Chapter 3
A New Life: Part III
0815 hours local time, 12 June 2003, Yellowknife, Federated Socialist Republic of Canada.
In a desperate attempt to hold onto power, Canada "President-for-Life", Alberte Clarke, had renamed Canada and reformed it's government into a neo-socialist state; one that resembled the Milosevic Government in FR Yugoslavia. Yet despite the reforms, the Canadian National Party's Government was on the brink of collapse. The Eastern territories of Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia were ripe for invasion from the powerful, US-backed Quebecois National Army. Meanwhile, in the west, the CNP's purges and "ethnic cleansing" had left the country internally crippled. Non-CNP Guards military units were suffering from mass desertion and a famine had decimated the countryside, leaving hundreds of thousands, if not millions dead. Due to the propaganda machine of the Canadian National Party, very little information came in or out of Canada, especially after they had sealed the borders with the United States. It was the opinion and hope General of the Army Wesley Clark, and White House Chief of Staff Meg Martin that "cutting off the head of the snake", so to speak, would be the straw that broke the camel's back.
That's where Tony came in. Despite no longer being in the military, Tony was still the best weapon in the US Government's arsenal. Both General Clark and Meg were under the impression that Tony would be handling the job alone; which was exactly what he wanted them to think. In reality, Tony had brought along the ace up his sleeve: Austin. US Army 2nd Lieutenant Austin Joseph "AJ" Kearns was the Unit's undercover operative inside the Mossad. He had been recruited by Tony when he was still the Delta Force's XO, and even through Tony now worked for NCIS; AJ was still undercover, reporting only to Tony.
"So what happens if you get killed or something?" Austin asked as they finished setting up.
"Remember what I told you. Stash some money somewhere so you can die someplace warm" Tony said.
"Will this work?" he asked, getting back to the task at hand.
"Yes" Tony said confidently. "You said you the guy that Mossad sent to protect Clarke?"
"Adam Weiss" Austin said.
"He any good?"
"No"
"Rule 9: Never underestimate your enemies desire to kill you"
"I don't underestimate his desire. If anything I'm overestimating his intelligence" AJ said. "Ok, well I recognize the 1st part; I think I saw it in the movie once"
"You did" Tony confirmed. ""The Jackal", Bruce Willis, Richard Gere, 1997" he said.
"An Oerlikon 20mm, mounted in a van across the street from the platform" AJ observed. "You do remember that in the movie, it didn't work" he added.
"I'm not planning it on working" Tony said. "That's why it's just part of the plan" he said. "Ok, charges are set"
"Charges set" AJ confirmed.
"Let's move" Tony ordered.
2 hours later…
A crowd had gathered as Alberte's Clarke's convoy approached. Severing as a bodyguard was Mossad Officer Adam Weiss, a newly-minted member of the Kidon. To him, this was just another mission he had been ordered on, and an order must always be followed; a very ironic coda indeed. As the convoy pulled up, Officer Weiss got out of the Mercedes sedan, slamming his door shut before pulling open the general's door. The aging general stepped out of the car, and surrounded by a group of Canadian National Party Guards, walked towards the stage. Adam followed closely behind, carefully watching the surroundings. Clarke began his speech to party supports and Weiss remained off stage.
Clarke was a few minutes into his speech, when Weiss noticed something. It was a red minivan, parked across the street. But something was funny, the back window was missing. Adam's hand instinctively dropped to his sidearm as he took a few steps closer, but it was too late. A second later, a 20mm cannon that had been setup inside the van, began spraying both the crowd and the stage. Adam hit the dirt, but then quickly got to his feet. He sprinted to the stage, pulling the general off, past 2 guards who had fallen victim to the cannon. As they moved back towards the cars, an explosion was triggered from the manhole cover that the car was parked over. Flames engulfed the black sedan, lifting it off the ground. Adam reacted quickly and pushed the general into a nearby building.
Watching the events unfold, were Tony and AJ. "He's in the building" AJ observed.
"Ok, let's move" Tony said.
"Activate the explosives" he ordered. AJ quickly punched in the code.
"90" seconds he said as he grabbed his SR-25 Sniper rifle.
Meanwhile, Officer Weiss and the remaining CNP Guards moved through back alleys as military units flooded the area. Not knowing if the assassination attempt was the result of outside forces, an attempted coup, or both, he didn't know who he could trust. But what Officer Weiss didn't know, was that he was being watched… from above.
"I have a visual on the targets" AJ said as he held the rifle to his shoulder.
"Easy there, kiddo" Tony replied over the comms from an adjacent rooftop. "They're walking right into us"
"Colonel, if we don't move now…"
"I ain't a colonel anymore" Tony grinned as he pressed the detonator. Explosions began going off on either side of the group, killing a couple of more guards. The group began moving more quickly, towards the nearest street. "Bingo" Tony grinned. When the group reached the street, Tony tripped the pop-up mines he had planted, some modern day versions of the old bouncing Betties. Officer Weiss was quick enough to react, knocking the general to the ground. The others weren't so lucky, as ball bearings tore through then, turning them into Swiss cheese. With only himself remaining, Officer Weiss grabbed the President by the collar, dragged them to his feet and got him moving.
"He's moving" AJ said as raised his rifle.
"I got him" Tony replied as he flicked the safety off of his L-96 sniper rifle. The round erupted from the barrel, perfect trajectory. "Boom" Tony mouthed as the round slammed into the back of the General's head, sending him to the ground. Officer Weiss stopped in his tracks and stared at the general's dead body. Tony worked the bolt, ejecting the spent round as he took careful aim at Officer Weiss. Tony took a breath and then lowered the rifle. "AJ" he said into his comms.
"Yes Sir" he replied.
"Take care of it" Tony said.
"Yes Sir" AJ replied. "What about the rest of the CNP Government?"
"Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it" Tony said.
0615 hours, 13 June 2003, Pier 54, Port Charles Harbor, Port Charles, New York.
It had been less than 24 hours, but the predictions made by Meg and Wes Clark had already proven true. Quebecois Air Force Units were already taking out key radar and air defense instillations in Newfoundland & Labrador in preparation for what Tony knew would be the follow on invasion. With the help of the very same QAF, Tony had hitched a ride to QAF Eastmain, the main Quebecois Naval Base on the Hudson Bay. From there, he took a seaplane to Port Charles.
Tony walked up the stairs to the street and made his way down to Kelly's, the waterfront diner that was owned by his father's right-hand man in Port Charles, Jason Morgan. As he walked up, he noticed several "Quartermaine for Congress" signs in the window. Tony chuckled to himself as he walked inside. He smiled to the teenage girl behind the counter as he walked up and took a seat on one of the stools.
"Hey Uncle Tony" the girl grinned.
"Morning Alex" he smiled as she poured him a cup of coffee. "AJ and Liz in yet?" he asked.
"Not yet, but they should be in soon" she said. Tony nodded as he took a sip of his coffee.
"You studying up for your finals?" he asked.
"Yep" she said as she held up her American history textbook. "My dad's been helping me" she said.
"Well, with all due respect to Jason" he said as he grabbed the book. "I'm the one with a Masters in History" he said.
"Military History" Alex clarified.
"Smartass" Tony grinned as he flipped through the book. "Who said, "you shall not crucify humanity upon a cross of gold" he asked.
"William Jennings Bryan; 1896 Democratic Convention" she said.
"And what was the speech in reference to?"
"The abolition of the gold standard in favor of the coinage of silver, at 1/16 value" she said. Tony nodded his approval. This questioning continued through several cups of coffee until AJ and Liz arrived.
"Leave the poor girl alone, Tony" Liz called out as she and AJ took their seats.
"I'm helping her study" he called back.
"A lecture on tactics and strategy used by the Russian Imperial Army at the Battle of Tannenberg is not relevant in anyway to US History" AJ told him.
"Says you" Tony retorted as he stood up to join them.
"What are you doing in town?" AJ asked. "I thought you were in Honolulu investing the death of that SEAL"
"He was a Naval Aviator" Tony said. "And I thought I swing by and write you're campaign a hefty check" he gave a cocky smile. "There's just one problem"
"You don't have your check book, do you?" Liz asked, resting her chin in her hand as she grinned.
"I do not" Tony confirmed.
"So then why are you in town?" AJ asked.
"Hey, where are the kids?" Tony.
"With you're mother, now answer the question" Liz told him.
"Since when is my mother, your babysitter?" he asked.
"Why are you ducking my question?" Liz asked. "Does this have something to do with what's going on up north?" she asked.
"Drop it, Liz" Tony shot her a look as he sipped his coffee. "How's the primary going?" he asked.
"It's going" AJ said. "Spitzer's gonna endorse Lomax" he said.
"A liberal endorsing a liberal, no surprise there" Tony said. "Why did you decide to run as a Democrat, anyway?"
"Because I am a Democrat" AJ said. "I've been a Democrat since I registered to vote when I was 18" he said.
"He didn't vote for the ACLU guy did he?" Tony turned to Liz.
"Who's the ACLU guy?" AJ looked puzzled.
"Dukakis" Liz translated. "Tony hates the ACLU so much that he won't speak the name of anyone they endorse"
"Fuckin' Commies" Tony growled.
"This is what I've been dealing with for 20 years" Liz grinned.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you vote for Gore 3 years ago?" AJ prodded.
"I did" Tony nodded. "For 2 reasons; one: Vice President is one of my father's oldest friends. And two: because I don't have a problem with the president being smart, unlike the rest of my party, who were offended b/c my Uncle actually used his intelligence" he said. "Once I get around to finding my checkbook, I'll be cutting you several hefty checks" he added.
"The limit is $2700 per person" AJ told him.
"$2700 from me and $2700 from Molly" he smiled. "And after the rest of my children write their checks, that's $16,200" Tony smiled. "Tea is also contacting several more donors. The Kennedys, Cuomos, etc."
"How many federal laws are you intent on breaking?" Liz asked.
"As many as I can get away with… and then some" he grinned. "The FBI, the Justice Department and Rudy Giuliani indicted my father on RICO violations 3 times" he said holding up 3 fingers. "They could never make 'em stick"
"He always was the real "Teflon Don"" AJ quipped.
"I never liked my father's dealings with the Gotti Family" Tony said. "Never could trust those assholes"
"And now they're full of holes" Liz grinned.
"How's the family?' Tony asked, changing the subject.
"Eh" Liz shrugged. "Me and my sisters aren't speaking again" she said.
"And who initiated that?" Tony asked.
"Both sides" AJ said. "Zoey is dating some Belgian Royalty douche bag"
"Over my strong objections" Liz added.
"I can see you're setting into the role of Matriarch quite well" Tony threw in, his voice full of sarcasm. "Come to think of it, little Allen is the Aire now, right?"
"Yep" AJ nodded.
"The Aire to both the Quartermaine and McCain; boy is he in store for a fun life" he smiled.
"So how is the rest of DiNozzo Family fairing these days?" AJ asked. "Rex doing ok?" he asked.
"Yeah" Tony nodded.
"How long you in town?" Liz asked.
"A couple days I guess" Tony said.
"NCIS isn't expecting you back anytime soon?"
"Nah" Tony waived it off. "What about you, Madame Ambassador? Won't you be missed in Dublin?" he asked.
"I'm leaving tomorrow. I have a meeting with Blair Manning at the UN day after that, and then I have to brief the President that night before flying out" she said.
"You wanna lift?" he asked. "I'm headed that way"
"Road trip it is" she smiled.
1600 hours local time, 13 June 2003, Ar-Rutbah, Iraq.
"Under the guidelines issued by General Morrell, Delta Company will advance in Humvees along Highway-1 towards Ramadi. We will be the forward recon. We find something we kill it" Lieutenant Hagan explained to his platoon leaders and platoon sergeants.
"The highway is solid concrete and asphalt, so there is little risk of standard anti-vehicle, anti-tank, or anti-personnel mines; however, we'll still need to keep a sharp eye out for IEDs" Three added. Despite placing a phone call to General Clark himself, Three was stuck with the Rangers for the time being.
"What about CAS?" asked one of the Lieutenants.
"CDS air units will continue round the clock raids against Iraqi targets as they have been doing. In terms of direct support, we'll have AH-64 Apache Gunships overhead" answered Lieutenant Hagan. "And let me add this" he paused. "I know that Staff Sergeant DiNozzo is junior in rank to most of you, but let me say this; he wears that blue rosette on his lapel for a reason. He's 20 years old, and in his 4 year in the service, he has seen more combat than most of you will see throughout your entire careers. He is very good at what he does. If he tells you to do something, you fucking do it" Tilden said. "Myself included" he added before giving a nod to Three, who had just lit up a cigarette.
"Thank you, Sir" Three returned the nod.
"Dismissed" Tilden sent them on their way. Once they others had cleared out, Three spoke again.
"Thanks for that" Three said, snapping his Zippo lighter shut.
"I know that you aren't thrilled about being stuck here. I know you rather be back with the rest of your team"
"Am I that obvious?" Three laughed, blowing smoke through his nose.
"Me and my men might be Rangers, but we still don't hold a candle to you Delta boys, that much I do know" Tilden spoke in his Carolinian twang.
"Don't sell yourself short" Three cut him off. "Both my father and I were Rangers before we made the jump. You fought alongside my father in Afghanistan, Liberia, Al-Zahedi, and god knows the Al-Rimam Valley" he paused. "It's my honor to fight alongside you" he nodded.
"An honor return" Tilden added.
"So, any news on when we're gonna kick this thing off?" he asked.
"June 22nd" the Lieutenant informed him.
1035 hours, 14 June 2003, I-87, 10 miles south of Albany, New York
"June 22nd" Tony shook his head after Liz had passed on the news. "It's a bad omen"
"You don't really believe that old curse do you?" Liz asked. "That the humanity provoked the wrath of God by forcing Galileo to recant all of his teachings?"
"Well, I don't know about that, but since 1633, June 22nd has been a cursed day" he paused. "1807, the HMS Leopard attacks the USS Chesapeake, setting our two countries on a path towards the War of 1812. 1813, General Hull launches our invasion of Canada; he's repulsed inside of a year. 1918, a train derailment in Indiana kills 86, injures 127 more"
"And don't forget the "Mano del Dio" in 1986" Liz jokingly cut him off.
"Oh shut up" Tony retorted. "In 1940, France capitulates to Germany, and exactly one year later…"
"Hitler invades Russia" Liz finished.
"But that isn't the scariest of the dates. In 1893, the British were conducting war games in the Mediterranean, they're 2 flagships, HMS Camperdown and HMS Victoria are lost after the two ships fired on each other in heavy fog" he said. "Admiral Tyson should have delayed the exercise, but chose not to, leading to the events of that day, including his own death. The executive officer of the Victoria was a man named Lieutenant Commander John Jellico. 22 years later, John Jellicoe is now Admiral Jellicoe, Admiral of the Fleet and Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy. Jellicoe was ordered to move the fleet into the North Sea for a surprise decisive action against the German High Seas Fleet. However, due to a similarly heavy fog that had spelled the doom of Admiral Sir George Tyson 22 years earlier, Jellicoe ordered his ships to remain in port, rather than risk moving them in such bad weather. Little did the Admiral know, but the Germans were aware of the plan. However, had Jellicoe left as originally planned, the German Fleet would not have been in a position to stop their British counterparts. However, the delay allowed Admiral von Tirpitz to dispatch Admirals Scheer and Hipper, giving them the time they needed to get into position. The result was the Battle of Jutland, the largest surface naval battle ever and since" he paused.
"The Battle of Jutland took place on May 31st and June 1st" Liz corrected him.
"But the events that culminated in that battle, were set in motion by the events of June 22nd, 1893" Tony said.
"Whatever you say, T" Liz shook her head. "Let me see your Colt" she said.
"Why?"
"Just gimme the damn thing" she said as she reached over and pulled it from its holster on his right hip. She pushed open the cylinder and dropped the .45 caliber bullets into her hand.
"Why are you unloading my gun?" Tony was really confused.
"I don't want it loaded while I inspect the hammer" she said. "Dr. Benoit called me…"
"Oh for fuck's sake"
"She's concerned about a patient with never damage using a single-action revolver" she said.
"That Colt has been in my family since 1873, when it was presented to my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Lieutenant General George Washington Corinthos by President Ulysses S. Grant" he informed her. "I don't care what the good doctor has to say. I've carried that pistol since I was 21, and I will continue to do so as long as I see fit" he growled.
"Jeanne is concerned that you have to cock the hammer after each shot. If the nerve damage flairs up while you're using it…"
"Then I have this" he said as he took his right hand off the steering wheel and slightly slipped his Berretta Inox from the holster, before releasing it and letting it slid back into place.
"I think her point was…"
"I know what her point was" Tony said. "And it's been over a year since anything's acted up. I'll be fine" he said.
"She's worried about you Tony; and so am I" she said as she reloaded the pistol, spun the cylinder and snapped it shut. Tony took it back from her and slipped back into his holster.
"Well, don't be" he said.
"Ok, ok" she repeated as she held up her hands. "So how's business going?" she asked.
"After closing the Warren case, I'm 10 for 10" he grinned.
"That's not what I meant and you know it" she said. "Someone took out Alberte Clarke yesterday morning" she said. "You wouldn't know anything about that now would you?"
"Nope" Tony replied, almost immediately.
"Really?" Liz gave him a look.
"Madame Ambassador, I think it best if you don't ask anything further" he replied. Liz knew when to take a hint and quickly changed the subject.
"George Corinthos" she said. "He was the one that threw John C. Calhoun off a cliff, wasn't he?"
"Yep" Tony nodded. "In self-defense of course"
"Naturally" Liz grinned.
"No, really" Tony said, kicking off a whole new argument.
1900 hours local time, 14 June 2003, Iraqi Desert, Iraq.
"So what the hell are we looking for?" Zander asked.
"You remember when we overran Basra and took out their SCUD launchers?" Chester said as he surveyed the landscape through his binoculars.
"Yeah, so what?" Zander replied.
"Well, now we're gonna go after the lab that made the shit they had stuffed in those missiles" he said as he lowered the binoculars. As he did, Tali came running back over.
"It looks clear ahead" she told them.
"It's still nearly 100 klicks to where the target is supposed to be" Chester said.
"Then we best get a move on" Tali said. "We have a week to find this place, blow it up and get back to our lines before Desert Comet kicks off"
"Thank you Captain Obvious" Chester said. "Let's move" he added.
1930 hours local time, 14 June 2003, Ar-Rutbah, Iraq.
"They're here" someone yelled. Three looked over his shoulder and saw a column of trucks driving up the road towards their camp.
"Tell me again why they're here" Three said to Lieutenant Hagan.
"They're serving as the infantry support to the armor that supposed to follow behind us" said the Lieutenant he said as the first trucks pulled up and members of the 506th PIR, 101st Airborne jumped out. "Isn't you're Uncle with the 506th?" the Lieutenant asked.
"Yeah" Three nodded.
"And you're 2 years older than he is?"
"Yep" Three nodded again. "Dante's younger brothers, Michael and Morgan, are 14 & 10 respectively. Let that whirl around up there for a little bit" Three grinned.
"I'd rather not" Tilden chuckled. "A lot of these guys are replacements for the men we lost at Al-Rimam…"
"Which means there as green as the leaves on the trees" Three said. "I hate using green troops" he muttered.
"Yeah, well at least they're well trained" Tilden quipped. "During the Vietnam War, they were sending guys straight in right out of boot camp. So I've been told anyway"
"Oh believe me, it's true" Three said as he paused to light a cigarette. "I've heard the stories from my grandfather and his friends"
"You call them his friends, the rest of us call them General, Admiral, Senator, and oh yeah, Mr. Vice President" Tilden grinned.
"Uncle Al would have made a hell of a President" Three grinned, the cigarette hanging from his lip.
"My mama campaign for him" Tilden nodded. "Come on, let's get the Sky Train Boys settled"
"Aye!" Three shot him a look.
"Sorry" Lieutenant Hagan grinned.
1330 hours, 14 June 2003, NYPD SIU (Special Investigation Unit) Headquarters, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York City, New York.
After dropping Liz off at the UN to meet with Blair Manning, Tony decided to drop in and may a visit to him eldest daughter, Erica Jane. The SIU's Headquarters was situated inside the old Brooklyn Navy Yard, well disguised to the outside world as an abandoned warehouse. Whoever had come up with this idea had had a stroke of genius, one Tony noted was worth copying.
Meanwhile, inside the building, Chief of Department Frank Reagan, the number 2 man in the NYPD, was introducing the new SIU Commander: Captain Thomas Connolly. All the members of SIU were listening to the Chief that they didn't notice when Tony's Mustang pulled up outside. The lack of external security however, was not lost on Tony. He shook his head as he slipped inside. The SIU motor pool and weapons cage was located on the ground floor, bellow the offices above. Tony quickly found the stairs and made his way up. Captain Connolly's little ceremony was breaking up as Tony reached the top of the stairs. Several officers walked past him, not recognizing him. he grinned as he caught his daughter's eye.
"Hey" she grinned as she hurried over. Tony enveloped her in a warm hug, giving her a tight squeeze.
"How ya doin, Pumpkin?" he asked as he kissed her forehead.
"I'm doing ok" she said as she showed him to her desk. "John, you've met my father, right?"
"Good to see you again, Colonel" said Detective John McBain, EJ's partner, as he held out his hand.
"Tony's fine" he said as he gripped the detective's hand. "Nice setup you got here" he said.
"It works for us" EJ admitted. Tony's darted to the side as he saw a familiar face approaching.
"What's Connolly doing here?" he asked.
"He's our new CO" EJ said. "You know him?" she asked. Tony never got the chance to respond.
"Tony DiNozzo" Connolly gritted his teeth as he walked over.
"Detective Connolly, it's been too long" Tony said.
"It's Captain Connolly now, actually" he corrected him.
"Well congratulations" Tony told him, his voice full of sarcasm.
"Problems, Captain?" asked Chief Reagan as he walked over.
"Chief, allow me to introduce you to Tony DiNozzo" Connolly spoke up. "He's the Underboss of the Corinthos Crime Family"
"You give me too much credit, Tommy boy" Tony grinned. "How's it goin, Frank?" Tony said as he extended his hand.
"Tony" the Chief nodded as he shook his hand. "How's your old man?" he asked.
"He's doin just fine, Sir. I'll make sure and tell em you asked" Tony smiled.
"You two know each other?" Captain Connolly asked.
"His father and I chewed some of the same dirt in Vietnam" explained Chief Reagan.
"That they did" Tony nodded. "I was sorry to hear about Mrs. Reagan's passing" he added.
"I got the flowers your wife sent, they were her favorite" the Chief smiled.
"But Sir, you wife is still alive" said Captain Connolly.
"The Mrs. Reagan, Colonel DiNozzo was referring to is my mother" said the Chief.
"Actually, it isn't Colonel DiNozzo anymore" Tony said as he pulled back his jacket, revealing his badge, which hung from his belt. "Supervisory Special Agent, NCIS" he said.
"The Army finally wise up and kick you to the curb?" Frank grinned.
"Oh, I left on my own accord. I was just asked not to come back" he added. "After I left, an old friend offered me a job, and I took it" he said.
"Well good luck, Tony" the Chief said as he and Tony shook hands again.
"Thank you, Sir" Tony nodded. After the Chief and his entourage took their leave, Tony turned back to his daughter.
"So you know the Chief of Department?" she asked.
"Of course" Tony said. "The man wasn't lying, he and your grandfather crossed paths a whole bunch of times back in 'Nam" he added.
"So you're really out of the Army?" she asked.
"Yep" Tony nodded.
"Why is this the first I'm hearing of it?" she put her hands on her hips.
"Long story" Tony said. "Hey John, you mind if I steal your partner for a few minutes?" he asked.
"Fine by me" John shrugged.
"Let's take a walk" he said, putting a hand on his daughter's shoulder.
"So that's it" Tony said as he and his eldest daughter walked along outside SIU HQ. he had taken the time to tell her everything; from Paraguay to Hawaii to now.
"So NCIS, huh?" she asked.
"Yeah" Tony shrugged. "What can I say, the Gunny offered me a job, and I took it"
"So where are you staying?"
"Your Grandfather's place in Virginia, at least until I find someplace permanent"
"Dad, you're too old to be crashing on Grandpa Sonny's couch" she said. "Why don't you stay with Rex, or with Mom?"
"You're mother is divorcing me, and you know that" Tony said. "And between Rex and little John, there ain't room for me"
"Well, if you don't mind catching the 5am shuttle every morning, you can stay with me, I have the room" she said.
"Very funny" Tony chuckled. "I've got a few leads"
"So, if you're working for NCIS, what the hell are you doing up here in New York?" EJ asked.
"I was up in Port Charles, and I gave your Aunt Liz a ride down to the UN. We're driving down to DC tonight" he replied. They talked for a little while longer as EJ walked her father back to his car. "Oh, and by the way, don't forget to cut a check to your Uncle's campaign"
"It's already in the mail" Erica Jane smiled.
"Good girl" Tony smiled as he pulled his eldest into a warm hug. "Te amo, mi hija" he whispered as he kissed her on the forehead. "You ever need to talk, I'm only a phone call away" he said.
"I know" Erica smiled. "Stay safe Dad" she said.
"What fun would that be?" Tony grinned as he slammed the door shut and fired up the engine. He revved it a few times, spun the tires, and sped off, leaving a smiling Erica Jane in his dust.
0100 hours local time, 15 June 2003, Alexandria, Iraq.
"Well there it is" said Zander as he peered through his scope. "Alexandria" he said. "Hey Tali"
"Yeah?"
"How many of these places did King Alexander name after himself anyway?" he asked.
"A handful, maybe 20" Tali said.
"Some ego" Zander commented.
"You ain't kidding" Tali said.
"Cut the chit-chat, both of ya" Chester ordered. "We're less than 50 klicks from Baghdad. A hole ton of shit's gonna fall on our heads if we get caught here" he said.
"Seems simple enough" Tali said. "Zander takes out the perimeter guards with the Barrett; I take out the ones inside the perimeter myself. Zander provides overwatch and I cover your back while you plant the explosives"
"What are we using anyway?" Zander asked.
"Several incendiary devices" Chester said. "When we blow the tanks, we need to make sure that their contents go up with 'em" he said.
"Then let's get cracking" Zander said as he removed the muzzle break from the barrel of his sniper rifle and screwed on the silencer. "Tally ho" he grinned.
Minutes later, Chester and Tali were in position. "Razor, Cover Girl and I are in position. One your shot" Chester instructed.
"Copy that, Ironman" Zander replied as he flicked off the safety. Zander fired off several rounds, taking out just as many guards along the perimeter. He expended the 10-round clip, having eliminated a guard with each round. "You're clear" he said.
Chester and Tali quickly moved in. Tali, whose M4A1 was also silenced, moved in, killing both guards outside the entrance to the storage facility. "I got this" Tali said as she dropped down to one knee and took cover just inside the entrance. Chester nodded as he slung his M-16 across his back, drawing his M1911. he cocked the hammer as he quickly moved inside. Luckily, it was the dead of night, and inside of the facility was deserted. Chester quickly got to work planting the explosives. A couple of minutes later, he was finished. He made his way back out, where Tali were waiting.
"Timer's set, tick tock, let's move" he said. "Razor, we're exfilling now. Keep us covered" he ordered.
"Will do boss" Zander replied.
A few minutes later, they were back at het Humvee and on the move. "How long did you set the timers for?" Tali asked as she drove.
"20 minutes" Chester replied.
"Will we be far enough from the best when that place goes up?" Zander asked.
"We should be" Chester told them.
"I would feel a lot better about that if we we're within walking distance of Saddam's front door" Zander told him.
"We're over 500 klicks from Al-Rutbah, and that's with main roads, which we obviously cant take" Chester said.
"So where are going, Basra or Rutbah?" Tali asked.
"Our new offensive kicks off in a week from Rutbah" Chester said. "If we're careful enough, and really lucky, we can meet them outside of Ramadi"
"I'm in" Zander grinned.
"I'm sure you are" Chester said. "You're not the one I'm concerned about" he said as he looked over at Tali. "So how about it, Mommy? You up for it?" he asked. Tali grinned.
"Let's roll" she beamed.
0900 hours, 15 June 2003, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
"In other news this morning, the body of United States Naval Aviator, Lieutenant Douglas Warren, the son of Massachusetts Congresswoman Elizabeth Warren, will be laid to rest today at Arlington National Cemetery. Lieutenant Warren was killed in a training exercise off the coast of Kiribati 10 days ago"
Tony, dressed in a freshly pressed suit, his eyes shielded by dark sunglasses, stood off in the background as the missing man flight flew overhead, and the Congresswoman was presented with the American Flag that had been draped across her son's coffin. Even at what his mother called his "young age" of 34, Tony had been to way many of these funerals for someone his age. Tony remained stoic as he heard footsteps and saw a shadow on the ground approaching from behind him.
"I'm not used to seeing you dressed as a civvie" the woman, an Army Captain, said as she walked up next to him.
"Get used to it" Tony replied. "Shouldn't you be back with the 8063rd?" he asked.
"I asked for permission to stay on until Lieutenant Warren was laid to rest" she told him.
"Well, without your help, we never would have figured out who killed him" Tony told her. "You'd make one hell of a M.E., Captain Benoit" he said.
"And without you, we never would have gotten justice for the Lieutenant" Jeanne replied. "You mind if I ask you something personal?" she asked as they began to walk away.
"Why not, shoot" he told her.
"Why NCIS?" she asked. Tony paused, trying to think of how best to answer her question.
"I've been killing people for nearly half my life; since I was 18 years old, running guns into Afghanistan for my father" he began. "In that time span, I've killed a lot of people. A lot of them were really bad people. Others were enemy soldiers, who were also trying to kill me, or would have tried to kill me, had they been given the chance. And then there were some who weren't so bad; some who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time"
"That's war" Jeanne said.
"Yeah well, you asked why I joined up with NCIS" he paused. "Well, I figure that if I can help as many people as I've hurt, then maybe it'll all balance out in the end" he said.
"Some sort of Karmic balance sheet?" Jeanne joked. "Well, no matter what it is, I'd like to help you do it" she said.
"Thanks" Tony smiled.
"Good luck Agent DiNozzo" she said as they shook hands.
"You too Captain Benoit" he replied as they parted ways.
One Week Later- 0425 hours local time, 22 June 2003, Ar-Rutbah, Iraq.
"5 mikes" Three said as he checked his watch for the umpteenth time.
"Gather 'em round, Staff Sergeant" order 1st Lieutenant Hagan.
"Yes Sir" Three said. "Delta Company, form up!" he yelled. As the men were already with their vehicles, they were quick to assemble. "Delta Company assembled, Sir" he told his superior.
"Thank you, Staff Sergeant" Tilden replied as he stepped forward.
"Company, A-ten-hut!" Three yelled. the men instantly snapped to attention. Tilden then stepped forward, his rifle slung over his shoulder.
"We are here in Iraq to liberate and not to conquer. We are entering Iraq to free a people- show respect for them.
There are some who are alive at this moment, who will not be alive shortly. Those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not send; as for the others, I expect you to rock their world. Wipe them out if that is what they choose. But if you are ferocious in battle, remember to be magnanimous in victory.
Iraq is steeped in history; it is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood and the birthplace of Abraham. You tread…you tread lightly there.
In the near future you will see things that no man could pay to see, and you will have to go a long way to meet a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis. You will be embarrassed by the hospitality they will offer you, even though they have nothing. Don't treat them as refugees in their own country. Their children will be poor. In years to come they will know that the light of liberation in their lives was brought by you.
If there are casualties of war, then remember that when they got up this morning and got dressed they did not plan to die this day. Allow them dignity in death. Bury them with due reverence and properly mark their graves.
It remains my foremost intention to bring every single one of you out alive. But there may be those among us who will not see the end of this campaign. We will put them in their sleeping bags and send them back. There will be no time for sorrow.
The enemy should be in no doubt that we are his Nemesis and we are bringing about his rightful destruction. There are many regional commanders who have stains on their souls and they are stoking the fires of Hell for Saddam. He and his forces will be destroyed for what they have done to their people. As they die, they will know that it is their deeds that have brought them to this place. Show them no pity. And for those of you who do not yet know, it is a big step to take another human life. It is not to be done lightly. I know of men who have taken life needlessly in other conflicts. I can assure you that they live with the mark of Cain upon them.
If someone surrenders to you, remember that they have that right in international law, and ensure that one day they go home to their family. The ones who wish to fight … well, we aim to please. Remember, however, that if you harm your regiment or its history by over-enthusiasm in killing, or cowardice, know that it is your family who will suffer. You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest order, for your deeds will follow you down through history. We will bring shame on neither our uniforms nor our nation.
As for chemical and biological weapons, I believe the threat is very real. We know that the order to use these weapons has been delegated down to regional commanders. That means he has already taken the decision to use them. Therefore it is not a question of if; it is a question of when they attempt this. If we survive the first strike, we will survive the attack.
As for ourselves, let's bring everyone home safely and leave Iraq a better place for us having been there. Our business now, is east, in Baghdad. Good luck, gentlemen. Sua Sponte"
With that, Tilden nodded to Three. "Alright, lock and load, and mount up" Three yelled as he pulled back on the slide of his M4A1. as the Rangers mounted up in their Humvees, the low rumble of artillery could be heard in the distance. Three climbed into the lead Humvee, sitting behind the Lieutenant. "All set, Sir"
"Let's Roll!" Lieutenant Hagan ordered.
PLEASE REVIEW!
(Jeanne's Voice)- Next time on "28 Seconds: Blood & Iron"-
In Washington, Meg and Stephanie put a plan in motion to undermine the Special Prosecutor. In Iraq, Three and Lieutenant Hagan lead the advance towards Ramadi. And at NCIS, Tony is saddled with… wait for it… a Probie!
A/N- I apologize for this update taking so god damn long. The work load has been killer this semester, but now that it's winding down, I'm going to try and update more often. Feel free to PM me anytime, I love hearing from you guys