Chapter 2

"Are you not listening to a word we're telling you?!" NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs asked the man on the view screen in front of them. It was very rare for Gibbs to show true anger, especially in front of a superior but this was one of those times. An hour earlier Clark Kent had shown up at NCIS and Gibbs had immediately known that something was wrong with his young friend. Even if he hadn't seen Clark steal a quick look at Ziva's desk he would've known; for one Clark didn't say a word to DiNozzo or McGee and he didn't bother to ask any of them how Abby and Ducky were. However, the most tell tale sign was the haunted look in the young man's eyes. It was a look that Gibbs had seen on his own face after Shannon and Kelly died, and it was the look he had seen in the eyes of dozens of family members during his time in the Marines, when he was forced to tell them that they wouldn't be seeing their brother, son, nephew or husband ever again because they had been killed in Kuwait. Wordlessly Clark had followed him into the elevator/conference room, and only said three words.

"Ziva's been shot."

It had taken several minutes but Clark had told Gibbs everything. After Clark was done Gibbs had put a hand on his shoulder, trying to tell the Last Son of Krypton that it wasn't his fault. It was finding the bastard responsible for shooting the young woman that Gibbs thought of as his daughter that was proving to be difficult.

"I understand Agent Gibbs, but my orders stand. NCIS cannot allocate resources just because one agent was injured while she was not on duty."

"That is such bullshit."

"Watch your tone Agent Gibbs." The Secretary of the Navy cautioned, but his warning fell on deaf ears. Gibbs was well and truly pissed, and he knew when he was being fed a line of crap. Well he wasn't going to take it, not while Ziva was fighting for her life.

"All due respect Mr. Secretary, shut up. One of my agent's has been shot, and if you think for one minute that I am going to stand by and do nothing, then you don't know me very well."

"Agent Gibbs, this is your one and only warning. Back off or I will see you arrested for treason."

"Those charges would never hold up."

"No, but the evidence of espionage on the part of Agent McGee and Abby Shuto might. Think about it before you decide to ruin their lives."

With that he ended the video call.

"I don't like this." Clark said, and Gibbs nodded in agreement.

"Something's going on, and I have a feeling there's more to it than just a plot against you."

"Yeah, and I think it's time I started finding answers." He said, heading toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Like I said, to get answers."

The White House 2230 Hours

"Is there a reason you felt the need to knock out my guards?" President Mike Novick asked as Clark walked into his office.

"I didn't want to be disturbed when I asked you a few questions. Like why NCIS is being stonewalled by the Secretary of the Navy?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Clark." The President replied.

"The next words out of your mouth had better be an explanation as to why NCIS is being prevented from hunting Ziva David's shooter or I start taking a page from Jack's book." Clark replied as he stepped closer to the man. Novick visibly shivered at Clark's words, well aware of how Jack Bauer operated. However before the President could reply Clark's phone rang.

"Yes?"

"Clark it's Chloe. Kate called and told me what happened."

"Yeah, now's not a good time to ask for details Chloe, I'm in the middle of something." Clark told his friend, looking back to Novick.

"It's not that. I pulled your phone records and managed to filter through the static. You're not going to believe this."

"Cut to the chase Chloe. What did you find?"

"I couldn't I.D. the voice but I managed to pick up some voices in the background. One of them belonged to Renee Walker."