ACT 2
Chapter 5:
The sun was raising slowly over Washington DC but Gibbs didn't saw the beauty of it. He saw nothing but red in the sky and at the moment red only meant blood for him.
It was pretty exactly a year ago that Tony had blood on his face. A year ago that a good friend had died right in front of him, because of him.
A year ago, Ari would have been number one of his list, excepts that Ari would have told him that it was him, but Ari was dead.
A year before that he had the chance to kill him. He had his gun, Ari was there, but he didn't do it. He couldn't do it and it cost him a friend. Could it be that somebody he couldn't kill would now kill Tony? Did another friend, no, lover, no, love had to die because he hadn't enough courage when it really was important?
He looked up and there the sky was still dark blue, the same blue Tony's eyes sometimes had. Of course Tony's eyes were green-brown like a forrest, Gibbs knew that pretty well, but sometimes,depending on how the light was falling on them and the ankle he looked at them, they seemed to be blue, the same blue the sky had right now.
„Gibbs?"
Abby's voice was low and faint. He didn't want to respond. He knew from her tone that it weren't good news. She wouldn't tell him that they could track Tony's signal down and find him, safe him.
„Gibbs?"
She asked again. He didn't turned from the window but sighed.
„What Abby?"
„We got an email from the kidnapper."
„So, what does it say?"
He turned around finally. She could tell he had cried but she didn't mention it with one word.
„We thought you want to open it."
He went to his computer and opened the mail. Then he read out loud.
„The box your friend is in is exactly two meters high. It has a volume of 8000 litre. The second the 24 hours are over it will be fill with water. Until then there will be 320 litre of water in it every hour."
Gibbs buried his face. They were about to drown Tony and he could do nothing against it.
„Gibbs, that means in hour 23 there will be 6400 litre, that means the water will be 1.6 meter high."
„So, Tony can still breath when the water is that high."
Ziva said as if they could take a breath.
„Yeah, it's low enough to breath but high enough to panic."
Gibbs said annoyed and finished for McGee.
„Tony will think he has more time and then they will fill it up. The last 1600 litre in a few seconds."
„So, they'll surprise him."
Abby said shocked. Drowning is always a terrible death, it takes you minutes. First there is no air. Then your lungs fill with water. Tears came to her eyes. Tony will suffer not only from the death itself but from the knowledge of what's coming.
19 h 00 min 12 sec...
Chapter 6:
His list didn't brought him any further. There were still too many people.
He smelled fresh coffee and looked up. Ducky stood in front of his desk.
„I thought you would need one, my friend."
„Thanks, Ducky."
He gratefully took the cup.
„You only have names of those you arrested."
The older man said looking down at the list.
„Nope, also those I pissed off."
Ducky smiled.
„Yes, but what about those you hurt."
Gibbs looked at his friend.
„Ducky don't you think that list is long enough?"
But he knew Ducky was right. He had to think of everybody.
„Actually, Jethro, I would take extra special care with that group. Remember it is your life partner and not just a team mate who's in that box of death."
Gibbs frowned.
„First, don't say box of death, we're not dealing with Hitler. Second, Tony wasn't my life partner, at least not official, hell, nobody knows about it!"
„Jethro, I think especially you should know that only because you haven't told anyone it doesn't mean that nobody knows."
Gibbs nodded. Ducky was definitely right but where to start.
„It could be anybody, Ducky. There were a lot of women and men in my life I didn't exactly treat nicely, and the same with Tony, hell I wouldn't be surprised if we had slept with the same people. And anybody could have found out about us. When we were out of the office we weren't hiding, well we were but I mean, we didn't have escape plans and things like that so nobody would see Tony enter or leave my house."
Ducky patted Gibbs shoulder.
„I know my friend. But why don't you start with them near and then go further instead listing anybody with no end."
Gibbs nodded again.
Chapter 7:
18 h 58 min 29 sec...
For at least five minutes Gibbs had been staring at the countdown. They had absolutely no lead. Not a fucking thing. Gibbs thought hard. That wasn't possible. There never was the perfect crime in the entire history and there would certainly not be a cold case „DiNozzo" to be the first and he wouldn't wait until there was a murder!
Every criminal leaves traces. Nobody does vanish into thin air. And there it was. They haven't searched Tony's apartment yet.
„MCGEE!"
How could he forget that? He was working at NCIS for 21 years, he was winner of the „best Agent of the year" award seven times by now and he forgot to search the victim's apartment?
He looked at his watch. 7.23 AM. He had done a new record, from the office to Tony's apartment in 13 minutes.
The door was closed and locked.
„You want me to break it down?"
McGee asked when Gibbs stepped back.
„No need for that McGee, when you have a key."
Gibs said and took the silver key and opened the door.
„Yeah, right. I should have known that you have..."
„What? A key to my lover's apartment? If you've forgotten it, I have a key to your apartment aswell."
McGee looked at his feet in shame. Gibs sighed and entered the apartment.
„I want you to check the living room and I want everything! I take the kitchen."
McGee nodded and left. Gibbs knew that if they found something they would most probably find it in the kitchen but it didn't hurt to check the other rooms.
After 35 minutes they had looked for everything and everywhere. McGee had done all rooms but Gibbs stayed in the kitchen. He had to find something, no matter how small and unimportant it seemed.
Chapter 8:
17 h 59 min 49 sec...
„He said he was here. He said he was at the fridge and that's the last thing he can remember."
Gibbs said and McGee scanned the room.
„Maybe it's been cleaned. It seems too clean for DiNozzo."
Gibbs chuckled a bit.
„Nah, he has a maid. But I don't think it's been cleaned after the attack."
„Why?"
„There are finger prints on the fridge. The chair was moved. And..."
He stopped and looked at the sink.
„What?"
„The pan."
McGee looked at the pan in the sink.
„So? Tony probably had cooked."
Gibbs gave him a look.
„First, Tony doesn't cook. His maid cooks. But in the last two weeks Tony had never eaten at home, always at my place. Second..."
He took the pan.
„This pan is clean. Do you leave clean pans in your sink?"
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tony's in the cube and Gibbs has no idea who could do that. No lead no nothing but isn't Gibbs missing something?
Chapter End Notes:
same, I guess...