5DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!
Believe What You See
Tim was no stranger to alternate realities. Heck his hobby was being engrossed in a world completely detached from the here and now. Where the limits of humanity could be stretched and even the most weak could be strong. Still he was ill prepared for the sight he was witnessing outside of an internet experience. If not for Tony's presence and near play by play commentary he may have believed it was only a dream.
"Did you see that?" Tony exclaimed. They were chasing a suspect that had been seen making a drug drop at a stand in the crowded flea market. Tony's amazement was mirrored on Tim's face as they watched the black clad man maneuver through the throng of people almost as if they were water.
"He's actually running on the side of that building," Tony's jaw would've dropped if he'd had time to stop and marvel at the acrobatics. "How can he do THAT?"
Tim shook his head busy trying to excuse his movement through the crowd and keep an eye on the suspect. He saw that they were losing ground and radioed to Gibbs that the suspect was headed toward the location that he held with Ziva around the corner of the bazaar.
As the suspect neared the corner he glanced back and the two agents would've sworn he was grinning, but they were unable to see the bottom portion of his face. He appeared to almost fly over the last stand, flipping midair before disappearing around the café on the corner.
Tim and Tony continued to press forward not wanting to lose any more ground in case they were needed when Gibbs and Ziva stopped him. The only word spoken between the two men was Tony's grumbled, "Ninja!" over losing the suspect.
Tim couldn't hide the smile that crept on his face, but was thankful Tony hadn't seen it. A ninja! He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.
Gibbs signaled to Ziva to get into position to capture their suspect. All the evidence had led them to Private First Class Kim DeSoto. The man that came running toward them had no resemblance to any surveillance pictures they had on DeSoto. Gibbs revealed himself holding his weapon out and ordered, "Stop right there, NCIS. Get down on your knees and put your hands behind your head."
The suspect considered retreating, but upon looking back saw Tim and Tony approaching with their weapons drawn. He slowly raised his hands and dropped to his knees. He assumed the position requested and watched as Ziva slowly made her way to him after Gibbs had signaled with his head for her to do so.
She managed to hand cuff him with no resistance before pulling him back up to his feet and escorting him to their vehicle.
Gibbs called out to his other agents to meet back at the Navy Yard. So Tim and Tony turned back to get to their car.
"That was interesting," Tony smiled.
"Only you could find this enjoyable," Tim smiled back at his teammate.
[center][i]Back at the Navy Yard[/i][/center]
As the suspect sat unmasked in the interrogation room, Tony stared at him through the two-way mirror.
"He doesn't look like I thought he would," he remarked to his teammates who were equally as curious about PFC DeSoto.
"I guess he doesn't resemble Jackie Chan much," McGee mocked.
"No I guess not," Tony replied giving his partner a narrow-eyed glare.
Ziva smirked, not surprised by the small banter of her teammates. "You do know he is not a real ninja? Do you not?" she questioned the senior field agent teasingly.
Tony laughed awkwardly, "Of course I do. I never really thought he was."
Tim and Ziva looked at him clearly not believing him.
"Everyone knows 'real' ninjas are extinct," he retorted turning back to view the suspect folding his arms determined to ignore them.
Any further dispute was stunted as Gibbs entered the interrogation room to confront the man who would lead them to the rest of the drug dealers, so they could finally wrap up the case and go home.
Gibbs sat and stared at the young Marine who slowly lost the stoic mask he'd held in place since being taken into custody. When the staring contest ended with DeSoto dropping his head to look at his hands in his lap, they all knew he'd tell them everything.
It took an hour to get all the information and put a plan into action to bring in the other Marines who'd been smuggling drugs out of their former base, Camp Kinser in Japan. It was while stationed there that DeSoto had come up with the idea to disguise himself in a ninja garment.
He'd spent a good part of his teen years training in parkour, also known as free-running, which was how he learned the moves that had so fascinated Tony and Tim during their pursuit. He'd fine tuned his skills on the obstacle courses the military provided impressing his superiors.
It didn't take too long to surround the house where DeSoto's partners in crime were awaiting his arrival. Thankfully for the special agents they were mere followers of their friend and had believed he was invincible enough that they'd never get caught.
Gibbs and Tony approached the front door. After Tony kicked down the door announcing their arrival only one suspect risked trying to escape toward the back door where he pulled up short seeing Tim and Ziva there with their weapons drawn.
Everyone was glad for the uneventful bust, though Tony was slightly disappointed that they were dressed in only shirts and jeans.
Working on their paperwork back in the squad room, Ziva smiled at Tony across from her.
"What is it Ziva?" he asked putting down his pen and giving her his full attention.
"Ninjas are not extinct," she shrugged slightly correcting his statement from earlier that day.
Tony rolled his eyes and lifted his pen intent on finishing his report and going home.
"What you do not believe me?" she questioned with a touch of indignance.
Frustrated that she was determined to keep the argument going Tony dropped his pen and stood up buttoning his jacket and pulling his shoulders back. He looked over at Tim who smiled amused by the distraction.
"We all know Zee-vah," Tony waved his hand around indicating everyone around the squad room, "That the ninjas existed back in feudal times."
"That is true," Ziva nodded encouraging Tony to continue.
"It just so happens," he continued, "That I was fascinated with them when I was younger."
"I never would've guessed," Tim couldn't help but interrupting with a smirk.
Tony rolled his neck and continued, "As I was saying," he paused to glare at McGee, "I learned a lot about how they began and how they were trained to protect their people from the samurai. Once Japan had settled after centuries of fighting, they were defeated and forced to scatter to other areas.
"They no longer had a training base, though some still existed. By the late 1800's they were more a legend than anything," Tony concluded and dropped back into his chair.
"I am impressed Tony," Ziva smiled approvingly at her partner. "Still I have known a ninja or two in my time." She looked back down to continue with her own report leaving Tony to wonder if she was telling the truth or merely toying with him, again.
He decided to play along. "I suppose there are still those that can train in the ways of the ninja, but seriously," he chuckled, "It's more for sport."
"If you say so," Ziva said off-handedly.
Tony threw his hands up slightly and dropped the subject just as Gibbs entered the squad room.
"Problem DiNozzo?" he asked passing through to his desk.
Not really wanting his boss to know what they'd been arguing about Tony finally spoke out in frustration. "Ziva is trying to get me to believe that ninjas still exist today," he said sarcastically clearly expecting Gibbs to back him up.
Gibbs looked at Ziva questioningly and she simply shrugged with her hands indicating what she said was fact. He looked back to his senior agent and said, "I guess they must."
As Gibbs sat down at his own desk sorting the last of his own papers, Tony stared at him in disbelief. "Come on Boss. You can't be taking her side," he pointed at Ziva who beamed with satisfaction.
"Face it Tony. When it comes to things of that nature, I am more enlightened," she dismissed any further debate as she signed off her paper. She stood up and took her file to Gibbs who smiled at her knowing it pleased her to get one up on Tony.
Tony was able to let it rest. "If they still exist today, then where are they?" he asked.
Ziva turned to face him and walked slowly toward him, "If I told you that, then I would have to kill you" she flicked his tie as she invaded his personal space.
He smiled down at her with his eyes narrowing a silent message passing between them. He whispered so only she would hear, "So you really are my little ninja?"
She laughed lightly saying, "You will never know," as she returned to her desk to gather her things and leave.
Tony watched as she walked toward the elevator. In a flash she suddenly leaped and flipped over a mail cart that suddenly pulled in front of her from behind the partition. She smoothed back her hair and gave Tony a wave entering the elevator when the doors opened.
Tony just nodded and looked toward Gibbs who simply raised his coffee cup and took a sip, before returning to own paperwork. Tim raised his eyebrows and shrugged. Nope nothing would surprise him any more.
The End.