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Tony, Ziva and McGee sat in the shade waiting for Gibbs, they were told to meet him by the old, dilapidated mansion on the corner in one hour.
"Tony, it's been over an hour. Maybe something happened?"
"Probie, what could possibly happen here?" He gestured to the area around them.
Ziva glanced around before speaking. "Tony, maybe McGee is correct, when have you ever known Gibbs to run behind? We should go search for him."
Flashing the famous DiNozzo smile and shook his head. "He's with Abby, he'd never put her in harm's way. Maybe there was a traffic jam or they stopped for a bite to eat."
Tony's phone rang; he looked at the caller ID and smirked at Tim and Ziva. "See, he's calling to let us know he's running late."
He flipped open his phone. "Boss, we were wondering where you were. Told these two-"
"DiNo---zo---hel---stuc---sh---won---sto---rid----"
On high alert now Tony waved Tim and Ziva over. They took one look at his face and knew something was wrong.
"Boss, you're breaking up. I can't understand you. Where are you?"
"Ge---me---ou---hel---befo----I---kil---he---nev----ag-----NO---"
"Boss!" Tony looked at McGee and Ziva. "I lost the connection, I couldn't understand what he was saying, but he sounded distressed." Tony pushed another number and tried to reach Abby.
"Shit! I can't reach Abby either. McGee can you get a fix on his phone?"
McGee looked at Tony like he'd grown two heads. "No, Tony I can't, I don't have a computer here."
"Sorry, habit. Ok. We need to start searching. Let's head back to Gibbs last known location and go from there."
Ziva kept her eyes searching for anything unusual as they headed to the area. "Did you hear anything in the background, Tony? Voices? Cars?" She asked.
Tony replayed the call in his head. "Too much static to hear much of anything… Wait! There was some music playing in the background."
"Dance music? Musak? Did you hear enough to classify what type? It might help narrow down the search." McGee waited for Tony's answer ready to focus on any clue that they could find. This was Gibbs, he was never in trouble and the fact that Tony was worried was enough to send his concern in overdrive.
Tony was concentrating, trying to place the music that he remembered. "Honestly, it wasn't like anything I'd ever heard before. It had a kind of threatening undertones."
Ziva looked puzzled. "What is a threatening undertone, Tony? This is music I do not understand."
Tony was trying to put it into words. "I know it doesn't make much sense, but it's really hard to describe. I didn't hear it very well, but it was more the feeling I got when I heard it. It was creepy or hinky even."
Tim sighed. "That's not going to help us at all. Wait, isn't this where Gibbs was last?"
Tony and Ziva looked around.
"I think so, there's where he located the ticket stub." Ziva pointed.
‘OK. Let's start canvasing the area and see if we can pick up his trail." Tony started on the sidewalk, ZIva on the opposite side and McGee stared talking to the people milling around.
After they finished looking at the area, Ziva and Tony went to help McGee make inquiries.
"This is ridiculous, nobody saw anything. How is that possible? Do they not have eyes?" Ziva waved her hands in a frustrated gesture. "I found no sign that he'd even been here."
McGee tried to be soothing. "We'll find them Ziva. There's a lot of traffic here, it's possible that none of these people ever saw him."
"McGee's right. Ok, so let's regroup. If you wanted to walk off with a highly trained Marine and a skilled Federal Agent without being noticed, how would you do it?"
Ziva spoke. "Drug him?"
McGee shook his head. "Too much traffic here, it would be hard to explain dragging an unconscious man around."
"But what if they had a legitimate reason to, if they had disguises? Maybe paramedics? Then you wouldn't think twice about an unconscious man." Tony suggested.
"True, but we have to assume that Abby is with him, yes? That was where he was headed correct? So that would mean that they would have to incapacitate two people and Abby would not go quietly, especially if Gibbs was threatened." Ziva argued.
"But what if they threatened Abby?" Tony asked. "Gibbs would never put her in danger, he'd go quietly especially if there was no chance for the both of them to get away unharmed."
"This is getting is nowhere." Ziva began to pace. "Maybe we should call in help?"
"Not yet, Ziva. If this is a kidnapping we can't alert anyone else and right now we don't know what the motive is. They may not be aware that he made a call, so we need to keep this on the down low for now."
McGee nodded. "I hate to admit it, but Tony's right."
"Thanks, McGee."
"Don't let it go to your head; it's a one- time deal. Maybe we can start looking for that ominous music you heard. It's not much to go on, but right now it's all I've got." Tim looked over at Tony. "Do you hear it?"
Tony shook his head. "No. Why don't we start walking slowly, canvasing the area and I can listen for it. Ziva, keep your eyes open, I'm going to be concentrate on listening."
The three of them started walking slowly, Tony in the middle of McGee and Ziva as he was not really paying attention to where he was walking just focused on listening.
Tony threw his hands out to stop them both. "Hear that?"
Ziva and Tim listened to the faint strains of some weird music coming from the left of them.
"Is that the music you heard?" Ziva asked.
Tony had a pained expression on his face. "Yes. See what I mean, its spooky music, I don't like it."
McGee nodded his head. "I agree with you, its hinky. But it seems to be getting louder."
"Fuck! How can they stand this music, it's making my ears bleed." Tony had his hands over his ears.
The three of them moved to the building that the music was pouring out of. Tony saw a movement to the left of him, moving closer for a better look he motioned McGee and Ziva each take a side. "I think I saw Gibbs' head." He whispered.
"Where?" McGee questioned.
Tony pointed to the door. "Over there, against the wall. I can't tell if he's hurt, he has his head in his hands. Can either of you see anything?"
Ziva edged slightly closer. "I see no injury, just a pained look on his face. I don't see anyone holding him and he doesn't seem to be restrained in any way. Is Abby there?"
Tony, Tim and Ziva moved together to get a better vantage point. "I don't see Abby."
A sudden movement startled the three agents, suddenly they were at the ready to do battle to rescue Gibbs and Abby.
Gibbs lifted his head to see what the commotion was, praying his three agents had come to get him out of here. Relief spread across his face.
"Thank God! I thought you'd never get here." Gibbs sighed in relief.
"Are you hurt, Boss? Where's Abby? Who kidnapped you?"
"Kidnapped? What the hell are you talking about?" Gibbs looked at the faces of Tony, Ziva and McGee and realized they had thought he'd been taken hostage. "Didn't you hear me on the phone DiNozzo?"
"No, Boss. The phone kept cutting out, all I heard was that you were in distress and needed help."
Rubbing his hands down his face Gibbs understood the looks of worry that were on his agents faces. "I was in distress, just not from a hostile. Abby wouldn't let me off the damn ride. She's been on the damn thing four tomes already. I faked a bathroom break to get away."
"What ride, Boss? Then where is Abby?" Tony started to calm down, now that there was no imminent threat. "Can we please move away from this hinky music? It creeps me out."
"I know, that's what I've been trying to tell you-"
"Gibbs!" Abby came running out of the building, bouncing all over the place with a look of pure glee and excitement. Looking around she noticed everyone was there. "Cool! Now we can all go together!" She smiled at the group.
A look of pure terror flashed on Gibbs' face. "No. Abby. Never again."
Tony, Ziva and McGee looked over at the expression on Gibbs face and became concerned. Tony spoke first.
"Boss? Are you ok? What does she want you to do?"
"I'm fine, and we're moving on Abbs. I will not get on the ‘It's A Small World' ride ever again. Now can we go to the Haunted Mansion ride like we were going to?" He kissed her cheek.
"Ok. But first can they ride it with me?" Abby went to grab the others only to see them quickly running in the opposite direction of the hinky music as quickly as they could.
"Guess not. Oh well! Let's go to the Haunted Mansion." She smiled as she took Gibbs arm and they went to catch up with the others.