Chapter 2
A/N: Story is definitely going to get interesting, trust me! Hope you enjoy! :)
Tony and McGee are still trying to figure out what exactly had happened to their dead marine- when suddenly footsteps begin approaching them and this causes for McGee to jump.
He jerks his head in all directions- his hair practically standing on end. "Y-You hear that? Someone's coming." He whispers lowly just before turning to see a figure start its way down their aisle and towards the two of them.
Its too dark to tell who it is at first, so the two agents simply stare at their visitor.
McGee is about to reach for his gun when he immediately comes to recognize the figure of the shape and who it finally is.
Tony looks at McGee with a bored look as he lets out a relieving exhale. "Ohh, its only Ducky." he corrects himself rather awkwardly just as the Medical Examiner comes walking up with a smile.
"Hello, what have we here?" Ducky greets the men as he connects his eyes onto the body.
Tony rises to his feet from where he had been looking for clues before straightening himself. "Dead marine. Don't know the guy's name yet- which is very... odd actually." He then turns to McGee with a rather embarrassing look coming to play on his face. "Take a pic of the man and run it." he demands next- causing for McGee to hurriedly do just that.
He whips out his camera and takes a picture before sending it to Abby. He then goes to grab his finger-print Identification device. He presses the marine's index finger into the scanner before searching the device for any hits.
Tony watches on with newfound content before turning back to Ducky who was now going to squat beside the body.
"Quite a strange place to be shot at, don't you think?" The Senior agent asks as he leans his head back to look up and around the dark ceiling above. Ducky only nods as he begins concentrating on the body at hand.
"My, this seems like an awful situation to have been in." The Scottish man utters his words sorrowfully at the corpse before turning towrds Tony. "How do you suppose it happened?"
With this though Tony only shrugs, his gaze still wavering around the area. "We haven't gotten that far yet. Perhaps there was an intense struggle? A fight maybe?" he suggests before turning and nodding at the heap of food surrounding the body. "But I do think the crime scene was staged."
At this remark, Ducky's eyebrows rise atop of his forehead. "Well there would be no surprise there, my boy." The doctor shifts some of the food off of the body before leaning in to gain a better look at the bullet wounds.
"Shot multiple times in the chest- about four bullet wounds." He concludes before getting out some of his tools from his bag. It only takes a couple of moments before he begins speaking again- his hands working with the liver probe.
"Time of death was around six to seven hours ago." He glances to Tony. "Store must have been closed then when it happened. So obviously something was going on. I-I mean, how did he even get in here last night?" The doctor questions almost practically to himself before getting to his feet and glancing around ominously. The dark store didn't seem to help with the situation.
"Well, I guess I'd better go get the gurney." He huffs before Tony only gives him a frown. "Why not have Palmer do it?" He asks, and Ducky sighs.
"Jimmy is not with me today- due to some unexpected errands he had to run..." he explains rather coldly before just sighing. "I guess I cannot blame the poor boy though. Life sometimes gets in the way with one's career." It is then that Ducky takes his leave, with one last glance towards the body.
Tony watches him go for a moment before going to crouch next to McGee.
"Got Any hits yet? Cause like I cannot wait to get out of here." he growls while taking his cap off and running a hand through his hair. The air still feels piercing cold, and it didn't help that all of the LED lights had mysteriously been put out.
McGee only nods finally as the device begins flashing green as in confirmation of a match. "Yes, got a hit. His name is Lance Corporal Jerry Phax."
The team returns to NCIS with new stifling questions and theories. How on earth had this man gotten into a grocery store last night; and for what reason? Had he been attempting to steal money or something? No, maybe he was the one trying to stop someone from stealing money?
But in the end, there were hardly any leads to go by- seeming none of the money from the cash registers had been touched.
Nobody seemed to have any answers- so now the field agents were hard at work within the Squadroom; any and every file on the this 'Jerry Phax' being searched urgently.
Meanwhile- Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard begins preparing himself for the autopsy that needed to take place. He shifts himself around the room and picks up a clipboard and a pen. He then makes his way over towards the metal slab where Lance Corporal Phax now lay upon. The corpse was lifeless and stiff as stone.
Ducky sighs at the dead marine before setting his clipboard and pen down upon the slab next to the body.
His mind was churning upon the situation.
What had this marine gone through before his demise?
Perhaps we can find some answers to this utterly strange case. He thinks to himself as he slips on his latex gloves.
He gets his utensils and tools in order before finally slipping his facial cover on.
He lets out a small friendly chuckle. "Don't you worry my dear friend. This will all be over soon." He assures as he picks up his scalpel.
He slowly begins cutting into the body- his brain instantly going onto 'talk' mode. "Now, for some odd reason, I cannot quite understand as to what you were doing inside of that grocery store last night." He begins. "I mean, if you needed something urgent from the store, why not go to a nearby drug store or wait till morning?" He asks- his eyes on his work.
As usual, Ducky receives no verbal answers, but soon perhaps he would find something physical that would help Team Gibbs with the case.
"So, had you been planning to pay for all of that food that you were buried under, my dear boy? Or was there someone else there with you?" He questions slowly.
...
"Jerry Phax; that is the guy who managed to get buried alive by food." Tony announces for all to hear within the bullpen, a picture of the marine going up onto the plasma so that everyone could get a good look at the man.
Ziva however frowns at Tony's remark. He had been shot at- not buried alive. She retorts within her head.
She blinks at the photo a few times from where she sits before adding, "We know he was born in 1976 and has no children."
McGee then holds a file up from at his desk. "He does have a wife though. And her name is Rebecca Phax." He remarks before turning his attention back to Tony. "So... any ideas on how he ended up dead in a local Grocery store?" The Probie questions- his mind blank at the moment for any possibilities.
Tony bites his tongue as he ponders hard. There were really no explanations on this one...
Ziva is also stumped and she puckers her lips while she thinks- nothing coming to mind.
"Well, we certainly need to go pick up the wife." She then advises, her eyes going back onto McGee. "I mean, she could be involved like some of our previous cases." She comments, and Tony agrees with a vigorous nod. "Oh yes. It's always the spouse." He leans back with an expecting look and McGee rolls his eyes at the senior agent just as Gibbs comes strutting into the room.
"What do we got?" He snaps, his blue eyes going from one agent to the next.
Everyone is silent for a moment- for there wasn't much to tell Gibbs concerning their ongoing case.
"W-Well boss, we were just going to go pick up Mr. Phax's wife; see if she has anything to hide." McGee finally informs their awaiting boss; and Gibbs then starts heading for his gun within his desk.
McGee furrows his eyebrows at this. "Y-You going somewhere?"
And with this, Gibbs straightens to his full height with an unamused look. "I'm coming with ya, McGee! I'm driving. Now, Let's go." He wiggles his finger at the Probie before heading for the elevator.
McGee is at a loss for a moment before he hurriedly grabs his things. He then rushes to catch up with Gibbs- the other two watching him go.
Once the doors slide close however, Tony and Ziva are left in silence.
Tony blinks at his partner before simply clearing his throat. "So uh... any other leads?" He questions hopefully and Ziva just shrugs. "No. But I am going to go through his recent phone calls within the past few days."
As the Israeli goes to begin typing on her computer- suddenly her desk phone rings.
She glances at the phone, and then to Tony before going to pick up the call.
"David." She answers.
Tony leans forward within his seat; curiosity on whom it was coming to settle upon him.
However, once Ziva has finished the call, she sighs before hanging up- her eyes meeting Tony's again. "Abby needs us to come down and sort through evidence." She huffs, and the male agent gawks at the news.
"What? But we don't even have a good lead yet! We need to be up here?" Tony questions with a frown. He really didn't want to go downstairs and sift through nothing but food and groceries for evidence.
"Besides, isn't that really more of a job for her to do?" He adds.
"Well Tony, she says there is a lot to do and she needs the help. Clearly we are to go." Ziva responds with a curt nod as she then rises from her desk. She heads for the elevator- Tony slowly dragging behind her.
"Ugggh. This is going to be one long case. I-I mean, who DIES in a grocery store for crying out loud?" Tony scoffs disbelievingly as the elevator takes them down to the evidence garage.
Ziva crosses her arms and gives an estranged expression towards his remark. She hated admitting things to Tony, but for once he seemed right. How did the murder go down?
Guess we are going to figure that part out. She tells herself.
The two agents hop off of the elevator and enter into the evidence garage within moments. Upon arriving, Ziva's eyebrows raise up and Tony's jaw goes agape.
Piles of food and edible items littered the room- evidence bags everywhere with one frantic looking Abby trying to shift through it all in one motion.
She held a sharpie in her mouth as she rummages through the many food items and grocery bags. Just as Ziva had said, she really did need the help.
"Whoa! Abby! What's going on?" Tony finally calls to the girl, her pigtails flailing as she turns to look at the two arriving helpers.
She hurriedly takes the sharpie pen from her mouth and gives a frustrated sigh. "Ohh! I'm so glad you two are here!" She then motions to the piles of canned food, veggies, and other assortments one would typically find at a local grocery store that were surrounding her feet. "I have been sorting through this stuff for nearly forty minutes already! I mean, just look at all of this!" She flails her arms as she trudges through the food and over towards the two onlookers.
"Wow... that is a lot of evidence." Ziva breathes; seriously not looking forward to helping sift through it.
"Yeah, I know! But Gibbs said that it all had to be bagged and tagged for evidence!" Abby throws her arms out in an exasperated motion leaving Tony to only stare at her- his eyes wide.
"W-Well, we'd love to stay and help but-" he begins to slowly gesture towards the elevator, however, Abby grasps at his arm and gives him a death look. "You are not leaving me here with this mess, mister DiNozzo!" She growls, before then looking to Ziva for her comply.
The Israeli only sighs though. She didn't want to be doing this.
But if Gibbs said so. Perhaps we should stay and help Abby. She tells herself forcefully- though she'd probably regret every minute of it.
"We will stay and help." She finally decides with a look towards her partner. "Right, Tony?" She grins at him and the senior agent just sags his shoulders.
"Fine!" He groans, causing for Abby to instantly break out into a smile. "Oh, thanks guys super much! Here, just start by grabbing some evidence bags and placing something in it. Check for anything on the item like perhaps a smudgy fingerprint or whatnot and then log it down with a sharpie. I'll do the rest." She instructs.
Tony and Ziva only exchange a look of dread before going to grab some evidence bags.
Can't believe we gotta do this! We're supposed to be finding Gibbs another lead... Tony groans within his head. At the same time though, he didn't want to simply leave Abby with all of this work to do.
Guess we're stuck here for a good while. He asserts himself as he bends down to pick up his first piece of un-tagged evidence.
He examines the can of beans he now held before throwing it into a bag and writing 'Can O' Beans' on the back with a small playful smile. At least he wouldn't have to be the one to run every item through Abby's AFIS or whatever she did... now THAT would be terrible.
Suddenly though, Abby turns towards Tony and Ziva again; a guilty look coming to settle within her green eyes. "Oh.. one more thing I forgot to mention." She begins with a waver of her gaze towards the two agents.
Ziva crosses her arms now and raises an eyebrow. "Yes?"
Abby swallows hard. "At some point today, you guys are gonna have to go back to the crime scene and collect some more evidence for me..." She mutters lowly, and Tony's head whirls in bewilderment.
"MORE evidence? Isn't this enough?" He gapes.
Abby only sighs though. "No... Gibbs wants every piece of evidence bagged and tagged before sometime tomorrow. And we couldn't fit it all in one load." She explains before casually faltering back into a smile. "But, look on the bright side! You may have a chance at finding something you missed back at the scene!"
A/N: Sorry for not being able to post sooner- but I can't wait to move further into the story! Hope everything is good and I hope you enjoy! It's going to only get more interesting from here on...