Author's Note: Hey Gang: Well I don't know if anyone noticed but I took down chapter 42 last night. I simply wasn't happy with the way it came out. I think I was in a bad NCIS mood! I am not sure what tonight will do to my - or any of our - moods but alas. Anyway, the events of the chapter have changed. Sacks lives - Parsons is not in this chapter and he may or may not make an appearance again. I might eliminate him from the story - not sure. Does he make sense to you guys? With that said - here is the new chapter 42.
Dedicated to the #BRINGBACKCOTE campaign!
Ziva understood why they had to leave NCIS; it wouldn't be safe in that building in any room and she would have slowed them down. Hoffman was a trained killer with access to untold databases and information; they had no way of knowing if he'd programmed his retina scan into their computers like Kort had once upon a time or if he'd rig the building like he did the school compound. There were too many possibilities with this guy.
Her nerves were on the surface as they pulled into University Hospital. Dorneget was to stay with the van and monitor communications with the team if need be. Ducky wanted to go to the pharmacy and pick up additional supplies and she and Abby headed out to find Fornell and see what condition he was in. They were to meet back at the van in half an hour.
The hospital halls were a barely controlled chaos with casualties coming in from the school compound. Abby led Ziva to the in-patient elevator bank and they headed up to the fifth floor where the reception nurse had told them Fornell was.
As they made their way down the west hall towards Fornell's room, Ziva caught sight of Agent Sacks and Agent Krieger.
"Ziva," Sacks took a step forward, "You OK?"
"That place was a nightmare," Krieger stated as she threw Ziva a concerned glance, "Aren't they admitting you?"
"I am fine," Ziva smiled softly. "Thank you; and Agent Fornell?"
"I'll be fine as soon as I'm sprung," Fornell appeared in the doorway with his arm in a sling. "It was just a scratch. I've had deeper from Emily's toy sword."
"Glad to see you're in once piece, Fornell," Abby said as she waved her hand in front of his form. "Gibbs wanted you to come with us and you know - get out of the line of fire."
"Where is the old boat builder?" Fornell inquired.
"NCIS was attacked," Ziva responded. "He, Tony and McGee stayed to hunt Hoffman. Have you heard anything?" She asked with more desperation in her voice than she'd intended.
"No but I'll find out," Fornell nodded. "Give me a little bit, Ziva."
Ziva nodded then looked to Abby, "I am going to freshen up. I will be right back."
"Need me to come along?" Abby asked as both she and Krieger looked to her to see if she needed help.
"No," Ziva grinned. "I will be fine." She wheeled back down the hall and went around the bend following the restroom signs.
Once inside the ladies room she went to the sink and waved her hand under the faucet. Ziva splashed water on her face and took a deep breath. She just needed a moment alone, a moment to pull out her cell and stare at it - will it to ring and hear Tony's voice. This night was insane.
Hoffman was a trained killer - as skilled and specialized as she or any she ever met...moreso. What was going to happen tonight; how were they going to stop him? Ziva jumped in her seat as her cell rang. She quickly slid it on, "Tony!"
"Ziva," Tony's voice eased her nerves, "We're all fine. We never caught a sign of Hoffman again. Are you Ok? Any sign of Hoffman there?"
"No," Ziva answered. "Not that I have seen or noticed. Fornell is fine. His left arm is in a sling but he seems in good spirits."
"We're on our way to you. Stay with Fornell we shouldn't be long," Tony said.
"I am glad," her voice cracked, "you did not see him."
"I love you," Tony whispered. "We're pulling in now. We're be right up."
"Ok, I love you too," Ziva hung up and stowed her cell. She could breathe now.
She wheeled out of the restroom and headed back to Abby and Fornell. Ziva told them Tony and Gibbs, McGee were heading up and Fornell told her that FBI still at the school scene believe they have someone cornered; possibly both perpetrators.
"Wait?" Ziva said, "how can they have both? Someone made it to the Navy Yard."
"Maybe there were more than two," Sacks offered.
"Maybe," Ziva responded unconvinced.
"Hey," Tony came up behind her and she pulled his face down and kissed him.
Ziva smoothed her hands on his cheeks and just stared at him for a long moment.
"No sign of the psycho here? Tony asked.
"No, everything seems fine here," Ziva squeezed his hand.
"Let's go into your room," Gibbs said to Fornell and they all entered his hospital room, closing the door behind them. "It was a diversion," Gibbs continued. "At the Navy Yard. I'm convinced."
"A diversion?" Fornell repeated incredulously, "I lost at least eighteen men tonight. They rigged that place to explode, good people were in those coffins, more bodies in the basement - that is a hell of a diversion and for what?!"
"He is delusional," Ziva interjected. "He believes himself a divine deliverer, an angel of some kind and thinks his mission is to save other angels. The Frankenstein Project broke him as it did Cobb. He is living in this manufactured world where he thinks certain agents were stolen from heaven and indentured to serve here and fight demons. He is trying to free them. Those in the coffins were people he believed to be these angels - because of the criminals they defeated."
"That is a special kind of crazy," Sacks added.
"Yes it is," Ziva continued. "But the worst part is Hoffman himself. He has training equal to a SEAL...better because of his intelligence and covert training atop of it all. Capturing him will not be easy."
Fornell took a deep breath and then stepped closer to Ziva, "You should go. Follow your plan. Let me take care of this. You should go rest and heal."
"He may target you, Fornell," Ziva stated. "But we know he has targeted me. He has an affinity for me. Perhaps we can use that-"
"Hell, no," Gibbs blurted.
Tony pulled back her chair at the same moment, "Don't even think about it, Ziva."
"Ziva," Fornell nodded, "They're right. This isn't the time for you to volunteer for this kind of work. We'll handle it ok?"
Ziva nodded.
"We're going to be working the case from our secure location," Gibbs explained to Fornell. "Vance will know how to contact us. Whatever we find out I'll let you know about."
"Take care of yourself, Gibbs," Fornell nodded to Gibbs.
"You too, Tobias," Gibbs said as he indicated for McGee to open the door.
Once they were all out in the hallway, Fornell groused about the paperwork and told Sacks he was just going to leave then the lights flickered before going out. Bells and alarms sounded from varied patient rooms before the emergency lights kicked in with a deep red glow.
Gibbs pulled his sidearm and Tony didn't hesitate a second before scooping Ziva out of her chair and into his arms.
"Get going," Fornell ordered as he gestured for Sacks and Krieger to sweep the floor.
McGee grabbed Ziva's chair and they all descended one of the stairwells to the lobby floor. In a few minutes they were at the van.
"What about Ducky?" Ziva asked with concern.
"I'm here, Ziva," Duck said as he emerged from the van with Dorneget and opened the van's back door. "Perhaps we should make haste?"
They piled into the van and headed to the parking garage with the secondary vehicles. They left the van and took two minivans to a rest stop about a hundred miles out of DC. There they transferred to a large van for the final leg of their journey.
After another three hours in the van they finally arrived in the late morning at the farm. Tony felt around for the papers and pulled out a few as they drove past the stone gate that led onto the property.
"Here we are," Tony adjusted the hand drawn map in his hands, "There are three houses on the property plus a guest cottage. A barn, stables, several ancillary buildings and a fully equipped workshop I was sure Gibbs would enjoy," he said with a smile. "There is also a caretaker's cottage on the other side of the farm where Mr. and Mrs. Appleton live. They've been working with Vance's people to get this place outfitted."
"So how is this going to work, Tony?" Abby asked excitedly, "are we all living in one? Getting our own? What?"
"Well," Tony continued, "I thought Ziva and I would take the main house where the grandparent's lived since it is already wheelchair accessible."
"Makes sense," Abby added.
Ziva had wanted to say she would be fine anywhere but after her ordeal with Hoffman she knew she wasn't ready to strike out on her own without a chair...yet.
"I thought, maybe, you and McGee would want one of the houses? While Ducky and Gibbs shared the other? And then we can leave the guest house for Dorneget or anyone who needs to visit? Or Gibbs could take it or Ducky?"
"Duck and I will be fine," Gibbs stated.
"I don't know, Jethro," I may meet a lovely young woman and bring her home," Ducky smiled. "Should we set up a signal with socks or ties?"
Gibbs just rolled his eyes.
"Timmy and I will be fine sharing," Abby chirped.
Ziva noticed McGee shift in his seat and knew he was thinking about Delilah. She would have to leave the offer open for him to take up one of the rooms where she and Tony were staying.
"What about my lab?" Abby inquired.
"Well the main house is pretty big," Tony explained, "and they, the previous owners, added on a wing that was all offices for various family members. It was a perfect set up because the offices were all in one area. So, Abby, you have two big rooms with lab equipment and a ballistic receptacle was set up in the barn for the noise. The company Vance hired did it all so I haven't seen it yet. But I made sure they set up the adjacent offices as a makeshift bullpen; plasmas, computers the works."
"Sounds perfect, Tony," Abby smiled as Gibbs stopped the van in front of the main house.
"Here we are," Tony announced as he got out of the car and helped get Ziva out. When he dug in his pack for the keys he was startled by the sudden appearance of an older couple.
"Oh, we are sorry," said the brown-haired woman, "we didn't mean to surprise you. That kind Mr. Vance called this morning and said you all would be arriving today. We just wanted to be here to greet you. I am Ellen Appleton and this is my husband, Robert."
"Hey, nice to meet you and happy to have the company on the farm," Robert said as his head bobbed up and down in greeting.
The couple showed them into the house; the interior was lovely. A large house with a covered wraparound porch, hardwood floors extending from the foyer that lead to an open great room with a fireplace and a well-appointed dining room opposite it. Ellen Appleton explained that there was an elevator and that each floor had a handicap accessible bathroom and all the doorways and halls were wide enough for the wheelchair.
Ziva felt uncomfortable as she pointed out all the handicap things as they toured the house. Mrs. Appleton was giving her that pity look Ziva couldn't stand. Soon, Tony suggested Mr. and Mrs. Appleton go with the others to show them the grounds and their houses. They suddenly became excited and Mr. Appleton started talking about the Soybeans they grown on the property. Ziva had to hide her smile as she noticed Gibbs face.
Gibbs called Fornell while they continued the tour and later told them that nothing further happened at the hospital last night. A transformer was sabotaged but that was the only incident. Ziva suggested that it could be Hoffman's version of psychological warfare. Gibbs thought she might be right - Hoffman simply wanting to keep everyone off balance.
Before they left; Mrs. Appleton showed them the master bedroom and showed Tony a small fridge they kept up there with water and juices she'd stocked for them. She told them all the linens were fresh and said if they needed anything not to hesitate to ask. Tony and Ziva thanked them and soon everyone was out the door.
Ziva saw that the master bedroom was equipped with a pull up rail like she had at home with Tony and realized it was new - Tony must have ordered it done. She pulled off her shoes, as did Tony and lifted herself off her chair onto the bed.
Tony joined her after he shed his jacket and pulled her into his arms, "I love you," he whispered as he kissed her temple. "We're safe here."
Ziva turned to him and kissed him softly at first and then the kiss deepened. When she pulled back she looked into his eyes, "I am glad we are here. I am glad we are all safe." She took a deep breath, "I am so tired, Tony. Tired of men like Hoffman, tired of-"
"I know, baby," he whispered. "I'm tired too. But we're here, we're fine."
They held each other tightly. Ziva winced when Tony moved his hand down her hip and he remembered her bruise, he was about to get up and get some ice when she pulled him back, "later," she said as she snuggled into his chest. Within a few moments the exhaustion caught up to both of them and they fell into a sound sleep nestled in each other's arms.
A kinder - gentler chapter :)
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