"I am so excited; the Washington Redskins have just agreed to a charity match with the Cincinnati Bengals and guess where?" Abby smiled to the team, as she wrapped her arms round herself and hugged herself, swaying slightly.
"Yes, Jake just texted to say, and since I am from Ohio, I am also happy, and he has managed to get tickets, said a Christmas present," Ellie replied.
"Yeah," as Abby now jumped up and down, "I got a couple of tickets, am going to take my brother, but then we will be in separate areas," she now added.
"But you never did say where they were playing," Tony now asked or was that quizzed.
"No I didn't, did I, but it is going to be at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium near the campus of the Naval Academy in Annapolis and the proceeds are going to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society," Abby answered, "And it's a Friday afternoon match."
"Worthy cause, and let's hope we have an easy run down to the Festive period," Gibbs added as he entered the bullpen, "So let's get some cold cases read up on, and see if we can breathe some life into them," now sitting at his desk.
-oOo-
The days flew in and it was soon the day of the match, but there was a division within the ranks, the team, who had also bought tickets.
"I'll see who's winning after the second quarter and support," Tony had laughed.
"Well I think I'd better support the Redskins, since I am D.C. based," Tim had replied.
"Gibbs, who you going to support?" Abby enquired, hoping it would be the Redskins, her fingers crossed behind her back.
"Have to go with the home team Abbs," as he watched her now jump up and down.
"I believe Vance supports the Bengals," Ellie smiled, "So that kind of splits us, except for Tony."
"Tony, is a law to himself. I seek not to know the answers but to understand the questions," as Tony smiled and did a slanty eyes with his fingers.
"Look if we don't get going soon, we will be stuck in a tail back and I would like to get there early," Ellie replied, "We've done the morning shift, as the Director asked of us, so as nothing has turned up can we go, please?"
"I'm easy, you meeting Jake there, I gather?" as Gibbs looked at Ellie who nodded, "So we'll need two cars. DiNozzo you're with me and Abby, Tim you can take Ellie, Ducky and Jimmy."
-oOo-
The next day the team were back at their desks, they were on weekend call. The match had been a great success, the Bengals winning 28-24, Gibbs and Abby had wondered if it was a case of, let the visitors win, but Ellie said it was the best side.
The talk was stopped as Ellie pointed to the "Breaking News" flash on ZNN, it showed a car on fire and the name of a dead football player, Miles Chandler, Quarterback with the Cincinnati Bengals, Ellie paled, while Gibbs' phone began to ring.
"Yes Director, just seeing the news," as he looked at the TV screen, "You want us to investigate, fine by me I'll get the team on it."
"Gather that was Vance?" Tony enquired.
"Yep, he has been asked by SecNav to investigate, as Miles, was also a Navy reservist."
-oOo-
The team geared up and departed for the scene. There wasn't much left, it reminded them of Tony's car, except Ellie, who had had to ask Tim.
They took the usual photographs, but they all had their own thoughts.
Gibbs didn't ask Ducky the usual questions, you know, time of death, what killed him, by the footage on the TV, it was obvious, it was just the finding out why. But thoughts were with the family, being so near Christmas.
-oOo-
Back at the Navy Yard, things were just warming up. Ducky and Jimmy had found some disturbing information and Ducky had ventured to the bullpen to tell Gibbs, but he didn't expect the outburst from Vance.
Ducky looked at Gibbs, who looked at Vance, who looked at the team and almost shouted, "Alright, we've got a body in the morgue that seems to have died twice. Assuming it's not a computer error, what do we assume?"
"Diehard 2," Tony whispered to Ellie.
"Heard that DiNozzo," as Vance turned and looked Tony squarely in the eye.
"Sorry, just couldn't resist, but Ellie and I have come up with this," as he turned and flicked the screen on. "Miles Chandler, yes, died as a pre-teenager, but was given a new lease of life, not as you may think by a transplant but by new drugs. He was clinically dead for a few moments due to brain trauma received when playing with a baseball. But thanks to quick intervention and a quick drain of the blood he survived. He needed years of rehabilitation but thanks to medical advancement, learned to walk, talk, dance and well got into football."
"Impressive but we need to find out who wanted him dead. Girlfriends, boyfriends, fellow players? Did he owe money? You know the drill, get on with it," as Vance turned and walked away.
The team sighed and Ducky returned to autopsy, there wasn't much he could do now anyway.
Tim switched to the replay of the camera, but no-one saw Abby appear from the stairs.
"Hey, the quarterback just got roasted," Abby shouted looking at the screen and smiling, "Always wanted to say that."
"I think you'll find it's toast, "the quarterback is toast", was the quote, and it's not funny, remember I was blown up," Tony reminded everyone AGAIN.
"But it wasn't you was it….Ducky knew by the scare tissue," Tim replied.
"Look, we have a quarterback by the name of Miles Chandler, blown to smithereens, outside the Naval Academy, are we any further forward?"
Gibbs questioned, wondering if the case was going to get out of hand. "I'm going to the head so get on with it," as he walked off.
"We need to find who's driving the other vehicle, the one that rear-ended the dodge making it explode," Tim began to say.
"Who's driving this car, Stevie Wonder?" Tony queried pointing at the screen as he saw the vehicle swerve all over the road and then down a side street.
"Stop the Diehard quotes Tony, not funny," Abby replied.
"I thought I was doing good," as he raised his hands up.
"Look, if that was Gibbs, what would you say?" Tim now enquired, pointing at the screen.
"Well, any given Sunday," Tony began to say smiling, "That's what a leader's about: sacrifice. The times he's gotta sacrifice because he's gotta lead, by example….not by fear and not by self-pity…he's behind me isn't he?" Tony asked not looking back.
"Too right DiNozzo," Gibbs answered, as he slapped Tony. "But, perfection is being able to look your friends in the eye, and know you did everything you could, not to let them down," Gibbs now added with a sly smile on his lips.
"Nice one Boss, Friday Night Lights, but he's a goddamn quarterback! You know what that means?" as Tony continued on a roll and beginning to laugh. "It's the top spot; it's the guy who takes the fall. It's the guy everybody's looking at first, the leader of a team someone who will support you when they understand you. Who will break their ribs and their noses and their necks for you, because they believe. 'Cause you make them believe. That's a quarterback," Tony continued laughing.
"That's it Tony, one more American Football film quote and you're…" Abby began to say.
"Yes, you're a psycho Tony," Tim added.
"Hey Tim, now you're at it, and let me guess…The Longest Yard…but hey it ain't easy being cheesy! But you gotta protect your McNuggets haven't you Timmy?" Tony laughed.
"Stop the violence! Can't we all just get along?" Ellie now replied.
"Now she's doing it," Abby almost cried.
"But Any Given Sunday, as it will be Sunday tomorrow, but great film too, had or should I say, has LL Cool J in it. Like that man. Not in that kinda way, but you know, cool," as Tony replied smiling.
"Right that's it can I kill him now?" Abby shouted taking a lunge at Tony.
"Oi, give it a break, eh," Gibbs ordered, "Let's get some work done. Right, I want a run down on every member, of both teams and all coaches and…well you know the drill," Gibbs ordered. "Do as Vance said, and find out about Miles," as he watched the team begin their task, typing into their computers.
-oOo-
The afternoon dragged to the evening, even Abby was trying to find a connection.
"My eyes are going together," Tony announced as he rubbed them, "And my stomach feels like my throat's been cut," as a noise like thunder rumbled from his desk.
"OK, give it five and yes Tony you can call out for pizza. Make them extra-large, we could be here all night," Gibbs replied. "Has anyone got anything to go on?"
"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs…..I found something….I think," Abby gushed as she entered the bullpen. "Dorothy Spott, otherwise known as Spotty Dotty, I know parents really do have a lot to answer for, but she was a childhood friend of Miles. She actually was the one that caused his accident. Hit him with the baseball bat."
"And the relevance of this," Gibbs asked.
"Oh yes, well she went on to be a Physical Education teacher and she has a brother who plays for the Redskins."
"Ok and the brothers name is…..Richard Spott, otherwise known as Spotty Dick, which any true British person will tell you is a suet pudding with sultanas, but the pantomime humour refers to a member of male appendage," Tony began to say.
"Which," as Tim also began to search, "Was allegedly used in a rape case, that was thrown out."
"What's this got to do with Miles?" Gibbs asked shaking his head.
"Well although tricky Dicky got off on a technicality, another friend, a Larry Hertz, was also involved but moved away after the trial, they were at high school, and he hasn't been seen since."
"So against all odds," Tony began to say smiling thinking another film quote, "We have a problem."
"Got it, but sorry Tony, wrong guess. Would you like to go for double jeopardy where the scores can really change?" Tim started to say smiling.
"Diehard again, but what you got?" Tony now enquired.
"Double Jeopardy, forbids a defendant from being tried again on the same or similar charges following, a legitimate acquittal or conviction except…."
"When the perpetrator can be retried by court martial in a military court, if they have been previously acquitted by a civilian court, and are members of the military," Ellie added.
"And Richard Spott is, don't tell me, a reserve too," Gibbs said.
"Not is Boss, yes tricky Dicky was," Tim replied.
"So this is getting out of hand who would want Miles dead?" Gibbs continued to ask.
"Gibbs, the other accused Larry Hertz, well he looks a lot like this guy Harry Lartz," Abby butted in from Ellie's desk, as Ellie put something on the screen. "Harry actually looks, very much like Larry, only a few years older and heavier," as Abby now smiled.
"And?"
"Sorry Gibbs, yes Harry is a Marine, actually at the Academy."
"Is he not a little old?" Ellie asked.
"No, anyone between 17 -23 can be admitted, so at 25 he is ok, so pull the guy in…I don't care if it's after midnight, he's a Marine should be ready on call, day and night."
-oOo-
Tim and Tony were dispatched to the Academy, at that time of night it took less than an hour so they were back by 3.00am.
"What have I been arrested for?" Harry asked.
"Never said you had been, you were asked to help us, with our inquires," Tony had said, as he escorted Harry to interview room one and a waiting Gibbs.
"What am I doing here?"
"You own a pickup, with this licence plate," as Gibbs threw the picture down on the table.
"Yeah, so what?" Harry replied.
"Was involved in a fatality this morning," Tony answered.
"Like who?"
"Corporal, we ask the questions, you answer, so who was driving your pickup and where is it now?" Gibbs began to ask.
"Anyone who has a licence to drive, and no idea as I wasn't driving," Harry smirked.
Gibbs began to anger, his left eye twitched, he was going to explode, if it hadn't been for a knock on the door and Abby opened gingerly remembering rule #22.
"Sorry, but we have some information," as she looked at Gibbs who rose and left the room with her.
"This better be good Abbs."
"Is…..I think, seems the pickup has been found along with Spotty Dotty, sorry Dorothy Spott."
"Where?" Gibbs questioned.
"Our parking lot, Dot has handed herself in, she is in the conference room with Ellie and Tim," as she watched Gibbs turn back into the interrogation room to only appear moments later with Tony.
"You watch him from there," pointing to the other side of the mirror.
-oOo-
"He made me do it," Gibbs heard Dorothy say as he entered the room. "He said he needed to get rid of him because he recognised him and remembered."
"And you just went along with it, I mean killing him once wasn't enough you had to finish him off," Gibbs now said sitting down and looking Dot in the face.
"No it wasn't like that. Larry, or Harry as he calls himself now. Miles saw him at the Academy and confronted him. As Richard hadn't seen him in years he too just mentioned that he looked like someone he once knew. Miles was with my brother Richard at the time, having just played the match. Miles said, did the military know of his past and that he was going to tell."
"So how did you get involved?" Gibbs now asked.
"Harry said he was going to kill my brother as well as Miles, he made me sit in the pickup as he drove, I tried to grab the wheel."
"That the reason the vehicle appeared to skew all over the place?" Gibbs continued, as he watched Dot, nod, the tears flowing down her face.
"I loved Miles….we were going to get married."
"So where is your brother now?" Tim now asked.
"I don't know, Harry said he would deal with him later," Dot whispered, as she saw Gibbs rise and leave the room.
-oOo-
Gibbs threw open the interrogation room door, "Where is Richard?" he demanded thumping the table, making Harry jump.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Harry shrugged.
"No? Well Dorothy is upstairs and she talked, so where is her brother?" Gibbs again demanded.
"At the Academy, in the labyrinth of corridors near the boilers….I just hadn't decided how to get rid of him," Harry concluded knowing he had lost.
Tony on hearing the confession, organised the cars and the team, they left Harry under the supervision of another agent.
Gibbs had called ahead and explained the situation, so by the time the team arrived, the Academy was in lock down. The Marines wanted to assist, but Gibbs had asked for the plans near the boilers.
"The fewer people to mess my crime scene," he had said, "The better."
The team gingerly searched the area, listening for any sound of banging or of moaning, that was if Richard was still alive. Gibbs suddenly stopped and raised his hand, he indicated silence, the team stopped.
"Over there," Tony whispered pointing, "I see a body."
Gibbs hurriedly walked over to the figure, it was Richard, but he was very dehydrated and bruised, he was slipping in and out of consciousness, but Gibbs got on his cell and summoned help. Oh yes Harry would get the charges thrown at him.
-oOo-
Back at the bullpen, the team were glad they had solved the case before Christmas. Dot would be charged as an accessory to murder, but Vance said a good lawyer would get her for less. Harry? He was in for the Double Jeopardy charge, as well as kidnapping and murder. Richard said he was willing to testify against him. So as the team cleared up for their Christmas vacation Tony just had to have the final words.
"And to finish may I say? "Avoid, rather than check. Check, rather than hurt. Hurt, rather than maim. Maim rather than kill. For all life is precious, nor can be replaced."
"Right that does it Tony, you're dead, for all the film quotes," Abby announced as she made a lunge for Tony.
The End.