To answer any questions, there are going to be at least two more books in this series. I'm also planning on a songfic collection related to this. The Night's Agents: In Walks the Night (the songfic collection) is already up.


Chapter Sixteen

He was treated to the almighty Gibbs-slap. "Shut up, DiNozzo."

"Yes, Boss," Tony replied, chastised.

Still, Gibbs hauled the black-haired Shifter to his feet and slapped handcuffs on his wrists. "You're under arrest."

"Hey, spare me the rap, okay? I've already had my rights read to me by these two. And I'm ATF. I know my rights."

A slight growl came from Ziva's throat, but she silenced it at a look from both Tony and Gibbs.

"Ziva, try not to kill him," said Gibbs. "I know you're Mossad and can turn into a wolf, but unless I say otherwise, no maiming or attacking is allowed, much less killing."

"Yes, Gibbs," she said, casting her eyes over Keane's wounds. As the result of a Shifter bite, his injuries would take longer to heal than regular ones.

"Now come on. Let's take him to Interrogation."

...

Behind the screen from Observation, the entire team minus Gibbs was watching, Tony munching on popcorn. Even Abby was there, though she'd removed the fake fangs, giving Ziva some sense of relief. She just didn't trust vampires, even fake ones. It didn't help that the Goth was singing "Thriller" by Michael Jackson under her breath. Of course, it was Halloween, but still. Throwing caution into the wind, she growled and snapped, "Will you stop, Abby? You're making me crazy!"

Abby stopped singing and stared at her. "Was that a wolf's growl I heard?"

"What, you want me to bite you? Or howl at the moon?" Ziva retorted. "'Cuz I won't."

"Girls!" McGee and DiNozzo said in unison. "Shut up!"

Abby crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at the probie. Ziva glared at the senior field agent and bared her teeth at him. They were very mature that way.

Everyone's attention returned to the scene in front of them as Gibbs turned in his chair and gave them the universal WTH look. Then he resumed his interrogation. Tossing photos of the two victims on the table, he asked, "Do you know these two?"

Keane studied them before saying, "No."

"Really? 'Cause they know you." The team leader overlaid the ID photos with headshots from Autopsy and the crime scenes, eyes holding Keane's, searching for a flicker of recognition. As the Shifter's eyes landed on Petty Officer Madison's photo, he flinched slightly before regaining his cool composure. It was something the whole team noticed. Picking up on it, Gibbs said, "You're sure you don't know Petty Officer Phoebe Madison?"

The ATF Shifter fidgeted. Ziva flashed back to last night and them being followed by a motorbike. Because it was dark and the headlight had been shining on the rearview mirror, she hadn't been able to see the bike's make, model, or license plate. She had, however, been able to see the rider, but it was only a glimpse. Her photographic memory served her well now, providing build, height, skin tone, and hair color. Ziva was relatively certain that the Shifter facing her boss, her pack leader, if you will, was the person riding the motorbike. She cursed under her breath in Hebrew and exited Observation, storming into Interrogation two seconds later.

Gibbs looked over at her in surprise, clearly wondering what she was doing in here. This was a direct violation of Rule Twenty-Two, after all. Then, at a shake of her head, his face hardened and he rose from the chair he usually occupied, allowing her to sit down. Instead, she motioned for Gibbs to sit back down. He did, the look on his face saying she'd better tell him what she was playing at. Ignoring him, Ziva strode to the table and, leaning forward, slammed her hands down so she and the other Shifter were eye-to-eye. She demanded, "You were following me and my partner last night, weren't you?"

He smirked, clover-green eyes traveling up and down her frame. "Your partner, huh? What kind of partner?"

She growled reflexively and the next thing she knew, the side of his face was red where she'd slapped him.

Behind the glass, Abby's eyes widened and McGee and DiNozzo's mouths fell open in identical stunned expressions. The Goth said, "Wow. I've never seen Ziva react like that. Have you guys?"

Tim replied, "No," and Tony mutely shook his head.

Back on the other side of the mirror, Ziva met Keane's clover-colored gaze, which had hardened as he glared back at her, obviously ticked off. The Israeli Shifter said, "Here's what I think: I think you contacted your old buddy Chris Nixon—for whatever reason—and told him about our . . . condition. Then he tells our dead petty officer—or maybe you did, I don't really care—and she figures it out. So she calls him, he panics, and he has her whacked. You also told him to keep a close eye on two NCIS agents, so we've got you on . . . how many charges, Gibbs?"

He replied, "Murder, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to kidnapping federal agents, and accessory to murder."

"That second-to-last is pure speculation," Keane blustered. Too late, he realized he'd confessed and clamped his mouth shut.

"Well, that was fast," Tim commented from Observation.

Tony agreed. "For once, we have a guy who 'fesses up and takes all the fun out of it. I'm actually wishing for the people who take longer to crack."

Abby wondered, "What condition is she talking about?"

McGee shrugged and DiNozzo lied, "I have no idea."

Ziva's sensitive ears picked up snatches of their conversation, but she didn't let it on. She continued, "I also think either you or Nixon did a jailhouse tattoo on their"—she tapped a forefinger on the photos, then switched them out for shots with the tattooed arms—"forearm that, as you can see, says loup-garou. Know what that means?"

Abby made the connection. "It means 'werewolf', right?"

"Yeah," said Tony without thinking.

Keane said, "You're crazy. I didn't do that."

She flashed a dangerous smile. "So where's Nixon?"

When the male Shifter clammed up, Gibbs said, "I wouldn't bother covering for him. If I were him, I'd have ratted you out by now. Besides, we have two agents out looking for him anyway, and Officer David here would be quite happy to have an excuse to shoot you. Or have you guys fight it out. Either way, you'd either be dead or even more wounded than you are now."

Keane considered his options briefly before sighing and rattling off an address. "Can I go now?"

"Oh, yeah," the team leader said as he gathered up the case file, stood, and headed for the door. "To Gitmo. I hear it's very nice this time of year."

Ziva turned, smirked, and gave a little wave. "Pleasure doing business with you."

They left the ATF agent sitting there and met with McGee, Tony, and Abby out in the hall. As her eyes met DiNozzo's, Ziva found herself wondering if he really was meant to be her mate. Until this case was over, they'd have to put whatever their relationship was and where it was going on hold.

"What now?" McGee asked Gibbs.

The former Marine replied, "See if Kort and Volkov have found Nixon and bring him in. If not . . . Well, I don't know."

"Great," Ziva muttered.

She tensed involuntarily when she heard Meghan's voice in her mind: We can't find Nixon. It looks like he's skipped town. The auburn-haired Russian must have been in wolf form. Meghan added a not-so-very-nice word in Russian, which made Ziva smile slightly. We're gonna head back to NCIS; meet up with you guys. Did you find Keane?

Yeah. He's in custody, and I'm sure he's the Shifter you were looking for, the Mossad liaison thought back.

Good. Meghan's reply held a note of satisfaction. By the way, is Tony your mate yet?

Ziva, who had been walking alongside the others, stumbled. She would have fallen if Gibbs hadn't caught her. Um, yeah, I guess. I mean, I just found out a little while ago that it's my name on his ink. Why are you so curious, anyway?

Oh, no reason. Look, I gotta go. Meghan severed the connection and Ziva became aware of the others looking at her in concern. DiNozzo asked, "You okay, Ziva?"

She was about to reply when she heard footsteps treading down the hall behind them. The Mossad liaison turned around and bolted for the interrogation room, the startled team behind her.

A quick glance inside confirmed her fears: Ethan Keane was gone.


Darn. Just when they thought they had one of 'em, he got away. Irritating, isn't it?