Chapter 38 – Simple Pleasures
Central Park – New York, September 2015
The cool morning breeze blew gently through the trees of Central Park, spreading the scent of freshly cut grass and damp earth. The sky was clear, a deep, cloudless blue. New York was waking up, and the city never seemed to slow down.
But, for a moment, Jason Gibbs and Ziva David were in their own world.
They ran side by side, maintaining a steady pace as they passed other morning runners. The rhythmic sound of their sneakers hitting the asphalt mingled with the light rustling of leaves.
"You're slowing down, Gibbs," Ziva teased, looking at him with a sly smile.
Jason raised an eyebrow, without breaking his rhythm.
"I'm just enjoying the scenery."
Ziva laughed, quickening her pace.
"Well, enjoy it while you watch me go."
Jason accepted the challenge without hesitation, increasing his speed.
He had already endured grueling training, chases across the desert, climbs with fifty kilos of equipment on his back.
But trying to catch Ziva David in a race?
That was a real mission.
They zigzagged between other runners, passed cyclists, and even a family pushing a baby stroller.
"Hey! No cutting corners!" Jason complained when Ziva took a shortcut through the trees.
She looked over her shoulder and laughed.
"All's fair in love and war!"
Jason smiled, throwing his head back for a moment before launching himself after her.
When they finally left the trail and returned to the main path, both were breathless, sweaty, but laughing like they hadn't laughed in a long time.
Ziva stopped, leaning forward with her hands on her knees.
"Getting… old, Gibbs."
Jason, equally exhausted, placed his hands on his hips, taking a deep breath.
"I let you win."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Of course you did."
Jason straightened up, taking her by the waist and pulling her close.
"And now, how about we go home… and take a shower?"
Ziva smiled slowly.
"I like your plan."
The Shower
The sound of hot water falling filled the small bathroom of the apartment as steam rose, covering the mirror with a thin opaque layer.
Jason stepped into the shower first, feeling the tension in his muscles begin to disappear under the hot water.
Seconds later, Ziva slid in, her dark eyes meeting his through the mist of steam.
"I still think you let me win," she teased, picking up the bottle of liquid soap.
Jason smiled, taking the bottle from her hands.
"Then let me make it up to you."
He poured some soap into his palm and began massaging her shoulders, feeling her relax under his touch.
"Hmmm…" Ziva murmured, closing her eyes.
Jason slowly ran his hands down her back, savoring the moment.
"I think I can get used to this routine."
Ziva opened her eyes, a mischievous glint in them.
"Then don't stop."
Jason smiled and pulled her closer, letting the warm water run over them both.
There, in the middle of New York, far from the war, far from the life they left behind…
They were finally at peace.
Chapter 39 – Recognition
FBI Office – Manhattan, New York
The sound of keys echoed through the monitoring room as Kristen Chazal, the technology specialist on the FBI's New York team, quickly navigated through the security files. Images from an alley in East Manhattan were displayed on the large screens in front of her.
In the video, a group of six armed men ran, trying to escape the view of the cameras and law enforcement. They were the prime suspects in an arms trafficking ring that the FBI had been monitoring for weeks. The team was trying to track their whereabouts when, unexpectedly, two figures appeared on the screen.
"Who are those two?" asked Maggie Bell, leaning forward.
The agents watched as a tall man with short, gray hair and a woman with curly brown hair blocked the criminals' path in the alley.
"They don't seem to be running away," commented OA Zidan, frowning.
"No. They're waiting," murmured Jubal Valentine, crossing his arms.
Then, the fight began.
The suspects tried to get past the two strangers, but in a matter of seconds, all six were on the ground.
"Damn!" Kristen exclaimed, zooming in on the screen.
The man took down three opponents with precise and brutal blows, blocking punches and dodging attacks as if he were just warming up. Every movement was clean and calculated.
The woman, in turn, moved with impressive agility, taking down the other three with quick and accurate blows. In less than a minute, all six criminals were unconscious or unable to get up.
After the fight, the two looked at each other and the man picked up his cell phone, making a call.
"They're calling the police," OA observed.
"Who the hell are these two?" asked Dana Mosier, the unit's SAC.
Kristen was already working on it. — I'm already pulling up facial recognition.
The screen flickered a few times before the full profiles of the two appeared.
The name Ziva David appeared first.
— Ziva David… former Mossad and NCIS agent. — Kristen read aloud. — Born in Israel, daughter of Eli David, former director of Mossad. Highly specialized in hand-to-hand combat, infiltration, and clandestine operations.
Maggie and OA exchanged glances.
— That explains a lot. — OA commented.
But then, the second identification appeared.
And the name made everyone fall silent for a moment.
Sergeant Major Jason Gibbs
Former Green Beret. Former Delta Force. Sniper. Intelligence specialist.
Son of NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
The screen was full of highly classified military files. Kristen had to interrupt the search when she noticed the restricted access alerts.
— This guy… — Maggie said, scrolling slowly.
Photos began to appear on the screen.
One showed Jason in 2003, smiling alongside other Delta operators, holding Saddam Hussein's golden AK.
Another showed Jason in Tora Bora, Afghanistan, during the pursuit of Bin Laden.
There was also an image of him holding a sniper rifle, after achieving a record-breaking 3 km range in Kandahar.
— This guy isn't just an ex-military man. — Dana said, crossing her arms. — He's a legend.
Jubal sighed, looking at the files.
— So we have two war machines living the good life in New York… and they decided to meddle in our case.
— Do you want us to interrogate them? — OA asked.
Dana thought for a moment.
— Not exactly. But I want to know why they were there.
— It could just be a coincidence. — Kristen suggested.
Maggie shook her head.
"People like them don't just show up in the middle of a chase for no reason."
"Then let's find out," Dana concluded.
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