Abby was waiting expectantly at the window of her hotel. She wasn't standing all that close to the window because she was now fully aware of just how dangerous Mogadishu was. Even though their hotel was in a reasonably upmarket and safe area her short period of time in Somalia's capital had given her an idea of how violent the city could be. The people at the hotel and in the markets she had gone to in her preparations for Ziva had been lovely responding to Abby's charm and friendliness but there was a definite violent undercurrent to life here that made her keen to get home.
Tony had called from the road as soon as he got back to clear reception to say they had Ziva and were on their way back.
Dr Shamso Abdulle (a pretty young local doctor who worked at one of the cities top private hospitals) with whom Ducky had made friends (they had discovered both had graduated from Edinburgh) while looking into the emergency facilities that Ziva might need, was sitting inside with the NCIS doctor drinking tea and listening to his tales of Grassmarket pub crawls of long ago.
"They're here" Screamed Abby sighting a smoking rusty yellow bumper and a pair of very blue eyes and running for the door. She had had nothing else to think of for the last few hours, all possible preparations having been made, and an unoccupied Abby was not a happy Abby.
Ducky and Doctor Abdulle smiled at each other indulgently and kindly and followed behind (Ducky had asked his new friend to be there to give a second opinion on Ziva).
Into the hotel drive pulled three very muddy looking vehicles. The Deux Chevaux in particular looked like this was likely to have been its last battle. It sat very much the proud veteran steam pouring from its bonnet Gibbs for one was prepared to award the little car at least a purple heart for its journey related injuries. The first to dismount and rush past the expectant Abby waiting in the lobby and towards the sign that said in English, Arabic, Somali and Italian "BAR" were the thirty eight assorted sizes of bloody, dirty, smelly, dishevelled pirates. Some of whom Abby had to admit were worth a second look if only to check out all the cool tats they were sporting, later she thought. Sounds of wild merriment, singing, bottle smashing accompanied by the pained voices of the hotel staff soon filled the air.
Abby took this rather well a look of mild interest briefly passing over her before she rushed at her team. The hotel staff at the rather select family establishment were altogether more astonished and much less pleased.
Next trooped in backwards the red and puffing McGee grasping a fourth of a rather beautiful leonine man of quite enormous stature and breadth. To the sounds of the pirates merrymaking and the hotel staffs increasing distress was added the mountainous rumblings of the enormous bear McGee seemed to be taking up to their rooms. McGee was followed closely, Abby noted, by a small, smiling, grotesque, bedreaded man grasping an empty bottle of rum and not attempting to assist with the large man in any way. Seeing her interest in him the grotesque winked at Abby then went back to apparently stalking McGee. I have to here this story Abby promised herself. Then came a tired but valiant looking Gibbs and Officers Gavish and Rivkin (Abby and Ducky gave his rather familiar hairy personage a definite double take) each struggling to manage just a quarter of Officer Rabin's vast super structure. They headed to the lift. Gibbs signing to Abby that they would talk once he was relived of his mountainous and noisy burden.
Rabin had begun to snore loudly during the progress to Mogadishu. This was apparently a trait of all Mossad assassins. Tony had quipped at one of their rest breaks as the Deux Chevaux had rocked to the rhythm of Rabin's snores that adenoids must be intrinsic to ninjaness and therefore irremovable (he had started to worry when Ziva had failed to hit him for this comment). Rivkin however had not been slow to announce how unfunny he had found the remark. DiNozzo had decided that he would dislike all Rivkin's on principle from this moment on. Gibbs thought that the snoring was probably a good sign but it had not half left him with a headache.
"This must be some damn story" said Abby mouth open wide to Tony as he approached carrying Ziva, "Where did you pick up the circus?"
She took in with relived eyes the sight of Ziva alive. But was shocked at the state of Ziva's face and the fact she appeared like Rabin out for the count.
"Stories gonna have to wait Abs" Said Tony looking terrified "Ducky we need you now…………