Dr Mallard was listening to one of his favourite classical music pieces, Vivaldi's Giga, the fire was slowly dying, the light that it emitted a low orange glow round the room. What flames still flickered, gave the illusion of heavenly dancers. Ducky conducted the music and sipped the Macallan, oh yes this was the best way to spend a Friday night. Tomorrow he was going to the opera "La Forza del Destino", that would be after a very leisurely light pre-theatre dinner, yes he thought back to days in London, pre opera or theatre dinner before going to London's Theatreland, Sunday could wait…yes easy like Sunday morning….

The phone rang interrupting his concentration and pleasantries, he took the remote and muted the music, rising he made his way to the phone, "Dr Mallard's residency, how may I assist you?" he asked smiling. He listened as the colour began to drain from his face, for all the malt he had drunk, he was suddenly sober, "What do you want?" as his voice waivered, "I don't want to know…I don't want any involvement…I am now an American Citizen…..I am not like you," he continued listening and answering, "Yes I have a dual nationality, and still hold a British Passport, but why me?" as Dr Mallard continued to listen to the voice, "Very well Trent, I'm not going anywhere, I will see you in 20minutes….and you did say you were coming alone, I don't want that man in my home."

Ducky replaced the phone in the cradle and returned to the living room where he poured himself a large glass and knocked it back, sat down and waited.

He heard the car draw up and stop, only one door banged shut, didn't mean much two people using one door only on a 3 door car, not used much in the States, he waited for the knock, but continued to wait, he jumped, no use in answering too early, looked like you were eager, he rose and went to answer the door, "Mr Kort come in, please."

-oOo-

"I won't offer you a drink, Kort…I heard the car, but tell me what you want?" Dr Mallard enquired not losing Trent's stare.

"I said Marcin Jerek, on the phone, my old PT instructor at Langley and your….."

"Nemesis….why bring him up again?"

"If Dr Mallard I said London 2012, what would you say?" Trent continued.

"I would say, Olympic Games." Ducky replied shrugging his shoulders

"And?" Trent prompted.

"And?...the Queens Diamond Jubilee. Where is this leading Kort?" Ducky now replied.

"May I," Trent asked pointing to the settee, before moving over and sitting down, "And I suggest Dr Mallard you do the same."

"I'm listening," as Ducky sat.

"Marcin Jerek, he has been helping some of the athletes…for the games and the Paralympic Games….."

"How is he doing that…breaking a few backs?" Ducky answered sarcastically.

"Not nice Dr Mallard, you and Gibbs attend the same Charm School? What I have to say may, or may not surprise you. You worked briefly for the British Metropolitan Police in the early 60's did you not?"

"Yes briefly, before joining the Army. I wasn't sure where my career was going." Ducky replied.

"You had a Commanding Officer by the name of Chief Superintendent George Kensington?" Trent continued, "Oh he is dead, died of old age, but his grandson came to the notice of the CIA last year. He was a swimmer, and scuba diver, he used to enter into the Scuba Olympics."

"You're saying was….what happened?" Dr Mallard enquired quietly.

"Coming to that…..have you heard of the SS Richard Montgemery?"

"Vaguely, but where is this leading?"

"I thought maybe you would, having lived in London. But the SS Richard Montgomery, it was an American Liberty ship, wrecked off the Nore in the Thames in 1944, it had about what 7000 tons of munitions and bombs. On the night of 20th August she dragged her anchor, and ran aground."

"I have heard the story," Ducky added, "They tried to refloat by taking off the cargo, but she developed a crack in her hull and the forward end began to flood. All further salvage was abandoned when the boat finally flooded."

"Now here is the frightening bit….there is still approximately 1,400 tons of explosives contained within the forward holds….and maybe you should pour yourself a drink when I explain what the CIA have uncovered."

Ducky rose and walked to the drinks cabinet and produced a fresh glass, He picked up the malt and poured a measure into the glass, passing to Trent before replenishing his own, and returning to the chair.

"Thank you, but Trevor Hamilton, your Chief's grandson, was found drowned last week on the Montgomery. It is a wreck but protected, no diving because of the instability of the cargo. You know what I'm leading up to?"

"Oh my god," Ducky whispered as he took a gulp of the malt, "It could be mass murder."

"Exactly." Trent replied sipping his own drink, "If the ship exploded it would be one of the biggest non-nuclear blasts ever and would devastate the port of Sheerness. It could throw a 1,000-foot-wide 300 metre wide column of water and debris nearly 3,000 metres into the air and generate a wave 5 metres high. Almost every window in Sheerness would be broken and buildings would be damaged by the blast."

"Good god, not to mention, the oil refineries, if they blew, then every building in Sheerness could be destroyed, killing thousands of people."

"Dr Mallard, the tsunami produced, could in theory sweep up the River Medway and cause havoc in Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and a dozen or more outlying places in Kent. Any ships in the vicinity would go down and….." as Trent looked at Ducky, "The wave might, depending on atmospheric and tidal conditions, at the moment of detonation, be felt as far up the river as London. Certainly most of south-eastern England would hear the bombs go off."

"But Kort, if something should happen at the Jubilee celebration, people on boats and in the streets…..and if you say Chatham….not that it is a Naval Dockyard anymore, but…..what do you have in mind?" Ducky concluded, beginning to shake at the thought.

"Dr Mallard, our respective agencies have been in contact, and since you are British, it was decided that you would blend in more than the bumbling Agents, Gibbs has, also you have the local knowledge."

"So Kort, when do we leave?"

"As soon as you pack an overnight bag, you can buy in London, on expenses."

TBC