After a trip to clear his head and to wonder how the hell he got the guts to stand up against Kane and even Gibbs-slapped him, Jimmy got back to NCIS and went to Autopsy. Ducky gave him a quizzical look.
"Mister Palmer, the rumor mill around the building starts early in the morning and I've heard a few quite disturbing facts. I won't say I am prone to listen to that, but I just wonder if I still have someone to pass on the torch when I'll retire."
Palmer was baffled, but the old M.E. was his mentor and he couldn't lie to him.
"Dr. Mallard, our mutual friend did indeed offer me a job, but I am heart and soul NCIS. Even if I don't fancy Agent Gibbs or some members of his team, this doesn't mean I will go somewhere else without a notice."
"You know Mr. Palmer, this reminds me of a story when I was an young assistant…"
*Bullpen, after Kane's arrival*
Gibbs was fuming. He just got the word that a special team was to arrive and share playgrounds with his team and this arrangement was something he didn't approved of. But the orders came from high above, above even the SecNav. That is why he didn't even flinched when the elevator doors opened and in came four people he easily recognized. First was NCSI OSP Henrietta Lange of OSP; other was her second of command G. Callen, followed by the ex-SEAL Sam Hanna. The last was the lovely Kensi Blye, with a scowl of deep worry all over her eyes. They arrived just in time to meet Kane, who was just getting down from the Director office. Hetty smiled.
"Mister Kane, would you be so nice to lead a sweet old innocent lady to the Director of NCIS?"
The deep rumble of laughter was heard all over the bullpen and Kane wiped his eyes of the joyful tears.
"Sweet? Yes, I can live with that! Old? That's an understating. Innocent? 'Scuse me Hetty, the last one who had fallen for this line was buried later that day. What's going on?"
"My dear Kane, the situation is way over our heads and I had a little chat with you-know-who. He was OK with me and parts of my team to came and help him a little. Of course Kane, you do realize we will have some outer interference in these operations. The CIA and FBI won't be able to keep away from the honey-pot and maybe, just maybe, it is a good time to form some… alliances."
Even if Gibbs was quick to come and even McGee made a gesture to jump from the chair, Kane extended his hand towards Hetty.
"As always Hetty, we and you made a good team."
Form the upstairs Vance was gripping the rail with white and painful knuckles. He knew he didn't have any longer control over the mission. When the elevator dinged and spew a load of men and equipment, Vance realized the shit was about to hit the fan.
Pushing a trolley with big crates was someone whom Gibbs thought to recognize, but was unsure of. Trotting along side, a skinny guy, looking like a younger McGee, was pulling another trolley with computer equipment. Two other guys, twins by the look of them, with briefcases chained to their hands, entered in front of two young women, clad in black cargo pants, black hoodies and black leather boots. The last to enter was a lady dressed the same, but with a black bandana on her head. All the agents from the bullpen were looking. Kane just smiled.
"As you see Hetty, part of my team had arrived. The guy with the crates is Animal, weapons specialist and specialized sniper. The geek is Cabron, but don't let his appearance fool you, he is a trained martial art expert and he is someone who you don't want to mess with. Let's just say the last time I got into a dispute with him, the next day I've found my name was John Doe and my credit cards were cancelled. A lot of paperwork was involved and a lot of apologies were in order to make things right. The twins are the Dynamic Duo, trained in jungle and urban warfare. Don't know which one is who, we call them Mick and Nick. That way you can't go wrong. The first lady, the raven-haired one is Talisa, intel analyst extraordinaire and the blonde one is Maya, a lady with many talents. Don't wanna say what those talents are, I don't fancy having shiners. Oh, and the beauty with the black bandana is Cassandra Buonasera, the sister of Mario, the Lance Corporal that was killed yesterday. Respect her grief and everything will be OK".
The elevator dinged again and Gibbs puffed. What was NCIS becoming, Grand Central? This time it was a guy with big ears and a fake grin. Ziva rolled her eyes; it was his fiancée, field operative Ray Cruz of the CIA. Hetty and Kane exchanged a knowing look. Impervious to the look, Cruz smiled and headed straight to Ziva.
"Hey honey! Big operation between CIA and NCIS and I jumped the opportunity. I want to show you the professional level of our agency, maybe you'll consider and come work for us."
The shout came for the Dynamic Duo, on one voice: "SKUUUUNK!" and giggles were heard from across the bullpen. Gibbs wasn't overjoyed with Ziva's fiancée, but he tried to be friendly; that's why he didn't get the inner joke. Kane whispered in Hetty's ear.
"We don't like the jackals from the Central Idiots Adventures. They're to full of themselves, so we kick their butts every time we want."
Cruz was taken aback. Who were these guys and why was that shout? Did he was just called a "skunk"? Dawning realization flushed over him when he understood who they were. With a cocky attitude, he came towards Kane, with stretched hand.
"Hello. I'm field operative Ray Cruz, CIA. Looking forward to work with you guys."
"I'm looking backward, Cruz. Our operation, our lead!"
Kane snorted and McGee involuntary rubbed this arm. There was his souvenir from the P2P case, when Jonas Cobb managed the get a shot at him right before McGee emptied the clip in his chest. There was no love between the guys in front and Hetty looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. The elevator saved Cruz again. When Fornell and Sacks entered, Gibbs had had enough. With a growl "Going out for coffee", he was gone. Ziva get near Cruz.
"Ray, we need to talk. I do not appreciate you pushing the matter of what I work for and remember, NCIS is my family."
McGee smiled, Cruz wasn't someone who can be friends with. Fornell went straight to Hetty, with Sacks shadowing him.
"Miss Lange, nice to meet you. I can't say FBI will be thrilled, but we would work alongside just nice".
Kane was ready to burst when Hetty touched his arm.
"Mister Fornell, you should talk with Kane, it's their operation, not ours."
During their little barter, the newcomers already claimed portion of bullpen. Crates were slammed, computers were installed and desks were pushed aside or in new positions. All the tasks were screaming professional business; Hanna got to the Animal.
"Did we ever meet before? I have a weird feeling about us having a not-so-nice encounter".
Animal stopped unpacking a fancy looking sniper rifle and looked up and down at the ex-SEAL. Going back in the memory lane, he got to that specific memory.
"Panama, 2001. You gave me a shiner, I gave you two broken ribs."
Eyes were popping all around them; Cabron just had a thin smile. Hanna was ready to let out some steam.
"You were in BS1! Man, you really have some anger-management deficiencies, you know that?"
"It's past history, SEAL! How about we kiss and we move on?"
Callen did not believe. There he was, Sam Hanna, the untouchable one and he just admitted he had two broken ribs after an encounter with another one. Who was that guy? Animal wasn't ready to drop it, yet.
"I look forward for the two of us in the field. And maybe, just maybe, after all this shit is over we shall go in the gym. That is if we'll make it out alive."
Vance chooses that moment to break the chatter. From above, he knew it was time.
"OK people, listen up! We have here agents from NCIS, CIA, FBI and some deep black ops team and we must work together. Mister Kane, who will lead?"
Kane just shrugged his shoulders and looked above.
"Our Team Leader and the Agent in Control are about to come. But we have all the folders in the Dynamic Duo's briefcases. Let's move somewhere more private, we have a lot of things to talk".
Gibbs was back with his coffee and couldn't resist teasing a little more.
"Don't we have some other agency to came? After all, we don't want to upset our dear ally".
Right on cue, the elevator doors dinged.
"That will be not necessary, Agent Gibbs!"
Ziva fought to keep her anger at bay. Here he was, like nothing happened, flanked by his trusty officers, Malachi Ben-Gidon and Liat Tuvia. Her father, the Director of Mossad, the one who was turning her into a fighting machine and denied her childhood, the one who controlled every aspect of her life had returned. Gibbs was not in the mood for games.
"What's the catch, Eli? Did your other officers get stuck in bars or they are on hangover treatment? It is well known the fact Mossad agents function in our days with a lot of booze".
Eli smirked. Two could play that game.
"No, not anymore. Considering there is no danger for them to get killed in a jealousy rage, they quit drinking."
McGee had a feeling like the axe was about to fall. For the last time the elevators door opened and in came the last person who was to be expected. Truth be told, first came a woman, an exotic beauty, but right behind her came none other that Anthony DiNozzo. And eerie silence was the only thing to be heard.
