Chapter 5 - Rescue?
Gibbs Stormed into the bullpen, hoping for any sort of lead as to where his agent was. They hadn't found anything in DiNozzo's house nor, had anything been found on the security cameras around the building. Tony had been missing for almost a week now. Gibbs's gut was telling him that Tony was alive, but there was something very wrong with him.
"McGee!" he shouted.
"Yeah boss?" Tim stuttered. Gibbs's moods had gotten progressively worse as the week dragged on and, they were no closer to finding Tony. The Director had told them earlier that day that if nothing was found by the end of the day then, they would have to stop looking and the case would go cold. They were all furious with the decision. Gibbs had glared, Ducky looked equally as angry, Abby had been in tears, and even Ziva had looked about ready to cry. Tim, himself had been ready to shout at the director, to hell with his job. However, no matter how livid they had all been, they knew the chances of someone being found after a week, it killed them knowing how kidnappings usually went, they had seen it happen too many times. Tim noticed that Gibbs had spoken to him again, even Gibbs sounded scared.
"Do we have anything yet?" Gibbs questioned.
"N-No boss" McGee didn't want to be the bearer of no news but, they had nothing, nothing in Tony's old cases. Just gone, without trace.
"Ziva?" asked Gibbs, breaking Ziva out of a dazed state.
"There is nothing Gibbs, we have searched everything" she replied, sounding deflated by her own statement.
"Go over it again!" Gibbs was really angry now, angry at Tony? No! That wasn't fair; it wasn't Tony's fault Gibbs thought guiltily. It was the person who had taken him.
They all set about working again, looking for anything. The postman walked in looking at the agents, in his hands was a package addressed to agent Gibbs. He got Gibbs's signature and left the bullpen, even he had noticed the subdued atmosphere of the room as he left. There was no childish banter, no movie quotes that he had gotten used to while bringing mail to the agents.
Gibbs studied the package for a moment, it felt heavy, he hadn't ordered anything. He opened the package to find a black leather photo album. Engraved in gold were the words 'Our Memories'. Gibbs's gut was twisting knowing this had something to do with Tony and also knowing who had Tony, what he couldn't understand was why this person had him. It was former Petty Officer Swain, Tony had found her locked up rescuing her from her captivity. She had been diagnosed with Stockholm syndrome but, Gibbs didn't think is possible that she would do this. This is what his gut was telling him though; he knew it was her though she would have needed help with her plan. He would get all the people who had done this to his agent. He removed a pair of gloves from his draw and opened the album. What he saw caused the album to fall and clatter to his desk, he stared for a long moment hate and anger filling him. From what he saw, he just hoped that Tony was still alive when they found him.
Ziva and Tim heard the clatter of the album on Gibbs's desk and looked up to their team leader; Gibbs looked shocked, a look not often seen on the stoic leaders face. Gibbs cursed, grabbed the album and turned to McGee.
"McGee, get this down to Abby now, then get the car."
"What is it boss?" Tim replied worry lacing his words.
"I know where Tony is" Gibbs stated simply, his mask now firmly back in place. He rushed out of his chair, heading up to M-TAC where the Director would surely be.
"What…how?" asked Ziva watching the retreating back of Gibbs. She turned to face Tim who, had become very still, he was looking at the album with fear in his eyes. She became unsettled and questioned.
"What is wrong Tim." he passed her the album and she cursed in all the languages she knew.
In the album were pictures of Tony being beaten and strapped down to some sort of table. As they flicked through the pages they saw much of the same treatment. The final picture drove ice cold fear into them both. It showed Tony, he was shirtless, mottled with bruises and still restrained. However this isn't what frightened them, it was the look in his eyes. He bright green eyes were usually so full of the childish energy that made him who he was they also, usually held a mischievous glint in them. Now, they were empty, dead looking. No he can't be dead they both silently screamed in their heads. They looked again at the last page; this is when they saw the location where their friend was being held. It would take almost an hour to get to the warehouse. They rushed off to Abby's lab.
x-X-x
The usual music blaring out was missing; this is when you knew something was wrong with the number 1 team at NCIS. Abby was scared, the last time Tony had been missing granted it had only been a day, they had at least some evidence then now, they had nothing and she had been over everything and still nothing. McGee and Ziva almost didn't want to give Abby the album, but they knew they had to, if they wanted to find out who had done this to their friend. They could only hope that the last picture and the fact they had just given him up, didn't mean that he was already dead.
"Abby." McGee called softly. She was asleep at her computer, her ponytails slightly askew. She turned and looked up to them with sad eyes.
"Abby, Gibbs needs you find what you can from this, see if you can find any fingerprints that will lead us to the person that took Tony." Tim said speaking calmly, watching as Abby fought away the remains of sleep. He handed her the album, she started looking while speaking.
"What Tony? What doe this have to-…Oh Tony!" Abby cried, tears welling up in her eyes. She turned away not wanting to believe someone could do that, especially to Tony.
"Timmy, we have to get him back, he has to be ok" she choked, tears falling down her face leaving dark lines from the make-up she wore.
"I know Abby, we'll get him back." He soothed, hugging her. She let him and Ziva go, wishing them luck and hoping that she would see Tony alive again. When they had gone she wiped away her tears and went back to work. Pretended it wasn't Tony in the picture, it was just like any other case.
x-X-x
In the car there was a shocked silence, no one spoke; they didn't know what to say. As they got closer and closer to the warehouse the tension between them was building. Gibbs was driving like a madman, not stopping for anything. This time they had no quarrels with his driving, it mean they could get to Tony sooner. Gibbs also wanted catch the people who did this but, for some reason he knew that when they had sent the album, they were already gone. Hopefully Abby would find who the other people were so they could make them pay.
They searched the warehouse, finding only small rooms. They walked along a damp corridor, listening for any sign of movement. There was nothing, this worried them all, if Tony had truly been released then, why hadn't he escaped? Why hadn't he called for help? Unless he couldn't. The corridor to the last small room was deadly silent and cold. As they reached the door they noticed that it was slightly ajar, a dim light and the smell of death emitting from it.
The three agents opened the door together, cleared the room and stood horrified at the scene in front of them. Their friend was lying atop a hard metal table, his body covered in bruises, track marks up both arms. They looked at his face, bruised only a little. Both Ziva and McGee gasped in disbelief and moved back a little, not wanting to look anymore. They thought it had been bad in the pictures but now, being here, it was much worse than they had feared. His eyes were unseeing, completely blank the green almost corrupted by the black dilated pupils. Tony lay so still, it wasn't normal, he was always in motion. They were both struggling to keep their emotions in check. McGee was glad that they hadn't asked Abby to come along; she would be distraught at the sight.
Gibbs almost didn't want to try a find a pulse but, he had to, if only to learn whether his best agent was alive or not. He pressed his fingers to Tony's icy skin, at first he didn't find anything, they had been too late to save him, he willed Tony's heart to beat, a moment later he felt a slow thud, relief rushed him. They hadn't been too late after all.
"He's alive, McGee, start processing the scene." Gibbs watch the anger flash on McGee's face. "This is still a crime scene McGee; we need to do our jobs." McGee understood this but wished that he could be there for his friend. Gibbs was furious that the monsters that had done this had managed to get away; he made a silent promise that he would get them. Ziva had her own thoughts on having to do their jobs, now of all times. Tony needed them all. They noticed that the restraints had been removed and Tony's cell phone lay next to him, why hadn't he used it? Why hadn't he tried to escape? these were the questions going through Tim's head as he called for an ambulance.
Both Ziva and McGee wanted to stay with Gibbs, at Tony's side but, they had to get to work. Gibbs realised that all he could do for Tony was watch over him, it killed him not being able to do anything for him. He had called Tony's name a few times to try a rouse him and, gotten no response. He wanted to hold him, like a father would hold a child. He couldn't, just in case it cause Tony harm. Tony shifted slightly, and blinked ever so slowly.
"Tony?" said a soft familiar voice. Noooo she back, he tried moved back, away from the voice but, hands held him down. Panic flared within him.
"Tony, it's ok, you're safe" he couldn't fight the fear that struck into him. Adrenalin coursed through him, he pushed the hands away and stumbled into a corner of the room, barely noticing anything around him. Anytime he had been told it was safe, bad things happened, he would get hurt. His eyes never saw his friends looking worriedly at him; they were squeezed shut, not wanting her to be back. He couldn't do it again.
"Tony?" he flinched at the soft yet gruff tone, that's when he realised that it was his boss. He opened his eyes to find his boss looking at him. McGee was also in his line of sight, they scared him, they had said, it had been all his fault, that he deserved what he had gotten.
"S-s-sorry b-b-boss, s'all my fault" Tony stuttered weakly, thinking that they were just an illusion. He was still in the room; it had to be an illusion. He slid slowly down the grimy wall wrapping his arms around his chest, silent tears falling down his pain filled face. Pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around his knees. He started gently rocking back and forth, back and forth, mumbling what had been chanted in his dreams. The burst of energy that he had been granted flitted out as the darkness took him, shutting out the world. Gibbs was there to catch him when he fell side ways. He moved next to his agent hugging him, offering him comfort by stroking his hair as he slept. Just like a father would, he just hoped that it would be enough to bring their Tony back…
TBC- ahhh i didnt expect so many people responding the way they did, so to everyone else that reads, do not worry i will continue this story:) . Please read and review.
