McGee & Ziva arrived at the Centre. Walking in, they both looked around – so many kids of all ages. Ziva noticed a small group in the corner, a dozen girls all between the ages of 10 and 18, they were huddled in the corner & just sitting there circling another girl, not saying a word.
"Her father was injured in an explosion this morning. They aren't sure if he's going to make it. You must be the NCIS Agents? I'm Mike Brummer, head counselor here." Mike explained.
"Hi, Special Agents McGee & David, where looking for Megan Rooney" Ziva said.
"Megan, why is there something wrong?"
"I'm afraid its not good, its her father, he's…. passed away. We haven't been able to locate Megan to tell her the news & her step mum can't find her either"
"Ohh Geez, Megan was here yesterday, she was supposed to stay for the girls sleepover, but at around maybe 6pm she took off, said she had to go see her father, told me that she would go home after that" Brummer said, as he took a seat in the office.
Ziva & McGee looked at each other.
"What can you tell us about her?" McGee asked.
"Agent McGee, I'm afraid I don't know Megan as well as some of the other counselors. I know she was generally a good kid, had a lot of friends, never a problem caused by her here."
"What about her relationship with her parents, her step mother?" Ziva prodded, sensing something.
"Loved her father, idolized him is more like it, would always be wearing his jumpers whilst he was deployed, lots of the kids do that around here. Her birth mum died when she was 3 to cancer I believe. Lynda though, well, I'll be honest Agent David, I don't think she really got along with her step mother, Megan felt like Lynda was using her dad to "trade up", her previous husband was a 1st Lieutenant. At least that's what the other counselors have told me" Mike said.
"Could there be anyone that Megan might have confided in, gone to if she needed help?" Asked McGee.
"She was pretty close with Kayla Jackson, one of our female counselors, she was a marine brat herself, like a lot of our volunteers, the kids tend to be able to relate better to our counselors that came through the same situations. Kayla's unique, she really understands the kids & their feelings and is one of the best to get them to open up. She volunteers here once maybe twice a week depending on her work commitments, along with her brother Phoenix. Haven't seen her around though in a few days, ahh her contact details." Brummer said, as he handed McGee the information.
McGee & Ziva had tried to find Megan at the Jackson's but no one was home and it was way too late to go to Kayla's work place, all phones were off or not answering, so they headed back to the navy yard.
Back at the navy yard
"How'd you go McGee? Find the missing kid?" Tony asked
"No, got the Amber Alert out. Got the details of the counselor she might try to contact, but can't find her either. How'd you go with Rooneys last few hours?"
Tony got up & went over to the plasma.
"Was on base til 6pm, meet his daughter for dinner at a Italian restaurant, dropped her off back at the Brat Action Centre afterwards. Lost him for a bit, but then found him again…"
"…Wait Tony, you said he dropped his daughter back at the centre? They said, she never came back" McGee said worryingly.
All the agents looked at each other.. this was starting to become worrying indeed.
"Wheres Gibbs?" Ziva asked. "MTAC, trying to get through to Rooney's CO, which given the hour, could be nasty" Tony said grumpily.
"Tony, we are all tired, its been a long week for all of us, so why don't we get back to work, the sooner we do that, the sooner can find the killer & the daughter, and then maybe we can get some rest". Ziva said bluntly.
Tony pulled up footage of a bar, it was not good quality at all.
"Ok, he was seen at a bar in downtown Georgetown at around 11pm, meet a girl, spoke to her for a few hours, neither of them ever ordered a drink. Around 2am, things got heated, there was a short shouting match, she apparently clocked him one & then the girl then took off. Rooney left shortly afterwards through the back door" Tony said
"Have you been able to ID the girl Tony?" Ziva asked.
"Ziva, have you seen the footage? (Tony said, pointing at in), its down with Abby, she's trying to enhance the footage to give us something to work with."