Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS.
A/N: I want to thank everyone that's read and reviewed. I greatly appreciate it.
Chapter Seven: Hunters and Gatherers
"Is it wrong that I wish we'd find a dead body so that there was something to do?" Agent McGee sighed.
Tony tossed Ziva a paperclip. "There you go, Ziva. McGruesome wants a dead body."
The female agent glared at the senior field agent. "I'm sure you wouldn't approve of the body I have in mind."
"Ziver, are you trying to tell me that you're thinking about my body?"
"Don't flatten yourself,"
McGee smiled. "Flatter,"
"Whatever," Ziva snapped.
"Hey guys! What's up?" asked Abby as she walked into the bullpen holding a fresh Caff-Pow.
"Well apparently Ziva was thinking about my body," Tony smirked. Abby smiled as she sat in Gibbs' empty chair, wincing slightly.
"You okay, Abby?" McGee asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just my new tattoo," she said as she took a gulp of Caff-Pow.
Tony's eyes lit up. "New tattoo?"
"Yeah, it's still in the healing process so it's a bit tender," Abby explained.
"Where is it?" Tony inquired.
"Hidden,"
"Can you give us a hint?"
At this Abby's green eyes lit up and a mischievous smile crept onto her face. "Will Gibbs and the director be in the MTAC meeting for a while longer?"
"Yeah, he just went in like twenty minutes ago and you know how dealing with the FBI always takes a while," McGee answered.
"Good. I'll call you all when I'm done," and with that the forensic scientist headed to the elevator.
"I wonder what she is baking up," Ziva mused.
"Cooking," the boys corrected as they began brainstorming where and what Abby's new tattoo was.
It wasn't long until Abby called McGee and asked that he, Tony, and Ziva meet her in her lab. They were cautious but agreed to come nonetheless. Upon entering her lab they saw she was standing at her computer with Palmer.
"You look like the cat that ate the canary, Abs," Tony said as he eyed the envelopes she now held in her hands.
"These are your missions should you choose to accept,"
"Missions?" McGee asked.
"Yes, the winners of this mission get to view my new tattoo in all its glory,"
"What if we get caught?" Palmer asked.
Tony laughed. "Come now, Jimmy. Look at our bosses. We will ALWAYS get caught."
"It's true. Gibbs knows everything," McGee agreed.
"Come on, Jimmy! What else do you have to do?" Abby pleaded.
"Fine," the assistant ME said.
"Perfect! Okay, so I've divided you into two groups. Each group will get an envelope that will contain a clue leading you to the next clue. Upon arriving to your new destination and reading your new clue you will put the object in your bags and continue with the scavenger hunt until you reach the last clue. After that you will return to me and I'll check to make sure everything right," Abby explained.
"Bags?" asked Ziva.
"Teams?" Palmer questioned.
"Yup! Tony and Ziva are on one team and McGee and Jimmy are on the other," Abby said as she reached for two bags that were on her table. "This is for you," she said as she handed Ziva a bag decorated with little ninjas and St. Bernard's. Across the center of the bag, in big black letters, Abby had written 'Team Gibblet'. She handed the other bag to Palmer. This bag had ducks and robots all over it and it read, in the same large black font, 'Quack Attack'.
"Are you ready for your first clues?" she asked. She was anticipating this probably more than the other four. They nodded, each wearing a determined face.
She handed Tony and McGee the envelopes. "On your marks… get set… GO!" Each agent tore the letter open with ease.
Tony and Ziva read their clue:
"Questions and glares
Suspects too
All being recorded
Mirrors you can see through
Hurry and figure this
You can't take an hour
Go to the one
That once held Mikel Mawher"
"She's good at this…"Tony said aloud.
"Mirrors you can see through…" Ziva whispered to herself.
"Interrogation rooms!" they blurted together and headed to the elevators.
McGee and Palmer had read their clue and were headed to the staircase, not wanting to wait for the elevator.
"Rule number 23
It's a real big deal
But there are a few exceptions
Where Gibbs did spill
One was Otto's fault
He held me inside
But my silver haired fox saved me
Head to the place I almost died."
"What's rule twenty three?" Palmer asked, not as familiar with Gibbs' rules as the others were.
"Never mess with a marine's coffee if you want to live," McGee explained as they took the stairs two at a time.
"Where are we headed?" Palmer asked, keeping up with McGee.
"The garage!"
*With Tony and Ziva*
Tony and Ziva impatiently waited for the elevator to reach the interrogation rooms, one of which was in use.
"Do you remember which on Mawher was held in?" Ziva asked.
"Not really. He was brought in for questioning more than once," Tony admitted as he looked at the four doors.
"So what now?" Ziva asked.
"You get the first two and I get the last two," Tony said and he raced to the fourth interrogation room. The envelope containing the next clue was found in the third room taped on a voodoo doll that looked eerily similar to Mawher.
"Put this in the bag," Tony said as he handed Ziva the doll and opened the next letter.
"Cold and naked people
Of this we can't be fond
But we all tell stories
In our favorite duck's pond
It sees many guests
They listen with strong ears
But for quite a while
It was the root of my fears"
"Naked people?" Tony laughed as he reread the clue.
"Think… where are there cold and naked people at NCIS?" Ziva asked.
"And a duck's pond?"
"Not a pond, Tony… the duck! Cold and naked guests and the duck!" Ziva shouted as things started to make sense.
"The root of her fears! Abby was afraid of autopsy!" Tony added, also making sense of the riddle. They threw the voodoo doll in the bag and sprinted back to the elevators.
*McGee and Palmer*
The entered the garage and started looking for the envelope that held their second clue. It was taped to a wrench. Palmer ripped the envelope off and handed McGee the wrench.
"Hermes was a messenger
The Director has one too.
Go and find her,
For she holds your next clue"
"Hermes was the messenger for the Greek gods," Palmer said as he pushed his glasses up his nose.
"And the director has one too…" McGee said out loud as he thought for a moment.
"The director doesn't exactly have a messenger but she has that woman that Gibbs is always stressing out," Palmer said.
"That's it, Palmer! Cynthia has the next clue!" McGee said and they raced to the elevator, having found a sudden dislike for stairs.
They got in the elevator and all but punched the button that would take them to the squad room. For both it was the longest elevator ride so as soon as the doors opened they bolted out and raced to the director's office in search of Cynthia.
They entered abruptly and startled Cynthia. "I take it you two are here for Ms. Scuito's envelope?" she inquired. They nodded and she opened a drawer in her desk and handed it over. One of the director's business cards was taped to the envelope so they added that to their bag and ripped the envelope open.
"Abby is Gibbs' favorite
But she has one too.
Come and find me
If you want the next clue.
I sometimes throw a fit
But always get the job done
You're almost to the end
I hope you're having fun!"
"If Abby is Gibbs' favorite then who's Abby's favorite?" Palmer asked. McGee knew right away, having spent a lot of time with Abby in her lab. He knew which one of her "babies" threw a fit and he knew which was her favorite. He grabbed Palmer by the shirt and they raced to the elevator.
"Major Mass Spec!"
*Tony and Ziva*
As Tony and Ziva raced from the elevators they ran into Ducky.
"Where's the fire?" he asked as he caught on to the agents to stable himself.
"We're looking for an envelope!" Tony said. As much as he loved Ducky he was hoping that the older man was going to make it quick so that he could get the next clue. This whole scavenger hunt was testing not only the competitive streak he had but also the pervert in him that wanted to see Abby's tattoo and the detective in him that was having fin solving the little mysteries Abby had created around headquarters.
"Oh, are you referring to the envelope Abby brought down earlier? She only asked that I hold on to it,"
"So you have the envelope?" Ziva asked, just as anxious as Tony.
"Not on me, no. It's in autopsy. You know, this little scavenger hunt reminds me of this time when I was but a lad…" Ducky started.
"Sorry, Ducky. I promise we'll be back later to hear the rest of that story but we have to beat the Gremlin and the Boy Scout!" Tony called as he grabbed Ziva's arm and ran into autopsy.
"There it is!" Ziva said as she pointed to the door to one of the refrigerated compartments. The letter had been taped to one of the blue caps Ducky and Palmer wore during autopsies and the hat had been taped to the door.
She opened it and read the riddle aloud:
"Sitting in the bullpen
How I do so miss Kate.
She holds your next clue
Be sure you aren't late"
"Kate?" Ziva asked as she looked at Tony.
The mention of his old partner made Tony take in a deep breath. He hadn't forgotten about her but he tried his best not to think about her. It made him miss her. It made him think about how things would be if Ari hadn't killed her but that was for another time. He has a game to win and a tattoo to see.
"In the bullpen?" Tony asked. He was sure there was nothing of Kate's still around.
"The only thing of Caitlin's that's still around as far as I know is her desk," Ducky said from the doorway.
Ziva knew that Kate was very important to the team but when the riddle referred to the desk as Kate's it made Ziva feel like she didn't belong, as if she was just a substitute until Kate returned from an extended vacation. She knew that she was a member of the team and that she was loved but she remembered how long it was before she had the team's full trust. She shook away her feelings and grabbed Tony's hand.
"We have to hurry or we will lose to McGee and Jimmy and we will never be able to live this down!" Ziva said. Tony nodded and as they thanked Ducky and ran back to the elevator Tony put the hat in the bag, thinking of the time Kate had put on the hat Abby had made for her in order to let Abby win a bet.
*Timmy and Jimmy*
The two boys ran from the elevator as it stopped in front of the forensic lab.
"Abby! Where is it?" McGee yelled as he entered the lab.
"Are we winning?" Palmer asked.
Abby laughed. The only reason she put a clue in her lab was because she wanted to see how they were doing. From the looks of things they were doing well but she wasn't sure how Tony and Ziva were going.
"It was in the clue. I can't help you,"
McGee immediately turned around and grabbed the envelope that was attached to a test tube that rested on top of the mass spectrometer.
"I sit on Tony's desk
Yellow, white, blue and red
If he knows you have me
He'll probably smack you in the head
He loves me dearly
But I have the next clue
So be sure to put me in your bag
And bring me along with you"
"What sits on Tony's desk that's yellow, white, blue and red?" Palmer asked.
"I hope it's not a GSM magazine," McGee frowned as he pulled Palmer from the lab and into the elevator. He couldn't think off the top of his head what the clue referred to but he was sure that he would be able to find it if he looked around Tony's desk.
*DiNozzo and David*
Tony and Ziva entered the bullpen and started rummaging around Ziva's desk.
"Where is it?!" Tony asked as he got on his knees and crawled to look underneath.
"I do not know, Tony. I got here the same time as you did," Ziva said as she came around to look in the drawers.
"Found it!" Ziva laughed.
Tony turned around to get out from under the desk. "Red light situation!" he loudly announced. Ziva smacked him on the back of the head and took out the envelope that was taped to one of her favorite daggers.
Tony added the dagger to the bag as Ziva read the fourth clue.
"I'm a good friend
Though we come from worlds apart.
Give me a good squeeze
And I'll give you a good fart!
Come and find me
I'm with Abby
Enter our world
Known as Labby!"
"Bert!" they both announced and raced back to the elevator only to come face to face with McGee and Palmer.
"Well if it isn't Timmy and Jimmy," Tony said as he eyed their bag.
"If it isn't the St. Bernard and the ninja," McGee retorted.
"And there's nothing better than a faithful k-9 and a girl with ninja training," Tony replied.
"We'll see," McGee said and in the blink of an eye he and Palmer were headed to the bullpen.
"Hurry, Ziva! I refuse to lose to those two!" Tony yelled as he drug Ziva by the arm into the elevator and pushed the button with perhaps a bit too much force.
"Look, McGee! This has to be it!" Jimmy said as he held up Tony's Mighty Mouse stapler.
McGee smiled. "That's definitely it. Add it to the bag." Jimmy added the stapler to their bag of collectables and read the last clue.
"This is the last clue
I hope you've had fun.
Once you finish this
You will be done.
I'm the most wanted.
I'm highly sought.
Easily remembered,
Are the battles fought.
On the wall hangs faces,
Some old, some new,
Justice will be served
No matter how long overdue.
Make sure you hurry.
But stay from view.
Gibbs maybe about
And no telling what he'll do"
It was, of course, at that moment that Director Shepard and Gibbs walked out of MTAC.
"What are they doing?" Jenny asked as she motioned towards Palmer and McGee at Tony's desk.
"I'm scared to find out," Gibbs answered truthfully.
"Why is Palmer not with Ducky?" Jen questioned again as she and Gibbs observed the two younger men.
"You're the boss, why don't you ask," Gibbs replied.
"I'm scared to startle them. Have you ever heard what happens when you startle wild animals? They think they are being threatened and lash out,"
"Nah, McGee and Palmer aren't the wild animals. If that was DiNozzo and Ziva…" Gibbs started as he looked around for his other two agents.
"Where are Tony and Ziva?" Jenny asked slowly as she too noticed two agents were missing.
"Shit," Gibbs snapped as he and the director went to the bull pen. Palmer and McGee were already on their way to NCIS' most wanted wall for their last item that needed to be taken to Abby.
*Tony and Ziva*
Team Gibblet arrived at Abby's lab and immediately ran to Bert who had an envelope taped to his dog collar.
"I know you aren't about to put Bert in a bag!" Abby glared.
"I wouldn't think of it," Tony said as Ziva opened the envelope.
"I hold many secrets
Eye keep them from view
This place is sacred
Available to few.
You can find us here
Every Christmas Eve night
And full of tension
After a national plight.
The directors usually here
Gibbs and McGee too.
Head there now
For the key to my new tattoo.
Beware my darling silver fox
And his watchful eye
Because if you're caught
You can kiss the prize goodbye"
"You're good at this, Abs!" Tony said.
"Thanks, Tony," Abby smiled.
"Secrets, eye, Christmas eve, Gibbs, Jenny, and McGee…" Ziva named.
"MTAC!" Tony and Ziva yelled together as Tony hugged Bert in excitement. Abby smiled as they rushed to MTAC. She was very proud at how things were playing out.
"Now if only Gibbs and the director can hold off on coming down here and scolding me," she said to her "babies" as she sat and waited patiently for her the winning team to burst into her lab.
As Tony and Ziva entered the squad room and raced to MTAC to retrieve the white envelope that was taped to the wall they saw Palmer and McGee racing across the room to the NCIS most wanted wall to retrieve the white envelope that had been taped to that wall.
Pushing their limits they took the steps two at a time, falling over each other as they tried to beat Quack Attack. Neither team noticed as Gibbs and the director slipped into the elevator and headed to Abby's lab upon noticing Bert clutched in Tony's arms.
Team Gibblet and Quack Attack arrived in front of the elevator at the same time and as if sharing the same thought they headed for the stairs, clawing, shoving and arguing the entire way to forensics.
*Elevator*
"Why do you think they're rushing around for envelops that are taped to the wall?" Gibbs asked.
"I'm sure it has something to do with Abby,"
"In case you haven't noticed, Jen, it ALWAYS has something to do with Abby,"
"There has to be an incentive. They don't just risk getting in trouble without there being a reason,"
"You're kidding, right? DiNozzo is always in trouble. If Jimmy's involved it has to be something big,"
"What does Abby have that they want?" Jenny asked out loud. Gibbs gave her a look.
"Rule 12, Jethro!" Jenny snapped as she smirked at his look, a look she knew all too well.
"I know. I'm just saying that would be the only thing I could think of that would motivate like that unless…"
"Unless what?" Jenny asked, curiosity written across her face and in her green eyes.
"Curiosity killed the cat… then again you did act like a cat on the ride home from the dentist," laughed Gibbs.
"I don't remember that so it didn't happen! Unless what?"
"Didn't Abby get a new tattoo?"
"They want to know what her new tattoo is and where she put it," laughed Jenny. Gibbs nodded as he took a sip of coffee. The doors opened and he exited, expecting Jenny to come with him.
"Coming, Jen?" he asked as he turned around.
"Nah, I'll be waiting in the bullpen. I think it best if I sat this one out." and she closed the doors. Gibbs had a gut feeling that there was a reason she went back but he left it alone, more interested in the events he knew was about to unfold.
As Gibbs walked into the lab he was greeted by a very anxious Abby and a very amused Ducky.
"Before you say anything Gibbs we didn't do anything wrong. If anything you should thank me. I'm helping train them, not that you don't train them well. You're the best trainer in fact. Anyways, I have them on a scavenger hunt and the winning team gets a prize and I'm making them think of their feet in a…" Before Abby had a chance to finish her rant both teams tried to fit through the door causing them to fall into a heap to the floor.
"Who. Won?" panted Tony as he pushed Ziva's elbow out his ribs, making Bert fart in the process.
"We were. Here. First!" McGee managed to get out as he slipped out from under Ziva's legs and Palmer's upper body.
"It was a tie you guys," she laughed. She took the bags and Bert from the teams. She went through the bags and made sure all the items were accounted for.
"So what's the tattoo?" Palmer asked.
"And more importantly, where is it located?!" Tony asked.
Abby smirked before undoing her boot and showing the team her ankle.
"Your ankle, Abs?" Gibbs asked as he took a closer look. The tattoo was of an anchor and the top hoop, where the rope was supposed to be tied was in the shape of a heart.
"It's for the team, Gibbs. We work for NCIS which stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service do I got an anchor and you are all my family and I love you all so I put a heart on it,"
"That's really sweet, Abby," Ziva smiled.
"I like it," McGee said.
"You should have put it over your heart," Tony said as he looked at her chest.
"Aye!" Gibbs yelled as he popped Tony in the back of the head.
"I thought you knew about it, Gibbs, since the director got one too," Abby confessed.
Everyone turned to look at Abby. "Jen has a tattoo?"
"Well yeah, she went with me when I got mine. It's in a totally different place though,"
Gibbs said nothing as he headed back down to the bullpen in search of his boss.
THE END.
A/N: Longest chapter I've ever written. I'm not the best rhymer so excuse the clues and if you're wondering about how Abby was able to get the clues all over NCIS without anyone knowing… don't. She's Abby. She's badass like that. What do you all think of the tattoo and the director having one? Hope you all enjoyed it! Please read and review!