A/N: In U.S. military, "TDY" = Travel During the Year, aka Temporary Duty Yonder (really). Apologies if this chapter makes you dizzy, it just wrote itself this way. And thanks again to everyone for your patience and continued reading and reviewing!
Chapter 9
Meanwhile, Sunday 5PM…
"I didn't even know Anthony was engaged Ms. Miller, how wonderful!"
"Oh please, call me Wendy Ma'am. And it's been long distance for so long I can't wait for the big day to finally get here. That's why I couldn't believe it when I had a three day TDY for the Navy right here in D.C.! Close enough to finally come and surprise him with a nice romantic homemade dinner. He loves lasagna you know. Thanks so much for letting me in Mrs. Warjowski."
After she knocked to confirm Anthony wasn't home, the dear older woman unlocked the door while asking, "You miss him don't you sweetie? You have a sad look about you."
Giving the appearance of brave resolution, Wendy answered, "So much so, yes. It won't be long now though. Thank you again, have a good night."
Wendy closed the door behind the landlord and stepped into the quiet apartment. Wandering through each room, she touched the pillow on his bed… the suits in his closet. She aimlessly checked the contents of his refrigerator, then walked to his balcony and gazed out the sliding glass door at the sun low on the horizon.
Where are you Tony?
Her perpetual motion ended next to the couch, leaning on it's brown leather back. She was lost in thought, eyes blind to her surroundings. Silent and expressionless, her right hand pressing against her quivering lips and chin.
Until she fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
Apollo Airlines, Monday 2AM
Tony's Sunday night shift seemed especially anticlimactic after such a busy and… active afternoon. The FDD didn't even come out of it's hiding place in his work boot, and Tony was grateful Rob was so free with his energy drinks. Listening to the entire history of the man's continuing relationship drama, complete with pictures documenting the semi-happy couple's highs and lows, was a small price to pay.
Gould had stopped in early in the evening, allegedly just to pick something up from his office. Rob assured 'Terry' in a whisper he did it all the time to check that the night shift was actually doing work. Especially unsurprising tonight, when the owner of the company was on his semi-annual facilities inspection tour and was due to arrive in the early morning hours before attending a conference in town this week.
On leaving, Gould had barked at Rob to make sure the place was spotless, then looked at 'Terry' from head to toe with such knowing smirk Tony had to sigh internally. Great, even Ratman thinks I'm equal parts stooge and whore. Can't wait for this to be over. God I hope it was just Abby or Tim listening to that bug… Abby will just ask me for details and Tim will probably stay beet red around me for a week.
Tony still snooped here and there, and listened to Rob's work gossip attentively, but he was eager for this role to be over. Still on his guard, he knew to keep eyes and ears open, that the ending of a successful undercover could be the most dangerous for an agent because of an assumption of security. But he also knew this was all over in about five hours, and that the laptop today should have gotten Tim the rest of what he needed on the IT side. Bad guys going down and he'd finally get to be himself again. He never loved his life more than when he wasn't able to be Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo for any length of time.
He was looking forward to the dawn.
MCRT Floor, Monday 2AM
"Boss, the new data Tony hooked us up with today? Well, I've narrowed down all the vehicles with the same GPS coordinates as the laptop for the past…" He was cut off with a word.
"McGee."
This I don't need to read his aura to interpret: 'Skip to the end McGee.'
"One of the trucks Apollo is using to transport drugs got stopped about twenty minutes ago by Metro for running a red light. Officer just called for multiple backup with silent alarm."
"If they found drugs in the vehicle…" Ziva stood from behind her desk and approached the two men.
Silence. Gibbs asked Tim, "Was it the one from yesterday Tony gave us the license plate on?"
McGee, "No, different vehicle, but it's probably the one he loaded today. The… yes, timing is right for where the truck was from 16:00-17:00, and matches the location during that time of the laptop, Tony and Oakley's cell phones."
Ziva said, "He may have to be pulled early if they think it is somehow related to their new employee."
"Ya think David?"
Multiple options and probabilities flew rapidly through Gibbs' mind. The DEA wanted all their ducks lined up before moving in tomorrow. That would be the same even if NCIS was handling the op alone. Pulling DiNozzo early without a damn good reason was not an option. Sometimes pulling an agent out of an undercover assignment could be the one thing that blows the case.
Requiring less consideration was the balance of faith in his agent's ability vs. concern for his survival. That familiar damned dichotomy seemed to happen in reference to at least one member of his team at least once per week.
And the majority of the time it involves DiNozzo. Dammit Tony.
"We keep an eye on it for now. Nothing happens fast with Metro, may be hours before they get him processed. McGee, make sure Abby is backing you monitoring the bugs, security cameras and Apollo communications. When they give the driver his phone call, he may contact one of the primaries at Apollo. Abby's on the office phones, right?"
"Right Boss."
"Go work from down there, coordinate with her. If he calls, says anything that implicates Terry, we pull DiNozzo. He doesn't, but Apollo starts making any unusual moves this morning, we pull DiNozzo. Ziva, go gas up and pull around the car. I'll update Abby and meet you out front. McGee, warn the onsite surveillance DEA agents they'll have company shortly. We'll be nearby also in case things go south. If pulling DiNozzo with Ziva's Waffle House-floozy phone call doesn't work, we go in. Got it?"
Both agents began heading in opposite directions. "Got it Gibbs." "On it Boss."
DiNozzo Apartment, Sunday 6PM…
A large kitchen knife flashed in the dim reflected light from the dining room. It's bearer wandered between the bedroom, living room and kitchen over and over again. Tears still falling unnoticed, she whispered in snatches of sense, "What did I do Tony? Why is this happening to me? What did I do!"
The knife waved as she punctuated her points. Audience apparently alternating between an unseen jury, her former lovers and herself; the volume of her rant began to increase. "I was a godsend to those boys! A godsend! They needed me, none of you had a clue how to treat a woman. Enthusiasm alone only works for puppies, I taught you how to be men. And this is how you stab me in the back?"
"How could they do this to me? They should be thanking me just like they did back then, not making me lose my son. Not ruining my life!"
The crying had increased until the knife's wielder could scarcely see her surroundings anymore. "Why aren't you here Tony? You're supposed to be here!"
She buried the knife repeatedly in the top of the brown leather couch.
Columbia Executive Airport, Monday 4AM
Ziva focused the night vision binoculars as a Mercedes drove towards the Apollo Airlines hangar. "I think that is… yes - Vice President Gould Gibbs."
"Yep." Dialing his speed dial #2 without looking at the phone, Gibbs spoke abruptly, "McGee, regular schedule for Gould to be arriving at 04:00?"
"Not exactly Boss, but I do know the truck's driver hasn't contacted anyone from Apollo. He apparently ran the red light because he was drunk. Very stupid with a truck half full of illegal drugs in the back. They're going to give him his call in the morning after he sobers up. Apollo has a flight arriving at 04:15 from Chicago that does have the President of Apollo Airlines, Matt Jamil, aboard Boss. We haven't found any evidence he knows what's going on with the drugs. Jamil only visits this airport about three times a year. Maybe Gould is just meeting his Boss, making sure this visit goes smoothly?"
"Where is Oakley?"
"Ahh… she's sitting in a Starbucks surfing the web on the laptop Tony hooked us up with today Boss. That thing was a goldmine, the DEA is doing backflips. Last I talked to Agent Snead, DEA's expanding the warrants for Apollo operations in four cities they hadn't even know about before yesterday. They're waiting till mid-morning to move in Boss. She made it sound like it was purely to ensure our undercover Agent's safety, but it'll probably take them at least that long just to get coordinated for the final take down.
Gibbs grunted his opinion of Agent Snead before shutting his phone. He sighed quietly. "We wait."
DiNozzo Apartment, Sunday 9PM
The wandering angry figure had been reduced to a huddled form on the floor, leaning on the wood and stone coffee table. One arm was clenched around a worn and faded red Buckeyes hoodie jacket, damp from tears and mucus. The other arm rested on the coffee table, having shoved magazines and junk mail off to the floor. A shaking pen was in her hand. Her red eyes were so swollen it was hard to see the yellow pad of paper on the coffee table. Breath still coming in gasps as fresh waves of pain-filled crying still overcame her periodically.
Next to six yellow sheets of previous attempts at this letter, rested the large kitchen knife.
Shaky handwriting scratched on paper. It must be true, there must be something wrong with me. I can't believe what I would have done tonight Tony. I was so mad Tony - so angry. I still am, but… I hadn't exactly planned to kill you, but if you'd been here…
She broke off writing as the sobs overcame her again. As they finally tapered off, she rocked back and forth, clutching the soft jacket to her chest like a pillow. Wide eyes unseeing, she mumbled to herself for over an hour, tears falling unnoticed. Desperate hopelessness surged through her mind; golden memories darkened and future possibilities withered.
The rocking figure whispered, "No no no…" over and over again. Sometimes the words repeated in a monotone, sometimes a shriek.
She grabbed the pen again. I should have married you Tony. Maybe I should have gone to Ohio with you way back when. I'd never have met those boys, never had such accusations made against me. I'm not a pervert for the love of god Tony! How could anyone think that? My own son will be told that someday!"
The writing became more illegible.
I can't bear it Tony. I just can't bear it. I can't face them. God forgive me.
tbc…
