Hung Out to Dry
Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs was pissed. And that was putting it lightly. This scum had sold out his fellow Marine. Killed him to keep his secret. And for someone who lived their life by the motto Semper Fi that type of transgression needed to be punished. Fortunately for the hapless Corporal Gibbs was a federal agent first and a firm believer in the justice system.
Pulling out his knife he stepped forward menacingly. “If I’m wrong Corporal, prove it!” Gibbs reached forward and cut the pull cord to Dafelmair’s main chute.
“What the hell are you doing? His main can’t open,” the jump master looked furiously at the NCIS agent but Gibbs just set his jaw and continued to stare Dafelmair down.
“He’s got a reserve,” Gibbs retorted.
“Captain this is nuts! You ‘gonna put a stop to this Sir?” Finding out that his reserve parachute had been the one he’d soldered shut had obviously put Dafelmair on edge. He looked angrily at his commanding officer and then shot a look of pure hostility at Gibbs. When his CO made no move to intervene his forehead started to bead with sweat.
Then Gibbs offered him the deal. It hurt like hell to offer this murderer, this lying piece of crap a way to reduce his sentence but he wanted a confession. As if Gibbs opionion of the man could get any lower Dafelmair practically leapt at the chance to get a reduced sentence for turning in his dealer. The other Marines in the plane weren’t feeling nearly so lenient.
Brinkman leapt forward to throw the first punch.
Dafelmair was fighting like it was his last shot at freedom. Gibbs fought the urge to jump in on behalf of Brinkman. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold back if he got a few licks in. Allowing the fighting to go on for almost 30 seconds he yelled at DiNozzo to grab Brinkman.
Brinkman wasn’t giving up easily though and as Gibbs stepped between the two men he got punched in the back of the head. The helmet took the impact but it set him off balance and he practically bumped chests with his suspect as he flung his arms out to steady himself.
His right hand reached out to the rigging hanging from the walls of the plane and Dafelmair’s eyes alighted on the knife still clenched in the fist. Punching Gibbs in the jaw hard enough to make him see stars the Corporal lunged towards the weapon with both hands. Using a technique to lock out the older man’s elbow he applied his thumb to the pressure point on the inside of Gibbs’ wrist.
The knife practically dropped from Gibbs’ numb fingers and would have if Dafelmair hadn’t caught it.
Swinging with his left Gibbs solidly connected his fist with the side of the Marine’s head sending him stumbling with a ringing sensation in his ear. Falling to one knee Dafelmair released Gibbs hand from his hold.
He feigned dizziness then surged forward taking the NCIS Agent in a low bear hug type tackle. Reaching around with his right hand he jammed the knife into Gibbs left side as hard as he could. Hindered only slightly by all the gear he pushed Gibbs backward into DiNozzo and the stunned Brinkman. When they all hit the wall of the plane it drove the knife all the way into the hilt and Gibbs groaned.
The jump master lunged forward and grabbed the rogue Marine by the chute and pulled him clear across the body of the plane dumping him on his ass against the far wall. Glaring he ordered the two closest Marines to keep an eye on him and went to sort out the pile of limbs that was the pair of NCIS agents and one of his best men.
He helped a groaning Gibbs to his feet only to have the man go down on one knee planting a hand on the ground for support. That was when DiNozzo saw the glint of light off the handle of the knife jammed three inches into his superior’s lower back.
“Shit Boss.”
“Watch your mouth DiNozzo.”
The Agent in question only shook his head and looked up to the jump master. “You need to get this plane on the ground and have an ambulance waiting by.”
The jump master’s eyes widened as he finally saw the hilt of the knife in the back of the man at his feet. He turned on heel and picked up the radio phone that would allow him to relay the message to the cockpit.
Gibbs was breathing heavily by the time he was off the phone and sweat had started to bead his forehead and run into his eyes. Gibbs blinked to clear away the stinging droplets.
“DiNozzo, we’re going to have to get some of this gear off.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea Boss?” The only response was a glare.
DiNozzo knelt down next to his Boss and removed the helmet he was sure was the only piece of equipment he would be able to get off the man without causing any more pain. The salt and pepper hair was plastered to Gibbs’ skull.
“Alright Boss, we’re going to have to get you upright to get the rest of this stuff off.” He looked at one of the stunned Marines. “Come here and give me a hand.” Acting as quickly as he could he got the Marine to help him out of his own jump equipment so he could move around better. DiNozzo then had the man hold onto Gibbs’ parachute to steady it as he and the jump master each got under an arm and slowly got Gibbs standing upright. A soft groan was the only sound the agent made as they painfully changed his position but his senior field agent saw the eyes clenched tightly and the lip he was biting to hold it in.
Commanding the young Marine to continue to hold the pack steady he put Gibb’s right hand in the rigging and told his Boss to hold on tightly then ducked out from under his arms. As Gibbs swayed to make up for the lack of support on that side the Marine held his parachute steady causing the straps to shift and the handle still sticking out to bump into the pack.
Gibbs did moan then and almost went down but DiNozzo stepped up quickly and grabbed him pulling his weight forward to rest on his chest as best he could around all of the equipment.
“It’s okay Boss. I’ve got you. Now I want you to lean directly back into the Marine standing behind you. The jump master is going to keep you from swaying around too much.”
“Just get the damn equipment off DiNozzo.”
DiNozzo made eye contact with each of his helpers then slowly transferred his boss’ weight back to the other two. Then as quickly as he could he removed the back-up chute and tossed it aside. He then loosened every strap he could find. Finally all of the buckles hung loose.
“Alright Boss. Everything should be loose. You should just be able to lean forward and the nice Marine behind you will end up with your chute in his hands.”
The trio started to shift Gibbs’ weight back onto DiNozzo’s chest. The straps slowly unwound and freed the painfully trapped Agent. Then just as Tony thought they would get away without adding more damage one of the last straps got caught in the spring that allowed the knife to open. The strap tugged on the embedded knife and Gibbs almost bit through his lip.
“Hold up! Hold up!” Reaching around DiNozzo tried to free the knife from the strap as carefully as possible but from his position with most of Gibbs’ weight on his chest he could hear the catches in his Boss’ breath every time the knife was jostled.
Nearly 10 minutes after first getting stabbed Gibbs was finally free of all of the equipment that could be removed.
“Boss. I’m going to have to put pressure on that wound.”
“The knife will keep the bleeding from getting too bad. Don’t touch it.” The words sounded rushed as if Gibbs was trying to get them out before the sounds of agony could escape behind them.
“At least let me get you sitting.”
Gibbs just grunted and Tony took the noise for agreement. If it hadn’t been then he could wait until later to be berated for it. He eased his boss into a sitting position.
The distinct pallor to the older man’s face led Tony to pipe in, “how much longer will it be until we get the to ground and can get him on that ambulance?”
“We’re about 10 minutes out.”
DiNozzo sighed. “We’re almost there Gibbs. Just hang on.”
“I’m not dying Tony.”
“Sorry Boss. Of course you aren’t”
Eight minutes later they touched down. Two minutes after that on the dot Gibbs was lying on his right side as they loaded him into the back of the waiting ambulance. DiNozzo made to get in and Gibbs just shook his head.
“No way DiNozzo. You have a prisoner who’s confessed to murder to take into custody. Make sure you read him his rights. This scumbag isn’t getting away on a technicality.”
“But Boss you’re…”
“Not dying DiNozzo. Take him in and then call Ducky for me. I want your report by tomorrow.”
“But Boss it’s 2300 hours already.”
“Your point DiNozzo?”
“On it Boss.”
DiNozzo turned on heel and moved back towards the transport that still held their prisoner. It was going to be a long night.
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