As Kitty turned from the main road into the neighbourhood where Liz lived she saw the house explode five blocks away. Her mind's eye flew to her friend to make sure she was still alive. She saw her huddling in a neighbour's living room with her two brothers. She satisfied herself with the knowledge that her friend was safe and she inspected the houses to either side of the explosion and the one across the alley.
The two side houses were empty and the house across the back was not touched. It had been a small blast, just enough to take out the Ardone house.
She pulled up before the wreckage and McGee pulled in behind her. Gibbs parked on the opposite side of the street.
She ran to the neighbour's door and pounded until it opened. Liz stood there looking at Kitty with tear stained eyes. The two girls embraced each other for a long moment.
"Liz, I'm sending you and your family to the NCIS head-quarters, you'll be safe there. Did you phone your parents?" Liz nodded. "When they get here get in the car, turn around and head to this address. Abby Scuito will meet you out front. Understand?" Liz nodded violently and hugged her friend tightly.
Another car pulled up behind them. "They're here, Liz. Take care, alright?"
"Yup." Liz wiped her eyes. "Isaiah, Brent, Mom and dad are here. Thank you, Kit. You be careful too."
"Always." She watched her friend board her family's Toyota Echo and leave the street.
From the passenger seat Mrs Ardone mouth a shaky Thank you. Kitty smiled in response.
She walked over to the demolished house and stood next to DiNozzo. "Where's Tim?" she asked.
"He ran around back to check out the damage at the back of the house." Gibbs and Ziva came over to join them. Gibbs jogged agilely right to Kitty.
"Did you get the kids to go to NCIS?"
"Yeah, they just left."
"Call her and tell her to check her wallet for the photo…"
"It was in the blast. She never carries it with her."
"Can you find whatever's left of it?"
"I think so."
Kitty imagined Liz's drivers permit to narrow down the search. She found the card in the charred wallet. She expanded her field of view and found it in the alleyway next to a crate. She ran around back and picked up the wallet right where she'd seen it. She opened the burnt denim wallet and looked at the pictures. Most of the ink had melted and run into a tie-die-esque pattern.
"Gibbs! We're gonna need Abby to help us sort this out…"
She looked next to her to see her boss approaching.
She looked down at the melted photo and noticed the colouring of the picture.
"This isn't the same photo as before." She stated flipping it over.
He's next
She turned it over again and examined the bottom edge which hadn't been melted. The orange date suggested the photo had been printed hastily from a digital picture taken by a rushed amature.
"Gibbs, I'm gonna take this back to Abby… I can't tell who this is…" she looked at the bottom left corner and gasped in sudden realization. She saw an NCIS badge and a white phone sticking out of a trouser pocket.
"It's Tim." She whispered, her voice completely taken over by fear and worry.
"Find him! DiNozzo…" Gibbs started barking out orders.
Kitty's mind was too frazzled with fear that she could lose one of the people she had come to love most in the world to form a clear picture. Her mind was cut off from trying by the ringing of her phone.
She looked down at the Caller ID. Abby.
"Abbs… What..?"
"Her name is Catrianna Wilson. Do you know her?"
"Yes, she and Spencer were in my art class last semester. They were best friends. Thank Abbs. Call Gibbs, he'll fill you in."
Kitty hung up and ran to her bike at full speed.
"Kitty, what are ya..?" Gibbs shouted as she dashed past.
"Abby will fill you in. Get her to give you my GPS." Kitty hollered over the determined roar of her Ducati. "I'm finding Tim."
She drove off at top speed down the street.