Back in the U.S.S.R.
Gibbs tossed and turned, he just couldn't settle, the nightmares, the memories…Paris, Moscow…..Jenny. He rose tired, and went to the kitchen for coffee. He wanted so much to forget. Jenny had gone off grid for 21 hours; Kort had called to say Moscow. Why? She'd never said.
He thought back to when he and Stephanie had been there, a year, the cold winter nights, he smiled. It was the one thing that he and she had agreed not to differ on, a roaring fire and a warm bed, that and a few Vodkas. Gibbs took the crystal clear bottle from the cupboard, not his usual tipple but women preferred it, he looked at it, and declined his own invitation, he preferred Bourbon, but not at this time of the morning. He remembered the only time he had flown into Moscow with Stephanie, the old plane, it was over the Urals, Steph had spent much of the flight sick-bag in hand, she really should have tried the old military aircraft he had been on, going to Iraq.
It had been before Stephanie, he and Jen had held out in a little place in Serbia, he'd first met Callen there, although it was always never mentioned. It was a dark grey area in both their lives. But why, Gibbs thought now was he thinking of returning to his old stomping grounds? Was it that he wasn't getting any younger? Was it because he wanted to lay a ghost…no, it was because the Director had especially asked for Callen and him…they were to go and escort home an alleged spy…..Ulyana Alexandrov, to Moscow.
Ulna Alexis Graham, a Russian citizen, married to an American CIA official, working out of the Russian Embassy. She had a very comfortable life style….well that was until 3 months ago when she sold out her husband….the Russians had of course, been a tad quick to respond and were hankering for a swop. In fact it was two for one, but Director Vance had wanted Gibbs and Callen to escort Ms Alexandrov home personally, who were they were getting back? A US Marine and a Navy Pilot.
Gibbs met Callen at Andrews Airforce Base, the CIA had been reluctant to allow the two Agents to escort the spy, but SecNav had been adamant.
They flew the 9hrs to Moscow, neither Agent had slept. There would be no shopping or entertainment, and there would be time to sleep on the return journey. As they arrived at Morshansk at began the descent to Russian soil. All Gibbs could think was, it was not good to be back in the USSR,as was.