Tony normally loved airports. All the different nationalities, the smells from the food court – he especially loved making up stories about the people who walked by. It was a favorite pastime for Abby and him. They had spent many a Saturday morning lounging in the waiting areas, eating breakfast and theorizing about where so many people could be going.
Today, however, Tony didn't have that luxury. Not only was he not with Abby (and dammit, now that he was thinking about her, he realized he hadn't told her he was leaving), but he was one of the throng rushing to get from one place to another. He had picked up the tickets relatively easily, and was now waiting for the others to arrive.
He felt a hand against his back pocket and turned quickly, ready to grab the thief. Instead, he was treated to an armful of curvaceous woman.
"Well, if I'd known that was all it took to get into your arms, my dear Green Fairy, I'd have tried to pick your pocket years ago."
Tony grinned at the blonde beauty he now held. "It would never work out between us, Lady Grey. No one would believe a high society girl like you would deign to grace the arm of a simpleton such as myself."
Erin Waters laughed, a musical sound that reached to the skylights above them. "Ever the charmer. I look awful, and you know it." She punched him lightly in the arm, then threw her arms around him. "It's good to see you again, Antonio."
"Are we really going to have this discussion again? It's Tony."
"Please, it's too much like The Godfather. If you're going to act like a member of the Italian mafia, you might as well be on the administrative end, not Grunt Number Three."
"Whatever," Tony said as he hoisted her bag onto his shoulder. "Got any other bags?"
"No, I had them transfer my luggage directly. Will Agent Orange be joining us?"
"You know he hates it when you call him that."
"Seeley needs to loosen up. So is he coming?"
Tony guided his companion to an escalator. "He's going to meet us at the gate. He called me about twenty minutes ago, actually, thought he was going to be late, but he got out of something early. Not sure what. You know, I was surprised to hear you would be here. Last I heard, you were still in London."
"It's a bloody miracle I was available. I finished my assignment yesterday, and was actually on my way here when I got the call about this latest crisis. We were headed for DC, and Whitey told me you were leaving from here, so I didn't bother diverting the jet to New York. I was having a lovely nap, too, but needs must, I suppose." She smiled tiredly. "At least I get to spend a bit more time with two of my favorite people."
"Gee, Greyhound, I never realized you felt that way about me."
Tony and Erin turned, quickly finding the owner of the slightly mocking voice. Seeley Booth was tall, and very well built, as evidenced by the glances he was getting from several women passing.
He was also very obviously either a member of law enforcement or a member of the military, despite the thin tie and non-regulation belt buckle. He looked quite menacing in the dark suit and shades.
Tony grinned. "No time to change?"
"Only had time to grab my go bag from home. Had to call my kid on the way here to cancel our plans for the weekend." Booth grimaced, and Erin frowned sympathetically. "I swear, that woman argues more than Rebecca ever did."
"Woman, Seeley?" Erin pounced on him, planting a kiss on his cheek. "You neglected to mention that the last time we spoke."
"Calm down, Erin. Bones is my partner, and the reason I'm late. She wouldn't let me call in anyone else on this case we've been working." He ran a hand through his hair, sighing exaggeratedly.
They had reached the gate now, and sat down, waiting to board. Erin pulled out her iPhone and began working, talking all the while.
"Sounds like something more going on," she began, but put a hand up to forestall Booth's objections. "I promise not to pry."
"Stop the presses! Erin Waters has just sworn to do what was previously thought impossible!" Tony laughed as she punched him in the arm. "I'm kidding! Hey, I never asked, how'd you get Six to give you time off?"
Erin didn't look up from the screen. "Like I said, just finished with a rather difficult assignment. Told them if I didn't get back to my native country for some R&R, I'd go rogue and kill everyone."
"What'd they say?" asked Booth.
"Handed me the keys to the jet. Americans are notorious for carrying out their threats, you know. Of course, I wasn't expecting to be getting back into the thick of things right away. How'd you guys get the time off?"
Booth rested his feet on the seat opposite him. "Family emergency. The Director didn't really ask questions – probably glad to get rid of me for awhile."
"Causing trouble?"
"No more than usual. What about you, Tony?"
"I always cause trouble." He smiled as they rolled their eyes. "No, more like creative storytelling about a cold case. It was easier than I thought it would be."
Erin looked thoughtful. "That kind of thing can bite you in the ass. What if he checks your story?"
"The talented Miss White has it covered. Hopefully, this won't take that long."
"Speaking of," said Booth seriously, "does anyone know what this is about?"
The question was instantly sobering, and the group instinctively drew closer together.
"It's gotta be something big if everyone is getting called in. What's Ol' Blue Eyes been up to lately?"
Erin frowned. "I talked to him a few months ago. He was working on some project then, but surely they wouldn't put him under so long, would they?"
"American Airlines Flight 1563 to JFK-New York is now boarding all first class passengers at Gate 10."
"I guess we're about to find out," Tony said, gathering up his bag. "Let's go."
xXxXx
They arrived at JFK International as the sky was divesting itself of the last vestiges of light, picked up their bags, and then headed for the gentleman holding the 'Mark Jackson – Blue Chip Convention' sign. He looked slightly overwhelmed when Booth loomed over him, but Tony just smiled DiNozzo Number 37 (I'm friendly, can't you tell?), and Erin flirted with him, and soon they were all comfortably seated in the back of a van.
It was a relatively (allowing for traffic) quick drive up to 495, and then a short hop to the Jericho Turnpike. From there, Exit 106 to South Broadway and five minutes later, they were pulling up in front of 844 Manhattan Drive in Jericho, New York.
It was a quiet community, certainly out of the way, a place no one would ever suspect a secret organization would have a base of operations. This was Station Blue, a safe house set up by the MJ Agency for any emergency related to one Hamid Sakhar. They all had one, usually in some out of the way town that had vague connections to their leader, Mr. Black.
It was this enigmatic figure that met them at the door, ushering them in with a calm and gracious smile. He was never flustered, always the consummate host, and one of the most dangerous men Tony had ever met.
Black was the founder of Modus Justi, the agency that tried to provide a measure of justice for those it deemed worthy. Currently six members strong, they were strangers brought together by two common threads – law enforcement, and a connection to Black.
Tony had first met the man at Ohio State where he was guest lecturing on employment opportunities in the government. He had encouraged Tony's interest in criminal justice, and had provided a reference for Tony's entrance into the police academy.
It would be five years before they had any prolonged contact. Tony was working in Philadelphia, and had just come off a grueling undercover assignment. Black had invited him to spend a weekend fly-fishing in Canada with a group of select friends. Tony wasn't stupid – he suspected there would be more to it – but he was curious, so he agreed.
It was there he met the people who would become his closest confidants and friends. Black had quickly revealed his ulterior motive. He had created an organization designed to pool the resources of several agencies, without any outside interference. Their goal was to combat terrorism in all forms, furthering the goals of the United States in foreign affairs. One of the side benefits for members was the built-in support network, an ace in the hole for those on dangerous assignments.
Tony had been impressed, but he'd also been concerned. He knew inter-agency squabbling had brought about the downfall of many a good law enforcement officer, had allowed things to happen that could have been avoided if information had been shared. He wanted to be part of something bigger than himself, and he agreed with the mission Mr. Black presented. But he was also aware of the problems inherent in a rogue operation. There was a reason for bureaucracy – it provided oversight and kept agencies and men from going too far. In MJ, the buck literally stopped at Mr. Black. He was the primary financier, he set up the operations, he compiled all of the information.
Had he been older and already a part of NCIS, Tony liked to think he would have passed on the offer to join. But as a young officer, he was attracted by the opportunities Mr. Black made available to him. He was reassured by the strict code of conduct, and he was confident in his ability to get out if the rules of the game changed. It was a legitimate organization, just so clothed in secrecy as to be virtually untraceable. He believed in the goal, but ultimately, he believed in the man behind it all. Mr. Black had convinced him of his integrity, and their work had already seen amazing results.
Tony left that weekend with the beginnings of strong friendships and a sense of purpose.
If ever Tony had believed he'd be part of a covert organization like this, he probably would have chosen different people. The membership had confused him at first. A former (though Tony seriously questioned that) NSA higher-up, a new Feebee in the narcotics division, a trainee on the Farm, a Baltimore Detective, a Philadelphia cop, and a really good secretary. They were an eclectic bunch, people Tony would never have met on his own, but Black understood people in a way Tony could only envy. He saw what they would become (and had probably orchestrated some of the career changes): a former NSA higher-up running his own agency, the (unfortunately now deceased) head of the narcotics division at the FBI, a top-notch undercover CIA agent, a member of the Secret Service, an NCIS senior field agent (after a few mishaps that culminated in taking Trista's job in Baltimore before being discovered by Gibbs), and a really good secretary with ties to the FSB.
Over time, new recruits were added. Brown had been a particularly spectacular find – Army Ranger, covert Unit member and CIA…whatever. Through Kyle (before he died), they had been introduced to Booth, former Sniper-turned-FBI agent with ties to the Jeffersonian Institute and their lab. Erin had been Black's protégé, and was attached to MI-6 in London as a liaison.
Anything that went on in the world, Black probably knew about it, which meant that White probably knew about it, too, since everything on his desk had been on hers first. Tony didn't understand Whitey, had no clue where Black had found her, but he knew enough that without her, their agency would have succeeded.
Alone, each member could inspire fear, or at least respect, in the most powerful of men. But together, they were unstoppable, and it was all due to Mr. Black.
So when Mr. Black called, they answered, and the next morning, Tony found himself sitting in the living room of a safe house in Jericho, New York, talking about rogue CIA agents recruited by known terrorists.
oNCISo