Epilogue

The vigil at Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo's bedside is long. He's been unconscious for a day, even after Abby in Louisiana and Ruby in the lab determined the source of the poison and the Doctors administered an antitoxin.

It's fortunate the exposure to the poison had been brief. DiNozzo will be sick for a day, but should suffer no lasting effects

Each of the team has taken shifts at DiNozzo's bedside, Gibbs being determined he would not awaken alone. Special Agent Gibbs has been here twice, Tim and Ziva once each and now this is her turn.

Anyone not at DiNozzo's bedside had been charged with breaking the women. Tim and Ziva had solved their IDs through fingerprints, and over the hours they'd fallen before Gibbs. The motive for their trail of death had turned her stomach.

She'd called Kendra Little as soon as she'd gotten some secluded time but the woman had no idea what she was asking. Apparently, whatever had led to her Mentor being in that maze will remain a mystery to all of them.

She's brought a book with her tonight to pass the hours. Special Agent Gibbs will relieve her at midnight but until then there's little to do but read and pray to the Goddess.

She and Jimmy are leaving in the morning for the delayed Retreat to Saint Francis House in West Virginia. She expects to be exhausted, but she can sleep in the car.

For now she tries to lose herself in the conflicts of 'One Last Case' and the Vampire Detective Martin O'Connell who returns to his former partners, William Pierce and Linda McKay, his fiancé while he was still alive, for that final case.

x

"Good book?" from before her makes her jump, and when she looks up DiNozzo is looking at her.

"You're awake!" The words taste terrible leaping out of her mouth and she wishes she could swallow them again. She pushes the novel into the cushion, hurries off the chair, stops herself because she doesn't want to look like she's hurrying. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he says, "but I'm hungry enough to eat a horse."

"Thank the Goddess for that!"

"I don't think so," he counters, but there's none of the usual mockery for her faith in his tone - probably because he woke up on her vigil. "So, what's new?" He looks at the tubes running into his arms and the machines about him, leaving no doubt he wants this to be the first subject covered.

"Special Agent Gibbs captured the two women who took you; Andrea Harper and Janet Vasser. They're alive, but I think Ducky would have liked to fly in to spend some time examining them."

"There's a lot to examine. Why'd they take me?"

"Vengeance."

"Come again?"

"They're into ambushing and killing men they pick up in bars who are out cheating on their wives. They didn't even know you're an Agent, let alone a dedicated bachelor. You were just the next victim."

"I'm honored."

He doesn't sound it. "Tim ID'd John Scalici's accomplice, Mary Waghoff. There are BOLOs out throughout the region."

"I'd love to hear her story."

"I have a feeling you'll pull it out of her. For the moment he's not talking."

"I'll have a chat with him when I'm up and around."

"Abby sends her love. Between Ruby in the lab and Abby in Louisiana they broke the mystery of what those women used on you; Amanita muscaria and was she ever pissed. She says the next time you wind up in Critical Condition she's going to beat your ass with a spoon."

x

He looks slightly astonished but doesn't say anything, and she's left to wonder what thoughts accompany this mental picture.

"So, Probette, seems like you've had an interesting day."

"Don't call me 'Probette'. I'm the one who got that damned needle out of your arm."

This evidently surprises him.

"Thank you."

Next Episode: 'In the Hearts of Men'. With Ducky, Jimmy and Michelle on vacations, the MCR Team investigates the death of a Navy Officer. It looks like an easy case except for Michelle's Rule 3.

-Author's Note-

The cryptic warnings that Kendra Little gave to Michelle are explained in 'Otherworld' and 'Pieces', which explore the NCIS of the 2040's and feature Susan Linda (Su Lin) Palmer.

You'll find the links to them within my Profile Page.