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"Granny, I need to get out of town, not clean up this mess!"

"You should have already been gone like I told you! If they had found out you were here there would have been a mess so big nobody could have cleaned it up! I'm not so sure they didn't see you anyway. You're just lucky I have the foresight to clean up after you."

There was a sigh.

"Now, Granny's taken care of everything." She said soothingly. "Just put them in the car, get the tractor, and dispose of it and them."

"But-."

"You'll do as I say child. Now hurry back, we have things to do."

McGee stirred and immediately groaned as his head shifted slightly. It was like someone was jack hammering in there. He felt movement and heard a rumbling, but he was too tired to focus on what it was. After a few moments the pounding lessened to a bearable level and he again attempted to get his bearings.

Victoria Reed, Kyle, Mrs. Baird. He and Tony had driven to talk to her. Tony!

"Tony." He mumbled. He was met with no response.

He forced his eyes opened and despite the agony turned his head. He frowned in confusion. He was in the car, the backseat. He looked to his right and finally found Tony. The senior field agent was still out cold, slumped against the door.

"Tony." Tim said louder. "Tony!"

Still no movement. McGee felt nauseous and not just from lack of response. He attempted to reach out to Tony and check his pulse or shake him awake but his arms felt like lead. Whatever Mrs. Baird had drugged them with sure had some unpleasant side effects. He leaned his head back against the seat waiting for the queasiness to subside.

He frowned at the sensations he felt. They were definitely moving, but the car wasn't on. Glancing out his window he saw nothing but darkness. He was able, through what felt like superhuman strength, to raise himself up and glanced out Tony's window. They were up in the air moving sideways. The rumbling he heard must be from some sort of equipment moving the vehicle. But where?

All too soon he found out.

The rumbling stopped abruptly and a different sound started. The car started to tilt.

"No, no, no. Tony wake up!" McGee cried frantically trying to figure a way out of the vehicle while he could still barely move and his partner remained unresponsive. Nothing came and the tilting continued. Tony's body pressed further into the window and McGee started to slide across the seat as well. Tony didn't even stir as McGee crashed into him.

It was only a few seconds before a pitch black hole in the ground came into view. The tilting stopped for a minute as if seeming to contemplate it actions.

McGee swallowed trying to control his fear. It had almost worked when the engine made one last thrust propelling the car forward. The car and the two agents it carried were swallowed up in the darkness.

Gibbs' gut twinged. He frowned and looked up. It had been quiet for almost four hours. He and Ziva had gotten a lot of work done. Still…he looked at Tony's desk, then McGee's, then over to Ziva. He made one more quick sweep, searching for what could cause the uneasiness he was feeling.

Although he rarely admitted it to his people, or even to himself, he felt a comfort having them all here around him where he could keep any eye on them, know they were safe. Somehow, somewhere along the line they had become like children to him, his own children and as much as he acted to the contrary he enjoyed their presence.

"Is something wrong Gibbs?" Ziva asked interrupting his thoughts as she noticed the glances.

Gibbs slowly shook his head. "I don't think so."

Ziva looked at her clock.

"It has been four hours, enough time for McGee and Tony to have gotten there and talked to Mrs. Baird, yes?"

"Yeah. They should be back in a couple of hours." He took one last look at their workspaces before assuring himself silently, They'll be back in a couple of hours.

Kyle Baird stared down the old mine shaft for a few moments as if waiting for something to happen. He shook his head to bring himself back. He quickly grabbed the old timbers used to signal to any who might wander across it, that the shaft was out of service and unsafe. After that was done he remounted the tractor and headed back to the house.

Kind of short, but I wanted it to be a stand-alone chapter. Back to the work week. *sigh* I don't think I will have the next chapter done as quickly but I wanted to get this one up before things became crazy.

Hope you enjoy the last of your weekend! Thanks for reading. :)