NCIS: The New Recruit

Chapter 13

After a couple of seconds, we grabbed our gear and trailed after him.

As we entered the elevator, Ziva whispered, "All of us?"

Before pushing the down button, Gibbs half turned and growled, "All of us."

The eight or nine mile drive, accomplished in strained silence, took nineteen minutes. All things considered, the traffic wasn't too bad. Gibbs drove fast as usual, DC's skyline view behind us, and we arrived in good time. Signs on the street warned that parking on the street was restricted, but we would be exempt from that law as our government vehicle was being used for official business. I noticed that around six other vehicles with government plates were parked on the street, but a lot of government workers probably lived here so I didn't think much of it.

My main concern was the homework that was due in tomorrow. Kirsty had texted me earlier today to remind me which was good, because I had completely forgotten.

Tomorrow was also my birthday. the seventeenth of February. I wasn't letting on though, and no one else was letting on if they even knew. I wouldn't care if they forgot though. To me, it's just another day of the year.

Gibbs pulled in behind one of the other government cars. The sun was going fast and leaving everything in shadows as we made our way out of the car towards the house. There were lights in in the home and two large, dark SUVs in the drive. Gibbs turned and looks at Tony and Ziva and they stopped at the edge of the drive. McGee, Gibbs and I made our way towards the door.

Just as Gibbs was about to press the doorbell, his body language changed and we were all on high alert. Instead of pressing the button, he moved to the side and was looked into the foyer through the thick glass. McGee and I saw what he saw and we moved to the side and drew our weapons immediately.

Rushing up the porch, Tony and Ziva arrived just in time to hear Gibbs whisper, "One armed male, just standing there."

McGee noticed the home security and whispered, "Expensive lock to go with an expensive door."

"How do you know the guy is armed?" Tony asked.

Gibbs kept his voice low, "Well, DiNozzo, the glass is thick but clear enough. The guy isn't wearing a coat and it's easy to make out the sling holster against his white shirt."

Tony raised an eyebrow, "Fed?"

"Maybe, but what's he doing here?"

"We should kick down the door and take him by surprise." We all stared at Ziva as she came up with another option in a loud whisper, "Or we could get him to open the door and overpower him."

Ignoring her suggestions, Gibbs quietly announced, "DiNozzo, David, go around the back." They looked like the wanted to protest but left without another word.

McGee quietly whispered, "Reinforced frame, steel door and that's an Ultimate lock. It can't be picked!"

Gibbs smiled smugly, "I thought I'd just ring the doorbell."

"Boss?" I said, McGee looking alarmed beside me.

"Molly, we have no warrant. We have no probable cause. What do you want to do?" Gibbs replied.

McGee looked uncertain, "It's a guy with a gun, boss."

I looked at Gibbs, "Okay, I guess we ring and see who answers."

We stood on the illuminated porch. McGee and I had our weapons out and concealed by our sides whilst Gibbs was holding his credentials in his left hand and his right hand nowhere near his gun holster, but he was prepared. The man inside was still visible in outline and Gibbs decided to knock rather than ring the doorbell. One knock and the man reacted immediately, stepping out of our view and Gibbs almost reached for his weapon. Almost.

"May I help you?"

The door hadn't opened, but the deep male voice from behind gave us a start and Gibbs whirled around to face the unknown threat. McGee and I were only a fraction of a second behind him, and he stood ready to fire, forcing me slightly behind him. The threat turned out to be just one man. It had gotten quite dark and his black overcoat blended into the background leaving only his hands and face somewhat visible.

Gibbs held up his credentials and said, "Special Agent Gibbs, Special Agent Lees and Special Agent McGee. NCIS."

"Secret Service. You may lower your weapons."

The man could be SS but a federal agent always wants proof, so I said "Let's see your credentials."

"We will shoot you," another voice warned. Suddenly two more men stepped out of the darkness and into view. The first man held up his creds whilst the other two had their guns pointed at Gibbs, McGee and I.

"McGee," Gibbs said softly.

McGee took too long to holster his gun so one of the men took the gun from him.

"Why'd you wait so long to find out who we were?" I asked.

"You weren't a threat... Yet..." the first agent replied, "Truth is, I wasn't concerned about being on the porch... Until you pulled your weapons."

We heard noises and looked around to see Tony and Ziva being escorted from the side of the house by two other agents.

"Sorry boss. They caught us by surprise and disarmed us." Tony said.

The agent with McGee's weapon spoke up, "What are you doing here, Agent Gibbs?"

"Need to talk to the wife, or family, in the home."

"Is this about Wheeler's death?" another agent asked, "You didn't call first."

Gibbs did his best to keep from smirking, "No, no, we didn't."

The agent kept looking at Gibbs but he was clearly listening to someone talk through his earwig. Then, men and women appeared from the darkness around the street. A car pulled into the driveway and four more vehicles materialized under the glowing streetlights.

We were herded to the far side away from the door and walkway where three agents stayed with us. The door to the house opened and four men came out. Two were uniformed soldiers but we stood in awe when we recognised the highly decorated Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

"Who's the other guy? He looks a little familiar?" Tony asked.

Gibbs wasn't surprised. He replied in a low voice, "White House Chief of Staff."

We watched as the Chairman and Chief of Staff got in an SUV with the soldiers and two men in topcoats while five others piled into another SUV. Both cars pulled out the driveway and left, sandwiched between two more big SUVs from the street. The yard and street now had fewer people standing around, but it was still and impressive protection. Another SUV pulled into the driveway and parked behind the one that was still there. The driver stayed out, but a uniformed marine got out and stood waiting.

The front door of the home opened again and three men stepped out onto the porch. McGee gasped, "That's the Secretary of Defence!"

I leaned forward slightly to look through the still open door of the house. A man and a woman were standing, talking, and neither seemed aware they were being observed. The couple spoke for only a couple more seconds and then the man reached out and warmly hugged the woman. They hugged for way too many seconds before seperating, and then the man moved to the entry and briefly spoke to someone I couldn't see. The two shook hands before the man walked out the door with one of the airmen standing guard closing it gently behind him.

The only thing I could make out was the stars he was wearing showing he was a general. I watched him get into the car with SecDef, the airmen get into the car with the marine, Secret Service agents piling into cars and within a matter of seconds all the vehicles in the driveway had driven off leaving only one man, an SS agent, with us. The door then opened again slightly.

"Agent Gibbs, Mrs Wheeler will speak to you now." All of us but Gibbs seemed startled at the voice of the line agent.

"My agents need their weapons returned to them," said Gibbs.

"Phones too!" Tony added.

"And my knives..." Ziva muttered.