AN: I apologize for the confusion with the posting of Chapter five. While trying to replace Ch. 4 with an udpated copy (cuz of fixed typos and such) I accidentally added a new chapter. My apologies for the notification and mass hysteria that followed (lol jk). But there's that in case you were wondering :)... Here is the real Chapter five...has to be an improvement from the blank page you got before :) ... Enjoy!
Flashbacks in Italics
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Gibbs gave a new meaning to the phrase, a shambles. His eyes were blood shot; and he looked as though he'd aged ten years in a day. "Why the hell are you so quick to dismiss this and move on Jen? This is the same Agent you pulled undercover without my knowledge…am I supposed to believe it's not possible; that he could be doing yet another assignment for you…"
"We've been over this Jethro…he and Agent McGee were needed on an emergency stake out."
"The Frog?"
"Do you think DiNozzo would come along if it was?"
"Then who?!"
She put her hands up. "You're obviously upset…He was your Agent…"
"Still is Jen…and upset doesn't begin to scratch the surface of what I am right now…"
"This is all too fresh to have a discussion…it's only been a day…you should be with your team."
He pointed to the floor. "I should be here."
"What is grilling me going to solve?"
Gibbs came inches from her face. "If they find him…" He stopped himself, unsure if he could utter the four letter word. "If they find him dead…and I find out you had anything more to do with it than you're claiming…nothing will stop me."
"Stop you from what?"
"I'd just pray to whatever it is you pray to…that you never have to find out."
Gibbs replayed the last month's events in his mind, as he eased his foot on the gas pedal. Getting the call at 3 am; breaking every traffic law known to man to arrive at the scene. Telling Abby. Spending night after night looking for something; anything. Finding nothing. Drinking away the fears. Drinking away the guilt. Taking his boat apart. Phone calls to his family with no answers. Blaming Tim. Blaming himself. Blaming Jenny. Comforting Abby. Listening to doubts. Listening to lies. Starting to believe them…until now.
Tim and Ziva had little to say as the destination grew closer. A place the two of them had tried desperately to forget for the last 31 days. And in particular, Timothy McGee…
-
The gun shots shocked him out of his sleep; as he blinked his eyes open to see his partner's body contort and in what seemed like hours but was only seconds fall over the railing…He retrieved his side arm and flung the car door open. Almost forgetting why he was there…
"NCIS…" He ducked behind an onslaught of bullets as the men drove into the darkness. He called in the details as he approached the railing. Blood stains present near his hands. "Tony!" He yelled, but all he saw was the moving current. "Tony!"
-
"Tim…Tim?!" Ziva shook him out of his thoughts as they neared the bridge. "We are here."
McGee blinked and pulled the car aside. He opened the doors without a word as the memories continued to flood his mind.
-
He ran. Fast. Faster then he ever thought he could. He ignored his labored breathing as he reached the waters edge. It was so dark. The only illumination was from boats in the distance; and even then there were only flickers. He strained his eyes for any sign of life… "Tony!! Tony!!"
-
"Nothing." Tim finally spoke, as Ziva stood near the all too familiar railing.
"What is nothing?"
"There was nothing…by the time I got down to the bank, there was nothing."
"There is never nothing McGee."
"If I'd been quicker…thought quicker, ran quicker, processed quicker…"
Ziva stopped his rambling. "Tim we have had the last month to second guess, we are here today because we have something…we must focus on that."
McGee agreed by standing in Tony's position that night. "He was here…the force of the shots took all of seconds…the fall seconds…the current wasn't traveling fast that night, with winds at 5-10mph...we had crews in the water within thirteen minutes…choppers up in less time…"
"I am going to be much like Gibbs here McGee…but get to the point yes?"
Tim nodded as he turned and glanced down at the water, closing his eyes once again…
-
He came nothing short of diving into the water; when his phone rang. Gibbs.
"What the hell happened McGee?"
Tim swallowed hard. "I…Tony, he was shot boss."
"I just got the call from Jen…why didn't you call me?!"
McGee's eyes continued to dart, as he realized the direction of the current and started to run along the bank; phone in hand.
"Damnit Tim! Why didn't you call me?"
He could barely breathe, as his body started to heave. His mind repeating one phrase over and over…and one; that unbeknown to him, he'd spoken aloud.
"Have to find him."
-
Ziva placed a hand on his shoulder; which placed him back into the present.
"We will McGee."
He cleared his throat as he pointed. "I went down from there…Ziva there's only two ways his body could've been out of sight in that period of time…one, his body sank, but even then his body would've turned up somewhere within our perimeter; the DC currents are not that sporadic and weren't that night especially…the other is, he was picked up."
"Yes, but by whom? And are we to believe a cutter was waiting for Tony to come over that railing at any time, simply waiting?"
"We have to." Tim gestured under the bridge. "That would explain why he would be stupid enough to stand there, waiting to be shot, they had to of lured him there."
"Would you not have heard a boat driving away?"
"The current wasn't that strong, it could've been a boat without an engine…or pulled out faster than I got down there…" He was quiet for a few seconds. "Or I missed it. I don't want to think I could've but it's possible."
She sighed as she peered down near the bank. "And you believe it is an inside job?"
"Ziva, I have worked for NCIS for two years, I can count on one hand the number of times I've been called out of bed in the middle of the night…even by Gibbs…and for a stakeout? Come on, if it were that important, they would have got fresh Agents…no, this was specific and targeted. Only question is, if they wanted Tony, why ask me to come along? They couldn't have counted on me falling asleep…"
"Perhaps Tony would have asked too many questions if he were asked to do it alone. With you there it seemed like a legitimate order; even if it was out of the ordinary."
McGee agreed. "Questions now are who, and why?"
"And if…" She added solemnly. "If Tony is alive….where is he?"
Tim pulled out the photograph and pointed to the man speaking with the Director. "We find this guy…we get some answers."
Gibbs set his phone on his shoulder as he reached for a pen and paper; his knee keeping the steering wheel in place. "Yeah got it, owe you one Tobias."
"One?"
Gibbs hung up before his friend got going. He didn't have time for much else except details. He had contemplated recruiting his old team for the mission; but couldn't risk letting them down. Letting himself down was acceptable; he'd done it before; he was used to it. But he couldn't put their lives in danger on a hunch. And in odd sort of way was relieved to not have their well being on his shoulders. For once; the only person he could hurt was himself.
Ziva followed him back to the car and stepped in. "What now?"
"Don't have too many people we can trust right now…" Tim began as he pulled the car back onto the road; leaving the scene with more ease than the arrival.
"Abby will do anything we ask."
"Cant risk her Ziva, this time the only people I want to be responsible for is me and you."
She didn't question; understanding his concern. "Gibbs will help us. He has not given up; I saw it in his eyes…"
"At least you saw his eyes…the man didn't look at me for a month. No, this time I prove to him that he didn't make a mistake when he put me on the team. When you lose Gibbs respect, he doesn't give second chances…well this time he'll have to…if I bring back Tony, it won't matter anymore…"
Ziva nodded and placed a hand on his arm as if quieting him. "You are not alone now; you were that night. You shouldn't have been. And I'm sorry I never offered words of comfort….or stood up for you until yesterday…Tony would have. I did not."
Tim placed his hand on hers. "Never apologize Ziva…"
She nodded with a smile as they finished the phrase together. "It's a sign of weakness."
Gibbs pulled into a gas station and made a phone call; that to him was more important than any other.
"Hey Abs…"
Abby had been walking around all day with her cell phone in her left hand. She typed; ate and worked with one hand. There was no way she was going to miss his call.
"Gibbs…finally, if I had to create another sample with one hand I was gonna lose it…"
He didn't even try and respond to that; knowing full well it was a waste of time. "Uh huh. So, things quiet?"
She sighed. "Sadly. And really, really, really lonely. I mean, it's so quiet I've resorted to talking to my equipment…"
"You've always talked to your equipment Abs…"
"See what I mean? I think this whole fiasco is putting me over the edge…"
He hid his laughter. "By any chance, the Director asked you to do anything for her?"
"Uh oh. We're back to the shady Directors business again?" She stopped herself. "Oh my gosh…you don't think she has Tony do you? Like faked his death and let us believe it so we wouldn't look for him? But she can't honestly think you'd ever stop looking can she? I mean you're like a papa bear…not gonna give up till all your cubs are accounted for…not that you act like a bear…you're more papa than bear…."
"Abby!"
"Yes papa bear?"
"Focus. Has she asked you to do anything for her?"
She shook her head; then realized Gibbs couldn't see her. "No she hasn't…oh Gibbs I got a weird feeling…"
"You always have a weird feeling Abs…"
"But this time's different…"
Gibbs agreed. "Yeah, I know. Listen, keep an eye on things…anything out of the ordinary you call me…"
She saluted. "Anything hinky…call you…got it."
"Good. Now stop saluting."
"How'd you…?" She listened to call end before she could finish, then left to find the one person she knew she could confide in…a certain long winded; but sweetheart of a medical examiner.
McGee glanced at the information as it arrived in his inbox. "Thanks Evan, we're even." He smiled at the potential of rhyme in the phrase and hung up.
"This Evan, he will not get in trouble?"
Tim shook his head. "He's a friend from College, owed me a huge favor."
"How huge?"
"Like this picture of Kate Tony had from spring break…like that huge." He managed a smile as he remembered; then looked at Ziva's confused face. "Never mind, all that matters is we have an address and a dossier."
Ziva glanced at the screen. "Archibald Barclay the second?"
"Retired from Scotland Yard, three years ago." Tim followed.
"I may not be a whiz at language, but I do know geography, and Scotland is…"
Tim had to smile. "He's a long, long way from home…" His smile quickly faded as he waited for Tony's voice to chime in with a Wizard of Oz reference. When it didn't come; he let out a deep sigh.
"Something wrong McGee?"
He nodded. "Yeah, and it has been for long enough…"
Abby reached autopsy and swooped in through the doors, her cell phone still at the ready. No sign of Ducky, but Palmer appeared in front of her rather quickly.
"What's up Abby?"
"Hey Jimmy, seen the Duck man?"
He shook his head. "Last time I saw him, he was going to see the Director…" He glanced at his watch. "Come to think of it, that was almost two hours ago…hmm…" He placed a finger on his lips and peered around the room then turned back to see the elevator doors already closing with Abby inside.