Let There be Blood

Chapter 14

This Means War

"What kind of problem, McGee?" Gibbs demanded over the phone.

"We can't reach Brooke or Tony on their landline or cell phones. Kate and I have made multiple attempts." McGee replied worriedly.

Gibbs had a witty remark considering the events that took place earlier that resulted in McGee's black eye. However rather than waste time the team leader resorted to orders. There was no way Brooke and Tony would ignore numerous phone calls no matter how much time they had spent apart. They knew how important it was to remain within reach.

"Take Kate with you to find out why they're not answering." Gibbs hung up the phone without a response from his agent and placed it back into his pocket.

"What's wrong?" Samantha pondered noting the troubled expression on her partner's face.

"It could be nothing but Brooke and Tony aren't picking up." Gibbs replied while avoiding her eyes.

In response Samantha reached up and touched his face effectively capturing his attention. "I know you don't actually believe that, let me help you."

Several Hours Later

Brooke woke in what she identified as a pair of medical scrubs and no idea how she ended up in them. The other problems that she noticed were her hands which were bound behind her and a throbbing headache. In her fog she managed to sit up and realized she was located in an unfamiliar basement.

There was shuffling coming from above along with muffled voices. Though she could not hear the words that were exchanged Brooke concluded that a man and a woman were speaking. The last image the agent had was of Tony with a gun aimed at his head. It was impossible to know how long ago that was. All she could do was wonder about the safety of her husband and their daughter.

Despite the lack of a decent light source Brooke surveyed the area hoping to find a knife or any sharp object that would be of general aid in freeing her hands. Even though she was nauseous and dizzy she managed to get into a standing position with some extra effort.

The basement was damp and musky leaving her uncomfortable and shivering. Listening carefully she moved toward what appeared to be a toolbox making sure she didn't bump into anything in the process. There was junk everywhere which suggested that the space was used for storage of antique or forgotten items. When she reached the toolbox Brooke turned her back to it in order to open it.

The task was tricky and each time the metal box was uncooperative she cringed knowing she would likely be killed if caught. Finally after a few attempts Brooke managed to open the rusty piece. Much to her relief there was a Swiss Army knife inside along with other useless trinkets. It wasn't the best tool but it was better than the alternative which was nothing. The struggle of getting her hands free took several minutes considering the thickness of the rope but she was successful. All the while Brooke listened to the voices above to make sure she was not about to be interrupted.

After ditching the rope she pocketed the small knife then searched for a more useful instrument to defend with. What she found after rummaging as quietly as she could was an aluminum baseball bat. Next Brooke looked for an alternative exit that did not require her to encounter her captors. The ultimate goal was to find Shannon and Tony then get them back to safety.

In the dark Brooke located the way out and fortunately it was not locked from the outside. The air was fresh but chilly which did not ease her mind but it was welcomed by her senses. The agent hoped that her child and husband had shelter wherever they were considering the temperature was bound to drop as it became darker.

Tony winced as he took in a deep breath, though he couldn't be certain he suspected that he had a broken rib. While he was being held Brooke and Shannon could be anywhere. The Italian prayed that they were at least alive and hopefully somewhere safe but his instincts knew better. In the time that he was blacked out Jeanne could have transported him and his family anywhere and separated them.

When he opened his eyes earlier the world around him was blurry. It had taken a few minutes for him to adjust and make sense of his surroundings. The cottage was not a place that he recognized and in his gut he had a feeling he was farther from home than he could possibly imagine.

People were speaking in the next room but it wasn't in English. Another moment of listening and Tony determined it was French. However the language was not well known to him. Brooke had better knowledge than he did when it came to speaking French.

Earlier

There had been no sign of forced entry but that did not suggest unwanted visitors weren't present. As investigators they were not strangers to cases involving a home invasion. It was unusual territory however to have one of their own abducted this way let alone two along with their child. Samantha had immediately issued an Amber Alert for Shannon along with a BOLO and other alerts for the DiNozzo family upon learning of their status. Meanwhile Kate and McGee had processed the crime scene.

Jethro insisted on participating but was forced to sit on the sidelines not only by the Director this time but the Secretary of the Navy as well. Though Samantha was allowed to assist considering they were down three agents her level of investigating was also limited. Many agents took on additional responsibilities in order to find the missing family which became priority.

In the meantime the former partners could do nothing but stand by and watch, waiting to hear good news. Together they went to Samantha's apartment to avoid being in the way which was closer to the Navy Yard than Gibbs' house. They were told to leave and assured they would be notified if anything came up. If Gibbs had the energy or authority for that matter he would have argued but he did not want to impede the investigation.

In Samantha's apartment Gibbs paced the living room while the news reported on Shannon being a missing child. The team leader couldn't bring himself to look at her picture on the screen.

"We'll find them Jethro, everything will be alright." Samantha promised as she offered him a cup of coffee and turned off the television.

As he accepted the beverage he said nothing not wanting to be skeptical or unrealistically optimistic. They both knew the statistics. The advantage was that they had a quality team of dedicated agents working hard to ensure a safe return against all odds.

Gently Samantha took his empty hand and led him to the couch where they both sat.

"It's not a mystery that Brooke is your daughter Jethro she takes after you and because of that she is a survivor." Samantha reassured her former partner and brother in law.

In that moment Gibbs saw a flicker of Shannon in her younger sister. They were different, yes but Samantha reflected Shannon in ways she failed to notice. This among many reasons made him drawn to her.

Gradually they drew closer, their eyes locked, subconsciously Samantha parted her lips. First their foreheads touched, followed by their noses. They each closed their eyes at the same moment and just as their lips were about to touch a ringing phone brought the action to a screeching halt.

Later

Brooke kept herself clear of the windows and used caution at each corner as she circled the structure which she concluded to be a cottage. The agent kept a firm grip on the baseball bat the entire time. Fortunately there was nobody outside but it was just a matter of time before the captors found out she was missing and she also had to find her family before completing the escape.

After ensuring her safety outdoors Brooke approached the rear window that showed signs of light from within. Discreetly she peered inside and saw Tony in the kitchen tied to a chair. Luckily he was conscious and working to get his hands free. There was no way to gain his attention though without being too obvious considering he had his back to the window.

Rather than linger Brooke moved on to the next window where she found the two who took her and her family sitting by the fireplace. The wound on her brow throbbed at the sight of the man who knocked her out. The woman sitting in the armchair opposite him Brooke recognized as the one who pointed a gun at Tony earlier.

Brooke abandoned the window then crept toward the shed at the rear of the cottage but much to her disappointment the door was locked. However she had the Swiss Army knife as backup.

Earlier

When it was reported that Jeanne Benoit was in security footage at a local airport with a child matching Shannon's description in her custody Jethro and Samantha couldn't return to headquarters fast enough. They were informed that the doctor had used an alias and boarded a private plane the destination being Paris. The whereabouts of Brooke and Tony however were still unknown.

This resulted in McGee searching for property owned by the Benoit family or anyone in relation to them. In the meantime Jethro and Samantha argued with their superiors about who would be involved in the rescue mission. Eventually it was agreed upon that they could go but not without Jenny.

Now

Brooke was appalled by the amount of weapons within the shed once she managed to gain access. There were grenades and rocket launchers along with various types of assault rifles as well as handguns and knives. Overwhelmed with the contents the agent closed the door behind her as she stepped inside using the flashlight she found in order to see.

In case it would be necessary she armed herself with a handgun and placed a more lethal knife into her pocket. Then as she was looking at the grenades a thought came to mind as to how to make an escape. Grabbing one of the grenades she turned off the flashlight and stepped out of the shed.

Complex calculations travelled through her mind at warp speed as she assessed the distance between the cottage and the shed. If she caused an explosion it would draw attention from the captors and with any luck she would have time to free Tony and find Shannon before they realized what happened. Considering the distance from the shed she would have to sprint but she was an experienced runner.

Removing the pin from the grenade Brooke tossed it into the shed and slammed the door closed before fleeing as fast as she possibly could. The blast knocked her off her feet but she had made it out of the radius in time. The windows of the cottage had shattered but as far as she was aware that was the most damage the explosion had caused. Quickly Brooke entered the basement the same way she left it with her ears ringing. Relying on her other senses she made her way up the stairs making sure every corner was clear before rushing into the kitchen.

Tony was on his side as a result of the blast and appeared to be relieved that Brooke was there. Using the stolen knife she cut him free and helped him to his feet. From the way he reacted she could see that something was wrong. Lifting the top to his set of scrubs rather aggressively she found ugly bruises along his right side.

Brooke bit her lip and met his eyes dropping her hands to her sides. The agent opened her mouth to ask if he knew where Shannon was but before she could form a single word shots were fired from behind her.

Tony crumpled to the floor as Brooke turned around and fired back. The shooting was short lived and ended with the female who kidnapped them taking a bullet to the head. When it was over Brooke looked over her shoulder only to find Tony at her feet.

"No…Tony…!" Grabbing a dishtowel she applied pressure to the wound in his chest. In that same moment there was a blood curdling scream that could have only come from a child above their heads.

"Brooke…go…" Tony managed to choke out the words. When she appeared to be frozen in place he raised his voice. "NOW!"

Brooke did not need to be told again. Jumping to her feet she left him and ran for the stairs only to be assaulted by a cloud of harsh smoke and the unforgiving heat of flames.

"SHANNON!" Brooke screamed for her daughter only to hear faint coughs in return.

The young mother moved forward and reached the landing. When she called for Shannon again the child called back for her mother. As Brooke stepped forward the roof suddenly caved in between her and the door to where Shannon was being held.

Despite the fact that it was suicidal to try Brooke lunged forward to rescue her child but before she could even take a step a pair of strong arms lifted her off her feet and she was carried out kicking and screaming. It was not until she was on her hands and knees on the lawn gasping for fresh air that she realized it was her own father who saved her life.