Chapter 10

"I'll do my best, Gibbs," Stan said, "but can't you tell me anything more?"

"No."

"What do you want me to tell Admiral McGee? I don't know him at all. There are no cases needing his input."

"Be your usual charming self, Stan." Gibbs said.

"I can do that, but if what you've told me is true, he may not be welcoming to someone trying to probe into the history of his only son."

"Do your best."

"I will. Just don't be disappointed if my charm fails to get what you want."

Gibbs just chuckled and hung up. Stan sighed. He appreciated the fact that Gibbs was trying to help someone out, but knowing that nothing could be official and that he would be approaching someone to ask about an event that may seem...shameful...and worse, could even be dangerous... It was a tall order. Still, he'd promised. He owed Gibbs a favor and this was to be it.

Stan sat down and looked up where Admiral McGee might be at this moment. Then, he walked out of the NCIS office and headed for the base. When he got there, he asked around and got directed to the docks. As he headed over, he saw the man who must be Rear Admiral Loren McGee. His hair was gray. He was thin but solid...and he was taller than Stan had expected...a little bit taller than Stan himself was. He was standing straight, staring out at the water, apparently lost in thought.

"Admiral McGee?" Stan asked as he got closer.

Proving that he had not achieved his rank without skill and experience, Admiral McGee turned to face Stan without any appearance of surprise.

"Yes?"

"Hello, sir. I'm Agent Stan Burley. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment."

"Regarding what, Agent Burley? I wasn't aware of any problems requiring my input here on base."

"It's not about the base...and actually, it's not official. I'll tell you what it's about and you have every right to tell me where to get off."

Admiral McGee smiled a little.

"That's an interesting beginning. I'm intrigued."

"It's about your son, Timothy McGee."

The smile vanished and Admiral McGee's expression became closed off. No suspicion was shown but Stan could guess that he was probably feeling more than a little wary.

"In what respect?"

"I don't know how much of what's going on with your son you want to keep quiet, sir, but maybe you want to talk somewhere else?"

"No, Agent Burley. If there is something that needs to be kept private, this is the best place to keep it that way. Out here in the open. No place to eavesdrop, here."

"All right. Let me lay it out. I got a call from a friend of mine, my old boss, actually, back in DC. He met your son in the course of an investigation and he and some others at NCIS are worried about him."

"Why?"

"Because they seem to think that he's working under duress, that he's miserable and wishes there was a way out. Keep in mind, sir, that I don't know any details."

"What did your friend want you to find out?"

"How it is that your son came to work for DoD, how much of that has to do with the dramatic slowdown in your naval career and how much you know about his current situation."

"Given what your friend seems to think the situation is, why would he assume that I'd just tell you anything?"

Stan smiled easily. "That's what I asked him, myself." He pulled out his badge and ID. "Here's my proof that I am who I say I am. None of this is official. In fact, I got the feeling that they were trying to be as quiet as possible."

Admiral McGee took Stan's ID and badge and examined them both closely. Stan was interested that he was willing to take the time.

"If you want to tell me to mind my own business, that's fine. No hard feelings and I'll go tell Gibbs that I told him so."

There was a moment of silence and then Admiral McGee looked at Stan again...very closely.

"This says you're an Agent Afloat."

"I am."

"Been doing that long?"

"A little over five years."

"Do you like it?"

"I love it."

"You married?"

"Nope. Never found a girl willing to deal with a husband who was gone for long stretches of time. I'm not ready to be landlocked yet."

Finally, the smile returned to Admiral McGee's face. He handed back Stan's ID and badge.

"Agent Burley, what you're asking is a long story. A very long story, and not a happy one. Certainly not one that can be told standing out here on the docks when I have work to do. So...why don't you come and join my wife and I for dinner tonight?"

That was a surprise.

"Really?"

The smile widened.

"You seem to be genuine, although I'll warn you right now that I'm going to look you up as soon as I get back to my office."

"Go right ahead."

Admiral McGee nodded.

"Please understand, Agent Burley, that what you're asking for is not a story any of us have ever told anyone. I'm not even sure we should, but you've said that my son is miserable and wants out. If that's the case, then, he's worse off than he's been letting on. McGees don't abandon their family. Ever."

Stan nodded.

"I respect that, sir. That's why I wanted you to know up front that this is completely voluntary on your part. I will be telling Gibbs about whatever you tell me, but beyond that, as far as any official report is concerned, this isn't happening."

"Understood." Admiral McGee straightened. "My wife and I have chosen to live off base." He pulled out a card. "This is our address. Come by around seven."

"I'll be there."

"All right."

Stan put out his hand. Admiral McGee looked at him for a moment longer and then shook the proffered hand firmly.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, Agent Burley. I have duties to attend to."

"Of course, sir."

Stan watched as Admiral McGee walked away. As straight-laced a man as he'd ever seen. He couldn't imagine him being involved in anything sneaky or illegal. In fact, he couldn't imagine him even peripherally involved in anything questionable. He could, however, imagine this man being taken advantage of because of how honest he was...except that he seemed very worldly as well. He was aware of what people were like. So the question was did he know how far the people involved would go?

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Ducky was filling out a report on his most recent autopsy when his phone rang. It was the ring he'd attached to when his mother called him, not that she did that often.

"Hello, Mother," he said. "What is it?"

"Donald, I don't know where I am."

Ducky instantly started paying close attention. His mother was in one of her lucid moments. He could tell by the sound of her voice, and he could also tell that she was worried.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, those nice men came over and then they left me...where I am, but I don't know where that is, Donald, and I'm more than a little worried."

"All right. Mother, are you in a safe place?"

"I believe so. It looks like a park."

"Very well. Just stay right where you are and don't turn off your phone. I will get someone to track your location and I'll come and get you."

"This is rather embarrassing, Donald. I don't even remember how I got here."

"That's quite all right, Mother," Ducky said as he hurried to Abby's lab. "These things happen. What about Judy? Did she not come?"

"She was there, but...I don't...remember."

Ducky knew how hard it was for his mother to admit that when she was lucid. Although the periods of lucidity were becoming ever more rare (and shorter), when they came, she was the same independent, strong woman she'd been and she disliked showing any kind of weakness to her son.

"It's all right, Mother. Just stay on the line and we'll find out where you are."

He walked to the lab.

"Abigail, I need your help. Right now."

Abby turned around.

"What is it, Ducky?"

"My mother is lost, but she does have the phone I gave her and she's in a park somewhere."

"How did she get there?"

"Someone took her there and left her."

Abby's eyes widened as the possibility of what had happened struck her.

"Okay. Give me her number and we'll find her fast."

Ducky did so and Abby quickly brought up her tracking program. Ducky waited quietly, but with rising anxiety as she did her work.

"I found her, Ducky," Abby said. "She's...right across the river in Anacostia Park."

Abby brought up the map and showed him.

"Thank goodness." He put the phone back to his ear. "Mother, I'll be right there to get you, all right?"

"Very well, Donald. I don't like this."

"I don't, either." Ducky said, "but I'll be there to get you in a moment."

"I think I'd rather stay on the phone, Donald."

"Of course."

"Is she okay, Ducky?" Abby asked.

"Yes, she appears to be. She simply is worried. Tell Jethro about this. I'll bring my mother back here. She's fortunate that this happened in one of her more lucid moments. She may not have thought to call otherwise."

Abby nodded and hugged Ducky quickly. He headed to his car and drove across the Anacostia to the park. It didn't take long to find his mother. She was just sitting on a bench with the phone in her hand. There was no one around at all. His mother didn't looked harmed in any way.

"Mother?"

She looked at him and smiled with relief.

"Donald, what is going on? Where am I?"

Ducky smiled. Even in her lucid moments at this point, she wasn't fully herself. There were signs around, the river, many clues to say where she was, but she couldn't think of those things or even think to mention them. Her world was much smaller than it had been.

"You're in Anacostia Park, just across the river from NCIS. Shall we go?"

"Yes, of course."

Ducky helped her into his car and they went back to NCIS. When they arrived, Gibbs was waiting just outside the building.

"She's all right, Jethro," Ducky said.

"Matthew, isn't it?" Victoria said. "I seem to recall meeting you before."

"We have, ma'am. Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

"Oh...Matthew is a much nicer name, you know."

"Mother, please. Let's just get you inside. I'll call Judy."

They took Ducky's mother to an empty desk and had her sit there for a moment while Ducky called Judy. It turned out that two men had come by, saying they were with NCIS and that Victoria needed to come to NCIS because she had a last-minute appointment and Ducky was going to take her. They had badges and ID, and of course, Victoria couldn't have said if that was the case or not. Judy was horrified to find that they weren't who they had said they were and apologized many times before Ducky managed to interrupt her. He asked her to come to NCIS to describe the men and then Gibbs pulled Ducky aside to get the whole story.

"What happened?"

Ducky sighed. "Two men apparently took my mother away from her house and left her alone in a park."

"You know what this is probably about," Gibbs said.

"Yes, but I don't know why. It's not as if these men would have known me. That Mr. Orlen saw you and me as well as Jenny. If he was responsible..."

"What if McGee mentioned you? You're not going to be an important person to him, Ducky. If he's only worried about his family, then you're not even going to be a blip on his radar."

"Are you saying that you think we should give up?" Ducky asked.

"Maybe. If they've moved on to you this fast. We haven't done anything beyond ask questions yet."

Ducky shook his head. "No, Jethro. That is the most dangerous thing to do...to question. We are not accepting anything at face value and we are in danger of exposing this exploitation to a wider audience. What we are doing now is the pinnacle of what these people obviously do not want. If we give up now, we are abandoning Timothy to his life and how much longer do you think he will be able to tolerate it before he gives up? He said that Erin Kendall had given him a glimpse of life, that she could have saved him. That means he's been confronted with the possibility and had it taken violently away from him. No, Jethro. I will not give up on freeing Timothy. I will take steps to keep my mother safe. If they'd like to kidnap the corgis, they're welcome to them." He smiled.

Gibbs smiled briefly but his expression remained grave.

"They might not stop with her."

"You mean they may move onto me or they may move onto you?"

"Either one."

"I'm willing to take that risk, Jethro. Are you?"

Gibbs just raised an eyebrow.

"If it makes you feel any better, note, please, that they did not bring my mother to any harm and that they left her in easy reach of me."

"What if she hadn't thought to call you?"

"I've thought of that and it does frighten me which is why I'll make sure she is safe. I am no less determined, Jethro."

"Okay...but you be careful, and I don't want you staying at that house by yourself. If they do come after you, you're not going to be alone when it happens."

Ducky grinned. "Jethro, I didn't know you cared."

"I'm not kidding, Duck."

Ducky could see that very clearly, and he could see that flippancy wasn't the appropriate response right now.

"Neither am I, Jethro. Whether or not this most recent happening is due to Timothy, whether or not he could care less about it, I am not giving up on him. He is what he was made to be and I'm determined to set him free; so that he can be more than he is. So...will you be staying with me or will I be staying with you?"

Finally, Gibbs laughed. "Pack a bag, Dr. Mallard."

"I will do so."