Part 40

Ramada Inn Atlantic Beach, NC 1805 Local

Mike froze for a moment at the knock on the door. Checking herself in the mirror, she moved to look out the peephole. Lowering her voice slightly, she asked. "Who is it?"

"Room service."

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and watched as waiter rolled the cart into the room. He glanced up at her once and then quickly returned his gaze to the cart in front of him. Mike smiled to herself, pleased with his reaction. The bare scalp peeking out from under the colorful bandana proclaimed her a recent cancer survivor. Skillfully applied makeup and the slightly oversized clothes gave a suggestion of gauntness. People would be reluctant to spend too much time looking at her either because they didn't want to be rude or they somehow thought they might be tempting fate. Either reason suited her purposes.

She gave the young man a modest tip which he took with a quickly muttered 'thank you' before hurrying out the door. Mike snorted disdainfully, he probably thought you could catch cancer by breathing the same air. Moving the covered dishes to the table, she turned on the TV as she began eating. The furor over her disappearance was finally beginning to die down a bit, helped along by the fact that there was absolutely nothing new to report. Mike shook her head as she took another bite of meatloaf. All they had left was speculation. Hopefully, the authorities would continue to waste precious time looking for her 'accomplice'. Distrust and suspicion among her opponents was an advantage for her. Dabbing at her lips with the napkin, she leaned back in the chair. It didn't look like anyone had a clue about how she'd really pulled it off. Fools. They were all fools. In the end, that would be the true reason for her escape.

But first, she had work to do. In the morning, she would arrange a wire transfer from her London account. She'd need ready cash for any unforeseen events over the next couple of days. Her airline ticket had already been booked for five days from now out of the airport in Raleigh. Ms. Marcia Porter of Castlebury would be returning to her home in England after a lengthy stay in the States for medical treatment. It was an identity she'd spent years creating. It had been fun in a way, weaving together all the diverse pieces that brought her alias to life. She liked puzzles and this one was unique in that she was shaping the pieces to suit herself.

It had been dead simple for her to manipulate files and data. Creating a family history hadn't been much harder. Having made it a habit of vacationing abroad ever since her inheritance, Mike was more than familiar with areas of England, France and Spain. Britain was her refuge of choice. She found records of a deceased elderly couple in the area where she'd decided to live, claimed them as grandparents and went on from there. A 'chance' meeting at a community bake sale, a casual reference to the grandparents and soon she was comparing notes with some of the long-time residents about her 'family'. Their eyesight wasn't that good, their memories worse, it didn't take much before her suggestions of possible relations were taken over as their own. In less time than she thought possible, they were claiming to remember her as a young child.

From then on, she'd been accepted as the 'American relation' who returned when she could to the family birthplace. Two years ago, she'd gotten an excited e-mail from the local realtor she'd kept in touch with, letting her know that her "grandparents'" house was on the market. She'd snapped it up after talking the realtor into becoming her rental agent and leasing the place out. Now she was going to have to contact the woman and tell her to get the renters out. At least she could use her 'cancer treatment' story as an excuse for the abruptness of her move. It would create nothing but sympathy for her with the locals.

Tomorrow morning, she would also begin her search for MacKenzie, Todd and the others. They had to be on the island and she was confident she could find them. She would make her plans after she scouted the area. She was well aware of the chance she was taking by sticking around. Mike had already resigned herself to the fact that her revenge might not be possible right now. She just didn't have the time or resources available. She consoled herself with the thought that there would always be other opportunities. Both Rabb and MacKenzie made trips overseas. Maybe she could coax NCIS out as well. Striking after they thought they were safe could be incredibly satisfying.

Mike rested her chin in her hand as she pushed her food around the plate and smiled quietly to herself. In a perfect world, it would be Todd and Gibbs assigned to investigate the mysterious deaths of MacKenzie and Rabb and then she could trap and kill them too. First, of course, she would let them know just who had outsmarted them. She could just imagine their horrified looks before she pulled the trigger. She'd leave Todd for last... Giving her head a shake, she once more concentrated on her food. Daydreams were all well and good but it took brains and planning to make them come true. Besides, it was entirely possible she could get to someone before she left for her new life.

Finishing up her meal, she returned the dishes to the cart and picked up her 'crash' bag. Placing it on the bed, she flipped it open so she could once again review its contents. In it was everything she would need to start her new life: passport, driver's license, bank accounts, credit cards and some cash as well as wigs, make-up and several different styles of outfits. Reaching in, she drew out the one item she'd added while she'd waited for them to discover she was missing and assume that she'd escaped. Her expression grew hard as she slid a finger lightly along the barrel of the 9mm pistol. Despite the fact that she'd been prepared for this eventuality, the reality was that she was being forced to move years before she thought it would become necessary. Mike didn't like being forced. Not at all.

Sea Haven Pine Knoll Shores, NC 2110 Local

Kate turned around at the sound of the door behind her. If she was surprised to see Gibbs instead of Ducky, it didn't show on her face. She looked at him silently, patently wondering what he wanted. It was just as obvious that she wasn't going to speak first. Gibbs shifted a little, absently pushing his arm out of the sling and massaging his wrist. "You feeling okay?"

Looking slightly surprised by the question, Kate nodded, "Yeah... I'd be happier if I wasn't falling asleep every fifteen minutes." She managed a wry grin, "Think Ducky's spiking my food?"

Gibbs snorted, somewhat relieved that she didn't immediately go on the defensive, "I wouldn't put it past him. Ducky can be sneaky as hell." He nodded towards the couch, "Mind if we sit?" He didn't add that it looked like she needed to.

Again there was that brief silence while she evaluated his question and then Kate nodded abruptly, moving slowly over to the couch. Carefully, she began maneuvering herself to sit. Gibbs watched for a few seconds before he found himself next to her, offering a hand. Inwardly, he was berating himself for not going to her immediately. If it weren't for that mile-wide stubborn streak, she would probably still be in bed. Once she was settled, he dropped down on the couch as well and leaned back. Kate stared at him for a moment and then gave her head a little shake, "You're making me nervous."

One corner of Gibbs' mouth quirked upward, "Afraid I'm going to send you undercover as DiNozzo's wife?" He didn't mention the other fear she'd had that morning in the coffee shop, didn't want her thinking about it either if he could help it.

Kate half-smiled at the reference and then it slipped away, "Are you going to fire me?"

"Hell, no." Gibbs bit back a sigh, so much for that plan. It had been stupid to believe that she wouldn't be thinking about it - wouldn't assume that he might fire her before she could formally resign. Granted, she had made mistakes since she started with NCIS but he hadn't considered this case to be one of them. If anyone had screwed up, it had been him and it had nearly killed her. He should have known Elbert would move when she did. Audacity had been a key component of the killings. He shifted forward and rubbed the side of his face, "I'm not going to fire you and I don't want you to quit. Dammit, Kate, you've become a pretty good agent and in time you'll be an exceptional one. Do you really want to throw that away?"

"No," she admitted quietly and then the exasperation grew in her voice, "I don't know what to believe, Gibbs. You tell me I'm a good agent and yet you didn't trust me enough to handle an investigation alone."

"It wasn't about trusting you," Gibbs worked to keep the frustration out of his tone. He truly did not want to fight with her. "I was worried. Every time I thought about this case, I got a knot in my gut. Something was wrong, I just didn't know what. Then I cornered McGee and found out what you'd been having him check on and the knot got worse. I knew you'd need back-up."

Kate looked at him, "Oh c'mon, it wasn't like I was alone down here. I had... " She stopped and stared at him in surprise, "Oh my god, it wasn't me you didn't trust... it was Mac! Sweet Jesus, Gibbs, the woman saved my life!"

He scowled, "Believe me, I know but that hadn't happened yet. All I knew at the time was that Elbert was at the top of your list. She and MacKenzie are remarkably alike and the Colonel had been working with that woman for the last month. I didn't like how it was adding up."

"Then why drag Rabb down here? Why not have Tony come with you?" She couldn't help the faint grimace. Eight hours in a car with DiNozzo would have made her seriously consider killing him. Of course, she didn't have Gibbs' ability to silence Tony with a single glare.

Gibbs scrubbed at his hair, that was a fair question. "Because Rabb knows the Colonel best and despite his overbearing arrogance and annoying 'Knight in Shining Armor' routine, he's a pit bull when it comes to finding out the truth. If Mac had turned, he would have known."

Kate sat silently for a few moments, digesting it all. She looked over at him again, "You trust her now, don't you?"

His mouth quirked upward again, "Almost as much as I trust you." He studied her for a few seconds, noting the faint blush with a certain satisfaction, and then stood up and put out his hand, "C'mon, Kate, you look beat."

Gratefully, she accepted his help in getting off the couch. It was when he reached over to help her to the steps that they both recognized how difficult it would be. Kate couldn't help chuckling a little, "I think we have a problem here, Gibbs."

Gibbs scratched his head and grumbled good-naturedly, "Piss-poor planning, Agent Todd. Next time you decide to get shot, try getting hit on the opposite side."

Kate cocked her head to the side and smiled sweetly at him, "I believe this falls under instructor error. Someone neglected to teach the finer points of 'Gunshots - Where to be Hit'." God, she felt positively giddy. If she hadn't been so damned exhausted, a little victory dance might have been in order. She loved her job (and the people she worked with, even Tony at his most annoying) and the decision to quit had been one of the hardest things she'd ever done. She'd been dead serious at the time. There was no way she could work with Gibbs if he'd had such doubts about her abilities. To find that he still had faith in her had lifted an enormous weight off her heart.

A burst of noise from the other side of the building had both of them turning a little. Kate glanced at Gibbs, suddenly tense, "Gibbs?"

He shook his head, his hand had moved of its own accord to the small of her back, "I don't know." Taking a step, he eased his pistol out of its holster and looked back at the petite brunette, "Kate... "

"I'm fine, go." She hated the thought of him going anywhere without backup but, at the moment, she was more a liability than an asset. The little adrenalin boost she gotten from discovering that she still had Gibbs' confidence and respect had worn off leaving her feeling more shaky than before. Kate watched as he cautiously slipped out the door and shifted slightly so she could brace herself against the couch. If there was trouble, she couldn't afford to get caught sitting. She breathed a sigh of relief when he came back in less than a minute. He looked exasperated and she gave him a puzzled look, "What's going on?"

"Damned if I know," Gibbs glanced back at the door. "They're all jumping around in there like their favorite team just won the Super Bowl. Rabb and MacKenzie seem to be in the middle of it," he added as an afterthought.

"Really?"

Kate's face split into a wide grin and Gibbs frowned at her, "Yes, really. What?"

Now it was Kate's turn to look exasperated, "Oh for pete's sake, think about it - and not as an NCIS agent. What would make a dating couple's family and friends jump up and down like that?"

Gibbs stared at her and then his eyebrows rose, "They just got engaged."

She smiled again, "Bingo."

He looked at her and then at the door again, "Do you want to go back over there?"

Kate thought about it and then slowly shook her head, "I wouldn't mind but I really need to lay down. I'll congratulate them in the morning." She looked back at the steps and then at the couch, "Maybe I could just stay here."

Gibbs shook his head, "Uh-uh. You're going to bed." He came up behind her and positioned himself just behind her right shoulder, "Grab my forearm," he instructed. She did as he said and felt his hand wrap around her elbow. He was close enough for her to inhale his scent and she contained the shiver it caused through sheer strength of will. Why the hell did he have to be so attractive? "Let's go," Gibbs murmured softly. Kate had no doubt he was completely oblivious to the effect he was having on her.

By the time they reached her bedroom, she was leaning heavily on his arm. Carefully he eased her down on the side of the bed and stayed crouched down in front, "Should I get Ducky?" He didn't like how pale she had become. Dammit, Mallard was going to kill him. He should have just helped her to bed instead of trying to straighten things out but he hadn't been able to make himself wait any longer. He couldn't stand the thought of losing her off his team.

Kate shook her head carefully, hating the exhaustion that seemed to be overwhelming her. Ducky had wanted her to stay in bed and she'd blown him off, promising to go back when she started feeling tired. She'd pushed herself too hard today despite what seemed like innumerable naps and now she was paying the price. How humiliating. She hated showing any sort of weakness and to be like this in front of Gibbs made it so much worse. "I just need to catch my breath. I'll be fine in a minute." Gibbs snorted and Kate couldn't blame him. That hadn't sounded convincing even to her ears.

Gibbs eyed the brunette for a moment longer and then slid his arm out of the sling and flexed it carefully. Kate's eyes widened in alarm, "What are you doing?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Putting you to bed."

"Gibbs! No!"

The eyebrow lowered, "Kate. Yes. You can barely keep your head up. I'm not explaining to Ducky how you cracked your skull brushing your teeth." They stared at each other until Kate finally dropped her gaze in resignation. Twenty minutes later, he was quietly closing her door. Taking a moment, he leaned against the doorframe. Caitlin Todd was a damned attractive woman, even when she felt like hell and was red-faced from embarrassment. It had taken a good deal of discipline to appear dispassionate while helping her get changed. It wasn't quite like the fantasies he'd kept carefully suppressed. In those, he'd never had to change the dressing on a suppurating bullet wound. The rest, however... well, sleeping would be hard tonight. Sighing, he pushed himself upright and tucked his arm back in its sling. It ached a bit from his exertions but it wasn't too painful. Maybe tomorrow he would go without the damn thing altogether. Right now, however, he needed some air.

Moving quietly down the stairs, he headed outside onto the deck. Keeping to the shadows, he moved to the far corner of the deck and stopped when a large figure loomed up out of the darkness. He started to tense and then relaxed as he recognized Walters. "Gunny."

Dubby nodded, "Gibbs."

Gibbs glanced back towards the house, "Thought you'd be in there with the rest of the group."

Walters lifted his hand. A cellphone glinted with reflected light, "I was calling my wife to tell her the news."

"Now?" Gibbs' eyebrows rose as a small grin worked its way out.

"Of course, 'now'. I'd like to sleep in my own bed when I get home." Walters shook his head and then eyed the NCIS agent, "You're divorced, aren't you?"

Gibbs grunted and leaned against the railing, turning his attention to the surrounding landscape, "Think Elbert's still here?"

Dubby sighed and turned around so he could lean on the railing too, "Yeah, I think Sarah's right. That woman's got unfinished business." He glanced over at the man next to him, "Kate thinks so too, doesn't she?"

"Yeah." Gibbs stared into the blackness and scowled, "Haven't these people ever heard of clearing? You could hide a division in that underbrush."

"It holds the island together, Gibbs," Gunny smiled slightly. "They probably thought that was more important."

Gibbs could care less if the whole island blew away in the next week. He was more concerned about the unseen bullet ending Kate or Mac's life. It was a very real possibility, one that made him sleep with one eye and both ears open. "She could be out there right now, watching us, and we wouldn't have a clue."

Walters grunted, "One could hope." He turned his head slightly to see Gibbs staring at him, "Night time's hunting time. There's snakes all over this island: rattlers, copperheads, cottonmouths. I hope she's out there and tripping over them. It would save us a bullet."

"Amen to that."