The Bloodstained Song

Chapter 1: The Blood-spattered Message, And the woman left behind

Gibbs was heating the wood to shape it for the hull. His hands were steady and sure as he clamped the wood to the molding block as he was preparing to set another plank to heat his cell rang and vibrated across his work table. "Gibbs" his eyebrow rose as he heard the details over the phone. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes Tony call Ducky. I will meet you there." "Yes Boss" And he hung up. He shook his head and walked up stairs grabbing his jacket on the way out. "Lets Roll kids!"Tony yelled to Ziva and Tim who were sitting in the van waiting for him.

They arrived on scene and noticed that the Leos didn't look very happy. Ducky had gotten there first and was admitted into the building. There were three women and they had been tortured and butchered horrendously. One had had her fingers cut off joint by joint and then dipped in some type of liquid. The second had been raped multiple times and then subjective to electric shock until her organs liquefied from the force of the shock. The third was perhaps the most brutal she had been hung upside down and slowly bled to death from shallow cuts in her aorta artery. When Gibbs arrived he noticed that McGee was outside and heaving dryly. "Jethro over here!"Ducky called him into the building. On the wall was a message written in blood. The NCIS team had never seen such a language for it looked like this.

Ramb ic. Veht Dupua. Cra ghufc uin sintanan. bmayca ramb ic. E pak oui Bnudald Dupua.

Needless to say Tony shook his head as Jimmy and Ducky loaded the bodies to go back home. When they got back to the bullpen Gibbs had them look for information of the three. "Lieutenant Colonel Augustine McKenzie,USMC" McGee pointed to the picture of the woman. She had blond hair and bright blue eyes. "Major Marie Shiba, Army"Brown hair and black eyes. "Commander Eris Skyhawk, Air Force" She was obviously half Indian. Her golden eyes glittered from beneath the ash brown hair. The phone rang and Gibbs picked it up and after a moment he hung up. "Abby wants to see us."The team headed down to the forensics lab.

When they arrived Abby's lab was silent and their hand rested on their weapons. "Abby ?"McGee called as he entered the lab. "Over here Tim."The others followed guns ready Abby popped out and startled the others. "Wow whats with the guns?" Gibbs set a caf-pow on the table next to the computer. "Why is it so quiet in here." Abby smiled softly. "Its OK Gibbs my CD player is broken. And I matched the blood to a missing officer named Colonel Skylar McHail. She's Navy"Tim thought for a moment. "Isn't it strange that we have officers from all of the armed forces branches? And that weird message written in the Lieutenant Colonel's blood?"

Gibbs noticed the boxes all over Abby's lab. "What are the boxes for Abby?" She smiled. "They are the officers personal computers that Tony arranged to have sent to me. But I can't get into them"They all looked at her. "They are protected by some anti hack program that nearly blew my comp but it got my CD player instead. Its incredible Gibbs it uses a fluctuating encryption code that I can't pin down. The only thing I could get before it shut the door on me was this image." She pulled up a picture of five women sitting together outside a house. The fifth woman was a red head with emerald green eyes. "I can't find who she is though she isn't military and I scanned all the police photos in the east coast so that woman is somewhere in the west."Gibbs noticed something in the lower left hand corner of the picture. "Abby whats that?" He pointed to the smudge. She raised the pixel density and contrast.

The image cleared. "A cactus?"Tony said. "Not just any cactus Tony that's a cactus that only grows in Arizona. Nice job Gibbs!"Abby hugged him and then turned to work on her computer again after handing him a printed copy of the picture. "So that woman is somewhere in Arizona now what?" Tony asked as they took the elevator up to the bullpen. Gibbs took off for Mtac and the Directors office. He walked right through the door past her assistant and into her office."I need your help Jenny."She looked at him with a cocked eyebrow as he explained the case to her and handed her the picture. "I see Jethro. I will use Mtac to help you. But stop bursting into my office."He smiled at her and then walked out the door.

She chuckled and shook her head. "Men" and she got up and walked towards Mtac to and she noticed that in the pen below her Gibbs was setting up assignments. "Dinozzo Find out if these women have any more in common besides the picture. Ziva dig up their service records and account statuses. McGee go help Abby try and crack those computers." They rushed to do as he said and he looked to see her sitting there with a small smile on her face as she walked to the eye scanner and entered Mtac.

Jenny called out to the Director of the FBI. "Jack I need this young woman found, she may hold the key to a case I am working on." The man cocked his eyebrow and folded his hands. "OK Jenny on one condition. You let us in on the investigation." She thought for a moment then nodded. "Alright Jack. But NCIS will lead."The man nodded. "I'll find her, anything else?"she shook her head said her goodbyes and closed the connection. Gibbs was listening to McGee fill him in on the women's backgrounds. "Lieutenant Colonel Augustine McKenzie, was a puzzle-maker and satellite code encryption specialist. She became an officer on her 21st birthday and has been awarded several times. Major Marie Shiba, Half Japanese half American, Born on an army base in '82, She was an developer for an AI Defense system for us against hackers."McGee took a breath and continued.

"Commander Eris Skyhawk was a specialist for heavy weapons guidance systems. Colonel Skylar McHail is part of a division that governs information traveling through the US." Dinozzo scratched his head. "Whats that mean McGeek?" Tim sighed. "She manages the firewall that protects the military network from invaders Tony." Gibbs tossed the files on his desk and turned to the team. "So we have four women with the training to cause massive harm to the military network three dead one missing. And one bizarre message that we cant even read One civilian who could hold the key to the whole god damned mess and we have no idea who she is." Gibbs noticed that McGee was staring at the picture of Colonel McHail. "What is it McGee?" He turned to his boss. "She used to live next store to me, But she moved on base after the apartment decided not to take pets." Gibbs nodded. A familiar voice made the team turn and look up ,Jenny stood there with a smile on her face. "We have her. The FBI tracked her down"She said as she entered the bullpen. "Her name is Miyu Leflight, She lives in Phoenix, she is a disabled recluse so she it took a little longer to track her down."Gibbs grabbed his jacket and his coffee, heading for the elevator door. "Where we going boss?" Gibbs stopped. "You stay here and keep digging Dinozzo,McGee help Abby and see if you can get anything else out of that computer. Ziva keep looking for their ties ." They split up and Gibbs left. "Jethro the FBI lent us there Jet to get around and there is an agent waiting on it, It was the price for finding the girl."

When he boarded the Jet at Reagan International Gibbs was irritated. There sitting on the plane was Special Agent Keller Thomson, an agent who Gibbs was coming to dislike very quickly. It was a 9 hour flight between DC and Phoenix by the end of it Gibbs was ready to shoot her to shut her up. "Look here agent Thomson we are about to visit a reclusive woman who has no idea three of her friends are dead and one missing. If you mess up my investigation by uttering one word I will personally see to it you never work with NCIS again. Do I make myself clear?" She nodded. "Crystal, Sir."As Gibbs drove silence rained within the car as they drove Keller had been useful by programming the navigator with the address. When they arrived it was a simple two story house that was painted a light blue with a darker trim. There was a red car parked out front and they could see an older woman moving around in the house.

Gibbs approached the door and knocked a moment or so later it was pulled open. "Good morning , Can I help you?"Her face was kind. "I am special agent Gibbs, I am from NCIS, and Agent Thomson is FBI. We are looking to talk to Miyu." Keller saw the protective nature of a mother bear in her eyes. "Why do you want my baby Agent Gibbs ?" Her voice was even chilly."We only want to ask her a few questions ma'am" The agents relaxed when they noticed the elder woman's gaze had warmed again. "Won't you come in? Miyu has insomnia and tends to sleep during the day" Gibbs noticed a picture on the mantle.

It was all five sitting on a beach in the moonlight they were younger though the smiles were dazzling in there honesty. "When was this taken ma'am?" Gibbs noticed the woman's smile. "You can rest at ease marine I won't bite, you can call me Rena." Gibbs whipped around surprised that she had known. "I know a marine when I see one." Gibbs smiled at the woman. "That was taken when my girls were about seventeen, Just before they decided to go into the military."She smiled at his cocked eyebrow. "Miyu found them one by one and dragged them home like stray dogs and then they became part of the family. And when they all decided to go into the military they have always written and called Miyu every chance they get so she doesn't feel forgotten."

Gibbs placed the photo back on the mantel and noticed the awards and medals from the other four were hung on the wall including a large portrait of the women in full dress regalia and Miyu in only a black dress standing in the middle surrounding Rena as she sat on a stool. "though they were not my blood they are my children, Miyu is the only one that's mine by blood she is my baby."They heard a door slam somewhere upstairs and Gibbs hand was on his weapon. "Well looks like Miyu knows your here." Keller looked confused.

"She sneaks around here like a ghost and only slams the door when she returns to her room as a way to tell me she where she is." She gestured to the couches. "Coffee?" They agents agreed and sat waiting for Rena's return. "So now what?" Keller asked. "We see if we can get her to talk to us." Rena came back with four cups of coffee on a tray and set it before them on the table. "I'll see if I can get Miyu to join us." She walked up to the stairs. "Miyu dear these people was to ask you some questions will you come speak to them." They heard a noise and a thump before Rena came back and sat down. "She'll be down in a few moments"

Keller was surprised to see that in real life Miyu was 5'11" and she held herself away from them and sat on the base of the steps, dressed in a muscle shirt and shorts. Her arms were lightly muscled but beautifully tanned. Gibbs noticed the black k-bar knife strapped to her left thigh. It was in easy view and the meaning loud and clear to him. This place was hers and she would defend it. Her mother introduced them to her and they noticed that she was silent and her eyes were locked with Gibbs. Emerald green meeting Laser blue testing ,watching ,studying one another. It was was almost five minutes later that she smiled and Gibbs chuckled. She approached and sat in the black recliner chair that had been left open. "why do wish to speak with me?" Her eyes ghosted over Keller. "This brought us here." He held out the picture in an evidence bag her eyes flickered over the writing quickly,before turning it over to see the picture.

"This is Eris' picture it was in her apartment. Why do you have it ?"before Gibbs could say anything His phone rang shrilly. "Excuse me a moment." He said and walked in to the entry hall. "Do you know what this means?" Keller showed her a picture of part of the message left behind in blood. "Yes its a secret language the others and I found to talk to one another with out anyone being able to read our messages if they were ever intercepted. This says 'Find Toboe'." Keller growled softly. Keller sighed."why you sigh?" "It was hard enough to find you,now we have this Toboe person to find as well."Miyu laughed the deep sultry notes carried in the room. "I'm Toboe its my nick name from the others." Keller chuckled happy.

Gibbs returned to them his eyes glittering in anger. "Gibbs she can read it"Miyu looked at Gibbs eyes and read the anger. He knelt before her. "I must ask you to come with us to DC." "Why?" "Your friends left behind more messages in this language and I need you to translate it." He didn't want to tell her they had been murdered here but was surprised when she nodded. "May I bring my companion along? Can I bring my laptop? Where will I sleep and will I be safe?" Gibbs placed his hand over his heart she unbuckled her k-bar and handed it to him. To a marine her handing him her knife signaled she put her protection, life and well-being into his hands with that knife. He nodded at the gesture and laid his hand over hers.

"How long should I pack for?" Gibbs thought. "Two weeks to be safe."Miyu nodded and ghosted back up the stairs. "Will you protect her Agent Gibbs?"He looked at Rena and nodded. "With my life."She smiled at him. "Very well I'll make you some things to nibble on during the flight."And she happily walked into the kitchen humming. Miyu came back fifteen minutes later surprising Keller when she tossed a duffle bag onto the floor. "Will I be taken care of?"Gibbs nodded. He noticed the bag she had tossed down the stairs and chuckled at Agent Thomson. "Do all marines throw bags down the stairs?" She asked as she examined the bag.

"Only those who trust in their aim Agent Thomson."Rena said from the kitchen. A noise came from behind them and the two agents turned to see her standing with a large German Sheppard. "Agent Gibbs this is my companion. His name is Jethro." He recognized the dog immediately. And he sighed Abby was going to have a fit. "Very well. Are you ready?" She smirked and he chuckled. "Who taught you to pack?"She smiled. "Augustine did." He nodded and her Mother returned with a nap sack that smelled good and a thermos. "Coffee! Yum!"Miyu chirped as she finished her coffee off.

They left the house fairly quickly and besides Miyu's avoidance of touching Keller she was perfectly normal. The dog seemed to remember him and had allowed him to pet it before returning to the girls side. "He normally never lets anyone but me touch him. Skylar gave him to me when she moved onto base." He noticed her fingers tighten in the dogs fur and the dog turned his head and was stroked in return. When they arrived at Phoenix International she shook her head and stopped. "Too many people" Gibbs held his arm out to her. It took her a few minutes to accept it and she clipped a leash on to Jethro's harness.

"OK lead on."She held herself close to his side. Gibbs could see the dogs training take effect as the dog sniffed and watched the people around him. He felt Miyu shake as they got boxed into a corner. "Agent Thomson. Get us an escort or a ride to the Jet. She's scared." He saw Keller nod and vanish into the crowd towards Security. It was about ten minutes later when she returned with a cart and four security officers. "Special Agent Gibbs, sorry bout the wait had to grab you guys a ride." Gibbs nodded and when one of the Guards went to touch Miyu the dog snarled and got between them. "Please don't touch me." Miyu said as she slid behind Gibbs. He lead her over to the golf-cart and watched as she got comfortable in a seat. It made his chuckle that she had the dog sit on the foot rest between her legs so that he wouldn't have to run behind them. He sat next to her and he realized she was still shaking badly. "Its alright once we are on the jet you'll only have me and Keller on board with you." he said softly he felt her shaking slow and then stop.

"OK Agent Gibbs." They were escorted onto the tarmac and right to the stairs of the jet. Keller got off and went into the jet gun drawn to check it out. She returned a moment or two later thumbs up. "OK lets go Miyu" Gibbs helped her off the cart and up the stairs. She finally relaxed as she set her bag down and sat down in a chair buckling herself in, the dog laid down at her feet. "OK Agents Thomson and Gibbs we ready?" The co-pilot asked as he shut the door and locked it tight. Gibbs nodded and spoke. "We need to get back to DC now."The man nodded and spoke into his headset. "We will be taking off in a few minutes. Miyu had opened the thermos and sniffed it before shaking her head, screwing the cap back on and handing it to Gibbs.

"Mum made it for you."Gibbs repeated her movements of unscrewing the cap and sniffing,he sighed it was strong home-brewed coffee. "I'll have to thank your mother later." Gibbs found out the Miyu loved to fly and she was happy being quiet or mumbling to her dog. "Whats your dogs name again Miyu?"Keller asked her about halfway through the trip. "His name is Jethro, Skylar said that his former master chose the name for him and I like the way it sounds."He noticed Keller scribbled the dogs name on to a note pad. "Why you wanna know?"Miyu asked her eyebrow raised. "So that I can have ID tags waiting for you on the ground." She said as she walked towards the cockpit to use the phone.

Miyu grumbled as she started playing with a set of dog tags around her neck. "What do they say?"Gibbs asked he was surprised when she removed the toe tag and handed it to him. It said Miyu P Leflight, 555-22-0108, AB- allergy to Sulfa. He handed it back and watched her clip it back into place. "Eris insisted that I have some type of tags that in an emergency would give my vital information."Gibbs nodded and watched Miyu as she looked out the window. Her green eyes were dazed as she lost herself in thought. She was wondering why they couldn't ask the others to translate for them.

'Why did they need her?' She pondered this until Gibbs told her they were preparing to land. She climbed into the SUV that was waiting for them and sat silently in the back seat as Gibbs drove they arrived out side a big building and she saw the uniformed man guarding the gate and when his eyes were on her she smiled softly at him. "You finished staring Mathews?" He snapped to attention. "Sorry Sir go on through." He lifted the gate and watched them drive away his chest puffed out at the thought of the smile he got. Gibbs shook his head softly as he glanced the man in the review mirror.

They walked into the elevator and Gibbs noticed that she was shaking again. "Don't worry no one in here will hurt you." Her eyes searched his and she nodded and her shaking stopped. Miyu had been told she was an excellent judge of character she trusted Gibbs but something was bothering her about Agent Thomson and it was making her uneasy. Tony's head whipped around when he saw the elevator doors open and Gibbs step out. "Boss I found..." his words stopped cold when a woman stepped out of the elevator behind him and her fingers wrapped around Gibbs arm gently. Ziva turned to see what had made Tony speechless and saw Gibbs lead a woman gently into the bullpen and saw that her hands rested on his arm. "Agent Thomson you should go inform the director of our safe arrival." She nodded and proceeded up stairs and out of sight. "Quit staring Dinozzo." Tony shook his head and closed his mouth.

"Miyu this is part of my team Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo and Special Agent Ziva David." She waived softly. "Dinozzo, Ziva this is Miyu."Tony extended his hand it surprised Gibbs when she extended her hand hand shook his. "you can call me Tony if you want to."The dog growled when Ziva approached. "Sorry he doesn't like any women besides me." Miyu said softly as she looked for a place she could sit. Tony noticed it and rolled McGee's chair over for her. "Thank you Tony." his smile made her relax. It wasn't that she was beautiful but the fact was that Tony could see she was scared. "Where is McGee?"Ziva sighed."Still down with Abby they are at wits end on those computers. Tony asked Miyu if she was thirsty. "Yes do you know where I could get a Root Beer?" Tony told her he would be right back and with in a few minutes he had returned with a couple cans of Root Beer and he handed her one. "Thank you"she said as she opened it and took a long sip. "Yummy!"she said happily. Gibbs got off the phone then.

"McGee is on his way up." Tim came around the corner and Jethro stood and got between him and Miyu. "OH NO! Not you!" The dog lowered his chest and prepared to jump on the man. "Jethro Leave him alone!" Gibbs was surprised that Miyu would defend someone she didn't know. The dog turned and set his fore-paws on Miyu's thighs and she stroked his shoulders and head. "Thank you Jethro" Tim saw the woman hug the dog to her before releasing him. The dog settled once again at the woman's feet. "McGeek meet Miyu."Tony said as her emerald eyes meet Tim's chocolate ones."I'm Tim McGee." Miyu nodded. "Miyu. I've heard your name before."Tim had never seen eyes like hers before, deeper then the ocean but brighter then the stars. "I used to live next door to Skylar. I gave her that dog when my girlfriend left him with me."Miyu's smile brightened her eyes. "Then I owe you greatly Tim. You gave me my best friend."he walked towards her one eye on the dog and he extended his hand, hers met him halfway and they shook hands.

From the moment he saw her he wanted to write, a thousand ideas were flashing through his head. "McGee bring up the message." "Yes Boss" Miyu watched him type her mind whirling, he reminded her of her favorite character in the book she was reading. "On the plasma Miyu." Tony said and she turned to the screen to read what was left for her. Gibbs and the others watched her eyes race across the screen multiple times and then slowly stare at a set of symbols. The others turned to look at the monitor trying to figure out what she was seeing. McGee was the only one who kept his eyes on Miyu. "That's why you didn't ask one of the others to translate for you." her quiet voice was louder then Gibbs roar in that moment to McGee.

Her head was tilted down her body shook lightly for when she looked up there were tears running down her face. Gibbs and the others turned to see her at that moment. "whats wrong?" he asked her. "Are my friends all dead?" Gibbs sighed and realized that Col. McHail must of written something in the message. "Col. McHail is MIA the others are gone. I am sorry to ask you but what does it say." Her eyes locked on to his and for them time stopped. She opened her mouth and repeated the words from the message in English to them. "Help us. Find Toboe. She knows our murderer. Please help us. I beg you Protect Toboe." When the last word fell from her lips she slit out the chair in a dead faint. Tony caught her before her head hit the carpet.