He was pretty sure of it while a Marine, but it only took Gibbs a few months working with NIS to confidently that "crime never sleeps," was not simply a metaphor for the never-ending job of law enforcement. Criminals kept odd hours, and so did Gibbs, if it meant he made his arrest.

As a slim, feminine figure approached the cafe Gibbs and McGee were parked outside of, Gibbs stepped out of the car. He recognized her from the photographs. Valeria Petrova, sister to Dmitri Petrov. Valeria had a lot of contact with law enforcement. She was known to be bitter over not getting a fifty-fifty split of the family money in her father's will. While she was always hard to find and never anyone's official contact – due to the fact that Dmitri would probably kill her in a heartbeat – her leads were known to prove useful.

Gibbs assessed Valeria in a glance, keeping a particular eye out for weapons. She was carrying a gun, but it was holstered at her waist. Gibbs would allow her that. If he were in her position, he would have showered with that gun.

"Agent Gibbs, I presume?" Valeria practically purred as she extended her hand.

Gibbs didn't immediately reach out to complete the handshake. He nodded toward the cafe, which was open all night, and walked inside, motioning with his hand for her to follow. "This had better be good intel, for this time of the night."

Valeria scoffed. "You should be delighted I am meeting you at all. My brother has a price on my head."

"Well, then let's not waste time." Gibbs leaned back against the nearest table, trying to look casual, but he was poised to spring into action if necessary. "Where is he?"

"If I knew that, I would have him killed myself." Valeria crossed her arms over her chest. "But I know where he has been – and that may lead you to him, if you are lucky."

"So?" Gibbs prompted.

"What, you think I come without a price?" Valeria asked.

Gibbs was hardly surprised. "How's fifty bucks sound?"

Valeria barely cracked a smile. "Pocket change, for what you are asking of me. I want protection from your agency. I have been playing this game too long, and Dmitri has more money to put behind his moves."

Gibbs nodded, relieved it was that simple, but he knew his expression would never give him away. "That can be arranged." Catching sight of movement out the glass door, he looked outside, immediately drawing his gun, to gasps from both the previously bored girl behind the counter and Valeria. He waved her back with his hand. "Stay here."

Gibbs slipped outside in stealth mode, grateful the cafe owners didn't make use of those obnoxious jingle bells on the door. McGee was caught halfway out of the sedan they'd come in, one hand raised, the other hovering over his holstered weapon. Petrov was standing with a gun aimed at McGee's head, and Gibbs was sorely tempted to shoot him on site. He was standing too close to McGee, though. Gibbs had no doubts about his aim, but bodies didn't always stop bullets. "Drop it."

Petrov barely blinked as he glanced behind him. "If your finger even tenses on that trigger, I will pull mine. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?"

Obviously, Petrov had underestimated his foes. Gibbs stood his ground. "Oh, you won't see anything before it hits you. Put the gun down now."

"You would never risk your agent that way." Obviously, Petrov knew something about the physics of bullets, either that, or he was still trying to play Gibbs. Either way, it wouldn't work. "I saw you with that suka. She is not as smart as she thinks she is. I followed her. You bring her out here and give her to me and I let this one go."

"Not gonna happen." Gibbs wished he had more agents to move in and surround Petrov, but he was looking at the reason why Tony and Ziva weren't there.

Gibbs hadn't let Ziva stay with Tony simply to be nice. He wanted someone there with Tony, given the severity of the injuries he was waking up to. Besides, Ziva had lost blood, and a day to recover wouldn't hurt her. She could work past the distraction if she were on duty – Gibbs was sure of his people – but agents working past distractions were still not one hundred percent.

Out of the corner of his eye, Gibbs could see Valeria drawing her weapon, and coming toward the door. He cursed silently. Why couldn't people ever stay put when he told them to? If she was trying not to get herself killed, she was certainly doing a lousy job of it.

Petrov saw it, too, and swung his gun around instantly, kicking McGee in the knee before he did. McGee bounced right back up despite that, his gun in his hand in seconds. Gibbs shot Petrov in the knee as soon as McGee was clear. Petrov stumbled forward, and McGee tackled him, securing the gun immediately.

"Weapon's clear!" McGee called, pulling his handcuffs out of his pocket smoothly and applying them to Petrov's wrists.

"Good work." Gibbs nodded approvingly, and spun on Valeria. "Why the hell didn't you stay where I told you to?"

Valeria was barely fazed. Of course, in a family like hers, there was probably a lot of yelling. "I had hoped it would distract him. Obviously, it did. Our deal is still on, correct? You have your man and I still have my enemies."

That much was clear, from the Russian obscenities Petrov was shouting. "Yeah, you've got your protection."

"Good." Valeria batted her eyes at Gibbs. "What about the fifty dollars?"

Gibbs shook his head as he turned away. "You'd have gotten that if you stayed when I told you to."

Author's note: To those craving Gibbs/Tony time, I promise it will be in the next chapter. The Gibbs in my head would not rest until Petrov was caught. Sorry it was a little anticlimactic. I've been trying for three days to write this chapter – I'm a lot better with relationships than Russian crime lords. :) Happy New Year! May 2012 be your best yet.