Chapter 11
Gibbs and Tony are in the observation room. Ziva and McGee are gone because Gibbs ordered them to go to Jared Lucas' apartment in order to search it even more thoroughly than they did the night they arrested him. Besides, Gibbs wanted an excuse to get Ziva out of the observation room because he's dealing with enough as it is with his brother and doesn't need to be around someone he doesn't trust.
As Gibbs and Tony are in the observation room, Jamie is standing in the hallway near the door to the interrogation room. She reaches for the doorknob. She stops. Jamie closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, places her hand on the doorknob and turns it. She opens the door and walks in.
Jared Lucas Gibbs' attention is immediately drawn to Jamie upon her entry into the room. He smiles evilly as he analyzes her every move on route to the chair across the table from him. Jamie finally sits down in the chair and looks across the table at her estranged uncle. She stares straight into his eyes.
"From the time you entered into the room, until the time you sat down… I can tell a lot about you." Jared Lucas stated. "The way you've presented yourself, your body language… You're a confident person. But your confidence is your weakness. You try to make me believe you're calm, when really, you're afraid. Yet you stare me down trying to manipulate yourself into believing I don't frighten you." He paused for a couple seconds. "You also don't seem to fully trust your perception of surrounding areas due to the poor vision of your left eye. The first thing you did upon entering the room was… You turned your head slightly to the left in order for your right eye to catch a glimpse of the surroundings before making your way to the chair. If a person isn't paying particular attention, then they wouldn't notice how much you actually depend on your right eye so you don't end up looking foolish by bumping into things. You're ashamed of the poor vision of your left eye and try to hide it from your peers so they don't think you're incompetent or need extra help."
"Well… I can tell a lot about you too." Jamie stated.
"Oh really? Do tell." Jared is intrigued. "This should be interesting."
"Before you murdered Lieutenant Donna Mills you studied us. You came here knowing who we are. It's all about control for you. During your childhood, when your daddy would beat you senseless, it was something you were powerless to stop due to your size. You were defenseless and had no control over it. Due to your lack of control back then, you now feel the need to control your environment and the people within it. Without control, it leaves you powerless and vulnerable and that's what truly scares you." Jamie stated. She takes a brief pause as Jared Lucas just smiles. "Before coming in here, I had a brief conversation with my dad. When Uncle Bobbie took him away, thirteen years of suppressed hatred and anger towards you and your father all burst out at once. But he was strong. And still is. He reached out for help. My father overcame that hatred and anger. Something only a strong willed person can do. You never did. You still feel the burden of your childhood. It's something you never got over and never will. You want to talk about manipulation… You sit here trying to manipulate my father, this team and even yourself. You're just a weak, controlling, pathetically demented, sorry excuse for a human being."
"That's very good." Jared Lucas chuckled. "I'm actually impressed by one of you people."
Inside the observation room, Tony is overjoyed with how proud he is of Jamie for what she just said.
"Take that you bastard!" Tony exclaimed in excitement. "That's my girl. You tell him baby." He added proudly. He turns to look at Gibbs. After noticing Gibbs' facial expression, he calms down and looks back to the interrogation room. Gibbs smacks Tony on the back of the head.
Inside the interrogation room, the conversation between Jared Lucas and Jamie continues.
"From the look in your eyes, the tone of your voice and your body language when you mention him… I can tell how much your father means to you." Jared Lucas stated. "But let me ask you this… How does the love for your father affect the relationship with your husband, Tony? I'm curious to know how Tony deals with knowing in his wife's mind, he's second, not first."
"I love them equally." Jamie stated.
"You keep telling yourself that." Jared Lucas doesn't believe her. "There's nothing wrong with second. So your father is more important than your husband. I'm sure Tony understands."
"Is this the best you got?" Jamie wondered. "What a pathetic attempt to get under my skin."
"I know how to get under your skin. We'll get there eventually." Jared Lucas assured her. "For now, I'd like to go a different path." He said. "I must admit you're a very attractive young lady. I haven't been with a woman in a very long time and just looking at you makes me want to…"
As Jared Lucas continues talking in a sexual manner to Jamie, Tony is in the observation room becoming ticked off at this crude display. It angers him because he can tell Jamie is slightly uncomfortable listening to this, as is he. Gibbs is also ticked, but is controlling himself from letting it get to him.
"I'm going to kill him." Tony stated in a strong voice. He turns and makes a dash for the door. Gibbs grabs hold of him in order to keep him from leaving the room.
Inside the interrogation room, Jared Lucas begins laughing.
"By now… I've pissed off both Tony and my brother." Jared Lucas stated cheerfully. "My brother has more self control than Tony, so he probably has to hold Tony back to keep him from leaving the observation room." He added. "And from your body language… I can tell you're uncomfortable. Has my pathetically demented mind breached your tough exterior? Or does sex itself make you comfortable? Oh wait… I know what it is. Has your father ever touched you in an inappropriate way?"
"More than half of all pedophiles have been, in some way, sexually abused as children, either by their parents, a close relative or even a close friend of the family. I'm familiar with the studies." Jamie stated. "And to answer your question… No he hasn't. My father has never touched me in an inappropriate manner."
"Now that's an answer I actually believe." He pauses for a couple seconds. "You want to know a secret?"
"Let me guess… It has something to do with my dad's childhood."
"The reason I haven't asked for my lawyer to be present is because I don't need him here. I'm perfectly capable of handling this situation." Jared said as he leans forward; slightly over the table from where he's sitting. "Come tomorrow… I'm going to walk out of this building a free man. And there won't be a damn thing anybody in this building can do about it."
In the observation room, Gibbs and Tony are bewildered as to what that actually means. Jared Lucas continues talking as he now changes the topic.
"I heard about the incident in the bank a while back." Jared Lucas said. "You and your adopted son Chioke were trapped inside because the bank heist went wrong and ended up becoming a hostage crisis. The leader, Shawn Benson, was a complete asshole who hates children. I read the hostage statements in the newspaper. But you stood up to him. It's admirable, but it was foolish. The price you paid for standing up to Shawn Benson was losing your unborn child." He smiles evilly due to Jamie's change in body language. Jared found a touchy subject.
"I wasn't going to allow him to point a gun at Chioke for another second." Jamie stated.
"If the kid got on the floor like he was told, then you wouldn't have lost your unborn baby."
"I don't blame him."
"I think deep down inside, you do blame Chioke for the loss of your baby." Jared said. "How did it make you feel to lose something you wanted so badly? You must have been devastated." He smiles in a sinister manner. Jared pushes his chair back slightly. He swings his legs up and places his feet on the table. He pushes his chairs upward a bit, in order to get in a relaxing position. Jared places his handcuffed hands behind his head. He relaxes with the chair standing only on the back legs because the front legs are lifted off from the floor. Jared smiles evilly. There's a minute of silence. "You still haven't told me how it felt to lose your baby."
"You thrive on the misery of others. You enjoy getting under people's skin because it gives you a rush. You love the control." Jamie said. "Well… The action I'm about to take is something you've manipulated me into doing due to your control issues." She stands up and leans forward a bit. She places her hands on the table. "I hope you enjoy the fall."
Jamie launches her hands toward Jared Lucas' feet which are still on the table. She pushes his feet backward, away from the table. The chair, with Jared Lucas relaxing on it, falls backward. There's a loud thump as the chair hits the floor. Also, the back of Jared Lucas' head slams against the floor. Jamie walks around the table. She lifts her leg and plunges her heel into Jared's crotch. After receiving the blow, Jared rolls to the side. He holds his private area due to the pain Jamie's heel caused.
"I came over here to help you up, but I guess the poor vision of my left eye prevented me from placing my foot properly on the floor. Oops…" Jamie apologized sarcastically.
Gibbs and Tony enter into the interrogation room. Jamie and Tony leave the room. Out in the hallway, out of Jared's view, Tony wraps his arms around Jamie because he knows the loss of the baby is a sensitive subject matter. Two brothers are left alone in the interrogation room. As Jared remains on the floor, the two of them stare each other down. Jared Lucas smiles and begins chuckling in a sinister manner.