Gibbs sat with his back against the wall watching the rise and fall of Tony’s chest, grateful that with each breath, the proof existed that DiNozzo was still alive. He really never doubted that Tony would survive Miller’s sadistic game, but the unreliable factor of Jason Miller’s instability had definitely concerned him. The team leader didn’t like the uncertainty that the future held and he had to come up with a plan of escape. He had every confidence that McGee and Abby would ultimately find them, but he wasn’t sure that they would rescue them in time.
Miller’s obsession with destroying Tony would eventually make the man careless and that’s what Gibbs was counting on, but he just hoped that Tony wouldn’t have to suffer any more at the hands of the deranged man. DiNozzo deserved to be able to put this nightmare behind him and have some kind of closure regarding the deaths of his wife and son and he was going to make sure that he got that closure.
“You’re going to get to say goodbye this time,” he whispered, studying the pale figure beside him.
Despite Tony’s haggard appearance, DiNozzo’s youthful appearance shined through; he was far too young to have endured such tragedy. Gibbs knew that sometimes you had to play the hand that life dealt you, but that didn’t make it fair. He wondered if fate was ever going to give his senior field agent a break.
Satisfied that the young man was still asleep, Gibbs leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes taking the opportunity to rest and try to formulate a plan of escape. After their conversation in the car, he was confident that he knew Miller’s weakness and now all he had to do was figure out how to exploit it and use that weakness to their advantage.
“You’ll think of something.”
He jolted back to complete awareness and looked around for the woman’s voice that he had just heard. There was no one else in the room other than he and Tony and he knew that he wasn’t so far gone that he was starting to hallucinate; of course that didn’t mean that Miller was trying to get him to doubt his own sanity. Tony stirred slightly but a reassuring pat on the pack from the team leader silenced him and returned him to sleep’s sweet embrace.
“Anybody there?’ he quietly called out.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake him.”
The former Marine began to consider the possibilities that this wasn’t one of Miller’s ploys; Miller would have never apologized for nearly waking up Tony. “Who’s there? Show yourself.”
“That’s easier said than done.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m dead.”
Gibbs continued to glance around the room looking for the source of the faceless voice. “You’re dead?”
“I’m sorry; it kind of freaked Tony out too when I started talking to him.”
“You’ve been talking to Tony?” He recalled Tony mentioning that he had been dreaming about Sydney and Sean; DiNozzo credited them for keeping him focused and saving his life. Gibbs began to wonder if he was dreaming as well.
“I’m Sydney.”
“So you’re Tony’s wife,” he deduced.
“Yes,” she replied. “I’m so glad you’re here. Tony really needs you.”
“I’m going to take care of him.” He was still uneasy about talking to someone who wasn’t physically present, but part of him had to admit that he was starting to get used to the idea. There were many times that he had carried on conversations with Shannon after her death and sometimes he could still hear her voice or see her image in his mind reminding him of what he stood for.
“I know. You’re like a father to him; if he didn’t have you in his life, I don’t think I could rest. Tony tends to bury his pain; he’s done it for years. It’s good that he has you when things get to be too much for him.”
“Thank you, Sydney. I appreciate that. I’m not going to let him down.”
“He’s more worried about letting you down,” she pointed out.
“I know, but he never has. There are very few people I trust to have my six like I trust Tony; he’s the best young agent I’ve ever worked with and I’m proud of him. He’s a good man.”
“You might want to tell him that.”
“Yeah,” he sighed. “Neither one of are too good at talking about our um…”
“Feelings?”
A tired grin danced on his lips. “You don’t beat around the bush, do you?”
“Nope. Not really. How do you think I kept Tony on the straight and narrow?” Sydney teased.
“I’d say that you had a full time job.”
“You’re right about that,” she laughed. “But you know what? He was a wonderful husband and if he had gotten the chance, he’d have been an incredible father. Tony had such plans; he would talk about taking Sean to all the Buckeye football games and how he was going to save his money so we could buy a bigger house one day. He was still in college and we really didn’t have a lot of money at that time, but we had a lot of dreams.”
“There’s nothing wrong with having dreams.”
“He was always worried that he wasn’t doing enough for me and Sean. Like I said, we didn’t have a lot of money but he always made sure I had everything I wanted. Do you know that one night he went out at two in the morning just to find me some Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream? He had to go to four different stores in a monsoon. He was drenched by the time he got home and ended up catching a death of a cold.”
One thing that Tony had never lost was his sense of self-sacrifice. It was obvious that he had always put others needs before his own. Gibbs had seen it many times at work, whether it was getting McGee a Nutter Butter or listening to Kate lament over another failed relationship, DiNozzo was always aware of their needs but somewhere along the way, they failed to notice his needs.
There were other acts of kindness that often went unnoticed. Tony often sat with Mrs. Mallard so Ducky could go out and he and Abby spent several days a month helping Sister Rosita in one of the local soup kitchens. It was these selfless acts that help make DiNozzo the man he was and Gibbs looked upon this man as a son.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“They’re not worth that much.”
“You seemed far away.”
“Just thinking.”
“I didn’t mean to ramble on.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Gibbs insisted. “It’s nice to learn about this part of Tony’s life. He told me some things, but I know that there are some things that he’ll probably never share; I’ve lived through that pain and I understand the need to keep certain aspects of your grief private. He’s good at hiding behind a mask; Tony gives the impression that he’s nothing more than a class clown, but those of us who know him, realize that there’s so much more to him.”
“I always knew you were perceptive.”
“Thank you.”
“I should be the one thanking you.”
Puzzled, Gibbs asked, “What for?”
“For looking behind the mask; for seeing Tony for the man he truly is, not the one he wants everyone to see. Most people don’t realize that he has insecurities; he strives for approval from people who matter to him.
“I think he finally gave up on getting his father’s blessing, especially after the trial. He felt so betrayed and there was no one there for him. Now, he looks upon you as that father figure he so desperately needed when he was younger and whether you meant to or not, you assumed that role. I’m so glad you did.”
“Me too,” he mumbled to himself.
“Our death almost destroyed him, but I’m sure that you understand exactly how he feels.”
The team leader bristled at the reminder of Shannon and Kelly. “How do you know that?” He could almost see her smile; the photo that he had seen of Sydney etched was etched in his mind.
“Let’s just say that I have a special connection.”
Gibbs found himself staring at Tony once again, a sense of sorrow coming over him as images of Kelly and Shannon danced in his memories. The pain that consumed him was one that he would have never wished on another soul. At least he had been blessed to have several years with his wife and daughter; Tony never got to see his son born.
“Are you all right, Jethro?”
“I’m fine.”
“I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard Tony say those two words.”
Tony began to stir again. Gibbs felt his forehead and frowned as he realized that DiNozzo was feverish. “He’s running a fever.”
“I’m not surprised. He’s in pretty rough shape. Promise me that you’re going to take care of him.”
“I give you my word,” Gibbs vowed.
“That’s good enough for me.”
Gibbs tried to still Tony as he began to thrash about. He was still confused as to whether or not he had been dreaming; DiNozzo had said that he’d been dreaming of Sydney and Sean, but what he had experienced seemed so real. “Easy, DiNozzo,” he soothed. “You need to take it easy and save your strength.”
“Syd?” Tony weakly called out.
“Not hardly.”
He wished that he had some water to give the younger man as he watched Tony lick his parched lips. “Sorry, I thought I…heard her voice.”
“Have you been hearing her voice a lot?” Gibbs inquired.
“Told you…she saved my…life. Kept me…focused during…Miller’s game.”
“That’s good, Tony.”
“I talked to…Sean too; I talked…to my boy. He’s a good…boy.”
“I’d expect nothing less from your son.”
Gibbs helped Tony sit up, his calloused hands steadying the trembling man. “You probably think…I’m crazy, Boss,” the younger man rasped. “Sometimes…I think…I’m crazy.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy, DiNozzo.”
“Man, I must be…bad off.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You’re being nice to me.”
The team leader couldn’t help but grin at Tony’s assumption; DiNozzo had told him on several occasions that it unnerved him when he was being nice. “You’re gonna be fine, Tony.”
“Hope so, Boss. I’d hate to be head slapped for dying,” Tony quipped.
“Then you better stay with me. Besides, I have a feeling that you have some special people pulling for you.”
Tony returned his smile as he slowly leaned against the wall. “Yeah, I do.”
He helped Tony sit back against the wall and then he pushed himself up off the ground and stretched. He had been sitting in one position far too long and his joints and muscles were protesting loudly. Gibbs figured that he deserved a nice, long soak in the tub after this nightmare was over.
“You okay, Boss?” Tony wanted to know.
“I’m fine,” he assured DiNozzo. “Just getting the kinks out.”
“I’m sorry I…dragged you…into this, Gibbs.”
“There’s no way I’d let you go through this alone, Tony.”
“I know, but…”
Gibbs silenced the younger agent with a glare. “No buts, Tony; we’re in this together.”
“I owe you one; actually I’ll…owe you…a lot.”
“The only thing you owe me is to get out of here alive.”
He saw Tony wince as the dark-haired agent blew out a shaky breath. “You got…it, Boss,” DiNozzo gasped.
Gibbs knelt down beside him and gently squeezed his shoulder. “I swear to you, DiNozzo; we’re going to get out of here.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.”
The sound of Miller’s voice cut through the darkness like a knife. Gibbs stood up in front of Tony, effectively placing himself between Jason Miller and DiNozzo. He was determined to do everything in his power to keep Tony away from the disturbed man.
“What a heroic effort you’re putting forth, Agent Gibbs,” Miller taunted. “Too bad your efforts are going to be in van.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why are you wasting your time, Agent Gibbs? DiNozzo’s not worth it; even his father knows that.”
“I think he is,” Gibbs growled in response.
“You could be at home working on your boat, Gibbs! Instead, you’re here with this loser! And yes, before you ask, I know everything there is to know about your little team. I did my homework, Agent Gibbs.”
“Evidently you didn’t find out everything because if you had, you would know that I take care of my people.”
“I certainly hope you do a better job of taking care of your people than Tony did taking care of Sydney and Sean.”
Tony’s sudden movement surprised Gibbs as DiNozzo shakily rose to his feet. “I told you…not to...say her name!”
The team leader grabbed Tony by the shoulders, purposefully keeping him away from Miller. “No, Tony! This isn’t the time!”
“Let me go, Gibbs!” Tony demanded.
Gibbs could see the fire of rage blazing in DiNozzo’s eyes. He wasn’t going to stop Tony from getting his justice, but right now, he was weak and at a disadvantage. At the moment, the odds weren’t in their favor and he had to make Tony see that now was not the opportunity he was looking for.
“You should listen to your boss,” Miller pointed out as he pulled out a syringe.
Gibbs caught Tony as his strength gave out and lowered him to the floor, setting him against the wall once again. He turned his attention back to Miller and noticed the needle in his hand. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that whatever was in the syringe was for Tony and he knew he couldn’t allow Jason Miller near his senior field agent.
“Step aside, Agent Gibbs,” Jason ordered.
He shook his head. “I can’t do that.”
“It’s time for our second game and I can’t allow you to interfere.”
“I’m not letting you near him.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
Gibbs found himself staring at the barrel of a 9 mm gun. Miller motioned for him to sit in a nearby chair. “Have a seat, Agent Gibbs.”
“I’m not letting you hurt Tony again,” he forcibly repeated.
“You don’t have a choice. Now sit down.”
The team leader remained firmly planted between Miller and Tony. “You’re not playing by the rules, Agent Gibbs,” Miller coolly stated. “That warrants a punishment.”
The sound of the gun firing echoed in the room and Gibbs found himself on the floor, cradling his arm. The bullet had merely grazed him but had definitely taken a hunk of flesh out of his upper arm.
“Boss!” Tony called out, the emotions of worry and fear was evident in his voice.
“The next time will be about 12 inches to the left,” Miller threatened. “Now, since you’re wounded, I’ll let your senior field agent assist you into the chair.
He felt Tony’s trembling hand grasp his good arm and help him off the floor and into the chair. With the gun still pointed at his chest, he knew that Miller had a way to control Tony.
“Cuff his hands and tape up his feet,” Jason ordered Tony as he handed him a set of handcuffs and a roll of duct tape.
“Tony,” Gibbs whispered. “I…”
“Put a piece of tape over his mouth,” Miller added.
“I’m sorry, Boss,” Tony apologized as he complied with the demands. “I shouldn’t have involved you.”
Gibbs could no longer answer now that he was gagged. He only could watch and wonder what Miller was going to do with the syringe. Unfortunately, he didn’t have to wait long to find out.
Anger surged through him like a tsunami as he watched Miller shove Tony to his knees. Jason Miller was definitely unbalanced and obviously took great pleasure in tormenting DiNozzo.
“I have a little cocktail for you, Tony. It will submerge you in the deepest pits of hell that you can imagine. You are going to want to die and I will be more than happy to provide you with the means.”
The former Marine watched with disbelief as Miller emptied the syringe into Tony’s neck. He could tell by the glassed over expression DiNozzo now wore that the drug was already taking effect. Tony fell to the floor, his breathing quickly becoming labored.
“Now, I said I’d leave you a means of escape,” Miller continued as he laid a knife on Gibbs’ lap. “It’s right in your grasp whenever you’re ready to end it.”
Gibbs started to struggle, wanting nothing more than to help Tony. Whatever Miller had given DiNozzo was definitely powerful and judging by the physiological reactions, the agent was in for a long, hard haul. He tried to call out to Tony, but his words were muffled by the tape over his mouth.
“He can’t hear you, Agent Gibbs. He’s in his own little world. I just hope he doesn’t think of you as an enemy. After all, he has a knife at his disposal. He may just end up killing you; at least that’s the plan.”
The team leader felt the knot in his stomach grow tighter. Who knows what demons were going to be unleashed and how DiNozzo would react? He needed to something but at the moment, his hands were tied both literally and figuratively. Now would be a great time for his team to burst through the door, but the only sound he could hear was Miller’s maniacal laughter.
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.