Chapter 17:
While en route to their location, which Gibbs informed the team was another bar, Abby sent to everyone’s phone a picture of Matt Robinson. Pulling up near the bar, everyone started to get out until Gibbs stopped
them.
“DiNozzo, McGee, take the back. Ziva, you’re with me at the front,” he instructed them.
Tony, getting an idea of what Gibbs had in mind, grinned and asked, “So how are ya gonna get him to run, Boss?”
Gibbs just gave him a look that told him he had better get moving as he held up his cell phone.
Nodding, Tony said, “Let’s go, McGee.”
As they went their separate ways, Gibbs dialed the number that Wilcox had given them.
“So what do you think Gibbs is going to say to him?” McGee asked as they positioned themselves by the backdoor of the bar.
Tony shrugged. “Does it really matter what he says? If you were a bad guy and Gibbs was on the other line, wouldn’t your first reaction be to run?”
“I guess so,” McGee agreed, wondering if he asked if Ziva would tell him what the Boss said. “Which way do you think he will come out?”
No sooner did he finish asking the question did the door fly open to reveal a panicking Matt Robinson stumbling to the ground in an attempt to move as fast as possible.
Reacting quickly, McGee kept his gun on Robinson as Tony came around to cuff him.
“Guess that answers your question, McGee,” Tony said with a grin as he hauled Robinson to his feet, who had started protesting.
“I didn’t do anything wrong! I was just having a drink! This violates my rights!”
“You can be arrested for being a public nuisance! Knock it off,” Tony ordered the man, who seemed to hesitate for a moment.
“If you cooperate you’ll get a deal,” McGee intervened, before Robinson started screaming again.
That seemed to do the trick, and the trio made their way back around to the front of the bar, where Gibbs and Ziva stood waiting.
“He give you any trouble?” Gibbs asked, smirking as Robinson’s face went pale at recognizing the voice from the phone.
Tony let out a laugh, “Geez Boss, what did you say to him? The speech you used on Greer or Warren?”
“Neither, I used Hammond’s,” Gibbs said with a smirk, knowing that both Ziva and McGee wouldn’t have a clue as to what they were talking about.
Tony merely shook his head with a grin. “No wonder he came running like a bat out of hell.”
Ziva and McGee looked at each other for a clue as to what they were talking about, but neither one had anything to offer.
Seeing the confused looks on Ziva and McGee’s faces went a long way to lightening Tony’s mood in spite of who they were currently going after.
Nothing more was said as they loaded up in the car and headed back to headquarters.
Matt Robinson was more than willing to cooperate in light of the conversation he had had with Gibbs on the phone earlier. Even better, he actually had something the team had been looking for, a lead. Apparently
Robinson was playing the new friend and helped Morris find a place to live. Robinson admitted to trying to recruit people for one of the locals at Austin’s for a job, although he wasn’t sure what the job was exactly.
At that point though no one was really concerned about that, it could be passed on to the local authority. What was important was they had an address of where Morris had been living.
“It’s your basic run-down crappy apartment complex,” Abby informed them as she displayed her glee in getting another Caff-Pow! from Tony by engulfing him in a hug.
“What else?” Gibbs asked, in an effort to get her to release Tony and get back on track. They were getting close.
“It’s surrounded by more crappy buildings,” Abby said. “However, I have accessed the traffic cameras in the area. Morris has shown up on some of them, so he has definitely been in the area.”
“So he is using the place,” McGee said.
“For what, though? Morris is too smart to just have one place set up,” Tony pointed out.
“When was he last spotted in the area?” Ziva asked Abby.
“Yesterday afternoon is the most recent,” Abby replied.
“That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been there since,” Gibbs stated.
“True, he could easily have used the alleyways to go back and forth,” Abby agreed.
“But why show up on cameras when they can easily be avoided?” McGee wondered. “Do you think he wants us to find him?”
“Or the apartment at the very least,” Ziva answered.
“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!,” Tony said as he headed for the door.
Gibbs stepped in front of him before he could leave the lab. “Hold up a minute, we need to discuss this first,” he said.
“Discuss what? We are wasting time!” Tony said exasperated.
Gibbs could see it; Tony was almost at his breaking point. The case was starting to consume his senior field agent, and Gibbs had sworn to himself that he wasn’t going to let that happen. It was time to step in
and interfere a bit, because he knew that if he didn’t now then the chance to do so later would be very unlikely.
“Conference room, now,” Gibbs instructed Tony before turning and heading for the elevator, knowing that Tony would follow without hesitation, if for nothing other than to hurry things along.
The elevator dinged and the two agents went in, saying nothing to one another as the doors closed.
“What do you think Gibbs has in mind?” Ziva asked, concerned for her partner and friend’s state of mind.
“He’s reeling Tony back in,” Abby said matter-of-factly.
“Tony is not a fish!” Ziva exclaimed, confused as to what Abby had said.
McGee stepped in before Abby could give another answer to confuse her even more. “Gibbs is pulling Tony back, making sure he has his head on straight before we go check out the apartment.”
Abby sighed. “Yeah, emphasis on you guys. No way is Gibbs going to let Tony go anywhere near that place, not on the off-chance that Morris might be there.”
Both McGee and Ziva turned to look at Abby in shock. That thought had not occurred to either of them.
“Tony is back to being ‘grounded’ then?” Ziva questioned.
“But Tony was just out with us checking out places that Morris had been to,” McGee pointed out.
“Exactly, McGee. ‘Had been to.’ As in, no more. It’s pretty unlikely that Morris was going to show up at either one of those bars you went to,” Abby explained. “Morris had gotten what he needed, there’s no reason
for him to go back there.”
“And Gibbs had already considered that,” McGee replied, realizing what Abby was getting at.
Ziva looked thoughtful. “So Gibbs let Tony out of the office to appease him?”
“And to protect him,” Abby concluded. “It was a win-win for Gibbs. Let Tony out of the office for a bit so he can let off some of that bottled up energy with the knowledge that he would be out of Morris’ reach.”
“Tony doesn’t like to feel coddled,” McGee said. “I can’t see how Gibbs is going to get Tony to agree to stay behind.”
“But Gibbs issued a house arrest order, Tony does not seem to have much of a choice,” Ziva reminded the other two.
Abby shook her head. “Order or no order, when Tony is determined about something, he will find a way around whatever road block is thrown in front of him. Not even an order from Gibbs would be able to stop
him.”
McGee and Ziva were skeptical. “You’re saying Tony could get out of the building without security realizing it?” McGee asked.
Abby grinned. “Wouldn’t be the first time, he has a lot of tricks up his sleeve.”
Tony just couldn’t understand how Gibbs was able to stay so calm, they had a real, solid lead, one that took them a lot closer to Morris than throughout the entire case, and the man wanted to have a chat in the
elevator?!
Gibbs said nothing more as they stepped into the ‘council chambers’ as Abby had christened it, nor as the doors slid shut. Tony did not plan to wait forever for the man to speak; he wasn’t going to let another
person die to be used to taunt him in the game that Morris had decided to play.
The moment Gibbs flicked the switch Tony let loose. “What could possibly be so important that we couldn’t have this conversation in the car on the way to Morris’ apartment?”
Fortunately, Gibbs had been expecting the outburst and had mentally prepared himself to be the calm one in this particular conversation.
“First off, can you honestly tell me that you are in the best state of mind to be going anywhere right now?” Gibbs asked him reasonably, hoping to get Tony to realize on his own that his emotions were spiraling
out of control.
Tony glared at him. “That’s what the car ride is for, to get me in the state of mind that I need to be. You’ve gone into the field with a less than stellar state of mind before, so do not even go there with me.”
Gibbs accepted that. “You are not me, you are better than this. For as long as I’ve known you, I have never seen you let your emotions get the better of you while on an active case. You are getting close to doing
that now. Don’t play into Morris’ game; this is exactly what he wants.”
“This isn’t like one of our other cases, Gibbs!” Tony shouted. “I have every right to act differently, but it’s not going to affect my performance in the field. That’s it, isn’t it? You afraid I’ll be so focused on getting
Morris that I won’t pay attention to what’s going on around me? Believe me, I am the last person that would abandon their partner!”
Gibbs shook his head. “I trust you in the field, Tony, to watch my back, McGee’s, Ziva’s, anyone’s. But I have to wonder how well you will watch your own back. Even during other cases, I’ve seen you pull some
crazy stunts to ensure someone else didn’t get hurt. It’s one thing to want to protect your team; it’s another thing entirely to want to do that regardless of your own safety.”
Tony stared at him. “I don’t believe this, don’t tell me you are stalling because you are worried about me?!”
“Damn straight I’m worried about you, Tony!” Gibbs allowed some strength to show in his voice. “I wouldn’t put it past Morris to have something planned on the off-chance that he would see you around his
apartment. You heard McGee and Ziva, even they are considering the possibility that Morris is trying to lead you there. He’s been gunning for you since this whole thing started and I’m not going to let him get
anywhere near you!”
“Then how do you expect me to help you catch him?!” Tony retorted. “That makes no sense. I wasn’t the only one there the night his little operation was busted.”
Gibbs sighed. “But everything he’s done has been directed at you. You were the first person to get on his trail. It’s too big of a risk, and while I know you would be willing to take it, I’m not.”
Tony stared at him in shock. “Are you kicking me off the case?”
“No, of course not,” Gibbs quickly reassured him. “I just want you to contribute to the case through other means.”
“You’re putting me under lock-down again, aren’t you?,” Tony asked in a defeated tone.
“Despite what you think, it isn’t a punishment, more like a precaution,” Gibbs reassured Tony.
“What gives you the right to keep me from doing my job? I’m senior field agent, since when does a senior field agent not go out in the field during a case?” Tony pressed on.
Gibbs stifled a sigh. “When the senior field agent’s life is a primary target of the suspect; Tony your life is more in danger than the rest of ours. Think about it, you being out there with us might unintentionally put
the team in more danger.”
That hit a nerve. “You’re seriously going to play that card?”
“Honestly, I’m going to say whatever I have to,” Gibbs acknowledged. “Please, Tony. Trust me on this one. I don’t think we are going to find Morris there, but whatever we do find, I don’t want you around it.”
Tony studied his boss, taking a moment to consider his options. He could accept the fact that Gibbs was doing this in some strange way to protect him, but to not be taking an active part of the investigation, that
was what was really killing him.
“So what is it that you expect me to do while the three of you go off doing investigative field work?” Tony asked smartly, not wanting Gibbs to think he was just giving in.
Gibbs gave him a small smile. “You’re smart, I’m sure you will come up with something to do that keeps you inside this building.” Gibbs knew Tony well enough to know that the younger man would try to find a loop
hole in his restrictions.
Tony’s glare spoke volumes. “Fine, I’ll be a good boy and stay home, under two conditions.”
The look he was getting told Gibbs that there would be serious consequences if he didn’t agree to the terms that were about to be named.
Once he was sure he had Gibbs full attention, Tony continued. “I want your word that if we have even the slightest hint of where Morris is going to be, and that we have a chance to catch him, I will be going. No
hesitation, no considering our options or other delays. I go. I deserve the right be there when we arrest the bastard.”
Gibbs took a long, hard look into Tony’s eyes before he responded. “Provided you stay with one of the team at all times, then yes, I give you my word.”
Tony nodded his head in satisfaction of Gibbs’ reply. “Second condition, should circumstances allow us the chance to interrogate him, I get to be the first one to speak to him, and more if I feel the need.”
“I’ll decide when the interrogations will happen,” Gibbs stated, making no room for argument. He had anticipated this request, which he was willing to grant. However he wanted to be able to make sure Tony’s
head was on straight before he entered the interrogation room with Morris.
Tony could see that Gibbs wouldn’t allow any room for argument on this one. “Fair enough.”
Tony still wasn’t happy with Gibbs’ meddling, no matter how good his intentions were. “You know, after this is all over, we need to have a talk about all of this ‘protective detail’ crap you are pulling on me.”
Gibbs nodded as he put the elevator back into motion. “I look forward to it.”
Tony’s bewildered expression was visible to Gibbs on the reflection of the elevator doors just before they opened up, returning them to Abby’s lab.
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks to all for being so patient and welcome new followers! As I have said before, real life gets very hectic, and juggling two jobs and school makes free time very hard to come by. But I do promise you all that I have not forgotten about this story, I do keep working on it. I’m publishing this chapter just to give you guys something, kinda short but I figured better to show that I am still dedicated to it than nothing at all for any longer. Please read and review, I consider all comments and suggestions when looking to improve any part of this story. Thanks in advance! :D