A/N: English is not my first language.
A/N 2: So here it is, the brand new betaread first chapter. Thanks, mein liebe.
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, does anyone really believe I would?
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Jethro Gibbs looked down at the tiny lifeless body in front of him. His mind was spinning, past and present all mixed together in a macabre dance. How could anyone hurt such a defenceless being? Only a truly evil spirit could ignore the wrongness of an act like that.
Her petite frame made a shocking contrast with the dark woods. The long, blonde hair was spread on the ground. She was wearing nothing but a thin nightgown, now grimy with dust. The eyes were closed, but he had the disturbing thought that they'd be as blue as…
- Gibbs, are you all right? - Ziva's voice echoed from behind him. He turned around and found her holding a camera, taking pictures of the crime scene.
- I'm fine. The guy who did this… I'm not so sure he'll be when I lay my hands on him.
Ziva thought it best not to reply. She looked at DiNozzo over Gibbs' shoulder, the unspoken question in her eyes. Tony just shrugged and his gaze returned to the body in front of them.
- I guess nobody likes child murderers - McGee said behind her. His face was pale, too pale.
- Of course not, but he usually makes his threats later on the case. Not at the beginning.
- Ducky's here - DiNozzo cut in. He wasn't in the mood for talking either.
The Scottish doctor was having some trouble going down the small, slippery hill. Somehow he managed not to lose his balance, or stumble in the big tree roots that came up from the ground.
- Hello, gentlemen… and lady - Ducky stopped near them with his faithful Mr Palmer at his side - Not a pretty sight, I'm afraid... - Slowly, he made his way to the body, leaving his medical bag nearby. With an experienced hand he opened the little girl's eyes. Their fair blue tint had small dark spots around the iris - Petechias. A little help here, Mr Palmer, we need to turn her.
- How old do you think she was? - Tony lowered himself down.
- My professionalism says only a dental exam will tell us for sure, my experience says around eight years old. Not over ten. No visible marks on the face, arms or legs… No visible signs of contusion or trauma… She does look quite peaceful, doesn't she?
- Yeah… that's pretty disturbing - McGee couldn't hold himself.
- I've seen younger children die in suicide attacks back in Israel.
- We're not in Israel, Ziva.
- For once, I'm glad we're not.
Tony looked at her, bemused. That had to be the only time he'd ever seen or heard his partner betray any sort of emotion. Under different circumstances, he would certainly be mocking her in front of everyone, right in the middle of the bullpen. At the moment, though, all that he felt was a certain... kindness towards her. Not that he would ever confess it.
- Where's Jethro? - asked the doctor - I haven't seen him yet.
- He was just here…- Ziva looked around - I can't see him either…
- McGee, go find the Boss.
- There's no need, DiNozzo, I'm right here. And I'm wondering why you're all just standing here too.
- We're… we're helping Ducky with the preliminary autopsy, Boss.
- Ducky has Palmer to do that. Your job is to find out who did this. And fast. DiNozzo, Ziva, search the perimeter. Turn every rock, search every single damned inch. McGee, find everything about Petty Officer James McMillian.
- Right, Boss. Why Pett…
- Today, McGee.
- Why are we investigating this? - Ducky asked once the team had dispersed. - Let's turn her again, Mr Palmer.
Gibbs showed him a plastic evidence bag.
- A medal - Ducky took the bag in his hand - An Achievement Medal, if I'm not mistaken.
- No. This was found in her hand. She was holding it very tightly.
- You should be glad rigor mortis hasn't fully set in, or you'd never be able to open her hand - he turned the medal over and read the inscription on the back
- Cause of death?
- No visible marks of anything, just the petechias in the eyes. I'm not sure yet, Jethro, but I bet asphyxia. Someone probably suffocated her with a piece of cloth, or maybe just covered her mouth with their bare hands. Time of death? Eight to twelve hours ago. I guess we can move the body.
- Yes, we can.
Duck motioned over to the paramedics - How was she found?
- A young couple. They were riding their bicycles in the woods this morning.
- Poor fellows. I hope they can get over this.
- They will, eventually. At least they're still alive.
At N.C.I.S. headquarters, McGee was setting up the last of the case notes on the computer. The team was waiting for Gibbs and he didn't make them wait long.
- Ziva, DiNozzo? - Gibbs asked, eyes fixed on the plasma screen.
- Nothing to be found, Boss. No footprints, no garbage, no leads of any sort.
- It's true - Ziva added, in the face of Gibbs' thunderous expression.
- There is always something to be found.
- I'm sorry Boss, but...
- McGee, you better have something for me.
- Petty Officer McMillian is now Chief Petty Officer - McGee said at once, typing quickly, bringing up information on the plasma. A photo appeared on-screen; a young man in his marine uniform. McGee read aloud - Born in Alexandria, Virginia, has served three terms in Iraq, is currently now on his fourth, more precisely in Mossul. Record is clean; he looks like the perfect officer. No even a parking fine.
- Family?
- Wife, dead in Iraq three years ago. A daughter who, by the description…
- …looks very much like our victim. Our marine is not a very lucky guy - DiNozzo completed.
- The girl's clothes?
- At Abby's. I left everything there myself, Boss.
- How did we get to Chief Petty Officer McMillian, anyway? - Ziva asked.
- The medal in the girl's hand - Gibbs held it up, secured inside a small plastic bag.
- What's the year?
- Two thousand and three - he handed her the baggie. She took it and turned it over, looking carefully at both sides.
- Have we contacted the father? - she asked, finally.
- About to. I'll be down with Abby and Ducky. When I come back, I want some answers.
- How? - Tony blurted out - We have nothing on this case!
- If you have nothing, go look for something! DiNozzo, Ziva, go back to the woods and search everything again. McGee, go with them.
- But we've already…
- Ziva, another word and you'll be on desk duty for the next case. You two, let her drive. I want you there fast.
Gibbs turned away from his distressed team and took the lift down to Abby's Lab. The usual head-banging music was cranked up as loud as it could go. He found her slurping through a Caf-Pow straw, as she usually did while running a search on her babies.
- Tell me you got something.
- Gibbs! - she dropped the straw in surprise.
- What are you running?
- I found some sort of glue in the girl's nightgown. - The computer completed its current task even as she spoke. She checked the results - Pinewood resin.
- She was found in the woods, there must be resin all around.
- I will try to match this resin with some from the woods. Maybe they don't match… well, they probably will match, this is the most common type of pinewood resin in North America, but…
- Abby, just run the test. And fast. I'm tired of wasting valuable time.
- Gibbs, is everything all right?
- You're the second person to ask me that today.
- Maybe… maybe it's because you don't look all right - she put the Caf-Pow on the table and looked at him, concerned - My silver fox looks… nervous.
- I'm fine. Ok?
- You sure?
- Damn it, Abby, of course I am! - he snapped, moving away from her. He walked into a table in his anger and sent three flasks and some vials flying to the ground, where they exploded into millions of tiny shards.
- Gibbs! Are you hurt?
- No!
- This glass is really thin, you may have microscopic pieces under your ski…
- Abby, run the test, all right?
She looked at him, confused. Gibbs had never shouted at her before, she had always been her favourite. What the hell was going on? - Fine. This won't take long, if you want to wait. Tony brought some samples from the pine trees - she turned away from him and grabbed a vial, one that was still in one piece, into which she dropped a colourless liquid. She then walked over to the evidence baggies the team had left in her lab and found one with a small piece of tree bark - Gosh, I hate resin - she muttered when the bark stuck to her gloves. With a flip of her hand, she dropped the bark into the vial, shook it and placed it in the centrifuge.
- Miss Sciuto? - Cynthia's voice crackled through the intercom.
- Yes?
- Is Special Agent Gibbs there with you?
- I'm here. What do you want? - Abby was startled by the rudeness in his voice.
- Please report to the Director's Office immediately.
Gibbs stared at the intercom, directing his rage towards it. He left the lab without a word and burst into the lift, ignoring the junior agents who had called it first. When he reached the top floor he stomped along the corridor, walked past Cynthia's office without a word, and threw himself against the door he'd been headed for.
- The doorknob works fine, you know - Jenny didn't even look up from the reports she was reading.
- What is it now? I'm in the middle of a case, I have no time to chat.
- I'm aware you're in the middle of a case. So's the entire building - she dropped the report on the desk, took off her spectacles and looked straight at him.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- Yelling, breaking things, people getting shoved… and for the cherry on top of the cake, you've pissed off the entire Police Corps of the Virginia State!
- What?
- Are you going to deny that you've insulted the Commander of their Richmond Corporation?
- That was because he didn't cooperate. He was trying to steal the case.
- Are you sure that he wasn't just trying to help?
- I know stealing when I see it. Did you kiss his ass enough… or does he want something more?
- Everyone's right, you really are unbearable today.
- Who's everyone?
- What's happening, Jethro? Are you all right? - Jenny rose from her chair and walked around the desk.
- If someone asks me that just one more time I'm going to start shooting.
- Isn't it better to admit that the case is getting to you?
- What are you implying, Jenny?
- That you are taking this too personally!
- Why should I do that, Director?
- Because the girl reminds you of your daughter.
Jethro tried to answer, but his mouth had run dry. Jenny had hit the spot. And he hated it when she did.
- I have a case to solve. Goodbye, Director.
- Special Agent Gibbs! - she said, stopping him in his tracks - Wait. I have information for you.
- And just now you tell me?
- You would have gotten it already if you were at your desk or if had your mobile phone with you. Ducky's finished the autopsy. The little girl did die of asphyxia.
- Is that all?
- No. Abby sent me a message just a minute before you came in. The resin matches the sample from the woods. No clues there. - Jenny came closer to him - I understand this is hard for you…
- Don't patronise me.
- Jethro, don't hide under the shell.
- If you need anything else, I'll be downstairs. Being useful.
She sighed, sadly, more sadly than she wanted him to hear - Go on, then.
He turned his back on her without a word. She just stood where she was for a few seconds until she recalled that there was still the matter of the Virginia Police to deal with. She went back behind her desk, sat on her chair, took a deep breath, grabbed the phone and said - Cynthia, call Commander Stevenson again.
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