Catch Me If You Can! - Chapter 4
Grimacing as he took a sip of the now cold mug of coffee, Gibbs stepped back and studied the rib he had just been sanding. He sighed and took a large swig of the contents of his mug; frustrated that even working on the boat bought him no escape from his thoughts and fears.
It was Harding who had phoned him on DiNozzo's cell phone earlier. Harding had been in that apartment, had stood over Tony as he slept to let him know how easy it was to get assess to the young agent. They had been extremely lucky tonight that Harding had only wanted to taunt, lucky that the drug addict had not had other more sinister motives for tonight.
A growl erupted from his throat and the mug sailed across the room, shattering against the wall before crushing to the floor. Dammit, this was not some trick of his imagination! He didn't care what the search of DiNozzo's apartment showed or rather failed to show- he knew what had happened! Whether he was exhausted or not, he had not imagined the call Harding had been in that apartment and nothing would change that fact!
"Boss?"
Startled by the soft-spoken question, Gibbs turned and stared at the figure standing on the stairs. He felt his heart beat a little faster by the sight of the man standing there. DiNozzo looked even younger than he normally did with his hair still tussled by sleep, his firm lean body silhouetted by the brighter light shining down the basement stairs from the kitchen. Swallowing hard, Gibbs cleared his throat before he growled, "What the hell do you think you doing DiNozzo? You're supposed to be still sleeping! Ducky told you to get some more rest!"
Tony grinned as he stepped off the bottom stair and began to walk around the skeleton of the boat, examining her as he spoke. "I'm not the only one Ducky told to get some rest, Boss, if I remember correctly."
"I am resting, DiNozzo!" Gibbs snarled as he tried hard to ignore the way the younger man moved. ‘God what was wrong with him today! The feelings he felt towards Tony were deeper than just wanting to protect one of his team'
"Aha." Tony replied as he carefully ran his hand over the wood admiring the smoothness beneath his hand. He glanced at Gibbs, biting his lip in indecision before he asked softly. "You really think that Harding was in my apartment, Boss?"
Reaching for the sandpaper, Gibbs froze at the question. He looked up into the green eyes that were studying him waiting an answer. "Tony, I have no doubts at all that Harding was in your apartment. I know that we have found nothing so far to support this but I DO know that Harding phoned me with your cell phone from your apartment tonight. And I DO believe he is still a danger to you!"
Nodding his head in silent acknowledgement, Tony swallowed hard, trying to hide the fear that rippled beneath the surface. He looked across at his boss and forced a small smile, "I guess we should start getting ready for work, Boss. Want a coffee before we go?"
Gibbs glanced down at his watch; surprised to discover it was a little after seven. He had not realized that he had been down in the basement for so long He grinned as he looked back at DiNozzo, "We can grab some on the way!"
Tony smirked, "What about Ducky?"
"Go and get dressed Tony, leave Ducky to me!" Gibbs grinned as he walked towards the stairs. "I want to leave in ten minutes."
"Ten minutes Boss, got ya!" Tony acknowledged as he turned and sprinted up the stairs.
"What the hell is the matter with me?" Gibbs muttered angrily to himself as he found himself staring at Tony's retreating figure and felt the first faint stirrings of an erection.
NCISNCISNCIS
He watched as the two agents emerged from the house, a small smile playing on his lips. "Ahhh Gibbs, you really don't believe that this will protect him, do you?" he whispered. Laughing heartily, he watched the car they had just got in pull away before he started the engine to his own and followed at a discreet distance behind.
NCISNCISNCIS
Cait frowned as she studied the crime scene pictures from Tony's apartment, looking- no- searching for some clue that something was amiss. So far she had found nothing that indicated either Harding or anyone else having been in the apartment with Tony last night ‘Not even a female.' she thought quirkily, a small smile momentarily brightening her exhausted demeanor as she filed that little tidbit away in her mental box of Tony zings for use at a later date. She gently rolled her head around on her shoulders trying to lose the tension in them as she glanced across at McGee. "Find anything?"
Jumping at the unexpected soft call, McGee looked up from his screen. "If Harding is in Washington DC than he is doing a good job at staying under all of the radars. It's like he has disappeared in a puff of smoke. There is no trail of him anywhere, here or anywhere else." He told the other agent frustrated by the lack of progress from hours of computer searching. "Still no sightings or even phone contacts with any of his acquaintances or contacts! Nothing!"
"Well you better get me something, McGee, and get it fast!" He ignored the startled gasp and the "On it Boss!" from the young agent as he strolled briskly towards his desk followed closely by Tony.
"I thought that Ducky sent you home to rest?" Cait asked, surprised by the very unexpected arrival of the two men.
"He did. I did. Now I'm back! So what have you got for me?" Gibbs answered as he reached his desk and sat down, his eyes never leaving DiNozzo as the younger agent settled at his own desk and powered up his computer.
"Not much I'm afraid, Gibbs. Still no evidence that Harding was anywhere near Tony's apartment last night. Abby managed to put together the splinters of the door but we did the only damage she found." Turning her attention to Tony, Cait added, "The apartment manager wasn't to happy about the damage but I have managed to cool him down by promising all the damage will be repaired by NCIS."
"Thanks Cait." Tony smiled.
"Anyway Harding could get into the apartment without being noticed?" Gibbs growled.
"None that we can see, unless he had a key I suppose." Cait ventured. The security cameras are fixed, I guess if he was careful enough he might be able to avoid being filmed but he would have to cased the apartment building out thoroughly and than got Tony's key."
"Any chance of Harding getting your apartment keys, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked pinning him with a stare.
"My keys are with me at all times, Boss. Have them on the same ring as my car keys." Tony answered; feeling his pockets and breathing a sigh of relief at the bulky lump he found indicating his keys were indeed safe.
"Check it out Cait. I want o know if anyone has seen Harding around the apartment building in the last few weeks and if there are any duplicates of apartment keys and who has access to them." Gibbs commanded before his landline ringing broke his attention.
Snapping up the phone, he snapped, "Gibbs."
"Ahh Agent Gibbs, I see that you decided that Tony is safer under your watchful eye."
Instantly recognizing the voice Gibbs signaled McGee to begin a trace. "Harding!" he growled looking automatically across at Tony. Tony's head snapped up and he watched Gibbs intently.
The voice on the other end of the phone chuckled and deepened, "I must admit Gibbs, DiNozzo did look so good in those green boxers he was wearing at your house this morning. It was a pleasure watching him get dressed before you left for work. Mmmmm A pleasure indeed!" The voice ended with a chuckle as the words chilled Gibbs blood. He sat with the receiver still to his ear as the quite beeps of the call being disconnected echoed through the phone. He forced his attention away from Tony and turned to McGee hoping for a positive result.
"Sorry Boss, not long enough." Was McGee's soft answer.
"Not Long enough or were you TOO slow!" Gibbs snapped as Harding's words resonated in his mind. "I want that call traced and I don't care how you do it!" He demanded, knowing he was ordering the impossible.
"Boss?" Tony asked.
.
Author's Chapter Notes:
The aftermath of an undercover assignment gone wrong. Tony's captor has escaped and Gibbs will do anything to keep Tony safe.
Chapter End Notes:
Placed in slash for future chapters.My first story 'In Too Deep' is the first part of this series.