It was a rare slow day in the office. With no active cases, the team was stuck working on old paperwork and reviewing cold cases. The bullpen was quiet, save the click of computer keys.
A small icon in the corner of her screen told Sarah she had a new email. She saved her report and clicked the email icon at the bottom of her screen. She opened the email and scanned it. One line made her reread the email over again.
"Shit," she muttered. The team stopped and looked at her. "This is not good." She looked at Gibbs. "We have a problem." Gibbs stood up and walked over to her desk. He stopped behind her. She pointed to her computer screen and leaned back, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to distract her thoughts unsuccessfully.
"What's wrong?" Tony asked. Like Ziva and McGee, he was concerned. Sarah was distressed. What was in the email made her upset and was starting to concern Gibbs as well.
Sarah stood up and grabbed her phone. "I need to make a call." She walked out of the bullpen and unlocked her phone. The team looked at Gibbs.
"Boss," McGee started, "what's going on?" They waited for an answer. Gibbs searched for the right words to accurately describe the situation. Before they got it, Sarah came back in.
"Vance and Asher want us in MTAC. All of us. Jess will be online as well."
"I thought Jess was training for something else," Ziva said as she stood up.
"She got pulled. This is a more pressing matter." She hurried up to MTAC. Gibbs started to follow her but stopped when he saw the team was not following behind.
"You coming? She said all of us."
"Yes boss!" The team ran up the stairs and walked to MTAC. Gibbs walked up to where Vance and Sarah were standing and stood beside her. He noticed she had taken on a neutral façade and stood rigid, almost as if she was back in her days at the CIA. Not even he could read her. The rest of the team took a spot near the chairs behind them.
"It's nice to see you, Agent Gibbs." Director Asher said from the screen. He noticed Jess standing like Sarah not far behind him.
"I wish it wasn't under such circumstances, sir."
Tony leaned over to Ziva and McGee. "Any idea what is going on?" They both shook their heads.
"Hopefully we will find out soon," Ziva whispered back.
"How do you want to proceed with this, Director?" Sarah asked. "Now that he's out, I am afraid Bruno will come after either Jessica or me or both. He is not that predictable either in his methods." Gibbs looked back at the team and gauged their reactions. He could see they already saw the dangers in what they had just heard.
"He escaped?" Ziva asked Gibbs in a whisper. He nodded.
"He's got a two-hour head start on us," Jess said. "We need to know what his plans are before it becomes too late." Vance pulled the toothpick out of his mouth.
"Has anyone searched his cell yet?" he asked.
"I was hoping to send Strait and Wallace to check it out. I am hoping they can find some kind of insight or indication of what his plans are," the director said. They could sense him attempting to maintain an air of business.
"I'll go with them," Gibbs volunteered. "We can't leave them alone. Not with Bruno on the loose." Tony stepped forward.
"Is there any procedure you would us to protect them, sir?" Asher sat back in his seat.
"We have a procedure that would normally be used, but Bruno knows it. I was hoping you would have an idea to protect the women. They are two of our best."
"Jessica," Gibbs said. She looked up. "Do you have a go-bag?"
"Yes sir. I also can share clothes with Sarah if need be."
"Go grab it. We will get you." He turned toward Sarah. "Where's yours?"
"I have one in my car and one in your trunk."
"Put the other one in my car when we go down." Sarah nodded. She walked over to the team.
"Are you ok, Sarah?" Ziva asked. McGee wrapped an arm around her. She nodded and kept her eyes on the screen.
"Anything you need from us?" McGee asked. She shook her head.
"Do you want the honest answer?" She shook her head again. "It would take too long."
"Sarah." She refocused her attention on the screen. "You and Jessica need to watch yourselves. I have seen Bruno at his worst. He won't stop until his mission is done, whatever that may be right now." Both girls nodded. Jessica stepped out of the room. Sarah turned and started out the door.
"Sarah." She stopped and turned. "It is believed he is after you more so than Jessica. Watch yourself." She took a deep breath and let it out quickly.
"Yes sir." She stepped out of the room. Ziva followed her out. She found her leaning against the railing.
"What's on your mind?" Sarah sighed and let her head hang. She closed her eyes and let her hair hang over the rail.
"I'm just frustrated. What the hell is wrong with them?" Ziva put a hand on her back. "I mean, we talked about this over and over. He was not supposed to get out. You heard Asher in there. He is coming for me. Ziva, I don't want to admit it, but…" she hesitated. She took a breath before she said, "I am scared."
"I know that you are frustrated. That just means we have no choice but to find him." Sarah turned toward her. Ziva put her hands on her shoulders. "We will find him. Don't worry about that."
Gibbs stepped out of MTAC. He saw the women and stopped. He noticed Sarah rest her head on Ziva as she tried to breathe calmly. He could sense her frustration. He approached the women and put a hand on Sarah's back.
"Come on. Let's go get Jess and go through his cell." She nodded and straightened her jacket. She ran her fingers through her hair and headed down the stairs.
"Gibbs." He stopped before going down the steps. "Is she going to be ok?"
"I'm not so sure about that this time, Ziver." He followed Sarah down the steps. He swung by his desk to grab his gear before meeting Sarah by the elevator. Her neutral façade had dissolved, and frustration was evident on her face. They let the people off the elevator before stepping in. After a few seconds, Gibbs stopped the elevator.
"Talk to me. What's going on?" She shook her head and tried not to lose it.
"I'm fine. I'm just frustrated. I'll get over it." She leaned against the elevator wall and put a hand to her forehead. She took deep breaths until she calmed down. Gibbs eyed her strangely. This was not normal for her. She was freaking out in a way he did not expect. She kept telling herself to keep it together. Showing her fear was going to get her in even more trouble, but this time she was having trouble containing it.
"Sarah, I am concerned about you."
"Don't be. I'll be fine." She reached over and flipped the switch. The elevator roared back to life.
They headed to the parking garage. Sarah stopped at her car and grabbed a duffel bag out of the back. She threw it in the back of Gibbs' car before climbing into the passenger seat. She watched the scenery outside the window as Gibbs drove to the base where Jessica was waiting. Sarah jumped out of the car as soon as Gibbs stopped it. She ran up to the door and walked inside. She came back out a few minutes later with Jessica. She had a duffel bag similar to Sarah's over her shoulder.
"You ladies ready?" Gibbs asked. Jessica threw her bag with Sarah's and scooted into the back seat by her.
"Ready as we'll ever be." Jessica handed him a piece of paper. "Here is where Bruno was being held." Gibbs glanced at it before driving off in that direction.
"Jessica, where is your brother?" Gibbs asked to break the silence. "I was surprised not to see him."
"He is out on assignment. We weren't able to reach him."
"It's probably for the best," Sarah said. "He would go after Bruno himself." Jessica nodded in agreement.
"This is true. He was just as angry about Bruno as Sarah was."
Jessica looked over and noticed Sarah lost in thought. Her neutral façade had returned in the car ride. Sarah found she was starting to keep it together better. She did not want Jessica to suspect how concerned she really was, or that Director Asher suspected that Bruno was after her more than Jess. Gibbs already was leery about her feelings on the case. She had to tell Ziva or she really would not have been able to contain it. She kept wishing this wasn't happening, but in the back of her mind, feared this is what Director Asher alluded to many months ago.
Gibbs pulled up to the jail and quickly found a parking spot. They stepped out of the car and went inside. They were waved through; the director had called ahead and informed them of their purpose. One of the guards led the group to Bruno's cell. Many prisoners whistled at the girls as they passed.
"Why don't you ladies stay, and we'll show you a good time?" one prisoner said to them. Sarah and Jessica gave them a hard stare.
"In your dreams," they said together. They continued to the cell. One of the guards quieted the men.
The girls stopped in front of the cell before they stepped inside. Gibbs noticed them hesitate. He knew this would be a hard case for them to revisit.
"Gibbs," Sarah called from the cell, "you should see this." He stepped into the cell behind them. One of the guards stayed outside.
Posted on two walls were various pictures and news clippings on each woman. One wall was dedicated to each of them. They each went to their corresponding walls to study what he had posted about them. Gibbs handed them gloves and pulled out a camera. He took detailed photos of the walls before they peeled off the photos and articles and put them into boxes. They found more unposted papers under the mattress. Sarah found pictures from a few months prior when the men Bruno had hired kidnapped her. They had sent him proof of her capture before the team found her. It unnerved her to see those pictures. Through the mess of papers, they were unable to find what his next plan of action was.
"He's obsessed," Jessica said, looking down at the boxes of papers in front of them. The walls were completely stripped down to the cinder blocks.
"Should we take these back to Abby and Ducky?" Sarah asked. Gibbs pulled out his phone.
"I'll let them know what they are about to get." The girls each grabbed two boxes. Gibbs walked in front of them while the guard stationed outside walked behind until they got to the car. They slipped the boxes in the trunk and slid the three duffel bags to the side. He climbed into the front while the girls climbed into the back. Jessica pulled out her phone and tried to call her brother.
"Damn it. He's still not available." She set the phone down and sighed.
"You'll get him eventually," Gibbs reassured her. They dropped the boxes off before Gibbs drove them to his place.
When they arrived at his place, they pulled the duffel bags out of his trunk. They carried the bags to the guest room Sarah used and set them in the corner. Gibbs started to heat some food up for them to eat. The girls changed before reassembling in the family room in front of the TV. He gave them each a plate. They murmured a thank you and took a bite. Gibbs sat on one of the chairs and studied them.
"I'm concerned about you ladies." They set down their forks and looked up. "Sarah, you especially."
"Why me?"
"Sarah, I saw how you reacted when you found out Bruno had betrayed you and the agency." She looked away from him. She didn't want him to see that he was right. Jessica set her plate down.
"Sarah." She wrapped her arms around her. "We'll find him," she reminded herself as well as Sarah.
She casually shrugged her off. "I'll be fine." She picked up her fork. "I will not let him get to me." A neutral façade took over her face once more. Gibbs knew this was an even bigger concern. He needed to talk to her alone.
Sarah leaned back and finished her plate. Jessica took her plate when she was done. She took the three plates and placed them in the sink. They sat in the family room in silence and watched the TV screen. Finally, Jessica stood up.
"I'm going to head to bed. I'll see you in the morning, Gibbs." She walked up the steps and went to the guest room. Sarah stood up to do the same.
"Sarah, we need to talk." She stopped and turned around. "Sit." He slid over on the couch and made space for her. She reluctantly sat down next to him. "What is going on? This is not like you."
She sighed and rested her head in her lap. She knew she could not hide what she was feeling from Gibbs forever. He could read her like an open book. She had never been able to conceal her thoughts from him, especially something like this. "I'm so frustrated. I mean, he's out! He is out doing whatever the hell he wants and for all we know, he could be after us! He could be after me!" Gibbs pulled her close and held her protectively. "I'm scared." He wiped away a tear falling down her face.
"We'll find him. He will not touch you. I will do all I can to not let that happen." A scream came from upstairs. Gibbs and Sarah ran up the stairs to the guest room.
"I heard him. He was right out the window." Jessica was shaking on the opposite corner of the room. Sarah moved next to her.
"Both of you, in the basement. Now." They hurried down the steps to the basement. Sarah sat against one of the ribs of the boat. Jessica sat next to her.
"Gibbs will find him," Sarah said. "Someday, he will find him." She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself or Jessica more.
"I don't doubt that," Jessica said.
Gibbs grabbed his gun and a flashlight. He stepped outside and circled the perimeter of the house. He was unable to find Bruno, but he did find footprints in the mud outside the guest room window.
Gibbs went back inside and found the girls asleep against the skeletal boat. He smiled and walked over to the women.
"Wake up, it's safe. He's gone." Sarah rubbed her eyes. Jessica stretched.
"Does this mean we can go to bed now?" Jessica asked. Sarah yawned and nodded in agreement.
"Go to bed. I'll see you in the morning." He helped them up to bed and made sure they went to sleep. He made sure his house was secure one more time before heading off to bed himself. He locked all the doors, while something he did not normally do, something that was necessary tonight.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Be warned, this will go in a darker direction. Be ready