Disclaimer: no legal rights to NCIS, no money being made.

NOT BETA'D, EACH AND EVERY MISTAKE IS MINE, SORRY!

Warnings: same as Chapter One, also not for Ziva fans, nor Tiva fans. Therefore, read at your own risk you have been warned.

Is anyone reading this? I'm not sure as there were no reviews for Chapter Twenty. Just wondering, it has been a long time..

DETERMINED TO HOLD

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE - Timothy McGee PART TWO-oth ache

As Timothy McGee sat in the back seat of the Agency car waiting for criminal Elvis Fesson and miscreant Alvin Fesson to emerge from the large condemned ancient dump they called home, he had time to reflect on why he was sitting in the back seat of the Agency car. Because Ziva David had claimed the front passenger seat as her rightful throne, that's why.

And ever since that brief talk with Gibbs on their outing to get coffee those several months ago, McGee had had no reason to fight her about who possessed what. The prank she and Abby had played on Tony DiNozzo, which Tim just knew had forced the older man to be 'in the wind,' had been thoroughly investigated by IA and even Human Resources for cultivating a hostile environment. The outcome and resulting penalty of their investigation had been approved; red color-coded reprimand for Abby in her permanent file and two weeks suspension with no pay for Ziva David. And now, unbelievably, in her mind at least, Ziva was firmly established, even if not officially promoted, as Gibbs' second in command in all things MCRT.

Gibbs had told McGee on that coffee run,'trust me on this and follow my lead,' and Gibbs had looked at him briefly as though he'd just imparted a secret that he knew McGee would figure out. So that's what he had been doing for months now, trying to figure it out in spite of Ziva's climb up Tony's back to what she thought was the ultimate accomplishment. Next stop for her, something deranged Jenny Shepherd had promised but could not produce, Directorship! And Tim wondered if Ziva really was that ignorant to believe the higher ups or was she just playing along knowing that those in charge would lie to her like Shepherd had done and she would accept the lie because of her immense ego. That insane notion that she, the most unqualified, psychologically unfit person in the building would be placed in such a position was ludicrous. But then again, for political reasons who knew what the US government would do. It would not disavow her as long as the relationship between Mossad, especially Assistant Director Eli David, and NCIS remained viable.

Whatever was going on, and since he wasn't privy to whatever was going on, Tim could only make educated guesses based on what facts he had. One guess was that Tony was deeply involved in why Ziva had been kept on after the stunt she had pulled. Maybe not directly involved with her but with the mission he was on. Yeah, there was a connection. And since there had been no word about Tony or from him for that matter, Tim would just have to take Gibbs' word for the little info he had shared that he was alright. Just once, Tim had asked Gibbs, "does DiNozzo have reliable backup?" And Gibbs' answer was a little slow in coming. "Yes, but something could always go wrong."

Well, gee, thanks loads for the enthusiastic optimism, Tim's voice in his head had sarcastically replied and he sheepishly admitted that he was still an abysmal coward in confronting Gibbs out loud. That was purely a DiNozzo responsibility. But than again, he preferred that truth that Tony had relatively reliable backup over Gibbs lying to him about Tony's status. So, he had not asked about Tony again just waited for the man to show up whole and safe.

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McGee's reflections were put on hold just then at Gibbs' quiet, "they're coming out." This was a delicate operation, timing was everything. "No going off halfcocked or guns blazing on this one." Gibbs repeated mainly for Ziva's ears.

Tim noted Ziva took it in stride. No arguments and just a little pushback. She could accept discipline from this man but she could also express if she had a 'brittle bone to pick'.

"Of course, Gibbs. We have been briefed and reminded what to me has seemed excessive and unneeded promptings and warnings such that I am now convinced that you do not trust that we can and will perform our duties satisfactorily."

"And yet, here we are," said the junior agent Hansen Beatty. The junior agent Ziva David could not stomach who was sitting in the back with McGee. "I'm reminded of the broken foot our last perp received after you stomped on it with the heel of your boot several times," he continued. "He's suing the Agency and the Military for which we work, by the way, in case you didn't know that, Officer David, because he said that he had surrendered and you had him in handcuffs and that you did it on purpose."

Tim sat quietly waiting for his laptops answer to his query about the brothers finances so he had a perfect view of Ziva's face reflected from the window. She could see Beatty, the vile dull creature she had called him, in the rearview mirror if she shifted a little but before she could open her mouth to witheringly respond to his verbal offense, Gibbs, not one for subtlety, growled at them to, "shut the h-ll up!" from the drivers seat of the agency car they were sitting in.

"I beg your pardon, Agent Gibbs," wide-eyed Hansen apologized softly. "I foolishly forgot my place and why we are here." His apology was quick and sincere and in the darkened car, his red-faced embarrassment was evident. Ziva's triumphant smirk as she sat back in her seat was also evident, no apology was forthcoming. There was no more idle talk after that.

McGee almost felt sorry for their newest agent since the young man was on borrowed time, at least on Gibbs' team, according to the office pool. Betting probabilities, lines and spreads had determined the odds were against him being a member of this team long- term and the poor sap was the joke of the building. But so far, Gibbs hadn't fired the guy and David hadn't killed him. And against the odds, Beatty was still there every day with a good morning greeting along with a smile to the utter disgust of Ziva David and her less than subtle warnings that he was not welcome there. And the honest truth was, there was something about this guy that reminded Tim of Tony DiNozzo not so many years ago, and McGee had a hunch that just possibly, Gibbs felt the same way.

Ziva definitely had felt threatened or something and tried not to show it. She'd looked up some words in the online dictionary to use to denigrate the man as a brash, cocky, arrogant know it all over himself. He had been assigned to their team while DiNozzo was elsewhere and the thing was, he wasn't cowed by David or even Gibbs for that matter and Ziva felt he spoke his piece with great fanfare believing his utterances were gold to those listening. Ziva, of course, took umbrage at his remarks, even his innocuous 'good mornings' sapped her patience.

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So here they sat, the four of them in the car. The MCRT had been assigned back up to Agent Balboa's team who had the lead in the case of two navy kids who'd been kidnapped by the Fesson brothers two days ago. These brothers had proved to be indiscriminate killers to anyone who got in their way; and two people were already dead, the babysitter and the mailman who came to deliver mail at the right place at the wrong time. Now that they'd been discovered they were on the run. Where were the children?

The brothers were allowed to drive off with GPS firmly attached in their car and under their car and several teams of NCIS and FBI followed while the lead team immediately lead the chase. Gibbs' team assigned to search the house entered the back way in after the brothers had left and diligently searched but the children were not there. Not finding them there was tantamount to a death sentence; they had to find where the children were hidden and odds were against their survival if it didn't happen soon.

"You two take down here," Gibbs had told Ziva and Beatty, we'll take the upstairs!" And he and McGee had raced up the stairs of the two story house.

"Maybe we should search again." Beatty looked around at the messy house and rotting food and dishes in the sink. He was agitated, running both hands through his hair. "Something isn't right," the young man lamented. "They have to be here. Those brothers didn't have time and are too slow-witted to move them anywhere else."

"Yes, something is not right, exactly! You are acting like a child with a tantrum not an NCIS agent! Please stop! We have checked the house, room by room, starting from the attic and there is no basement and we have found nothing!" Ziva was facing Beatty so he could not miss the supercilious expression designed to humiliate him, and the contempt on her face. "Your stating of the obvious is redundant and distracting…"

And Beatty, who got his feistiness from his mother, refused to stand there dumbly wasting time while this arrogant heifer as his mother would have called her, continued to pour out a further stream of insults and abuse. He got up to her close and personal and boldly shouted in her smug face, "shut up, shut up, shut up, you stupid idiot Mossad defector wannabe investigator."

Childish, yes, immature and emotional, but he was of that generation of instant gratification so yelling at her made him feel better for the moment and unconcerned with whatever threats she'd spew at him including death by paper clip for his insolence in venting his fury and frustrations at her.

"Just put a sock in your useless mouth and let me think for a minute!" he went on. Ziva's tirade did abruptly stop because she had never in her life been vilified to her face like that before and especially in front of witnesses and she was literally shocked into silence. How dare he! What did he just say to her? "How dare you!" she screamed out of control.

Gibbs and McGee had finished their search upstairs and the attic and had not found any sign of the children. McGee avoided looking at Gibbs as they started down the attic stairs knowing the man needed his disappointment to be private. He felt helpless and ineffectual himself, what were they doing this job for if they couldn't make a difference in the outcome of this horrendous case? Suddenly they heard Ziva's screamed words and Beatty's agitated raised voice downstairs. Maybe their luck had changed, maybe the other two agents had found the children. But no, that was Beatty fending Ziva off yelling at her to shut up and let him think.

McGee was thinking bravo Beatty for having the courage he'd never had in a confrontation with her in the past, but Gibbs was infuriated. McGee flew down the stairs behind Gibbs who reached the out-of-line couple and stepped roughly between them.

"What in the hell is going on down here?! Can't I leave you two alone for one damn minute?! Well?"

Ziva knew better than to pursue any further disparaging remarks about Agent Beatty's incompetence, his conviction that they had missed something, and his insults against her. But later she would employ and enjoy her own counter attack against him. Punishment would be swift and he must know how dangerous it was to scream at her and throw spittle in her face, he must know his place.

"Nothing, Gibbs. We have found nothing to indicate the children are or were ever here."

Gibbs' attention turned to Agent Beatty, "Beatty, what was all the yelling about, then?"

Calmer now, Beatty was able to put his thoughts in order. He started talking almost to himself as he paced. "You and Agent McGee searched upstairs and I know your search was thorough. So they're not upstairs so they have to be down here. I've paced the floor and the measurements are right so there is no extra or hidden room here. We've missed something but what are we missing?"

Beatty looked like he was going to shed tears. "Look Hans," sympathized McGee, "this is hard we all know that but we're not giving up…"

"I have told him as much but he refuses to listen. We could be searching…"

"Quiet, Ziva! Admonished Gibbs. Then in a softer tone, "What is it Beatty, what are we missing?"

"No, they're here, I can feel it…something about the house. We checked top to bottom but what about…what about under the house?" His eyes got bigger. "They're under the house, they have to be!" And he ran for the front door.

McGee glanced briefly at Gibbs before taking off after Beatty figuring who was it going to hurt to check under the house? But if those children were under the house, well, he wouldn't go there right now, just think positive good things. Besides, DiNozzo sometimes came up with clues like that and he or they would find the victim in time.

Gibbs nodded at McGee and let Beatty take the lead as he followed them at a fast pace out of the house hoping against all odds for a miracle finding of two kids still alive. Ziva came up the rear. In her heart, she wanted those children found, alive and safe, just not from a clue by the Tony clone they were stuck with. She had worked so hard to get rid of one Tony because she could not control him, break him or even get him to like her. What had she done to deserve another one?

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So they were outside in the dark. Ziva had been sent to check the grounds for anything they could be missing while McGee and Beatty were scrabbling on all fours under the house. Gibbs was on his knees shining the two flashlights they had under the house for the little light they produced.

Large old wooden crates were piled up at the back of the house along with ripped bags of rotting garbage and animal feces by the boatload for them to crawl through. It was disgusting. McGee with his handkerchief tied around his mouth and nose and barely keeping his hotdog dinner down and Beatty who appeared impervious to the foul rankness frantically used bare hands to shoveled their way through the debris and further into the nasty unpleasantness. They came upon it so suddenly it was so well hidden that Tim forgot for a moment he was sitting in a pile of fecal matter.

An enclosed crawl space under the house effectively hidden to a casual observer by piled up debris. The structure was made of wood, which had obvious mold, wood rot and termite infestation and was crumbling from dampness and standing water. From what they could see of it, it appeared to be about 5 foot deep but they couldn't see how far it went in either direction with only their flashlights to guide them.

"We found something, Gibbs." McGee hollered out.

After a few impatient seconds and hoping against all odds it wasn't two dead children they'd found, Gibbs hollered back impatiently. "Well, what'd you find?"

"There's a crawl space down here, Gibbs," McGee shouted back, "but we can't find an entrance."

"An entrance to a crawl space?" Gibbs couldn't believe how young and dumb these agents were who didn't know anything about a crawl space.

"Well, quit looking for a door then, these things are built to enter from somewhere else; the house or on the grounds. Come on out, we'll check the back rooms, you two check the front. There must be an entrance in the house somewhere and we missed it, a door…"

"Gibbs, the kitchen, the floor squeaks, that's what alerted me, the squeaky floor. The door has to be there in the kitchen."

"Alright, we'll check the kitchen, come on!" Gibbs said urgently as they scrambled out from under the house.

Once inside the kitchen they started a hurried but systematic hands on examination of the walls, behind the refrigerator, stove and cabinets. McGee was rubbing his hands over the dusty, cobwebby wall behind the refrigerator when he felt a slight change in the texture of the wall. He used his knife to scrape away some paint and a barely visible demarcation prompted him to dig some more. "Boss, over here," he yelled excitedly.

"Whatcha got, McGee?" Gibbs ran his hand down the wall picking up on the imperfection. "I've seen this before. There should be a door that slides into a pocket in the wall," he said, as he ran his hand to the bottom of the wall just above the floorboard.

"And an auto device when pressed should open the door." Gibbs used the toe of his boot to press into the wall above the floorboard and the door opened and slid into its slot in the wall. He couldn't help as a carpenter for a brief moment being impressed by the hidden door that blended seamlessly into the rest of this once majestic homes architecture. The hole that created was about 4 feet tall, just enough room to crawl through. "I'll go," said Beatty as he prepared to shuck his jacket.

"You stay put," said Gibbs who already had his off. He scrambled into the hole and disappeared. Maybe four minutes passed before McGee anxiously called out, "Gibbs, anything?"

"Gibbs?" McGee was readying himself to crawl in after him.

"Call the ambulance. I'm bringing one out, hurry!"

Ziva came rushing in from the kitchen door and heard the last part of Gibbs requesting an ambulance. "They're alive, Tim?" she questioned and whispered a prayer of thanksgiving in Hebrew as she moved to take the first child from Gibbs who then returned into the hole.

After calling for emergency services, McGee was on the phone with Special Agent Balboa. "We found them, Balboa, we found them in a crawl space under the house. Yeah, they're alive, unconscious, probably drugged, but alive. YES, pick those S.O.B's up now! Arrest their foul sorry asses!"

By this time, Gibbs had returned from the hole with the second child wrapped in his arms and the blare of sirens was a welcome sound. Beatty ran outside again to direct the paramedics.

After that, the paramedics took over and the FBI were called and were on their way. It was their case now.

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Tim sat on the littered filthy floor leaning back against the wall. The unexciting ending was surprisingly welcome, the children were safe, their monster abductors all but jailed for life and no one on his team had been hurt; now all that was left was to gather evidence, wait till daylight to take pictures of the crawl space and write up a report.

McGee sighed in tiredness. It was going to be a long night. They'd been on high alert for days and he'd had his teeth clenched in his jaw so hard for so long from the stress he was surprised he didn't have a mouthful of chipped, even broken teeth and he could finally relax his painful jaw.

The rest of his team sat quietly on the floor as well except for Gibbs who had just returned from the crawl space after a second look. He stood facing them his face grim and Tim idly wondered what possible reason could the man have this time for not being happy.

"First, Beatty, you saved those kids. You have my thanks for doing a great job in finding them and even better, you'll have the thanks of their parents." From Gibbs, that was rare and high praise and Beatty looked down in embarrassment as McGee and David added their praise to the queue.

"You're a hero, Hans," said McGee while patting him on the back.

"Yes, a very good job, Beatty," said Ziva smiling at him with nothing obviously hidden behind her visage of cheerfulness.

But Gibbs wasn't finished. Now for the bad news. Noting the still grim expression McGee quickly stood up, the others followed suit.

"What's going on, Boss? The children are safe, aren't they, what…?"

Gibbs held up his hand for silence. "Those children are safe. But, unfortunately, when I was down there the first time, I found a dead body I thought was one of the children we were looking for but it wasn't. This body looked like a child's but it'd been there for at least a year. When I went back down to take a second look, I found several skeletal remains of what appears to be two other children. It looks like those two brothers were more than just kidnappers, they were child serial killers."

Gibbs waited for that to sink in before telling them they were no longer involved in this new case. No evidence collecting, no pictures except for what they needed for their case file and a short write up about finding additional dead bodies. Identity of the missing dead children and finding their parents would be the responsibility of the FBI now.

"I've called Fornell with an update and they're on their way. Once they get here, we're leaving. Write up a prelim report and then you're free to go. You have the day off tomorrow. Be back at 8 on Monday. And good job, all of you."

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