DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!
ILL-FATED VOYAGE
They finished packing their bags and prepared to leave the apartment. They'd spent the past two weeks on surveillance detail: observing, documenting and recording the comings and goings of Rami Rhanda. Finally it was paying off. He was joining his contacts and then they would all be taken into custody.
One of them was going to fly to Stockholm to prepare for the apprehension, while the other would continue to monitor Rami and his friends on the ferry heading there.
"I'll have more agents called in to assist with the bust when the ferry arrives. You identify them and call with the details," Agent Riley McCallister told his young agent. This was going to be his final mission, before taking a position as interim director of NCIS.
"Got it," Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs replied. "What about Jenny?"
"What about me?" the even younger agent asked indignantly.
"You're staying here to wrap things up and get all the evidence back to D.C.," McCallister told her in a tone that demand she do as told and not argue.
She huffed and grabbed a bag to begin packing all the files, photos and tapes they recorded. She watched as they left clearly unhappy in her cast aside role.
Before they separated McCallister bid a farewell, "Good luck and Godspeed."
Gibbs nodded and hitched his bag turning to board the bus going to the ferry.
The MS Estonia was a distinguished vessel and the night's voyage deemed to carry a fair number of passengers considering the late hour. It would be arriving in Scotland until the early morning hours. Among the passengers were Rami's partners in the dangerous game of terrorism. He spotted their main suspect though he'd worn a decent disguise. It was difficult to hide the deformed lower portion of his left arm. He'd chosen to only wear a long jacket to cover it, but the thinned limb caused the jacket sleeve to fall limp.
Rami lost himself in a crowd near the rail. Not enough that Gibb's lost his view, but enough that the agent had difficulty seeing anyone he might be traveling with. The suspect talked to many people but soon Gibbs figured which conversations were trivial and which were more veiled in code. As the ferry got underway the air became chilly and the passengers sought warmth inside. It was at that moment the watchful agent spotted one of Rami's friends head toward a door leading to the lower levels.
He casually made his way toward the door making sure no one was aware of his intent to follow. Convinced he was unobserved he slipped inside the door and silently descended to the depths below. He listened for any sound. The faint whisper of tape pulling off the roll alerted him to a location to his right, behind a short wall.
Gibbs stood with his back pressed against the wall, gun in hand. He took a deep breath releasing it soundlessly. He peeked around the corner and his eyes widened at the explosives being adhered to the ferry's engine.
What could possibly be accomplished by destroying the ferry and killing all aboard including Rami and all his cohorts? Unless this one had turned traitor against them all, a double agent of sorts. Or perhaps there was another passenger aboard he was unaware of and the terrorists had some plan to escape before the detonation and elimination of their target.
Was there time to search for an important traveler or it could even be a rival to their cause. No he had to make sure to not lose sight of the targets. He managed to wedge himself out of sight as the bomb-setter made his way back up the stairs. A quick glance at the bomb made him realize he would be unable to dismantle it.
His stomach clenched knowing the horror that was going to occur and the many lives about to be taken; their families left to lament the injustice.
Reaching the upper realms he noticed the lack of any persons around. Everyone had taken refuge inside. Many probably resting as the hour was past midnight. He wandered apparently aimlessly as he looked for any sign of Rami or his men.
He called into McCallister informing him of the latest details and that the mission may be successful in the end, just not the way they had anticipated. McCallister felt ill as well over being unable to stop the future carnage. "Do you want me to call Jenny?" the older agent asked. He'd noticed the two had become close during their undercover work together.
"She should know, but maybe call after. There's nothing she can do now," Gibbs stated.
"Don't lose sight of them Gibbs. If they somehow manage to get off that ferry, we'll make them pay."
They young agent chuckled a dry laugh, "I just hope I get off to help you do that." He thought briefly of his lost family, and the real possibility that he could be joining them soon. Then he thought of Jenny and how he wanted to spare her the pain of losing a partner and a lover.
A rumble in the water brought him to the rail once again. He saw dark clad figures scaling down ropes to a waiting watercraft. He maneuvered himself into location to gain access as well. He managed to leap and land on top of a stack of crates. It nearly took the wind out of him as he landed, but thankfully the noise of the motor along with a storm that was brewing deadened the sound of his impact.
The men boarded and entered the cabin. Gibbs quietly called McCallister about the change in boats and the likelihood of heading off to another location.
They had traveled for about ten minutes before he felt and heard the explosion. For a moment he'd hoped it wouldn't happen, but the redness in the distance told the horrible truth.
The men exited the cabin rejoicing. Their joy sickened him and it took every ounce of restraint he could garner not to shoot them all where they stood.
If not for a flare that shot into the sky his presence would've gone undetected. The flare took him by surprise and cast his shadow that caught the attention of one man looking in just the right spot. Before he could alert his buddies, Gibbs fired a silent shot into his head repositioning himself so he wouldn't be seen again.
The man fell to the wooden deck and his pals laughed until they went to help him up and saw the hole in his head as well as the faraway glaze that spoke of his death.
Their voices began arguing with each other, a few even killed some of their own before Rami took charge and calmed them down.
During the melee Gibbs managed to move from the precarious stack of crates to the roof of the cabin. There were now seven men left against only him. If they figured someone was on board he'd have a monumental task on hand. It was in his favor though to not be completely on the defensive.
The conversation indeed turned to checking for a stowaway. While Rami stood watch the others fanned out. The first place they searched was the location he deserted. Thankful for the cloudy night and lack of moonlight Gibbs' upper position was nearly unnoticeable. The men searched the water convinced whoever had shot their comrade must've escaped into the turbulent waters.
They remained vigilant until the coldness weakened their resolve. Rami ordered two men to remain outside to keep watch and dispose of the bodies of the fallen men, while he and the others returned inside the cabin.
The two men were not happy about being left out in the cold. They talked about Rami and his dictator ways and how when they got to Edinburgh they were going to take their pay and take off for regions unknown.
At least that bit of information indicated they were still heading to Scotland. Whatever was in the crates must be expected there.
The men continued to talk and Gibbs tried to gather as much information as he could. Their conversation was mixed with personal plans as well as the mission at hand and if they had to worry about being shot themselves. He'd have liked to do nothing better than take them out, but unless he could be assured time to eliminate them all, he didn't want to risk being killed himself.
The door of the cabin opened and a third man brought out cups of coffee for the watchers. They thanked their friend and asked about the time left before they reached their destination. Gibbs smiled hearing the answer would take them right were they would be snatched by his fellow agents. As the men talked he made a quick and quiet call to McCallister to stay at the ready. Thankfully the call went unnoticed by the men, but he would've made it regardless. He made himself as invisible as possible for the rest of the voyage. It was going to be a few more hours.
Eventually the excitement of the men at the prospect of getting off the boat, delivering their contraband and getting paid spread across the boat. It wouldn't be too long before they docked.
Gibbs silently repositioned himself to both assist in making sure none of them escaped and keeping himself out of any line of fire that might take place. As the boat was tied at the dock and the men began to untie the crates spot lights illuminated them and a voice boomed, "Federal agents have you surrounded. Drop any weapons and give yourselves up."
A few men did as they were ordered falling face down on the deck. Others raised their weapons, but were gunned down before firing a shot. Another jumped into the frigid waters, but was scooped out before he could get anywhere or die of hypothermia. Gibbs jumped down, his muscles sore from lying still in the cold air, but not too stiff. He kicked away the weapons of the men on board as he searched for Rami who had never exited the cabin.
Agents boarded to take away the suspects and McCallister checked on his agent. "You okay?"
"Fine. Rami's missing," Gibbs motioned with his head toward the cabin. The two men approached covering each other. One on either side of the door, they nodded a countdown, before Gibbs opened it and they both entered guns ready to fire. They were surprised by the sight that greeted them. After the initial shock they smirked at each other.
"Seems being a tyrant doesn't pay too well," Gibbs mocked his partner.
"You calling me a tyrant, Gibbs?" McCallister asked.
"You? Naw," Gibbs replied sarcastically.
They moved forward to ensure that Rami was as dead as he looked. A knife in his chest proved to be the fatal wound, but it wasn't the only damage done by the weapon.
"I don't know how I didn't hear any of this going on," Gibbs shook his head knowing he'd been almost directly above the torture that had ensued.
"Look here," Riley pointed at Rami's mouth. "Appears they gagged him."
"That would explain it," Gibbs nodded.
The men left the cabin and disembarked the craft. "You calling Jenny and telling her about this adventure she missed out on?"
"Not really a call I want to make, but yeah. May as well let her know I survived," Gibbs smirked.