Chapter 8

After Ziva mentioned that her half-brother Ari is still alive, an alarm starts blaring inside the NCIS building. It was a particular alarm that indicates a bomb threat. As the team begins to grab their stuff in order to evacuate the building, Gibbs receives a phone-call. He answers the phone. After a minute he puts the phone down.

"Everyone put your stuff down. We're not going anywhere people." Gibbs stated.

The entire team; Tony, Ziva, McGee, Ducky and Abby all look at Gibbs. The team huddles around Gibbs as he looks toward the elevator. The elevator door finally opens. Jamie and Ari step off the elevator and walk over into the work area. All the team is standing near Gibbs' desk, while Jamie and Ari are standing in front of Ziva's desk. Both Ari and Jamie are wearing his special bomb vests. With her right arm, Jamie is holding up a third bomb vest. The team notices the wires that run from Ari's vest and attach to the other two vests. They see Ari is holding a radio transmitter in his right hand and the little red light is on. In his left hand, there's a grenade with the pin already pulled so he's just holding the trigger switch down so it doesn't explode. There's also duct tape over Jamie's mouth so she can't talk.

"Shalom… It's so good to see you again Gibbs. It's a good thing the guard downstairs called you to tell you I was coming up cuz…"

"Cut the crap Ari! Jamie has nothing to do with this. This is between you and me."

"No need to be rude Gibbs. Besides, we have plenty of time." Ari stated. "You're not interested in how I'm still alive?"

"Not really."

"That's a shame Gibbs. I thought we were friends."

"Why don't you be a good friend by letting Jamie go?"

"Well… Not that good of friends Gibbs. So I think I'll just hang onto her for a little while longer."

"What do you want Ari?"

"You."

"Now don't I feel special…"

"You know Gibbs, when Jamie and Tony were sitting by the Tidal Basin a couple weeks ago, I could've taken her out with my sniper rifle at the time." Ari looks over at Tony. "Don't look so surprised Tony. Well… You probably should…" He said. "You know, Tony, when you gave her that violin, I seriously wanted to vomit. Then I seriously wanted to just put a bullet through her head cuz the lovely dovey bullshit was just making me sick."

"Why don't you take that bomb off and we'll see how sick I can really make you." Tony stated.

"Nah, don't think so."

"Figures… You chickenshit!"

Ari looks back in Gibbs' direction.

"Gibbs, keep your boy in check cuz I don't particularly like his attitude."

"Tony…"

"Fine." Tony said.

"You may not want to listen to me Gibbs, but you will. Cuz you have no choice since I'm the one in control here."

"You're the one who sent me the pictures of Tony and Jamie together, correct?"

"Yes, that was me. And I do hope my present was helpful." Ari looks toward Tony again. "The present must have been. I'm guessing Gibbs broke your three fingers."

"So what is it that you want to say Ari?" Gibbs asked.

Ari looks toward Gibbs again.

"If I wanted to, I could blowup this entire room. But I'm not. I came here for one reason."

"And what reason is that?"

"Revenge… You see Gibbs… You killed my twin brother, Ira."

"I thought he was you."

"After you shot me in the shoulder, I considered us to be even. That whole thing with Caitlyn being killed… That wasn't me. And I do apologize for the actions of my brother. I liked Caitlyn and would've never killed her. But for some reason, Ira was never really… How can I say it… He had a few screws loose. With my brother dead… Life just has no meaning for me anymore."

"You don't seem to be too far off with the few screws loose."

"Yes I'm here with a bomb vest, but it's not quite what you think Gibbs."

"How so?"

"You see… I don't intend to kill all of you. I'm not a monster."

"Could've fooled me."

"I only intend to kill three people here, including myself."

"Well… You definitely want me cuz of the whole revenge thing. But Jamie has nothing to do with this, so why not just take me. Either way you'll have your revenge."

"If I just take you, then why did I waste the time making three bomb vests? It would be a complete waste of a brilliant device. So I'd have to decline the offer of only taking you."

"Ari!" Ziva exclaimed as she steps forward. "This has gone on long enough. If you want revenge on anyone it should be me."

"And why is that dear sister?"

"I killed Ira."

"Ha! Don't try to be a hero Ziva. You can't save…"

"I'm not trying to save anybody here… Have I ever lied to you?"

"Actually, no you haven't. Especially for the fact that I know you're not telling the truth. I can tell if you're lying."

"Then look at me and tell me I'm not telling you the truth."

Ari looks at Ziva.

"I'm the one who killed Ira, not Gibbs. It was me. I acted in order to save Gibbs. And if it was actually you, I would've still pulled the trigger. Cuz if I had my gun pointing at you right now, I'd take you down."

Ari now looks at Gibbs.

"What do you know, Gibbs… She's telling the truth. Which means this whole time I've been mistaken. At least the truth finally comes out." Ari stated. "Ziva, it appears Jamie's arm is getting tired from holding the third bomb vest. So why don't you come over here, take it from her and very carefully, put it on. And do remember to watch the wires… You don't want all of us to accidentally go, boom."

Ziva steps forward. She takes the bomb vest from Jamie's arm. Slowly, and very carefully she puts the fest on with extreme caution in order to not have the wires detach. After Ziva getting the bomb vest onto herself, Ari looks at the team.

"Since I have three vests and I was mistaken about who actually killed my brother… I'm gonna give any one of you the opportunity to take Jamie's place."

"I'll do it." Tony said quickly, before Gibbs could even open his mouth. "I'll do it… I'll take her place."

"Ah, the faithful boyfriend… You just saved her life." Ari said. "Jamie… I want you to take the vest off. Do it slowly and very carefully. Then just hold it up, until the transfer, so it doesn't drop." Ari looks at Tony while Jamie doing what he said. "Tony… Once she has the vest off and she's holding it up, I want you to walk over here, take the vest from her hands and then put it on…"

"Slowly and carefully… I got it."

"At least we're all on the same page here."

Jamie finally slips the vest off and holds it up. Tony walks over and takes the vest from her. Tony and Jamie look each other in the eyes.

"Yeah, yeah… You two love each other…" Ari is sickened. "Jamie back up!"

"Jamie, come here." Gibbs said.

Jamie walks backward toward her father. Tony and Jamie keep their eye-stare. Jamie finally backs up far enough so that Gibbs was able to put his arm around her in order to hold her from possibly trying something she shouldn't. He holds her tightly against his chest. Gibbs pulls the duct tape from her mouth.

"Tony! Put the vest on! We don't have all day!"

Tony begins to put the bomb vest on. After two minutes, the bomb vest is on Tony.

"Well… It looks like we're ready. Guess I don't need this anymore." Ari tosses the grenade toward the left, where a hallway is. The grenade explodes in the empty hallway. "Ziva… Tony… Let's go to the elevator now."

The team watches as Ari, Ziva and Tony walk to the elevator. The three of them step onto the elevator and the door finally closes. Jamie steps away from her father. She turns around, looks at him with her eyes in tears.

"Daddy! Do something!"

Gibbs thinks for a second.

"He brought you by boat, right?"

"He has a Zodiac. We came from the river."

Gibbs looks toward Abby.

"He plans on taking them into the river to die… Abs, I need you to go to the storage locker. Get me two sniper rifles. I need an M82 50 caliber sniper rifle…"

"And the second?"

"For the second… Bring me a Kate. Get both rifles then meet me on the roof."

"On it." Abby runs in order to get to the storage locker.

Jamie grabs her father. They look at each other.

"What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna give them a chance."

Gibbs kisses Jamie on the forehead. He then walks away. Ducky walks over to Jamie and embraces her into his arms as she cries.