"Oh I know you can hear me, but I'm not sure you're listening. I hear what you're saying but still there's something missing. Whether I go now, whether I stay, right now depends on whatever you say." ~Martina McBride; Whatever You Say
Fifteen days. Seven open case files strewn across his desk. Seven broken families, four grieving widows, a disbelieving girlfriend, a distraught fiancée, and a whimpering golden retriever whining to be fed. Twelve fatherless children, one father who would never meet his baby girl, one who would never even know that his son had been conceived. Seven flag draped coffins. Seven marble headstones. One hundred and forty seven gunshots ringing in the air. Seven dead Marines, one connection, and only one word that Tony could bring himself to utter: "No."
The Director examined him over his clasped hands, stoic, unemotional, and distinctly unamused. "That was not a question, Agent DiNozzo. Nor am I interested in your opinion on the matter. You will take this assignment whether you like it or not."
"Director, we're in the middle of eight different cases here and I've got a breakthrough lead I'm supposed to follow up in the morning. Gibbs needs me on this one. Can't you get some other agent just as qualified and a little less swamped?" He paused awkwardly, shifting his gaze to the burnished placard on the mahogany desk. "Besides, my wife is five months pregnant. I can't be traipsing around some grimy hellhole and neglect my duties at home. She needs me here."
He could have sworn he saw the Director smirk. "'I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.' You knew the sacrifices involved when you took this job. You swore to place this country ahead of your own personal needs, to be prepared to make that sacrifice. That is why you will be back here in two hours for debriefing. Tell Gibbs. Bring the team. You are dismissed."
"I Fratelli di Sangue. The Blood Brothers. One of the most active, for lack of a better word, gangs in the Northeastern United States. Guns, drugs, counterfeit. You name it, they've got a hand in it. Based in Park Heights, Baltimore, they practically run the city's black market. They're small, selective about the men they recruit."
A photograph appeared on the black screen behind Vance, a middle aged man, chiseled cheekbones, aquiline nose, shaven head, and a heavy brow."Frankie Marino, third generation 'duce.' He is responsible not only for the downsizing of the organization, but also for their exponentially increasing success. Highly intelligent. Hard-nosed. Demands the utmost respect and obedience from each and every one of his men. Consequences for those who refuse to comply with his orders are....severe. His decisions are final. His word is law. It would be prudent to stay on his good side."
The picture changed: a lanky man with sharp blue eyes and an impish grin. "Joseph Rossi. 'Vic,' short for 'vicario.' Marino's right hand man. Dropped out of community college at nineteen because his Brothers needed him. Did two years for aggravated assault. If Marino is the brains, Rossi is the brawn. Carries out his instructions to the letter. Handy with a knife. The caretaker of all prospective Brothers."
A final photograph. A marine in his dress blues, clutching a woman in a beautiful white gown. In a crisp, well tailored suit to the left of the groom was a dark haired, scowling, thirty-something with a thin, white scar that stretched from ear to chin. "Vinnie 'Veloce' Borelli. Designated driver, older brother of Staff Sergeant Borelli and the man who originally turned us on the Brothers during his murder investigation. Charged with assault, armed robbery, and as an accomplice in a hit and run. Never convicted.
"These seven men," the dead Marines, including Staff Sergeant Borelli, appeared on the screen, "were all killed in relation to I Fratelli. We have motive for each, opportunity, but only minimal evidence. That is where you come in, Agent DiNozzo. You will be the perfect Fratelli recruit: a young, Italian born man with good instincts, a good shot, and a good informant, loyal, obedient, ambitious, and willing to do whatever it takes to become a Brother. We've secured you an apartment near their headquarters, so that all you need do is make yourself visible. I Fratelli will come to you.
"You will, however, be subjected to an intensive background check, most likely including wire taps and the like before you are even considered. Therefore, absolutely no direct contact with anyone even remotely related to NCIS or the life you lead in Washington is permitted, for their safety, yours, and that of the mission. It is of the utmost importance that you leave Tony DiNozzo at NCIS. Once you enter their world, you quite literally succeed or die. Baltimore PD have lost four undercover detectives in a little over fifteen years. I am sure it would be preferable to all concerned if you returned wholly intact.
"They accept only one trainee at a time. You will spend between two and three months under Rossi's tutelage. If he decides you are ready, you will be brought to il Duce for initiation, given the full rights and privileges of a Brother, as well as greater freedom of movement, speech, and the right to voice your own opinion when they meet to discuss operations.
"Informants are the only secrets kept between Brothers. That includes the informant of 'il novizio.' They provide intel and connections essential to the jobs I Fratelli is undertaking, operations available to them in the near future, leaks about attempted infiltration, and general information that might be of interest to il Duce. Each Brother has his own. McGee has agreed to be yours. Your instructions will be mailed to an office in Towson that will serve as your rendezvous.
"Your apartment is bugged and Baltimore PD have granted us access the ones they managed to place during their previous ops. Special Agents Gibbs and David will be responsible for maintaining channels of communication, interpreting intelligence, and issuing orders. When not in Towson, McGee will assist. MTAC belongs to you as much as is physically possible. This case is to be your top priority. This case is to be your only priority. Jackson's team will take over all other responsibilities and open cases. Anthony DiMarco moves in tomorrow afternoon."
Vance crossed his arms, taking in the faces seated around the conference table: Gibbs, steely eyed, jaw set, fingers laced, apparently absorbed in processing the presentation; McGee, gnawing at the inside of his lip and rolling a pen between his thumb and forefinger; Ziva, straight-backed, attentive, quietly lost in thought; Tony seated beside her, lips pursed, eyes downcast, face unreadable, fingering the corner of the thick manila folder that had skidded the length of the polished wood not seconds before.