Part 4 White
Abby paced the room up and down but then closed her cell phone once more.
"He won’t answer," she said.
Tony sighed and rubbed over his eyes. He had taken out old books from his grandmother and was trying to find out anything that could help them. "The longer he’s out there on his own the higher the risk that they find him! If they haven’t already.“
"You don’t think anything happened to him?“ Abby asked with fear in her eyes and voice.
"No, Abby, I think we’d know if anything happened to him...but Thomas found Ziva and Isabell found Ducky. If you ask me the counterparts already know who we are. And I’m afraid they already know who they have to kill...“
Abby sat down at the table with him. Gibbs and Ziva were out looking for McGee. Abby wanted to go with them, but they said it’s too dangerous. "Is there really no other way than to kill them?“
Tony looked up at her. "Abby, do you really think an angel would tell me to kill them if there was another way?“
"Good point, it’s just...I've never killed anyone. I’m not like you guys.“
"Do you really think that it’s easy for us? I mean, ok, yeah, Ziva killed some guys before, and Jethro did, sure...but me and McGee. I killed some people but don’t think it’s getting any easier.“
"But what if we’re wrong and kill someone innocent?“
"That’s what you have me for, remember? I can tell you if they’re your counterpart and I can tell you if they’re good or bad. We won’t kill innocent people. About them, I’m not so sure, but we won’t.“
Jay and Silent Bob sat at the table Tony was sitting at. "The news are still showing burning churches, and there have been murders. Four or five cardinals, a few rabbies and other priests and prayers. Whoever’s doing all that is really a sick fuck.“ While spreaking Jay skimmed through one of the books but apparently it wasn’t interesting enough and he pushed it away again. "I’m starving!“, he exclaimed and Bob nodded his agreement.
"Yeah, well, munchies are quite harsh, aren’t they...I guess we could order pizza. I don’t have much edible stuff here, since you ate everything last night...and I don’t want go out in case they find McGee.“
"Maybe you should have..." Abby started again but Tony raised a hand.
"Abby, it’s one thing for Ziva to go out there, she has fulfilled her task. I’m not thrilled that Jethro’s out there, but hell, tell Gibbs he has to stay in because it’s too dangerous, Kate tried that once. But I won’t let you out there before we know more! Speaking of knowing more, could you two be any less helpfull?“ He asked, turning to Jay and Silent Bob.
"Hey! If it wasn’t for us there wouldn’t be a world you have to save! And we didn’t ask to be prophets! Fuck, one would think it has some advantage but fuck! All we ever get out of it are fucking demons and fallen angels trying to off us!“
Tony rubbed over his forehead. Fighting with his prophets didn’t help, but he felt so frustrated. Their enemies seemed to be much better prepared than they are and Tony hated it to be in defense.
"I just wish I could help somehow," Abby said, resigned.
"Isn’t it strange that you all work together and the other guys have nothing in common?“ Jay asked as he munched on some chips that were left over from last night.
Abby and Tony looked at him surprised. "Wow, that...that actually is helpful! Abby, go set up my laptop and try to find out as much as possible about Christian Thomas and Isabell...damn, Ducky, what was her last name?“
"Isabell McGillan. She was ME at the Washington PD.“
Tony nodded as Abby was already powering up the computer.
"PD and CIA, that doesn’t seem to fit very good, does it?“
"No one said they had to work together," Tony stood up and paced the room, "It could be that they had been in the same club, or the same church, even.“
"You do realize that it would be much easier to do this from the NCIS computer?“ Abby asked.
"Don’t tell me you can’t get access from here. We have to be carefull. The investigation concerning Thomas is still ongoing and I’m sure Isabell has been reported missing as well. We can't be connected to them," he sighed again as he sat down, "I really hope Ziva understood that McGee has to kill his counterpart. Otherwise we will have to try and get her out of jail as well.“
Meanwhile somewhere in DC
"He’s still not answering his phone," Ziva said and looked out the window of the car.
"Is it on?“ Gibbs asked, hoping they could at least track him down, but Ziva simply gave him a look. "Damn, I trained the boy too well.“
"You think we’re going to find him? Maybe we should have taken Abby. She knows were McGee goes in his off time.“
"It would have been too dangerous to take her, as Tony said. And I don’t think McGee’s anywhere Abby would go looking for him. If you don’t want to be found you go to places no one’s looking.“
Ziva nodded. They had been at McGee’s apartment, at the office, at the pub McGee went for his readings, at the coffee shop...
"That’s it! I’m going in his apartment!“ Gibbs said, annoyed, and sped up until he reached his destination. Without waiting for Ziva he got out the car and rushed up the stairs. He knocked twice, no answer, and then opened the lock.
"ZIVA!“
At the call Ziva’s heart started to race and she ran to get to Gibbs. As she stood in the living room her heart made a fullstop. McGee was sitting in a corner, covered in blood, though the rest of the apartment was as clean as ever. "It’s all true, it’s all true,“ he muttered while rocking back and forth, not really acknowledging the people in his living room.
"Tim,“ Gibbs tried softly but McGee just kept shaking his head, staring at some point on the floor.
"It’s all true...he was right, I killed her...“
"Ziva,“ Gibbs turned and saw the young Israeli standing in the room paralysed, "give Tony a call. Tell him that we found McGee and we’re bringing him over.“
After a long moment Ziva finally nodded and took out her cell phone. Gibbs turned back to Tim but decided against further questions at the moment. They would find out what happened soon enough at Tony’s place. "Tim, c’mon, we gotta go.“
"I killed her, it’s all true," Tim finally looked at him with panic filled eyes.
"I know, but it’s over now. C’mon.“ Gibbs and Ziva managed to get McGee into the car after twenty minutes. Gibbs drove deliberately slowly in consideration of McGee’s state, and Ziva tried to clean off some of the blood during the ride. On the ride Gibbs posted a call to the director’s office, putting them all on vacation. He knew Vance would call him back and he deliberately didn’t say how long there were off duty. He would take as much as he was able to get.
As they arrived at Tony’s place the young man was already waiting by the door. Ziva hadn’t managed to wipe off a lot and Tony looked shocked.
"He’s not injured," Gibbs reassured as they manhandled him into the apartment. They sat him on the couch and even Abby realized that this was not the best moment to bury him with questions.
"Let’s give him a moment," Tony said and turned to Abby, "Did you find anything about them? Anything they have in common?“
She shook her head. "Maybe Tim’s counterpart would help," she suggested. Tony sighed and gave the young man a look.
"Alright, Tim?“ He waited until McGee looked at him, "This is really important and you don’t have to tell me everything just yet, but do you know who â€" who was at your apartment?“
"Ruby," Tim answered quietly.
"Ruby?“
"That lab tech?“ Abby asked with a frown and Tim nodded. Now Tony remembered her, she had been a sweet girl.
"Ok, I guess you better get some rest. Or, do you want to something to eat or to drink? Or do you wanna shower?“
McGee nodded again and the others changed a look unsure of what he had agreed to. "I think he wants to take a shower," Gibbs said.
Tony sighed again. "Well, I guess one of us should go with him.“ Now the men in the room looked at eachother. "Ducky, you’ve seen him naked!“
"So have you! And I’m not strong enough if he collapses!“
"Jesus, I’ll do it!“ Gibbs intervened and went to McGee, who reluctantly let himself be lead into the bathroom.