A/N: I owe you all an apology… a kind friend at FF informed me that Iraq is only 8hrs away from the US. So much for checking time clocks on the internet! LOL. I wonder of my friend was thinking from California? After all the east coast is 4 hours ahead of California. I would feel slightly less silly! :o So I hope you can forgive me and continue to enjoy my story. The 'best' is yet to come! ;)di

Chapter 25

The rain continued with only intermittent pauses all day. By nightfall Gibbs and his squad were gathered within the cave sharing body warmth. He was alternating those closest to the entrance in order to keep everyone warm. His exhaustion was such that he couldn't sleep now. He sat on watch, eyes down the mountain and weapon in his arms. He was wrapped in his poncho. Peters was sleeping closest to him and the man was one breath from snoring. They were all so tired…

He thought about Abby and what she said to him. It had taken on the context of unreality to him at this point. He wanted to believe in what she said. He really did. It would be so nice to be home… Closing his eyes he saw his backyard in the full sun of summer. Abby looked up at him smiling from her flower garden by the back fence, her face haloed by the sun. It blurred and became Shannon's then faded back to Abby. Startling awake Gibbs found himself a bit confused and eyes wide. He sat gripping his M16 so tightly his fingers were white. He couldn't think of home right now… not now. Waters, one of Mercers squad came over to him.

"Evans and I are on duty Master Guns. Move on inside and get some shut eye."

Waters sat down on his folded sleeping pad and wrapped his poncho around himself. Evans nodded to Gibbs and joined Waters, back to him and watching up the mountain. Gibbs gave in numbly and went back to where his kit and sleeping bag were. He settled in and turned to his side, forcing his eyes closed he began to concentrate on his breathing. He relaxed from the feet up as he had learned so very long ago. Keeping his mind empty was much harder. Very deliberately he listened to the rain and let the white noise be his focus. Slowly his body began to loosen up and he settled into his bedding. The next thing he knew he was being awakened by Peters.

"Gunny! Need you to look at something. I think we got trouble."

Gibbs was instantly alert and rose without a comment. They moved outside and into the endless rain. Gibbs followed Peters pulling his poncho hood up over his boonie. Peters lead him back up to the large boulder they were using as their lookout. He pointed to the south. Trudeau handed the binoculars to Gibbs. Looking through the largest magnification possible he could see the flickering light of a fire up on the side of a nearby range.

"Damn it. Damn it!" Gibbs kicked a rock in frustration. He looked back out through the rain toward where the light was.

"What's your take on this Gunny?" Peters stood unmoving in the ceaseless downpour.

Gibbs wanted to tell him they were fucked. But his mind instantly rejected this thought, putting it off to exhaustion. He stood motionless going over options in his mind. Everything from doing nothing to attacking. He shook his head rejecting that too.

"The only thing we got going for us is this rain. They're hunkered down too." Privately he thought 'They're gonna be here before we get going. What the fuck.'

The attempt at distraction didn't work for Peters who was a very sharp non-com despite his ego problems.

"They gotta have off road vehicles Gunny for them to catch up so quickly."

"Or they're not the same guys at all Peters and we picked up some new assholes. There are a lot of tribes out here and all of them are dirt poor and somewhat territorial! We can't do anything in the dark. We're not mobile enough. Hopefully they're just as cold and miserable as we are damn them. Gotta keep an eye on 'em."

Gibbs turned and headed back to the small cave. Glancing down at his watch he saw it was 0400. They would have to head out with predawn light.

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Abby finished her input for the star chart and delivered copies to the team's desk and one to Vance's secretary. She was pretty sure their plan could work. She knew she would have to contact Jethro again and get his resting place each night until they could come get him.

Looking at the clock she saw that it was already 1400 hrs. Things had got away from her again as they often did when she was working her computer magic. She had worked on projections, possible pick up sites working with topographical maps, satellite pass times and many other little details her mind came up with. Somehow she thought clearer here at NCIS. Sitting at Jethro's desk had been comforting as well. She could get home and have some time to herself before little Jack got up from his nap.

She was so proud of her "little guy". He was extremely bright and very articulate for his age. He was already recognizing letters and numbers in his books.

She had to show Jethro that Jack recognized the letters on their own as Jethro thought Jack had simply memorized his books. (In itself she thought that would be terrific!) Abby headed home with a large sigh after she got in the elevator. She remembered a few 'consultations' in Gibbs Office. God how she missed him.

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At 0500 Gibbs and the watch team helped everyone rouse. The men remained quiet and efficient. Schlesser tried hard to help in getting out of the cave. Gibbs wasn't happy with Schlesser's wound, but there was nothing to be done. They had done their best to keep it clean and wrapped. Gibbs was surprised how upbeat Schlesser had been. He maintained a sense of humor throughout the ordeal.

The rain continued but had slowed from torrential down pour to a steady drench.

Gibbs decided he had to send someone ahead of the truck to eye the terrain. It would slow them down to a crawl, but he knew there was no choice. To just plow ahead on the loose rock through water could mean death. The rains had undoubtedly washed away some of the surface of the mountain. The trail they had been following was gone. They were going to have to back track.

The first tracker for the truck was Rouen, one of Saldano's men. He had received a flesh wound to his upper left arm that was somewhat painful but not life threatening. He moved off into the rain without hesitation rifle cradled and attention focused. Trudeau had the truck in first and moved out behind him.

Gibbs followed on foot with Peters and Ford until the truck made it back to the previous track. Their attention was focused on the surrounding terrain. Gibbs knew trouble was behind them and probably closing right now. The roar of their own truck would make it hard to hear the oncoming soldiers. The three men lagged behind in order to pick up sound from the enemy. Grimly determined to care for their squad mates they watched as the truck disappeared into the rain and predawn light. Gibbs circled his hand and they moved the other direction.