The Life Of The Daughter Of NCIS

Chapter 21: Rule 45

DiNozzo

I picked up the thick card and scanned my eyes along the scratches Boss calls writing. I dropped it back onto the table "guys, we need to go, like, now." I ordered "I know where he's gone." My two teammates seemed to appear as the words left my mouth. I slid the letter discreetly into my pocket as we left the room.

I let Ziva loose in the car, her erratic driving, which left me queasy, got us to the place quickly. A army base truck sat in the shade of a ten foot wall and a small pergola swamped in honeysuckle, I made my way over and pressed my palm against the bonnet, it was still hot. "Keep an eye out for Gibbs and Azalea." I whisper-yelled to McGee and Ziva. All three of us pulled out our guns "got your six." I told them. Ziva let out a strangled scream, pointing at a body laying on the floor at an odd angle. I scanned the man for anything familiar and didn't find it until the head, until that damn haircut.

"Oh God..." McGee trailed off, Ziva yelled something angrily in Hebrew before darting towards Gibbs. The staccato of a machine gun echoed from somewhere in the villa, I grabbed Probie by the back of his Kevlar vest and wrenched him behind me and the wall, I spun around and reached out to Ziva but she was already too far out of reach. McGee and I fired back at the black swathed man, he jerked slightly as our searing bullets tore into his flesh.

After seeing him stumble and slump over the balcony, I holstered my weapon and ran towards Ziva, and collapsed next to her body. Blood was spurting from two bullet holes in her head. I swallowed loudly, tears falling already, and pressed my index and middle finger against her neck. Ziva had no pulse. I dropped my hands in defeat, sinking forward, I rested my head on her cooling chest.

"Tony?" McGee asked, fear in his voice. "She's dead Tim." I replied, wiping the tears away with the side of my hand "what about Gibbs?" I slowly pushed myself up and away from the body of my girlfriend "his breathing is shallow and uneven. I've already called an ambulance." I patted his shoulder in praise. "Who's that?" I questioned, pointing at a body by the helipad, McGee shrugged "I can go a check if you hold this." He offered, averting his eyes to the wad of bloodstained cloth he had pressed to the wound. I shook my head and jogged over to the woman laying on the floor, well, two women.

One had a sniper shot between the eyes, she looked like Alina Reynosa.

Gibbs hadn't lost his touch.

The other was Azzie, I squatted next to her and took her pulse. It was weak but it was there, I slipped off my jacket and held it to the gunshot in her left side, I lifted her up and laid her next to Boss. "Where's that ambulance McSnail." I growled, looking around for any more shooters; our position was very vulnerable. I muttered an apology when I realised how hurt his expression was. "Stay here Probie, I'm just going to check out the rest of the house." I explained, before adding a quiet well done.

I felt guilty for what I said, I knew this anger was a product of my lack of ability to protect my family, with one lingering look at my family strewn across the floor I darted through the half open front door.

The house was deserted apart from the man Tim and I riddled with bullets, and Gabriella Reynosa who was shot in her right temple, sniper of course. I dragged the conspirator into the same room as Gabriella before going out to the landing area and hefting the deadweight into the house as well. I eyed up the torn wallpaper and splintered furniture. This used to be a family home.

I began to wonder what it would've been like if Gibbs hadn't killed that bastard Hernandez, how different would things have been today, would Gibbs even be with NCIS? Would the headslap even be a thing? I rubbed the back of my head, as if he had slapped me, a ghost of an often memory.

I don't know what I would do without Gibbs, I had classed him as my father, and I looked up to him more, than I did Senior. Gibbs had been there for me when I needed him the most- unlike my paternal Dad- and it was not just in the three years I was under his care, and ever since I joined NCIS he made sure I was happy and always made time if I needed to see him. I snapped out of my reminiscent thoughts, Azalea and Gibbs were still in the entrance, bleeding out from potentially fatal wounds.