I apologize for the lack of updates. I've been having some personal family stuff to deal with. Thankfully everything seems to be settling down and I should get back to something of a regular updating schedule again.

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Gibbs stole another glance at the gunman, who was still pacing up and down the other aisle. He was walking in their direction now, his eyes riveted on the wall in front of him. Gibbs leaned over and rubbed his knee, then sat back. The gunman ignored him and turned to start walking in the other direction again. Gibbs waited as he walked the length of the aisle, turned, and started back towards the two hostages again. When he was almost at the end of the aisle, Gibbs brought his hand up to his mouth, bent forward and coughed.

"You okay?" Christina whispered from his other side. Gibbs nodded, watching out of the corner of his eye to see what the gunman's response was. He'd turned around again and was headed back down the aisle. Slowly, Gibbs straightened and offered a reassuring smile to Christina.

Her eyes were uncertain as she returned the smile. "What is it?"

"The air's a little dry," he answered in a low voice, not wanting to tell her what he was thinking.

She seemed to realize he wasn't telling her everything, because she asked, "What's wrong?"

Gibbs shook his head, then glanced back at the gunman. He had reached the other end of the aisle. "Just play along," he whispered. Christina nodded hesitantly.

"So, you're thirteen?" Gibbs asked, raising his voice loud enough for the gunman to hear as he came in their direction. Christina nodded again. "That means you're in what, eighth grade?"

"Ninth. My birthday is in December."

"Ah. Lots of homework?"

"Too much." Christina rolled her eyes. Gibbs chuckled, but his eyes never left the gunman. The man had avoided looking at them, particularly Christina, for the entire conversation. Gibbs swallowed, realizing his suspicions were confirmed. He had to get this girl out of here.

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"Look, I don't give a rip what your 'policy and procedures' are," Ashleigh informed the officer in front of her. "I want to know what you are doing exactly to get my daughter out of there."

"Ma'am, we're doing everything we can," the officer responded patiently. Ashleigh snorted.

"Oh really? Well, I haven't seen you 'do' much of anything. You haven't even tried to call to negotiate."

"We're giving him time to start thinking this through. We're not going to get anywhere as long as he's wound up like this," the officer explained. Ashleigh closed her eyes, fighting back the obscenities she wanted to scream.

"Time? Officer, what makes you think my daughter has any time left?"

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"So you moved up to training level two years ago?"

Christina nodded. For the last twenty minutes Gibbs had been asking her stuff about her life almost non-stop. She wasn't sure why, but it helped a little to keep her mind off what was happening. "Almost two years. I just finished my first full season at that level."

He smiled at her. "How'd you like it?"

"Oh, it's great, just like I thought it would be." She tilted her head slightly. "Have you ever been horseback riding, Gibbs?"

He drew in a quick breath and glanced over at the counter in front of them. "A couple of times," he said quietly. "A long time ago."

The phone rang just then, startling both of them as well as the gunman. He whirled around, swinging his weapon, and Christina felt Gibbs shoving her to the floor again as another shot rang out.

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