Chapter 3
"Com'on, Probie," Tony urged. "Just one strike and you'll break 70."
The game was surprisingly tight. Sacks and Fornell were clearly the strongest bowlers in the FBI team but, as Abby had said, Maya and Yussif were only marginally better than McGee.
Gibbs had spent considerable time with McGee explaining and demonstrating bowling techniques but he also watched and analysed every ball bowled by the team making suggestions and utilizing his death glare on the more recalcitrant pins.
Abby sidled up to McGee has he held his bowling ball, mournfully looking down the length of the lane. "All we need is five pins, Timmy and we beat their smug FBI butts."
McGee slid his eyes towards her.
"..and my new tattoo is in a place few have been," Abby smiled.
"It's not all bad," said McGee to Tony as the NCIS team walked out into the car park sans pink jackets. "I may have lost the game, shattered Abby's hopes and dreams, ruined my chance of ever seeing her tattoo and inflated the FBI's already excessive egos but Jill at the counter just gave me her phone number."
"You don't want to make that call, Probie," Tony warned.
"Why not?"
"We came here on a case once. Kate called her a 'calculating witch'."
"Witch?"
"Witch – that was her professional profiler opinion."
McGee tore up the piece of paper. "So there are no redeeming features to today."
"Not true," said Abby, bringing them all to a halt. "Because the score were so close, my team only lost a few points for that game. We would have lost a whole lot more points if I'd had to forfeit. I couldn't have done it without you guys."
She hugged Tony. "Thank you for using your super frat bowling powers to help me."
She hugged Ziva. "Thank you for using your super killer instincts to help me."
She hugged Gibbs. "Thank you for using your mighty death stare to help me."
She looked at McGee.
"...And I think I'll miss you most of all scarecrow," said Tony.
Abby ignored him. "Thank you for bowling for me, even though I know you hate it and you suck at it and you'll never, ever get to see my new tattoo."
She stood back and looked at them all. "I couldn't have found any better bowlers in the whole building."
"Is that Ducky's Morgan?" said Tony, suddenly.
The classic car pulled up in a parking space near the huddled group. There was a pause and both doors opened.
"We've been doing this for years, Mr Palmer, it's always a left turn," said Ducky as he clambered out of the car. "Even when our match is rescheduled to a different day, it is still a left turn. I hope your bowling direction is better than your driving directions."
"I have a 240 average," Palmer complained, "and you were driving."
"But you were...Jethro, what are you doing here?"
"Helping out Abby."
"Well, maybe we can call upon you lot when Mr Palmer is having one of his off days."
"Turn around Palmer," said Tony suddenly. Grasping Palmer by both shoulders, Tony spun him on the spot. Together, the agents read the logo on the back of his bowling jacket.
"The Death Squad?" said McGee.
"Yes," Ducky confirmed. "We're a team of medical examiners." He pointed to the picture on Palmer's jacket. Our mascot is a skeleton who bowls with his own hand."
Sure enough, the motif depicted a one handed skeleton in a bowling pose and a set of pins being struck by a hand.
"Another one bites the dust," Ziva read the motto underneath the picture.
"Yes. Not my idea, of course," said Ducky. "Some MEs are very strange. Well, come on Mr Palmer or we'll be late."
Palmer turned to face the group, a large grin on his face. "That's funny because we'll be late and we're MEs and..." he met a sea of blank stare and his grin evaporated, "never mind."
But Abby was looking at Fornell as the FBI team emerged victorious from the bowling alley. Her eyes narrowed. "What made you think we might have to forfeit?"
"That reminds me," said Fornell suddenly. He pulled out his cell phone and hit a single speed dial button. "Frank, you can let the nuns go now."
Gibbs leaned over to murmur in Abby's ear. "There's a reason why people hate him, Abs."
-The End-