Chapter 20
Liz held on for dear life, as Gibbs drove at speeds that would rival any formula 1 driver at silverstone. Liz leant forward slightly and tapped Tony on the shoulder,
"Will we live?" she asked with a grin.
"Yeah, if we behave like good children and say our prayers, we just might." Tony replied with a grin back, Liz laughed and sat back in the seat not really having a choice, as Gibbs took a corner forcing the g's to increase and pushing everyone back into their seats
"Holding on helps" McGee said his face pale, but his expression game.
"Getting information on the house would guarantee you don't all end up with a bullet hole in you," Gibbs growled at them.
"I don't think Ari will be able to shoot us all Boss" Tony said, looking over at Gibbs with a small smile.
"Wasn't talking about Ari" Gibbs snarled at him "get me a damn layout" he demanded, shooting Tony an angry look. Then turning and glaring at Liz who had been liasing with the realtor for a floor plan of the house.
"Turn around Gibbs and drive the damn car!" Liz all but shouted at Gibbs, as horns blared and cars sped past them.
"She's emailing it over now" Liz said slightly calmer as Gibbs turned back to the road
"I'm just opening it now Boss" McGee said, looking up from the laptop open on his knees, as an image appeared on the screen.
Liz, McGee and Tony spent the rest of the journey pouring over the floor plan and description of the area from the realtor, and the topography maps they had brought with them. Gibbs listened for the most part in silence, speaking only to bark orders or clarify the situation.
As they neared the house the tension in the car rose to an almost unbearable level, finally though they arrived at their destination, just a half mile from the private driveway to the house.
"Tony; you and McGee go up the drive, keep to the tree line and watch for wires," Gibbs said as they piled out of the car
"Liz with me, we take to the woods and go round back" he told her, having chosen her to take the harder route because she was still a serving soldier in the British army, and as such would be better equipped than Tony and McGee for recon work such as this.
"Maintain radio silence until your in position" Gibbs said handing out the radio units that would allow them to remain in contact with each other.
Once everyone was ready they set off on their pre-determined routes. The aim at present to scout out the area, check for Ari, Abby and anyone else that was involved.
Gibbs watched Tony and McGee go and then beckoned for Liz to follow him into the woods; pleased that instead of a verbal answer Liz just nodded and headed off, her eyes alert and body tense, ready for anything.
As they approached the building Liz and Gibbs used hand signals to communicate, both falling back on their training and expertise. Tony and McGee stayed within sight of each other, pausing in the tree line to use the binoculars they had brought with them to try and see into the building.
"Report" Tony heard Gibbs demand, recognising that as the signal that he and Liz were in place and Tony should report what he had found out. Tony crouched, maintaining a watch on the house as he whispered into the mike attached to his ear piece.
"Nothing boss, no car and no sign of activity, but we do have motorbike and what look like truck tracks leading to and from the house."
"Copy, no vehicle here, no signs of activity" he heard Gibbs respond
"Everyone in place?" Gibbs asked them all; when he had received an affirmative from everyone he nodded at Liz, who cocked her weapon
"On three" Gibbs warned before counting down slowly, giving everyone time to prepare themselves. On three, the four of them stormed the building; Liz and Gibbs tacking the back exit; Tony and McGee the front, they all worked silently and quickly, all of them clear in their actions, each pair working together.
Tony kicked in the front door and McGee provided cover as the door swung open, crossing into the hallway as Tony provided cover. They paused to check rooms and doorways as they went, each following the same pattern, calling them clear as they past them. At the rear of the house Gibbs and Liz followed a similar plan. However Gibbs only made it as far as the kitchen off the back hall before the first gun shot rang out, splintering the wood to the left of his head. Gibbs ducked down so that Liz could have a clear shot from behind him, both firing at the same time, the shooter going down with blood splattering from the bullet wounds.
"One down in the back hallway, at least one still inside" Gibbs said quietly so that Tony and McGee were kept up to date
"Clear front, heading upstairs" Tony responded.
Gibbs motioned for Liz to take position ready for them to storm the kitchen, and Liz nodded to Gibbs when she was ready. They worked together as if they had done this a thousand times before, each anticipating the others moves, each one providing cover, in the hail of bullets that met them. Soon though the two other occupants of the room were lying on the floor with bullet wounds in them, and cuffs on their hands as a precaution
"Kitchen secured" Gibbs said "three apprehended"
"Upstairs clear" Tony responded, followed by the sound of his footsteps running down the stairs and preceding him into the kitchen "No sign of Abby boss, but there's enough explosives up there to blow one hell of a hole in the world" he continued as he surveyed the three terrorists sitting on the floor, one looking seriously wounded.
"Damn it" Gibbs muttered, his eyes murderous as he stared at the men before crossing over to the one who appeared to be the youngest and most nervous
Gibbs crouched in front of him, his eyes cold and hard as he stared at him
"Where is she?" Gibbs demanded his voice barely above a whisper, his tone all the more deadly for its softness. The terrorist smirked but didn't reply; Gibbs didn't move a muscle as he repeated the question. This time though the terrorist laughed as he replied
"Not here" he said, his eyes defiant and militant
"I can see that" Gibbs said calmly as he shifted his stance slightly "Where is she?" he asked once again, this time though his hand reached out slowly and calmly towards the bullet wound in the terrorists shoulder. The mans eyes watched as Gibbs' hand got closer, his eyes getting wider and losing some of the defiance in them
"Last chance" Gibbs warned, his hand hovering over the wound
"You wouldn't, Americans are week and foolish, you will follow your rules" The terrorist responded, his voice lacking the conviction of his words
Gibbs just smiled as his knuckles suddenly pressed into the wound, twisting them slightly to bring more pressure and pain onto it.
"GIBBS" Tony shouted, pulling Gibbs' arm back, trying to make him stop, Gibbs turned and glared at him, watching as Liz took hold of Tony and pulled him out of the room. Tony struggled, not believing what he was seeing, McGee just stood quietly in the room, his face pale.
"That's just the start" Gibbs warned, his face coming closer "the rule book got ripped up when you took one of mine" Gibbs warned his tone deadly and calm, as his hand reached out once again towards the wound. The terrorist watched wide eyed and afraid, suddenly the terrorist next to him started screaming in his own language, but the one facing Gibbs just shook his head, his eyes never leaving Gibbs.
"She escaped, jumped out of the truck" he babbled, his eyes flicking from Gibbs to the obvious leader of the group, "She escaped" he repeated as Gibbs's hand didn't move away.
"Escaped" he babbled almost crying in fear.
Gibbs sat back on his heels and stared at him for a moment, judging the truth of his words before standing up and crossing to McGee
"Call Farnell, tell him to come and get these bags of shit" he told him, his eyes searching McGee's face to make sure he was ok
"What about paramedics?" McGee asked nervously
"Yeah them to" Gibbs said turning back to look at the three wounded men for a moment. As Liz walked back into the room she nodded her head at Gibbs, and then crossed to stand guard over the prisoners. Gibbs paused a moment to make sure everything was secure and then he crossed the room and left in search of Tony.