Chapter 7
Oh I wonder
When did it all stop making sense?
I don't understand
I remember we were so sure, so innocent
Oh but that was then
Can we ever go back again?
Can we ever go back again?
Speaking a dead language-Joy Williams
In Washington, in the morning, Tony, Ziva, McGee, Abby and Ducky were gathered in Abby's lab seeing what they had got on La Grenouille's case. Afraid to raise suspicions from the FBI and the temporary director, Leon Vance, the team used the computer screen from Abby's lab.
"You first, probie." Tony said and McGee went to the screen showing the picture of La Grenouille.
"The only thing I could find out about Rene Benoit was some calls he made to his daughter, in Russia."
"Russia? He may have a supplier there." Tony said, diverting his mind from Jeanne Benoit, feeling Ziva's brown eyes on him. "Was Trent Kort with him?"
"I have no way to know that, Benoit used his private jet. I couldn't find anything about Trent Kort, the man is too good at hiding." McGee then showed a picture of a man with blond hair and brown eyes.
"Agent Todd Langer, 32, has been working for the FBI for three years and recently got his own team."
"Ah, the man who, without any regard with the director, called her by a grotesque name?" Ducky asked, frowning in disgust.
"Yes." McGee agreed and then showed a picture of him beside Rene Benoit in France, both shaking hands. "Langer worked in an office in France, and after finding this photo of them two, I started researching and found that everywhere that La Grenouille was, Langer was around."
"The FBI could be investigating La Grenouille and using Langer to help them?" Abby asked, but Ziva disagreed, approaching to the photo.
"Or he could be working for the CIA and be probing La Grenouille during the Lodestone, this man has something that makes me not trust him."
"Besides the fact that he's from FBI?" Tony joked and all they glared at him and he paused, turning to Ducky, who showed some pictures from La Grenouille's body.
"Agent Fornell could only give me the photos that were in his file."
On the screen appeared two photos: A body being removed and being placed in the car from the FBI and the second showed the body with signs of decomposition.
"Did they deny the permission to see the body?" Tony asked, frowning.
"Yes, the case is in FBI's hands and according to Fornell, only Langer's team has access to the body because they're leading the case. For me, someone is hiding something regarding the death of this man."
"Maybe the way he died." Tony suggested, sitting in a chair and turning to others. "Maybe Kort tortured La Grenouille and had some help from someone inside the FBI that is covering him."
"That's the point Tony." Ziva said, raising an eyebrow. "Why Trent Kort shot La Grenouille if the goal of Lodestone was to rise him? We found no other weapons dealer that the CIA is helping."
The group froze, hearing a cough behind them and Abby turned off the computer screen when they saw Leon Vance approaching.
"Doctor Mallard, this isn't the autopsy's room."
Ducky excused himself and left the lab, going to the elevator while Vance looked at the others.
"Where's Special Agent Gibbs?"
Abby took her Caf Pow and drank it, while McGee looked at his feet and Tony replied:
"In Mexico, visiting an old friend."
Vance raised an eyebrow, suspiciously.
"In Mexico? So suddenly?"
"This isn't the first time he does that. Boss never asks for permission."
Vance approached Tony, pointing a finger to his chest and saying slowly:
"Tell Agent Gibbs I hope he's at the Navy Yard until tomorrow morning or he can start looking for another job. It's better for him not to expect the same kind of treatment that director Shepard gave him while I'm in her place and she's sick at home."
"The director is sick?" McGee asked, looking up and getting looks from Tony, Ziva and Abby.
"She didn't feel well during the investigations and Fornell is watching while she recovers."
"Ah. I hope she gets well soon." McGee replied and the director stared him:
"Don't you like the way I command the agency?"
"No sir, that's not-" McGee began to fumble and Vance went to the door, saying:
"She won't be back anytime soon while responding the two processes." And he was gone.
Ziva, Tony and Abby gave head slaps on McGee.
"Sorry, but you didn't explain to me the excuse for the absence of the director." He defended himself and Tony shook his head.
"You're an investigator, McIdiot, you must always be prepared for that kind of thing."
"I miss the director..." Abby said as she grabbed her hippo stuff and hugged it.
"She'll be back." McGee reassured her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze, and Abby smiled is thanks to him.
Tony said:
"McGee, Abby, redoing the scene. Ziva and I will give an excuse to follow Langer."
That morning, Jenny and Gibbs walked through the zoo that was quiet with only a few couples and their children. The day was sunny and the couple had seen the elephant, the aquarium section and the Llamas, between discussions, laughs and an ice cream and now the couple had stopped in front of the cage of a couple of lions, that were lying in the sun.
When the two had met at breakfast, things had been strange after the kiss last night, but soon they forgot about that and began to think about the animals they wanted to see at the zoo.
"So, Jen, what is your favorite animal?" Gibbs asked while reading the plaque of the Lions.
With the corner of his eye he watched Jenny's feature and her lightly made-up face, finding her beautiful with the cap she wore over her red hair. She had bought him a black cap with the symbol of Mexican zoo and in return he had bought a green one for her.
Gibbs was still thinking about last night, remembering the scent of Jenny and the fact that they almost slept together after long nine years and he was willing to find the right opportunity to talk with Jenny. That was their last chance and the last night only confirmed that they were both in love with each other but were too stubborn to admit that.
Both were dressed in casual clothes not to draw attention and Gibbs wore jeans and a NIS t-shirt, while Jenny wore jeans, a top and her essentials high-heels.
The redhead paused to think and then answered:
"Dolphins." Gibbs raised an eyebrow amused and she laughed. "I think it's beautiful the way the dolphins move in the water. And what about you?"
"Easy: Lioness." Gibbs replied, looking at Jenny and the redhead smirked:
"Because it reminds you about redheads?"
Gibbs rolled his eyes, grabbing Jenny's hand and leading her to the next cage, the monkeys, making her smile against her will by his gesture.
"No, because the lioness reminds me of you Jen." Gibbs then offered her the popcorn innocently and Jenny took it from his hand, giving him a slap on the arm and squinting toward him, making him laugh.
"Shut up Jethro, don't make me compare you with a beaver because of your skills with wood."
"Very funny Jen." He replied sarcastically, lowering her cap on her face by the flap.
"I thought it was." The redhead said, winking at him and giving him a kiss on the cheek, eating the popcorn.
It had been over a decade since she last went to a zoo and being there in Mexico with Gibbs, despite being in trouble with the FBI, it seemed like a dream. Part of her wanted to surrender to the desire she felt for Gibbs because he was the only one who could make her feel loved, but the other part was saying no, still confused and angry with the night she had told him some time ago she wouldn't have take a 'no' for answer and he replied 'no', probably because of her first day as director when she said 'no of the job'.
At that moment, she wanted to forget it all and enjoy the day.
The monkey cage was opened and surrounded by a pond and a bunch of Monkeys were hanging in their houses and trees, entertaining some of the children who stopped there to watch. A boy with red hair stopped in front of the couple holding a camera and smiling, he asked:
"Miss? Can you take a picture of me near the monkeys?"
Surprised by the request, Jenny nodded and took the camera from the boy, following him to the grid and the boy stood, smiling and adjusting his cap. Seeing the boy behind the lens, the redhead wondered if she had children, they would be like the boy with red hair and his father's eyes, blue and then she shook her head.
When the photo was taken and the boy thanked her, running to the next cage, Gibbs approached the redhead, thinking how much he missed having children at home, running and laughing and he stopped beside her and she rested her head on his shoulder, watching the boy going to see the Tiger and absorbing Gibbs's warmth and scent.
"I always wondered how my child would look like..." She said thoughtfully.
Gibbs looked down, finding her green eyes that were looking up to stare him, the cap on her hair brushing against his chin and he wrapped her shoulders with his arm.
"Beautiful as his mother... And also stubborn." Gibbs replied, imagining a child with her, a beautiful boy or girl.
Jenny laughed, raising one hand and adjusting his cap over his gray hair.
"I think he would inherit his father's stubbornness, Jethro." Jenny shut her mouth, then realizing what she had just told him, shocked.
Gibbs was surprised for a moment, and both were in silent before she untangle from him, wanting to break the strange mood, catching Gibbs's hand to go to the bird's section.
"We still have a lot of animals that I want to see today Jethro, toucans, alligators, pacas !"
Gibbs had to walk faster as she pulled him in a hurry and Gibbs laughed at how much they were enjoying themselves there in the Zoo and how fast they could break the strange mood.
"Who knew you had a kid's side, Jen?"
"You wanted to come to the zoo, now you'll have to stand it."
McGee and Abby had gone to the garage where they would redo the scene. Both wore gloves and shields for eyes and ears. One feet away from them was a doll representing Rene Benoit.
"Right. The director was right here, with the gun pointed at his head." Abby held Jenny's Glock that Fornell had managed to give her.
"And she said Trent Kort came from behind and held her hand over the gun as well." McGee went behind Abby, putting his hand over hers and he blushed, even though they were just redoing the scene.
"Tim, relax." Abby said, smiling amused, as she felt his scent of soap. "Then he pulled the trigger."
McGee pulled the trigger, hitting the doll's forehead and making the false blood drip. Abby frowned, removing her glasses and saying:
"They didn't find blood on the yacht, but if he was shot in the forehead, the blood would have splattered all over before he fell into the sea."
"What does that mean Abby?" McGee asked, as they looked at the photo of the decomposing body which had the mark of a shot.
"That there is something wrong in this scene, Tim. Also, the director was two feet from La Grenouille. According to Ducky, the size of the damage on the forehead in the picture shows that the shot was made from at least 5 feet."
Inside the elevator, Ziva turned to Tony and watched him closely, touching his shoulder.
"Tony, are you okay?"
"Yeah, Ziva. Vance is the new director, Gibbs and Jenny are in Mexico and we have several cases to solve. Yeah I'm fine." He replied sarcastically and Ziva pursed her lips.
"I was asking because of Jeanne Benoit."
Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"I still feel bad for having used her, but I have to overcome her." He said and looked into her brown eyes. "Satisfied?"
"Tony, if you need to, you can talk to me." The Israelite said, smiling.
Tony smiled too just before the elevator doors opened.
"We could have dinner together, after we follow Langer." He suggested, touching her cheek before she removed her own hand from his shoulder and left the elevator.
"Sure, Tony. But just dinner." She stressed, smirking and going to her desk and Tony shook his head, laughing and following her.
After lunch, Gibbs and Jenny returned to Mike's house, not to raise suspicion for walking too much in public places, when Gibbs's phone rang:
"Gibbs."
"Boss, its Tony. We have news about the case."
Jenny looked at him and motioned to go into the living room as he put the phone on speaker.
"We are listening DiNozzo."
"Abby and McGee have reconstructed the crime scene and there are two problems: The first is that if the shot was given on the forehead, there should be marks of blood on the yacht. Ziva and I search the whole place but didn't find any washed mark. The second problem is that Ducky thinks the body with the shot in the forehead was hit from 5 feet away by the size of the damage."
"But I was there, 2 feet from him when Kort shot." Jenny said, frowning and looking at Gibbs.
"Exactly director. We think that FBI's hiding something."
"What else you got?" Gibbs asked, tense, confirming his suspicions regarding the FBI.
"Ziva and I followed Langer, the FBI agent."
Jenny held her breath, remembering the man who accused her for aggression. Gibbs put a hand over her, reassuring her.
"And?" Gibbs insisted.
"There is something between him and Trent Kort. The two met in a park today at lunchtime. It was fast, but Kort gave him something. Boss, we thought someone from FBI is involved with Benoit and CIA."
"We believe it too." Jenny replied, remembering about Kort saying that Lodestone wasn't over, and Langer's aggressively interrogated.
"Boss, I need to send you the pictures we took and the report, do you have a computer there?"
"No."
"According to McGee, there is a Cybercafé that isn't far from Mike Franks's house."
"I'm going there. Keep us informed and be careful."
"Okay, bye boss, director."
When Tony hung up, Gibbs stood up, grabbing his wallet and gun and Jen stood up too, following him to the door.
"I'll go with you Jethro, this case involves me!"
"No, Jen."
"Don't you dare to shut me out from this, Jethro!" She threatened him, shutting the door and he stared at her.
Gibbs pulled her away from the door carefully, saying:
"No Jen, you're staying here. If Kort and Langer are workings together they may find that you aren't sick at home but here. Stay." Gibbs said in a tone that dispensed discussions, not wanting to expose her more.
Jenny frowned at him when Gibbs walked out the door, and she decided to go after him, grabbing her gun and going to the door, eyes narrowed when she bumped into Mike at the door.
"Madame, Gibbs asked me for you to stay here."
Jenny shook her head, sitting on the couch and toppling her head back in frustration.
"Does he want to drive me crazy, locked in this house?"
Jenny didn't like to take orders, much less sit and do nothing while the others risked their live, especially Gibbs. Mike sat down beside her and said seriously:
"No, he wants to keep you safe."
