Prying Eyes

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from NCIS or its characters which are the property of NBC and its affiliates (does anyone else get really depressed typing that?)

Being a senior senator serving on the Armed Forces Committee definitely had its perks. Senator Adam Griffin knew that with his prominent position, when he made a request, someone with an obscene number of stars and bars would leap to do his bidding, and it was with that calm assurance that he requested a meeting with the Secretary of the Navy, Clayton Jarvis.

He considered Jarvis to be one of his closest friends here on the beltway, but if he was honest with himself he would admit that most of the relationship consisted of "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" dealings and he had every intention of calling on that aspect of their relationship today.

Nodding to the SecNav's secretary Griffin strode into Jarvis' office without announcement, and found the man reading over some files on his polished maple desk.

"Good Morning Clay," he called from his spot in the doorway.

Jarvis glanced up from his reading and after seeing who was speaking, immediately strode across the room to greet the man, "Good Morning Adam," the smile on his face fading before he added, "I'm so sorry to hear about your son."

Griffin nodded acknowledging the condolences, "That's actually why I came by…"

Striding back across the room, Griffin took one of the plush chairs across from Jarvis before adding, "I need to call in a favor…"

Jarvis nodded and resumed his seat, "Anything I can do…"

The senator leaned against the surface of the desk, "I want NCIS to take over the investigation."

When a reply wasn't immediate in coming Griffin continued, "The local police department has been working the case for three months now and hasn't gotten anywhere."

"Adam," he said sighing, "these investigations take time; you have to be patient…"

"Clay, my boy was found murdered…slaughtered and that school is covering the truth up. I want answers" Griffin stated nearly shouting by the end, his eyes filming over with unshed tears.

"I'm sure the locals are providing the best investigation possible…"

Griffin interrupted him with a scowl, "Are you telling me that with all the money that the armed forces committee has invested in NCIS they couldn't do a better job than a local police department?"

Jarvis sat forward, "That's not what I'm saying at all."

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I don't know what you want…"

"Clay, I want your best agents on this," he stated, his voice becoming an emotional whisper.

"Do we even have jurisdiction?" Jarvis asked, knowing he'd been beat and that he'd assign the case to NCIS.

"Drew was a marine reservist and that school he worked at was a marine academy…I'd say that gives you plenty of jurisdiction."

With a resigned sigh Jarvis assured him, "Let me talk to my people, and I'll have one of our teams on it"

With a weary and relieved smile Griffin responded, "I knew I could count on you Clay."

Orders take time to go through the chain of command, so it was six hours later before Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs was called into Director Leon Vance's office.

Taking his customary seat at the conference table Gibbs asked, "You wanted to see me Leon?"

"We've got a case; dead marine down at Massanutten Military Academy."

Gibbs stared at Vance for a moment before asking, "Why am I hearing it from you and not dispatch?"

"Victim was the son of a US senator on the Armed Forces committee, he's calling in a favor with Jarvis," as Vance spoke he slid a case file across the gleaming surface of the table.

Gibbs grabbed the file before it toppled to the floor, pulled his reading glasses out and immediately began scanning the documents, "It says here reservist, First Sergeant Andrew Griffin, was found dead in his apartment at Massanutten Military Academy three months ago, "glancing up from his reading he asked, "Why weren't we brought in from the beginning?"

"MMA is in the Senator's hometown, this is coming up on an election year, appearances are important."

Tossing the file on the table Gibbs asked, "So why call us in now?"

"Appears the local LEOs are stuck, and despite his position, Senator Griffin is a father first and he wants answers."

This gave Gibbs pause, he knew what it was like losing a child, he could sympathize.

Vance watched his senior field agent for a moment before asking, "Did you know that DiNozzo holds a degree in education?"

The abrupt change in topic brought Gibbs out of his revere, "Huh?"

"Were you aware that DiNozzo has a degree in education, and that he taught for a year before joining the Peoria PD?"

Gibbs couldn't hide his smirk when he realized where Vance was going with this, "You want DiNozzo to go undercover as a teacher?"

A/N: So here is my first attempt at NCIS fiction, what did you think? Please let me know what I can do to improve…Thanks!