, Abby was crying out with horror
"Gibbs! There are pictures with it!"
"Describe them, Abby." Ziva requested with steel in her voice, compassionately giving Gibbs a chance to school his emotions.
Abby's crying became audible as she quickly described each picture she saw. Pictures taken during off-duty time: Tim walking Jethro, Tim getting out of his car, Tim playing with Jethro in the park, Tim spending time with Sara, and even Tim behind the wheel of his car. Tim eating out alone.
"Abby, any results on Tim's phone?" Gibbs asked, his voice radiating the anger and fear he felt. It had been a trap and it was his fault Tim had gotten caught in it. God, please let him be all right!
"He used a burn phone. I can't trace it!" She cried. "Why didn't he use his work phone?"
"Dunno, Abby, Maybe he couldn't reach it. Check for cell calls from towers in the area. See if you can match any to the # he called from." Gibbs ordered as Ziva floored it. "See if you can date those pictures. I wanna know how far back Tim's been targeted." Something seemed 'off' about those photos, but Gibbs couldn't put his finger on it.
"Sorry, Gibbs. I should have thought of that." Abby said guiltily.
"Just do it now, the minute you know where he is, you call me back." Gibbs answered her before he snapped his phone shut.
Fear and anger filled the silence the descended in both vehicles. Whoever this was; had clearly set their sights on one of their own. Gibbs glued his eyes to the road, watching absently as Ziva continue to hurtle them toward McGee. Sighing in frustration, fear and anger, Gibbs made a call. He'd almost forgotten about this one.
"Yeah, Leon..."
