Chapter Two: Ka'ena Point Command Post
Ten days after their first meeting at the DOJ building, Gibbs and Tony were boarding a passenger plane headed for Honolulu with a brief layover in Minnesota's Twin Cities. Ace, their pilot, was a resident of Hawaii. He and their plane were already on the island so they'd have to suffer through a cramped ride with dozens of people they didn't know. The accommodations were a little more luxurious than they were used to in the military but some of the passengers were not the kind of people you wanted to travel across the country with. Tony had come up with a way to pass the time though.
"What about that guy over there?" he asked pointing to a passenger a couple rows ahead of them.
Gibbs peeked over and studied the man. "Lawyer," he said.
"Hmm, I'm thinking CEO," Tony said.
"Tony, what's the point of this game?" Gibbs asked. "We're never gonna find out what the guy does for a living. Why are we trying to guess?"
"Good point," Tony said. "I could go ask him."
"What would you think if some stranger came up to you and asked you what you did for a living?" Gibbs asked.
"Depends," Tony answered.
"On?"
"On what they looked like," Tony said with bright smile. "If it was someone I was attracted to I'd tell 'em I was a millionaire. If it was somebody I wasn't then I'd tell 'em I didn't have a job."
"What would you do if I asked you?" Gibbs asked almost without thinking. He knew he was taking a risk with the question but the words had just sort of slipped out. They'd been teasing each other most of flight. He could just blow it off as another joke if Tony reacted badly.
"I'd definitely be a millionaire," Tony answered with a sly grin.
Gibbs liked that answer but wasn't quite sure what to do with the information yet so he continued with their little game. "If you're a millionaire why would you be flying on a jumbo jet?" he asked.
"Easy," Tony answered, "my plane's in the shop."
Gibbs smirked and nodded. Tony had a sharp mind and an answer for everything it seemed.
"So what's your full name?" Tony asked. "Gibbs seems formal and impersonal."
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs," Gibbs answered watching to see Tony's reaction. Some laughed, some teased and some rolled their eyes but Tony wasn't rude about it. The young man looked deep in thought making Gibbs wonder what he was thinking about. He half expected a joke to come out of Tony's mouth but it didn't.
"I'm just gonna call you LJ, if that's ok," he finally said.
"Sure," Gibbs replied.
The intercom dinged and the pilot came over the loudspeaker to tell them they were nearing their destination. Tony put his tray table up and Gibbs handed their napkins and empty cups to the flight attendant walking by. They had exactly forty six minutes between the time their first plane landed and their second plane took off. In airport minutes that wasn't very long. By the time they deplaned and made it to the next terminal it would already be time to board. The only thing they hoped for was enough time to hit the head.
The second leg of their trip was spent sleeping—or trying to sleep. In the military it was normal to slept on long flights. You never knew when you'd get to sleep again so you took advantage of the down time. It also helped pass the hours and kept you from over thinking your upcoming mission. Being prepared was one thing but over thinking often led to second guessing and that could be dangerous.
On the passenger plane, sleep seemed impossible. The little one sitting behind Gibbs couldn't keep his feet off the back of Gibbs' seat and the young girl behind Tony was using her tray table to play with her plastic animals. On top of that, the overcast skies were making it a very bumpy ride.
When it became clear they weren't going to get any sleep they started talking again but unlike the joking and goofing around on their first flight, the conversation turned serious. Gibbs leaned about the death of Tony's mother, spending his childhood in boarding schools and being left at the altar on what was supposed to be the happiest day of his life.
Tony learned a few vague details about Gibbs' first wife and daughter and the three ex-wives that followed. He found out Gibbs had also lost his mother at a young age and the struggles that came after that. Both men seemed to agree civilian life left a lot to be desired after the excitement of their jobs in the military but the promise of their new jobs providing a similar thrill had them both anxious to begin.
After a long flight of being jerked around in every direction imaginable, Gibbs and Tony couldn't get off the plane fast enough. Despite some enlightening conversations, frustration had soured their moods. After a brief stop at baggage claim to collect their luggage they were off, leaving behind groups of giddy tourists being corralled by cheerful tour guides giving leis and kisses on cheeks as greetings.
Just as Deputy Attorney General Bryce had promised, there was a red Mustang convertible with a white racing stripe waiting for Tony. The key had been overnighted to him two days prior with a note telling him where to find it parked. Gibbs' vehicle was waiting for him at the house.
Tony slowly made his way around his new car, checking over every inch and squealing over every little detail. Gibbs just wanted to get out of there, preferably before all the hotel shuttles started leaving and they got stuck in line behind them.
"You planning on leaving sometime today or should I go find a cab?" he asked.
"Sorry," Tony said putting his bags in the trunk.
"Don't apologize. It's a sign of weakness," Gibbs said. "That's rule six."
"How many rules you got?" Tony asked getting in and turning the car on.
"A few," Gibbs answered. "Can we go?"
"One more thing," Tony said. He pushed a button and smiled from ear to ear as the top started lowering. His good mood was back. "Alright, where're we going?"
"We need to get to Interstate H-1," Gibbs said looking at the map. "We wanna go west."
"Go west, young man," Tony said with a chuckle. His smile faded when he saw the serious look on Gibbs' face. "Let me just figure out how to get out of this maze of airport roads."
The roads were well marked and Tony had no problem finding the interstate. As they left the busy airport behind and drove through the open countryside Tony could see Gibbs was starting to relax. The smell of the salty ocean air, the warmth of the breeze against their skin and the endless breathtaking landscapes proved to be very therapeutic. Gibbs navigated while Tony drove and played with all the features in his new car.
"What kind of car did you ask for?" he asked after Gibbs had pointed him towards Interstate H-2.
"Jeep," Gibbs answered.
"What kind?"
"Wrangler."
"Nice," Tony said.
"Figured it'd be a good vehicle to have in Hawaii," Gibbs replied.
Less than an hour after leaving the airport, they were turning into the former campground that was their new home. The small airfield Bryce had talked about was literally just across the street. It couldn't have been more conveniently located.
"Now why couldn't we have flown into that airport?" Tony grumbled as he made the turn into the camp.
"Then you wouldn't have been able to drive your new car as far," Gibbs pointed out.
"That's true," Tony said.
"Slow down," Gibbs said, "I wanna read this sign."
"Ka'ena Point Command Post. Home of 101st Special Operations Division—Red Tide," Tony read off the sign at the entrance.
"Have either of you ever heard of a red tide?" Bryce asked. They'd been filling out paperwork for hours. He felt the need to break up the monotony of the task.
"I vaguely remember hearing something about it," Gibbs said. "I don't remember any specifics."
"Doesn't sound familiar," Tony said.
"In simple terms, red tide is an oceanic algae bloom that can give the water a reddish tint," Bryce explained. "I'm sure if you talked to a scientist about it they'd have a lot more to say but basically it has the potential to be harmful to the ocean life which in turn can be harmful to humans who eat seafood that's been affected. The interesting thing about it is not all red tides have toxins or are harmful."
"Why are we gettin' a science lesson?" Tony asked.
"Because, DiNozzo, your squad's nickname is Red Tide," Bryce said, "partly because of where your home base is and partly because just like the natural phenomenon, you guys have the potential of being harmless or deadly depending on the situation."
"Oh, I see what you did there," Tony said with a grin. He turned to Gibbs and held his fist up. "Red Tide."
Gibbs bumped fists with him, satisfied with the nickname that had been chosen.
"An entire post with one building," Gibbs said.
"That must be a first," Tony replied as he followed the long road around to the house that had been built for them.
Both men were taken aback when they saw the house. It was big and very nice and surrounded by beautiful landscaping. They were right in the middle of a tropical paradise. Tony parked his Mustang next to the metallic silver four door Jeep Wrangler sitting in the driveway.
"They got you a Rubicon, LJ," Tony said admiring the Jeep. "These are top of the line."
"I think they're trying to bribe us," Gibbs said taking everything in.
"What do you mean?" Tony asked.
"Tony, you've worked for the government before," Gibbs said. "They're cheap. They don't buy people Mustang convertibles and Jeep Rubicons and look at the house."
"Yeah, that's not like any government housing I've ever lived in before," Tony agreed, "but what are they trying to bribe us for? We already agreed to do the job."
"Maybe they're hoping all these toys will be incentive enough for us to get the job done so they can get approval for their new agency," Gibbs said.
"Incentive enough for me," Tony said. "I already never wanna leave."
"Point proven," Gibbs said tossing Tony's duffel bag over to him then grabbing his own.
The inside of the house was just as nice as the outside. The front door opened into a large, fully furnished living room. Oversized windows allowed plenty of natural light to fill the spacious room. The house horseshoed around from the living room on both sides. On one side was the master bedroom overlooking the backyard and the ocean, the master bathroom, a large office and another bathroom just off the living room. On the other side there were two bedrooms then the kitchen and dining room with a spectacular view of the ocean.
Out back, in the middle of the horseshoe there was a figure eight shaped pool with a round hot tub overlapping at one end. There was a hammock anchored to the house as well as a small outdoor kitchen and just beyond their yard was the beach and the Pacific Ocean. They couldn't have dreamed up anything more perfect.
"They're definitely trying to bribe us," Gibbs concluded after having a look around.
"And it's working!" Tony said. "Wanna go swimming?"
"I don't have a suit," Gibbs said. "I don't even remember the last time I went swimming."
"I don't have one either," Tony said. "We could just swim in our underwear. You a boxers or briefs kind of guy?"
Gibbs raised his eyebrow in Tony's direction. "We just met and you're already interested in my underwear?" he teased.
Tony chuckled at Gibbs' response. He should've known that was coming. "I guess we could go find somewhere that sells suits," he said. "I doubt it'd be that hard considering where we are."
"I've been cramped in planes and cars all day," Gibbs said. "I'll swim in my underwear."
Both were used to changing, showering and even going to the bathroom in front of the other guys in their unit. There was little privacy in warzones. Often times they found themselves practically sleeping on top of each other. There was no room for modesty. Since both were former soldiers, they were both used to the lifestyle. They stripped down to their boxers, grabbed some towels from the bathroom and headed out to the pool.
Tony dove into the deep end, wanting to get the shock of the cold water over with quickly but he found the water wasn't cold at all. It was cool enough to be refreshing without taking your breath away. He subtly checked Gibbs out as he walked down the stairs into the shallow end. He wondered if the man was just teasing him earlier on the plane or if he really was interested. Gibbs had a nice body. The few years he had on Tony didn't take away from his appearance at all. He had a firm chest peppered with graying hairs, muscular arms and legs and from the looks of it his boxers were hiding a very nice package.
Gibbs wasn't oblivious to Tony's wandering eyes but decided to ignore it for the time being. He disappeared under the water to get every part of himself wet before reappearing and leaning against the side where his feet could just touch the bottom of the pool. He stretched his nicely tanned arms out and rested them on the side of the pool.
"You can have the master bedroom," Tony said wading into the shallow end.
Gibbs looked over at him, caught off guard by the offer. He didn't really care which room he got. They were all nice. He'd pegged Tony as someone who cared though. "Why?" he asked.
Tony shrugged and smiled. "'Cause you're team leader," he replied trying not to make a big deal about it.
Gibbs was learning quickly that Tony used smiles and jokes to hide his pain and insecurities. He didn't want the young man to feel like he had to put up a front with him but he knew it'd take time to build trust. He wasn't exactly a master at communicating his feelings either. He decided not to let Tony off the hook with the vague answer. "Why, Tony?" he prodded.
Tony was surprised at Gibbs' insight. It was almost as if he could read minds, not that Tony believed in that kind of thing but Gibbs seemed to have the ability to see right through him. "Truth is I usually don't sleep in a bed. I kinda prefer to sleep on the couch in front of the TV but if that's gonna bother you I won't do it."
"Doesn't bother me," Gibbs said. He knew there was more to the story but he decided to drop it for the time being. He'd push more later.
The two waded around in the pool for while, letting their bodies relax after the long day. It was nice to be able to stretch out and both of them loved being in the water. Tony had practically learned to be a fish during SEAL training and Gibbs had gone through extensive training in the water as well. It was a natural environment for both of them.
With Hawaii being six hours behind Washington DC, Gibbs and Tony's internal clocks were definitely a little out of whack. Dinnertime and bedtime seemed to come in the middle of the Hawaiian day. Neither wanted to succumb to exhaustion so soon but traveling had a mysterious way of sucking the energy right out of a person.
After a refreshing dip in the pool they headed inside, changed and got started on dinner. Airplane food left much to be desired and their stomachs were both grumbling for something with substance and flavor. The kitchen cupboards were fully stocked with all kinds of food and drink, including alcohol. Someone had apparently done their research because there was plenty of Tony's favorite beer and Gibbs' favorite bourbon among other things.
They were kind of at a loss as they searched the cupboards for something to make. Neither were the type to cook for pleasure and experiment with new recipes. They both cooked out of necessity and had the number of a few takeout places on speed dial.
"Do you cook, LJ?" Tony asked.
"Steak, in my fireplace," Gibbs answered. "You?"
"We don't have a fireplace," Tony said. "I can make pasta ala DiNozzo which is basically just spaghetti."
They decided on spaghetti since it was quick and easy. Tony got to work boiling some water for the noodles and browning some burger. He usually made meatballs but he was too tired and hungry to deal with that. Gibbs cut up some peppers, mushrooms and onions to make the sauce heartier and the meal more filling.
"Did you see any parmesan cheese in the cupboards you looked through?" Tony asked.
"I don't think so," Gibbs answered popping a piece of red pepper in his mouth.
Tony started opening cabinet doors again, searching for the cheese. You couldn't have spaghetti without parmesan cheese. The third cabinet he opened had him cocking his head in confusion. "Uh, LJ, do you have any idea why we have a cupboard full of spam?" he asked.
Gibbs moved over next to Tony and looked at a shelf with more spam than he'd probably consumed in his entire life. "Not a clue," he said just as confused as Tony. "Hand me those green olives though. They'll go good in the sauce."
Tony handed Gibbs the olives, ignored the spam and opened the next cupboard. "Found it," he said happily.
He added the noodles to the boiling water while Gibbs added the vegetables to the sauce. The ten minutes it took for the noodles to cook seemed to go on forever. As simple as it was, the meal smelled delicious and had both their mouths watering. The timer going off was like music to their ears.
"You know, we should've made garlic bread while we were waiting," Tony said as he strained the noodles.
"You should've thought of that sooner," Gibbs said. "Now you're gonna be stuck with bread and butter."
"I'll just fill up on pasta," Tony said.
Gibbs grabbed a couple cold beers from the refrigerator while Tony filled two pasta bowls then they headed for the living room.
"I wonder if the cable's been hooked up yet," Tony said plopping down onto the sectional.
Gibbs passed him the remote from the end table and Tony turned the TV on to find that the cable was indeed hooked up. They had everything they needed and they'd hardly had to lift a finger. Both settled in for a peaceful, relaxing evening.