After a good fifteen minutes of Alex's typing and Tony taking down notes, they were finally done getting any important information on Sarah Sommers. And they made good timing, because twenty minutes later, Gibbs came strolling into the bullpen, coffee in hand throwing a, "What've you got?" Over his shoulder as he went over to his desk. Tony suddenly stood up and started his findings.
"Boss, Sarah Sommers is an heiress. Her father owns a lot of oil companies in Texas. He makes more money a week than I do in a month! She's never really been in a relationship long and this relationship she had with Payton is the longest she's ever had. Never been arrested, or even a ticket," Tony relayed.
Gibbs nodded and stood up, "Ziva and Mcgee hit heavy traffic bringing in Fulmer. Abby's still getting what she can from the evidence, and Ducky's not done with the autopsy on Payton. So we're-"
"Going to check on Moore's condition in the hospital," Tony finished., already getting his sig and NCIS badge.
"Okay," Alex thought, "Either Tony's psychic, or Gibbs and his team spend WAY too much time together."
ALEX RIDER*NCIS*ALEX RIDER*NCIS*ALEX RIDER*NCIS*ALEX RIDER*NCIS*
Ziva was impatiently drumming her fingers on the console of the car as she watched the barely moving traffic in front of her.
"You know we would not be stuck in this if you would've let me drive," she huffed.
"No offense, Ziva. But I would much rather be stuck in traffic than have you drive," Mcgee relented.
Ziva rolled her eyes, "Yes, but if I would have drove we would have been back at NCIS before the traffic had even started."
Then, from the backseat Fulmer leaned in between the two agents, "Are you two gonna be arguing the whole way? I have a headache."
Ziva turned and gave him a deadly glare, " You are not in any position to complain ex-corporal. You are a suspect in an investigation."
Fulmer paled a little at that and began shaking slightly and asked, "Well could you at least cut up the heat a little bit? I've got the chills."
Ziva and Mcgee exchanged a look but shrug it off, maybe Fulmer was just getting a cold.
Fulmer then pulled out his iPod and put the ear buds in his ears and started listening.
They sat in silence for awhile until Mcgee, who had never liked silence, asked, " So what do you think of Alex?"
Ziva thought for a moment, "He's been through a lot. And if his mission were half of what mine were like at Mossad, then I think I know why."
"Sounds like you and Alex have quite a bit in common. You should talk to him. I doubt he knows you used to be a Mossad spy," Mcgee encouraged.
Ziva gave Mcgee a smile, "Maybe I will."
Then, they both gave a sigh of relief, as the traffic started moving once more.
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Tony seemed to be feeling some what better as he sat in the passenger seat talking aimlessly about an old classic movie.
Soon they arrived at Bethesda, the same hospital Jack was being held at, but they started walking the opposite way of the elevators you took to get to Jacks room.
Gibbs must have noticed Alex's adversity because he nudged Alex's shoulder gently as they walked and assured, "Well go see her after we've checked on Moore."
Alex smiled and nodded gratefully.
As they arrived at the Nurses Station Tony shot forward.
"Hello, I'm special agent Anthony DiNozzo, from NCIS. We're here to check on a Marine named Jason Moore. And if possible talk with him," Tony said giving a flirtatious smile.
The pretty black-haired nurse in the purple scrubs smiled back, "He's right down this hall in room 203," she said as she pointed down a long hallway, "Actually there's his Doctor leaving his room now."
They nodded their thanks, but as they went to leave the nurse caught Tony's good arm and cried, "Wait! I almost forgot! Their was a younger lady by the name of Sarah Sommers here earlier. She made such a scene, we had to call security. She was extremely mad."
"She was in tears when she left NCIS, Boss. You think her mood changed that quick?" Tony asked.
Gibbs shrugged, "I've seen my three ex-wives do it plenty. You talk with her. I'm gonna go talk to the Doctor. Alex, keep an eye on DiNozzo. Make sure he behaves himself around this lady."
Tony turned his attention back to the Nurse in the purple scrubs as soon as his Boss left, "What exactly did happen with Ms. Sommers, Nurse..." Tony trailed of realizing he didn't know her last name.
"Tyler. Terra Tyler," She finished for him as she flipped her hair in a alluring fashion, "She was demanding to see Moore. I told him he was sleeping and that visiting hours were over that she'd have to come back at the appropriate time. She then started cussing anything and everything worse than a sailor. And I should know, my father was in the Navy. Anyway a security guard finally came and escorted her out after she knocked over a cart with food on it for the patients."
Alex was finding it hard to imagine that soft-spoken woman he'd met a little while ago acting like that.
"Visiting hours are open now. Has been for two hours. Has she been back yet?" Tony asked.
"Not that I know of," Nurse Tyler replied.
"Well thank you for your help, Nurse Tyler," Tony said looking her up and down.
That's when her gaze fell on Alex with adoring eyes, "Your son is soo cute! I love kids, I have a fourteen year old neice that I love hanging out with. What's your name, sweetheart?"
"Alex. But I'm not his son-," Alex started but Tony cut him off.
"That's right, Alex. We're more that father and son. We're best friends, isn't that right, son? We're like the boy version of the Gilmore Girls," Tony said, putting his un-injured arm around Alex, Giving him a one-armed hug.
"I-uh- noticed you weren't wearing a ring, Agent DiNozzo," She said suggestively, while Alex was looking at Tony like he was crazy.
"Yeah, she ran out of me and little Anthony Alex DiNozzo when he was still a toddler. I've been single ever sense. Dating was just too painful. But it gave me more time to spend with my precious child," Tony lied, sounding sad, but looking lovingly at Alex...While Alex still held the you-should-be-admitted-to-a-Psych-ward look.
Then, Tony's head snapped forward as Gibbs slapped the back of it.
"Hey, Boss," Tony greeted.
"If you're done, DiNozzo. Let's go," Gibbs said as he walked to the elevator.
Alex and Tony quickly followed, but not before Nurse Tyler wrote down her number for Tony, and ruffled Alex's hair before he could get away.
After they both entered the elevator and the doors closed Gibbs turned to Tony and asked incredulously, " Little Anthony Alex DiNozzo?"
Alex's chuckle echoed through the small elevator.
ALEX RIDER*NCIS*ALEX RIDER*NCIS*ALEX RIDER*NCIS*ALEX RIDER*NCIS*
Alex's good mood was diminished as he walked into Jack's room and saw her lying in the hospital fighting for her life. But he didn't walk in alone. This time, Gibbs, Tony, along with Jacks doctor walked in with him.
"Mr. Rider, Jack is doing phenomenal. Her, blood pressure is back up and she's not relying on the ventilator as much anymore. If everything keeps going the way they are she should be awake in a matter of weeks," The doctor said clapping Alex on the back, as he watched Jacks chest rise and fall.
Though Alex's sad eyes lightened some as he heard the great news from the doctor.
"Really? That's great, thank you," He replied to the doctor as he was walking out. The doctor turned smiled at him and nodded before vacating the room.
"She really does look better. There's more color to her cheeks," Gibbs commented as he looked at her.
"Kinda reminds me of Shannon, when she was Jack's age," Gibbs thought silently.(1)
But Tony seemed to notice his hard gaze, knowing who the man was thinking of, "Yeah, the pink in her cheeks makes her hair all the more red." (2)
"Which usually indicates all the more fiery attitude, DiNozzo," Gibbs replied wisely with a smirk on his face.
Alex, could only simply nod his head knowingly in agreement as he smiled encouragingly at Jack. Praying, that she would wake up in time to meet this odd bunch of people.
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"Are you alright there, Fulmer?" Mcgee asked, noticing his jittery movements in the small elevator, heading for the interrogation rooms, while Ziva visited the restroom. He also noticed the man was sweating badly, though he was holding himself like he was freezing, shivering slightly.
"I'm, o-okay," he replied stuttering.
But Mcgee didn't buy it, "You wouldn't happen to be going through withdrawals there, would you?"
"I-I d-don't know...what y-you're t-alking about," Fulmer all but shouted, giving Mcgee a murderous look.
Mcgee then started to reach discreetly for his cuffs before the man hurt himself...Or Mcgee. But as he did the elevator doors opened and Fulmer exploded.
He slammed Mcgee into the back wall of the elevator causing Mcgee's head to collide brutally against the metal. Then, just as Mcgee's vision was clearing some, Fulmer expertly punched the man in the jaw, sending Mcgee into unconsciousness before his body could even hit the ground.
Fulmer grabbed Mcgee's gun from its holster and went searching blindly for an exit.
ALEX RIDER*NCIS*ALEX RIDER*NCIS*ALEX RIDER*NCIS*ALEX RIDER*NCIS*
Gibbs, Tony, and Alex left Jack's room a half an hour later, giving Alex enough time to spend with his unconscious friend.
They were now getting out of the car in the NCIS parking garage.
Walking toward one of the many doors to the building, Alex following slightly behind the two men.
At first all Alex heard was quickened walking. At first he wrote it off as an agent in a hurry to get to work.
But when the footsteps quickened and got closer, Alex glanced over his shoulder and saw a man with a gun loosely held in his right hand, heading toward them. Almost four feet away from Alex.
As he saw the man raise his gun, he stopped and turned around slowly.
Gibbs and Tony noticed Alex had stopped and they also turned around slowly, not chancing reaching for their guns.
Then, suddenly Ziva slammed through an emergency exit beside the standoff, gun drawn and trained expertly on the man. She immediately stopped in her tracks as she saw that Fulmer had his gun trained on Alex, but didn't lower her gun.
"Fulmer, drop your weapon now and put your hand on top of your head!" Ziva barked.
"N-no, I'm not g-going b-back to j-jail because o-of Payton! He's n-not gonna r-rat me out again. I already lost my job because of him!" Fulmer yelled his aim not wavering but his eyes were blinking rapidly and his face was pouring sweat.
"You're gonna be in a lot more trouble if you don't drop that gun, Fulmer. And we didn't bring you in here to talk about your drug addiction. We brought you in here because you're a suspect in the murder of Steve Payton. Though, that's probably gonna change now," Gibbs explained.
Fulmers eyes that were glaring daggers at Alex, widened and looked at Gibbs, "He's dead? S-serves t-that Bast-," Fulmer started.
But Alex used Fulmers current shock as a perfect distraction, and acted before anyone else could.
He skillfully kicked the gun out of Fulmers hand before he could let a shot off. Alex immediately stepped back and got into a fighting stance as Fulmer came toward him.
Fulmer threw a punch to the side of Alex's head which he neatly blocked with the side of his arm. He then kicked Fulmer hard enough in the stomach to cause him to double over in pain, Alex took advantage of the current position, and shoved an elbow into the mans temple hard enough to knock him unconscious.
Breathing heavily, Alex stepped back letting Gibbs cuff Fulmer in case he woke up.
"What happened here? I leave for a few hours and you and Mcgee are letting suspects run around wielding guns?" Gibbs asked sarcastically.
"I do not know. Mcgee was escorting Fulmer into interrogation, while I went to the bathroom. When I went to the elevator I found Mcgee unconscious in it. Me and a couple other NCIS agents went to looking for him," Ziva said as she pulled out a two-way radio.
"Fulmer has been found. I repeat Fulmer has been found," She informed to the other scouting agents that were currently all over the Navy yard.
"Is the Probie okay?" Tony asked.
"His face is bruised and he now has a duck egg on the back of his head. But Ducky says he is fine," Ziva replied.
"It's goose egg, but thanks," Tony said, as he turned to Alex, "Are you okay? Those were some pretty fancy moves you had going on just now."
"Yes, if you do not mind me asking, who taught you karate?" Ziva asked, eyeing him weirdly.
"I had an instructor. My uncle signed me up as soon as I was old enough. He helped me get everything right, or the way he wanted it, when he was home," Alex explained, leaving out that a certain elbow strike move that he had done just now was something he had learned from his time in Malagosto. But of course he didn't use quite as much force that the SCORPIA agents used. Only wanting to knock out Fulmer, not give the man brain damage...Or kill him.
Tony nodded, while Ziva looked at him thoughtfully, as if she knew he was lying.
"Looks like he's going through withdrawals," Gibbs observed, seeing the swear pouring off the man, as he lifted Fulmers eyes to see his bloodshot eyes, "That could've been roid rage. What kind of drugs was Fulmer found with when he was discharged?" Gibbs asked, Ziva.
"Steroids, cocaine, heroin, and a small portion of pot. He could've been using the drugs as he was selling them, Gibbs, because when we picked him up from his house there was a brand new Mustang sitting in his driveway," Ziva offered.
Then Ducky, a man with glasses, and two EMT's with a gurney came into the parking garage and decided to join the party.
"Gibbs the EMT's are here to take Fulmer to the hospital to deal with his withdrawals properly. And to sedate him or put him in restraints if necessary. Once he's conscious and lucid enough they will call you so you can question him," Ducky said firmly.
"Great," Gibbs said grudgingly, "Wait how did you know he was going through withdrawals?" Gibbs asked.
"Mcgee recognized the symptoms and he told me while I was examining him. He's becoming more and more like you and young Anthony here everyday. I had to force him to come to autopsy for some aspirin. He was determined to help," Ducky said watching the EMT's load Fulmer onto the stretcher.
Gibbs' chest swelled with pride for his youngest and most inexperienced agent, though he tried not to show it as he turned to Alex and asked "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Alex replied.
Then, Gibbs' phone gave it's shrill ring, "Yeah?" He asked into it.
There was a pause then, "Yeah, I know Abby, I'm going to check on him now, then we'll come and see you." He listened one more pause then said, "Yeah, Abby, Alex too."
Then he snapped the phone shut, and turned to Ziva, who was currently lost in her own thoughts, "Ziva, go ahead and take Alex down to Abby's lab. She's really eager to see him. She's still worried about him and what happened in the alley. And it'll take some of her mind off Mcgee. We might be awhile I want Ducky to check him over one more time."
"You got it. Lets go Alex," Ziva said, moving to the door,opening it for Alex.
He went in and went over to a elevator, Ziva hit the down button and they waited for the doors to open.
They were silent as the doors opened and they entered the lift, but just as the elevator started to descend. Ziva flipped a switch on the side of the elevator and it stopped suddenly.
"Why did you do that?" Alex asked utterly perplexed.
"I wanted to talk," She said simply.
"And that's not something we could do without shutting the lift off? Is that even safe?" Alex asked, still not comprehending.
"Should be. I mean Gibbs does it just about every day," Ziva said leaning against the side of the elevator walls.
Alex sighed and shook his head. He didn't think he was ever gonna get all of the teams odd habits down, "Okay. What is it that you want to talk about?"
"I don't know. Alex, there's something about you. The look in your eyes, it's not something you normally see on a teenager. I can tell you have been through a lot," Ziva said slowly.
Alex gave Ziva a small smile, "You sound like a fortune-teller."
Ziva smiled slightly too, "Maybe. But, Alex I know for a fact that spy missions are not easy, and they are certainly not safe. I don't care how good you are, MI6 should have never pulled you into the spy world. It is no place for a child."
"How do you know?" Alex asked curiously.
"I am a liason officer from Mossad. I used to be a Mossad spy. I have went on missions like you have, and probably have seen just about as much as you have. And I know what it's like to be forced into that world. My father is the Director of Mossad. And most of my family works for Mossad or something along those lines. And as the saying goes;it's in your blood. I'm sure you have heard that quite a bit, am I right?" Ziva asked wisely.
All Alex did was nod. A Mossad spy? Wow no wonder he felt like Ziva could see right through him. They were a lot alike. They both came from a spy family. And it kinda sounded like Ziva was pressured into Mossad by her father.(3)
"NCIS," Ziva continued, "has never dealt with SCORPIA before,but Mossad certainly has. I know how dangerous that organization is. And I know a deadly blow like the one you administered to Fulmer just now, was not something you learn from a regular karate lesson. Have you really been that close to SCORPIA to witness a move like that from them?" Ziva asked incredulously.
Alex just sighed, "Ziva it's a long story that I don't want to go into. Especially in a elevator," He said quietly.
Ziva looked at him hard then nodded slowly, "I understand that you would not want to talk about it. And that you want to bury your secrets so deep, so no one has to know about them. But it is not wise to keep things like that bottled up. And I guess you can call me a hippie cause I am the same way."
Alex gave a short laugh, "Uh, I think you mean hypocrite, Ziva. But yeah, you're right I don't want to talk about it."
He didn't want to sound like a bratty teenager but, even though he knew he could trust these people, this was not something he was just ready to pour out just yet.
But Ziva understood, "I get that. But, uh, if you do decide you want to..You know...talk about something. I'll be here, if you...wanna talk." She said kinda awkwardly.
She felt bad for Alex. The only person he had was lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life, while he was out on the streets fighting for his every time he turned around. "But," Ziva thought, "he has got Gibbs looking out for him, as well as me, Mcgee, and Tony. We will make sure he's okay."
"Thanks Ziva. That means a lot," Alex said gratefully as Ziva nodded and started the elevator, again and they made their way down to Abby's lab.
(1)- okay I have no idea how old Shannon was when she died, but I know she had to have been older than Jack to have a child as old as Kelly and be with Gibbs.
(2)- Does anyone really know if Tony knows about Shannon and Kelly?....I personally can't remember if in any of the episodes Tony talks about it....but I forget a lot so he might. And if he doesn't lets just all pretend that he does.
A/N- I tried to put some more action into this chapter to make up for the slow pace of the last chapter so I hope you all enjoyed!
And of course thanks to Sheluby94dreamer for beta-ing for me!
Review and let me know how you liked it!
More Abby next chapter. She gets to worry about three people now! Alex, Tony, and now Mcgee! Boy, is she gonna have her hands full.