Disclaimer: I don't own any intellectual property pertaining to the NCIS series.
A/N: Reviews are appreciated. This will be continued in several more chapters.
The elevator in the NCIS bullpen dinged at exactly 11:57 am. All members of the team looked up expectantly from their boring paperwork, eyes hopeful, eager for an exciting new distraction. Unfortunately for Ziva, the only excitement came in the form of an impeccably dressed, pretty blonde woman in her early thirties. Tony immediately leapt from his chair, preening.
"Very Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo, I'm in charge here, is there something that I can help you with, Miss…?"
The woman immediately went from having a somewhat severe expression to actually sneering at him. It was a very ugly thing for such an attractive woman to do, and it was fairly obvious that she was doing it out of derision for Tony's attempt at flirtation. His cocky grin faltered and he took a step back from her, sensing that this was not a woman who would be receptive to his particular brand of charm.
The woman, identity still unknown, tapped at her phone briefly before narrowing her eyes and slipping it back into her purse.
"Abby Sciutto. Is she ready for me?"
Tony turned on his heel and raised an eyebrow at McGee, no longer eager to have anything to do with this woman. McGee took his cue and stood up to address the woman with both confusion and wariness.
"I'm sorry, and you are…?"
She rolled her eyes impatiently, annoyed by their reluctance to answer her simple question.
"Here on behalf of the FBI, Mr. McGee. I was told an Agent Gibbs would be provided advance notice of my visit via email. By the way, I would like to personally thank you for providing me with so much valuable information."
Tony and Ziva gave each other knowing looks, realizing now that this woman's visit should have been expected, if only Gibbs bothered to check his emails every once in a while. Meanwhile, McGee was becoming visibly upset.
"I'm sorry, but I don't even know who you are, so I don't see how I could have given you whatever valuable information it is you're talking about. And how did you know who I am? And just what the hell do you want with Abby?"
"At ease, McGee.", Gibbs instructed as he walked into their view, appearing from his expression to be equally perturbed by the woman's presence.
"No Agent Fornell this year, I see. Brass getting tired of him not being able to seal the deal?"
The woman smirked at Gibbs. "Something like that. Thought they'd try a new avenue…someone with a bit more…persuasiveness."
Gibbs assessed the woman. She seemed arrogant and cold. He doubted she was going to be very successful when it came to persuading his Abby.
"Ziva, go get Abby."
Ziva quickly obliged, striding away from her desk and towards the elevator.
"Must have missed that email. What was your name again, agent?"
"I'm not an 'Agent'. I'm a consultant to the FBI. Jessica Forsythe."
Gibbs waited, expecting her to extend her hand to shake his, but it never happened. In fact, she was focusing again on the screen of her smart phone, smirking to herself. Gibbs rolled his eyes as he turned to make his exit, but McGee quickly stepped into his path and began speaking quietly enough that the woman wouldn't be able to hear.
"Is she here to try to get Abby to leave? What kind of consultant do you think she is, boss?"
"Easy, Mcgee. You and I both know that Abby isn't going anywhere."
He raised his voice so that the woman would be able to hear him.
"The FBI is wasting their time."
The woman merely raised her eyebrows and smiled in a way that made McGee and Tony nervous. Gibbs stared at her, now also wondering to himself about the exact kind of consulting she did for the FBI. She did seem unusually sure of herself when it came to her assigned task. It bothered him more than he would normally let himself be bothered. He continued staring at her as the elevator dinged, announcing Ziva and Abby's arrival.
"Ah! Ms. Sciutto. It's a pleasure to meet you. I trust you are ready for our lunch appointment? I was thinking Makoto, that's if you like sushi."
She had put on an entirely different persona the second Abby had come into view. She now seemed friendly and light-hearted. Gibbs and his team looked amongst each other, acknowledging that Abby would be predisposed to liking a woman with this personality, however fake the rest of them now knew it to be.
"That sounds great! I love sushi. Sorry I wasn't ready when you came in; Agent Fornell usually calls before picking me up. But I'm all set now and wow, now that you mention sushi, I'm totally starving."
The two women walked to the elevator, the blonde beginning to engage Abby in a seemingly animated and fun conversation. As the doors opened and they stepped inside, Gibbs began to walk out of the bullpen towards the hallway. Tony waited until the elevator doors had closed before addressing the entire room.
"Is it just me, or did that woman make anybody else nervous?"
He had been expecting McGee or Ziva to agree with him. So it came as somewhat of a shock when, as he rounded the corner and stepped out of their view, Gibbs could be heard somberly responding, "Not just you, Dinozzo."