TOML chp. 8
Terry sat in the back of an ambulance. His mother had arrived a few minutes before and was talking to Fornell. Gibbs walked over. "What's up?" Terry asked.
"You good?"
Terry looked at the EMT who nodded. Terry stood and followed his father to a waiting SUV. His weapons and ammo were already in the back. "So, what's up?"
"The man you left alive, Fornell sent him somewhere secure; said you would know where. What's that about?"
Terry said nothing, but looked at his mother who was walking back to the truck. "When she gets here, have her order her detail to stay. I'll drive."
"Terry…" Gibbs started.
"Look, you wanna know where he is, you play by my rules."
Gibbs thought for a minute, nodded and got out of the car. Terry watched as he went to the director and they talked. Then she conferred with the head of her security detail and his parents returned to the car alone.
"Ok, Terry, what's up?" she asked.
"Not here." He said, starting the car. He drove to a public parking garage on fifth street and illegally parked in front of a fire hydrant. "Get out and follow me." Terry said. He went to the back of the car and grabbed the bag of guns. Gibbs took the ammo without being asked. The director and team leader followed him up the ramp. Terry walked to a black ford bronco and unlocked it. He noticed his parents hesitating. "You wanna see how deep the rabbit hole goes? You wanna protect the boys? Then get in." Gibbs placed the duffel of ammo with the guns and crawled in the back. Jenny got in the front seat and Terry started the engine, put the car in drive and headed for the unknown. But not quite.
000
Thirty minutes later, the group arrived at a warehouse in the industrial district of D.C. A large wooden sign on the fence bore the name NORTON LOGISTICS. Terry parallel parked at the curb of a building diagonally adjacent to the warehouse. He killed the ignition but made no move to get out.
"Ok, before we go any further, I need to make one thing clear. Remember when you called me up to your office and gave me the 'reform or else' speech. No more shooting suspects, no more going off the reservation etc.?" Terry asked, looking his more.
"I do." Jen said, and Gibbs nodded.
"Well, if I do this the way it needs to be done, it will mean doing things..." Terry sighed. " Things I told you and Ziva and I'd never do again. Are you willing to accept that? Because once we drive through that gate, it's the point of no return."
The director and senior team leader were silent for a long time. Finally, Jenny spoke. "Do what you have to. Just promise me one thing."
"What's that?" Terry asked.
"Don't lose yourself. Ziva, Collin and my unborn grandchild deserve a husband and father."
"I won't." Terry said, and turned to his father. "You ok with this?"
"It's no different than when you were with DELTA. I can handle it. But your mother's right." Gibbs said.
"Ok, good." Terry said, and started the car.
He drove up to the gate and stopped. A minute passed, then a buzzer sounded and the gate slid back on mental runners. Terry pulled through, waited for the gate to close again then droved to one of the four warehouses in the complex. The metal door rose just enough to allow him to drive through; he pulled into the building, shut off the engine and got out. A man in jeans and a t-shirt, carrying a colt M-4 carbine approached the group.
"Agent Gibbs?"
"Yes." Terry and Gibbs said in unison.
The man chuckled. "I'm sorry let me rephrase. Which of you is Terry Gibbs?"
"I am." Terry said, stepping forward. "See that the director and agent Gibbs get transportation."
"Yes, sir." The man said.
"Where's…" Terry started to ask and the man cut him off.
"In there." He pointed to an office and Terry walked to it.
000
Khaleed sat up slowly, his head pounding and his leg throbbing. He sensed that he wasn't alone. He looked around the concrete cell he found himself in and his eyes fell on a man dressed in jeans, brown button down shirt, a balaclava covering his face. He blinked against the glare of the naked light bulb hanging from the ceiling.
"Who are you and where am I?" Khaleed asked in accented but otherwise excellent English, anger in his voice.
"I am the devil." Terry said, from behind the mask, "and you, my friend, are in hell."