Chapter 12
"Got any softballs for your old man to start with?"
"No, I played Basketball and Football, so I tend to hit the ground running."
"You played sports. That's good."
Tony just stayed quiet. He wasn't interested in small talk, not here and not now. It was not hard to notice either and Joe started thinking that something was going on in his youngest son's head. He decided to start with the question.
"Your mother and I were very happy while we were together, but as with all couples, we had our disagreements." He paused to gather his thoughts, but Tony didn't give him a rest.
"Some disagreement, she left you and cried every night for months. If that's a disagreement, I don't want know what you consider a fight. If you don't really want to answer that one right now, that's fine. If you still want that softball, how about 'why couldn't this meeting wait a day or so?' or 'if you knew that Chris and Lily had met me, why didn't you take into consideration that I told Chris and Beth I needed a little time to process all this before meeting anyone else?' Want either one of those?"
"I feel like I'm in an interrogation. Why is that, Tony?"
"I'm a federal agent, it's a hazard of the job."
He looked at his son and started to get upset. "Is this how it's going to be?"
"I don't know, I haven't had time to really think about it. What would you do if the situation was reversed and I found you first?" He paused for just a moment and sat forward, meeting his father's gaze aggressively. "Let's say I surprised you by invading your inner sanctum and demanded you acknowledge me. And then let's add the fact that I was sloppy and someone else found out that the feds were getting really close to you. How would that affect your life? And let's just add that you're not sure you can convince anyone that I'm not a plant."
Joe did him the courtesy of thinking of what he said before he responded. "Chris was sloppy?"
"Someone was sloppy."
"How did they find you?"
"You don't know? You really are a goal oriented person aren't you?" Tony said, reclining into the back of his chair. "Let's just say that someone from another agency warned my director that I was being looked at by a very important mob family. I have no idea what they know beyond that, but that does not necessarily bode well for my future in my chosen profession."
"No matter what happens, family protects family and you would have a place in our family business."
"Which one is that?" was the snide response.
Joe raised an eyebrow, but chose to ignore the attitude. "We have many businesses that are above and beyond reproach."
"Good to know. That wouldn't help me."
The two men were stopped from any further comment by the ring of Tony's home phone. "Excuse me. I'd better answer that." He rose from his seat and proceeded to the kitchen without waiting for an answer.
"DiNozzo."
"Abby, what does the text say?"
Abby turned her phone so that Gibbs could read the words she received from Tony earlier in the evening. 'BDAD APT. TELL LG. OKSF WNTD U 2 NO. CALL .5HR.'
"Translation please."
"His birth father is at his place. Tell Gibbs. I'm okay so far. Wanted us to know. Call him in half an hour."
"Ok, how are we on time?"
"T minus 5."
"Give me a minute to think, Abby."
"Okay, but you can't have more than that. He's counting on me, and I won't let him down."
"DiNozzo."
"TONY! Is he still there?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Are you okay?"
"Can I have the definition please?"
"Snide, sarcastic sense of humor is out, so not all good, but no one needs an EMT yet."
Tony had to smile at that and he let it show through his voice. "Good deduction there, Watson."
"Thank you, sir."
"So, what can I expect?"
"Gibbs will be there in less than 20."
"Taking the long route. Anyone else know yet?"
"Not yet, but Sacks checks your file every once in a while, so…"
Tony cut her off urgently, "So it won't be long before…"
She chimes back in. "Tony! Who are you talking to? I was trying to tell you that I took care of that."
"Abs, it has to stay in my records, or if someone later got that info and found it wasn't there, I'd be toast."
"Please, I'm hurt. I encrypted that part of your file as if it is classified information."
"Really? Think it will work on Sacks?"
"Not totally, he'll see something new he can't access and then go to our favorite FeeBI, who will then come to Gibbs. Let's just see how long it takes."
"Leave it to you to make my life a game."
"Awww, poor Tony."
"Yea, well thanks Abs, but I'd better get back to my guest."
"Sure, good luck and tell me everything later."
"You got it. Whatever I'd think to leave out, you'd find out some other way anyhow. Bye, Abby." He paused for a moment to process what his favorite lab rat had just told him. He glanced at his watch and marked the time in his head, Gibbs should be here in about 15 minutes, so he had better give his 'father' a chance to leave if he wanted to. Tony went back to the living room and sat down again.
"That was my friend Abby. She told me that my boss was a little concerned for me and so is on his way here."
"Why would he be concerned?"
"There's been a lot of funny stuff going on in my life lately. And he's kind of an intense kind of person, so when he said that he was coming here, she wanted me to be forewarned."
"I'm glad that you have people who look out for you." There was a knock on Tony's front door. "Your boss was certainly in a hurry to get here."
"Gibbs driving like Gibbs wouldn't be here this fast." Tony replied as he rose from his seat to answer the door.
"Are you expecting anyone else?"
"No." Tony called back to Joe as he put his eye to the peek hole in his door. "Oh no." he said quietly to himself.
A/N – Well this is as good a place to end it now. It gives me a chance to update the story, and still leave me with a sense of where I want to go next. Thank you all so much for your reviews. They are truly appreciated.