NCIS
Title:phantasm
Author: TnJAGAz aka txncistn
Rating: G/PG [some language, violence, etc.]
Classification: A NCIS Episode. An assistant coach (Marine Reservist) for the LFL is found dead, and the DC Major Case Response Team must figure out who killed him….this takes place shortly after the beginning of the New Year and before "Ships in the Night".
Spoilers: Anything from Seasons 1-8.
Summary and Author Notes: This is little different from my usual vignettes – this is actually a story – call it an episodette… And my wife gets kudos for coming up with this one – I just wrote the story as she gave it to me. Thanks to Janlaw for technical advice NCIS and reservist-wise.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story are the property of Donald Bellisario/Charles Johnson/Shane Brennan, Belisaurius Productions, Paramount Pictures and Columbia Broadcasting Service Entertainment – this story is for non-profit entertainment of NCIS fans only. No copyright infringement is intended or implied.
*Phoof*
Colton holding a squeeze bottle stands on the sidelines and says ' I…I'm not feeling well' then slowly drops to his knees and then pitches forward on his face.
The loudspeakers reverberated with serious NFL style music as lively crowd whooped and cheered on their favorite teams.
Then an announcer broke in over the music: "And with just under two minutes left in the half, The Mist leads The Bombshells by three…
On the field there was frenetic activity as the two teams – one dressed in red two piece bikini lingerie and the other dressed in blue two piece bikini lingerie grappled with each other. Suddenly a football arced out of the colorful group and into the hands of a lone red bikini'ed player who then sailed the ball to another red bikini wearing player who had just crossed the line of scrimmage, headed for a first down.
"And Lewiston goes for her famous long bomb and it is … good! Brittany Wills runs for six!"
There was an audible roar from the crowd, one side cheering, the other side taking the opportunity to boo what they considered a 'lucky' play.
On the sidelines, assistant coach James 'Jimmy' Colton took a pull from the squeeze bottle just handed to him. "Chantal! Get in there!" he ordered.
"…Ball on the 16… Amber Georgette snaps it to Monica Green – but here comes Chantal 'the train' Weeks…Ooo! What a hit! Green has officially been 'trainwrecked'!"
The crowd reacted viscerally to the larger woman slamming the smaller one to the artificial turf.
Everyone on the sidelines was yelling and cheering except for Marine reservist Staff Sergeant and Assistant Bethesda Bombshells' Coach James 'Jimmy' Colton, who looked nauseated. He turned to Safety Meredith Leigh. "I…I'm not feeling so good…" he groaned.
Meredith shot him a look of concern. "What's the problem, James?"
Despite his nausea, Jimmy Colton still managed to look irritated. "Merry, I've told you before. Out here, it's Coach or-uhhhh…."
The Assistant Coach slowly kneeled to the turf and then collapsed face first.
Meredith squatted down next to him, a look of unease growing on her face as she touched his back. "Hey coach? Coach? Coach? James! What's the matter? Oh My God! Someone get Doc Travers!"
The Bombshell's Head Coach, Robert 'R.R.' Richardson, pushed his way through the group of Bombshell teammates crowding around the unmoving Colton. "Time out! Time out! Hey! Somebody get the Doc!"
The loudspeakers in the stadium echoed Richardson. "Ladies and Gentlemen, there has been a time out called, as the team doctor checks on the assistant coach for the Bombshells…"
The sideline cameras showed tighter and tighter shots on Colton's unmoving form. As the team doctor hustled out to the sidelines, he could see a growing pool of blood coming from Colton. Meredith was now sobbing frantically, trying to get a response from Assistant Coach Colton.
xxixx
The scene shifted to the NCIS Major Case Response Team [MCRT] sitting at their desks. Ziva David was massaging her temples. Tim McGee was trying to get comfortable in his chair and failing miserably. Both Agents had only shown up only moments ago. They had told Gibbs they were 'following up on leads' to outstanding cases for the better part of the morning, and though Gibbs knew better, he let it slide. After all, it had been a pretty slow day in the office.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs, still wearing his dark brown winter overcoat that he wore to lunch, breezed through the MCRT squad area ignoring Ziva and Tim as they hurriedly began typing on their keyboards, trying to look busy. Senior Agent Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo who had been watching what looked like a risqué video on You Tube was about to say something witty to his fellow agents but his comments were cut off by Gibbs' terse report.
"Grab your gear and let's roll! Dead Staff Sergeant in Bethesda!"
He looked over at Tony who was obviously hitting keys trying to stop the video as he yanked his ear buds out his ears. "You drive," he said to the former Baltimore Police Department detective as he tossed the keys to their crime scene van.
Tony grinned as he started to get up. "Happy to, Boss!"
"I thought you would be," Gibbs said to himself as he noticed the obviously ailing Tim and Ziva. Without breaking stride, he reached into his coat pocket and tossed packets to the two agents. "This will take the edge off your pain,"
When he didn't hear them following behind him, he turned around with Drill Instructor scowl on his face. "Let's go!" he barked.
Tony grabbed his sidearm and backpack as he scooted out of his workstation area and hurried to join Gibbs. Tim and Ziva quickly ripped open their packets and using the coffee they had been nursing, quickly downed the pain pills as they rushed to grab their gear and catch up with Gibbs and Tony.
xxixx
As they got seated in the truck, Tony turned to Gibbs. "Where to, Boss?"
"Bethesda Municipal Arena," the silver headed Senior NCIS Agent replied as he buckled himself in.
"Oh! Oh ho! Ho! Ho!" Tony said as he turned over the engine. "This is great! The LFL!"
Ziva was still fastening her seat belt when she looked up, confused by the acronym. "LFL? What is the LFL?"
Tony was bursting at the seams as he drove the truck out of the garage. He shot a glance at Ziva. "Only the greatest sports league ever invented!"
xxixx
Gibbs took the lead as the four NCIS Special Agents made their way down the sidelines in the arena past knots of fans, security officials, paramedics and Bethesda police, both uniform officers and plainclothes detectives.
Tim did his best to carry the multiple bags of equipment. "Tony, the least you could do is carry some of this."
Tony did not even bother looking over at the struggling MIT Graduate. He was looking around "I'm the senior field agent, McGee. If you want someone to carry some of our equipment, you should ask the Probie to carry it."
Tim turned to former Mossad Agent Ziva David.
"Ziva?"
The lithe NCIS probationary agent ignored Tim.
"Ziva, uh, a little help here…"
Still no response.
"Ziva!"
Startled, Ziva whirled on Tim. "Do not shout McGee! I am not deaf!"
Tim momentarily started at her response, but was not apologetic. "Well, you ignored me when I asked you twice before," he said defensively.
"I did not ignore you, I simply didn't hear you," she said by way of an explanation. She looked pleadingly at Tony.
"A little help here?"
Tony was unmoved. "Senior Field Agent, Probie," he said smugly.
Ziva blew out a frustrated breath then roughly grabbed at one of Tim's bags containing i-Pads, evidence kits, markers, gloves and coveralls.
Tim straightened up a little as she took the bag. "Thanks, Ziva," he said gratefully.
"Don't mention it," Ziva said with some effort.
Tony DiNozzo's eyes scanned the length of the arena. "You two ought to look around. That would get your minds off your troubles…."
Tim snorted. "I would Tony," he grumbled, "but I've got a sore neck."
"Oh?" Tony said with mock concern. "How did that happen?"
Tim thought that Tony was genuinely interested. "Well, I'm not sure. I was doing some relaxation exercises because I was tense, you know, with the holidays and everything, and Sarah insisted I try this new one she had just learned…"
Tony, though, had stopped feigning interest, again caught up in the rapture of being in this sports stadium. "Yeah, uh huh…"
Tim shook his head disgustedly, realizing Tony wasn't really interested in his explanation. He looked over at Ziva who seemed to be struggling with the bag he had just given her.
"Are you okay, Ziva?"
Ziva flashed Tim a brief smile as thanks for his concern. "I am fine, McGee," she said reassuringly, "I am just suffering from a…a hang-up."
"You mean hang-over, Ziva," Tony said distractedly.
Ziva fought the urge to grit her teeth. "Yes, Tony, a hang-over - not that it is any of your concern-"
Tony stopped suddenly. "I am *always concerned* about the welfare of my fellow agents," he said officiously.
Tim tried hard not to snort as he continued walking, but Ziva stopped and gave Tony a suspicious look. "Oh really?" Ziva said, not believing him for a moment.
Tony's flinty stare met hers. "Really." They stood there for a moment, and then Ziva shook her head and began walking again. Tony moved up next to her.
"Was this the result of some wild weekend fun with your friend, Ray?" Tony said conspiratorially.
The former Mossad agent was incensed. She stomped away from him. "I will not dignify that with an answer!"
Tony grinned broadly as he hurried to catch up with her. "Oh, so it was. Hope it was worth it…."
xxixx
Gibbs meanwhile had made his way up to the plainclothes detective who seemed to be in charge.
"Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS," He said flashing his wallet badge and ID to the neatly dressed detective. "Special Agents DiNozzo, McGee, and David. So what happened?"
The detective nodded to the Agents. "Lieutenant Neil Gold, Bethesda Homicide." He looked down at his well-worn notepad. "Your victim is Marine Reservist Staff Sergeant James R. Colton, thirty eight. He was working as an assistant coach for the Bethesda Bombshells. Collapsed on the sidelines towards the end of the game after stating he wasn't feeling well. When we got here, they admitted to us he had been shot. When we found out he was a reservist, we called you."
Gibbs looked around. "I don't see the body."
Gold made a face. It was obvious he was as irritated as Gibbs was about this fact.
"The Bombshell's owner, Angie Simmons, had him moved before we arrived."
"Where's Colton now?" Gibbs asked pointedly.
Gold smiled in sympathy. He knew how the Special Agent felt. He hated it when the uninformed tampered with a crime scene. "In the clinic. C'mon, I'll take you back there…."
xxixx
The MCRT and Gold walked into the clinic. Colton was laid out on the examining table as if he were sleeping. Over to one side was the Bombshell's team doctor who had the decency to look sheepish about the situation as Gibbs glared at him. The clinic's doctor looked as if he wanted to disappear. A woman her early forties wearing a black power suit strode over to Gold and Gibbs and extended her hand.
"Angie Simmons. I'm the Bombshell's manager-"
Gibbs gave her an irritated look, ignoring the hand. "Who told you to move my body?" he said brusquely.
Simmons' face grew hard. "Your body? I had Coach Colton moved because he collapsed in a public area, Officer-"
"Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS." said correcting her.
She looked at the Bethesda detective. "NCIS? As in Crime Scene Investigation?"
Gold fought the urge to smile. "Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Ms. Simmons. They are taking over the investigation-"
"The Navy? Why? He's not Navy." She blustered.
"Because your dead assistant coach is also a Marine non-commissioned officer, ma'am." Tony said quickly in as neutral a tone as he could manage because he knew Gibbs' answer to her would be even less tactful.
"And you are?" she shot back.
"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo," Tony said in his best diplomatic tone. "Senior Field Agent."
She turned back to Gibbs, ignoring Tony. "So you're here because Colton is a Marine even though he's just a reservist?" Angie Simmons said 'reservist' in such a way that it sounded like a less than desirable position.
Which only resulted in stoking the silver-haired team leader's anger even more.
Gibbs focused his steel blue eyes on the Bombshell's owner. "Staff Sergeant James R. Colton has been murdered, and thanks to you moving the body, you've compromised my crime scene!"
"Well, we just couldn't leave him lying out there on the sidelines, Special Agent Gibbs!" Angie said hotly as she got nose to nose with him. "There were families in that audience as well as cameras! It would have been a media circus! Besides I thought Dr. Tavers could revive him better back here!"
Gibbs couldn't believe her superciliousness. "Revive him? Your Assistant Coach was shot! Did you ever think to just leave the body where it was and cover it with a sheet?"
Angie rolled her eyes at the arrogance of this thick-headed Navy Cop. "There still would have been people snapping pictures, Special Agent Gibbs! The images would have been all over Facebook and You Tube! We can't afford that kind of publicity!"
Gibbs was tired of dealing with this know-it-all. He turned to his team. "Tony, sketches. McGee, start taking photos. Ziva, bag and tag."
The three agents began doing their jobs. Ziva moved close to Colton and began examining his clothes. Tony got out his i-Pad and began sketching the body, and Tim began taking photos of the dead Staff Sergeant.
"Single gunshot wound to the chest, Boss. No other injuries." Tim reported.
Simmons was livid at being ignored by this pompous government employee and his lackeys. "That's it? Who do you think you are, Special Agent Gibbs?"
Neil Gold gently steered the Bombshell's owner out of the room. "Let's go up to your office and talk Ms. Simmons."
Something in the detective's voice momentarily slaked Angie Simmons' venom. She nodded and left with him but not before shooting Gibbs an evil look which he ignored.
Tim continued snapping photos of Colton.
Ziva looked closely at the Staff Sergeant's hands and then looked over at Doctor Lewis Tavers, the Bombshell's doctor.
"Was he drinking anything before he collapsed?" she asked.
Travers' nodded. "He was, from this," and handed her Colton's squeeze bottle.
The former Mossad agent unscrewed the lid to the plastic bottle and waved her hand over the neck opening of the bottle toward her nostrils. She noticed an odd odor coming from the bottle.
Ziva screwed the lid back into place and then took the bottle, put it into a plastic evidence bag and sealed it.
"What is it, Ziver?" Gibbs said moving close to her. He motioned Tim over as well.
"A hunch, Gibbs. There could be poison in this bottle."
Tim took out a small PDA like device out of his bag and aimed it at the bottle.
"What's that, McSpock?" Tony said looking over his shoulder. "It looks like one of those things they used on the original Star Trek…"
"You mean a tricorder, Tony." Tim said giving him a snide smirk. "Actually that's the nickname for this device. It can scan any liquid or solid in a bottle and tell us what's actually in it…"
"So what does it say?" Ziva asked trying to get a better look at the screen.
"It's still processing…wait…here it is…water…and a fairly high concentration of contact lens cleaner…"
Ziva and Gibbs traded grim looks.
xxixx
Having done everything they could with the body until Medical Examiner Dr. Donald Ducky Mallard arrived, Gibbs left Tim and Dr. Travers with Colton while he, Tony, and Ziva went out to the compromised crime scene to salvage what they could.
Ziva looked around as Tony and Gibbs began to examine where Colton fell. Her eyes settled on the electronic scoreboard: Mist 20 Bombshells 17
That brought back to the Probationary Agent's mind her original question about this whole thing.
"Just who are the Bombshells and the Mist? And what exactly is the LFL?"
Gibbs, not finding anything useful on the sideline, walked past Ziva headed back towards the clinic. "Lingerie Football League, Ziva." he said as he passed his two agents. "Less talk, more investigating…." he added drolly as he started to head back inside.
"Got'cha Boss," Tony said almost automatically. "Concentrating more on the investigating."
Ziva David though was still confused despite the answer Gibbs had given. She looked around at the players who were still standing on the field. "What you mean? Do they play football in their underwear?"
Tony stood up, smiling dreamily. "Combines two of my favorite sports…" Then seeing Gibbs had stopped and was giving him a harsh stare, he quickly began sketching again on his i-Pad. Gibbs shook his head and stepped through the double doors that lead to the clinic.
"I cannot believe you that you are so immature, Tony!" Ziva said harshly.
Tony stopped sketching again. "Hey, the LFL is serious football, Probationary Agent David."
Ziva though, was not buying it. She turned to Tim who was just coming out onto the field. His slow steady gait reminded them that Tim was still suffering.
"He is kidding, yes?" she said in an exasperated voice to the MIT Grad.
"Um well," Tim looked momentarily stunned as he looked from Ziva to Tony and then back again. Not sure what to say next, he began taking pictures of sideline where Colton fell. Then he figured out what to say to her. "Uh, no Ziva; actually the LFL is a true football league. They play on indoor 50 yard fields just like this one, kinda like Arena Football-"
Ziva was able to grasp this concept. "Arena Football? Ah yes! The football game they play inside! The Canadians play in an arena too – they are quite good – I saw a game once-"
"Not to rain on your parade, McElderly," Tony said interrupting the conversation, "but it's a little different from plain old arena football. First, the game has two 17 minute halves, with a 15 minute halftime and an eight minute sudden death overtime. A touchdown is six points; a two yard conversion run is one point and a five yard conversion run is five points, and there are two passing plays and two rushing plays for every four downs."
Tim was awed. "Wow Tony, I'm impressed. You really do know about the game-"
Tony gave Tim an irritated look. "Of course I know about the game - it's football, McGimpy," he said with self-righteous indignation. "It's as American as mom and apple pie!"
"And they play football in their underwear," Ziva said snidely, not liking the way Tony was treating Tim.
Tony gave her a momentarily annoyed look. "Yes Ziva, and they play football* in their underwear* but its serious stuff-"
The former Mossad agent was about to follow her exasperated eye roll with another sharp tongued retort when Medical Examiner Donald 'Ducky' Mallard and his medical assistant, Jimmy Palmer, appeared.
Jimmy was looking around like he was in the Sistine Chapel. "Wow, I'm really here…" he looked up at the scoreboard. "Hey the Seattle Mist! I saw them play the other night on MTV…against the Baltimore Charm…" he said dreamily but he quickly became serious and his faced showed a hint of embarrassment when he saw the angry look on Ziva's face.
Tony walked over to Jimmy wanting to celebrate the victory, "And Baltimore," and high fived with him. "Decimated them!" he said emphasizing the win with a slap. Jimmy smiled broadly for a moment then remembering Agent David's scowl, became serious again.
Tony, though, was on a roll. "Their quarterback," he babbled, "Misty Johnson-"
Ziva couldn't stand any more of this garbage. "Misty?" she scoffed with a mocking giggle. "I cannot believe a woman named 'Misty' can be a football player of any kind-"
"For your information, Zi-va, Tony said emphasizing the syllables in the former Mossad Agent's first name. "Misty Johnson has been the leading scoring player for the Baltimore Charm this year!" He said in defensive tone but with that all knowing smirk on his face.
"I'll bet," Ziva said with a hint of teasing sarcasm, trying to be one of the boys.
"But she'll be in trouble if she ever goes up against 'The Train'" Jimmy warned, wanting to rejoin the conversation.
Tony looked at the Autopsy Gremlin for a moment and then nodded sagely. "Uh yeah. The Train would most definitely make quick work of her…"
"The Train?" Ziva said looking confused again. "This woman, she is big like a train?"
Tony and Jimmy chuckled, earning them another cutting glare from Ziva.
"No, she hits like a train," Tim said piping up. "Her name is Chantal Weeks, Ziva. Her nickname is 'The Train'."
"This is so confusing," Ziva admitted to Ducky.
Ducky smiled in sympathy at her befuddlement. "Ah yes, the Lingerie Football League. Well, Tony, you should be of invaluable service on this case then…."
Ziva gave the NCIS Medical Examiner a curious look. "He told you about them?"
Ducky gave her an embarrassed glance. "Well, he rather showed me about them, Ziva, so to speak…. Not break up this discussion, but would you be so kind as to show Mr. Palmer and myself to the clinic? Gibbs said we'd find Staff Sergeant Colton there…." Doctor Mallard hoped his need to examine the body would get him away from this touchy situation.
"Of course, Ducky." Ziva said leading Jimmy and Ducky inside. As she opened the door to follow them in, she cast another baleful look at Tony.
"All their games are recorded and available from the LFL site, Agent David." Tony said wanting to win this battle with her. Why, he didn't know.
Ziva didn't answer. She gave Tony one last look while shaking her head, and then she stepped inside as the doors shut.
"What's her problem?" Tony said looking at the closed doors.
"She has a hang-over, Tony," Tim said, trying to get his mind back on the crime scene.
"Yeah, that's probably it," Tony said absently. Tim rolled his eyes when the Senior Field Agent turned his back to him.
"Yeah, probably," Tim said sarcastically, but Tony didn't pick up on his tone. Instead he was entranced by the visions of loveliness that were standing on the opposite sideline watching them. Several members of the Bombshells and Mist had gathered there.
xxixx
Gibbs met Ziva, Ducky and Jimmy as they entered the clinic. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard made his way over to the body of Staff Sergeant Colton and began looking him over while Jimmy lifted up Colton's shirt and inserted the liver probe.
"What do we have, Duck?" Gibbs said in his usual clipped manner.
Doctor Mallard continued his minute examination of the dead Staff Sergeant. "Timothy was correct about single gunshot wound to the chest. But I'm not certain yet, Jethro, that was the cause of death. I'd like to make a more thorough examination of the Staff Sergeant when we get him back to Autopsy."
"Liver probe indicates time of death is consistent with the information given to us by Ziva, Doctor," Jimmy replied as he removed the probe.
Ducky nodded. "Ziva, you mentioned something about an odd odor coming from the Staff Sergeant's drink bottle?"
"Yes Ducky. I don't immediately recognize it as any known poison. Tim said it registered as contact lens cleaning solution."
The NCIS Medical Examiner frowned. "Hmmm, well my dear, I'm not sure anyone could get a high enough concentration in there to kill the Staff Sergeant, but we'll let Abby determine that."
Ducky decided to do another, closer examination of Colton. "No stippling or gunshot residue, so this shot was not taken at close range…."
Ducky looked over at Doctor Travers. "Did he have an exit wound?"
Travers, who had been watching these government investigators with detached interest, shook his head. "Not that I could find, Doctor Mallard." He responded politely.
Ducky went back to his detailed exploration of the deceased Staff Sergeant's body. "Uh hmm, did you check his back?"
"There weren't any rips or tears in the back of his shirt." Travers reported.
"What is it, Duck?" Gibbs said as he looked at Ducky continuing his examination and then began focusing on the bullet wound.
"I'm not sure, Jethro," Ducky said as continued looking at the wound. "Mr. Palmer, will you help me roll the Staff Sergeant?"
"Sure Doctor,"
Jimmy moved in and helped turn Colton on his side. Ducky minutely examined the dead Staff Sergeant's back. "How odd. There doesn't appear to be any exit wound. That either means the wound wasn't fatal-"
"-or that he died from internal bleeding." Ziva said finishing the thought for him.
Ducky looked up and gave her warm smile for her hypothesis. "Precisely, Agent David. Come along Mr. Palmer. Let's get Staff Sergeant Colton ready for transport."
"Yes Doctor," Jimmy replied as he set up the portable gurney and opened a body bag.
"Ziva, would mind helping?" Ducky said as he grabbed one end of the sheet the Staff Sergeant was laying on.
"Not at all Ducky," she replied grabbing the other end.
To Be Continued…