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<\/a>lamardeuse<\/b><\/a><\/span>'s posts about the show. And watching Series 1 was totally worth it. I had 100% buy-in mostly because Bradley and Colin are adorable, and Anthony Stewart Head is a BAMF. Series 2 a little less so, and here we find the trouble with Merlin as a whole. My show can be kind of bipolar. And I certainly don't say this to make light of anyone who has to struggle with the disorder. It's just given the show's two sides which differ drastically and yet seemingly switch back and forth, sometimes on a dime, the analogy is apt.A lot of people on my flist have mentioned how Series 1 was better than Series 2 especially if you're a Merlin\/Arthur shipper, which I'd say the majority of people that contribute to the fandom are. I really think the producers made Series 1 not realizing the level of hoyay that they had introduced. Or more to the point the level of hoyay that people would read into the show. It's something that even the media in the UK picked up on, apparently.
So Series 2 has a lot of backpedaling. I don't think the Arthur\/Gwen relationship is pushed down our throats especially, more than they really jumped on that part of the legend early. The show was always going to have to deal with their relationship, and I think they eased them into it nicely given the context. Merlin changing Arthur's opinion about the level of interaction he could have with servants certainly warmed the plate for Gwen to step up. Unfortunately, in doing so it really squashed the Gwen\/Lancelot potential which is unfortunate. I would have liked to have seen more of that, because right now if Lance comes back, I really don't see why Gwen would ditch Arthur for him. There wasn't enough there--Santiago's mooning cow eyes (which he is excellent at) not withstanding--for me to buy their \"love\".
So if Series 1 was HOYAY! And Series 2 was HONO! Series 3 was, let's keep these guys apart as much as possible because even the little screen time we've given them last season has spawned thousands of fanfics!<\/i> The show started expanding the cast of characters, and foreshadowing the future. Old!Merlin! Knights of the Round Table! And it gave us...Gawain.... oh Gawain and your shiny hair of justice..... In keeping Arthur in Merlin apart by providing someone else for Merlin to have adventures with, they didn't really stop the Hoyay. Because Gawain would obviously nail anything that moves. And Elyan is lovely. And look, Lance and his mooning cow eyes are back! AND HOLY SHIT THAT PERCIVAL HAS SOME GUNS.... So yeah, Knights fic... need more of that.
That brings us to the current Series and back to my analogy. The show has always tried to mesh comedy into the drama that is Arthurian Legend. Typically they have episodes that are written to be comedy episodes, but they usually have a humorous scene in every ep between OnAMission!Merlin and Clueless!Arthur. The show is family fare so it's not surprising. This season though the drama has been really cranked up a notch, and the wacky comedy is being used more as a mood lightener. Which I understand what they're trying to do, but dang some times I get whiplash! As much as I loved Old!Merlin making Arthur give him a piggy back ride in Episode 3, it really undercut the emotion of the main plot. Would the episode have been too dark without the pee jokes and Old!Merlin funny? Maybe, but give your audience some credit in being able to handle it and save the slapstick for an episode that has the tone for it. This also goes toward Gwaine's characterization. They made him the good hearted bad boy in Series 3, and now he's the butt of every joke? He's almost like a totally different character. I know he had a sense of humor last series, but I never took him for a bumbling idiot.
Also after two seasons of \"Gay? What gay?\" things have suddenly tipped overboard in the other direction. It's like they finally realized where their bread and butter audience is and were like \"We need some ratings! GAY IT UP!\" Unfortunately, it's coming off so forced that it's almost cringe worthy sometimes. I mean in Episode 4 Merlin literally yanked Arthur's pants off and rolled around on the floor with him! Yes it's funny, and I laughed, but it still smacks of trying too hard, as opposed to the more natural relationship development of Series 1. This is especially true considering the leaked preview scene for the next episode, which I won't describe so as not to spoil. (If you're curious,
<\/a>lamardeuse<\/b><\/a><\/span> has a link here<\/a>.) Someone on my Twitter feed was right when they said \"they're just filming fanfic now\". Redic. So, short story long, I still love the show. I love the characters. I love the actors. I'm still in. But some consistency would be nice. Hoyay\/Noyay. Srs!Drama\/Slapstick!Comedy. Pick something and stick with it guys, honestly.
And don't get me started on the women's issues in this show. Girls are either virgins or witches, and producers making comments about how girls should just be pretty and don't need to wield swords.... *sigh*<\/a>
xposted to Dreamwidth<\/a><\/font>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:daughtershade:284323","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/284323.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=284323"}}],"title":"New Twitter Account","published":"2011-10-17T17:08:56Z","updated":"2011-10-17T17:08:56Z","content":"So I had been adding fannish twitter accounts to my personal twitter, but I finally decided to separate them. I don't think my RL friends want to see my squee. So if you see me add you don't be alarmed! If you want to add me, I'd love that.
daughtershade<\/a>
New Merlin episodes have gotten me excited. I'll probably try and post my thoughts about the episodes so far. I really want to discuss some of the things they're doing.
Also, Inception fandom is the gift that keeps on giving. I've started writing again thanks to cherrybina's kink meme 2.0<\/a>. Hopefully, this will get me creating again.
Xposted toDreamwidth<\/a><\/span>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:daughtershade:284068","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/284068.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=284068"}}],"title":"Archived","published":"2011-06-21T03:12:42Z","updated":"2011-06-21T03:12:42Z","content":"I've finally started loading some of my fic onto AO3. You can find me HERE<\/a>.
Including a long SGA AU fic that I'd never gotten around to posting called Event Horizon Books<\/b><\/a>. So check that out if you'd like.
As you can plainly tell from this journal, I haven't been posting much, but I have been reading. I've somehow managed to get pulled into Merlin fandom, and am quite enjoying all the fun and pretty boys to be had over there. (Yeah, yeah, I'm late to the game, but whatever.) I've also been reading Inception fics because Arthur\/Eames makes me happy because Tom Hardy and JGL are both adorkable.
So how's life been treating you kind people?
Crossposted to DW<\/a>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:daughtershade:283659","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/283659.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=283659"}}],"title":"Heroes Fic: Transparency","published":"2008-11-20T22:38:57Z","updated":"2008-11-20T22:58:05Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"heroes"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"adam"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"heroes fic"}}],"content":"Title: Transparency
Fandom: Heroes<\/i>
Pairing: N\/A
Rating: G
Notes: This fic was written for
<\/a>amiguriken<\/b><\/a><\/span> because she is a Claude fan and I'm an Adam fan. Two great tastes that taste great together. Oh and Little!Elle is in here just for fun. This is set sometime during the flashbacks from \"Company Man\". Elle here is six, which makes Claire about two, and Lyle a newborn. In the commentary for \"Company Man\", they mentioned the fact that there was a cut storyline where Claude was the one that started the Teddy Bear\/Claire-bear thing. He was the fun uncle while Noah was keeping his distance and not being a good dad but being a good Company Man. I really wish they had filmed those scenes because I think it's good characterization for Noah to see how far he's come, and also more Claude is not a bad thing. So basically, Claude has a soft spot for kids, which got me thinking.All of this was an exercise in writing Adam because I'm writing an Alias\/Heroes xover with Adam and Sark and I'm trying to differentiate them in my head.
----------
He didn't get visitors often. Usually, when someone came into his cell, it meant he was getting poked or prodded again. Thirty years and they still hadn't quite figured out how he worked. This time when the door opened, there wasn't anyone on the other side. Before he could make a run for it, the door closed again. Adam looked at it speculatively.
\"I don't suppose you'll tell me what you want, seeing as how you won't show yourself,\" he said to the empty room.
\"You're good,\" a voice said from the far corner.
\"Well it's hardly rocket science. As much as I appreciate having someone to talk to, perhaps you could show yourself, so I don't think that I've gone mad.\"
\"Can't. They're watching.\"
\"Of course. What's your name?\"
\"Can't tell you that either. It's better if we keep this simple.\"
\"Right, then. I suppose I'll have to call you Harvey, and hope that you're not really a giant rabbit, or a voice in my head. I'm assuming you're real, though. I doubt any voice from my head would sound so...North.\"
The voice chuckled.
\"Now don't be a snob,\" it said.
\"I apologize; it was terribly rude of me, Harvey. What can I do for you?\"
\"I want information on the founders. I get the feeling that my days in The Company are numbered. It wouldn't hurt to have a little insurance.\"
\"If I had anything important of note, would I still be in here?\"
\"If you didn't would you still be in here?\"
Adam smiled.
\"That's what I thought,\" Harvey answered.
\"I'm wondering how this works. You aren't projecting yourself because you wouldn't have had to open the door. Invisibility?\"
\"Comes in handy.\"
\"I'll bet. I'm out of the loop. I've been in here too long. I don't know what I could provide you.\"
\"They would have killed you long ago if you didn't have something.\"
\"Haven't you heard? I can't be killed.\"
Adam heard Harvey sigh. He got up slowly and walked towards the corner. There was a slight movement of air, and by the time he reached the corner, it was empty. Adam glanced up at the observation window with the corner of his eye. He very well couldn't walk around with his hands out in front of him without giving his guest away.
\"Quit moving around. I want proof that you're here,\" he said.
\"You want proof?\" Harvey asked.
Adam jerked when he felt someone slap the back of his head. He turned quickly doing a low leg sweep and connected with something. He heard an \"oof\" and the sound of a body hitting the floor. He squatted down to reach out, but encountered nothing. Harvey must have rolled away. He stood up quickly and started backing toward the wall.
\"Do you really want to do this?\" Harvey asked from the center of the room.
Adam dove across the room and landed on his bed, never having touched his visitor. He rolled over and pulled his feet up so that he was lying on the bed. The key was looking like you meant to do it.
\"What's in it for me?\" Adam asked.
\"It'd be good to have someone who can come and go on your side.\"
\"While stuck in here? Not really.\"
\"I can't let you out. I've read your file.\"
Adam sighed and said, \"And I suppose everything in your file is accurate.\" Silence was his answer. He continued, \"Haven't you looked? What about your partner's file? I assume you have a partner. They like to keep us on a short leash now. Funny how the founders don't need one. I can't blame you for coming here. It's good to know things. Take it from me. Don't underestimate the people you work with.\"
The door opened and closed before he could get to his feet. Adam stared at the glass of the observation window. No one was in the hallway.
---
Claude slipped down the hall and appeared in the seat next to Noah. The other man wasn't even startled anymore. It took the fun out of it.
\"Bob still isn't here yet. Where have you been? Not causing trouble, I hope,\" Noah said.
\"Now, now, why do you always assume the worst? I could have been helping a little girl get a kitten out of a tree.\"
\"Were you?\"
\"No, of course not, but I could have been.\"
Noah gave one of his usual dry replies, \"I'm sure.\"
\"You\u2019re grumpy. How's Sandra and Claire-Bear?\"
\"Fine. Sandra's been a little tired. She's been having trouble getting Lyle to sleep.\"
\"Not colicky I hope.\"
\"No, he just has his own schedule, apparently.\"
Claude gave a big grin and said, \"Waiting up for his da, most likely.\"
He was rewarded with a small smirk from his partner. The door at the end of the hall opened revealing Bob. A young blonde girl trailed after him with what looked like a death grip on his hand. They both rose to their feet to greet him.
\"Ah, sorry I'm late. You'll have to excuse my daughter. She had her treatment today and she's a little clingy. Elle, Elle, let go now. Daddy has a meeting.\"
Claude kept the grin on his face despite what he saw. The poor thing looked like ten miles of bad road. Her eyes were dull and her face was pale. Of course her dress and hair were perfect. Bob would likely expect no less.
\"Why don't I stay here and keep Elle entertained? He's better at details than I am,\" Claude said motioning to Noah with his head. \"I'll probably just ask him to explain everything again anyway.\"
\"Very well,\" Bob agreed with a frown. He pulled his hand free from his daughter's and went into the office with Noah following. Claude caught the man giving him a grateful look over his shoulder before giving a worried glance to the girl.
Claude sat back down so he was level with her. She tried to hide behind her long hair, but her little headband was keeping it in place.
\"Now Elle, you know me. I'm Claude, remember? You always like my trick. Want to see it?\"
The girl nodded slightly so Claude gave her a wink, and then disappeared. He saw her give a little gasp. He quickly got up and moved around her. Sure enough, just like Adam, she walked forward reaching toward the chair. He squatted down behind her and reappeared. She turned with a jump and started to giggle.
\"That's better. I was starting to think that you didn't know how to smile. Come here,\" he said holding out his arms. The girl quickly lifted her arms and placed them around his neck. He jumped to his feet spinning her in the air. \"Daddy's going to be a while. Lets go see what fun we can get up to.\"
---
Adam was meditating, something he'd gotten far too good at since his incarceration. And to think those monks in Tibet had told him he'd never become enlightened. Seeing as how they were all dead, Adam supposed that he had the last laugh. His center was interrupted by an unusual noise. It sounded like a child laughing. Adam opened his eyes with a frown. He got up, and just as he walked over to the window, a small, blonde streak flew past. She was giggling madly as she soared through the air. Adam was surprised that someone wasn't stopping the flying girl in the hallway, but it appeared as though no one cared. The girl flew back toward him and then hung in the air waiving at him. Her dress was bunched up a bit under her arms. Adam rolled his eyes and gave a wave back.
\"I see you've met my invisible friend,\" he said.
\"Say hello to Elle,\" the voice from before said in reply.
\"Hello, Elle. My name is Adam.\"
He gave a practiced bow. Elle dropped to the floor and he heard a whisper. She giggled again and then gave a respectable curtsy for a six year old.
Adam continued, \"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm sure. I don't suppose either of you are going to let me out?\"
\"Bad men stay locked up. Daddy said so,\" Elle said, precociously.
\"And how do you know I'm a bad man?\"
\"Because you're locked up.\"
\"Can't argue with that logic,\" Harvey said with a chuckle.
\"No, I suppose not.\"
Elle tilted her head with an adorably confused look on her face. Adam waited.
\"You're like the gorilla,\" she said.
\"I beg your pardon?\"
\"From the coloring book that the doctors gave me. The gorilla was in a cage with a window so people could see it.\"
Adam stared at the girl for a moment. She stared back. There was nothing else for it. He reached up with his hand and made scratching motions at his armpit and said \"ooh, ooh\" in a deep growl. It had the desired effect because not only Elle, but Harvey as well broke out into a fit of laughter. Adam stopped the foolishness and shook his head.
\"I believe I've finally gone stir crazy. I'm surprised it took so long.\"
\"Elle,\" Harvey said after she had calmed down, \"can you do me a favor?\"
She nodded so hard it looked as if her head would come off.
\"Good, can you make just a little spark? I know you're tired after your...treatment, but can you do it?\" Harvey asked her.
Elle tilted her head again as if thinking required a new perspective. Adam watched, intrigued. After a moment she nodded again, though not as vigorously as before.
\"Good. You see that little black box by the door? I want you to give it just a little spark.\"
Elle floated into the air again as she was picked up by her invisible companion. Adam plastered himself against the glass so he could see what they were doing over by the door. Elle held her hand out inches from the door's keypad control. There was a faint blue glow and then an electrical discharge arched from her hand to the keypad. There was a mechanical noise and the door clicked open just barely.
\"That's my girl,\" Harvey said. \"Now stay right here.\"
Elle was lowered to the floor. The door was opened slowly. Adam stood his ground when he felt a hand slam down on his shoulder. Suddenly, he was looking up into a grinning face. The man had dark hair and prominent nose. He was pulled out into the hallway. Elle was looking into the window.
\"Come on and don't let go of me, or you'll be seen.\"
Adam nodded and they quickly made their way down the hall. They rode an elevator up several floors. They went down a hallway past two guard checkpoints and no one ever looked at them. Exiting through another secure door, they ended up in an underground parking garage. Harvey pulled him up the row of cars to a sedan. He unlocked the trunk with one hand and pushed Adam inside.
\"You don't expect me to--\"
\"Shh. I'm getting you out of here, just keep quiet.\"
The trunk lid closed with a slam. Adam lay curled in the dark, trapped in a much smaller place than he'd left.
\"Wonderful,\" he muttered.
---
Claude quickly re-entered the building and made his way back to Elle. He found her in the hall where he'd left her. She was breathing on the glass and drawing pictures into the mist. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with a smile now that she was sharing his power. Claude quickly wiped off the observation window with his coat and picked her up again. Elle laid her head on his shoulder. She was obviously tired. Even that small use of her power after the testing that Bob forced her through was too much. Claude made his way back to the hallway outside of Bob's office. He sat down in the chair and let himself reappear. Elle was curled up in his lap asleep. He hoped her dreams were better than her everyday life.
It was just luck that Bob had brought Elle with him. Claude knew that the cells recorded the key code used to open the doors. If he had let Adam out, it would have been traced back to him. But if the keypad failed due to an electrical surge, no one would be the wiser. The cells had been checked right after he had visited Adam. They wouldn't check again for another twenty minutes or so. Claude stared at Bob's door, and hoped that it wouldn't be much longer.
As if in answer to his prayers, the door opened. Noah exited with Bob right behind him. They paused, looking down at Elle.
\"Didn't need much looking after. She conked out right after you went in. Poor thing's worn out,\" Claude said.
He got to his feet and handed Bob his sleeping daughter. Noah smiled at the girl before they headed back down the hallway. There wasn't any rush for his partner, but he wanted to be out the door before his time was up.
\"Hurry up. I'm starving.\"
\"You ate just a couple of hours ago.\"
\"So?\"
\"We'll have to take it back to the hotel. Bob wants us on the first flight back to Texas in the morning. Thompson will probably have something for us too when we get home.\"
\"Fine with me. Come on.\"
---
Adam tried meditating again, but the confined space made it difficult. He kept trying to clear his mind, but eventually it would come back to his situation. If Harvey really was helping him escape, why the change of heart? Adam had gotten the impression that the invisible man wouldn't help him when he visited earlier. There was noise outside the car that broke his chain of thought. He felt the car adjust as someone got inside. Two doors slammed and the engine started. The ride was thankfully short. He heard the two doors slam again before a muffled conversation occurred near him. Adam waited for a few moments. When the trunk opened, he squinted against the light.
\"We don't have long,\" Harvey said, helping him out. They were in another underground parking garage.
\"Where are we?\" he asked.
\"My hotel. I have to get you up into my room before my partner gets back.\"
\"I have one question,\" Adam asked.
\"What?\"
\"What's your name, or do I still keep calling you Harvey?\"
The man gave another full face grin and said, \"Claude.\"
\"If you say your last name is Rains, I might hit you.\"
\"That's my joke, mate. Now come on.\"
Adam was again grabbed by the arm. They made their way through the hotel, carefully avoiding colliding with the people milling around the lobby. It was harder than it seemed. If people didn't know you were there, they didn't try to avoid you. It placed all the work on his and Claude's end. The other man was obviously used to it, but it took some adjustment for Adam.
The hotel room was nondescript, as they always were. Claude brought him in and started going through his bag.
\"Here if you want to change,\" he said handing over some clothes. \"The pants will be a little too long, and I'll have to get some shoes later, but that should do you. Don't answer the door. Noah's across the hall and he thinks I'm going out for food, so I'll be back in a bit.\"
Adam nodded. Once the other man was gone, he quickly changed into the borrowed clothes. It was too much of a risk to keep depending on the kindness of the disappearing man. For all Adam knew, this could be some kind of Company ploy. He was reaching for the door when he heard the noise of a door opening. Adam paused to make sure the hallway was clear before exiting. The eye piece in the door revealed that Claude's partner had propped his own door across the hall open, probably waiting for his return. He saw movement in the room beyond. If he tried to open the door, he would be seen. Adam gave up leaving with a sigh.
He sat on the bed dejectedly. At least he was back to being trapped in a small room instead of a car trunk. A half an hour later he heard someone at the door. Adam quickly slipped into the bathroom and waited in the dark. Claude was speaking to someone in the hall.
\"Let me just get rid of this coat and I'll bring it right over.\"
Once the door was shut, Claude took off his coat and emptied white Chinese cartons from the large bag he was carrying.
\"You here?\" he asked quietly.
Adam stepped out of the bathroom with a nod.
\"I brought you some food. I'll have to eat with Noah. I can't stay long or he'll get suspicious. I'll be back in a bit.\"
Adam went into the room, and stepped out of the line of sight of the doorway as Claude exited. The food did smell wonderful. He hadn't had much variety while in the Company's care. There was rice and a mix of vegetables and meat. Adam descended on it hungrily. Once he was pleasantly full he stretched across the bed lazily. There was a TV on the far dresser, but he was afraid the noise would draw attention, so he left it off. His eyes started to drift shut and he was asleep before he knew it.
---
Claude picked at his sweet and sour pork. It was one of his favorites, but his mind was on the man in the room across the way. Noah was telling him a story about something cute Claire had done. Claude didn't realize that he'd tuned the other man out until he heard his name.
\"Are you okay?\" Noah asked. \"You've been kind of distracted since we came back.\"
\"Yeah, you know me, fresh as a daisy. I was just thinking about that little girl,\" Claude lied.
\"While I don't condone what Bob does, you can't deny that she's dangerous. Elle burnt a house down without even really trying, Claude.\"
\"Then they should be helping her, not... And what about me? They dragged me in off the street. Do you think working with you was what my life's goal was? Don't get me wrong, Noah, I like you, but I'm not exactly here by choice.\"
Noah sighed and put down his chop sticks. He sat back with one of his patented Bennett frowns.
\"You're good at this. You've helped make me good at this. We're helping people, why is that a problem?\"
\"Helping?\" Claude said, rising to his feet. \"And if Claire has an ability? Are you going to let them 'help' her too?\"
\"They gave Claire to me for a reason.\"
\"And you've distanced yourself from her as much as you could, but I know you Noah. You're a good man. You're a good dad. Are you really going to hand her over?\"
\"We're not having this conversation again.\"
\"You can only keep your head in the sand for so long, mate,\" Claude said and headed for the door.
He closed Noah's door and opened his own. The room was dark. The sun had gone down while they'd ate. Claude bumbled his way over to the dresser and flipped on the lamp. Adam lay across the bed dead to the world. His skin glowed in the amber light from the lamp. He certainly didn't look like someone who had lived four hundred years. Asleep with pale lashes splashed against his cheeks, he looked ridiculously young.
\"You don't have a plan do you?\" Adam said, eyes still shut, making Claude jump.
\"This was more a crime of opportunity. You know the Company. You helped make it. I want a way out.\"
\"You can disappear, why is running away an issue?\"
\"You think I haven't tried it before? They'll find me. They always do.\"
Adam opened his eyes, and when Claude looked into their blue depths all trace of youth was gone.
\"If the Invisible Man can't escape what chance do I have?\"
Claude sagged against the dresser and said, \"They're going to figure out it was me. God what was I thinking? Who else would they suspect? And if Elle says anything\u2026\"
\"Calm down. We have to come up with a plan. There are people I can contact that would still be loyal to me.\"
\"No way, I don't trust any of those buggers.\"
\"Neither do I, but that doesn't mean they don't have their uses. I need to make some calls, and doing so on your hotel phone would be a little too obvious.\"
\"There is a payphone outside of the market down the street. I passed it on the way to the Chinese place.\"
Adam nodded and got to his feet. Claude reached out and grabbed his arm as he started for the door.
\"You're not going to just take off are you?\"
\"I've been locked up for some time. Right now you're the only contact I'm sure of.\"
Claude let him go and gave a shaky breath. Adam checked the hall before slipping out the door. Once he was gone, Claude sat on the bed and ran his hands through his hair.
---
Adam stepped out into the cool night air with a small smile. He turned away from the direction that Claude had indicated and started walking. The first order of business was obtaining some money. His longevity provided for fiscal independence. It was just a matter of determining which accounts The Company hadn't raided. Using a payphone several blocks away from the hotel, he called one of his international banks and made a few transactions. Thankfully, they didn't mind him calling collect. All he had to do was make it to the financial district where one of their satellite offices would be able to assist him no matter what time it was.
Adam made his way to the subway never once thinking about the man he'd left behind.
---
Claude was watching the television distractedly. Adam hadn't returned yet and it had been better part of an hour. He jumped up when there was a knock at the door. He pulled it open and blinked at Noah.
\"What is it?\" he asked.
\"Bob called. There's been an escape. He wants us back at the office ASAP.\"
\"Who escaped?\" Claude asked turning away to get his coat.
\"He didn't say, but it must be bad. He didn't even try to hide his distain for once.\"
Claude bit his lip and followed his partner who was already most of the way down the hall. They headed down to the garage. Claude stared at the market as they rolled past it, but no one was standing at the payphone. He mentally cursed himself for believing Adam. After all, he had read the file. The man was manipulative. Claude should have gone with him, and now he had to face the fire. He glanced over at Noah who was focusing on the road.
Back at the Company office, security was on high alert. They followed one of the assistants down to the cell area. Bob stood staring into the empty room through the observation window.
\"What's up?\" Noah asked.
\"Adam Monroe escaped.\"
\"Who's Adam Monroe?\" Claude asked. His eyes were drawn to the glass where Elle had drawn pictures with her breath. One of the Company scientists was fingerprinting the keypad.
\"He's a very dangerous man. He was one of the Company founders. Before we locked him up, he tried to release a virus that would have wiped out the human population.\"
\"Nice,\" Bennett said, dryly.
Bob turned to them with a fiery look in his eyes.
\"Adam must be retrieved at all costs. We have our other New York teams working on this, but I need all hands. I've already contacted Thompson. For the time being you're both being reassigned here. Thompson said he would make excuses to your wife, Bennett.\"
\"Great. Do we know how he got out?\"
\"They're checking but it looks like the door controls had some sort of short. He simply walked right out.\"
\"Surely he would have been caught at the checkpoints. This isn't exactly a college dorm,\" Noah said.
Claude stared at the man fingerprinting the door. Had he wiped his prints from the first visit with Adam? Would Elle's charge have covered that up as well? He turned back to the other two.
Bob said, \"I've learned not to underestimate Adam's abilities.\"
\"What are his abilities?\" Claude asked.
\"He can heal from any wound, and he can't die. At least not from conventional means. This also means that he's been around four centuries. I have no doubt that he wouldn't have a problem getting past our security.\"
Claude gave a low whistle and tried his damnedest to look like he had no idea what was going on.
\"Four centuries? That's a new one,\" he said.
Noah shook his head and said, \"If he's been down here, he's been out of the game. He'll need help, money.\"
\"I'm looking into his contacts and the accounts we know about, if we get a nibble you'll be the first to know. There are a couple of places here in New York he might try. Old haunts as it were. I want you two to check them out. The list is in my office.\"
Bob nodded at them both and headed back up the hallway. Claude turned back to the empty room. Noah stepped up beside him so close that their shoulders brushed.
\"Hell of a thing,\" Noah said. \"Four hundred years and he ends up locked up here. Lucky for him that lock went out.\"
\"Sun Tzu said that if a man waited long enough by a river he'd see the bodies of his enemies float by. I guess this Adam fella just waited. What's four hundred years to a cheap Japanese keypad?\"
Claude could feel Noah looking at him out of the corner of his eye, but his partner just grunted. After a moment, they turned in unison and headed back upstairs. With the mood Bob was in, it was likely to be a long night.
There was a bar in Hell's Kitchen that was a known hang out for specials. Usually, the Company tried to keep a minimal presence there so as not to tip off the people they were trying to track down. This wasn't any ordinary night. Claude silently followed Noah into the bar. He waited for him to sit down. In doing so, Bennett 'accidentally' kicked out the chair across from him giving Claude somewhere to sit. It was an old trick. Claude stayed invisible which made Bennett look either approachable or vulnerable depending on who was looking. The only problem was with the chair out, people thought it was available. Claude always had to keep a look out for someone trying to sit on him.
Bennett ordered a beer. Claude crossed his arms. The only problem with this plan was not getting the chance to drink. The bartender was already giving their table the fisheye so he had pegged them as either Company or cops.
Coming here was a waste of time. Claude could tell that this wasn't the kind of place that Adam would frequent, not unless he had to. So far he hadn't been implicated in Adam's escape, but it was just a matter of time. Who knew what the lab techs would come up with? Claude had to start thinking about running. It hadn't worked before, but it had been a while since he had tried.
Noah had just taken the first sip from his beer when an older man came up to the table.
\"Are you Bennett?\"
\"Yes.\"
\"We need to talk. Come with me.\"
Noah cast a glance at Claude as he got up to follow. They wound their way out the back of the building to an alley. The older man looked around for a moment before speaking.
\"I was told you would be here. I've got in touch with some of my contacts in the financial district. A young man came to the after hours access point for one of the Swiss banks my contact represents. There was quite of bit of money being moved around in those accounts, and they haven't been accessed in a while. Bob told me to look out for anything unusual. I contacted the bank representative and passed myself off as the young man's accountant. I told him I wanted verification of the transactions. They were able to give him a small stipend for tonight, but he has to wait until tomorrow for the full amount he requested to be disbursed. The young man fits the description that Bob gave me, though my contact couldn't be sure it's the man you were looking for.\"
\"This is good. Do you know when he's supposed to be back?\" Noah asked.
The man handed over a piece of paper.
\"All the information is here. I really must go,\" he added looking around.
Once the man had re-entered the bar, Claude made himself visible. He peered over his shoulder at the paper.
\"Do you think it's him?\" he asked.
\"Close as we're likely to get. We'll have to jump him when he comes out. Bob gave me a photo. We could try flashing it at the bank to confirm.\"
\"Nah, we don't want to tip him off. The bank might try and contact him.\"
\"Right. I guess it's back to the hotel. We can't do anything until tomorrow.\"
Claude was silent as they headed back downtown. Noah pulled back into the parking garage and turned the car off. When he didn't make any move to get out, Claude shot him a speculative glance.
\"What?\"
\"You're quiet. I usually can't get you to shut up. You've been acting off all day.\"
\"Just been thinking. That's all.\"
\"Where did you go this afternoon when we were waiting for Bob?\"
Claude huffed a humorless laugh.
\"Just wandering around, looking through files, making a nuisance of myself. You know the usual. Why do you ask?\"
\"According to the files Adam's been locked up for almost fifteen years. Now that may be a blink of an eye to a guy that's lived so long, but I can't believe that it wouldn't make him a little behind the times when it comes to security measures. None of the cameras picked him up. Nobody saw anything suspicious. Don't you think that in itself is kind of suspicious?\"
\"You think it was an inside job.\"
Bennett said nothing. He just stared out the windshield and refused to look at him. Claude gritted his teeth.
\"You think I let him out?\"
\"I didn't say that.\"
\"Why? Why would I let out some wanker that the Company has locked up and thrown away the key for?\"
\"I don't know. I do know that that cheap Japanese keypad was anything but. It shorted out spectacularly. It was almost like an electrical discharge fried it.\"
\"What are you trying to say?\"
\"Nothing. You're good with kids. You're good with Claire and the baby. Elle's always liked you, hasn't she?\"
At this he finally turned to look Claude in the eye. Bennett was always so calm and self assured, even as a rookie. Claude couldn't hold his eye for long and he found himself staring at the glove box. Noah spoke quietly and Claude could hear the anger in his voice.
\"You let him out. A potential mass murder with a god complex, and you let him out.\"
\"He was my chance to get some dirt on the Company! Something that would get me out,\" Claude barked back at him.
\"Damnit, Claude.\"
\"You going to turn me in?\"
When there was no answer, he looked back at Noah and asked again.
\"Are you going to turn me in?\"
\"Let's catch him first. Then we go to Bob with everything, and I mean everything. We can say that Adam manipulated you. That you didn't know who he was.\"
\"And if he says different?\"
\"We'll just have to convince him that it would be a bad idea before we turn him over.\"
\"I'm sorry, Noah. I really am.\"
Bennett shook his head slowly and got out of the car. Claude followed him without saying a word.
---
Adam got a room at a better hotel than the one that Claude and his partner were staying at. He took his time going through the television stations. The sheer number of them was a surprise. The last time he had watched television there were still only four stations. Unfortunately, there still wasn\u2019t anything worth watching. Plus, the MTV that blasted far too loud showed exactly how out of touch he was. He found a way to silence the set and watched the disjointed pictures that flashed across the screen. At least it seemed that women were happy to wear less in this decade. He wondered if the free love movement was still in effect. Adam frowned. His imprisonment was an inconvenience. He had some catching up to do, but now that he was free he had time.
He wanted to stay up, but sleep tugged at him. He\u2019d had a productive day. Adam went to sleep on silk sheets with a smile on his face.
The next morning the concierge showed up with some clothes. Adam had given his approximate sizes. Normally, he preferred tailored to off the rack, but there was time for that later. He had an appointment with the bank at ten. He had breakfast at the hotel restaurant and enjoyed a cappuccino on the way to the bank. The financial district was bustling. Adam took his time and walked instead of taking a cab. If getting out of town wasn\u2019t so urgent, he might have indulged himself by touring Central Park. There was a spot with wildflowers east of the pond that he\u2019d always appreciated. He wondered if it was still kept up.
With his mind wandering, he entered the small office to confirm the accounts were up to date. There was a different young man behind the counter than the night before. Everyone was extremely pleasant as was to be expected considering the size of Adam\u2019s accounts. He shook hands with the young man and was handed a briefcase with some pocket change, as it were. Adam slipped on the sunglasses he had purchased from a street vendor and exited the building with a smile.
\u201cHey, Adam,\u201d a voice called out as he stepped to hail a cab. He jerked his head around to see a man with glasses smiling at him.
\u201cDamn,\u201d he said and quickly started running in the opposite direction.
The pounding footfalls behind him let him know that the man was following. He turned a corner and saw an empty street. He started pumping his legs in earnest trying to gain speed. Suddenly, something crashed against his throat causing him to slam onto the concrete. The street was completely empty.
Adam rubbed his throat and croaked, \u201cEt tu, Brute?\u201d
Claude appeared before him with his arm stretched out clothes line fashion. He dropped the arm and frowned down at Adam.
\u201cYou took off and left me to the Company\u2019s devices. What did you think would happen?\u201d
The partner ran up. He pulled Adam to his feet. Adam could feel the barrel of a gun pressed against his ribs. He glanced back at the man.
\u201cThat really won\u2019t do you much good.\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019ll still hurt. Come on.\u201d
Claude bent down and picked up the briefcase. The two of them escorted him further down the street to a familiar looking sedan. Claude\u2019s partner held him while the invisible man opened the trunk.
\u201cOh not again,\u201d Adam complained.
\u201cAgain?\u201d the partner asked.
Claude shrugged with a sheepish grin. He was less careful shoving Adam into the trunk than the first time. Adam\u2019s head smacked hard against the trunk lid and he saw stars for a moment. By the time his ability had kicked in and he could see straight, the only view he had was the lid closing on him again.
\u201cWonderful,\u201d he said, but no one was listening.
---
Back at headquarters, they turned Adam over to a couple of guards who immediately shocked him with a taser and dragged him back to the basement. Claude stared after him. Bennett\u2019s hand landed on his shoulder.
\u201cDon\u2019t tell me you still feel sorry for him,\u201d he said.
Claude shrugged and admitted, \u201cJust wondering how long before that\u2019s me.\u201d
\u201cDon\u2019t. After all, they\u2019ll probably just kill you.\u201d
Claude shot him a look, but Bennett was already walking away. He followed his partner to Bob\u2019s office. The smile on the man\u2019s face was actually genuine. He shook both their hands and offered them a seat.
\u201cGood job,\u201d he said. \u201cI honestly didn\u2019t think we\u2019d capture him so quickly.\u201d
\u201cThere\u2019s something we have to tell you,\u201d Noah said.
Claude took a deep breath and started to spill everything, but Noah continued.
\u201cWe got him coming out of a bank. Apparently, you missed some of his accounts. He had this on him.\u201d
Bob looked surprised as Noah laid the briefcase on the desk. He opened it and Claude\u2019s eyes grew as he saw how much money was inside. He glanced over to Bennett, but the other man wouldn\u2019t return his look.
\u201cWe thought you should know,\u201d Noah said simply.
\u201cI think we\u2019ll have to look into this. I appreciate your honesty in handing over this money.\u201d
\u201cNot a problem.\u201d
Claude was still speechless as they exited the office. He followed Noah as they went downstairs. The guards had left Adam in the neighboring cell. The keypad locks on both doors looked brand new. Somehow, Claude was sure that Elle would have a hard time taking them out. Adam looked up at them as they came to the window. He got up and walked over. Bennett was looking down at him with his usual poker face. Claude had a sudden urge. He scratched under his arm and grunted. Adam\u2019s eyes narrowed. Noah glanced over at him with a raised eyebrow, but turned his attention back to the prisoner.
\u201cI assume you\u2019re here to try and obtain my silence,\u201d Adam said.
\u201cI don\u2019t have to,\u201d Noah replied.
\u201cOh really?\u201d
\u201cYou won\u2019t say anything.\u201d
Adam laughed.
\u201cAnd why wouldn\u2019t I?\u201d
\u201cBecause you think this is a punishment, being in this cell.\u201d
\u201cIsn\u2019t it?\u201d
Noah smiled and Claude\u2019s blood suddenly ran cold. He could see that the humorless grin also affected the man behind the glass.
\u201cNot compared to what it could be. Especially considering how happy the guards would be with the money I can pay them.\u201d
\u201cThe Company doesn\u2019t pay you that well,\u201d Adam scoffed.
\u201cWho said I was going to use my money? After all, it seems only right to spread the wealth.\u201d
Claude gaped. He looked at Noah and then back towards the door to the stairs.
\u201cYou didn\u2019t give him all the money?\u201d Claude asked.
\u201cNo, he got it all. It was the accounts themselves. Bob\u2019s contact the other night. I called him this morning before the transactions completed. It was a simple matter to have Adam\u2019s \u2018accountant\u2019 update some of the numbers. For a percentage, he was happy to shuffle some paper.\u201d
\u201cYou didn\u2019t,\u201d Adam growled.
\u201cYou\u2019ll find the guards here are very\u2026enthusiastic about their work. I suggest you make this easy on yourself, Adam.\u201d
\u201cWhy are you doing this? If they find out what you\u2019ve done you\u2019ll be in just as much trouble has your friend here.\u201d
Claude was asking himself the same question. Noah didn\u2019t answer. He just gave another of his cold smiles. They left Adam stewing in his cell. Claude followed his partner back to their parking garage. They had a flight to catch that afternoon.
\u201cHe was right you know,\u201d he said.
Bennett looked at him and said, \u201cIt was a lot of money. Maybe you\u2019re not the only one that needs an exit strategy.\u201d
\u201cThank you, Noah.\u201d
\u201cWho said I did it for you?\u201d
Claude watched the other man get into the car and thought about the little blonde girl in Texas waiting for her daddy to come home. Maybe there was hope for the Company man yet.<\/a>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:daughtershade:283625","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/283625.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=283625"}}],"title":"SGA The Shrine thoughts","published":"2008-08-23T05:37:38Z","updated":"2008-08-23T05:41:40Z","category":{"@attributes":{"term":"atlantis"}},"content":"Well, not so much about the show as to what it meant to me. Watching this episode was probably hard for a lot of you. The news about the cancellation made this bittersweet. It was much harder for me. I can say that this episode was probably one of the best SGA episodes to date. Now some of you may have issues, but you have to agree that the performances were excellent. I'm not going into detail or doing an episode review because I don't want place this under a cut. That's not what this post is about. This post is about how something so silly as my scifi show can make me cry. Not because of the words that were written or the camera shots or the music, but because of how it made me feel and the memories it triggered.
I hope I'm not spoiling anything by stating that the episode is about memory loss. Again, avoiding detail, it's about how memory loss affects not just the person that it happens to, but to the people around them.
My father was the funniest, kindest, most loving person I've ever met. I hope that I'm like him. My mother certainly thinks so. I was always daddy's girl. Being an only child we were the three musketeers. My father was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's when I was in college. It started when he got fired from his job. He couldn't seem to get a new one. His former co-workers, who adored him, were concerned. They convinced my mom to take him to the doctor. It took the better part of a year to get the diagnosis, frontal lobe dementia. Mostly because my father was not yet 54, far to early to be developing any kind of age induced dementia. The year I graduated from college, my mother asked me to come home and take care of my dad. At first it was fun. I was simply making sure that he didn't leave the stove on and the like. We had a blast hanging out. The doctor had given dad an estimate of three years. I took care of him for four. By the end of that time frame, the vivacious comedian I knew was gone. I was feeding, bathing, and changing adult diapers. His medical needs became so much that we were forced to place him in a nursing home for almost two years. Towards the end he had lost his motor functions and spent his life in a special chair because he could no longer walk. He got very ill suddenly and we had to move him to a hospital. Quite out of the blue it was discovered that he had advanced bladder cancer. Due to his condition, it's impossible to know if he was hurting before the signs became obvious to my mother and his caretakers. He simply had no way of telling us, and may not have even really understood what was happening to him.
He died less than a week after we had discovered the cancer. I miss my dad very much. Mostly when I need someone to cheer me up, when times are hard. They've been hard lately, and I just know he'd give me the kick in the pants that I'd need and make me laugh while doing it if he was here.
I've not thought about all of this in a while. I didn't expect my little fannish show to touch me in the way that it has tonight. They say science fiction is a mirror not of who we are, but who we want to be. But sometimes it is who we are, and of that we can be thankful. I am going to miss Stargate: Atlantis when it is gone. I'm going to miss the characters and all the people that bring them to life. I have to say though, in all honesty, it's been wonderful. I'm not sure when I'll be able to watch this episode again, but I hope some of you do. There's a message there amongst the snarky remarks and subtext we all thrive on.
Cherish what you have, because you may not always have it. Keep memories alive not just for yourself, but for others. And NEVER give up hope.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/dadresize.jpg\")
Alzheimer's Association<\/a>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:daughtershade:283270","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/283270.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=283270"}}],"title":"NCIS Guide","published":"2008-06-07T07:03:51Z","updated":"2008-06-07T16:41:31Z","category":{"@attributes":{"term":"nutshell"}},"content":"Here is the companion guide to the Magnificent Seven one<\/a> I did to go along with my fic Montezuma<\/a> for
![](\"https:\/\/l-stat.livejournal.net\/img\/community.png?v=556&v=915\")
<\/a>boxathon<\/b><\/a><\/span>.NCIS stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service. They are the police and forensic force for the Navy and Marines, just as the JAG office is their court system. NCIS was created by Donald Bellisario who also created JAG<\/i>, Magnum P.I.<\/i>, and Airwolf<\/i> to name a few. It is a procedural mystery\/drama much like CSI<\/i>, although with a lot more humor.
I'm going to describe the characters as they appear in the third and fourth season, since that is what primarily is used in my fic. This does not mean I don't love Kate, because I do, but she's not featured in the fic, and to avoid spoilers I'm just going to gloss over it. People new to the series should be aware that there two excellent seasons before the ones I'm describing with many of the same characters and I highly recommend them.
NCIS primarily focuses around Leroy Jethro Gibbs who is the Senior Special Agent in charge of a team of investigators.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/gibbs01.jpg\")
Gibbs (don't call him Leroy or sir) is a former Marine Gunnery Sergeant who has a lot of time in at NCIS. He's a tough as nails, no nonsense guy that doesn't mind breaking rules to get cases solved. He is addicted to coffee, hates technology in all it's forms, and needs reading glasses but refuses to acknowledge it. He's a crack shot with field experience both with the agency and with his years as a Marine. Gibbs notoriously has a set of rules that he does work by. Unfortunately for his teammates\/students he doesn't reveal them all at once, and rarely ever in order. Basically, you find out about a rule after you've broken it and get the steely eye of doom, or a slap to the back of the head. Gibbs' eyes are another of his weapons. He could win a stare down competition with a statue. Gibbs has had four wives, all red heads. The first wife and his daughter were killed when he was newly with NCIS. The other three wives divorced him, which isn't much of a surprise seeing as how I'm sure he's hard to live with. Despite his harsh exterior, Gibbs has a good heart. He has a soft spot for military widows, and he's great with kids.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/gibbs03.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/gibbs02.jpg\")
Gibbs can't do everything on his own, after all, he enjoys being called boss, so he has a team to help him solve all those cases. First up is his right hand man Anthony \"Tony\" DiNozzo.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/tony01.jpg\")
Tony is a goofball, as can be evidenced by that picture. He's a senior investigator who acts like a twelve year old in heat. Tony is a notorious skirt chaser and likes to drone on about his conquests in detail, much to the chagrin of his co-workers. Tony is a huge movie buff and is constantly referencing movies, actors, and lines, often while impersonating the actor that said them. He's a former jock that played basketball for Ohio State. He was originally a police detective before joining NCIS and worked at many different departments before getting the job. He is a goof, but he is also a good investigator with a very good eye and excellent people skills. After all, Gibbs wouldn't suffer any fools on his watch. Although he is very into his Italian roots, Tony apparently didn't have the best of childhoods despite his family's wealth. He doesn't mention his mother much, and the things he says about his father, while flippant, show the bad relationship they had. Tony was neglected as a child and after deciding to become a cop was cut out of his family inheritance.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/tonygibbs.jpg\")
Gibbs is a father figure for Tony. Of course, the two would never admit that those father\/son feelings do exist. Mostly when they're together they have a buddy cop vibe that is quickly squashed when Tony over steps his bounds. Gibbs smacks Tony on the back of the head a lot, and he deserves it every time. It's kind of their version of a hug, really. Tony is also very nosy. He doesn't respect anyone's privacy and often goes through his teammate's things. Recently, Tony has developed an interesting working relationship with NCIS' new director, Jenny Sheppard.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/tonyjenny.jpg\")
When Gibbs took some time away from the job (he swore he was retiring even if no one believed him) Tony got put in charge of the team and reported directly to Jenny. Tony grew a lot once he had the responsibility. The fact that he started to grow more and more like Gibbs didn't surprise anyone. When Gibbs returned, Jenny offered Tony the chance to head his own team, but Tony refused to leave his boss and stayed on in his old position possibly jeopardizing his career out of loyalty. Oh, and despite Tony's silly attitude he's terrible with children.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/tony02.jpg\")
After Tony, the next man on the pole is Timothy \"Tim\" McGee.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/mcgee01.jpg\")
Here he is looking confused, which is sort of his natural state around the office. McGee (and he goes by this far more than Tim) is very smart. He has a degree in computer science from MIT. He can make computers do about anything he wants, and occasionally comes into conflict with Gibbs' technophobia. McGee is your typical geek. He is awkward in social situations and loves computer games. He reads Redbook<\/i> and Ladies Home Journal<\/i> to understand women. Which is just adorable, if not a little sad. He's excellent with paper trails and evidence that can be processed with a computer, but needs to work on his interrogation technique. Despite his smarts, he is a bad test taker due to nerves, and was concerned about failing a lie detector test that was assigned to all the NCIS staff. In fact, he was so nervous that the lie detector said he was lying when he was giving his name.
McGee was initially Tony's punching bag. The jock in Tony just couldn't help but pick on the geek that is Tim. He's pretty much owned the name McGeek since his introduction on the series. Slowly, Tim has learned to fight back when it comes to Tony and now the pair trade barbs like true siblings. Their relationship is a very sibling rivalry one, both vying for the attention of dad, Gibbs. Gibbs and McGee have a funny relationship. While Tim certainly respects Gibbs and wants to learn from him, he's less in awe of the man than Tony is. Where Tony constantly seeks attention from their boss, McGee sees Gibbs as he really is and surprisingly isn't afraid to question or stand up to him if need be.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/mcgeegibbs.jpg\")
McGee likes to write and has become a successful author with the penname Thom E. Gemcity. The books he writes are very closely based on Gibbs and the other members of the team, which they hassle him about quite a bit.
If Tony is the eldest child, and Tim is the middle child, then the new kid on the block is Ziva David.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/ziva01.jpg\")
Ziva is not actually a member of NCIS. She is a Officer with the Israeli Mossad, the intelligence agency for Israel. Her relationship with Director Sheppard allowed her to become a liaison to the team. Ziva is a trained fighter, interrogator, infiltration agent, and over all badass. What she makes up for in brute force she lacks in relationships. Much like McGee, Ziva is socially awkward and is uncomfortable dealing with feelings. She is very direct and says what she thinks, even if she sometimes gets the American sayings wrong. Being with NCIS and dealing with more domestic issues has definitely started to melt her coldness. Ziva does have a mischevious side, and can sometimes be a bit of a mother hen. This is not because she is overly caring, but mostly because she expects things to be a certain way and when they are not she wants to fix them.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/ziva02.jpg\")
Ziva has recently put a lot of trust in Gibbs. She admires his abilities and even asked for his help when she was in trouble. They do share one thing in common, their driving. Both drive like bats out of hell and see road signs and rules as only suggestions. Ziva is worse than Gibbs to the extent that Tony and McGee refuse to let her drive them anywhere.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/ncis.jpg\")
So the main four are responsible for going out into the field, but they can't do all the investigating alone. They need help. The first person they turn to when a body shows up is Dr. Donald \"Ducky\" Mallard the NCIS M.E.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/ducky01.jpg\")
Ducky is a Scottish medical examiner with the tendency to ramble on. He has lived a very interesting life having been many places and seen many things and he wants to tell you them all in detail. Ducky's a bit of an absent minded professor type that constantly digresses and needs to be pulled back on track, usually by Gibbs. The doctor lives at home with his mother, who is quite old and very senile. He knows about every M.E. in the country, and has contacts all over the world. He is considered an immanent pathologist, and recently added a psychological degree to his CV that allows him to do psychological autopsies. He is an old friend of Gibbs and they've worked together for some time. Ducky is usually the only one that Gibbs really confides in and the two are pretty close.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/ducky02.jpg\")
One floor up from the morgue is the team's other helper, Abigail Sciuto.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/abby01.jpg\")
Don't call her Abigail. Abby is a bubbly goth that is well versed in about every forensic science you can think of. She's exceptionally bright and very good with computers. Abby is a free spirit. She has quite a few tattoos, and enough dog collars to choke a horse. Gibbs and she have a very close relationship. While he treats her like a beloved daughter, Abby sees Gibbs as more than her mentor. He's taken on a mythic quality to her, so much so that she thinks he can read minds. But in all seriousness, Abby and Gibbs despite being polar opposites have a very close relationship that is quite sweet. Abby is a very loving person and she gets along with about everyone. Tony and she share raunchy stories and have a sibling vibe. It took a bit for Ziva and her to warm up to each other, but now they get along once Ziva let down her guard a bit. But the best relationship on the show has to be Abby and McGee. They are extremely cute together.
![](\"https:\/\/img.photobucket.com\/albums\/v11\/daughtershade\/abbymcgee.jpg\")
Originally, they were dating, but when Tim wanted to much from her, Abby broke up with him. They've had a very close friendship ever since, and Abby definitely helped Tim come out of his shell. Both are quite good hackers, but put'em together and there's really no stopping them.
So that's NCIS. Any questions?
<\/a>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:daughtershade:282970","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/282970.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=282970"}}],"title":"Montezuma Part 2\/2","published":"2008-06-07T05:17:39Z","updated":"2010-01-10T06:03:03Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"ncis fic"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"mag7 fic"}}],"content":"Title: Montezuma
Author:
<\/a>daughtershade<\/b><\/a><\/span>Fandom: Magnificent 7 (ATF AU)\/NCIS
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: None
Prompt: The two teams have to work together on a case.
Summary: A murder of a Marine Corporal brings Gibbs and the NCIS team in conflict with Denver\u2019s ATF special unit Team Seven.
Part 1<\/a>
\u201cAnd Larabee?\u201d
\u201cI\u2019ll handle Chris. You just come up with some way to not hand over those guns. We\u2019re setting up this afternoon at the Warwick Hotel across the street from the meet. We have good line of sight from the third floor.\u201d
Gibbs didn\u2019t look happy, but he didn\u2019t say anything more. Buck figured that was all the answer he\u2019d get. With a nod he opened the door and left. The door to Ziva\u2019s room was still cracked and as he turned down the hall. He heard it open more and yelled back over his shoulder.
\u201cI\u2019ll see you tonight gorgeous.\u201d
\u201cI hope not,\u201d Tony replied.
Buck tried not to trip over his own feet in surprise. He shot a dirty look over his shoulder at the grinning agent before slamming open the stairwell door. Nope, he definitely didn\u2019t like Tony what\u2019s-his-name.
****
It was a record. They had made it all of fifteen minutes into the surveillance before Buck and JD had gotten into an argument. Josiah looked over at Nathan, who was propped up against the headboard of the hotel bed, and got an eye roll in response.
\u201cIt\u2019s a good thing Ezra isn\u2019t here, I would have lost money on them lasting this long,\u201d Josiah mumbled.
Chris was leaning up against the window trying to stare the building across the street into submission. He gave a snort before turning to the arguing roommates.
\u201cIf you two are going to make such a racket go do it in the other room. Some of us are trying to work in here.\u201d
\u201cAw, hell, Chris it ain\u2019t my fault. JD\u2019s gone and set up a connection with that Abby chick from NCIS.\u201d
\u201cYou were the one that wanted them involved,\u201d Chris practically growled.
\u201cI believe he was more interested in Officer David being involved,\u201d Josiah replied.
Before Buck could defend himself, there was a knock on the door. JD got up to answer it. As if mentioning their names had summoned them, Gibbs and his teammates were standing in the hall. Josiah turned to look at them earnestly. Officer David was still as stunning as she had been at the bar. Vin had briefed Nathan and himself on the others after their visit to the office. Gibbs looked just like his ID photo on file. Apparently \u2018once a Marine, always a Marine\u2019 was far too true in his case. His hair was short and his clothes neat. His shoes were shined to perfection. He held a cup of coffee in his hand and met Josiah\u2019s eyes with determination.
The room was overly crowded with all of them. Josiah rose from his chair behind the cameras and microphones. He held his hand out to Gibbs. The man looked at it a moment before taking it with a firm shake.
\u201cWe haven\u2019t had a chance to be introduced. I\u2019m Josiah Sanchez, that there is Nathan Jackson.\u201d
Nathan nodded from his seat on the bed, but didn\u2019t get up. There wasn\u2019t much room for him to bother. Agent McGee stepped forward and shook hands introducing himself and Officer David.
\u201cMa\u2019am,\u201d Josiah said giving her a nod, \u201cwe didn\u2019t get a chance to speak the other night. It\u2019s nice to finally meet you.\u201d
\u201cLikewise,\u201d she said sounding somewhat surprised. With her first impression being an angry Chris and a lascivious Buck, it was no wonder.
\u201cWe\u2019ve got this room and the one adjoining. I\u2019ve got the computers set up in the other room with a connection to Abby for you,\u201d JD said with his usual level of excitement.
Agent McGee started asking him technical questions that had the rest of them staring, but neither seemed to notice as they moved through the open adjoining door into the other hotel room. Buck motioned Officer David to a chair in the corner. Nathan slid across the bed and started up a conversation on Krav Maga, something he had recently found a passion for. Gibbs and Chris had yet to relax. They still had an hour before the meeting, and Josiah envisioned it feeling like days if they continued.
\u201cAgent Gibbs, perhaps you\u2019d like to take a look at our set up,\u201d he said waiving to the chair he\u2019d been sitting in. Gibbs silently took a seat to check out the camera angles.
Josiah nodded his head towards the other room and Chris followed him. McGee and JD were hovering over the laptops still deep in conversation. Occasionally, a chipper voice would break in across the computer speakers to add a comment.
\u201cChris, I know cooperation is not your first impulse, but we have to embrace this.\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019ll be a cold day in hell before I give Gibbs a hug.\u201d
\u201cYou know full well I meant that metaphorically. They have as much riding on this now as we do. I know you\u2019re worried about Ezra, we all are, but they\u2019re just as worried for their Agent DiNozzo. Try not to forget that.\u201d
\u201cWhat do you think about him, Josiah?\u201d
\u201cHaving just barely met the man?\u201d
Chris frowned and said, \u201cYou read his file too, which is as much, if not more, than most of the guys you profile for us.\u201d
\u201cHe\u2019s a good man and a better agent. His case record is exceptional. You don\u2019t have to worry about his ability, and I doubt you\u2019ll have to worry about the ability of his people either. He doesn\u2019t seem like the type to suffer fools. He likes to make his own rules because results are more important to him than procedure. And I think the reason he rubs you the wrong way, brother, is that you two are more alike than either of you would admit.\u201d
JD and McGee were still chatting away completely unaware of the conversation occurring behind them. Josiah watched Chris stare a hole through the back of the young NCIS agent\u2019s head. Apparently, he was used to the same treatment from his own boss because he never once looked away from JD or the laptops they were typing away on.
\u201cAll right,\u201d was the only reply before he headed back into the other room to turn his stare on Gibbs.
Josiah shook his head and stood in the doorway to observe both rooms. In the corner, Officer David and Nathan seemed to have hit it off. Enough so that Buck stepped away from them with an exasperated sigh. Josiah smiled at him and moved out of the way to let him pass. Gibbs and Chris were both staring out of the window despite the lack of anything to see. Buck paused looking at the pair over Josiah\u2019s shoulder.
\u201cI think they\u2019re having a stoic contest and didn\u2019t tell us,\u201d Josiah whispered.
Buck chuckled and replied, \u201cEzra\u2019s going to be mad he missed some good action.\u201d
\u201cI doubt it, not when he couldn\u2019t figure out a clear winner to bet on.\u201d
\u201cThat would be a tough call,\u201d Buck agreed.
\u201cHey Buck, I want you to meet someone,\u201d JD said, pulling their attention away from the other room.
Josiah joined him as they made their way over to the pair. JD\u2019s mocking tone of voice was a good indicator that something amusing, most likely at Buck\u2019s expense, was going to happen. One of the laptops was displaying a video feed of what looked like a lab. JD pulled Buck down so that he was level with the camera at the top of the computer\u2019s monitor.
\u201cThis is Abby,\u201d JD said. \u201cAbby, this is my friend Buck.\u201d
An attractive girl with pale skin and dark hair pulled up into pigtails on either side of her head came into view. Her lipstick and eye makeup was dark as well as her clothes. She wore a spiked leather dog collar around her neck that allowed just the peek of what might have been a tattoo starting around the back of her neck. The overall picture was somewhat surprising, but not as much as the smile and cheerful wave she gave to the camera. Josiah blinked in surprise. Buck looked gobsmacked.
\u201cHi! JD\u2019s told me all about you,\u201d Abby said through the connection.
\u201cYeah, I didn\u2019t tell her that you said she probably looked like a bulldog\u2019s\u2014\u201c JD started to say but was cut off abruptly by Buck\u2019s large hand clamping over his mouth.
\u201cDon\u2019t you mind him, sweetheart, he does go on so,\u201d Buck said smiling for the camera.
\u201cHe warned me about you.\u201d
\u201cWell, I must admit a pretty little thing like you has got to be careful. You\u2019ll never know when you\u2019ll trip over those men always falling at your feet.\u201d
Abby laughed, whether it was at Buck\u2019s comments or the comical look that JD and McGee shared he wasn\u2019t sure. Josiah shook his head and left them to their flirting and sniping. Back in the other room, it looked as though Chris and Gibbs hadn\u2019t moved. Josiah joined them.
\u201cWhere\u2019s your sixth?\u201d Gibbs asked suddenly.
\u201cVin has a position on the adjacent rooftop. It has a better trajectory,\u201d Chris said.
Gibbs didn\u2019t look happy to hear the news and asked, \u201cYou have your own shooter?\u201d
\u201cYou\u2019d be surprised how often we seem to need one,\u201d Josiah replied quickly. He could tell that Chris was about to say something sharp to the man. Their leader was normally touchy when it came to Vin, and having Gibbs question him was making it worse.
\u201cThe Director hinted that you\u2019re known for your tendency towards destruction.\u201d
Josiah nodded and explained, \u201cTo be fair we rarely ever start it.\u201d
\u201cThat\u2019s funny,\u201d Officer David said joining them, \u201cGibbs is usually always the one that starts it for us.\u201d
Gibbs turned his head slightly in acknowledgement, but there was a small smirk at the corner of his mouth that made Josiah think the statement was true. Chris stood up straighter.
\u201cYour man just pulled in,\u201d he said.
The others gathered around the window as Chris called to JD in the other room. Thankfully, Buck directed the other two to the windows in that room. It was already crowded enough where they were. Nathan stayed away from the windows and pulled his medical kit onto the bed. He always methodically checked it before an operation. Officer David raised an eyebrow at this and he merely shrugged in return.
Agent DiNozzo looked around after getting out of the van he was driving. He had backed it up to the cargo door on the back side of the building they were observing. Thankfully, the door was large enough that they had a pretty good view of the area from their higher vantage point. DiNozzo leaned against the van and waited. If he looked over toward the hotel, he gave no sign of it underneath his sunglasses. It was only a few minutes later that a silver Mercedes sedan pulled up. Just as they had predicted, two large men and Ezra were the only ones in the car. Josiah reached over and flipped the directional microphone to project from the small speakers in the room instead of going directly into the headset attached to the camera.
\u201cMr. Grant, I do appreciate someone who is punctual. Were you able to obtain the quantities that we asked for?\u201d Ezra said in a lazy drawl.
\u201cNo. I didn\u2019t have enough time. My military contact had some trouble.\u201d
Josiah watched through the binoculars he had picked up off of the windowsill. He could clearly see Ezra\u2019s frown. One of the heavies flanked Tony and stepped forward to pat him down. DiNozzo opened his arms away from his body and allowed the simple search. Once the pat down was done the man pulled out a small square device that let out a high electrical screech. Everyone in the room flinched as the powerful mic squealed the feedback. Thankfully, the noise died down as the man waived the device around DiNozzo\u2019s body.
\u201cChecking for a wire? I don\u2019t know if I should be insulted or not,\u201d Tony said.
\u201cIt\u2019s just a precaution that my boss insists on. Seeing how he occasionally does the same for members of his own family, you shouldn\u2019t feel affronted. If you don\u2019t have the added supplies I suppose we\u2019ll just take what you showed us before.\u201d
\u201cWell, that\u2019s the thing\u2026\u201d
\u201cWhat thing?\u201d
\u201cI was expecting to get the additional supplies you were asking for and I already moved the supply you saw.\u201d
\u201cSo you showed up here with nothing?\u201d one of the goons growled.
\u201cNo, it was just a temporary setback. I\u2019ll have the full supply by next week.\u201d
\u201cMr. Lichtermann is not a patient man when it comes to his business. We had an agreement, Mr. Grant.\u201d
\u201cI understand. Believe me\u2014I\u2019m really embarrassed by all of this. It\u2019s not doing my reputation any good. I\u2019ve never had problems with this contact before. The matter is being dealt with.\u201d
\u201cYour assurances aren\u2019t providing my employer with weapons,\u201d Ezra replied.
Josiah frowned. It wasn\u2019t going well. Ezra was playing the part, but the part wouldn\u2019t do Agent DiNozzo any good if it got him shot. Gibbs was looking grimmer with each passing moment.
\u201cGentleman, if you would give us a moment. I have to impart a few practicalities to Mr. Grant,\u201d Ezra said pulling Josiah\u2019s attention back to the meeting below.
Ezra placed a hand on Tony\u2019s shoulder and led him away from the goons. With Tony\u2019s back to the two men they could only see the anger on Ezra\u2019s face. They couldn\u2019t hear the conversation.
\u201cYour companion is quite charming,\u201d Ezra said in a low voice.
\u201cShe said the same of you. What do you have for me?\u201d Tony asked.
Ezra turned away as if disgusted with whatever answer he was receiving. He replied, \u201cBenito Tuturo is one of Lichtermann\u2019s runners.\u201d
\u201cHe our guy?\u201d
\u201cI believe that\u2019s your job to discover. Now shove me.\u201d
\u201cAre you trying to get me shot?\u201d
\u201cDo it.\u201d
Tony reached out and shoved Ezra back. Ezra stumbled but kept his feet. He raised his hand to waive off the goons. Tony turned and made for his van, but one of the goons blocked his path.
\u201cLet him go,\u201d Ezra said with a shake of his head, but the goon didn\u2019t move.
\u201cI don\u2019t think so, Mr. Bennett.\u201d
Josiah leaned closer to the window. A fifth man stepped out of the open bay door. Three more goons jumped down from the open doorway to flank the two agents. Ezra turned to the new men and the look on his face told the story well enough. Josiah started moving away from the window, but Buck was faster, he had already moved through the room and had the door open. They were running down the hall with Gibbs and Ziva behind them. Josiah could hear Chris yelling over his mic to Vin. By the time they had cleared three flights of steps and got out of the building, they could only hear the echo of Vin\u2019s gun. DiNozzo\u2019s van was missing along with the three men and Ezra. The two that had come with him were on the ground bleeding. Unfortunately, so was DiNozzo.
\u201cTony! What happened?\u201d Gibbs asked letting Buck and Ziva cover the downed men.
\u201cSorry boss, we must have screwed up. They\u2019ve got Bennett\u2014Standish whatever. I tried to stop them, but\u2026\u201d
Josiah watched Nathan rush forward to take over applying pressure to Tony\u2019s wound. It was a chest shot far too near the heart for anyone\u2019s comfort. It was obvious the bullet had hit a lung because Tony was having trouble breathing and talking. Nathan silenced him and started barking orders. Chris was already on the radio requesting an ambulance. Once that was done, he started yelling for an APB on the van. JD and McGee were the last to join them.
\u201cIt\u2019s a rental. They\u2019ll have it lojacked I\u2019ve already forwarded the information back to the federal building,\u201d McGee said, slightly out of breath.
\u201cVin, talk to me,\u201d Chris barked into his mic.
\u201cNo need to yell,\u201d a voice said in response.
Josiah looked up from where he was helping Nathan to see Vin loping up to join the rest of the team. The shooter looked about as angry as Chris.
\u201cIt\u2019s all my fault, cowboy. They used the van as cover. I winged one of them, but they kept pulling Ezra in front and moving around. I tried to shoot out the tires, but they were around the corner before I could get a good angle.\u201d
\u201cIf\u2026wasn\u2019t for you\u2026I\u2019d be\u2026lot worse off,\u201d Tony gasped.
Nathan snapped at him, \u201cWhat\u2019d I tell you about trying to talk?\u201d
Vin nodded at the downed agent, but Josiah knew that the young man would carry this mark on his soul if anything should happen to Ezra. In a group full of loners the two of them were even more separate. It was that distinction that pulled such opposites together. While Vin and Chris had a bond that none of them could describe, much less deny, it was Vin and Ezra\u2019s relationship that filled Josiah with wonder. He was pretty sure that if it wasn\u2019t for Vin\u2019s influence they would have lost Ezra to his wondering ways several times over.
\u201cWe\u2019ll get him, brother,\u201d Josiah encouraged softly, \u201cNothing on this earth will stop us either.\u201d
****
Five hours of surgery had left them all frayed. Tony had finally been moved to recovery and was still coming out of the anesthesia. Several members of Team Seven were stalking the halls of St. Anthony\u2019s like caged lions, but they were nothing compared to the cold statue that was Gibbs. He stared at the doors to the OR barely moving except to take the coffee cups that each of them took turns bringing him. Ducky sat next to his old friend with a sigh. Ever since they had lost dear Caitlin, Gibbs had become rather too focused when any of them got hurt, Tony especially. Though Gibbs would never admit it, Tony was his finest pupil. Ducky believed that there were some familial feelings there on both sides. He often wished that both men would admit such a thing, but Tony would brush it off and Gibbs\u2026well, that was another matter entirely.
\u201cOne of the doctors stated that things are going well. Tony really was lucky, Jethro. The only thing they\u2019re worried about is his healing process. As you know his lungs were scarred from the plague. This may make his recovery difficult and longer than expected, but he will recover.\u201d
\u201cI know, Duck, but things happen in operation rooms.\u201d
\u201cI have every confidence in the hospital staff. Frankly, I\u2019m rather surprised you\u2019re still here. I figured you\u2019d be off with Agent Larabee ripping the city apart.\u201d
\u201cDon\u2019t worry, I plan too once I know Tony\u2019s all right.\u201d
\u201cYou mean once you see him for yourself. I think we all need to give a word of thanks to Mr. Jackson. His medic skills saved the day.\u201d
\u201cYou can say that again, Ducky,\u201d Timothy said joining them with yet another cup of coffee for Gibbs.
\u201cWhat\u2019s the word?\u201d Jethro asked.
\u201cI talked with Agent Sanchez down in the lobby. I updated him on Tony and he said that Agents Larabee and Wilmington had tracked down the van. It looks like they switched cars at some point because it was found on the side of the highway. There were some tread marks. I made sure that JD had the photos sent to Abby.\u201d
\u201cGood.\u201d
\u201cThey\u2019re also keeping an eye on most of Lichtermann\u2019s usual spots, but it\u2019s most likely he\u2019ll take Agent Standish someplace else if he suspects that he\u2019s a cop.\u201d
\u201cSo basically, they have nothing.\u201d
\u201cWe\u2019re working on it, Boss. Ziva is out with them now. I\u2019m going to head back to the federal building to coordinate with JD. Sanchez and Jackson are staying here. They\u2019re concerned that Lichtermann may try for Tony once they find out he\u2019s okay.\u201d
\u201cNo, I want Ziva down here with Tony. I want one of ours with him at all times. I\u2019ll call her when I\u2019m ready to leave and we\u2019ll trade off,\u201d Gibbs snapped.
\u201cYou got it, Boss.\u201d
Timothy wasn\u2019t gone very long before the doctor came out to speak with them. Tony was starting to come around. They were allowed to go in and see him. Ducky was relieved not only for Tony, but for Gibbs as well. They both stepped into the room. There was the usual shock of all the machines and tubes. Tony was pale, but his eyes blinked open the moment Jethro went past the door.
\u201cBoss\u2014\u201c he tried to say, but no voice came out.
\u201cSave it, DiNozzo. Rest. Ducky\u2019s going to stay here with you, and Ziva will be along in a bit. I\u2019m going to get these guys.\u201d
Ducky stepped forward to give some ice chips that were in a cup next to the bed. After a few, Tony started rasping.
\u201cHe was trying to protect me. You\u2019ve got to get to him before\u2014\u201c
\u201cI told you to rest. That\u2019s an order. You let me worry about Standish. Besides, I don\u2019t think Larabee is going to take this lying down. His record says he\u2019s a former SEAL. The last thing he\u2019s going to do is leave a man behind.\u201d
\u201cTuturo\u2026Bennett said\u2026\u201d
\u201cWe know, Tony. Now you heard Gibbs, rest. They said you\u2019re doing well. I\u2019ll be right outside,\u201d Ducky said patting the young man\u2019s hand.
Gibbs was already out the door before the poor thing could close his eyes. With a sigh, Ducky headed back into the hall to wait. He was surprised to see Agent Tanner leaning against the wall. The man gave him a nod. Though they hadn\u2019t been formally introduced, Jethro had made sure that everyone had read the files on Team Seven. He was afraid that they\u2019d try to get information the same way that they had used Ziva to get to Agent Standish.
\u201cHello I\u2019m Doctor Donald Mallard, but you can call me Ducky. You\u2019re one of Orin\u2019s boys, yes?\u201d
\u201cVin Tanner, Sir.\u201d
\u201cMr. Tanner. Timothy tells me that you saved our Anthony. Thank you.\u201d
\u201cIf I had been better, he wouldn\u2019t have gotten hurt to begin with.\u201d
\u201cNow, now. \u2018We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility of our future.\u2019 You can\u2019t argue with George Bernard Shaw. Tony is alive thanks you and your friend Mr. Jackson. Concentrate on that and what you\u2019re going to do now. I assume you\u2019re here acting as a guard?\u201d
Tanner bowed his head. He was obviously a quiet sort of person. He had good manners, which is something that Ducky saw rarely any more. It was heartening. Ducky found himself warming to the young man.
\u201cI should be out helping the others find Ezra, but\u2026 I wanted to make sure he\u2019s okay.\u201d
\u201cWell, why don\u2019t I get us some chairs? Ziva should be along soon to take over guarding him, and then you can go and save your friend,\u201d Ducky said patting the man\u2019s arm.
Ducky stepped over to the nurses\u2019 station and explained the situation. He was quickly offered two chairs which were placed against the glass wall looking into Tony\u2019s room. Tanner took the one closest to the door and Ducky sat beside him.
\u201cYou know, this isn\u2019t the first time I\u2019ve done watch duty. Once in nineteen seventy eight I had to sit watch over a tribal chief that had been attacked by a lion. The local witchdoctor was positive that the lion would come to finish the job. You see, it was part of their folklore that lions possessed a singular vision\u2026\u201d Ducky began and continued telling the story of the lion hunt and the near death of the chief. He knew that he had the tendency to ramble on a bit, and mostly people tended to tune him out. Ducky was never offended by this. He always believed that people would retain something, the brain being the magnificent organ that it was. So his stories were held somewhere, and if some small bit of information that he could impart could be useful to someone in the future, so much the better. Mr. Tanner turned out to be a good listener. While his eyes often strayed away to look for threats in the hall, they always returned to Ducky. His forlorn face grew into a smile. He seemed interested, and he even asked some rather pointed questions. Of course the questions had Ducky veering off into other stories. The time passed all too quickly, and before he knew it, Ziva was standing over them listening to the end of a story about a Japanese minister and his mathematical goat.
\u201cDucky. Agent Tanner,\u201d she said in greeting.
\u201cMa\u2019am,\u201d Tanner returned with a nod and got to his feet. \u201cIt was nice meeting you Doctor.\u201d
\u201cThe same to you, young man. It has been a distinct pleasure. Now you go out there and you find those men. No one will get past Ziva and myself.\u201d
Tanner gave him another nod and headed back down the hallway. Ziva watched him go before taking his chair. She looked over her shoulder into the room beyond. Tony was still asleep. There were lines of worry around the corners of her mouth, but they quickly smoothed.
\u201cHow is he?\u201d she asked.
\u201cDisobeying Gibbs\u2019 orders to rest while he\u2019s in the room. He\u2019ll be fine, Ziva. How is the investigation coming?\u201d
\u201cTanner did wing one of the men. There were traces of blood in the van. Larabee didn\u2019t want to wait to send it to Abby, so they\u2019re doing the work up in the lab here. Hopefully, we\u2019ll get a hit. She\u2019s already found the tires that go with the treads we found so we now have an idea of the vehicle. JD is checking all the hospitals to see if the wounded man turns up. Also, McGee has been running the information on Tuturo. It looks like he went to high school with Miralles. We\u2019re still checking on that.\u201d
\u201cSo Mr. Standish did find our man.\u201d
\u201cPossibly. I hope he\u2019s okay,\u201d Ziva said looking around her. \u201cI\u2019ve spent too much time in hospitals lately.\u201d
Ducky remembered how close she had gotten to Lt. Sanders before his death of radiation poisoning. He patted her hand and looked over into Tony\u2019s room.
\u201cMy dear, you have no idea.\u201d
****
Chris paced around the office. He was a man of action. He always had been. Waiting for evidence and procedure always drove him up the wall. He wanted to be out there finding Ezra, but with no idea where to look it would be a waste of energy. JD and McGee were typing away on the computers like their lives depended on it, instead of Ezra\u2019s. Buck was on the phone and had been since they got back from picking up the deserted van. He wanted to bark for a status update, but he had just got one less than five minutes ago. They\u2019d let him know if they found anything. Vin stepped through the door. Chris knew he had headed down to the hospital. One look and he gave Chris a frown and headed for the office. Chris followed him inside and shut the door.
\u201cYou need to settle down, cowboy.\u201d
\u201cI can\u2019t help it. You know I didn\u2019t want this case, and Buck all but tried to quit on me to keep us from doing it. Dammit, I should have listened to him. I shouldn\u2019t have let Ezra convince me otherwise.\u201d
\u201cA man said, \u2018We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility of our future.\u2019 Ducky told me that at the hospital when I was beating myself up over not stopping them from taking Ezra or hurting DiNozzo. I been thinkin\u2019 on it mighty hard and it seems to make sense. We can\u2019t go back and change our should haves, but we can do something about it now.\u201d
Chris raised an eyebrow at his friend. Vin always seemed to have a better grasp of things than he let on. With a nod Chris got to his feet. As they stepped out into the bullpen Vin continued.
\u201cThat George Shaw fella seems to know his stuff.\u201d
\u201cHe was a poet, like you.\u201d
\u201cHuh. I may have to get one of his books.\u201d
\u201cAll right people,\u201d Chris bellowed getting everyone\u2019s attention. He could see Gibbs leaning on the doorway across the room. \u201cWe know they\u2019ve got one wounded. It\u2019s not likely they\u2019ll go to a hospital because they\u2019ll report a gunshot wound. I want to know anyone with the slightest medical connection that would have anything to do with Lichtermann. Buck start shaking up some of your informants. JD get Josiah back here ASAP.\u201d
Chris looked directly at Gibbs and asked, \u201cYou got your man covered?\u201d
\u201cZiva is with him.\u201d
\u201cRight, JD tell Nathan to stay with Officer David.\u201d
McGee shot a look at Gibbs and waited for a nod before asking, \u201cWhat do you need me to do?\u201d
\u201cYou and Abby go back through the records we have. He won\u2019t take Ezra to one of his places, so check any associates and their property. Try to find a link between them and the type of vehicle that uses the tires she found.\u201d
\u201cOn it.\u201d
\u201cVin you\u2019re with me. Gibbs?\u201d Chris asked without looking back as he headed out the door. The older man was right behind them as they made for the elevator.
\u201cYou got a plan?\u201d the NCIS agent asked.
\u201cWe\u2019re going to drop in on Mrs. Tuturo and ask her about her son. This didn\u2019t start until Ezra started digging into your murder case. Maybe if we work your end we\u2019ll find out what we need to know.\u201d
Gibbs gave a small smirk as the elevator dropped toward the garage. Chris could tell that Vin was trying very hard not to comment on the fact that Gibbs was getting his way. He restrained himself from cursing all Jarheads out loud.
The Tuturo house was like many in the suburbs of Denver. It was a small one story house with a dry yard and children\u2019s bikes in the driveway. The community was distinctly Hispanic. The three of them got out of the Dodge and were greeted at the screen door before they could even get close enough to knock.
\u201cYes?\u201d a woman in her early fifties asked hesitantly through the mesh.
\u201cHello, Ma\u2019am. I\u2019m Agent Gibbs with the NCIS,\u201d he said holding up his badge.
Chris let him take the lead because he knew that in a mood he could be intimidating. Vin stood next to him silently.
\u201cWhat is NCIS? We\u2019re legal. I have papers.\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m not with the NIS. NCIS is Navy Criminal Investigative Service. I\u2019m looking into a murder of a Marine Corporal. I was hoping that I could speak to your son, Benito. He went to school with the deceased. I was hoping he might know some of the Corporal\u2019s friends.\u201d
\u201cBenito isn\u2019t here.\u201d
\u201cOh, well, could you please give him my card?\u201d Gibbs asked holding it up. The woman opened the screen door just a crack. She took the card and the door slammed back against the frame. The three of them said goodbye and started walking back to the truck.
\u201cHe\u2019s in there,\u201d Chris growled.
\u201cOh yeah,\u201d Gibbs agreed.
They drove off around the corner dropping Vin off before circling the block. Chris cut the truck off and the two of them waited. They didn\u2019t have to wait long before a young man exited the house yelling back to the woman inside. He headed for a car parked along the street. Chris started up the Dodge and came around the corner slowly. Tuturo was half-way to the car before he looked back over the shoulder and saw the truck. He started running. Chris stepped on the gas blazing down the block. Tuturo must have realized he wouldn\u2019t make it to the car because he veered off into one of the neighboring yards. Chris slowed down enough for Gibbs to hop out. The Agent had the door open even as the truck was still moving, so he didn\u2019t bother slowing too much. The older man was out of the truck and in pursuit in a blink. Chris gunned the engine again causing the passenger door to slam shut. He headed around the block only to see Vin sitting on the suspect in the adjacent driveway. Gibbs was crouched down next to the young man. When he parked and got out of the truck he heard some expressive swearing. Gibbs was giving the boy a steely eyed look.
\u201cI didn\u2019t do nothing. Get this guy off of me.\u201d
\u201cThen why you runnin\u2019, Benito?\u201d Vin asked finishing his pat down and pulling the boy\u2019s arms back to cuff them.
\u201cI thought you was gang bangers in that big black truck.\u201d
\u201cDo I look like a gang banger to you, son?\u201d Gibbs asked.
\u201cDepends on your gang,\u201d Chris said with a smirk. He ignored the wry look he received and continued. \u201cLet\u2019s get him back to the office.\u201d
\u201cYou arresting me?\u201d Tuturo asked as he was pulled to his feet. Chris took his turn staring the boy down.
\u201cDo I need to?\u201d he asked.
\u201cI didn\u2019t\u2014\u201c
\u201cDo nothing. Yeah, so we heard.\u201d
Gibbs sat in the back with the boy. They drove in silence back to the federal building. Benito tried to put up a good front, but it was obvious he was scared. They sat him in one of the interrogation rooms downstairs and let him wait. Chris headed back up to find out if the others had gotten any news.
\u201cAnything?\u201d he asked as he walked through the bullpen to his office.
Buck walked past pulling on his coat and replied, \u201cI think I may have something with a medical connection. Josiah and I were just going out now.\u201d
\u201cCall JD if you get anything. JD?\u201d
\u201cWe\u2019re still running associates. Abby has an electric copy of the blood work and she\u2019s running it through NCIS\u2019 databases too.\u201d
McGee looked up from the phone he was talking on and said, \u201cI\u2019m working on tracking down cell phone records. Lichtermann had Ezra doing negotiations. If I can find a phone we might get a location. It\u2019s a long shot, but I thought we should at least try it.\u201d
\u201cGood. Cross reference anything you get with the associate and vehicle information. That may help you weed things out,\u201d Chris said stepping into his office for his copies of the NCIS murder investigation file. \u201cI\u2019ll be down in interrogation with my phone off. If Buck calls or you guys come up with something, come and get me.\u201d
When he got back downstairs, he found Vin and Gibbs staring through the two way mirror at a fidgeting Tuturo. They were both holding cups of coffee that looked a little like mud.
\u201cWhen operations finds out you were using their coffee pot they\u2019re going to be pissed,\u201d he said.
Vin shrugged. Gibbs cocked an eyebrow at him and said, \u201cThey shouldn\u2019t mind. He makes good coffee.\u201d
Chris blinked at this remark as Vin chuckled. Everyone knew that Tanner\u2019s coffee was not fit for human consumption. Then again, what did he expect?
\u201cI should have known. The Marines and Rangers train their men to eat grubs and worms and god knows what all. Killed every one of your taste buds.\u201d
\u201cDon\u2019t they make SEALs eat raw fish?\u201d Vin asked.
\u201cSushi is an accepted food. Grubs, not so much.\u201d
\u201cWhere I come from either way they call it bait. You want to do this or do you want me to?\u201d Gibbs asked.
Chris was surprised that he bothered to ask. After looking at Gibbs a moment he gave a smile with absolutely no humor. It was the one that generally made his men cringe.
\u201cAge before beauty.\u201d
\u201cWisdom before wiseass,\u201d Gibbs countered and headed off to the door. Chris followed silently.
Tuturo started talking the moment they walked in, professing his innocence, claiming police brutality, and asking to be let go. Gibbs took the chair across the table and opened the file without saying anything. He stared at the boy and watched him. Chris leaned back against the wall just within reach of the young man\u2019s peripheral vision. They watched the boy slowly wind down until the room was completely silent.
\u201cYou going to tell me why I\u2019m here?\u201d
\u201cDavid Miralles.\u201d
\u201cWho?\u201d
\u201cYou went to school with him. He joined the Marine Corps. He was a Corporal and a fine Marine. He\u2019s dead.\u201d
\u201cI don\u2019t know no David.\u201d
\u201cNo? Let me see if I can pick out a name you do recognize. Andreas Lichtermann.\u201d
Tuturo\u2019s eye twitched at the name and Chris snorted. This made the boy look quickly over at him. Ezra would eat this kid alive. His tells were way too sloppy. Chris stared back until the boy looked away, but the only other thing to look at was Gibbs\u2019 eyes. The room was cool, but Benito was starting to sweat.
\u201cWe know you work for him,\u201d Gibbs continued.
\u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about.\u201d
Chris took that opportunity to move away from the wall. He walked behind Tuturo and bent down to speak directly into his ear.
\u201cHe\u2019s got one of my men, Benny. I\u2019m not in the mood for games. All Gibbs here has to do is match up the physical evidence he has to you. We\u2019ve already got a warrant in progress to get it from you. It\u2019s a matter of time now. You\u2019re going to a federal pen for a very long time with some very nasty people. How horrible it is depends on what you tell me right now.\u201d
Benito shivered and looked to Gibbs for help, but he received no quarter there. He was trapped between the proverbial rock and a hard place. It took all of five seconds before he was spilling everything: the fight over him working for Lichtermann, David just back from Iraq having seen the damage that weapons could do, the threat to go to the police, and the last minute grab for a wrench to stop a good man from doing the right thing.
\u201cWhere would Lichtermann take my man, Benny?\u201d Chris asked.
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d
\u201cWhere!\u201d
\u201cI don\u2019t know! Some of the guys talked about some warehouses that he stores some of the weapons before taking them to where we pick them up for shipping them, but I don\u2019t know where they are. Only his main guys knew. They\u2019d bring the boxes and they\u2019d be covered in this sparkly yellow dirt. I could never get it out of my clothes.\u201d
\u201cWhat like sand?\u201d Gibbs asked.
\u201cNo it was dust like powder.\u201d
\u201cDo you still have those pants?\u201d
Benito looked confused and replied, \u201cYeah, sure at Mama\u2019s.\u201d
Chris jerked his head toward the door. The two of them stepped out into the hall. Vin was waiting for them. Gibbs gave him an annoyed look, but Chris waved him off.
\u201cHe said it wasn\u2019t sand. The only mining around here is mostly sand and gravel pits, except for west of the city. There are a few clay and shale yards along State Highway 93 north and south of Golden.\u201d
\u201cShale would make sparkly yellow dust as they split it up.\u201d
\u201cExactly. The meet point they set up for Tony was on the west side of town. Shorter distance for them to travel?\u201d
\u201cWe need to match warehouses near those mines with the associates that they\u2019re running,\u201d Gibbs replied heading for the elevator.
As the three of them stepped into the office, JD bounded up to Chris. \u201cI was just going to go downstairs. Buck called in. He and Josiah found a med school drop out that\u2019s been doing some pharmacological work on the side for Lichtermann. They checked at his home but according to his neighbors he left in a hurry a couple of hours ago.\u201d
\u201cHe probably got an emergency house call. Listen, JD, I want you to run that associates property list against any warehouses near shale yards on the west side of town.\u201d
McGee perked up at this. He started typing quickly on the computer and then called out.
\u201cI\u2019ve got a warehouse attached to a landscaping business that is owned by one of Lichtermann\u2019s lieutenants in Golden.\u201d
\u201cLandscaping?\u201d JD asked.
\u201cThey specialize in rock work.\u201d
\u201cThat\u2019s it,\u201d Gibbs said.
JD looked back and forth between Gibbs and McGee.
\u201cBut how do you know?\u201d he asked.
\u201cMy gut.\u201d
\u201cJD, call Buck and Josiah and have them meet us there. Load up, people,\u201d Chris said darkly. \u201cWe\u2019re going to go get what\u2019s ours.\u201d
****
\u201cTeam Four is on their way as backup,\u201d JD said as they exited the ATF SUV.
Gibbs followed Larabee to the back where he started handing out vests and equipment. The agent acknowledged his man with a nod. Gibbs reached in to pull out a vest for McGee. He wished that Ziva and Tony were here to help back him up, but the members of Team Seven would have to do. Despite their differences his gut told him that Larabee and his boys could handle themselves.
A nicely refurbished old model truck pulled up behind them. Wilmington and Sanchez exited already in vests. He watched Buck start checking JD\u2019s vest and set up, but the younger agent waved him off. It reminded him of some of Tony and McGee\u2019s interactions. Unconsciously, he looked over to make sure Tim\u2019s rig was set up right since Tony wasn\u2019t there to do it for him.
\u201cHave Team Four pull perimeter when they get here, and get on the thermal I want to know how many we\u2019ve got in there,\u201d Chris barked. \u201cGibbs I want my guys taking the lead on this, no arguments.\u201d
Gibbs stared at the man for a moment then gave a short nod. If it was Tony in there, he\u2019d want everyone else behind him too. JD was already positioning a thermal imager at the building.
\u201cChris, looks like we\u2019ve got four outside the building. Two are walking patrol. The other two are guarding the north entrance. Inside looks like seven or eight. Shit.\u201d
The others paused in their preparations at the small curse from the boy\u2019s lips. Apparently, it was something uncommon. Wilmington was immediately at the boy\u2019s side with a hand on his shoulder. With that encouragement, JD continued.
\u201cI\u2019ve got one man in a seated position with four men around him. Looks like their taking turns smacking him around,\u201d he said quietly.
Gibbs looked over at Larabee and from the stone look on the man\u2019s face, he wasn\u2019t sure if any of the men in that building would be coming out alive. He started to say something, but Buck spoke first.
\u201cHe\u2019s still alive. And it\u2019s got to be Ezra, because nobody else can piss off people like that.\u201d
Gibbs watched the dark look on Larabee\u2019s face slide into a tiny smirk. Wilmington had said just the right thing. They had apparently known each other for a very long time. Chris looked over to Vin and the shooter gave him a wink.
\u201cAll right, let\u2019s do this. Vin, take out those perimeter guards. Two clicks when you\u2019re done.\u201d
Tanner was already out of sight by the time Larabee turned to the others. He looked at each of them in the eye before speaking again.
\u201cBuck you and Josiah take the two on the door. I want this quick and quiet. When you\u2019re done I want both of you to take lead on that entrance with JD covering your flank. Gibbs you and McGee are with me. We\u2019re going to take the west entrance. Vin will be there waiting on us. Vin and I will take point. I want you two coming in hot behind us. No hesitation,\u201d he said, the last directed to Tim. He waited for a nod before continuing. \u201cBuck, three clicks when you\u2019re ready. One click response to go in. Once the room is cleared, Josiah, your priority is Ezra. Nathan\u2019s not here to do his usual magic so it\u2019s up to you. JD you\u2019ll help him while coordinating with Team Four, which should be here any minute. The rest of us will keep you three covered. Any questions?\u201d
The others were obviously used to the game plan because there was silence on their part. Gibbs shook his head no for both McGee and himself. Chris told everyone to get into position and as they were moving away from the vehicles they heard two clicks on the radio.
\u201cThat was fast,\u201d McGee said softly.
\u201cRangers are almost as good as Marines,\u201d Gibbs said over his shoulder as they ran from cover-to-cover hiding their approach.
\u201cNot as good as SEALs though,\u201d Chris whispered back and Gibbs snorted at him.
Tanner was waiting at the west door even though Larabee had never specified that was where he was supposed to be. He was already positioned on the left side of the door ready to cover the right side of the room. Chris knelt by the right side of the door. Gibbs took position behind him and waved McGee over to Tanner. They waited silently for the other half of the team. After a few moments they got the three clicks they were waiting for. Larabee and Tanner shared a look that spoke novels full before Chris clicked his radio once and they were barreling through the door.
\u201cATF! Drop your weapons!\u201d Larabee yelled but the room was already in chaos.
Tanner picked off two going for some boxes of machine guns off to their right somewhere. Gibbs and Larabee continued strafing left. He could hear gunfire toward the front of the building where Wilmington and the others were clearing their way back towards their position. They took cover behind some pallets of rock as the four men near their target started popping off shots. As Gibbs slid over to the edge of the pallet to provide cover fire for the other group, he could see that the chair had been knocked onto its side. There were hands tied behind the back facing them. He couldn\u2019t tell if it was Standish or not, but he could hear Wilmington bellowing the man\u2019s name. They had a better position to see who was in the chair, so Gibbs assumed that it was Standish. He quickly ducked back behind the rock as bullets slammed into it showering his shoulder with chips and dust.
He could hear the loud retort of the shotgun that Sanchez had been carrying. Gibbs quickly scanned the room for McGee and saw him returning fire behind some large metal drums with Tanner. Gibbs leaned out again to fire and saw one man standing over Standish holding a gun on him. Gibbs took aim, but before he could fire, Standish\u2019s foot kicked out catching the man in the crotch. He hunched over and Gibbs fired hitting him square in the shoulder. The man spun and received two more shots, probably from Tanner and McGee. He went down hard and Standish inched his chair forward to use the man\u2019s body as cover.
As quickly as it had begun, the room grew quiet. The gun fire echoed in the metal building. Gibbs leaned out again and saw the last few assailants laying down their guns and raising their hands. Wilmington\u2019s team moved forward. Gibbs and Larabee came out from behind the rock to cover the remaining men. They secured the weapons and McGee and Tanner moved forward to start restraining them with wire ties.
Gibbs looked over his shoulder and got his first look at Standish. The others had cut him loose, and he was waving them away even as Sanchez helped him to his feet. The man turned to nod at Larabee, and Gibbs got a good look at his face. It was battered and bruised. One eye was starting to swell, and soon he wouldn\u2019t be able to see out of it. His expensive looking white shirt was stained with blood, probably from the split lip he was sporting. All in all, he looked like about five miles of bad road, but despite this he was wearing a small smile.
\u201cYour timing, as usual gentlemen, is impeccable,\u201d he said harshly, holding his ribs.
Wilmington stepped away from covering the secured perps. He took one look at his beaten teammate before pulling the smaller man into a bear hug that had him protesting loudly. The others started laughing and each stepped forward to shake his hand or throw his arm around Standish\u2019s shoulders. Larabee kept his position and didn\u2019t join in on the reunion, but Gibbs caught the two exchanging a look that left the leader shaking his head with an actual grin. Gibbs could relate because he\u2019d had the same reaction to Tony time and again. Team Four was called in to clean up, and since there had been several fatalities, all on the other side, their weapons were all confiscated pending investigation. Gibbs watched Team Four\u2019s interactions with the group, and they seemed to treat it all as business as usual. He could see where the Director had gotten the impression that Team Seven was a destructive bunch.
\u201cCome on, lets get you to the hospital, Nathan\u2019s going to have a fit and that\u2019s no lie,\u201d Sanchez said leading their returned teammate towards the trucks.
\u201cI have told you I\u2019m fine. It\u2019s nothing a little ice and some meat tenderizer won\u2019t take care of, I assure you,\u201d Standish protested.
Buck snorted and rolled his eyes at Larabee. He said, \u201cAnd those ribs? Hell, I could practically feel them swimming around when I hugged you. We already got one agent with a punctured lung out of this business. Don\u2019t need two.\u201d
\u201cHow is Mr. Grant?\u201d Ezra asked. \u201cI tried to pull Phil\u2019s shot, but\u2026\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019s DiNozzo, and he\u2019s fine thanks to you,\u201d Gibbs replied. \u201cYou\u2019ll get to see him soon. At the hospital.\u201d
\u201cBut\u2026But\u2014\u201c
\u201cNo buts, Ezra, get in the damn truck,\u201d Chris said with a touch of exasperation.
Gibbs opened the door for the man and they both stared at him.
\u201cGood Lord, I thought one Larabee was bad enough,\u201d Standish said cringing back from the dual stares.
\u201cYou\u2019ve got no idea, brother,\u201d Sanchez said helping him in with a smile.
Gibbs looked over at Larabee and asked, \u201cWhat are they talking about?\u201d
\u201cNo idea,\u201d the man replied and headed for the driver\u2019s side.
Gibbs shot a confused look over at McGee and he could see his agent trying not to laugh. The chuckling quickly died when he saw he was being observed.
\u201cMe either, boss,\u201d Tim said quickly and followed JD.
****
Tony hated having oxygen tubes stuck under his nose. They dried it out and made it all red. He probably looked like Rudolf ready for flight. He blinked his eyes open. The last time he\u2019d been awake he was sure he\u2019d heard Ducky droning on about something. It was comforting. And once, he was sure he\u2019d felt the patented Gibbs stare, but he just couldn\u2019t seem to open his eyes to meet it. Now there was someone else in the room, but they were quiet. He was expecting Ziva when he opened his eyes.
\u201cWow, you look about as good as I feel,\u201d he croaked out. Bennett\u2014no, that wasn\u2019t his name\u2014smiled faintly. With the split swollen lip and swollen eye it looked a bit gruesome.
\u201cYes, I must apologize for my appearance. My former employer was less than pleased to know that I had been double crossing him with a seller such as yourself.\u201d
\u201cWhat?\u201d
\u201cLichtermann had me followed occasionally. His man saw your charming Ms. David meet me at the bar and followed her back to her vehicle to ask her some questions. Imagine his surprise when she was picked up by the dashing Mr. Grant that was going to sell us weapons.\u201d
\u201cHe thought you were making a move on the business?\u201d Tony asked fighting the bed controls to sit up a bit. Standish took pity on him and reached over to adjust the bed for him.
\u201cYes, he didn\u2019t realize I wasn\u2019t what I was pretending to be until my companions came to my rescue. The hit at the meet was a misunderstanding.\u201d
Tony tried to laugh at this, but the pain it caused across his chest had him curled up and coughing, which hurt even worse. Standish leaned forward with concern and reached for the call button, but Tony stopped him. Once the coughing subsided Tony leaned back and realized he still had a hold of Standish\u2019s hand. He shook it and said, \u201cTony DiNozzo. Nice to meet you.\u201d
\u201cEzra Standish, and the pleasure is all mine.\u201d
\u201cThanks for saving my life, Ezra\u201d
\u201cI wish I could have done more. But I must say for once, it\u2019s nice not to be the one that got shot.\u201d
Tony blinked at this and asked, \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d
\u201cWell, usually when we have a dangerous case, and I find that an inordinate number of our cases are, I\u2019m the one that ends up catching bullets. Well, Mr. Tanner and I are running neck-and-neck in that regard, but still\u2026\u201d
\u201cRemind me never to come back to Denver.\u201d
Standish chuckled at this and then winced holding his own ribs. They certainly made a pair. Tony let out a sigh. The room was quiet for a moment before he looked back over at Ezra. The man had pulled out a deck of cards and was shuffling them in his hands efficiently.
\u201cDeal me in.\u201d
\u201cCertainly.\u201d
\u201cSo what are you doing in here? Where is everybody?\u201d
\u201cMr. Gibbs and the others are meeting with the incident board. There were some casualties when they came to retrieve me. I\u2019m sure that they\u2019ll all be labeled good shots, but we have to follow the procedure. I think Ms. David and Doctor Mallard went back to your hotel to rest since they weren\u2019t involved. Ziva assured me that she would be back in a couple of hours. I\u2019m currently hiding from Mr. Jackson.\u201d
\u201cHiding?\u201d
\u201cHe can be a bit forthright when one of us is injured.\u201d
\u201cSounds like Abby.\u201d
\u201cI have yet to meet Ms. Sciuto, but JD assures me that she is fine young lady. Buck on the other hand seems to think all NCIS women are a menace.\u201d
Tony snorted and replied, \u201cJust because none of them are interested in him.\u201d
\u201cJust goes to show their intelligence. Card?\u201d
\u201cTwo.\u201d
Ezra dealt two cards to Tony and then one for himself. He stared at his hand a moment before laying out a straight, eight of clubs high. Tony looked down at his measly pair of threes and tossed his cards onto the bed. Ezra retrieved them with a smile and reshuffled.
\u201cIt\u2019s bad enough I got shot, but now I\u2019m playing cards with a guy that can draw to an inside straight and win. I give up,\u201d Tony murmured.
\u201cYou should play with my mother. Sometimes I wonder if she bends the laws of space and time to get the hands she does.\u201d
\u201cDoes she cheat?\u201d
\u201cOh most definitely, but seeing as how I do too when I play her you think it would even out. Not so much I\u2019m afraid.\u201d
\u201cYou should come to Washington,\u201d Tony said suddenly surprising both Ezra and himself. \u201cI could show you some spots, we could make a killing.\u201d
\u201cIt has been a long time since I\u2019ve been to the capitol. Alas, I don\u2019t have many friends there.\u201d
\u201cDon\u2019t worry. I\u2019ll keep the FBI off of you. They\u2019re all scared of Gibbs anyway.\u201d
Ezra gave Tony a sharp look. Tony gave his biggest smile in response. That seemed to put the former FBI agent at peace. He nodded slightly and dealt the cards again.
\u201cWant to hear something funny?\u201d Ezra asked. At Tony\u2019s nod he continued, \u201cIt turns out that Chris is quite the fan of Thom E. Gemcity. You should have seen his face when he found out that Agent McGee was the one writing the books. You should\u2019ve also have seen the looks he started giving Gibbs.
Tony gave a light chuckle with a hand holding his wound.
\u201cYeah we\u2019ve teased McGeek constantly. He insists that the books characters are fictional and aren\u2019t based on us, but come on!\u201d
Tony looked down at his hand and found that this time he had a full house. He glanced over at Ezra, but the man was intent on his cards and wouldn\u2019t look up. He leaned back into the pillow with a smile. Standish definitely had to come to Washington.
They spent the better part of two hours playing cards and talking. Sometimes about work, but mostly about places they\u2019d been and funny stories about their teammates. Tony found the time passed quickly. It was probably the longest he\u2019d been awake since he\u2019d gotten out of surgery. The fun was put to an end when Jackson showed up. He spoke kindly to Tony, but his tone completely changed when he turned to Ezra. The southerner rolled his eyes at Tony as the taller man pulled him out of the chair and then out back to his own room. Tony grinned at him and waved goodbye. He must have fallen back asleep because when he opened his eyes Gibbs was sitting in the chair that Ezra had vacated.
\u201cGibbs.\u201d
\u201cHow you doing, Tony?\u201d
\u201cGood. When are they letting me out of here?\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019ll be a while. With that lung they don\u2019t want the pressure from air travel to cause any more damage. Ziva, Ducky, and McGee are going back to headquarters. I asked Jenny for some time so that you wouldn\u2019t be stuck out here by yourself.\u201d
Tony grinned and looked away from Gibbs. He said, \u201cI appreciate that.\u201d
\u201cWell, Larabee offered to let me stay up at his ranch. He\u2019s got some horses.\u201d
\u201cA vacation? You getting soft?\u201d he asked with his eyes feeling heavy.
Gibbs shot him a sharp look and said, \u201cRemind me to give you a smack when you\u2019re better. Now go back to sleep. I\u2019m here.\u201d
Tony nodded and closed his eyes. Right before he fell asleep again he whispered, \u201cThanks, boss.\u201d
As usual, he didn\u2019t get a reply.
<\/a>
If you liked this fic you might like another NCIS\/Mag7 Crossover fic by Sammie called The Mile High City Affair<\/a>."},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:daughtershade:282876","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/282876.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/daughtershade.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=282876"}}],"title":"Montezuma Part 1\/2","published":"2008-06-07T05:12:55Z","updated":"2009-04-14T02:23:04Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"ncis fic"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"mag7 fic"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"crossovers"}}],"content":"Title: Montezuma
Author:
<\/a>daughtershade<\/b><\/a><\/span>Fandom: Magnificent 7 (ATF AU)\/NCIS
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: None
Prompt: The two teams have to work together on a case.
Summary: A murder of a Marine Corporal brings Gibbs and the NCIS team in conflict with Denver\u2019s ATF special unit Team Seven.
Author notes: I want to thank
<\/a>settiai<\/b><\/a>