Lost Too Much

LOST TOO MUCH Chapter 30

EUFO (NCIS Europe and Africa Field Office) - Naples, Italy

On any other case, Tony would have made some jest in their latest location. A reference to the classic 1969 movie, The Italian Job, would have been on top of his list. But now two of their own people's lives hung in the balance. Were they dead or alive, captured or hunted? They prayed they were alive, but if they were, they most probably were being hunted and the longer it took them to find them, the less likelihood they had of surviving without backup. The team worked without words, knowing this was killing their boss. He had managed to keep this news about Callen and Bronte quiet from Abby for now, but they would need her soon enough. Gibbs dreaded telling her. The team ignored Gibbs snapping at them, knowing just how close he was with Callen and Bronte.

The door to their temporary office opened, the large presence of Special Agent Sam Hanna was noted immediately, however, his sombre appearance fractured at their hearts. This was killing him too. The melancholy spread like wildfire when the disheartened Detective Deeks and Special Agent Kensi Blye walked in behind him.

Owen Granger nodded to them and cleared his throat. He'd been in Greece when Hetty called him, he'd made his own way to the Naples Office immediately. "I'm sorry, Sam, still no news."

Sam nodded and looked over to Gibbs, he noted the frustrations and grief bubbling under the surface when Gibbs slammed his hand down on a desk. Gibbs turned and looked at the former Navy SEAL.

"This is Callen, Gibbs. We both know how easy it can be for him to vanish like a ghost." Sam had been there before on previous occasions when Callen's identity had been burned. "He's the most paranoid man I've ever known, if something was wrong, he would have known and moved himself and Bronte out of there."

"I'm counting on it," Gibbs was clip in his tone, but no one held it against him, this was personal.

"The local police say that there wasn't any evidence of anyone staying in the other villa, only the one that blew up." McGee read out the report that had been sent through to them.

"Callen would have been careful, even for their honeymoon. Has Hetty or Philipe confirmed anything about which villa and who they rented it through?" Gibbs asked them, hoping this was just a case of wrong place, wrong time scenario.

Sam continued to hold fast to his faith in his partner. "Hetty has been trying to find out the details, G held it very close to the chest on their destination. He wanted it to be a surprise for Bronte."

"Why would Callen come to Europe for their honeymoon, wouldn't it be too risky with all his previous operations to come here?" This was what had bothered Deeks the most since hearing the news.

"Sicily was the one place Bronte wanted to visit. She loves Italian food and she's dreamed of going there for as long as I've known her. Callen was just fulfilling her wishes as a surprise." Gibbs closed his laptop down and looked at both teams. "Blye, how's your Italian?"

"Perfecto."

"Good. You and DiNozzo fit the bill as locals, here's the keys to your ride, the address is in the glovebox for your destination. Keep a close watch, we need eyes and ears out as close to Casa De Franchis as possible. DiNozzo, you'll look for anyone who's familiar from Bronte's operations, Blye, the you'll do the same for Callen's."

Deeks looked over as his partner, he hated them being split up, but he had to agree it made perfect sense. DiNozzo and Kensi did look like locals, they could infiltrate the island of Sicily easily and not be suspected of being U.S. agents. "What do you want me to do?"

Gibbs looked at the Detective, "you and Bishop will be tourists. If anyone as much takes an interest in either of you, I want to hear about it." He looked at both new sets of partners. "Every hour on the hour I want a text or a phone call."