Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters to NCIS. They're owned by MSNBC.
It was winter in Washington D.C and a good layer of fresh snow had fallen during the night blanketing the streets and the trees in pretty white. When the sun rose there was a chill in the air that the citizens staved off with thick jackets, scarves, and wool hats. Because of the snow and the ice on the road school was cancelled so the neighborhoods were loud with all of the children playing brisk snowball fights, one side of the neighborhood against the other.
One of the children wearing a bright red hat was named Susanne. She was 10 and running away from three of her friends armed with snowballs that were raining down all around her. She smiled and cried as she came running around the corner of her neighbor's house. Her friends followed her right into an ambush of others waiting around the corner. It was the OK Corral shootout with snowballs, point blank range shots where those struck fell in dramatic fashion. Susanne had survived the battle and walked by the prostrated bodies of her friends cut down around her, their chests with a dust of white snow marking where they've been shot. They kept still, silent waiting then Susanne couldn't help but laugh at her friend Danny who lay with his red tongue sticking out. Her laughter was contagious as the others began laughing as well before they sat up and dusted themselves off.
"Let's get the others!" Susanne said walking back towards the front of the house to see where the others were. The lawn she stood on belonged to her neighbor, who she knew as Mr. Walker. He was a sailor, a nice man and didn't mind that the children played on his small lawn. But before Susanne could call back to the others, the door to Mr. Walker's house burst open and a man staggered out onto the front porch then collapsed to his hands and knees. With wide eyes Susanne slowly walked towards the man and recognized the blood smeared face of Mr. Walker gasping for breath then reaching for her.
All she could do was scream.
The elevator doors opened with a chime and out stepped Ziva and DiNozzo with a cup of coffee for both of them. "What did you do last night, Tony?" Ziva inquired as she reached her desk and lay her thick jacket on the back of the chair.
"Watched the entire series, The Pacific" the Italian sighed. "Ten episodes. What a ride" a smug smile on his lips as he did the same with his jacket before sitting down.
"What's that?" the Israeli asked.
"W-what? What's The Pacific?" Tony sat upright, "Are you kidding?"
She had a serious look on her face, "I don't kid."
He couldn't believe it. Running his hands over his well groomed dark hair Tony sat up, walked around his desk and stood before Ziva, "It's a series by HBO covering Marines in the Pacific theater in World War II."
"Hence 'The Pacific'" she pointed out.
Tony didn't know if she was being sarcastic or not. Chuckling and looking briefly at the ceiling his hands went to his hips, "Ah, Ziva. Sometimes you just need to get with the times!"
"You mean the newspaper?"
"Okay, now you're just messing with me" holding up a hand. "The Pacific has many iconic Marines. Sledge Hammer, Chesty Puller. Basilone..."
"Who's Chesty Puller?" Ziva asked.
Now Tony was beside himself. Throwing up his hands he exclaimed, "A-are you kidding! Don't let the boss hear you ask that. He'll end you," his tone dropping to a near whisper out of fear that he would be creeping in behind him.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear, the silver haired, stone faced leader came marching towards his desk and Tony spun towards him and stepped away, "Hi, boss" Tony said nervously.
Ziva feared and respected her boss, but was not afraid of asking questions, "Gibbs, who's Chesty Puller?"
"A Marine Corps legend. Earned five Navy Crosses and a DSC. He's the epitome of a Marine," Gibbs replied. "Grab your gear. A Navy lieutenant and her husband were shot," grabbing his service pistol in his center desk drawer. Without another word he headed towards the elevator with the rest of the team following close behind.
During the ride to the crime scene with Ziva and McGee riding in the backseat, Tony riding shotgun with his eyes protected by sunglasses, it was Ziva that broke the tension, "I know that I don't know much American history, but can you tell me more about this Chester Puller?"
"It's 'Chesty' Puller" Tony scoffed.
"Lieutenant-General Puller was a career Marine officer," Gibbs said calmly, "He served in Haiti, Nicaragua, and in the Pacific during the war and commanded the 1st Marines at Chosin in Korea."
"I remember that," Ziva said leaning forward, "That's when they were surrounded by the Chinese."
"Yep" Gibbs said with a thin smirk, "Chesty said, "Don't forget that you're First Marines! Not all the Communists in Hell can overrun you!"
Coming to the scene the D.C police had cordoned off the area, but Ducky and Palmer had not arrived yet to retrieve the body. Walking up the front lawn a police officer asked for their ID and signed them in to evidence before allowing them further. Pausing at the front porch where Lt. Andrew Walker had fallen his body was covered in a plastic tarp to preserve evidence. Inside there was more.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Emily Walker was found in the kitchen sprawled on the ground with a large pool of blood coming from her chest. The shot that killed her appeared to be a through and through as there was terrible hole in the wall beside the fridge. Police had searched the home and found no one. According to information from the neighbors it was only the married couple living in the home. Both of their cars were in the garage, but there was a pair of shoe prints going out the back door.
It appeared to be senseless. The home was small, built in the 40s and had three bedrooms and one bath that the Walker's had purchased 3 years ago. It was immaculate with short blue carpets in all of the rooms except white tile in the kitchen and bath, leather couch, love seat, and recliner and a 70" flat panel television mounted on the wall and the white walls covered in photographs of their journeys together all over the world. Gibbs approached the lead detective on the case who informed him, nothing appeared to be missing and there were no shell casings or any other weapons found. Emily's purse was still on the counter and Andrew's wallet was still in his pocket. Both of them were wearing their uniforms ready to go to work on base. Both had their cell phones and the computer was still in the office. Their neighbors say that they didn't hear or see anyone enter or leave the house leading to and from the discovery of the body and the Walkers were quiet but respected members of the neighborhood.
"We have people coming to take the bodies," Gibbs said. As soon as he said that there was a wail of sirens marking the arrival of Ducky and his assistant Palmer. Coming to a unsteady stop at the curb Palmer stepped out to get the gurney. Wearing a thick gray wool hat and finger mittens Ducky approached the front porch, knelt beside the body and carefully peeled the tarp back. Curling his lips at the sight of the blood he muttered, "Tragic. The house is suppose to be a place of sanctuary."
"Now it's a murder site" Tony replied.
Ducky went inside to begin his examination on Emily. She was petite, 5'1" with long red hair in a tight bun behind her head with almond shaped green eyes with a bit of mascara and red lipstick she had youth with tight facial cheeks and half pursed lips. She was pretty, but he wasn't looking at that. What he found of interest was what was on the front of her uniform. There was the entry at her heart. There was blood there that had streamed from the wound, but what he leaned in to look at was a certain spray of blood around her uniform. 'Interesting' he said to himself. He went back to Andrew's body and noted the bullet entry and exit of his body then went to the bullet hole in the wall. It was bigger than the diameter of his pinky finger. An officer was taking pictures of it and Ducky asked that the bullet be extracted carefully.
It took several minutes watching Ducky move about the house as his experienced mind was putting things together. With no shell casings and no sign of a break in he stood at the head of Emily's body then looked at the bullet hole in the wall. Gibbs' knew his mind was moving, trying to put together a scenario, at least a rudimentary one that they could get some hints on.
Seeing the icy blue eyes of Gibbs looking at him Ducky approached with his gloves on. "What do you got for me, Ducky?" Gibbs asked softly.
With a tired sigh Ducky looked at the open front door at Andrew's body then twisted it back towards Emily's. "I find it strange that no one heard the shot as the hole in the wall has to be at least .45 caliber. But, based on what I think happened was the bullet hit Mr. Walker in the back, exited him and entered Mrs. Walker and exited her body and went into the wall."
"Both shot by the same bullet?" Gibbs asked.
"It would appear that way, but I won't be sure until I get them on the table" Ducky sighed. "It's a shame. They're both so young. By the looks of it, it would appear that the husband moved his body to shield his wife, but his body wasn't enough" his voice trailed off there as he lowered his head and walked around Gibbs.
Walking out of the house into the cold air Gibbs carefully stepped around the body and his team followed.
"What are you thinking, boss? Burglary gone wrong?" asked Tony.
"No," Gibbs turned to him with a stern tone. "Don't guess. Get facts. Most murders are personal," then he flicked his gaze to McGee waiting for him with wide eyes. "McGee, stay here and process evidence. Get on that computer of theirs, and talk with the neighbors. Ziva? Go to Lt. Emily Walker's unit, talk to her friends there. DiNozzo?"
"I got Robert Walker's job. On it" Tony smiled.