NCIS Squadroom.
A harried Tony and a smiling Ziva escorted the Naz'rani brothers into the bullpen. Both men were obviously of Middle-Eastern descent and were fairly good looking, but there the similarities ended. Simeon was well-dressed but unshaven, and looked like he needed some sleep. He carried a laptop and had a cell phone clipped to his belt. Chileab looked like he had been picked up from a hospital: his clothing was rumpled, and he was conspicuously bandaged. His face was swollen and black in several places and his jaw wired shut; he favored his ribcage, and his bandaged right arm hung in a sling.
Gibbs sat at his desk, sipping coffee and staring at his computer. He looked up as DiNozzo approached and set a full satchel on his desk.
"Boss, let me introduce you to the newest names in the fashion world, Simeon and Chileab Naz'rani. They just had the thrilling experience of riding behind Ziva at the wheel…" began Tony. "Mr.'s Nas'ranis: my boss: Senior Field Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs."
Ziva glared at her partner. "I did not run over anything or anyone this time, Tony!"
"Not for lack of trying…" Tony rolled his eyes.
Simeon stepped forward. "The ride was no trouble at all, Agent Gibbs," he said with a rolling accent. "Agent DiNozzo has obviously never caught a cab in Amman; our ride was quite comfortable. Agent David should be commended on getting us here so quickly."
Ziva smirked and went to her desk. Simeon set his laptop down on Gibbs' desk and continued. "I understand you have some information on my Jenna…that is the first piece of good news I have had in days. What can you tell me? Have you found her? Is she safe?"
Gibbs raised one eyebrow. "We're still investigating possible leads; that's why you're here. I think you may have information vital to the case." He looked alarmingly at Chileab. "DiNozzo, I said "use your imagination", but I never told you to beat anyone black and blue! What happened to this man?"
" Zjaake…" Chileab began, but his brother waved him into silence.
"Please excuse my brother, Agent Gibbs. His jaw was broken, and he has trouble speaking," Simeon interjected. "He was beaten in the same attack on my wife….he got these injuries trying to defend her. He was released from the hospital only today."
"Maee I sit dwn, plzz?" Chileab plead through his wired jaw.
"Actually, I need you to come with me, gentlemen. I have a suspect you may be able to identify." Gibbs turned to Tony. "What's in the bag, DiNozzo?"
"These are security DVDs from the Naz'rani Co. computer from the day of Jake and Jenna's disappearance, JFK Airport security pictures of them at a ticket counter, and the local police report. I haven't had a chance to look at them yet," Tony explained.
"Nice thinking, DiNozzo. Take it all down to Abby, and let me know what you find. Ziva, I need you with me," he said, standing up. "We need to go and see Master Sergeant Bell." Both Naz'ranis started, but Gibbs just smiled.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
Autopsy…
Gibbs, Simeon, Chileab, and Ziva entered Autopsy, and Ducky straightened up. He had been working on another body with Palmer's assistance.
"Ahhh, visitors," he said pleasantly. "Please finish up for me here, Mr. Palmer. This young man has another appointment, now that we're done." He turned to Gibbs. "Hello, Jethro. Come to see Master Sergeant Bell, have you?"
"Yeah, Ducky," Gibbs said, motioning to the Naz'rani brothers, "We need these gentlemen to identify him for us, if they can."
"Certainly. Allow me to wash up first…" Ducky walked over to the sink and washed his hands. "He's right over here..."
Ducky opened one of the cooler doors and pulled out Master Sergeant Bell's body. Both Naz'rani brothers reacted with hostility. Chileab glared and looked away, but Simeon's face flushed in hate; he growled something in Arabic and spat on the floor. Ziva's eyes opened in shock.
"Really! Such language! I would never have thought that appropriate, given the setting. Don't you show respect for the dead, Mr. Naz'rani?" she chided.
"Ziva?" Gibbs prompted.
Ziva fanned herself with one hand. "He called Master Sergeant Bell…roughly translated… "you unclean son of a traitor's fornication". It is quite obscene…"
"I get the idea." Gibbs nodded. Turning to Simeon, he asked pointedly: "Mr. Naz'rani, you knew this man? How?"
Simeon scowled bitterly. "I thought I did. This is Jacob Bell, he is…was…our head of security. He stopped an attack at one of our shows some years ago while on a personal holiday. When he was dismissed from the Marines for his injuries, we gave him a job out of gratitude. He was with us for several years, until last week…I never had reason to doubt his work until then…"
"Shmeeon…" Chileab said weakly, "eye neeed to shht dwnnnn."
"Good heavens, lad! Have a chair," Ducky exclaimed. He grabbed an office chair and pulled it over for Chileab. "Who did this to you?"
Chileab glared down at Bell's body and pointed. "Eee did. Fiiiite. Eee triid to kll mee. Ee took Zjenna." He grimaced. "Paane kllrs warring off…" he collapsed into the chair Ducky had offered.
"I might be able to help you with that, young man. Give me just a minute…" Ducky offered, digging into his medicine cabinet.
Gibbs turned his attention back to Simeon. "Do you know where his body was found?"
"Yes, behind Jenna's country house," Simeon gave the body a closer inspection. "I see you re-attached his hand as well. No matter. I made my point," he said bitterly.
Ducky turned to him, shocked. "Am I to understand you hacked off this man's hand? This," he pointed to the maimed limb, "barbaric act came from you?"
"I'm surprised, Mr. Naz'rani. Normally I interrogate murder suspects for hours before they break; you've saved me a lot of time today," Gibbs said coldly.
"I didn't kill him," Simeon snorted bitterly. "I said I cut off his hand. He was dying when I found him; someone else had shot him." He scowled down at the body. "It was the least I could do, since he could not tell me what he had done with Jenna, or why he had attacked my brother." He suddenly reached for Bell's throat. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?" he screamed.
Gibbs grabbed him by the lapels and shoved him up against a locker. "He's already dead, Mr. Naz'rani. You can't shake anything else out of him!" He turned to Ziva. "Ziva, take Mr. Naz'rani here up to interrogation, and wait there for me. Have Tony meet you there; I'll be up in a few minutes. As for our other guest…" he turned to Ducky.
"I'm way ahead of you, Jethro," Ducky said. "Mr. Naz'rani, I want to examine your injuries. If we are to proceed with an investigation against our Master Sergeant, I need to gather as much information as I can."
"Yrr a dctor? I thot this wzz jst awtpsy?" Chileab looked puzzled.
"Mr. Naz'rani: I treat the living as well as the dead," Ducky reassured him. "As a bonus, I keep pain killers in stock. This won't be the first time I've had to patch someone up after a fight, though it looks like a job already well done." He peered around Chileab's injuries. "If you don't object, I need to measure the marks on you, as well as get pictures of your bruises. Anything you can tell me about the fight would be helpful, of course."
Simeon turned to his brother. "Chileab? Will you be allright?"
Chileab nodded. "Mmm ok." He paused and motioned to Bell's body. "Eee cn't hrt mee nww."
"That's settled, then," said Gibbs. "Ziva, you take Simeon, and Ducky, you take care of Chileab. Neither of them leaves the building without my say-so. Understood?"
"Absolutely," Ziva said as she took Simeon by the elbow. "This way: Mr. Naz'rani."
"Understood, Jethro," Ducky said, nodding. He turned to Chileab again. "Now, young man, if you'll let me wheel you over here, I can start to take a look. Mr. Palmer," he called across the room, "would you please bring me the digital camera?"
"Right away, doctor," Jimmy nodded.
Gibbs turned to Ziva as they reached the elevator. "Ziva, I'll be up in a few minutes. I have to make a stop first."
"Understood, Gibbs." She turned to Simeon. "This way, please."
