When The Past Bites Back...

Tony watched Ziva work hard on her computer. His attention turned to McGee who was having a tough time concentrating on his own work. Tony knew that there was a chance they could die in the line of duty. They risked their lives every time they walked through the doors. But he never once thought that the killer would be boredom. He rapped his fingers on the desk as loud as he could.

"Dear God," Tony grumbled. He coughed loudly to disguise the sound of paper being fiddled with. He rolled up the paper until it resembled a ball. Fortunately, he kept a large amount of paper in the bottom drawer to battle these case-free moments. "If it ain't broke... McGuyver it. Watch me take this ordinary rubber band, these two rulers and an elastic band and a paper ball with an eraser in it," Tony said in his voice over voice.

"What?" Ziva asked. She stopped typing.

And I'll turn it into a missile launcher," Tony said as he placed the rulers in a v-pattern and held them up against the desk with the closed drawer. Quickly, he wrapped the lackey band across the top so it was strung tight. He flicked the band to test it's elasticity before smiling.

"Do not do what I think you are about to do," Ziva's eyes narrowed in a threatening gesture.

Tony raised his eyebrows innocently. "Yeah you're right," Tony turned his attention back to his own computer screen. "I guess I got too carried away," he added just loud enough for her to hear it.

"Good," Ziva responded as she got back to her work. That was the break that Tony was waiting for. McGee shook his head as he saw Tony move as quick as lightning to set up the paper ball and pull back on the band to send it lobbing towards Ziva.

"Incoming!" Tony shouted. Ziva jumped as the ball of paper landed right in front of her. "Come on... You're telling me crazy ninja Mossad chic is afraid of a little paper," Tony waggled his eyebrows. Ziva threw the paper back at Tony who made no attempt to dodge the missile and laughed as he placed the ball on his keyboard.

"Tony," McGee got his attention.

"What?" He responded in annoyance. McGee pointed to a woman walking into the bullpen with purposeful steps. Tony couldn't help but smile at the unmistakable black haired, slightly freckled figure of Lieutenant Commander Faith Coleman. What made her look out of place was that she was wearing dark blue casual clothes.

"Where is Agent Gibbs?" Faith always got straight to the point. She never engaged in small talk especially not with the NCIS Agents. Ever since they first crossed paths, they've done everything they could to thwart her attempts at doing her job.

"M-TAC... Don't know when he's coming out," McGee responded. He kind of hoped that it had something to do with some sort of case.

"Well... What can NCIS do for you?" Tony leaned back in the chair. Whenever Faith Coleman entered NCIS, things sure got interesting.

"I'm not here for JAG. I need your help," a usual confident Faith was looking rattled and unsure of herself. And Tony was a shark that smelled blood as she placed her briefcase on his desk.

"You need our help?" McGee was the first one to speak. They were trying to overcome their state of stunned silence.

"What about your buddies in JAG?" Tony asked. Every time they had anything to do with JAG it turned into a real pissing match.

Faith was well prepared for that question and had her answer perfectly laid out. She had carefully run through the possibilities beforehand and help from the NCIS team looked the best way to go. "Despite our differences you are good, discreet and I'm desperate," Faith knew that this would get an immature snigger from Tony.

Gibbs walked into the bullpen just in time to hear Faith tell Tony she was desperate. It was a rarity to see Faith out of uniform. "What can NCIS do for you?" Gibbs asked. He pondered why Faith was unofficially visiting NCIS.

Faith slid her briefcase off Tony's desk and approached Gibbs. "I'll get straight to the point, Agent Gibbs. I'm being blackmailed," she said without changing her tone. There was a collective gasp from everyone except Gibbs.

"Alright, alright... I'll bite. What could you have done that you could be blackmailed for?" Tony asked and he saw Ziva and McGee give a slight nod. They were thinking the exact same thing.

"I'm involved in a high profile case. When I was at University... My roommate and I had a few drinks after an exam. For some reason we thought it would be a great idea to pose in a relatively unknown magazine for some money," Faith explained. She wasn't sure how much to divulge. They hadn't agreed to help her out yet.

"Playboy?" Tony's eyebrows rose. McGee stifled a laugh. The thought of Faith appearing on a Playboy spread was just funny.

"No... not Playboy. Get Sexual Magazine... GSM," Faith answered and looked away, embarrassed when Tony eyed her closely.

"You are kidding?" Ziva said. She knew Tony would be thinking the same thing. They were avid readers of GSM.

Faith didn't respond. "This was left in my letterbox at my house," she said when she handed Gibbs a printed out letter, the team stood around Gibbs' desk to hear the letter's contents. Their boss looked through the letter before reading it out loud.

Lieutenant Commander Faith C. Coleman

We've all done things we're not a hundred percent proud of. There are choices that we wish to keep secret. Me. The boy up the street. You, imagine my surprise when I realized that several years ago, the high powered Jag Lawyer, Lt. Commander Faith Coleman had posed for provocative pictures for the smutty magazine GSM. I understand your need to keep these pictures private since some of your cases are high profile and well publicized. Now, I understand that you are no millionaire... So I will be generous. So, I make you an offer... $60,336.75 is more than fair. For that price, I will hand over all proof in my possession and never speak of you or GSM again.

We will speak again.

"McGee, take this to Abby. DiNozzo and Ziva, it may be a long day. Go get some food," Gibbs ordered.

Tony put a pen in his mouth and smiled. "Well there miss... Looks like you just acquired the services of the A-Team," Tony used the pen like a cigar.

"What?" Faith asked.

Gibbs glared at Tony and he grimaced. "Getting some food, boss," Tony changed his tone quickly and left with Ziva to go to the canteen.

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Tony put the money on the counter and picked up the tray of food. Then he stopped mid action. "What?" Ziva asked him. She was surprised at his sudden inaction. Tony froze as if he had been struck across the face.

"Damn," Tony emphasized the word with a quick nod.

"What?" Ziva repeated the previous question.

"While we're picking up food and McGee's with Abby, Gibbs is probably getting a look at those GSM pictures," surely his Boss needed to know everything. Perhaps it would be the first time Gibbs had seen inside an issue of GSM.

"Well...," Ziva began to say.

"Come on," Tony said to her. They were probably too late to catch a peek but he was already thinking of ways to find the issue that Faith had appeared in.

"Gibbs is not going to show you the pictures if he does not deem it necessary," Ziva said to him as they left the cafeteria.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Tony picked up a chip as they walked. Of course Gibbs wouldn't make it easy and Faith wouldn't volunteer that information. Tony always prided him self on being resourceful and this would be a good test. Sooner or later, he'd figure it out.

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BULLPEN

Gibbs had assumed that Tony would soon realize what was happening and double time it back from the cafeteria. His Senior Field Agent will try and find out everything and probably set out to embarrass the hell out of Faith. Gibbs knew he'd have to keep Tony's mind occupied somehow. He shook his head as he watched Tony place the tray of food down. Of course Tony's choice of food left a lot to be desired. It was surprising to see Faith start eating the hot chips.

"Surprised I enjoy this kind of food?" She asked in response to their looks. "Lots of late hours, sometimes got to live on take-away or cafeteria food," that's whe she liked to run so she could work off those unwanted calories.

"So is there any one you know of that would do this?" Gibbs asked as soon as McGee walked in.

"The only one I can think of is the defense attorney," Faith answered as she ate. "But I know him well and I don't believe he'll do it," she made sure to add.

"We'll question him," Gibbs said.

"Name's Christopher Jones," Faith told them.

Tony nodded as he wrote the name down. "How about the office of GSM? Maybe someone from there knows something," Tony didn't have the foresight to disguise the hopeful tone in his voice. Everybody waited for the Gibbs response.

"DiNozzo and I will check GSM tomorrow," Gibbs said and Tony's eyes widened as the others entered a stunned silence. "McGee, I want you and Abby to analyze everything about the letter... Ziva, you go and speak with Christopher Jones. Commander Coleman... If you can think of anything else we need to know, call me," Gibbs ordered as they exchanged numbers.

"Wish I had my camera ready," Tony leaned over towards McGee and Ziva. "This could be a sign of Armageddon... NCIS and JAG working together and Faith Coleman in a girly-mag. The hounds of hell will be coming out of the elevator next," Tony winked. The three of them stood up when the elevator dinged. They laughed when two agents exited.

"I expect you three to be working first thing," Gibbs said. He had no idea why the three had suddenly started laughing. He knew that inviting DiNozzo along to the GSM office would be seen as an idiotic lapse of judgment, but it was all part of his plan to occupy his Senior Field Agent's mind.

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