Chapter 11
The plan was simple: Tony was going back to work. Gibbs hired someone to restock and run the store along with Leyla, who agreed to stay up in Stillwater. Tony wouldn't even stay at Gibbs' place, but at his own apartment. It would be up to Fornell and his team to make sure that Tony didn't end up dead.
Getting back DC, Tony had Gibbs drop him off at his place. Fornell and his team already had his place under surveillance along with bugging his apartment. Tony entered his apartment, went right over to his CD player and put some Sinatra on to listen.
"I've got the world on a string," Sinatra began to sing.
His next step was a shower and a change into some of his clothes. After he got out of the shower and into sweat pants and an Ohio State University T shirt, he poured himself three fingers of a 12 year old MaCallan's scotch. He sat down and took a sip.
Now that he was home alone, he could admit to himself that he missed Leyla and Amira, but especially Leyla. Ziva had been gone long enough that the pain of her choice was starting to fade. Now he had someone to fill that emptiness she left. Leyla was the type of women he'd never thought he'd fall for, but he did. She was shy, yet strong. Yes, she was beautiful but it was more than that. Leyla was the type of woman who could be the foundation who built a life on.
He took out his smart phone and contemplated calling her, but he knew that he couldn't. Now that he was the bait he couldn't expose her to Cortez, who will be watching him once he found out he was back on the job. He dialed Gibbs instead.
"Hello," answered Gibbs.
"I'm home," he stated.
"Fornell is looking out for you," Gibbs said.
"I guess. I didn't see them but I assume that Fornell and his boys are out there," said Tony.
"I'll call and make sure, DiNozzo. See you in the morning," said Gibbs.
He hung up. Tony tossed his phone beside him on the sofa then leaned back and took another sip of his scotch. Tomorrow Abby was going to put a GPA tracker somewhere on him. He sighed. Yeah, he missed Leyla. She was up in Stillwater, though, and part of him could see that Gibbs wanted her to stay up there. It was safe up there for her and Amira. That would be just one of a dozen things he was going to have to think about and decide on where it came to Leyla and him. Maybe it was time to talk to Gibbs about Leyla.
NCISNCIS
Bishop sat at her desk eating a bagel with cream cheese along with her coffee. McGee snaked on a breakfast sandwich. They were going through their emails when Gibbs came walking into the bullpen. Bishop looked over at McGee, who was shocked to see his boss.
"Boss, you're back," he said.
"I know, McGee," said Gibbs, who sat down with his large coffee at his desk.
"Where's Tony?" asked Bishop.
Wearing a light grey Brioni suit with a white shirt and lavender tie, Tony came walking into the bullpen with a backpack over his shoulder. Bishop looked at him unable to hide her surprise.
"He's right here, Bishop," said Tony.
"Is it over? Did we pick up Cortez?" asked McGee.
"No," answered Gibbs.
Tony sat down, booted up his computer, and then logged on, so that he could check his emails. McGee and Bishop kept looking from Tony to Gibbs. They knew neither one would talk and were getting tired of being in the dark.
"Tony, you look like you've lost weight," Bishop Sid o h,
"I was shot," Tony smiled.
"Shot?" she repeated in surprise.
"When did that happen?" asked McGee.
"About three weeks ago," said Tony.
"You'll have to catch up, Agent McGee," said Vance, who then turned and spoke to Gibbs. "Miss Scuito is waiting for you in her lab."
"Thank you, Leon," said Gibbs.
"If you need more men, let me know," said Vance.
"I trust Fornell," grinned Gibbs.
Gibbs stood up and looked at his team.
"Abby's lab, now!" he barked.
McGee and Bishop got up and headed for the elevator, while Gibbs went over to Tony's desk. He looked down at his SFA.
"You ready?" he asked.
"I guess," Tony said.
"This is your plan, DiNozzo, so you better believe in it," said Gibbs.
"I'm trying, boss; I'm trying," said Tony.
He got up and he and Gibbs headed over to the elevator where Bishop and McGee waited for them. The doors opened and they headed down to the lab.
Abby had loud metal music blaring, as she danced around in a thigh high kilt, black death skull tee shirt, and her white medical jacket. When the team entered the lab, she turned off the music and rushed over to Gibbs and flung her arms around him in a hug. Gibbs smiled. She stepped back and looked at him.
"I missed you, Gibbs. YOU didn't tell us where you were hiding," she said.
"Point of a hiding spot, Abby," he smiled.
"Well, as long as you're safe," she said then hugged him again.
When she was done with Gibbs she gave Tony a bear hug. As always he appreciated the hug but not for too long.
"Need to breathe, Abby," he said.
She stepped back then balled up her right hand and hit him on the right shoulder. He grimaced.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"For making me so worried," she said.
"Sorry, just trying to stay alive," Tony said.
She gave him another hug then stepped back.
"Okay, Vance told me that I needed a tracking GPS for Tony," she said. "I want a subcutaneous tracking device, but I know Tony won't let me do that. I need your right shoe.
Reluctantly, Tony took for his right shoe and handed it to her. She studied the shoe.
"Please, Abby, don't ruin the shoe. It's Italian leather and cost me five hundred dollars," begged Tony.
"I'm going to put the tracker in your heel. No one will ever notice it, even you," she said.
"How long will it take?" asked Gibbs.
"Twenty minutes," said Abby.
"DiNozzo, stay with Abby until your shoe is ready. Everyone else, let's go back to the bullpen. Fornell is keeping an eye on DiNozzo from a distance. It will be our job; to stay close to him," said Gibbs.
Gibbs headed out of the lab with Bishop and McGee in tow. Tony looked and Abby, as she worked on his shoe. He watched as she wrecked the heel of his shoe.
"So you were shot," said Abby.
"Yeah, Abs, I got shot," smiled Tony.
"So, where have you been and what have you been doing?" she asked.
"Stillwater," he answered.
"Jackson's place," she said sadly. "Just you and Gibbs?"
"And Leyla and Amira," he said.
Abby stopped working and looked at Tony. She smiled.
"Leyla? Why was she there with Amira?" she asked.
"Because they got caught up in the blowback and it was safer to take them with me. Leyla and Amira are still there, too," said Tony. "They may stay there."
"You sound disappointed, Tony. Is there something you want to tell me?" Abby asked.
"I… um… I am going to be seeing Leyla once this mess is over. We have gotten close and I'm going to see her," he told her.
"Does Gibbs know?" she asked.
"We haven't talked about it yet," he smiled weakly.
"Don't be afraid to tell him, Tony. Gibbs loves you like a son. I think he'd be happy if you two got together," she expressed her opinion. "Anyway, she's not a co-worker is she? The rules don't count."
"Somehow I think the rules always count," Tony said.
"Tell him," she said.
"I will. When I'm ready, I'll tell him. We are talking about Gibbs, so he probably already knows and is just waiting to tear me another ass…"
"Tony," Abby stopped him, "think positive. If you think positive then it will be fine."
"Yeah, think positive. He'll only maim me instead of kill me," he said. "That's positive."
"Do I have to head slap you?" threatened Abby.
"No, no, I'll be positive," he said.
"And tell him soon," she said.
"Yeah, I'll tell him soon."
"Good," Abby beamed. "Oh, I also have a watch for you with a tracker, just in case you don't want to wear these shoes."
"Shoes and a watch," he smiled, "I feel like James Bond."
NCISNCIS
"We have to give DiNozzo plenty of space. The tracker in his shoe will tell us where he is at all times. When they make their move, we have to react quickly," said Gibbs.
"Yeah, the quicker the better," said Tony. "I have this feeling that Cortez won't feel inclined to torture me since I'm the last one on his list. He just wants me dead."
"We should use the van," said McGee. "It has tracking equipment, even a parabolic dish that we can use to pick up conversations."
"You really are a McPeeping Tim," teased Tony.
"I'm just being cautious with your life," McGee replied.
"I'm touched, McGee, really, I am," said Tony. "I think I might cry."
"I think someone should stay close to Tony," said Bishop.
"If you close to me when they act they'll probably kill you," said Tony. "My neck goes out on the limb and nobody else's."
"But…" Bishop started, but Gibbs cut her off.
"No butts," said Gibbs. "He's right. He's the bait. Cortez wants DiNozzo. Anyone with him would just be in the way."
"Don't worry. I've been in worse situations than this one," smiled Tony.
"He's not kidding," added McGee.
Bishop looked from agent to agent with an expression of disbelief.
"Okay, you guys know what you're doing than I'll keep my mouth shut," Bishop said.
Tony looked at McGee and grinned, "I didn't say that we knew what we were doing, did I?"
"No, you didn't say you knew what you were doing," chuckled McGee.
NCISNCIS
Gibbs was in his basement working on his first boat in years. It was based on the miniature he and his father built for his mother. Using the measuring tape, he measured the plank of wood twice marking it then he put the tape away, took out his saw, and started to cut. Midway through his cut, he stopped and listened, as footsteps stopped at the basement door. The door opened and someone started down the stairs.
"DiNozzo," he said.
"Hey, boss," Tony said.
He had changed into jeans, a tee shirt, and a sweater. The shoes were gone but he was wearing the watch Abby gave him.
"Who is following you?" asked Gibbs.
"FBI," Tony said.
"Anyone else?" smiled Gibbs.
"Not that I know of, boss," Tony said as he walked over to the work table.
Gibbs walked over and grabbed a bottle of bourbon and a mason jar. He dumped the screws out of the mason jar and poured bourbon into it and then he walked over and handed the jar to Tony. As Tony sipped the bourbon, Gibbs freshened his coffee cup with bourbon.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"Um, well, you see, boss, I wanted to talk about something important," he started sounding and looking awkward.
"You and Leyla," said Gibbs.
"You know?" he said.
"I'm not blind, DiNozzo," smiled Gibbs.
"Yeah, but you do need reading glasses," Tony joked, but Gibbs didn't smile.
"So, what about you and Leyla?" asked Gibbs wanting to make Tony feel uncomfortable for his joke.
"I'm going to see her… seriously see her," he said.
"And you want my permission?" asked Gibbs.
"I wanted you to know, boss," said Tony.
"Okay, I know," he said.
"That's it? No threats?" asked Gibbs.
"No threats," grinned Gibbs, "but a warning: hurt her and I'll hurt you."
"I don't intend on hurting her, boss."
"Are you really serious about her?" Gibbs asked.
"Yeah, I am," Tony answered. "I guess I'm finally ready for two cups."
Gibbs smiled, "About time."
NCISNCIS
Tony drove his Charger back to his place. He knew that somewhere behind him the FBI were following him and his team would be there if he was taken. It was a matter of time that Cortez sends a gang to collect him then this fiasco could be ended. He wanted it to end, too. The first thing he intended to do was call Leyla and tell her it was over and hoped she wanted to come back to DC because he wasn't sure if he was ready for the quiet life in Stillwater.
Pulling into his parking garage under his building, he parked in his spot. Getting out of his car, his instincts kicked in right away. There was a van parked not too far from his car. He'd have to walk by the van he had a gut feeling it was going to be painful.
Taking a deep breath, he locked up his car and started walking to the exit. Tony started to take in as much information as possible. Once he was near the van the side door slipped open and three guys with Glock 36 sidearms. They were Latino. Two of them held them sideways, which meant they had no clue had to really handle a gun. Firing a gun while holding it sideways guaranteed bad aim. One of them held it like he had been trained. He probably had done a stint in the military.
"Grab him," the one who knew how to handle a gun ordered.
Tony put his hands up and didn't fight. Two of them came at him and one smacked him on the side of his head sending him to his knees then the other one kicked him the stomach then they dragged him into the van. The door was shut.
"Grab his wallet, gun, and phone and dump them," ordered the one who knew how to use a gun.
The other two did as he said and he watched as his stuff was dumped out of the car window. As the van took off, one of them used zip cuffs to bind his hands behind his back. For once in his life he kept his mouth shut and opened the FBI called Gibbs right away. He was going to need the cavalry to rescue him.