After the evening mass in the abbey, there were only two women left. One was a teenager, about seventeen. The other was a middle-aged woman. 

The woman was looking on one of the computers. "There have been rumors going around recently," she was muttering. "We need to be careful." 

The teenager snorted. "Haven't we been doing that recently?" 

The woman shook her head. "These are desperate times. We have to - " 

She cut off. The teenager, caught up, looked up as well. "What's wrong?" 

The woman only pointed to her screen. Frowning, the teen began to read.

"One would expect that after spring break, things would be picking up for exams. At Paradise High School, exams might not even happen. 

Seventeen-year-old John Smith was confirmed to be one of the terrorists that struck the school yesterday evening, taking out the football field and the tunnel leading to it. He was not working alone."

***

Marina leaned her head back against the headrest, thinking over what had happened the last few days. 

She had John, which made her extremely happy. But that wasn't all. Sam was coming, too. And Bernie Kosar. 

She smiled at the beagle sitting next to her. "We're gonna see Lorien again," she whispered to him, smiling. "You ready to?" 

Bernie Kosar looked up and gave a small woof. From the front seat, Gibbs threw a grin back at them. "From what I've heard, it's beautiful." 

"I hope so," Marina agreed. "I just can't believe now it's almost g - " 

A sniper shot sounded at that moment. It flew through their windshield, going out the back end. Marina screamed, dropping down to the floor of the car. 

A few minutes later, she heard McGee's terrified cry. "Kate!"

***

Sophomore Sam Goode and Smith's dog, Bernie Kosar, were there when the terrorists struck. "Something's always been wrong with Goode," sophomore quarterback Mark James says. "Apparently joining forces with a terrorist is what it was." 

Today, neither Smith nor Goode were seen at school. Their friend, Sarah Hart, confirmed that they had left, but hadn't mentioned why. Police officers say she's telling the truth. 

But that is not the only news that has Paradise questioning the accuracy of the federal forces.

***

John heard the sniper shot. He heard glass breaking. He reached over, grabbing Sam, pulling them both down as the bullet flew right past his head. 

The car skidded to a halt, and John looked up. He did a quick check: Sam was still alive, shaken but unharmed. McGee in the driver's seat, his face covered in blood, but no scratch on him. 

His blood ran cold. But then that meant . . . 

McGee's startled cry finished his thought. "Kate!" 

John fumbled with the door before finally giving up. He punched through the glass, ignoring his blood spilling from the cuts he'd gotten. He climbed out as McGee finally unlocked the doors. He threw open the passenger's side door, and his eyes widened. 

Kate was slumped in the car, her head thrown back, eyes staring into nothing. Directly through her head was the shot from the bullet. It was her blood that had hit McGee. 

He unfastened her seatbelt and as Sam got out of the car, they carried her off the side of the road. Savannah's motorcycle shut off behind them, and Savannah pushed her sunglasses onto her head as she ran over. The doors from the other car flew open, and as John put a finger to Kate's neck to check for a pulse, he heard Marina's scream. 

Shortly after that, he closed his eyes. First it was Henri. 

Now Kate had met the same fate.

***

Fifteen-year-old Marina Nightshade of NCIS was confirmed to be working with Smith. Nightshade is the youngest ever to be accepted into a federal agency, though Director Thomas Morrow has never suspected her of criminal activity. "She's a good person," he states. "She wouldn't do something like this, not willingly. 

The same cannot be said for the team she is a part of. 

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the team leader, has been suspected before of shooting Mexican drug lord Pedro Hernandez. Senior field agent Anthony DiNozzo has had dealings with police departments before, but NCIS is where he's stayed while saying he never wants to go to a police department again. Special Agent Caitlin Todd is an ex-Secret Service agent, having resigned after breaking the rules. Agent Timothy McGee has recently joined, with so far no bad credits to his name. 

An unknown girl was also seen, having dark hair with orange streaks. Mark James says that he's seen her before, but he can't remember where. As he remembers seeing Nightshade with her, it's possible the two are acquainted. After facial scans, it is guessed that this girl is Savannah Starlight, once part of an agency to enhance reflexes. As she was with Nightshade and Smith that night, it is thought she is part of this terrorist activity as well.

***

The minute she saw John close his eyes and look away, Marina's thoughts were confirmed. 

She dropped down by Kate, sobbing hard, her face in her hands. One of John's arms wrapped around her, one of Gibbs's hands resting on her shoulder. Sam was kneeling on the ground opposite of her, looking surprised and scared. 

"We've only been on the road for a few hours," Tony whispered, closing his eyes. "And now Kate is gone." 

Marina sniffed, and she saw Savannah meet her eyes. Never had Marina seen her friend cry before. Savannah wasn't holding them back now. "We've got to get a move on," she whispered. "There's not much we can do here now." 

Marina shook her head. "There is. But we just need to be careful."

***

Mark and Sarah sat across from each other at the picnic tables the next day, for once not silent out of tension. It was out of remembrance for their friends. 

Mark finally spoke. "It's quiet, not having them here." 

Sarah nodded. "It's hard to believe they aren't." 

Mark's phone vibrated in his pocket, and he looked at it in surprise. "Unknown number," he muttered, answering it. "Hello?" 

"Mark." 

Mark nearly dropped his phone in surprise. "John?" he asked in a hiss, and Sarah's eyes widened. "What is it, I thought you were losing the phone?" 

"We're not using his," Marina's voice came in, thick. "It's Savannah's." 

"Why're you calling? It's not safe." 

"Mark, we need a favor. Trace the call, tell your dad we gave you a warning." 

Mark looked at Sarah, confused. "Warning about what?" 

"Mark . . . " Marina started crying. "Kate's dead." 

That's all Mark needed to hear. "I'll get right on it." 

The two of them hung up. Sarah looked at Mark worriedly. "What happened?" 

Mark shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Kate's been killed." 

Sarah's hands flew to her mouth, and she started crying, too, as Mark started dialing the number of his father.

***

"These terrorists are someone to watch out for," she finished reading. "If anyone sees them, call the police immediately." 

"We've found them," the woman said in awe. "We've found another of the Lorics." 

The girl looked up. "Which one is it? Smith, Nightshade, Starlight, or all of them?" 

The woman shook her head. "I don't know. I really don't. But we need to be ready when they come for us." 

The girl nodded. "I understand." 

She looked down at the necklace she always wore: a psychedelic swirl of dots of different sizes. She then looked at the scars on her left ankle, before looking up at her guardian. 

As thunder cracked suddenly outside, she added in a deadly voice, "I'm ready."

***

OPD came a few hours later. 

They found Kate's body by the side of the road, her eyes closed, her NCIS badge at her side. They took her, and in a few other minutes, news stations came with cameras everywhere. 

Marina and John watched from the trees, Marina crying silently as she leaned against John, his arms wrapped protectively around her. "I hope they don't take this the wrong way," she whispered. 

John shook his head. "They won't." 

Slowly, they walked away, back to where their cars and Savannah's motorcycle were waiting a few miles off. 

It was time to get moving.

***

Mark and Sarah pulled up to the scene approximately ten minutes later. 

Mark looked down at the place Kate laid, and he shook his head. "I can't believe someone would do this," he muttered. 

"There are cruel people out there," Sarah murmured. "It's just . . . Kate dead . . . " 

Something crunched under his foot. Curious, Mark bent down to pick up the piece of paper he had stepped on. He unfolded it, then began to read. 

"'Mark, Sarah, if you're reading this, then burn it immediately after you have. We don't know who'll be next, but Kate was the warning. Someone's following us, and they could be on to you. Both of you, be careful. It's for the best.'" 

He looked down at the bottom and smiled. 

There, as if a signature, were two familiar signs. One of them was the symbol of NCIS. 

The other was two combined: one of psychedelic crescents, the other of three swirls of dots from a center point. 

"But they're safe," he told Sarah, showing her the note. "That's what counts."

***

"I missed the numbers. I hit one of the agents." 

"Which one?" 

"The woman." 

The one of mixed blood waited on the other end of the line. He had been hired for this job while working with Al Qaeda, right under his father's nose. His employer replied. "You have to find the numbers." 

"I was planning on going after the other agents first." 

"Why?" 

He smirked, looking at the two teenagers that left the scene. He then looked back at his sniper's rifle. He remembered the looks of grief on each face. 

He lived off of those looks. 

He looked back to the scene, and Ari Haswari gave his answer, smirking even wider. 

"Why not?"

***

And so ends the story. 

Poor Kate, still killed by Ari. Puts a damper in their plans, but she had to die. And Ari's working with the Mogs . . . not good. 

So, let's have a poll . . . should Ziva be in Spain helping the next Garde and learn that her brother is, in fact, compromised, OR should it be the usual way, and she's trying to prove her bother's innocence and run into the group?