We Will Be Remembered

Real Gone

...Aaaaaaand just now realized before I go to bed that I haven't updated today.

Has anyone else been watching the Olympics? I'm happy I got to see at least part of it while I was home this weekend.

And now on to our short update...

*****

The house was quiet as Gibbs walked up the sidewalk, not that he expected them to be blasting music or anything crazy like that.

It just felt too quiet.

Like something was wrong.

He pulled his gun from its holster and then entered the house, stealthy as a cat.

He had ordered them to stay here. He would never forgive himself if-

Gibbs froze. The living room was empty, as was the kitchen.

No blood.

No sign of struggle.

And no DiNozzo or Ziva.

Where the hell were they?

Had he not ordered them to stay here for their own safety? Did he not make it clear how dangerous this Dragon guy could be?

Unless-

No, he couldn't even for a moment wonder if they had been abducted.

Rather, he should've seen this coming. Leaving the two them here, DiNozzo being stubborn and proud, Ziva being headstrong and sure of her skills.

It had been a recipe for disaster from the beginning.

The only question was: where did they go?

***

"Kinda scary how quickly you handled that," Tony said as they zipped down a sidestreet.

Ziva shrugged. "Lots of practice."

"I didn't ask."

"Too late." She pulled into a parking structure and cut off the engine.

"What are you doing?" Tony demanded. "We need to-"

"I know. But first we need a different set of wheels. And different plates."

Why didn't he think of that? They were the government agents, the ones who chased bad guys for a living and took advantage of their mistakes, shouldn't he know better than anyone how to evade capture?

"Right." He hopped out of the car and set to work finding a plate while Ziva ducked between rows of vehicles to find one to her liking.

"Here," she said finally.

He started to move her way, but she added, "Wait. We have to black out the cameras first."

"Wouldn't they have already picked up our faces?"

"Good point."

Before he could prepare himself, a number of shots went off, deafening in the enclosed space.

"Ziva? Ziva!" he yelled, ducked behind an SUV and unsure whose gun those rounds were coming from.

"Tony. Hush."

What?

He stood up and peered around the vehicle to see Ziva standing in the next row over with her gun out.

"Ziva, what the-"

"I took care of the cameras."

He sighed. Sometimes she was the same crazy girl who showed up in the bullpen all those years ago. "Thanks for the warning."

"Sorry." She holstered her gun and waved him over. "What do you think?"

It looked like any other car to him, which was kind of the point. So he nodded.

Ziva handed him a screwdriver (he wanted to know from where) and pointed him toward a dusty Jeep in the second-to-last spot. "Take that license plate off while I take care of this."

He gladly distanced himself from Miss Grand Theft Auto even though the chances of them getting caught at that precise moment were slim to none.

Really, he figured he didn't have much to worry about.

Even if the Dragon was after them, Tony still had Ziva watching his back, and that was all the protection he needed.

*****

Also, Cars referrence, anyone? (the title)
That song cracks me up.

Anyway, be sure to vote or comment. Keep my morale high as I batttle these wicked sniffles. 🤧