Neither NCIS nor its characters belong to me, though I wish they did. I am merely playing in the world wonderfully created by others.

Positive feedback is appreciated. It's been awhile since I have stretched my fan fiction legs, and this is my first go 'round with Gibbs and company, so my apologies if they sound at all "out of character". I am my own beta, so all mistakes are purely my own.

Out of the Dark

Stepping out of the dark, government-issue sedan, NCIS special agent Caitlin Todd surveyed the Arlington warehouse that had once the central hub of a weapons-smuggling operation run by two chief petty officers off the USS Carl Vinson. Both men were now in custody, but the search for the local middlemen was ongoing. The petty officers were keeping strangely silent on their colleagues' whereabouts.

"Thanks again for coming, Kate," said special agent James Carlson as he pulled his evidence kit from the trunk. "It's your weekend off, and I know you wanted to go to the game."

"It's not like Simons knew her mother would have a massive heart-attack," Kate shrugged. She tugged on the brim of her black ball cap with the NCIS logo emblazoned on the front before slinging her pack over her shoulder. "Gibbs understands. I told him I'd meet them for lunch after they've kicked the FBI's ass all over the court."

"DiNozzo'll pout," Gibbs had told her over the phone earlier that morning when she called him to let him know she'd miss at least part of the intramural final to help out Carlson's team in Simons' stead.

"God, I've heard more about Ohio State and his spectacular free-throws in the last three days than I'll need to hear about in a lifetime. I want to be there, Gibbs, you know that," she had said, "but Jim's down a team-member, and …"

" … maybe a fresh pair of eyes'll help." It wasn't a question.

"Something like that."

In her mind's eye, she saw Gibbs nod in understanding. "Lunch is at Pasquini's after. Join us for pizza and beer," he said. She could hear the smile in her boss's voice. "The FBI will be footing the bill."

"The sweetest-tasting beer there is. I'll be there," she agreed and started to switch off the cell when his deep voice pulled her back again.

"And Kate –"

"Yes?"

He paused. "Be careful."

She smiled. "I will. See you for beer, Gibbs."

"I'm sure we'll have you out of here with plenty of time left to get to the game," said Caroline Salaz as she cut through the crime scene seal on the warehouse door and Agent Pike slid the heavy door open.

Kate and Carlson stepped into the darkened warehouse with Salaz and Pike following behind, their footsteps echoing around them. Water dripped from somewhere to her right. Though it was still early in the day, the windows high up on the warehouse wall, their panes dull with years of dirt, did little to illuminate the interior. As Kate's eyes adjusted to the dim light, she surveyed the scene. What few remaining weapons that had been left behind by the arms dealers when NCIS raided the warehouse had already been secured into evidence, but the pallets on which they had been stored were still scattered about.

Estimates indicated that between eight to nine hundred weapons had been stored here along with several hundred thousand rounds of ammunition. Grenades along with supplies that could be used to create IED's rounded out the cache – more than enough hardware to supply several home-grown and transplanted terrorist cells – and most of it still out there, somewhere. The petty officers had thought to supplement their government pensions by betraying their country and putting the lives of countless thousands in jeopardy. Their golden years would now be spent in maximum security at Fort Leavenworth.

"Kate, if you want to take the northeast quadrant of the warehouse, we'll split up the rest," said Carlson, indicating the area that had already been roped off.

"Will do," she said and headed in that general direction. "Any idea what I'm looking for?"

"Not a clue. We've been here twice this week already," Leon Pike said, raising his voice so that it would carry to her. "It's just that Jimmy thinks we're missing something that might lead us to rest of the smugglers."

"We are missing something," Salaz agreed, her voice grave. It was imperative that they find the people actually selling the weapons. Too many lives would remain in danger until they were captured.

Kate slid her pack from off her shoulder and propped it up against the nearest pallet. Pulling a pair of latex gloves from its depths, she slid them over her hands and switched on the flashlight she took from a pocket on her utility vest. Carlson's team scattered to do the same, each selecting a separate quadrant of the warehouse to search. Kate was about to start her hunt when the light from the doorway was suddenly blocked.

At the sound of a sharp series of pops followed by a scream from Salaz who was closest to the door, Kate twisted to face the entrance where three men stood, their guns trained on the four NCIS agents. Kate had only enough time to pull her weapon from its holster as they continued to fire. Muzzle flashes brightened the soft light of the warehouse as Kate dove for cover, grunting in pain as she felt one of the bullets slam into her right thigh and another lodge itself in her shoulder. Her right arm hanging useless at her side, Kate fumbled for her weapon that had fallen to the cracked concrete floor. Gripping it awkwardly in her left, Kate propped her body against one of the pallets and returned fire. The small part of her mind that wasn't focused on shooting back noted that both Salaz and Carlson were down, and only she and Pike continued to fire back.

One of the gunmen pinned down by her fire turned her way and pulled the trigger of his assault rifle. The pallet in front of her exploded into a hail of wooden fragments. Pain exploded in her head, and her body slammed hard against the concrete floor beneath her. Injured leg twisted awkwardly beneath her crumpled body, Kate clutched weakly at her weapon. The gunfire stopped, and dimly she heard the squeal of rubber on pavement as the gunmen fled the scene.

Blood obscured her vision, but her ears were filled first with the sudden silence and then with the sounds of her dying colleagues.

Kate's last though before she let the darkness claim her was that Salaz had been right.

They'd definitely missed something.