Chapter 28 – Shadowhunters
Fallujah, Iraq – November 2004
The smell of burning still lingered in the air as Jason Gibbs surveyed, through his thermal scope, the surroundings of an abandoned building complex in the northern sector of Fallujah. The sun had already set, plunging the city into an oppressive darkness, illuminated only by the distant flash of occasional explosions.
The mission was simple, but critical.
They had been on surveillance for three days of an Al-Qaeda HVT, one of the most dangerous commanders still active in the city. Intelligence indicated he would be making a move soon, and Delta Force was ready to act.
But something was wrong.
"Fox, are you seeing this?" Jason murmured over the radio, his eyes fixed on the scope of the M110 SASS.
Fox, positioned atop a nearby building, replied.
"Yes… and I don't like what I'm seeing."
Jason narrowed his eyes. 200 meters away, suspicious movement.
They weren't insurgents. The movements were precise, calculated.
"They're not Al-Qaeda," Jason concluded.
"Who the hell are they?" Fox asked.
Jason exhaled slowly.
"We'll find out."
The team moved silently through the ruins, surrounding the small group of unknown operatives monitoring the same HVT.
Hawk, the team leader, whispered over the radio:
"Closer, but maintain stealth."
Jason and Fox moved like shadows, weapons at the ready.
Suddenly…
A crackle on the radio frequency.
Jason heard a dry click on the communicator.
They were being watched too.
"SHIT!" Fox whispered.
The other group tried to retreat, but it was too late.
"DELTA!" Hawk roared.
In the blink of an eye, the Delta Force team had the situation under control.
The strangers were surrounded, disarmed, and immobilized before they could react.
Jason pinned one of the operatives against a concrete wall, his M4 pressed against the man's back.
But then…
He noticed something strange.
Their equipment wasn't Iraqi, nor American.
It was Israeli.
Jason's eyes widened.
— Mossad.
The team apprehended the five operatives and took them to a secure building, away from the hot zone.
Jason knelt before one of the prisoners, carefully examining her.
A woman.
Tall, tanned skin, sharp brown eyes like blades.
She was calm, despite the situation.
— Name. — Jason ordered, his voice firm.
The woman tilted her head slightly, a small smile appearing on her lips.
"If I told you, it would lose its charm, wouldn't it?"
Jason maintained a cold expression.
"You're in war zone, spying on the same target as us. You've already lost your charm. Now tell me who you are, before I lose my patience."
The woman analyzed him for a moment before finally speaking.
"Ziva."
Jason raised an eyebrow.
"Ziva… what?"
"David."
Jason paused for a second.
He had heard that name before.
Fox approached and whispered.
"Director David's daughter from Mossad."
Jason closed the distance between them, looking her directly in the eyes.
"And what is the dear daughter of the Mossad chief doing in Fallujah, spying on our target?"
Ziva didn't blink.
"The same as you."
Jason began to walk slowly around the chair where Ziva was handcuffed. "—You want me to believe that Mossad is here by mere coincidence?"
Ziva smiled slightly.
"—I believe you are an intelligent man, Jason Gibbs."
Jason stopped abruptly.
"—How do you know my name?"
She tilted her head, pleased with his reaction.
"—The same way you know mine."
Jason looked at Hawk, who merely shrugged.
"—She's right. We're not the only hunters in this game."
Ziva leaned back in her chair.
"—My team was sent to observe this man, just like you. He's a threat to Israel."
Jason crossed his arms.
"—Then why didn't you inform the Americans?"
Ziva's smile faded.
"—Because we can't always trust the Americans to do the dirty work."
Jason narrowed his eyes.
"—And what were you planning to do?"
She remained silent.
Jason crouched down and looked directly into her eyes.
"Execute him, isn't it?"
Ziva neither confirmed nor denied it.
Jason stepped back, sighing.
"Your mission is over."
Ziva raised an eyebrow.
"And yours?"
Jason smiled coldly.
"Ours is just beginning."
After hours of discreet negotiations, Mossad and the American Command reached an agreement.
Ziva and her team were released, but on the condition that they would not interfere with the American operation.
Before leaving, Ziva approached Jason.
"It was interesting meeting you, Jason Gibbs."
Jason crossed his arms.
"Let's see if we meet again… under better circumstances."
Ziva smiled.
"Or perhaps worse."
She then disappeared into the darkness, along with her team.
Fox looked at Jason and laughed.
— She liked you.
Jason rolled his eyes.
"Shut up, Fox."
But deep down, he knew that wouldn't be the last time he'd see Ziva David.
Chapter 29 – The Hunt for Ari
Washington, D.C. – August 2005
The plane landed smoothly on the runway at Reagan National Airport, but Jason Gibbs was already on his feet before the wheels even touched the ground. He didn't come home for rest. He came to hunt.
His father, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, called him only once. And that was enough.
Kate Todd was dead.
Jason didn't know her that well, but he knew she was important to Gibbs. Important enough for his father to show emotion, something that rarely happened.
And now, the one responsible for her death was hunting Gibbs.
Ari Haswari.
A former Mossad agent, now a rogue operative, infiltrated in terrorist cells and moving in the shadows. A ghost, just like Jason.
But Jason was a better predator.
Jason entered NCIS unannounced.
Heads turned as he walked straight past the bullpen, his gaze cold and determined.
Tony DiNozzo glanced at McGee and then at Abby, confused.
"This doesn't look good."
Jason ignored everyone and went straight to Gibbs's desk.
His father looked up.
"You came fast."
Jason leaned across the desk.
"Where is he?"
Gibbs picked up a file and slid it to him.
"Mossad knows. But they don't want to share the exact location."
Jason flipped through the pages quickly, absorbing the information.
"Why are they protecting this bastard?"
A female voice came from behind him.
"They're not protecting him. They just don't want you to kill him first."
Jason turned and found Ziva David.
She stood with her arms crossed, her expression neutral.
Jason quickly analyzed her.
"So, Mossad sent you?"
She tilted her head.
"No. I sent myself. Ari is my brother. And I want to stop him."
Jason raised an eyebrow.
"Stop him… or protect him?"
Ziva didn't blink.
"If I wanted to protect him, I would have already told you where you are."
Jason studied her for a moment.
Then, he turned to Gibbs.
"I'll get him before he gets to you."
Gibbs didn't try to stop him. He just looked directly at his son and said:
"Don't hesitate."
Jason didn't hesitate. Never.
Using his contacts in the military and intelligence, Jason tracked Ari through the streets of Washington.
Mossad was discreetly monitoring him, but didn't lift a finger to interfere.
Finally, on the night of August 21st, he obtained the exact location. Ari was hiding in an abandoned loft near the Anacostia River.
Jason readied his rifle.
Jason lay on the roof of a commercial building, 600 meters from the building where Ari was.
The wind blew gently, but enough for him to have to adjust the sights of his CheyTac M200 Intervention.
He observed through the thermal scope.
Inside the loft, Ari was armed, but alone.
Jason held his breath.
He adjusted the sights.
Time seemed to slow down.
Ari stood up and approached the window.
Jason counted mentally.
Three. Two. One.
BANG.
The bullet pierced Ari's skull, throwing his body backward.
One shot. One target. One threat eliminated.
Jason picked up his cell phone and dialed a number.
Gibbs answered on the first ring.
— It's over. — Jason said.
Gibbs didn't answer immediately.
Then, his voice came, calm but full of meaning.
— Where is he?
Jason smiled slightly.
— K Street, industrial warehouse. He won't chase you anymore.
There was a silence.
— Thank you, son.
Jason hung up.
He put away his rifle and disappeared into the night, without a trace.
The hunt was over.
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