Ziva and Tony walked into the bullpen at 7:34 and found Mcgee already sitting at his desk. "Hey Mcgoo, where is the boss man?" Tony asked as he plopped down at his desk.
"Coffee run as usual," Tim said without looking up from his computer.
"What are you writing Tim?" Ziva asked as she noticed his concentration on his computer.
"Nothing."
Tony and Ziva exchanged glances before getting up and walking behind Tim's desk. They slowly read what was on the computer. "You're writing a new book?"
"No," Tim said before trying to cover up his computer screen.
"Yes you are Mcgeek. What happens in this book?" Tony asked trying to read past Tim's hands. Tim reluctantly removed his hands and allowed the couple to read the part he was working on.
"Tommy and Lisa are going to get an ultrasound? They are having a baby," Tony stuttered out.
Ziva's eyes got wide when she read over that part. Tony looked at his wife and his eyes traveled to her flat stomach. "I am not really pregnant Tony."
"Are you sure?" Tony asked.
"She's sure DiNozzo." Gibbs interrupted while coming to the bullpen. "Gear up, dead petty officer in Arlington."
The team grabbed their packs and loaded into the elevator. Gibbs handed Ziva and key and the other two men groaned.
…
They got to the scene in record time, due to Ziva driving. The parked in front of a small suburban house that looked like it would be on the cover of a magazine. On the outside it looked like the perfect house, but on the inside was a different story. On the inside of the house a man of the age of 22 laid in a pile of his own blood after being stabbed with a knife seven times.
Once inside the team started collecting evidence will Ducky examined the body. "Poor boy, he didn't give up without a fight though."
"Really?" Mcgee asked peering over the man's shoulder.
"His torso and face is covered in bruises and he's hands are torn up." Ducky said observing the man's hand. "Seems to have been dead for at least 4 days, Jethro."
"Why isn't he that decomposed then?" Ziva asked.
"Well it seemed that someone cranked the heat down. The cold preserved the body."
"ID?" Gibbs turned to the team.
"Jacob Lukeman. Age 22. Parents are deceased, he lives her alone. He attends Bowman academy for the gifted." Tony said reading off his cell phone.
"Damn that's impressive." Mcgee claimed.
"What is Bowman?" Ziva asked confused.
"It's a training academy for the gifted. You start attending there around the age of 5 and they train people to be like the world leaders. Generals, presidents, inventors, stuff like that," Tony answered.
"Yeah you have to be like a genius to be accepted," Mcgee chimed in.
"Who called it in?" Gibbs asked.
"He didn't show up to classes for a couple days and a teacher called the police to come check up on him."
"Finish bagging and tagging so we can head back to headquarters," Gibbs told the team.
Ducky and Jimmy started prepping the body while the team finished up with the evidence. Gibbs noticed an older couple stood on the sidewalk looking at them working. Gibbs walked up to them.
"What happened?" The man asked.
"Jacob Lukeman was killed." Gibbs answered bluntly.
"Oh my gosh," the women gasped.
"Did you know the victim?"
"Not really. He seemed like a sweet boy though." The women answered
"Chloe Santos might help though. She lives across the street. They went to Bowman together. They were inseparable." The man claimed.
"Thanks." Gibbs said before returning to the house. "Mcgee head back with Ducky, and bring the evidence to Abby."
"What about us boss?" Tony asked.
Gibbs didn't answer but lead the couple across the street and walked up to the house the couple said Chloe lived in. Gibbs knocked on the door and after a few second the door opened revealing a girl around the age of 20. She was tiny, only about five feet tall and probably around hundred pounds. She was dark brown hair curling down her back, glowing olive skin, and deep dark eyes. A look of shook flashed across her face but she hid it as fast as it appeared.
"Hi, can I help you," She asked.
"NCIS, special agents Gibbs, DiNozzo, and David. Are you Chloe Santos?" Gibbs asked.
"Yes?"
"Your neighbors said you were friends with Petty officer Jacob Lukeman."
"Yeah. Did something happen?" She asked frowning at the team as she crossed her arms across her chest.
"Jacob was found dead this morning." Tony answered.
The team saw the look of surprise and sadness flash through her eyes, but she kept her face stone cold, showing no emotion.
"How?"
"He was stabbed. Can we come inside and ask you a few questions?" Gibbs asked.
The girl hesitated and glanced at Ziva quickly before opening the door wider and letting the team in.
As she led them to the living room Tony glanced over at his wife and noticed how quiet she was, "You ok?"
"Yeah fine."
"Zi?"
"She just seems familiar." Ziva said.
"Do you know her?" Tony asked.
"No. It is just something about her." She answered before taking a seat next to Gibbs on the couch.
"Can I get you anything? Water, Coffee?" she asked as she stood in the doorway.
"No we are fine," Gibbs said answering for the group. She hesitated again before sitting down across from them.
"Do you live her alone?" Gibbs asked.
"No I live here with my father. He is at work." She answered.
"How well did you know Petty officer Lukeman?" Tony asked.
"He was my best friend. I met him right after we moved here when I was 6. I attend Bowman Academy with him."
"What was his specialty at Bowman?" Gibbs asked.
"Military science, he loved everything about the military. Mine is Computer forensics."
"A teacher claimed that he hadn't been in class for about four days. If you guys were so close why didn't you know he was dead?"
Chloe took a breath before answering, "Jake liked to lock himself away for a couple of days and work on military formations and different tactics. He never liked to be interrupted. He would disappear and work on it nonstop for days."
"Were you and Petty officer Lukeman involved romantically?"
She shook her head with that comment "No, he was my best friend. He knew everything about me and I trusted him with my life. But we were friends, nothing more."
Gibbs closed his notebook. They thanked the girl, left and headed back to headquarters. Gibbs felt something was off about this case, and he knew it wasn't going to be as simple as they thought.
Let me know what you think
Xoxo, Abbie