Chapter Thirteen

While the team was off to Baltimore to meet with Captain Andrews and begin their investigation, Tony and Billy began their investigation trying to tie Esteban to Barton's death. One of the best places to start was with those Barton worked with, which meant a return to the bar Smitty's in the U Street Corridor where Barton lived. The freelance security people he worked with drank there, which was how he met them and got into the business.

They arrived at Smitty's at six o'clock. Tony knew that Ziva wouldn't be getting back from Baltimore until late.

"Tony, this isn't a place for law abiding people," said Billy.

"Don't worry I'll keep a closed eye to illegal activities," smiled Tony.

"I'm just worried about you, boss," Billy said. "Ziva will kill me if I get you badly injured."

"Don't be. You'd be surprised at how well I can handle myself," he said.

"Okay, boss," said Billy.

When they entered Smitty's for a moment Tony almost had sensory overload. There was too much of everything: noise, movement, and smells. With his right hand almost as a security blanket and touch his folded cane in his back pocket. If he lost contact with Billy he'd need a life line, something to steady his nerves, and that was his cane.

They continued to the bar but were stopped. Billy found three blocking their path to the bar. They looked ex-military and nasty. Tony and Billy stood out like a couple of cops at a mafia wedding.

"What do you want here?" asked one of them.

"Hey, I think we've got a blind man and a Seeing Eye dog here," said another.

"Funny," the third spoke up.

Tony could sense Billy tensing up. He didn't blame him because he knew Billy was thinking I've got to protect Tony and deal with these three bastards. Tony took a deep calming breath and smiled. He was able to handle this better now than when he had his sight. Buck had trained him to deal with this, so it was time to step up and deal with it. All he had to do was follow his muscle memory and his instincts.

"You know what one of the good things about being blind is?" he asked.

"No what," said one of the three.

"I don't have to look at ugly anymore and I bet you are seriously ugly," he smiled.

"You got balls for a blind man," said another.

"Here's the deal we are here looking for," he said then raised his voice, "Daniel Barton. I'm thinking someone killed him. Now I've got a generally good idea why but I need to know more."

"When you lost your sight it seems you became noisy," laughed one of the three.

"No, not noisy, I'm a federal agent and I still am even without my sight," he said. "The name is Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, NCIS."

Tony said his name and where he was from loud enough so that if someone wanted to find him to talk to him that it would be easy.

"A blind federal agent," said the guy who laughed at his own noisy joke, "and what are you?"

"Marine CID assigned to Agent DiNozzo. Special Agent Bill Simms," said Billy.

"Marine, huh?" he said. "I hate marines."

"Should not have said that ass wipe," piped up a deep voice behind Tony and Billy.

The voice came forward and stood with Billy and Tony: "Gunny Stan Howard, born in Harlem, New York, but I made the Marine Corp my home until six months ago."

The large African American ex-marine turned his head and looked at Tony then Billy: "Let's try and keep your blind friend from getting hurt during this fracas."

"He's going to surprise you, Gunny," said Billy.

"Fuck this shit. Time for a beat down," said one of the three and he threw a punch at Tony, who could read what was coming by the sound of the man's grunt, breathing, the shifting of weight, and the disturbance in the air.

Tony slapped the punch away from him then grabbed his cane and without unfolding it he used it across the man's head with a loud crack. In that instant chaos broke out and Howard, Billy, and Tony were in the middle of a maelstrom of violence. Much to Howard's surprise Tony didn't need any help. He observed him for a second to see him use a couple of Semper Fu moves as well as other modified martial art moves.

His new found skills didn't stop Tony from taken a bump and bruise here and there as well as a beer tony to the side of his head. By the time the fight was under control because the police was on the way, Howard helped Simms usher Tony to safety. Looking fairly beat up and a little bloody, they popped into a diner.

"You really NCIS?" asked Howard as he handed Tony a cloth napkin that he grabbed from the waitress to hold up against his bloodied head.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Thanks, Gunny, for your help," Billy said.

"You really looking for Barton?" asked Howard.

"Yes," said Billy.

"Okay, who are you?" asked Tony. "I can tell from the strain in your voice that you are hiding something."

"Gunnery Sergeant Maurice Jefferson, Marine CID. My friends call me Mo and I'm working undercover trying to find out about what happened to some discharged marines who got involved with Manny Esteban," he said.

"I'd say we are working versions of the same case," said Tony.

"You really blind?" Jefferson asked.

"Yup," said Tony. "You want to play catch to prove?"

"And you got a bad leg, right?" asked Jefferson to Billy.

"Lost lower part of my leg to an IED," said Billy.

"What a fucking pair! I say this with respect. You both handled yourself real well tonight in there. We kicked butt," said Jefferson.

"Is your cover blown?" asked Tony.

"Probably. But I couldn't let them put you two in the hospital, especially with you being blind," said Jefferson.

"What do you know about Barton?" asked Tony.

"I've got some information and you?" he said.

"Okay, tomorrow at one at NCIS office in the Navy Yard. I'll share with you what we got and you can share with me. Maybe we can work on this together, Jefferson," said Tony.

"Okay," said Jefferson. "I guess you can call me Mo."

"I'm Tony and this is Billy," said Tony.

"Okay," Jefferson nodded his head.

"I better get you home to Ziva soon," said Billy. "She is going to kick my ass for letting you get hurt."

"I handled myself fine in there tonight," smiled Tony. "It's not my fault I couldn't see the bottle coming."

"Very funny," said Jefferson.

"Let's eat first," said Tony. "Ziva has been looking out for my diet lately. I really need a burger and some onion rings."

NCIS

It was going on to ten when Tony came into the apartment. Ziva was sitting on the sofa worried. Her first reaction as the door was opening was to rip into for not answering her calls and turning off his phone so that McGee couldn't trace him. But they she saw the blood on his shirt and the fact that he had been in a fight and the anger melted away and concern took over.

"What happened, Tony?" she asked as she started to immediately check him out.

"Barroom fight," he said.

"What? Why were you in a barroom fight?" she asked.

"Looking for information on Barton and some mean men didn't want to give it to us," he said as he grimaced when she touched the side of his head where the bottle had cracked him.

"Tony, you have to avoid head injuries," she said sounding a little emotional. "The last one almost… I almost lost you, Tony. Please, you can't do this to yourself."

"Zi, trust me, I didn't want to get hit in the head," he said.

She kissed his cheek and led him to the sofa then she went to get a first aid kit. When she returned, she took his shirt off to check if he had any hidden injuries. What he had was bruises.

"Believe it or not, I did great in the fight. It just so happened to be a real tough fight. It was me Billy and another marine against basically a bar load of people and someone caught me with a beer bottle. Buck would be disappointed in me that I didn't sense it coming," he said.

"I should have been with you," she said softly.

"You're not my assistant, Zi, Billy is. You were with your team just like you supposed to be," he said.

"Anthony DiNozzo," she said sternly as she applied alcohol to the wound on the side of his head making him inhale from the pain. "I am your partner. That is more important than assistant or teammate."

"I know, Zi. Trust me, I came through the fight with barely a scratch thanks to Buck's training and two marines," he smiled.

"I worry about you," she said then gave him a gently kiss on the lips.

"See, that makes me feel better," he said.

"Really?" she said.

"Yes, really," he growled.

She kissed him again. This time it wasn't gentle. He brought his right hand up and took her hair on the back of her head in his hand and buried his hand in it. His bruises no longer hurt as he lost himself in kissing Ziva.

"I love you," he murmured into neck as he kissed her collar bone.

"Let's go to bed," she said.

"Good idea," he said.

Ziva lead him into the bedroom and then started to undress him. Tony stood there wishing he could see one more time just for fifteen minutes, just long enough so he could memories her body and face one last time.

"Zi, I miss seeing your face," he admitted.

"Ahuvi, I love you," she said then kissed him placing his hands on her naked hips. "Make love to me."

NCIS

Gibbs stared at Tony's bruised face. With his forefinger and thumb he grabbed his jaw and moved his head from the right then to the left.

"He's okay, right, Ducky?" asked Gibbs.

"A little battered and bruised and a nice cut in his hairline, but he shall be fine," said Ducky.

"Thanks, Ducky," said Tony. "Can I go? I've got a visitor coming."

"Yes, Anthony, you can," said Ducky.

"Try to stay out of fights, DiNozzo. I know you can handle yourself but if it turned into a firefight you aren't equipped for that anymore," said Gibbs.

"I still remember how to fire a gun, Gibbs. You point, aim and pull the trigger. Okay, I might have some trouble with aim," he smiled.

"Get out of here, DiNozzo," said Gibbs.

With the use of his laser cane he made his way out of the autopsy and to the elevator then up to the third floor and his work area with Billy. Special Agent Jefferson was due there soon and Tony was starting to get excited at the thought he might be getting a break in the case.

Making his way to his desk, he sat down and turned on his computer.

"Hey, boss, I just got a call. Jefferson is down in security. I'm going to go and escort him up," said Billy.

"Go get him then come get me and will go to the conference room," said Tony.

"Yes, boss," said Billy.

As they settled down in the conference room, Jefferson, who wore a blue suit, put a file down on the table and began to talk.

"Esteban is selling drugs and laundering money for several terrorist groups. This is dangerous work, which is why he hires ex-military, especially those who left on a sour note," said Jefferson. "Well, a couple of marines who didn't leave on a sour note worked for him. When they found out what he did they disappeared."

"And you're looking for them?" asked Billy.

"Yeah," he said.

"He must have a body dumping ground. The kind of thug like Esteban likes having a dumping ground where he can put his bodies. We find the dumping ground and we'll find your marines and Barton," said Tony.

"You know your stuff, don't you?" said Jefferson.

"Yeah, I do," Tony said.

"Boss here is good at what he does," said Billy.

"You want to work with us, Special Agent Jefferson?" asked Tony.

"I'd like to work something out so we work together," said Jefferson.

"Good. I'll make a call to Marine CID and work this out. They promoted Billy here to sergeant and transferred him to me. I think they'll be willing to lend me you," Tony said.

"Okay, let's nail this bastard Esteban and find the bodies of three good marines and make sure they are interred with honor and respect," said Jefferson.

"Ooorah," Billy replied.