USS Washington
( Off the coast of Florida)
15:40 Zulu
Vukovic's POV
Five minutes after Kat had left, Vic was getting impatient. " Where did she go now? " He muttered, getting annoyed at the lieutenent's actions. A fwe minutes, later, he was getting a little worried, and decided to go look for her. Even though he didn't really know her all that well, he was finding himself- completely against his will- caring about her and her bad attitude.
He actually liked having the stubborn little woman around, and he couldn't figure out why. But he had to find her.
He left the mess hall, and cornered Sheppard. " Where is she?" He demanded. " Where is who, lieutenent?" The commander replied, clearly not knowing the answer.
" Goddamnit. Where the hell did she go? She was supposed to be going to your quarters for a minute." Vic said, wondering what the murderer on this ship would do to conceal his-or her- identity.
" Are you talking about lieutenent Mason?" Sheppard asked, and Vic nodded. " The door to my quarters was open, and I was coming to find her. I figured she was searching my stuff to back up her claim that I was the killer."
" We have to find her. I think the real killer has her, and I don't know how far he'll go." Vic said, and the two men started down the hall, asking everyone they came to if they had seen Kat.
Everyone just shook their heads no. Ten minutes later, Sheppard stopped. " Lieutenent, we should alert your superior officer that lieutenet Mason is missing."
Vic shook his head. " You go, sir. I'll keep searching. Every minute counts in situation like this." ' Especially in a situation like this. The killer could have just thrown her overboard by now.' He thought grimly, as Sheppard nodded.
" Good luck. I'll alert the captain while I'm at, start a ship wide search. If she's still onboard, we'll find her." He said, jogging off.
" She better be," Vic muttered, resuming the search, " Because if she isn't, I'll find this killer and rip him apart with my bare hands."
Jen's apartment
( Virginia)
15: 45 Zulu
Coates' POV
A knock on her door made Jen jump and reach for a kitchen knife. She inched over to the door, and peeked out of the peep hole.
" Ahhh." She let out a sigh of relief when she saw who it was, and opened the door. " Mike. Coming to check up on me?" She asked, hoping in a way that he was. Mike was a really nice guy, and not bad looking at all... ' But no. That's just rebound talking. God, Coates, get it together. Stop acting like a silly schoolgirl.' She mentally chided herself, stepping out of the way to let the midshipman in.
" Kind of. I was worried." He admitted, smiling that easy smile of his that made her heart jump around like a frog on a sinking lilypad.
" I told you that I was fine." She replied, walking back to the kitchen. " Would you like some food? I'm just finsihing up cooking my dinner, and I think I cooked too much."
" I would, if it isn't too much trouble." He called back, smiling to himself as she carried out two heaping plates of pasta.
" I would say you made a bit too much! Here, let me take those." he set the plates down on her coffee table, and accepted the fork she handed him with a nod of gratitude.
" Mmm, that's really good! I usually don't eat this well unless I'm at Bud and Harriet's!" He said, digging in.
She laughed. " It isn't that good. Did you know that commander Roberts is helping lieutenet Vukovic and the new marine, lieutenet Mason, with their case? He flew in this morning. Apparently, the original case turned into a murder."
" Heady stuff." Mike commented, and soon enough they were chatting away like old friends.
" Well, I'm glad you're ok, then. Thanks for the food." Mike said, standing up and carrying the plates to the sink. " You want any help with the dishes?"
" No, but thanks. And thanks. I'll see you tomarrow?" She asked, hoping she didn't sound as hopeful as she felt.
" Bound to. We live in the same building, after all. Plus, if your cooking is alwaus that good, you won't be able to get rid of me!" He said, grinning as he walked towards the door.
" Feel free to come around any time. I always cook too much, and end up bringing in some for general Cresswell. He never has a lunch." Jen explained. " Well, I wouldn't want to keep the general from his meal." Mike said, sounding slightly disappointed, but hiding it well.
" Oh, no. You underestimate the amount of food I cook on a daily basis. I cook for fun, when I'm feeling down... All the time. My fridge is stocked with leftovers."
" I think I love you!" Mike said, lauhging as he exited. " Good night, petty officer." He said, walking into his own apartment.
" Good night... Mike." She said, leaning against her doorknob for a minute.
" Oh for goodness' sake." She muttered, closing the door for the night.
USS Washington
( Off the coast of Florida)
16:12 Zulu
Mason's POV
" Ohhh..." She opened her eyes, feeling rain soaking through her clothing. ' What have I gotten myself into this time?' She thought, and then realized that someone was carrying her. And she couldn't move.
" Wh- What did you do to me?" She asked weakly, and hated herslef for her weakness. She was a marine, she should be able to fight it off. She shouldn't have even been captured in the first place. It was a stupid mistake, and one that she hoped to live long enough to not make again.
" It dosen't matter. You'll be dead soon enough. Drowned in the big, bad ocean." Her captor sneered, shifting her weight to a more comfortable position to carry.
" You're going to throw a temporarily paralyzed woman over the side of a ship? How noble of you. I can see that you were rasied with the proper morales. How proud of you your parents must be." She shot back. She was getting some feeling back in her extremities, and with that, some confidence.
" You shut up about my parents! They have nothing to do with this!" He snarled back, and Kat knew that she had hit a sore spot. Keep him going, and he might start yelling, give away their position before he could send her to a watery grave.
Or he could just get pissed enough to chuck her over right there, but she had to take the chance.
" Aww, did you have a bad relationship with your parents? Did dear mommy not love you? Dear daddy touch you in a naughty place, or did he just beat your mother senseless while you watched?" She said, fake-sweetly, and he bellowed, slamming her up against the wall.
Ow. Now that she felt. " Am I scratching YOUR surface yet?" She asked, then laughed. If she was going to die, she sure as hell was going to make her murderer's life a living hell.
" Little bitch! I'll kill you!" HE yelled, fingers tightening around her neck like a noose.
" Wer- weren't you already going to do that?" She gasped in a breath, seeing stars and rainbows and little birds dance around her head.
" Yeah, I was. Now I'll make it last a long time. Painful." He said, and she recoiled from his breath. It smelled like he hadn't brushed his teeth in a long time, days.
" Get a tick tak, genious. You really think you're going to get away with this? NCIS will be all over your ass. You'll be locked up in the worst naval prison that the jugde can think up. I hope you like guys. Don't drop the soap." She hissed, and he threw her to the side.
She hit the railing, and started to go over when she saw him draw a gun.
A voice, now familiar, cut through her anoxia. " Jones! Don't! Put the gun down! NO! DON'T-"
A gunshot rang out.
How's that for a cliffhanger?
Thanks to all of you who reviewed, especially starryeyes10. Keep reading and reviewing. I'm don't know whether or not to continue if you don't
