"Morning, gentlemen." SecNav noticed the lack of Tony and Dorney at the table. "Bit earlier isn't it, Hawk?" Jethro said passing Tim the biscuit basket.

"Can I fix you a plate?"

"I wouldn't want to impose." SecNav said seating himself at the table. "It smells good."

Jackson sat a plate in front of him. "Just ham, home fries and eggs." The older man laughed.

"There's the rest of the team." SecNav rose and went to meet Ned and Tony as they exited the bedroom. He took one of the babies from Ned leaving him only one to carry. "Hello, there. You must be Agent Chris. I heard you were helping your papa with the case yesterday. Going to follow your parents' footsteps?" Chris studied the man intently. Finally, he opened his mouth and squealed.

"What's that?" Tony stopped next to his son. "You already have a partner? You and Linnie are going to take over the MCRT? Is that what you say?"

"Son, come sit down." Jackson chided him. "I heard you up during the night."

"Sorry, Jackson. Did I wake you?"

"I was already up."

"Were you sick?" Tony asked.

"I was fine."

Dorney blushed. "He... uh... came to fuss at me."

Jethro arched an eyebrow. "And just what were you doing?"

"I was trying to finish up some searches."

"I told him, he had to shut it down and go to sleep. Can't work day and night."

SecNav handed Chris to Jethro when he held out his hands. Jackson handed his son a bottle. SecNav watched as Jethro coaxed his son to take the nipple. Tony held his hands out for Linnie and Ned handed the baby over as Tony accepted his daughter's bottle. "How papa's girl this morning? Hmm... How's my girl? We had fun last night, didn't we? We read about Raggedy Ann. We'll have to read some more tonight." As Tony talked, Linnie focused on her papa. Well, she focused on her papa and her bottle.

"You're a lucky man, Jethro."

Jethro looked around the table at his family. "Yes, I am."

"Jackson, these eggs are wonderful."

"Just scrambled eggs a la Tony via Jackson." Jackson laughed at him. "My son-in-law's recipe created by me."

"My hat's off to both of you." McGee handed him a basket with still warm biscuits and SecNav took one. "I'm going to be running an extra two miles to work this off." Hawk bit into the warm buttered biscuit with a moan. "Totally worth it." The others around the table laughed. "Do you always work while congregating around the kitchen table?"

"Yes." The others chorused. Then they laughed.

"Tony and Jackson are such great cooks. It seems natural." Tim shrugged. "Since Tony has been injured it's easier for him if we meet here and if it so happens to be around mealtime. Win win."

"What he said." Ned said pouring another cup of coffee.

"When Tony headed the MCRT while boss was recovering, he used to hold campfires." Tim shook his head. "Not real ones. We'd all pull our chairs into the center of the office and just fire off thoughts, theories, ideas. This is just seemed like a natural progression."

"And that works for you?"

"Best closure rate in NCIS." Jethro bragged. "Didn't drop a bit while I was in Mexico. That's all Tony." He smiled at his blushing husband.

"I'm surprised Leon goes along with it."

"Can't argue with our closure rate. As long as it stays up, Leon closes his eyes."

"Tony, what makes a campfire work?"

Tony frowned a bit. "What we do is so restrictive, all the rules, regulations. Suits, ties. Look at us." He paused while Hawkins surveyed the men around the table. "The ties and jackets aren't on yet. We're just a family enjoying breakfast. We can feel free to say anything that we're thinking. McGee pointed out earlier that something is making the kids feel at ease. He brought up those clown kidnapping stories. Don't worry, we aren't going to start a clown panic but Tim hit on something."

"Somehow this perp knows these kids. If not the actual kid, then something about them that he is using to reach them. To put them at ease. Like a sports coach. Ducky is on his way over to update our profile."

Hawkins looked at McGee. "Good catch, agent. Will your program be able to catch something like that?"

Dorney nodded. "Since parameters will change by situation, I embedded a section that searches for any duplication among victims."

"How long will you need to get it up and running?"

"Actually, Tim gave me a hand before breakfast with the section that was giving me trouble last night. We're doing a test run on the existing data this morning."

Hawk looked impressed. "What will you do with the results?"

"If anything shows, we'll contact the interviewers and ask them to incorporate questions dealing with what we have."

"What else did you come up with this morning?" Hawk looked back at Tony.

"Jethro suggested checking the medical histories for sports injuries. It would be difficult for the perp to know all the boys, but if they went to a sports injury clinic..."

"Adjacent care. Good call."

"Beep... Beep... Beep..."

"What the devil?" Jackson was startled by the alarm.

"That's the alert." Dorney was up and moving for the living room.

McGee was pinned in behind the table and was left to explain. "Dorney built in an alert. That way if the program came up with something we hear it. That way, it doesn't have to be monitored 24/7."

"So we'll know shortly if it's working?" Hawkins clarified.

"It is." Dorney said from the doorway. "We've got something. Wray and Eldredge were both kidnapped coming home from football practice. Lau is on his school team."

Hawkins turned to McGee. "You may have cracked this case."

"No." McGee shook his head. "Ned's program cracked it. I just tossed out an idea."

"Dorney."

"The admin center has input several files. I'll restart the queries."

"McGee."

"I'll notify Vance and Balboa."

"DiNozzo."

"I'll pull the files and have them waiting for Ducky. I'll also send an email to the Taskforce so the information is waiting for them. We'll have a draft of some follow-up questions for the interviewers."

Within minutes the team had disbursed leaving Hawk and Jackson at the table each holding a baby. Hawk shook his head ruefully. "And that's the Gibbs I remember." The two men laughed.

"Jethro."

"In here, Ducky."

Ducky paused to wave at the men in the kitchen before disappearing into the living room.

"Shall we?"

"Oh, no. My grandchildren don't need to be seeing that. Zuma and I are going to take them out on the back porch and get a little fresh air and sunshine. You let me know when that Taskforce gets here."

The investigation picked up speed over the next hour. More results started coming in. Each alarm brought more sport players; swimmers, runners, baseball, martial arts, rugby, soccer. Ducky looked at medical records looking for past injuries. Unfortunately, it was their current case that brought caused the first stumble. According to his parents and headmaster, Lyle was not interested in sports. He had declined to join a sport team in order to take language courses. The final tally was ten sport players and three non-sport players of the sixteen victims reported.

It was a dejected group who were drawn back to the kitchen table where Jackson served up hot cocoa, coffee, cold milk and brownies fresh from the oven. Hawk watched Tony try to rally the troops and set aside his own disappointment. "Hey, this is only our second day on the case. How many times has the first theory been right?"

"The wife did it." McGee muttered.

"Well, that does usually come true," Tony admitted.

"Remember Tony's theory that they were smuggling keys into prison in muffins."

Tony frowned at his husband. "Totally would have worked. Umm... muffins..."

Gibbs issued his trademark attention getter.

"Sorry, boss. But seriously, look at what we've accomplished. We cleared information on thirteen victims in how many hours? Ned, your program has cut the time to review substantially."

Ned looked balefully at the living room as the alarm sounded again. But, he took a long drink of cocoa and trudged in to retrieve the printout.

"Alright, any other theories?"

"Guys. Hey, guys." Ned stood in the door his face pale.

Tony looked up. "Ned?"

"We've got a thirteen out of thirteen."

Section 25

The Taskforce gathered quickly. The other six families were needed for confirmation. Now that they had found a link, they needed to put it together quickly. The police liaisons were suitably impressed by the program and Ned was almost in a constant blush. They were even more impressed when Hawk informed them that as soon as the program was cleaned up and polished, they would be receiving it for their precincts for a trial basis before rolling it out to other agencies. Sellers and Fornell were also on the trial list.

"Where do we stand?" Hawk asked.

"Currently seventeen of seventeen. We're still waiting on Hext and Leary."

"Hext is a yes." Once of the admin clerks came in. "Still waiting on Leary."

"Alright. Let's run with it." Tony said. "We have seventeen choir members. Do we know where? School? Church?"

The white board had reappeared in the kitchen. The nineteen photos had been removed and the boy's names were written down the side chart style. Jethro rose. "What type of choirs are there?"

"Church." "School." "Community." "Private." Were quickly offered by the Taskforce members and the columns labeled.

"Lachtna Innocenzo Adami?" As Jethro began a role call, the members looked in the files they had in front of them.

"Catholic church." Smith answered.

"Riagan Fedele Baggi?"

Canmore called out, "School."

"Martie Algar Daubney?"

Again Canmore answered, "Church."

"Milford Kevin Davidson?"

"School," answered Masters .

"Mawuli Ferdinand Eldridge?"

"Private." McGee answered.

"Domnall Keane Friel?"

Tony had the file. "Church."

"Joshua Piers Garrick?"

Sellers replied. "Catholic Church."

"Oghenekaro Jamey Hamilton?"

The next was Fornell's. "School."

"Husam Nash Hext?"

"Community." Sellers answered.

"Huan Jing Lam?"

"Church." Vance answered.

"Zhi Cheng Lau?"

"Church," came from Masters.

"Nereo Abramo Leary?"

"Pending." Ned spoke up.

"Lyle Patrick Lowell?"

"School." Hawk called.

"Finbarr Flann MacMaghnuis?"

"Church." Smith said.

"Alfeo Anselmo Quattrocchi?"

Tony snickered as Jethro mangled the name. "School."

"Tore Armando Scotti?"

"Church." McGee called out.

"Jaydon Zhong Vipond?"

"Private." Sellers replied.

"Norton Mordikai Wray?"

"Community." Canmore answered.

"Hong Zhen Zhang?"

"School." Smith finished.

"Nine in church, Five in school, two in private, two in community."

"Leary is church." The clerk reappeared in the doorway.

"Ten in church."

"That's nineteen out of nineteen."

"We have the connection, but the choirs are still spread over DC, Maryland and Virginia."

"Maybe the perp travels to churches on weekends. Goes to school programs."

"We need to know where the choirs have performed for the last three years." Gibbs looked at the team. "We'll have to go through them. Maybe there's some overlap."

"How does he pick them?" Smith spoke up.

"Could they all bass? Tenor? Soprano? Alto?" Fornell spoke up.

Gibbs spoke up. "Get Balboa on the phone. Let's not call the families again. Go directly to the choir directors. Find out the boys' vocal ranges."

"Solos..." Tony spoke up. "See if the boys sang a solo in the programs over the last two or three years."

"And the name of the solos." McGee added.

"Languages?" Masters questioned.

"Dates of their concerts?" Sellers offered. "Maybe there's a pattern between performance and attack.

"Do we have the names of the choirs?"

Ned nodded as he grabbed his phone. He was dialing Balboa while Gibbs added the suggestions for information to the white board.

"Ducky, any thoughts?"

"My dear boy, there just isn't enough for a profile. I have been able to put a better timeline together. It is my opinion based upon what pictures there are of the incisions, is that each boy is operated on at least twelve hours before the return. It appears he watches for complications prior to leaving the boys on the steps."

"There's a connection deeper than choir among these boys." Tony insisted.

"What about the medically adjacent?" Canmore asked.

"Vocal coaches." Dorney spoke up.

Tony hated himself for the thought he had just had. "Not necessary, is it, Ducky?"

"I'm afraid not, Anthony." Ducky sipped his tea. "I still firmly believe our perpetrator has some medical training. However, the suspect boy has enlarged the field as Anthony suspects. The perpetrator does not have to be in the field of musical production or choirs. His connection could be formed from the audience. Which when you multiply the number of choruses by the number of concerts by the number of seats..."

"Holy Christ." Masters exclaimed. He and the other Taskforce members were stunned. Masters continued, "How do we narrow it down?"

Tony shook his head. There was no way their perp could have attended all the concerts that their victims performed. There had to be a common denominator. He could feel something tickling the back of his brain, or it was an after effect of too many Gibbs' slaps.

"DiNozzo? What is it?" Gibbs recognized the look.

Tony focused desperately. There was something. But it was in his memory just out of reach.

"Come on, think it through."

"Tony's on to something," McGee explained quietly to the rest of the Taskforce. "I can tell by the look."

The task members watched as Gibbs pushed Tony's chair away from the table.

"Tony, slow down. Think it out."

"A concert... for Christmas... no..."

"Talk to me, DiNozzo. Talk it out."

"Holiday... no... no... I can see it..."

"What are you seeing, DiNozzo?"

Tony shook his head in frustration. "A flyer."

"From church? Maybe Christmas mass?"

"No. Abby posted it. ... Celebration... something...Charity..."

"Celebration of the Seasons in Charity." Smith exclaimed. "The flyers were all over."

"Yes," Tony exclaimed in relief. "Kids' choirs in the area were invited to participate with all the ticket sales going to charity. The event went viral."

"I remember. Four of the big churches stepped up to help the event. There were so many choirs and people wanting tickets that they decided to make it a four-season event."

"Spring was in DC to coincide with the Apple Blossoms. Traffic was a nightmare. I pulled every off-duty officer in." Canmore said.

"Alexandria was the Summer; Fourth of July weekend. I remember how hot it was the first year. Anyone who bitched to me more than twice volunteered to direct traffic last year." Masters grinned. "We had so many volunteers."

"Didn't I hear something about some "naturalists" stealing a police boat?" Smith smirked.

"Laugh it up." Masters groaned. "They called me in to oversee the arrests. Can you believe the one woman tried to sue because her "important bits" got burned by the seat?"

Tony laughed. "Hope the scenery was at least worth it." Masters threw a crumbled paper at him while Gibbs tried for a head slap. Tony smirked being just out of reach until McGee delivered one for him.

"Baltimore took the fall event." Smith shook his head. "They scheduled it during Oktoberfest."

"You mean 'Beer Week,' don't you? Good times." Tony grinned.

"Winter came back to DC. It was so cold and we had the nor'easter." Canmore groaned in remembrance. "Thirty mile an hour winds and bitter cold rain."

"I had tickets," Tony remembered, "but we pulled a triple homicide. We were canvasing the park in the rain trying to get evidence before it was washed or blown away."

"McGee."

"I'll contact the venues and ticket agents for their sales lists."

"Tony."

"I'll start compiling the dates of the performances against the attack dates."

"Dorney."

"I'll have Balboa call the choir directors."

"Programs." Tony interrupted.

"What?"

"There may be copies of the programs online."

McGee headed for the other room.

"Which could give us other possible targets." Ducky said. "Wonderful idea, Anthony."

Tony sighed. "It's not going to help much. The crowds were huge."

"It's more than we had before." Dorney spoke up. "We just have to figure it out before..."

"Don't say it," Tony pleaded, his Gibbs gut twisting.

"He strikes again."

"Gibbs." Smith held up his phone. "One of my precincts just got an alert. Emanuele Naster O'Malley did not return to school after lunch. The detective is contacting the school right now."

Tony delivered a slap to the back of Dorney's head. "I told you not to say it.

While they waited the entire room grew quiet waiting to see if their theory held. Half hoping it would, because they were on the right path, the rest hoping not because they would have less over twenty-four hours to prevent another mutilation.

"Confirmed. Soprano in the school choir."

"This is it. We need to nail him now. I don't want another mutilated boy dumped on some church steps the day after tomorrow."

"The churches aren't random."

"Tony?"

"Look at the churches which were used more than once. They are the four sponsors."

"Dorney." Gibbs said.

"Checking."

"Come on, Dorney." Gibbs prompted.

"It's where the boys performed in the choir, not necessarily the church their parents attended."

"Smith."

"I'll put undercover officers around the church. If he scouts the location in advance, we'll get him."

"Vance, we have to have the lists of the people who purchased the tickets."

"I'll call legal get them working on subpoenas in case we need them."

"We have to move fast but we need to move carefully." Tony interjected. "He has not intentionally killed any of the boys. Lyle was a tragic accident. But, if he gets suspicious..."

"Cone of silence. Do not engage." Smith confirmed. "Tail only."

"I'll send my team to the precinct," Tobias said. "Give you some extra manpower."

"Thanks."

"Whatever you need, Smith." Hawkins said, "Tell me."

"This is our victim." McGee handed out pictures he had printed from his phone.

"This is the boy we save." Gibbs corrected firmly. "He will not be a victim."

"Last of the programs." McGee handed the copies to Tony who distributed them. McGee had brought each member a chart of the victims.

Section 26

Each member worked cautiously as any error could cost another young boy his life. Jackson kept the coffee cups filled. As the time moved on, a platter of burgers, Tony's pizza burgers and taco burgers filled the table along with a batch of Tony's vegetable and potato fries. All murmured thanks to Jackson as they worked on. Jackets and ties were discarded over time.

As each found a solo match, they would go to the whiteboard and write down the name of the solo and date of event. Dorney would copy the information and fill in the date of the attack and date of return, as well as days of the week, and added it to the spreadsheet looking for any pattern. Although the chart was filling in and they were pretty sure he was targeting soloists; the pattern ended there.

Throughout the day and evening when morale started to ebb, Hawkins watched Tony. More than one sigh of disappointment meant the member ending up with a cooing infant in their nap. Rubbing tired eyes got you asked a favor. Would you mind taking the cutest pup out for a walk? There should be a law against a puppy having such perfect puppy eyes. Getting up to stretch your legs? You got invited for a tour of the basement with Gunny. Most came back with sawdust on their clothes which made Hawkins want to know just what was in the basement.

As the day wore on, more people arrived. The goth, Abby, Hawkins remembered from NCIS brought cases of sodas, juices and power drinks. Another woman identified as Dr. Palmer's wife Breena arrived with a baby and bags of ice. The baby joined Chris and Linnie in circulating around the table. Soon a large tub of iced drinks was on the back patio. Dr. Palmer arrived a bit later and after saying hello had disappeared into the back yard.

Breena shooed Jackson into the living room for a while. Soon, amazing smells were emanating from the oven. Abby brought in more bags and began setting up disposable cups and things up on the counter. Hawkins was amused that she cornered Tony and scolded him about the environment and making her buy "those kind of things." In less than five minutes, she was laughing and rolling her eyes even while she swatted his arm.

While Victoria manned the Taskforce table assisting the members, Chris and Linnie went off duty for their naps. It was dusk when Anthony started shooing the protesting Taskforce members to the backyard. "We've been hard at it all day. We need to eat properly and then start fresh. We can't help Emanuele by running on fumes."

Hawkins found Gibbs and himself backing Tony up. "I know that this isn't typical protocol. We've all pooled the all-nighters with coffee eating holes in our insides. That might be right for some cases, but Tony has a point. We need to stay fresh." Gibbs stated flatly.

Hawkins pulled up his SecNav persona. "Gentlemen, I am beyond impressed by what has been accomplished in the past two days. Two days," Hawkins repeated. "Stop for a moment and consider that. Have you ever seen such progress on a case like this in two days? What has been accomplished here may well set the standard for future cases. I know that Agent Dorney's program will revolutionize how information is reviewed. The queries that Agent McGee is developing to look for patterns will become a standard protocol. We all know the clock is ticking but I think we owe it to ourselves and especially to Emanuele and the other victims to give this our best. Tony and Gibbs are right, we can't do our best if we don't take care of ourselves."

"I have been assured by the management that jackets and ties are not required. So gentlemen, I suggest you file past the sink and wash up. Our table is reserved in the back yard."

Weary men seemed to feel their morale lift. Obediently, they washed up and headed outback. Picnic tables had been set up as a long table. Grabbing their beverage of juice from the big tub or one of the many pitchers on a smaller table, they gravitated towards the table mingling with the NCIS crew aka Gibbs family. They were stunned to find several nuns helping bring large bowls to the table where they would eat "family style".

"Sister Mary Thomas."

"Ah, Eddie." The older nun smiled. "How wonderful to see you again."

"I didn't expect to see you." The nun had served in the church Ed Masters attended in Richmond before being transferred.

"The diocese felt I could be more useful here than Richmond."

"Are you a member of the family?" Kyle asked curiously.

The sisters laughed as they carried on their duties. "Abby bowls with us. We met everyone here through her. Since then Anthony and Jethro and the others have become like family. When we heard what was happening from Abby when she came to borrow chairs, we volunteered to help."

"Demanded to help, you mean," the goth interjected. "She," Abby pointed at Mary Thomas, "threatened to put butter in my bowling ball."

Tony snorted as he gave the nun a kiss on the check. "Thank-you. We are very grateful. Let me..."

"You will sit and eat. We have candles lit for you but you must do your part in your healing."

"How is the pantry? Do you need..."

"The pantry has never been so well stocked. If we run low, I know Abby will rat us out. Now shoo." She used a shooing motion that had Ed and Kyle laughing as Tony was sent on his way.

"I never," Ed struggled to find a way to phrase his question.

"We have lit candles and lifted all the boys up in prayer. You are doing all you can to save a young boy. You have skills we do not. We can help provide sustenance for your bodies and souls. So, yes, we 'demanded' to be allowed to help. Now, boys, sit. Dinner is about to begin." The sister moved to stand at the head of the table and offered grace as well as a prayer of blessing for the work that was being done and seeking divine assistance in locating Emanuele.

The Taskforce were stunned by the dinner. The sisters ensured that the family and Taskforce beverages were kept full. They heaped thick juicy steaks and chops on platters from red hot grills and passed around. Trays of baked potatoes were passed around; the Gibbs family explaining the varieties and offering/arguing over their recommendations. Casseroles of vegetables in combinations that seemed unusual were devoured as the combinations of tastes and flavors exploded on their tongues. The whole meal didn't take an hour, but it was a refreshed group that returned to the hunt.

"We got them." McGee exclaimed.

"Got what, McGee?"

"Legal just sent through the purchase records for the concerts."

Leon had been good as his word. Legal had made the case a priority. When the ticket sellers had baulked, attorneys had moved on the courts.

"Volunteers to compare them?" Tony asked.

"Uh, actually," McGee spoke up. "While I was trying to find a pattern, I put together a quick program to find duplicates."

"Gold star, McProgrammer." Tony leaned past Kyle to fist bump McGee.

"Drats."

"McCleanMouth, Drats? Really?"

"What's wrong, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"The files are all different. No one used the same fields names, links, program."

"Back to manual?" Tobias asked.

"Wait a minute." Dorney moved over to look at the files. "What if we save them to an ascii file, rip out the extraneous using a search and delete. Assign each venue a number, then throw them together and do a text string..."

"Dorney?"

"Yes, Gibbs?"

"Don't give me a headache. More doing, less talking." Tony snickered at his husband's attitude. "Any other new information?"

"He's targeting sopranos." Dorney replied.

"You sure?"

"Twenty out of twenty." Dorney held up printout from his program.

Gibbs added the new information to the white board.

Tony fiddled with his laptop. A voice began to fill the room.

"DiNozzo!"

"Sorry, boss. Balboa sent me a link to the one solo." DiNozzo tried to silence it and then froze. "Ducky?"

"I heard it, Anthony."

"Heard what?"

"I'm calling Balboa. We need to talk to the choir directors now." Tony scrambled for his phone, leaving the others perplexed.

"DiNozzo..."

"Jethro," Ducky help up his hand. "I can't believe I didn't notice it sooner. It seemed so random. But I believe Anthony has found the missing link."

"Spit it out, Duck."

"They are all pre-pubescent sopranos. If I am correct, Agent Balboa will be calling back to confirm that each of our previous victims were in the process of their voices changing." Ducky looked around the table. "I believe that we will find that our victims experienced a shift while performing their solos."

Bart Smith grabbed his phone also. "Pederson." Bart spoke to the detective who was with the O'Malley family in the event a ransom request was received. "Did Emanuele's voice crack during his solo," he quickly consulted the list to give date, song and location. "Yes, it's important. Right. Okay." He closed the call. "Emanuele's mother said he was very embarrassed because his voice did crack during the performance."

"Tobias."

"I'll contact my team and confirm that the vic..." he glanced quickly at Tony. "Emaunele fits the profile and is a target of the serial kidnaper."

"Vance."

"I'll have Balboa's team head for Maryland. Where do you want the teams to meet, Smith?"

While the rest of the Taskforce coordinated, Dunston kept studying the board. Earlier he had felt that he wasn't contributing enough since his agents hadn't come up with anything on the propafal. He had been disabused of that idea by Tony. This was not a competition. It was a team, Tony had stressed. They supported each other, tossed out ideas and theories. There wasn't any idea too crazy, they needed to think outside the box. Consider new ways of reviewing, rearranging and considering the evi... Dunston froze.

He looked at the compiled list that McGee had provided. It listed the victims by date of concert, with their name, song, their dates of abduction and return. Taking a fresh piece of paper, Dunston began to scribble.

"What have you got?" Gibbs asked from his right side.

"Maybe nothing, but..." Dunston pointed to his writing. "There doesn't appear to be any discernable pattern between performance and abduction. But, there appears to be a pattern to the abductions themselves. I need to check a calendar to be sure but each abduction seems spaced."

"McGee." At his boss's quiet call, McGee looked up and then made his way around the table. By the time, McGee joined them Dunston had pushed back from the table and the three men had a quiet conference. McGee returned to his computer and began quickly typing.

"Boss." When Gibbs looked up, McGee nodded.

"We have a pattern." Gibbs announced, and the task force looked up. "Dunston?"

"I was looking at the information and I though about what Tony said about looking outside the box. We had been looking in vain for a pattern between the performance and the kidnappings. There is a pattern to the dates of abductions for the first nineteen abductions. The abductions take place almost every two months."

"Crap." Tony thumped his head on the table. "Missed the forest for the trees again." The Taskforce laughed at his antics. "Great catch, Dunston."

"It fits for everyone except Emanuele. Why the change?" Tobias asked.

"Mr. Lowell died." Ducky offered. "He was unable to fulfill his need. He's looking for a substitute to fulfill his compulsion."

"We know which boys he is targeting. We know approximately when he is hunting. But we still don't know why?"

"Any ideas at all, Dr. Mallard?" Leon asked. Tony rolled his eyes at the formality.

"I wish I did. I really wish I did."

"Campfire time," Tony chortled and it was Vance's turn to roll his eyes. "I say Colonel Mustard did it because they failed to preform his favorite songs to his standard."

"Colonel Mustard? Really, DiNozzo?"

"Ms. Scarlett did it. She was passed over for a scholarship to Julliard by a boy soprano undergoing a voice change." Jimmy spoke up.

"Ms.? Really, Black lung?"

"It is a possibility, Anthony." Ducky conceded. "The amount of effort required to hold the mask in place could be applied by a female. Also, our abductees may have felt more at ease with a female abductor."

"None of the boys were extremely heavy." Tobias added.

"Okay. Ms. Scarlett is a valid choice." Tony affirmed. "So we have failure to perform the songs to the standard expected. Being passed over for a scholarship."

"Maybe Mrs. White was passed over for a job; like a vocal coach? Or a vocal teacher?" Bart got into the swing of things.

Hawkins narrowed his eyes. Okay, while they were having fun with the topic, there were also very valid suggestions. Looking at Dr. Mallard, he obviously agreed.

"Professor Plum was beaten in a contest or competition." Kyle voted.

Not to be outdone, Ed spoke up. "It was Mr. Green. He lost his seat on the choir when his voice cracked."

"Beep... Beep..." The members grew somber as the alert sounded. McGee and Dorney headed for the other room where the ticket lists were running.

"McGee." Gibbs hollered.

Jackson issued a head slap. "You're going to wake the babies."

"Boss." McGee stood in the doorway. "It's making matches."

The Taskforce broke out in smiles and calls of congratulations. They knew they were getting closer. "Okay, do we have to wait for it to finish running?" Gibbs asked.

"We embedded a subroutine that will spit out the matches as they're found." McGee held up the papers in his hand. "This is the first four." Eager hands reached out, but McGee handed them directly to Gibbs.

Tony began a drum roll. "And the first contestant on you might be a serial lunatic is..."

Gibbs just rolled his eyes as he scanned the form. Not only did it have all the contact information, it listed which concerts.

"We decided to start with the persons who bought all three season packages and then work down." McGee explained.

"So, our first suspect is the president?" Gibbs asked.