10

CHAPTER FOUR

Aaron Fox stood at the keyboard and nervously started to type. Pictures of two large properties flicked into life on the screen.

"Bicknell, his father…stepfather owned properties in Virginia and Maryland; he sold most of them when his wife died. But there are two places he couldn't sell; he took them off the market six weeks ago – Ellison Sanatorium, and Broad Meadow Nursing Home."

Tony peered at the pictures, could Tim be in one of these places? "Ducky said they needed medical equipment, and the room to use it…Which one is nearest to the city?"

"Ellison Sanatorium, it's twenty miles north, Broad Meadow is sixty miles away…"

Gibbs hesitated for a moment. "We'll take the sanatorium, Carlin would stay close to DC…he'd want to be near his prey. Abs, send the co-ordinates to the car; I'll call Leon to get the local LEOs to check out the nursing home. It's our first break people, let's get ready to move."

Five minutes later Aaron Fox was heading back to the basement with a broad smile on his face; Gibbs had told him he'd done great work, and he knew from what Tim had told them about his boss that praise like that didn't come lightly. Then the thought of Tim and what he could be going through wiped the smile from his face...please let this be the place...let him be okay.

"You know Agent McGee, you really should try to relax, this will hurt so much less if you are not too tense."

Tim couldn't believe what he was hearing, he had two brutes holding him down to a stainless steel table, his spine was being punctured for the second time in preparation to having his skull opened and Carlin wanted him to relax, he really must be crazy…

"I'm pretty sure the test will be clear, so we're going to get you ready for the harvest, and this way I know you won't hurt yourself again."

Carlin carefully placed the hypodermic on a sterile tray. "That should be sufficient. You can start prepping him, I want to get started as soon as I'm able…this is what we've been waiting for, a brain such as his, think of the power my friends."

As Tim was turned onto his back once more, and the restraints were fastened, he caught sight of the faces of his captors. They looked like the kind of men you would want on your side in a fight…is that why Carlin chose them? But why would they go along with him? Tim had to know.

"Why? Please…why are you doing this? You have to know it's wrong"

The taller of the two men laughed quietly. "See Simon, it's just like I told you, they always try to put down the real pioneers of science."

"He's not a pioneer, he's a murderer, and he's dragged you along with him…you won't get away with this, they'll come for me, and when they do, even if I'm…if it's too late for me, they'll hunt you down…"

"And do what? When we drink the elixir, we'll be unbeatable...you should have seen the others, getting stronger every day, and they weren't even being given this new formula."

Tim could hear metal objects being put on metal trays…it was getting closer, he had to try and buy every minute he could. "Listen to yourself, there is no elixir…those men, they weren't getting stronger because of Carlin's work, he was pumping them full of drugs, they're sick...dying. The elixir, it's a fantasy, and deep down you know that, you have to, you're not crazy like Carlin."

Tim saw the raised fist and waited for the blow.

"Steady Martin…you know Alex won't want you damaging the donor."

"I'm not a donor! I'm not giving anything to you, you're stealing from me, and you'll kill me to do it…remember who you were before Carlin got to you, this is so wrong."

"Pity we don't have a gag Martin, he's suddenly found his voice…they always do that, right at the end, they all start talking, begging to live. Do you know how many men we've killed McGee? You think Nate Waldron was the first? He wasn't even the twenty-first, and all that killing was done in the name of freedom, for my country, and what does my country want to do with me? I'll tell you what; they want to put me out to pasture…not fast enough any longer, so they don't want me…or Martin, that's why they sent us to Alex's programme. He gave us back our lives McGee, and those lives are going to be good and long. Now; it's time for a little haircut."

Tim slumped back in despair, he couldn't hold out much longer, he was weak from lack of fluids, his back ached, his wrists and ankles throbbed, and he was honest enough to admit, if only to himself…he was scared.

Bicknell held Tim still as Costello shaved his head. Maybe if he hit his head now, he could do more damage; but he never got the chance. A metal brace was clamped over his skull, and it was secured to the table…he was done for now, without help he was going to die.

"Go Gibbs, bring him back safe."

"Abby, I need everything you can get me on the layout of the Sanatorium,"

"There should be a web site somewhere, if they haven't taken it down, but I could still get to the cache memory."

Satisfied that he had given Abby something to keep her mind off Tim, even if only for a short time; Gibbs headed for the parking lot.

Gibbs and the team were already on the road by the time Fox took his place back at his computer. Ducky and Jimmy were following behind, hoping against hope that it would be their skills as doctors that were required rather than their skills as medical examiners.

The Sanatorium was set well back from the road and surrounded by mature grounds full of trees and shrubs; the perfect cover for them to get close to the main building without being seen.

Abby had come good, and they knew exactly where the doctor's surgery was located. Ducky had confirmed it as the most likely place for Carlin to operate.

"Duck, you wait outside with Jimmy until I call."

"But Jethro, Timothy may need immediate medical assistance."

"You're no good to him if you get hurt; I'll call as soon as we're clear."

"Very well, take care Jethro...all of you."

Tony was already in position at the rear entrance; on Gibbs' mark they went in. Either Carlin was supremely arrogant and had never expected anyone to find this place, or he was careless, either way the doors were unlocked, and they made their way to the surgery without encountering any opposition.

Gibbs and Ziva stood with guns drawn as Tony opened the door that would lead them to the doctor's outer office. They made no sound as they walked quietly past numerous glass phials stacked neatly in stainless steel trays. None of them wanted to think too much about what might be contained in them...a single nod from Gibbs and they were focussed again, and this time on the door they were certain would lead them to Carlin, and more important, to Tim.

Tim hadn't screamed as Carlin drew the scalpel blade across his scalp; he figured this pain was nothing compared with what was to come. He had given up fighting against the restraints; all he could do now was wait. He could feel the warm blood spill out, how many incisions before they started to use the drill Bicknell was holding to bore into his skull? Please let me pass out before that happens...

"Drop that now!"

Carlin disappeared from Tim's eye line, and he almost shouted out with joy – Gibbs was here, he was okay! They'd found him, he was getting out of here...but Carlin wasn't done.

"Deal with these intruders, I have work to do."

Tim caught a glimpse of the scalpel blade, then a single gunshot echoed round the room, he heard the scalpel drop to the floor...Bicknell and Costello were screaming 'No!' There was the sound of a brief struggle then two more gunshots rang out.

"Damn it Kort, they weren't armed!" Gibbs had been so intent on Carlin, on stopping him inflicting even more pain on Tim; he hadn't even heard Kort enter the room. He'd deal with that later, right now Tim needed help.

"Ziva, go get Ducky, and call for an ambulance."

Now Tim could see another face leaning over him, a friendly face. "Don't try to talk...wait for Ducky. We'll untie the straps, but I don't want you to move. The...the thing on your head, let Ducky see it...I don't want to hurt you any more; can you stay still a little longer Tim?"

Every fibre in Tim's body wanted to run from this place, but he knew he was safe now, he could wait..."Okay...Boss...thanks..." He could feel hot tears stinging his eyes as the restraints were unfastened.

"Hey McKojak, I told you that look didn't work for you."

Tony was reverting to his default setting, when life gets too hard, make a joke...what he'd seen when they opened the door had been something he knew he would never forget. He had been filled with a desire to kill such as he had never experienced before in his life. None of that mattered now; all that mattered was that they'd arrived in time. "Ducky's here Tim, not long..."

Tony stepped back and let Ducky and Jimmy get to work. Very gently they loosened the skull fixation device, all the time Ducky was whispering to Tim, attempting to stave off the inevitable shock that he knew would come.

"Steady now Timothy, you must stay still for me...I want to check this wound, here we go...don't struggle, it's just Jimmy applying some gauze to stop the bleeding...we'll have you at the hospital soon."

Tim turned toward Ducky, his eyes filled with fear, his breath coming in short gasps. "No...not hospital, not after...this..."

Ducky glanced around the room, at this travesty of a place that had once been home to healers; small wonder Tim didn't want to spend any more time in a place that even vaguely resembled this one.

"Jimmy, a blanket and the oxygen please." Ducky could feel the tremors beginning. "Timothy, can you tell me, did Carlin do anything else?"

Tim thought hard…there was something. "He...he…lumbar puncture…two…"

Ducky winced. "Did he use local anaesthesia?"

"No…Ducky, get me out of this nightmare...please."

"Very soon Timothy. I'm going to put an oxygen mask on you, to help with your breathing, and then I want you to do one more thing for me if you can."

Ducky glanced at Jimmy and saw the concern in his eyes. Not only did they both know how painful those procedures must have been, they also knew the possible consequences if they had not been performed correctly. Jimmy quickly covered Tim with the blanket; he knew it wouldn't help much, but even a very little was better than nothing. He hurried to the foot of the table and at a signal from Ducky, held his palms against the soles of Tim's feet.

Ducky held tight to Tim's hand. "Can you press your feet against Jimmy's hands for me?"

A collective sigh of relief went up when they all saw Jimmy's smile as his hands were pushed back.

"Good lad." Tim was breathing a little easier, but Ducky could read the unspoken plea in his eyes. "We'll have you out of here soon; I'll come with you to the hospital."

Tim smiled at that, he had been terrified that he'd be left alone. He griped Ducky's hand. "You won't leave me?"

"No Timothy; look the EMTs are here, we'll out of this dreadful place very soon. Jimmy, would you deal with the formalities here?"

"Of course Doctor. You go ahead; I'll take care of things."

After their initial shock on walking into the room, the EMTs had gone about their business with efficiency and professionalism. Tim had held on to Ducky's hand throughout, and only let go when they lifted him from the hateful stainless steel onto the gurney. Gibbs laid a firm hand on Tim's shoulder. "Carlin's dead Tim, the others too, they're not going to hurt you again; you hear me?" He could see the ghost of a smile beneath the mask.

"Loud and…clear Boss…"

They watched as he was wheeled away, and with a sigh Tony turned back to the room. "How much longer before…if Fox hadn't…"

"But he did Tony, we were in time, McGee is safe, nothing else matters, yes?"

Ziva couldn't tear her eyes away from the table, the blood-stained leather straps hanging limply on either side. "He fought so hard to escape."

"That he did; now let's get to work, this is a crime scene."

Jimmy stooped beside Carlin ready to check for a pulse; it would be a formality, but Doctor Mallard had asked him to deal with this, so he would do things correctly.

"Gibbs, tell your man not to waste his time, we can all see they're dead."

"Thanks to you Kort, we could have arrested Bicknell and Costello, taken them in for questioning…but you didn't want that did you?"

Kort shrugged his shoulders. "Remind me never to play poker with you Gibbs. But you should know as well as I, what I want has very little to do with what happened here. I told you before; Carlin's work has come to the attention of some very influential people. I was told they didn't want any loose ends, so here I am."

"Killing two unarmed men…"

"Who were about to kill Special Agent McGee; his life for theirs, that's a fair trade-off I would say."

Tony glanced at the three bodies, the dark pools of blood staining the white tiles on the floor; and for the first and probably last time in his life, he found himself agreeing with Trent Kort.

Gibbs had tried to maintain the integrity of his crime scene, but a call from Leon Vance telling them to back off left him in no doubt that what Kort has said was true. It was in someone's best interests to brush all this under the carpet, and Gibbs wasn't about to waste his energy trying to change things; they'd got to Tim in time, if the DoD, CIA or anyone else in the alphabet soup of agencies wanted to pretend Carlin never existed, let them…

"Are you alright Jethro?"

"Getting there Duck; I should be angry about Kort, the bodies being taken, but right now…"

"It doesn't seem important?"

"Maybe later I'll care, but here, now…no it doesn't."

Tim was sleeping, not exactly peacefully, but he was sleeping. The gash on his head, and the numerous bruises were livid against his pale skin. Everyone had been to visit, but Ducky had shooed them all away once they had seen for themselves that Tim would be okay. A night in hospital, just to be sure there was no concussion and he'd be released into Ducky's care in the morning.

Gibbs laid a soothing hand on Tim's forehead as he stirred in his sleep. "It's okay Tim, we're still here." He took another sip of his ever-present coffee and turned to Ducky. "Can he come back from this Duck? What he went through, waiting for them to…I can't even say it, and he had to live through it."

"I believe he can Jethro, and I believe he can come back even stronger than he was before. Do you know how he got those bruises? It wasn't from Carlin or his cohorts…he did it to himself; trying to render his brain useless to that sick bastard. Such strength of will…he kept himself alive as long as he could, long enough for you to get to him…I think this young man has reserves of strength deeper than any of us ever imagined, given time and support I know he will get through this."

"When I saw him…that table, the blood…I remembered when Vincent Hanlon took you…I almost lost you that day…and today it was Tim."

"Almost Jethro, it is the nature of what we do that we become targets, all of us. Had Timothy wanted an easy life I'm certain there are any number of computer companies he could have worked for; but he chose law enforcement with all its inherent risks."

"He's good at it too."

"Indeed he is…he had a good teacher."

"Duck…I'll stay with him tonight, you go home, get some sleep."

"I will not, have you ever known me to renege on a promise Jethro?"

"Guess not."

"And I'm not about to start now, I promised Timothy I would be here when he woke up, and here is where I stay."

"You up for some company Duck?"

"Always Jethro."

THE END

"What a chimera then is man!

What a novelty!

What a monster!

What a chaos!

What a contradiction!

What a prodigy!

Judge of all things, feeble earthworm,

depository of truth, sink of uncertainty and error,

the glory and the shame of the universe."

Blaise Pascal

/tmp/uploads/FF_2167702_