Chapter 4

Secretary Jarvis wasn't having a good day and it wasn't even 9am. He'd been on his way to the Pentagon, when he received the call from Vance informing him of the situation and he immediate told his drive to re-direct them to Navy Yard.

Arriving in time to see a tattooed woman, visibly upset, being escorted out of the of the building, this had him momentarily faltering in his footsteps to watch, before he got his head back in the game and went inside

"Mr Secretary, their waiting for you up in MTAC, sir" the security guard informed, as they went through the standard entrance procedure

"Thank you" Jarvis replied in acknowledgement

NCIS

"Gear up and you fly as soon as you get to the airport" Hetty ordered after she had re-laid the news to her top team, they had all been stunned and angered by the news that one of their own was being held against his will. They all knew Agent McGee and had worked with him several times, so they were only too eager to help, after they had settled down from voicing their shock and horror, Hetty had gone on to inform them of Director Vance's plan to send them along with DiNozzo and Ziva, from his own team, to try and get him back in one piece even though they knew it wouldn't be unharmed.

They moved out of her office, knowing that Hetty was about to partake in a conference call, that they didn't need to be there for. So as they gathered their things the discussion started.

"Shame Gibbs can't come, snipers are always useful for this sort of thing" Sam remarked

"Yeah but he's too close, there's no way Vance would risk it" Callen replied

"Close?" Kensi questioned "He and McGee?"

"God no!" Callen exclaimed in disgust before explaining "Paloma father Pedro Hermandez killed Gibbs wife and daughter Kelly, because they witness something they shouldn't. Pedro killed the agent that was driving them as part of their security detail. Their car crashed, landing on it roof before it exploded killing several innocent bystanders in the process, Pedro's on death row, and the only reason his sentence hasn't been downgraded is because of Gibbs. Come to think about it I think the date's been set and it's soon too."

"You think this is why this has happened now, some sort of twisted revenge?" Sam probed, they all knew Callen and Gibbs were good friends.

"It's really the only explanation, but how Paloma knew McGee and Abby were in Mexico in the first place, yet alone out in the desert at an unsolved crime scene? These are just somethings we need to figure out." Callen responded as they made their way out the building to the car.

"Let's ask Eric to start digging" Deeks suggested, pulling out his phone, they all knew that was something that the DC team relied on Tim to do under normal circumstances.

"Yeah, that way we'll hopefully know more by the time we get there. Having Franks already in Mexico going to be a plus too, I believe he'll do a little reconnaissance around the area before we get there. Tim's too good of an agent; let's not loss him" Callen encouraged.

NCIS

After leaving the Navy Yard Abby's mask fell, it was time to inform her uncle that their two part plan was working nicely and that soon not only would she and her family would finally get their revenge on Gibbs by using the one person Gibbs didn't even realise still existed, doing this would mean that they would finally finish the job Pedro Hermandez had started so many years ago, when he killed Gibbs wife, daughter and by happy coincidence his wife's extended family.

It would also mean, if everything went to plan, Gibbs would not be in any position to attend the final meeting of the decision board regarding Pedro's execution, which gave Abby hope that finally things were going in the direct that her family wanted.

NCIS

"Leon" Jarvis greeted as he entered the room, noticing his god daughter was sitting in the front row with Doctor Mallard and his assistant either side of her, directly behind where Leon Vance and Agent Gibbs stood were waiting for him. Tony and Ziva were off to one side.

"Sarah" Clayton greeted as he made his way over to her

"Uncle" Sarah returned the greeting jumping up to hug the man she knew technically wasn't her uncle, but it was always how she greeted him.

"Mr Secretary, we're just waiting for the Admiral" Leon informed a little affronted at being ignored.

Jarvis nodded as he took in the screen it was split into four images, top right was a stilled image of Agent McGee, a young man that Jarvis knew well because of their family connection. Jarvis winced at seeing how badly injured the young man appeared to be.

Glancing over the remainder of the screen Jarvis saw that the top left was an office with no-one currently in attendance, but easily recognised to the man, having been seen many times, as Admiral McGee's. The bottom right was grainy imagine of a rough looking man that Jarvis didn't recognise at all and the bottom left image was a surprise – Hetty from LA.

"I've taken the liberty whilst we waited to speak to our LA team, Hetty was already aware of the situation, and agent Callen's team are preparing to leave now, Fornell, Sacks, Ziva and DiNozzo will join them later." Vance informed before point to the grainy image of the rough older looking man and explaining his presence on the conference call "Mike Franks is a former agent, that currently lives in Mexico, well just on the edge of it anyway" just as Vance finished there was movement in the top right hand screen.

Admiral Arthur McGee rushed into his office "Mr Secretary – Good Morning Sir."

"Morning it might be Admiral, but good it certainly is not." Jarvis informed, following the other man's lead of keeping everything professional, not liking that it appear his friend hadn't been given any indication as to what this conference call was about.

"Sir?" Admiral McGee questioned, but it was Vance that took up the conversation

"Admiral, we have some bad new regarding your son, Agent McGee" Vance informed

"Timothy?" Admiral questioned before he appeared to really recognise exactly what one of the images on his screen was depicting "Oh my god Tim!"

Off to the side Ducky was shaking his head at the less than tactful way Vance had dealt with informing Tim's father.

"My god, Clayton, what happened?" Admiral McGee stuttered dropping all formality

Gibbs stepped in glaring at Vance "Your son saved a group of students and their teacher from the Reynosa Drug Cartel in Mexico, and is now being held as ransom"

"Mexico?! What on earth was Tim doing in Mexico?"

Twenty minutes later and the full situation had been re-laid to the visibly shocked father, however Arthur McGee had a surprise of his own that none of the group in MTAC had been expecting.

"I think there is something you should know." Hearing uncertainty in the voice of someone who held such a high position in the Navy was unusual.

"Are you sure Arthur?" Clayton Jarvis questioned, as he easily guess what his friend was about to tell the group.

"They need to know Clayton" Arthur replied.

"Admiral?" Gibbs questioned, but the man's attention was on his daughter, who was standing next to Clayton Jarvis with both Tony and Ziva standing supportively nearby.

"I didn't want you to find out, not like this, sweetheart" Arthur addressed his daughter, apologetically.

"Daddy?" Sarah questioned, fear edging in to her voice, not caring about the others.

"Timothy's adopted Sarah." Arthur informed gently, stunned silence greeted the Admirals words, before he managed to find the words to continue as he address the group as a whole "Don't get me wrong, I love him as if he were my own, but it would be wrong of me to not tell you at this time."

Gibbs was shocked, he'd never imagine Tim wasn't the Admirals son, he had never once hinted at being adopted, which raised questions in itself. "Does he know?"

Arthur took a deep breath. "Yes, yes Tim is aware that Rachelle and I are not his birth parents"

"I…..I don't understand, daddy." Sarah sounded lost.

"I know sweetheart, just listen for a minute okay?" Arthur replied and Gibbs watched as Sarah gave a weak nod "There's my good girl. Okay let's see, where to start"

"The beginning is usually a good place" Vance interrupted, not liking the fact the Admiral and the SecNav seemed to be on such good terms, only to be on the receiving end of multiple glares, however Arthur wasn't looking at him as he had a faraway look in his eye but his next words did acknowledge that the Directors words had been heard.

"Yes, your right, but first I need to tell you, that we had been told that due to complications during Sarah's birth, Rachelle wouldn't be able to have any more children." As he spoke Arthur McGee focused his attention on Gibbs "Sarah was round two, when I was transferred to California. Rachelle managed to get a transfer to the hospital on the base, something she has always done. Her transfer came with a promotion to head nurse of the children's ward, Rachelle specialised in her nursing qualification on childcare."

"I was away at sea, had been for a couple of months, when a young boy was brought in, he had been found hiding in a shops outdoor storage closet, a nasty head injury was the primary concern, it soon became apparent that the boy was extremely confused, as well as being scared. There were other injuries, a fractured wrist and several broken ribs, but what upset the entire team was that the young boy couldn't even tell them the last time he had anything, not even when he had last eaten."

"Of course the police carried out an exhaustive investigation, however they were left baffled as to how he became injured and why there was no missing person's report made matching his description. The hospital was more concerned with the fact that the poor boy didn't appear to remember his own name, even though he seem highly intelligent and answered any education question with ease."

"By the time I returned, a few weeks later, Rachelle had grown very fond of the boy. I had only been home a few days when I saw for myself how attached my wife was becoming. I decided to pay a visit to the boy myself just to make sure Rachelle wasn't getting caught up in the moment. I remember his doctor, on my first visit telling me the boy became very scared every time someone different entered his room, especially men and it might be best if I didn't go in."

"Rachelle and I went into the room together and Rachelle carefully introduced me, though he was naturally nervous and unsure, I found him to be very respectful, he did however seem oddly drawn to my uniform and I spent a few moments talking to him about my uniform and the navy, and he slowly relaxed. After that I visited when I could."

"A few weeks later, Rachelle came home all upset at the fact that the boy was going to be put into a care home when he was going to be released from hospital, she ranted and raved for hours at the injustice of it all, angered not just at the boy's family for abandoning him when he need them the most, but the fact that no one seem to realise that going into a care home with no memory was the last thing the boy needed."

"That's when I suggest we take him in, give the boy a home and the safety he so obviously craved, you properly could have knock my wife over with a feather at that moment." Arthur grinned at the memory "Anyways we went through all the correct channels, gave the boy a name, Timothy after Rachelle's late father, and was given permission to foster at first and then a short time later to actually adopt him."

"Did you ever find out what caused his injuries Admiral?" Ducky questioned.

"Not specifically, the doctors believed he'd suffered some form of blow to his head that corresponded with the injury he had. One doctor even suggested that he looked like he had been thrown from a moving car when he first arrived at the hospital. Unfortunately, Tim was never able to give us any real details, just the odd snip it now and again when we comforted him following a nightmare, but that was never enough to tell us what happened." Arthur McGee reflexed sadly.

"Timothy underwent a battery of test in order to approximate his age, from his level of schooling, appearance wise he seem to be around nine, but was deemed to be eleven. Though when he started school he was soon moved up when it became apparent his IQ was higher than his peers." The Admiral smiled suddenly "The day we officially adopted him became his birthday. I know he still has the occasional flashbacks and nightmares, but nothing more than that, and they have never been something I have forced him to discuss."

As he finished Arthur turned his attention back to his daughter "Sarah, sweetheart, I need you not to contact your mother." When Sarah went to protest the Admiral cut her off "No darling I will, with the SecNav permission, take emergency leave and go home, your mothers having another round of chemo today, I think its best that I go directly to her."

"Of course Arthur." Jarvis gave his immediate approval of Arthur's intentions, as he was already aware of the treatment the Admirals wife was receiving.

"Thank you, sir." Arthur acknowledged before continuing his conversation with his daughter "I will contact the university and explain everything, Sweetheart. Under the circumstances I am sure they will understand exams are the last thing you need to be worrying about right now"

"No need Arthur I will deal with that." Jarvis informed "Sarah is more than welcome to stay with Anna and I, Arthur, unless you'd like us to arrange to get her home?"

"Sarah?" Arthur questioned, giving his daughter the choice

"Mum's going to need both of us daddy." Sarah replied, and the pride on the Admiral face was obvious to everyone.

"Very well, know will someone please tell me how we are planning on getting Timothy home?"

NCIS

"Do you think this plans going to work?" Fornell enquired as he caught up with the Gibbs, as they made their way down the together.

"At the moment Tobias it's the only plan we've got, so yeah I have to believe it's going to work – can't lose him not now, not like this" Gibbs answered before giving the remaining members of his team the order they were waiting for "Tony, Ziva gear up and head out, don't forget to look out for Ducky. Remember that Mike knows what he's talking about even if he is retired, Tobias and Callen have joint leadership on this"

"Yes boss"

"Yes Gibbs"

"Agent Harrison" Gibbs called across the bullpen, a young female agent with short blonde hair looked up, before standing and making her way over.

"Sarah this is Agent Leanna Harrison, she's going to take you back to your dorm before escorting you to the airport, okay" Gibbs informed.

"What about my flight?" Sarah questioned

"I'll make sure that there's a ticket waiting for you at the Airport" Gibbs replied with ease

"That won't be necessary Gibbs, I'll be escorting my god daughter to the airport" Jarvis informed as he came down the stairs before he turned his attention to Sarah "Now I need to go to a meeting, but as soon as that's over I will come and get you"

"Okay" Sarah replied weakly with a smile

"Agent Harrison?" Jarvis looked to the female agent

"Yes sir."

"Please stay with my god daughter until I can get to the campus"

"As you wish sir."

Agent Harrison smiled at Sarah and indicated towards the elevator whilst giving a nod to Gibbs, Sarah said nothing, understanding the Tim's team had things to do before they could get going, so she gave them a tentative smile before moving away.