A/N: Thanx so much to my beta Jenny! I couldn't have gotten through this mammoth first NCIS fic without her…and u know that littl' part u suggested?… I LUVED it...:P……(sobs)... I've planned it out and so there is only going to be two chapters to go:(… Hope you guys enjoyed the ride and that the finale... (screams): DON'T SPOIL THE DEATH SCENE I WANT TO GET MY VCDS FIRST:P …Enjoy...review me with any thoughts/ideas… likes? I like my bits of humour/references… it keeps us sane (but I've heard a couple of people on the NCIS board are getting "straight jackets" 'cos they've delved into 'psychotic' over the last 2 weeks of waiting!)…(sighs)….plz not kate/gibbs/abby. xxx claire

M.T.A.C Surveillance Room: Tuesday 1824
Gibbs entered the M.T.A.C followed discreetly by Kate and Tony.

"Put the Director on the center feed." Gibbs ordered to the Tech seated at an array of screens and computer monitors.

"Yes, Sir."

On the screen in the center of the room, the image of Director Morrow seated in his office behind his desk, flicked on.

"What is it Agent Gibbs?" Morrow said clasping his hands on the table.

Kate and Tony stood behind Gibbs in the shadows by the computer Tech, watching with anticipation.

"What do you know about Antoinette Shevloski?" Gibbs bluntly inquired.

Gibbs looks for some sort of reaction.

Recognition.

"Nothing comes to mind…who is she?"

His gut senses some subtle covering and decides to push further.

"That's the name of our suspect that we arrested from the sting. She doesn't have a record here."

"Has she told you anything?"

"No, not yet. But we know she's from the Ukraine and seems to be the contact here for Alqueda…" Gibbs pauses for a second and then continues, "Are you aware of Alqueda activity here in the States?"

"Nothing currently pertinent." Morrow replied, slightly clearing his throat.

Gibbs senses that Morrow is stonewalling and it is making him uncomfortably suspicious. He decides to probe with one more question.

"Do these numbers mean anything to you?"

Gibbs pulls out a piece of paper and reads, "034674 dash 19328047."

"No…" Morrow pauses, gaining his composure, "…what are they Agent Gibbs?"

"That's what we're trying to find out."

"Keep me updated." Morrow promptly replies as the plasma cuts to the snow channel.

There was an eerie silence, but Kate and Tony instantly followed Gibb's lead as he headed towards the exit of M.T.A.C. When they got to the door to exit the M.T.A.C, Gibbs spoke up.

"What is it, Dinozzo?"

"It looks like the explosives and diamonds were used to pay high-ranking officials in the top 20 American government organizations."

Gibbs sighs and stops to face him.

"We don't know that yet."

Kate spoke up, "Let's just check out the authenticity of the numbers and get some background on the origin of the accounts. See if they're really connected."

Tony sighed, "I don't want to be right."

The Bullpen: Tuesday 1852
"There are no registered addresses to where she might live. Not even the fake name she gave to

Lt McCuthen and Lt Robertson." Tony reported as he stretched back into his chair.

Gibbs looked up from his desk, "We might need to let Antoinette Shevloski go and see where her base of operations are."

Kate got up from behind her desk and lent on the front, "Maybe the answers are on her computer somewhere. She couldn't pull this off on her own. I hate to admit it but we could be on our own for this one."

Gibbs stood and walked to the center, "Tony, find a way to discreetly find the origin of those bank accounts. I want a full legit check and if there's any way to discredit them."

Tony looked down at the pile of papers in front of him for the hundredth time, sighing with disappointment, "I'm sorry boss but it looks legit. I even checked down to where the accounts were open and they all match where the officials opened their own accounts."

Gibbs lent over Tony's desk to eye the documents, part curiosity, part usual-Gibbs-intimidation,

"Anything odd about them…at all?"

"I was just getting to that…they were linked to their main accounts, but they were not under their names."

Suddenly from the other side of the room, two suit-men enter from the elevator.

"Agent Gibbs?" Asked one of the men in trim and tailored suits.

"Yes, and you are?"

"Special Agent Harrison and Special Agent Westwood." Said Harrison as they both held up their CIA identification badges.

"We're here with orders from Fornell to seize and take over the investigation into the Shevloski case. It's a federal matter now and director Morrow said that you'd be happy to oblige with the transfer."

Gibbs stole a glance from Tony to Kate. They knew what to do.

"Agent…Harrison…" Tony began, getting up from behind his desk and walking over to the two special agents.

"The files are down in the lockup… there's not much but it was going to be kept with the evidence as we followed up leads."

Agents Harrison and Westwood grinned in appreciation.

Kate watched as Tony lead the Agents over and into the lift and as soon as they had disappeared she went over to Gibb's desk.

"There's nothing down in lock-up…" She said quickly, with her voice lowered for precaution.

"They don't know that!" Gibbs discreetly replied.

He looked over to the lift again and then replied, "Collect all the information you have and meet me in the parking lot in 5 minutes. I don't know how long Tony can procrastinate for this CIA drones."

"Sure. But I wouldn't underestimate Tony…!" Kate quickly replied before running back to her desk and hurriedly collected all the pieces of information they had collected like the actual evidence that hadn't been put in the lock-up.

NCIS ISSUE SEDAN: Tuesday 1904
Gibbs, in his usual speedy-car-driving-madness, sped out of the NCIS parking. Both said nothing, allowing the new and dangerous issues to circle in their minds, before Gibbs got things into motion.

"We've got the track down their head, track him back through their money trail." He began, looking over to Kate to begin the tactical discussion.

"How are we going to do that?"

"We have to assume that everyone is compromised. We could have let director Morrow in on too much already."

They both uncomfortably mused over the possibility of their own organization being part of the terrorist network.

Suddenly a grim thought crossed Kate's mind, "I hate to say it but we could use Ari against them. Feed misleading information through him to the CIA…and onto the others."

However Gibbs quickly pointed, "He's their mole…he could be in on it too."

Gibbs then turned his head back to the road. He continued, obviously discomforted, "We can't trust anyone."

They traveled a couple more kilometers before something else struck Gibbs.

Gibbs turned his attention from the road for a second and veered off sharply and stopped with skidding brakes. As the dust whirled past their side windows, Gibbs turned to Kate; "I don't want you around when this goes down. It's going to be very dangerous."

"There's nothing to worry about. We'll just have to do things…discreetly. So we don't alert anyone or raise suspicions."

"I guess that means Tony's out!" Joked Kate, crossing her arms across her chest before continuing, "We'll have to set-up somewhere out of the office."

"Well, my place is as good as any and besides it's a good starting point. I've got to make a few calls."

Kate smiled at his suggestion; an unspoken agreement had formed between them. She turned back and relaxed back into her seat.

Gibb's House: Tuesday 1941
They settled quickly into their 'base of operations…aka Gibb's basement.

Gibbs stood against the hull of his boat with his coffee mug in one hand and a stern aggression, only soothed by one person in particular.

"You know Gibbs, I thinks it's a good plan to let Antoinette Shevloski go."

"Why'd you say that?"

"She hasn't said a word and has stonewalled everyone. In reality we have nothing to hold her on…Like Tony said, we'd find out more if we could get her computer or personal belongings."

Gibbs didn't immediately reply, he just kept his gaze set on Kate as she sipped on her coffee. She noticed quickly, something in the coffee was keeping her alert. She pushed off from his workbench and went over to the side of the boat and lent on an adjacent hull strip.

"What?"

The conversation was suddenly thrown off track.

"Thinking…"

"…'bout what?" Kate took another sip.

"You."

"I didn't think you'd resort to these measures, Agent Gibbs." Teased Kate.

"What?" Gibbs asked, his face the picture of innocence.

Kate gestured to her drink. "Is this how you always treat a girl?"

Gibbs, using his favourite intimidation technique, leaned towards her, " Never, Caitlin," he paused for effect. "It's usually the other way round!"

Kate burst out laughing.

They locked eyes for a short moment before each realising the lack of air between them was becoming…humid.

At that moment…Gibbs mobile phone starts ringing.

He flips the phone up in a slight agitated annoyance, "Yea!" Barked Gibbs.

INTERCUT WITH NCIS HQ: The Bullpen

"Ugghh… hi boss." Tony spoke, unaware of his interruption timing, "Those two CIA coats were pretty peeved when they left, had them for almost an hour before the tall one started catching on…I think it's a new record boss…

Gibb's House:

"Dinozzo!"

NCIS HQ: The Bullpen

"Right, Boss…where are you guys?"

Gibb's House:

Gibbs glances back at Kate before pinching the top of his nose, "We're at my place. See you in 15."

NCIS HQ: The Bullpen

(Disconnection Dial Tone) "…Bye!" Tony slams down the receiver, flicking his over worked desk light and heads towards the elevator.

Tony arrived 16 minutes later and the two could hear him approach by the bounce and skid down the plank-like steps.

"You're late." A voice came from the other end of the basement.

"What can you do?" Tony shrugged coming around to the other side of the boat with Kate and Gibbs were 'sitting'.

"So…" Tony began, noticeably eying the position the other two were in, "What plan have you two come up with?"

"We want to use…Ari as part of the investigation into the other connections Antoinette Shevloski has here…We just need more independent information on her."

"Well, she's coming on her 24 hour custody period, we could release her early and 'say' there was lack of evidence…" Tony began.

"…and her next step logical would to discreetly contact her operations leader. That's the guy we want!" Kate added.

"Call it in Dinozzo. Let's get going." Gibbs confirmed and briskly tackled the plank-like steps…two at a time!

Tbc…

A/N: i finished this chapter on monday before the ep aired... so this is my after ep rant: SOME LUVLY PERSON SENT ME AN EMAIL WITH THE SUBJECT HEADING: '----s death'... so now i know... thanx sssoooo much...:(... So as you can see im NOT going to spoiler it for everyone else... (cries)...(hands 'round box of tissues)... im going to have to make a tribute vid...WATCH THIS SPACE!... so many emotions... i don't think i can write anymore..now that it's post-"Twilight"... sorri.. i might have to take a break for a while...:(... xxx claire