Chapter 16
Kate was astounded. Tim was equally stunned. They both returned to their work, feeling properly chastised. Each ducked his head and avoided Tony's and Gibbs' gaze.
Gibbs phone rang and he snatched it up. He listened for a few seconds than hung up. "Grab your gear, dead sailor in Norfolk."
Tony was the last to enter the elevator. Everybody could tell the atmosphere had changed. The ride to the scene was quiet. By the time both Kate and Tim had suffered through the quiet crime scene and the car ride back to NCIS, they were both sneaking looks at Tony. Checking to see that he was okay, but he was not okay. He was far from it. Quiet Tony was…unnerving.
Meanwhile another crime scene, of sorts, was waiting for the team back at NCIS. Lacey Cummings, a senior accountant, got a surprise visit from her soon-to-be ex-husband, Jonathon Cummings. John got past security brandishing a gun at the security guard at the door. He took an unfortunate female visitor as his hostage to make his way further in the building without interference. He and his human shield made their way up the flight of stairs to the accounting department. John then proceeded to his wife's cubicle, where he promptly shot her.
Team Gibbs ran headlong into the chaos when they returned to NCIS and were not allowed to enter the building. A shutdown had been initiated in an attempt to contain the threat.
"Gibbs, I have got to get in there. If somebody's hurt…Ducky's not in yet." Tony looked at his watch. It was not yet 10:30 a.m. "There's nobody to…."
Gibbs nodded. He wanted to get into the building also. If there was a threat in the building, he wanted it neutralized, ASAP. Team Gibbs was soon granted access. The team entered the accounting department, guns drawn. They were quickly informed that John was not there, and they had not seen where he had gone. Gibbs and Tim left in search of Lacey's soon-to-be ex.
Tony and Kate stayed behind. Tony knelt down beside the injured woman who was lying on the floor clutching the right side of her chest. Blood was seeping between her fingers and she was terrified.
"It's going to be okay." Tony said as he gently pried her fingers away from the wound. Tony then pushed her blouse aside and examined the wound in greater detail.
"I'll need thread, a pocket knife, tweezers, and alcohol." Tony paused. "And grab the first-aid kit while you're at it." Tony said to no one in particular.
Several of the women left the scene and went in search of the needed items.
"Agent DiNozzo, Tony…." One of Lacey's co-workers started to protest.
"I need to remove the bullet. She…We don't know how long we will be on lockdown here." Tony explained. "They're not letting anyone in. We almost didn't' make it. And we can't have paramedics getting shot trying to save a life."
Several of the ladies nodded, as Tony began his work.
"Kate, I'll need you to assist." Tony stated.
"Tony! I…." "
"Just do what I tell you." Tony stated.
Several of the ladies returned with the requested items. They made a small pile between Kate and Tony.
Tony opened the bottle of alcohol. He poured some on his hands. He then donned gloves. He held put his hands to Kate. "Pour some alcohol on my gloves. I need to be as sterile as possible. And whatever I ask you for. I need you to douse it in alcohol before you give it to me." Tony paused. "Okay."
Kate nodded. That was because she could not speak. Her mouth had gone dry. And she was fairly sure, if she had not already been on her knees she would have fallen to them at this point.
Kate managed to follow Tony directions. She was amazed at his skills in removing the bullet and sewing up the wound.
The surgery was completed fairly quickly. Tony made do with the tweezers, the white thread from a sewing kit and the other items the ladies had managed to gather for him. He covered her wound with gauze from the first aid kit. And while he had done a good job, he knew his stitches would be taken out and proper ones placed. Lacey would be given megadoses of antibiotics to make sure she did not get an infection due to his emergency surgery.
Gibbs and the other agents found John fairly quickly. He resisted capture and was shot. He died moments later. And by the time Tony was finishing up the ambulance arrived. They quickly loaded the patient into the ambulance, as the paramedics praised Tony for his skill and expertise.
By the time Ducky got to work the whole building was just buzzing with the news of Tony's surgical expertise and ingenuity.
TBC
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