Rick was furious! He shoved open the door from the bar to the kitchen so hard it slammed back against a steel trolley sending plates and cutlery scattering to the floor.
Stalking to where the four men were still sitting around a central workstation, he leaned both hands on the metal top and bent until his nose was inches from Nicky's.
"Why the fuck didn't you tell me Taylor was still after 'Mand?" The words grinding from between clenched teeth.
"Because she told me she could handle him - and I believed her," Nicky responded calmly, looking into his brother's eyes. "Amanda can look after herself pretty well - so I had no problem with it."
Rick sniggered but it was more a just controlled growl deep in his chest. "You had no problem?" he echoed. "That's all right then, isn't it? Nicky thinks there isn't a problem! Only - the problem is a bastard deranged hoodlum who thinks he can take what he wants when he wants it and to hell with anyone who gets in the way." Rick straightened up, shaking his head as he scuffed a hand over his face. "How long have you known?"
"Coupla months," Nicky replied with a shrug.
"A couple of months? Geez-uz Nicky - when would you have told me something was up? When she's snatched from under your fucking nose - gone in sixty seconds as Taylor steps over your damn corpse - bled out on the fucking sidewalk?"
"Come on, Rick - that's crap and you know it!" Alex was on his feet, a hand on Nicky's shoulder. "He hasn't got her - he isn't going to have her - she's still here isn't she?" The look on Rick's face was murderous as he thudded a fist onto the steel surface. "You're over-reacting bro - nothing's happened and nothing is going to happen - not now - not ever." Alex thought for a second or two. "Best plan right now is we all need to get some sleep - I'll have Jimmy run the girls home and he'll stay with them until we get there - " Rick made to say something but Alex stopped him with a raised hand inches from his face. "And if it makes you happy - they'll have the rest of the week off - and I'll arrange some more muscle to hang out with them - give it seventy two hours and Taylor'll back off - he always does."
"What does," Rick's eyes narrowed. "He always does - mean exactly?"
Nicky rolled his eyes in frustration. "Great Alex - now look what you did!" He pointed to Rick before leaning forward and covering his face with his hands.
Alex placed both hands low on his hips and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, eyes downcast briefly. "I didn't want you getting - worried," he slowly lifted his head. "But Taylor's been making - threats!"
"Oh - it's all coming out now isn't it?" Rick whispered. "What kind of threats?"
"Nothing too dramatic," Alex answered, taking his seat again.
"Maybe now would be a good time to visit the head?" Tony whispered to Gibbs. Gibbs glanced at him quickly and nodded.
"Go ahead," he said pulling his mouth down in a frown. "I'm curious to know more about this guy."
"There's nothing to know, Jethro." Nicky sat back, lifting his hands to link his fingers behind his head. "Taylor's a shmuck - and unfortunately - he's a cousin of ours - he makes a living making money in some rather dubious ways."
"Such as?"
"Extortion, drug trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping, money-laundering, attempted murder - and it just goes on." Alex counted the list off on his fingers, lifting a brow at Gibbs's thoughtful nod.
"He ever been caught?"
"He's been up before a ton of judges - but he always gets off,"
"And he's based where?" Tony asked, looking from Alex to Rick - relieved to see Rick was finally starting to calm down.
"Washington, LA, Maine and some crappy little island slap bang in the middle of the Caribbean." Nicky pushed a hand through his hair and sighed heavily. "His lawyers are so in his pocket - they're terrified of him - even more so now - he was this close to doing time for murder." He held up his thumb and forefinger, the gap between them minute. "But somehow - and to this day I still haven't figured it out - his brief managed to pull some poor guy from the street and stitched him right up - he's in Alabama state penitentiary doing life."
"Like you said," Gibbs said with an edge to his voice. "Sounds like a shmuck - and a very nasty one too - could be he needs his wings clipped?"
"Yeah," Rick snorted. "Many have tried - it's impossible."
"Maybe - but he hasn't played me yet," Gibbs leaned forward, hands around his now cold coffee mug. "I can put out feelers for you - we could nail the bastard - so hard he wouldn't know what hit him."
"Huh, Boss?" Tony gaped at him. "No - no - don't get involved - we've got our own assholes to bring in - one more is just going to - "
Gibbs turned his head - fixing Tony with the infamous stare one more time. "I didn't mean NCIS, DiNozzo - I have a word with Jen - she then puts out the word to Fornell, the CIA, FBI hell - Interpol!"
"Boss," Tony shook his head in consternation. "Don't you think that's been tried?" He looked up to see Alex and Rick shake their heads.
"He's not heavy enough for them - unless he robs a bank or something - they aren't interested in small fry." Alex slid off his stool and collected up a jug with freshly brewed coffee, pouring refills for everyone.
"He's got a list against him as long as your arm and no one is interested?" Gibbs snorted derisively. "Then you have to make them interested!"
"Jethro," Rick held up his hands. "It's good to know that you're with us on this a hundred percent - and I would like to talk to you about it some more - but it's late - we're all bushed - the delivery guys will be here soon - let's get that over and done with and hit the sack. I'll arrange to have dinner laid on down here - say - 3pm?"
Tony nodded, lifting his mug and draining it in one swallow. "Sounds like a plan."
"You're right," Gibbs stretched his arms above his head, yawning expansively. "I am bushed - "
"Hey, Jethro?" Tony slapped Gibbs lightly on the arm. "Today's - Saturday?"
"Last time I looked - why?"
"No reason - except it is now officially the weekend - we are not on call until mid week next week - which means - I can finally chill out, hang out and pass out - although not necessarily in that order." Tony chuckled. "And the more I think about it," he pursed his lips, his green eyes narrowing. "I really don't like this Taylor guy."
"I thought you didn't want to get involved," Gibbs sneered, folding his arms.
"Ah, you know me - fickle is as fickle does - maybe I'll win him over with my charm." He gave Gibbs a big goofy grin, nudging him with his elbow. "Hell, that's how I got you, Boss."
Gibbs laughed out loud at that, the three other men watching this exchange curiously.
"You - charm?" he sighed. "I don't think so - as I recall - I caught you watching my ass when I left the bullpen - following it all the way up the stairs - hell - I had a feeling you'd be following me into MTAC - the fact the Secretary of State was online wouldn't have stopped you!"
"You're right there," Tony pouted. "I could have asked her cover her eyes and her ears."
The conversation ended abruptly as the phone in Nicky's pants started to ring. He tugged it free and flipped it open, groaning when he saw the caller ID.
"Is that him?" Rick demanded, pointing to the apparatus. "Is that him?"
"Yep - you can take it - I don't think I can trust myself," Nicky handed it over, wincing as Rick snatched it from him, pressing it to his ear.
"What?" he snapped. He listened. "No, Taylor - she is not here! Get with the fucking programme - stop making out all you want is 'Mand - you're up to something." He listened again as he began to pace back and forth between the cooking range and work station. "What part of no don't you understand?" A long pause. "Taylor - name calling is so childish! Huh? Me? Okay - shithead - I am going to find you - I am going to hunt you down and I am going to remove very sensitive parts of your anatomy and I am then going to ram them so far down your throat - you won't be able to - " Another pause. "You wanna meet?" Rick glanced at the anxious faces across the room. "Sure - where and when - although - not right now - we've just closed up." Gibbs was nodding assurance as Tony helped himself to Alex's phone and began texting Abby - Abby wouldn't ask awkward questions - and anyway - she was as much into what he and Gibbs were into - he knew he could trust Abs - implicitly and without question. Okay - it was only 6am - ish - but he was sure she'd be up - hopefully. "Midnight tonight? Fine - where?" Rick couldn't help but smile. "The zoological park? First choice too - how fitting a-hole. I'll be there!" He snapped the phone shut and threw it back to Nicky.
"Did you find out anything?" Alex asked as he lowered his coffee mug.
"Apart from him reminding me that he definitely is one sandwich short of a picnic and he still can't say a sentence without swearing - not a lot. He did say something about a proposition - "
"Uh-oh," Nicky shook his head. "Not good."
"It is - in a way," Rick shrugged. "He didn't once mention 'Mand after the first few minutes."
TBC……
Author's Chapter Notes:
The plot thickens
Chapter End Notes:
Sorry it's such a short update - but my Muse is being particularly unco-operative today - but he promises to behave tomorrow - enjoy