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CHAPTER 4

"I think I've got something, Boss," McGee called out as he read over a printed email he'd found in one of Gunnery Sergeant Wilson's desk drawers.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked as he came in from the bedroom he'd been searching for any clue that might aid them in finding his killer.

Knowing his boss, the younger man quickly summarized the contents of the email. "It's not signed, and I don't recognize the sender's email address as one of the ones I identified for Wilson. It contains threats to someone named Mandy for leaving him. I'll be able to tell you more once I get back to the Navy Yard and run down the owners of the email addresses. I should also be able to identify who this Mandy is and what connection she has to our victim."

Gibbs nodded. He wanted to go by Club Doom and interview anyone there who might have pertinent information. His gut was telling him that the answers they needed would be found there.

"Could be Wilson's girlfriend," Gibbs speculated. "I found a couple of bras hanging in the bathroom and some makeup in the medicine cabinet. There's a box of condoms in the nightstand."

"You sure they belong to his girlfriend, and not to Gunnery Sergeant Wilson?" McGee asked with a hint of humor in his voice. He recalled at least two cases that had involved men who cross-dressed as women.

Gibbs glared in response. He would have expected that kind of comment from DiNozzo rather than McGee. "No, McGee, I don't think they belong to Gunnery Sergeant Wilson."

"Sorry, Boss," McGee said contritely, earning another glare for violating Rule No. 6, again. It was the one rule he had the most trouble remembering.

"Let's finish up here and get back to headquarters."

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

I glanced up from my book as Ziva passed by where I was sitting slouched behind Gibbs's desk. It had been about an hour since Ziva and Tony had taken over my "protection detail" from Agent Dorneget. During that time, I'd gotten a good start on the book Agent Dorneget had purchased for me at a nearby news stand. To be honest, I was a little surprised that Gibbs had even suggested he take me out of NCIS headquarters long enough to do that. I suppose it was because we were still on the Navy Yard.

Suddenly the book was jerked out of my hands. "Hey, give that back. It's mine!" I shouted at Ziva as I rose and attempted to snatch it back from her.

She took a step back so that she was out of my reach and turned the book over in her hand, as though studying it. "I do not believe so." Instead of returning it to me, she carried it to her desk. I jumped up to retrieve it myself, but she stepped into my path.

"You bitch, get out of my way," I said as I attempted to step around her, only to have my path blocked again.

"What the hell is going on here?" a stern voice demanded from behind me. I didn't recognize the voice. All I knew was that it didn't belong to Gibbs, but it still sent a chill down my spine. My mood wasn't made any better by the smirk that briefly crossed Ziva's face.

I turned to see a stern-looking man standing at the half wall which created an entrance to the bullpen. His arms were crossed over his chest, and judging by the expression on his face, he was anything but happy.

"Director Vance," Ziva stated, stepping away from me. "It is nothing, just a dispute over a book."

"Well, I heard your "nothing" all the way up in my office. This is a federal office building, not a school yard. What I have just witnessed is unacceptable, from both of you." He pinned us both with a hard look. "Is that understood?"

Ziva responded, "yes, sir" as I nodded. Apparently that wasn't good enough for him as he took another step in my direction and demanded. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." I added "you son of a bitch" in my mind. I wasn't nearly stupid enough to say it out loud.

"Good. Now, what is the problem here?"

"She took my book and won't give it back." I said as I gestured toward Ziva's desk and the paperback book laying on its surface. I suddenly realized how childish that sounded and hoped Director Vance hadn't noticed.

"Ziva?" he asked, turning to her.

She picked the book up from her desk and handed it to him. "I took it from her because I do not believe it is appropriate readying material for someone her age. While I do not believe Gibbs would necessarily be one to censor what she reads, I do not think he would approve of this book."

Director Vance glanced down at the book. The cover was black with a picture of a knotted silvery grey tie and bore the title. "Fifty Shades of Grey? What is inappropriate about it?"

His question surprised me a little. Even I'd heard all about this book and the two others that followed it.

"It is rather, um, explicit in nature, Director," Ziva said as a blush reddened her cheeks. I wouldn't have thought it possible for that to happen. If I hadn't been so angry at her, I probably would have gotten a laugh out of it.

Director Vance narrowed his eyes and turned the book over to read the summary on the back cover. A few seconds later, he glared at me as he slipped the book into his jack pocket. "I believe Special Agent David is correct. This is not appropriate reading material for a seventeen year old girl. I won't ask you where you got it, but I will be holding on to it until Gibbs returns." He moved to a small bookcase behind Gibbs's desk and pulled a book off one of the shelves. "In the meantime, you can read this," he said as he handed the book to me.

I glanced down at the hardback book I now held in my hand, Deep Six. I'd never heard of it. Shrugging, I stated, "whatever," as I tossed it onto Gibbs's desk.

"Young lady, I suggest you keep in mind that while you are in this building you are expected to conduct yourself as a well-behaved, responsible young woman, rather than as a spoiled two year old. Do I need to arrange for you to wait in my office for Gibbs to return?"

Somehow I didn't think he meant for that to be a pleasant experience. In fact, it sounded an awfully lot like I was being threatened with a trip to the principal's office. It came off as a little ridiculous. After all, what could he do to me. I shrugged in response.

Director Vance stepped forward until he towered over me. I resisted the urge to step back and held my ground. He spoke quietly so that only I heard his next words. "Check your attitude, or I will take a page out of Gibbs's book that will make him look like a pussy cat in comparison. Is that clear?"

How the hell did he know about the spanking Gibbs had given me? Because, I had no doubt that was what he was referring to. I tried not to show what I was thinking, but my voice quavered a bit when I responded, "yes, sir."

He nodded. "I hope so, because if there is any more trouble out of you, that is exactly what is going to happen. And, I don't think I have to tell how Gibbs is likely to react to that, do I?"

Yeah, I knew exactly how Gibbs would react, and it's not an experience that I'm too anxious to repeat any time soon.

"What was that about?" Tony asked as he entered the bullpen. He'd seen Director Vance speaking with Ziva and Tori, but had been too far away to hear the conversation.

"Nothing that concerns you," I said sharply as I plopped back down at Gibbs's desk. I really don't want to about it. Instead, I'd rather pout for a while.

"We have had a disagreement regarding her choice of reading material," Ziva stated as she returned to her desk. "But it has been resolved, now I suggest you get to work. Gibbs will expect us to have information for him when he returns."

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

I looked up from my book as Gibbs entered the bullpen, followed closely by McGee. The book wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and it hadn't taken me long to figure out that McGee had written it based on the people here at NCIS. Still, it wasn't my first choice in reading material, but a book was a book.

"How'd it go?" Gibbs asked as he paused at Ziva's desk.

I wasn't sure if he meant with their investigation or with me. I stared at Ziva anyway, daring her to rat on me about our fight earlier.

Ziva, however, knew exactly what Gibbs was asking about. "It went fine, nothing I couldn't handle."

"Uh huh," Gibbs commented skeptically, eying me. I could tell he really didn't believe her, but wasn't going to press the issue.

He moved over to where I was sitting and picked up my book. "Any good?" he asked.

"It's okay." I shrugged, hoping he'd leave it there. As usual, luck was not on my side.

"I wouldn't have picked this as your choice of reading material."

Again I shrugged. Just what was he expecting me to read?

"So what happened to the book I told Dorneget to buy for you?" Gibbs handed the book back to me.

I glanced over at Ziva and back at the book had laid on the desk. It was obvious he recognized it as one from the bookshelf behind his desk. I couldn't meet his eyes as I answered, "nothing."

"Ziva?" Gibbs asked as he turned to look at her.

"Director Vance has it."

"Which one of you wants to tell me why Vance has your book?" Gibbs demanded, his glare shifting between me and Ziva.

I just glared back, causing his gaze to harden.

"He overheard the disagreement we had over whether the book was appropriate for her to be reading," Ziva responded. She met the glare I gave her with one of her own. At Gibbs's raised eyebrow, she continued. "I didn't think she needed to read something that," she paused, "explicit."

Gibbs nodded and handed the book back to me. I squirmed a little in my seat at the look he gave me. My discomfort was made even worse when he said, "we will discuss this later."

"What did you find out at Quantico?" he asked as he turned back to Ziva and Tony.

Tony stood and came around to lean against the front of his desk. "Wilson's commanding officer told us Wilson was seeing a woman who was a dancer at Club Doom and that he had been moonlighting as a bouncer there for the last few months."

Ziva came around her desk and picked up the narration. "We talked to some of Wilson's co-workers. They confirmed what Warrant Officer Gopinathan told us. They also us that the woman's first name was Amanda. No one we spoke with knew her last name. One of them said that Wilson mentioned once that some guy at the club was giving her a hard time."

"We found an email at Wilson's apartment that contained threats to someone named Mandy. You think it could be the same person?" McGee asked as he looked up from his computer.

Gibbs glared at him for asking such an obvious question. "McGee, you find out who sent that email and whether or not it connects Darron Wade to our dead gunnery sergeant. Tony, you and Ziva go to Club Doom. Find out who Amanda is. We know that Wilson was moonlighting there, find out if Wade has any connection there as well."

"On it, Boss," Tony said as he grabbed his backpack and headed toward the elevator. Ziva followed closely on his heels.

"Can you find the owner of that email address here, or do you need to use the computers down in Abby's lab?" Gibbs asked as he turned back to McGee.

"I should be able to find it from here. Why?" McGee asked curiously.

Shit, I thought. I had a feeling I knew what Gibbs had planned.

"Good. Keep an eye on her," Gibbs said, nodding in my direction. "If you have to go down to Abby's lab, take her with you. I'll be in Vance's office."

Yep, I was right. My ass is gonna be toast. "You don't really need to talk to him, do you?"

"Is there something you don't want me to talk to him about?" he asked as he came to stand in front of me.

Why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut? "No, not really."

He only nodded and headed in the direction of the stairs.

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Gibbs stepped into Vance's office without knocking.

Vance glared at him and continued his telephone conversation. Gibbs wandered over to study the photographs hanging on the wall. When Vance finished his conversation, he turned back.

"That door was closed for a reason, Gibbs."

"Lock it next time. Is there something I need to know?"

"Isn't that usually my line?" Vance asked as he leaned back in his chair. He wouldn't admit it, even if a gun was held to his head, but he enjoyed bantering with Gibbs. It kept him on his toes.

"We'll get to your information, but first I understand there was a problem with Tori."

"Nothing serious," Vance stated as he opened a desk drawer and pulled out a book. "Ziva seemed to think this inappropriate for Tori to read. Tori objected rather vehemently to Ziva taking it from her." He handed the book to Gibbs.

Gibbs shrugged. "What's so inappropriate about it?"

Vance grinned. He should have known that Gibbs wouldn't have heard the hype about this particular trilogy. He didn't know if Ziva's reaction was based on having read it or just on what everyone was saying about it, and he really hadn't wanted to ask. "It's supposed to be very erotic." Vance couldn't help but laugh at the look that crossed Gibbs's face. "Jackie read it and said it doesn't live up to the hype. I suppose it's up to you whether you want Tori to have it back." He returned to sit behind his desk. "Now, about this case?"

Gibbs tapped the book on his other hand. "We've identified Gunnery Sergeant Wilson's killer based on the composite Abby did from Tori's description, and we're trying to tie them together. Right now, it looks like the murder might have been over a woman who works as a dancer at a Goth club. My team's still checking that out."

Vance nodded, now came the tough question. "What are you planning on doing about the girl when this is over and she no longer requires protective custody?" He studied the subtle play of emotions that crossed Gibbs's face. Someone who didn't know the man as well as Vance did would have completely missed them.

"I don't know," Gibbs answered softly as he moved quickly to the door.

TBC