Chapter 47

He stood slowly, his eyes never leaving her face. Hers never leaving his. The agents had their weapons pointed towards them, standing in a semi-circle around the two figures. He slowly raised his hands, and took three steps back, his body facing the agents and her.

" We need an ambulance. " Said McGee, talking to the others on the other side of the communication device on his ear.

When Tony took a step towards him, he took another one back, broke his gaze from her and looked at them.

" Don't get near Tony. " He said, voice calm.

" You have a knife coming out of you. It could have hit something important Palmer. Or better, Scot. "

" If someone is qualified to judge the seriousness of my injuries is me. And you are to stay back. "

The others were looking at the big knife sticking out of him, and the other in his hand. Ziva knew from the way he was holding it, if he trew it, he would not miss.

" Alright, calm down. " Said Gibbs. " We need to get close to take care of her, she's barely conscious. "

" That won't be necessary. " Said the two together.

" I am not in any life threatening danger. This will just incapacitate me for the time he assumed he needed to disappear. " She said, turning her head towards Gibbs. " Nice meeting you in person Agent Gibbs. "

" I wish I could say the same. " He shot back. " You need medical assistance Scot, just drop the knife and lie down, you're bleeding too much. "

" Don't move Ziva. " He said, looking from Gibbs to the Mossad agent that was trying to approach him undetected while he spoke to Gibbs. " I may be injured, but it still wouldn't work. You are no match to me. "

" Our resident ninja? Right. She can take you down any time. " Said Tony.

" Please. " Scoffed out the barely aware woman on the floor. " Mossad agents are children with water guns compared to us. "

The agents decided to ignore the woman on the floor.

" Just drop the knife Palmer. " Said Tim. " We'll take you in and take care of your wounds. We heard your conversation and we know that there were extenuating circumstances. "

He shifted, for the others looking it looked like he was trying not to show pain.

" You are in contact with Dr Mallard and Abby, right? "

" Yeah, they can hear you. " Said Gibbs.

" I wanted to thank all of you. " He said. " Of all my lives, Jimmy Palmer's was the one that felt the most real. And, as strange as it may seem, I feel like I would miss it. Palmer was free in a way that I never was. It was a good delusion to enjoy. " He wavered a little. " Tell Director Shepard that I never spied on NCIS. It was just a coincidence I ended up there. "

" You can tell them yourself Palmer. " Said Tony, concerned.

Palmer looked at Gibbs.

" I won't be going to need a medic Gibbs, because I'm not going to be taken into custody. "

" Don't do anything stupid. " Said Gibbs. " We will take you in. We can figure this out. We'll help you, protect you from these people. "

" You cannot. There is a limit to the things you can do Gibbs. You need to learn to recognize when you are in over your head. " Palmer said, troubling them with the indiferent tone he was using. " I knew I was marked for death when I did what I did. And I knew that I would either die or forever live in hiding. "

" Just drop the knife and llie down Palmer. " Said GIbbs. " We are going to take both of you in. "

He looked at the man, his eyes cold and face expressionless.

" No, you won't. " He said, looking down at the woman lying on the floor, their eyes meeting for a second.

He grabbed the knife on his torso and took it out from inside him, dropping it on the floor. And with that, faster than it should be possible for a man with his injuries, he sprinted away from them, towards the river. The agent running after him.

They shot a few warning shots, but Palmer was fast and shots didn't scare him. When he reached the water he dove in. Disappearing from view, Tony, Gibbs and Ziva went in too.

But it was no luck, the man was nowhere to be found.