NCIS | The Night's Agents: Book 1: Strangers in the Night

Chapter Four

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was not a happy camper. Abby and McGee could see that right away as the team’s leader stormed over to Tony and Ziva—who had just returned from talking with Chris Nixon—and demanded, “Where have you been?”

            “Probably getting it on somewhere,” Abby muttered under her breath. She was positive neither field agent heard her, so she was surprised when Ziva’s head snapped in her direction, some emotion the Goth couldn’t identify flickering in her eyes.

            “We were following a lead,” Ziva told the team leader, “not, as Abby put it, getting it off.”

            “Uh, Zi, it’s ‘getting it on’,” Tony corrected, his cheeks flushing.

            “Well, I have to go back to my lab,” Abby piped up, seeking to disrupt the sudden awkward tension. “You know how my babies are when I leave them alone for too long. McGee, come on. I need you with me.” She yanked the stupefied probie out of view of the others, dragged him behind her all the way to the elevator, and shoved him in. Looking back out towards Tony, Ziva, and Gibbs, she had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at their puzzled expressions.

            “Could you tell me what you’re planning sometime today, Abby?” McGee asked.

            She grinned. “Surely you’ve noticed how they’re always flirting with each other, Timmy. I think Ziva’s jealous of Tony’s new girlfriend.”

            He did a facepalm. “Abby, every single time you try to set them up, it backfires. Every single time.”

            “But Timmy—”

            “No. Shouldn’t we be working on the case?”

            Abby sighed. “Okay. Besides, who would buy silver bullets anyway?”

            “Someone on a werewolf hunting expedition?” McGee suggested as the twosome walked towards Labby.

            “Good point.” Abby sat down at the computer, grabbed a Caf-Pow, and went to work.

Meanwhile, Gibbs was still chewing out his senior field agent and Mossad liaison officer. He spat, “Don’t either of you do that again!”

            Ziva wasn’t listening; she was focusing on Tony—his clear, green eyes, dark hair, tawny skin . . . She drew in her breath, almost able to feel his hands playing over her back.

            “Now, did you find anything that can help us find who killed Petty Officer Madison?” Gibbs’s voice broke into her fantasy.

            Luckily, DiNozzo came to Ziva’s rescue. He told their boss, “She might have seen something she shouldn’t have.”

            “Like what?”

            “Well, Nixon told us that she was babbling on about something”—he paused, knowing how ridiculous it would sound, Ziva thought—“dealing with the . . . supernatural. Madison also knew we were investigating her, although I don’t know how she found out.”

            “She was tipped off . . .” The former Marine’s voice trailed away and he looked up toward MTAC. Ziva couldn’t help give a reflexive smirk as she saw Director Jenny Sheppard leaning over the railing staring at Gibbs. Smiling slightly, the blue-eyed redhead gestured for Gibbs to join her.

            “Saved by the Director,” the Mossad liaison muttered as Gibbs made his way to his former lover.

            Tony let out a bark of laughter before correcting, “The expression is ‘saved by the bell,’ Ziva.”