Uncovered Story
"Still no answer," said Agent McGregor from the back seat of the NCIS car, unable to hide his concern for attractive Goth scientist, Amy Sutton.
"Call again, McGregor." L.J. Tibbs' measured tones reflected his own seething fears. His serious blue eyes obsessively read the road before him, searching for the fastest route. If he ever needed his Messiah-like instincts, now was the time.
McGregor dialled again, fighting the guilty realization that his newfound fame and fortune may have threatened the life of one of his closest friends. "I can't believe I let this happen."
"Amy knows how to take care of herself, McGregor," said Officer Lisa as much to stifle her own fears as to calm the young agent.
"And she's got a crew of nuns watching her back," Agent Tommy pointed out.
"Nuns are on a team building retreat," said Agent McGregor distractedly. He knew sister Lolita and the rest of Amy's pole dancing nun team needed the bonding experience, but it was dangerously bad timing. "She's on her own."
L.J. Tibbs floored the car and they sped off into the night, hoping and praying they would not be too late.
There were two doors to Amy's room in the convent. Tommy and Lisa burst in first through the first, guns at the ready, directing the culprit to drop his weapon. Once he was distracted by their entrance, McGregor and Tibbs rushed the other door to catch him off-guard.
"Brandon?" Agent McGregor was shocked to recognize the barista from his favorite coffee house aiming a gun at Amy Sutton who was dressed in nothing but a translucent negligee and clutching her favorite toy: Bart, the burping Rhino. "Brandon, what are you doing?"
"I'm protecting you," Brandon explained.
"McGregor," Amy's voice quavered slightly. "Who is this guy?"
"He's a friend," said McGregor in measured tones, while his lightning fast brain calculated his best move.
Brandon became edgy. "Don't," he warned as his peripheral vision detected a flicker of movement. "I have to do this."
McGregor kept his steely nerve, despite the oppressive tension. Amy's life depended on his every word. "Brandon," he began steadily. "She's not going to hurt me."
"You don't know what I saw her signing to her deaf mother." Brandon's voice had an almost hysterical edge. "Just because you turned her down, she said you have to go."
"It's not what you think, Brandon," said McGregor, holstering his weapon as a sign of good faith. "Amy and I…Amy and I are getting married."
He could see Brandon faltering. "You…you're going to marry her?"
McGregor knew Brandon had taken the bait, all he had to do now was reel him in. "Yeah I will. That means that if you kill her, you're killing the only woman I ever loved. Bandon, I really do love her: it just took me a while to figure it out."
Seconds felt like hours as Brandon's resolve wavered. Finally, he placed the gun on the ground where agent McGregor grabbed it. Tommy and Lisa swooped in and made the arrest.
"I was only trying to help," Brandon whined plaintively.
"You killed two people," said L. J. Tibbs, gravely.
"I had no choice," Landon explained as he was led away. Then a thought hit him and he turned to agent Tommy. "They set a wedding date yet?"
"Guest list is full, buddy," growled Agent Tommy as he and Officer Lisa hauled him out of the room.
"Are you okay, Ams?" Tibbs asked, concerned.
"Oh, with the amount of bad guys after me, I feel like I'm dating Spiderman," Amy quipped as she ran to hug the paternal figure.
"Amy, I am so sorry," McGregor began.
"We need to talk," Amy cut in.
"I know this is all my fault," McGregor apologized.
"So when are we getting married?" Her face was hopeful.
McGregor's initial puzzled expression was replaced by one of intense pity. "Oh Amy, I'm sorry I had to say those things. You do realize he would have killed you if I hadn't convinced him that we were getting married?" He cursed his impeccable acting skills.
Amy's face fell and she turned from him so that he could not see the tears she knew she would shed.
"I'm sorry to hear you say that," said Amy softly.
In one fluid movement, she picked up the knife lying on the table knowing that neither McGregor nor L.J. Tibbs, still hovering protectively in the background, would have the courage to look at her.
"Just one more hug?" she begged, turning to face McGregor.
He smiled gently and opened his broad arms to her. "Of course."
Amy slid towards him and plunged the knife as far into his heart as her own wounds extended.
"Amy," McGregor whispered hoarsely as he slumped to the floor.
"Brandon almost saved your life tonight, McGregor," Amy smiled down at him, a sadistic glint in her eyes.
"Amy what have you done?" cried Tibbs. His team was falling apart before his eyes.
McGee ripped the final page from his typewriter, read it over once and filed it in his free writing folder. At least now he would have something if his publisher ever agreed to let him kill off Agent McGregor.
A pang of guilt caused him to pause: that section might initiate Abby's next brush with death. He rolled in another piece of paper and typed again.
"We need to talk," Amy cut in as L.J. Tibbs backed out of the room gracefully to give the young lovers some privacy.
"I know this is all my fault," McGregor apologized.
"You couldn't have known your local barista was a potential murderer."
"I just…I nearly lost you here tonight," McGregor struggled to come to terms with the magnitude of the situation.
"It's OK," Amy started.
"No it's not OK," said McGregor softly, caressing her face. "I never want to lose you. Amy…." He fell to one knee in traditional pose. "Would you do me the honor of being my wife?"
"Oh yes," she breathed, her face awash with tears.
From his pocket, he dug out the family heirloom he always carried with him. "This ring belonged to my mother who died tragically in childbirth," he said. "I always knew it would go to the one true love of my life."
The ring slid over Amy's finger as though it were made exactly to order. "I feel like Cinderella," she whispered in awe.
To McGregor, she looked like Cinderella, had Cinderella been a Gothic fairytale princess in an almost see-through piece of flimsy underwear.
As they opened the door to share their news with the others they found Officer Lisa uncharacteristically beaming, a shiny new ring on her finger. Agent Tommy stood proudly by her side, his swashbuckling days clearly behind him.
Special Agent L.J. Tibbs smiled gruffly, the only way he knew how. His young fold was growing up and he could not express his pride in words. He only hoped his own new fiancé was feeling the joy he was feeling right now. He might have to revise rule number 21.
McGee ripped the page out of the typewriter and scrawled 'only if I have a death wish' across the top. He needed an ending that wouldn't result in Abby being killed or Abby killing him. He inserted a fresh page and started again.
"You don't know what I saw her signing to her deaf mother." Brandon's voice had an almost hysterical edge. "Just because you turned her down, she said you have to go."
"It's not what you think, Brandon," said McGregor, holstering his weapon as a sign of good faith. "She meant 'go' as in 'leave'. I found my one true love in a little place in the middle of nowhere. She and I are getting married."
He could see Brandon faltering. "You…you're going to marry her?"
McGregor knew he had to be careful: one mention of Jade and her boondocks town and the scenario might well repeat itself. "Yeah I will. Amy never meant me any harm: she was only telling her mother that I had to go away to be happy."
Seconds felt like hours as Brandon's resolved wavered. Finally, he placed the gun on the ground where agent McGregor grabbed it. Tommy and Lisa swooped in and made the arrest.
"I was only trying to help," Brandon whined plaintively.
"You killed two people," said L. J. Tibbs, gravely.
"I had no choice," Landon explained as he was led away. Then a thought hit him and he turned to agent Tommy. "They set a wedding date yet?"
"Guest list is full, buddy," growled Agent Tommy as he and Officer Lisa hauled him out of the room.
"Are you okay, Ams?" Tibbs asked, concerned.
"Oh, with the amount of bad guys after me, I feel like I'm dating Spiderman," Amy quipped as she ran to hug the paternal figure.
"Amy, I am so sorry," McGregor began.
"We need to talk," Amy cut in.
"I know this is all my fault," McGregor apologized.
"I love you as a friend, McGregor, but you need to be with Jade right now. We'll all miss you but you have to do what's right."
"Ams, you're my best friend."
"I don't want anything to come between us," said Amy as they hugged.
"Me either," McGregor agreed.
McGee smiled in relief as he pulled the sheet from his typewriter. Another national best seller was put to bed.