4

Unwavering

"Take off the cuffs, he's not going anywhere." The man they called Alpha slid his weapon back in the holster and stood aside as Gamma removed the restraints. Tim gasped as his arms were pulled roughly behind his back and the cuffs were unlocked.

"You won't get…away with this, they'll find…stop you."

Alpha leaned down, grabbing Tim's hair and lifting his head. "You've been playing that tune for hours McGee, when are you going to figure it out? They're not coming for you, or us, your great NCIS team have nothing." He forced Tim to look around the cold metal surroundings. "You take a good look McGee, if our operation is successful, and it will be, this is the last thing you're ever going to see. When we seal this door it will stay that way; you're done, enjoy what time you have left. Just think, if you'd co-operated, at least your last hours would be free from pain." He pushed Tim to the ground, smiling as he saw the grimace Tim tried to hide. "We're done here, let's move; we rendezvous with Team Sigma at 22.00."

The huge metal door slammed into place, an instant later the lights went out and he was alone in total darkness. Tim struggled to a sitting position, trying to get some relief from the constant pain that had his chest in a vice-like grip. It was getting harder to breathe, but he still didn't feel as bad as when he'd first come round.

He had been completely disorientated, surrounded by armed men, fighting for every breath, for a few terrifying minutes he thought he was dying; he'd almost given way to panic as he fought to fill his lungs with oxygen. He was offered no assistance, simply left on the floor, when he finally got his breathing into some kind of rhythm he had tried to get a look at his surroundings, he didn't know where he was, but he was absolutely certain he wasn't in the office with Bishop…he'd managed to raise his head, looked all around the room; she wasn't there; maybe she'd managed to get away, get word to Gibbs. The thought gave him some comfort, allowed him to breathe a little easier.

As the hours ticked by and he was moved from place to place his initial optimism started to fade. They'd find him, he never lost faith in that one irrefutable fact, but each time they moved he knew it would make it harder for the team to get to him. His cell-phone had been missing when he woke up so there was no opportunity to contact the team, difficult as that would have been with his hands cuffed behind his back. The fourth time they moved he decided to take matters into his own hands; for the first time since he'd been taken they'd left him alone in the back of the van, they'd come to a halt and he took his chance. Working blind, with only his sense of touch to help, he'd managed to open the door, with a quick leap he was out of the van and running to the side of the road. His dash to freedom was sort-lived; he should have figured there'd be more than one vehicle, he'd seen how many men were involved in the operation, whatever it was. The men came from a large truck traveling behind the van, he was pinned to the ground; two sharp kicks had rendered him unconscious again, and when he came to his chest felt like it was on fire.

"You'd better have learned your lesson Agent McGee, you may be a useful get out of jail card for us right now, but make no mistake, if you turn out to be too much trouble, you're a dead man."

They'd kept him on a tighter leash since then, and had never left him alone, even when they let him use the bathroom one of them always stayed with him. They stopped sharing their food with him, made sure he had a few sips of water regularly, but he hadn't eaten anything since the…he tried to remember, he thought it was the second place they'd stopped…didn't really matter, he'd stopped feeling hungry too many hours ago to care.

He'd drifted in and out of consciousness, losing track of time, but never entirely giving up on the team, he knew cases didn't always get solved quickly, he'd been involved in all-nighters and long days when you felt like a solution was never going to come, but given time, patience and skill, they'd get the piece that solved the puzzle. "You can do it guys, I know you…"

"Can it McGee! No one gave you permission to talk."

Tim had settled back against the bare brick wall of a cold basement, heaven only knew where they were, but of one thing Tim had been sure, the operation was getting real close. The tension was so fierce you could almost taste it, the men had checked their weapons with an attention to detail Tim recognised only too well, they were going in very soon. Where would that leave him, when they set their operation in motion what would it mean to their hostage? He'd pushed those thoughts aside, and tried to focus on the team, they were the best people he knew, partners, friends, mentors, a sometime lover…more than that they were brilliant at what they did. He could almost see them working, all in their familiar places, sifting through the evidence…was there even any evidence…? Tim had stifled that idea the instant it came to his mind, there would be something, Gibbs and Tony would find…whatever it was, and Abby, she'd work her magic…there she was in her lab, Ducky and Jimmy too if she needed them…they'd find him, all he had to do was stay strong and keep himself alive until they got to him.

As the lights went out his resolve faltered, his own laboured breathing seemed to echo off the metal walls, alone…The darkness enveloped him, almost draining the last of the energy he still possessed, he was so tired, would it be so bad if he closed his eyes for a little while and slept?

He came to with a start, had he heard a noise, was there someone else here? The cold, empty silence was his answer, how much time has passed, was the team any closer? They had to be here soon, he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold on, he hurt, every breath sending a stabbing pain through his chest, maybe Alpha had been right, fighting for his breath in here would be bad enough, trying to do it with broken ribs…

Would this place be his tomb? No! No…he had to hold on and wait, they'd find him; he just had to maintain his grip on life. He slumped back against a wall, wincing as his ribs protested at the sudden movement, the pain had subsided for a few hours and he'd hoped maybe things were getting better. He laughed mirthlessly, firing off another spasm of nausea inducing agony, better…how could things be better? So long as he was in here things were only going to get much, much worse. They'd find him, he knew they would, but what if there was something he could do, some way to make their job a little easier…

"Come on McGenius, you've pulled the rabbit out of the hat before, one more time, use that mega brain of yours."

"T…Tony…?" Tim shook his head, of course it wasn't Tony, not yet…but the voice in his head was right, he had to think.

Tim searched deep into the recesses of his mind and tried to remember everything he'd ever learned about high-security bank vaults, he knew he couldn't get out, they'd sealed the door…a fail-safe…he'd read somewhere about…what was it? Yes! There had been fears about bank employees getting accidentally locked in a vault, so they'd put in landlines…a phone…somewhere in here there could be a phone. He'd worry about whether it was still working later, first off, he had to find it, if it was here…

He struggled to his feet, taking a full minute to let the wave of dizziness pass, then he felt his way around his prison, inch by inch he used his fingertips to search every surface. More than once he wanted to sit down, he'd rest for a while then carry on, but if he delayed now when the team was working to find him…he was part of the team too, and it was up to him to do his bit to help. If he could get a call through…it could be the one thing the team needed, the final piece of the jigsaw. His breath hitched…he'd found a box, not a safety deposit box, wrong shape…could it be…?

His hands were shaking so hard it took an age to get the box open, he was almost afraid to lift up the receiver, what if the line was dead? Only one way to find out, it took three attempts to pick up the phone, working blind was bad enough, but if he didn't control the tremors in his hands there was a real danger he'd drop the phone, and if he snapped the line…he breathed as deep as the pain in his chest would allow, picked up the receiver and put it to his ear…there was a dial tone! He knew these phones didn't have a number pad, the line went direct to the security control room…if there still was a control room. It was his only chance and he had to take it.

"If you…can hear…Agent…McGee. I need…help, tell…NC…IS…please…hurry…"

To be continued in Vault