Wohmigod I am so sorry how long that took to update… but school started, and I'm in two plays and yearbook, plus homework, eating, sleeping, and breathing, so I haven't had much time to get on the computer… so yeah, there's my excuse… and by the way, that song eli sings, it's called "the hearse song" and no I didn't make it… it's a kids' song and the whole thing is really creepy… anywho, chapter 6!
McGee sat with his head in his hands. His desk was covered in papers and files and Chinese take-out cartons. No one had gone home since Tony disappeared. Gibbs didn't even try to make them.
But it was hopeless. They had followed every lead they could find-- all dead ends. For the past few days they hadn't been able to do much, so McGee busied himself with re-filing everything in his desk.
Ziva occupied herself in other ways. The wall by her desk was covered in knife marks. She had used it for 'target practice.' It was more like mindless throwing by now, though.
As the knife's dull thud sounded again, Gibbs walked in. "Let's go!"
"What for?" McGee sat up. "We've checked every place connected to Dorman. He wasn't there. No one's seen him, he hasn't bought anything. He just broke out of jail and dropped completely off radar."
"We never checked his late wife's home." The two agents gave Gibbs a confused look. "Some neighbors called in saying they heard gunshots. So gear--"
Before he could finish, Ziva and McGee were already at the elevator.
"Where is the house?" Ziva asked.
"Annapolis, Maryland." Gibbs said as they got in the elevator.
"That's almost an hour away."
"Not if you drive." And he tossed her the car keys.
The usually forty minute trip to Annapolis was cut in half. McGee and Gibbs, no matter how much they were thrown around, didn't have a single complaint.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
"Dead… dead."
His mind couldn't even make the complete thought. The 'I wish I were' part was lost.
But it was true; the Great Tony DiNozzo had begun to wish he were dead. After 8 days of torture, he'd given up hope of Gibbs and the team finding him. He'd been lying on his back for hours, bleeding, more than halfway to being gone.
He shifted his eyes to see Eli. The boy was still rocking back and forth, now clutching his shoe, and still singing that creepy song that Tony could probably sing with him by now.
"They wrap you up in bloody sheets,
they throw you down about 6 feet deep.
Things are fine for the first few weeks,
And then the coffin starts to leak."
Across the room, Lily was asleep. Or unconscious. Tony couldn't really tell. She hadn't been awake for days, which couldn't really be good either way.
Tony knew that the only reason he kept himself alive was the kids. He had promised Eli and Lily he would get them out; he intended to keep that promise, no matter what.
His eyes turned to the door when he heard footsteps. Dorman walked into the room. He only had one thing in his hand.
"Stupid cops caught my trail. Time to finish what I started." He said.
"The cops? He has to mean Gibbs." Tony prayed and prayed that he meant Gibbs.
Dorman cocked the gun and aimed. Tony didn't even think about what he was doing next.
He struggled to his feet, using the wall for support. "Six feet." He gauged the distance between himself and Dorman. "Only six feet."
Dorman's finger went to the trigger. Tony lunged.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
Ziva, McGee and Gibbs were walking up the driveway to the house. Gibbs was about to tell his agents to spread out and cover the exits when they heard a gunshot from inside.
Ziva was the first one to the front door, while McGee was instructed to call for an ambulance. She kicked the door down and ran through the house, gun at the ready. Gibbs was right behind her.
They'd cleared the first and second floors when another gunshot sounded. It was down to the basement; the cluttered, incredibly difficult to walk through (or run through) basement. At the back of the maze of old furniture and decaying boxes, there was a metal door.
McGee caught up with his teammates as Gibbs yanked open the door. The scene inside was horrible.
A young girl, assumedly Adenydd Beatte, was tied to a chair leg, unconscious. Nearby, a man they knew to be Aaron Dorman was facedown, not moving or breathing, Tony passed out next to him, a gun in hand. The only conscious person was a teenage boy they didn't recognize. He was passing a shoe between his hands, singing a mangled tune, and oblivious to anything that was going on.
There was blood all over the floor, some of the walls, and all of the room's occupants. Ziva ran to Tony. Paramedics were on the site within minutes. Dorman was pronounced dead, and Adenydd, Tony and Eli were rushed to the hospital.
There, the Beatte's, the Knepp's, and the NCIS team were in the ER waiting room all night. Around 6 in the morning a doctor came to them. Only Gibbs, Mrs. Knepp, and Ron Beatte were awake. When they saw the doctor they went straight to him.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Walden." He warily made eye contact. "You may want to have a seat." They all did so. "I'm sorry, but I have some bad news."
Oooh, cliffie, who should live? Vote in your reviews!... I'm gonna try to get the next chapter up within the next week or two, but I can't make any promises.. it all depends on how much my teachers and directors hate me this week =)