"Hello, Taylor." Gibbs allowed the door behind to swing shut as he smiled warmly at the dark man still cuffed to his chair.
"Fuck off!"
"Big man," Gibbs glanced at Tony. "He thinks he's real big - using language like that - but deep down - he's really insecure don't you think?"
"Oh yeah - very insecure, Boss - all piss and wind when it comes down to it - I've met enough a-holes like him - and they're all the same." Tony moved to lean against the wall beside the door as Gibbs walked around the table. "Must be pretty crowded at the shallow end of the gene pool."
"And I'm wondering why someone didn't throw him back in," Gibbs now stood to Taylor's left, a hand on his shoulder as the other hand braced against the table.
"Sympathy?" Tony suggested helpfully.
"Nah - don't see it myself," Gibbs said - his voice barely a whisper. "But we've been in here - what? About three minutes and all he's managed is two words - and one of them was very impolite."
"Ya think he's scared of us, Boss?"
"I don't know - are you? Taylor? Huh? You scared right now? Huh?" Gibbs whispered again - leaning in close - his breath hot against Taylor's neck and ear. "I know I would be - in your position."
"Just say whatever it is you have to say and I'll forget about this whole thing," Taylor lifted his chin and stared defiantly at the opposite wall - his heart thudding in his chest as he did so - there was something about Gibbs - something - almost predatory and he found it intimidating. "Whatever you want - it's yours - money?"
"Like I'd want anything that you soiled, Taylor. No," Gibbs shook his head as he straightened up - holding a hand out to Tony. "Keys, DiNozzo."
"You letting me go?" Taylor flashed a grin as Tony tossed across the keys - Gibbs catching them and bending to undo the right cuff at Taylor's back.
"Like hell," Gibbs growled. "Hands in front and stay sitting." Without even thinking - Taylor did as he was told only to find that as soon as the cuffs were snapped home - Gibbs hauled him to his feet grabbing the front of his shirt and pulled him down until his head and torso were on the table top. "Stay!" Gibbs barked - a hand at Taylor's neck - holding him firm. "So - Tony - what do you reckon? How's that look?"
"What the fuck is going on?" Taylor bellowed - struggling futilely.
Tony sauntered across and lifted the back of the long leather duster Taylor wore, throwing it up and over the wearer before stepping back and tilting his head - lips pursed in thought for a second or two.
"Doesn't TV add a couple of pounds?" he asked curiously.
"Does it matter?" Gibbs snorted.
"Guess not," Tony agreed. "Yep - that's an ass just begging for a whipping."
"Let me go!" Taylor yelled again. "What the fuck is this all about?"
Gibbs held Taylor firm - slapping the top of his head sharply. "Quit shouting and I'll tell you - in fact - I'll repeat myself again for a final time and you will listen," Gibbs pressed on the other man's neck just a little too hard - wrenching a strangled squeak from him. "Tony - go get the other one - and see what condition Nicky's in too."
"On it Boss!" And the younger agent was gone.
****
Minutes later - Tony was back - with Alex.
"And this is supposed to frighten the crap outta me?" Alex drawled as Tony shoved him further into the room. Taylor was still pinned under Gibbs's iron grip as Tony suddenly pulled Alex forward and down until both prisoners were cheek to cheek. Alex gave a token attempt at a struggle but when he felt the barrel of Tony's sig running the length of his spine to settle at his carotid he stilled instantly.
"Rick?" Gibbs shouted. "Bring her in!"
"Nicky's looking like crap, Boss. He can't even focus - let alone speak - you'll have to be patient."
"Patience isn't one of my favourite words, DiNozzo - when we're done here - I want you shoving his head into a bucket of ice until he sobers up." Taylor tried freeing himself again and earned a harder head slap - which sent the air blue with wild curses.
"Hey - lady present - so watch your mouth - hey Melinda," Tony smiled a welcome.
"Tony - Jethro - and - who have we here?" Melinda was a blonde with startlingly wide eyes and an easy smile - she walked into the room gracefully - her heels clicking against the wooden floor.
"Jeans, Melinda?" Gibbs queried - looking her up and down briefly.
"I was at the Mall shopping when I got your call - I had the guys meet me here," she said with a wink. "I take it we can set up in the Rumpus Room?"
"Sure thing - just need your take on the angle - " Gibbs jerked his head towards Taylor's butt.
"Of course - you think like a professional Jethro - are you sure I can't convince you to jack in the day job - reporting is fun." She moved around the table to stand behind Taylor - a brow raised. "And to think - I've been reporting on this slime ball for nearly three years - even interviewed him briefly but I didn't think I'd ever be looking at him from this angle."
"Then don't?" Gibbs offered with a smirk.
"I don't understand this - " she began. "I know why you have a beef against Taylor - most of Metro have been trying to land him for years - but Alex too?"
"Long story, Mel." Gibbs answered - hauling Taylor to his feet and shoving him back down onto his chair where he sat quietly smouldering - his mind in a whirl.
"Tony - I'm going to count to ten - " Alex grunted. "And if you haven't released my but the time I hit two - I will kill you."
"Aha - hear that, Boss - threatening a Federal Agent - " He bent down until he was close to Alex's ear. "Carry on - keep it up - "
"Let me fucking go!"
Tony's answer was to lift Alex halfway from the table, slamming him back and making him gasp as the breath left his body at record speed. "I told you - lady present. Sorry Melinda - he's sorry - tell the nice lady you're sorry - Alex." When no reply was forthcoming - Alex was - again - slammed against the table. "Obviously overwhelmed by his current predicament," Tony shrugged. "I'll have him apologise later."
"Not a problem," Melinda raised a hand. "I've heard worse than that - " She studied the tableau before her briefly and turned on her heel. "We'll get set up and let you know when we're ready if that's okay?"
"Sure - be with you in two." Gibbs refastened Taylor to the chair as Tony did the same with Alex.
"Uh - Boss?" Tony straightened up from where he'd been squatting behind Alex as he snapped the cuffs closed.
"DiNozzo?"
"What about - never leave suspects together in the same room?"
"Suspects?" Gibbs chuckled. "I don't see suspects - I see two guys guilty as hell - both heading for the State Pen - why? What do you see?"
"You're not going through with this!" Taylor hissed. "You're bluffing - "
"Try me," Gibbs head slapped him again. "I never bluff."
"Taylor - shut the fuck up - just shut the fuck up!" Alex spat. "Before I shut you up."
"And you'll achieve that how?" Taylor spat back.
"I'll wrap my fucking hands around your fucking throat - "
"And just how you gonna do that with your hands behind your back?"
"Don't start looking for problems - I'll fucking kill you! It's your fault we're in this up to our bastard necks - "
"Blaming me?" Taylor sounded shocked - his eyes wide. "Hey - I don't recall hearing you say no - all I saw were dollar signs racking up in your mind - we had it all - "
"Had - Taylor - that's just it - it's what we had - and we're never seeing any of it now are we? Huh? No - thanks to you and your greed - you couldn't just leave well alone could you - huh?" Alex was furious.
"And who was it thought of leaving Rick penniless?" Taylor hissed.
"You are so not going to land that one on me - I just suggested maybe - "
"He killed Mia - he killed the one person - "
"You didn't love her, Taylor - don't ever utter her name again - don't drag her into this - you treated her like crap - no wonder she ended up with Rick! He saved her from you!"
"You bastard - you fucking bastard!" Taylor was beside himself with anger - his blazing in hatred. "Rick stole her from me - "
"And then there's Amanda - isn't there? How come you never chased her once Nicky had got her away from you? I didn't see you howling and sobbing over her - and Inara for that matter - how long would it have been when you're bored with them - huh? Only for them to end up the same way Mia did - is that what you had planned?" Alex paused - frowning. "What in hell am I saying - it's the way anyone you get fed up of ends up isn't it? Dead - either holding up a highway - or in the Potamac with a cement overcoat."
Gibbs and Tony stood looking from one man to the other as the insults shot across the room.
"Better than live TV, Boss."
"Yep - they're digging their own graves - no help from us - and here was me looking for a challenge."
"Get real, Alex!" Taylor shouted. "I'm not the fucking mafia - I have standards - besides - cement is just too obvious. Pigs are best - eat the lot - no mess left - no clues."
Gibbs nudged Tony gently - as he tugged out two objects from his back pockets. "Don't know about you, Tony - but I'm getting a headache." He held up the ball gags - allowing Tony to take one as he made his way across to Taylor - holding his head steady as he forced the ball gag into his mouth - tying it brutally at the back of his skill. Alex tried to avoid the gag for a moment or two but with a harsh head slap from Tony - he allowed himself to be silenced.
"Now - " Gibbs said as he walked to the door - turning as he opened it. "A little peace and quiet while you to reflect on what you've done - and I'll be back for you in a while - and I want to see you two making friends - after all - behind bars - you'll have to watch each other's sixes - all sorts of strange people end up sharing a cell - and I can so see you two in such compromising positions - " he let a smile tug at the corner of his mouth - and shut the door.
"You really are a bastard," Tony grinned.
"Tell me something I don't know."
TBC
Chapter End Notes:
Oh boy - B sure does stand for bastard!!