Chp. 13
"Thirty minutes till wheels up, sir."
"Thank you, sergeant." Gibbs said and checked his watch.
"Hey, what's up?" Terry asked, walking up.
"Thirty minutes till wheels up. Who was that on the phone?"
Terry looked away. "Colin, and Ziva."
Gibbs nodded. "Where to?"
"D. C. It's where they'll be." Terry started to leave.
"Terry," Gibbs called. "What'd she say?"
Terry didn't answer, but instead rubbed his goatee in thought. "Wait a minute; let's assume they have a source inside NCIS. Could that source know where we took them?"
"I didn't tell anyone. You falsified the flight plan, right?"
"Of course. You don't think the source knew anything, unless…"
"Unless what?" Terry asked, his face ashen.
"Our beloved director decided to follow protocol one time too many. I'll get us another flight out." Gibbs said, but Terry was already walking away. "Where you going?"
"We're on a marine base. What better place to get hardware?"
Gibbs grinned. "I like the way you think. Be on the flight line in an hour."
000
Jenny watched from the porch as her youngest child and grandson fished with there uncle and grandpa. Mike might have a gruff exterior, but he was really a big teddy bear underneath and the boy's brought this side out in him.
"I will be glad when this child finally comes." Ziva said, bringing her back to the present
Jenny smiled. "Oh, you and me both. Did he tell you where they were?"
"No. Has Gibbs called you?"
"Not yet. I don't think he will. I hate when he does this."
"At least I know where Terry gets it from." Ziva said, then realized when she'd said. "no offense."
"Oh, none taken. He was worse before you two got married."
Ziva's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Worse! You don't say." Both women laughed.
"I'm worried this won't be the first or last time someone has a…it's some kind of piece of meat?"
"A beef?"
"Yes, exactly. I'm worried that people who have beef's with our husband's will keep coming after us. I don't want my children to leave their childhood in hiding or grow up without a father."
But before Jenny could respond a helicopter passed low of their heads, turned southwest and landed a hundred yards down the beach. Two men exited the bird, along with several boxes and just as quickly as it had come; it lifted off and disappeared over the northern horizon.
Only after the helicopter took off did Jenny and Ziva recognize who the men were. But they didn't move.
"I honestly did expect to set you for a week at the very least." Jenny said, smiling and going to her husband.
"Terry thinks they'll come here."
"You do? Should we leave?" Ziva asked, worried more for Colin and her unborn child than for herself.
Terry grinned and shook his head, "No; got a few tricks up my sleeve I wanna try first."
000
"Where are they?" Nazeem growled in frustration. Muhannad only laughed.
"Meaning no disrespect, but what do you find funny, sir?"
"Nothing; only that I should have seen it coming."
The younger man's brow furrowed. "Seen what?"
"They knew we were coming to Washington and that we would then go to Mexico. So, instead of coming here and wasting time, they will remain in place and wait." Muhannad smiled. "Ah, I do love a challenge."
"But…won't we be walking into a trap?" Nazeem asked, worried.
Muhannad put a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Allah favors the bold, my son."
000
Terry, his father, Mike, Ducky and McGee sat around the kitchen table, going over defensive measures. A map of Frank's property was flat on the table, each corner held down by a bottle of beer. "So, what's the plan, Sergeant?" Mike asked, looking at Terry. True, his former protégé had training in how to lead men, but Terry was the expert. He had nine years experience in guerilla warfare, among other things.
Terry looked at the map. "Ok, we got cliffs to the north, ocean to the east. We put claymores every fifty feet in a half moon perimeter with trip wires facing west."
"What if they attack from the sea?" Tim asked. Terry grinned.
"I'll cover the rear." Gibbs answered.
"I thought you might." McGee said.
"Ok, I'll go set those claymores." Terry said and got up to leave.
"Need any help?" Ducky asked.
"I didn't know your talents extended to explosives, Duck."
The old man laughed. "There's a lot you don't know about me, Terence."
000