Chapter 11: Resurface
"Agent Todd, would you please come with me?" Agent Cassidy asked. "Of course, where to?" She led me to the elevator and pressed the button to the fourth floor, my old office. "Are you looking to send me back to Gibbs already?" I questioned casually. She chuckled, "not exactly." was all she said.
As we walked into the office, all of my former colleagues, including Abby and Ducky were there around the plasma. Tony tried to look away but couldn't and managed a quick once over glance of me. It had been almost 2 months since I transferred and I'd changed quite a bit. "Hi everyone. What's going on?" The looks on my co-workers faces were not what I would have hoped for. Each person looked noticeably on edge. I turned to my true boss, "Gibbs . . .?" I questioned.
"Ari Haswari has resurfaced. The FBI still believes that he is working undercover for them in Hamas and Al-Qaeda. I don't buy it." "OK, well thanks for the update. . ." I started. "We have reason to believe that he is still after Gibbs. I know Ari and he does not give up. What he will do is find another way to get to his target." Ziva continued. McGee spoke up next, "He's always had an obsession with you Kate. That's why we are securing your house, setting up surveillance, and one of us will be with you at all times until we get Ari."
I wanted to argue; to tell them that I didn't need protection but at that moment someone, a someone I loved very dearly, kicked me in the ribs. It reminded me that my decisions no longer only affected my life. I was in no position to disagree since the team had a point about Ari. We had definitely had too many interactions and I didn't need that psycho near me, especially now.
It was very different being on the receiving end of a protection detail. I spent that first day, back in my old office and in the lab with Abby. I missed working with them . . . a lot. Agent Cassidy's team was great and very welcoming, but no one could hold a candle to Gibbs's motley crew. The whole day, everyone was behaving as normal.
Before I knew it, quitting time had arrived and I was being escorted home. Tony was assigned the first shift. Of course, Gibbs would force us to deal with one another. The ride home was quiet. Neither of us knew what to say. We never had trouble making conversation before. "I'm used to being the one protecting, not the one being protected." I commented, trying to break the ice and silence. "It is odd" Tony nodded "It will be really weird when you go to sleep tonight. We're usually the two awake while our charges catch some Zs."
We arrived at my house and I surveyed the yard. There was a new security camera out front. In the house, there were more cameras and a few motion detectors. The team was nothing if not thorough. "Tony, can I get you something to drink or eat?" I offered. He sat down at the breakfast bar. "Cup of coffee?" he asked. I set about starting the espresso machine.
"So I never got a chance to ask, how did you discover that Ari was back?" I needed to know everything about this. "We were delivered an unsigned message to NCIS making references to the hostage situation in autopsy as well as the shooting on the rooftop. Gibbs asked Fornell and he confirmed that Ari was let back into the country." Hearing Tony explain all that sent a shiver straight down my spine. I had flashbacks to that night in Autopsy when he shot Gerald as well as when he shot Marta without flinching while he was holding me captive. I shook it off. "I think I'm going to take a nice hot shower. You need anything Tony?" " Kate, I'm not here as a house guest. I'm fine." He paused for a second, "Do you still sing Britney Spears in the shower?" He smiled slightly at me for the first time in months as I left the room.