Timothy McGee considered himself as a bit of a computer geek but even all the computer knowledge that he had acquired could not perform the miracle that his boss now demanded from him. The phone call that Gibbs had just received could not have been traced even if they had had time to begin one - the call was just too short! He cleared his throat nervously as he prepared himself for the inevitable explosion, as he again had to confirm that the miracle his boss expected was just outside the realm of possibility.
"Well McGee?"
Gibbs expectant voice caused the youngest agent to jump and he glanced up from the monitor and swallowed nervously before he managed to stutter. "Um…I'm…I'm sorry .."
"NCIS agents are never sorry, McGee!" Gibbs snapped angrily as he slammed the Styrofoam cup of coffee he held in his hand onto the table, ignoring the hot liquid as it splashed over the rim and onto his hand and table. "And if you are about to tell me that you couldn't trace that call, than you had better think again!"
"Gibbs…" Kate interrupted the boss' angry tirade.
"Boss." Tony quickly tried to interject, as he rose and stepped between his fellow agents and their agitated boss. "Even if Probie was able to trace the call, Harding would be long gone by now."
"Even if Harding is gone, DiNozzo,.." Gibbs turned angrily back towards his senior agent.
"Excuse me, Agent Gibbs."
The four agents turned and watched as a nervous young security guard hurried towards him, a slim envelope clutched tightly in his hand. As he reached the silver haired agent, his nervousness became more apparent as he shoved the envelope into Gibbs' hand. "I…I was asked to deliver this to you in person, Sir."
"You were asked to deliver this?" Staring down at the envelope in suspicion, Gibbs looked back up into the security guard's eyes, as he demanded. "Did you even bother to get this checked before you delivered it to me?"
The guard swallowed hard as he cast a fearful glance from the other three agents who were silently watching the exchange. Finding no support, he apprehensively returned his attention back to the angry man waiting for his answer. "Ummm…I…I didn't think…" At the smouldering expression on Gibbs' face, he rushed on to explain. "It's…it's from an NCIS agent who said he was hoping to get a spot on your team.. .I mean, it wasn't like it was someone just straight in from the street, Sir, he had an ID badge and had just exited the building. He was one of our guys, Sir, not some terrorist!" The guard defended as he read the fury in the lead agent's expression.
"How much did he pay you?" Gibbs growled at the young man.
"I beg your pardon, Sir?" The guard asked, his face paling at the question.
"How… much… were… you… paid… to… deliver… the… envelope?" Gibbs growled again, "And don't you dare try and treat me like an idiot and tell me you weren't!"
"$100." The younger man admitted reluctantly as the lead agent stared at him in disgust.
Turning away from the man, Gibbs began to snap out orders, "McGee, get this envelope down to Abby, have her check it out for anything that might be dangerous as well as any prints or any other information she can gleam from it."
"On it, Boss!" McGee answered automatically as he quickly jumped up from his seat and retrieve the envelope, silently relieved to escape the tension in the bullpen.
Turning back to the terrified guard, the lead agent snarled, "I want you to give a full description of the ‘supposed' agent who gave you the envelope and I expect you to remember every little detail about him, even down to the color of the socks he was wearing, Understand?" At the guard's terrified nod, Gibbs turned to his female agent and nodded, "Kate, I want everything he can give us and I want it now!"
"Will do Gibbs." Kate answered as she stood and hurried to where the men stood, grabbing the guard by the arm before leading him away.
Turning back towards his senior agent, Gibbs found himself unsettled under the close scrutiny of the green eyes of the younger man.
"You aren't seriously thinking the man in the lobby was Harding, are you Boss?'" Tony asked quietly.
"That possibility hasn't escaped me, DiNozzo!" Gibbs growled, annoyed that the younger man was beginning to read him like a book.
"Boss, Harding would be crazy to come here, let alone take the risk of calling you from the lobby where he knows he is surrounded by agents that are searching for him." Tony began.
"Harding is crazy, DiNozzo!" Gibbs warned quietly as he began to head towards the elevator, confident that Tony would follow without being told as he continued. "That's what makes him so dangerous." He stated as he stabbed the button for the elevator door and stepped inside as the doors opened, falling silent as he watched Tony also enter.
Pressing the button that would take them down to Abby's lab, he allowed the elevator to commence its downward journey before striking the emergency stop and halting the descent before turning to face his agent. "And I am NOT going to risk him getting close to you!" Gibbs uttered from between clenched teeth as he stepped closer. "I almost lost you once to this maniac, I am not going to lose you again!" He slowly raised his hand and gently clasped the back of Tony's neck, pulling the younger man closer. "You mean too much to me, DiNozzo. More than you realise." He murmured as his lips found Tony's.
The shock of his boss kissing him caused Tony to freeze for a brief moment but he surprised himself as he found himself opening his mouth inviting the invading tongue in willingly as his own tongue joined in the dwell. The kiss became more intense, almost desperate as Gibbs' claimed his mouth, robbing him of his breath. He moaned softly as he felt Gibbs draw him closer, shocked as he felt himself start to swell and harden as Gibbs pressed tightly against him. Embarrassed by his body's betrayal, Tony began to pull away, praying that Gibbs had not noticed his hardening erection.
Feeling Tony pull away, Gibbs reluctantly broke the kiss and allowed the younger agent to withdraw from his embrace. "I am not going to risk losing you again, Tony. Not to this maniac, not to anyone, understand?" He promised fiercely as he stepped back and hit the button setting the elevator in motion again.
"Understood Boss." Tony panted breathlessly, his lips still tingling from the pressure of the kiss.
"I don't want you out of my sight DiNozzo until we have caught this maniac!" Gibbs ordered before adding more quietly, "You're too important to me!"
"Got it Boss." Tony answered distractedly as he found himself replaying the kiss and his own reactions in his mind.
NCISNCISNCIS
Author's Chapter Notes:
The after effects of the undercover assignment gone wrong lingers and Tony's kidnapper has escaped.Gibbs will go to any lengths to keep Tony safe.