Continue moving! You're almost there! Alex thought as he leaned against a building, acting casual, but in fact he was in extreme pain. He had the hoodie up and he took a cab with whatever amount he has and walk the rest of the way. He calculated that he has enough to get to about 5 blocks away from NCIS headquarters. Now he is just about 2 1/2 blocks away. It's so close yet so far with Alex's condition. It's a miracle he is not dead yet. His breathing is getting harder even when he is calm. This is bad. You're almost there. Collapse on the team's level at least, not here! The fact that he really is in pain doesn't help at all. He is only solely moving because of the thoughts of the team. He finally reached the building but he really couldn't breathe anymore. Do it for them! Alex walked in, he flashed his pass and they let him through without checking only noting the fact that he is a high clearance level agent. Alex took the lift up, leaning on the wall of the lift. Now he has no more strength to breathe. He took gasping breaths. The door opened. He stared at whoever that stood before the lift doors. "Gibbs." Alex gasped out quietly as his knees went weak and everything turned black.
*********
"I'm going to get coffee!" Gibbs announced as he walked to the lift that was climbing towards their level. He waited patiently for the lift to get to their level. When the door opened, a small figure leaned against the wall of the lift. The figure was gasping like he couldn't breathe. He looked straight into Gibbs eyes. He gasped out Gibbs' name quietly. He sounded relief, like he was pushing so hard only to see him before collapsing. Gibbs couldn't comprehend what he was seeing until the figure's eyes rolled back and collapsed. "Alex!!" Gibbs exclaimed as he rushed forward to tend to Alex. The team all heard Gibbs' outburst and all ran to see what's going on. Ziva jammed a knife to the lift door like what Alex did when saving Abby. Gibbs sat on the lift's floor as he cradled Alex and took in his appearance. His face was bruised and the jacket was oversized so it wouldn't be his. "Alex..." Gibbs whispered as he stroke Alex's hair. Alex was taking small gasp of air even when unconscious. The team got into the lift and Ziva took out the knife so they can get to the ME - medical examiner. Alex's eyes fluttered open slightly. "Alex."
"Gibbs. Can't. Breathe." Alex gasped out. "It's okay now. Calm down. Take a deep breath. In through your nose and out through your mouth." Gibbs said. They all remembered Gibbs doing this when Tony couldn't breathe when someone sent him that letter with a SWAK - sealed with a kiss - that was filled with powder that made Tony have plague. "Can't. Punctured. Lungs. 2 hours. Already." Alex grunted, gasping. Now that's a different story. 'Then stay awake for us!" Tony said. "Sorry." Alex gasped out before his eyes rolled back and he slumped into Gibbs. "Shit!" Gibbs cursed as the door opened. He gathered Alex up and walked briskly to Ducky. "Ducky!!" Gibbs shouted. "What is it?" Ducky asked as he appeared from behind somewhere. "Oh my..." Ducky came forward and checked on Alex. He did as much as he could but he needed other equipments so they rushed him to the hospital where Ducky operated on Alex.
Tony called the sarge at Beacon Brecons. "Good morning sir. I'm special agent Anthony DiNozzo, NCIS."
"Morning. What can I do for you?"
"I believe that you know a kid named Alex by the code name Cub?"
There was shuffling around and then some shouts. Then more shuffling. "Hello?" Tony called out. "Hi, sorry. I'm sorry. Yeah I do know him. He was kidnapped but we don't have anything."
"I called to say that Alex is currently in an operation."
"What?! You guys found him already?! Thank god!" The sarge sound visibly relief. "Actually we didn't find him. He somehow got back to us and collapsed in the lift after the lift doors opened."
"Oh... Okay. Can you please update me on his condition?"
"Yes sir. Goodbye sir."
"Goodbye."
Thank god, cub. I'm so glad you're alive. Please be in good condition. The sarge thought as he went through the paperwork on his table.
Gibbs sat down in the uncomfortable plastic chairs, sipping his coffee. Tony and McGee would shift ever so often to get the numbness out of their butts. Abby is nowhere to be found. Ziva sat there staring the floor, not moving, fingering her necklace. She had the Star of David on it and an opal that Alex had gave her on her birthday while he was with Mossad on the necklace. She remembered Alex always disappearing when it was lunchtime at Mossad's headquarters. One day she found Alex sitting on the roof alone with his eyes closed and the wind blowing his hair back. "Mind if I join?" Ziva asked him in Hebrew. "No." Alex said quietly back in Hebrew and Ziva sat down beside him. "What are you doing up here?" Ziva asked. "Enjoying the brief moment of freedom." Alex said and looked at Ziva who looked at him. "Freedom? Aren't you free?"
Alex smiled sadly and looked up at the sky. "I'm never free... Nothing will ever free me..." Alex whispered. Ziva sensed that Alex will not further interpret so she didn't press on. What did he actually mean?
