AN: This chapter contains minor spoilers for "Kill Ari II" and "Hiatus I and/or II". You've been warned...
The next morning, Michal Bronson came in on his own accord, having been contacted by NCIS the previous evening. The man barely looked old enough to drive, much less afford the vehicle in question. He had agreed to facilitate the investigation in any way he could, as long as his lawyer was in attendance.
'Great',Gibbs thought sarcastically, 'just what I needed first thing in the morning. Legal persons interfering with our investigation.' He took a seat across from Bronson and his lawyer in one of the conference rooms.
"So, Mr. Bronson, what can you tell us about the disappearance of your Hummer?" Gibbs asked
"Well, I already told this to the local police, but if you guys can get me my rig back, alright. My wife and I were getting ready to head out and do some last minute Christmas shopping. It was like seven degrees outside, so I went outside to start up the car and let it warm up a little. I left the keys in the ignition with the doors locked, and I went inside to grab by coffee. Before I even added the sugar to it, I heard tires squealing out front, and my wife was shouting that someone stole the car. I know that you hear all the time about rigs getting stolen out of driveways like that, but it was locked up tight!" he explained, seeming very agitated
"Does anyone else have a key to your Hummer, Mr. Bronson?"
"Just me and my wife. Oh, and Kevin!"
"Who is Kevin?" Gibbs asked, trying to keep his temper in check
"My mechanic. I doubt he stole it though, the guy's like, in his eighties. He lives out up near Shenandoah State Park, he likes to keep to himself. Heh, I doubt the guy even knows what electicity is! Besides, he's a bit of a hippy. If he wanted a car, he'd steal some veggie-mobile, not a car which he believes is single-handedly killing the Earth."
"Can we have this Kevin's address? It might help us find whoever took your car." Gibbs asked, a little too politely
Bronson's lawyer finally interjected, "You don't have to disclose that information! Unless you have a court order, he won't answer that. There is nothing linking my client or his mechanic to your crime, Agent Gibbs!"
"It was his car, Kevin has a key. That doesn't have any merit?" Gibbs demanded, "If there are three keys to that rig, one with your client's wife, one that was presumably stolen with the car, and one that is as of yet unaccounted for. Do the math!" I think Shakespeare was right, 'hang all the lawyers'!
"1250 Meadowlark Lane. That's where you'll find Kevin." Bronson said, "The story about that hit-and-run is all over the news. If I hadn't left the car running, one of your agents wouldn't be in the hospital right now. The asshole who stole my rig needs what's commin' to him. I want this guy as bad as you do Agent Gibbs. I don't think Kevin's capable of grand-theft-auto or a hit-and-run, but if that leads you in the right direction, by all means, I don't need my mechanic that badly. Knock him around a bit, maybe you'll knock some sense into him!" he chuckled a little, "Kevin's a good guy, just not real bright. He probably doesn't remember me giving him the spare key."
"Thank you for your cooperation. We'll let you know if we find your vehicle, but you might not get it back until our forensics expert gets through with it. Right now, your missing rig is evidence." Gibbs explained.
"Alright then...Tell me, did you know the agent who got hit?" Bronson asked, "I know its not really my place, but I sort of feel responsible for this whole mess. I just want to go visit her in the hospital, make sure she's alright."
"Yeah, I know her. She's on my team. But I'm afraid I can't disclose that information to you, sir."
"Understood. Will you at least give her my apologies?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Don't apologize, its a sign of weakness." he told him.
Gibbs had finally worked up the courage to come here. He felt as though he were held back by his conscience, which didn't want him to believe that this was real. Unfortunately, this nightmare was all too real. In his heart, he wanted to keep his distance so that he wouldn't see her like this. But he remembered how she had come to visit him, even when he didn't remember her. He remembered her telling him how she'd killed her brother to save him. She helped him recover his lost memories, and he owed it to her to at least be there for her.
It was only 4:30, but the room was already dark. Only the last shimmers of twilight filling the room from the window remained. McGee and Abby had fallen asleep in the chairs by Ziva's bedside, Abby's head flopped over onto McGee's shoulder while she snored softly. Gibbs couldn't help but grin. He looked over at the bed where Ziva still lay in a drug induced slumber. The steady beating of her heart monitor was encouraging, though he despised the sound. He had survived two comas, during both of which, he had heard the incessant beeping of those infernal machines the entire time.
"We're gonna get the bastard, Ziva," he whispered to her, "I promise. We already have a lead."
He sat there for a while in silence, "Its been nearly four days. Thinking about waking up anytime soon?" he sighed, "Just open your eyes whenever you're ready. We'll be here waiting for you, okay?"
He noticed on her casts, she was adorned with get well messages and doodles, several of them were likely from her contacts at the Embassy, because he couldn't read a word of it.He tried to find a bare spot to write something, but he didn't want to move her to find one.
"Look on her palm!" a groggy voice told him, "We left you a spot, Bossman." Abby nuzzled lazily into McGee's shoulder before falling asleep once more.
He carefully turned her arm so that her palm faced upward, revealing a bare patch which was circled with Sharpie. Around the perimeter, in Abby's hand was written 'Reserved for Gibbs!' several times.
He took a marker from his pocket, chuckling. He wrote out 'You're one hell of an agent, David. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. You're one of us, and you know it. Feel better, that's an order!'