Chapter 13

Étienne walked beside the Lady back toward the house. She was gaily happy, making the assumption her 'problem' was already gone. The fact that he could lose his own life didn't mean much. It also didn't mean much to him either. He was tired. Tired of being used, tired of being numb, tired of being alone. Being dead would be a relief.

Abby sat on the couch with the TV on not looking at it. She had photographs spread all over the coffee table and couch. A box of Kleenex was at her right hand. She closed her eyes and tried again to 'reach' her love. She could feel his presence, always at a distance and somehow not aware. Almost like a stranger. She couldn't understand why he hadn't come to her. Always before in times of stress he had reached out to her psychically. It had saved their lives before.

It had been the longest year of her life. 13 months she corrected herself. 13 months of empty arms, a frozen heart, a barely living existence. Her other 2 friends, Mike and Toby were gone too. Not a sound, or a phone call. She couldn't even track them on line. She had tried. Tony had sat and held her night after night when she had curled up to die. Through sheer force of joined will her friends had kept her alive. Looking into Jethro's happy face at her birthday party last year she curled on the couch and went to sleep.

The next morning at work she was involved in getting her Major Mass Spec to give her a needed result when Tony came into the room.

"Ab's I need you to analyze some photo's for me."

"OK Tony just a few more minutes." She was glued to the screen. "This result will mean we've nailed Sporcer to the wall and William's team will owe me a dinner."

"Abby I need you to do this now."

Tony's voice had changed. It sounded strained. A stranger wouldn't know, but Abby did. She turned to look askance at him. Just then McGee and Ziva came in, followed closely by the Director. Abby's green eyes grew round and she reached for the flash drive with a shaking hand.

"Oh my God…"

"Ab's take it easy. You can do this. Easy." McGee stepped forward and gently pressed his hand into her shoulder. Abby nodded once firmly and turned to her computer and inserted the drive.

"Where did this come from?" She said while it loaded. Her fingers moved quickly to open the file.

"You'll see." Tony said quietly. She glanced up at him.

Looking back at the screen she gasped as Fornell's voice came out in the speaker. He spoke in a low voice.

"Paris. 5th of June 2005. 1115 hours. Surveillance of L'Epardieu café. Note the scattering of body guards a good 5 minutes before they enter. There are at least.. How many more?"

"4. 2 in shops across the street, 2 above. Damn I taught him good. Got it all covered. We gotta find another spot."

Abby felt like her chest hurt. She realized she had stopped breathing. Mike's voice made it all real. The dream like quality she had felt when she first heard Toby's voice dissipated. Mike's raspy voice made it all too real.

"There. Right there."

"Got it. Wide angle cover."

"Don't need a photo shoot cover spot. Just a good one for ID Fornell."

"Told ya. Getting it."

The film suddenly went to a wider view and Abby saw a small elegantly dressed woman on high heels in a flowing linen pants suit and a colorful scarf. She was walking hand in hand with a silver haired man who was looking alertly all around as he slipped his hand to the small of her back to bring her to the door of the shop. His gaze went directly up toward the window where Toby and Mike were.

"Shit." Mike's voice.

"Got it." Toby said. A freeze frame picture was entered. Abby's eyes teared up as Étienne's face filled the screen. A moment later the couple came back out and sat at a table in the sunshine. A tall elegantly dressed black man came over and sat down with them and leaned into Étienne and spoke briefly, Étienne nodded. A waitress approached and brought three small cups to the table.

Toby spoke now.

"He's going as Étienne DuFresne-Ste-Germaine. The lady is Sallah DuFresne-Ste-Germaine. The black man is James DuFresne-Ste-Germaine. All of these people are called Ste-Germaine. I think it's just a vanity for her."

Mike took up the story.

"From what we can figure out she's got a total of four of these primary guardians. But the whole package is run by Étienne as he's callin' himself. There's the black guy, an Asian, and an Austrian. All 4 have the left earrings. All different stones with the diamonds. Only Étienne has the right hand earring. Also he dresses even more expensively than the others. They all dress to the teeth. Suits and shirts tailored. Average price around $2000-3000. He smokes custom made cigars. I'm sending one for DNA Abby. Had to create a situation to get it though. The guy field strips his cigar tips. Man he's good." The picture went dark.

Tony handed over an envelope. Abby took it and held it.

Jenny moved forward. She looked sad and upset at the same time.

"Abby, I need the results as soon as you get them."

"Yes Ma'am." Abby said. Jenny left. The others stayed. Abby lifted the envelope to her nose and sniffed. She could smell the cinnamon in a fine smooth scent.

"Nicaraguan." She murmured. "Very expensive. It's his."

"How do you know Ab's?" McGee said quietly.

"Because we used to share a good cigar once in awhile. He has a friend that has sent him a box of Havana's every year for Christmas. He used to talk about hand rolled Nicaraguan cigarillo's. Wished he'd been stationed there instead of Columbia."

"Do you want us to stay Abby or do you prefer to do this alone?" Ziva said moving forward to touch her shoulder.

"Alone, please." Abby turned back to the screen. When the elevator doors closed she turned back to the screen.

He was thinner, his face seemed harder somehow. His hair was elegantly coiffed, cut and layered in such a way that his natural part was combed back from his face with just a few tendrils escaping.

He had a large diamond in his right ear, a hoop of platinum with alternating diamonds and sapphires in his left.

It was his eyes she decided. His eyes were so empty. Not cold, just empty. She ached for him. It was him. Her beloved Jethro, her silver haired fox. Her Gibbs.