AN: Alright, just as I promised chapter: 5! Wow, this story is picking up, rather slowly but still none-the-less. I want to apologize before hand, I may or may not be able to update next Sunday. Finals are coming up, and my lack of writting this whole past week has hurt me horribly. Hopefully though I will be able to post shortly into winter break. Thank you for understanding, and towards all the reviews I have gotten towards chapter: 4. Chapter: 5 is now supposed to, and will be, 1,200 words. Though I will take the reviews from this one and add it on top of that. However I do feel bad for bribing you wonderful readers with the amount of words in exchange for reviews. I just want to know how this story is progressing. Thank you all again, and sorry to all those who reviewed and did not get a reply back. If you have an account and did not receve a reply, please notify me.
My regards to, DarkRook, who edited this story. :)
Gibbs sighed as he leaned back in his chair. It had been over 24 hours since the last time any of them had slept. He and his team had been working around the clock, desperately trying to get something out of Tom. They hadn't been successful; he had remained silent all night. Something about the kid irked Gibbs, it wasn't just the fact that he had been dead serious when he had said "They deserved to die."
It made him wonder if this kid actually did it, if he could actually kill multiple people in cold blood and pass it off as okay. Gibbs didn't want to believe a supposedly nice college boy could murder people in such a way, but the facts were slowly, but surely, building up.
Even after having Tony and Ziva interrogate the kid with him, switching back and forth between observing and verbally attacking, they got nowhere. So when Tom didn't crack, they all finally took a break except for Ziva, who decided to stay.
Gibbs had then ordered Tony to talk to Ducky to find out any new information about the bodies. Once Tony was done with that, he was told to go to the nearest coffee shop and get coffee for the whole team, including another Caf-Pow for Abby. Then Gibbs himself went down to see if Abby and McGee were still having trouble.
To his surprise, they hadn't found anything that answered their questions. Abby had finally opened the safe, discovering that in order to open it she needed both firepower and a fingerprint. After hours of fixing and manipulating the print they already had, the safe had given in.
All of them were shocked by what was in the safe. Normal college kids didn't have multiple guns stowed away in a safe. Nor did they have over $500 to stash away. The money itself was not a shocker, but the fact that he was in the middle of college and his little house was suffering with worn down furniture and little food. Why didn't he use the money in the safe? Didn't most kids spend all their money in one place?
The laptop they had found was worth at least two thousand. It had taken McGee and Abby's efforts combined to decode the first firewall that had popped up. Then, immediately after that, they got flooded with viruses and McGee had to take the battery out of their laptop just to save it. That was when had Gibbs showed up and told them to leave it alone until they found out who had made it.
Gibbs sat up when he saw Tony walking towards him with coffee. He gratefully took it off Tony's hands and began sipping it.
"Report," Gibbs told Tony, who had sat down at his desk.
Tony sighed and stretched until his shoulders popped. "Ducky said he's done examining the bodies. The daughter was shot from over a long distance and the colonel up close. He also tested the clothes and the blood samples gathered because McGee and Abby were too busy to do so. The clothes were covered in the colonel's blood and there were enough blood samples found at the scene for up to four people. None of the blood puddles found away from the bodies belonged to the colonel or his daughter."
Gibbs nodded his head and drank some more coffee. If he had to guess, this was going to be a long day. "Good job, Tony. You and Ziva can take a break, but between the two of you I want to get more of a confession out of this kid. Stuff like the details and exactly why he did it. We're going to keep hammering him until he asks for a phone call or a lawyer," Gibbs said as he got up from his chair.
"Somehow I doubt he would want to call, he really gives off this murderous vibe," Tony mumbled to himself as Gibbs walked by him. Then he yelled, "Will do, Boss!" after Gibbs, who was already in the elevator.
Gibbs was heading down to talk to Abby again, wanting to see if they had any Intel on the fingerprints from the gun. It would be a lot easier if they could get this kid's personal file, if he had one that is, and find his weak spot.
The elevator stopped on the first floor, and Gibbs stepped back to allow another person inside. He nodded towards the person that stepped in and pushed another button.
"Didn't think I'd see you here this early, Fornell," Gibbs said as took a drink from his coffee.
"Well, it wasn't my choice. I wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for my idiotic director."
"You talking about that new guy that came a few months ago? Yeah, I heard he was hard to get along with."
"He's been riding me and my team to fill out a bunch of documents. We haven't been on the field in quite some time. Which brings me to why I am here," Fornell flipped a switch. The lights went out and the elevator stilled.
Fornell slid a file out from under his coat and handed it to Gibbs. Gibbs raised an eyebrow and set his coffee on top of the control panel as he took the file.
"What you have there is a case we have been looking into for quite some time," Fornell said. "It's about a Colonel Lawson, you should know him. He went into witness protection after he got caught up in a terrorist attack, so now the terrorists are targeting him and his daughter. But Director Mueller suspects something larger."
Gibbs briefly read the file; mostly of the information was identical to what his team had. "It seems your director is on the right track." Gibbs closed the file and handed it back.
"Right track about what?"
"Something larger," Gibbs said as he picked up his coffee and turned the elevator back on.
"So you guys found something when you did the follow up meeting?"
"We found a whole lot of something."
"Gibbs, get to the point and tell me what I want to know," Fornell said.
Gibbs finished off his coffee and ignored the elevator doors beginning to open. "It means that the colonel is dead and we found a potential suspect."
Fornell stared at Gibbs and opened the file again. "Are you sure? His identity was fool proof. We made it ourselves."
"Well, your director thought otherwise," Gibbs said as the elevator chimed, the doors completely open.
"So you caught him?" Fornell asked as they got off the elevator and walked towards a cubicle. The windows to the right showed the sun just starting to peek up over the horizon.
"We think so," Gibbs said.
Tony was sleeping in his chair. His head was slumped in an uncomfortable position, but for the time being it didn't seem like he cared.
"Tony!" Gibbs yelled.
"What?" Tony's head snapped up and he almost fell out of the chair.
"Go grab Tom and meet us in MTAC."
Tony nodded and got up. "Will do."
Gibbs turned away and headed for the stairs, Fornell trailing behind him.
"What do you mean you think you've caught him?"
"Exactly what it sounds like, we're not so sure," Gibbs said.
"You should hand him over to us if he's too much trouble for you."
"Not a chance. We need some more time with him."
"How much time have you had?" They completed another ten or so steps up the flight of stairs.
"A few hours," Gibbs said before adding, "You need to contact Director Mueller. My team and I need more information on who we're dealing with."
"I'm not sure if he's in the office, he has a meeting soon. And he's a late guy if you know what I mean," Fornell said as they finished the few stairs that were left.
"Yeah, he sounds a lot like Tony. Except Tony is more reliable."
They got to the doors, which Gibbs opened with a code. Walking in, he nodded to the technicians standing about. He threw his empty coffee cup in the nearby trash bin as he told them, "Get in contact with Director Mueller from the FBI. Tell him it's NCIS Special Agent Gibbs and it's urgent."
"What do you want to know?" Fornell asked.
"Why he thought Colonel Lawson was at risk."
"I don't know about that. He didn't inform us of his findings."
"Exactly," Gibbs said. One of the technicians nodded and they turned towards the huge TV screen.
"Director Mueller, FBI," the technician told Gibbs.
"What is the meaning of this, Special Agent Jibbs? I'm getting ready to go into a very important meeting," a guy with white hair and wrinkles demanded.
"It's actually Gibbs," Gibbs corrected, and moved on. "I was informed by Fornell that you wanted to check on our findings concerning Colonel Lawson?"
"Yes. Why couldn't you tell him? He's right there." Director Mueller pointed a finger at Fornell from the screen.
"I wanted to ask you personally. Why?"
"Why? Because I said so, that is why. Are you questioning my authority?" Director Mueller spat.
"Not at all, Director," Fornell stepped in. He knew from past experience that Mueller could become pissed very easily.
"Look, just tell me what you found, and I will do the same," Gibbs told him.
"You found something? What is it?"
"I am not giving you any information unless you tell me why you needed an agent to contact us. What was so important that questioned your very own witness protection?"
"That information is classified. I also suggest you tell me what you figured out, or I will get in contact with Director Vance," Mueller said.
"Go ahead and contact him," Gibbs said. "Oh, and while you're at it, tell him the classified information. It must have been enough to get Colonel Lawson and his daughter killed."
"Who murdered them? Don't tell me NCIS let them get away; I knew I should have assigned an FBI team to do the check up," Mueller said angrily.
"We have him, don't worry. But I want to know what started the investigation in the first place."
"Look here, Jibbs." Mueller glared at him. "You will let me talk to the suspect or I will have you fired."
Gibbs glanced at Fornell, who just sighed. Gibbs was about to tell him some smart-ass remark when he was interrupted by the MTAC doors opening.
"Sorry, Boss," Tony said as he dragged the kid in. "He wanted to use the phone and demanded that he wasn't going anywhere without calling his friend. We didn't get any details though; he can be very persuasive. I told him he couldn't until we came to see what you thought about it, so here we are."
Gibbs nodded and turned back to Director Mueller, who was fuming.
"What the hell is this? I thought this was a secure meeting, not open to the riffraff. Jibbs, what kind of show are you trying to run here?"
"A more secure one compared the FBI, I can be sure to that," Gibbs said. "And by the way, it's Gibbs. I'll give you what you wanted so you can send the information over to Vance. I will get the information from him."
"What are you talking about? This child is your suspect?" Director Mueller started laughing. "Oh, you cannot possibly expect me to believe that this kid murdered the Colonel and his daughter. The FBI witness protection unit would have detained him instantly. There is no way that a mere kid could have picked them all off."
"Actually," the kid said, "You should train your witness protection units better because honestly, they're horrible. Anyone could have taken them down, even me."
"Listen here, you brat. I could have you thrown in jail for speaking to me like that. I suggest you adjust your tone when talking to someone of higher authority," Director Mueller said.
"You mean I shouldn't speak honestly? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but the truth hurts."
"Jibbs! Are you going to let him speak to me like this? I demand that you do something about it right away or I will fire you. And you too, Fornell, don't think you can slip away." Director Mueller's face was colored red.
Alex mumbled something that sounded like, "What an ass." However, no one could call him on it before he turned to Tony. "May I have my phone call now?"
Tony glanced at Gibbs, who briefly looked at the screen before nodding. Tony handed the kid his personal phone and Alex started dialing.
Mueller crossed his arms. "Jibbs, I have no clue why this child is in here. He cannot possibly have any information relating to the case."
"I'll explain as soon as you send Vance the exact information I requested. After all, it isNCIS's job to take care of the military while they're overseas. And for the last time, my name is Gibbs."
Director Mueller huffed and began typing on his computer. After a moment, his phone started to ring. He picked up the phone. "What?" he said as he moved the mouse, clicking a few things.
He listened through the phone before cutting the person off. "Well then, connect them to my line, I haven't got all day." He turned back to the people waiting on him. "Alright, I just sent it; now tell me how this child is a part of the case."
Before Gibbs could speak, Director Mueller started talking into the phone again. "Yes, I'll have you know you have interrupted a very important meeting. Now who are you and what do you want?"
"This is Agent Rider ready to report."
AN: Thanks for reading! Hope you all understand if I cannot post on Sunday, though I will try my best! :)
