Chapter 6: Descent

"The Sorores Genitae Nocte (Night-Born Sisters), divinities implacable, doom-laden . . . sat, guarding the dungeon's adamantine doors, and combed the black snakes hanging in their hair.

Ovid, Metamorphoses 4. 451 ff (trans. Melville)

"How is he?" Abby asked, when they got there.

"He's better. He had a blood clot and we treated it, caught it in time. We're going to keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't have any more clots, but hopefully, he's past the worst of it."

"He doesn't look any better," Paula said.

"He is. Trust me. On the inside, he's better."

Kate nodded. "Okay. We'll take your word for it." The doctor left and Kate sat down beside Tim once more, the others hovering around. "We figured it out, Tim. We're going to get all of them...but you have to get better because...what good is vengeance if you don't survive?"

Tim was silent, the ventilator moving the air into and out of his lungs, a slow, steady beat on the heart monitor.

"You've got to make it, Tim. You've got to. Can you imagine the trouble I'll get into with Gibbs if I got one of his team killed? He'd never forgive me."

There was only another click and another beep in response.

"We'll be back later...and I expect you to be awake, Tim. Got it?" Kate wiped away a few errant tears and left. Paula, Faith and Abby followed, intent on completing their tasks...punishing those who were responsible.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

The arrests happened fairly quickly. The other men involved in the pact had been secure in their assurance of anonymity, and the FBI assisted NCIS in gathering up the participants. By the end of the day, there were ten men in custody, five at NCIS and the other five in the FBI lockup. Abby had finally been released from being shackled to her lab and had run to visit Tim. That left the Furies to themselves, sitting in the bullpen, in silence.

Paula and Kate were ostensibly typing up their reports. Faith was just sitting. She wouldn't be able to be involved in the prosecution of the cases, seeing as she was personally connected, but she could be there...and she was. Paula sat back after about ten minutes.

"Can you believe that it's only been just over a week?"

"It feels like a million years," Kate said.

"It's not over yet, though," Faith added.

"I know. Tim is...not out of the woods yet."

"When will he be?"

"I don't know. I wish I did."

Paula swore under her breath.

"I completely agree," Faith said. "Sometimes, I wish I didn't work for a reputable group. The mafia comes to mind as a viable alternative."

Kate laughed.

"It's like..." Paula covered her mouth. "Oh no."

"What?"

"I really am becoming Tony. I almost quoted from The Godfather!"

Faith and Kate both started laughing.

"It's not funny! Tony is contagious!"

Kate was about to reply when her phone rang. She looked at the display.

"It's Abby."

The laughter stopped, vanished as if it had never existed.

Kate took a deep breath and answered.

"Hey, Abby. What is it?" There was a pause. "Okay. Okay. Thanks." She hung up.

"Well?" Paula asked.

For a moment Kate just looked at the two of them, but then, a relieved smile crossed her face.

"Abby said that Tim's awake...no sign of brain damage and his breathing is getting better. He'll be on a ventilator for a couple more days, but so far, there's no indication that he won't fully recover."

"That is probably the best news I've had all day. What do you say we finish up the reports tomorrow?" Paula suggested.

"I'm all for that," Faith agreed.

"You don't have any reports."

"Your point?"

"Never mind. Let's go."

The Furies ran to the elevator.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Upon their arrival at the ICU, the three of them calmed themselves down and walked to Tim's bed with a gait reminiscent of Charlie's Angels. Abby laughed at their determinedly slow glide.

"You can be excited, guys. I am."

"Abby if you were ever not excited, I'd be worried," Kate said.

Tim smiled. His eyes showed that he was a bit drugged up, but he looked better.

"They have him on some pain medication. He's a little loopy, even if he can't tell you about it."

"Hey, Tim. Are you feeling any better?"

Tim nodded.

"Of course, he's feeling better. He's high!"

Tim shook his head in disagreement with Abby's assessment and then began writing on the pad of paper Abby had given him.

"Uh-oh. Tim's writing. Now, you'll get to see what I mean. He's just a tad out of it."

Tim rolled his eyes and finished writing. Then, he handed the pad to Abby who looked at it, laughed and passed it on.

"He wants to know everything you guys were doing."

"We were catching the people responsible for this, Tim. What else would we be doing?" Kate said, firmly.

Tim wrote, Details!

"He's annoyed that I didn't tell him everything."

"Well, why don't we remedy that?" Faith suggested. She settled down in the chair and began to explain what had happened. Tim was listening with rapt, albeit slightly goofy attention as Faith told him about the list of grievances, the men involved, how they had met at bars and begun planning revenge, how Ensign Moore had volunteered to take out the two JAG lawyers because he had been confident he could find them and do it quickly.

"You were right about Orgill, Tim," Kate added. "He carried quite the grudge and had requested a beating. You were supposed to die. It wasn't about us at all. It was just you."

Tim grimaced and wrote, Lucky me.

"That's what you get for being the good guy."

At least, I wasn't in it on my own.

"No. We wouldn't have left you. We had to find everything out for you. It was just our luck that it was all related."

Paula suddenly burst out, "Strangers on a Train! That's what the movie is. I've been trying to figure it out ever since Moore told me what was going on."

Everyone started laughing. Even Tim grinned but couldn't actually make any sound.

"I did it again. I have to get out of that desk. It's turning me into Tony."

Tim wrote once more. You can sit in my desk, Paula. I won't be back for a few weeks.

Her smile faded when she read what Tim wrote.

"Tim, I'm so sorry this happened at all."

Tim shook his head and bent over his pad.

Thanks for helping me out. You all are like my own personal Furies.

"Furies?" Faith asked.

Abby grinned mischievously. "Avenging spirits from Greco-Roman mythology. I told you he was loopy."

Kate, Faith and Paula looked at each other for a few seconds and then over at Tim.

"I'm okay with that designation," Faith said.

"Me, too," Kate agreed.

Paula nodded. "The Furies...okay."

"I think that we can bow out of that role for now," Kate said. "We caught the guys. Our job is done. We'll let you get some rest, Tim. See you tomorrow."

Tim waved and nodded at them as they left.

As one, the Furies left, their vengeance complete...justice served.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Three months later...

Tim hung up his phone and smiled to himself. It was a good day. He was still feeling slight twinges in his chest, but his doctors had cleared him to return to work the next week, albeit only on desk duty. More importantly, he had finally felt well enough to repay a debt.

He owed some people his gratitude.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"Who is it?" Kate asked through the door.

"I have a delivery for Kate Todd?"

"From where?"

"Silver Floral."

Kate furrowed her brow. If this was Tony's idea of a bad joke, she was not impressed. Still, she opened the door. A man stood there holding a bouquet of...

"What are these?"

"Red hibiscus...and... something white."

Kate smiled. "Thank you. I couldn't see that for myself."

"Hey, I just deliver. I'm not a flower guy."

"Thank you." Kate took the bouquet and closed the door. There was a small note addressed to...

"Alecto?" Kate was confused now. She opened the card and as she read it, a smile crossed her face.

Kate,

There are three Furies, each one with different attributes. Alecto means "unceasing" and her job was to avenge moral crimes, such as anger. The Furies are not evil...they are just, and in Greek mythology, they were the ones who would function as the executors of justice. Thank you for everything. I can't wait until I get to go back to work.

Tim

"Only you, Tim," Kate said, her smile wide. She smelled the flowers and went to look for a vase.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"Lt. Cmdr. Faith Coleman?"

Faith didn't even look up. "Yes, that is the name on the door. So, you're either reading aloud or you are asking a question that is wasting both of our times. Which is it?"

"I have a delivery for you."

Faith looked up. There was a man holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Excuse me?"

"Flowers. For you. Don't ask me why. I don't know. I just drive them around."

The flowers were orchids, blue and white, and there was a card attached.

"Sign here, please?"

"Of course." Faith stood up and accepted them, noticing the glances she was getting from the people outside her office. Faith never got flowers. She looked at them again and then closed the door after the delivery guy had left. She sat down, looking at them carefully.

"Megaera?" she said aloud, reading the outside of the card. That struck something in her memory, but she wasn't sure what. So she opened the card and read, confusion turning swiftly to surprise and pleasure.

Faith,

The story of the Furies is that they were born from the blood of Uranos. I won't tell you where the blood came from. One of them was named Megaera, meaning "jealousy" or "grudging". Like her fellow Erinyes, she was charged with enacting vengeance on those who had committed crimes, especially those based in envy. While you didn't do that in particular, I am more grateful than I can say for you saving my life...and accepting me during the time we worked together. Thank you, Faith.

Tim

"You're welcome, Tim," Faith said, softly.

There was a knock on her door and within about five seconds, Faith was back at work, but she didn't forget the flowers...or the words, and they made her smile.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Paula was on her way back to her apartment from her morning run when she saw a guy knocking at her door.

"Hey! What do you want?" she called.

He turned to her and she saw a beautiful bouquet of flowers, day lilies and lavender.

"Looking for Paula Cassidy."

"That's me."

"Special delivery. Sign here, please."

Paula signed for the flowers and took them inside, looking at them. It was an interesting combination, but she liked it. She quickly found the card and read the name on the outside.

"Tisiphone. Huh." Intrigued, she opened the card and started to laugh.

Paula,

Tisiphone is one of the Erinyes, or the Furies. Her name means "avenging murder". She punished crimes of homicide. In addition, she was known in mythology as the guardian of the gates of Tartarus. As cruel as she appears to be in the stories, like her sisters, she is just and seeks only to punish the wicked. Thank you for everything. I don't think I could have survived without you all.

Tim

It was a perfect start to her day, and Paula quickly found a vase for the flowers. Throughout the day, she would look at them as she passed by. Every time she did, she smiled.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

The Erinyes were feared in Greek mythology...and rightfully so. They were not to be swayed by pleas for mercy or by bribes. No matter what they would see justice done...and once justice had been served, the Furies would descend back down, across the River Styx and to the gates of Tartarus...

...where they would wait for another day.