Chapter 21
Gibbs ran through the house and out the front door to find Matt halfway across the yard, phone in hand...and Tim...Tim lying on the sidewalk. Not moving. Not even moaning. Just lying there. He sprinted over and knelt beside Tim.
"Where is he hit?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know..." Matt said. "I don't see any blood."
Gibbs ripped open Tim's shirt and then let out a relieved laugh and rubbed his face.
"What?" Matt asked and looked before smiling in disbelief. "A vest? Why? How?"
Tim let out a long breathy moan.
"Tim? You okay?"
"No," Tim said tightly, letting out gasping breaths.
"How many times were you hit?"
"Feels like hundreds. Ow."
"Where did you get the vest?" Gibbs asked.
"Geri ...made me wear it," Tim said, opening his eyes and rubbing at his chest. "She said that...if I was going to expose myself...that I should at least try to...be smart."
"Where is she?" Gibbs asked.
"I sent her to follow the car," Matt said. "I was here and could just as easily call 911 as they could."
"I don't...need an ambulance," Tim said, still wincing. He tried to sit up. "I'm okay. No holes in me."
Gibbs pushed him back to the ground.
"I can see at least five rounds lodged in the vest, McGee. You're not okay."
"None got through."
"Doesn't matter, Tim," Matt said. "For once, I'll agree with Agent Gibbs. There's no reason for you to pretend that you're okay. You could have broken ribs for all we know...and it's not like you're at your best anyway."
"Thanks," Tim said, blinkly fiercely up at the sky and wincing with every breath. "You...okay, Matt?"
"I'm fine."
"I thought...I heard...glass..."
"Back window. Nothing touched me."
"I'll...pay for it."
Matt laughed at him. "No, you won't. My insurance will. That's why I have it."
Tears of pain leaked from Tim's eyes as he tried to smile. "Lots of...guns shooting at you?"
"You never know. It's best to be prepared."
"Did you see who it was?" Gibbs asked.
"I didn't. I saw the car," Matt said, "but I couldn't see who was driving."
"McGee?"
Tim just closed his eyes and shook his head. "I...wasn't paying attention until they started shooting."
Gibbs opened the vest to make sure that Tim was right about no bullets penetrating.
"Didn't...believe me?" Tim asked.
"Better safe than sorry."
"I guess. Wow...this really hurts. They don't show that in the movies."
"That's why you're going to the hospital," Matt said.
"...but you won't be staying there long," Gibbs said.
"Why not?" Matt asked. "He just got released this morning from the last time someone tried to kill him."
"Because they tried again."
"I wasn't...expecting that," Tim said. "Why...wait a year and then try twice in less than two days?"
"Good question," Gibbs said. "Until we know the answer to that question, we're putting you in full protective custody."
Tim groaned again. "Oh. Great."
"What does that mean?" Matt asked.
"It means that he'll be in a safe house, not with you."
It was a sign of how worried Matt was that he didn't protest. He just nodded. When another car came barreling up the street he actually moved to cover Tim, just in case...but it was only Geri and Lara coming back. They shook their heads at Gibbs' look.
"Got away," Lara said in irritation. "Couldn't catch them."
"Them?" Gibbs asked.
"Yeah. Two in the car. Dark sedan. Plates were covered. Already put out a BOLO for it. We're hoping that Metro might see them."
"You all right?" Geri asked Tim.
Tim nodded. "Thanks for the vest, Geri," he said.
"Now, aren't you glad you listened to me?"
Another nod.
A siren was heard in the distance, growing steadily louder.
"What we doing, Gibbs?" Geri asked.
"Go with them to the hospital. I'm going to talk to Vance. McGee is going into protective custody until we can track down these guys."
"MCRT in control?"
Gibbs looked at Tim. He hesitated before nodding. This would bring Tim in close quarters with people he'd been actively avoiding for over a year, but he didn't want to trust Tim's safety to anyone else. If it did become too much of a strain, they could change things up, but in the meanwhile...
"Yes, we're in control."
Tim's eyes opened briefly and then closed again. He made no comment. The cops and ambulance pulled up and did some on-site assessments. Gibbs explained the situation and that Tim was to be kept under guard at all times while in the hospital. Relieved that this didn't appear to be a life-threatening injury, the EMTs loaded Tim up and whisked him away. Lara and Geri followed behind, but Matt lingered.
"I thought you'd head out after him."
"He'll be okay for now," Matt said.
"How about you?" Gibbs asked.
"I'm fine." He hesitated and then met Gibbs' gaze. "Did anything good come out of this?"
"McGee getting shot?" Gibbs asked with a smile. "I kind of doubt it."
"You know what I mean," Matt said seriously. "I don't know why you insist on pretending you don't care...when it's clear to me, at least, that you do."
"I'm not pretending very well, then, am I."
"What's the point?"
"I don't know if anything good came out of it. Too soon to tell."
"So what happens now?"
Gibbs smiled. "Now? You go to the hospital and I make sure that no one else tries to kill McGee."
"Why you?"
The faint accusation in the question made Gibbs smile again. He knew why Matt was asking...but he figured that now was not the time to get into an argument. ...and he still felt a bit winded from Tim's punch. He didn't need another one.
"Because I don't let my people become targets."
"He's not really one of 'your people' anymore."
"He is as long as he's part of a case...which he is. Two cases, in fact. That means he's my responsibility."
"He was before, too," Matt said pointedly.
"Yes, he was," Gibbs replied without elaborating. Matt might be angry with him, but it really wasn't any of his business what he and Tim had talked about.
Matt just shook his head and went back to his car. Gibbs watched him drive away and then pulled out his phone. He had a lot of calls to make.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Vance sighed as he sat waiting for Gibbs to arrive. He felt for Tim, having to deal with all this, but the question Gibbs had asked bothered him.
Why now?
What had changed to make Tim's death so important now? He supposed that part of it could be chalked up to the fact that the trial dates had finally been scheduled...if that's what this was all about. If Tim's account was to be believed, then David Collier's involvement couldn't be coincidental. ...but why? It couldn't be that they'd only now discovered Tim's identity. They'd likely used his gun to commit murder. It had been stolen months ago. So...what was it? He had JAG, the FBI and the DA nipping at his heels because of this and he wanted to get to the bottom of it.
That was why he was sitting here late in the evening, waiting for Gibbs to get here and fill him in.
The knock on the door was as brief as it was welcome. Gibbs came striding in before Vance had a chance to say anything.
"Well, Gibbs? What's going on?"
"Someone is trying to kill McGee."
"Yeah, I caught that. Who and why?"
"David Collier...and company now."
"Company?"
"There were two people in the car. Don't know if it was Collier and someone else or two new players."
"Okay. So why?"
"It's got to be because of the trial."
"Yes, but why now? What's changed to make this necessary? They've had a long time to take McGee out if that's what they wanted to do."
"McGee thinks that the initial murder and attempt on his life were to discredit his testimony. If he looks crazy, then the evidence he gathered will be suspect."
Vance nodded. "Okay, I'm with you so far, but why is killing him so important now?"
Gibbs sat down. "That depends on how much they know...whoever they are. If they know that we're onto the reasons for Lance Corporal Smythe's murder, then they may want to cut their losses and get rid of McGee as fast as they can."
"If they don't know about that?"
"Trial dates are coming and McGee is still available to testify. They have to submit witnesses and potential witnesses. They'll know about McGee. They wouldn't be the first people to try getting rid of a witness."
"But that still doesn't explain the timing."
"They're not in prison, Leon. Their movements are restricted, but they've been out on bail for months."
Gibbs paused as his phone rang. He looked at it and answered.
"What is it, Davidson?"
"Hey, Gibbs. You wanted to know if Collier showed up at his place?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, he just did. Just pulled in."
"Car?"
"Silver, four-door. Can't see the make."
"What is it?" Vance asked.
"Collier just showed up at his house."
"Really."
"Yep."
"Gibbs?" Jamie asked. "What do you want me to do? You pulled Tony away to guard McGee. I'm all alone here."
"You heard from Geri yet?"
"Yeah, she called and said she's on her way, but she's not... Wait. Gibbs, another car just pulled up. Sedan. Dark...maybe blue or black. I can't tell in the streetlights."
"Plates?"
"They're there, but they're obscured. Two people just got out and are heading inside. I don't recognize them."
"Okay. I'm heading out to you, Jamie. Tell Geri to step on it but do not engage until you have backup. Understood?"
"Absolutely, Gibbs. No way I–"
Jamie's voice suddenly cut off and there was the sound of an explosion.
"Jamie! Jamie!"
"What's going on?" Vance asked.
"Don't know."
"G-Gibbs...the house...just..."
"Just what?" Gibbs looked briefly at Vance who just nodded, indicating that he'd make the necessary calls.
Gibbs ran out of the office, heading out to find out what had happened.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
"Well, Mr. McGee, you were lucky. I can count six bullets that must have hit the vest just based on the contusions on your torso."
Tim winced and tried to smile at Matt. "Yeah, that's me. Mr. Good-Luck."
"You do, however, have three bruised ribs, and I think that you'd do well to take a few days of doing basically nothing."
"Nothing? How exciting," Tim said.
"Perhaps not exciting, but if you want to recover in a reasonable amount of time, you'll listen to me."
"Doing nothing sounds absolutely wonderful," Tim said. "I want nothing more."
The doctor smiled sympathetically. "Looks like you could use the time off."
"Yeah."
"Well, you could stay here tonight if you want an excuse for not working...but it's not necessary as long as you take it easy."
"Thanks, but I've seen enough of hospitals," Tim said. "I think I'm good to go."
"All right. Here's a prescription pain killer. Make sure you follow the directions and after that, if you still need some pain relief, switch over to ibuprofen. For the next two days, apply ice or a cold pack to the painful areas and try not to move too much." She handed Tim a piece of paper. "Here are some breathing exercises to start with...but only after 48 hours, got it?"
"Got it."
"And here are some gentle stretches you can use as well...but, again, only after 48 hours. For the next two days, you are officially an invalid. It can take up to six weeks for full healing, but if you do everything as I say, it will more than likely be considerably shorter."
"Thanks."
"All right. I'll go get the forms for your release. It shouldn't take too long."
The doctor left and Tim leaned back on the bed, wincing.
"Tim?"
"Yeah, Matt?"
"You going to be okay?"
Tim smiled weakly. "Sure...in about six weeks."
"That's not what I meant."
Tim looked over at his friend, the smile fading. "Probably. Close quarters with them...I don't know. ...but it's not like I have to be friends with them all of a sudden. I don't even have to talk to them if I don't want to."
"Do you?"
"No...but I probably should."
"Like with Agent Gibbs?"
"Yeah. Like with him. It doesn't solve anything...but maybe it'll help."
"Tim, I'm really sorry about all this."
"Yeah, me, too. ...I guess it was wishful thinking to imagine that it was over." Tim looked up and saw Tony and Ziva out the window, talking to hospital security. He sighed. "Maybe it'll never be over."
"Maybe it shouldn't be," Matt said.
Tim raised his eyebrows and smiled disbelievingly. "You think there's something good that's going to come from this? You have way more faith than I do."
Matt chuckled. "We established that a long time ago."
"Yeah."
There was a knock on the door.
"Sometimes, I really envy you, Matt," Tim said. He took a breath, winced and then sighed. "Come in."
Tony and Ziva opened the door and came inside.
"Hey, McGee. We're going to take you to the safe house as soon as you're released."
"Yeah, I was told. For how long?"
"Until we can capture those involved," Ziva said. She turned a disconcerting glance on Tim. "Will that be all right with you?"
"Yeah, sure," Tim said and looked away. "I love the prospect of being shut away with you guys. Dream come true." Then, he winced...but it wasn't because of his ribs. It was because he knew that what he'd said had been mean and unnecessary. Somehow, it was just easier to push them away to start than to even let a suggestion of weakness come out.
"Uh..." Matt tried to fill the awkward silence. "...so...this safe house. Is there any chance that Judith and I will be able to...at least talk to Tim while he's there? I'm assuming we can't know where it is."
"You can't," Tony said. "...but we can probably set something up so you can keep in some kind of contact. We'll let you know."
"Okay." Matt looked at Tim. "I'd better get going."
"I'll be all right," Tim said, not looking at anyone. "Tell Judith I'm sorry about your car."
Matt chuckled. "Don't worry. She'll just say that it means we need to get a new one."
Tim nodded, unable to make any more quips...and not wanting Matt to leave him alone with his former coworkers. Matt squeezed his shoulder and then left the room. Tim looked up at Tony and Ziva.
"Hi," he said awkwardly.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Gibbs pulled up to...the former residence of David Collier. All that remained was a burning hulk. The small duplex where he'd been living was fully ablaze.
"Jamie?" he called out, unable to see her in the midst of all the chaos.