Title: All Hands on Deck
Author: Christy
Rating: FR 15
Fandom/Theme: Angel/NCIS/Highlander
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters featured here. They belong to their respective creators and production companies.
Distribution: and TtH
Chapter: 2/5
Series: Alissa's Interests #10
FFA Pairing: Cordelia Chase/LJ Gibbs
Spoilers: None
Summary: Gibbs doesn't like cases that don't make sense.
Author's Note: While Cmdr Watkins IS a real person, he does NOT have anything to do with NNB...he just has the misfortune of being related to me SMH
Gibbs marched back into the bullpen after escorting Mrs. Chase to the gate and pinned McGee with a Look.
"Uh, as expected, Commander Watkins confirmed what Mrs. Chase told us. He further noted that she had first called to ask him about Ethan Rayne only a couple weeks previous."
Jethro raised an eyebrow and was about to ask what they had on Rayne when Director Vance called for Gibbs from the balcony. Sighing, but having the training not to show his impatience, he headed up and marched right into Leon's office.
"How can I help you, Leon?"
Vance took his glasses off and laid them on the folder in from of him. "Why do you have your team investigating a civilian assault?"
"Because my gut is telling me this is WAY more than just a simple civilian assault, and that it has something to do with Norfolk Naval Base."
"Be that as it may, Jethro, until the Navy is involved, kick it to Norfolk PD," Leon ordered. "IN the meantime, I just got word we have the body of a lieutenant found in an alley out in Georgetown. Why don't you take your team to go look into that instead?"
"Gibbs seem a little pissed about getting this case to you?" Tony commented out of the side of his mouth to Ziva as they all headed down the alley towards the body.
"Yes, but I do believe the Director wouldn't stop him on the other case if this wasn't important," Ziva responded then took one look at the ravaged body and cursed vehemently in Hebrew.
"That bad?" Tim asked, looking up at her from his knelt position by the body for photos.
"Yes, yes, that bad McGee," she responded, but Tony saw her pale hands shaking when she went to get her own camera.
"Abba, it is good to hear your voice," Ziva commented, curling her legs under her as she smiled.
"What can I do for you, Ziva? It is not common for you to call me when it is this late for you."
She sighed. "I believe one of the Council forces was ambushed last night while out patrolling. I know your connections to ask permission are much better than mine."
Eli smirked. "What kind of permissions, Ziva?"
"I believe I may need to explain to Agent Gibbs about it. I am sure Agent DiNozzo has already seen it- the vampire attack tonight did not seem to scare him," she informed her father.
David sighed. "I will talk to people I know and reply back in a day or two. Shalom, Ziva."
"Shalom, father," she replied, then sat in her apartment for a moment longer, lost in thought, before getting up, dressing again and heading out.
"What do we have?" Gibbs demanded the next morning.
"Janet Klein, 24. Her parents were both career Naval Officers, a Cpt Paul Klein and his wife JAG LT Megan Klein. They moved around a bit because of his work as a Naval Engineer and then sent their daughter to boarding school for the last few years of schooling- Jenny Calendar School for Gifted Girls in Cleveland. After graduating with honors from the Naval Academy, she was stationed on the USS Carl Vinson and more recently the USS Enterprise. After the latter was decommissioned, she was reassigned stateside at- wait for it- Norfolk Naval Base, where she's been for the past year and a half," Tony summarized.
McGee rolled his eyes. "I'm sure plenty of people work at Norfolk. It's not a coincidence."
"Yeah, McGeek, but when your direct commanding officer is Commander Watkins, it becomes a little less so," DiNozzo retorted.
"Until we know it's not a coincidence, we treat it as one," Gibbs ordered curtly. "Right now, go back to Norfolk- explain to the commander that this is a separate incident and get his take on the Lieutenant. McGee, look more into her background- old boyfriends, neighbors, issues, the whole thing. Ziva, I want to know what she was doing in Georgetown, in civvies, at two in the morning."
Before Gibbs could leave, Tony raised his hand. "Uh, Boss, wouldn't that contradict Rule 39?" At his glare as Gibbs headed over to the elevator, and the morgue, Tony nodded. "Ah, sarcastic treating. Got it, Boss."
"Whatya got, Duck?" Gibbs demanded and was a little surprised when Ducky jumped and whirled around, slamming a drawer closed hurriedly.
Eyes narrowed, Jethro headed toward the body, dismissing the ME's quirks in favor of the mystery of the dead Lieutenant.
"Well, Jethro, as best as I can tell, due to the multiple perimortem scratches and cuts, the lieutenant bled to death," Dr. Mallard told him as he lifted and tilted the head to the side. "There is this older bump on the back of her head, as if, in the fight, the assailant rammed her head hard against the wall," he continued.
"Fight? What fight?" Gibbs demanded.
"Ah, the one she was in near the alley. Mr. Palmer has sent exemplars from the scene to Abigail, but I feel confident the fractures and cuts were all sustained in at alleyway. There was also the matter of-"
"Thanks, Duck. Let me know if there's anything else you find," Gibbs said, heading back upstairs.
Dr. Mallard walked back over to his desk and opened the drawer to stare down at the stakes he'd not entered into evidence. Anything else, Jethro? Such as a dead Slayer in your morgue without her eyes?
Commander Kevin Watkins raised an amused brow when DiNozzo sat down across from his desk that afternoon. "I find it hard to believe NCIS needs to talk to me again so soon. While I'm sorry about what happened to Mrs. Chase-"
Tony smiled. "Well, as I actually told your secretary, this is actually about another incident, not a followup on the assault. How well did you know Lieutenant Janet Klein?"
The commander sat there for a moment, as if composing himself, before answering. "Did? As in she's the body they found in Georgetown?"
"Yes, that's correct," Tony replied simply.
Watkins sighed heavily, then began telling Tony a story of a dedicated Naval officer- hard working , diligent and always ready to help. DiNozzo made notes about a woman passionate about both her job and the Navy.
"And do you have any knowledge why the lieutenant would be out in Georgetown at that time of night?"
Watkins shrugged. "She had the weekend off and I've heard her mention some friends that lived up that way a few times. However, I do have another appointment that I need to get to now."
Tony smiled again as they both stood. "Of course; I understand. Thank you for your help, Commander."
"My pleasure," Kevin told him as he walked the agent out and headed towards his own vehicle. Once inside, he punched a phone number into his dash phone before heading off base.
"Pentagon. Sergeant Finn's office."
"Commander Watkins for Sergeant Finn, please," Watkins requested.
"One moment, Commander," Finn's secretary replied. There was a click, then Riley's voice on the phone.
"Kev- what can I do for you?"
"Is this IWC secure?" Watkins asked as he took the next left towards the IWC Norfolk offices.
Finn shook his head at his old friend. "Yes, as secure as Willow could make it. What's up?"
"Well, NCIS hasn't connected Cordelia's assault to the dead lieutenant they found in DC yet, but you still might want to let the interested parties know that, whatever Rayne's done since, whomever he's working for has apparently started targeting Slayers to keep people from getting to him."
Riley frowned. "I'll be sure to let them know. So, until that Ensign is seasoned enough to take over Klein's role, I'll pass on to the local Watchers that you might need some help by the Yard."
"Thanks for what help you can do, buddy."
