Chapter 16

Gibbs drove at speeds that would have had most racing car drivers holding on for dear life, his mind was on Ari and not on the road and it was obvious. He kept running over Ari's actions of the last few days and knew something was wrong. His gut told him andso did his mind, but the question was what was it?

He played over what he knew for a fact. Ari had contacted him to warn him that his life was in danger. He had also hinted that his own was too. What did that mean? Were they onto him? Had they figured out he was a double agent? Was it the undercover FBI agent?

Gibbs banged the wheel in frustration, all he had was questions but he had no answers, and it was the answers he needed. He turned his mind back to what Abby had said, that Ari had told her she was his. Who did Ari mean? the FBI agent or Abby? Damn it, more questions still no answers.

He took a deep breath and tried to focus. Ari was mosad, yet for all intent purposes he was a rogue agent, no one had control over him. He had been sent out to infiltrate Al Queda and after that he was on his own. Ari had no remorse, he used anyone he saw fit in order to carry out his mission, and if someone died so be it. People were tools to be used in the war he fought.

Gibbs swore loudly and with a viciousness that would have had his first gunnery sergeant blushing. His gut told him he was right even as he slammed on the breaks and spun the wheel hard at the same time. The car screeched with rubber burning as the car turned 180 degrees, almost on its axis. Horns honked as other cars had to swerve and break to avoid Gibbs's car. He saw none of it. All he saw was Abby alone in the house.

Gibbs had his answers, and they weren't the ones he wanted. But he was sure he was right. Abby was Ari's next target. The game of cat and mouse was coming to an end and so far Ari was in the lead, and as far as Gibbs could tell Ari intended to make sure it stayed that way. One agent down, Abby was next. Only both Gibbs and Ari knew that Abby was different. Gibbs realised that whilst Ari was carrying out his mission he also had a more personal plan. One that would cost Gibbs everything if Ari won.

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Liz sat silently in her apartment, her mind turning over the events of the last few days. Something didn't feel right but she just couldn't put her finger on it. She tried to still her mind, to forget about work for awhile and just enjoy her evening. She knew she was exhausted and needed to get some sleep but she seemed unable to switch off at the moment. She sighed, if she knew Gibbs he would be at work bright and early and hounding them all like the devil. She grinned to herself. Perhaps he was the devil she thought with a grin, her tired mind picturing him with horns, tail and a pitch fork.

No the devils of this world were men like Ari she thought angrily, reaching over for the as yet untouched glass of wine she had poured earlier. Her hand paused in mid action. Something had been bothering her all day and his name had sent silent alarm bells ringing through her system. She pulled back from the wine and reached for the phone beside the sofa.

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Ari pulled the unconscious Abby out from under the boat, and carried her up the stairs. He lay her down gently on the sofa in the den and then stood watching her for a moment. A large bruise was already forming on the side of her head. He tenderly brushed the hair away from it, his fingers carefully tracing the mark before he snatched his hand away as if her skin had burnt him.

"Such a pity to mar such a striking face" he said softly to the unconscious Abby "But so be it" he finished, his tone harder as he spun away and headed to the bathroom. He returned moments later with a bottle of antiseptic and a bandage. Quickly and efficiently he cleaned and covered the wound in her arm, his medical training allowing him to assess the wound as only a minor. He knew she would need stitches but it wasn't fatal. He tried to crush the relief that flooded through him. She was a means to an end and that was all he tried to tell himself. But the voice that Gibbs had released argued that she was a victim, that she was an innocent in all of this.

"There are no innocents" he ground out to the room at large, his eyes glittering with anger and bitterness at himself, at Gibbs and at the world that had created him, needed him and yet hated him.

He threw the antiseptic aside before carrying Abby over to the desk chair in the corner. He placed her on it, holding her in place while he used the rest of the bandage to tie her to the back of the chair, careful to make sure he put no pressure on the gun shot wound. Once he was satisfied she was secure he wheeled the chair into the middle of the room, so that she was clearly visible from the front door, but didn't block his access.

He looked around satisfied that all was ready. He lowered his tired and aching body onto the sofa that moments ago had held Abby. Then he sat back and waited for Gibbs.