Secrets, Pain, and Lies
Author's Note: I truly apologize for the wait! Life, a new job, and all I had to learn for it came fast, quick, and exhausting! Not to mention shopping days before Christmas did not help in the least! But now, I got my muse back thanks to much needed days of rest! So, here's to you patiently waiting readers, and to the ones I can't write back to who either couldn't sign in or just didn't as they too were in a hurry…thanks so much for your reviews, support, and again, patience! As I've said before, all mistakes are mine, and don't own much, especially the shows in this story….sigh…T
Chapter 6 Excerpt:
Across the city, a man stood under a shaded umbrella, watching as another man walked toward him. He smiled; glad he was going to get the rest of the money he needed. He was sad he had betrayed the other agent, but really, he didn't like him any way. Plus he liked the amount of money he got for it; that was definitely a bonus.
The two men shook hands and walked together down the sidewalk and into a high rise. It was still early morning, and the people, mostly locals, were already opening the shops and the smells of fresh baking wafting from bakeries. Most of the people were either heading to work or heading home to get ready for work after their time on the ocean or beach.
Twenty minutes later a body fell from the building the two men had entered. The screams of a couple women he had just missed landing on brought many people running. The second man walked quietly out of the building, pretending to be annoyed with the disturbance and bypassed the scene, and disappeared in the crowd.
Ch 7 – The Truths
The ride to Special Operations was relatively normal, even when Dean had begged if they could do a Chinese fire drill a couple times at stop lights, and another time when he jumped out to boogie with a sign dancer.
He had subsided when Gen. Ryan asked if he wanted to walk, and Gibbs had glared at him.
Dean wished Gibbs had forgotten to glare.
Tony, Deeks, and Colby just grinned; they really had missed Dean's interesting ideas, as it brought life to monotony. Jarrod just ignored all as he tweeted the others still on the east coast, and Rick ogled the bikini clad women they began to pass, to which Dean joined quickly.
"Colby, Deeks, you have it rich over here…" Dean sighed lustily as a few women waved to them flirtatiously.
As they pulled in to the parking area used for agents, they saw G standing outside grinning, waiting for them.
As the group got out of the vehicle, G clasped hands with the ones he recognized or knew, but much to Deeks delight the guarded look came when he was introduced to the genius agent, Jarrod.
G grinned next as he shook Colby's hand, "Hey man, it's good to finally meet you. I can honestly say you are one of the few FBI agents I like."
Colby chuckled dryly "Ah, I take it you have met the highly esteemed boss at this branch of the FBI?"
G just snorted, "Unfortunately."
The others either grinned or grimaced at the comment; not all bosses were superior, except in their own eyes. General Ryan just grinned as Dean clapped him on the back. His men were the best, and he would do anything for them, so he said, "Colby, and G as well, if he gives you grief, just mention my name." The General gave a hard smirk, and Colby grinned back as Rick hooted in glee as he said, "Oho, you have dirt, perfect!"
The General just winked.
G smiled; it was good to have new friends in high places.
As they entered the building, many curious eyes turned their way, but no one moved to belay their curiosity; for if they were to know, Hetty would introduce them.
It was the way of being an agent; if you were to know, a higher up would tell you. If not, suck up your curiosity, or Hetty would deal with you. Deeks grinned at this thought and wondered: what would happen with all of them there and how much fun….ahem, trouble, could they get in?
Deeks looked at Tony who nodded at the side look; yeah, they still thought alike, as Tony held up five fingers, and he nodded back. Five hours it was, now to see who got in trouble first. Jarrod, catching the hand sign and knowing what they were setting up, pointed at Dean first, then Rick, and then, to Deeks dismay, at him. He pulled out his kicked puppy look at Jarrod, who smirked and shook his head. Tony just chuckled, then filled in the General who had a hard time holding back a chuckle as he said, "Yeah, I can see either of the three doing it in that amount of time. Tony, you would be up there too, except due your injuries, will be holed up here for most of the duration."
Tony scowled, forgetting he was basically grounded until he was mostly healed. He hated being desk bound! He brightened, though, when G, as he sidled past him, whispered, "Kensi always has snacks hidden around the building."
Oh boy, thought Tony, 'Treasure hunt!'
Dean perked up as he overheard. "Snacks? Where?"
Deeks grinned, "Just about everywhere."
Dean glowered at Tony as he said, "Save some for me!"
Tony just grinned, "Maybe."
The group followed G upstairs to the OPS room, where Hetty waited with the computer duo, to which she introduced to the rest. The men all gave Nell their best smiles, to which she smiled back prettily, yet held back as she was unsure what exactly was still going on. She would hold her thoughts to the extra agents for asking Hetty later. The more Intel she got, the safer she felt.
Hetty told Eric, "Go get Sam and Kensi, please. I do believe they are in the gym, trying to not think about what they have been missing." Eric nodded quickly as he trotted out and down to find the truant agents.
G smirked at this, muttering to the others, "My phone has been literally blowing up with the amounts of threatening texts from Sam, so pretty sure Deeks has been getting interesting messages from Kensi too?"
He looked at a nodding Deeks, who shrugged, "Not sure, as my phone is off… Hetty has it." He smirked, knowing she had dealt with Kensi, and he hoped, had the texts deleted. He could hope, anyway.
Erick whistled as he saw the two sparring in the gym, and the two stopped immediately and a round of questions hit Eric where he stood. Eric just grinned and waved up toward OPS. As Sam and Kensi followed Eric back out of the gym, both of them were relieved all was going to be revealed, yet still frustrated, and hurried upstairs.
Sam muttered as they double timed it, "Bout time," and Kensi nodded.
Walking through the OPS doors, Sam's face turned from frustrated to excited glee as he recognized Rick and grabbed his shoulder in a half hug as he crowed out, "Hey Checkmate! Can't believe you are here! What are you doing out of the Middle East?"
Rick smirked, "Have been in and out of there many times, Sam. How are you doing?" G grinned as he watched the introduction, still looking decidedly curious at Jarrod, his eyebrows drawing together as if trying to figure out why he looked familiar. Jarrod just smirked, not saying anything but 'Hey,' as he usually did at first as he gauged all around him.
Kensi smirked when she recognized Dean, and told him, "Hey, I remember you…I was in a sniper position in Afghanistan four years ago, and I had been ordered to leave you alone if I came across you, but to shoot the man you were with. Yes, I had a picture of him and you, but was told to burn it after," she supplied as he stared at her.
"That was you," he finally said, then grinned and shook her hand and then kissed it, much to her surprise. "Thank you for killing that bastard…couldn't get out from undercover, much to my dismay, as he had gotten so freaking paranoid!"
She grinned, "You are very welcome, and yeah, they had mentioned he was squirrely, and they were anxious he had you in a choke hold. Didn't give me a name, though." The two grinned at each other. Deeks just sighed as Dean's eyes gleamed; oh yeah, the flirting hadn't even started, and Dean had a fan!
Hetty closed the OPS room for security, and then turned to Tony and said, "All right, Agent Dinozzo, you have the floor."
Tony sighed, and gave them all he had on what he had been doing and what had gone on with the people he had worked for and with. Nell and Eric were next, showing people and faces the teams would need to know, as well as what they had found via information sent them and also due what they had so far processed in the cameras they had watched around the boats and other areas given them. The multiple agents enjoyed watching Nell as she talked about the layout of the area Tony had worked. Tony and Deeks both smirked as Jarrod and Rick looked at her in interest and Eric looked at them in worriment; oh yeah, things were getting interesting, and they had barely started!
Nell admitted as she finished her intel, "All in all, not much; basically, we haven't found anything that even appears underhanded or illegal. Sure there were a couple suspicious workers, and we are checking them out with facial recognition. We have added Agent Cruz's name to the list though, so checking his movements as well, and hopefully as to where he is now."
Tony nodded at that, frustrated, and as to the rest, he closed his eyes, as he too hadn't thought of anything yet….to his remembrance, anyhow. He really wished he could remember why he had said what he did to Deeks on the phone!
Deeks watched Tony's face as he asked Nell and Eric, "Anything on daisies in anything?"
The two just looked at him in confusion, and Nell said, "Daisies? No, why?"
G chuckled at that, "Still on what Tony stated when he was practically out of it and concussed?"
Deeks nodded adamantly, "Yes, because I could tell he was trying so hard to say it."
Jarrod nodded at that in another recollection as he said, "Huh, I remember when you called me one time, Tony, and told me the aliens got you. It actually meant….oh yeah, can't talk about that…sorry." He stopped as he chuckled, and looked at Gibbs as he too chuckled. He knew how Tony's mind went.
Rick and Colby guffawed, remembering that one, and Deeks too smirked. Tony actually looked embarrassed, "Shut up, guys. It wasn't very fun for me, you know." The others finally stopped, but tried to keep calm as they apologized, knowing it had been a bit creepy and downright dangerous. Now, though, it was funny, and even Tony chuckled a little.
Gibbs just listened with General Ryan and Hetty, who stood between them. She murmured, "I wonder what they will decide to do first?"
Gibbs murmured, "Tony can't go back out there yet," and the three of them nodded, as he would hate the restrictions, though necessary. General Ryan said, "Already told him; he's not happy of course, but as they already have another bet going, plus something about snacks…pretty sure he will keep busy here. Not to mention getting to know everyone in the building. He has a knack for that." Gibbs chuckled at that, remembering well all Tony could tell about one person, down to the janitors at NCIS. Hetty looked at the two as she asked, "If he can find out about a few people even I have a hard time opening up, I will let him have a beer when he wants one next." Gibbs looked at her in warning, "Don't tell him that, or he will make sure he does."
Hetty just chuckled; she wanted to see if Tony could do it.
The teams were working on discussing over who would go where when Eric's computer beeped, and checking, he stated, "Ah, guys? Got something on Agent Ray Cruz a couple hours ago; seems I have him on cameras going in a building with a man near the beach at the end of the dock area, and later the other man fell from the building. Just after Agent Cruz was seen leaving with a briefcase, the same briefcase the other man had been holding. I will see if I can follow him to where he is now, so we can get some answers from him."
Tony frowned as Eric and Nell brought it up on screen and they watched. "Damn him," Deeks snarled. Dean nodded in agreement bitterly, remembering as well. Gibbs, still not remembering him, asked, "What did he do before?"
"He's one of General Banks' stoolies, and is also part of his racket; we just haven't proven it yet. If we find him, we may have one more brick against General Ryan in addition to what is going on here."
G just kept glancing at Jarrod throughout the discussion, and when not having to contribute, cast his mind back over the years. He looked so damned familiar!
Dean and Sam were sent to check out Devon's boat, to see what they could learn by acting the action fan's that they actually were and was given a code phrasing from Hetty to get a chance to talk with Devon alone. She told them, "When he hears the words, he will make sure the three of you are alone so you can find a way to get him to the boathouse if he deems it is dangerous. If he does know of something going on, he will not give the code phrase I also gave you he would return; he will only close his eyes and pinch his nose. That will tell you if something is off. I want to make sure he is safe as well as, well, he's my godson. If he wasn't an actor I would have him as one of my agents." They nodded as they took their leave.
Deeks and Jarrod were sent to work as homeless men, looking for a fast buck, as they weren't always looked at much, and the two were shown the small closet with the clothing Deeks himself had gotten together for this persona. Kensi groaned as she watched them enter jovially and Tony grinned, "Yeah, don't knock it, Kens, he has actually gotten many a bad guy with that one." She sighed, "Yeah, I know, but the smell…" G grimaced, remembering, but added in reminder, "At least they add that after they leave, and wash up at the boat house." Kensi sighed, "True." Rick was ecstatic, as he was put with Kensi and G as the backup for all others down near the docks in case anything went wrong.
Gibbs was perturbed that he was not given an assignment, but understood as well, as he was technically on leave, as well as his memory was still not complete. He swore internally until General Ryan asked him what kind of coffee he liked, and they grinned at each other and moved to leave. They both loved strong coffee, and would be back later to check in. "Colby told me about this great coffee establishment, and the pie is great, too, something about homemade…" they heard the General tell Gibbs, and Tony hollered after them, "Hey! Bring me back a piece of pie!" Gibbs waved to let him know he had heard.
Rick sighed, "Hope they bring back more than one piece." Tony grinned, "Knowing the General? Of course they will." Rick grinned at that.
As Jarrod came out in a ratty old jacket and something that made his face seem partially dirty, G gave him a harder look, "I'm sorry, but you look familiar," he said finally, frowning, and Jarrod smirked, "It may come back to you G, so I will let you figure it out." G squinted as well as listened to his voice, frowning even more now, and then grinned suddenly, "Wait, six years ago…the Bangladesh fiasco…that was you!" The other's grinned, and Deeks chortled, "Jarrod, he figured it out faster than you thought, huh?" Jarrod just shook his head, "Naw, I'm just that memorable at times."
G snorted, "Yeah, I'll say, especially as I remember you sewing up my shoulder up with…what was that, piano wire?" Jarrod grimaced at the memory, but said, "No, but pretty close…violin."
G shuddered at that memory, and Jarrod added, "Not my best work, but it helped in a pinch. Sorry about the scar, though." G just grinned at that, "Naw, I have others, if you recall, but in any case, thanks for the help back then. Glad to have finally gotten your name, though." Jarrod just grinned as they all affixed their earpieces as they all headed to their vehicles assigned them by Hetty. The two playing 'street hobos,' so dubbed by Jarrod, ambled off to take the bus down to the docks, for if they were dropped off by a different vehicle, it would throw off their realism of it all. Deeks tossed Jarrod a handful of coins to hold onto, as well as some bunched up dollars. Jarrod just stuffed them in his own ragged looking pants pocket.
"The two of them really look like bums, don't they?" murmured Nell as she watched beside Tony.
"They are good at what they do; I just hope Pandora doesn't find the chaos he usually does."
"Pandora?" Nell looked up at Tony, confused, and then added, "That means…" she stopped, then gulped, "Yeah, I hope not too. Eric, behind her, nodded in affirmation as well. Chaos they did not need right now. Tony grinned, "Don't worry, Jarrod usually cleans it up very well, and usually in the nick of time. He always finds a way to help people around him too."
Nell smiled at that. She really wished she could look up more information about the team!
As all of the teams were finally gone, Tony and the two computer geniuses returned upstairs, and he began watching himself across the screens - as his persona he used, and he ignored all else but everyone who interacted around where he was. He was also glad to see that Nell and Eric had gotten other cameras around each area, to see where the men and other workers came from. He frowned once when he saw Ray Cruz pull one worker he knew aside five days ago, and they talked heatedly at first, and then their looks turned sly as the two left together. "Hey, Eric, can you see if you can follow them on this day?" he asked quickly, to which Eric nodded as he said, "See what I can do." Timing it as well as keeping watch, Tony turned grim as he fast forwarded the video; they returned two hours later, looking like best friends. Tony decided when Cruz was found, he would either pinch a few nerves to make him talk, or just shoot him…he really couldn't decide which would be more satisfying.
There was always a time for subtle….torture. Especially for a certain few people he would love to get his hands on.
Nell walked up to him three hours later, as Tony was still watching and pausing certain videos he was watching as he sat in front of one of the large touch side screens. "Hey, I have some Chinese food coming that we ordered, and Deeks told me to make sure you ate, so…" she hesitated as his face turned toward her in a blank state for a moment. "Huh?" She hid the grin she wanted to show, as Eric had that same look when the screens just took over the thought process for a time. "Food? It's lunch time," she explained.
"Lunch? Oh. Sure." Tony turned back to the screens.
A voice behind Nell almost made her jump, but she had grown used to agents walking quietly behind her, so Gibbs didn't surprise her as much as he thought he would.
"Just hand him the food. When he gets in surveillance mode, he won't stop until one of us forces him too."
General Ryan added, "They all do, really. How are the rest doing out there?"
Eric walked up, "Sam and Dean finally got close to Hetty's godson, and he has pulled them in like favored fans. They have not given any indication of leaving at all, so Devon does not seem worried about anything."
Hetty heard this as she walked into OPS, and smiled thinly as she said, "He would know, as he is much like your agents, General. I wish I understood General Banks' motives for all of this, or is it a smokescreen for something else?"
Tony turned from the screen he had been staring at during her comment, "Smokescreen? What do you mean, smoke…." He paused as his face turned to a frown that glimmered with a memory, and he shook his head in frustration, "Damn it, I thought I had something there!"
Hetty told him, "Just don't force it, Dinozzo. Take a break from those cameras, have our medics recheck your injuries." When Tony opened his mouth to say, "I'm…going there now," he finished as Gibbs, Hetty, and the General all gave him 'The Look.'
As he left, Eric muttered, "Tough break, dude," and Tony minutely nodded. Damn it, it was going to be hard to do anything with three bosses around! He brightened as he noticed all the people in the building, though. Perfect, new people to meet and get to know! He smiled his easiest carefree smile at a few who walked by as he asked, "Hey, which way to get checked out by a medic?" As they answered genially, he smiled again as he garnered them into conversation, and two of them changed directions to show him the way. The third sighed unhappily, as she had been on an errand and timing was crucial. Ah well, later, she decided. The new agents were a handsome bunch, and she couldn't wait to see if she could get a date or two.
NCISNCISLANCISNCISLA
The tall yet handsome actor paced in his bedroom in his yacht as he asked, "Why would Aunt Hetty want me to go with you? I really don't understand. Sure, I remember that guy, he was fun to talk to and discuss my movies with. You say he was hurt?" Devon was concerned now, his hand going up to mess up his already messy hair as he studied the two men in front of him. He had the blue eyes many women adored to watch on the screens and these eyes were cautiously worried, but not for himself. More so, he was troubled as to why she was worried. He didn't know much on what Aunt Hetty did, but knew when she sent someone, to pay attention. "No, I haven't seen anything different lately, nor have I had anything or anyone threaten me, if that is what you are asking." Dean shrugged at this, and finally asked as it was still bugging him, "Anything on daisies?" Devon just looked at him in confusion, "Huh?"
Sam just sighed; this was going to take longer than he had hoped.
NCISNCISLANCISNCISLA
Jarrod and Deeks were having a busy time of it as they worked alongside others - they got easy day work as loaders to boats and that on the piers, as anyone was pulled in to for quick and cheap help during the day. Each of them bantered with their new 'friends' as they worked, listening and asking no questions yet.
It was too soon to ask, and dangerous, as some still looked at them in suspicion as they were still too new. Deeks had noticed a couple though that reeked of liquor, though, and hoped to get together with them later and get them a bit drunk and see what he could get out of them.
He saw Jarrod also had a couple men in his eyesight, and hid a grin.
Pandora still had it though, Deeks saw, when Jarrod shouted and shoved hard a couple guys near a loader, and the load wobbled as a rope slid loose; whether by design, Deeks did not know. He never knew when it came to Jarrod.
When came to finding ally's, Pandora's nickname always fell true. As Jarrod blocked the falling cascade of boxes from falling on the others, as they had not been tied down very well - others moved in quickly to help get the load off of him and retied as he fought to keep his stance so no others would be hurt.
In moments, Jarrod was dubbed 'Hero' by most of them on the dock, and the man who had been maneuvering the loader checked his shoulder in concern, to which said shoulder showed the already darkened bruising. It was good for others to see scars already there, and of course questions were asked about them.
Jarrod began to explain curtly that he was a veteran, and many nodded. It bonded him closer to a few more as areas they had worked in military were bandied about.
Deeks faded back to work another area with the couple he had chosen, giving Jarrod room to work. The more areas they got to know the better. Intel may take longer than they liked, but they would get it, no matter what. They always did.
NCISNCISLANCISNCISLA
Rick sat beside Kensi as they listened in on the conversations where they were stationed at to be near to all down there. She noticed that the agent didn't even jump when Jarrod had been hurt, and at her curious look he explained, "If I or any of us jumped at the amount of times Jarrod has done something like this, pretty sure we would be in traction. He got the nickname 'Pandora' for this reason alone." Kensi grinned at this as G slid in behind them, handing out the lunch bags, and they dug in as they continued to listen. Kensi frowned down at the sandwich given her, wishing for her snacks, but as they weren't in Deeks' car, she did not have her stash handy.
"Something wrong?" Rick asked, and she shook her head.
G grinned as he told Rick, "She wants her snacks."
"Snacks….ohhhh, um…uh oh…." Rick, realizing now what he had overheard at the NCIS building, hid a look as he hurriedly said, "Sorry, just realized I had to, well, bathroom break."
Quickly he got up and headed to the small bathroom in the run down room they had found and were now using, he closed the door and sat on the toilet as he texted Tony, 'Kensi thinking of her snacks. Hoping you don't find too many or get your own, or she may get on the warpath if she finds too many gone. FYI.' He decided to go as he was in there anyway, and when he had just finished washing his hands a text was buzzed back, 'Gotcha, thanks. Will have to refill her drawer.'
Rick breathed a sigh of relief as he stuffed his phone back in his pocket and came out. "Anything yet?"
The duo shook their heads, making him sigh. It was going to be a long day…and night. He hated waiting for something to happen! He swore in a different language as he sat back down to eat, and Kensi asked him, "What did that mean?" Rick grinned, "You really don't want to know."
G smirked, knowing what he had said, and shook his head as well, "Nope, you don't."
Kensi sighed, "Well, if it's from being frustrated with this waiting, then I am in total agreement….with whatever you said."
Rick took out a deck of cards from a pocket as his last bite went in his mouth, "Poker, anyone? I even have a roll of pennies for betting in here…"
In moments a quiet game of cards was going on as well as their ear out for any of the code words or anything hinky. Either way, they were close in case of anything that happened.
NCISNCISLANCISNCISLA
Tony wanted to bash the screen; it was not giving him anything he didn't already know, damn it! As a hesitant clearing of a throat started behind him, he snarled out a "What?" as he spun around, and Eric almost jumped at the furious look that quickly became penitent. "Damn it, sorry, Eric. Don't mind me, I'm just…."
Eric nodded, "It's all right, you're just, ahhh…scary when you get like this. Anyway, I found him. Agent Cruz, that is."
Tony's face became grim as he said, "Good. Who can we send to get him?" A voice beside them broke in as General Ryan and Gibbs entered OPS, "Gibbs and I will go get him, and bring him to the boathouse. Tony, Hetty will bring you there to help with the…interview, but when we are done, you are right back here."
Tony sighed yet also grinned viciously as he said, "Yes sir!"
As they all went their ways, Tony scrubbed his hands with glee; oh yeah, he couldn't wait to get his hands on CI Ray!
AN: Oh yes, Whumpage and most likely interrogation will be coming soon! So, what do you think? This is actually difficult, working hard to keep each character in their own way and how they would speak, etcetera. Still working on Rick/Mal, as you can see, but I will get there! As yet, he has not seen any action coming his way yet, nor have any of them besides Jarrod that is, but if you have watched The Pretender, you know exactly how he works! If you haven't, I can honestly say you have missed a wonderful show! Reviews, pretty please, and let me know what you would like to see, and I still want two more people for the team, whether they are in this story or the next! T
