Special Agent 2: The Dark Soldier

Chapter 10

NCIS finished up their part of the investigation shortly after Loki's talk with Jane. Jimmy and Ducky had already taken Millie Swenson's body from the crime scene after McGee and Bishop investigated the area. With the five hours in between Loki falling through the window and Loki hitting the ground outside the window, the agents had pretty much done everything they had needed to do.

"Let's go," Gibbs said, gesturing toward their cars. Thor and Jane were still standing apart from the others, in the midst of a heated debate. Bishop and McGee climbed into Gibbs' car, DiNozzo and Loki getting into theirs. The ride back to the Navy Yard felt longer than it was, with little conversation exchanged between Loki and DiNozzo. The Italian agent looked preoccupied, his teeth gritted and his eyes pained.

Loki only gave one moment's thought to his friend's odd mood before thinking back to the ruby red tendrils that had filled his senses with so much power. He glanced down at his hands. There was no sign of the red power now.

Is it still there?

****

Once back at the Navy Yard, the agents tiredly made their way inside, Bishop and Loki taking the evidence down to Abby's lab. DiNozzo walked into the squad room, stopping in front of his desk as McGee began to load Jane's data onto his computer.

Gibbs walked over to his desk and DiNozzo turned toward the former Marine. He needed to ask him about Agent Sniper, about Kate. Gibbs knew something about it, judging by the way he had corrected him when DiNozzo had mentioned it in front of the others.

Gibbs must know that the former NCIS agent who had given her life for Gibbs, had dove into the line of fire, had stood up thinking everything was all right, and then had had a bullet blast through her brain, was still alive.

Before DiNozzo could say anything, Gibbs caught his eye and jerked his head toward the elevator, starting off towards it. The Italian agent followed his boss, a knot forming in his stomach. He wanted to know about Kate so badly, yet he wondered if he'd really rather be left in the dark.

Do I really want to know why my former partner was trying to shoot Gibbs and was working against us?

The two agents stepped into the elevator and Gibbs punched the button for the second floor, but as soon as it started to move, he flipped the emergency switch and the cab shuddered to a halt. Turning to face DiNozzo, he lifted an eyebrow, waiting for him to speak.

"It's Kate, isn't it?" DiNozzo said quietly. "Agent Sniper. She's Kate."

"She is," Gibbs said, his face impassive.

"How? She's dead."

"I don't know," Gibbs said. "I don't know, DiNozzo. I just know it's her."

A thought struck DiNozzo. "You found out Sniper was Kate after the Battle of D.C. That's why you had her NCIS file pulled up after Loki left."

Gibbs nodded.

"Why didn't you tell us?" DiNozzo demanded.

"Because I didn't know why," Gibbs retorted. "Kate is alive when we both saw her shot dead and I don't know why that is."

"Why is she fighting against us?" DiNozzo asked, feeling overwhelmed again. "We used to be her team, at least you, me, and McGee. Why is she fighting against us?"

"I don't know, Tony," Gibbs said.

"When will you know?"

"You think I haven't tried to find out?" Gibbs demanded. "You think I haven't turned over every rock there is, called in every favor from every intelligence agency, and done as much tracking of her as I can? Hell, I even called Ziva for her to ask around her old Mossad and Interpol contacts, and Bishop pulled every string she had from her NSA days. All I know is that she's a killer now, some sort of enhanced agent, and she works with a ghost."