As soon as the phone went dead, Vance gathered everyone around the mobile command, "We have fifteen minutes people. What have we got?"

One of the techs in the van looked up from his computer, "We have heat signatures. Five groups."
He pulled up his screen to the larger display to show the group.

"Three groups of in between the shipping containers, here, here and here.", he continued pointing to three locations on the diagram that had been drawn up of the area. "The first two groups have six people," he pointed to the area on the far right and the far left, "This group has seven", he pointed to the area of the map right in front of the bottle-neck.

"The final two are singular heat signatures coming from above, here and here.", he pointed on top of the containers to the far right and left.

Vance once again took over the briefing, "It would be fairly easy to move in people behind the ground groups and over run their locations. Anyone have an idea on taking out the snipers?"

Fornell was getting off his phone and had a steely glint in his eyes, " I called in a couple of favors. I have two top rate snipers on the way. We just need to figure out a place to put them that has a clear shot."

Gibbs glared at his friend, "You only need one.", he turned to Vance "I need to get my rifle."
"Fornell, escort your snipers here. Gibbs with me." Vance motioned for him to follow him away from the command area so they could talk in private.

"Agent Gibbs you are not leaving the area.", Vance stated calmly, getting firmer in tone when Gibbs stated to protest. "Who do you think Tim is going to want to see first when all this breaks loose? Me, DiNozzo, Ducky or some agent that he sometimes says good morning to on the elevator?"

The truth of Vance's words hit Gibbs like a ton of bricks, he had almost let the need for revenge overtake him and the one who would have suffered would have been Tim.

"Understood, Director.", Gibbs said with a grimace.

When the pair return to the command area Gibbs calmly put his hand out to DiNozzo for the phone, "Tim"

"Hey", his voice was a lot weaker, "It was another straight through shot. I have isolated both bullets so Abby should have no problems getting prints off of them."

It was apparent to Gibbs that Tim was trying hard to keep from thinking about the fact that he had been shot twice.

"Stay in there, we are going to come get you soon." Gibbs lowered his voice so only the man on the other end of the phone could hear him, "I love you, if you need something to think about think about that."

"Love you, too."

Gibbs handed the phone back to DiNozzo and if he saw a sheen of tears in his boss' eyes he didn't say anything.

Back at he command center the snipers that Fornell had called for had arrived and everyone was making the final plans on the rescue mission.

Vance looked up to the clock that was counting down the time they had until the next shot would ring out, "Damn, we need more time." It read just over three minutes.

The same tech from earlier called out, "Sir, we have hacked into their communication. According to the last transmission from Scaletti the next shot will be nonfatal. Repeat the next shot should be nonfatal.", his voice soared above all the others in the van.

"Good work, Agent Thomas",Vance replied. "How long will it take to get everyone into position?"

"Wait are you going to let him get shot AGAIN?", to everyone's surprise it was Ron Sacks' voice that rose up in anger at the idea that they wouldn't try any delay tactics to prevent the next shot. Fornell grabbed him by the arm and try to pull him away and calm the man down.

"No I need an answer, because if that's how this in going to go down..."
"How do you propose that we delay him, Agent Sacks?", Vance asked with enough anger to silence everyone in the area.

Ron just looked down without a clue how to stop the mad man from ordering the next shot, "I don't know, but we should try."

"I don't have time to try to reason with that man, so I'm going to spend the time I have working on rescuing a good man before he is killed in front of my eyes.", Vance said, steel in his voice.

"How long?" Vance repeated his question from earlier.

"Ten minutes to get both snipers in place, by that time the other three teams will be in place and awaiting your orders."

Vance turned to the men he was spending to take out the mob family, "It is imperative that no one jumps the gun. The five attacks have to happen at the same time or Agent McGee will be killed in retaliation. That is not an option, do you understand?"

The three team leaders and the two snipers all nodded. "Good, get into position."

Vance turned to Gibbs and handed him DiNozzo's phone, "One more call, you got it?"

Gibbs gave him a cold glare and put his hand out for the phone just has it started ringing.

"Scaletti, she's on the way, twenty more minutes and she will be here."

"Unfortunately for your agent that's twenty minutes to late."

Scaletti sounded gleeful at the news that not only was his sister on the way, but that he would get another chance to shoot the young agent.

"Don't do it Scaletti. You've already won we are handing over your sister, don't make it worst on yourself when we arrest you, because I swear if you hurt him again I will make it my life's mission to hunt you down."
"You really shouldn't bluff Agent Gibbs, especially when all the cards are on the table."

A third shot rang out and Tim shuttered in pain, "Twenty minutes Agent Gibbs.", the phone went silent.

"Boss!" Tony was running to Gibbs with the other phone, "He stopped responding after that shot."
Gibbs grabbed the phone. "TIM"

No response.

"TIM"

"J...ro", came the weak answer.

"Don't do this Tim. I'm coming for you just hold on a little bit longer."
"K"

"Love ya"
"Me...too"
"Gibbs, you Fornell and Sacks will move on Tim as soon as the operation starts. Make sure it is clear and I will send in Ducky and Palmer with the EMTs, everything we need to start giving him medical attention is here so as so as the area is clear we can start treating him.", Vance was in full director mode.

"We will get him back alive."

The next five minutes dragged on, everyone putting on bullet proof vests and making sure they had back up clips for their weapons available. Finally the moment arrived.

"Everyone in position?"

"Team One ready."
"Team Two ready."
"Team Three ready."

"Sniper One in position."
"Sniper Two in position."
Gibbs just turned and gave Vance a nod as the three men made ready to move out.

Vance took a deep breathe, "GO! GO! GO!"

Gibbs took off at full speed to his young lover.

When he heard a curse from Fornell he took his eyes off of Tim and saw Scaletti running from between two containers with a gun pointed at Tim.

He never broke stride as three shots rang out from his gun. A double tap to the chest and the third bullet burying itself right between his eyes.

Gibbs skidded to a stop on his knees right beside Tim, Fornell and Sacks checking the area for more assailants.

"Tim, I'm here. I got you."
"Jethro." Tim looked up and gave Gibbs his million watt smile.

Then his eyes rolled back into his head and he stopped breathing,

AN: Please review your support means a lot to me. Next update Monday evening :)