A/N: Here we go. Shout out to Clairebear: If you don't get the background of this story, go check out Something More on my profile page. It'll definitely keep you occupied til this one is complete, and it's full of Zibbs-y goodness. Same goes for anyone else who has no idea who Chaka is.
Now... On with the show! Enjoy!
Gibbs met Cobb's superior smirk with a baleful, but carefully schooled stare.
The bastard was using Ziva as a human shield—he was hiding behind her with gun to her chin, his hand heavy on the back of her neck to keep her in place. But it was the state of Ziva's condition that made Gibbs' gut burn with anger.
She was visibly disoriented, if her sluggish blinking and bloodied cheek was anything to go by. Her hands were cuffed in front of her, but he doubted she was well enough to take advantage of the not-so-stringent restraint. But she tracked his movement as he moved deeper into the apartment, giving the others space to come in behind him. Even so, there wasn't room for the HR team to enter as well—they remained stuck in the corridor outside.
"Gibbs…" she murmured, only to have Cobb dig the muzzle of the gun deeper into her jaw.
"No need to put on a show for me, Ziva," he drawled. "We're all honest people here, aren't we… Jethro?"
Off to his right, Gibbs heard McGee swallow—confusion was setting in.
"The only show here is you, Jonas," Gibbs countered, refusing to let him dig under his skin. "You wanna end it? Let Agent David go, put down your weapon, and we'll take you into custody."
"See?" DiNozzo chimed in. "Easy peasy."
Cobb's attention shifted to the younger agent. "Agent DiNozzo…" he smirked. "And Agent Barrett. I'm surprised they let you in on this party."
"Hate to break it to you, Cobb, but you didn't do as much damage you thought you did," Barrett answered, her weapon trained on the smirk lurking over Ziva's shoulder.
But instead of backing down, the smirk only grew. "That wasn't what I meant," he told her, a laugh in his voice. "I meant that you really have no business being here, do you? I mean… how long have you been looking for me? And you only made progress in the last week—when Agent Gibbs got involved. As far as I can see, you haven't done anything besides put your two agents in the hospital…"
"You put my agents in the hospital, you son of a bitch." The woman's voice was full of rage, and Gibbs could hear her control start to falter.
Cobb heard it too. "Well, yeah… but you were the one who fell for the lure. You'd been on the case since Spain, and you still played right into it. So, really… was it me?" He pressed his face against Ziva's his lips next to her ear. "You said it was different when the prey ought to know someone is after them—you were right. Don't you think she should have known better?"
"Shut up!" Barrett broke formation, taking a menacing step forwards, her grip tightening on her gun.
"Stand down, Agent Barrett…" Gibbs warned, alarm flooding his system.
"Yes, stand down, Barrett," Cobb mimicked. "Put your gun away and slink out with your tail between your legs. You're in the presence of far superior agents, after all. They're almost gods compared to you. They found me in weeks, when you couldn't get anywhere in six months. I think I should have a chat with your Director about his choice of lead agents…"
His soliloquy was halted by the ominous click of a safety switching off. Gibbs' eyes flicked to the woman, and saw that her weapon was suddenly steady, and deathly still.
He knew the scene was about to go bad, and he was acutely aware that Ziva was smack in the middle of it. "Stand down, Agent Barrett. I will not tell you again."
"I have a shot."
Barrett's voice was flat and cold. She had blood in her eyes.
"Agent Barrett—"
"He put my men in the hospital," she delivered hollowly. "He almost killed them, and he almost killed me. I have a shot…"
Gibbs glanced at Cobb—and Ziva—and knew that the only shot she could possibly have was a head shot; of a head that was dangerously close to Ziva's.
He took a steadying breath. "You will not take any shot while he has a hostage, Special Agent Barrett."
Cobb nodded. "You should listen to your betters, Agent Barrett. They know what they're doing, especially Agent Gibbs—but then you already know that, don't you?"
"Stop talking!"
And then there was the note of unhinged desperation, the shake to Barrett's voice that told Gibbs he was losing control of the situation.
"DiNozzo, get her out of here—"
The younger man was already moving to intercept, but his hand missed her shoulder as she shied away from his touch. But the gun left lost its aim on Cobb.
"EJ, that's enough..." DiNozzo pleaded, but it fell on deaf ears.
Cobb tsked. "That's it, Barrett. Ignore him. Ignore him like you've ignored Agent Gibbs. It's good to see you don't give preferential treatment to the stooge your fucking—"
Gibbs saw her grip tighten a split second before the shot rang out.
And then all hell broke loose.
