Gibbs was his usual Evil Kenievil on the way back to the Navy Yard.

How'd I get so lucky to get to ride with the Boss today? Tony thought to himself sarcastically.

Ziva, Tim, and Dornegat had taken the truck. Bastiges !

It must have been that Gibbs was so deep in thought, that his usual breakneck speed driving wasn't as professionally accurate as normal.

In fact, they had come close to clipping two cars on the highway, and when they took the exit for downtown, Tony thought for sure the car was going to roll off the ramp.

At that point he gasped and closed his eyes, muttering, "I'm too young to die... I still have a three-way with Jessica Alba and Halle Berry on my bucket list…"

He heard Gibbs sigh.

"I'm sure you'll live to figure out that will never happen another day, DiNozzo. Boy you're squirrely today."

"Me? Me? I'm squirrely ?" Tony said with exasperation, narrowing his green eyes and turning his head to look at Gibbs. "Think you're the one hiding the nuts, Boss."

He saw Gibbs raise a brow at the analogy.

"Well…whatever. You seemed a little…intense…at the crime scene," Tony said with a questioning tone.

Gibbs sighed again and clenched his jaw.

"Ok- so – you're always intense – but – I know something's really bugging you about this. It's okay Boss, I mean- it's a terrible end for the guy. And super creepy. A little bit Excorcist meets Battle Los Angeles…or is it Satan's Cheerleaders meets Generation kill…?"

"You share Abby's Caf-Pow today, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked with irritation.

Tony got quiet for a moment, really looking at Gibbs. And Gibbs felt it, gripping the steering wheel a little harder. He was not in the mood for this.

"What are we dealing with here, Boss? Do you know something about this murder?" Tony spoke the words softly, watching Gibbs grimace a little more.

"I. Don't. Know." Gibbs sighed. "I've seen markings like that before…"

Tony didn't like the way his superior's eyes darkened.

"But I don't know it has anything to do with this at all…or even if they are the same as the ones I saw…" his voice dropped off almost to a whisper. "It was a long time ago."

Gibbs kept his eyes on the road. He offered no more for the moment, and Tony knew he'd need to press again. Later.

For now, he just hoped Gibbs would concentrate a little more on the road, so they didn't turn out to be the next emergency call for the local LEO's.


When they got back and settled, McGee started checking into LC Colletti's military and personal records and finances, while Ziva and Dornegat still stood, awaiting Gibbs' orders.

"Tony, you and Ziver go speak with Colletti's family. Baltimore's a ride, but you won't be back too late."

"Ahhhh…Boss- I think talking to the family with ZIva is a good experience for Dorney."

Dornegat gave him a puzzled look, as did Gibbs. Ziva had already turned to get her coat, not caring either way who went.

"Dorney no good ? Nougat? I'm working on the nickname. It's not a perfect science," Tony said indignantly.

Dornegat snorted while Ziva rolled her eyes.

"Fine," Gibbs said, looking at Tony, and knowing why Tony was sticking around. Tony always had his back. And now the younger Agent was worried about him. "Get the footprint evidence from the crime scene down to Abby. Then help McGee until Ducky has something for us. I'm going to MTAC to brief Director Vance."

"You got it Boss," Tony said pleasantly, moving to sit at his desk. "When is the Director back from his conference?"

Gibbs grunted, "Not soon enough," as he turned to go up the stairs.

"Dorney?" McGee said, once Gibbs was out of earshot. "Nougat?" he even laughed a little at that. "Seriously?"

"McGee, McProbieProbster, Probalicious – I can't call Dornegat Probie, can I ?"

"Well," McGee frowned. "Isn't that what he is? I mean, I am senior to him. He IS the Probie."

Tony raised a brow at McGee, tilting his head. "Well…you can call him Probie. But…Tim, you're always gonna' be my Probie, no matter how big and bad you become. OH sorry – no matter how big and bad you ARE." Tony grinned warmly at him.

McGee smiled. Tony was as endearing as annoying. And from Tim's estimate, it was an even split. But the comment…he knew Tony meant it, with fondness and sincerity. He thought himself a pretty damned good Agent, and he knew, he wouldn't have made it so far without support from Tony when he needed it. In spite of…maybe all of his belongings in the office being super-glued over the years.

"Okay Tony. I get it," McGee said turning back to his computer. "We'll think of something."


Some two hours later, McGee and Tony had Colletti's life condensed down to about 806kb of computer memory.

"What have you got?" Gibbs asked, almost cursorily.

Tony nodded and McGee clicked the controller. The Marine's military ID and Driver's License popped up onscreen.

Tony began. "LC Louis Colletti, twenty-nine years old, single and living at home with his parents in Baltimore-when not away on tour. According to his CO – who was more than willing to talk about how great Colletti was – he got along with everyone. No trouble at home or abroad. Did a stint in Afghanistan, and one in Iraq, and was home on leave before he was supposed to be going to Italy. Poor guy. He was gonna' go from desert rocks to sexy women and pasta. He was a decorated Marine with 2nd Division Recon…a Scout Sniper…" Tony looked at Gibbs. "Like you, Boss."

Gibbs flashed him glance before looking back to the screen, "What else?"

Tony continued. "CO said the guys he served with really loved him, he was, and I quote, "The life of the party, but always dependable, and served with honor."

McGee chimed in, "Colletti went to UB and dropped out later to join the Core. He had a few student loans but paid them off. He had little debt, owned a Honda Civic which at the moment we have a BOLO out on, and can cancel if Ziva tell us it's still at his family's house. His personal records are squeaky clean. "

"Good," Gibbs said. "McGee…see if you can look a little further…into his personal file. Even high school. His faith registered on his Military papers ?"

Tony and McGee both raised brows but McGee answered quickly, "Catholic."

Gibbs nodded. "Look into James Grassman next. I wanna know who lives and works at that Estate, since he was fairly useless when Ziva and Dorneget spoke with him."

McGee nodded. "Yes Boss."

"And Sechuan for lunch," Gibbs added as he turned to Tony and said, 'Ducky." And with that made towards the elevator, with Tony on his heels.


"…So…when the child had come up the steps to ring Mother's bell for candy, Liza, her youngest dog had a bit of a panic fit and defacated all over Mother's oriental rug. It seems Liza had a fear of vacuum cleaners, and the child had created her robot costume out of old vacuum parts and hoses…Oh she was really mad at that dog for quite some time…"Ducky trailed off as Palmer moved seamlessly around the table, passing instruments and gathering cups filled with organs to weigh.

LC Colletti was cut and pinned wide open, but it seemed like they were getting ready to start closing.

He turned towards them, lifting his face shield for a moment. "Jethro, Anthony, I had wondered when you were to grace us with the pleasure of your company."

He walked a step up to Gibbs, who regarded the ME almost a bit warily.

"I had thought you would have been here much sooner…based on the level of interest in this poor boy you displayed at the crime scene." Ducky eyed him a bit more.

When Gibbs only gave him an impatient frown, Ducky turned. "Mister Palmer?"

"Yes Doctor Mallard?" Jimmy returned pleasantly, putting a tray down with bloody latex covered fingers.

"Would you mind finishing up while I speak to our Special Agents?"

"Not at all Doctor," Jimmy smiled, nodding his greeting to Tony and Gibbs.

"Duck," was all Gibbs said. It implied, what have you got already ?

"Louis Colletti was a very healthy young man before he met this very gruesome fate. He was in top physical condition, and preliminary examination shows healthy skin and hair growth. He was, however, underweight, extremely dehydrated, and I suspect drugged."

They looked at Ducky inquisitively.

"I say I suspect because I have sent samples of the Lance Corporal's blood…and…stomach contents to Abby for analysis. If you look at his wrists and ankles, there are signs he was bound but did not struggle so very much. He had very little bruising as well…for someone who was branded with some kind of burning metal instrument or brand. It would have been extremely painful at the least. And he did receive the burned symbols, and slit throat, while he was alive."

Tony shuddered, and looked at the dead man on the table as Palmer began to remove all the pins.

"Slash to the throat killed him?" Gibbs asked quietly.

Ducky nodded, "Yes. He bled out…but…It wasn't as quick or as furious as would be expected. I believe we will find that he was heavily drugged, and likely not conscious at the end. Whatever was in his system likely slowed his heart rate down…and likely would have killed him if the blood loss had not."

"You mentioned stomach contents…?" Tony asked.

"Ah, yes." Ducky turned and picked up a small steel dish containing blackish-red fluid. "I sent this to Abby for analysis also. I found blood in Louis Colletti's stomach…but strangely…no ulcers were present."

Suddenly, Tony felt nauseous. "He…what, drank blood?"

Gibbs shook his head to himself at the dark detail.

"Perhaps," Ducky nodded. "I would expect based on his throat wound that he could have swallowed some of his own blood, but we shall see what Abby says. In addition," Ducky said, pointing at one of the burned symbols in the dead man's skin, "These marks were all given in intervals, with distinct meaning to the order, though I do not know what that order represents. Based on the way they were healing…or slightly infected, I should add, he had received the first approximately one month before his death. The freshest one, is here, at the base of his throat." Ducky finished by pointing to his own neck, as not to disturb Palmer.

They were all silent for a stretch.

"Anything else, Duck?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes. I assume he was good with a rifle, Jethro, since he has calluses in similar places on his hands as yours. Another Marine Sniper. A very sorry thing it is, that he was not able to use that skill to stop the people who did this to him."