A/N I realize that Salzburg serves (phenomenal) Hungarian-style goulash and I meant no slight to Hungary or any readers by neglecting to specify that. I love having a well-informed and cultured reader base!

Also, sorry about killing the end of "The Sound of Music" for some of you, but I did learn that fact while in Salzburg, so I'm guessing I have accurate intel.

Chapter 25 (A)

Arrest

(Tony's POV)

I exit the elevator, whistling. I know I look way too chipper for someone coming to work on a gruesome murder case that is emotionally affecting my partner, but I can't help it. I thought I was getting some sort of parting gift and meaningful goodbye last night and instead I got a key. That was huge. After Somalia I assumed that she would want to keep me at arm's length indefinitely. Maybe eventually she would trust a key to Abby or Gibbs. Heck, I figured even Probie would get one before she would consider giving one to me, but here I am with her key. I've been offered keys before for purely romantic (and I use that word in the most shallow sense) reasons, but they have never meant so much and at the same time held such little promise of conquest.

McGee and Gibbs are intently looking at some of the crime scene photos. This is the first I've seen the pictures since I was only on perimeter that day and left with Ziva. No one would dare pull them out while she was around. I stop whistling and stare at them. The victim looks so much like her and the similarity of her wounds and bindings . . . I start having flashbacks again to Africa and how she looked so vacant afterwards. What happened on Tuesday becomes even more real to me and it's killing me that she's had to relive it. How many more crimes like this will she have to process? How many more guys like that are in the world? I want to ring this guy's neck, all their necks. Salim deserved so much more pain than the quick bullet he got. I wanted him to suffer, really suffer. I realize that my pulse is racing despite my calm exterior.

"Hey, Tony." McGee turns to look at me then wrinkles his brow. He heard me whistle and apparently my expression doesn't match the casual one he expected. "Everything okay?" I bite back the sarcastic comment that I want to say, which is, 'Oh yeah, life's peachy. So, shall we look at more delightfully graphic pics?' I guess I pause too long because they are both looking at me now, expecting me to say something.

"Yeah. So are we any closer to getting him?" I can't keep all the venom that's running through my veins out of my voice but I do not direct it at them and they don't call me on it.

Gibbs is still letting McGee run the show. "Actually, Ziva's idea ended up panning out. We have two suspects that fit the timeline of the two crimes we knew about yesterday then we got a hit on a similar case outside of San Antonio, Texas. We're running down the intel now. There was a strange marking on the other two victims and we were just looking through the crime scene to see if this could possibly be a signature that was used on all three. I remembered seeing something that did not look like a wound from the primary weapon but more like a symbol so we were looking closer, and you can see it here." He zooms in then points to small very exact slashes that seem to be in the shape of an S.

I realize that Gibbs and McMuffin have been here all night again judging by their clothes. "Good work, McGoogle. So, who are the suspects?"

"Two marines who are from San Antonio fit the timeline. After basic their first assignment was Barstow then they PCSed to Quantico." Their pictures came to the front. "Lance Corporal Aaron Armstrong and PFC Brandon Sanchez, and before you point out the obvious, yes, only one has a name starting with S, so our next move is to lean on him."

Gibbs this whole time has been standing to the side sipping his coffee and reading me while I digest all the information and burn the image of the monster on the screen into my mind. When McGee is done he flips him the car keys.

"McGee, gas the car and bring it around."

"Yes sir."

Gibbs waits for me to grab my gear then we walk to the elevator. It doesn't take long for him to flip the switch. He is facing forward standing next to me. He's giving me a chance to vent if I want it.

I start pacing, "I just want to kill this guy. If I did would you be willing to falsify some reports and sweep it under the rug?"

"I'd be tempted but you're not calm enough to do it without leaving at least trace evidence, DiNozzo."

"I hadn't seen the crime photos until just now." My pulse is still racing and I punch the wall, hard enough to make a dent. I shake my hand, thankful that the physical pain is a distraction from the dark place where my mind keeps going.

I guess I just proved his point.

Gibbs turns to me. "Feel better?"

"No."

"Tony, this is personal to all of us. We do this and at least this case is over for her."

"There will always be another one and another one."

"Hey, This job is her mission and her identity. She'll never walk away from it, and you can't protect her from it. Get your head back in the game and let's focus on one bad guy at a time." He gives me a head slap, which is the equivalent of hitting my reset button. "McGee and I have been here all night so you're driving."

"Yes, Boss."

We arrive at his duty station, flash our badges to his CO, and see all eyes on us. When he hears his name a large Hispanic marine takes off running.

Oh great, here we go.

I leg it knowing that Gibbs and McGee's reflexes are suffering from lack of sleep. Thankfully, his CO shouts orders and a half a dozen Marines pass me and take him down. I catch up with them, winded, pull out my cuffs and read him his rights. The CO accompanies us to NCIS to be filled in and guarantee that there will be no other escape attempts.

Back in interrogation Tim and I look at Sanchez from behind the glass while Gibbs is sitting across from him letting him stew. We recognize the contempt and arrogance that he directs towards Gibbs. This guy has about 30 pounds of muscle and 4 inches on Salim, but he oozes the same filth. McGee starts pacing and wiping his palms and I am trying to figure if he is angry or just having PTSD symptoms of his own. "You promised Ziva you'd get him and you did. Good work, Tim."

"I'm glad she's not here for this, I mean this guy seems so much like him, it's creepy."

Just then Gibbs walks into the room with us, looks at his watch and says pointedly, "DiNozzo, you think Ziva would mind coming in early?"

McGee answers first, "Boss, do you think that is a good idea? I mean she could very easily run into him and I didn't think you wanted her here for interrogations?"

"I didn't say she was going to be here for the interrogation. I'm planning on having that finished before she arrives. Shouldn't take long." We both just stare at him. "I'm well aware of what she's been through, McGee, but she is my agent, and I am your boss and you need to trust me on this." With McGee's nod of consent Gibbs is out the door.

I understand Gibbs' intentions, but I am not sure that this is a good idea. I can see that Tim plainly disagrees with Gibbs and is debating how noble he is going to be to defend her from his orders. In the end he relents and turns his pleading eyes to me.

"Tony, make sure she at least knows what she's walking into and give her an out."

"I will, but she's a big girl. She might have been a victim, but don't forget that she's also been with NCIS for 4 years and was an assassin before that. Gibbs gets her better than anyone else so I'm willing to trust him . . . " I pause realizing that I do not sound convincing. "to a point, anyway. But at the same time we'll be here watching out for her and we'll make sure she lands on her feet."

He doesn't buy it but he defers to Gibbs and me since he just can't predict the reactions of unpredictable women. Heaven knows we both have too much experience in that department.