She's a Ninja

Summary: Ever wanted to be a ninja? I have, I admit it. It's one of those childhood fantasies I will hold on to forever, even when I'm 85 (well, maybe not then…) Anyway, a kind of suspenseful short story with a nice little lift at the end and only a slightly silly title.

Disclaimer: Oh if only these characters belonged to me…

Chapter 1

Running... dark… wet… someone was definitely following him. Leaves and branches appeared out of the gloom in the falling rain, catching his face and marking him further. Blindly he ran on. Are they okay… where would he have taken her… where am I going? He was running out of stamina, even with the adrenaline pumping. Need to call-

The ground suddenly dropped from beneath his feet. He tumbled down the steep slope, head over heels. Leaves coated his soaked frame. The slope leveled out and he lay still, unmoving. The noise of his flight gave way to the silence of the woods.

Mere moments later lights appeared at the top of the hill. Strong LED lights swept across the slope. The man pulled himself from unconsciousness and saw the bright white beams sweeping over the forest. He didn't dare move for fear of being seen. A sharp pain in his torso and an even sharper ache in his foot indicated the possibility of bruised and broken bones. The lights moved closer and closer to where he lay silent and scared.

"Where did he go? We had him and then he disappeared." A voice behind the light.

"You sure you saw him fell?" That voice was younger.

"Of course! He was running between those two trees when he fell forward. I thought he had tripped on a root or slipped on a rock."

Their voices started moving closer. The man they searched for didn't dare make a move, for he had no weapon. The holster on his hip was empty; the gun that was supposed to be there was lost somewhere at the beginning of his path of flight.

"Look down the hill. He couldn't have made it far. Maybe he knocked himself out."

Barley raising his head an inch, the man lifted his head and looked up. He saw two solidly built men scanning the hill, searching for a way down. One took a step and started sliding with surprising speed. He yelped in surprise and scrambled back up. "More like he broke his neck. That hill is way too steep to walk or run down, especially in the rain. He probably fell and hit those rocks." The flashlight lit up a group of large, jagged rocks not three feet from his position. He uttered a silent thanks to whatever powers out there that saved him. "The ground is all churned up right there. See where he probably fell?"

"Maybe, but we need to be sure. The boss won't be happy if we come back empty handed."

"If he's dead we don't need to bring him back, do we?"

"No evidence. That's what the boss said. The rain can wash away any blood, but we can't leave a body out here. Besides the boss wants to use them as bait."

The lights actually moved over him, blinding him for a moment. He froze even more still than before.

"Look over there." The lights moved away. "The hill looks less steep. Let's try that."

The voices moved away a short distance. The one they sought stirred. He knew they would be back soon. He tried to sit up but was stopped short by the fire that erupted in his side. Definitely some broken ribs. He looked and saw his trackers picking their way carefully down some rocks. In desperation he pulled his phone from his pocket. The screen was broken but it thankfully still worked. He pushed a number and held the phone to his ear.

"Aren't you guys done yet DiNozzo?"

"Boss, we're in trouble."

"What-"

"Shh, I have two guys looking for me not fifty feet away. Just listen."

"Go."

"The cabin had four goons, and they were ready for us. One knocked McGee right in the face. One grabbed Ziva and dragged her outside. I don't know where she is, the guy dragged her somewhere. Two took me outside and stripped me of my gun and badge. The goon inside said something and McGee yelled at me to run. I couldn't help so I ran…thinking I could get help…or something."

If Gibbs on the other end was angry or surprised he didn't show it. "Where'd you run?"

"I don't know. Away from the road. They were shooting and I hoped to run into the guy with Ziva, but I didn't see her. But-" Tony stopped talking. The two had made it down the slope and were combing the ground, coming closer. "Boss," Tony whispered, "I fell down a hill and I'm hurt bad. I can't run and they're close."

"Keep your phone on and near you. I'll get Abby to trace the signal."

"Got it."

"And Tony…"

"Yeah?"

"Play dead or something. Don't let them kill you."

Tony chuckled softly. "Got it Boss." He slipped the phone, still on, back into his pocket and laid his head back on the ground. It took all of his control to not flinch as the voices moved closer. For a moment he thought they hadn't seen him. Until-

"Hey Marty, I think I see him."