Chapter 12
Theresa woke up. It was eight o'clock in the morning. She was the sun in the sky through the window. She was in her bed. She looked to her left. Ari was still sleeping, also in her bed. Right next to her. He was so cute when he was sleeping. She just looked at him, for a very long time. She smiled and kissed him on his mouth. He woke up, she stopped kissing. He started kissing again. They stopped. She wanted to say something but he put his pointer finger to her mouth and signalized her not to say anything. 'You want to say that yesterday night was a mistake', he said calmly. 'And that nothing like that will ever happen again.' He smiled at her and put his hand down. She took his hand: 'Actually I wanted to say that it was such a wonderful night and I wanted to thank you.' She smiled at him and kissed him again. He turned around so that he now lay above her. 'And what shall we do now?', he asked. 'I don't know', she answered. 'You are searched in the whole country and I am a federal agent in an undercover mission.' She kissed him. They still were both naked. 'I could get part of your mission again', he said. 'I started working for Al Qaeda again', he said. 'They sent me back to DC. That is why I am here.' 'The only reason?' 'No.' 'What is your mission here?', she asked. 'You're an agent', Ari laughed. 'I can't tell you.' She pushed him away and sat up. He sat in front of her, still in bed. 'Either you tell me or I will tell FBI.' He laughed. She continued: 'When you tell me, I can help you. You can't plan an Al Qaeda attack or whatever when you have no one in DC underground to help you and explain how things work down here. I now control everything.' 'I know. I saw you killing him', he shortly replied. 'What will you tell Fornell?' 'The plan of Al Qaeda. They will cross it and make it look as it went accidentally wrong. When you help FBI you will get either a new identity or the chance to get out of USA. I know you can't leave the country.' 'I did not want to.' 'Don't lie to me, Ari', she said. 'You're right. I want protection.' 'Maybe I can get you under federal witness protection if I put in a good word for you. I can't promise. But don't try to lie. Not to me.' 'I know, you always know the truth.' 'Or I can find out', she smiled viciously. 'What does Al Qaeda plan?', she asked. 'A second eleven September', Ari said. 'Here in Washington', he added.
Gibbs entered the big house of Paloma Reynosa. Alejandro led him to the terrace with view on the sea. Paloma already waited for him. Gibbs sat down. 'Special Agent Gibbs', she said. 'What a pleasure to meet you again.' Alejandro went away. 'You found out very quickly that I came here', Gibbs said. 'That is right. I coincidentally found out that you had booked a flight. Unfortunately I don't know why. Perhaps you want to tell me.' 'Alan Palmer', Gibbs said. He wanted to see her reaction. 'Yes', she said and wanted him to carry on. 'He's dead. One of my special agents shot him.' 'So you found out that he was the mole in CIA. That he actually worked for me, that he was a double spy', Paloma said smilingly. That was more than Gibbs had expected to hear. He was surprised. 'Why?', he simply asked. 'I needed someone to control my deliveries to the states. A corrupt CIA agent who worked undercover was just perfect for me', she still smiled. 'Why are you here?', she asked. 'Just wanted to visit you', he said and stood up. 'What makes you think that I leave you go so easily?', she asked looking up to him. 'The knowledge that if I don't return to the States until sundown, FBI is going to look after me. And they know where.' 'On the grounds of the water?' 'In Mexico, at your house. You can't buy over everyone, not in the USA', he said and walked away. 'I can find my way out. Thanks.' Paloma did not go after him. Alejandro came in. 'Do you really want him to walk away like this?', he asked surprised. 'Send some killers after him', she answered. He smiled at his sister.
It was early that morning. It was strange that Gibbs was not at work yet. The four team members worried about him. The postman just delivered a little brown package for Tony. 'What's that?', he asked and McGee, Ziva and Valentina gathered around him. 'No return address', Ziva said. Tony opened the package. There was a little chip in there. He picked it up and examined it. 'Put it in the computer', McGee said and one minute later they were listening to the conversation between Gibbs and Paloma Reynosa. Unfortunately, there was still no sign of Gibbs yet.
Gibbs hid in the forest. It was a dry, Mexican forest. He knew that Paloma's men were after him and he used his skills to be a ghost. He did not leave any trace behind. He walked through the far to dry forest. He knew he was about fifty kilometers from the border and he could not walk the whole way. He had to wait. He looked around. He did not see anybody. He just hoped. He still had his cell phone on and this was careless. He could be easily located by Paloma. But also by McGee. And this was exactly what McGeek was doing right at this moment. 'Ah, Mexico', he said. 'Tell us something we don't know, Probie', Tony said staring at the computer screen. 'Forest, about fifty kilometers from the border. Shouldn't we call him?' Ziva already dialed the number. 'Hey, I could need help', Gibbs said. He did not say anything else. 'Try to get near to the airport', Ziva said. 'How fast can you book a flight to Mexico?', she asked McGee. 'Already doing so', he answered.