“Get down!” With one hand, Tony pushed Jimmy toward the cover of a nearby vehicle. His other pulled his gun from its holster under his jacket. He began firing in the direction of their assailants as he dove for cover beside Jimmy. The darkness and shifting shadows from the streetlight were doing a favor to the men shooting at them. Tony was having a hard time seeing where to fire and was having to strain to make out even the slightest silhouette of the gunmen.
Several bullets pinged as they hit the sides of the vehicle behind which he and Jimmy were crouching, and they ducked as the glass above them shattered. Tony leaped to his feet and fired several rounds over the roof of the car; he heard a groan as at least one hit its mark.
He crouched back beside Jimmy. “Call Gibbs!” he ordered. Jimmy scrambled to obey.
Several more shots found places in the car shielding Tony and Jimmy. As soon as there was a gap in the shots, Tony stood and fired off some of his own.
Before he could duck back down, however, another round of bullets came from the remaining assailant, one of which managed to find a landing place in his left shoulder. With a cry of pain, Tony dropped to a sitting position, instinctively cradling his injured limb against his body. Jimmy’s eyes were wide as he took in the bloodied shirt sleeve.
“Well, did you call Gibbs?” Tony demanded, gritting his teeth against the pain shooting through his arm.
In response, Jimmy held up his phone, the screen of which was dark and blank. “It’s dead.”
Tony grunted and yanked his phone from his belt. “Here. Use mine, but hurry up, Palmer!” He forced himself to his feet and used the rest of his ammunition.
Jimmy was crouched with the cell phone pressed to one ear and his left hand over the other as more bullets slammed into the car. “Agent Gibbs! It’s Palmer, sir. Tony said to call you for back up.” He paused. “We’re at the -”
The pinging of more shots obscured the sound of Jimmy’s words from Tony. His gun now empty, Tony was fumbling one-handed to replace the ammunition clip.
The clip slipped from his hands and he moved for it, just as running footsteps sounded from the other side of the car. A large figure in a ski mask rounded one side of the vehicle, his weapon held at the ready in front of him.
“Drop your weapons. Hands in the air,” he growled menacingly.
Tony froze, slowly lifting his hands when the gun swung towards Jimmy. The younger man’s hands quickly shot up in front of him and he gave Tony a worried look. For his part, Tony’s gaze never left their assailant, even as he dropped his empty handgun to the ground.
“You, up,” the man demanded, waving his gun in Tony’s direction.
With a grunt, Tony slowly pushed himself to his feet. Jimmy began to rise as well but froze as the weapon moved again in his direction.
“Did I ask you to move? No; stay there.”
Tony was on his feet now, arms still to the sides. The masked man turned back to face him. “Now we will take a ride, yes?”
His tone left no room for argument so Tony just nodded. He opened his mouth, but any questions were silenced by the gun that was pointed at Jimmy’s head.
“Let’s go, then. And do not try anything funny or I will be forced to injure your friend here.”
Jimmy swallowed. Tony’s face hardened and he nodded again. “Leave him alone. I’ll go with you.”
“That’s what I like to hear. Let’s go.” The man motioned with his gun towards the waiting Suburban. He turned to Jimmy one last time, noting with satisfaction the empty gun lying apart from the clip. “You stay put or I will shoot you.”
The man gave Tony a nudge and they started for the vehicle. Tony was about to say something when a shot suddenly rang out.
Tony’s captor swayed on his feet for a split second before collapsing to the ground with a soft moan. Instinctively, Tony ducked as he spun to look back at the source of the gunshot.
Jimmy was just lowering Tony’s weapon, the flickering shadows revealing a look of both relief and horror on his face.
Tony gave him a small nod before allowing the darkness to take over and collapsing beside the still form next to him.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tony gave him a small nod before allowing the darkness to take over and collapsing beside the still form next to him.
Chapter End Notes:
Rated: FR13 (just to be safe)
Warnings: Violence, though nothing very graphic
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Warnings: Violence, though nothing very graphic
Genre: Hurt/Comfort