Chp. 11

Jake didn't show it, but he was nervous about what Gibbs would say when he saw their prisoner, because Jake hadn't exactly gone easy on the man. There were a lot of reasons for that, but chief among them were Irina and her family. Gregory had served his chosen nation with honor, and he'd tried to help his sister. He just got unlucky, and didn't deserve to be shot down like a dog by some Russian gangster.

The other reason was Irina, specifically. Through a 'persuasive' interrogation, Jake had learned that Irina worked for Puchenko's boss, Arkady Kobach, as a prostitute. That hadn't surprised him, given the way she'd reacted during Puchenko's capture. The sticking point would be confronting her with this information. He knew the team wouldn't take it well. Gibbs, Kate, McGee and Abby were easily taken care of. He didn't care what they thought, as a bunch of narrow minded Feds, and would tell them to pound sand. But Ziva, she was a whole other matter. She looked at his parents and the team like the family she'd lost, and was very protective of them. She also had a maternal side that he suspected had remained hidden for many years because of her job and who her father was, and might feel bound to spare Irina the pain and shame that revealing her connection Kobach would bring. Rather than go down that road, though, he forced himself to focus on the job at hand. After walking down a long brick and concrete hallway, Jake stopped outside a large metal door that Gibbs guessed was at least eighteen inches thick.

"Did this cell come with the place?" he asked, as Jake unlocked a gun safe on the wall next to the door, unholstered his .45 and placed it on a peg inside. Gibbs did the same with NCIS issue Sig Sauer.

"No, I made some inquiries and found the firm that does work on all the interrogation facilities for the alphabet agencies, forged some documentation, called them up and had the meat locker converted into a holding cell."

Gibbs right eyebrow shot up at how easy his son made the process sound. "So who's your forger?"

"Well, since it was just paperwork, I had McGee do it."

Gibbs started like he'd been slapped. "My McGee?"

Jake rolled his eyes and decided to get something off his chest. "Look, gunny, the cult of personality that you've created is getting old. McGee doesn't work for you, he works for NCIS. I paid him $20,000 for an hour's work. Get over yourself." Before the NCIS agent could respond, Jake unlocked the door and opened it.

Gibbs wasn't surprised by the sight of Nikolai Puchenko. He'd seen better, but he'd also seen worse. With what looked like great effort, Puchenko raised his head and looked at the two men, giving them a crooked smile. "How nice, you brought a friend."

Jake smiled back. "Yeah, this is my boss Jerry, he wanted to meet you."

Nikolai gave him a look that said he didn't believe a word of it. "I am not a stupid man, agent Harrison."

"Oh yeah, then why'd you get caught?" Jake asked. Gibbs leaned against the wall beside the door and watched.

Jake was reminded of the operation to kill Anthony Dinozzo Sr., five months earlier. Dinozzo Sr. had lowjacked, for lack of a better word, one of his men and allowed him to be captured in an effort to find his son Tony, who had been in NCIS protective custody. But that plan had failed. Even so, Jake had no interest in a repeat performance.

"It was not intentional, I assure you. Perhaps, I am losing my edge. It happens to all of us."

Jake chuckled. For a Special Forces soldier turned pimp, the guy could be funny. "That it does, Nikolai. That it does."

000

"So, what'd you think?" Jake asked, after they left the interrogation room.

Gibbs shrugged. "What'd he tell you?"

"Who his boss is and where he hanks out."

"Arkady Kobach, right?" Gibbs asked and Jake nodded, not giving away that he was surprised his father knew the target's name, but figured Morgan or Max had told him and they had a good reason.

"Call Franks." Gibbs said.

"Why? What'd we need him for?" Even though Jake liked and respected Mike, the former NCIS agent attracted trouble like a lightning rod.

"Just trust me." Gibbs said, and Jake shrugged.

"Ok. Will do." Jake said, silently wondering why it was so important to call Mike Franks. "But you're responsible for him once he gets here."

Gibbs balked. "Why me?"

"'Cause you wanted him here." Jake said, pulling out his cellphone. But if he'd had any idea what would come in the next twelve hours, the former operator would be glad to have Franks'.

000