8.
Tony's cell phone rang as Gibbs was busy terrorizing the other drivers on the highway. He flipped it open. "DiNozzo. Who? Oh, yes, Ms. Kent. When? Are you still at home? Lock your doors and windows, we're on the way."
"Who's Ms. Kent?"
"Faith Lindsey's roommate. Take the next exit. We're going to their apartment." Tony gave Gibbs the address. At the older man's questioning glance, he explained further. "Faith was threatened and Stella thinks there's someone stalking her."
Even with the early rush hour traffic, Gibbs made good time. He found a parking space two blocks north of the apartment building. It had the feeling of comfortable decay, age slowly taking its toll on the once beautiful exterior. All of its past glory was still there, just covered with graffiti and pigeon poop.
Walking through the unlocked front entryway, Tony's nose wrinkled. The entryway smelled of dust, mildew and old cooking. Gibbs quickly found the stairs, taking them up to the third floor apartment. Tony was keeping pace, not a word spoken.
Just as his head rose above the landing, Gibbs pushed Tony to one side while throwing himself to the other side. The soft thew-thew-thew of a silenced pistol came as bullets splattered into the wood above their heads, kicking plasterboard splinters about the stairwell.
Both men had their own weapons out, slowly edging back up the stairs. The mysterious assailant let off another shot before turning tail and running for the rear fire exit. A loud thump and a clatter of metal as the man disappeared through the door.
"Follow him," Gibbs ordered, turning to run back down the stairs to circle around the building.
Once he was back on the ground floor, Gibbs hurried to the entryway. Just as he came out the door, the shooter came tearing around the corner of the building, his head turned back to face DiNozzo, letting off another shot. The Baltimore cop ducked behind the trash dumpsters.
With a growl of annoyance, Gibbs clotheslined the man, taking him down. He kicked the gun toward the gutter as DiNozzo came running up, handcuffs at the ready. Gibbs flipped the man over onto stomach, using the cuffs to secure him.
"I need to check on the women. You okay holding our friend?" Tony asked.
"Yeah, go on."
Tony ran quickly back into the building and up the stairs, sliding to a stop in front of the apartment. Knocking loudly, he called out. "Faith, Ms. Kent? Are you there? It's Detective DiNozzo. Tony."
The rattle of locks and safety chain sounded from behind the door before it was flung open. Tony found himself confronted by a young woman wearing sweats, a sparkly pair of glasses, and her brown hair pinned haphazardly up. She was holding a baseball bat loosely by her side. "Ms. Kent?"
"He's gone? The man who was beating on our door?"
"Yeah, we've got him under arrest downstairs. Are you okay? And Faith?"
Her breath leaving her in relief, she shook her head. "Scared, but unhurt. And please call me Stella. Faith, it's Detective DiNozzo."
"Tony will do." He slipped his gun back into his shoulder holster.
Faith came walking slowly from the back of the apartment. "Tony, I'm so sorry." She flung herself into his arms.
"Whoa, what for?" He gingerly patted her back, somewhat panicked and confused by her tears.
"I lied. That poor man didn't attack me," she wailed.
"Let's move over here to the couch, Faith. C'mon, it'll be alright, I promise." He gently shuttled her to the paisley couch. "Stella, can you get Faith some water?"
"Of course." Stella hurried off to get the requested refreshment.
Once the water arrived and, at Tony's urging, drunk, Faith's tears slowed to a trickle. "Tell me what really happened, Faith."
"It was another man who grabbed me from behind, not Corporal Gonzalez. His arm was across my throat, choking me. I tried to get away, but he was so strong. I wasn't able to breathe. I was sure I was gonna die. Then I heard someone shouting. I was thrown to the ground and I heard the sound of feet running off. I thought he was gone. I swear it, Tony!"
Afraid the waterworks were about to erupt again, Tony patted her hand. "I believe you, Faith."
"This man knelt next to me, wanted to know if I was okay. He was helping me when all of a sudden I saw this board coming down. There was no time to cry out. The sound, I can't forget the sound." Faith covered her face with her hands, trembling.
"Stella said you were threatened."
Faith's roommate sat on the other side. "Tell him, hon."
"I thought he would kill me next. I don't know why he didn't. He hit me in the mouth, told me to keep it shut or…" Faith shuddered, her eyes haunted. "If I identified him in any way, I'll be dead."
She was hugged by her roommate as she struggling to keep her composure. "That poor Marine was killed trying to save me. I repaid him by letting everyone believe he was a rapist. It wasn't him. I need people to know that Corporal Gonzalez didn't do anything wrong!"
"They will, Faith. I promise they will. Did you get a good look at your attacker, at the man who killed Corporal Gonzalez?"
Faith nodded.
"I want you to look at some photographs, tell me if he's there." Tony reached into his inside jacket pocket, spreading them out on the coffee table.
Faith didn't hesitate, stabbing her trembling finger at the photograph of Lawrence Harrison.
~NCIS~
Gibbs dragged the handcuffed gunman to his car, searching for any more weapons or identification. He was surprised at the lack of any wallet. It smacked of a professional hit, but the actual operation seemed more amateurish.
"Want to give me your name?"
There was no answer.
"No matter. Your prints are in the system somewhere."
Two squad cars came screeching to a halt, blocking Gibbs' car. He carefully held up his badge while keeping one hand firmly on his nameless prisoner. "Gibbs. NCIS."
"We received calls. Shots fired." Neither officer removed their hands from the butts of their guns. While one watched Gibbs' every move, the other uniformed officer moved closer to verify the agent's identification. Once he was satisfied, he nodded to his partner and they both visibly relaxed.
"He the shooter?"
"Yep. Related to an NCIS case."
The older officer laughed. "In other words, you don't need our help."
"Not at this time," Gibbs said.
"Hey, no skin off my nose. Bill, call it in. Tell Dispatch that NCIS is handling it." He quirked his eyebrow questioningly. "You the one working with DiNozzo?"
"Yeah."
"You're certainly a man of few words, Gibbs. Now Tony is almost the opposite sometimes. Should be interesting."
Seeing the amusement in his eyes, Gibbs laughed. "Sounds like you know the kid pretty well."
"Yeah, he's one of the few gold shields who remember what it was like in uniform. He's sharp, got a way of getting the job done."
"Gibbs! Faith came through for us. Identified our suspect without a moment's hesitation. She's also willing to testify." Tony grinned. Spotting the squad car, he greeted the uniforms. "Hey, Bill, Frank. Guess somebody called in the gunfire?"
"Yep," Frank replied.
"Oh, funny. Didn't know you were catching, Gibbs."
"Since you two seem to have this situation under control, we'll boogie." Frank nodded at both men in farewell.
As they drove off, Tony turned his attention to their prisoner. "So who do we have here?"
"Don't know. Not yet."
"Well, bucko, guess we'll be running you through the system." Tony shook his head. "In this day and age, almost everyone has been fingerprinted at least once. I doubt it will take Gibbs here long at all to find out who you are. Might consider saving him the time." He leaned closer to the prisoner as if imparting a great secret. "See, he doesn't strike me as a patient kind of guy."
Gibbs grunted, whether in agreement or annoyance, neither of the men sitting in the back seat could say. He quickly called and arranged for protection for Faith and her roommate, not leaving until the agents assigned arrived. During their wait, the NCIS special agent listened to DiNozzo weave tales of alleged incidents where Gibbs' impatience ended with dire consequences for the other persons involved. Not once did he ask a question.
"Agent Gibbs, can't you shut him the hell up?"
"Nope."
"Okay, okay, enough already! I'll tell you who I am, as long as he stops talking!"