Here is the next installment. After this, I think only one or two chapters are left. Enjoy.

Chapter Eighteen

Time to Finish This

Jimmy Palmer sped to the Navy Yard in record time. That was something he never did. He had absolutely no idea how he avoided all the Metro cops that patrol the streets of DC. Must have been his lucky day. He didn't care though. He just had to make sure that he got the others to Naomi on time so that the League wouldn't discover the deception.

He hurried into NCIS headquarters and burst into the bullpen. "Agent Gibbs!"

"Calm down, Palmer before you hurt yourself," DiNozzo muttered from his desk.

"Naomi sent me. It's going down. Lee Shopping Center in Springfield."

"Okay, let's go. Get down to Autopsy and tell Ducky."

"Right away, Agent Gibbs." He took the elevator down to Autopsy.

"Mister Palmer, back from your rendezvous with Naomi so soon?"

"It's happening now, Doctor Mallard. Agent Gibbs sent me down here to tell you. Lee Shopping Center in Springfield."

"Let's go then, Mister Palmer and retrieve our agent."

Jimmy quickly grabbed his bag and followed Ducky out of Autopsy.

Gibbs took the Springfield Exit at breakneck speed, making McGee turn white as he held on to the doorframe.

Tony closed his cell phone. "Fornell is safely out of the area. Not being followed. Everyone is focused on hunting down Naomi."

"We need to get there first," Gibbs said half to himself as he hit the gas, lurching the Charger even faster down the road.

"Almost there, almost there," McGee muttered to himself.

Two minutes later, what would have been five by normal standards, Gibbs screeched into a stomach lurching-at least to McGee-stop at the shopping center. McGee seriously wanted to kiss the asphalt when he got out of the car, but the sight of blood and Naomi's still form gave him pause. That looks too real! he thought in shock as he pulled his sidearm.

"Palmer got the directions right for once," Tony muttered in awe.

"Wouldn't you if you saw a hot mama like Naomi go down?" He was rewarded with a smack to the head. "Got it, Boss."

"Hot mama, Tony? Ziva is going to kill you, but thanks for the compliment," Naomi muttered from the ground.

"You okay?"

"That bullet hurt like hell, but I will be okay."

"Ducky and Palmer are pulling up," McGee announced.

"Oh dear, how unfortunate. What happened to you, my lady, for you to be lying here so young?"

"That's what I want to know, Ducky. She was the one who blew the whistle on the League."

"Guess they found out," McGee replied.

"Oh God, is it?" Palmer asked.

"I am sorry dear boy. She took a bullet to the chest. I am certain that this bullet caused young Naomi's demise. However, I will know more after I post her. Time of death," Ducky said pretending to stick the liver probe into her, "Hhm. 98.5 degrees. Less than an hour. The gurney, Mister Palmer."

Palmer wiped the tears off of his face and did as Ducky ordered. Ducky looked down at Naomi and muttered. "Won't be long now, my dear."

Naomi's lips twitched ever so slightly.

Gibbs and the team quickly finished documenting the scene while Ducky and Palmer loaded Naomi on the gurney and into the medical examiner's van.

"You can drop the act now, Naomi," Jimmy replied as he secured the gurney inside the van.

Naomi heard him, but did not move under the white sheet.

"Naomi, you're in the van now. You can move."

She still didn't move, not even a single breath. She could tell that Jimmy was getting antsy.

"Naomi? You fall asleep under there?"

Naomi bit back a laugh. He could be so gullible at times. She felt the sheet fall off of her. Thank goodness, I was getting warm and stuffy

"Come on now, this isn't funny!"

Naomi was laughing on the inside now. Just a few more seconds…

"Naomi?" Jimmy asked, now starting to panic. She felt him touch his ear to her chest to listen for a heartbeat. Naomi knew he wouldn't hear anything through the vest.

"Boo!" she exclaimed suddenly grinning evilly when Jimmy jumped.

"Jesus, Naomi!"

"If you wanted to cop a feel, Jimmy, all you had to do was ask," Naomi laughed.

"You scared me. I couldn't hear your heartbeat. You were lying so still-"

"Bulletproof vest, Jimmy," Naomi replied, unzipping her hoodie to reveal the Kevlar. "And I am a trained assassin. I can lie still for an hour if necessary."

Jimmy grinned. "I still have to learn about you, don't I?"

"Get used to it, Autopsy Gremlin. I am full of surprises. Now get back up front so that we can get out of here."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Do not call me that!"

Jimmy ignored her as he moved to the front of the van. Naomi shed the vest and put her hoodie back on. She grimaced when she saw the bullet in the vest. It was positioned right where her heart was.

"I will be glad when this operation is over," she said to herself as she laid back on the gurney.

"I shot her in the heart. She is dead. Her lover summoned NCIS to take her. Abby saw them examine her and load her into the medical examiner's van," Ziva said to Epsilon.

"The ME stuck a liver probe in. They only do that to corpses. Naomi is dead," Abby confirmed, sniffling slightly. "I can't believe she was a traitor."

"I cannot either, but it has happened. We need to move on, my sister."

Abby nodded. "We need to finish up our task. Fornell."

Ziva nodded as well. "New plan."

Epsilon looked at both of them with a steely glare. "Make it quick." She left the room.

Abby opened her mouth to speak, but Ziva silenced her with a look. They walked out of the warehouse and into Ziva's Mini. "We need to dump all of our info to Gibbs."

"I agree. We have our proof that the League is behind the murders. We need to get to the safe house first, then we get to NCIS."

Abby nodded in agreement as Ziva sped down the freeway.

Naomi was relieved when she stepped into the forensics lab. She had shed her fake tattoo and black hair for her normal attire and strawberry blonde hair. She could finally be herself. She took a quick look around her at the lab. Abby would be pleased to learn that her lab was in impeccable condition. Tony and McGee hadn't destroyed anything that she could see.

She had other things to do other than hang out in the lab. She needed to give her report to Gibbs. She sighed and stepped into Abby's office to start work on her report. She was halfway through the booting process when her cell phone beeped. She had a message from Ziva in Hebrew.

Naomi immediately left the computer and sped back upstairs to the bullpen. "Gibbs, I have just received a message from Ziva. The League believes that I am dead. We have the necessary proof to take them out."

"Gear up," Gibbs ordered the rest of the team. "We go to the safe house first and then to the League. Tell Ziva and Abby we're on the way."

Naomi fished her cell phone out of her pocket and sent a text to Ziva.

"The team is coming," Ziva read from her phone.

"Thank goodness," Abby breathed. "I despise undercover missions. I want my lab back."

Ziva smiled. "You are doing well, Abby."

"I appreciate that."

"Feel up to a little practice?" Ziva asked. "It will help pass the time until Gibbs arrives."

"Okay."

"Let's go outside."

"No protective gear?"

"We do not need any," Ziva grinned. Ziva stepped outside and grabbed her throwing knives from her waist.

"Knife throwing?"

"Give it a shot," Ziva said, handing one of the knives to her.

"Your idioms are getting better," Abby replied as she took the knife from her. "What am I aiming at?"

"The oak tree."

"Okay." Abby took her knife and aimed it. She threw it. The hilt smacked the tree and bounced off, dropping in the dirt.

"That was a good try," Ziva replied. "Hold the knife at the blade. Hold it at ear level and throw, releasing after you have extended your arm. Watch."

Abby watched as Ziva took her stance and threw her knife. It hit with and stuck a few centimeters in the tree.

Ziva retrieved her knives. She handed one to Abby. "Try again."

"There is no try. Do or do not," Abby joked.

"Yoda is a wise mentor," Ziva laughed. "Go for it."

Abby took a deep breath and took aim. She threw the knife. It struck the tree several inches below where Ziva had struck seconds before.

"Better. This time, keep your arm straight when you release." Ziva handed her the other knife.

Abby accepted it and aimed again. This time, the knife hit higher, only centimeters from Ziva's strike.

"Good. Now you need to learn how to do it faster. You only have seconds to make a quick decision when it is life or death."

Abby nodded, retrieving the knives herself. "How quick are you?"

"Very quick."

Ziva continued instructing Abby in knife throwing. Each time, Abby's technique improved. She paused mid throw when Abby looked away from her.

"Squealing tires. They're here," Abby said.

Ziva followed her into the house, knife still in hand. Abby had the other.

Naomi spotted them first. "Practicing your knife throwing skills, Abby?"

"It was to pass the time," Abby grinned. "I'm getting pretty good at it."

"Sit rep, David," Gibbs ordered. "You okay, Abs?"

Abby nodded, handing the knife back to Ziva. "The League has no idea that Naomi's death was fabricated. Their attack on Fornell is proof that they are the ones behind the murders in Mason Neck Park. The mark is their symbol. The Nicotine dart belonged to one of their minions. Calypso. They are headquartered in a warehouse about three hundred yards outside of the park. It looks abandoned at sight, but it is very sophisticated inside. We can breach it."

"I can get the cameras with no problem," McGee replied.

"Some of your fake bird poop bullets?" Tony asked with a grin.

McGee nodded.

"Ew," Abby grimaced. "Otherwise, their security is very rudimentary. Once we take the cameras out and pick the lock on the door, we should get in easily."

"'We?'" Gibbs repeated. "You are not going, Abby. You are going back to the lab and write up your report."

"Gibbs. I appreciate your concern for my safety, but I need to finish this. Ziva and Naomi have been teaching me self defense. I started this, let me finish."

Gibbs glared at her for a while. Abby held his glare with one of her own. "Naomi will stay with you at all times. Got it?"

"Deal."

"Here," Naomi said upholstering her back up weapon from her calf. "Take my .38. I am not fond of revolvers anyway. I have my weapon of choice." She patted her main sidearm.

"How many assassins are in the League?"

"Only fifteen. Many do not carry guns. They prefer athames and darts."

"Their assassinations are personal. You were the only ones that welded guns?"

"The leader, Epsilon and two others that we do not know."

"We go in an hour," Gibbs ordered.

Another chapter completed, nice long one. Like I have said in the previous chapter, I will be sad to see this story finish. I do have other ideas that I am exploring. Would anyone be interested in a crossover between Star Trek: Voyager and Criminal Minds? Let me know what you think!