Sorry for the long time between updates. I was doing good when the story first started. I was several chapters ahead and then apparently life hits. Wow. I know I've said this but I think I'm going to try to write my next story completely before I post, but who know…
Rambling…it is very late here. Anyway enjoy the chapter and thanks so much for reading. Those who have reviewed and alerted, thank you! You are all so sweet!
McGee got back to the squad room and stood there for a moment smoldering. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been that angry, felt so betrayed. McGee started to pace in the small work area, his mind whirling with what he'd just found out.
"He was trying to help."A small voice inside him argued. "And if you didn't want the help then you wouldn't have told him." He pushed the voice down, only to have it replaced by a new one and a new fear. "How can I face Gibbs?"
He shook his head as he continued to walk the floor. His eye caught the box the FBI had brought and his sense of responsibility caught up to him. McGee sighed and walked over to it, quickly hoisting it up. Too quickly. His hand wasn't firmly gripping the box and it listed to one side to one side sending the contents of the box crashing to the floor.
Rolling his eyes at his own clumsiness, McGee dropped to his knees to pick it up. Of course it was that kind of day. He grabbed some files to place back in the box when a small red light and part of a cell phone caught his eye amid the papers and files still on the ground.
Eyes narrowed, he pushed the files obscuring his view out of the way. McGee's blood froze in his vein as he recognized the small grayish matter attached to the phone as C4.
McGee scrambled to his feet and sprinted toward the bathrooms. The softest of beeps sounded behind him and, just as you can't look away from an accident, he couldn't help but look over his shoulder just as the explosion rocked the room.
Gibbs' heart sank when he rounded the corner and he saw Tony and Ziva lying motionless against the wall. Suddenly Ziva moaned and started to push herself up. Gibbs quickly closed the distance and gently gripped her arm.
"Stay down, Ziva." He said softly. He turned to find Shelby right behind him checking Tony.
"He's alive." He announced. "His pulse is strong. He was probably knocked out by the force of the explosion. They probably both need to be taken to the hospital though"
Gibbs didn't respond but ran an assessing eye over Tony before leaning down to Ziva's ear.
"Where was McGee?"
Her eyes widened and looked toward the hallway billowing smoke telling him everything he needed to know even before she spoke. The fear in her eyes reflected the devastation Gibbs was feeling.
"Went…back to his desk." She said weakly trying to rise again. Gibbs made sure she stayed down before hastily getting to his feet.
He flipped open his phone and the hit speed dial for Ducky's autopsy. "Stay with Tony and Ziva." he ordered over his shoulder to Shelby, running toward their work area.
"Dr. Mallard". An agitated voice answered.
"Ducky, need you down here. Tony, Ziva, McGee."
"Oh dear. I wondered when I heard the explosion, I'm on my way."
Gibbs snapped his phone shut and placed it back in his pocket. The area they had been working was smoky and fire alarms were blaring which had kicked the sprinklers off. Gibbs got down on the floor to crawl to avoid the rising smoke. His mind flashed back to the conversation he had with Tony in the elevator. He thought of all his agents as kids and right now he felt about as frightened as a parent running to a child who had been hurt with no way of knowing how badly they were hurt.
McGee wasn't as far in as he expected him to be. He was just past his desk, lying on his side covered in burning and smoldering papers and manila folders that Gibbs assumed were from that damn box Shelby brought. Gibbs quickly brushed them off and made sure his agent wasn't burning anywhere. McGee's breathing was shallow as he reached to check his pulse. The beat he felt was weak, but surprisingly rapid for someone unconscious.
"Shock" Gibbs thought taking off his jacket to cover the younger man. There was blood on the back of his shirt. Gibbs hesitated not wanting to move him too much before Ducky got there. From what he could see, it appeared shards of something, probably glass and metal from the assorted office equipment in the room had torn into him when thrown by the explosion. He leaned down to his agent's ear, hoping he could hear.
"Hang on, McGee. You're gonna be ok. Just stay with me."
Gibbs looked over his shoulder when he felt someone behind him, and glared when he realized it was Shelby.
"Why aren't you with Tony and Ziva?" He growled.
"Your ME got there." Shelby defended. "He sent someone for more gurneys. Agent DiNozzo is conscious. He asked how Agent McGee is." He paused when Gibbs didn't say anything. "How is Agent McGee? I came to see if you wanted me to help you move him."
"Won't till Ducky give the ok." He said keeping his hand on McGee's wrist to monitor his pulse. He was also hoping to be able to detect any movement signaling his agent was closer to consciousness.
Shelby nodded and leaned closer to look.
"Flash burns on his neck and hands." He commented.
Gibbs nodded.
"Common injury in explosions." Shelby said.
"Are we stating the obvious now, Agent Shelby." Gibbs snapped.
Shelby opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by the arrival of Ducky and an extra gurney.
"How is he, Jethro?"
"I don't know Duck, waiting for you."
Ducky quickly and examined him, clicking his tongue a few times.
"It should be safe to move him. We certainly need to get him somewhere I can more thoroughly assess his injuries. This close to the blast I worry about internal damage, but I'll be able to better deal with that back in autopsy. Anthony and Ziva are already there with Mr. Palmer. If you gentlemen would help me with Timothy…"
Together the three of them managed to lift the unconscious man. Gibbs walked beside the gurney until they were almost to the elevator before he remembered…
He grabbed Shelby by the shirt and slammed him against the wall.
"What the hell were you thinking brining that in here?" He barked. Shelby shoved him away.
"I was trying to find a lead just like you were." He yelled.
"You didn't check the box? Whose bright idea was it not to check the box?"
"It was mine." Vance boomed from behind him.
Gibbs turned to glare at him. He waved his arm toward the smoke filled room. "You sure you want to take credit for this, Director?" He asked sarcastically. An emergency crew had come down and were assessing the damages and working to secure the area. The floor was humming with activity.
"Hindsight is 20/20, Gibbs. The fact is no one expected a box coming brought by the CIA from the FBI to have a bomb in it." Vance said never blinking.
"Yeah, only problem is this box wasn't from the FBI." Gibbs reminded. Vance shook his head and turned to Shelby.
"What did he look like?" Vance demanded. Shelby threw up his hands.
"Average, he just looked average. The box couldn't have gotten through our security if it wasn't safe!" He protested.
"It got through our security." Gibbs said angrily. "And it wasn't safe!"
"We had limited time Gibbs." Shelby retorted just as angrily. "You recall that? You remember? You yourself were pacing here like a caged animal. We needed something. I thought that might be our something."
Vance spoke before Gibbs could start yelling again.
"I gave orders to rush anything from the CIA, FBI or Agent Shelby though because we needed it. That's why it didn't go through security." He said. "You want to ream somebody out, Gibbs, let it be me."
Gibbs just glared at him. Vance ignored him and addressed Shelby.
"I want you to sit down with a sketch artist so we can see what this guy looks like. I also want security footage from the J. Edgar Hoover building for that time period. We need to see if we can get video of him."
"Director, I don't know if I can get security footage from-."
"Agent Shelby, right now it could be said the CIA tried to blow up NCIS. You did bring a bomb into our building." Vance said dryly. "I think it would be best for everyone if we tried to find this guy together. He was in your building, on your security tapes, bringing you a bomb to bring to our building. Now the neighborly thing to do would be to share his face with us, don't you agree?"
"I'll have to see what I can do." Shelby agreed weekly.
"Sooner, rather than later please, Agent Shelby." Vance nodded, dismissing him, before turning to Gibbs.
"How are they?"
"Going to check now." Gibbs said already pushing the elevator button.
Vance nodded and turned to walk toward the stairs.
"Keep me posted. I'm going to make a call to the CIA. I have a feeling Agent Shelby is going to need a little help with my request."
Thanks again for reading. Several more chapters to go. We still have to catch Cal. Or do we…? (Evil grin) Sorry, again, very late... :) Know that I hold readers in the highest regard and would not torment you needlessly. :)
p.s. Since my updates have been so long in between, I just assure people who are reading that I have never started a story and not finished. I don't even start other stories before I've finished with one. So unless I die, the story will be finished.