The team traipsed into the bullpen at around 1600, a tired look on each one of them. After the aftermath of meeting ‘Detective Joanne Went', Gibbs had gone into overdrive making them do everything at least three times. Other than barking orders at everyone, he had remained deathly quiet, fury painted all over his face. The moment he set foot off the elevator he marched over to the stairs at the other end of the room, climbing them three at a time before the echo of a slamming door resonated off all four walls of the room. Ziva, Tony and McGee shuddered walking over to their desks as they sat down in silence to begin going over everything. This was not going to be an easy day.
***
It was nearing 2030 when the elevator pinged to reveal a rather chirpy Abby bouncing out onto the floor. She waved a Caf Pow in one hand and leaped over to the middle of the bullpen where she paused. At the lack of notice from the others around her, she gave a small cough. Still, everyone was focused on the work in front of them; well not everyone. Abby could see McGee struggling with his conscience on whether or not to risk looking up to view her and risk Gibbs seeing him take his eyes off the work. He had resulted in a sort of slanted look, as he tilted his head and looked up at Abby. Abby winked and McGee smiled, lifting his head up.
"McGee! Work!" shouted Gibbs. Abby jumped back a little in shock at the ferocity in Gibbs's voice.
"Gibbs?" she began quietly.
"What have you got for me, Abby," he said flatly.
"What happened? Are you all…"
"Don't make me ask you again Abs," Gibbs said, but this time with less anger in his voice after seeing Abby's concerned face.
"Okay," Abby said going into case mode, "As with the other cases, cause of death was poisoning from a jab to the right side of the neck; Ducky established that. Toxicology shows it was the same poison as the other vics and, as with the other case, there was very little to go on, however…" Abby paused, a grin from ear to ear as she hopped from foot to foot in excitement.
"What?" Gibbs asked. Abby now had the undivided attention of every single person in the room.
"The hair that McGee found on the carpet," She looked fondly over at McGee who blushed slightly as he smiled, "Was not the vic's. I ran it against some previous samples and I got a hit!" Abby was now positively beaming as she fidgeted excitedly.
"Who was it?" Gibbs asked quietly.
"A Mr. Calvin Borley," she announced to the happy grins of her colleagues.
Gibbs rose from his seat, grabbing his badge and gun from the drawer. He marched forwards, only stopping a moment to kiss Abby lightly on the top of the forehead and give her the first smile since the encounter with Detective Went. Abby bounced in happiness as everyone followed Gibbs with various looks of adoration and appraisal. She got a full-blown grin from Tony as he gave her a quick hug on his way out.
"Knew you could do it! "he whispered softly in her ear.
Abby only continued to smile as McGee passed and gave her his cute smile. In Ziva's eyes however, Abby swore she saw the faintest trace of… was that jealousy? She shook the thought away, too happy with herself to care, as she waltzed herself round on the spot.
***
The car pulled up to the outside of the house and the engine cut out, throwing them all into complete darkness as the headlights dimmed and disappeared.
"McGee, David, you take the back. DiNozzo and I will go in the front." Gibbs was answered by a set of solemn nods. Each one of the team was excited at the thought of a take down, but cautious as well; you'd be stupid to go into a situation like this without it. Nervous adrenaline pumped round their bodies as they stepped out onto the street. Accompanied with a team of SWAT members, they each took their places. The leader of the SWAT team and Gibbs silently communicated the sound of the T.V in the front room, and with a slow countdown they stormed the building.
"FREEZE NCIS!" came from all angles as bodies crashed into the house. Gibbs and two other SWAT members burst into the front room only to find it empty. They retreated to find that Tony and the other two SWAT members that had come in the front had disappeared down the corridor. Gibbs moved swiftly after them making his way through the house. He froze at the sound of a female scream. His heart caught in his mouth and his stomach tightened. Was that Ziva's scream? He ran through the house, gun twitching from side to side as he past doors lead him to the origin of the scream. He reached a door swinging open to reveal a set of stairs leading downwards. With the sound of a scuffle occurring from down in depths of that stairwell, he descended quickly, taking each step in his stride.
***
McGee burst in the backdoor with Ziva and a couple of SWAT officers beside him. Once inside Ziva went one way and he went the other entering into the kitchen. He swept it quickly and easily, making his way through a door that revealed a conservatory, now eerily highlighted by moonlight pouring through the broad glass panes. A scream echoed into the room from behind him. McGee returned quickly to the kitchen and through the next door making his way into a narrow corridor. He was just in time to see a figure enter a side door and descend quickly. McGee followed gun drawn into the darkness.
***
Author's Chapter Notes:
everything comes to a head as they storm the suspects house...