A/N. Last one for tonight. Stupid work. I'll try to find time to update again before the weekend. Hope you enjoy.
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Gibbs sighed and sat down at the table. Mary O'Connell had finally headed upstairs, and he could hear DiNozzo tossing and turning in the room above. He had to admit, he had been impressed by the kid's performance over the last two months, but he couldn't understand his stubbornness. Ok, that was a lie, Gibbs admitted to himself. Truth be told, he'd just never met anyone who was half as stubborn as he was. DiNozzo was definitely giving him a run for his money in that respect. What confused him was what the younger agent was so damned stubborn about. Gibbs grimaced. He was thinking too much – he was starting to get DiNozzo's damned headache. Well, his new junior agent was an adult, and if said he was fine, he could damn well stand his watch; but that was still three hours away. In the meantime, Gibbs was the one who had to stay alert, and that was proving easier said than done. He had slept well the previous night, but he felt as though he hadn't slept in a month. Is this what one day without coffee felt like, or was it something more? Was he coming down with whatever DiNozzo had? He dismissed the idea. He didn't get sick. Ever. First thing in the morning, he was going to head out in search of coffee beans.
He stiffened as he heard a noise in the hallway and raised his sig to point at the door. Mrs O'Connell put a hand to her chest as she entered and moved away from the door. Even so, Gibbs noted the presence of her bag clutched tightly at her side.
'Dear Lord, Agent Gibbs, you nearly gave me a heart attack,' the elderly woman complained as she stepped further into the room. Gibbs severely doubted that was a case. He was equally convinced that Mary O'Connell used her 'charming old woman' persona in the same way DiNozzo maintained his frat boy image, though for much more sinister ends. Judging by the .44 handgun she was even now reaching for, the woman was nowhere near as fragile as she appeared. Gibbs was also certain that the woman was far more intelligent than she let on. Gibbs had long suspected that Kevin O'Connell lacked the brains to have developed a smuggling operation on the scale that he had. He now realised too late that the operation had indeed been a partnership. Kevin O'Connell had been the front man, but the brains behind the whole thing was standing right in front of him. What was it he'd been telling DiNozzo just this morning. Never underestimate your enemy? Well he'd certainly done that. He shook his head as his vision began to blur. There was only one explanation for this. Mrs O'Connell had somehow managed to poison them.
'What have you done to us? What was in that tea?' he demanded to know.
'Why agent Gibbs, I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. There was nothing in that tea but lots of lovely vitamins. Are you sure you're all right? Perhaps you'd like to sit down?'
A sound by the door put an end to any reply Gibbs might have been about to make. He reached for his gun and spun quickly, immediately wishing he hadn't, as his vision blurred yet again. There was an unfamiliar man standing in the doorway. He had a pistol aimed directly at Gibbs' heart.
'Not the vitamin A overdose in the milk again, Mrs O?' the newcomer complained loudly. 'The last three guys you tried that on survived. I had to finish them off with a couple of bullets. Perhaps it's time you tried something else?'
'Well, I do have this, Peter.' Gibbs heard the elderly woman state from behind him. He had no doubt that she had just pulled out the enormous handgun. 'If you'd allow me the honours?'
'Jesus Mrs O,' the man exclaimed, stepping out of the line of fire. Gibbs' gun tracked him as he moved. 'Remind me never to get on your bad side. Be my guest, but be careful with the recoil.'
Gibbs listened as the gun was cocked, and the trigger pulled. As he had anticipated, the hammer clicked home on an empty chamber.
'Looking for these?' he asked, smirking as he steadied his gun with one hand and reached into his pocket with the other. His hand came out full of .44 magnum bullets.
Mary O'Connell, all pretences dropped, snarled in rage.
'Allow me,' the man Mrs O'Connell had referred to as Peter offered. Gibbs immediately dived to one side, firing as he did so. The movement prevented his immediate death – the bullet intended for his heart slammed into his side, and he fell to the floor gasping. Unfortunately, Peter too had moved. Gibbs' bullet had caused only a glancing wound, and the man was still on his feet. He moved towards Gibbs, preparing to take the final shot, but before he could do so, another shot rang out from the doorway. Peter's eyes widened in shock as a patch of red appeared over his heart. In seconds he was dead.
Despite his dishevelled appearance, Gibbs couldn't imagine a sight more welcome than that of DiNozzo standing in the doorway. The two locked eyes, and Gibbs acknowledged the action with a nod of thanks. DiNozzo had been as good as his word. Too late, Gibbs noticed a movement behind the younger agent. He could only watch as a second man slammed the butt of his gun into the back of DiNozzo's head. The junior agent crumpled to the floor.
'He may have called for backup; we have to leave, Gibbs heard Mary O'Connell order as his eyes slipped closed. 'Grab them both and put them in the van. Leave Peter. He's no use to us now.'
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To be continued… Probably tomorrow or Saturday.