Chapter Eight

Tony DiNozzo was happy to shed his Adrien Norelli cover. The long hair always drove him nuts. He had hired a hardy Land Rover that would be able to deal with the various types of terrain they might have to experience. Plus there was room in the back to store supplies or, if necessary, for Gibbs to stretch out depending on his physical condition when found. Tony refused to even consider that his boss and friend might not still be alive.

The visit to Khodayir had resulted in a nice cache of weapons and ammunition. Robbie had also arranged for a well-stocked first aid kit, some grenades and a small block of C4. Khodayir also provided names and addresses of medical personnel who would be willing to help without worry.

After the Rover was carefully packed, Tony drove to where he was to meet his guide, Neal al Musab. The meeting place was a small café that catered to the foreign workers from both the oil fields and the rebuilding of Iraq.

Tony found a table in the back of the crowded restaurant, a dog-eared paperback as arranged sitting to his right. Tony had to chuckle at Colonel Ryan's choice of book, Serpico.

He was halfway finished with a rather superior glass of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream when a man approached his table.

"A most interesting choice," the man observed with a nod at the book.

Al Musab carried himself with a commanding air of self-confidence. His face was bronzed by wind and sun as well as ethnicity.

"It most definitely is. Some people have a demented sense of humor." Tony gestured in a sweeping motion with one arm toward an empty seat. "Please join me."

Inclining his head in compliance, the Arab gracefully sat. "I am Neal al Musab."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Tony DiNozzo." Tony chatted about the book while a waiter took al Musab's order, quickly returning with a pungent cup of coffee.

Once they were essentially alone in a crowd of strangers, Tony turned to business. "Did Ryan explain why your services are needed?"

"The Colonel explained that Gibbs has disappeared. And that you were coming to find him. I believe you needed a guide and a translator."

"That about covers it. We may run into some serious opposition. And I don't mean by whoever might have Gibbs. You need to know that, well, Gibbs is on a watch list. I might be as well. I won't blame you if you want to pull out."

"Sergeant Gibbs save my life and that of my family when I was young and foolish. The least I can do is try to save his when he has become old and foolish." His infectious grin set Tony off into laughter.

"Mr. al Musab, I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."

"Please call me Neal. Although I suppose I would be Rick while you would be Louis based on your job, Special Agent DiNozzo."

"Neal! I knew I liked you the moment we met. And, please, call me Tony. I'm afraid I'm no longer a special agent."

"Fired?"

"Quit."

"Ah, that is unfortunate. We'll need to find some unsavory types to obtain supplies then."

"Uh, about that. I had a friend who had a friend and, well, you'll see once we go to the Land Rover. Let's just say that I have all the hardware that I think we'll be needing."

"Most excellent. I've done some careful asking around and I think we might be able to narrow down the direction Gibbs was going when he disappeared. I'm waiting for one contact to get back to me to try and determine who has him." Neal looked at Tony. "He might not be…"

"No! No, I'm not going to think about that. Not yet. Not until I see his…not until I actually see him in that condition."

"Understood." Neal pulled out a detailed map. "Based on what we have, I think we need to start searching in this region."

~NCIS~

"Tim, why now?"

Tim McGee shrugged his shoulders, only half listening to Abby Sciuto. "Because there is practically no one in the building?"

"No, I meant, why did DeWitt decide to try and frame Gibbs now? According to his file, he's worked for the CIA since about two years after the whole Desert Storm fiasco. So why now?"

Tim raised his head from behind his monitor. "That is a really good question. I think we need to go back to looking at Jason DeWitt. God knows I haven't been able to find anything that gives me the slightest hint of what this so-called evidence could be. The best I can tell, only DeWitt himself has seen it."

"Not even SecNav?"

"Nope, not as far as I can tell. I'm telling you, Abby, this thing stinks. But if there is more behind this than simple revenge, we're gonna find it."

"Phone records, see who he's in contact with. You'll do his bank, look for any evidence of pay offs."

His face brightened at her suggestion. "We have a plan!"

"Can I help?"

Abby and Tim turned to the doorway where Ziva stood.

"We could use the help," Tim said with a small smile.

"Where would you like me to start?" Ziva asked as she moved farther into the room.

"Abby is on the phone, I'll do financials, so can you check his movements immediately before Gibbs was contacted regarding the meet in Baghdad?"

"Of course." She bit her lip. "McGee, I am…sorry. About our earlier conversation. I may have been out of shape."

"Out of line, Ziva." Tim corrected. "We can discuss it later, once Gibbs and Tony are back home."