A/N- Wow Guys, thanks for all the reviews, and to answer a frequently asked question, whoever replaces Bell does not have to be from The NCIS/JAG Universe, it can be from any other TV Show/Movie or from Real Life.
And now, the Next exciting installment of "28 Seconds"
Chapter 36
Rumors and Bullets
0815 hours, 18 March 1999, Tactical Operation Center, Unit Compound, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It was a beautiful Saturday morning at Fort Bragg when Tony was called in. "I can't believe I have to drive all the way top work, on a Saturday" he complained as he walked into the T.O.C.
"Tony, it takes like 3 minutes to drive from our neighborhood to here" said Malachi.
"That's not the point, it's the principle" he complained as he sat down. "This better be good" Tony complained. As he said that, Bridget walked in carrying a six pack of Killan's Red Irish Beer. Tali walked in behind her with an air horn in her hand. She blasted it, making everyone cover their ears. After a minute and a half of eardrum piercing noise, she finally stopped. "Tali, I…am going…to kill you" said Tony, gritting his teeth. Tali only smiled and looked at Bridget, who was handing out beers to everyone.
"You wanna tell em or should I?" she asked with a huge grin on her face.
"Tals, if you no tell Chester why you wake him up at 0730 on day off, Chester strangle you" said Chester in his intentionally crappy Russian accent. Tali grinned a huge smiled and grabbed a stapler off her desk. She held it up like a microphone and cleared her throat.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Children of all ages, Red Cap and Freedom are proud to bring to you… drum roll please" she paused. Both she and Bridget smiled.
"Colonel Bell is GONE!" they both screamed out. There was no reaction.
"As s gone, goodbye, forever, he's out" Tali explained. The Men of Alpha Team erupted in cheers of Joy. For 7 long Months, career desk jockey, political climber and professional ass-kisser Colonel Merton Bell had made all of their lives a living hell. And now, he was gone. After the 6 of them opened there bottles of Killan's Irish Red, there clinked their bottles together. After that, Tony pulled Bridget aside.
"Why is Bell out?" he asked, as Executive Officer, it was kind of his job to know these things.
"He resigned, he's going to start his of Private Defense Firm" she told him.
"Great, another Corporate Raider" he complained. Then he realized something. "I'm in charge again, aren't I?" he asked
"I'm afraid so Sir" she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "In the famous worlds of Ironman 'America is doomed'" she said smiling.
"Very funny Red Cap, any idea who's gonna take his place?" he asked.
"There are rumors flying around, but nothing official" she replied.
"Who?" Tony asked.
"Colonel Petraeus is being considered" she said.
"David, come on, he's on the fast track to Brigadier, he ain't gonna take a step backwards, even for this" commented Tony. "Who else?"
"Major Hollis Mann of Army CID" she said.
"Yeah ok, President William 'Monica Lewinsky' Clinton is gonna approve a women for Command of The Delta Force" Tony said sarcastically. "Come on Bridget, who are the most likely candidates?" he asked.
"There are 2, Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Palmer and Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Cassidy" she said. "Ever heard of em?" she asked.
"If I'm not mistaken, then 1st Lieutenant Ryan Cassidy led a Ranger Chalk in Somalia didn't he?" asked Tony.
"Yep, he received the Bronze Star and rose rapidly through the ranks in the past 6 years" she explained. "Do you know Lieutenant Colonel Palmer?" she asked.
"I can say that I do" he replied.
"Regimental Commander, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division" she informed him.
"Have The All-Americans seen action since Desert Storm?" Tony asked, using the nickname from The 82nd Airborne
"No" she replied.
"Ok then, let's go Colonel Cassidy" he said, giving her a fake cheer. With that, they went to rejoin the party. But when they got back, everyone had gone quiet, and there was an extra person in the room. "Colonel Bell?" Tony asked. Bell turned around; he had a look of disgust and anger on his face.
"You all think you've won don't you?" he asked rhetorically. "You think because the big bad Bell is gone. Well I am not gone; you people have ruined my Military Career. And I promise you, one day, I will have my revenge" he threatened as he walked to the door.
"Don't keep us waiting" Tony yelled, causing everyone to grin.
1730 hours local time, 18 March 1999, Liat DiNozzo's apartment, Haifa, Israel. It had been a long day for Liat DiNozzo. And while yes, her name was still legally Liat Tuvia, she didn't care as far as she was concerned it was DiNozzo. She changed out of here work attire into something much more comfortable. She put on a sports bra and short shorts, before putting on her Michael Jordan Basketball sneaker her Abba had sent her from The United States. Finally, she threw on her red Ohio State #2 "Tuvia" Jersey her Abba had gotten her for her 16th Birthday. She never wore the Ohio State jersey with her "real" name on it outside of her apartment. If anyone from Mossad saw her wearing it, they might put 2 and 2 together and then both she and her Abba would be in serious trouble. She grabbed a basketball from her closet and made her way outside. In back of her apartment building there was a vacant lot that no one had used for anything in years. What she had done was setup a basketball hoop against the brick wall of the building, and used spray paint to outline the key and 3-point line. After she spent a few minutes stretching, she started with a few lay-ups before shooting a few 3-pointers. Liat was money anywhere on the court, just like her father, she had a killer jump shot. The only thing her father could do that she couldn't was dunk. She was 5'11 and her Abba was 6'5. The one disadvantage to being adopted was she didn't get her dad's height.
Liat's dream was to play basketball at Ohio State University just like her Abba. She wanted to be an All-American Point Guard just like her Abba and lead Ohio State to back-to-back National Championship during March Madness, like her dad did in 1988 and 1989. She was busy practicing her free-throws when she notice in the corner of her eye that someone was watching her. She stopped dribbling and placed the ball on the ground. She placed her left foot on the ball and used her right arm to wipe the sweat from her forehead. "Shalom Ziva" she said. Standing in the corner, Ziva was dressed in a black cotton t-shirt, camouflage cargo pants and black combat boots.
"Shalom Liat" Ziva replied. As she moved closer, Liat noticed that Ziva had a black and blue mark on her left cheek. Her father had hit her, again.
"Ziva… your eye. Are you ok?" Liat asked, concerned.
"Yes I am fine, I just, what is that American idiom, walked into the refrigerator door" she said.
` "It's walked into the shower door" said Liat correcting her. "What can I do for you Ziva?" she asked her.
"I have come here on behalf of my father" said Ziva. Liat made a sour expression on her face.
"Ok" she finally replied.
"He would like to know if you would like to have the honor of training to become a Kidon Operative" said Ziva.
"No" replied Liat without a moments hesitation. Liat have absolutely no desire to serve in The Kidon Unit. Hell, she didn't even want to be in The Mossad itself.
"Why, joining the Kidon Unit is a great honor?" asked Ziva
"I wish to do other things with my life. I grew up wanting to play basketball, at Ohio State University in The United States. I had a dream" Liat passed and pointed her finger in Ziva's face. "A dream that was taken away from me by your father when I was 13. If this is all you came for them you can leave" she yelled, pointing to the hole in the chain link fence. With that, Liat picked up her basketball and stormed off.
Despite being only 16, Liat lived alone. Sometimes, she enjoyed that fact, because she could do whatever she wanted. But on days like today, she wanted to be with her family. She had never met her Imma, Kate, or her little brother, Three, but she felt a strong connection to both of them. When she got into her apartment, she dropped the basketball on the floor and locked her door, with both the deadbolt and hotel chain. She ran into her room and flopped into her bed. She formed a cocoon out of her blanket and began crying into her pillow. She missed her Mispatcha so much in times like these. Even though it was only 1830 hours, Liat just laid there, until she fell asleep.
The next morning it was 0630 hours when she was awaken by a ringing. It looked to be the beginnings of a beautiful day and the sun was just beginning to rise. Liat threw herself out of bed to answer the phone. As she walked into her kitchen she realized that she was wearing the same clothes as the day before and that she had slept for almost 12 straight hours. She didn't want to answer the phone. Probably that jackass Eli David, threatening to have me kill if I don't join Kidon she thought. Up until a few months ago, Liat would have welcomed death; it would have been her "get out of Mossad free card". But now things had changed. Now she had a Mispatcha again, she had an Abba and Imma and a baby brother. Ok, well not exactly a baby brother, she was only 2 and ½ months older than him, but she was still his big sister. She grabbed the cordless phone off the charger and walked out onto her balcony. She sighed as she pressed the talk button. "Officer Tuvia" she said, less than enthusiastically.
"Hey Kiddo" said the voice on the other end, in a very loving manner.
"ABBA!" Liat exclaimed as tears quickly filled her eyes.
3 weeks later
1330 hours, 8 April 1999, Fredericksburg, Virginia. A week earlier, a man named Warren Toobin had exploded a bomb in the I.R.S building, killing 64 people. He was now considered Public Enemy #1. Designated target 0-0-5, The Unit had orders to terminate him with "Extreme Prejudice". Tali and Bridget had traced his movements a white-supremacist, ultra right-wing militia in Fredericksburg. They were all held up in the middle of town. With Ironman and Blue Star on the street below, Billy had setup a sniper's nest in a building that overlooked the town hall the militia had established it self in. "Hitman, what exactly did Top say he had in mind to deal with these shit heads?" Malachi asked over his radio.
"I believe he said quote 'something subtle' end quote" replied Billy. Malachi laughed.
"What?" Chester asked as he turned to look at him.
"I have know The Colonel for going on 9 years now, he doesn't do 'subtle'" replied mal as he put air quotes around "subtle". As if to prove Blue Star's point, they heard an in coming Helicopter.
"You guys hear that?" Billy asked over the radio.
"Copy that Hitman, I have friendly rotorwing in sight, approaching town hall from the north" said Malachi as he looked through a pair of binoculars.
"Is that Top?" Chester asked.
"It is indeed" Mal replied. "As he said 'subtle'" Mal joked as they watched Tony fly in the Huey Gunship.
"All Callsigns, this is Movie Buff, prepping for gun run over" said Tony as he flew the Huey right down Main street.
"Copy that Movie Buff, Blue Star and Ironman standing by" Malachi replied. Then he turned to Chester who was in the driver's seat. "Load and Load" he ordered as both men put 30-round clips into their M-4 Rifles. The Helicopter pulled up and hovered in front of the town hall. A few seconds passed before the 2 M-242 Chain guns on the helicopter opened up. Spewing death at 6,000 rounds per minute. The M-242s were armed with incendiary ammunition and after 20 seconds one of the rounds hit the large propane tank on the outside the building, causing it to explode. The building exploded into a huge fireball, stories high. Tony stopped firing and pulled the helicopter up to a safe height.
This is Movie Buff, gun run complete, establishing overwatch" Tony said over the radio.
"Copy that Movie Buff. Blue Star and Ironman moving in" Mal replied as he and Chester quickly exited the Suburban and ran across the street. They raised their rifles top their shoulders and they swept the building. As they did, their radios cracked with Movie Buff's voice.
"I have movement out the back. I say again, I have movement out the back, believed to be Target 0-0-5, over". hearing this, Chester and Malachi quickly ran for the back of the building. When they got there, they saw a man limping away, clutching his left arm. The man turned and raised a Makarov pistol at them. It was Toobin. Malachi and Chester emptied their magazines into his chest sand torso.
"All Callsigns, this sis Blue Star, target 0-0-5 is down, say again, Target 0-0-5 is down" said Malachi as the 2 men took off running. When they got back out in front of the now destroyed town hall, Billy pulled up in the Suburban, and the 2 men jumped in.
"Movie Buff, this is Hitman, Alpha extracting now" Billy said as he watched Tony fly away.
1415 hours, 8 April 1999, Tactical Operations Center, Unit Compound, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. "All Callsigns, this sis Blue Star, target 0-0-5 is down, say again, Target 0-0-5 is down". Tali smiled. She walked over to the Kill Wall. Tony's 1st act as CO was to order Tali and Bridget to put it back up.
Tali took a big red marker out of her desk draw, and made a big red "X" over Target 0-0-5's face, just like she had done to 0-0-2's face. "2 down, 3 to go" she said as she looked at the faces of Mossad Officer Michael Rivkin, Mossad Deputy Director Eli David and former DSD Special Agent Clark Palmer.
A/N- Next Time on "28 Seconds"-
When Special Agent Clark Palmer targets Lieutenant Commander Rabb and Clayton Webb for assassination, Tony turns to an old friend to help protect them.
A/N- Did anyone recognize the last names of the 2 Lieutenant Colonels being considered? And who do you think the old friend is?
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