A Breed Apart:
Chapter 11:
The black escalade stopped in front of a large hospital. It looked more like a sanctuary center, rather than a research facility. Tony looked around, trying to determine where they were. There were no street signs, no entrance signs on the rod-iron gates that opened giving them admittance. He looked to his father as he asked, “So where are we Dad? You’re finally going to have me committed?”
A large, hair dusted hand connected with his cheek as his father struck him, snarling “I’ve told you, do not address me so informally. You will show me proper respect.”
“And I’ve told you, become someone worth my respect and maybe I’ll think about giving you respect.” Tony smarted off, knowing that his father would strike him again.
His father, however, surprised him by simply throwing a dark look his way as he leaned in close to Tony as he sneered “You’ll show me fitting merit once Dr. Crayton is done with you.” He told Tony ominously.
The quiet certainty of his father’s voice sent trepidation skittering down his spine as Tony fervently hoped that his team was close by. Dominic’s bodyguards grabbed Tony and jerked him out of the vehicle, then shoved him toward the building. Tony walked slowly, purposely stumbling, as he took in his surroundings and land marks. Most never understood why Gibbs had hired him in the first place, but it only took them a few cases to understand that it wasn’t only his ability to put people at ease and to seemingly connect with anyone, but also his astute observations, that kept him as senior field agent under the most demanding lead agent on the top investigative team at NCIS.
They led him into an outer waiting room of the smaller building, where a small, corpulent man waited; his cheap suit didn’t quite cover his portly abdomen. He had thinning brown hair and commonplace brown eyes that were swallowed by thick-rimmed round glasses. “Ahh, Anthony. We meet again.” A nasal-pitched voice said.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure.” Tony stated, clearly indicating that he didn’t want it now.
“Yes, well, I’m the man who gave you all of your new wonderful abilities. Of course those pesky federal agents interfered before you were ready for revealing, but we shall correct that now, shall we?” Dr. Crayton declared disgust for the federal agents clear in his voice. “Now, I’ll finish what I started and when I’m done, you will be the perfect subservient weapon.” He finished evilly.
The next morning Gibbs and the rest of the team along with Atlas and his people met around a small table in the hotel suite, going over their plans for getting Tony back and taking down his father and his associates. “All right people, let’s get a move on. We need to get everyone in place. Tony will not be in that place any longer than necessary.” Gibbs growled, taking charge, as he gathered his gear.
“Rhea and DeMarcus will stay here with Dr. Mallard, Mr. Brown, and Miss Scuito.” Atlas stated then, looking to Gibbs for conformation. “I’ll go with you and your team. There are some things that I’d like to give to Dominic.” Gibbs simply nodded his agreement.
“Abby, you, Ducky, and Gerald keep us updated to Tony’s movements. Kate, McGee, you’re with me.”
“Yes Sir, Bossman, sir.” Abby responded promptly, saluting.
“Yes, Gibbs.” came from Kate.
“Yes, Boss.” from McGee.
“I will go with you as well under the guise of giving my report, then I can lend my support to Tony and any plans of escape he might have.” Ziva offered.
“”That’s good Officer …” Gibbs began, only to be interrupted as his phone began to ring. Picking it up, he checked the caller ID “Damn” he muttered before answering, “Gibbs.”
“I got your message concerning Agent DiNozzo. Give me your location and I’ll arrange backup to meet you.” Director Sheppard’s voice came through the speaker.
“No Director, I can’t do that.” He stated.
“Why?” she asked incredulous.
“Because we believe that there is a leak and headquarters and it’s not safe for my team there. Or have you forgotten the state that we recently found DiNozzo in?” He growled his impatience thinning.
“Of course I remember. However, I just don’t think that it’s a good enough reason to withhold your location.”
He listened a moment before he snapped. “Yes Madam Director I understand that, I just don’t happen to agree.” And with that he snapped the phone shut irritably.
“I can’t believe that she had the gall to call you, Bossman.” Abby declared appalled.
“Yeah, but she doesn’t know that we know she’s apart of this and we need to keep her in the dark for a bit longer Abs.” Gibbs told her, placing a comforting kiss to her forehead. “For Tony’s sake.” She nodded her understanding.
Dr. Crayton walked around Tony’s chair checking and double checking the bindings securing Tony to the chair. A smirk played over his mouth as he told Tony, “You are going to be my master piece and validation. Once I’m through with your conditioning you will be living breathing proof that my theories and procedures are successful.”
“Don’t you mean Atlas Vincent’s theories?” Tony asked dryly as he pulled against the straps. “Way I heard it, you stole all these theories and procedures, your so proud of, from him.”
“Dr. Vincent had no vision! He actually had the audacity to fire me. ME!” Crayton slammed his palm against the wall next to him as he angrily continued. “I’m the one who saw the potential. I’m the one who has perfected the techniques.” Crayton claimed harshly. Then he leaned in, pressing his lips to Tony’s ear he whispered conspiratorially, “I’m the one who made Atlas what he is today. He was my first, and now we will see how far I’ve come once I’m finished with you.” Tony flinched as he smelled the insanity rolling off the doctor.
The door to the lab’s cell flung open and Dominic and Jenny walked in. “How are we coming Doctor?” Dominic asked impatiently.
“He’s almost ready for the first stage.”
“Before you get started I’d like a word with him if I could Dom?” Jenny
Asked.
“Fine, but make it quick.” He told her with annoyance as he and the doctor left.
Sheppard circled Tony, much as Crayton had done earlier, a smug smile playing over thin lips as she studied him. Green eyes were calm as they stared back at her, hiding the rapid thoughts running through his mind, as he tried to prepare himself for what she could say.
“You know I spoke with Jethro this morning.” She told him, clearly expecting a response.
He didn’t give her one, he simply stared back while internally he shook his head and a small mental smile broke free. She was too predictable.
“Do you want to know what we spoke about?” She asked unsuccessfully taunting him.
“You should know one thing about my father, Jenny; he is not a patient man. You had best get to the point or he might decide you’ve worn out your usefulness.” Tony stated, not dignifying her question with a response. While he knew they’d probably had spoke, he also knew that his lover would have never betray him or their team. If he told her anything, it would have been so she could unwittingly give Tony information he needed about them, and it would be done in a way that Sheppard was totally unaware of. Brown eyes widened at his statement, causing her to glance quickly around, checking to see where the elder DiNozzo was.
Tony smirked as he listened intently to her heartbeat increase. Then she pulled herself together, proving the agent she had once been, as she shook off the apprehension and pasted a seemingly genuine smile to her face. “He broke down in my office this morning. Told me that he couldn’t deal with how you always have to make yourself the hero and the center of attention by getting injured. He also told me that while your ill-disguised hero-worship was cute, it’s also embarrassing how insecure and needy you are.” She spoke viciously, knowing she was hitting hidden insecurities.
Tony’s breath hitched slightly before he could stop it, and she smiled. He knew she was playing him, but her missiles had hit his insecurities. Taking a deep breath, Tony pulled the picture of Jethro’s face, the intensity of possessive devotion in his azure eyes as he’d looked at him the day before and he felt a calm soothing and complete settle over him. He met the director’s smirk with one of his own as he drawled, “Don’t you mean your throwing yourself at him is embarrassing? Especially after what happened in Paris?” Tony asked softly, his own armaments hitting their target.
Her hand flew out connecting high on his cheekbone, breaking through the skin, a trickle of blood seeped out. The slap echoed through the small room and Tony forced a huffed laugh. “Shut up!” She hissed.
The doors opened and Dominic and Crayton walked in, obviously arguing, though it was low. “Listen Mr. DiNozzo, I’ve ran all the tests several times in order to make sure he was adjusting to the alterations properly. All the results say the same thing.” Crayton insisted.
“I don’t care what your damn tests say. There must be something amiss with them or you missed something.”
“But the results would explain why his body and system were so adaptable to the modifications.” Crayton continued.
Dominic sighed the sigh of the weary and stated harshly, “I really don’t give a damn what your tests say, according to the world, he is my son and therefore mine to do with as I please, now would you please get on with it!”
“Of course.” Crayton murmured, wisely refraining from saying more.
Tony’s sensitive ears picked up the hushed tones. His mind focused on what they were saying, completely ignoring Sheppard until she slapped him hard across the face once again. The crack of her palm to his cheek raised the attention of the others. Crayton hurried to check out Tony’s face, while Dominic’s face purpled with rage. He stalked toward her and backhanded her causing her to fall to the floor. “How dare you strike my son?” He growled, only he was allowed to correct the boy. “Get out now.”
Sheppard paled as she stared, but simply nodded and scurried out of the room, her hand to her face. “Well Doctor? Will he heal by tomorrow night?” DiNozzo Sr. asked.
“Certainly, she couldn’t do enough to cause lasting damage and with his advanced healing rate, all traces should be gone by morning.”
Dominic stepped into his son’s line of vision while he spoke, “By this time tomorrow you will be perfect obedience.” Tony, however, didn’t hear him; his mind was trying to puzzle out what he had heard of their argument. Dominic left the small cell as Dr. Crayton prepared Tony to receive his personalized and restructured psychological conditioning. Attaching wires and machines here and there, Crayton muttered to himself, and then once the last wire was connected he smiled thinly to Tony and said, “This first stage is very soothing. It encourages your mind to open to all possibilities.” He patted Tony on the head in a pseudo soothing gesture before he too left the room.
Tony watched the good doctor leave and immediately began counting and controlling his breathing as Ducky had told him. He focused internally on the memories of the past years with the team, both the good and the bad. Memories of grabbing a drink after work, of a night watching movies, or an afternoon playing ball drifted through his mind. He remembered the surprise he’d felt, of not only wanting to go, but of also being comfortable enough to go and let his guard down. Memories of listening, contentedly, to Ducky tell them one of his never ending stories at the end of a long case, feeling secure that it was one thing that would never change; the M.E. would always have a story to tell.
Brief flashes of images appeared on a screen in front of Tony, but he paid them no attention as he stared straight ahead, blinking occasionally. He didn’t close his eye, knowing that it would alert his father and Crayton, if he did. So he stared unseeingly at the screen as images flew across it. His mind conjured more memories that played through his mind like a home movie. The night Gibbs had gotten shot, the times he had gotten hurt and Gibbs had been there to make sure he’d gotten taken care of. Memories of waking in the hospital only to find someone from his team there, waiting with him, watching his six.
Watching through a double sided mirror Dr. Crayton frown, then shrugged slightly as he noted the dazed look on the face of the younger DiNozzo. “How is he doing?” Dominic asked, noticing the frown.
“His dazed reaction is a bit unusual for the first stage, but it is probably due to the fact that he has already been through it once before and that has made him more susceptible to it this time around. I shall start phase two. Now.” Crayton stated as he tapped a few keys on the keyboard in front of him, initiating stage two.
In the cell, Tony noticed the darkening of colors on the screen, but nothing else. He was drawn into his memories of each teammate, until finally he focused on clear blue eyes that had assessed him and found him good enough to be a part of something. Blue eyes and strong arms giving him comfort acceptance, and support and a man who offered a home, family, and love. So focused on his own memories and thoughts that Tony hardly registered the monotonous voice that sounded through the speakers surrounding him.
Inside the observation room, Dr. Crayton watched a pleased smile on his thin lips. “This is good Mr. DiNozzo. I’ve never seen anyone so responsive to the messaging before. You can tell he’s listening, see he tilts his head every so often.”
“As long as he’s ready for our demonstration tomorrow night.”
“He will be sir.” Crayton promised as he initiated stage three, the final stage.
Gibbs, Ziva, and Atlas approached the Centre slowly and cautiously. Walking to the front desk, Atlas used his credentials to get them to the treatment wing with surprising ease, setting the three more on edge. They were led to a small waiting room, where they were told to the attending physician would call them when they were ready for them. Ziva pulled the receptionist aside and conversed quietly.
The receptionist smiled slightly and nodded as she picked up the phone. After a brief moment she asked Ziva to follow her. Meeting the eyes of her companions she gave an almost imperceptible nod and followed the woman to an observation room, where DiNozzo Sr. and Director Sheppard were watching the Dr. Crayton unhook Tony from his equipment. Only her years in Mossad kept her from reacting to the activity before her. Agent DiNozzo was strapped to a chair facing a large screen; there were speakers in all four corners of the room. His cheek was bloodied and bruised along with other bruises scattered along his chest and arms. His head lolled to one side, his eyes dazed and unfocused. Dr. Crayton was with him, checking his vitals and detaching monitors and wires. “How did he take to the conditioning?” She asked, curious.
“He’s doing very well.” The elder DiNozzo stated. “He’s gone through all three stages and now we are ready for some tests.”
“Where have you been?” Sheppard asked.
“I have been tracking Atlas and the rest of Agent DiNozzo’s team. They escaped through an underground tunnel system, which is where I lost track of them. However, I did over hear them, they were discussing plans to come and rescue Agent DiNozzo. The team leader, Agent Gibbs seemed very determined, so I hope that your conditioning worked, because I have the feeling that we will need all the help that we can get when he and Dr. Vincent get here.”
Kate and McGee entered the Centre through the back service entrance, and were met with little resistance. There were only two guards at the entrance to the building; Kate quickly neutralized them while McGee confiscated their weapons and com-units. “I guess Mr. DiNozzo wasn’t expecting company once he got Tony here.” Kate murmured quietly as she and McGee entered a back stairwell.
“Probably figured he’d be done with us by now.” McGee agreed.
“Not when family is on the line guys,” Abby’s voice floated into both their ears through their own com-units. “You have two more guards on the fourth floor. Gibbs and Atlas are in position and Officer David just went to meet with Mr. DiNozzo and Madam Director.”
“Good. Thanks Abs.” McGee said.
“We are at the fourth floor entrance, defusing threat now.” Kate put in. Then both she and McGee entered the fourth floor, meeting the guards head on. The guards put up little fight and were quickly cuffed and subdued. Kate and McGee then continued on towards the small laboratory of Dr. Crayton, to meet Gibbs and Atlas.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.