Missing 1/1
Story two of the arc.
Missing
"What is taking Probie so long? I'm starving here."
Ziva looked over at Tony and shrugged, while Gibbs was very intently listening to the phone call he'd just received. Eventually Gibbs hung up abruptly and jumped to his feet with a strange look on his face. "Gear up."
They did, Tony pulling out his phone at the same time. "You want me to call McGee, have him meet us there?"
The strange look on Gibbs' face just intensified and he shook his head as he scribbled down the address and handed it to Ziva. David, you drive the truck. I'll meet you there."
"Why is she driving?" DiNozzo blanched at the look of glee on Ziva's face. It had been a very long time since Gibbs had given her the truck keys. Gibbs ignored the question as he moved quickly toward the stairwell, already on the phone again.
---NCIS---
"Gear up."
The words said over the phone were echoing in his head as he ordered Ziva to drive and rushed out of the bullpen.
Robbery gone bad.
Second victim.
NCIS cap found in the blood.
Ducky was called first, civilian victim or not, if McGee was missing, this was their case.
He'd dialed McGee the second he'd hit the stairwell, but the phone was answered by one of the cops at the scene.
Gibbs, I guess this means your man was definitely here.
Not what he wanted to hear. "Did they take his car?"
Black sedan still in the lot, federal tags.
"Damn it." They were smart enough to know the car could be tracked and they'd left McGee's phone behind. This was not good. "Our man, our case."
Figured as much.
Snapping his phone shut, Gibbs sped up, leaving the truck in his dust.
---NCIS---
"Whoa, what's got Gibbs all fired up?" Tony hung on as Ziva changed lanes, trying to keep Gibbs in sight.
"I do not know. That address is familiar, though."
Tony took the slip of paper from the seat between them. It was familiar, but he couldn't place it. A quick Google search showed him what he didn't want to see. "It's that deli Gibbs likes, the one with the killer pastrami sandwiches."
"Do you think that McGee-"
"No! Don't even think that, Ziva."
"Perhaps he called it in?"
"Okay, maybe. Yeah, that would explain why Gibbs said not to bother calling him." Pushing that little bubble of panic back, Tony's head bobbed up and down. Poor guy, after all these years he still turned green at some of the more bloody scenes and Tony silently promised not to razz him too much. His suspicions were confirmed when they pulled in behind Gibbs and saw the sedan already parked there. "Yeah, he called it it."
Tony was out of the truck before Ziva had it fully parked. "McGee got the scene secured, Boss?" Gibbs turned and his expression drove a spike of fear through Tony. "Boss?"
The first part of the crime scene was so close to the door that they could go through that way, but they could see blood all over the floor, both in pools and smears, a familiar cap laying nearby and Tony closed his eyes for a second as the reality set in. "He already on his way to the hospital?"
"We don't know where he is."
"But...?"
Gibbs shook his head, an expression on his face that Tony had never seen. "LEO's found it like this. Owner is dead behind the counter. Blood and McGee's cap by the door. His phone, too."
Ziva finally arrived in time to hear that. "Then where is McGee's body?"
Tony took a good look at Gibbs' face. The man was determined, but there was a haunted look in his eyes and Tony remembered that Gibbs had ordered McGee to make the lunch run and was probably feeling a little guilty. "You think the perp took McGee hostage?"
Gibbs looked at the blood and shook his head. "He didn't leave here on his own, that's for sure. Let's get started; that much of a blood loss..."
Tony and Ziva exchanged a glance. If all the blood on the floor was McGee's, he was in serious trouble.
---NCIS---
"Hey, guys, what you got for me?" It was mid-afternoon and the day had been slow for Abby. She was caught up on her paperwork and was hoping to get out in time for a concert, but one look at the expressions on Gibbs', Tony's and Ziva's faces and where in the hell was McGee? Getting a very bad feeling, her blood ran cold. "Guys?"
Gibbs' mouth opened twice before any words came out. "Robbery went bad. Looks like McGee..."
When his words ran out, Tony filled her in. "We think he's been taken hostage, Abby. We know he was hurt."
Cold, she was so cold and Tony's voice sounded so far away as she tried to correct him. "No, no, no. McGee doesn't get hurt. You're wrong, I'll just call him..." Her phone was right there and she instantly thumbed the familiar number. It rang in stereo, both in her hand and in the evidence box Ziva was holding. Then Tony was there, making sure she didn't fall to the ground.
"Abby, we need you. McGee needs you."
McGee needed her, she could help save him. Locking the terror away, Abby straightened up. "Okay, give me the evidence. If there's something there, I'll find it." She blanched at the two bloodied bullets, but she was determined to find something to save McGee.
Gibbs still looked haunted but at least now he was talking. "Ziva, you stay and help Abby. Tony and I will go through the surveillance tapes."
---NCIS---
"Boss?" They were back in the elevator, but Gibbs had pressed the button for down instead of up.
Gibbs held up the tapes. "I want Ducky's opinion."
Tony couldn't remember Gibbs doing that or behaving like he was. "Umm, okay."
Dorneget was wheeling in the equipment just as they arrived. Ducky seemed surprised by both arrivals. "Jethro, what is all this? I haven't even begun the autopsy."
"This comes first. If we're lucky, we'll see what went down. Need you to tell me what the game plan is. Why kill the owner and take McGee?"
"All right. I'm not sure how much of a psychological profile I can give you based on this, but I will do what I can."
The tape was started and they all breathed a small sigh of relief that the images were clear. Apparently Harold Wahl took security very seriously because the image was a split screen, showing the deli from two different directions. Tony got it running on fast forward until about thirty minutes before McGee would have arrived. They watched as two men came in and started harassing the deli owner. A few minutes into the confrontation, a small revolver was pulled.
"That's not the gun they used to kill Mr. Wahl." Palmer was watching, along with Ducky, and Tony just nodded. The bullet they'd dug out of the wall behind Wahl had been a much larger caliber.
On the left side of the screen they saw McGee arrive, head down, collar up, trying to avoid the worst of the rain. The suspect with the gun fired on him before the door had fully closed behind him.
"Shit, he never stood a chance."
Gibbs only nodded at Tony's observation as the attack continued to unfold on the screen, all of them wincing as McGee was repeatedly kicked and punched and Tony felt a bit of pride in his partner for fighting to maintain control of his weapon. He couldn't draw it, but he kept his attackers from gaining control right up until one vicious kick to the head rendered him unconscious. It was only then that the apparent ringleader gained possession of the Agency issued SIG Sauer.
Tony held his breath as the SIG was leveled at McGee's head. He couldn't read lips, but Gibbs tensed next to him. Just before McGee would have been shot, the deli owner charged at the would-be robbers, armed with nothing more than a cast-iron skillet. He only made it a step or two before the ringleader swung around and fired. Wahl's head snapped back, the exit wound leaving a cloud of blood and brain matter on the wall behind him.
More words were said, which seemed to get Gibbs even more angry, before the suspects dragged McGee out of the shop. They were out of view of either camera and just as Tony was giving up on getting any additional leads, a car backed up into view before pulling away. Tony scrambled for the remote and backed the tape up, slowing it down so that it moved frame by frame before freezing it when the license plate became visible.
"Good job, Tony. Get a BOLO out on it."
"On it, Boss. Hang on, Probie, we're coming."
Missing
"What is taking Probie so long? I'm starving here."
Ziva looked over at Tony and shrugged, while Gibbs was very intently listening to the phone call he'd just received. Eventually Gibbs hung up abruptly and jumped to his feet with a strange look on his face. "Gear up."
They did, Tony pulling out his phone at the same time. "You want me to call McGee, have him meet us there?"
The strange look on Gibbs' face just intensified and he shook his head as he scribbled down the address and handed it to Ziva. David, you drive the truck. I'll meet you there."
"Why is she driving?" DiNozzo blanched at the look of glee on Ziva's face. It had been a very long time since Gibbs had given her the truck keys. Gibbs ignored the question as he moved quickly toward the stairwell, already on the phone again.
---NCIS---
"Gear up."
The words said over the phone were echoing in his head as he ordered Ziva to drive and rushed out of the bullpen.
Robbery gone bad.
Second victim.
NCIS cap found in the blood.
Ducky was called first, civilian victim or not, if McGee was missing, this was their case.
He'd dialed McGee the second he'd hit the stairwell, but the phone was answered by one of the cops at the scene.
Gibbs, I guess this means your man was definitely here.
Not what he wanted to hear. "Did they take his car?"
Black sedan still in the lot, federal tags.
"Damn it." They were smart enough to know the car could be tracked and they'd left McGee's phone behind. This was not good. "Our man, our case."
Figured as much.
Snapping his phone shut, Gibbs sped up, leaving the truck in his dust.
---NCIS---
"Whoa, what's got Gibbs all fired up?" Tony hung on as Ziva changed lanes, trying to keep Gibbs in sight.
"I do not know. That address is familiar, though."
Tony took the slip of paper from the seat between them. It was familiar, but he couldn't place it. A quick Google search showed him what he didn't want to see. "It's that deli Gibbs likes, the one with the killer pastrami sandwiches."
"Do you think that McGee-"
"No! Don't even think that, Ziva."
"Perhaps he called it in?"
"Okay, maybe. Yeah, that would explain why Gibbs said not to bother calling him." Pushing that little bubble of panic back, Tony's head bobbed up and down. Poor guy, after all these years he still turned green at some of the more bloody scenes and Tony silently promised not to razz him too much. His suspicions were confirmed when they pulled in behind Gibbs and saw the sedan already parked there. "Yeah, he called it it."
Tony was out of the truck before Ziva had it fully parked. "McGee got the scene secured, Boss?" Gibbs turned and his expression drove a spike of fear through Tony. "Boss?"
The first part of the crime scene was so close to the door that they could go through that way, but they could see blood all over the floor, both in pools and smears, a familiar cap laying nearby and Tony closed his eyes for a second as the reality set in. "He already on his way to the hospital?"
"We don't know where he is."
"But...?"
Gibbs shook his head, an expression on his face that Tony had never seen. "LEO's found it like this. Owner is dead behind the counter. Blood and McGee's cap by the door. His phone, too."
Ziva finally arrived in time to hear that. "Then where is McGee's body?"
Tony took a good look at Gibbs' face. The man was determined, but there was a haunted look in his eyes and Tony remembered that Gibbs had ordered McGee to make the lunch run and was probably feeling a little guilty. "You think the perp took McGee hostage?"
Gibbs looked at the blood and shook his head. "He didn't leave here on his own, that's for sure. Let's get started; that much of a blood loss..."
Tony and Ziva exchanged a glance. If all the blood on the floor was McGee's, he was in serious trouble.
---NCIS---
"Hey, guys, what you got for me?" It was mid-afternoon and the day had been slow for Abby. She was caught up on her paperwork and was hoping to get out in time for a concert, but one look at the expressions on Gibbs', Tony's and Ziva's faces and where in the hell was McGee? Getting a very bad feeling, her blood ran cold. "Guys?"
Gibbs' mouth opened twice before any words came out. "Robbery went bad. Looks like McGee..."
When his words ran out, Tony filled her in. "We think he's been taken hostage, Abby. We know he was hurt."
Cold, she was so cold and Tony's voice sounded so far away as she tried to correct him. "No, no, no. McGee doesn't get hurt. You're wrong, I'll just call him..." Her phone was right there and she instantly thumbed the familiar number. It rang in stereo, both in her hand and in the evidence box Ziva was holding. Then Tony was there, making sure she didn't fall to the ground.
"Abby, we need you. McGee needs you."
McGee needed her, she could help save him. Locking the terror away, Abby straightened up. "Okay, give me the evidence. If there's something there, I'll find it." She blanched at the two bloodied bullets, but she was determined to find something to save McGee.
Gibbs still looked haunted but at least now he was talking. "Ziva, you stay and help Abby. Tony and I will go through the surveillance tapes."
---NCIS---
"Boss?" They were back in the elevator, but Gibbs had pressed the button for down instead of up.
Gibbs held up the tapes. "I want Ducky's opinion."
Tony couldn't remember Gibbs doing that or behaving like he was. "Umm, okay."
Dorneget was wheeling in the equipment just as they arrived. Ducky seemed surprised by both arrivals. "Jethro, what is all this? I haven't even begun the autopsy."
"This comes first. If we're lucky, we'll see what went down. Need you to tell me what the game plan is. Why kill the owner and take McGee?"
"All right. I'm not sure how much of a psychological profile I can give you based on this, but I will do what I can."
The tape was started and they all breathed a small sigh of relief that the images were clear. Apparently Harold Wahl took security very seriously because the image was a split screen, showing the deli from two different directions. Tony got it running on fast forward until about thirty minutes before McGee would have arrived. They watched as two men came in and started harassing the deli owner. A few minutes into the confrontation, a small revolver was pulled.
"That's not the gun they used to kill Mr. Wahl." Palmer was watching, along with Ducky, and Tony just nodded. The bullet they'd dug out of the wall behind Wahl had been a much larger caliber.
On the left side of the screen they saw McGee arrive, head down, collar up, trying to avoid the worst of the rain. The suspect with the gun fired on him before the door had fully closed behind him.
"Shit, he never stood a chance."
Gibbs only nodded at Tony's observation as the attack continued to unfold on the screen, all of them wincing as McGee was repeatedly kicked and punched and Tony felt a bit of pride in his partner for fighting to maintain control of his weapon. He couldn't draw it, but he kept his attackers from gaining control right up until one vicious kick to the head rendered him unconscious. It was only then that the apparent ringleader gained possession of the Agency issued SIG Sauer.
Tony held his breath as the SIG was leveled at McGee's head. He couldn't read lips, but Gibbs tensed next to him. Just before McGee would have been shot, the deli owner charged at the would-be robbers, armed with nothing more than a cast-iron skillet. He only made it a step or two before the ringleader swung around and fired. Wahl's head snapped back, the exit wound leaving a cloud of blood and brain matter on the wall behind him.
More words were said, which seemed to get Gibbs even more angry, before the suspects dragged McGee out of the shop. They were out of view of either camera and just as Tony was giving up on getting any additional leads, a car backed up into view before pulling away. Tony scrambled for the remote and backed the tape up, slowing it down so that it moved frame by frame before freezing it when the license plate became visible.
"Good job, Tony. Get a BOLO out on it."
"On it, Boss. Hang on, Probie, we're coming."