September 3, 2008.
"You better be calling with good news Virgo. You just interrupted a deal I've been trying to get for the past year, and if I threw it away to hear that you lost track of the girl I will personally see to it that you never see the light of day again." The older man said threateningly over the track phone.
"Yes sir. She's alone. He's left the area, and pulled the agents on her. She's completely on her own. Exactly what we've been waiting for, for the past ten years." The younger man whispered breathlessly over the payphone.
"Excellent." The older man breathed menacingly. "I will have Capricorn and Gemini pick her up tomorrow night. Step down Virgo."
"Yes sir."
Click.
September 4, 2008
3:13 A.M.
My eyes snapped open. Staring at the digital alarm clock on my bedside table I listened for some clue of what woke me, but all I could hear were the wind chimes strung up on the fire escape. I slowly sat up, not wanting the bed to creak, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness I held my breath, still listening for anything abnormal. Something wasn't right, I could feel it. I just didn't wake early in the morning for nothing. No, something had to have woken me. My body tensed as I saw a shadow slip past my door, I swallowed noiselessly and blinked. I could feel my heart jump into my throat in fear, wondering what or who could be in my house. I had locked up that night, my alarm system hadn't gone off, it couldn't be just anyone. I watched, waiting for the shadow to show itself again, I listened for it as well but after five minutes of dull silence that seemed to pound into my ears, I bit my lip and told myself it was just my mind playing tricks on me. I gently lay back down and tried going back to sleep but my body wouldn't relax and my mind kept spinning, I realized my ears were still trying to pick up noises as well. I sighed inaudibly. Hoping this was just a bad dream I closed my eyes. Only seconds after I did a bright light, like the glint of metal, flashed before my closed eyes, my eyes flew open.
Nothing was there. I couldn't hear anything, nor could I see anything. I looked at my window to see if a fellow apartment dweller had turned on their lights and it was shining through my window, but everything was dark; the only light coming from the street lamps a hundreds of feet away. I slowly backed against my headboard, taking comfort in the cold wood that pressed its cherub design on my back. I drew my knees up against my chest and hugged myself tightly. Biting my lip I wondered idly if I waited this, whatever it was, out until morning it would go away; but something deep inside knew this wasn't something supernatural. I scanned the room, trying to find a way out of my apartment, but even if I got out where would I go? What if they followed me? What if they heard me trying to escape and came in? I bit my lip. I knew I had to do something. Hoping this was just a burglary or some other obscene stupidity desperate, insane people came up with I started quietly crawling to the other side of the bed. As I was about to put my foot down on the floor I heard a shattering crash in my living room, I stifled a fearful shriek, and listened even closer.
"You idiot! We were supposed to grab the girl without making a noise not alerting the whole complex that we're here!" A voice hissed agitatedly. My blood turned to ice, as I froze. I swallowed again as a small whimper rose from my throat, I swallowed it down again. My mind raced, I breathed in deeply, panic starting to set in. I knew those voices, I knew who they were, what they looked like, and I knew why they wanted me. Pitiful cries welled up in my chest as tears stung my eyes. I shook my head trying to pull myself together again; panicking would not help me, it would just give my position away. I couldn't move or they'd know where I was but I couldn't just sit there either. I turned around and saw my cell lying on the bedside table next to my alarm clock.
"Call me if danger presents itself again." a voice in my head said.
I made a soundless dive and flipped open my phone, the light blinding me for a second before I realized that it was shining right out in the hallway, I could hear them making their way towards the light, I silently got off the bed and tip toed to my window, pulling it open I pushed speed dial two and hit send. It started ringing, the noise loud in the quiet apartment, I jerked my head up as the men started to make their way quickly to my room, seconds later I was running down the fire escape as they climbed out my window. I raced down the fire escape, as I listened to his phone ring and ring, begging for him to pick up the phone. I sprinted across the parking lot. I could hear their feet right behind me hitting off the pavement, their labored breathing following my own. I jumped over three cars to get to my own.
"After you call me, go to this house, you will find safety there until you can contact me." The memory voice commanded in my head.
I flipped my phone shut as it finally went to voice mail, not wanting to waste any more time, I pulled open my car door, smashed the rearview mirror and grabbed the folded piece of paper that he had given me, an address written on it. I read it as I ran. It was ten blocks down. The stop at my car had cost me; they were directly behind me, almost in arms reach of me. I picked up the speed, I could feel my calves burn, my feet throbbing as I ran barefoot on the cement, stepping on rocks and sticks, my hand stung from going through the mirror; ignoring it all I kept my mind focused on getting to the house that would be safe. I didn't say a word nor did the people after me. If I said anything they'd shoot me, if they said anything or tried to shoot me I'd scream; it was an unspoken agreement of logic. Only two streets away, I almost breathed a sigh of relief; I had made it eight blocks without getting caught surely I could make it; two more I thought. One street to go. I jumped over a bike on the lawn next to the house I was to take safety in, I was only ten feet from the door when my foot was tangled in a hose and I fell to the ground. I tried frantically to get my foot undone but the hose only seemed to tighten around my ankle.
The larger man grabbed the ankle that was tangled; I kicked at him, and screamed as I noticed a car in the driveway of the house I was going towards. Throwing rocks as hard as I could at the house I kept screaming for help, when a hand grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled me half off the ground and pressed a gun into my head I immediately fell silent. Tears of anger and despair welled up in my eyes; I was so close. Desperation tore at my throat, as the tears spilled over.
"Please, please just leave me alone. I didn't do anything. Please." I said crying openly now, terror at what I knew these two would do to me and to whom they were going to bring me to filled my mind.
"You talked. And you ran away. You know how Ares loves his toys. He keeps them forever." Gemini whispered in my ear. I closed my eyes and tried to keep my breathing under control, suppressing nauseating memories that drifted up unwelcome from the depths of my mind.
"No……HELP! HELP ME! HELP!" I screamed, ending with an ear piercing scream. Gemini raised the butt of his gun and brought it down on my head, I saw stars dance in front of my eyes as I lurched forward and fell to the ground. I caught a glimpse of the door to the house swing open and an older man with silver hair came out holding a gun. He shouted at them to freeze. Capricorn was already dashing back, Gemini reached down and grabbed my ankle again as I held my head in pain, I sobbed loudly and screamed at him to let me go.
The other man ran over to us, I heard shots fired over my head and screamed, covering my ears and keeping my head down I tried to feel who was winning the fight, when my ankle was let go and I could scramble backwards I knew I was safe. I shook as I sat against the man's car, blood running down my neck and my hand, my feet cut up and my hair frazzled from the excitement. Tears trailed down my cheeks more freely as I no longer needed to see where I was going. Relief and fear broke over me again, making me shake even more and sob, I heard the leaves crunch, I flinched and scrambled sideways, looking up in fear, I swallowed and saw the man who had just saved my life standing above me. He bent down and extended a hand, I timidly took it, he helped me up and led me gently to his home. Once inside he brought me to his basement I swallowed in fear, and refused to move. Basements never boded well for me. I could feel the fear trickle down my throat, as he tried to push me through the door; a nonsensical fear welled up in me. A light scream burst from my throat and out of my mouth. I frantically and wildly tried to escape him.
I panicked as I felt his arms wrap around me from behind and lock me in place, "No no no no no!" I said, sobbing.
"I will not harm you, I am going to clean out your wounds and bandage them. Calm down." He whispered softly into my ear, I tried to breath but could only hiccup, I went numb inside as the tears slid lazily down my cheeks. Too tired to put up a fight any longer. I breathed in deeply and shakily took a step onto the basements stairway. Slowly we descended into a well-lit small room with what looked like the startings of a boat in it. I stared at it as he slipped by me and got out some peroxide and bandages, motioning me over I sat down and let him clean me as I quietly took in the boat. Not wanting to think of anything else at the moment but why the man was building a boat in his basement when he couldn't even get it out of the room. I winced and sucked air in when he applied pressure to the wound on my head. Nauseas came over me, as a sharp pain traveled down my spine from the blind pain in my head. I leaned over and moaned, unable to hold it down I projected vomit all over his basement floor.
"Sorry." I whispered, unexpected tears pooling my eyes again as I looked at him, he merely nodded and placed a towel over it.
"Do you want something to drink?" He asked calmly, as if this happened all the time. I almost laughed but instead nodded and whispered hoarsely, "Coffee would be great. I don't think I'm going to get any more sleep tonight."
He nodded and left me alone in the room as he went to fetch me some coffee, I got shakily up, wincing at the pain in my feet. Now that the adrenaline rush was wearing off I could feel my body throb and hum in pain all over, almost in harmony with one another. My muscles were sore and were cramping, my head pounded, my hand stung and my feet had needles going through them every time I even wiggled a toe. I hobbled over to the boat, leaning against it for support I ran a hand along its rib cage, marveling in how smooth it was, I checked the rest of it out. Noting the small details that went into this boat. Trying to figure out how he built it and why everything was as it was. I was sitting on the plywood under the boat staring at the innards of the boat when I heard him come down the stairs. My body was still tense from the scare, every little sound making me jump a mile into the air. I wondered if I'd ever be able to sleep again or live by myself again. For years after being saved from them I couldn't, I thought I never could; I was too scared that they'd come for me. So my saving angel put guards on me, and when he was in town stayed with me to make sure I was safe. I had thought I was ready to be on my own, and I was, I figured that Ares had forgotten about me or gave up on me and found a new interest. Obviously I was wrong. I sighed, frustrated, I'd never be able to get on with my life, to even have a life until he was gone. I prayed that my saving angel would slay him soon as I took the coffee from the silver-haired man.
I looked up surprised, realizing I didn't know his name, I went to ask but he beat me to it, "Leroy Jethro Gibbs. NCIS Special Agent." He said knowing what my question was going to be.
"Adesa Adelle Charus." I offered smiling a little bit, "Thank you for saving me."
"Not a problem, Comes with the job." He said.
"The boat too?" I asked wisely.
"Yes, the boat too." He said smiling for the first time. We fell silent for a few minutes, I knew he wanted to ask me what happened, I could see it burning in his eyes, I kept my eyes away from his so as to avoid questions.
"So NCIS huh? I heard about them." I said trying to make small talk, another way to avoid questions but also get to know the person that was protecting me.
"Most people haven't. Got a relative in the military?" He asked me casually, my eyes burned and my throat clenched as I grabbed a fistful of my clothing, I just shook my head.
"I don't have any family. I'm alone." I whispered he remained quiet, but I could feel him lowering his eyes in respect and in an apology. "I never really knew my parents and…well I never had a family either. He's the closest thing I have to a father, though I don't think he's really being a Father to me, more like a protector, mentor thing. I'm not really sure. So I'm not totally alone but it feels like I am because he's never around."
Gibbs remained silent and nodded. "I don't have a family either, except for my team."
I smiled warmly at that. "I noticed if you had a wife you wouldn't have a boat in your basement."
"And why is that?" Gibbs asked
"Because you spend all your time down here when you're not at work, no wife would be happy with that." I stated simply. He raised an eyebrow, "You have bourbon, food, pictures and a first aid kit down here. And all the other rooms don't look like they're inhabited frequently."
"Very observant and perceptive. Where'd you get an eye like that?" He asked softly.
"Same place you did." I answered shortly, there's only one way you get that kind of observation skills, inborn or experience. We fell silent again.
"Is that why you joined NCIS? Cause you didn't want to be alone anymore?" I asked softly, knowing I was getting personal, but for some reason it didn't seem awkward or uncomfortable, I felt a certain trusting bond with him, and I relaxed knowing I was safe just as my angel said I'd be. Gibbs got up quickly, with jerky motions he set his own coffee down on the work table and turned back.
"Too perceptive." He whispered.
"I'm sorry. Training, you know." I shrugged, "'Cept he never taught me when to keep my thoughts to myself."
"Who's this he? And who were those men chasing after you?" He asked curiously.
"I thought you would know, he gave me your address, said if anything went wrong I could seek refuge and safety here." I said confused and shocked.
"All I know is that I was woken up at four in the morning to a young lady screaming for help." Gibbs said slowly, sitting down, giving me a look that made me gulp.
"I don't…I can't….talk about it. It's too hard. But stuff happened before, and I've been under guard for a while now and I finally thought I'd be ok alone, thought the bad guys would have forgotten about me by now. But they didn't they were just waiting in the background til they could get their hands on me again." I said shrugging.
"Adesa, I need to know what happened before." He asked gently, I just shook my head, not wanting to go back there, memories of my time captive with them were coming back flash by flash and I didn't want to remember anymore than I already had.
"No! He said I'd find safety not an interrogation!" I snapped as I turned away from him and slipped out from under the boat on the opposite side of him.
"I can't help you if you don't tell me." He said.
"That's ok, you don't need to help me. You just need to protect me until I can contact him." I said shrugging.
I dried my face on my sleeve, and opened my cell, as I sat down next to him, I put my legs under me Indian style and called again. Voice mail once again, I sighed and set the phone down, a terrible thought coming to me. I looked up pained and scared, terror in my eyes as I looked into his blue ones.
"What is it?" Gibbs asked calmly.
"What if someone hurt him? Got to him first so he couldn't help me anymore?!" I said hysterically, fear clawing inside my chest, making me feel jittery. I got up and started pacing, wringing my hands out as I went.
"Adesa, who gave you my address?" Gibbs asked seriously, "Who are we talking about?"
I turned to him and looked him in the eyes, "Trent Kort."
Author's Chapter Notes:
When a 19 year old girl runs to Gibbs' home seeking protection from the evil that haunts her Gibbs goes into Parental Over drive, the team scrambles to catch the bad guys and "BOSS! What the hell is Trent Kort doing sitting behind my desk!"--Dinozzo