Anthony DiNozzo picked up the last two cards, and carefully considered his next move. Everything hung on this decision. Once false move could mean disaster, but if he was successful, ah, then victory would be his, and he would reap the rewards! He glared intently at his opponent, who smiled back blandly. "Make your move," the other man said. DiNozzo took a deep breath, and held it, while he reached out... and placed the two cards, supporting each other in an inverted 'V', at the apex of the house of cards balanced on his desk. He let go of the cards, and moved his hands back. The elaborate tower seemed almost to float, so beautiful and intricate was its construction. DiNozzo started to turn towards the man watching, when something flew through the air, hitting a lower layer, and the house of cards collapsed. DiNozzo gave a strangled squawk and looked up, outraged, to see who had ruined his near-victory in the card building contest he'd been having with McGee.

Ziva David smirked, twirling an elastic band around her finger. "Oops!" she said, unconvincingly. DiNozzo reached to pick up the missile his partner had just launched at him; the eraser from the end of a pencil. Small but deadly, when fired from an elastic band catapult. McGee chuckled appreciatively. "That's the second steak dinner I've won off you in a week, Tony" he said with more than a hint of smugness.

"Sabotage doesn't count!" DiNozzo told him. "I claim the right to a new attempt."

He began to sweep the cards together, but before he had picked them all up, the familiar figure of his boss appeared. Behind him, Abby Sciuto hovered excitedly, clutching her go-bag. "Leave the cards, we have work to do," Gibbs told DiNozzo brusquely. "Ziva, DiNozzo, with me and Abby. McGee – you're headed to New York."

The three agents snapped into action, locking their desks and grabbing their backpacks. As they followed Gibbs to the elevator, Ziva asked, "Where are we headed?" The only reply she got was, "You'll see."

Certain he could get more out of him than Ziva, DiNozzo asked, "We going by plane or ship, boss?"

There was a ghost of a smile on Gibbs's face as the punched the elevator button. "Yup," he replied. He was looking forward to the expressions on the agents' faces when they saw their intended mode of transport!

As the military chopper touched down on the deck, DiNozzo exchanged a glance with Ziva. She looked faintly bored. After all, they'd been on an aircraft carrier before. Neither of them could see the reason for Gibbs's air of amusement during the journey. They started to get out of the helicopter, DiNozzo turning to extend a hand to Abby. "Thanks, Tony," she said with a dazzling smile. He frowned slightly; Abby had been exuding an sense of suppressed excitement during the whole trip, and he had a feeling Gibbs had told her something more than the information contained in the briefing notes. He must have; after all, investigating an illegal shipment of arms to a suspected terrorist group was – well, something like that was never routine. But it was hardly a novelty. Certainly not enough to make Abby act as if she was about to experience a longed-for treat.

They followed Gibbs as he walked over to a man waiting for them a short distance away. "FBI," DiNozzo muttered to Ziva. The man, dark-suited, with dark glasses and a slightly receding hairline, had 'fed' written all over him.

As they neared, he extended a hand towards Gibbs. "Agent Coulson," he said by way of introduction. Gibbs briefly introduced his team, then Coulson said, "Follow me. We're taking off immediately." He turned to lead them towards a hatch, and DiNozzo and Ziva exchanged puzzled glances. Were they transferring to another helicopter or a plane? Behind them, a flurry of activity began, with crew fastening down the helicopter and snapping breathing apparatus over their faces. At the same time, the sound of massive engines and rushing water filled the air, accompanied by the sensation that the aircraft carrier was rising slightly – not a rolling movement, that might accompany an ocean swell, but straight up. As if... as if the aircraft carrier itself was about to take off!

DiNozzo and Ziva exchanged another look of mystification, and were promptly brought back to attention by smacks on the backs of their heads. "Let's go," Gibbs told them, with an air of satisfaction at having achieved a rare double-slap. "Unless you're prepared to hold on to the deck real tight!" The agents followed him inside, each hoping that someone was going to explain what the hell was going on!