Sorry this is such a short chapter but I've been having a brain fart on what to write next. But please enjoy! :)
Tim blinked his eyes. For a few moments time seemed to slow down and become hazy. He heard a loud crack and turned his attention to Gibbs, who had just struck Allan across the face with fierce force. Time seemed to come back to normal speed as his boss rammed the man into the wall.
"What were you thinking, Captain Johnson?" Gibbs snarled in his face. He shoved his arm harder into Allan's chest and throat. "Because of you an entire crew will never see their families again! We may not get out of this hellhole alive because of your stupidity!"
"Look, I didn't mean for it to go this far," Allan choked out. "I only stole the eggs because my daughter needs intense medical care back home. I didn't have the money and I thought that if I took the eggs I'd be able to sell them."
"Don't give us your excuses!" Tony approached his boss and the captain. "We'll check out your story, but don't think that we'll let you off the hook."
"McGee, contact Abby and get her to run Captain Allan Johnson," Gibbs released his grip, letting the man drop to his knees and gasp for air.
"On in Boss," Tim carefully placed the gray egg back into the backpack and towel before pulling his own backpack closer. His mind still occupied on Allan's remarks about the egg, he deftly unzipped his pack and pulled his computer from it.
Tony snorted, crossing his arms and giving Allan his version of his boss's stare. The man looked up with a certain emotion in his eyes. This was going to be a long day until they would reach the coast. After they did, they could get some backup and destroy the beast running loose on the ship. That is, if they lived long enough to get back.
"Abby," Tim said, bringing Tony out of his staring competition with Allan. He turned to the computer techie, making his way to stand behind him so he could see the screen.
"Abby, we need you to run someone's name," Tony kneeled down behind Tim, looking at the screen as the Goth appeared. "We found the captain. His name is Allan Johnson."
"I'm running it as we speak," Abby turned back to the camera, looking at the two men. "How's your arm, Timmy?"
"Better," Tim replied. "It doesn't hurt as much as it did last night."
"That's good," Abby smirked, turning to her computers when a profile sprung up. "He's been in the Navy for six and a half years, is thirty-seven years old, and has no criminal record."
"Does it say anything about a daughter?" Gibbs questioned, coming over and letting Ziva watch the Allan.
"He has a daughter named Sarah Johnson who is living with her mother, Tina Johnson, here in DC. Is that all you wanted?" Abby scrunched up her brows as she read off the information.
"Does the daughter have any serious illnesses?" Tony asked.
"Um…." The Goth scrolled down through the information. "Yes, she has liver cancer, which I'm guessing is very bad since she's been in the hospital since January. That's nearly six months she's been in there, Gibbs."
"Thanks Abs," Gibbs looked at Allan, but refused to give him any sign of sympathy.
Tim closed his laptop, stowing it back in his bag. With a sigh he stood up and ran his fingers through his hair. As Gibbs and Tony returned to their interrogation of Allan, he leaned against the glass window that overlooked the deck of the ship. He let his gaze fall on random objects that were scattered on the deck. Almost everything was a dull gray or tan, with the exception of black lettering on some large crates. Nothing moved or stirred except for the few seagulls that had alighted on the flat surfaces to shelter from the storm. They would land and take off in lazy patterns, seeming to always circle back around to the spot where they had started.
In one swift move almost every seagull on deck launched into the air, finding higher perches to sit on. As Tim watched with curiosity, he soon saw why they had moved. Among the crates he saw a stiff tail sticking up. As it went down the creature it was attached to leapt on top of a crate, its nose to the ground as if it were searching for something.
"Tony, come here," Tim said quietly, motioning the older agent to join him. "There's the creature."
Tony's eyes went wide. Ziva was right; it was the spitting image of the Velociraptors from Jurassic Park. It was a little larger than the ones on the movie and held long fur-like feathers on its body. He did not know what was most attractive about the creature; the long, graceful feathers that formed a crest on its neck or the overall coloration. White feathers made the most of its underbelly while black was patched over its eyes, nose, and tail. The markings on its back and legs were most interesting. It looked as if the ribs beneath the creature's hide were outlined in black, giving it an almost skeletal look. The pattern on its legs and arms were too complicated that Tony did not know how to even begin to describe it.
"That thing is a beast," he patted Tim on the back. "I'm surprised you even lived to tell the tale, Probie."
"Knock it off, Tony," Tim shrugged his hand away and returned his gaze back to the creature.
She had lifted her head to the bridge. The feathers on her crest stood up like those of an aggressive dog. The scythe-like claws on her hind feet rose up in a striking position, and she looked straight at Tim.
So, what did you guys think? I know it's just a kind of filler chapter but I needed to post something. Please remember to R&R! Thanks for reading! :)