"Ziva you and Tony take the next block over and start canvassing there. McGee and I will work through these admin buildings."
Tony darted a look at McGee which told him he would prefer to be trailing around behind him than the dark haired assassin and he smiled.
Poor Tony. Still in no mans land apparently.
Tim turned to find Gibbs already striding off and he hurried to catch up.
After hours of trudging around and questioning security guards and dock workers Gibbs and Tim headed over to the far side of the docks to investigate some storage warehouses. The sun was slowly setting and bathing the industrial scene in a rather cheerful glow. Tim found himself wiping the sweat and dust from his face and eagerly anticipating a nice fresh cool shower when they finished up.
"Ah Boss?" Tim bit his lip as he watched Gibbs nimbly climb the rusty fire escape ladder to check out the very high roof.
"What McGee?" Gibbs asked growing frustrated
"Could I maybe …uhh…go check out the next one?" Tim felt himself breaking out into a sweat just looking up at Gibbs.
Gibbs smiled to himself and nodded. He had forgotten that McGee wasn't keen on heights.
"Sure McGee you get started and I will follow you once I have checked out up here."
Tim shot Gibbs a grateful grin and headed off around the corner out of sight heading towards the next warehouse while Gibbs continued his upward climb.
Tim hurried wanting to make use of the rapidly falling light. He really didn't like the idea of poking around somewhere like this in the dark.
It was with utter surprise that Tim turned around to see four large men approaching him, striding towards him with a sense of violent purpose. They looked like ordinary dock workers dressed in jeans, check shirts and steel capped boots but their muscle hardened physiques and predatory strides told Tim they weren't here to offer him a cup of coffee.
Something in his gut clenched in anticipation even as he tried to smile and convince himself he had no reason to be concerned. He instinctively started backing away trying to ensure he didn't get hemmed into a corner.
"Where you sent by the foreman? We asked him to send over anyone we might have missed who was at work here the day before yesterday?"
He received his answer in the form of a massive hardened fist being driven into his stomach. Tim doubled over and staggered back trying to asses his situation. Two of them grabbed his arms holding him as he wildly struggled and the remaining two men started raining blows down onto him. Soft belly, face, chest, ribs all seemed to announce their presence to him in the form of the pain they felt.
"No!" Tim screamed as blooms of red pain flourished all over his body. He struggled violently but there seemed to be too many and by avoiding one fist he only seemed to fall in the direction of the other. But still he fought, struggling and kicking hoping to break the hold of one of them and have a chance at escape.
A red haze seemed to fall over his eyes and he could feel hot blood pouring down his face mingling with the sweat and the dust. He seemed to be trembling and doubted his legs would be able to hold him up for much longer. Then again the muscle bound men holding him tight would probably still be able to hold him up without the assistance of his legs.
Tim's ears were full of the harsh scuffle of booted feet on the rough gravelly concrete, the grunts of his pain and the harsh thwacks of fist meeting solid flesh. The men though never said a word.
"Why? What do you want?" Tim screamed out in choked frustration his mouth flooded with too much saliva and blood.
A distant tortured cry echoed in his mind but he didn't have the time to answer it as another fist crunched into his face.
****************************************************************
Gibbs's head shot up as he heard McGee's distant anguished cry.
"What the hell? McGee?" Gibbs ran to the edge of the building and scanned where he knew his young team mate should be.
"Damn it" Gibbs couldn't see him amidst the stacks of wooden pallets, rusted 40 gallon drums and giant waste bins that littered the corridors between the buildings. The rest of his vision was obscured by the next warehouse which sat looking innocuous and appeared empty.
The unmistakable sound of soft bodies hitting hard ground and scuffling feet rose up again along with muffled pained grunting.
Gibbs was already off and running across the roof heading for the fire escape as he pulled out his phone.
"DiNozzo get back over here McGee's in trouble."
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Tim sagged between the two men as the attack relentlessly continued. Blow after endless relentless blow. He knew it had been less than a few minutes since the attack started but it felt like a decade had passed since that first fist to his gut. He concentrated on breathing, the sound coming harshly through his open mouth.
In Out
Assholes
In out
Bastards
How DARE they! Tim quickened his breathing and he found himself growing angry. Very angry. The anger seemed to smoother the fear and the pain. Tim screwed his eyes shut and the blood red haze behind his eyes flared white. Blinding white. Rage fuelled adrenaline surged through him and ceased the quivering in his legs. He could feel am impossible resolve uncoiling from somewhere deep in his belly.
Fight them.
A tiny ball that seemed to swell and rise up within him until he felt like he sparked with fierce joyfulness.
FIGHT THEM!
Impossible? No. He already knew that the impossible stalked the earth everyday.
Why not? He was stronger than he had ever thought possible. He was faster. He had just never put it to the test before.
Tim's eyes flashed open sparking green and with a cry he kicked his feet hard into the two men standing before him. They stumbled back in surprise and pain. Tim grinned and taking a firm grip on the men that had held him slammed them together with a might wrench.
Tim turned to run and then he paused. No. They shouldn't be allowed to go free.
He spat out the saliva that threatened to choke him and grinned at them with blood stained teeth, his eyes wild.
"Come on show me what you've got"
****************************************************************
"Jesus. McGee!" Tony skidded to a halt at the sight before him.
McGee knelt on hands and knees trembling with exhaustion, blood dripping from his nose covered in scrapes and already discoloring bruises. His clothes were torn and he seemed to be covered in smeared blood and sweat.
Gibbs was cuffing one of the four large men who lay apparently unconscious and battered on the ground.
"Tony! Ziva! Get the rest of these men in cuffs before they come to. Tony!"
Tony shook himself and ran to the closest man already pulling out his handcuffs.
"You ok Probie?" Tony asked worriedly with a quick glance across at Ziva.
Tim nodded panting feeling the last of the strange strength drain from his body along with his anger. When Gibbs had come around the corner and stared at him surrounded by the four unconscious thugs he had sunk to the ground.
What the hell had he been thinking???
"I've felt better Tony" Tim spat out another mouthful of bloodied saliva and curled up into a large ball on the ground not particularly caring who saw him. His eyes hurt, everything hurt and he was so tired.
Ziva saw Tony take several worried glances up into the darkening night sky as they waited for the ambulance to arrive. What was he looking for?
*******************************************************************
Lyric stood in the shadows and watched with interest. He had put a compulsion on the four men because he wanted to see just what the Companion was capable of. And it seemed that Dante was still able to surprise him. He had chosen a rare companion indeed, one who appeared to have abilities of his own.
Lyric had been careful and he had watched and waited until the vampire had grown complacent over his charge. Growing fat and happy in his love Dante was far away from this spot and even if his Companion had called for him it should have been too late for Dante to save him. Lyric had waited and planned carefully. The long years of his existence had taught him the value of patience. And cunning. It was early in the evening, few vampires apart from the strongest were even up and about which was why it was perfect for an ambush.
No one would even suspect he was involved.
He had selected the men carefully, touching their minds to see their thoughts. Resentment towards those in authority, criminal records, hardened street fighters, tendencies towards violent compulsions. He had barely whispered the suggestion and they were off and eager to hurt the so called Federal Agent who came to poke his nose into their business.
With the companion dead or hopefully dying painfully Lyric had planed on using the distraction to destroy Dante. His greater powers would be in disarray with his beloved bonded companion screaming out his death throes.
Instead the Companion had fought off four larger opponents and Dante was no where to be seen. The vampire wasn't there to heal his companion by touch or to lend him his strength instead something else had happened.
Lyric had felt the drawing of power. It was unpracticed and faint and it certainly wasn't vampiric by nature. But it was something.
It was all very interesting.
Lyric swept the scene again with his stormy eyes and considered the Companions scream of pain. Whatever he was he was mortal still and that meant he could be killed. Lyric knew he would not be so unprepared next time.
Would the companion be able to handle bullets? So many bullets his tender flesh was ripped open and couldn't contain his rich blood anymore? So many Dante himself would go mad from his Companions pain?
Yes. This thought pleased Lyric and he disappeared with a smirk into nothingness.
Men with guns were easy to find.
(Aha so Lyric returns. Thanks for the reviews and suggestions as its really helping. Precious Pup)