"Missing In Action, Pt. 4"
Colombian Motel...
Tony's Room...
Tony had set up the lap top that he'd brought with him, as well as the enhanced satellite/internet link up (thingy) that McGee had sent with him.
He sat at the small desk/table that was in his motel room.
Now he was just waiting for his teammates in the upper hemisphere to answer his 'page'.
"Getting lazy, aren't we, McGee." Tony said to himself.
Suddenly McGee's face flashed across the computer screen.
"Took you long enough, McGee." Tony said.
He watched as McGee adjusted something that he (being Tony) couldn't see.
"There, how're you receiving over there?" McGee asked.
"Fine, just fine." Tony replied.
"Really." McGee said, somewhat surprised. "W-well, I could re-adjust the-" he started to say.
Tony cut him off before he got to far ahead.
"McGee!" Tony snapped.
"S-sorry." McGee apologized.
"It's alright." Tony replied. "Listen is everyone else in MTAC with you?" Tony asked.
"Uh, yeah...Abby's here, Ziva's here, Vance's here...and...I'm here." McGee informed Tony.
"Yeah, I can see YOU'RE there, McGee." Tony said.
"Oh, right." McGee replied.
"Now listen...wait...they can hear me right?" Tony asked.
"Um, yeah, we can all hear you Tony." McGee replied.
"Good." Tony said.
McGee shifted the transmission's settings so that Tony's face would be up on the big plasma viewing screen instead of just on the computer screen of the computer that McGee had been working at.
"Alright, I took a bunch of photos of Hatcher's body and personal effects...it was, the best I could do...given the circumstances." Tony began.
Tony shifted in his seat.
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NCIS HQ...
MTAC...
The team stood in MTAC staring up at Tony's face on the big plasma viewing screen listening as he explained the situation and gave them orders.
"I need Ducky to examine them, and see what he can find." Tony said.
"Abs, if he asks, I'll need you to help him...unless Palmer can come in that is." Tony continued.
Abby nodded.
"McGee I am e-mailing those photos to you as we speak." Tony informed McGee.
"Right, I will see that Ducky gets them." McGee said.
"Good." Tony replied.
"Ziva, honey, I need you to dig up everything you can on Francois Cota, and any known associates." Tony said, to Ziva, his wife.
"I mean, that is, if you can handle it." Tony said.
"Tony." Ziva said, with a 'you're not funny' expression/grin. "Would you like to sleep in the dog house?" she asked.
Tony chuckled.
"But we don't have a-" he started. "Oh, oh, I-I see your point." Tony said.
"Point noted." he added.
"McGee, have you, by chance, had time to look into that thing I asked you...to look into?" Tony asked.
"I-I have not...but, I will get on that, and then I will get back to you." McGee replied.
"I'll let it slide this time, McGee, but be quick about it." Tony said.
"I will be." McGee replied.
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Colombian Motel...
Tony's Room...
Tony shifted in his seat again.
"We may have already been compromised." Tony explained. "Which means any chances of finding Gibbs are slowly dwindling." he continued.
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NCIS HQ...
MTAC...
Vance finished up for Tony.
"You all have your assignments." he said. "You are dismissed."
As the rest of the team, excluding McGee, filed out of the room Vance offered his services to Tony quickly before they cut their conversation short.
"I'll work the hill...see what I can dig up that might help us." Vance offered.
"Thank you, Director." Tony replied. "Any help you can give, would be greatly appreciated."
"DiNozzo out."
And that ended their conversation as both screens turned to 'snow'.
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Colombian Motel...
Tony's Room...
Tony closed up the computer and packed it back into one of his bags, along with the rest of his stuff.
He knew that there was a chance that he might have to make a hasty get away from the motel at any time.
The only thing he kept out of his bag(s) was the small hand gun he'd purchased while in town earlier--since he had not been able to carry his service weapon with him.
The gun he loaded, and primed for action, before he laid down on the bed for a little shut eye. He planned to sleep with that gun under his pillow just in case.
He didn't even bother to get undressed or take his shoes off.
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An hour Or So Later...
NCIS HQ...
Autopsy...
Ducky sat at his desk while the children played in another corner/side of the room. He sat studying the photographs that McGee had brought (from Tony) for him to look at.
He moved the photographs from side to side studying each one closely.
The automatic-sliding doors of autopsy slid open as Abby, once again, entered Ducky's domain.
"You wanted to see me Ducky?" Abby asked, as she approached his desk.
Ducky looked up.
"Oh, ah yes...Tony sent these photographs for me to look at, as you know, some of them; however, I think are more in your field of expertise." He said, as he handed her a group of about 6 or 7 of the photographs.
Abby held them in her hands and studied them.
"They're photos of...fingerprints." she said pointed out.
"Yes, precisely." Ducky said, with a grin.
"I do believe he wants to run those prints through the computer." Ducky added.
"Not bad, Tony, not bad at all." Abby mused.
"Thanks Ducky, I'd better set these up and run'em." She said, as she turned and walked out of autopsy.
The automatic doors opened so she could exit, and then closed behind her after she was out of the room.
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A Warehouse Somewhere in Colombia...
Two men stand in the center (well almost) of the room, under a dim light talking/arguing.
Around them are 6 or 7 other armed guys.
The first guy is wearing a tight, black short sleeve shirt under a Kevlar vest. White, male with closely cropped hair, and an average build.
The second guy is dressed in an all white business suit, and sports slick, jet black hair, with a cigar in his mouth.
"I thought you said the situation had been dealt with." the first man says, angrily to the second guy. This is Francois Cota.
"No, I think you misunderstood me...I said I would take care of it." Cota replied, smoothly. "And I will." he added.
"Well, I hope I don't have to remind you what will happen if you fail." The first guy said.
"That is not a word I am familiar with, my dear, American friend." Cota replied, smoothly, with a grin, as he cradled his cigar, gently, between two fingers.
"Just don't screw it up, alright." The first guy snapped.
Cota smirked at the first guy.
"For now, what do you say we take care of business...shall we?" Cota said, as he strolled over to a stack of boxes just a few feet away from where they were standing.
The first guy followed Cota.
Cota patted the top box, which sat on two other medium sized, wooden boxes.
There were more boxes than just the three setting all around the warehouse, but they could only handle small shipment quantities at a time.
"This is it." Cota said, proudly.
"This?" The first guy said.
"Yes, this is it, the next shipment ready to go." Cota said, with a grin. "And it just might be the best stuff so far, if I do say so myself." Cota continued.
"I tell you, my friend, this stuff is going to make us...millions." Cota said, his eyes sparkling with the thought.
"Alright, alright...let's just load the truck and get this over with." The first guy said, as he rolled his eyes at Cota.
Cota took a long hit on his cigar before he continued.
"Very well then." Cota said, finally.
Cota commanded his henchman, in their native tongue, to start loading up the truck (which is/was waiting outside the warehouse).
The men set to work doing as their boss had commanded.
The first guy and Cota exchanged a few words, and then the first guy turned to leave.
Cota whistled and one of his henchmen cut the first guy off.
"What the-" the first guy started.
"Cota?" The first guy said, in an irritated tone.
"Did you think I would actually let you leave without..." Cota began.
"...Your money?" the first guy said, finishing Cota's sentence.
The first guy turned around to face Cota.
"Well, a guy can dream can't he." the first guy said, with a smirk.
Cota chuckled slightly.
"My American friend, I must warn you...I am not one to play games with." Cota informed the man.
"Alright, Alright...you win." the man said, giving a slight chuckle.
The first guy reached down to his belt and pulled out a walkie-talkie type device, into which he spoke to someone waiting for him on the outside of the warehouse.
After a few minutes a second guy dressed in a smiliar fashion joins the first guy inside the warehouse.
The second guy is carrying what appears to be 2 gym bags.
"Here you go...25 mil...in big bills." the first guy said, as he tossed the two bags down in front of Cota.
Cota grinned as he stooped over to examine the contents of the two gym bags in front of him on the ground.
"Much better." he said, as he stooped down.
"Just don't forget what we talked about...alright." the first guy said, as he and his partner turned and strolled towards the exit.
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One Hour Later...
Colombian Motel...
Tony's Room...
Tony was fast asleep in the bed in his motel room, when he was suddenly awakened by a strange noise.
He sat straight up in the bed, and sat motionless after he'd rubbed his eyes to make sure that he was not asleep.
He sat motionless, and did not make a single sound as he strained to hear in the darkness of the room.
Thud! There it was again. He still wasn't able to make out what the sound was or what was making it.
Click! Uh oh, now there was a sound that he was all to familiar with.
Tony slowly reached under his pillow and retrieved the gun he'd placed underneath it for just such an emergency.
He held the gun close, listening intently in the almost pitch blackness of the room, as he slowly and quietly got up out of/off of the bed.
He grabbed the one bag, of the two that he'd brought, that contained the laptop, and other such equipment.
That was when he heard several more of the clicking sounds.
He carefully, quietly, and yet quickly made his way to the window at the opposite side/end of the room.
He opened and sat the bag down on the rickety old fire escape on the outside of the window.
The motel had two floors, and his room was on the second floor, so yeah, they needed a fire escape of some sort/kind.
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Colombian Motel...
Outside of Tony's Room...
A group of about 4 or 5 men stand outside Tony's room whispering amongst themselves in their native tongue.
Finally one of then men gives a quick hand gesture or signal and another one of the men moves forward towards the room's door.
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Colombian Motel...
Tony's Room...
The door flies open and the men storm into the room, weapons at the ready.
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Colombian Motel...
Outside On Fire Escape...
Tony was making his way down the fire escape when he heard the commotion coming from his room above him.
This made him take the last few steps all the more quickly.
A sound coming from his room above made him stop momentarily to look up as he finally reached the bottom.
He hopped down, grabbed his bag up of the ground, and stole away into the shadows to make his get away as stealthy as possible.
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8 Hours Later...
NCIS HQ...
Abby's Lab...
Abby had fallen asleep in front of her computer terminal/workstation while waiting for the results from the fingerprint analysis.
Suddenly her computer uttered a clearly audible PING! which caused Abby to wake with a start.
"Hunh, wha-?" She said, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
She looked up at the computer screen, and realized that the fingerprint analysis results were finally ready.
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NCIS HQ...
Squad Room...
Upstairs in the squad room Ziva and McGee were fast asleep at their own desks.
Ducky and the three girls had come upstairs as well. Talia was asleep, with a small pillow and blanket behind her mother's desk.
Chloe and Paige were fast asleep behind Gibbs/Tony's desk, on the floor with pillows and blankets that Ducky had provided.
Ducky slept in a semi-comfortable position at Tony's old desk.
Just up the flight of stairs in the back, the door to MTAC opened and Vance stepped out.
Vance walked to the edge of the railing.
"Up and atom, people!" Vance shouted down to the team.
Everybody awoke with a start.
"Agent DiNozzo will be in touch soon...we need to be ready." Vance added.
Vance then turned and walked back into MTAC.
Talia, now awake, climbed up into her mother's lap.
At that point Ziva was stretching and waking herself up.
McGee was doing pretty much the same thing across the room. He straightened his tie back up and pulled his sports coat off of the back of his desk chair.
"Sleep good?" Ziva asked her daughter, in a sweet voice.
Talia nodded up at her mother.
"Mommy's gotta go upstairs...but only for a little bit, I'll be right back." Ziva said, as she placed a gentle kiss on Talia's forehead.
"Stay with here with Grandpa Ducky, and be a good girl." Ziva said, as she stood up and grabbed a file folder off of her desk.
Talia remained sitting in her mother's desk chair, as her mother headed towards MTAC.
McGee followed close behind, carrying some papers, as well, under his arm.
Ducky was awake as well and was gathering the children when none other than his faithful assistant Jimmy Palmer entered the squad room from the right.
"Ah, Mr. Palmer, just the young man I needed to see." Ducky said, as he walked out from behind Tony's old desk.
"Dr. Mallard...H-have you been here all night?" Jimmy asked.
"Yes....but that's a story for another day...if you would be so kind as to keep an eye on the children just for a moment, I'll be right back." Ducky said, as he headed toward the stairs to MTAC.
"B-but, Dr. Mallard, I-" Jimmy tried, but to no avail.
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NCIS HQ...
MTAC...
Ziva, McGee, Ducky, and Director Vance sat inside MTAC, awaiting Tony's next transmission/contact.
As Ducky took his seat, finally, next to McGee, Vance decided to speak.
Vance held a toothpick, as was his custom, in his cheek.
"I trust you all have found some, enlightening, information." Vance said, without looking away from the big plasma, viewing screen.
"Yes." Ziva replied.
McGee nodded.
"Indeed." Ducky agreed.
"Good." Vance said. "I believe we're only missing one person." he added.
"Sir." Said one of the tech guys at the computer monitors stationed around the room. "Incoming Transmission."
"What's its point of origin?" Vance asked.
"Satellite GPS scanner puts the point of origin somewhere in Colombia, South America." the tech guy replied.
"Patch it through." Vance ordered the tech guy.
The tech guy did as he was told and within seconds Tony's face appeared on the plasma, viewing screen.
"Rough night, Agent DiNozzo?" Vance asked, noticing how forlorn Tony looked.
"You have no idea." Tony replied, rubbing the back of his head.
"DiNozzo, where are you right now?" Vance asked, after he noticed something strange about the decor that was acting as a backdrop behind Tony.
"Oh, yeah I forgot to tell you...really funny story actually...I spent the night...in a church." Tony explained.
"Are you alright?" Ziva asked, her husband.
"Yeah...well other than being hunted by a bunch of big guys with guns...yeah, relatively alright, I guess." He said, with a lop-sided grin.
"Wait, someone was hunting you?" Vance asked, shocked.
"Yes Director...I think its safe to say they know we're here." Tony replied.
"But enough about me, lets talk about you guys." Tony said, with a grin.
"McGee." Tony said.
"I did that thing that you asked me to do." McGee started. "And I found, well I don't really know if its important or not, but-"
"Point, McGee." Tony said, cutting McGee off.
"Right...there have been several "Extension of Operations" orders placed in just the last few months alone." McGee explained. "And, so far, they've all been approved."
"Anything else?" Tony asked, McGee.
"Um, yes, all of the orders were placed by the same two guys...DEA Agent Martin Foster, and Jeffrey Tate." McGee added.
"What about their current assignment?" Tony asked.
"Um, it was blocked...but that was before I hacked their pass codes." McGee began. "According to their files the team working in Colombia now is on a reconnaissance Op--against Francois Cota."
Tony nodded at McGee.
"Alright...Ducky, whatcha got?" Tony asked the aging M.E.
Ducky stood up.
"Yes Well, from the photos that you took I found several, odd, injuries." Ducky said.
"Odd?" Tony inquired, wanting to hear more.
"Yes, odd." Ducky repeated. "Several of our deceased DEA Agent's injuries appeared as if they were inflicted as a way of causing pain...not death...not immediately any way." Ducky continued, as he strolled away from his seat a little bit.
"There were deep cuts, both, across his chest and across his abdomen." Ducky explained. "And while they were deep, they would not have been fatal."
"So it was slow and painful." Tony said.
"Indeed." Ducky said, in agreement. "There were also some more minor cuts and bruises as well." Ducky added. "These indicate that there was, more than likely, some old fashioned beating involved as well."
Tony gave a sigh.
"All of these injuries, as you know, are consistent with being tortured." Ducky informed Tony.
"Figures." Tony muttered.
Ducky nodded, a knowing nod.
"So tell me Ducky...can you, conclusively, say what the fatal blow was?" Tony asked.
"Well, its hard to say exactly, without actually seeing the body myself...but, from the photos I did find one wound, suffered by our DEA Agent that would, more than likely, have been fatal." Ducky explained.
"There was a deep penetration point on the right side of his lower extremities." Ducky explained. "From all appearances, it most likely penetrated the femoral artery--which most certainly would have caused him to bleed out."
"Certainly explains a lot." Tony said.
Just then the doors to MTAC swung open and Abby came running in.
She ran right in front of the others and stood right in the middle of the plasma screen facing Tony.
"Tony, I got a hit off of those prints that you sent me...well, granted, I had to run through every database I could think of." Abby started, talking in a rather fast pace.
"Mrs. Gibbs, we were just in the middle of-" Vance started to say.
Abby turned, briefly, in the direction of the Director.
"I-I know...but this is really important." She explained.
She turned back to face Tony.
"There were three different sets of prints all together." Abby continued to explain. "One of three sets was unidentifiable, but the other two-" She continued, as she held up a file folder that she'd been carrying with her.
"-the other two belong to one Martin Foster, and one Jeffrey Tate." Abby
continued. "Both are Agents with the DEA."
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Meanwhile...
A Forest In/Near The Mountains Of Colombia...
Gibbs now walked slowly and carefully through the forest(s) cautiously moving in the direction of the old extraction point, which would take him right through the heart of Francois Cota's main compound.
As he moved along a small hut came into view. 'Might be inhabited by some of Cota's men.' Gibbs thought to himself.
He moved closer and closer to the small hut until he was silently hidden just beneath its one, single window.
He quickly peeked up once just to see what he was up against.
Just two. 'Manageable.' he thought to himself.
He looked around studying his surroundings for a moment before deciding on a course of action.
He picked up a small rock/stone and tossed it out towards a tree so that it would make a loud enough sound.
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A Forest In/Near The Mountains Of Colombia...
Inside The Hut...
The two guys sit at a small table, guns nearby, playing with a deck of cards, and smoking cigars.
They hear the sound, and one of them lays his cards down and picks up his gun.
They wait a second, and then the guy tells his partner that he will go and check it out.
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A Forest In/Near The Mountains Of Colombia...
Gibbs has moved around to the very backside of the hut when the guy walks out.
Gibbs throws another rock/stone, and the guy slowly and carefully makes his way around--gun at the ready--asking 'Who's There' in his native tongue.
The guy finally comes around to the backside of the hut, and before he can see Gibbs coming--Gibbs gets him in a sleeper hold.
Once the guy passes out, Gibbs drops him to the ground behind the hut.
"That's one." Gibbs said, quietly, to himself.
After a few minutes the second guy comes out, yelling (well sort of) his partner's name.
He too makes it around to the back of the hut where Gibbs grabs him and incapacitates him.
Gibbs drops the second guy close to the first guy behind the hut.
"And that makes two." Gibbs said, quietly, to himself.
Gibbs then grabs one of the guys' gun, and then proceeds to make his way further into the forest towards Cota's compound.
.........To Be Continued In "Missing In Action, Pt. 5".........
Author's Chapter Notes:
Amidst the lies and deceit, the team gets down to work trying to figure out what or who, exactly, they're up against, and trying to find Gibbs.