Gibbs stood on the balcony, outside MTAC and watched his team's reaction to the new Probie assigned to his team.
She was taller then he'd expected. Her long mahogany hair cascaded down her back. Rich red highlights shone in the overhead fluorescent lights. He had noticed her almond shaped hazel eyes and her plumped lower lip.
She was well proportioned and would definitely be a distraction. Yeah a distraction … to DiNozzo of course, not me. Dressed in a cream skirt suit, she looked like she belonged at a legal firm rather than the NCIS bull pen.
Just then Gibbs' phone rang.
Ashika ignored DiNozzo's questions, Ziva's glances and McGee's apologetic smile. Gibbs suddenly arrived in the bullpen and said, "Gear up."
"What we got, Boss?" DiNozzo asked.
"Boss, Agent Ash…" McGee gestured to her.
"I said," Gibbs looked from McGee to Ashika, "gear up."
McGee grabbed his bag and Ashika picked up her handbag and they raced to the elevator behind Gibbs and the other agents.
Once in the parking garage, Ashika opted to travel with McGee and Ziva.
"Is he always like that?" she asked.
"Gibbs?" McGee replied.
"Yes." Ziva responded. "Can you tell us why you've been attached to our team?"
"I just transferred in from Mumbai. My previous team head told me that Agent Gibbs' team was the best in the US and that he would put in a good word to get me allocated to this team. He believed I would be a good fit. But after meeting Agent Gibbs, I'm not too sure."
"Oh, Gibbs takes some time getting used to. Play open cards with him and you shouldn't have any problems." Ziva said. "It's DiNozzo who's going to make your life as 'Probie' unbearable."
"But I'm not on probation."
"Any new Agent in the team is a 'Probie' as far as DiNozzo's concerned." McGee said.
"Don't worry, we'll keep you safe." Ziva said with a glint in her eye. McGee frowned and then smile. "Of course we will." He said.
Ashika nodded her head, understanding what was not being said and acknowledging that McGee and Ziva were harmless to her plan. She would need to keep her eyes on Gibbs and find a way to reveal just enough information to allay any suspicions he may have. DiNozzo wouldn't be more than a minor irritant and she would play the part of probie so long as it didn't interfere with her main objective. She hated deceiving them, but she had higher priorities very close to her heart that needed to be taken care off.
They drove into the container yard and made their way between stacks and stacks of containers. The air changed in the car as Ashika wondered if they were about start working on her case sooner than expected.
In the other car DiNozzo tried to get more details about Ashika Sana from Gibbs, but he didn't say much.
"She's on the team, indefinitely."
"Why do we need a new agent on the team?"
"We don't." Gibbs replied as he pulled the car to a stop.
"Is one of us on the way out? Is there something I should know, Boss?" DiNozzo asked.
Gibbs turned to him. DiNozzo expected a head slap but was surprised to feel Gibbs' hand on his shoulder instead.
"Get to work, DiNozzo. And keep an eye on Sana. She's a probie on this team."
"A probie…" DiNozzo's face lit up just as Gibbs knew it would.
The team gathered around a bloody body lying prone between two rows of stacked of containers.
Gibbs looked over at Sana. "You're not exactly dressed to work a crime scene."
"I didn't get my new NCIS gear issued yet. I think there are some forms you needed to sign or something." Ashika said slightly raising her right eyebrow.
"DiNozzo." Gibbs stated turning away from Ashika.
"Checking the perimeter, Boss." DiNozzo grinned.
"Sana."
"Yes, Gibbs?"
"Take the other end."
"Okay." She replied. She moved to the opposite end of the row of containers. She heard McGee providing Gibbs with the details of the deceased man and Ziva snapped photographs of the scene. Another NCIS van drew up and she watched as a gurney was removed and an elderly man, probably Dr Mallard and his assistance argued about the road or something. She turned her attention back to her surroundings.
Memories of a similar scene assaulted her. A container yard… Darkness... The smell of fresh, sticky blood… A precious hand…. Just then she stepped out onto a road running between the rows of containers and a superlink moved mere inches in front of her, blowing dark exhaust fumes all around her.
Crap…
As the container moved past her face she heard a sound. She ran beside the container and heard the sound again. She shouted to the driver to stop.
But he didn't.
Kicking her high heels off, she raced after the truck. Manuveouring between the stacked containers forced the driver to slow down. Ashika gained the advantage, propelled herself up onto the side of the truck and moved towards the driver's door. She grabbed the handle of the door and swung it open.
"Stop!" She shouted.
"Hey you crazy bitch." The driver growled slamming his fist into her face.
At that moment the truck turned and the rest of the team watched in stunned surprise at the events unfolding. Gibbs moved forward jerking the team to action.
"NCIS, stop the truck!" Gibbs shouted. What the hell is she doing?
Simultaneously, Ashika grabbed a hold of the driver's shirt front and using her feet for leverage, she ripped him out of the truck. Although his body took the brunt of the fall, Ashika heard rather than felt her shoulder connect with the ground. Pain be damned, she thought.
She rolled on top of the driver, her knees clamped around his midriff, preventing any oxygen from entering his lungs. Her hands pinned his to the ground aside his head. She heard the truck smash into the line of containers further up the road.
"What's in the container?" She growled, squeezing her knees tighter.
"Uhh….. I ….."
"Agent Sana, get off him?" Gibbs shouted his weapon trained on the driver.
"Watch him." Ashika ordered Gibbs as she got to her feet, shakily and hurried over to the back of the container. The rest of the team just stared at her like she was a complete nut case. Nobody orders Gibbs around for God's sake.
"DiNozzo, cuff him." Gibbs barked as he followed Ashika. "McGee, get Ducky".
"Hey what for? That bitch's crazy." The driver groaned. "You should arrest her."
Ashika heard the noise getting louder and louder as she reached the back of the container. She didn't know if it was a result of the blow to her head or it there really was a sound emanating from the container. Gibbs moved in next to her his gun still drawn. He took her chin into his hands and tilted her face to the side.
"I'm okay." She pushed his hand aside.
Yeah sure. Gibbs thought. But now was the not the place to get to the bottom of things.
"We need to open the container." Ashika looking around for something to us.
"Move aside." Gibbs ordered. He raised his weapon and shot the seal off.
Ashika and he reached for the latch together, undid it and swung the doors open.
"Oh dear!" Ducky said as he and McGee came up behind them.