Past's ghosts are back

Chapter 8

"Oh my God you're pregnant!!!
Why haven't you told us?" barely shouts Abby.
"I.. I can't believe it... Ziva... I should have understood it before.. I really can't imagine how you're feeling..." starts Mcgee, but he's shortly cut off by Gibbs.
"Now Leon you have two options: option number one, go with our great friend from FBI and tell the medias you betrayed your own federal agency. Option number two, tell us all you know and have two hours to vanish in Mexico. You should get along very well with drug smugglers" says Gibbs. Even Leon looks surprised.
"Why have I to trust you and follow your advices?" asks him.
"Because these are not advices. They're orders and you'd better follow them.
Unless you want Ziva to take real revenge on you. You can told the paramedics all of us had had a sudden coffee - wish...".
"I think I'll follow your 'advices', but you'll see yourself that the disadvantages are more than the advantages. But now it's your problem, not mine and I couldn't be more happy.." laughs Vance.
Abby is about to punch him, but luckily Mcgee stops her. Seeing her interrogative look, he whispers: "you can't go near him. Until we know he's unarmed you must stay here next to me".
"Are you going to speak or do you want us to be late at our meeting?" asks hilariously Gibbs.
"Oh surely not. Death isn't very patient!!
Anyway, Agent David, I'm afraid I can't be very helpful. I had only put some hidden microphones in your houses and in the bull pen.
And I might had helped with the kidnapping, but I had some work to do and I really don't know where did they take them in the end".
"Alright" states Gibbs. The whole team is about to complain: how can he believe that bastard doesn't know anything?
But anyone reacts: Gibbs must have a plan.
He always has a plan. And in fact...
"Hello" he speaks to the phone "I'd like to speak to Steven, the journalist. I've got some great news he would pay everything for.
OK, I'll wait".
He stares calmly at his team, without even looking at the director, who finally explodes: "It's a trick, isn't it?
You won't get anything a part from loosing your agent. Is this really what you want?".
"And who says he isn't already dead? At this point, I've got nothing to lose".
"Sir, you still there? I've got Steven to you" says a metallic voice from the phone.
"Great! 'Coz i must inform him about the murderer of one of his closest friends". "See, Leon," he continues addressed to Vance "he won't definitely be too kind in the piece! Tony would have laugh at the titles: 'NCIS director organises a kidnapping and gets an entire team down! The top floors are looking for an explanation!'
'NCIS without a director!'
'The betrayer of one of the most important federal agencies!'. Actually, I think those titles are even too soft for this case, and our government will agree with my viewpoint.
I don't need to tell you I have plenty of friends there, do I?".
"You're a damn good agent Gibbs, I must allow it.
I heard they were using an abandoned storehouse. Maybe near Baltimore, but I don't truly know where exactly.
And they're going to move them to the address in the mail, so I don't see the point in knowing a worthless location.
Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to pack my bags.
I've a long way to go". And with this Vance finally exits the lab.
"Boss?" states a disgusted Mcgee. "Are you going to let him go like this?".
"Exactly. We've some more important business right now. Ziva, are you OK?" asks softly Gibbs.
"No" she finally answers. "I.. I really don't understand. I haven't told anyone about my pregnancy. How could he know..?".
"I'll take care of this. Now go with Abbs, put on a vest and take the van. Then wait for us. It'll end well, I promise".
She nodds and leaves the lab with the scientist. But before entering the elevator, she whispers to Gibbs: "Please, stay safe bossman. Kick their ass, 'kay?".
"We'll do it Abbs, and we'll take our Italians back".
A metallic ding signals the two women have finally gone.
"Tobias, please go search for the safe house Vance was speaking about.
I'm not going to leave this job undone.
Who did this will pay. With interests".
The man nodds and leaves the room too.
Now Mcgee and Gibbs are alone in the lab.
"Okay boss, I'll check my weapon and I'll be downstairs in a few minutes".
"Tim, wait".
Mcgee stops immediately, the concern clearly visible in his eyes. Tony used to call him with his first name only when the situation was a dead- end one, and now his boss seems to had taken that habit too.
"I want to know you'll handle all this well.
You're a great agent, you can do it".
"I.. I really appreciate it... but what are you thinking?
Will we probably get killed?" asks Mcgee, the feeling something is going to be very wrong suddenly slicing toward him.
"I don't like this at all. Mafia AND CIA together?
And three people trying to defeating them?
Use your brain, Mcgee, it's impossible all of us gets out without a scar!" he says sarcastically.
Mcgee stays silent.
He's starting to realise only now he could lost his teammates forever. But are they really only teammates?
The answer is easier than he could have thought. They're more than this, without a doubt. He recalls all Tony's jokes and quotes, Ziva telling every time the punchline wrong, Gibbs' head slaps and caffeine dependence. And all the times he nearly got killed, or stabbed, or have somehow risked his life no matter what. But he wasn't a fool. He would jeopardise everything he had to take his family safe.
And he suddenly comprehends Gibbs and would do the same thing.
Their current duty couldn't be more clear: to keep a family together. Ziva and Tony were the perfect couple you hardly believe may ever exists and then there was the baby, who Tony didn't even know about.
The feeling of responsibility carried as a not so heavy burden, the two men prepare themselves for the battle of their life, ironically the most unfair but important one.

Thank you for reading!!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
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