Chapter 6
"Hold on. We're just about ready to land."
"Finally!" Tony said with relief. In mere minutes, they were on the deck of the USS Nimitz under a stormy sky...with someone very familiar approaching them.
"Stan! Good to see you again," Gibbs said, holding out his hand.
"You, too, Boss!" Stan returned. "Your lift to Tutuila has been delayed a few minutes. Come off the deck!"
"What's going on?" Gibbs asked as they stepped inside.
"A cyclone, heading toward American Samoa. You sure can pick the times, Boss." He looked behind. "Wow, Tony. You're still with him, huh?"
"Hey, Stan. Seven years now."
"I only lasted five. I'm impressed."
Tony chuckled. "This is Ziva. She's Mossad."
"Nice to meet you," Stan said.
"How long have you been on the Nimitz?" Ziva asked.
"Only a couple of months. I did a few years in the San Diego office, but I like the Agent Afloat program; so I reapplied. So...what's so important that you have to fly to Pago Pago in the middle of a cyclone?"
Ziva looked at Gibbs to see if he would answer. When he didn't, she answered herself. "Agent McGee, who is also on our team, has been found there."
"The agent who went missing earlier this year?"
"You heard about it?" Tony asked in surprise.
"Yeah. It made the rounds in San Diego, just before I shipped out. Weird stuff. You wouldn't believe the scuttlebutt."
"I think I would. We heard lots worse back in DC."
"So...how did you finally track him down?"
"He got shot," Gibbs said abruptly.
"Oh. I'm sorry." Then, he blinked a few times. "Wait a second...stay here." He ran out of the room.
"Wow...Stan Burley," Tony said. "He's the last guy I expected to see, eh, Boss?"
"I expected him."
"You did?"
"Yeah, DiNozzo. I called him, called in a favor."
Stan came back in.
"Okay, you guys, you're not going to believe this."
"I can believe a lot of things."
"Well, the only reason this transport you're riding on isn't getting cancelled is because we got a special request for medical equipment, an emergency of some kind in Pago Pago." He looked up. "GSW that got infected. Now, how many of those do you think there are on Tutuila?"
"Probably one," Gibbs said. "Thanks, Stan."
"Hey, I owed you one. Now, we're even." He looked past him. "I think your ride's ready to go."
"Nice to meet you Agent Burley," Ziva said as they left.
"Feel free to drop in whenever you're in the neighborhood," he said smiling.
Ziva grinned in response and then walked out onto the deck.
"Good to see you again, Tony. I can't believe you've lasted that long."
"All the headslaps probably disconnected my brain."
"Probably. I hope Agent McGee makes it."
"Me, too." Stan clapped him on the shoulder and sent him out the door.
Another few minutes and they took off into the rain, heading for Tutuila.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Under the cover of the storm, a man ran through the forest. He favored his left arm and his shirt was stained with blood, although he'd managed to stop the flow. As the thunder rolled above him, he cursed his complacency. He had thought he had an easy mark. Now, he had to leave with the job unfinished...and a monster storm coming in. His boat was offshore on the north side of Tutuila, but he wasn't so sure that he could get away from the island before the storm hit in earnest. He'd have to find a place to hunker down...make new plans.
That was twice now he'd underestimated Timothy McGee. It was no use telling himself that it had happened to others before. He should have taken extra precautions...because he knew that his target had unexpected abilities. The man fingered a long scar that stretched from his ear to his nose. He wouldn't make that mistake again.
Giving up wasn't an option, but now, he'd have to change tactics...
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
"Are you sure you won't go to the shelter? We'll watch him here," Afioga said.
"We will not leave him alone," Luka said sturdily.
She smiled. "Very well. I can't force you. We have some supplies coming in from the U.S. Hopefully, they will be able to help us treat him." She gave the trio a last look and then continued her rounds.
"I hope so," Noelani said quietly. As The Crying Man continued to toss and turn restlessly in his bed, she remembered how frightening (and frightened) he had looked when she first saw him. He had come, politely requested permission of the owners and sat on the beach every day for a week. He wouldn't move. He sat on the sand and stared out at the ocean...for hours. Everyone had been talking about him, the strange palangi who said so little and was so polite. At first, people wouldn't let him use their beaches...but after they realized that he took no offense at their quite rude refusals, they softened. He was quietly grateful.
Noelani saw the stranger on the beach. It was the sixth day in a row since the Pu'u family had given him permission. Already, he was the subject of quite a few conversations. He had a lean, unhealthy look, and he was white...even for a white person. She watched him for a few minutes. He didn't seem to notice her. Every so often, he moved his hand up to his shoulder and rubbed it as if there was an irritation there that wouldn't go away. Noelani thought about continuing on her way home. It wasn't as though he had asked anyone for company. Still, she had nothing else to do...and he looked so lonely.
"Talofa," she said, keeping her voice low, but friendly.
He jumped and looked at her with an alarm that seemed completely out of proportion to her soft greeting. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before smiling at her. The smile didn't reach his eyes which were a beautiful green.
"That means hello, doesn't it?" he asked.
Noelani smiled and nodded. His voice was kind and gentle, completely at odds with his appearance.
"Talofa. Is there something wrong?" he asked. "The sun hasn't set yet. I know it's not time for Sa."
"How did you know about Sa? Most palangis do not understand it."
"Palangi?"
"Foreigner."
"Oh. I asked one of the people at the airport if he could tell me some things that were important for me to know while I was here. Sa was just about the first thing."
"I see. What brings you here?"
He turned back to the water and didn't answer. Instead of leaving, Noelani settled in the sand beside him. He stiffened.
"You are not a tourist," she said, looking out at the ocean.
"What makes you say that?" he asked and she saw him force himself to relax. It was strange to think that he was afraid of her.
"You have no camera. You have spoken to Seoeli about renting his house way out in the forest. You are not staying in a hotel. You have not done any of the things tourists do."
"What do tourists do?"
"They rent boats and sail around the island, searching for the elusive stretches of beach that are not surrounded by Samoan homes. They take planes to Ofu and Ta'u. They swim in the ocean and take many many pictures. You do none of those things. You are not even happy."
"How can you tell?"
Noelani turned toward him. "Your eyes are not happy."
He didn't deny it, but he didn't acknowledge it either.
"Because you have given no name, people are starting to use nicknames to speak of you."
"Really? How many conversations are about me?"
"Oh, quite a few. You are different, ali'i. You are a palangi, but you are not a tourist. You give no name but swear that you are not a criminal. You speak very little but do not hide yourself like a hermit crab. You are very polite even when we have been rude. You do not act like a palangi."
"Oh, so I act like a Samoan?"
"No," Noelani smiled. "You act like a human being."
His mouth smiled once again. "Thank you."
"Why do you look so...rough? Your voice is kind but your body is...hurt...almost...mean."
He laughed. "This and that."
"You will not answer my questions at all?"
"I can't."
"How about...I know that Seoeli only rents by the month...which is why his house stands empty most of the time. Do you intend to stay for a long time?"
"I don't know yet. Things change quickly..."
"Some things never change."
"Perhaps."
Noelani stood. The sun was dipping toward the horizon. "I must go if I wish to be home before Sa."
"What is your name?"
Noelani stopped and smiled. "You will not tell me yours, but you wish to know mine?"
He looked abashed but he shrugged.
"Noelani Siimalevai."
"And what are people calling me?"
"No one has settled yet. When they do, I will let you know, ali'i."
"What does that mean?"
"It is a general title of respect. I suppose you would say...sir." Noelani began to leave once more, but she stopped at the edge of the beach. "If you are needing to buy groceries, Malaki is fair and will not look down on you for being a palangi."
"Thank you, Noelani."
"You're welcome, ali'i."
The next week, he was still there and Malaki had mentioned that he came in to buy food. It was then that they settled on his name. When the stranger came into the store, Noelani was there, speaking to Malaki and Luka, who was restocking the shelves.
"Talofa," the stranger said.
"Talofa, ali'i," Malaki said. "It is Wednesday. Will this be normal for you?"
He shrugged. "Nothing in my life is normal at the moment."
"I can well believe that." He looked beyond the stranger. "Luka, I do not pay you to stand and stare at my customers!"
"I am sorry, Malaki, ali'i."
"It's all right. I am apparently a hot topic for gossip right now."
"Yes, some are wondering if you are going to murder them in their beds."
The stranger winced and rubbed his shoulder but did not comment. Noelani smiled at Malaki and gathered her bags.
"Olo'o Tagata Tagi," she said as she walked passed the stranger.
"What?" he asked.
"That is what we are calling you. 'Olo'o Tagata Tagi."
"What does that mean? Or do I not want to know?"
Luka laughed behind him.
"It is not rude. It would be...what in English, Malaki?"
"The closest is The Crying Man."
"The Crying Man?"
"Yes. That is what we are calling you, unless you would prefer something else."
Just for a moment, The Crying Man looked as though he actually might cry, but then he mastered the impulse and shook his head. "No, that will be fine. What is it in Samoan again? I'd like to know when people are talking about me, at least."
"'Olo'o..."
"'Olo'o," he repeated.
"Tagata..."
"'Olo'o Tagata."
"Tagi."
"'Olo'o Tagata Tagi." His mouth stretched into a half smile. "You people are fairly observant."
"Thank you, ali'i."
"Will he survive, Malaki?" Luka asked.
"I don't know, Luka. Sometimes, they do. Sometimes, they don't. I think he can...whether or not he will is another matter."
The rain outside the window intensified and The Crying Man moaned.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
"You need any help with this stuff?" the pilot asked, looking with concern at the worsening storm.
"No," the Samoan said. He was the only person still at the airport and he had greeted them all when the helicopter landed. "We will be fine. Thank you for the delivery. Get going while you still can. Otherwise you will be stuck here when Hettie arrives!" He smiled.
"With pleasure. Good luck to you!" he called to both the Samoan and the NCIS agents staying behind. The chopper lifted off and disappeared into the rain.
"I am Iopu. What can I do for you?" Iopu asked.
"Jethro, Tony, Ziva," Gibbs said, introducing them all. "We're looking for the LBJ Medical Center."
"Oh, that is in Utulei."
"I thought it was in Pago Pago," Tony said.
"No, ali'i. It is around the mountain, about five miles in Utulei, but I am heading there to deliver these supplies. Would you like a lift?"
"Absolutely," Tony said.
"Very well. Come with me and we can go before the waves get too high and cover the road."
The four of them hurried to a truck and they all piled inside. Once they were on their way, Iopu looked at them.
"So, what brings you to Samoa Amelika in the middle of a cyclone?"
"A friend," Gibbs said.
"You are here to see The Crying Man?" he asked. "You must be. Why else would three palangis show up here when all the tourists have either been evacuated or are holed up at Sadie's?"
"Palangis?" Tony asked.
"Foreigners. The Crying Man is a palangi but he has been here long enough that he knows fa'a Samoa and acts accordingly."
"Fa'a Samoa?"
"The Samoan way. Most palangis do not know it and they show no interest in knowing. It is annoying, but The Crying Man is not like most palangis. The first thing he asked me when he reached the airport was not where the hotel was but what sorts of things he needed to do and not do in order to avoid being rude."
"Are we really that bad?" Tony asked.
"Some would say yes. They say that all palangis are disrespectful and cannot understand us. They regret the increase in tourism and they wish that Samoa Amelika could be only for Samoans. They tend to be rude to palangis, even those who are kind and blame all our problems on others."
"But not you?"
"No. Not me. This island does not belong to us. It belongs to Atua."
"Atua?" Ziva asked.
"God. He created this world and it all is His. Who are we to say who should and should not be allowed to look at the beauties around us?" Iopu glanced at them and shrugged. "It is rude to stare." ...but he smiled as he said it.
"So...what did you tell him?" Ziva asked finally.
"I told him that he should treat us as equals, but not to force himself into places. We may live in a place far from many others but that does not mean that we are backward. I have been many places and chose to return to my homeland. I speak English with an accent but I am still intelligent. The other thing to remember is that we have very strong traditions. It is up to us to maneuver our way between the modern world and our past. It is not up to the palangi to tell us how to do it."
"How did he take it?"
"Very well. He did not look like the kind of person who would. He was...troubled when he arrived here. He was afraid and he looked dangerous, as if he could snap at any moment...but when he spoke he was not like that at all. He looked...I am not sure of the word in English...haggard? More than tired."
"Haggard would fit," Gibbs said.
There was a sudden flash of lightning. It seemed to light up the entire sky. Twenty seconds later, the thunder shook the truck.
"That was close. We will only barely make it," Iopu said. The windshield wipers were going at full speed and the waves crashed over the road before ebbing again.
"Isn't there another road we could take?"
"I am sorry, Jethro. There is not. This is the only road that connects all of Tutuila together. It runs along the coast everywhere. Do not fear. We will make it."
The road curved and soon they were separated from the ocean's edge by a little less than a football field's length of beach. Even so, the waves were driven much too close for their tastes.
"Pago Pago itself is much more protected by the rest of the bay, but we are not going that far."
"I don't understand. Everyone said that the airport and the hospital were in Pago Pago."
"That is because the only part of Tutuila that tourists have heard of is Pago Pago. It is called the capital of Samoa Amelika but the government is actually in Fagatogo. It is easier just to accept what they think...unless they ask." He turned the truck onto another street and drove inland. "We are almost here."
"Where do we go, do you know?" Gibbs asked.
Iopu grinned. "Gossip travels quickly, but not even I know everything about The Crying Man. You should be able to find him easily. The center is not too large. If you need help, anyone here can more than likely tell you where to find him. I must deliver these supplies. If you wish, you can come with me...or you may look on your own. Either way."
"We'll look ourselves. Thanks for the lift, Iopu."
"You are welcome, Jethro," Iopu headed off in one direction and Gibbs looked at Tony and Ziva before heading off in the other.
The hospital seemed to be deserted and after a couple of minutes, Ziva asked, "Are we going to walk around until we find him or will we ask for help?"
Before Gibbs could answer, they heard a panicked scream.
"NO! No! Help!"
It didn't matter that it had been eight months since they had heard his voice. It didn't matter that it was strained beyond reason. They knew Tim's voice when they heard it. As one, they drew their guns and ran toward the sound of his screams.