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ncisficathon.
Title: Officer character arc..
Author: Keenir.
Written for: Meteorfire.
Prompt: Alternate universe, wherein either Tony or Gibbs never went to Baltimore and meet later in life. How would Gibbs' life prior to meeting this Tony be different? Tony's? Would like Tony/Gibbs, either developing into a relationship or just being friends.
(apologies - my AU!Gibbs muse isn’t very talkative)
Archive: AO3. To any others - If you archive this, let me know where, so I can read it there.
Characters: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Faatin Amal, Ziva David, Kate Todd, Director Morrow, Danny Price.
Genre: Gen. Passing references to het.
Pairings: the early stages of Tony/Faatin.
Rating: PG-13.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters. They are the property of the fine actors who portray the characters, and also by the fine people who bring us NCIS.
Word Count: 2528 words.
Summary: Tony and Gibbs become better friends over the course of a shared case.
Note: Director Morrow requested I limit this story to the parts most relevant to the prompt, so as to minimize the amount of classified material herein.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BEFORE
“I’m going to take a walk,“ Danny said. “If you’re still here when I get back, then I guess I have my answer.”
Detective Anthony DiNozzo didn’t get up until his partner had left. However clichéd and even stereotypical, the urge to hit something - make a hole in the wall, even - was very real. Tony held back.
**between then and now**
“You’re still here,” Danny Price said upon returning.
“Thought about leaving,” DiNozzo said. “Considered it twice.”
“Should I come back later?”
“I’ve decided, Danny. But I’m gonna need your word on this.”
“I’m scum, I won’t argue with you, Tony,” knowing now was not the time to say ‘partner.’
“Need you to promise me something, Danny.”
“Name it.”
“Hold on, little doggies. You might want to hear this first.”
He neither agreed nor disagreed.
“I’m going to find out who’s calling the shots, who killed Peanuts. How’s that sit with you? Bear in mind its just for starters.”
“So far, sounds like what I was going to do. Something about it just isn’t right.”
“Besides the obvious, yeah.”
They stayed like that, one on the couch, the other standing.
“So…truce?” Price asked.
“Hell yeah,” DiNozzo said. “Lets nail this bastard!”
“Amen.”
*
the engagement fell through
“I’m sorry, Tony,” Wendy said.
“No, it’s okay,” Tony said. “Let me guess, ‘its not you, its me.’?”
“Nope.”
“Wow.”
“Its both of us,” she clarified.
*
a bunch of sucky movies won Oscars
“What the hell?” Tony’s partner asked.
“Seriously, how is that even poss- oh, I get it. ‘The fix is in, boss,’” Tony quoted.
“That or Oscar’s trolling for votes.”
*
an arrest
“You did good,” Detective DiNozzo said to his partner as Police Major Frank Raimey, their superior officer - ex-superior officer - was taken into custody by I.A. and uniformed cops. “Aquitted yourself nicely, some might say.”
“Thanks,” Danny said. Their ex-boss had been responsible for some pretty heady stuff. “Not sure it’ll help any, though.”
“Sure it will. Weren’t you listening?”
“To the District Attorney, or to your first girlfriend since -?”
“Either of them,” Tony interrupted.
“You do realize she’s too good for you, don’t you?” he kidded.
“Dude, does this mean I can’t be a star witness at your trial?” Tony kidded back. There wouldn't be a trial - Danny was safe, the D.A. had given assurances.
*
made a new friend
Location: Walters Art Gallery
“No,” Tony said. “You’re pulling my leg.”
“Had the Ancient Egyptians not viewed rabbits as demons, why else would they have painted so many of them inside the sarcophagus lid?” the petite young lady said to Tony.
“He was too big for a nightlight?”
She smiled at that. “Never too big.”
“Well thank goodness for that. And I’m going to guess that being surrounded by demon bunnies wasn’t a milder version of what Seti hit Imhotep with.”
“That’s right. Which is a relief, for Evie was not present when this sarcophagus was found.”
Always fun when the reference is both understood and used in the reply, Tony thought. “So what’s with the bunnies?”
“To keep away worse things. Seth was used in the same way.”
“Okay, that makes sense,” Tony said, thinking, Sorta. Like letting minor offenders unwittingly lead us right to their bosses. “I’m Anthony, by the way.”
“I’m Faatin.”
**NOW**
“Can I help you?” Tony asked the just-arrived women who appeared to be looking for the Captain, the Major’s replacement.
“I think so,” one of them said, flashing her badge.
“Kate Todd, NCIS.”
“And? Therefore? So?”
Kate wished Gibbs hadn’t been called back to look at something Abby had uncovered; he was so good at this. How does Director Morrow put it? Kate asked herself, and tried her best. “We’d like to work with you on -”
“Let me guess, on a case we’ve already done the legwork on.”
“Can I talk to your boss?” Kate asked.
“He’s at a funeral right now, but before he left, he put me in charge.”
“And you are?”
“Acting Captain Anthony DiNozzo.”
“I see. Well, Captain DiNozzo, there are facts pertaining to the case you don’t have. If we pool our resources, we all win.”
“You were beaten up by cheerleaders, weren’t you?”
“What - I don’t - No!”
You’re perky and cheerful, for one, no matter what gets thrown at you; you don’t strike me as cheerleader material, for two; for three…
“Why would you say that?” the other woman asked. Kate shot her a ‘why would you ask that?’ look. “And where is your captain?”
Trying to trip me up? Tony thought. “Funeral’s in Cork.”
“I see. Was regular timber not up to the task?”
“Who’s your friend?” Tony asked Kate.
“Officer Ziva David,” Ziva said.
“Well, Officer, you’ll have to take - to talk to him about it when he gets back. You’re not in any hurry on this whole case-cooperation thing then, I take it.”
“We’re offering to help you,” Kate told him. “We could take this case -”
“Oh would you please? I’ve got this killer workload that’s totally cutting into my teatime,” Tony said, calling her bluff. “Agent Todd?”
“Yes?”
“If you’ve got orders to cooperate, say so.”
“I do,” Kate said. “I’ve also got orders to make sure you cooperate.
Tony wasn’t the only one in the room who laughed at that.
*
the next morning,
“Glad we got that whole inter-agency stuff out of the way,” Tony said while Gibbs eyed the coffee he’d just been handed.
“That’s what bosses are for,” Gibbs said.
“There’s that too. Anyway, you sure you’re going to be okay with me in this old van? ‘Cause I don’t mind if you sit on the sidelines.”
“Cooperation means I’m staying right here,” Gibbs said.
“No,” Tony said. “Cooperation means somebody from your office stays in here with me to keep an eye on things. Like your young Agent Todd.”
“Kate’s elsewhere right now.”
“That was fast. Oh, by the way, what’s with the name thing?”
“Name thing?” Gibbs asked.
“Yeah. All your agents call you ‘Gibbs.’ I mean it can’t be to show respect - they aren’t saying ‘Mr. Gibbs’ or ‘Agent Gibbs.’”
“Actually it’s so they don’t feel awkward.”
“Really?” Tony asked, not buying it, even as - outside - three people were walking down the block to make the prearranged buy, which would, it was hoped, would lead to the arrest of the man the Baltimore Police and NCIS were after.
“First name’s Leroy Jethro, Tony.”
“Hm.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, I can see Agent Todd being uncomfortable calling her boss Jethro, and I suppose Officer David is just following her example.”
“Ziva doesn’t exactly follow examples.”
“Good point. And on that note.”
“Yeah?”
“No offense, Agent Gibbs, but Ziva doesn’t strike me as a very good person to send in on something like this,” Tony said.
“Maybe that’s just how good an agent she is,” Gibbs said.
“Yeah, we’ll see.”
“Speaking of which, who’s she going in there with?”
“Detective Kilburn and a friend of mind.”
“A civilian?”
“Can Officer David speak Armenian or Georgian?”
“No idea,” Gibbs said.
“Well they can,“ because if only one person on our side went in there fluent, it’d ultimately be he said she said, and we don’t want that. “And that’s all our best lead can speak fluently.” Given how much you praise somebody named Ab, we should have more than that.
“Still don’t like it.”
“You want to like it, or you want to solve it?” Tony asked.
“Two different ‘it’ there.”
“Good catch.”
*
meanwhile,
“Why are you helping me?” Ziva asked Faatin.
“Tony is a friend.”
“Are you sleeping with him?”
“Are you sleeping with Agent Gibbs?”
“No! And that’s a false equivalency,” Ziva said. “Though I believe Gibbs may be about to shoot your friend.”
“He will not.”
“Are you so sure?”
“Very,” Faatin said.
*
that afternoon,
“Well I’ll say this for you, Gibbs - you’ve got good taste in dogs,” Tony said as he lifted his hot dog for a bite.
The tip from their Georgian lead in Downtown had led them to this spot, in sight of the Aquarium, Science Center, and various decommissioned ships and submarines.
From where they sat in this corner of the Inner Harbor, they could see at least a quarter mile in two directions - three directions if both their positions were added up - with agents and officers in place to cover what little ground they couldn’t see from.
“I’ve had worse,” Gibbs said as the tourists cheered for the juggler performing for the people sitting on the rows of steps. “I just heard we found out where we can narrow our search to.”
“Good. I think my fellow detectives are starting to get sore in the foot, particularly since they aren’t always accompanied by one of your agents.”
Gibbs shrugged. “I share what I can. And I don’t have many people working for me.”
“Oh please,” Tony said. “You can’t call in favors, or anything like that? As important as this guy is, you can’t get a few more people to help?”
“There’s a computer guy who helps sometimes, but I don’t know,” Gibbs said.
Tony took another bite of hot dog before saying, “Fine, so what’s the new search area?”
“Oh you’re gonna love this. Seafood restaurant.”
“In the Inner Harbor? Did anyone mention to you that that‘s not narrowing?”
“I said you’d love it. Didn’t say your feet would.”
“Touché.”
*
the next day’s evening,
Tony was standing outside the door of Faatin’s apartment, waiting for her. She had agreed earlier to assist in one more undercover part of this investigation: he and Gibbs needed eye candy and-or Signifigant Others on their arms to complete their cover at this restaurant... Otherwise, the mastermind would escape to plot some more.
Tony was wondering if Gibbs was going to be bringing David or Todd, when the door opened and Faatin stepped out and closed her door. “Wow,” Tony said.
“Thank you,” she said. “Are we ready?”
Tony nodded, offering her his arm as they went for the elevator. “If all goes according to plan, Gibbs’ plus-one will be keeping an eye on the entrances and exits.“ And his people and mine will be keeping an eye on the front, sides, and back ways to the building. “Anything goes wrong, you’ll get out of there, right?”
Faatin said nothing.
“We go in, let this Eschel guy think he’s pulling the wool over our eyes, then, when he’s gloating over his victory, Gibbs and I leave the dining area and go up to the private room and take him down.”
Faatin nodded. “Sun Tzu, von Clauswitz. I am familiar with the strategy.”
“Right. Sorry. Anyway,” Tony said, adjusting his tie, “We make a very convincing Nick and Nora.”
“In black and white,” Faatin said. “Perhaps.”
The name ‘Namir Eschel’ had not been part of the tip-off from Downtown; that had been the location and little more. The name and a few vital clues had come from Gibbs. Gibbs clammed up when he asked Gibbs where the information had come from, but Tony had his suspicions. He had a theory about the origin of the info, a theory supported by Gibbs volunteering the fact that ‘just more inter-agency cooperation with NCIS, DiNozzo.’
“You sure about this?” Tony asked her. “I could probably get one of my lieutenants to wear a dress for this.”
“I am fine, Tony,” Faatin Amal assured him. “Besides that would set tongues wagging around your water cooler. This is something I knew would arise eventually.”
Right, your training. “And thanks for trusting me enough to tell me,” Tony said honestly. You’re CIA. You could’ve lied and told me you were Mossad or Vivak or MI-6, and I would’ve believed you. Hell, if you’d gotten me emotional, you could’ve convinced me you were KGB or New Zealand Secret Service - which is sorta the strategy we‘re using against Eschel.
“I meant a date,” she said with a mischievous little smile.
~~~
after dinner,
“You have me cornered, officer,” Eschel said to DiNozzo here in the private dining room. “Congratulations, but you have not won anything.”
“Oh I know,” Tony said.
“A shame.”
“Let me guess, you could have made me a rich man, if only I had cooperated?”
“In essence.”
You and half the illegal importers we get in this town. “Some of us don’t quit our work ethics.”
“Neither have I.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Huh. Well then, there’s one more thing you should know,” Tony said.
“And what would that be?” Eschel asked.
“I know more than just how to steal a million, you know. I also know that in thirty seconds, a couple dozen SWAT are going to be busting through that wall.”
“Not through the door?”
“They wanted the practice.”
“For what?”
“Next time Hollywood’s in town.”
“I don’t believe you - about the SWAT,” Eschel clarified.
“Would you believe six commandos through the door?”
“No.”
“Good.”
A bullet slammed through Eschel’s gun hand.
“Would you believe me?” Gibbs asked, stepping from the shadows and cocking his gun for another shot.
“My belief is not the issue here,” Eschel said.
“And what is?” Tony asked.
“The strength of alliance. With a David continuing to rule over Mossad, Israel is in danger, as is our alliance with your country.”
“Yeah, you’re doing a pretty good job of it yourself,” Gibbs said.
“I know your dealings with Ari, Agent Gibbs,” Eschel said. “Or did Officer Ziva David not tell you she and I worked with him?”
“That’s about all she said,” Gibbs said.
“Ari is not alone,” Eschel said. “Director David has many more involvements waiting to explode and take us all with him.”
“Let me guess,” Tony said. “That’s why you’ve taken it upon yourself to stop him, no matter the cost.”
“I would not have phrased it so bluntly, but yes.”
Gibbs slapped him upside the head.
Tony looked at Gibbs, seeing the expression of a man who had never hit someone like that before.
“Need to be more careful, kid,” Tony said to Eschel. “Namir Eschel, you’re under arrest,” Tony said, and gave the full Miranda. To Gibbs, on their way to the other officers and agents, so Eschel could be handed over into custody, Tony said, “Next time, we stick with hot dogs.”
“You’re buying.”
“Fair’s fair. And for someone who claims not to know the classics, you ended it pretty well."
"That's my job."
~~~
later,
“That’s it?” Gibbs asked in his car.
“That’s it,” Director Morrow told Gibbs over the phone. “The CIA isn’t about to divulge their sources.”
Gibbs made a noise as he watched DiNozzo across the street.
“Take the win, Gibbs,” Director Morrow said.
“NCIS is getting the credit?” Gibbs asked.
“’With the cooperation of the Baltimore P.D.’, of course.”
“Of course.”
“Gibbs?”
“Yeah?”
“Get some sleep.”
Gibbs grinned. “I’ll think about it. G’night,” and they hung up. Watching DiNozzo and Amal, Gibbs took one more cup of coffee before he drove off.
“Godspeed, Tony,” Gibbs said, with a gut feeling that, sooner or later, somebody in the Navy would make the mistake of committing a crime in Baltimore. “See you then.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End
Title: Officer character arc..
Author: Keenir.
Written for: Meteorfire.
Prompt: Alternate universe, wherein either Tony or Gibbs never went to Baltimore and meet later in life. How would Gibbs' life prior to meeting this Tony be different? Tony's? Would like Tony/Gibbs, either developing into a relationship or just being friends.
(apologies - my AU!Gibbs muse isn’t very talkative)
Archive: AO3. To any others - If you archive this, let me know where, so I can read it there.
Characters: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Faatin Amal, Ziva David, Kate Todd, Director Morrow, Danny Price.
Genre: Gen. Passing references to het.
Pairings: the early stages of Tony/Faatin.
Rating: PG-13.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters. They are the property of the fine actors who portray the characters, and also by the fine people who bring us NCIS.
Word Count: 2528 words.
Summary: Tony and Gibbs become better friends over the course of a shared case.
Note: Director Morrow requested I limit this story to the parts most relevant to the prompt, so as to minimize the amount of classified material herein.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BEFORE
“I’m going to take a walk,“ Danny said. “If you’re still here when I get back, then I guess I have my answer.”
Detective Anthony DiNozzo didn’t get up until his partner had left. However clichéd and even stereotypical, the urge to hit something - make a hole in the wall, even - was very real. Tony held back.
**between then and now**
“You’re still here,” Danny Price said upon returning.
“Thought about leaving,” DiNozzo said. “Considered it twice.”
“Should I come back later?”
“I’ve decided, Danny. But I’m gonna need your word on this.”
“I’m scum, I won’t argue with you, Tony,” knowing now was not the time to say ‘partner.’
“Need you to promise me something, Danny.”
“Name it.”
“Hold on, little doggies. You might want to hear this first.”
He neither agreed nor disagreed.
“I’m going to find out who’s calling the shots, who killed Peanuts. How’s that sit with you? Bear in mind its just for starters.”
“So far, sounds like what I was going to do. Something about it just isn’t right.”
“Besides the obvious, yeah.”
They stayed like that, one on the couch, the other standing.
“So…truce?” Price asked.
“Hell yeah,” DiNozzo said. “Lets nail this bastard!”
“Amen.”
*
the engagement fell through
“I’m sorry, Tony,” Wendy said.
“No, it’s okay,” Tony said. “Let me guess, ‘its not you, its me.’?”
“Nope.”
“Wow.”
“Its both of us,” she clarified.
*
a bunch of sucky movies won Oscars
“What the hell?” Tony’s partner asked.
“Seriously, how is that even poss- oh, I get it. ‘The fix is in, boss,’” Tony quoted.
“That or Oscar’s trolling for votes.”
*
an arrest
“You did good,” Detective DiNozzo said to his partner as Police Major Frank Raimey, their superior officer - ex-superior officer - was taken into custody by I.A. and uniformed cops. “Aquitted yourself nicely, some might say.”
“Thanks,” Danny said. Their ex-boss had been responsible for some pretty heady stuff. “Not sure it’ll help any, though.”
“Sure it will. Weren’t you listening?”
“To the District Attorney, or to your first girlfriend since -?”
“Either of them,” Tony interrupted.
“You do realize she’s too good for you, don’t you?” he kidded.
“Dude, does this mean I can’t be a star witness at your trial?” Tony kidded back. There wouldn't be a trial - Danny was safe, the D.A. had given assurances.
*
made a new friend
Location: Walters Art Gallery
“No,” Tony said. “You’re pulling my leg.”
“Had the Ancient Egyptians not viewed rabbits as demons, why else would they have painted so many of them inside the sarcophagus lid?” the petite young lady said to Tony.
“He was too big for a nightlight?”
She smiled at that. “Never too big.”
“Well thank goodness for that. And I’m going to guess that being surrounded by demon bunnies wasn’t a milder version of what Seti hit Imhotep with.”
“That’s right. Which is a relief, for Evie was not present when this sarcophagus was found.”
Always fun when the reference is both understood and used in the reply, Tony thought. “So what’s with the bunnies?”
“To keep away worse things. Seth was used in the same way.”
“Okay, that makes sense,” Tony said, thinking, Sorta. Like letting minor offenders unwittingly lead us right to their bosses. “I’m Anthony, by the way.”
“I’m Faatin.”
**NOW**
“Can I help you?” Tony asked the just-arrived women who appeared to be looking for the Captain, the Major’s replacement.
“I think so,” one of them said, flashing her badge.
“Kate Todd, NCIS.”
“And? Therefore? So?”
Kate wished Gibbs hadn’t been called back to look at something Abby had uncovered; he was so good at this. How does Director Morrow put it? Kate asked herself, and tried her best. “We’d like to work with you on -”
“Let me guess, on a case we’ve already done the legwork on.”
“Can I talk to your boss?” Kate asked.
“He’s at a funeral right now, but before he left, he put me in charge.”
“And you are?”
“Acting Captain Anthony DiNozzo.”
“I see. Well, Captain DiNozzo, there are facts pertaining to the case you don’t have. If we pool our resources, we all win.”
“You were beaten up by cheerleaders, weren’t you?”
“What - I don’t - No!”
You’re perky and cheerful, for one, no matter what gets thrown at you; you don’t strike me as cheerleader material, for two; for three…
“Why would you say that?” the other woman asked. Kate shot her a ‘why would you ask that?’ look. “And where is your captain?”
Trying to trip me up? Tony thought. “Funeral’s in Cork.”
“I see. Was regular timber not up to the task?”
“Who’s your friend?” Tony asked Kate.
“Officer Ziva David,” Ziva said.
“Well, Officer, you’ll have to take - to talk to him about it when he gets back. You’re not in any hurry on this whole case-cooperation thing then, I take it.”
“We’re offering to help you,” Kate told him. “We could take this case -”
“Oh would you please? I’ve got this killer workload that’s totally cutting into my teatime,” Tony said, calling her bluff. “Agent Todd?”
“Yes?”
“If you’ve got orders to cooperate, say so.”
“I do,” Kate said. “I’ve also got orders to make sure you cooperate.
Tony wasn’t the only one in the room who laughed at that.
*
the next morning,
“Glad we got that whole inter-agency stuff out of the way,” Tony said while Gibbs eyed the coffee he’d just been handed.
“That’s what bosses are for,” Gibbs said.
“There’s that too. Anyway, you sure you’re going to be okay with me in this old van? ‘Cause I don’t mind if you sit on the sidelines.”
“Cooperation means I’m staying right here,” Gibbs said.
“No,” Tony said. “Cooperation means somebody from your office stays in here with me to keep an eye on things. Like your young Agent Todd.”
“Kate’s elsewhere right now.”
“That was fast. Oh, by the way, what’s with the name thing?”
“Name thing?” Gibbs asked.
“Yeah. All your agents call you ‘Gibbs.’ I mean it can’t be to show respect - they aren’t saying ‘Mr. Gibbs’ or ‘Agent Gibbs.’”
“Actually it’s so they don’t feel awkward.”
“Really?” Tony asked, not buying it, even as - outside - three people were walking down the block to make the prearranged buy, which would, it was hoped, would lead to the arrest of the man the Baltimore Police and NCIS were after.
“First name’s Leroy Jethro, Tony.”
“Hm.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, I can see Agent Todd being uncomfortable calling her boss Jethro, and I suppose Officer David is just following her example.”
“Ziva doesn’t exactly follow examples.”
“Good point. And on that note.”
“Yeah?”
“No offense, Agent Gibbs, but Ziva doesn’t strike me as a very good person to send in on something like this,” Tony said.
“Maybe that’s just how good an agent she is,” Gibbs said.
“Yeah, we’ll see.”
“Speaking of which, who’s she going in there with?”
“Detective Kilburn and a friend of mind.”
“A civilian?”
“Can Officer David speak Armenian or Georgian?”
“No idea,” Gibbs said.
“Well they can,“ because if only one person on our side went in there fluent, it’d ultimately be he said she said, and we don’t want that. “And that’s all our best lead can speak fluently.” Given how much you praise somebody named Ab, we should have more than that.
“Still don’t like it.”
“You want to like it, or you want to solve it?” Tony asked.
“Two different ‘it’ there.”
“Good catch.”
*
meanwhile,
“Why are you helping me?” Ziva asked Faatin.
“Tony is a friend.”
“Are you sleeping with him?”
“Are you sleeping with Agent Gibbs?”
“No! And that’s a false equivalency,” Ziva said. “Though I believe Gibbs may be about to shoot your friend.”
“He will not.”
“Are you so sure?”
“Very,” Faatin said.
*
that afternoon,
“Well I’ll say this for you, Gibbs - you’ve got good taste in dogs,” Tony said as he lifted his hot dog for a bite.
The tip from their Georgian lead in Downtown had led them to this spot, in sight of the Aquarium, Science Center, and various decommissioned ships and submarines.
From where they sat in this corner of the Inner Harbor, they could see at least a quarter mile in two directions - three directions if both their positions were added up - with agents and officers in place to cover what little ground they couldn’t see from.
“I’ve had worse,” Gibbs said as the tourists cheered for the juggler performing for the people sitting on the rows of steps. “I just heard we found out where we can narrow our search to.”
“Good. I think my fellow detectives are starting to get sore in the foot, particularly since they aren’t always accompanied by one of your agents.”
Gibbs shrugged. “I share what I can. And I don’t have many people working for me.”
“Oh please,” Tony said. “You can’t call in favors, or anything like that? As important as this guy is, you can’t get a few more people to help?”
“There’s a computer guy who helps sometimes, but I don’t know,” Gibbs said.
Tony took another bite of hot dog before saying, “Fine, so what’s the new search area?”
“Oh you’re gonna love this. Seafood restaurant.”
“In the Inner Harbor? Did anyone mention to you that that‘s not narrowing?”
“I said you’d love it. Didn’t say your feet would.”
“Touché.”
*
the next day’s evening,
Tony was standing outside the door of Faatin’s apartment, waiting for her. She had agreed earlier to assist in one more undercover part of this investigation: he and Gibbs needed eye candy and-or Signifigant Others on their arms to complete their cover at this restaurant... Otherwise, the mastermind would escape to plot some more.
Tony was wondering if Gibbs was going to be bringing David or Todd, when the door opened and Faatin stepped out and closed her door. “Wow,” Tony said.
“Thank you,” she said. “Are we ready?”
Tony nodded, offering her his arm as they went for the elevator. “If all goes according to plan, Gibbs’ plus-one will be keeping an eye on the entrances and exits.“ And his people and mine will be keeping an eye on the front, sides, and back ways to the building. “Anything goes wrong, you’ll get out of there, right?”
Faatin said nothing.
“We go in, let this Eschel guy think he’s pulling the wool over our eyes, then, when he’s gloating over his victory, Gibbs and I leave the dining area and go up to the private room and take him down.”
Faatin nodded. “Sun Tzu, von Clauswitz. I am familiar with the strategy.”
“Right. Sorry. Anyway,” Tony said, adjusting his tie, “We make a very convincing Nick and Nora.”
“In black and white,” Faatin said. “Perhaps.”
The name ‘Namir Eschel’ had not been part of the tip-off from Downtown; that had been the location and little more. The name and a few vital clues had come from Gibbs. Gibbs clammed up when he asked Gibbs where the information had come from, but Tony had his suspicions. He had a theory about the origin of the info, a theory supported by Gibbs volunteering the fact that ‘just more inter-agency cooperation with NCIS, DiNozzo.’
“You sure about this?” Tony asked her. “I could probably get one of my lieutenants to wear a dress for this.”
“I am fine, Tony,” Faatin Amal assured him. “Besides that would set tongues wagging around your water cooler. This is something I knew would arise eventually.”
Right, your training. “And thanks for trusting me enough to tell me,” Tony said honestly. You’re CIA. You could’ve lied and told me you were Mossad or Vivak or MI-6, and I would’ve believed you. Hell, if you’d gotten me emotional, you could’ve convinced me you were KGB or New Zealand Secret Service - which is sorta the strategy we‘re using against Eschel.
“I meant a date,” she said with a mischievous little smile.
~~~
after dinner,
“You have me cornered, officer,” Eschel said to DiNozzo here in the private dining room. “Congratulations, but you have not won anything.”
“Oh I know,” Tony said.
“A shame.”
“Let me guess, you could have made me a rich man, if only I had cooperated?”
“In essence.”
You and half the illegal importers we get in this town. “Some of us don’t quit our work ethics.”
“Neither have I.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Huh. Well then, there’s one more thing you should know,” Tony said.
“And what would that be?” Eschel asked.
“I know more than just how to steal a million, you know. I also know that in thirty seconds, a couple dozen SWAT are going to be busting through that wall.”
“Not through the door?”
“They wanted the practice.”
“For what?”
“Next time Hollywood’s in town.”
“I don’t believe you - about the SWAT,” Eschel clarified.
“Would you believe six commandos through the door?”
“No.”
“Good.”
A bullet slammed through Eschel’s gun hand.
“Would you believe me?” Gibbs asked, stepping from the shadows and cocking his gun for another shot.
“My belief is not the issue here,” Eschel said.
“And what is?” Tony asked.
“The strength of alliance. With a David continuing to rule over Mossad, Israel is in danger, as is our alliance with your country.”
“Yeah, you’re doing a pretty good job of it yourself,” Gibbs said.
“I know your dealings with Ari, Agent Gibbs,” Eschel said. “Or did Officer Ziva David not tell you she and I worked with him?”
“That’s about all she said,” Gibbs said.
“Ari is not alone,” Eschel said. “Director David has many more involvements waiting to explode and take us all with him.”
“Let me guess,” Tony said. “That’s why you’ve taken it upon yourself to stop him, no matter the cost.”
“I would not have phrased it so bluntly, but yes.”
Gibbs slapped him upside the head.
Tony looked at Gibbs, seeing the expression of a man who had never hit someone like that before.
“Need to be more careful, kid,” Tony said to Eschel. “Namir Eschel, you’re under arrest,” Tony said, and gave the full Miranda. To Gibbs, on their way to the other officers and agents, so Eschel could be handed over into custody, Tony said, “Next time, we stick with hot dogs.”
“You’re buying.”
“Fair’s fair. And for someone who claims not to know the classics, you ended it pretty well."
"That's my job."
~~~
later,
“That’s it?” Gibbs asked in his car.
“That’s it,” Director Morrow told Gibbs over the phone. “The CIA isn’t about to divulge their sources.”
Gibbs made a noise as he watched DiNozzo across the street.
“Take the win, Gibbs,” Director Morrow said.
“NCIS is getting the credit?” Gibbs asked.
“’With the cooperation of the Baltimore P.D.’, of course.”
“Of course.”
“Gibbs?”
“Yeah?”
“Get some sleep.”
Gibbs grinned. “I’ll think about it. G’night,” and they hung up. Watching DiNozzo and Amal, Gibbs took one more cup of coffee before he drove off.
“Godspeed, Tony,” Gibbs said, with a gut feeling that, sooner or later, somebody in the Navy would make the mistake of committing a crime in Baltimore. “See you then.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End
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