TOML chp. 5
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
September 23, 2007
0540 hours
Hasmiri had been watching CNN, MSMBC, and Al-Jazeera for the past six hours, since the bombing was first reported. However there was no mention of any of the targets as casualties. Suddenly, he paused all three televisions. The same man was on all three screens. He was young, with brown hair, a mustache and goatee. Something about the man was familiar. He went to his laptop and pulled up the target's photos. Yes, just as he suspected. The man on the screen was one of their targets. Hasmiri swore. Of all the targets, this man was the one he feared most. From what Hasmiri knew about the man, of their targets, he was the one you didn't want to leave alive because death would follow. But Hasmiri pushed these thoughts from his mind and left his apartment for the sunrise prayer.
000
Washington, D.C.
September 22, 2007
NCIS HQ
2240 hours
"So, what do we know, Ducky?" Terry asked.
"Well, his dental work indicates that our friend's name was Jaleel Hussein. Other than that, I don't know anything yet. Sorry."
"Well," Terry said as he walked out of the autopsy theater. "Why don't you ask your guest what he was doing sitting in a car rigged to explode."
Ducky turned to the table and began a more thorough examination. "Yes, my friend, what were you doing in that car?"
000
George Washington University Hospital
September 22, 2007
Washington, D.C.
2300 hours
"Do you think Collin's alright?" Ziva asked for the third time when she and Abby were alone.
"Oh, Ziva, will you relax? Terry's a great father and Gibbs and the director are perfectly capable of taking care of the boys."
"I know, Abby. But Terry has a tendency to be…" Ziva pursed her lips, searching for the world.
"Overprotective?" Abby supplied.
"Yes he is that, but he is also violent."
"You don't think he would hurt Collin?"
Ziva gasped. "Never! At least, not intentionally. But he'll go into mission mode and he won't think about anything but killing the people who perpetrated this attack."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning he'll do whatever it takes to accomplish his mission, even if he looses himself in the process." Ziva said, a single tear rolling down her cheek as she finished. "Blasted pregnancy hormones."
And, Abby being Abby, she hugged her friend and offered what comfort she could.
000
NCIS HQ
September 23, 2007
0100 hours
"Yes, Sir…No, Sir, I understand." Gibbs said, hanging up the phone. "Crap!"
"What!" Terry and McGee asked simultaneous, jolted by his outburst.
"Sec Nav won't allow us anywhere near the Mosque Jaleel used." Gibbs growled.
Terry scoffed and pulled a silencer from his desk drawer, screwing it to the barrel of his 1911. "He will when I'm done with him."
"Sit down, Agent Gibbs." A voice familiar to all three men said. All three turned and saw the director, Sam, Collin and Gibbs and Jen's longtime housekeeper, Naomi.
"Director, to what do we owe the pleasure?" Gibbs asked. He only called his wife director when he was angry with her.
"I'm here because our son and grandson were terrified their father's would run off and do something stupid; maybe get themselves killed in the process."
"What Grandma Jenny said." Collin sleepily echoed in agreement from Naomi's arms.
"Yeah." Sam mumbled.
"Congratulations, Terry." Naomi said, stepping forward and hugging the man who was like a son to her.
He smiled and any appearance of anger left him. "Thanks, Naomi."
"Why don't we put the boys in my office, then you can give me an update." Jenny said.
After Collin and Sam were safely bedded down under the watchful eyes of Naomi, Gibbs filled Jenny in on what they found.
"Boss, I have an address." McGee said as Gibbs, the director and Terry came back downstairs to the bullpen.
"Where?" Gibbs asked, already knowing what the address was for.
"2300 P Street. Apartment 3-C"
Thirty minutes later, Terry was staring at the fax machine, as if be share force of will, he could make it go faster. Finally, the machine beeped and spit out the warrant. The director signed it, but hesitated before handing it to him.
"If you find anyone, you will bring them in alive and uninjured, is that clear? Ziva has enough to worry about being pregnant; she doesn't need your shenanigans." Jenny said, giving her eldest son a look that would send most mortals running for cover.
"Crystal clear, ma'am." Terry said, taking the paper.
As he was leaving, Naomi spoke up from her seat on the couch. "Your mother is right. You will come back to us alive or not at all, is that clear?"
"No worries, Naomi." Terry said, giving her a small smile as he left the office.
000
Washington, D.C.
Georgetown
P Street
0230 hours
Terry, Gibbs and McGee arrived at Jaleel's address forty-five minutes after McGee discovered it. "What's his apartment number, Tim?" Gibbs asked.
"3-C."
"Alright, let's go." Gibbs said.
The former marine sniper and delta force operative made the three flights in no time. McGee struggled to keep up. Terry pulled a small pouch from the pocket of battered brown leather jacket, removed a small lock pick and in under thirty seconds, they were inside. They cleared the apartment and went to work searching it.
000
Nazeem was watched Jaleel's apartment in disgust. Jaleel should not have been assigned this mission. It was too important. Jaleel had acted too hastily, recklessly. The bombing was sloppy and amateurish. But…the Americans didn't know that and their perception was important. His phone ringing brought Nazeem back to the present.
"Yes," He growled.
"They're inside the apartment."
"Who?"
"The one called McGee and both of the Gibbs men."
"Thank you, brother." Nazeem said, and the line went dead. He pressed three buttons on the phone and waited.
000
Terry was in the bedroom, when he heard what sounded like a beeping noise. He dropped to his knees and looked under the bed. He saw wires and the familiar brick that was olive drab green U. S. military issue C-4 explosive. "BOMB!!" He yelled standing and running out of the apartment, followed by his father and McGee seconds later. They were running downstairs when the apartment door and wall splintered and only a huge hole was left.
000
A block away, Nazeem didn't wait to find out if his targets were dead. Even if they were still alive, he was sure he had their attention now. He started the car and speed north toward Baltimore.
000
Gibbs couldn't hear anything, but he could see. "TERRY! MCGEE! YOU GUYS OK?!"
Terry blinked and looked at himself and McGee. Miraculously they were uninjured. "YEAH, WE'RE GOOD!"
As they rushed back into the building, Terry knew one thing for certain. Whoever had tried to kill him and his family would go down. Hard.