Chapter Twenty
Kate pulled away from Gibbs and grinned. He sat against the rock face with his eyes closed. Kate put a hand on his jaw and waited as he slowly opened his eyes. He swallowed and then a grin slowly slipped over his features.
"I…" Kate began but Gibbs brought his good hand up quickly to stop her with his fingers over her mouth. She stared at him uncertainly.
"It's ok," Gibbs said softly. He let his fingers linger for a moment before they dropped to the ground. Kate shifted back and leaned against the rock face as Gibbs shuffled his body so he was facing her.
He looked up the cliff face again and tried to think of a way to get them out of there. He was frustrated that they were trapped. Stupidity on his part, he thought. When he looked back down at Kate she was still staring at him, and he caught the slight shiver that was trembling through her body. He sucked in a deep breath as he saw the questions running through her eyes.
"How long?" Kate finally whispered. Gibbs eyed her for a moment before he shook his head slightly.
"How long what?"
"How long…have you…have you felt…?"
"It's only grown stronger since I met you," Gibbs said solidly. Kate could only nod. He watched her a moment. "I…didn't know you felt the same."
"Why don't you think it would work?" Kate asked.
"I…I'm your boss, Kate. I'm old, set in my ways…Work comes first, and I'm horrible at relationships."
"Maybe you just haven't been in the right one," Kate said softly her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"I was once and it ended badly," Gibbs replied gruffly as he looked away. Kate saw the emotional pain that skirted through his eyes and she scooted closer to him. He continued to avoid her gaze and she reached out in the darkness and touched his jaw. She froze for a moment as she felt something wet.
"Gibbs?" she asked in a whisper. He still didn't answer her and she began to worry. He finally looked at her, his blue eyes clouded with memory.
"I can't fall in love and lose again," Gibbs answered slowly. Kate tilted her head to the side.
"Are you saying you…" but Kate didn't get to finish. Gibbs hand was covering her mouth again. She looked at him curiously before she nodded. He let his hand drop.
"We need to find a way to get out of here," Gibbs said changing the subject. He pushed his body up with his right arm and tried to stand up. Kate reached out to stop him just as he put weight on his injured leg.
Gibbs let out a startled yelp as pain raged through his knee and his leg buckled. He grunted as his body crashed to the hard mountain side. Kate let out a soft grunt as his weight came down partially on her. Gibbs froze a moment and caught his breath before he turned to Kate.
"You ok?" Gibbs asked as his hand reached for her shoulder. Kate nodded while biting at her lower lip. Gibbs settled back and let out a frustrated sigh. Kate scooted over to his side and put her head on his shoulder. He looked at her a moment before he draped an arm around her.
"I hope Tony finds us soon," Kate said softly.
Grayson felt his stomach tighten when Jonas didn't answer the knock on the door. He tested the knob and the door cracked open, squeaking subtly on its hinges. Grayson pulled the weapon from his belt and gripped it tightly in his right hand. Pushing the door open further, he brought the weapon up and entered the cabin.
His eyes continued to scan the house rapidly, looking for any sign of trouble, or booby trap. He gritted his teeth when he found neither. Either he had been had, or Jonas is lying in wait somewhere. His mind snapped to Zack and Grayson hobbled as fast as he could to the door.
On the porch he scanned the wooded area looking for Zack, but didn't see a thing. Grayson's breathing increased as his heart rate thumped up a notch in his chest. His hands were starting to shake, and he had to drop his right arm to stop the strong ache in his injured shoulder.
He felt vulnerable holding the gun in his left hand, but he refused to drop it all together. His leg was burning again as he walked across the porch on it. His head was starting to pound as his vision danced from time to time. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath.
Grayson was about to step down the stairs when movement in the woods caught his attention. He froze, his heart kicking up another notch as fear raced through his body. His injured leg twitched, as his hurt shoulder throbbed and tingled. His head swam with uncertainty as the concussion worked on his consciousness.
"Put down the gun, Grady," a voice instructed from the tree line. Grayson snapped his body towards the sound and raised his weapon taking aim. He froze for a second before he lowered the gun and set it gently on the porch next to his foot.
"Sorry," Zack whispered. Grayson saw the sadistic smile cross Jonas' face as he pushed his brother towards him.
"Inside," Jonas instructed as he forced Zack up the stairs, a gun wedged between his ribs. Grayson back pedaled as quickly as he could without falling and entered the cabin. Jonas and Zack came through the door and Jonas pushed Zack into Grayson.
Grayson caught Zack, the effort causing his arm to explode with pain before going completely numb from the shoulder to the hand. Grayson felt his leg giving way with the strain he was putting on it and he grabbed Zack to steady himself.
"What's the matter, Grady?" Jonas asked with a smile. Grayson glared at him but remained quiet. "You seem to be in a bit of extra pain."
"Nothing I can't handle," Grayson said through clenched teeth. His vision was swimming before him now as a wave of nausea washed over him. Zack turned towards his brother and caught him as Grayson swayed on his feet. Grayson closed his eyes and swallowed, before sucking in a deep breath.
He opened his eyes to see Jonas grinning madly at him. He pushed away from Zack and steadied himself on his own feet. Grayson flexed his hand rapidly trying to regain feeling in his right arm as his left leg pulsed with pain.
"You look a bit worn out, Grady. You're making this easier than I had hoped."
"You're the one that baited me into the car," Grayson snapped back as he circled around, trying to draw Jonas away from Zack. Jonas didn't move.
"Stop," Jonas commanded and Grayson complied. "I know what you're trying to do, Grady."
With that Jonas pointed the gun at Zack and smiled. Grayson took a step closer and Jonas put up a hand. Grayson stopped and tried to keep his body from shaking. Fear surged through his body as his heart kicked up yet another notch. His leg trembled under the stress while his arm continued to be dead weight.
"Let Zack go. You want me, not him," Grayson said as he forced himself to concentrate.
"What fun would that be? I want to see you suffer," Jonas replied with a sickly smile. Grayson felt his head start to clear.
"Zack hasn't done anything to you. I'm the one that you hate. I'm the one that tried to kill you."
"And you FAILED," Jonas roared as he rushed forward and slammed the gun off Grayson's right temple. Lights exploded in front of Grayson's eyes as pain vibrated through his skull.
He felt his stomach roll and his eyes snapped up into his head as he fell backwards. He hit the ground landing on his injured shoulder and a low grunt escaped as he fought to regain control over his body. His vision was gone for the moment, his shoulder screamed with pain, and his leg throbbed with ache. He heard Zack yelling but the words didn't register.
Finally his vision began to clear as he sat up slowly and leaned against something solid behind him. He blinked rapidly as the darkness started to fade, his mind fuzzy with comprehension. Zack was beside him now, touching the side of his head. Grayson felt a stinging and pulled away from his brother's hand.
Grayson tried to stand but he couldn't. The room spun wildly out of control and his stomach clenched as he fell back against the couch behind him. He turned his head to the side and vomited. Zack jumped to his feet and rushed at Jonas. Grayson tried to stop him, but couldn't seem to control anything in his body.
"Zack," he said weakly, before he heard a discharge of the gun. His eyes sprang open and Grayson frantically looked around the room. He couldn't find his brother or Jonas. He tried to stand again but the room toppled and so did he.
Dusty was almost to the Gladstone cabin when he heard the discharge of a firearm. His stomach sank as he pushed the gas pedal down further. He pulled up to the cabin and threw the vehicle in park as he was jumping out the driver side door. It was quiet now and his heart started to beat a little faster. He pulled a gun from his hip and checked it before heading towards the porch steps.
As he neared the door, moving silently, and standing just off to the side of the entrance and peered in. He saw Grayson on the floor against the couch, blood soaking the side of his head. He scanned the other side and saw another body lying prone. He leaned a little further into the cabin trying to see who was down. The face of the body was concealed. He swore under his breath and then pushed into the cabin with his weapon up.
Dusty's eyes darted all around the cabin looking for a third body. He went to Grayson first, placing a hand over his neck. The young man groaned and Dusty breathed a sigh of relief. He then moved to the other body and nudged it with his foot. The arm fell from the face and Dusty swore again.
He kneeled down next to Zack and checked for a pulse. He found one, and then rolled the boy looking for his injuries. There was a large pool of blood collecting underneath him and Dusty bit at his lower lip. He then saw the hole in the young man's side. He rolled Zack and checked the exit wound on his back. He pulled his sweatshirt off and tied it tightly around Zack's midsection before he rose to his feet.
He checked the remaining rooms in the cabin but didn't find Jonas. He went back to Grayson and kneeled next to him. Grayson looked up at him with confusion in his eyes. Dusty pulled him into a sitting position and then put him against the couch. Grayson shook his head slowly trying to clear the cobwebs.
"Where's Zack?" Grayson asked suddenly as his eyes searched the room.
"He took a bullet, but he's alive. Over there. Where's Jonas?"
"I don't know. He rushed me, hit me on the head, and then I heard a gun shot. But I was…I."
"It's ok," Dusty said calmly as he put a hand on Grayson's uninjured shoulder. Grayson took a shaky breath and nodded.
"We have to find him. He has Aunt Janie."
"I know," Dusty said as he stood and moved towards the door. Grayson pushed himself to his feet and tried to follow Dusty out to the porch. He made it to the door and had to stop. Dusty looked up at him from the yard.
"I'm coming with," Grayson said with little conviction. Dusty stared at him for a very long moment before he walked back to the steps.
"Stay with Zack. He needs you," Dusty replied then he turned and headed for the car. Grayson started to protest before he looked back at his brother lying on the floor and nodded, by then Dusty was pulling a bag from the car. Grayson watched as Dusty outfitted himself with a few more weapons then headed into the forest.
"I think we're lost, Tony," McGee said as they pushed further up the mountain.
"Shut up, Probie," Tony mumbled as he stared at the ground. He was having trouble finding the tracks in the dark. McGee came up beside him and Tony pointed to the next spot and he continued up the mountain without another word.
McGee looked around and then followed Tony. They had been wandering in the dark for almost an hour and had yet to find anything. McGee was beginning to think it was a bad idea to come up the mountain in the dark but Tony was convinced that they needed to find Gibbs and Kate.
Tony scrambled over a boulder face and out of McGee's sight. The younger agent hustled to catch up, not wanting to be lost alone on the mountain side. As he crested the top he saw Tony crouched on the ground studying something. He came up beside the older agent.
"What is it?" McGee asked.
"Blood," Tony said and then moved further into the face of the cliffs with his gun drawn.
"Tony, be careful," McGee hissed before he also drew his weapon and followed.
TBC…