*Phoof
Leon Vance and Gibbs having a tense meeting.
Tim entered Autopsy to see Abby, Ducky, and Jimmy in a huddle over what looked like a specimen jar on one of examination tables.
"Ah well, what do we have here?" Dr. Mallard seemed to be speaking to the jar.
"What's going on?" Tim asked as he peered over at the trio.
"A bit of a mystery, Timothy." Ducky replied, indicating what was in the jar as they all looked up at him.
As Tim McGee tried to get a better look at the bullet, Abby snatched up the jar and headed toward him.
Abby had a look of determination on her face. "C'mon Tim," she said as she started to snag McGee's arm and began to drag him back towards the door. The junior NCIS Agent though, saw what she was going to do and dipped out of the way.
"Tim?" She said with a puzzled look on her face.
Tim shot a brief apologetic look at Abby but he really wanted to know what Dr. Mallard was about to say. "Sorry Abby – uh, what's the mystery, Ducky?"
The NCIS Medical Examiner gave a sly smile. "The mystery, m'lad, is that the bullet from Staff Sergeant Colton's body-"
"-has some unusual striations-" Everyone turned and looked at Jimmy – who had the decency to look embarrassed for stealing Dr. Mallard's thunder. "-oh, uh, sorry, Doctor."
Ducky gave his assistant a sideways glance. "Ah yes, well, what Mr. Palmer said, is actually correct." Jimmy looked properly chastised.
"And I was going to see what kind of weapon made the striations," Abby said betraying the hurt in her voice.
Tim McGee was torn. He wanted Abby to know that he hadn't meant to hurt her feelings, but at the same time he really hadn't wanted her to drag him out of the room that way.
"Gibbs wants us to go over all the stadium cameras' video streams. He thinks there may be clue there about who shot Staff Sergeant Colton." He said to the NCIS Forensic Specialist, hoping that would make her forget his faux pas.
It didn't.
"What do you need me for, McGee?" Abby said petulantly. "You're the computer whiz. You don't need my help." If they could have, her words would have dripped icicles.
Ducky and Jimmy looked decidedly uncomfortable about what was taking place in front of them. Ducky cleared his throat. "Well ah, Mr. Palmer and I need to get back to our work-"
Tim could almost feel Gibbs whacking him on the back of the head for this. "Abby, look; I'm sorry; I didn't mean…what I did…and-"
The apology wasn't accepted…yet. "And?"
"And…I do need your help…please? You're good computer whiz yourself." Tim knew when it was time to 'cross swords' with her and when to yield. This was obviously a time to yield.
"Just good, Timmy?" She wasn't ready to let this go yet.
"Better…better than me." Tim said hoping that would appease her.
Ducky and Jimmy weren't sure what was going to happen next.
The Goth Forensic Specialist looked at him for a moment and then sighed. "You know that isn't true. You're a way better computer geek, Tim," Abby said relenting.
The NCIS Medical Examiner and his assistant began to smile.
"But I also need to figure out what kind of gun fired this bullet." She started to head for the door.
"You can't do both at the same time, Abby." Tim said trying to reason with her.
The NCIS Forensic Specialist looked momentarily annoyed. "McGee, I'm nothing if not a multitasker—or a time-slicer—or whatever they are calling it these days. C'mon, we got work to do."
Gibbs decided that since everyone else was busy tracking down persons of interest and following up on possible new leads, now was as a good time as any to get some coffee. As he punched the elevator button, the doors slid open to reveal Angie Simmons and Leon Vance.
The NCIS Director made the introductions as they stepped away from the elevator. "Gibbs, this is the Bethesda Bombshell's owner Ms.-"
"-Angie Simmons," Gibbs said brusquely, eyeing her as she did the same to him.
"You two have met before," Vance said in his own curt tone indicating he didn't like what was taking place at the moment.
The football team's owner began. "I met Officer Gibbs this earlier this afternoon-"
"Special Agent Gibbs," he said correcting her.
Gibbs could tell it infuriated her, but she was determined not to let him fluster her. "I met *Special Agent Gibbs* at the stadium when he and his group came to investigate what happened to my assistant coach, James Colton, an ex-Marine-"
"Staff Sergeant Colton is a Marine Reservist, Ms. Simmons," Leon Vance said in his best diplomatic tone, "He is still active duty when recalled."
"Okay," she said, not really understanding what Director Vance meant. "Anyway, I want to know what progress you're making on finding Colton's killer."
"It's an ongoing case, Ms. Simmons," Gibbs explained as politely as he could. "We have numerous leads to follow up on."
"You've had *all afternoon* to work on this, why haven't you found the killer yet?" It was obvious Angie Simmons believed in the 'magic timeline of television', which decreed all crimes could be solved in an hour, two if it were a made-for-television movie.
Gibbs and Vance exchanged bewildered looks at this statement.
"Uh, Ms. Simmons, Special Agent Gibbs is one of our best and he was formerly with the Marine Corps, so he'll find out who did this as quickly as possib-"
"You're an ex-Marine?" Angie said to Gibbs, cutting off Leon Vance's efforts to placate her.
Gibbs smiled, "I'm a former Marine, ma'am. Ex-Marines are dishonorably discharged."
"Sorry," she said insincerely, "*Former Marine*, my mistake."
"We all make mistakes," Gibbs said chuckling. "Like when you thought moving Staff Sergeant Colton's body was a good idea."
Gibbs actually thought he could see Angie Simmons' blood pressure rising. She threw down a verbal gauntlet. "The clock is *ticking* Special Agent Gibbs. In 24 hours, my girls are heading to Florida to play the Miami Caliente."
"Your team can't go anywhere until we finish our investigation, Ms. Simmons." Gibbs replied meeting her challenge. It wasn't true, but he hoped to rattle her – maybe she was involved in Colton's death.
Simmons became livid. "I'll take my team wherever I want, *Mister Gibbs*, and you can't stop me!"
Gibbs fired right back at her. "Someone, possibly someone on *your team* may have killed Staff Sergeant Colton, Ms. Simmons, and until we find out who did it, your team can't go anywhere!"
She looked incredulously at both men. "That's preposterous!" She sputtered. "No one on my team would have killed James Colton! You'll hear from my attorney about this!"
She spun around and stalked into the elevator which had just opened, the doors shutting on her before Leon Vance could say anything.
He turned to Gibbs. "I hope there was a good reason for you doing that."
"Yeah, Leon, she ticked me off!"
"Besides that," he snapped, "do you think she was involved?"
"She could be," Gibbs responded hotly to the Director. It was obvious he was still seething.
"I mean, do you have any proof besides your gut?" Vance replied dryly trying to bring him back to his senses.
"She's hiding something, Leon," Gibbs declared.
"Does your gut tell you that?" Vance wanted to be sure this was not just a reaction to Angie Simmons volatile personality.
"Yeah, it does." Gibbs said with determination.
"Okay then, find out what she's hiding—before she brings her lawyer back with her."
-TBC...
