Disclaimer: I think you'd know if I was lucky enough to own the following characters.
I have to say, my knowledge of Naval ranks and airbases and ships is very limited, so hopefully what I've cobbled together actually does make sense. If not, please let me know.
Enjoy, and please take the chance to review, it'll only take a few moments and encourages me to write more. :)
Chapter Two
"I'm sorry, love." Gwen spoke on her mobile to her fiancé Rhys. "I don't know when I'll be back." There was a pause. "Yes, it is in the middle of the ocean. And no, I don't know if I'll be able to contact you from there." Another pause. "Don't say that, it's not their fault." She turned to glance at Jack. "Yeah, I promise and I'll try. I've gotta go, darling, we're boarding now. I know, and I love you too." the Welshwoman smiled before snapping her phone shut.
"Ready?" Jack asked, gesturing to the flight assistant who was checking tickets. Tosh, Owen and Ianto had gone ahead, while Jack waited with Gwen as she said her final goodbyes.
Gwen nodded and followed the Captain. "Remind me again why we can't fob this off onto UNIT?" She asked.
"Because this was a Weevil attack and technically Weevils are our responsibility." Jack flashed one of his trademark smiles at the flight assistant, who blushed slightly.
"Why? Because Owen can control them?" Gwen continued as the pair walked down the tunnel towards the plane.
"No, because they are Rift sensitive and we are in charge of the Rift. Therefore we are in charge of controlling them." Jack countered.
"Ah." Was all Gwen could say, but Jack could hear the annoyance in her voice.
It was another five minutes before they made their way to the back of the plane and to their seats. Jack, typically, sat down next to Ianto and Gwen sat down on the other side of Tosh.
"Why can't we have our own plane?" Owen complained, tearing his gaze away from the window. "I hate having to take commercial flights whenever we go places. It's so embarrassing for a secret organisation."
"Did you want the list?" Ianto said, deadpanned.
"Not particularly, I'd rather not spend the rest of my life listening to you." Owen replied sarcastically.
"Life?" Ianto replied with a slight smile, knowing how the medic hated comments about his death.
Owen was about to reply when Gwen interrupted, as always intervening in the argument which would surely erupt. "So what else do we know about this NCIS?"
By this stage the plane had taken off so Tosh pulled out her PDA and tapped in a simple search.
"NCIS," she read out, "Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Director is Jenny Shepard, based in Washington DC, numerous teams, medics and forensic specialists, can't get any further information. Their system is very well protected."
"You can't hack into it?" Jack seemed surprised.
"No." Tosh shook her head and frowned slightly. "Whoever has set this up has done a very good job. I wouldn't mind meeting them."
Jack nodded. "Looks like we're going to have to wait until we arrive before finding out more. In the meantime, however I suggest we get some sleep. It's another eight hours until we arrive and something tells me we won't be getting much in the days to come."
* * * * *
The dark coloured Dodge Challenger roared around the corner at speed, nearly going into a skid. In the passenger seat, Ziva sat unaffected by Gibbs' driving, while in the back, however, McGee and Tony clutched onto the armrest as though it was going to be the last thing they would ever do.
"Do you have to drive so... violently, boss?" McGee managed to ask. "I think I'm gunna puke."
"Oh God!" Tony immediately groaned, moving as far away as the car allowed from McGee.
"Don't worry, Tony." Ziva said, in a rather seductive tone. "I'm sure McGee is capable of aiming away."
"If you'd have let me sit in the front, we wouldn't be in this situation." there a slightly pause, during which Tony suspected McGee swallowed. "I'm much better off sitting up front."
"What? And risk the chance of you being sick all over me?" Gibbs asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I think he meant if he was driving, boss." Tony replied. "Not being passenger."
"If I let McGee drive, we'd never get there in time." Gibbs retorted.
"Fair point." Tony acknowledged.
"We are nearly at the Naval Airport." Ziva said. "I'm sure McGee will be able to keep it up."
"Down, Ziva. I'm sure McGee will be able to keep it down. Not up!" Tony replied, as though it were second nature to correct her.
"Sorry!" Ziva replied, with a shake of her head. "Why does no one publish these sayings in a book?"
"Because everyone is expected to know it." Tony replied. "Besides it's not even a saying."
"What?"
"Don't worry." Tony sighed. Ziva merely shook her head and didn't reply so the senior field agent went back to praying. Praying McGee wouldn't be sick all over him.
Ten Minutes later, they arrived at the Airbase. A further 30 seconds later, Tony stood at the back of the car, scrubbing at his shirt with a moistened hanky, attempting to remove all pieces of McGee's breakfast from it.
"Ah, Anthony, what have you done?" Ducky commented as he stepped out of the NCIS truck which had pulled up just behind them. It was a miracle the older medic could keep up with Gibbs' driving, especially in the truck.
"McGee was sick." Ziva answered, when Tony refused to.
"Ah." the medic nodded.
"I said I was sorry, Tony." McGee added, genuine as ever.
"Yeah, whatever Probie."
"Come on, you too." Gibbs said, "We need to get some answers."
"Coming, boss." McGee said, following the others as they headed towards the central hanger.
"I'll be on your six in a moment, boss." Tony shouted.
"Now, DiNozzo."
"On it!"
Tony quickly fixed himself up as best as possible and jogged up to stand beside Gibbs, just as they were greeted by the Lieutenant in charge.
"NCIS." Gibbs stated, showing the badge, "Gibbs." he gestured to himself then to the others. "Special Agents DiNozzo and McGee, Ziva David, our medical examiner, Dr. Mallard and his Assistant Mr. Palmer."
"I know, sir. Your director phoned ahead. I am to fill you all in, before you take off."
"Good, firstly where are we taking off too?"
"USS George H.W. Bush, sir."
"And why couldn't you tell us this over the phone?" Tony demanded.
"Sorry, sir. I was under strict orders not to give too much away. The situation on the USS George H.W Bush has not yet been contained, experts from England have been sent for and I was unable to explain this over the phone, as there was no secure line and anyone could have been listening."
"Whoa, back up a second there. Experts? From England?" Tony asked, completely clueless.
"They will be assisting us on this case, DiNozzo." Gibbs answered for him.
"Why didn't you tell us this before, boss?" McGee asked, his voice trailing off as he was silenced with a look from Gibbs. "Right, got it, boss." he added.
"When will they be arriving?"
"They've been placed on the earliest flight to DC and should be arriving in about 5 hour's time."
"See, now I'm a bit annoyed. Because you could have mentioned that over the phone and we wouldn't have had to leave until then." Gibbs growled.
"I... I'm... sorry, sir." the Lieutenant stuttered.
"You'd better be." Gibbs replied. "You've got some more filling in to do, and I want to speak to your superior about this other organisation and what they deal in. You've got 5 hours."
Next: The Torchwood team meets the NCIS team...
