A/N: See first chapter for the disclaimer. Greg Sanders (who is mentioned here) is from CSI (the original), and I don't own him or the show. In real life (or, well, CSI-realm), Greg and Adam don't actually know each other. I'm just going to keep updating and hope you guys actually like it... I could ask you guys for a certain number of reviews before updating, but that's never been my style. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please review for me. :)

Chapter 3: Of Friends and Ex-Partners

Adam normally hated working with others in his lab. It seemed like no one else would ever put things back where they belonged, they'd leave horrible messes for Adam to clean up, and basically treated him like the lowest man on the pole when there were plenty of others who had been there less time than him.

It aggravated him to no end.

But Abby was different. She didn't just jump in and make a mess of the place. She took the time to take note of where things were. When Adam mentioned it to her, she simply said, "I know how I get when people mess up my lab."

Adam smiled.

"So, what other evidence is there really to deal with?" she asked after her inventory.

"Uh, well there's… and there's… there's not much really," Adam conceded. "The DNA's still running. Any prints or trace were compromised by the water."

"Even your DNA sample might have been."

"We found it on an inside part of the cuff, an area the water didn't touch."

She nodded. "Could be a tough sell."

He shrugged playfully. "That's Danny's problem."

She smiled. "So, I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so," Adam replied nervously. "I know I've at least been to conferences where you've talked at before. I, uh, I think we met once in Vegas."

Abby narrowed her eyes, studying Adam for the moment. "I think I remember."

"My best friend since college, Greg, he called you over."

"Greg. Greg Sanders, Vegas Crime Lab?"

Adam nodded.

"Oh, I know him pretty well. He's a really nice guy. I've talked to him a few times at different conferences. Exchange holiday and birthday cards with him. In fact, I just got a card from him a few weeks ago… Greg Sanders."

"That's a name I recognize too," Tony said as he entered the lab.

Abby looked critically at Tony. "How do you know him?" she asked.

"He's the one who told me when my old partner died."

Abby frowned. "You never told me that Greg was the one who called you."

Tony shrugged. "I didn't know you knew him."

"Yeah. He used to be a DNA tech before moving into the field." She looked over at Adam. "How long ago did he do that?"

Adam sighed, looking up at the ceiling as he thought. "I don't know," he said. "I think he was officially a CSI starting four years ago, but I know he was in training for about a year before that."

"Takes him a year to train?" Tony said.

"His primary role was still DNA."

Tony nodded.

"Where are the others?" Abby asked.

"Craig went down to talk to Ducky and Dr. Hammerback," Tony said. "I think Ziva and McGee went to talk to another detective… Danny, I think he said his name was."

"Danny Messer," Adam said.

Tony looked at him.

"What?" Adam asked.

"Nothing," Tony replied, shaking his head.

Adam looked questioningly to Abby.

"Hey Adam," Flack said as he poked his head into the lab.

"What's up?" Adam replied.

"City Surveillance is sending over some tapes. Think you can search them for Charles Starling?"

Adam grimaced slightly. "How many tapes?"

Flack smirked. "I thought you liked a challenge."

Adam shrugged. "I'm on it."

"I can help," Abby said with a smile.

"McGeek could too," Tony threw in. "I'll have him meet you guys there."

"Okay." Abby walked out of the lab, heading toward A/V. Adam stayed behind for a moment while Flack and Tony eyed each other warily.

"You're still trying to figure out whether or not I did it," Tony said, fumbling with his phone.

Flack shrugged, but said nothing.

"You called Philly yet?"

"You didn't give me any names," Flack said casually.

"You didn't ask," Tony remarked, just as casually.

The printer hummed, and Adam silently thanked whoever was looking out for him that he could get out of that tension as he grabbed the sheet that the machine spit out. "Our blood sample comes back to Charles Starling," he announced, handing the paper to Flack before quickly walking out of the room.

Flack and Tony stared at each other for a moment before walking off toward Mac's office.

The two former Marines turned around as the door to Mac's office opened. "Adam got a hit on our blood," Flack said, passing the paper off to Mac.

"Chip," Gibbs said without looking at it.

"Yep. He escaped from prison about three weeks ago."

Gibbs looked over at Tony, who leaned against the doorframe silently.

"I got City Surveillance to send us some tapes, see if we can't find where our guy is hiding in New York," Flack finished.

"That's a good idea," Mac said.

"It was Angell's, actually."

"The pretty one?" Tony said, smirking as Flack got slightly flustered.

"Adam's workin' on them with…" Flack said, trying to think of her name.

"Abby."

"Tell McGee…" Gibbs started.

"To meet them there," Tony finished. "Already done."

Mac and Flack looked at each other.

"He teaches us to anticipate," Tony said, explaining for the unasked question.

"I'm gonna see if I can't dig up something else," Flack said, walking out of the room.

"I'm gonna go find Ziva."

"Actually, Agent DiNozzo, if it's alright with you, I have a few more questions," Mac said.

"Sure, Detective Taylor," Tony said. "But… please call me Tony."

"Mac." Mac gestured for Tony to sit down again, and the younger man obliged as Gibbs sat down next to him. Mac leaned against his desk.

"What's up?"

"Can I ask you for more information about what happened when you were kidnapped?"

Tony looked over at Gibbs, who shook his head but said nothing.

"Perhaps you should ask my therapist," Tony said, turning his attention back to Mac.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," Mac assured him.

Tony looked back to Gibbs.

"It's your choice," Gibbs said softly. "No one's making you do anything here."

Tony nodded, licking his lips.

"We can always go back to that, if you want," Mac said.

"You have other questions?" Tony asked.

"Why have you kept your phone off?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just… I wanted to get away from it all while I was on vacation. Not that I have anything against anyone I work with… I love them all. I just… I needed a break."

Gibbs stared at Tony with a disbelieving look, but held his tongue.

"I can understand that," Mac said.

Tony nodded.

"Why would Charles Starling want to frame you again?"

Tony shook his head. "I don't know for sure. I guess I must have really pissed him off in Baltimore, worse than I thought. Or maybe he blames me for being in prison. I don't know."

"Something else happen in Baltimore?" Gibbs asked.

Tony looked over at him. "No, Boss," he answered.

"How about after you left?"

Tony shook his head again. "Nothing with Chip. I mean, people come and go. Like Mike."

"Mike?" Mac asked.

"Mike Keppler," Tony answered. "And the only reason I said anything was because Abby and… Adam were talking earlier about the kid who told me about Mike's death. Mike doesn't have anything to do with this, though. I mean, unless Chip really hated reverse forensics and knew that Mike used to be my partner."

"Reverse forensics?" Gibbs ventured.

"Believe me, Boss, I don't get it either. It was something Mike did after I left."

"Fake a crime scene to bring the suspect out of hiding," Mac said.

"You've heard of it?" Tony asked.

"Adam mentioned it. Happened where his friend worked."

"Friend named Greg Sanders?"

Mac nodded.

Tony snorted slightly. "That would've been Mike."

"What?" Gibbs asked.

"Mike tried it three places- Baltimore, Vegas, and Philly," Tony explained.

"You ever involved?" Mac asked.

"No. Like I said, he did it after I left Philly. And he wasn't even in Baltimore until after I was at NCIS."

"Was Charles still in Baltimore at the time?"

"I don't think so. And I don't really think that Chip would want to get back at me for something Mike did. I don't even think Chip would know that Mike was even my partner."

"You were his emergency contact," Gibbs reminded.

Tony shrugged. "True. But I don't think Chip knew that. I didn't even know that until the kid… Greg… called me."

Gibbs didn't say anything.

Mac's phone rang, and he moved to answer it. After a short conversation, he said, "That was the Chief of Detectives. If you'll excuse me."

"Sure," Gibbs said.

Tony stood up, quickly making his way out of Mac's office. Gibbs and Mac both followed, with Mac walking toward the stairs. Gibbs grabbed Tony's elbow, leading him to the elevator. Once they were inside, Gibbs flipped the switch.

"You know, somehow I don't think the NYPD will understand this," Tony commented.

"What aren't you saying?" Gibbs asked.

"What makes you think I'm not saying something?"

Gibbs stared at him.

Tony sighed, knowing he was beat. "Okay. I turned my phone off because Chip called me."

Gibbs felt like head slapping Tony right then and there, but held back.

"About two weeks ago, after my car was stolen. He didn't say anything about stealing it or anything. I didn't know that."

"What did he say?"

"That he would find me, and finish what he started."

"Why?"

Tony shrugged, slinking against the back of the elevator. "I really, really wish I knew what I did to piss him off this badly."

Gibbs frowned slightly as Tony took a bit of a defensive position, but he didn't soften much. "Why didn't you come to me?"

Tony sighed quietly. "Because I don't need you to fight my battles, Gibbs. I can handle this."

Gibbs gave a minor shake of his head. "Not saying you can't."

Tony looked at the side of the elevator away from Gibbs. "I know you want to help but… you really can't. Because the only way this'll ever end is if either Chip or me dies."

Gibbs sighed, knowing Tony was right.

Detective Stella Bonasera caught up to Danny as he sat behind his desk, discussing a case with a pretty girl. "What's up with the elevator?" she asked, annoyed.

Danny looked over at it before shrugging. "Beats me," he said.

The other girl in the room smiled slightly. "I believe Gibbs needed an office," she said.

"What?"

"That is where Gibbs talks to people in private in our offices. I imagine he is doing the same here. Perhaps with Tony."

"Uhh… who are Tony and Gibbs?" Stella asked.

Danny smirked. "You've been at court too long," he said. "First of all, Detective Stella Bonasera, Officer Ziva David, NCIS."

"NCIS?"

"Naval Criminal…" Ziva started.

"I know what NCIS is," Stella said softly. "I'm just wondering what brings you to our jurisdiction."

"You heard about the car we pulled out of the Hudson this morning?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, it was on the news."

"Car belonged to an NCIS agent, Anthony DiNozzo."

Stella narrowed her eyes slightly. "Name sounds familiar."

"Apparently he's been around. Body in it was an M.E.'s assistant from D.C., who used to work in a lab in Baltimore until Agent DiNozzo got him fired. Our primary suspect is Charles Starling, another person who used to work with Agent DiNozzo. We're trying to track him, but not having much luck."

Stella huffed lightly, thinking. "City Surveillance?"

"Adam's on it with…"

"Abby and McGee," Ziva supplied.

"Your entire team is here," Stella observed.

"Yes. Gibbs and Tony are likely in the elevator, and Craig is in autopsy with Ducky and Dr. Hammerback."

"We're not anymore," Craig said as he walked in with Ducky and Dr. Sid Hammerback.

"I see Jethro's taken over the elevator," Ducky commented.

"Jethro?" Stella asked.

"Agent Gibbs."

"Dr. Mallard, Agent James, Officer David, Detective Bonasera, Dr. Hammerback," Danny introduced.

"Perhaps we should make you the official introducer, yes?" Ziva teased Danny lightly.

Danny smirked. "Yeah, I'm good with names. Do we have a time of death?"

"Between midnight and 1 a.m.," Sid said.

"911 got the call when?" Craig asked.

"Uh…" Danny started, flipping through papers on his desk. "1:24 a.m."

"How long does it take a car to sink into the Hudson?"

"Depends on the weight of the car," Stella said.

"We can get Adam to do an accident reconstruction," Danny suggested.

"Abigail can help with that," Ducky said.

"They are already scanning surveillance videos," Ziva said.

"We can take the video," Danny said. "Stell, you in?"

"I've got another case going to trial tomorrow that I've gotta prep for," she said. "I'll come by when I'm done."

"Fantastic."

"Lindsay should be free to help."

Danny nodded, standing. "Let's go."