Ziva slowly pulled the car up next to the bombed out house. McGee and Tony had followed in another car. Gibbs had them stop at a higher vantage point, away from the house, a good sniper's position he had called it. Ziva let Gibbs out just at the turnoff to the drive way, allowing him time to approach quietly as she went on with the car. She parked, killed the engine and waited.
Off to her right, she saw a door to a small storage shed ease open and a woman exit first, gun aimed directly at Ziva's head. Loflin followed next, Ziva recognizing him from the pictures. Reaching slightly behind him, he grabbed Callie and thrust her forward, placing her between the two assailants.
Ziva gasped slightly as Callie got closer. Moving at a shuffle, she could see the blood stains around the hem of her sweats. Callie's arms were pulled tightly behind her, secured at the wrist and higher up, above the elbow, allowing Loflin to use this as a way to control his hostage. Callie's face was bruised, both eyes black and one slightly swollen. Ziva had to get her out and away from this mad man quickly.
The woman pointed her gun at Ziva's head and called, "Hands on the wheel where they can be seen."
Ziva raised them up and then put them on the top of the steering wheel. Nodding their satisfaction, the woman called a second time, "Open the door and get out slowly."
Making sure to keep her hands as visible as possible, Ziva complied. Once outside the car, she stepped back, allowing the woman to peer inside. Loflin kept his hold on Callie.
"As you can see," Ziva began, "the GPS has been removed from the car and is lying on the front seat."
Loflin dragged Callie towards the door and looked inside. He nodded, satisfied, as Ziva continued, "The glass is bullet proof. If you care to discharge your weapon, you can check that for yourself."
Jeremy Loflin finally spoke, "That won't be necessary. Run the car for bugs."
Ziva nodded and slowly walked to the back door. Opening it, she reached in and grabbed the hand held detector Abby had prepared. Scanning the back seat and front seat, she turned to Loflin and said, "Nothing inside."
"Check the wheels," he ordered. Ziva nodded and ran the detector over the two driver's side wheels before going to the front of the car. She unlatched the hood and opened it, running the detector inside. Jeremy joined her, looking under the hood for any other kind of tracking device or bomb that would disable the car. Once satisfied, he had the girl drop the hood back down and ordered Ziva to continue.
She swept the passenger side wheels and then started towards the trunk. During her trip around the car, Loflin had kept his hold on Harris, using the ties around her upper arms to guide her. Callie said nothing and slowly trudged along beside her captor. Finally making her way to the trunk of the car, Ziva slowly passed the detector over the top. Buzzers sounded.
Callie jumped at the sound as did the woman with Loflin. Ziva looked shocked and began apologizing, "They told me there was nothing here, honest!"
"Open it!" Loflin yelled.
The next events occurred in slow motion. From their vantage point, McGee and Tony could see that Ziva was at the car's trunk. They both took aim, hoping that Loflin and his "sister" would be the only ones they would have to shoot. Gibbs had made his way to shrubbery that was still standing beside the house. From this angle, he could take down either Loflin or the woman if Ziva had problems. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to get them both before one turned on Callie or Ziva.
Ziva used the car keys in her hand and slowly opened the trunk. Quietly observing the whole time, Callie saw the knife that was hidden just inside the lip of the trunk. As Ziva reached for the weapon, Callie dropped her weight back on Loflin. Still holding the plastic tie, he was unprepared for Callie's weight. He could not let Harris go, to do so would make him loose her as a shield, but he couldn't continue to support her with one hand and watch the lab tech's moves. He turned, only briefly, to try to reposition Callie, lowering his weapon. As soon as he did, Ziva took the opening slamming the blade of the knife between Loflin's ribs.
As Ziva lunged forward to stab Loflin, she exposed the female accomplice to the three shooters. The woman, who had been shocked by the quick turn of events, raised her gun to fire at Ziva's back only to be felled in mid-motion by three rapid gun shots.
Gibbs made it quickly to Ziva and Callie. He kicked Loflin's weapon out of the way and slapped on hand cuffs. As soon as Loflin fell, he had pulled Callie down the rest of the way. Ziva pulled the agent out from under the convict and began cutting the plastic ties. Tim and Tony drove up and quickly exited the car to get to the rest of their team.
"I wasn't much help," Callie mumbled to Officer David.
She smiled as she replied, "It was just enough."
"You look like hell, Harris," the relief evident in Gibbs' voice.
"Thanks. Now, can we get out of here?" was Callie's tired reply.
"Sure," Tony supplied as he helped her up, "we can go to the hospital."
She looked into Tony's dark eyes, "I'm glad you're okay. I was so worried and Loflin wouldn't tell me."
"His head's too hard for anyone to hurt." McGee smiled and led Callie back to their waiting vehicle.
Gibbs followed and looked down at his hurt agent, "You did good, Callie."
She smiled as Gibbs closed the door. He leaned into Tony and Tim, "Don't let her leave the hospital until the doctor says she can. And, while you're there, have Tony rechecked." His look was slightly disapproving.
McGee shook his head, knowing he was being asked to perform miracles but replied, obediently, "Yes, Boss," and drove off.