Operation Dead Zone

Chapter 1

The sirens were loud in his ears and threatened to make his head explode. It overrode the conversation the EMTs were having about his vitals. It was so loud, he couldn't open his eyes wide. He was forced to squint.

BP is 140/20.

He opened his eyes and was greeted by blinding light. He realized that it was a flashlight. Damn EMT was looking into his eyes. Why the hell was he doing that?

Pupils are responsive.

Got a bleeder.

If he had the energy to do so, he would tell them that it was fairly obvious. He had been shot and had been nearly blown to bits. It was too much to recall at the moment. He closed his eyes and sank into dark oblivion.

Are they gonna be okay?

That sweet voice. He knew that voice so well. It made his stay in DC much more pleasant considering the other crap that had been going on. She sounded scared and worried. He hated it when she was scared. She was his Sciuto Bug, the sweetest thing in the lab.

I have to be honest with you. Both agents' injuries were severe given that they had already had multiple gunshots followed by the explosion…

He opened his eyes slowly now that the voices were becoming clear. He heard Sciutto Bug and he could even pick out Gunny. They were both there? His head was trying to make sense of the situation at hand. He could make out the low overhead light and a steady beating. It was the first clue. The second was the slight elevated position he was in. He forced his drug addled and tired brain to focus and determined that he was in the hospital.

I can't tell you more except that it will be touch and go for the next few hours.

So you're saying that there is nothing you can do?

There was David. He liked the passion that lined her voice and it became intense when she was really passionate about what she believed in. He also liked her penchant for mixing up her idioms. So that left DiNozzo and McGee.

McGee? McGee!

His mind screamed out the last thing he remembered. He had noticed the tripwire. The whole place had been rigged to explode. The bastard had no intention of surrendering. He looked over to see… He had to save McGee…

Code blue in room 3.

The monitors were squealing. That was a moot point. He had to save McGee.

~0~0~

It was like a bad dream and had invoked a sense of déjà vu. It was supposed to be a simple and clean bust. They had the guy and were going to pick him up. Leroy Jethro Gibbs looked about the waiting room where his two dust-covered and virtually all right agents Anthony DiNozzo and Ziva David were seated, waiting for news.

The elevator nearby dinged and out came Abby running towards him, "Gibbs. Are they okay?"

Gibbs looked at the girl who was his favorite looking at him and begging him to tell her everything was going to be okay. He didn't want to tell her since it would be a double whammy but he wasn't one to lie to her.

"Ziva? Tony?"

"We're fine Abby," Ziva said as she stood up. Tony followed her to show that he was okay.

Abby took a moment to look them over. They were covered in dust but they were alive. She couldn't resist giving them an Abby hug. "I'm glad you're okay but what about Raymie and Timmy?"

Ziva looked up from the hug Abby was giving her to look at Gibbs. This whole case had been a series of ups and downs and secrets and lies revealed. At least Abby wasn't angry anymore after what happened that morning. At this moment though the former Mossad officer didn't know what to say and had turned to the one that would probably be the best person to answer the question.

Gibbs looked at the standing members of his team. He was about to say something when a doctor came out, "Family for McGee and Salazaar?"

Abby looked over and jumped in with, "Where are they? Are they okay? Can I see them?"

Tony was the one to grasp the hyperactive and anxious scientist gently by the shoulder to indicate that she should calm down. Abby complied with and wrung her hands anxiously while Gibbs looked on before addressing the doctor. "How bad is it Doc?"

"I have to be honest with you. Both agents' injuries were severe given that they had already had multiple gunshots followed by the explosion…" The doctor looked at the four people looking at him, expecting answers. "Both agents sustained severe trauma. One appeared to have taken the brunt of the trauma."

"Which one?"

Gibbs looked at Abby who had given the outburst. This was hard on all of them but he was aware of the relationship she had with the two agents they were trying to get information about. "Keep going," he said to the doctor.

"Surgery was a must. Agent McGee sustained a concussion from the explosion as well as shrapnel. Some glass punctured his abdomen but it's not serious. The gunshot wounds… both in the chest but he wasn't hit in any vital organs."

"Raymie?"

The doctor cleared his throat. He took a look at Gibbs who was giving him a stare that made him uncomfortable. He wasn't giving too many details but he conveyed a look that said that he was willing to give them to the team leader. "Agent Salazaar… again shrapnel issues. Some punctured his lower back in his kidney. We were able to save it. Concussion and fractures to the left forearm." He wanted to say more but he wasn't sure how much more the others could take it.

Gibbs got the picture. Two of his agents were down and the bastard who did it was on his target list. "I get it. What's the score?"

"I can't tell you more except that it will be touch and go for the next few hours. Both patients are right now unconscious due to the concussions they sustained. We might know more if they wake up."

"If?" Abby looked at the doctor who was looking apologetic at her. She felt Tony and Ziva's hand on her.

"They both lost a substantial amount of blood which we've replenished and we did notice the possibility of a compromised immune system, probably from stress, from Agent Salazaar."

"So you're saying that there is nothing you can do?" Ziva asked the question swallowing back the secret she had been forced to keep.

The doctor was about to say something when the alarm went off. The nurses were rushing in calling a code blue. He hated to leave the group like that but his patient needed help. He gave an apologetic look before running back to deal with his patient.

Meanwhile Abby managed to shake off Tony and Ziva and look around hoping to find the injured agents. When the alarms went off, she followed the nurses and took a peek. She put a hand to her mouth when she saw who the struggling patient was. "Raymie!"

Two Days Earlier

The elevator dinged to signal that it arrived on the floor that it was destined for. Tony and Ziva exited bickering once again on her driving skills. Ziva was saying that her route back to the Navy Yard avoided traffic since they needed to get the evidence they collected back to Abby.

"When someone flips you the bird that means you…"

"What does flip the bird mean?"

Tim McGee smiled as he continued to write what he was doing for Gibbs. They had a dead Marine that had been attaché to a major weapons development company. At first it appeared to be an accident but Ducky managed to discover that it was a very elaborate murder. What Tim was doing had to do with what the dead Marine was working on. He had been hit by a wall that was called 'CLASSIFIED' and had been trying to get around it. The only thing he had been able to come up with was a word.

"It means…" Tony began trying to figure out what to say in order to explain it.

"The finger," a voice sounded.

Tony looked over to see a man sitting at his desk and looking at home in it. The guy was dark haired with dark eyes with olive toned skin. He was dressed in jeans, shirt and a blazer and a set of boots worthy of working in the field. More out of annoyance that there was a stranger he made a slight face and replied, "That's right. And that's my desk."

The man looked at Tony without any hint of apology and stood up. He moved away from the desk and commented, "Nice location. Perfect to see everything and avoid unexpected surprises. Certainly to avoid the famous head slap."

Tony was still eyeing the newcomer suspiciously as he moved away. He watched as he wandered over towards Gibbs' desk and said, "I'm Agent DiNizzo. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing really. Just waiting." The stranger didn't look at Tony but continued to look at Gibbs' desk with a certain amount of interest. He gave a slight hum and a smile.

"Waiting for what? McGeek what is he doing here?" Tony shot a look at Tim who was looking like he was in trouble.

"He said he had an appointment," Tim managed to get out.

"And you let him sit at my desk," Tony replied trying to pull the tough act on Tim. He didn't get any further for he felt the familiar head slap to the back of the head. "We're back Boss."

"I'm not your boss but don't get on his case. I took a seat and made myself at home while waiting," the stranger replied. He then motioned towards the computer on Gibbs' desk, "I see he still treats computers like he does his probies."

Tony frowned and glanced at Ziva who had been watching the scene with some amusement and some interest. He then looked at the stranger and asked, "What do you know about the Boss?"

"Plenty."

It was apparent that stranger wasn't going to say more. Tony looked at Ziva and then at Tim who had gone back to his notes. It was Ziva who took a step forward and asked, "You know Gibbs? Is he expecting you?" She frowned as she studied the stranger, trying to get a sense of who he was and was aware that she was being studied the same way.

"Yes and you're late," Gibbs' familiar timbre was heard as he entered the bullpen.

The stranger broke his gaze from Ziva and turned to look at Gibbs with a grin on his face. He replied, "I'm not late. I'm always on time and…" the stranger went back to Gibbs' desk and pulled out a tall cup and handed it over, "I remember the coffee. Good to see you Gibbs."

Gibbs looked at the stranger with that slight smile he gave when he was pleased that one of his rules was remembered to the letter. He accepted the coffee and replied, "Likewise Ray." He held out his hand for the expected handshake and pulled the stranger into a slight hug.

Ray returned the gesture and gave a pat in a manly hug. "Gunny, keep this up and I might start thinking you've gone soft."

Gibbs released Ray and gave a pat on his shoulder. He smiled as Ray picked up a similar coffee cup and held it in a similar manner as Gibbs. "I taught you that Skipper."

Ray chuckled and turned to look at Gibbs' flabbergasted team. At the same time he took a sip of his coffee, Gibbs did the same. If the age difference weren't so apparent, they would have been twins. He studied the team and asked, "So these are Team Gibbs."

"Yeap."

"Not bad." Ray took a sip and looked on in amusement while Gibbs barked orders for Tony to take the evidence to the lab. "I see you haven't lost your touch. So what's so special that Director Vance had you bring me in from my exile in the desert?"

"Old case," Gibbs replied and motioned for Ray to follow.

Ray nodded and followed Gibbs out of the bullpen and up the stairs. "One that we worked on?"

"Something like that."

Ray nodded. He knew that it was one of the cases he had worked on when he had been a part of Gibbs' team. That was a long time ago and if Vance wanted him to even set foot in the Navy Yard, it had to be a good reason. The past left long scars and it seemed that Vance was desperate to go there.

Gibbs glanced at the man who once was in Tony's position and noted how much he had changed over the years. Not a day went by that he thought that the man didn't deserve the fate that had been given him. If anything he deserved recognition for his actions that had gotten him exiled as he put it. He had to admit that some good came of it since the young man jokingly called him a few years ago and told him that he was a grandpa.

One thing that Gibbs was glad that didn't change was Ray's ability to observe a situation and react in the best way possible and usually that was with silence. He knew that there were questions hiding behind that serious expression but he was waiting in anticipation that they would all be answered. "How's my granddaughter?"

Ray gave a slight hum and a smile. "Twelve years old and starting to get crushes. Being a single dad is tough."

"What about Laura?"

"Nila loves her aunt and her cousin. She still has a couple of nightmares," Ray replied. He sighed and continued, "I must have been crazy to follow a dead guy's will and adopt her but…"

"That's the thing about little girls," Gibbs finished, knowing exactly what his former teammate meant.

"You got that right." Ray chuckled as he hiked up the stairs. He frowned a bit as they stopped outside of MTAC. "MTAC?"

"It's not just Leon that wanted to speak to you," Gibbs replied as he bent over to let the retina scan do its work.

"Formal firing squad I see," Ray replied as he waited for the door to MTAC to open. He waited until he was given formal invitation to enter. The way he saw it, he was a guest at the Navy Yard even though he flashed his credentials at the gate. He recalled the look he got even though he was waved through.

In all honesty Ray wasn't looking forward to seeing the director under these circumstances. He had long ago accepted his fate at being placed in a sort of undercover position at the crime lab in Las Vegas. He built up a good life just being a crime scene investigator and he was free to keep tabs on the software/technology company he owned. It enabled him to take care of his sister-in-law and her son while his brother was serving time in federal prison. Then three years ago he inherited a family, the daughter of one of the victims from a case that was… complicated.

Ray sighed as he followed Gibbs into MTAC and was greeted by Director Vance with Gibbs doing the introductions, "Leon. I believe you know Agent Salazaar."

"Technically he is not an agent," Vance said as he held his hand out for the customary handshake.

Ray took the proffered hand and shook it. "Right. I'm exiled. Nice to meet you formally Director Vance."

"Is that him?"

Ray peeked over Vance's shoulder to see a familiar sight. He raised his brow in surprise and said, "It is me. Been awhile sir." He wasn't even going to grace the Secretary of the Navy by name. Party politics was something that he would rather avoid.

The Secretary of the Navy Clayton Jarvis looked at the new arrival and gave an acknowledging nod. It wasn't going to be for politeness for its sake. After all, the exiled agent was the key to the problem that the current case NCIS was trying to solve. "Likewise."

"You know why you're here?" Vance asked Ray.

"I received the order to return to DC by your order but no details. If you're asking if I used my limited access to get into the system and find out then you'll be disappointed. I went through an inquisition once," Ray replied. He adjusted his stance to stand there and looked at the three pairs of eyes looking at him.

Vance was well aware of Ray's file as well as what hadn't been allowed in. With the current case and the clues that had been unearthed, he wanted this agent back. Jarvis was in a different frame of mind and more along the lines of national security but Vance, along with Gibbs, managed to convince him to bring him in and at least ask questions and talk to him. He replied, "I half expected it considering your credentials. Bachelor's degrees in criminal justice and biochemistry, masters in computer science and communication technology, service in the Navy and special agent with NCIS… you've got quite a record." Vance looked at Gibbs as if to confirm if he missed anything and then glanced at Jarvis for anything else.

"Very good Director," Ray replied, "Though I seriously doubt that my record is of issue."

"Actually it is," Jarvis countered. "Your actions within NCIS are of concern. I am not even sure if it is wise for you to be here."

"I guess that makes two of us sir," Ray replied. "However, since I'm here, I guess I'll ask the question: why was I summoned?"

Vance took the look from SecNav as his cue to continue. He nodded at Gibbs who said, "A dead Marine working as attaché to the weapons manufacturing company Leland Biotechnics was found. At first they thought it was suicide…"

"But it's anything but," Ray replied as he looked at the file. "Anything related to what Corporal Rawlings was working on?"

"We think so but that is not why we called you here," Vance replied as he took back the file.

"It's about your other activities," came from the view screen.

Ray let the file be taken from his hands. It was too much to hope for that they needed his help in the biotech area and all that stuff. Nope it had to be about a few other things and the things that got him busted all those years ago when he had played, what others called martyr, because he was the CO of that mission. "Oh I get it. Pick my brains on something that was deemed classified."

"It came up in the course of the investigation. We suspected that Corporal Rawlings discovered someone trying to sell what he was working on to a weapons dealer. A name came up and it led to us calling you back to DC," Vance explained.

"Enough. Salazaar, have you been in contact with those involved with Operation Dead Zone?"

Ray looked at Gibbs. It was apparent that Gibbs knew the name and had probably bugged Vance for details. Vance looked at him the same as SecNav; expectantly and ready to strike if he said anything condemning. What was it that they wanted him for? He replied calmly, "I've only been in contact with a few acquaintances but none of those involved. I was told that to do so could be pretty damning if you're innocent."

"That's not an answer." Jarvis knew that he was probably getting the usual from an agent who excelled at his job and had never shown hints of disloyalty.

"It's what I'll give, sir, unless I know why you want to know about someone from Operation Dead Zone." Ray looked at the panel firmly. There was a reason why they dragged him to MTAC. It was highly secure and that meant that they were worried. "Besides that mission was declared classified and the participants were threatened with treason if it was ever mentioned."

"I agreed to its declassification on the account that you would be able to resolve this," the secretary said.

Ray shifted and then asked, "You're thinking that whoever wanted what Rawlings was working was involved with Dead Zone. I could name ten that might fit but what makes you think that I can help you."

Vance looked at Gibbs and then at Ray, "Because the Corporal had your contact information, information related to Dead Zone, on his person when he was found."

Ray looked at the trio looking at him. Contact info from Blackstone? That was preposterous in that everything had been wiped clean. Well whatever he knew he had touched had been wiped clean with the exception of the reports and those were under lock and key. Part and parcel of what he had to do while working for Gibbs. "Why would my information be on a Marine that I've never met before in my life?"

"That is what we'd like to know and why you are being reinstated to full active duty."

A/N: Hi folks. I'm no stranger to fanfiction but I am a stranger to NCIS FF. Read, review and enjoy. Any and all reviews are welcome.