Rule 39: There Is No Such Thing As Coincidence (Tony DiNozzo Love Story)

04.13.06

Six Years Later

    "Shit," I breathe out as I look around the corner. Three men are easing their way down the hall towards me, all of them fully loaded with guns in their hands. I glance over my shoulder and analyze the scene of the four dead men lying on the floor with fatal bullet wounds. There's no where for me to run, not now. My hand slides down my side, the sticky liquid on my shirt spreads to my hand. I look at the crimson liquid and breathe in a deep, shaky breath as I apply some pressure to the wound. The footsteps are growing closer, there's only a few more seconds before the first of them enters the room.

    My heartbeat drums in my ears as I slow my breath down and begin to count down. "Three, two, one," I say as a burly face rounds the corner and I throw my right arm out towards it, hitting him square in the jaw. He stumbles to the side and shakes his head and turns to see me. He makes a run for me as the two other men enter the room and also make a move for me. I punch another fist into the first man's face and pull the gun in my other hand up to aim at the third man. Pulling the trigger, a bullet soars and hits the man in the neck as the weight of the first man barrels into me and pushes me into the wall. I force my body to move against him as the second tries to free the gun from my hand. My left leg kicks outward and knocks the first off of me. I pull my right leg back and kick the second off and turn back to the first to hit I'm in the stomach. He falls back onto the floor giving me an opportunity to shoot him in the chest, just above his heart.

    The second man, now recovered from the kick wraps his arms around my torso and pulls me back forcefully and throws me back into the wall. Pinning me against it, he lifts my wrist and slams it against the wall to release my hold of the gun. He slams it against the concrete six times before my hand finally lets go and it lands on the floor with a loud thump. I kick against the wall, trying to force my body to move forward and to throw him off balance. He leans back, trying to compensate for his uneasiness and I take advantage of the opening and throw a punch to his jaw. He reciprocates and I try to push him off of me. We stand looking at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. I glance towards the gun on the ground and so does he, he makes a move for it as I move to my left. Instead of grabbing the gun, he slams me into the wall again. We slide down the wall and I'm wedged between the floor and his weight on top of me as my fingers are just inches away from the black metal of the gun. I kick him and he falls over on top of the gun. Kicking his head, he dazes away and I reach for the gun again.

    He rebounds quickly and grabs ahold of my neck, forcing me into a standing position and pins me to the wall once more. I reach up to pry his hands, but find no grip between his skin and my own. Trying to kick out, I can't make contact as he presses harder and I feel my eyes closing and his face darkening.

    "Freeze! NCIS!" A voice yells into the room and I can feel the pressure on my neck lighten for just a second before it begins to press harder once more.

    "NCIS, let the girl go!"

    "She deserves to die," the man choking me growls as he looks into my fading eyes, his thick accent rolling with his words.

    "Let her go or I will shoot."

    "Die," he whispers to me.

    "Let her go!"

    "You first," my shaky and cracked voice lets out. I roll my torso up and pull my waist in, allowing my feet to press flatly against the wall and push with all my might. He falls backwards onto the floor and my hand reaches for the gun next to me. Before anyone can move, the trigger is pulled and he lies dead underneath me. Just as quickly I lift the gun and aim it squarely to the men in the doorway.

    My face stone cold as I see two faces I wished to never see again.

    "Hello Agent Gibbs," my voice says smoothly.

    "Drop the weapon," he says as he aims his weapon toward me.

    "Tell DiNozzo and I just might," I say as I send a glance towards Tony. Tony quirks a brow and gives a side glance towards Gibbs. Gibbs stares back for a beat before speaking.

    "DiNozzo, lower your weapon."

    "Gibbs—,"

    "Do it," Gibbs orders.

    Tony looks over at Gibbs and slowly lowers his weapon.

    "Lower your weapon," Gibbs says once more. I hold his stare.

    My arm lowers and I drop the gun and begin to stand as they glance downward.

    "Don't move."

    I raise my hands as Tony moves forward and takes each of my wrists in his hands and pulls them behind my back. With a quick snap of the metal handcuffs, I'm slightly detained. Gibbs lowers his weapon and continues to look at me as Tony pushes me forward and out of the door, a quick smirk sitting on my lips the entire time.

Two Days Later

    As I look at the one way mirror in one of the NCIS interrogation rooms, I say nothing as I begin to imagine what the others may be thinking. Who is she? How does she know Gibbs? How could one woman kill all those men? Is she a target? How does she fit into all of this?