Chapter 9
Ducky and Palmer had their share of work to do in Autopsy, even if it wasn't the case that the rest of the team was working on. Normally Dr. Mallard could focus under nearly any conditions but not today. The human remains and the mysteries they held was what kept his mind sharp after many years of talking to the dead.
Now he found himself nearly consumed by fear and worry. He knew the monsters in human skin that lurked in this world and how cruel and depraved they could be. His daughter was a fine example of a Marine and adept at killing when necessary. However, when it came down to it he was a father first and a M.E second.
"Doctor Mallard…..Dr. Mallard." Jimmy's voice broke his concentration.
"What is it Mr. Palmer?"
"Are you alright?" He had been the doctor's assistant for a few years and was concerned when he wasn't filling his head with stories about past adventures and obscure facts.
"Yes, Jimmy I am fine."
"How long has she been in the Marines?" He finally had to ask.
"Since she was seventeen; it's all she ever wanted to be."
"I thought you could only enlist when you were eighteen?"
"Yes, well you can join earlier with parental consent." He remembered the day she asked him less than a year after her mother died.
The conversation didn't have time to go any further before the door swished open once more. This time Agent Fornell accompanied the others who had been here a short time before.
"Agent Fornell, what a pleasant surprise…." The doctor instantly knew that this particular case was now more complicated than ever.
"What happened?" When he caught sight of his love he dashed over; his now ungloved hands automatically began to gently palpate the large purple bruise that covered a portion of the left side of her slender face.
"Ziva hit me!" She pouted the way a child would tattle to a parent about a sibling picking on them.
"She started it!" Ziva allowed herself a moment to join in on the fun. Hawk was one of the only people she truly called friend and was comfortable stepping outside of her professional outer shell.
"Now how many times have I told you that you have to play nice with others?" Ducky went along with what she was trying to do.
"This is my way back in, they'll think I got released because I got knocked around. One of the organization's lawyers should be here soon. He'll immediately demand for the charges to be dropped and ones filed against DiNozzo. I'll explain to him that we can't afford the publicity either so he'll let it go." Hawk reassured her father.
"Duck, did you finish that profile on Corporal Clancy. What about him would make him turn his back on the Corp; on his country? Was there something in his background that they might have used to persuade him?" Although Gibbs did need this information, he was also steering the doctor's mind away from things that were out of his control.
Yes, Jethro I did. I have it over here…" Ducky went over to his desk to find the report he had finalized.
"Now how do we make initial the first contact between John Reardon and me? It has to be solid or not only won't they buy it, they'll begin to question my loyalty." Hawk asked Gibbs, since not only was he experienced in such matters; he was also going to be the one putting his own six on the line.
"Have both of you been putting out feelers since Clancy's murder?" Shepard asked.
"Yes, Hanson knows the exact target plus the date and time; that why I know we are running out of time. This is the reason I believe we can get Gibbs on the inside; Hanson's fear of failure is greater than his lack of trust in anyone but himself or perhaps members of the Knights of the Road.
"Who found Clancy?" Ziva inquired.
"Jake did, he said that one of the members was sitting at bar that they frequent and this guy was getting loaded. He was ranting about how his C.O. had it in for him and how he should be getting paid a lot more for risking his ass for the Marine Corp. He started saying how he a some of his buddies all wanted to start making some real money. So, they did a background check that would mirror ones that the Secret Service does."
"Then that's how we get in. You spend the next twelve hours speedily looking for a replacement; tell Hanson that you are looking into some of the buddies that Clancy was talking about. Then explain that you found a guy and the two of you meet up with me." Gibbs had already thought it through.
"Abby can give us a bug to place on the attorney's vehicle. He never comes inside or really discusses any real business. I think he's hoping what he doesn't know can't hurt him. So they probably won't scan it and if they do, they'll assume you guys did it without my knowledge. At least you'll have a location of where I'll be at least some of the time." Hawk summarized.
"Was Clancy a genuine Marine? How did you get clued into him? Or was he a FED?" Hawk turned to face Fornell.
"He was a Corporal. We were actually originally focused on the Knights of the Road themselves. They had a hand in the murder of someone who as far as we could find out had nothing to do with this case, however it lead us to the armory thefts. Once we realized he was the inside source we convinced him to cooperate with us in order to save his own skin." Tobias left out no details; he knew the Major had been right about having a joint investigation. He was also trying to figure out why Ducky was so concerned about someone he had just met.
The occupants inside the room turned slightly to look as once again the doors made their usual swooshing sounds announcing the arrival of someone else; Tony and McGee.
"Hey Boss, we got something for you." DiNozzo acknowledged his superior.
"Well what is it?" Gibbs demanded when they weren't immediately forthcoming.
"The Major is correct there are a long list of groups and people that they absolutely hate; minorities, gays, interracial couples and their biracial children….." Tim started to ramble.
"I thought you said that you had something that we could use! I knew this information…." Gibbs was cut short by Palmer who apparently had just had an epiphany of his own.
"Oh I get it you're a half-breed!" For one brief moment Jimmy was thrilled when he finally got what Hawk had been alluding to earlier about her heritage, only then did it occur to him that he had stepped in it once again.
"Oh Dear! I didn't mean it that way! I….I….meant…..that you…..aren't really white…oh GOD…I mean you're half Native American…." He silently prayed that the Dr. wouldn't suddenly pull a Gibbs and that a whack on the back of the head was to follow shortly. The icy stare of the Lead Agent finally stopped his recent bout of diarrhea of the mouth.
Ducky simple lowered his head and with a sigh continued his search of the report he was looking for; normally he was quite meticulous but today the stainless steel desk was extremely cluttered. If he had thought for every a single second that Jimmy had in any way meant any of the words he just spouted off he would have given him a good thrashing.
Gibbs turned his focus back to his agents and without words asked that they continue. "I know Boss I'm sorry…" McGee stopped short remembering one of the rules about apologizing.
"What he is trying to say Boss is that we have narrowed it down to a short list. Hanson is an equal opportunity hater but he does seem to hate one group more than the rest." DiNozzo was standing with Gibbs and Hawk in front of him and all while relaying the discovery subconsciously was imaging her in a completely inappropriate way.
As Tony was speaking Ziva was watching her partner of over two years. She could read him like a book as Americans would say; she could see that he was already before he could stop himself imagining what Hawk would look without the leather outfit on. It was then that she remembered that Tony didn't realize Hawk's relationship the M.E. standing behind him.
"It seems that homosexuals seem to be the on the top of his list of a part of society that he loves to hate…" Tony was still managing to be a multi-tasker; while continuing to report to Gibbs he was still able to undress her with his eyes. He assumed that it was going unnoticed.
Then in the midst of the relaying of his findings he was completely caught off guard by an unusually hard smack across the back of his head. He momentarily lost his footing and nearly fell into the Marine in front of him. "Boss?" He stared; eyes wide trying to understand how Gibbs could have possibly done that while standing directly in front of him.
"Anthony….unless you want to experience your own autopsy while you're still breathing…put her clothes back on…" Ducky leaned in and spoke in not so hushed tones.
"Here it is Jethro. I believe that the Corporal was among other things a Malignant Narcissist and believed that the world owed him. He had no regard for anyone other than himself; he wouldn't have an issue with betraying the Marines or his country if it got him what he wanted. He also seemed to loath the fact that although not officially the Marines allowed homosexuals to join."
DiNozzo was still standing not comprehending what just occurred. Why had Ducky done that? He never reacted that way before; no matter what he had ever done. What would make him care so much that he was…well, being himself?
"That actually ties in with what we discovered. There are several high profile events involving the gay community happening in Virginia and D.C. alone. I can meet with Abby we can cross check Hanson and Clancy's files and see if there is any specific event or person that brings out so much hatred." McGee immediately began picking up where Tony left off. He was also at a loss as to what caused such a forceful reaction from the normally passive doctor. It didn't make sense; that was the kind of thing one would expect to see from a father protecting his daughter.
"Do it. Ziva check with your source again; see if he has any updates as to how many and what types of weapons we are looking at. It's possible that there is more than one target and it would be nice to have an idea what kind of fire power we're looking at." Gibbs gave out the orders. He had actually fought hard not to laugh when he saw DiNozzo's reaction to the first ever Ducky head slap. In a small way he sort of felt sorry for the guy; it wasn't as if the younger man had a clue was to whom he was ogling.
"DiNozzo you head up to the Bull Pen where I am sure that a lawyer from the Knights of the Road should be waiting for you shortly." Shepard said with a straight face. She also had to fight the urge to giggle when she saw the head slap coming. DiNozzo was known to do such things and normally could get away with it; this was apparently not one of those times.
Taking a few steps towards his friend Gibbs once again tried to reassure him. "You remember what I said, Duck?"
"Yes, Jethro I do…." Ducky said softly, peering into the deep blue eyes before him. "Promise me that you'll take care; come back as well."
"I always am, Duck…." Gibbs turned and walked away with Fornell in tow.
"Jethro….how does the Good Doctor know the Major?" The federal agent asked as they exited the room.
