"Boss!" McGee shouted from another room. Gibbs and Fornell moved together in to the already crowded bathroom with McGee and Tony. Gibbs looked past the two agents and saw what they were looking at. The letter Z had been written on the wall of the shower in dry blood.

"Is it the vic's?" Tony asked.

"There were no visible open wounds on the vic, just bruises." Gibbs replied.

"So whose is this then, one of the old vic's, or a future one?" McGee said, knowing that no one knew the answer yet.

"Don't know McGee, but it looks like your theory was right, the killer is after us." Gibbs said before walking out at the sound of Ducky and Palmer arriving outside.


"How did you get us lost on such a short journey Mr Palmer? It is only a few miles from the NCIS building to here." Ducky exclaimed as him and Jimmy Palmer walked in.

"That road was hidden Doctor, I didn't see it until we past it, then the map said that there was a back way but then it was closed." Palmer said, embarrassed.

"Yes well, let's concentrate on this for the moment, is this connected to the last three Jethro?" Ducky asked Gibbs.

"I'm afraid so Duck." Gibbs replied.

"What can you tell us Doctor?" Fornell said, crouching down beside Gibbs, Ducky, Palmer and the body.

"My preliminary Cause of Death would be strangulation, based on these bruises around the neck. I'd say the killer was on top of the victim before putting both hands around the next and tightening his grip, thus cutting of the air flow."

"Time of death Duck?" Gibbs asked.

"Anywhere from forty five to fifty hours is the best I can do, how long has she been missing?" Ducky asked.

"Two days, looks like she was killed here and dragged in to this cupboard." Fornell said.

"The killer didn't want her to be found before you found the victim 3. He wants us to follow the trail, he's sending us a message." Gibbs said.

"Then why kill this one first?" Agent Sacks asked, briefly pausing his work in the living room.

"He needed the hair sample." Tony said, coming in to the hall from the hall, followed closely by McGee. "Boss you might want to take a look at this" McGee passes an evidence bag to Gibbs. A severed big toe is inside.

"I think it's the paint brush, we found it inside the toilet roll holder, had blood on it. We're dealing with a sick bastard here boss." Tony informed.

"Make sure you have a sample of blood as well, then take McGee and Ziva and head back" Gibbs said.


The three agents had left, taking useless evidence with them. They had fooled for the plan, just like I knew they would. It would delay them for a few hours at least. It excited him that he was this close to them and yet they still had no idea, even Special Agent Gibbs, or his boss Tobias Fornell. They would both get what was coming to them, just like the rest of the team.


"Abby did you get anything off the toe or the blood?" McGee asked as he walked through in to the lab.

"No, I got no matches from the DNA, and none of the bodies from local coroners were missing any toes. Neither of these are going to give you any evidence." Abby said, obviously stressed at the long week her and everyone else was having.

"So the evidence was basically useless?" McGee said, dissapointed yet relieved at the possibilty the killer might not yet of killed his next victim.

"Well it's certainly not going to get you any names" Abby said, turning to face McGee. "Sorry"

"Not your fault Abs, the killers playing with us" McGee said, turning and heading out.

"Be careful McGee!" Abby shouted out after him.


"Gibbs! Fornell! Upstairs" Vance ordered as The two agents entered the squad room, Sacks had been sent back to FBI to follow leads from there. The two agents headed upstairs, following the director down the hall towards his office. When they got there Vance sat down, addressing Gibbs and Fornell. "I've heard the details of the fourth victim, and the rate the bodies are coming in I've decided to give you some more help. Agents Gibbs, Fornell meet Special Agent Mary Parker." A small blonde women got up from one of the chairs behind the three men and offered her hand to Fornell. "Agent Parker has been recently been transferred from San Diego, you need every available help on this one Gibbs, we don't know how long this is going to last."

Gibbs, gave Parker his usual welcome stare then proceeded to walk out. "You are the Director. I guess I don't have a choice." He said, before opening the door and walking out.

"Is he usually-" Parker began.

"A bastard?" Fornell said. "Dont worry, so am I, you will get used to it" Before following Gibbs out the door. Parker gave Vance a worried look before following them out.


"DiNozzo, Ziva, McGee this is Special Agent Parker, she will be with us for the remainder of the investigation. The director doesn't think we're capable of handling it ourselves." Gibbs looks up, glaring at Vance who is now watching the team from the balcony outside MTAC. "Parker, thats your desk there, I assume the Director briefed you on the case?"

"Yes sir."

Gibbs glared at her, "Don't call me sir"

"Ok, yes Gibbs"

"Good, go with Ziva, talk to Lawson's CO." Gibbs ordered, recieving a look of Ziva before the two agents walked out. "DiNozzo"

"Yeah boss?" Tony, obviously distracted as he watched the two agents head for the lift.

"Stop staring and start working."

"On it boss"

"Good, come on Tobias let's go see Abby" Gibbs said, before him and Fornell headed for the elevator.


"Gibbs! I got another print." Abby said as the agents walked in. " I got it off the victim's clothing."

"Whose is it Abs?" Gibbs said.

"Georgia Simpson, works as a swimming teacher at the leisure centre. Couldn't find anything that linked her to the other vics. Heres her address."

"Thanks Abs" Gibbs said.

"Don't thank me, thats probably the next victim." Abby muttered as the two agents walked out.


So, here we were again, the trees shivering in the wind, leaves falling to the ground under the pressure from the gusts of wind swirling around in the air. There was only two people stupid enough to walk through these woods on a night like tonight, the victim, and me. The woman walked briskly through the fading path, seemingly in a hurry. This was good, I thought, just like the first victim, she didn't seemed to notice as I steathily took a shortcut through the spaced out trees and bushes next to the path. As I neared the path again, I saw her appear through the fog, she was getting closer. She still didn't notice though, nobody ever did. Then finally, as she walked past the trees I saw slight hesitation as her senses picked up, this was the moment. I jumped out quickly and quietly, arm around her neck forcing her to the ground. She struggled but she was too weak, her knees gave way and she crumbled to the ground like crushed biscuits. After mere seconds the woman became lifeless and her body flopped face first onto the gravel path. After a few more seconds of maing sure she was dead, I took out my large scalpel and began carving out the letter T - something so small yet so significant, something that signifies a new part of my killing spree.