I have made the decision that I will be only updating every second Sunday. I do apologies for those that look forward to the update each week but I am unable to write the chapters fast enough… thank you for all the lovely reviews and for the love of yours who have read my stories.
We arrive at the would-be crime scene to see it is surrounded by people watching and the news because the guy hasn't jumped yet. I am in the car with Gibbs while the rest of the team is traveling in the van with the equipment. The local cops push the crowd back before opening the fence so that we can park safely behind it and not have to fight the crowd and news to get in without Gibbs saying something that can be miscued again. I am wearing a red t-shirt with black jeans and my NCIS jacket while Gibbs is wearing a black polo shirt over his white t-shirt and his NCIS jacket. Gibbs collar isn't rolled down at all. As we get out of the car we both grab out hats off the dash of the bar and I put my on while Gibbs talks to the local cop in charge for the moment.
"Your sailor's real nervous," The local cop informs Gibbs while looking up at the man on the ledge. He continues as we walk into the scene more and Gibbs shakes his hat, "Tried to talk to him, but he's not making a lot of sense."
"You get his name?" Gibbs asks him.
"No. Shut down… threated to jump if we didn't back off… hose jockeys want to set an airbag," he informs us as we walk past the fire brigade.
"That height? Don't think it's going to make much of a difference… besides it wouldn't fit into our lab to collect the victim," I comment while looking up at the guy.
…
"Okay, so what you want to do her is gain his confidence here, boss. He's been out there for a while. He's obviously having second thoughts," Tony informs Gibbs as we excite the stairs onto the roof. Gibbs has finally put his hat on but only rolled the front of his collar down, looks good.
"Tony, shut up. You said the same thing about Ari… and we got shot," I remind him with an eye roll as we walk towards the ledge, why does he think he knows more that Gibbs? And why does it always come across as annoying when he is trying to tell Gibbs what to do?
"Stay," Gibbs orders us while raising his hand to make us stay. When he is sure that we are going to obey him, he walks over to the ledge and looks out at the man.
"Get away from me," the man yells at Gibbs.
"Just want to talk," Gibbs calls back while leaning onto the ledge with his hands hanging over.
"No!" the man yells at him.
"Make it easier if I knew your name," Gibbs informs him calmly. He doesn't answer him making Gibbs lean out further while I grip the bottom of my jacket. He asks him, "Where you stationed?"
"I said leave me alone!" the man exclaims making Gibbs look at him for a moment before coming away from the edge and I breath a sign of relief. Even knowing there is a ledge, I don't like him being so closure to the edge. Anything can happen.
"Boss, you know, we could snap a picture of him with a cell, email it to Abby, get her to run it through photo-recognition," McGee begins to explain to Gibbs as Gibbs takes his hat off and hands it to me. He puts in an earwig while listening to McGee explain, "Id he went to the academy, we get a quick ID."
"Do it," Gibbs orders him.
"Me?" McGee asks him in surprise.
"It's your idea, McGee," Gibbs states like McGee's an idiot for asking.
"Right," McGee say before taking a deep breath and walking over to the ledge.
"Don't look down. Makes it worse," I inform McGee as he walks past me but the second he gets to the ledge he looks down making me roll my eyes. He climbs up one step without looking away from the ground making him to afraid to get up to do his job.
"Um, Boss," McGee calls out while hanging onto the side of the ladder in fear. Gibbs walks over to beside McGee making him admit, "I'm not very good with heights." Gibbs snatches the camera phone and climbs up around McGee who is still hanging off the side of the ladder. I walk over and place my hands on McGee's back to help him down, even knowing that if he falls he is going to hit the ground and I will probably rip my stiches out of my shoulder. He calls up to Gibbs as he steps onto the ledge with one foot making me chew on my lip, "Point. Point and click."
"Don't come any closure!" the man orders Gibbs as he aims the camera and when Gibbs fails to answer him he demands, "What are you doing?"
"Wouldn't give me your name. want to know who you are," Gibbs answers him as he takes the photo making me hope he well step of the ledge beck to safety. But instead he hands McGee back the phone and steps completely onto the ledge making me reach out to grab the back of his coat to stop him but he has already stepped out of my immediate reach.
"Jethro," I hiss because there has to be other ways then stepping out onto the ledge with the jumper.
"Great view of the Washington monument from up here," Gibbs comments as I help McGee down and fight myself not to look at where Jethro is standing. McGee kneels down once he is on the ground and sends Abby the photo of the jumper as I tightly grip Gibbs hand in my hand and chew on my lip. Why does he have to do this to me? And why does it worry me if he didn't?
"McGee, he's got a gun," Abby informs us over the phone.
"Jethro, he's got a gun," I inform Gibbs over the radio he is wearing as we spread out to get a shot.
"Yeah. Yeah. I know that, Alice. I see that," Gibbs informs me making me attempt to aim at the guy from back near the door over the building they are leaning against but Gibbs fat head is getting in my way. Tony is aiming over the ledge but Gibbs while be in his way while Ziva is aiming over the ledge on the other side but I don't know if she can take the shot. McGee stayed at the building near the ladder to talk to Abby.
"Jethro, please get down," I beg of him but I know he wouldn't.
"Boss, his name is Lieutenant Michael Arnett. Stationed at the Pentagon. Academy class of oh-one. He's a linguist, translator. Married, no kids," McGee informs Gibbs over the radio so that we can all hear.
"So, Michael?" Gibbs says casually like he is talking about the weather making Michael look at him. He asks, "You mind if I call you Michael?"
"You can't help," Michael informs Gibbs angrily.
"I can try," Gibbs informs him while walking further out onto the ledge making me bite my lower lip. When he gets back onto this roof I am going to kill him.
"Don't," Michael orders him making Gibbs freeze.
"I do not have a shout. I'll hit Gibbs, too," Ziva informs us.
"Move your fat head, Jethro," I hiss at him.
"Lean back, boss. Just ease back," Tony orders Gibbs who then turns more completely blocking any possible shot.
"Damn it Jethro," I exclaim while trying to think of a way to get him out of the way but there isn't any way to make him move if he doesn't want to, he's too heavy.
"All right, boss, his wife works at a travel agency on K street. Name's Dana. She's at lunch. Her boss has no idea where she went," McGee informs us from his place at the building.
"Trying to get a hold of your wife. You want to talk to her?" Gibbs asks him calmly.
"No!" Michael exclaims while shaking his head no angrily. He hesitates a moment before informing Gibbs, "She left me."
"Yeah. I've been there… that's tough. It's not worth your life," Gibbs informs him.
"It's more complicated than that."
"Tell me," Gibbs orders him with taking a couple of steps closure to him.
"It's too late."
"He's got a sister. Her name's Rachel," McGee informs us.
"You want to talk to Rachel?" Gibbs asks him and after a moment he asks, "How old is she?"
"Seventeen," Michael answers him.
"Seventeen? What's that make her… a senior in high school?" Gibbs asks him. He continues, "You want Rachel to remember this from her senior year?" Gibbs looks as Michael who is staring down at the ground and almost crying making Gibbs state, "I don't want to make that call, Mike." Michael looks between Gibbs and the ground a couple of times making Gibbs asks, "Why don't we start with her gun, huh?"
"I really messed up. I should have told someone," Michael informs Gibbs after a long moment of silence while he thinks about what to say.
"You can tell me," Gibbs promise him. He continues as Michael looks between him and the ground, "I'll help you. Youi can trust me. Put it down." Gibbs quickly looks at the gun and then back to Michael and falls silent. Michael disappears from my sights slowly and I hear the sound of a gun hitting the cement they are standing on. We all holster our guns know that the threat is dealt with, but Gibbs is going to be in a world of pain when he gets off that ledge. Gibbs promise him, "I'll help you… take it real easy." Gibbs then begins to shuffle over the ledge closure to Michael. He holds out his hand for Michael to take to help him back over the ledge and after a moment of thought Michael turns to take the hand with his right hand. Moment before he grabs Gibbs hand there is a gun shot making me drop to the ground and drawler my gun again while looking for where the shot came from but I just see Michael fall off the ledge leaving only Gibbs on the ledge and I feel back for being glade to see his is still there.
…
"Slug is flattened. Not much for Abby to work with," Ziva informs us while walking up to where we are standing on the ground next to the NCIS van and Gibbs is more staring at the ledge then listening to what is happening around him so I am taking notes and doing his job. If that bullet was slightly off he would be dead and if that bullet didn't come Michael will still be alive.
"She had success with less," I informs him when I look at the bullet and Gibbs begins to walk away and I follow him.
"Shot definitely came from the building across from the hotel," Tony informs us.
"Door to the rooftop was picked. No shell casings, no prints, nothing. Several people in the building heard the shot," McGee continues.
"McGee, we heard the shot," I state while writing down what he said anyway.
"Witnesses on the street saw the flash," McGee continues while ignoring my jab at him.
"Guy's going to kill himself. When he doesn't, someone does it for him. Why?" Tony asks as we continue to follow Gibbs who is only looking at the ground while swinging his cap in his hand.
"Arnett's apartment. Please," I say to them when Gibbs walks away without giving them an order but I stop to talk to him.
"Is he going to be alright?" Ziva asks me while pointing at Gibbs.
"Eventually. I have seen him like this once before. And the last time it took killing Ari to get Jethro back," I answer her calmly. I continue, "This time if he offers you coffee, don't freak out." Once I have said my peace I run after Gibbs. I catch up to him when he comes to a stop next to the autopsy van watching Jimmy put Michael into a bag and I place my hand on his lower back letting him know I am here for him.
"Having an eyewitness like you makes my job a lot easier," Ducky informs Gibbs while walking into his personal space and blocking Gibbs view of Michael.
"Dad, this became person the second someone killed a man as he was willing to get off the ledge on the correct side," I inform him calmly but getting the point across that Gibbs needs answers more than he needs coffee.
"Nevertheless, I will get you autopsy results post-haste," Ducky finishes.
"Thanks, Duck," Gibbs says softly.
"Thanks, dad. This boy didn't deserve to die today," I say softly while looking at the body. This is going to be a long case and I hope it doesn't drive Gibbs to do something illegal.
Ducky looks as us for a moment before turning around and walking back to Jimmy to help load Michael for transport.
…
"Jethro, are you alright?" I ask him as we ride in the elevator down to autopsy. Gibbs is know wearing a light green polo shirt because his black on had blood on it. He is also wearing a light brown jacket over top. I have placed my leather jacket over the back of my chair in the squad room.
"Yes," Gibbs lies.
"You are a bad liar. But if you feel like talking, I am always here," I promise him while gently squeezing his hand. We exist the elevator when he reaches autopsy without saying anything else.
"I'm fast, but I'm not that fast," Ducky informs us as we walk into autopsy to see him looking at the x-rays of Michael. Gibbs walks over to Michael and stares at him making Ducky walk past him to the desk while asking, "Something still bothering you?"
"Yeah," Gibbs answers him.
"We're investigating a homicide and a suicide, dad," I explain to him and this is something unusual because normally we don't investigate suicides.
"Was the reason the lieutenant was out on the ledge the same reason that he was shot" Jimmy asks us. But Gibbs gives him a look that says he is stupid for asking us that making him add, "I guess you wouldn't know that yet, would you?"
"He was coming in," Gibbs informs them making Ducky look at him in surprise. After a moment Gibbs continues, "Wanted to tell me something."
"Do you think you could get him to say it know?" I ask Ducky hopefully because that is the only thing we have to go on at the moment.
…
"Uh, he was sleeping on an air mattress, boss," Tony informs us as we walk into the squad room to see him standing in front of Ziva's desk.
"The wife?" Gibbs demands while walking over to his desk and I sit on the edge of mine to see that someone brought Chinese food.
"Staying at Lafayette Court Hotel. She's coming in at five o'clock. Wants to talk to Arnett's parents first," Ziva reports.
"Would have bet we'd find a suicide not. No luck," Tony informs us.
"Didn't think you would," I inform him while picking up the fortune cookie off of my desk and opening it and reading it. It says, 'be on the lookout for coming events; they cast their shadows beforehand.'
"I took his computer down to Abby. Maybe she will get lucky," Ziva informs us as Gibbs walks to the middle of the squad room looking at the plasma between Tony and McGee's desk.
"He's a second-generation American. Grandparents emigrated from Syria. His fluency in Arabic led to his advancement and special assignments in the middle east. Presently assigned at the office of the deputy secretary of defence for combating terrorism," McGee reports while pulling up Michael's file. Gibbs phone begins to ring as McGee adds while Gibbs walks back over to his ringing landline, "Other than that, I can't tell you much. I'm getting stonewalled by the pentagon. They won't even connect me to his CO."
"Yeah, Gibbs," Gibbs answers the phone while sitting down at his computer and typing a couple keys only to say, "Yep, on my way." He hangs up the call while getting up and saying, "Let's go, Alice, McGee. You're with me." We both get up and walk to MTAC as a group to see Shepard and a man on the MTAC screen.
"Special Agent Gibbs. Captain Walsh, lieutenant Arnett's CO," Shepard interduces Gibbs.
"You're a hard man to reach," Gibbs states without greeting him.
"My hands were tied. I had to get permission from the director of national intelligence to talk to you," Walsh informs us.
"SecNav has to make a decision," Shepard informs Gibbs.
"Unless you can tell me lieutenant Arnett's murder was unrelated to his navy duties, my unit's going into lockdown."
"I can't tell you that, Captain," Gibbs informs him.
"We're just beginning our investigation," I inform him calmly.
"How longs is this going to take?" Walsh demands of us.
"At this point," Gibbs exclaims while pulling a thinking face before informing him, "No one will even tell me what Arnett does."
"Did."
"Captain Walsh just briefed me on Lieutenant Arnett's general duties," Shepard informs us making me raise my eyebrow. And when was she planning on briefing us? Shepard informs us, Gibbs, "He was an Arab-speaking intelligence officer, working assets in the middle east."
"Personally responsible for exposing a number of Al-Qaeda ops. I'm sure he was high on their hit list."
"What was he working on?" I demand of him.
"Tracking down an Al-Qaeda operative."
"Where?" Gibbs demands of him.
"Tight here… in DC. What the hell happened up there?"
"He was going to jump," I answer him when Gibbs fails to.
"Why?"
"Working on it."
"We've got an Al-Qaeda operative on the loose. If you'd done your job and pulled Arnett off that ledge, my best man wouldn't be dead," Walsh informs us angrily.
"We tried and when HE was ready to get off the ledge back onto the roof, someone murdered him. That is not our fault. That is not on us. Do not BLAME us for something you don't have a fucking clue about," I snap at him while cutting him off.
…
"Unit's in lockdown. All work's been secured. The section restricted to quarters. National security's at risk, my people are sitting on their hands. How longs this going to take?" Walsh demands of us when we arrive at the Michaels' office to investigate. Gibbs, McGee and I are the only ones that came to the office.
"We're working as fast as we can," Gibbs informs him.
"A lot less time if you stopped giving us attitude and stonewalling us," I overlap Gibbs with an innocent smile at the end.
"When was the last time you saw Lieutenant Arnett?" McGee asks him when Walsh glares at me.
"Two days ago. He seemed fine. Called in sick. His desk," Walsh informs us while leading us over to Michael's cubical. He demands, "He tell you anything up there?"
"We need to know more about this current operation," I inform him while Gibbs looks at the office that looks like it's been cleaned before we arrived.
"Told you as much as I can," Walsh informs me.
"Stonewalling didn't work for the CIA and it isn't going to work for you. Besides every question you don't answer, our case take a day longer," I inform him calmly.
"Don't suppose I can copy the contents of his hard drive?" McGee asks but Walsh just shakes his head no making me scuff.
"You want answers," Gibbs reminds him.
"Apparently," I add making him walk over to the desk and open the top drawer.
"Personal effects. Best I can do," Walsh informs us making me scuff again. He steps out of the cubical, allowing McGee to walks past to bag them. Gibbs walks into the cubical and picks up a photo off of the desk of a blonde woman.
"This his wife?" Gibbs asks him making Walsh node yes. Gibbs demands, "You met her?"
"Married about a year," Walsh informs us while shaking his head no again.
"Separated last week," I inform him calmly.
"Didn't know."
"Any change in Michael's behaviour lately?" I demand of him.
"He was always quiet."
"Maybe more so recently," Gibbs prompts him.
"He did his job. Never shared anything personal," Walsh informs us while Gibbs begins to pace and McGee goes through the desk.
"Phenelzine. Strong antidepressant. Did you know he was taking medication?" McGee asks while holding up the bottle of pills and like normal Walsh just shakes his head no.
"that all we get?" Gibbs demands of him.
"I'll go through his files. See what I can give you," Walsh promise him but I don't think that's going to happen. We grab our gear and begin to leave but Walsh stops Gibbs by stepping between Gibbs and me. He demands, "Keep me in the loop, Special Agent Gibbs." Gibbs doesn't say anything but walks past him and opens the door for us to leave.
…
"I mean I've known her for a long time, you know," Tony comments as we walk into the squad room.
"Arnett's wife is here. I am having her brought over to the conference room," Ziva reports as I look at the guilty look on Tony's face. We all walk over to our own desk and sit down without saying anything to Ziva or Tony. McGee looks at the bottles of pills before imputing the doctor into his computer to located a lead, hopefully. Gibbs is looking through all the notes I have taken on this case in hopes of also finding something. This case is personal.
"Boss, I got an address for Dr Neil Flaming. Prescribed Arnett the medication. He's not military. Has a private practice in Georgetown," McGee reports.
"Guy gets free medical care from the Navy, goes to a shrink who probably charges three hundred and fifty dollars and hour?" Gibbs asks in surprise.
"Maybe he was afraid of loosing his job for need the help. Didn't want Walsh to know about it. Walsh doesn't seem like the kind to be understanding about personal problems," I state in thought about the possibility.
"I'll check him out," McGee says while standing up.
"With him, DiNozzo," Gibbs orders.
"With him, boss," Tony agrees while standing up from his spot beside Ziva's desk.
…
"Our marriage was doomed from the start. The navy took advantage of Michael's language skills. They assigned, reassigned him to dangerous posts in the middle east. The few times he was home, he was uptight. He wouldn't want to talk about what he did. I became more and more frustrated," Dana informs us in the conference room. She is sitting at the end of the table with Ziva to her right and I am sitting to her left. Gibbs is pacing around behind her but his head isn't really in this case at the moment, I doubt he is even hearing the wife talk.
"Did you discuss it with him?" Ziva asks her.
"We tried marriage counselling," Dana informs us and while shaking her head no. She continues to state, "It didn't help. Michael couldn't open up."
"Did you know he was seeing a psychiatrist?" Ziva asks her making her look at Ziva in surprise before hesitating in her answer.
"No. I uh… I wanted him to get help… I didn't think he would."
"It was your idea to separate?" Gibbs states his question.
"I thought it would force him to face our problems. It was a mistake."
"Where did you meet?" I ask her as I watch Gibbs walk around to the end of the table and lean against the drawers in the room while leaning forward and placing my arm onto the table, making this less of an integration when it looks like Dana is going to cry.
"The National Gallery. An exhibit of Mesopotamian art. I was… standing, admiring a sculpture, and Michael was behind me. He began explaining the piece to me. He brought it to life. He was the most intelligent man I'd ever met. He made me laugh… I haven't seen him laugh in a long time," Dana explains with a smile while thinking about their first meeting and it sounds sweet.
"You're not surprised he was suicidal," Gibbs states.
"What does surprise me is that he was murdered. Why, Agent Gibbs? Why?" Dana demands of him like he was the one to kill him but he wasn't.
…
"Special Agent Gibbs," Abby growls into Gibbs phone in the squad room tonight while wearing his glasses but she freezes while saying in her normal voice, "You're standing behind me, aren't you?"
"Yep," Gibbs answers her making me laugh at her misfortune. She slowly puts the phone back down as we walk around the border into Gibbs squad room out of the cubical behind his while Gibbs continues, "Feeling real secure about your job, are you, Abs?"
"Um, not so much anymore," Abby admits while trying to stand up out of Gibbs chair but he pushes her back down onto the chair before sitting on the edge of the desk himself and I lean against his shoulder laughing at the situation still.
"You up here cause you got something for me, Abs?" Gibbs asks her while leaning into her personal space but if it was anyone else, they wouldn't even have a person.
"Yep," Abby answers him without telling him what and still looking like a guilty child which makes me stop laughing and move from Gibbs side to pull her into a sideways hug so that Gibbs can still see her face.
"Ballistics on the bullet?" I ask her hopefully.
"It's a mangled, useless chuck of lead. Well, actually, only the core is lead because the jacket is ninety-five percent copper and five percent zinc, but you already knew that," Abby rambles out nervously under Gibbs stare.
"Arnett's computer?" Gibbs asks her hopefully next.
"Scrubbed clean like the day it was born in Taiwan," Abby informs him quickly. He nodes before reaching over and grabbing her hand and gently helping her out of his chair. Once she is standing he moves her from behind the desk and pats her back before sitting down himself. Abby reaches in front of Gibbs and picks up the evidence bag that holds the cell phone, while saying, "Lieutenant Arnett's cell phone. It was in his pocket when he fell, so it's as squished as he is, but I removed the CPU and I stripped away the peripheral…"
"Abby," Gibbs cuts of her rambling without looking away from the computer his is slowly typing at.
"You're not gonna like who he received his last call from, Gibbs," Abby admits.
"Who?" I ask her after a moment when Gibbs and her just stare at each other.
"Us," Abby informs us and after a moment she adds, "NCIS. Someone called Lieutenant Arnett from inside this building."
…
"Director Shepard," the NCIS agent who called Arnett greets Shepard in her assistance's office. She is a beautiful young black woman who is dressed professionally.
"I appreciate you getting here so fast," Shepard greets her while placing the files she is carrying down onto her assistance desk.
"No problem," she says but she looks sad.
"Is something wrong, Nikki?"
"May I be frank?"
"Of course," Shepard says to her while leading her into Shepard's office.
"I know I'm only a low-level intel analyst. And I am more than happy to do whatever the agency requires of me, but I resent having a rude message left on my phone by Special Agent Gibbs," Nikki informs her while closing the door by pulling her shirt down past her hand so that she doesn't have to touch anything. She walks over to the desk where Shepard is sitting behind while continuing, "With no explanation at all, in the most condescending and insulting manner, he demanded that I get in here immediately. He certainly lives up to his reputation."
"Special Agent Gibbs isn't known for his people skills," Shepard calmly informs her.
"I'm sorry, Director Shepard, I just… need to vent. What's this about?"
"You don't know?" Gibbs asks her spin to see us sitting in the corner of the room where there is no light.
"I have no idea," She admits as Gibbs stands p but I don't bother to move yet.
"What about the murder of Lieutenant Michael Arnett?" I ask her calmly.
"He's dead?"
"He was murdered on live TV. Everyone was watching," I inform her while finally getting up and walking closure to her.
"I just called him this morning," Mikki exclaims while looking at Shepard like she would protect one of her workers but that's not her MO.
"That's why you're here," Shepard informs him.
"Half of Washington watched him get shot on live Television. You work in this building and you had 'no idea'?" Gibbs demands of her while working himself up making me place my hand on his back and gently rub it to calmly him down.
"When did it happen?" Nikki demands of Gibbs.
"A little before one this afternoon," Shepard informs her.
"I was home… asleep. I've been working the middle east desk for the past couple days. Everyone I had to speak to is eight hours ahead of us. I was here all night," Nikki defends herself.
"Working on what?" I ask her but she doesn't answer me instead she looks at Shepard. "Work on what, Madam Director?" I hiss at her because we need to know and she is not telling us stuff again.
"Navy counterterrorism intel has suffered leaks over the last few months. Al-Qaeda has managed to get a step ahead of us."
"We suspect a mole," Nikki admits know that Shepard has half-read us in.
"Nikki has been analysing data trying to look for a common denominator. I had no idea it involved Lieutenant Arnett," Shepard informs us to.
"Of course you did. If it means doing your job, you don't know… because you see those folders in front of you, it's your job to know who is involved in each on. So that when they turn up dead, we don't have to start from scratch," I snap at her. knowing this could have helped us earlier but Shepard can't be trusted to do her job, like normal.
"What's his connection?" Gibbs asks her while grabbing my hand that I removed from his back.
"Well, Lieutenant Arnett had gone outside the wire, working contacts in Djibouti, gathering valuable intel, some of which had been compromised. I wanted to talk to him about who he shared the information with," Nikki informs us.
"Yeah, he cooperate?" I ask her.
"When I called him, he seemed preoccupied. He said he couldn't talk. He'd get back to me. Guess that's not going to happen," Nikki admits before releasing he's not going to get back to her.
"This is a priority," Shepard begins.
"Every case is a priority," I snap at her.
"Until we find out why he was killed, you are assigned to Special Agent Gibbs' team," Shepard continues like I didn't speak.
"Report to the squad room at seven-thirty," Gibbs orders her making her node before turning and leaving with Gibbs following her, watching her every move closely. She opens the door by pulling her shirt past her hand again.
…
"Guys, this is Nikki Jardine. She's an intel analyst who had contact with Arnett. She's going to be working with us," McGee reports the next morning as the Tony and Ziva enter the squad room. He is sitting at his desk on hold while Nikki is standing across from him. I am sitting at my desk where I wearing an Abercrombie & Fitch Kenzie skirt, Shoop neck boxy tee, Carvela Kurt Geiger Sammy leather boot, 2" zipper black leather cuff wristband D ring 80's gothic punk heavy metal death, silver chain leather gothic choker collar punk elegant gothic, the outfit Abby got me for my eighteenth birthday. Ugly Tony the second is sitting on my lap as I work at my computer, she has her ears dyed red and is wearing a dog shirt that says, 'Stardoggy. Hipidog coffee.'
"She is Shepard's new bitch… sorry bitch it seems you've been replaced," I inform Ziva calmly making Tony smile while putting his stuff down at his desk.
"Yes, I am still on hold," McGee says into his phone.
"Hi. I'm Ziva David . I've seen you around," Ziva greets her happily while walking over and holding out her hand for Nikki to shake.
"I'm sorry. I don't shake hands," Nikki informs her making Ziva pull her hand into a fist while pulling it back as Tony laughs while coming to a stop behind him.
"I guess a hug's out of the question. Anthony DiNozzo," Tony informs her while holding his hand out for her to fist bump it. She looks at the hand for a long moment before barely touching it with her own hand.
"Sex-machine, she couldn't even touch a door knob. What makes you think she'll ever touch you?" I ask him while looking at him like he had two heads and neither is smarter than his normal head that he uses.
"McGee?" Gibbs calls out while entering the squad room making Tony and Ziva quickly move back to their own desks.
"Boss, can't find a judge to sign the warrant. No one wants to violate the patient-client privilege," McGee reports as Gibbs walks over to his chair and sits down. Nikki walks over to stand beside
"Um. I know we started off on the wrong foot last night, and I just," Nikki attempts to apologies as Gibbs logs onto his computer.
"You got something?" Gibbs cuts her off.
"Lieutenant Arnett returned from the middle east two weeks ago. He passed through the NCIS field office in Djibouti. With your permission, I'd like to contact the special agent in charge there."
"Do it," Gibbs orders her without looking at her. she quickly begins to leave the squad room making Gibbs demand, "Where are you going, Jardine?"
"To my office to make the call," Nikki answers Gibbs but he points to the empty cubical beside McGee, she looks at the cubical before nodding and slowly walking over to it. I put my dog down and I begin digging throw the bottom drawer of my desk, it is still full of everything Kate used to keep in there, I just couldn't empty it.
"We have backgrounded Lieutenant Arnett's family," Ziva reports as Nikki sits at the desk and pulls out some antibacterial wipe.
"Arnett's grandparents lived the American dream, boss. Came to this country as teenagers. Opened a small appliance shop in the sixties. Which evolved into a chain of electronics stores," Tony adds while watching Nikki clean the phone loudly. Ziva stands up to see her while we all watch.
"Nineteen, to be exact. Grossing over two hundred and fifty million dollars last year," Ziva reports while we continue to watch Nikki.
"We're talking bug family money. If there's a prenup, the soon-to-be-ex-wife stands to lose a fortune. Think 'Black Widow,' Theresa Russell film of the same name."
"All right, Tony. Dana Arnett, travel agent, is a crack shot with a sniper rifle?" Ziva taunts him while leaning her hands onto the side of Gibbs desk as we stop watching Nikki know that she is dialling the number and I return to looking through the drawer.
"Could've hired a hit man," Tony defends himself as I pull out a bag of lollies to eat… that is one good thing about having Kate's desk, I hide food all though it and don't have to re-hide it in a new desk.
"Get her in here again," Gibbs orders him making Tony step forward and 'sneeze' onto Nikki making her freak out. It was only water out of the bottle he is drinking out of but she doesn't know that and I don't think that would matter to her.
"I'm sorry. I have allergies," Tony defends himself before walking off, leaving Nikki looking like she is going to cry. I get up and walk over to the poor girl, Tony didn't need to do that, she is scared enough.
"Hey, are you alright?" I ask her softly while kneeling down next to her without touching her at all. But when she doesn't answer me, I ask her, "Do you have a change of clothes here?"
"No," Nikki answers me.
"It's going to be okay… You look the same size as me… I have a spare set of clothes you can wear," I offer to her before continuing, "Come on." I get up and grab my back before walking off towards the back elevator without checking she is following me but I hear her footsteps a second later. I lead her into the back shower stall of the decontaminated shower. I give her the clothes out of my bag, which she hesitates on taking but the clean clothing is better then being covered in Tony's spit for the day. So she gets into the shower to get clean. The outfit is a pair of black bellbottom pants and a long sleeve red sweater.
…
"I spoke with Agent Wells in Djibouti," Nikki reports in the director's office as she sits at the desk with Shepard. Gibbs and I are standing at the door that Gibbs is holding the handle of and rocking it up and down so that it makes a noise. She looks at his hand before continuing, "She said lieutenant Arnett stopped by the NCIS field office a couple of weeks ago. He was upset. He was concerned that his key local witness was missing. They offered to help locate him, but Arnett was so protective of his source. He wouldn't reveal the contact's identity."
"That's all?" Gibbs asks while grabbing his phone that is beeping and handing it to me. I open the text message that he just received. I hand him the phone back and he walks over to the desk.
"Yes," Nikki answers him as he takes Shepard's glasses off the table and puts them on to read the text. He reads the text before throwing the glasses back onto the table.
"Pentagon just sent Arnett's files," Gibbs informs us while walking over to the door and opening it. As he walks out the door he grabs my hand to pull me along behind him but leaving Nikki with Shepard.
…
"Bos, I vetted Doctor Fleming," McGee reports as we walk back into the squad room to see McGee at his desk and Ugly Tony eating out of Tony's cap again. McGee types at his computer and pulls up the file on Doctor Fleming onto the plasma between his and Tony's desk. He puts up a photo of a young Fleming at a rally while standing behind a police car. He continues as we walk over to the desk, "Turns out he was a radical undergraduate at Berkeley in the early seventies. Arrested several times for civil disobedience. As recently as last week, spoke at a get-out-of-Gitmo rally in the mall."
"Well, bring him in. we don't need a subpoena to interview him," Gibbs orders him.
"Captain Walsh is online in MTAC," Shepard informs us while walking into the squad room. Gibbs nodes while picking up the file off of his desk and begins to walk over to Shepard with me following him.
"Arnett's files. Redacted to the point it's useless," Gibbs informs us while opening the file to see every word is blacked out. We walk towards MTAC only to see Nikki coming towards us carrying her computer.
"Special Agent Gibbs, I've got something, " Nikki informs Gibbs who walks paster her while wiggling his finger, telling her to follow him. She mumbles, "Yes, sir." We all walk into MTAC to see captain walks on the screen.
"Captain Walsh, sorry to keep you waiting," Shepard says as we walk into MTAC.
"My unit's still on lockdown. You were supposed to keep me in the loop, agent Gibbs," Walsh exclaims.
"Lieutenant Arnett's file," Gibbs begins while holding the file up for Walsh to see. He continues, "I could've got more reading the Washington post."
"Blame the director of national intelligence."
"And you forgot to mention Arnett was questioned about leaked intel," I state.
"Didn't think I needed to. Don't you people at NCIS talk to each other?"
"Captain Walsh, in order for this agency to complete a thorough investigation, we will need your full cooperation. You'll be briefed when we think it's appropriate," Shepard informs him when it becomes apparent he is just stonewalling us for no reason other than he can. The Tec hands Gibbs a note making him walk over to the Tec's computer.
"I have a meeting with the undersecretary in half an hour. What do I tell him?"
"Tell him that the director of national intelligence, and you personally, are obstructing our investigation on a murder case," I inform him before Gibbs orders the Tec to end the call but waving his hand in front of his throat. Everyone in the room looks at Gibbs for ending the call like that.
"Djibouti's coming online," Gibbs defends himself while walking back over to beside me. And continuing, "Satellite time's expensive."
"What do you have doe us, special agent Wells?" Shepard demands of the woman on the call.
"We've been working with Bahrain. I think we've come up with something. A tribal leader was beheaded for collaborating with an American agent. It's definitely the work of Al-Qaeda operatives. We have every reason to believe the victim was Lieutenant Arnett's missing contact," Wells informs us.
"When did it happen?" Gibbs asks her.
"A couple of days ago, not too much longer. We're just getting into it questioning villagers," Wells informs us.
"I want updates as you get them," Shepard orders her.
"Yes, ma'am," Wells answers her making Gibbs signal for this call to be ended too.
"What've you got, Nikki?" I ask her as we turn to face her.
"I did a matric. Focused on the four most recent leaks. Charted who generated the information, received it, or had access to it, directly or indirectly. The only person who had knowledge of all the leaked intel was lieutenant Arnett himself," Nikki informs us while moving over to besides Gibbs so that he can see her computer screen. She continues, "If the beheaded tribal leader was in fact his source and his identity has been leaked, then Arnett is the only one who would have known. I think lieutenant Arnett was the mole."
…
"Mid-Eastern ancestry. Arab-speaking. Naval academy graduate. Intelligence officer in the pentagon. He is the perfect deep cover mole. Sort of an Arab version of Kevin Costner in 'no way out'. Arnett's juggling two lives. Things are closing in on him. He's stressed to the max. on antidepressants, a liability to his Al-Qaeda handlers. When he doesn't jump they terminate him before he can expose their cell," Nikki explains her theory back in the squad room. Michael's information is on the plasma above my desk so I am sitting on the edge of Gibbs desk with Ugly Tony on my lap. at the beginning she was in front of the plasma but as she spoke she walked back across to Ziva's desk.
"nah, I still like the… wife. Had him killed for the money. There's a prenup. He died before they get divorced, she gets the big check. If he died after, she gets zip," Tony informs us as Gibbs fills out files.
"Yeah… why would he try to comment suicide then?" I ask Tony.
"I'm still working on that part, Alice," Tony informs me as Abby and Ducky walk into the squad room.
"Hey, Abs, dad," I greet them with a smile.
"You're wearing it," Abby exclaims while looking at my outfit.
"Something different… wouldn't wear it every day," I inform her while pulling on the bottom of my very short skirt. I then add, "You here for a reason or to attempt to get fired again?"
"We know why he was suicidal," Abby informs us proudly making me smile at her making Gibbs look at her and Ducky.
"Abby found Timolol in Lieutenant Arnett's blood," Ducky informs us while walking over to where Gibbs is sitting behind his desk. He continues to inform us, "It's used to treat glaucoma."
"He didn't have glaucoma."
"So why'd he take it?" McGee asks her while sitting on the edge of his desk next to her.
"Well, that's the best part. He didn't know he was. Someone substituted timolol for his contact lens solution. His lenses were soaking in it all night."
"It's the equivalent of wearing nicotine patches on his eyes. The level of the drug was twenty times the recommended dosage," Ducky informs us.
"I still haven't heard why he was suicidal," Gibbs states while looking at them.
"Because the combination of the eye medication and the antidepressant he was taking has a serious side effect: severe clinical depression," Abby informs Gibbs what they found.
"Well, I think you're overlooking an obvious character," McGee informs us.
"Character?" Tony laughs at him while standing up. He continues, "This isn't one of your novels, Mr Gemcity."
"Doctor Fleming has anti-government leanings. He prescribed the antidepressant and would know the combined drugs side effects. If Arnett discussed classified information during their session, Fleming could have passed the intel on. There's your spy," McGee defends his theory while standing up, toe to toe with Tony.
"Oh, yes, probie, but the wife had access to the contact lenses," Tony reminds him while wiping McGee's spit out of his eye.
"That does no prove anything. McGee found a bottle of lens solution in Arnett's pentagon office desk," Ziva informs Tony while getting up form behind her desk and walking over to the boys.
"Y-Y-Your point?" Tony stutters out.
"Captain Walsh had access to his desk, and, as Arnett's CO, knowledge of his intel."
"That's the weakest point of all."
"All these make more sense than Arnett," Nikki overlaps Tony. Resulting in them, all, including Abby talking over each other and I can't make out what is being said anymore. Gibbs exchanges a look with Ducky before standing up and whistling loudly to shut them up.
"Hey," Gibbs yells once the whistle has mostly silenced them. They all turn to him making him exclaim, "Break up the dog pile. This is a murder investigation. And I am hearing a lot of theories here and not much else. Get on it!"
…
"So, I'm against the war and the patriot act. Doesn't make me un-American," Fleming states while looking at the photo of him at an anti-war rally. McGee opens the folder he is holding making Fleming demand, "What have you got there? Government keeping a file on me?"
"I'll ask the questions, Doctor Fleming," McGee snaps at Fleming as we watch him.
"I've had enough of this," Fleming states while getting up.
"Sit down!" McGee orders him while slamming his hands down onto the table.
"I see McGee's got your mad act down," Shepard comments as we watch McGee.
"Almost," Gibbs answers her with a half-smile from where he is standing beside me with his arm around my shoulder.
"I heard your agents are pitted against each other. Wasn't that Gibbs' rule number fifteen. 'always work as a team'?" Shepard asks him with a half-smile of her own making me want to clawer her eyes out.
"Not on this one," I answer her when Gibbs continues to watch McGee without answering her.
"No one could have saved him, Jethro. He was dead the moment he stepped out on that ledge."
"That what I tell his sister?" Gibbs asks her softly while tightening his arm around my body.
…
"Back off! All of you, okay? I am one person!" Abby yells at the team as I follow Gibbs into the lab late at night only to see everyone there.
"Easy, Abs," Gibbs says to her while walking over into her personal space.
"No! it's late. I am tired, I am overworked, and I am taken for granted!" Abby exclaims while turning back to her computer that is working as hard as she is. We all fall silent after her rant and the boys look guilty, Gibbs thinks for a moment before turning to leave but stops and turns to face her.
"Maybe you should accept that job offer," Gibbs informs her making me smirk at her until she pulls a hurt face making em step forward and wrap my arm around her shoulders. She looks at Gibbs in disbelief before turning and slapping the back of Tony's head making him grunt in pain.
"I can't believe you'd say that to me, Gibbs. How could you think that I could be leaving? 'Cause I got a little mad? So what? We're family. That's allowed. I get three or four job offers every year. I've never considered any of them," Abby informs Gibbs before turning back to the computer making me smirk at her, of course she does. She's just that good.
"Then why'd you have dinner with that head-hunter?" Tony asks her in confusion.
"Have you ever had the Beluga caviar at the Ritz-Carlton?" Abby answers him while turning to face us.
"Oh god yeah," Nikki exclaims making McGee give her a look.
"And besides, it was nice to feel wanted," Abby informs us.
"Abs, your always wanted, by everyone in NCIS and some in the FBI," I inform her with a smile because she has a good reason but I don't want her to feel like we don't want her, she is probably the most important person on Gibbs team… maybe in the whole of NCIS.
"Now, get out of here, all of you. I have work to do," Abby informs us while turning her back to us. Gibbs half smiles before turning to leave with the rest of us, and smacks Tony on the back of the head.
"What was that for?" Tony asks Gibbs in confusion.
"Spreading rumours," Gibbs informs him before he even finishes his question as he walks into the elevator that just opened without anyone calling for it.
"DiNozzo! Get back in here!" Abby yells from her lab making Tony pull a scared face.
"Anyone wanna come with me?" Tony asks us but in answer McGee pushes him out of the elevator and presses the button for the squad room.
…
"I am meeting Captain Walsh's former executive officer at the Naval Amphibious Base at little creek tomorrow. He is willing to talk to us, off the record, but not here," Ziva informs us back in the squad room while getting ready to leave for the night. We are all sitting at our desk but for Tony who is still talking to Abby.
"You losers might want to follow me. Boss, need you in MTAC. Clearly, you're not one of the losers," Tony informs us while walking through the squad room and I wait until he is walking past my desk to attempt to bite him making him add, "Alice, you're not one of the losers either, more like an extension of Gibbs' body. Anyway, my hunch paid off. Figured the 'black widow,' has a felony record. Abby just got a DNA match from Interpol." We all get up and follow him up to MTAC where the Tec has already put the call through for us.
"Her real name is Najida Mamud, an agent of the Syrian Mukhabarat. She's a gifted linguist, she was educated in England, and secretly trained in weaponry, martial arts and covert operations," a man on the plasma informs us while showing us photos of her American ID and her before she came to america.
"Ziva, she's you," Tony exclaims softly to the killer standing beside him.
"Najida Mamud was in an Al-Qaeda camp in Sudan until we lost track of her three years ago. We thought she was in Pakistan," the man admits with a little bit of shame.
"She was obviously smuggled into the US and then deep-backstopped with impeccable American ID," Tony comments.
"Homeland Security's worst fear," McGee comments as Gibbs walks over to look at a photo of her.
"And ours. Let me know if you apprehend her," the man informs us before ending the call.
"Lieutenant Arnett didn't casually meet his wife at a museum. She set him up, just like Kathleen Turner set up William hurt in Body heat," Tony informs us as I walk over to Gibbs and gently grab his hand without saying anything because I know the only way to make him feel better is to catch this son-of-a-bitch.
"Lieutenant Arnett wasn't the mole," Ziva comments.
"He was married to the mole," Gibbs states while leaving MTAC with his team follow him like the good little dogs they are.
"How did she know he was going to jump off a building?" Ziva asks us as we begin to descend the stairs.
"Didn't. she was drugging him, building a case for his depression," McGee reminds her.
"So when she killed him… overdoes, slit his wrist, whatever, it would appear to be suicide," Tony adds as we get to the bottom of the stairs.
"He must have realized he was the source of the leak that got his operative killed," Ziva releases.
"Reason enough to jump?" Nikki asks us.
"Guess when we got involved, she had no choice. Had to take him out. Boss, I'm gonna put out a BOLO, notify Homeland security," McGee informs us as we enter the squad room to and walk to our own desk to get to work.
"I will call the hotel, see if she's there," Ziva adds while they pick up their phones.
"I'm getting the car, boss," Tony adds.
"What can I do?" Nikki asks Gibbs while standing in front of my desk and Gibbs walks past her..
"Assignment's over," I inform her as Gibbs opens his notebook and writes something down before walking over to her.
"You can get me that phone number," Gibbs informs her while handing her a page he just ripped out. She hesitates for a moment before taking the paper off Gibbs hands with only two of her fingers because of the germs.
"Dana Arnett notified the front desk that she is checking out," Ziva informs us as we all leave the squad room with our gear to arrest this bitch.
…
"She left the lobby less then a minute ago," Ziva informs us as we all get out of the car at the hotel. Gibbs and Tony was in the front with the rest of us in the back. We are all wearing our NCIS jackets again.
"DiNozzo, McGee, start at the top, work your way down," Gibbs orders them while pointing behind him to drive his point home as we all drawl our weapons. Gibbs, Ziva and I run up the exit ramp. A white car begins to come down towards us.
"Federal agents," I yell while aiming my gun on the person only to see it's not Dana making me add while we flatten ourselves against the wall, "Keep moving." We hear tires screech above us making us run to the edge only to see Tony or McGee hanging over the edge making me grab Gibbs coat with one hand while holding my gun with the other.
"Boss," Tony calls out.
"Pull the fire alarm!" Gibbs orders Ziva as he run off in the other direction to the alarm.
"McGee, level seven," I call up to him before taking off further up the ramp, in the opposite direction to Gibbs. Ziva pulls the fire alarm making it sound and closure off all the exits so that she can't hide from us in a parking lot.
"Probie. This is not how I want it to end!" Tony calls out in fear of falling making my heart drop but I have bigger things to worry about right know.
"Hand on, Tony. I'm coming," McGee calls down to him. I continue to run up the ramp and see her a couple of turns above me but I know I won't be able to stop her but I can slow her down. I run up a few more turns before stepping behind a brick wall that will protect me, and I wait until she drives past and then I shoot her back tires, blowing the right hand side one. She continues down the ramp for almost three more turns before having to come to a stop in front of Gibbs' car that is blocking her. I watch with my gun aimed on her from my spot as she gets out of the car but can't move because Ziva is right there. I holster my gun while turning and running up the ramp for what feels like forever and gets to the level Tony is hanging over the edge, at the same time as McGee.
"It's about time!" Tony exclaims as we arrive and grab one of his arms each.
"Sorry, had a crazy woman on the loose," I informs him while we strain to pull up his heavy ass.
"Come on," Tony exclaims while helping to pull himself up and McGee gets a hold of the back of his jacket. We get him halfway up and I reach down and grab a hold of his belt to pull him the rest of the way over the wall and he falls onto his head as McGee and I sit down. Tony pats McGee's knee as we all pant for air and I hold my throbbing shoulder.
"Are you two alright?" I ask them.
"I love you McGee," Tony informs McGee before continuing, "I promise never to give you a hard time again."
"Yeah, right," McGee comments making Tony pat him on the chest this time as I attempt not to succumb to the pain of my shoulder… I really shouldn't have helped pull tony over the edge but I am not letting anyone die.
"Tony, if I ever wear a skirt to work again, shoot me please," I beg of him as I pant through the pain.
…
"Where's Gibbs?" Abby asks us as she walks into the squad room the later tonight.
"I don't know," McGee admits from where we are all standing around Ziva's desk.
"IS that what you get for turning down the job offer?" Ziva asks Abby while looking at the black roses she is carrying.
"No. for solving the case," Abby and I correct her together.
"HA. I believe those are for me, them, because I solved the case," Tony states.
"But Abby ran the photo-recognition that ID'd Lieutenant Arnett," McGee reminds Tony while walking closure to Abby.
"I risk my life handing off a wall," Tony adds.
"I got the lecture for pulling you back onto the right side of the wall… twice," I inform him because that is no reason to get flowers, that is a reason to get shoot.
"And she discovered the drug interaction that made Arnett suicidal," Ziva adds.
"I suggested we run the wife's DNA," Tony attempts to get the flowers again.
"Against a national database of felons. Dead end. Abby went the extra step of compared it to the Interpol database," McGee reminds him.
"I can't believe this."
"He still loves me," Abby says with a grin.
"Abs, even if you left and went to work for the FBI he would still love you," I inform her with a grin of my own.
"Give it up, Tony," McGee informs him while turning to walk back to his desk.
"She will always be the favorited, besides Alice, Tony," Ziva adds making me give Abby a look of pride that we can hold that title. Abby walks closure to Tony with a grin.
"I still love you," Abby informs him before handing him a black roses. She turns and orders us as she leaves, "Back to work."
…
"Abs, why am I getting dressed at your apartment?" I ask her with confusion about why I went home with her instead of with Gibbs.
"Because Gibbs asks you to," Abby reminds we with a grin.
"What is he planning?" I asks Abby with a suspicious look.
"What makes you think he is planning something?" Abby asks me while laying a dress out on her bed, coffin, for me to put on.
"Where you get that dress?" I ask her in confusion because it's not a dress I own. The dress is red lace with a sweetheart neckline and one strap over the right shoulder. There is a lining behind the lace until the top of the thigh area on the left hand side and then goes down on a angle and ends on the right side it finishes at the middle of the thigh. The lace continues to the ground, making it cover my legs but still able to see them. There is lace flowers all over the top and a couple of flowers on the lace bottom. It is a very pretty dress but not something I would buy for myself encase it is too revealing and it looks expensive. (The dress is the photo for this book)
"Gibbs asks me to make sure you wear it," Abby informs me while running her hand over it.
"He is defiantly planning something," I state then…
