A/N: This is just a short one I am afraid. I have bronchitis at the moment and I am finding it hard to cough, type and breathe all at the same time!
But I warn you the next one will be the showdown!
Chapter 17
Liz hung up the phone, her brow furrowed in worry. She sat back on the sofa for a moment, her inner voice telling her there were plenty of reasons Gibbs and Abby hadn't answered. Perhaps they were asleep or otherwise engaged. She shook her head slowly. Gibbs was not the sort of person to leave a phone ringing, not with everything that was going on at the moment. Her hand reached for the phone again and punched in another number. She waited impatiently until it was answered.
"DiNozzo" she heard him grumble sleepily.
"Get dressed, I'll be there in ten minutes" She told him without telling him who it was.
"Why Liz?" Tony demanded back, his tone alert. She could picture him suddenly standing straighter, his eyes wide and alert.
"Cos my gut says there's a problem" she answered him truthfully.
"If you're wrong it won't be your gut with a problem" Tony grumbled before hanging up the phone. Liz couldn't help smiling at that. As if she was afraid of Tony, she thought ruefully before springing into action and getting the things she needed.
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Abby became aware of the pain first, then the ringing of the phone. She groggily lifted her head and peered around her.
"What?" she asked in confusion unable to move her arms as the phone stopped in mid ring, the sudden silence jarring. With the silence it all came flooding back to her.
"You total piece of shit" she snarled at Ari, her eyes finding him on the sofa. "You are so dead" she informed him her face and eyes glaring at him with hatred and loathing.
"Gibbs has tried many times to kill me and has failed so far" Ari said quietly, not bothering to look at Abby.
"Who the hell mentioned Gibbs?" Abby snarled back.
Ari turned to look at Abby at that, his eyes inscrutable, a feint smile tugging at the corners of his lips
"No one" he said softly, his eyes penetrating her soul. He slowly nodded at her.
"I believe you would indeed try to kill me" he murmured softly, "The Germans in World War II had a policy of shooting the women first" he told her as he slowly stood and crossed over to stand behind her. "I believe they were right" he whispered into Abby's ear.
"Me too" she spat back at him "Except you need me alive" she told him, trying to turn and look at him, ignoring the pain the movement caused in her head and arm.
"Correct" he answered as he returned to his position on the sofa. "But only for now" he finished, turning to look at her once again.
Abby shivered slightly but refused to look away. She matched him stare for stare, his cold and unreadable hers angry and defiant.
Ari smiled softly before turning to look at the doorway once more.
"I believe Gibbs is home" he said quietly more to himself than to Abby. He turned once more to look at her, a cruel smile on his face.
"It has been a pleasure" he said as once more he stood and crossed to stand behind Abby. This time though it wasn't his voice she heard in her ear but the click of a gun.
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