Outbreak.

Chapter 1. Infection.

Author's note: I thought the idea of a disease attack on the team while not an original idea would be more fun if more than one person got sick AND if someone everyone knows was responsible for the attack!! I am not a disease expert & while I did research the symptoms don't be surprised if it doesn't sound quite logical.

I know most diseases are viral especially the Spanish Influenza but I needed a way to infect the team so it was the only way I could come up with while still implicating the traitor!! ENJOY!!

BTW this story has both Cate & Ziva & Director Shepard.

Gibbs was annoyed. It had seemed like a routine case. Room found at Quantico Naval Base, blood everywhere, human detritus, as Ducky called it, & a petty officer who couldn't be found. But Ducky & Abbey may have found evidence to prove otherwise. He sighed as he waited for the elevator. He glanced over at the others. Tony was obviously arguing with Cate & Ziva over something, McGee was trying not to get involved. None of them were doing what they were supposed to be doing. But for once Gibbs was too preoccupied to blast them. As the elevator bell brought him back to the problem at hand he found himself, as he usually did in times like this, needing coffee. He chuckled to himself.

When he walked into autopsy, he was surprised to find Ducky & Palmer were entertaining Abbey, Fornell & Director Shepard. He shot a questioning look at Ducky, who shrugged.

"False alarm Gibbs, your case was nothing more than a prank taken too far. The alleged victim didn't think his roommate would call NCIS. He came forward this morning & explained everything. The felony charges will be handled by the FBI." Gibbs gave his famous 'over-my-dead-body' stare & Fornell chuckled. Before Gibbs could verbally respond the Director preemptively answered his question.

"It's out of my hands, Jethro. Normally it would be up to NCIS but the Director of the FBI has stressed that they'll take control of the investigation as of today. Don't look at me like that!" The Director rolled her eyes at his attempted death stare & left the room followed by Fornell.

Upstairs a heated debate was reaching a peak.

"Tony you are so immature! How many times have I told you to stay away from my desk?" Cate demanded. Tony attempted to charm her with his smile but she didn't waver.

"You never said anything about staying away from your trash!" he grinned & ducked as she tried to hit him.

"I would have thought," she said in a dangerously quiet voice, "That you would've realized the trashcan is next to the desk & therefore OFF LIMITS! Touch my stuff again, & yes that includes the trash, & I will castrate you." As Tony started to laugh he caught the look in Cate's eye & stopped. He tried another charming smile.

"I'm sorry Cate. I'll never touch your trash ever again." They were suddenly interrupted as Cate's cell phone began to ring. She elbowed Tony to prevent him from grabbing the phone & picked it up. She checked the caller ID before walking away to answer. While her back was turned, Tony picked up her bag & started going through it.

"Uh… Tony… I don't think you should um…" McGee tried to convince him to stop but Tony gave him a 'Gibbs' stare & he stopped. Before Tony could properly investigate the inner workings of Cate's bag, he felt a hand slap the back of his head & turned to see Gibbs standing directly behind him.
"DiNozzo, report!" Tony quickly ran back to his desk & not only because of Gibbs. Cate's phone call had ended & he knew she would elbow him again if she saw him going through the contents of her bag.

Just as Tony was about to speak the elevator dinged & Fornell stepped out.

"How about you & you team come over to my house for dinner? You look like you haven't eaten in a while, Jethro."

Gibbs stared at him, daring him to continue. How dare he? First he walks in & steals the case & now he has the nerve to suggest dinner? He looked around & noticed that while everyone looked as though they liked the idea, & Gibbs knew it had been hours since lunch, they were all waiting for him to answer.

While he was tempted to give Fornell a serve, Gibbs held back.

"Sounds fine, Tobias."

Everyone was shocked. Tony opened his mouth to speak but one look at Gibbs' face & Tony knew better. As they all headed for the elevator, Fornell & Gibbs stayed behind in the squad room.

"Okay, Jethro. What's going on? I know you hate jurisdiction issues but this is not like you."

Gibbs flinched as Fornell finished.

"Firstly Tobias, this isn't about jurisdiction as it is about the fact that the FBI never handles Navy issues unless it involves drugs &/or terrorism. Even then the FBI rarely gets involved unless needed. Off the record Tobias, why does the director of the FBI want to handle this?" Fornell took a long breath & thought for a minute before answering.

"You're not going to like this Jethro," Gibbs waited for him to continue.

"The petty officer tried to fake his own death. We have reason to believe he has unwanted ties to Al-Qaeda & Hamas. If we do this right we could potentially bring down more than one cell in Washington. You might not like being out of the loop Jethro, but if we are able to catch a few terrorists before they can complete their missions, than maybe the world can be a little safer." Gibbs sighed & nodded.

"Are you two coming? We're waiting for you in the carpark, boss. Ouch thanks." Tony added as they stepped into the elevator.

When they got to Fornell's house, they gathered for drinks in the sitting room while Fornell prepared the food. His wife had cooked it & left it ready for Fornell to serve up.

As Fornell called them into the dining room, they noticed he wasn't eating.

"Ate earlier. Hope you enjoy." As they talked & laughed, Gibbs' gut was bothering him. Something was hinky but he couldn't put his finger on it. He put it down to the fact hr hadn't slept for hours. Gibbs pushed it out of his mind & tuned back into the conversation.

When he got home, it was bugging him again. He walked in his front door & headed for the coffee machine. As the coffee was brewing he ran his fingers through his hair.

Why was his gut bugging him? What was hinky? He poured his coffee & headed for the shower.

As he laid down on his bed, he knew whatever was bugging him would come to him eventually. All he had to do was hope it would be before anyone got hurt.

The next day, everyone was sitting at their desks hoping Gibbs' phone would ring. While there was no current cases, Gibbs had them catching up on paperwork. Not exactly one of Tony's favourite things to do. So, everytime he thought Gibbs wasn't watching, he would scrunch a piece of paper into a ball & throw it at McGee. Usually after the first few times Gibbs would notice & yell at him or slap him over the back of the head. But for some reason Tony noticed Gibbs didn't seem to be himself. Not that Tony minded. He didn't particularly enjoy being headslapped by Gibbs. But it was still unnerving. All of a sudden, Ziva stood up. Everyone looked in her direction.

"Head." She said by way of explanation. As she disappeared out of view, Tony started up again. But before he could throw anymore paper, he felt himself being pummeled by paper balls. He looked up to see McGee throwing every ball Tony had thrown back at him with vengeance.

"Having to do paperwork is unpleasant enough without you throwing paper at me, Tony. So cut it out or next time I'll throw something heavier!!" Tony was taken aback. Despite the fact that McGee was threatening him, Tony smiled. For once McGee was sticking up for himself. Just as Tony was about to answer, Cate, who had been up with the Director, walked into the squad room.

"Where's Ziva?" she asked looking around.

"In the head." Answered Gibbs, without looking up.

"Uh… boss come to think of it she's been gone a while, you don't think something's wrong, do you?" Piped up McGee.

"Cate, grab Abbey & check all the bathrooms just in case. My gut is telling me something is hinky." Cate headed for the elevator & just as she was about to push the button, it dinged & almost as though she telepathically heard her name, Abbey6 was standing in it.

"Abbey, Gibbs wants us to search the bathrooms for Ziva. His gut is bugging him." Abbey nodded & saluted as Cate stepped into the elevator. If this had been any other day Cate would have laughed, but there was something in Gibbs' voice that had worried her. Cate had never liked Ziva much, but she'd gotten used to her & if something had happened… well it just wouldn't be the same.

They hurried into the first bathroom they could see after exiting the elevator. As they walked in Cate pulled out her sig. She held it out in front of her as she walked around the corner & indicated that Abbey should stay outside until Cate cleared the room. Abbey was standing outside thinking about Ziva & how when she had first joined the team Abbey had pretty much despised her when she noticed McGee seemed to have a crush on her. But after a while she had gotten used to her & considering on numerous occasions, she had helped to save the others from potentially fatal situations, she wasn't as bad as Abbey had originally thought. Suddenly a shout from inside the bathroom brought Abbey back. It was Cate.

"Abbey! Call security & paramedics!! Hurry!"