The Riddle
- Chapter 8: Only You and Me -
Tony was starting to get antsy. He knew he should have called Gibbs and given an update but they had nothing to report. Ziva had exhausted her contacts and gotten nowhere and now she was trying to get a kink out of her neck while running online searches. McGee was probably with Abby and Tony just continued to stare at the plasma. He saw McGee and Abby running toward them.
"Probie got something," Tony said to Ziva. She stood.
"Abby you shouldn't have left the lab," Ziva warned.
"We found Kourt!" Abby announced, and the two others glanced at each other.
"And he's been transferring money from the Frog's account to another one," McGee informed.
"He's trying to take over," Ziva inferred.
"Gibbs isn't going to like this," Tony sighed pulling out his phone. He dialed and let it ring twice.
"DiNozzo you better having something," came the strong feminine voice. Tony choked.Don't jump to conclusions, don't think about, Gibbs is going to kill me.
"Uh well we know where Trent Kourt is."
"Where?" Tony gave the location and than he heard the dial tone. Ziva looked at him as he closed his phone.
"Something the matter Tony?" Ziva inquired.
"Any reason why the Director would answer Gibbs' phone?"
"Our Director?" Ziva echoed. Tony rolled his eyes and Ziva glanced toward Abby who looked worried. "Abby?"
"I think I better call someone," Abby dialed.
"Abby?"
"Johanna is Mom with you?"
"She's upstairs, asleep," Johanna answered over the phone.
"If Gibbs is there maybe he could check on her. I think she's going solo," Abby could hear Johanna pause and let out a laugh a moment later.
"I think she'll be fine Abby."
"Thanks Johanna." Abby clicked the phone shut and turned to the rest of the team. "I think Gibbs has everything under control."
"So how much should we bet on this one?" Tony inquired and everyone laughed.
---
Jenny had heard the phone vibrated and managed to grab it. She talked with DiNozzo and closed the phone, slipping it back into place. She looked at Jethro, sleeping ever so peacefully and engraved the memory. I'm sorry Jethro, I love you. She slowly started to move out of his embrace when she felt his arms tighten around her. Damn Marine training, she cursed silently.
"Where are you going, Jen?" He asked tiredly.
"Stretching," she answered trying to sound innocent. He popped an eye open and looked at her.
"Right. Who called?"
"When?"
"Just now."
"Don't know.
"Jen, don't make me look at the phone."
"Fine DiNozzo called," she said softly. Oh great, he thought, another bet.
"He know where Kourt is yet?" He inquired studying her face. She shook her head no but Gibbs caught the faint movement in her right eye, a twitch. "Jen you're not going anywhere without backup."
"I'll do whatever the hell is necessary, Jethro," she snapped and pushed herself up and moved off the bed more angry with herself that she'd allowed that. She knew he was standing behind her.
"So this is going to be
"What are you talking about?" She questioned becoming irritated.
"You left, because they gave you no choice." She raised an eyebrow. Those words sound familiar to her, but she knew that hadn't been the reason she'd given him.
"Where did you get that idea?" He didn't answer and she noticed his eyes glance at a bag near the door. She walked over and looked inside.
"I was uh...going to return them. Abby brought them by and..."
"You read my journal?" She shouted angrily.
"I just wanted to understand, its not like you were talking."
"You could have asked!" Came the response before she disappeared into the closet coming back dressed in jean and lose sweater.
"Would have you answerd?"
"Why can't you just accept what I've already told you!"
"I will when you start telling the whole truth, starting with where the scars came from," he challenged. She said nothing but glared and turned to leave, Gibbs followed.
---
"Where are they?" Abby asked aloud. She kept glancing at the elevator.
"I'm sure the Boss will be here soon," Tony assured glancing at the others. "Hopefully in a good mood." The ding of the elevator broke the silence and the team watched as Gibbs and the Director got off.
"DiNozzo what do you have?"
"Well Boss we have..." Ziva tuned out Tony and turned to study her friend. She noticed her fingering something in her pocket.
"Gear up!" Gibbs ordered. "We're going after Kourt." He turned to Jenny who was standing nearby. "And you're staying here." His voice was quiet but all knew what the look that crossed her face meant, the Director was not happy. Ziva watched as Jenny turned on her heel and moved back to the elevator while everyone else turned to get geared up. Ziva saw her push the down button and knew she had to make the choice for her friend.
"So I guess the Director must have left something in the car," Ziva announced loud enough for Gibbs to hear. He turned to see the elevator doors opened and bolted toward them managing to catch the elevator and slid on as the doors closed behind them. He noticed Jenny fiddling with something in her pocket but decided not to draw attention to it.
"What did you leave in the car?" He inquired pleasantly, she turned her head away.
"My briefcase."
"And here I thought it was your coat." He flipped the emergency stop. Jenny sighed, should've seen that coming.
"You should be going after Kourt, I don't see how staying here with me is going to help."
"Kourt isn't here, you are," he answered.
"You obviously don't trust me, why should I was my time," she bit back. He backed her up against the wall and put both hands on either side of her, similar to how she had had him not to long ago.
"That's crap and you know it." Jenny rolled her eyes and moved to slip under his arm and get the switch. He took a hold of her waist and gently held her in place. "Tell me, Jen."
"Tell you what?"
"What did they do to you Jen?" He asked softly. She knew he had asked that before.
"What did they do? They destroyed my life," she said trying to struggle out of his grip. He held her gently with one hand and with his other brushed hair from her face. The spark he'd always admired was gone from her eyes. All this, he thought, she did to protect and I should've protected her.
"I'm sorry Jen. I should've taken better care of you." Her head shot up at that, he never apologized, she was floored.
"It wasn't your job," she countered trying to hold on to her anger.
"Jen, you were my partner and more. I should've done more."
"Jethro, there was nothing you could've done," she tried to convince him. "They'd planned the whole thing."
"I should never have walked out on you after we broke out of the brig."
"It wouldn't have mattered." Jethro registered her words. When he'd been arrested they'd only been separated for three days and he remembered Ducky saying something about Jenny not turning up till the second one.
"They got to you after I was arrested," he concluded. She looked away. "Didn't they Jen?" She didn't answer. "Jenny?"
"No!" She snapped finally and took a deep breath. "We were already in the separate stores and one of them came up behind me and held a gun to my back and told me to let it happen. I went outside and saw them arresting you. They came to me and told me if I surrendered they wouldn't kill you."
"Surrendered?" He echoed, he didn't like the way that sounded. She fell silent again. "What did he do to you, Jen?" He pressed.
"Use your imagination Jethro. They're assassins and first class torturers," came the response.
"You escaped."
"They left me for dead," she answered wiping the annoying moisture from her eyes. Leroy Jethro Gibbs knew at that moment that no matter what happened, he would never let her go again, and Trent Kourt would not know what hit him. He felt her take another deep shuttering breath and watched as her Director façade fell into place. She reached around him and flipped the switch hitting the button for the garage.
"Jenny?"
"You need backup, partners?" She held out her hand and he could see her pleading with him to accept. He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it, a move not used in a long time.
"Partners."
---
"Should we follow them?" McGee asked as the elevator doors closed. Tony looked at Ziva.
"Of course Probie!" Tony grabbed his bag and the three entered the stairwell. They raced down the stairs and waited just outside watching the elevator. Ziva tapped Tony's shoulder as Gibbs and the Director got off.
"They going without backup?" McGee inquired in disbelief.
"No," Ziva answered holding up car keys.
"I'll drive," Tony said and took they keys. I want to live. Tony followed close enough not to lose Gibbs but far enough for them not pick up on it. They arrived at an abandon warehouse and watched as the two older partners got out and moved in.
"Let's follow," Ziva suggested. The three moved quietly, McGee covering behind. "McGee stay here, if were not out in ten minutes, call for backup."
McGee nodded as Tony and Ziva moved farther in. they watched from the shadows as Gibbs and Jenny moved forward knocking out guards with no sound before silently entering an office. They heard shots ring out and managed to get in the room to see Kourt fall injured. Jenny turned back to Gibbs and Ziva saw someone behind her and fired. Tony moved to restrain Kourt as Gibbs told a hold of Jenny's good arm making sure she was steady. Overall, Tony thought, very uneventful. Which is a good thing where the Boss is concerned. Now to make sure Kourt survives the car ride.
---
The return to headquarters was silent. Ziva and Tony escorted Kourt into interrogation and left to go and watch from the viewing room. The two watched on as McGee adjusted the listening equipment. Tony saw the door open.
"This is going to be good," he remarked. Ziva smiled and turned to watch the ‘parents' in action.
"Trent Kourt," Jenny greeted.
"I told you this would not end well for you, Director," Kourt responded.
"I'm not the one chained to a chair," she replied.
"Attempted assignation of a Federal Officer, murder, I don't think this will end well for you, Kourt," Gibbs said casually.
"She's supposed to be dead," Kourt replied glancing at Jenny.
"Not a very good shot are you, Mr. Kourt," Jenny taunted. Gibbs watched idly as she restrained herself from shooting him. "Now you want to tell me why you've been trying to kill me for the better part of my life?"
"La Grenouille went soft after his brat was born, a few years before yours actually, or should I saw Agent Gibbs' daughter," Kourt remarked grinning, he still thought he had a last card.
"I meant to bring that up, attempted murder of a minor," Gibbs added showing a little more anger. Kourt glanced between the two and noticed Gibbs' wedding band. "You know I be you know what happened to the drug lord responsible for that crash, what makes you think the same won't happen to you?"
"I should've killed you both after the Colonel was dealt with," Kourt admitted and Gibbs grabbed Jenny's arm to keep her from her gun. "And than in
"Well if I had my way, you'd be dead, but I think I will enjoy what Homeland Security decides to do. They really hate child killers," Jenny commented and she turned to leave, Gibbs trailing after her. She leaned up against the wall just outside the room.
"It's over Jen, he's not getting out," Gibbs assured. Jenny simply turned and walked away. "Jen!" She didn't stop.
---
After a large glass of bourbon Jenny knew she couldn't hide in her office anymore. She grabbed her coat and walked down the stairs. The desks were empty and so she turned to the elevator, the face that greeted her was not the one she'd expected.
"Ziva!"
"Jenny, good evening, going home?"
"Yes, you?" Jenny inquired.
"Yes, I'm tired of listening to Tony."
"Understandable, what's he going on about now?"
"Gibbs' mysterious disappearance." Jenny must have paled because Ziva took hold of her hand. "I'm afraid that was a poor choice of words. Gibbs left after the interrogation and isn't answering his phone, but I'm sure he's just working on his boat."
"Yes, of course, after all he's Gibbs," Jenny replied not entirely convinced. The two left elevator in the garage and moved toward their separate cars. Jenny threw her car into drive and left. Half an hour later she pulled into a driveway and got out, the door to the house opened before she got there.
"Johanna?"
"I was wondering how long it would be before you showed up," Johanna said.
"He was here?"
"He left this for you." Johanna handed her an envelope and Jenny opened. She unfolded the note inside.
I don't want you to leave, ever again. Semper Fi, Jen.
She held the note tightly and looked in the envelope again and found two photos. The first was double-sided one with her in a wedding gown and one taken in
"Jenny," Johanna called dragging her out of her thoughts. "We were once sisters Jenny, so let me give you some advice; don't let him get away this time."
Jenny got back in her car and drove another twenty minutes. She pulled into another familiar driveway and killed the engine. She took a deep breath and moved from the car to the front door, not surprised to find it unlocked. She opened the door to the basement as she had hundreds of times before and walked down the wooden steps. She knew he was working on his boat and she knew he was aware of her, but he didn't acknowledge her. That was fine, she could wait him out. She began to fiddle with the tools and knew she had won when he finally let out a heavy sigh.
"What are you doing?"
"Watching." He put down the sander and moved to the chair she was sitting in and leaned over it. "What? Is that not allowed?" She inquired meeting his eyes.
"Stop fiddling."
"I read the note," she said dropping her eyes to her hands which where not fiddling with something else. "I know you read both journals in their entirety." He held her hands steady and pried the ring she'd been holding in them.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time," he responded holding the ring.
"I used to wear it on a chain, but then
"I always thought
"Jethro..."
"I love you Jen, you and only you."