"What the hell did you say to Rick?" Nicky demanded as Gibbs and Tony came down the stairs and into the living room.
"Not a lot," Gibbs replied carefully. "Then again, why are you asking me - according to Ducky half the street could hear us. What did he tell you?"
"Apart from go to hell?" Nicky shot back. "He says you think he's implicated in whatever it is Taylor's up to! And yes, we heard the first initial shouting match but then you went quiet."
"Gibbs?" Alex glared at the older man from where he sat perched on the arm of the chair holding Ducky. "Is that true? Rick's involved?"
Gibbs looked from one to the other and back again. "Call it habit - but right now - the way it's looking - it's a safe bet. You got a problem with that? And anyway - didn't he kinda beam it to you or whatever it is you three do?"
"The minute you called him in to see Tony - the shutters came down - and they stayed down," Nicky growled. "He knows he's not supposed to do that - not without good reason -and right now is not good."
"Where's he gone, Nicky?" Gibbs's eyes narrowed.
"He drove off - "
"I know that - " Gibbs snapped back. "Where?"
"How the hell should I know - he could've gone anywhere - Washington's a big city."
"I'll throw this out to you then - he's in with Taylor - and he's on his way there."
"Taylor?" Alex stood up, hands in the back pockets of his jeans. "What are you saying, Jethro?"
"I don't know, Alex. What do you think I'm saying?" Gibbs squared up to the younger man, a small smile on his lips.
"I don't know - why don't you enlighten me - preferably in the next ten seconds - " Alex ground out between clenched teeth, his left hand fisting at his side.
"Or you'll do what?"
"Guys!" Tony interjected, stepping in front of Gibbs. "No fighting - come on - we have to pull together on this - don't we?"
"Tony - good to see you," Nicky stated. "You okay?"
"Hungry - hungry and - did I mention I was hungry?" Tony flashed him a grin. "And I am sensing a pizza with my name on it - you got pizza?" He looked to Gibbs who nodded although he was still staring at Alex. "In which case - if there's a pissing match about to start between you two - " he pointed to Gibbs and then Alex - "I'll be in the kitchen - yell when you're done." He strode across the room - inclining his head purposefully to Ducky who immediately understood and followed him muttering something about wanting to check him over.
Tony hadn't set foot over the threshold when he found his arms suddenly full of a squealing Abby as she launched herself at him. "Tony! You're okay?" She released him and stepped back - looking up at him with concern written all over her face. "You are okay, aren't you? Is he okay Ducky? Tell me you're okay!"
"I'm fine - just need food - a ton of food - preferably of the junk variety - "
"He'll be fine when I judge him to be fine," Ducky took his arm and guided him to the table motioning for him to sit on it. "Now - this won't take long - " Tony's stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly. "Can you please wait for five minutes - once I am satisfied - " Ducky grabbed Tony's wrist even as the younger man tried to free himself - holding him in an iron grip. "Stop fidgeting, Anthony - "
"I'll be classed as malnourished, Duck - come on - give a guy a break here - I haven't eaten in like eight hours - " But Ducky was having none of it as he checked Tony's pulse before tugging out his stethoscope.
With a sigh of hopelessness - Tony accepted the thermometer and settled for admiring Abby's ass as she bent to tug out a frozen pizza from the freezer compartment of the refrigerator - ripping his eyes away and staring at the far wall as she straightened and rounded on him - her eyes narrowed accusingly.
"Rating my butt again, DiNozzo?" she challenged.
Tony's eyes widened in fake innocence as he took the thermometer from his mouth. "As if Abs - I'm not that kinda guy - honest!"
"Really Tony? Your pulse rate just soared alarmingly." Ducky announced with a wicked glint in his eyes as he winked at Abby.
"I'm still in shock over what happened," Tony pulled his most beguiling expression. "My nerves are shot to pieces - that bump on the head - not to mention whatever Taylor pumped into me - it'll take time for me to recover - I need TLC - I need - pizza - coffee - and a ton of TLC - a foot massage - and maybe a all over body massage - Abs - you game?"
"You'll be game if you don't cut it out, Tony!"
"I can put him back to sleep if you'd prefer Abigail? In fact - that would be a blessing for all of us," Ducky snickered as he peered into Tony's eyes - and finally nodding to himself. "You are - young man - as you say - fine - but I don't want you overdoing it."
"Hell no Duck - we're on a case - and besides - I'm seeking revenge on this nut - "
"I think it might be best to leave to revenging to Gibbs, Tony." Duck waggled a finger at him. "You - have been through it."
"Not as much as Taylor'll be going through it when I get my hands on him!"
"Yada, yada, yada!" Abby said as she unwrapped the pizza and placed it into the oven. "But seriously, Tony - you had us all worried - really worried - Gibbs was beside himself."
"I'm his Senior Field Agent - of course he was worried about me," Tony was now opening and closing cupboards - crowing in delight as he fished out a packet of Oreos. "He wouldn't be able to cope without me at his side - watching his six - want one?"
He shoved two biscuits into his mouth as he collected up another two before Abby snatched the packet from him, helping herself.
"Not just his Senior Field Agent, Tony." Ducky said with a small smile. "But Abigail is right - I've never seen him like that before - I would venture he was genuinely terrified of losing you, my boy - "
"Nah - come on - it's Gibbs we're talking about - "
"Are you that dense, Tony? He loves you more than life itself - as I'm sure you do him," Abby cried. "It would kill him to lose you!"
Tony stopped chewing and swallowed the mouthful he still had as he sat heavily at the kitchen table - his face suddenly serious. It was as though he'd been kicked in the gut as the enormity of what had happened over the last few hours finally sank in - he lifted his eyes to Abby's dark ones and pulled in a deep breath. "Where's Rick?"
"He took off - " Abby answered insinuating herself onto his lap and hugging him hard. "Gibbs tore him to shreds - "
"What the hell for?"
"Something to do with the fact that you got caught up in all the crap Taylor's delivered - I don't know who he's more pissed at - Rick or Taylor."
"It wasn't Rick's fault Abs - it was six of one - "
"When Gibbs told me he found you - he was all choked up Tony - then when we got back here - he wouldn't leave your side - he wouldn't let anyone near you - except Ducky at first." She hugged him again and kissed his cheek lightly. "But - you're back with us now and together we are going to nail the punk that did this to you - "
"But it's not just me, Abs - Rick too - I guess - yes - what happened shouldn't have happened - but it did - hell - even now I'd say it was inevitable anyway - Taylor was targeting Rick - " He reached for another Oreo and shoved it whole into his mouth.
"Did Gibbs fill you in?"
Tony nodded - pointing to his mouth as he chewed. "Yeah - " he mumbled, spraying her with cookie crumbs. "Only vaguely though - the rest comes when we eat - hey - just what we need - a campfire!" He beamed at her as she climbed off his lap to check on the pizza.
"Not a campfire Tony - I hate those!"
"You only ever turned up for one!"
"Why'd you think that was?"
"It's a method of pooling ideas - bouncing stuff off each other, Abs - they work!" He glared at her as he shoved in yet another Oreo.
"No - they don't - they break concentration - and ten minutes sat around yapping when you could be on the phone - on email - or whatever - is wasted, Tony. Yelling across the bullpen is much easier - and you know where my lab is if you want to check on something - so - please - no more campfires."
"McGeek appreciated them," he mumbled and then found himself ducking a bag of salad leaves as Abby approached him wielding three large red peppers and a very sharp knife.
"Now get chopping."
******
"Ah," Alex gestured with his chin out of the main window and grimaced at Nicky.
"Oh boy," Nicky hissed. "Now the shit hits the fan."
"How so?" Gibbs stepped closer and saw Rick had pulled up in the drive but he was making no move to exit the car. "He's back then."
"It would seem so," Ducky observed. "Jethro - "
"Don't worry Duck - I'm not going to do anything rash - but he looks like he could use a coffee." He turned and made for the kitchen, Ducky following behind - until he stopped in his tracks, Ducky colliding with him.
"Sorry," Gibbs murmured as he watched the scene playing out in the kitchen - Ducky chuckling to himself as Tony closed in on Abby's back - with a handful of what looked like damp lettuce - he then quickly grabbed the top of her t-shirt and shoved the lettuce down before ducking away from the stream of whipped cream heading his way.
"I will get you for that, DiNozzo!" She squealed as he snatched the can from her and placed it high enough out of reach while collecting up more lettuce.
"Hah!" You so will not, Ms Sciuto - DiNozzo always wins!"
"Not today!"
"He's quite a resilient young man, Jethro - considering what he's been through today - looking at him now - you would never guess." Ducky observed quietly as Tony cornered Abs and proceeded to scrunch Oreo crumbs on the top of her head.
"He'll come down soon enough, Duck - " Gibbs said reflectively. "And I just have to be sure I'm there when he does - "
"You make it sound like it's not the first time." The ME glanced up at him.
"It's happened - maybe four times - first time - when he shot Jeffrey White - second - the y pestis."
"Ah - yes - that I would understand - he was technically dying then. And the third?"
"When Kate was murdered."
Ducky said nothing, he merely nodded as the two entered the kitchen.
"Hey!" Gibbs stood in the middle of the room and spread his arms wide. "Will you two quit already - this place is not some playground."
"Aw, Boss - come on - a bit of fun now and again - "
"Not now - and not again, Tony. By the way, Abs?"
"Gibbs?"
"You got an anchovy just here." He reached out and lifted off the offending item from where it was caught in her ponytail, only to flick it at Tony with his thumb and forefinger.
Ducky helped himself to a sliver of red pepper as he sat down - glancing briefly at the laptop set on the worktop against the left wall. "Abigail?" She flashed him a smile. "I think our mysterious van is on the move, my dear - and it's moving fast."
"Way to go, Duckman - thanks - now maybe we can get somewhere!" She studied the map quickly and stood straight again. "They're heading back into the centre of town, Gibbs. I guess they were checking they weren't being followed."
"Whatever Abs, keep an eye on it for me."
"Gibbs?" Nicky leaned in from the living room - "Look, me and Alex - we're heading back to the club - we can't do any more here - and Rick doesn't look like he's moving anytime soon either - "
"No," Gibbs said as he poured two large mugs of coffee before placing the jug back on the hotplate. "You two stay here - and leave Rick to me."
"What are you going to do?" Nicky asked cautiously.
"See if I can't get to the bottom of what in hell is going on around here." Gibbs answered simply he handed the mugs to Abby.
"Why me?"
"I just want to make sure Rick isn't going to do anything stupid and then you hand me the coffee?"
"Oh - that's all right then."
"Good - I'm glad."
*****
Gibbs leaned down to look in the passenger window. "Mind if I join you?"
"It's a free country." Rick said petulantly.
Gibbs opened the door and climbed in, reaching across to take the keys from the ignition and handing them to Abby as he took a mug of coffee.
"Fine," Rick sat back hard, staring out of the window. "Now what?"
Gibbs took the other coffee mug from Abs, mildly irritated that Rick hadn't even said thanks "It's up to you, I guess - but let's get something cleared up here shall we?"
Rick didn't respond - he simply sipped his coffee.
"First off - you start behaving like an adult and not some five year old snot nosed brat who's just had his candy ration cancelled. Secondly, you are going to tell me exactly what happened today - and this time - I want the truth - not what you want me to hear - " Gibbs paused, watching Rick's profile carefully. "Are you listening?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"So help me," Gibbs snarled. "But - I'm not rising to it, Rick. So after you left here - where'd you go?"
"I just drove."
"Just drove - where?"
"Hang on - let me think - oh yeah - I pulled out of the drive and took a left - then I took a right - headed away some 500 yards and took another left and carried straight on - " Rick stared at him defiantly.
"I need to know you haven't tried to meet with or contact Taylor, Rick. Yes or no?"
"No! Why in hell would I?"
Gibbs twisted in his seat and merely stared back into those wide blue eyes opposite for a long moment. "I believe you,"
"Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the fucking donkey, Jethro - finally!!"
"I am just about holding onto my temper, Rick - I want you to walk back into that house - you will sit down with your brothers and tell them what happened - that done - we decided on a plan and we execute it - do you understand?"
"I can't tell them - "
"No such word as can't - Rick - not in the Gibbs dictionary - and you will also apologise to Tony - for getting him into trouble in the first place."
"Gibbs!"
"Not another word - because I want you to think long and hard about this next question - I want you to tell me what hold Taylor has over you as opposed to Alex and Nick - they are both holding out on me about something - but with you - I sense something else - and it's a something I think is very important - and without it - we won't be able to nail the SOB."
"It's complicated." Rick turned in his seat.
"Then uncomplicate it," Gibbs answered quietly - inwardly surprised at the tone in Rick's voice - suddenly sombre.
"I - man - really shouldn't be telling you this - its classified intel."
"I work for NCIS - who the hell am I going to tell?"
"Your Director - for one?"
"No - I am saying nothing to anyone - just tell me - for crying out loud."
"I - I work for the FBI."
"Who for? Fornell?"
"Hah - " Rick sniggered. "He doesn't even know the Department exists - I work as a profiler and an empath, Jethro."
"Empath?" Gibbs echoed. "What the hell is an empath?"
"I work on special cases - highly classified cases - I sit in on interrogations - sometimes I go undercover - but mostly interrogations."
"And do what?"
"I can tell if the perp is lying - and if needs be - I get the truth without the aid of electrodes if you get my drift."
"You hypnotise them or something?" Gibbs could not believe what he was hearing but he was inwardly fascinated.
"Not exactly - but I can get the truth from them within - maybe ten minutes. Okay - you asked about the hold Taylor has over me?"
"Yeah."
"I don't know how he found out - but he's got the wrong idea about what I do - he thinks I'm a snitch - only - he knows that he goes public with my identity - there are a lot of very angry perps out there who would give their eye teeth to know who put them behind bars."
"But if you're interrogating them - "
"Gibbs, you don't understand - when I leave the room - they have no clue I was there - agent slaps on the cuffs - and they're wondering how in hell they admitted their guilt, it's like I never existed." Rick let his head fall back and he pulled in deep, calming breaths. "And I would ask you - "
"Nicky and Alex - they don't know about this?"
"No, Jethro - they don't."
"They'll hear nothing from me." Gibbs took a long swallow of coffee. "I guarantee it - but they will find out some day."
"Not from me, Jethro - not from me."
"So - you ready to come inside? Abs and Tony have knocked up some food - you're welcome to join us - while we formulate Taylor's down fall."
"Sure - I'm right behind you."
"And no more brat?"
"No more brat - I promise."
"Good - 'cause I was ready to head slap you - a lot."
TBC
Chapter End Notes:
tony's up and about - YAY!!!