Gibbs barked, "Names, DiNozzo."

Gibbs' expression brought McGee to his side and he moved his hand in a way to explain that he needed paper. He pulled a pen from his pocket and turned to the desk just as McGee put down a notepad for him to use.

"DiNozzo, you and Ziva go talk to Wheeler's neighbor. The one who performed CPR."

Gibbs disconnected the call and then with a look to McGee he headed for the stairs.

Vance looked at the list warily. "I see what you mean."

"Director, I'm not sure I should be talking to those three until Ducky says General Wheeler's death was from something besides natural causes."

With a slight nod Vance declared, "We need those test results from Ms. Sciuto." He was surprised the agent was showing some restraint.

Gibbs sat down in a chair in front of the big desk. "She'll tell us when she has something."

Both stayed quiet for a bit until Gibbs confessed, "I don't think there's anything here, Leon. The team wants to pull phone records for everyone including O'Neill, but I haven't authorized that yet. Not sure how we'd justify warrants anyway."

"We've had some questionable warrants lately." He looked pointedly at Gibbs. "Do you think anyone is trying to hide calls... contact?"

"Don't know for sure, but my gut says no."

They talked for a while about Wheeler and O'Neill and if the case was a case. Vance claimed he didn't know why Jarvis was so interested, but he suspected it was about political power. For that one reason both men agreed not to tell SecNav anything until he ordered them to. At that time they could make whatever decision was right for them and to heck with him.

Gibbs explained about not being able to find out who Wheeler reported to and Vance said that was one thing he would talk to Jarvis about because the SecNav should be able to get that information. Vance suggested using some contacts to find out more about Wheeler and O'Neill and Gibbs admitted that he intended to talk to the Commandant. He didn't mention that he might know someone who went to BMT with O'Neill. Vance said he'd think about speaking to his counterparts at FBI, CIA, ICE and a couple of other people.

Both men sat silently thinking for almost a full minute before a phone rang and Vance growled, "If that's Jarvis again I'm going to hit something," and looked right at Gibbs before adding "Or someone."

The caller wasn't SecNav and Gibbs left with a better understanding of Vance. The man hated the case as much as he did. Oh sure he was curious. Who wouldn't be? But snooping around in military programs (and men's lives) was not a good thing for any of them.

Early the next morning -

Gibbs smiled at the man sitting across from him in the booth. Brad lived down the street until he decided to sell the house and move someplace without so much yard work. He looked good and Gibbs couldn't help noticing the hearing aids he'd finally accepted after so many years on the flight line. After the required small talk about family, friends, jobs, cars and the weather, Gibbs started asking questions.

"You went to BMT in '71, right?"

Brad looked amused and confused, but confirmed it. "Yeah, in the late summer, early fall... when it was cooler."

Gibbs nodded knowingly. The man was joking because even then in Texas it was hot, humid and miserable.

"Did you know a John J. O'Neill when you were there? Probably went by Jack?"

Brad took a sip of hot coffee and stared out the diner window as he thought back to his time at Lackland. Another sip and then another until he put down the empty mug. "Jack O'Neill. Two Ls. Tall. Brown eyes and brown hair, but he didn't have much hair." He smiled. "Neither did I."

Gibbs smirked a little. "What do you remember about him?"

Brad looked at Gibbs curiously. His friend and former neighbor didn't ask questions about people without good reasons and rarely had a good reason.

"Natural leader. Very sharp." Brad seemed to be remembering. "Everything came easy."

He stayed thoughtful for a bit and Gibbs knew his mind had gone back to those weeks in '71 when boys were broken down to be built up as men. Airmen. Gibbs understood because he had his own memories.

Brad smiled at a memory, looked at Gibbs and added, "Had a wicked sense of humor."

Natural leader. Could be one reason the Air Force kept wanting him back. The man went to BMT and was promoted all the way to lieutenant general. Oh yeah, he was a heck of a leader. As for wicked sense of humor, well, except for the sticky buns Gibbs hadn't seen that, but maybe too many bad things and too much time. Plus his friend had just died so wrong situation.

"I wonder why he didn't go to college." Gibbs asked, but knew as Brad did that extremely intelligent did not always translate to good in school.

"I don't know. Blue collar? Like me, like you. Or didn't have the grades I guess."

Gibbs knew as well as anyone that getting into college wasn't easy and paying for it, even with scholarships and grants, was a challenge. And not everyone knew what they wanted to be when they grew up, so college wasn't always a good option anyway, especially right out of high school. The Air Force Academy wasn't an option for most either.

"You went to tech school and had a good career."

Brad shook his head. "I retired from my first career, TSgt with 21 years because it would have meant taking my family to the Philippines or going by myself for probably two years, maybe three before I would have a very slim chance of moving up to master."

Gibbs understood. Promotion in the military was not as easy as some people tried to make it. There were always conditions and hoops to jump through and limited slots the higher you went. MSgt was a senior non-com position and basically a supervisory job and Brad had trouble keeping his own kids reined it. Not everyone was cut out for bossing around adults.

"We had already done three years in Japan and three years in Germany and much of my stateside time we were at Minot, Grand Forks and Ellsworth. I didn't get Florida, Texas or California postings. I didn't even get Kansas." He smirked a little. "McConnell would have been a great place, even with the tornadoes and the humidity."

Brad felt like talking and told Gibbs about moving his family from Minot to Emerado three hours away. He joked about how he couldn't get out of North Dakota. Then he talked about the many tours. "I left them home alone for over four years while I did 13-month isolated tours at Osan, Kunsan, Incirlik and Thule. Not to mention all the TD Yonder."

Gibbs smiled and nodded. Only the Air Force would call temporary duty TD Yonder like wild blue yonder. Then he sobered. The service was tough on dependents and was a double-edged sword. Was it better to move them or give them a permanent home and part-time father? What was he saying? Military life almost always made people be part-time parents. Knew that when you signed up. Knew that when you had kids.

The server came by and refilled their coffee mugs.

"Do you ever regret enlisting?" He could have asked about the times he'd re-upped too, but decided not to mention them.

"Oh h*** no. I also don't regret getting out when I did."

Gibbs thought about his own situation. If he hadn't lost Shannon and Kelly he would probably have stayed in for his 30.

The men drank coffee in silence until Brad revealed, "I think the PJs wanted O'Neill."

That got Gibbs' attention. He remembered the master parachutist badge and the medals. "Did you see him after Lackland?"

Brad shook his head. "No, the only guys I saw went to aircraft maintenance school and then we all went our separate ways." Brad got the server's attention and ordered eggs over easy, bacon and toast for them both. "I can suggest someone who might know about him."

Gibbs looked interested, but didn't say anything.

"I don't know why you're asking about O'Neill, but Jethro, you've never been one to ask unless you really needed something." Brad sipped his coffee and waited a while before he said, "The guy is discreet."

Gibbs nodded, but couldn't help thinking about Dr. Samantha Ryan and what she might know about O'Neill and Wheeler and Colorado Springs. Wouldn't SecNav have asked the brain-gamer about the secret program or whatever it was? He needed to think.

0800 at the Navy Yard -

Leon Vance hung up the receiver and sighed. CIA Director Roger Kirkwood hadn't been any help, but Vance knew the man was not being forthcoming. It was obvious he knew something that he couldn't talk about, but all he did was tell Vance emphatically to drop it and that just made Vance want to dig into it even more. He thought his hate for the CIA had peaked with Trent Kort, but he was wrong. A minute later he dialed the number for FBI Director Barry Hutchins.

tbc

Thanks for reading.

BMT - basic military training

I used h*** to keep this rated K+. I know, I know it's probably considered 'minor coarse language, but I'd rather not spell it out.