Chapter 7

Tony had become more like Gibbs than the team had given him credit for. He charged straight out the door to his car. McGee followed close behind and yelled when Tony jumped into his mustang and started the engine.

"Wait up! You'll need backup." McGee panted as he plopped into the passenger seat. "What's the hurry, Boss?"

Tony gave McGee a hard look, considering if he should just kick his senior field agent out on his ass and drive off without explanation. But McGee was right…he could use some backup. Tony threw the car into gear and tore out of the parking lot. He didn't say a word to his teammate until they hit the highway. "We're going back to the crime scene."

"Think we overlooked something?"

"The bastard killing my partner is trying to lure me out there. Wouldn't have called otherwise, McGee. He's pissed because I killed Calvin."

"Why?"

"I think this guy is his brother. Sounded too young to be his father and too old to be his son. Besides, he called Calvin family." Tony swerved into the passing lane to shoot past a semi truck in excess of a hundred miles an hour. As an after thought, he flicked on the police light he'd installed in case of a situation like this.

McGee grabbed his ears, startled by the sudden influx of noise. After the shock passed, he lowered his hands, feeling foolish. "Think the guy will have an antidote?"

"Doesn't matter if he does or not. Aviz died within minutes of her convulsions. Ziva…Ziva is probably already gone, McGee." At the thought, Tony put the pedal to the floor and soared down the road at a dangerous speed. Spotting the exit, he cut between a pair of cars and shot down the path toward the crimescene. He never slowed down.

"Why are we going so fast, then?" Much as he trusted Tony's driving, he covered his eyes and found himself stomping an imaginary brake as if it were Ziva driving instead. "If the guy wants you to go there, he isn't going to leave before you show up."

"I didn't get the chance to kill Ari, but I'm getting my partner's killer this time." Tony slammed on the brakes and exploded out of the car as he spotted a man running away from the crimescene. "Freeze! Federal Agent!"

The man yelpped as he tripped. Tony descended down the hill toward him, gun at the ready with McGee just behind him. It didn't take more than a second for the man to get his bearings. He fired at the pair from where he lie in the grass, rolling to evade their return volley. McGee took cover for the fire fight, but Tony did no such thing. Tony ran as fast as he dared down the hill, firing nonstop. When his amo ran out, he threw the gun aside and grabbed the knife belted at his hip.

He thought of Ziva the first time she'd shown up at NCIS. The awkward way they'd begun their partnership. The way she moved; her lethal grace. How much she was like the cougar that had died in Abby's lab. Then, his mind fixated on an image of her with a knife much like the one he held in his hand. She was out in a graveyard attempting to arrest a band of graverobbers. The woman appearing behind her with a gun on Ducky. Ziva put her gun down. The woman prepared to fire on her. She threw her knife.

And Tony threw his. At the moment of release, he felt his partner in every cell of his body. Her strength was his, her spirit was his. They were one and they were pissed. The knife struck the man in the stomach. He gurgled helplessly as blood began to pour out of the wound. Tony looked at his quarry in satisfaction, he knelt over the man with pure hatred in his eyes and said, "You should have killed me instead."

The man laughed weakly. "I should have." Then, he fainted.

"McGee, call an ambulance. I'll meet you at the hospital." Tony climbed back up the hill to his car. "I've done what I came out here to do. Now, I need to see my partner."

McGee nodded and dialed the number on his cell phone. Tony was long gone before the operator picked up.

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This one is for Grandma Jo, who died unexpectedly on Sunday, August 31st 2008. She was a tough old girl who always stressed the importance of reading and education. Thanks Grandma...and goodbye.

As for everyone else, don't forget to review!!