A 'Minor' Inconvenience
Rating: PG-13, minor
Spoilers: nothing major.
Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me, no copyright infringement intended.
Summary: Gibbs and the team work to find the terrorists that kill young boy's parents. A typical NCIS episode with a potential new character introduction.
A/N: With the writer's strike I was getting antsy with no new episodes so I thought I'd take a chance and write my own. This is my first attempt at fiction, as well as the first time I'm actually letting others look at it. I have not had any editorial help (and I probably could use some). Hope you all like it…
TEASER
"So explain to me how we are supposed to learn how to drive defensively in a conference room?" Ziva asked the small group as they headed up the stairs towards the conference room. "I assume we'll be covering evasive maneuvers for IED's?"
McGee stopped in his tracks and looked at her.
"It's more like being told to buckle your seat belt and to not back into poles," he said in a bleak tone, then began his ascent once again.
"Seat belts just get in the way of accessing your weapon." Ziva said as if it was obvious.
"Twenty bucks says he won't show," Dinozzo said holding up a wrinkled bill and taking two steps at a time to reach the small group.
"Who?" asked Agent Lee.
"Gibbs, who else?" said McGee as he deftly stepped in front of Tony cutting off his route to the top.
"But the Director said the Defensive Driving Class was mandatory for everyone," Agent Lee chimed in.
Both McGee and Dinozzo stopped on the landing and looked at each other smiling. McGee started back up the stairs and as he walked by Lee, smirked and said, "so take the bet."
"Gambling is against regulations," Agent Lee said seriously, then continued up the stairs, "and from what I've heard, if anyone needs it he does."
"Needs what?" said Agent Gibbs his head slightly cocked to one side, he had appeared suddenly at the top of the landing.
Lee stopped at the top of the landing and opened and closed her mouth as she attempted to come up with a response as well as determine if he had actually heard the entire conversation. Before she could come up with an answer Gibbs looked at Dinozzo and McGee and said as he started down the stairs. "Grab your gear, we've got a dead marine in the George Washing National Forest." As he passed the agents he added, "and I'll show you some of my defensive driving techniques on the way… after all the training is mandatory." He smiled a half smile and headed towards his desk in the squad room.
Dinozzo glared at Agent Lee. "Thanks," he said with some hostility, "I'll probably end up wearing my lunch."
As McGee started to head down stairs Agent Lee grabbed him by the shoulder. "He hates me, doesn't he," she said indicating Agent Gibbs. McGee just smiled and wordlessly headed towards the squad room.
CH 1
"What've we got Ducky?" Gibbs stated bluntly as he walked up to the aging NCIS medical examiner dressed in his blue NCIS jacket and cap. Ducky was bending into a dark blue sedan that was parked on a dirt pull-off just off a remote dirt road in the George Washing National Forest. Nearby a wooden sign had "Wolf Ridge Trail" burnt into it along with an arrow pointing to a section of trail. Inside the sedan was the slumped body of a marine corporal in field dress.
"A pair of hikers found the corporal when they came to hike this trail." The ME paused then said, "Jethro did you know that the National Forest's actually had its roots in Europe? Gifford Pinchot, the Father of the American Forest Service was actually trained at the French Forestry School in Lorraine région of northeastern France, where he…" Gibbs shot him a look that made him stop mid sentence. "Ah…, yes, well it looks like a single gun shot to the side of the head. It appears our corporal was just sitting here when he was shot through the window," he motioned towards the shattered glass that was spread over the inside of the car as well as a few shards on the outside under the driver's door.
Gibbs surveyed the area; he saw a small clearing about 200 yards on the other side of the road. He squatted next to the broken car window and swiveled his head, looking back towards the clearing.
The ME continued pointing towards the body, "The bullet went straight through, appears to have been a high caliber."
Gibbs looked up. "Yep. TOD?"
The doctor pulled out the liver thermometer looking at the gauge on top. "I would estimate 6-8 hours ago. That would make it early this morning."
Gibbs stood and turned towards the other agents who had been gathering their gear out of the NCIS truck. McGee was just hanging up his cell phone.
"DiNozzo, our shooter was over there; check the oak at the edge of the clearing." Gibbs said indicating the clearing on the other side of the road. "McGee, bag and tag, Ziva sketch and shoot before we loose daylight." The agents began to move off towards their assigned tasks.
"McGee, first get the plate …." Gibbs said.
"Already on it Boss," McGee said looking down at his PDA. "The vehicle was checked out to a Corporal Denson out of Quantico. All I could get from his base commander was that he was assigned a protection detail, they wouldn't tell me…" just then Gibbs phone rang. He flipped the phone open and saw it was the Director. He held up a hand stopping McGee mid-sentence and said "Gibbs."
After a minute on the phone without saying a word, he slammed the phone closed and started running towards the trail shouting, "Come on! We've got a missing marine." He drew the Sig he kept holstered at his side and started down the trail. The others all dropped their gear, drew their weapons, and followed.