By the time the main door was opened to admit Taylor and his three henchmen - two stayed outside on the top step while Morgan remained behind Taylor - Ducky had hurried Abi to the safety of the kitchen although she made it abundantly clear that right now her place was at Gibbs's side as he hustled her through the door.
"That the bastard?" Gibbs whispered to Rick, glancing round to catch him nod once. "How'd you want to play this? My hands are kinda itching to make an impact on that supercilious smile."
"Play it cool, Jethro - " Rick warned in his ear. "Taylor's handled with kid gloves - he'll be packing."
Gibbs nodded to himself - easing his own Sig from its holster. "I'm not going to use it," he lied. "Unless I am severely provoked - and I estimate that'll be when he opens his mouth and starts the megalomanic speech."
"Mine!" Taylor yelled, head back - arms spread out either side as he turned in a slow circle until he was facing Gibbs again. "And you killed two of my men - and for that - I'm afraid you forfeit your life - but not just now - I'm still debating whether it will be quick - or slow and drawn out," He paused for a second. "And I'm liking slow and drawn out - are you a screamer or a groaner? I'll go with groaner - you're a groaner - and pretty boy - "
"The name's Tony - I would shorten it to make it easier for you - but then I'd be T - although, I like the A Team - the women in that show - " he gazed off into space with a silly grin. "Big hair - big shoulder pads - and even bigger cahoolies - I'm no Mr T."
"Don't even think it," Rick's hand wrapped around Gibbs's wrist.
"Oh - so you can actually speak - that's surprises me, Anthony - a bone head like you actually having the power of speech - I thought you liked your fuck toys silent Ricky? And - you Ricky - you must have nine lives - because - technically - according to my grand scheme of things - you and your girlfriend over there - " he jerked his chin Tony's way. "Should have been roasting nicely - "
"Are you finished?" Gibbs barked - glaring at Taylor angrily.
"I haven't even started."
"Office - now!" Gibbs stabbed a finger at the half open door.
"And who are you again?" Taylor worried his lower lip. "Are you the one with the dumb name? What was it?"
"It's Gibbs."
"And who put you in charge?"
"You did - when you kidnapped Tony - and I'll also have you for attempted murder on two counts - " Gibbs stared at Taylor levelly. "Either way - you and your goons are looking at - maybe thirty years plus - and I'll make sure you never get parole - and with a track record like yours - you might never be out."
Taylor laughed to himself and shuddered. "So masterful aren't you - so he's with you?" He raked his eyes over Tony and then back to Gibbs. "Actually - you do make a cute couple - I can see the attraction."
Tony stepped back until he was able to hitch a hip on the front desk, twisting round and winking at Matt. "Is it me - or does he sound like he's not quite all there?"
"Taylor?" Matt queried - Tony nodding. "Road traffic accident when he was a kid - comatose for three weeks - woke up a totally different child - nasty. Uncontrollable so I heard - always in trouble drinking, stealing, shoplifting - smoked his first joint when he was just ten."
"Explains a lot," Tony mused. "And this situation is rapidly descending into a kindergarten playground - time I stepped in."
"No one else will - " Matt threw a disapproving look across to Nicky who was now leaning with his back against the wall - arms folded his across his chest.
"Something I should know about?" Tony asked quietly.
"Nah - it's just - "
"Just what?"
"No, Tony - forget I said anything."
"I can't do that can I?" Tony's eyes widened. "My interest is piqued."
"I can't - not just now - "
"Later then - " Tony pushed past an unusually silent Rick and threw an arm around Taylor's shoulders - lifting the gun briefly as he guided the other man towards the office. "See - I always find a campfire helps in cases like this," he grinned goofily, now signalling with the Sig for the others to follow him - leaving Matt and Pete at the desk both watching the bald man at the door carefully. "And just so you know - Gibbs has a very short fuse - and I mean very, very short - and if you don't do as he says - or don't answer with the truth straight away - then - I'm afraid he'll turn into Mr Hyde - now there's a great movie."
Taylor was speechless - trying desperately to figure out just what had happened here - and why was this jerk weed spouting off about Gibbs and fuses. He didn't protest as he was pushed down on the sofa as Gibbs took up position behind the desk, Tony pacing to it quickly and, again, hitching a hip on a corner.
"Jekyll and Hyde," Tony went on. "Made in 1931 - directed by Rouben Mamoulian - Frederick March in the lead role - saw that first when I was a kid - and it had me hiding behind the sofa - the 1941 version with Spencer Tracey in the lead - lacked drive and drama in my book - not that I read a lot of books - too busy having a good time - have you ever been to Panama City on Spring Break? No? Man - you have not lived! Sun, sea - sand and mile after mile of beautiful women - " A slap to the back of his head from Gibbs told him - maybe - enough was enough. "Shutting up, Boss."
The silence in the room was palpable - Rick and Nicky standing together at the fireplace - both looking extremely uncomfortable - almost ready to bolt until Gibbs - unable to take the tension - got to his feet and walked across to them - head slapping them both at the same time. "Something I should know?"
No answer.
"Fine - " Gibbs breathed. "Why don't you two just leave - you're no help to me like this!"
At that moment, the door opened once more to admit Alex. He took in the scene before him with wry smile, winking at Taylor as he snicked the door closed behind him. "Miss anything?" he asked as he perched on the arm of the sofa - regarding his brothers stonily.
"Apparently, Gibbs is Tony's boss - and I wonder what the Director at NCIS will say when he finds that out." Taylor said deliberately loudly.
"I knew that," Alex shrugged with a chuckle.
"You shit!" Rick yelled - tearing himself away from Gibbs's arm suddenly across his chest to prevent him from doing what he had been so desperate to do for an age. He hauled Alex to his feet by the shirt, spun him round and punched him squarely in the face.
Alex went down like a lead weight - his nose pouring with blood - his hands trying to push Rick off his chest as Rick's hand twisted in his hair - his hand bunching into another fist.
Another three blows landed - leaving Alex lying still in the middle of floor - as surprisingly - it took both Gibbs and Tony all their strength to pull Rick off him and shove him aside - until Tony pulled Rick's arm into a half nelson to pin him face first against the wall.
"Not a good idea, Rick." Tony hissed in his ear. "Try a stunt like that again - and I'll cuff you - got it?" He shoved Rick against the wall again - just to be sure he got the point - and when Rick finally nodded assent - he released him. "How is he?"
"Bruised but okay - he's waking up," Gibbs said from where he stood over the stricken man.
"Do I go get Ducky?"
"Nah - he doesn't deserve that," Gibbs growled. "Get him into that chair over there - Nicky - Nicky!"
"Where'd he go?" Tony looked around the room - Nicky had indeed disappeared - having sneaked out - no doubt - during the fight.
"For crying out loud!" Gibbs kicked the leg of the coffee table. "What in hell is going on around here! Rick - go find him!"
"Me? It's me he's pissed at - " The stare. "I'm going!"
"Proud of yourself, Taylor?" Gibbs snarled, mildly annoyed at the way the younger man relaxed on the sofa - arms resting along the back - legs outstretched and crossed a the ankles - stupid grin in place.
"I don't think I've had this much fun since - since - the last time I had some fun - which - if I recall was - "
"Please." Gibbs said softly. "Shut the fuck up - do us all a favour - and shut the fuck up."
"And something has just occurred to me - " Taylor grinned broadly - delighting in the reactions from Gibbs. "This is my property now - and you are trespassing - " He slowly rose to his feet - stretching his arms above his head with a satisfied growl.
"No law in this country will make this your place," Gibbs said - closing in until they were nose to nose. "I don't know what Rick signed - but he signed under duress - and you kidnapped him and my Senior Field Agent to do it - you had your man beat up on Tony to force Rick to comply - you then dope them and drive them out into the country to an old farm building which had enough of a gas supply to take out a bridge over the Potomac - oh no - Taylor - not this time - you're officially under arrest as of this moment - and involving NCIS - big mistake."
"Mom always said I'd make a good sailor."
"Under my command - you'd be cleaning the head - permanently - or I'd have you on rivet watch."
"You were a Marine weren't you?"
"Sniper - Gunnery Sergeant - " Gibbs nodded. "And if I gave you an hours lead - I'd still track you down - and take great pleasure in emptying my gun into your head."
"Uh - Boss - is this TBI?"
"Truth by interrogation?" Gibbs turned to look at Tony to see he was busy checking on Alex who was still trying to stem the flow of blood. "Nah - just your basic bragging, Tony - TBI comes later - once I get this a-hole on his own - which reminds me. Tony?"
"Yeah."
"The muscle at the front door - ask him to come in here for a second - unarmed?"
"What you got planned?"
"Just get him in here?"
Tony pulled a face but complied - opening the door quickly. "Hey, Tinkerbell - Boss wants a word - like - now! Leave the weapon at the front desk."
"Taylor?" Muscle called.
"Just do it!" Taylor answered.
"Okay."
Inside the room - Gibbs took up position to the right of the door - signalling for Tony to keep Taylor's back to the door and keep him covered with the Sig. Muscle stepped over the threshold - not seeing Gibbs initially - but realising he was there way too late as a large - and just heavy enough to cause some damage - vase connected with his head and he hit the floor without a sound.
Gibbs grabbed the fallen man's wrists and yanked him further into the room - just in case he was spotted by his two comrades outside - a quick glance in their direction told him they'd not heard anything - both seeming to be chatting to each other and not paying much attention to their surroundings.
Closing the door - Gibbs turned to Taylor as he hooked a pair of cuffs from his back pocket and snapped them on his wrists. "Just not your day, is it?"
"You think you're clever - " Taylor turned to see a smiling Tony wink at him. "He thinks he's clever."
"He is, Taylor - and so far - he's just been playing with you - isn't that right Boss?"
"Right as always, Tony. I want you to think of me as a Jack Russell Terrier - Taylor - I'm going to sink my teeth into your ass and not let go - until I get what I want - " His brow knitted as he gazed into Taylor's dark eyes for a brief moment. "I am your nemesis - you will go down - but not before you've gone a few rounds with me - and personally - I'm looking forward to it."
"Be afraid," Tony whispered in his ear - making Taylor jump. "Be very afraid - in Gibbs's world - no-one can hear you scream."
TBC….
Author's Chapter Notes:
What's up with Nicky??