Title: Busted!
Word Count: 1044
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update guys... I did actually have this written when I posted the first, I just was too lazy to make some minor adjustments. Anyways, hope you enjoy the second installment of this story!
Chapter 2- Busted!
Between the two geniuses they had two degrees involving chemistry, one involving engineering and two curious minds; the stage was set for a fun night of rocket launching. McGee had coaxed a tech into giving him several dozen empty film canisters. The chemicals they needed were all there in Abby's lab. McGee also had a laptop to take notes, insisting on being entirely scientific about the whole experience. Reid readily agreed, admitting that he would get them to perform better if he knew which variables positively and negatively affected flight.
They set up shop in the lab itself (McGee counting on Abby's loving nature and passion for science to not get them in her bad graces; he never actually asked permission), with the launching 'pad' in Abby's office. The rockets were then aimed at the far doors leading to the hallway. They had opened the doors in the middle and blocked the one at the end. They weren't terribly worried about someone coming in at this time of night. Abby and Garcia had already left, and few people ventured here after hours, wary of finding something that would be irrevocably burned into their minds.
It started off fine. Reid used low mixtures, and they had lines marked out to measure the distance each rocket traveled. Then he upped the amounts, and the rockets could almost go halfway. Then McGee got the idea to add other chemicals, which worked quite grandly. They could almost get to the door with one, and their chart was filled with measurements; the equivalent of a candy store for scientists such as themselves. McGee was looking quite forward to showing Abby in the morning, providing she wasn't angry with them.
Then they added another ingredient. Neither predicted that the rocket would shoot off to the other end of the lab and embed itself snugly into the chair they had used to block the door.
"Whoa!" McGee was all a flutter with scientific glee. "That gets its own column in the chart!" He excitedly tapped away at the keyboard.
"Uh, Tim?"
"Yeah?"
"You're not concerned that the canister is veritably buried in the chair?"
"Nah, we can fix it; Abby'll never know. All in the name of science, right?"
"Tim?"
"Yeah?
"I don't think we're gonna be around to fix it."
McGee finally noticed that his friend sounded well, terrified. He looked up to see Spencer gazing in horror at the door. He followed the line of sight to see the director of NCIS standing beyond the glass- the clear quality of which McGee was now truly appreciating- looking disapprovingly at the two of them and their materials strewn around their 'pad'.
They shared horrified looks. They were also not as terrified with the director catching them as they were with the idea of him telling their 'dads'. He forced open the door, and both fought the urge to edge back, trepidation helping to weight their legs.
"We'll clean this up Director Vance." Reid stammered.
"And we'll take whatever you want to put on our permanent records." McGee added, mentally dreading the black mark to his name. Reid shot him a brief glance, but silently agreed.
"Oh you'll clean this up." He assured them. "But I'm growing fond of Gibb's way of dealing with wayward; and rather childish behaviour." They both paled. "This won't go on your records; that reflects on the agency. I'll let your supervisors deal with you." He half turned. "I expect you both to be here when I return." And then he was gone.
The two of them stood in shell shocked silence for a moment.
"We should uh, get cleaning..." Reid began to pick up the canisters.
McGee frowned, saving his work and shutting down the laptop. He headed toward the chair, armed with a pair of pliers. He stopped midway to look back at his fellow grave bound buddy. "Hey, look on the bright side." Reid shot him an incredulous look, but figured that any bright spot in this would be helpful toward their survival. "When Gibbs and Hotch kill us," there went that idea, "and they write in the newspaper about how we embedded our rocket in a chair, at least the Mythbusters will test it." Reid managed a small laugh, but his flowering mirth was choked out by weeds of panic. He'd promised Hotch that he wouldn't get into trouble with these rockets again, after he'd been caught at work-twice! He could already see the disappointment and the failing trust there.
McGee continued on to the chair, grimly getting to work. The film canister was wedged firmly, and the chair had wheels which made his work more difficult, not to mention the fact that he was trying to make sure no irrevocable damage was done. His joke helped keep back the panic for a moment, but it soon rose again in his throat. He knew that Gibbs wouldn't care about his choice of activity to unwind with from a case; he would however, be acrimonious with the fact that they'd done it in Abby's lab, where the hundreds of things that could go wrong (despite their combined knowledge) would set off a major explosion. Upon reflection, doing it close to their source of materials for convenience now seemed like a fool hardy and indeed childish action. He sincerely doubted that he would win brownie points for figuring out what he did so wrong.
A small part of him welcomed their punishment, though his id was by far winning over his superego. It didn't surprise him, seeing as fearing pain was hardwired into most organisms genes.
He was still having no luck retrieving the canister, as the chair kept moving. His attempts to brace it failed, until an extra set of hands steadied it. The canister came out with ease that surprised him, and he staggered back slightly. He looked up to see Vance had returned, and he had brought reinforcement in the form of Hotch, Rossi, and Gibbs, the latter being the one who held the chair for him.
A quiet voice in his head wondered if getting the black object out of the chair would be worth anything when plea bargaining.
A much louder voice from his boss told him it wouldn't.
TBC