I LIVE!

It has literally been an entire school year since I last updated. I posted this fic originally while on campus early for job training, and this is my finals week. It has been a crazy year. Getting and recovering from coronavirus was a minor event in comparison! (I'm fine, it just knocked me on my ass and gave me lots of time to write). Who knew quarantine and getting the plague would be so good for my writing productivity?

In all seriousness, thank you to everyone who commented. This was written in bits and pieces over the last year, and every burst of writing was triggered by a comment. (Not ones that just said 'update!' though, those are the opposite of motivating lol). So you all have everyone who commented to thank for this chapter and the next. Y'all rock!

The first half of this chapter picks up right after the last chapter, and the second half is after enough of a time jump that Percy is fully recovered. Enjoy!

An hour and a half later, a Coast Guard helicopter touched down in the Navy Yard. Tony and Percy stepped out, ducking under the blades and running over to where the rest of the team were waiting.

Abby pounced on Tony, wrapping him in a tight hug. "I can't believe you're okay! You and Percy just went missing and then the Coast Guard calls us saying you're on a boat! And hurt! And you were kidnapped."

"I'm fine, Abs," he assured her. "We both are."

Pulling back, she looked over at Percy, who had his arm in a sling and butterfly bandages on his forehead. "No you're not," she insisted before hugging him tightly too.

Percy grunted in pain and she drew back and said, "See!"

"The Coast Guard doc fixed me up before we left," He explained, holding out his slinged-up left arm and showing her the cast on his hand. "Even set the broken bones. I promise I'm not dying."

Abby glared at him for a second longer before nodding. "Fine. I believe you."

"I want Ducky to check you both out before I believe that," Gibbs said.

"I knew you cared, Boss," Tony said. He wrapped Gibbs in a dramatic hug, and McGee laughed.

Gibbs shook his head and let Tony hug him. "I care that you don't fall over dead in the middle of a case, DiNozzo."

"Don't let him act all tough," Abby said. "Gibbs is a big old softie deep down."

"Really deep down," McGee added.

—

Tony and Percy sat next to each other on an examination table in Ducky's lab.

"This sure is a cheerful doctor's office," Percy joked.

Ducky smiled and said, "Well, most of my patients don't mind."

Tony laughed. "I'm sure they don't."

"Either of you lads prefer a private exam?" Ducky asked.

"Depends," Tony said. "Are you going to make us take our pants off?"

"Only if you have any leg injuries," Ducky explained.

Tony shrugged and said, "I'm good."

Percy looked at Tony and said, "I guess you'll unlock more of my tragic backstory."

"Shirts off then, gentlemen," Ducky said.

Tony unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off his shoulders, while Percy pulled off his t-shirt with one hand and some difficulty.

"Jesus Christ, Jackson," Tony said, gawping at his teammate.

Percy's torso was covered in forming bruises, as expected, but also in scars. He had long gashes, small cuts, and even splotches of burns all over.

He looked at Tony and shrugged. "The scars on my arms aren't unique."

"You weren't kidding about it not being the first beat down you've taken," Tony said, still staring. How did someone even get that many scars?

Ducky pulled out his penlight and said, "I'm sure you have some stories to rival mine." He flashed the light in Percy's eyes, making sure he didn't have a concussion. He asked a couple more questions and prodded at a few bruises before stepping back and clapping his hands.

"Well, my boy, you don't seem to be dying," Ducky said cheerfully. "However, I want you off active duty for at least a week. We can reassess your ribs then and see about getting you back to work."

Percy groaned. "Really? A whole week?"

"Careful that I don't make it two," Ducky chided. He turned to Tony as Percy slumped in annoyance before straightening back up in pain. Ducky did a brief exam and declared Tony fit for work, much to Percy's envy.

Percy must have noticed Tony's curiosity, because he rolled his eyes and said, "Fine. You can ask me about three scars. I know you'll pester me all day if I don't tell you something."

"Really?" Tony asked. He pulled his own shirt on and walked over to Percy.

Percy shrugged and said, "Go ahead."

"Uh..." Tony said, looking at Percy's various and sundry scars. He had to pick some good ones. Deciding on the first, he pointed at a pink, puckered one on his shoulder and asked, "What about that one?"

"Shrapnel from an ISIL bomb," Percy said hollowly. "Me, another corpsman, and two Kurdish fighters got caught in the blast. One of the Kurds, a man named Behram, died. It looks nastier than it was. I didn't even get sent home, just treated in-country."

"Wow," Tony said. We're all these scars from combat? Surely not. He pointed at the star-shaped scar on Percy's palm and asked, "This one?"

Percy flexed his hand. "Just a scorpion sting."

"All right, last one. Gotta make it good," Tony said. He poked a faded burn mark on Percy's back.

"Man, I about forgot that one," Percy said. "I got caught in the St. Louis Arch explosion when I was 12. That hasn't gone away yet?"

"Nope," Tony said.

"That's three," Percy said, throwing on his t-shirt. "Is your curiosity satisfied?"

"You're a mystery, Jackson," Tony declared.

—

The bar was a classic dive. The overhead lights were dim, but the lights around the menu and over the tables were bright enough to see a friend and a beer. It smelled of cheap whiskey and smoke, and Percy couldn't help but think how well it suited their purposes.

He and Ellie were in a booth in the back, occasionally shooting glances at the group of men at the bar. They'd been having a conversation of tense nothings for ten minutes or so. Bills, groceries, the noisy neighbor above their apartment. Normal things. Then the conversation changed.

"How'd the job interview go, hon?" Ellie asked, voice raised to cut above the music. Someone at the bar turned his head at the louder voice.

Percy took a contemplative sip from his glass before admitting. "I'm not going to get the job."

"The interview was this morning," Ellie said, letting irritation seep into her voice. "How can you know that already?"

"Because they told me," Percy explained, clenching his water tightly. "They said they liked me as a candidate until they did a background check."

Ellie set her own drink down and said, "Well I just don't know what to do. I can't keep pulling your weight."

"I'm trying! No one wants to hire me," Percy insisted.

"Well then maybe you shouldn't have gotten a dishonorable discharge!" Ellie shouted at him, finally fed up. She stood and before she left, turned to say, "I didn't make your choices. You did."

She stormed out and Percy dropped his head into his hands, defeated. He stayed like that for a time, until he heard someone approach his booth.

"Hey," the man said, "Are you looking for a job?"

—

"Meet William Martinez," Tony said, pressing the clicker. A photo of a dead man lying in a warehouse appeared on the bullpen screen. "A former Seaman with an other than honorable discharge. The morning crew found him in the base logistics warehouse at 4:30 am this morning."

Percy continued, "Time of death was 1 am last night, while the warehouse was supposed to be empty. The cause was a gunshot wound to the head from close range."

"Someone turned his pockets out," Ellie took over explaining. "But he had three baggies of powdered heroin stuck in his underwear. It's safe to say he was involved in the flow of heroin on to base."

McGee took his turn to brief Gibbs and said, "Martinez has no prior link to on-base drug operations before, but he has an extensive history of petty crimes since his OTH discharge. He has several known associates believed to be dealing."

"Namely, Daniel Moore," Tony said, summoning a mugshot of a tall, fierce-looking man with short, greasy brown hair. Daniel Moore was built like a truck, and even in his mugshot looked ready to fight. "He was dishonorably discharged from the Marines and served six years in Leavenworth for aggravated assault of a fellow Corpsman. He took a plea deal that brought it down from attempted murder. Metro knows he has a drug ring and thinks he's moving dope on base, but they don't have any solid evidence to bring him in."

"They think Martinez was working with him," McGee finished.

Gibbs nodded and said, "So Moore's gang is down one member. He'll be looking to replace him."

"Are you saying we should send someone undercover?" Ellie asked.

"I'll get my drug dealer outfit ready!" Tony said, clapping his hands together.

At this, Percy laughed.

"What?" Tony demanded. "I have the most undercover experience on this team."

"Everyone in his gang is ex-military," Percy explained. "You... are the opposite of military."

"He's got a point," McGee agreed, stifling a laugh of his own.

Tony mimed pulling a knife from his heart. "Betrayed by my former probie!"

Gibbs gave him the classic 'are you done?' look and Tony straightened up. "Then who should we send, Boss?"

"Jackson."

Percy snapped his head over to Gibbs. "Uh, Boss, I've never gone undercover. And I've never been able to blend in."

Gibbs quirked a smile and said, "You don't blend in here because you don't look like a cop. You look like a criminal."

"I don't look like a criminal," Percy tried, looking to Bishop for help.

Bishop grimaced and tilted her head, "Well, you're pretty intimidating."

"And you have all those obvious scars," McGee agreed.

"I worked homicide in Baltimore," Tony explained. "I arrested at least three dead ringers for you."

Percy crossed his arms and said, "Wow guys, feeling the love."

—

Daniel Moore, who told Percy to call him Dan, told him to show up the next night, and not to tell anyone where he was going.

"Peter!" Dan greeted Percy as he walked in. He raised his beer and beckoned him over warmly.

It surprised Percy how friendly Dan was. He had seen the man's rap sheet and seen pictures of the Marine he beat half to death. It contrasted sharply with the effusive man before him.

"Hey, Dan," Percy replied, joining him in the seat Dan pulled out for him.

Dan clapped him on the back, and Percy had to restrain himself from reacting. "This is Peter Johnson!" Dan boomed at the other three men across from them.

He tilted his beer at the thin blonde man to their farthest left. "Tom Collins."

Collins raised his hand and nodded at Percy.

Dan pointed at the bald black man in the middle and said, "Joey Williams."

"Hey," Joey said curtly.

And on the right, Dan introduced, "Last but not least, Mike Perez."

Mike, a tall Latino man, also raised a hand in greeting and said, "Hey, Pete. So you're the new guy?"

"That's what I've been told," Percy agreed amicably.

"So we all heard your piece shouting at you about your dishonorable last night," Dan said with a grin. "What'd you do?"

Percy ducked his head and said, "It was a Big Chicken Dinner, not dishonorable," he clarified. "She never cared about the difference."

"Do they ever?" Joey asked with a tinge of bitterness.

Dan chuckled and asked, "Well, what was the bad conduct that got you a Bad Conduct Discharge?"

Percy drummed his fingers and said, "I'm not proud of this," he clarified. "But I... resold some of the base supplies. It's not like anyone missed most of it."

They nodded in understanding, and Mike said, "And it's certainly not like they paid us enough."

"I'll drink to that," Dan said, raising his beer. "Oh, Pete. What's your poison?"

Percy shook his head, "I don't drink."

Collins raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Nope," Percy shook his head. "I'll take a Coke though."

"Putting a little rum in that Coke won't hurt you," Mike chided good-naturedly. "Live a little."

"No thanks," Percy insisted.

"Why do you need to stay sober?" Tom asked sharply, leaning across the sticky bar table. "Need to make sure your story is straight?"

"Uh, what?" Percy frowning in confusion. "I mean, I'm sure Dan will give me whatever story we need to keep straight."

Dan glared at Tom and set his bottle down with a thud. "We discussed this last night, Collins. I told you to let me vet my guys. The last guy you vouched for turned out to be a damned thief."

Dan's switch from friendly host to harsh master was abrupt and jarring, and Percy was beginning to see how he could do everything on his record.

"Excuse me for wanting to know if the new guy is a fucking cop!" Collins spat.

"Do we need to take this outside?" Dan demanded, standing from the table and sending his chair back with a screech.

Collins stood too and asked, "Why doesn't he give us a reason not to drink? Cause to me it sounds like an undercover cop keeping his wits about him."

"Oh fuck you, Tom!" Percy said. He stood too and pulled the collar of his shirt aside to show a thick, jagged scar running along where his shoulder met his neck. "I don't drink cause my alcoholic stepdad used to do shit like this to me!"

That shut them up. All three of them stared at each other for a moment longer.

"Damn," Joey said. That broke the spell, and they sat back down.

"You'll have to forgive my friend here," Dan apologized. "He doesn't know how to mind his manners or respect his betters. I presume you can at least follow orders?"

"Sir, yes sir," Percy said, untensing slowly.

—

That night, Percy went to the cheap apartment where he and Bishop were staying and the rest of the team had set up shop.

He unlocked the door and walked inside, where Bishop and Tony were waiting with the surveillance equipment. The apartment across from the bar worked as both an undercover house and a surveillance position.

"Great job out there, Probie," Tony greeted from the listening station. "The button mic picked up everything."

Percy picked at his plaid button that contained a small wireless transceiver. "Thanks."

"So I'm your 'piece?'" Bishop asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh," Percy made like a deer in headlights. "That was definitely Moore's words, not mine."

Ellie laughed and Tony stood from the table covered in technology to clap Percy on the shoulder. "A lesser agent would have hightailed it after getting accused like that, I'm impressed."

Percy smiled and said, "Thanks."

"Did we unlock more of your tragic backstory, or did you make that stepdad thing up?" Tony asked.

"Some of both," Percy admitted. "Gabe was an asshole and the reason I don't drink, but he didn't give me that scar." He pulled aside his collar again to show them the one he'd shown Dan's gang. "I got that from a big ass bird."

"Why did you get attacked by a bird?" Tony asked.

Percy shrugged and said, "I pissed it off during a hunting trip in Alaska."

Bishop got them back on track, "So Moore said there's a fifth man who will join you for the operation tomorrow. Do we have any clue who that is?"

"Another ex-military type with a history of drug dealing?" Tony suggested.

Bishop said, "Metro doesn't have any other known associates of Moore that fit that description."

"So this guy is either new too, or he hasn't got caught yet," Percy reasoned.

"Guess we'll find out tomorrow," Bishop said with a shrug.

—

On night three of the operation, Percy again walked into the dive bar where Moore held court.

Tom, Mike, Joey, and Dan sat at their usual table. Papers sprawled across the table in front of them.

"Pete!" Dan beckoned him over, and Percy joined them at the table, pulling out the rickety wooden chair to sit.

He sat and looked at the papers, which were floor plans and maps of various locations on base. "What's up, guys?"

"Smoothing out the new plan," Dan explained, gesturing at the mess on the table. "Since our old meet in the logistics warehouse was exposed, the new sale is going to be in the mess hall."

The nonchalant way Dan discussed the murder of a former colleague sent a chill down Percy's spine. His lack of passive aggression towards anyone present led Percy to believe Dan had been the one to pull the trigger, but he couldn't be sure.

The door to the otherwise empty bar opened, and a gut-droppingly familiar face walked in. Casey Matthews, son of Venus and member of the third cohort. Someone who would definitely recognize Percy.

"Casey!" Dan called happily, beckoning him over to the table.

Casey came over and locked eyes with Percy and, damn, he recognized him. "Case," Dan introduced. "This is Peter Johnson."

Frowning, Casey looked between Percy and Dan, as if waiting for the punchline of a joke.

Percy acted.

"You son of a bitch!" He shouted, jumping up from his seat. He swung a sloppy punch into Casey's jaw, taking him by surprise and knocking him back a step.

There was a chorus of 'woah's and 'uh's from the table, not sure how to react to this sudden fight.

Surprised, but not stunned, Casey swung back, hitting Percy in the ear. Percy masterfully maneuvered their fight to the back door and out into the alley where he slammed Casey up against the wall.

After a moment of heavy breathing, Casey demanded, "What the hell, Jackson?"

"I should ask you the same," Percy hissed. "You're smuggling drugs?"

"Apparently so are you!" Casey shot back.

Percy rolled his eyes. "I'm undercover, genius. One of those guys killed William Martinez, another member of this crew."

"Woah, woah," Casey said, eyes wide. "Will's dead? Dan told me he got arrested."

"Shot through the head." He let go of Casey, who didn't try to run, and quickly turned off his button mic. "If you have any loyalty left to either Will or the Legion, you won't turn me in. You're still in your ten years in the Legion, right? This sort of conduct is grounds for discharge and loss of safe haven. Word gets back to New Rome that you're a drug smuggler and accessory to murder, and you're looking down the barrel of life on your own against monsters."

Casey swallowed. He was clearly a dumbass kid who didn't think through the consequences of his actions. "Are you going to tell them?"

"Not if you cooperate." He turned his button mic back on and said, "If you keep this between us, then I'll field promote you to criminal informant, and you'll be safe from prosecution. Obviously we know each other, and they'll have questions. So the story, since we have the same tatt, is we went to camp together. Which is true. And I started this whole fight 'cause you slept with my wife."

Casey's eyes widened again at that, looking intimidated.

"Geez," Percy said with a chuckle. "You don't have to look so scared. I'm not talking about Annabeth. My undercover wife, Lizzie. Do we have a deal? Your silence for immunity?"

"Yeah, we have a deal," Casey agreed, nodding slowly.

"Let's go back in," Percy agreed.

He went back into the bar first and Casey followed behind him.

"The hell was that all about?" Dan asked, torn between amusement and simmering anger.

"Me and Casey have some history," Percy explained, sitting back down.

Casey improvised and said, "Look, I swear I didn't know she was married until you walked in."

There was an awkward silence before Dan doubled over laughing. "Pete walked in on you and his lady in the sack?" He demanded, shaking with laughter.

"It was like six months ago!" Casey defended. "I didn't think he'd recognize me."

Percy rolled his eyes.

Sobering up, Dan demanded, "Is this going to be a problem?"

"No, sir," Percy explained. "We worked out our differences." He flexed his hand where he'd hit Casey, and Dan chuckled again.

"Well come on, let me explain the new plan," Dan said, smoothing out the papers.

—

"Well, Perce," Tony said, slapping a hand on Percy's shoulder as he walked into the apartment. "Let it never be said that you can't think on your feet."

Percy was tired, but he grinned all the same. "Thanks, man."

"How many people went to that camp anyways," Bishop asked. She was sitting on the couch with McGee, who had come to relieve Tony.

"Uh," Percy paused to do some math. "12 cohorts, 25ish kids each. Like 300 in any given year. And at least half of them wind up in the service, maybe more."

"Damn," Tony said. "Well, now that we know their plan, we should make our own."

They got Gibbs on the horn and came up with their plan of attack.

McGee summed up, "So we'll come in after the buyer gives Dan the money and take them all in."

"The mess hall loading bay only has two regular entrances," Percy said. "So it shouldn't be hard to keep anyone from escaping if we keep the bay doors locked."

"Sounds like a plan," Tony agreed. He stood and clapped a hand on McGee's shoulder. "McStalker, you're on surveillance duty while the happy couple gets some shut-eye."

Percy looked at Bishop and asked, "Is that joke ever going to stop?"

"Knowing Tony? Never."

—

Getting on base was too easy. Dan slipped the guard an envelope and he waved their car through. Percy noted the guard's name because that was unacceptable. What if they had been terrorists instead of drug dealers?

After they were past the gates, getting into the mess hall was easy too. One of the side doors unlocked for them. Dan mentioned during their earlier meeting that he'd bribed a guy he used to serve with to leave it open.

The six of them, Dan, Tom, Joey, Mike, Casey, and Percy were well-armed, and Percy marveled at how much security had failed to let six men with guns onto base illegally. Each of them wore a backpack loaded with kilos of heroin and cocaine.

"You know, when I worked here I got the feeling security was a lot better than this," Percy mentioned, looking around the loading bay. Their buyer should be there any minute now.

Dan grinned and said, "It's amazing what a little money can do to open doors."

The door opened again and a man walked inside. He was in his early twenties, Indian, and still in uniform. Private First Class Chandran, his name tag read.

"Moore," Chandran greeted. "You got the stuff?"

"Depends, you got the cash?" Dan asked, and Percy had to hold back an eye-roll at the cheesy dialogue.

Chandran threw down the duffel bag he was holding, and Dan nodded at Casey, who darted forward and opened the bag. It was full of cash in fives, tens, and twenties.

Dan looked at it and nodded. He turned to his men and said, "Empty your bags and put the cash in them."

Percy and Dan's lackeys all crouched down to empty their bags, but Percy put a hand on his gun, knowing his team was about to come in.

Right on cue, the side and back doors burst open, and the MCRT and a dozen base police officers swarmed in.

"NCIS!" McGee shouted, leading several officers.

Dan's eyes widened and he turned to Percy, who hadn't opened his bag. He pulled his gun and pointed it at Percy's head. "I should have known the new guy was a fed."

Percy slowly stood, and Dan kept the gun in his face. "Nothing personal," Percy said and, before the other man could react, smacked his wrist and wrestled the gun out of his hand. He pointed Dan's own gun at him and said, "Federal Agents. Hands up."

Dan raised his hands, and Percy could see the murder behind his eyes.

Thank y'all again. Next chapter should be up in a week or so, and we'll finally see Annabeth. Reviews feed me, so leave one below!