A couple of miles out of town, Alex in the driving seat with Gibbs beside him - the older man studying the blue file on Taylor - neither man spoke - intent on their own private thoughts right now - Gibbs on Tony and Alex on what the next few hours might hold.
"Why'd Nicky stay behind?" Gibbs asked suddenly, startling Alex.
"Because it's safer one of us stays with Abby - Matt, Pete and the boys are good security - "
"But not quite good enough?" Gibbs finished with a cynical smile.
"No - I didn't say that." Alex began - eyes fixed on the road ahead, his thumb tapping a silent tattoo on the wheel.
"Strikes me there's a lot you aren't saying," Gibbs glanced at him briefly. "But I can wait."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex asked, trying and failing to sound diffident.
"Whatever you want it to mean," Gibbs shrugged. "What did you two talk about just before we left?"
"When?"
"You and Nicky - at the elevator while I was getting the car?"
"Just told him to look after Abs - and we'd check in with him in an hour." Alex threw him a look. "Why don't you come out and say it Jethro - you think we're trying to screw with you or something?"
"Or something."
"Huh?" Alex pulled in to the roadside and hit the brakes, twisting in his seat to face the older man. "Look - I have no idea what is going on in your head Jethro - but I do know we are all scared - we're all running on empty - we are tired - hell - we're exhausted - and you trying to read crap into where there is none is not helping the situation - if you have something to say - then just fucking say it - alluding to whatever crazy ideas are rolling around in your mind isn't helping!"
"Making you nervous am I?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Good," Gibbs grinned at him and tossed the file onto the back seat. "Can we get moving?"
Alex started the car once more, cursing under his breath as he pulled out onto the empty road.
"If I hadn't turned up with Tony last night," Gibbs wondered out loud. "D'you think you'd be making this journey anyway?"
"No!" Alex snapped.
"You seem sure about that."
"I am!" Alex barked back. "Simply because Rick had done his research - last night was supposed to be his night off - then he heard you were bringing Tony with you - he has a source at FBI - and he fed Rick a photo."
"Night off? Since when did Rick take nights off?"
"Not for a long time - last night was the first in over a month."
"So Taylor was targeting Rick?"
"Um - let me think - " Alex sounded sarcastic. "Yeah!"
"No - okay - so - " Gibbs paused and reached back for the file again, tugging out Taylor's photo. "When did Rick decide he was going to show up?"
"It was late - around - five pm I'd guess."
"So - Taylor had hardly any time to prepare anything."
"Someone could have tipped off the bastard from inside - you saw the photos."
"Photos?" Gibbs chuckled. "Alex - I didn't see any photos - neither did you."
"Understood." Alex smiled to himself as he shook his head.
"It had to be a last minute plan." Gibbs slid the photo back inside the file. "They snatch a club owner and what - effectively - looks like his - yeah - well -let's not go there - they snatch Rick - and Tony's just a bonus."
"There is a possibility Taylor knows Tony's a Fed by now - "
"And if he does?"
Alex closed his eyes for a second - swallowing nervously. "Then he'll be just another statistic on a missing persons list, Jethro - you won't find him - "
"Taylor's not met me yet, Alex."
"No - true."
"And taking Rick gains him - what?" Gibbs looked thoughtful.
"Rick? Where'd you start?"
"The top?"
"Okay," Alex pulled in a deep breath. "Taylor has always had this - thing - about Rick. Always had to either equal or top him - in anything and everything - until Taylor dropped out of college."
"What was his major?"
"Law."
"Okay."
"He disappeared for about two years - no one heard anything - and then he just popped right back up - the Taylor we now know - he'd gone to Paraguay, on to Venezuela and ended up in Columbia - netted himself a fortune in gun running - drugs - all that shit."
"A guy has to have a hobby." Gibbs mused with a chuckle.
"Yeah - I guess he does - but when he found out how successful Rick had become without really having to work at it - he got greedy - "
"Jealousy huh?"
"Oh yeah - nasty - " Alex nodded. "What people don't realise is that we - that's Nicky, Rick and myself - we've had to contend with Taylor always being there - in the background - he kept needling - he kept threatening - "
"Threatening what?"
"He just wanted us to hand everything over to him - and we'd still get a share in the profits. Claimed his people could run things for us - all we had to do was sit back - "
"But you didn't."
"No - we didn't - " Alex affirmed.
"And?"
"And - not a lot more to tell - and here we are."
Alex killed the engine and pointed to a large wrought iron gate at the roadside - a speaker system attached to a tall post on the right hand side.
"Now we're here - you have a plan?" Alex asked, climbing out of the car and stretching his arms above his head with a satisfied groan.
"How about the front door?" Gibbs climbed out and shut his door - peering around the surrounding countryside for any sign of anyone.
"Not a good idea - two men at the top of the drive and maybe a dozen around the place - and with Rick and Tony possibly inside - chances are he's called in reinforcements."
"Okay - how about the back door?"
"Same as here - "
"Alex, please don't tell me this is a wasted journey."
"Would I do that to you?" Alex looked pained and then grinned broadly. "Follow me."
******
Nicky lounged on the sofa watching Abby at the laptop. "So - Abs - anything on the cctv?"
"No - not yet - gimme time, Nicky! And another Caf Pow won't hurt!"
"Yes, mistress - one Caf Pow coming up." He collected up the empty beaker and made for the door.
"Nicky?" Abby said softly as he turned to face her.
"Abby?"
"Are you a boxers man?"
"Why don't I leave you to guess honey," he flashed her a killer smile.
"In which case - you are definitely commando."
"Why so interested?" He couldn't help but snigger as she made little squealing noises at him.
"Because - your butt in those jeans is just too hot!"
"So I've been told on numerous occasions and for the record - " he turned his back to her, lowering the zipper on the pants and then his hands hooked into the waist of the snug denim, inching it down very slowly until half his ass was exposed.
"Oh - my." Abby sighed dreamily. "I was right - that is some butt!"
"Thanks," Nicky bowed his head. "One Caf Pow coming up - and please babe - concentrate on the tape?"
"Tape? What tape?"
Nicky returned a good ten minutes later - Caf Pow in one hand and a large slice of pizza in the other.
"Wanna see something else that's hot - although not as hot as your ass - but then - if I look at it again - I'll need a very cold shower - in fact - yes - a cold shower before I look at it again - and then one after - "
"Abs," Nicky handed her the plastic beaker. "Rambling - not good. What you got?"
"Oh now that would be telling - but swear you won't tell Gibbs you've seen this?" She gripped his forearm with both hands, her eyes wide as she looked up at him.
"I - won't tell - anyone anything - just - show me?"
"You swear?"
"I swear Abs."
"Then swear!"
"Fuck!"
"Okay - and promise me you won't - "
"Show me!" Nicky implored as her hands flew over the keyboard before gripping the mouse.
"Right - ignore the van - and Taylor - and look at this."
As they watched, the highlighted area to the left of the van - began to clear and lighten - revealing two dark figures. Abby moved in closer - and clicked and suddenly - as though standing in broad daylight - Rick and Tony - clearly with their minds on something far more important than the three men heading their way.
Clearly impressed with what she had found - Abby kept rewinding and playing the scene over and over.
"Is that not just too horny for words?" she breathed. "Tony's looking so fine!"
"Isn't he just - " Nicky murmured - closing his eyes and stepping back a little - pressing a hand to his tenting pants. "Can you get me a copy of that?"
"Sure thing - although I'll have to digitalise the faces."
"Aww, why?" Nicky smirked - the smirk vanishing as Abs spun round to face him. "Oh - yeah - sure. Now - play it again?"
TBC...
Author's Chapter Notes:
and Gibbs is off to the rescue - and Abs finds something a little - interesting -