Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Questions

"Our suspect sustained a broken neck and multiple bone fractures including a ruptured spleen."

"Anything unusual?"

"Now that you mention it, I did find a rather small tattoo just behind his left ear. From the redden inflammation around the area, it had been done recently," Ducky said while he turned the head slightly. Picking up a magnifying glass, he held it over the area. Gibbs leaned in, trying to decipher the blue markings inked into the skin. "I sent it up to Abby to analyse."

"Another interesting occurrence was the lack of excessive bruising and historical needle marks on his arms and legs. His sinuses are clear. Pathologically, I cannot see how he could have taken any of the conventional drugs without some form of physical traces left on the body."

"We found needles at his place, Ducky." Gibbs stated, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. His gut was screaming voicelessly at him that something was very wrong. It had been way too easy, the way they had stumbled on to Schuler. To everyone it had looked to be a case of a lone seaman selling coke on the side to make extra money. There was never any indication of any more sophistication or any other organisation behind it.

But after yesterday when Schuler had done his swan dive, his words had come back to haunt him.

I won't tell…

He wanted to know what Schuler wasn't supposed to tell. He was brought out of his reverie when Ducky replied, saying, "That's why I find this so perplexing, Jethro. I had Mr Palmer go over the body inch by inch and we found no needle marks."

"So how did he get to be as high as a kite, Ducky?"

"I can only surmise that it was a fast acting substance because his stomach was clean. Our poor boy hasn't eaten anything in the last thirty six hours. The blood work I send up to Abby might give us an answer. This does remind me of a case when I worked in Southern Africa…"

"Thanks Duck," was the last parting remark, as Gibbs made his way out of the lab.

The sounds of heavy guitar and drums blasted his ears when he entered the lab. Abby was at her desk, thoroughly absorbed by the screen while her fingers flew over the keyboard. Gibbs hit the off button and then slid the usual Caf-pow into her hands.

"Ah, Gibbs…you don't kill 'The Cure' like that. It's so wrong."

"The what?"

Abbey smiled and took a sip. "My music, Gibbs. I need the vibe."

Gibbs only raised an eyebrow. Abbey shook her head and pushed the play button. The sounds returned full force.

"What do you have for me, Abbey," Gibbs asked, eyeing the bigger screen against the wall.

"Patience, Gibbs. The blood work is still being processed. But if you turn your attention to the big screen, I'll bring up the tat."

The screen came to life, a magnified version of the tattoo from Schuler showing. Gibbs could make the lines out better but they were still fuzzy.

"Any idea what it is?"

"It looks like a word but it's hard to decipher. It must have been done quickly; the lines are uneven and smudged. I have a software recognition programme that should be able to help us decipher the individual letters. But without McGee it's going to take time."

"How much time?" Gibbs asked, turning to Abbey.

"Twenty four hours more or less."

Gibbs nodded, making his way towards the door.

"Make it less," he commanded at the door, pointing at the screen, "And get McGee to help you."

"But he's been booked off."

"Then get him un-booked but get him here."

"Look for the voices. How come we get to look for voices," Tony lamented as he entered Schuler's small apartment, "We've been over his place before."

"Why don't you start in the bedroom, Tony," Kate said sweetly, eyeing the room with disgust.

"Very funny, Kate," Tony replied, stepping gingerly into the one room apartment. "It was gross last time and nothing's changed."

"You want to take the floor again."

Tony gave her a look of utter revulsion. He stepped around a piece of pizza green with mold. He placed his bag on the bed and turned full circle. The grimy window barely allowed enough sunlight and the bare bulb wasn't working. Taking a flashlight from his bag, he clicked the light on. Something scurried into a corner and Kate shrieked.

"Don't tell me you're scared of rats, Kate?" Tony taunted, trying to follow the swiftly disappearing tail down a hole in the floor.

"Do you have any idea how much germs they carry."

"Don't worry, Kate. I'll save you from the big bad germ carrying vermin," he grinned, stepping towards the hole.

"Don't you dare."

"What?" Tony said with an innocent look, "I'm just going to get it out of its hole. It's kinda difficult to flatten them inside that small space…"

"Tony, if you take another step, I'll email the office the photo I received from Misty."

Tony smirked but didn't move. "Misty who?"

"The girl that emailed me, uh, how should I put it, the image of you and three other girls at a frat party? That costume could be a new defining look for you."

"You wouldn't," Tony pleaded, meeting Kate's determined gaze and decided that she would and could very definitely end his image at work. Kate smiled wickedly and he groaned, torn between wanting to watch her squeal and between trying to have at least some semblance of a chance of dating girls.

The girls won out.

"Fine. But next time…"

"I'll take the kitchen, why don't you check the floor again. Thanks, Tony," Kate said, interrupting Tony. Tony pulled his face at her and decided that winning wasn't everything. A mischievous smile centered on his face. Kate had said nothing about later and what he could do with this knowledge was almost infinite.

While his thoughts were running on various ways of getting Kate back, he was scouring the floor. Nothing new. Frustrated, he moved towards the hole the rat had disappeared into, more out of boredom them anything else. The pool of light reflected from something in the hole. Curious, he dropped to his haunches, careful for any whiskers that might decide to escape.

"Kate."

Kate tucked her head around the corner and noticed Tony by the corner. "Tony, I thought…"

"No, there's something stuck here."

Kate stepped closer to Tony, hoping that this wasn't one of his pranks. "What is it?"

"I don't know. I can't get a good enough grip on it. Maybe you'll be able to get it out."

"There's no way I'm sticking my hand into that hole, Tony."

Tony turned, angling the flashlight so that it lighted the hole. A squeak sounded and then a flash of brown streaked past his hand, causing him to fall backwards. Kate's quick scream sounded from behind him.

"Sorry," he mumbled while trying vainly to save his trousers from ruin. Something squished underneath his right hand. Pushing himself upwards he tried to get rid of the brownish substance that was now stuck in between his fingers and on his hand.

"Uhg." He quickly stripped the glove from his hand. Waving it at Kate's revolted face; he decided to deposit it on the bed. Fishing out another one, he pulled it on before returning to the hole.

"Come on, Kate. He's gone."

Gingerly Kate stretched her hand out and managed to get the black box out. It fit in the palm of her hand and she turned it.

"It doesn't look like anything."

"We'll let Abby play with it. Bag it, and let's go. I don't think we'll find anything else."

Kate nodded, finally noticing a small difference. "Shush. Listen."

Tony closed his eyes, tilting his head slightly. Just barely discernable was a quiet beep. He counted five seconds and it beeped again. Holding his breath, he waited. Four seconds. Grabbing Kate he used the flashlight to break the window, clearing the glass.

"Jump!"

Kate didn't question, her grip tight on the little black box. She stared at the alley two storey's down while she kicked her shoes off. Then a giant fist squeezed all the air from her lungs and something slammed into her back, propelling her out the window. The ground was fast approaching and she had no control over her descent. Tucking her legs together, she tried to brace herself for the shock of landing. Something twisted when she made contact and she continued into a roll, turning over and over until the opposite wall brought her to an abrupt end. Wheezing, she tried to compel air into her lungs and failed miserably.

She attempted to stand and couldn't understand when her right leg buckled underneath her. Her ears were still screaming and she shook her head to relieve some of the pressure. Dazed, she sank down the wall again, holding tight, hoping to get her equilibrium back. She finally focused on her ankle and immediately regretted it. Her skin was shiny from the swelling and she could see the discoloring already starting to spread over her skin. She was nauseous and swallowed, willing her reflux muscles to silence.

The roar in her ears subsided and she managed to get her jumbled thoughts into some semblance of an order. A bomb. There was a bomb set in the apartment. She glanced upwards at the roaring flames shooting out the window and grimaced. They were really lucky to be alive.

Tony.

Her eyes scanned the surrounding area and it was only then that she noticed that her partner was missing.