Authors Note: Hey everybody, look a fairly quick update. It might would have been yesterday, but I was kind of caught up in my new obssession (it's all my sister's fault). Yeah, we kind of got hooked on watching Burn Notice. We just finished watching season one. It is an awesome show. You should check it out. It comes on USA network.
Anyway, it is very important to read my sister's half, Dark Foreigner, this time because our stories don't really cross as much this time. Tony has got some other stuff and you don't want to miss out on what is going on where Daniel is, you might miss out on some vital info.
So anyway, enjoy. and as always ley me know what you think.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, unfortunately, since I still have to go to work every morning.
Chapter 12
As Gibbs walked by, the phone on Tony's desk began to ring. The older man paused by the elevator, watching Tony pick up the phone, while he was waiting for everyone to follow him to Abby's lab.
"DiNozzo," Tony spoke into the receiver.
"Agent DiNozzo, this is Petty Officer Pine at the security desk," a young voice said from the other end of the line, "You have a visitor here."
"I do," Tony questioned curiosity evident in his voice.
"Yes Sir. He said his name is Cambrough," the Petty Officer informed, "And he says that he's your uncle."
Uncle Cambrough, that was a name Tony hadn't heard in a while. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, he thought. "Tell him, I'll be right down."
"Yes Sir," the young man just barely managed to reply as Tony hung the phone up on him.
By that time, the rest of the two teams were getting on the elevator. Both Gibbs and Daniel watched Tony as he quickly walked in their direction, but didn't get on the elevator.
"Boss, I'll meet you guys down there. I have an errand to run real quick," Tony spoke looking directly at Gibbs in silent communication.
"Hurry," was all Gibbs said before hitting the button that signaled the elevator to go.
Tony quickly walked to the stair well. As soon as the door closed shut behind him, he quickly descended the stairs quicker than was really safe. He arrived at the security desk in record time. He saw standing there an older man with gray hair. He was wearing a dark blue suit with just a plain white button up shirt with no tie. Tony did a mental head shake to make sure he wasn't seeing things. But he knew for sure he wasn't when he looked up into the familiar gray eyes. The older man had a smile on his face as he watched Tony approach.
"I'll take it from here Petty Officer," Tony order, "Uncle Cambrough."
"Anthony," Cambrough simply replied before following after the young man.
Tony led the way to the elevator in silence. Pushing the button, he waited for the elevator to come. He didn't cast a single glance at the man beside him because he knew without looking that he was there. The elevator arrived and a ding was heard as the door slid open. The two men walked got on and watched still in silence as the door slid back closed. They no sooner started to move when Tony reached out and hit the infamous stop button. He turned to face the man with gray eyes. Tony finally let the smile he was holding back come as he moved forward and wrapped the older man in a big hug.
"Tony," Cambrough said as he hugged the young man back.
"Oscar," Tony pulled away from the man.
"How have you been?"
"I'm sure you know how I've been."
"Ah yes," Oscar smiled slightly, "I must admit, I was a little worried a few years ago when you got the plague."
"Nice to know you've been keeping tabs," Tony returned the smile, and then turned serious, "But why are you really here?"
"Figures, you always know when I have something important to tell you."
"It's the only time you ever call me Anthony."
"True. I know you've seen the body with your mark on it, since NCIS is investigating the murder. Or I suppose I should say your team is investigating it."
Tony merely nodded his head for Oscar to continue.
"Well, obviously, we still have not had any success catching the guy."
"Obviously," Tony remarked sarcastically.
"Unfortunately, we still haven't been able to identify the killer. We've had some clues, but nothing concrete enough to tell us who it is," Oscar explained.
"Okay, but that still doesn't tell me why you're here. You know I'm glad to see you, but what happened to the no contact thing," Tony questioned, but kept his face clear of emotion.
"Well, what we have found out about the killer is that before he takes out his target, he plays a cat and mouse game with them. To let them know he knows where they are. Like leaving his targets mark on a body he knows the target will find."
"Like the body in the morgue with my mark on it," Tony acknowledged, "I take it he's after me then?"
"That's what I'm afraid of. He apparently has a least narrowed down where you are."
"Is that all you came to tell me," Tony asked hiding the suspicion he held. He also knew that Oscar hadn't heard about Daniel's mark showing up on a body, which means he doesn't know that Daniel is here.
"No, I came to tell you that we need to relocate you. We have no way of knowing if he knows that you're Dark Angel or not, but be assured that he will figure it out. And probably soon," Oscar told him.
"Relocate. I don't think so. I didn't like it the first time," Tony informed his old friend.
"It's not a suggestion. It's an order," Oscar said knowing he was going to have this problem.
"Seven years ago that might would work, but not now. I'm not going to run. I'll figure out who this guy is and hunt him down myself."
"It's not really open for discussion, Tony."
"You're right it's not, because I'm not going to hide again."
Oscar closed his eyes with a sigh. He knew he would have this problem. Tony had always been stubborn, but apparently he was even more so now. Time to pull out the big guns because an order was obviously not going to work, Oscar thought.
Tony stood watching his old Boss quietly as the older man stood still in thought with his eyes closed. Granted he supposed Oscar was still his Boss, but those lines were kind of blurred now that Gibbs was in the picture. Finally the man in front of him opened his eyes with a look of determination in them. Tony merely cocked an eyebrow waiting.
"If you won't accept an order, then please do this for me Tony," Oscar pleaded, "You know how important you are to me and not just for the job you can do. I watched to grow up and become the man you are today. You are like the son I never had, you know that."
"That's hitting below the belt," Tony informed him. He knew that Oscar meant every word. In truth, he was like a father to Tony, since his real father never played that role. But none of that changed his decision. No, he couldn't leave, not now. He had friends now. He wasn't the same person he was seven years ago. He had changed and he owed his friends that much, especially Gibbs. Gibbs was the only other person who was almost like a father to him. Tony also knew that Gibbs would most likely hunt him to the end of the earth if he tried to leave, especially if Gibbs knew he was in danger. Gibbs protects his own. That was when Tony realized something, this was his family now.
"And it's not going to work," Tony began after several minutes, "I can't leave. It's not because I don't feel like you were a father to me, because you were and still are. But I'm not the same man I used to be. I have friends here."
"You can make new friends, Tony," Oscar reasoned.
"They are family, and I refuse to be separated from my family again," Tony emphasized what happened seven years ago when he got separated from Daniel, who was his brother, just not in blood. He also decided to leave out the fact that Daniel was here for now. Tony knew that if Oscar knew, he would use Daniel to get Tony to follow his order. That might be the only thing that would get Tony to agree but he couldn't let that happen. So for now, Daniel's presence is need to know, and Oscar didn't need to know.
"Tony, you have to realize…"
"No," Tony emphasized, "Or do I need to say it in another language. Would you like to pick one?"
"Fine," Oscar gave in, "Then what do you presume we do?"
"I know someone you should meet. He might have a few ideas."
"You are referring to Special Agent Gibbs, your CO," Oscar questioned.
"That I am," Tony replied finally smiling again. Then he reached over and pulled the stop out. The elevator continued its downward trek to Abby's lab. Tony knew Gibbs would still be down there. The elevator reached the desired floor quickly.
"Stay here. Hold the elevator," Tony said as he walked out of it and down to Abby's lab where he could hear some discussion going on. He walked in, the conversation stopped, and all eyes turned to him.
"DiNozzo," Gibbs said giving him a glare that said what took so long.
"Sorry Boss. But could I talk to you for a moment," Tony asked, "Privately?"
Gibbs walked by the others on his way to were DiNozzo still stood by the door.
"Office," Gibbs asked.
"Yeah," Tony said turning to lead the way to the waiting elevator. Tony could sense Gibbs's spidey senses going when they reached the elevator and he saw the man waiting in the car. Once again, they got on and waited for the elevator to move. It wasn't long before Gibbs hit the stop button and turned to Tony with a questioning look.
"Gibbs meet Oscar Cambrough, my former boss. Oscar meet Gibbs," Tony introduced the two men. He took a hesitant step back as the two men stood silently staring each other down briefly sizing each other up.
Cambrough took the silent moment to appraise the taller man before him. Sure, he had read the other man's file, but he had to admit that the file really didn't do Agent Gibbs any justice. It was obvious that Gibbs was part of the reason Tony was so adamant on not running. There was no way Agent Gibbs would let him go that easily. This could pose a problem later on down the road.
Gibbs stood opposite of the older man meeting the gray eyes head on. Granted, Tony hadn't divulged too much information about his original job, but then they hadn't had that much time. Either way, Gibbs knew there was a definite connection between them. The only real downside was that Cambrough seemed to know more about Gibbs than Gibbs knew about him. But that matter would get rectified later when he decided to drag Tony off to have another little chat.
"Special Agent Gibbs," Cambrough said finally breaking the silence.
"Cambrough," Gibbs replied sending Tony a look letting him know they needed to talk later.
"Right," Tony said answering the unstated order, "Well, now that we're all acquainted like one big happy family, how about…"
"I take it he has some information regarding our current case."
"Yes, I do," Cambrough stated before Tony had a chance to speak.
"Well," Gibbs questioned.
"First I need to know how much Tony has told you about himself, because obviously he has told you something about his past."
"Let's just say he's told me enough," Gibbs replied casting a glance at Tony, noting the mask his agent was now wearing.
"Oscar, just tell him what you have and haven't told me," Tony spoke knowing there was still something that his old boss hasn't said.
"Yes, straight to the point, I suppose that would be best," Cambrough said, "As I told Tony a few minutes ago we don't really know much about the suspect. We do know that he has been systematically picking off agents from one division. That's why Tony is here. Seven years ago, we found out about this breach and decided our best move was to put our assets into hiding. Unfortunately, we have still been…"
"You mean to tell me you've had seven years to catch this guy and you still have no clue as to who it is," Gibbs questioned unbelieving what he was hearing.
"I wish I could say it wasn't, but that is what has happened. The main reason I came here was to try and convince Tony we needed to relocate his hiding place. But he is rather stubborn, even more so now than before," Cambrough continued eyeing Gibbs suspiciously, wondering exactly how much of an influence the man has had on Tony.
"Is it a habit to teach your people to run and hide," Gibbs questioned with a hard edge in his voice.
"No, but it is what we thought was to be for the best at the time," Cambrough responded not backing down.
"Can we get back to the matter at hand," Tony interrupted glancing between the two men, "After that you two can debate who has better management skills all you want. But I personally would like to catch this guy."
"Tony's right Agent Gibbs," Cambrough acquiesced first, "How about I tell you what we have found out?"
"Very well," Gibbs answered waiting.
"We know there is someone who had worked for us at some point and has somehow managed to get a list of all of our top agents from the division that Tony was a part of. We've looked into the applicants we had considered but rejected, but have unfortunately not found much there either. Although, I'm still fairly certain that it is one of them, but my Bosses have insisted that I look elsewhere since we haven't found anything conclusive. What we do know for sure is that when he is close to a target, a body shows up with the targets mark on it. Then usually it doesn't take him very long to finish the job, but I'm guessing he hasn't completely figured out…"
"who Dark Angel is yet. So we still have time," Gibbs finished catching on real quick, "Just how sure are you that it is a rejected applicant?"
"Let's just say I have a strong feeling about it," Cambrough replied knowing that Gibbs would understand.
"Can you get us the files on the rejected applicants? My people might be able to find something yours couldn't," Gibbs asked.
"I can get them, it won't be the easiest thing, but I can do it. I don't know what you think you might be able to find that our people couldn't. We had very highly trained people going over them."
"That may be, but I have a few resources you don't," Gibbs replied with a smile.
"Really?"
"Yes. I have a forensic scientist that will search the ends of the earth to save DiNozzo. Plus I have a Mossad agent," Gibbs explained, "And more importantly, I have DiNozzo."
"I see your point," Cambrough acknowledged because he knew how good Tony was at finding things that most people couldn't, "In the mean time what should I do?"
"Boss, I think the best thing might be for Cambrough to go back to his hotel and arrange for the files to be sent to us," Tony spoke up talking to Gibbs.
"That sounds like a good plan. Cambrough," Gibbs asked looking at the man.
"I agree. That sounds acceptable."
Gibbs pulled the stop button out and hit the button signaling the elevator to descend to the parking garage. It only took a few minutes before they arrived.
"Agent Gibbs," Cambrough said, and then turned to Tony with the fond look of a parent, "Tony."
After that, he turned and headed for the car he came in. The door on the elevator slid shut and began the upward journey once more.
"Tony," Gibbs started.
"I know Boss. How does your basement sound, around 7 PM. I'll bring the pizza, you bring the bourbon," Tony answered before Gibbs could get the order out.
"Don't be late," was all Gibbs said before the elevator came to a stop at the appropriate floor. The door slid open with a ding, and the two agents walked out into the bullpen ignoring the looks from their team members as they went to their desks.
"Where's O'Neill and his team," Gibbs asked.
"He wanted to have a private discussion with them. I believe they went to the conference room," Ziva answered.
"I'm going for coffee," he answered before he walked out in search of his favorite beverage.