Abilities and Advantages
Chapter 4
Ransom

Tony DiNozzo winced from the hallway as his lover verbally tore through another one of the NCIS administrative assistants. What was this poor lady's crime, you may ask? Bringing Gibbs a package with no return address. Even though it passed through all the security checks.

As the lady left muttering about speaking to her supervisor regarding Gibbs' behavior, Tony tried to pinpoint exactly when his boss' behavior started going south. 'It had to be just before lunch but there was nothing that happened. I know this morning he was in a very good mood if our romp in his bed was anything to go by.' Gibbs had surprised Tony that morning after he returned from his morning run and they had had a very nice quickie before having to get ready for work.

It had been so slow that they were catching up on paperwork. While normally an activity guaranteed to put Gibbs in a rotten mood it usually took most of the day for that to happen.

Tony's thoughts were broken by Kate elbowing him in the ribs, "what the hell did you do this time, DiNozzo? Gibbs is on the warpath."

Tony looked at former Secret Service agent, "Kate, believe me this time I had nothing to with Gibbs' pissy mood."

Kate narrowed her eyes, gauging Tony's truthfulness, "well someone did something. I've only seen him this bad after Ari broke in, and when you were out of contact when undercover."

"Maybe there's a budget hearing we don't know about, or a meeting with the Director." McGee chimed in from his hiding space in the hallway.

Tony thought about giving the Probie a tap on the head for interrupting, but decided against it, this was more important than his sibling rivalry issues. The three needed to compare notes fast and then run to Ducky if Gibbs diffusion was needed. "Probie, who invited you into this conversation anyway?" Tony said as a greeting.

"Tony, stop, this is a problem for all of us." Kate said.

"McGee," Gibbs bellowed from the bullpen, "get over here and play this thing."

"On it, Boss," McGee scurried over to look at what needed to be done. He looked at the tape, "this is a hi8 tape. Conference 3 has a player and an adapter that will work for it."

Gibbs started in the direction of the conference room. "DiNozzo, Todd, quit lurking and join us."

McGee set up the tape to be played while the others took a chair. "Gibbs, why do you want us here?" Kate asked.

Gibbs grimaced, "I've got a bad feeling in my gut. It'll be easier to do this once."

As McGee took his seat, Gibbs started the recording. Various sounds and expressions of shock and disbelief raced through the room as a disheveled Abby appeared on the screen, taped to a chair, her pigtails askew, and a bruise forming on her left cheek.

Abby smiled weakly, her hands moving franticly as she spoke. "Um, Hi, Bossman. Looks like my guy friend and I are in some trouble."

Tony took a moment to look away from their friend's face, and to Gibbs', his lover was intently staring at Abby watching every move the lab tech made. Turning back to watching the videotape, Tony noticed another man in the background. He was just as disheveled but there were no visible signs of bruises on him. What stood out to Tony was the slow methodical way Abby's friend, Tony assumed it was Abby's friend in Las Vegas that she went to spend some time with, was looking at the room. 'He's trying to give us clues. Good'

"Our hosts want you, Boss, to go to Vegas alone with $100,000 and check in at the Palms. Wait for 48 hours or so and they will call you and tell you where to drop off the money. If all goes well then you will be told where Greg and I are." Abby's eyes widened, and despite the mutter plea of 'don't do it Abby' from both Tony and Kate; Abby exclaimed to her kidnappers, "You assholes, you're gonna kill us anyway aren't you? Gibbs, it's a trap don't do it." A black clad figure quickly loomed on to the screen and backhanded Abby so hard it knocked the chair she was taped to over as well.

The kidnapper then addressed the camera; "Want to make sure your little lady and her boyfriend live, Gunny? Do what we say! Otherwise they are dead!" the tape ended in static.

Tony turned in his chair to look at Gibbs; his lover's head was back against the headrest of the chair, eyes closed. "Good girl Abby. You did it right." Gibbs whispered so softly only Tony heard him.

"Jethro?" Tony asked softly daring to use his lover's first name at the office.

Gibbs opened his eyes, weary and moist looking and lifted his head to look at Tony his expression sad and proud, "She was behaving too well for being a hostage, Tony." Gibbs said, "I know you and Kate told her to do that but she needed for her kidnappers not to look too hard at the tape. If she didn't pull anything they would have and she would probably be dead. She provoked them on purpose so she could give us all the intel she could."

While Gibbs took a deep breath, Tony looked at the other two agents. Kate was pale and shaken but Tony knew she'd work to get Abbs back. Abby's real boyfriend on the other hand, if Tony was the one to make the call he'd lock McGee in a cell until they came home with Abby, alive. The Probie was paler and more shaken than Kate looked and Tony felt. Tony nudged Gibbs to talk to the young agent.

Gibbs stood and walked over to the computer tech turned field agent, "McGee, I need you to focus."

McGee looked at Gibbs the younger man's blue-green eyes not really seeing him, "Boss, they're going to kill Abby." He said still in shock.

"Not if we do our job, Tim. Now, I need you to isolate the sounds from each of Abbs hands, make a couple of copies of the tape, one of which needs to be an enhancement of her hands and what they are doing."

"Gibbs," Tony interrupted, "Abby's friend was looking over the background pretty intently. There may be something from the eye reflection we can use."

Gibbs nodded, "Okay, get a copy of that too, McGee. Analyzing it will have to wait until we get to Vegas, though. " Gibbs looked over to Kate.

"I'm fine Gibbs. Let's nail these bastards." Kate said standing up ready to go.

Gibbs nodded looking like he was back to business, "Kate, brief Ducky and get him up here. McGee, make those copies. DiNozzo, get us to Vegas and rooms at the Palms." McGee and Kate hurried out of the room while Tony lagged behind.

Tony closed the door to the conference room, and leaned back blocking the exit. "Gibbs, I need your credit card to make your reservations." Gibbs wordlessly handed it to him. "Do you think Ari is behind this?"

"Not if that piece of slime values his life." Gibbs growled. "No, this is someone from when I was in the Corps. They called me Gunny. I'm going to clear this with the Director, get that ransom money and then I'm going to see just who decided to piss me off by taking my lab tech."

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