Sorry,so late,but have been busy moving and am working many more hours...I know probably have heard that one before, but its for reviews, pms, tweet reviews and all!

xxx

Tim abruptly awoke to ice cold water thrown into his face, he spat and coughed up water mixed with his own blood onto the dirt floor. His shirt was unbuttoned and wide open revealing multiple, minor stab wounds and deep purple contusions. He was tied to a beam, his wrists bound behind his back while held up by a rope tied around his chest and abdomen to roughly hold him in a standing position. His eyes eventually focused, only to find the commander and Fred standing in front of him. He remembered they had told 'Mike' to stay outside and keep watch, Tim's only chance to attain some reasonable sympathy from any one of them was cleverly removed from the interrogation procedure. The commander knew his son, all too good. They had ruthlessly interrogated him for some time, now; or at least that was what it seemed, no longer having any concept of time, his strength waning drastically. He felt feverish, no doubt from an infection setting in from his gunshot wound and other previous injuries.

"I was hoping it would have taken just a couple of beatings to get what we needed from this guy but it would seem that I was mistaken. His gentle demeanor is not what it appears, he's stronger than I thought."

"Come on commander, let's just be done with him,this is getting boring...he's not going to talk, we can see that at this point." Whined Fred.

"Yeah, commander. You thought. Your arrogance has... fooled you for too long. You simply believed, someone of your dominant stature, would easily beat the codes out of me? I'm never telling them to you, I don't care what you do...you lowlife piece of-"

"Shut up!" Fred slapped McGee across the face but McGee just smirked, through bleeding lips. He felt a strange satisfaction in knowing that the commander had been wrong with his assumption of his character and was growing increasingly frustrated with his futile attempts of breaking him. He knew without a doubt he was not going to crack, pleased with himself for the strength he didn't think he had.

"Some judge of character you are. Think you know it all-"

"I said, shut up!" This time the commander punched him in the gut causing Tim to struggle to catch his breath. He closed his eyes, desperately searching deep within himself for the last bit of strength he could muster. He decided to remain quiet, still not giving up on the bit of hope that his team would find him soon.

xxxxx

"Ziva, any word from the surveillance team at Crevits',yet?"

"They just reported in, Crevits has not left his house since we were there. I don't know, Gibbs,I think...Gibbs?" Ziva noticed that she had lost her bosses' attention, his eyes glued to the elevator doors from across the bullpen.

Ziva's breath caught when she saw who it was that entered that created Gibbs' steely gaze. Tony was busy scanning his computer screen, whistling and humming as he wiggled in his chair singing to himself, oblivious to the impending confrontation that was broiling within the bullpen. Ziva kept her eyes peeled on the two men, ready to intervene if something should arise.

"Uh, oh." The silence in the office finally caught Tony's attention as his eyes widened when his boss shot up like a cannon to cross the bullpen in a fury, set with one prime destination; McCadden. Ziva intuitively darted out from behind her desk, to stand in the middle of the walkway in front of McCadden; not as a protective cover for the metro cop but as insurance to keep Gibbs under control so he could continue to aide in Tim's rescue. She cringed at the evident fire burning behind her boss's stare; menacing with an underlying vengeance, full and all his own. No one else was in the room except McCadden, in Gibbs' mind.

Gibbs diverted Ziva, then had McCadden by the lapels of his jacket and was walking him across the walkway to push him up against the brick wall. Beads of sweat quickly formed on the detective's upper lip. Tony couldn't imagine contending with Gibbs' anger let alone, combined with the ninja's; he wouldn't dare, not even in his worst nightmare.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" Gibbs's face was a mere inch from McCadden's, his voice low and gravelly.

"Gibbs, Stop! We will do this... the right way." Ziva was standing behind Gibbs, leaning close to his ear. "No witnesses." she whispered loud enough for McCadden's benefit as she eyed him with contempt.

McCadden's heart beat wildly as he gulped. "We uh, found this at the crime scene that McGee was transferred from...uh...it looks like it could be his watch. I just wanted to drop it off. We found it in the driveway." McCadden visibly trembled as he held up an evidence bag containing the timepiece.

Gibbs snatched it out of the detective's hand. "Give me that." His jaw was clenched as his muscles worked. "You have no right being here."

"I uh, don't see what the big deal is,it's only McGeek-"

This time Gibbs had to restrain Ziva. She fought Gibbs momentarily then took a calming breath with Tim's image in mind to remind her.

McCadden's adam apple bobbed as his eyes bounced from one agent to the other, waiting for one or both to pounce. Gibbs' gaze burrowed into his eyes and didn't budge even when McCadden looked away.

"Boss. Ducky wants you." Tony placed a hand on Gibbs' shoulder, pity in his expression for Phil. Gibbs finished his glare towards McCadden then left to autopsy as Ziva followed.

"You owe me big time Phil. I just saved you from one angry ninja with mad killing skills... she doesn't even know how many people shes killed. And, I don't need to explain the temper that erupts from Gibbs. One look from him and you just know he could tear you limb from limb without working up one bit of a sweat."

"You know DiNozzo,I really didn't think you liked McGee. Maybe I misread your taunts towards him and disrespect or... maybe you shouldn't be so wishy-washy and figure out what it is you really think of him."

Tony pressed his lips together as he watched McCadden enter the elevator to leave. "Hhhmmmm. Do ya think...Nah. That's how everyone treats their probie, especially,McGee. Phil doesn't know what he's talking about. He doesn't know McGee like I know McGee."

xxxxxxx

The doors opened and Gibbs breathed in a sigh of relief, thankful Ziva had stopped him from pummeling McCadden in the bullpen. His anger had made him blind to what was most important; the recovery of Tim. "Ducky, whadya got?"

"Ahhhh, Jethro. You're keen sense of timing is impeccable- I'm sorry, but your expression is of the uttermost dour...have you heard anything new on Timothy?"

"No, just had a run-in with McCadden. Nearly killed him, but Ziva stepped in. I just told her to take a quick break, this is really getting to her."

"Ahhh, yes, well, that's to be expected after what he has done to land our young agent into such a dire situation."

"Come on, Duck. I don't have all day. Time is something Tim doesn't have."

"Of course, I will get right to the point. It would seem this young man that you recovered from the crime scene is a civilian, Peter Mathers. Shot in the back as you well know, but we checked his BAC or blood alcohol level, after noting the strong smell of beer on his clothing and it would explain a reason for all the empty beer cans discovered at the crime scene from what Abigail has told me."

"What was it?"

"0.20. He was most likely experiencing a blackout at that point. He was too inebriated to run, poor lad."

"Poor... lad?! Duck...he's involved in Tim's abduction-"

"Yes,of course...and my conclusion was that he felt extremely guilty in what he had become involved in. He was finding a way to lesson the pain and ignore his actions by becoming pickled to the gills. Probably didn't feel a thing when he was shot down. But, yes, I agree, Jethro. My utmost concern is for Timothy."

"That really doesn't help Tim, you got anything else?"

"His wallet contained a few membership cards...A membership to a hobby shop, a basketball team photo id and and a membership to WWF."

"Wooof?"

"World Wildlife Fund. He was a kid Jethro, and I'm sure he had no clue to just what he was involved in. He also had a photo of a friend, we have already ID'd. It's possible they were close enough that he may, also have something to do with Tim's abduction."

"Thanks Duck."

xxxxxx

Tony observed the kid sitting in front of the table behind the glass. Beads of sweat continuously lined his forehead as he kept wiping the moisture away. He looked too young to be involved in something so heinous. This kid most likely was not aware of the psychopath behavior the gang leader possessed. He had gotten in too deep and was now regretting it. He would talk like a canary for sure. He was already broken, Tony could see it as clear as day.

Gibbs came in like a fast-moving tornado, slapping the morgue photos of his buddy on the table then leaning over his shoulder. "You know Pete, Todd? Cause he knew you. Liked you so much he carried a class picture of you in his wallet. You two must have been close."

The kid looked at the photo, his eyes filling with tears, a look of horror on his face. "But, Pete? I had nothing to do with that. It was...We met when we were kids, we were both in Weebelos. He's my best friend. I ran...I didn't know what to do. Pete was too drunk to figure out what was going on. I heard a shot and ran...I wanted to go back, but-"

"Well, he's not your friend anymore. Pete's dead."

The kid named Todd sobbed, cried like a baby. "Wow,this kid has it bad. Musta been pretty good friends." Thought Tony.

"And now we have a missing agent that could also die. Do the right thing Todd. Don't let Pete's death be in vain. Fred did this... Am I right?"

Todd nodded, too choked up to speak. "I was actually about to turn myself in, Fred scares me more than you guys do, so I figured I'd be safer in prison." The door to the observation room swung open,startling Tony.

"DiNozzo,I have a theory. I need to speak with Gibbs."

"You can interrupt him, I'm not gonna-"

"Fine."

Ziva left the room then Tony heard a quick knock to the interrogation room before she entered.

"Gibbs, they are located on the commander's property-"

"Do you have the search warrant?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then let's go."

"Don't you want to hear my theory?"

They were already moving quickly down the hall as Gibbs knocked on the observation room's door, "DiNozzo! Gear up!"

"Tell me on the way there, Zeev."

xxxxx

"Dad! Uh, I mean commander! A car just pulled in!" George had entered the underground room; first closing the hatch doors then placing a pair of binoculars on a small table. He turned to face his father and brother...and Tim.

Tim was close to unconsciousness, ropes holding him up against a vertical beam in the middle of the small room.

"Hey! What are you doing?! You can't do that!" George stomped his foot on the ground. "I'm going to go and tell them if you don't cut him lose right now!"

The commander grabbed Tim's shoulder, pulling him closer as he aimed a gun to his head, "Oh, I don't think you will."