Struggling against the ropes that held his arms above his head, Tony's eyes grew wide as he watched the older man approach.

"My children, evil has come to walk amongst us!" the man intoned. "Here is one of the devil's servants sent to destroy our righteous band. He came to us pretending to be a poor lost soul. He allowed us to feed and guide him while all the time plotting with the establishment to weaken and destroy us."

Angry murmurs rose and fell through the small, cloaked congregation who were gathered within the torch lit clearing.

The man raised his hand, instantly silencing the group. "We cannot let him carry out his evil plan to help the establishment destroy us! We must destroy him first for our own safety and freedom! I say death to the disbeliever! Death to the betrayer!"

A fervent roar of support filled the cold night air as Tony struggled wildly to get free. The ropes cut painfully into his wrists, and he watched through terrified eyes as the leader drew a knife from a concealed pocket in his brown robe.

Aware that these were probably the last few seconds of his life, he prayed that Gibbs would not blame himself for his death. It had been his idea to go undercover and he had been the one who had talked Gibbs into it, despite all the boss's fears and misgivings. He felt the hot breath and heard the soft maniacal laughter of the leader close to his ear as a hand gripped his hair and his head was yanked painfully back, exposing his neck. He jumped as he saw the flash of the knife in the flickering light of the torches as it began its deadly arc towards him.

Unable to moan or even defend himself, he instinctively closed his eyes and held his breath, waiting for the sharp blade to slice into his exposed throat.