11

Parallel Lines

Disclaimer: I forgot—the usual…the STFBEye characters are not mine (although I wish there were!). New characters are all mine!

A/N: I apologize for any difficulties reading the story when it jumps from scene to scene. For whatever reason, the scene delineators I've used just aren't showing up! Sorry for any confusion.

A/N: A big thanks to sailorjp for doing the betaing for this chapter. Thanks to her, we have scene dividers now!

Chapter 3

Scene: FBI Conference Room

"Tell you what," began Tony, "come back to NCIS with us, talk to our boss and then maybe we can decide jurisdiction."

Kate nodded supportively. It was an acceptable compromise—if it worked.

This time it was FBI agents who looked at each other. Sue gave Bobby a discreet nod indicating she would follow his lead. He thought and decided they had nothing to lose and possibly more information to gain.

"We need to clear this with our supervisor. If he says yes, we'll meet you at your office, share intel with your boss and see where we go from there. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough," said Kate appreciatively. She handed him her card. "I'll make the arrangements so you shouldn't have any difficulties clearing Security." She stood, ready to leave.

"All right. We'll give you a ring either way," Bobby responded as he moved to join his partner.

Tony flashed a dazzling smile at Sue. "See you soon—I hope."

A long suffering expression appeared on Kate's face. "Let's go, Tony," she urged pushing him ahead of her. Nodding to Bobby and Sue, they left.

Surreptitiously stealing a glance at his companion out of the corner of his eye, Bobby forced himself to comment casually, "That bloke's quite the charmer, isn't he?"

"He seemed…nice," agreed Sue nonchalantly.

"Only nice?"

"Very nice?" replied Sue unsure what Bobby was getting at.

"He seemed interested in you."

"That, Bobby Manning," she said heading to the door, "is your imagination."

"He wouldn't be the first," the Aussie muttered under his breath as he followed her out the door.

Scene: NCIS

"Report," barked Gibbs.

Tony and Kate looked at each other to see who would go first. Both were reluctant to share the less than illuminating information. Tim McGee glanced up, glad he wasn't involved. Gibbs had been waiting impatiently for his people to return for the past hour.

When the seconds went by, Gibbs looked up and asked is an irritated voice, "What's the problem?"

"No problem, Boss," replied Tony promptly. "We found the stationery store that supplied the envelope which led to an art gallery owned by one Kenneth Walters."

Kate picked up the report. "It seems Lance Corporal Phillips recently sold an item—probably a genuine Iraqi artifact. Mr. Walters, being an honest citizen and knowing such a sale is illegal contacted the first agency that came to mind—the FBI. So now the FBI is also investigating the Lance Corporal."

Gibbs' eyes narrowed clearly disgruntled. "The FBI?"

"Not Fornell," Kate said hastily. "Some other agents."

"Do these agents have names?"

"Manning and Thomas."

"And so?"

"It's like this, Boss," said Tony attempting to clarify the situation. "They wouldn't share their info unless we shared our info so we shared some info but not all our info and they shared some of their info but..."

"…we don't think they shared all their info," Kate finished up gingerly.

The place was silent as Gibbs' growing impatience became evident.

"They didn't share a thing more than what we already told you," Tony reluctantly admitted. Gibbs did not look pleased.

"However," Kate picked up where Tony left off, "we did invite them to come to NCIS and discuss the matter with you….I mean, us."

As they nervously waited under Gibbs' wilting stare, Kate's phone rang. "Special Agent Todd," she answered. She listened for a moment. "Send them right up." She looked at the two men. "They're on their way."

Scene: NCIS Building

"Have you ever been here before?" Sue asked Bobby as the elevator rose to their destination.

"Once or twice," he answered off handedly. "Not my cup o' tea."

The doors slid open. The pair stepped out and looked around to get their bearings.

"FBI at eleven o'clock," Tony announced softly as he straightened up and plastered on his most debonair smile.

Gibbs eyed the Golden Retriever with the two agents and glanced at his people.

"Levi's a hearing dog," Kate contributed quickly interpreting his look.

"Did I forget to mention one of the agents is deaf?" said Tony with feigned brightness.

Gibbs glared at Tony and Kate for not telling him that bit of information. "Lip read you?" he asked signing the words.

"Sign you?" she asked in surprise.

"Some."

"Interesting."

"Uh, Boss?" cut in Tony, "this is Special Agent Bobby Manning and Sue Thomas."

"You're not a field agent," Gibbs stated bluntly addressing the blonde woman.

"Investigative analyst," Sue responded quietly.

Gibbs quirked an eyebrow. What the hell was an investigative analyst doing in the field?

"Sue's had ample field experience," responded Bobby quickly in support of his colleague. "And she's very good at getting people to open up to her." He'd seen how effective her sympathetic manner could be many a time.

Gibbs looked at the couple who exuded quiet confidence in each other. He liked that in a team.

"All right. You have information and we have information. I want your information," he said frankly.

"Tell us what you have and we'll share our information," Bobby responded equally straightforward.

"Everything?" asked Gibbs.

Bobby wasn't fooled. Gibbs would share everything he felt was pertinent to the FBI's case. Well, two could play the same game. He smiled enigmatically as he looked around.

"Do you have somewhere we can talk?"

Gibbs spread his arms. "This is it," he said with a small smile.

"All right." Bobby made himself comfortable leaning against Tony's desk and patted the space by him. "Sue?"

Tony immediately reacted. "Where are our manners? Probie," he snapped his fingers. "Chairs for our fellow agents."

McGee started to stand when Sue shook her head. "I'm fine," she smiled. "Really." He sat back down.

"All right," said an exasperated Gibbs, "if we're all nice and comfy, can we get on with business?"

"I'll start," volunteered Kate standing by the flat panel screen. She pressed the remote. "Lance Corporal Grant Phillips, recently…"

"Hold on," interrupted Bobby.

"Yes?" The dark-haired woman spun around to look questioningly at the Aussie agent while Gibbs looked irritated at yet another delay.

"You need to face Sue," Bobby informed her. "She can't read your lips if your back is to her."

Sue flashed a quick smile of thanks while Kate looked embarrassed. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay."

"LCpl Phillips returned from his second tour in Iraq and requested a transfer to the reserves after fulfilling his enlistment obligation. He lived with his grandmother who raised him since he was six. We found his burnt body in a car located about twenty-five miles from here."

"Is it really him?" Sue asked sadly.

"Dental records have confirmed it."

"His duffle was apparently thrown out of the car as it tumbled down the hillside," Tony took up the thread making sure Sue could see him. "Inside we found a corner of an envelope that had enough lettering on it to be traced to Kenneth Walters. Mr. Walters informed us he'd contacted the FBI."

Tony flashed a smile at Sue who was intently following along.

"He told us he'd given you the vase the Lance Corporal had sold to him. He also said he believes it is a genuine antique from Iraq and in all probability stolen," he continued. "Your turn."

"There's been a bit of a buzz about Iraqi artifacts smuggled into this country and on the market for potential buyers," Bobby supplied. "This vase is the first concrete evidence the rumors may be true."

"Is there any doubt?"

"We're confirming its authenticity with the appropriate experts."

"Do you know why he sold the vase?" asked McGee.

"Why else do people sell stolen goods, Probie?" Tony asked sarcastically. "For the money, of course."

"Yes, but in this case Grant Phillips used the money to take care of his grandmother's medical bills," Sue answered.

"Wait. He sold the vase to pay his grandmother's medical bills?" Kate echoed.

Sue nodded. "Even with Medicare, the remaining amount was more than Mrs. Phillips could manage. Her case had been turned over to a collection agency.

"Wow," responded a flabbergasted Kate, "that was unexpected. Have you any idea if he was working alone or with someone?"

Bobby answered, "We don't know but at this point in the investigation we can't rule out the possibility. His grandmother gave us a photograph of her grandson with some of his mates in the unit. We'll start interviewing them as soon as we have the names and addresses."

Gibbs opened his mouth to speak up when Bobby forestalled him. "We will have a copy sent to you."

Gibbs nodded in satisfaction. He liked when his orders were anticipated.

"Your turn," Bobby gestured.

"Not much more to add at this point. Our ME believes Phillips was killed by a bullet rather than the fire but it's going to take some time to determine the exact cause of death due to the condition of the body."

"We did speak to his immediate supervisor. Had a whole bunch of good things to say about him—good worker, nice guy, the usual accolades once a guy dies. We spoke to a couple of his co-workers and they said more or less the same things."

"May we see him?" Sue requested.

"Why?" asked Gibbs.

"The grandmother will ask if we saw his body," she answered. "She might not believe it otherwise."

Gibbs thought about it for a few seconds then nodded to Tony. "Take 'em down to Ducky."

"Ducky?" Sue asked, unsure if she had lip-read the name correctly.

"Our medical examiner, Dr. Donald Mallard, aka Ducky," announced Tony. "Follow me, please. Coming, Kate?"

Scene: NCIS Morgue

Levi backed into Sue as soon as they stepped out of the elevator.

"What's the matter, boy?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"It could be the smell," the head medical examiner suggested as he met the group at the elevators. Gibbs had called down with a heads up about the visitors. "The smell of burnt flesh is quite pungent and since a canine's sense of smell is far more delicate than most humans I can only imagine the assault on his olfactory organ."

"Oh! I didn't realize….," apologized Sue.

"Not many people do," Ducky assured her.

"Ducky, this is Special Agent Manning and Sue Thomas with the FBI," introduced Kate.

"This is Dr. Mallard, our ME."

"I've been informed you're here to see the body of Lance Corporal Phillips."

"That's right," Bobby acknowledged.

"Are you sure?" Ducky questioned as he looked at Sue. "It's not a pretty sight for a person with a delicate constitution."

"Why, thank you, Ducky, but I think I can handle it," quipped Tony.

"Not you, Tony! Our guests here."

Bobby glanced at Sue. He'd seen bodies in all different conditions over the years. It was an unfortunate fact of the job. Sue hadn't but he knew she would be able to handle it. She was tougher than she looked.

"We'll be fine," he responded firmly.

"If that's the case, perhaps Mr. Palmer here could stay with your service animal while we take a look," Ducky suggested.

"I'll be happy to," said Palmer quickly reaching out for the retriever's leash.

"Stay Levi," Sue commanded as she handed the leash over. The dog obediently held his spot.

"All right now, follow me," the ME instructed. The group followed him to the storage area. Before he lifted the sheet, he looked at Sue one more time. "Remember, our Lance Corporal was quite badly burnt," he warned as he raised the sheet.

At the sight of the body, Sue involuntarily took a step backward straight into Bobby. Automatically, he caught her by the shoulders to steady her. Her hand went up to clutch his, finding comfort in the contact.

"You all right?" asked Tony in concern when he caught her eye.

She took a quick breath. "I am," she assured him a little shakily. "I was just...startled."

"First dead body?" Kate asked.

"First badly burnt body," Sue corrected.

"You okay?" Kate checked.

Sue nodded. She was over the initial shock. Slowly she let go her grip of Bobby's hand. He gave her a comforting squeeze and released her.

"Do you know how he was killed?" he asked.

"Mr. Palmer found a bullet hole right here," Ducky delicately pointed in the chest cavity. "I suspect the vehicle was probably set on fire to obliterate traces of it."

"Seems rather drastic," commented Sue.

"People will take fantastic measures in order to cover up a crime, thinking they have possibly committed the perfect crime," Ducky responded. "In my vast experience, there is no such thing as the perfect crime. Oh, there may be crimes that haven't been solved but that could be perhaps due to..."

"Ducky," interrupted Kate.

He paused.

"Gibbs is waiting for us upstairs."

"Oh...right." He moved to cover the body once again.

"He sold the vase to pay for his grandmother's medical bills," Sue said sadly as the storage door was shut. "I know what he did was legally wrong but it doesn't seem right he ends up here like that."

Ducky put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't you worry, my dear. Gibbs and the rest of the team won't rest until they find whomever did this to LCpl Phillips."

The quartet was quiet on the way back to their work area.

Bobby caught Sue's eye. The question 'Are you okay' was plain in his look.

She nodded. It had been unsettling to see the body but necessary.

Kate discreetly observed the exchange between the tall Australian agent and the pretty blonde with interest. Was there something going on between them? There definitely seemed to be a connection. She snuck a quick glance at Tony to see if he noticed. His whole attention was on Sue. That was so typical. What was not so typical was the concern on his face.

The doors slid open as they reached their floor.

Scene: NCIS

"Well?" inquired Gibbs.

"I have a suggestion," Bobby stated.

"Go ahead," answered Gibbs. If he didn't like it, he wouldn't follow it.

"Since the FBI's original involvement began with an illegal artifact, we'll continue to pursue the crime as such. NCIS can pursue it as a murder investigation." He held up his hands. The ball was now in Gibbs' corner.

"You do know that any leads we get will probably involve the same people and places," pointed out Kate.

"You're welcome to come with us on our interviews," declared Bobby. "We'll pool our information."

Tony's eyes lit up. "Hey, that could mean you and me," he grinned gesturing to Sue.

Gibbs nodded slightly. "Could work. Be here at oh-seven hundred sharp with whatever you got and we'll share whatever we have."

"Seven o'clock sharp," Bobby repeated.

"Can't think of a nicer way to start the day," Tony smiled charmingly as the tall Aussie frowned slightly.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Sue confirmed. "C'mon, Levi." With a nod, they headed for the elevator.

Like a magnet, Tony's attention focused on the trio until the elevator doors closed. There was just something about that blonde, he mused. Vaguely he was aware of words in the background.

"DiNozzo!" barked Gibbs shattering his senior agent's reverie.

"Yes, Boss!"

"Now if you're done with whatever you're doing…"

"Yes, Boss!"

McGee and Kate exchanged smirks.

"You make sure one of you is with any FBI agent on this case," Gibbs ordered. "I want to be certain we get every single bit of information they do."

Tony, Kate and McGee looked at each other.

"What if we find out something they don't?" inquired McGee.

"Well, that would mean our agents may be better or luckier," commented Kate.

"It better be because we're better," warned Gibbs, "or some people may need to be lucky when they're out looking for a new job."

"Got it, Boss," answered Tony for the three of them.

Scene: NCIS Parking Lot

"Looks like inter-agency cooperation is alive and well at the FBI and NCIS," commented Sue as they headed for the car.

"We'll see," Bobby remarked. "Gibbs has quite the reputation."

"You know who he is?" Sue asked in surprise. "Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"Because earlier we didn't know their team leader was Gibbs," pointed out Bobby. "If D had known that bit of information, he may not have given us approval to go over to NCIS."

"Why?"

"He's a tough bloke not known for inter-agency cooperation."

"Who?"

"Gibbs."

"What else do you know about him?" asked Sue curious about the man. His ability to sign was unexpected.

"He's the number one agent at NCIS and likes to do things his way. He's considered a bit unorthodox."

All the good ones were, thought Sue. Out loud she teased, "I dimly recall someone mentioning an agent on our team as unorthodox."

"Out of the box," corrected Bobby with a grin. "I said I think out of the box. A huge difference, Miss Thomas."

"If you say so, Agent Manning."