Disclaimer: Of course they don't belong to me (would anyone who owned them have to write fanfaction to feed their obsession?)

Greed, Part 2.

Greg Adams stood before a screen in the layout room, facing the rest of the NCIS/FBI team who were, for the most part, avidly taking notes.

"This man," he said gesturing to a photo that appeared behind him, "is named Silvio Benni. He's been a member of the mob practically since he was born- his father and his father's father had mob connections, along with pretty much all of his immediate family. Two years ago, retired-Commander Richard MacKenzie witnessed a mob hit on the I-571 while he was heading into the City. He was able to identify this man, and we successfully prosecuted him for murder-one. He got life."

Agent Adams paused for a moment to bring up another photo on the screen: it showed the Commander lying in a pool of his own blood.

"We believe that the Commander was murdered by a mob hitman," he glanced around the room, "Any questions."

Kate spoke up: "Does the MO fit a mob hit? The killing seemed frenzied."

"We believe that the Commander was tortured before he was killed. The killer, or killers, may have been trying to send a message," he looked at the rest of the agents, "Ok, any more questions?"

Kate cut in again: "Is this the only possible motive that we will be investigating?"

He seemed amused by her question. "Agent Todd, we will, of course, be open to any possible avenues of enquiry that present themselves. Anything else?" He looked at her with an ironical gaze, as though expecting her to say more.

She shook her head smilingly, she had just wanted him to say it in front of everyone else: Kate Todd wouldn't have been a very good profiler if she hadn't had her doubts about the nature of the case.

Then Greg was speaking again: "Ok, so you all know what you have to do- so let's get to work!"

The agents began to file out of the room talking quietly amongst themselves. Gibbs, Kate realised, had made himself noticeable by his absence. She turned to leave.

"Katie." She turned back to see Greg looking at her, "You're with me."

She laughed. "Of course I am. What do we do first?"

"I think we should go back to see the crime scene, and then talk to the wife."

She nodded. "By the way, where's Gibbs?"

"Agent Gibbs had a meeting with the Director," Greg smirked faintly, and Kate could guess the topic of their meeting- he was probably trying to get the FBI off the case. "Shall we?" He motioned her to go ahead of him, and they left the layout room together.

When Gibbs got back from his meeting with the Director, he was in a foul mood: not only had the Director flatly refused to get rid of the feds, but he had even had the temerity to suggest that their resources might prove to be an asset. Worse than that was the fact that, in his absence, Agent Greg Adams appeared to have taken over the case: he'd called a meeting, briefed everybody and then assigned tasks. Hell, even his own team seemed prepared to do Adams' bidding.

And he was running out of coffee.

As this dark realisation came upon him, he caught sight of the unfortunate McGee who was rushing out of the bullpen to go to the lab, probably. He started when he saw his boss.

"McGee," Gibbs barked, "get me some more coffee."

"But boss, I was just on my way to the lab to start the reconstruction of the crime scene that Agent Adams asked me to do." the poor agent protested.

McGee could have sworn that he heard the older agent growl. "McGee, if I ask you to do something- however small or insignificant is seems to you, the correct response is: 'sure thing, boss.' You got that?" he said menacingly.

Tim gulped visibly: "Of course, boss. I'll get that for you right now."

Gibbs watched the young agent scurrying away, and darkly added insubordination to the list of crimes instigated by the arrival of the feds.

That evening, the two teams still hadn't made any headway.

The reconstruction was done, and Abby was almost finished processing all the evidence. She had been sulking in the lab since Gibbs' announcement.

"But Gibbs," she'd wailed, when he told her that she was going to have to cancel the plans that she'd made for her birthday party that evening, "I've been looking forward to it for a year! And everything's already ordered: the cake in the shape of a coffin, and all the-"

Gibbs had cut across her: "Look Abs, I'm sorry, but everyone's staying late tonight. And I need that evidence processed tonight." He didn't add that if she wasn't willing to work that night, Adams would probably suggest replacing her with an FBI lab-tech. He'd left her muttering darkly to herself, and gone to see Dukkie.

He wasn't much help either: in between describing two similar cases that he had worked on when he first started out, he gave Jethro the details that he already knew: "I'd say the poor fellow was probably bludgeoned to death by two people, judging by the positioning of the blows. With what, I can't say yet. I'll update you as soon as I can."

And Gibbs had gritted his teeth, and left him to it.

"I still feel like we're missing something." Kate said, more to herself than to her ex-colleague, as they made the journey back to Norfolk from the suburbs. It had been a waste of time: Mrs. Rachel MacKenzie had been too distraught to see them, the friend she was staying with informed them. She had been given a sedative to help her sleep, and now she was in bed. She wasn't in any condition to be "interrogated by the police".

They had kept their tempers, left their cards and urged her to ask Mrs. MacKenzie to call them as soon as she could.

Greg Adams agreed: something wasn't quite right about the case, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Her friend was very young, wasn't she?" he asked idly.

"I'd say she's about the same age as the wife." Kate responded after thinking it over for a bit, "I mean, she's got to be thirty-two at most."

"I didn't meet her," the FBI agent reminded her, "I had enough on plate trying to calm down your boss."

Kate smiled at him: "You did a great job."

"Is he always like that?"

Her smile widened, "On a good day."

He laughed, "Well, I can see why you enjoy working here."

She looked at him enquiringly.

"Never a dull moment." he explained, trying, unsuccessfully, to keep the amusement out of his voice. Then he laughed as she punched him in the arm in response.

AN: Well, what did you think? I know I made some stuff up- like the name of the road where the hit was carried out (what do I know about American geography?), so please forgive me for that. Anyway, I hope that you liked it. I know that it was a little long, and that nothing really important happened (it's called character development, people!) but I promise that the next one will be more exciting.

Also, if anyone guesses who did it, or why, I promise to dedicate the whole fic to them. (I know, it's pretty crappy, but better than a virtual candy bar- am I right?).

Anyway, I can't wait to hear what you thought. So…..

Please Review!!