Time heals all wounds

Chapter 19th

"To tell you the truth Cyril I wasn't prepared to see Kelly tonight after I was told by Marcie that she and Shannon are still alive. She was working on a story in Orlando,
Florida when she was interviewing Kelly getting the entire story about what exactly happened." he said with taking a deep breath through the air mask and a grimace of pain."

"Try and take it slow telling me the story Jethro," he said watching the computer screen up above.

"When I was at the base. Shannon called the Witness Protection Program telling them that they needed protection after a source called her saying that Pedro Hernandez was going to take the both of them out. They only had an hour before being flown out by a helicopter and the country to Calbre, Italy and a compound for 24 years." he says with another relaxing deep breath.

"And the last ten years Jethro?" Taft was curious about asking the question.

"They were released from the Witness Protection Program to start a new life with different last names. Kelly married Colonel James Hawkins of the WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM in Florida, While Shannon married Alex Anderson CEO/DESIGNER of the Drone company for the Navy. She is here to see three of the doctors involved in the Cell Regeneration program. She is supposed to come to see me when done speaking. Even though with my setback might stop that for now."

"So that woman here was Kelly and her husband?" Doctor Taft responded by getting up from the chair to continue listening to his friend.

"Yes. And very beautiful I might add having to be 42 years old Doc. I still don't believe it after all of the pain and suffering I went through over the years." he said.

"Any children?" he asks.

"Two boys aged 9 and 8 years old staying with the nanny in Orlando, Florida. So I am a grandfather!"

"Being a grandfather will suit you, Leroy Jethro Gibbs," Taft said to have his chuckling slightly before choking a little.

Doctor Taft walked over to his side to check his air mask making sure that he was getting enough oxygen. "Damn! Someone had been playing with this nozzle. We need to move you out of here into a secure area before the Cartel kills you for sure?" he said with moving on over to the intercom to report it to security and the nurses' station.

"Who on this staff would want to do this to me?" Gibbs cried out as he had to wait for a few moments before everyone came in to make the change.

"Don't have a clue, Jethro. But I need to move you out of this room to a secured area with only those I can trust to do the job of making sure that you stay safe," he said.

GIBBS cabin

It was time for Lt. Brown to take over outside for guard duty. While McGee and Torres went inside to their sleeping bags while the fireplace was being attended to by Marcie unable to sleep. While Lucy was chowing down on a piece of steak that she was cooking and smelling delicious.

"Gentlemen, you like steak with a baked potato?' she asks with flipping over hers to be almost done.

"Sure enough." in unison.

"Great! I will start working on those steaks. Any word on Jethro at the hospital?" she asks with her phone having been turned off while she tried to sleep.

"Nothing at this point Marcie." Special Agent McGee said by looking at the snoring McGee in the corner of the small cot of the cabin.

"Why don't you try to contact Doctor Cyril Taft?" Marcie moved on over to place her steak onto the medium steak on the hot plate for now while she grabs the others.

Special Agent Nicholas Torres pulled up Gibbs number to go directly for the answer. Since it was going to voicemail for some reason. "He's not picking up Marcie?" Nick said to have everyone worried for the moment.

"It could be anything gang?" Lt. Brown to say something since he wasn't able to guard with the racket of them talking. "Nick try again in a few minutes before calling Doctor Taft."

"Sure enough McGee," Nick said with smelling his steak.

Meanwhile, they heard a noise outside grabbing the lanterns and their weapons. When it turned out to be a small deer not worth shooting. Only Lt. Brown stayed outside to continue on with his guarding. Taking in a deep breath all of a sudden he heard gunfire coming from the back of the cabin not too far away.

Both Nick and McGee came out leaving Nick to stay and continued watching Marcie inside. Using the special goggles to see in the dark instead of the lanterns to give their position away.

Marcie continued on with the cooking of the steaks, while Lucy stayed out of sight. She had her rifle standing next to her ready to fire.

McGee and Lt. Brown slowly moved up to where the gunfire erupted. There was a campfire of three cooking some type of rabbit not realizing that Gibbs cabin wasn't too far away.

One of the men in his late forties saw the two come up to them with rifles. "Hold it right there gentlemen we are here to help with the protection detail. We're from the D.O.D., I will show you our I.D.'S." he said with pulling out his badge and I.D. to be Dennis lowry and his two partners of the undercover department.

There was a woman on the team named Michelle Anderson relative of Senator William Anderson under investigation for taking bribes with having to be involved with the local Cartel. "Is anybody watching the Washington Post writer Marcie Warren?" she asked in a serious tone.

"Yeah. Special Agent Nicolas Torres is there right now. What was the shooting about?" McGee asks with having to be cautious with the question.