Ari sped through the streets of DC on his motorcycle, dodging traffic and pedestrians. He lifted the front wheel off the ground and revved the engine. The sound of the wind whistlilng past him was exhilarating. It had started snowing heavily in the past few minutes and although he liked risking death, Ari felt that this was not the right time to slam into a powerpole and get himself arrested. Tomorrow was a busy day and he needed to attend to some last minute details. He turned around and headed towards the docks.

 Fifteen minutes later Ari pulled up outside the derelict warehouse he had made his base of operations. At the sound of the motorcycle, Sayid rushed outside.

 Ari pulled his helmet off and shivered when he felt the chill in the air.

"Haswari, they're going early. They're preparing the transfer as we stand here. We must initiate the intercept procedure right away."

Sayid was not one who liked his plans to be upset. Ari was much more relaxed at the thought of change.

 "Sayid, get your brothers into position. I will ride out towards Leavenworth to meet them. They musn't be allowed to reach NCIS heaquarters with him."

Sayid ran off to organise things and Ari placed his helmet back on his head. He patted his jacket to make sure his weapon was there. Ari started the motor and kicked up the stand.

I'm coming Caitlin...

 

Ari had been surveilling Kate for days now and knew her schedule off by heart. He'd learned many valuable things about Gibbs and NCIS after he'd managed to put a bug in the NCIS badge she carried at all times when outside the house.

Now that it was Christmas there was less than 48 hours before his meeting with The Brothers and he needed something to tell them. He knew that NCIS was transferring David Demmings from Leavenworth to HQ for another interrogation and that Kate was handling the transfer, along with an agent from SFA. The Brothers would be expecting to bust Demmings from custody.

He sat back in his chair and thought. He was all for blowing up the transport vehicle but that would undoubtably kill Demmings too. The best way would be steal Demmings from right under their noses. In his mind, a devious plan began forming.

Location: ???

A red motorcycle sped along the road, making wild sideways turns. A battered brown Chevy coming from the opposite direction appeared around a corner and the motorcycle was forced to skid sideways, narrowly missing the windshield. The driver of the car raised his fist in anger and was rewarded with a spraying of gravel as the motorcycle took off again. A few miles down the road the motorcycle turned into a driveway that led to a large farmhouse. It skidded to a stop outside the red barn. Ari removed his helmet and hung it from the handlebars.

Unzipping his leather jacket, Ari was greeted by a rough-looking man in his early thirties.

"Shalom".

Ari extended his hand and returned the greeting. "Shalom."

"You have not visited for many weeks now, my brothers feared that you would back out of our arrangement."

"You can tell your brothers that I don't back out of deals."

"Yes, yes. Of course. Now follow me and I will show you our newest shipment of weapons. We were quite lucky that the operation went unhindered."

The rough-looking man led Ari into the barn and lifted a wooden trap door in the floor. The two men descended into an old converted cellar. When he reached the foot of the stairs Ari saw a huge pile of wooden crates labelled "John West Dolphin Safe Tuna".

"As you can see, this is the largest single shipment we have been able to smuggle into the United States on a Navy vessel. Captain Barbosa was quite accommodating once we held his wife and daughter."

Ari looked impressed. "You smuggled in all of this on a Navy ship? You have more balls than I thought Sayid. But tell me, what is to stop Captain Barbosa from running straight to NCIS as soon as his wife and duaghter are returned?"

Sayid smiled cruelly. "Because we have made it very clear that if he does, his lovely sixteen year old daughter will disappear from her school and become the entertainment for our men."

Sayid gestured to the weapons stockpile. "We are almost at capacity here but our other facility is only half full. We expect to be ready soon. Then it is just a matter of timing."

Ari nodded. "The United States Armed Forces won't know what to think when we blow them all away."

"You still have the woman?" Sayid asked.

Ari nodded again, a little uneasily this time. "I have been keeping her with me at my safehouse."

Sayid grinned. "So that is why you have not been around. You've been busy playing house with your hostage. Remember not to get too attached, David has plans for her." Sayid paused and the grin dropped from his face. "That is another problem. David is still being held by NCIS over that unfortunate Old Oak Road incident. My brothers were hoping you would lead them in an attempt to break him out of their custody."

Ari ran his hands over the crates as he considered this. After a moment he turned again to face Sayid.

"Sayid tell your brothers to meet me at our DC safehouse on the 27th at Noon. That gives me six days to track the movements of Special Agent Todd. She is one of the agents responsible for transporting David to NCIS for interrogations. She and I have some unfinished business to settle."

Sayid smiled approvingly. "So I have heard. Would you care to join my brothers and I for a drink?"

Ari shook his head. "I must get to DC as soon as possible. Do not breathe a word of this to anyone outside your immediate circle. Bad apples are everywhere and Caitlin must not know she is being watched."

Sayid promised to be discreet and escorted Ari back to his motorcycle.