NCIS

Episode 1: Lost and Dying

Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo sighed as he took pictures of a dead marine lying on the floor, covered in blood. "I wonder how long this guy would've been here if we hadn't come to question him..." He looked over at Timothy McGee, who was busy looking through the marine's kitchen. McGee sighed and replied, "Not sure, Tony. Depends on who found him after us, I guess..." Tony nodded and put his camera into his backpack, bending down next to the body. Just as he bent down, he saw a faint shadow from the hallway. He smiled and stood up, looking at the hallway and drawing his gun. "Hey McGee, give Gibbs a call and let him know what we found."

McGee nodded, drawing his weapon as well. "Sure, Tony. The dead body and that's it, so I'll call Ducky too." Tony aimed the gun at the end of the hallway and saw that the bathroom door was opened slightly. "Yeah, the dead body and the ID." McGee nodded and moved into the bedroom, checking for any other intruders. "Alright, anything else, Tony?" Tony began to walk down the hallway and he called out to him, "Oh yeah, one last thing. Tell him we found a mouse hiding in the bathroom." Suddenly, the door to the left of Tony opened and slammed into Tony's face. Tony reeled back onto the floor, dropping his gun and bringing a hand to his throbbing, bloody nose. As he moaned in pain and tried to see through his hazy vision, he heard McGee yell something before gunshots sounded. Someone jumped on top of Tony and pressed a rag to his mouth, smiling as they loomed over him. Tony grabbed the person's wrists and tried to pull his hands off, but was too weak from the brutal blow to his face. Whoever opened that door sure knew how to slam that thing open. As Tony began to pass out, he felt someone grab his wrists and hold them over his head. He then felt his gun and grabbed it, firing it four times; earning a scream from what sounded like a man. Tony couldn't help but smile as he knew exactly where he shot the man; the groin. However, before Tony could enjoy his victory shot, he passed out at the last gunshot and the release of the rag.

McGee panicked, fear and adrenaline still rushing through his body as he rushed over to Tony. He had never shot two men at the same time before and killed them all. Thanks to Tony, he didn't have to kill the third one. It scared McGee and made him worry about what was going to happen after this. Then again, it was self-defense. But would people believe that?

As he rushed over to Tony, he pulled out his cellphone and began dialing. He bent down next to Tony and felt sweat run down his face as he looked at all the blood covering Tony's face. McGee licked his lips nervously and spoke into the phone, "I've got an officer down at 134 Maple Street and I need immediate help!" When he had finished with 911, he tried to wake up Tony by tapping him on the cheek slightly. "Tony. Hey, Tony, you alright? Tony!" When he got no respone, he quickly began to call Leroy Jethro Gibbs; his boss. When he answered, McGee swallowed slightly and began talking.

"Boss, Tony's down! The marine we came to question was dead and there were three guys in the house trying to kill us. Tony went after one of them and they slammed the door in his face, Boss! He's bleeding all over the place and--!"

"McGee, calm down! Did you call 911 yet?"

"Yeah, yeah right before I called you."

"Alright, hold on. We'll be right there. Call me if the ambulance gets there before I do."

"Got it, Boss."

McGee looked at Tony and sighed slightly, looking at all the blood coming from his nose. Suddenly, Tony began to cough weakly and his eyelids began to flutter, opening and closing. McGee smiled softly and asked, "Tony, you up?" Tony groaned slightly and his eyes finally opened. "McGoo...You alright?" He coughed again and brought a hand up to his nose, trying to wipe off the blood. McGee nodded and helped Tony sit up. "Yeah, I'm fine, Tony. Are you okay? He hit you pretty hard." Tony smiled slightly and nodded, wiping his nose some more. "Yeah...I'm fine, don't worry." He coughed again and closed his eyes for a second. "My face is killing me." He murmured quietly, earning a quiet laugh from McGee.

"Well, Tony, you did just get hit in the face with a door." McGee sighed and heard a car screech to a halt outside. He listened quietly, hearing two doors slam shut. McGee sighed and murmured, "Gibbs is here, Tony." Tony nodded, but kept his eyes closed, leaning gently against McGee. Gibbs came rushing into the room with Ziva at his heels and made it over to Tony in three seconds flat.
"DiNozzo, you alright?"

Tony nodded, keeping his eyes shut and his body growing limp. Gibbs looked at McGee and asked, "How long has he been up?!" McGee jumped slightly but answered, "W-Well, when he was hit by the door, Boss, some guy jumped him and he, well, he um, he passed out Boss."
"McGee! How long has he been up?!"
"About five minutes, Boss."

Gibbs sighed angrily and Ziva murmured, "I shall call Ducky." McGee rubbed his face, hearing an ambulance siren. Gibbs looked at McGee for a minute before saying softly, "Good job, McGee." McGee nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Gibbs alone with Tony. He sighed when he heard Tony coughing and asked, "You're gonna be fine, DiNozzo. Ambulance is here and everything."
"Just a bloody nose...Boss."

Gibbs smiled at the man's attempt to still try and act like Tony. He sighed and said calmly, "Yeah, but for a bloody nose, you're bleeding and slurring quite a bit." Tony nodded and almost immediately, he passed out again. Gibbs sighed angrily and watched as two men rushed into the room and began loading Tony onto a stretcher. They rushed him back out to the ambulance and Gibbs sighed, walking over to where his team now stood; over the marine's dead body.

Ducky looked at Gibbs and Gibbs simply took out his notebook, asking, "Time of death, Duck?" Ducky nodded and bent down next to the marine, McGee going into the kitchen and continuing his search from before. Ziva was also taking notes about the body as Ducky explained, "He died about three hours ago. The death blow was a bullet to his head, but he seems to be tortured first. His wrists were cut open, his face is bruised and cut, and these lacerations in his chest seem to be done AFTER he was killed." He looked at Gibbs and asked, "How was Tony?" Gibbs shrugged and murmured, "Just a bloody nose, Duck." He walked over to McGee and asked, "McGee, find anything?"

McGee shook his head and murmured, "Nothing except his wallet, Boss." Gibbs looked at him and McGee said softly, "Uh, Sargeant Jordan Baker, Boss." Gibbs nodded and looked at McGee before extending his right hand. McGee blinked and Gibbs rolled his eyes slightly. "Dammit McGee, give me the bag with the wallet and go check on DiNozzo!" McGee blinked, but nodded, handing Gibbs the bag and rushing off. Ziva looked at Gibbs and asked, "Where is he off to?" Gibbs began to walk to the door, passing James "Jimmy" Palmer, and said, "To check on DiNozzo while we figure out who the hell these bastards are." Ziva smiled, but quickly followed after Gibbs.
Palmer looked at Ducky and said, "Sorry it took so long, sir. I couldn't--!"

"Mr. Palmer, do you think you could handle the autopsy on these gentlemen while I visit Tony?" Ducky asked, looking at Palmer with a distant look in his eyes. Palmer nodded and said, "Yeah, yeah of course Doctor. You can go right now if you want. I'll handle these three." Ducky laughed a bit and shook his head. "No, no, dear boy. I'll help you with these fellows. They're rather heavy, don't you think?" Palmer nodded and smiled. "Yes, thank you Doctor."

McGee sighed as he sat next to Tony in the hospital bed. He looked over at his swollen, bruised nose and murmured, "Man...That must've hurt." He leaned back in his chair slightly and looked at the door. "They said he'd be out today when the swelling goes down but," he looked back at Tony and muttered, "It doesn't look like it'll go down."
"Don't worry, Timothy. The swelling will go down soon enough."

McGee jumped slightly as he turned around to face Ducky. He stood up and asked, "Ducky, um...Wh-What are you doing here?" Ducky looked at Tony and said, "I've come to check on Tony, McGee. After this, I'll be driving him home." He looked at McGee and sighed, saying softly, "He shall be fine, Timothy. Go back to work and help out with the case." McGee shook his head and said, "No, I want to stay here until he wakes up."

"Just go, McGoo."

McGee looked back at Tony and smiled. "Hey Tony...H-How are you feeling?" Tony groaned slightly as he pulled himself into a sitting position and looked at McGee. "I'm fine McGoober." He yawned slightly and leaned back in his bad, looking at Ducky. "So, how much longer until I get to go home? There's this movie on that I really want to see today. It's the really old Bonnie and Clyde movie with--!"

"Anthony, you will be out in another hour or so. Maybe even half an hour, if you're lucky." Ducky chuckled as he stopped Tony dead in his tracks. Tony sighed and murmured, "Damn nose. I have the worst luck, has anyone noticed that?" McGee sighed and said, "Well, I'm going to get back to work. See you later Tony." Tony nodded and waved to McGee as he left. As soon as he left, he looked at Ducky. "Ducky you've got to get me out of here! You know how much I hate hospitals." Ducky smiled and said, "And I don't blame you my boy. After the pneumonic plague, I think I'd hate hospitals as well." He took Tony's clipboard off the front of his bed and began to sign a few things. Tony smiled and began to climb out of bed, grabbing his clothes and rushing into the bathroom. Ducky sighed as he set the clipboard back down and said, "Well, let's get going, Anthony. I wouldn't want you missing Bonnie and Clyde." He began to walk out of the room and was quickly followed by Tony, who was still trying to slip on his brown jacket. "Man, I bled a lot, huh?" Tony asked, looking down at his bloody jacket and shirt, holstering the gun Ducky was handing him. Ducky nodded as they walked out of the hospital and he said, "The doctors said you passed out because of blood loss, but I think it was because of how much pain your body was going through."

Tony laughed slightly as he got into Ducky's small car and sighed, staring out the window. Ducky started his car and looked at Tony. "Is something the matter, Tony?" Tony shook his head and looked at Ducky. "Nah, I'm fine, Ducky." He yawned slightly and went to rub his nose, but reeled his hand away when his nose began to ache. "Owww..." Tony murmured, putting his hands on his face. Ducky laughed slightly and soon, they were pulling up to Tony's apartment. He looked at Tony and asked, "Anthony, may I ask you a question?" Tony took his hand off the door handle and looked at Ducky. "Ask away, Ducky." Ducky grimaced slightly and then asked, "Why do you live this far away from the NCIS building and me and Gibbs?"

Tony smiled slightly and said, "That's it, Ducky? Well, I guess the answer to that is because I wanted an apartment and I really liked the ones out here." Ducky nodded and sat there for a minute. When he noticed Tony staring at him, he smiled and said, "Well, see you tomorrow, Anthony." Tony smiled and said, "Alright. See you later, Ducky. Have Gibbs call me with updates." Ducky laughed slightly and said, "I will." Tony shut the door and Ducky watched as he walked into the building. He sighed softly and murmured, "He acts more and more like Gibbs everyday."

Tony sighed as he walked into his apartment and shut the door behind him. He looked around the nicely furnished apartment before placing his gun in its usual place, the drawer of the small table beside his bed. Tony then walked back out into the living and sat down on his couch. He smiled as he reached for his remote, sitting down on his couch and turning on the TV. As he went to the TV guide, he found the movie he had wanted to see; Bonnie and Clyde. Tony sighed and leaned back on his couch, not bothering to get up to grab a beer. About half way through the movie, Tony had finally passed out and was unaware of his cellphone ringing beside him.

Gibbs smiled as he handed Abby another Caf-Pow, staring at her screen. McGee was sitting next to her as she began explaining what she found. "Alright, the only thing I found was the guys names. The one that went after McGee is named Luke McCarthy. The blonde that hit Tony in the nose...Damn that was a hard blow." Gibbs looked at Abby and Abby nodded, looking back at her computer. "Right, his name is James O'Conner and the other guy's name is Sam Agnew." She looked at Gibbs and smiled as she said, "Sam is the one with the bloody...Well, you know." Gibbs gave her a funny look and Abby sighed, beginning to open her mouth. McGee quickly cut in, "Boss, I'm gonna try to call Tony again...I'll uh, also do a backround check on these guys with Ziva. Get addresses, phone numbers, and bank records."

Gibbs nodded and watched McGee run off before looking at Abby. She smiled slightly and said, "Ducky couldn't find anything else on these guys, Gibbs." Gibbs walked over to her and looked her in the eyes. "Abbs...He's gonna be fine. It's just a door to the face." Abby nodded and said with worry, "But Gibbs, what if he passes out and never wakes up?! What if...What if he passes out in his sleep, Gibbs?!" Gibbs smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "You worry too much." He murmured, walking out of the room. Abby smiled and turned back to her computer.

"Boss!" McGee called, just as Gibbs came into view. "Boss, we've got bad news! Really, really bad news, Boss!" Gibbs looked at him and snapped, "Spit out, McGee!" McGee took a breath and pointed to the screen with the remote. "This is James O'Conner, Boss. He was put in prison three times by the same cop and with the same charges; theft." Gibbs nodded and McGee continued, "Well, he was the leader of a gang, but after he was put in jail his third time, his gang split up. That's what the police thought anyway. However, there's been calls about sightings of the gang around town, but with only three people. Two of them are dead now, but the last one is still alive and running around." He looked at Gibbs with a worried look and said, "Boss, Tony put away their leader and killed the rest of their gang." Gibbs stared back at McGee and almost immediately fell like he was going to be sick.