Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo hung up the phone before turning to Ziva.
"Do not answer my phone if all you're going to do is play games."
Ziva scoffed. "That is very rich, Tony, especially coming from you."
"Just don't do it again, please?" Tony sighed, and then checked his watch. He needed to talk to the Director soon if he expected to get a leave of absence starting tomorrow. But first… "Have you seen Gibbs?"
"I believe he is talking to Ducky. Who is Melissa Jones?"
"Who?" Tony asked distractedly.
"Melissa Jones. You just spoke with her."
"Oh. She called about an alarm system I was looking at the other day." Tony checked his watch again. "I'm gonna go talk to Gibbs."
Ziva looked at him strangely. "He is going to be up here in a few minutes. Tell me more about Melissa. And why would you need an alarm system? You are a federal agent. You carry a gun."
"Later."
Tony walked quickly to the elevators, chewing his lip. It had been six months since the annual meeting, and a year before that since the last serious operation. He had a feeling this time around wasn't going to be simple surveillance. Tony punched the button for the morgue, trying to figure out what he was going to tell his boss.
xXxXx
"Ducky, are you telling me we don't have anything to go on?"
Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs stared down his Medical Examiner, Dr. Donald Mallard. The case was frustrating them all, and Gibbs had hoped that new leads would pop up once Ducky did the autopsy.
"I'm sorry, Jethro, but the poor boy couldn't tell us much. He was healthier than you or I, and aside from the blow to the head, there's no sign of injury. I sent samples up to Abigail for a tox screen, but I really don't think it will tell us anything we don't already know."
"He's best friends with the son of an Admiral, a son who is missing! I need something."
"Well, perhaps Abigail will be able to enlighten us with something from the evidence you collected at the scene. For the moment, there's nothing to indicate that the Petty Officer's death was anything but accidental."
"Damn!" Gibbs had a gut feeling that he was missing something, but it was being damn elusive. He began to look at the x-rays again, not turning when he heard the doors to Autopsy slide open.
"You have something for me, DiNozzo?"
His senior field agent stepped up quietly beside him. "He didn't make any calls on his cell in the last 24 hours, and most of the calls before then were to his mother. McGee's running down the rest. His roommate, however, has a history of calling 900 numbers, so Ziva is looking into those."
"And what are you doing?"
"I need a few days off, Boss."
Gibbs turned to face his agent, hiding his surprise, but showing plenty of anger. "You want time off when we're in the middle of a high-profile case?"
"I've been talking to a friend from Philly about a cold case, and we think we've got a new lead. I'd like to check it out."
"It can wait."
Tony refused to back down. "Boss, we don't have any new leads on this case, and the Philly lead isn't going to be available for very long. I have to do this now."
Gibbs sighed. There was something Tony wasn't telling him. "You don't work in Philly anymore."
Tony just raised an eyebrow. "My job is to keep bad people off the streets. I caught this case in its infancy, and I have followed it since I left. I'm not gonna leave it to someone who doesn't know his head from his ass."
Gibbs couldn't argue with that. He had more than a few cold case files in his own desk. "How long is this going to take?"
"I'm hoping it won't take more than a few days. I'll let you know if it'll be more."
"I'm guessing you have to leave now." His tone made it very clear that this was not a guess.
"Yes."
Tony was looking at him with his 'if you don't give me time off, I'll just leave anyway' expression. Gibbs didn't like it. "All right, but you check in with me regularly, got it? I'll clear it with the Director."
Tony nodded, but didn't smile. "Thanks, Boss."
"Get outta here." Gibbs waited until his agent was at the door, and then called him back. "Tony!"
"Yeah, Boss?" Tony looked at him expectantly.
"You call me if you need backup." Gibbs stared at the younger man until he nodded, and then turned away.
He waited for the door to hiss shut, and then looked over at his old friend. "That seem weird to you, Duck?"
"I suppose it was mildly hinky, as Abigail would say, but it's happened before. What makes this different?"
"I don't know." Gibbs hesitated for a minute before facing his friend. "Call Abby, tell her to get a move on those samples." Gibbs turned to leave.
"And what will you be doing?"
Gibbs didn't turn around as he punched the button on the elevator. "I'm calling Tony's old boss in Philly."
xXxXx
Tony was back on his cell as soon as he got in the elevator. He hit the emergency stop switch halfway up, waiting for someone to pick up.
"No one is available to take your call. Please leave a message."
"Whitey, it's me. Pick up." He waited exactly two seconds.
"Anthony, darling! What's the trouble?"
"My boss thinks I'm going to Philadelphia, and knowing him, he's going to check into it."
"Cold case?"
"Yeah, I just need the standard backstop."
"I'll take care of it. Oh, be sure to check your email before you leave. I'll see you soon."
"Okay, bye-" Tony heard the telltale click, and rolled his eyes at the phone. "You're like a Gibbs clone, I swear." He let the elevator resume its course.
Ziva, thankfully, was back at her desk when he entered the squad room, but as soon as she saw him, she stood, no doubt intending to inquire about 'Melissa'. He decided to head her off.
"Enjoying the phone sex?" He grinned wolfishly.
"I fail to understand your country's fascination with this type of thing. What is the point of sex if you are not actually with someone?"
"Well, Zee-vah, some people have a little trouble actually finding someone who wants to be that close to them."
"Is that how you met Melissa?"
"Not a girlfriend, Ziva. Drop it." Tony was rapidly growing tired of the teasing. He opened his e-mail to see a message from M J Agency waiting. He opened it, making sure no one was around.
Tony-
Your flight leaves at 1630. Tickets will be waiting. Grey will be accompanying you. Orange may be late.
Don't call me Whitey.
Tony checked his watch. He had a couple of hours to pack and pick up the tickets before heading to the airport.
"McGee, try not to get into trouble while I'm gone. And don't let Ziva kill anyone unless they really, really deserve it."
"You're leaving?"
"Got something to take care of."
"We are in the middle of a case, Tony."
"And you two are gonna have to finish without me, Ziva." Tony tried not to enjoy too much the looks he was getting from his fellow Agents as he gathered his things and headed for the elevator.
xXxXx
Ziva was rarely at a loss for words, but she couldn't think of anything to say as she watched her partner leave. She slowly turned to McGee. "What was that all about?" McGee didn't answer, mainly because his jaw was still hanging down in shock. "You don't think-"
"Don't you two have something better to do?"
Ziva scrambled back to her seat as McGee shook himself, and turned once again to his computer.
"McGee!"
"None of the phone numbers are suspicious, Boss, and his mother doesn't know anything."
"Ziva."
"The Admiral's son made an appointment with one of the women from SexySex – very inventive. He never showed."
"Keep looking." Gibbs picked up his phone, dialing the switchboard. "Get me the head of Homicide in Philly." He ignored the questioning looks from his team. Thirty seconds later, a female voice came on the line.
"You've reached Captain Bradford's office. How may I help you?"
"This is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs from NCIS. I need to speak to Bill."
"I'm sorry, sir, Captain Bradford isn't available. Would you like to leave a message?"
"Tell him to call me." Gibbs was about to hang up, but changed his mind. "Wait!"
"Yes, sir?"
"Maybe you can answer my question. Have there been any leads on a cold case lately?"
"I'm not sure I can give out that information, sir."
"Look, I'm with NCIS. Naval-"
"Criminal Investigative Service, yes sir, I know what it is."
"Good, then you can tell me what I want to know."
"I'll check, sir." There was a rustling of paper, and then the voice was back. "Are you referring to the Jasper case, sir?"
"Jasper – the serial killer?"
"Yes, sir. Captain Bradford had me call an agent at NCIS about that case. Is that why you're calling?"
"So it appears. What was the lead?"
"A body was found this morning. The Captain believes it to be related to the Jasper case."
Gibbs winced. No wonder Tony had been so insistent on going. "All right. Listen, have the agent you called, DiNozzo, call me when he gets there."
"Yes, sir. Will there be anything else?"
Gibbs hung up in answer to her question. It looked like Tony's request was legitimate, but Gibbs couldn't ignore the small part of his gut that told him something else was going on.
"Boss? Uh…is something wrong?"
Gibbs frowned. "Yeah, McGee. This case isn't solved yet!" He reached for the witness statements, hoping to catch something new.
Tony would have to wait, for now.
oNCISo
AN: I'm trying not to change too much, but honestly, there are just some things that had to go now that I know how it ends.