At about two in the morning, I woke up in Gibbs' guest bedroom, sweating in my (well, Keith's) old Air Force t-shirt and shorts. Groaning, I knew that I went to bed less than three hours ago (after having some bourbon and getting yelled at by Gibbs in his basement while he worked on his boat) and had to be up in less than three hours still, but something was really bothering me. I didn't know what it was, but like Gibbs, my gut was telling me something.

Maybe it was that trust thing that Ducky was talking about?

I sat up in the bed, shaking my sleepy eyes awake and thinking about what my gut was telling me about: Felix being guilty of murder. Yes, I told anyone who would listen that he was always innocent until proven guilty in my eyes, as with any other person charged with a crime (the way it should be). However, the evidence kept piling up, enough to say that Felix was involved with something with the Black Crusade, the worst of it being the murder of his own uncle at the very least. Mentally, I made a list of everything I knew and it wasn't pretty.

Felix hadn't talked with NCIS yet, so we don't know what his alibi is and where he was at the time of the murders in question. His footprints were in Colonel Henderson's apartment (and at the other crime scenes, for all I know), but it also could be that he was around, but not at the scene when it happened. He has a police record with reports of child molestation. He's also dating Seth Austin (son of the Black Crusade leader, Henry Austin), who Simon said was part of the Black Crusade (a picture and nothing more on the Pentagon file), which was investigated by Colonel Henderson in 1995.

This isn't making sense…

There was more. I knew that Felix (and Seth too) was also at the Love when the shooting happened, ducking his head just after Seth went out of our private room. As one of Colonel Henderson's closet relatives (and the one living nearest to him), he was supposed to help organize the funeral, but that hasn't happened yet. His family's name has been linked with the Black Crusade, perhaps even as members in the past. Hell, he and Seth Austin even disappeared while Gibbs and I were in Ashbury Park!

Suddenly, my cell phone charging next to me lit up and tweeted, telling me that I had a text message. Perplexed (because nobody really texted me in the middle of the night unless it was an emergency), I reached over, unplugged the charger and flipped it open, seeing that the text message was from none other than Felix himself.

Please call me. I know ur awake.

Damning shorthand, I texted back immediately. Are you nuts? Are you really stalking me or something?

The reply came quickly. I know where u r. I see u thru the window.

Scared, I whipped my head around to the window on the left, seeing nothing except the nightly shadows whistling in the wind. So, to satisfy my own inane curiosity (and trying not to get riled up by being spied upon), I got out of bed with my phone and looked out, still seeing nothing, not even the occasional person walking their pets. I sent a message back immediately, trying to call on Felix's bluff.

I don't see you. You're lying.

U won't c me. But I know ur wearing a t w/shorts. I think it's Keith's. So, call me. NOW!

A little more than nervous now that Felix proved me wrong (and confused as to why I could not see him, since the neighborhood was so open), I was tempted to text back and ask why the need for the call, but then thought again that calling might be a better form of communication. I could get some straight answers instead of going back and forth, showing everyone the send messages and the received ones.

Then, I had a better idea.

I sat back down on the bed, as if I was going to call Felix, but I texted back instead. Give me a few minutes to use the bathroom. Call you when I'm finished.

Without an answer back (and not caring either way), I put my phone in my pants pocket. Then, I ducked down (not wanting to be seen by Felix), crawling across the floor to the door and picking up one of my steel toe boots (the extra pair of shoes I brought with me). The door was already opened, so I slipped through, taking a right and heading towards Gibbs' room, keeping to the floor in case Felix can see me some other way I don't know about.

Ok, granted, I knew that heading into Gibbs' bedroom was a big no-no at this time of night, but this was kinda important. I mean, I was in contact with Felix Henderson, somebody NCIS has been looking for. I couldn't handle this alone, somebody had to know too. Ducky was right. I needed to trust Gibbs and he would have wanted to know if Felix was nearby.

Gibbs' own bedroom door was slightly ajar, so I eased it open some more carefully. Knowing that it was on the other side of the hallway, Felix couldn't possibly see me unless there was another person watching the house. Doubting that there was another spy in this case, I got up with the boot in my hands and looked to aim. Gibbs was sound asleep, I saw. Throwing that boot against his wall might or might not wake him up (Dad always did when Mom threw hers), so I had to try something. Hell, I was always afraid of touching any military personnel (in or out), since shaking them awake might trigger a reflex that would get me killed. I didn't know what Gibbs was going to do if I tried waking him up either way, so I thought the boot was the easiest bet on getting him awake.

Aiming for the wall nearest to the queen-sized bed, I threw the boot, jumping and almost running out the door (afraid of getting killed) when it hit the wall. However, the noise was loud enough that Gibbs woke up instantly. He immediately shot out of his bed and grabbed his gun from his nightstand, directing it at me at the doorway until he realized what had happened. Then, he put his gun down where it had been.

"What are you doing out of bed?" he asked me as I slowly came back in, rubbing his eyes as he grabbed my boot and handed it back to me when I came within arm's reach.

"I need a blank tape and recorder," I explained softly.

"What? Why?" Gibbs looked incredulous.

"Felix Henderson just sent me a text message," I explained. "He asked that I call him. He also said that he was nearby and could see me through the window."

"And you want to record it?"

"I could put the phone on speaker. It's fuzzy, but it'll record. And taping it will be better than my word. At least I'll have physical evidence."

Even without coffee, Gibbs could be on the ball…almost.

"And you want a blank cassette tape why?" he asked me in disbelief.

I slapped my forehead. "Yes, I need it for recording. Please get some coffee and find me one quickly. My usual excuse is starting to fall flat on its face again."

Shaking his head stupidly, Gibbs went past me, probably obeying me (especially in the coffee department). Smiling, I actually snuck into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly and flipping open my phone, waiting for Gibbs to find me. However, two minutes rolled by and he still wasn't anywhere near getting me a blank tape and recorder…after a cup of coffee.

What is taking so long? Gibbs isn't usually like this, even if it was this early in the morning.

Just as I popped my head out and walked into the hallway again, I got another text message from Felix. When r u calling me? It's been 2 long.

I shot back another one. I'm sorry it took so long. I've been having my usual monthly issue.

I didn't need 2 know that.

Well, you asked why I didn't call yet.

Just as I was about to walk back into the guest bedroom, Gibbs stopped me, silently handing me his cassette player with a record option and what seemed to be an old blank tape from the early nineties maybe.

"Thank you," I mouthed as I watched him walk back to his bedroom, hiding the incriminating objects behind my back as I went back into mine.

I c u. When r u gonna call?

I was getting annoyed by Felix's constant stream of messages already as I flopped down on the bed, plugging in the player and popping in the cassette with the push of a dusty eject button. As I closed the player, I hid it behind the pillow and covered it enough not to be seen, but for it to hear everything.

Finally, without replying to the last message, I dialed Felix's number by heart, waiting only a ring before he answered it.

"What took you so long, Miss Grief Expert?" he asked me as I put the phone on speaker. He also sounded annoyed.

"Why are you hiding when you're wanted for questioning in a federal investigation?" I then questioned back, aware that I was giving away too much, but needed the information anyway.

"Lydia, you have to listen to me," Felix started desperately. "I didn't do anything. I didn't murder anybody. I was forced out of my apartment by this man, Seth's father –"

"And you escaped?" I interrupted.

Felix sighed, frustrated. "I'm hiding, Lydia, and I can't stay here too long either. I can't go to the police with this story. They'd think I'm crazy."

"Well, considering you have a police record longer than my father's, I'm guessing that they would think that. However, you could have gone to NCIS for protection. They are helping to solve your uncle's murder, along with many others. You could have said something before the good, old cleaning and disappearing act."

Surprised that I knew about the police record, Felix seemed to recoil, but shot back quickly. "I told you, I was forced!"

"Jesus, I believe you, Felix, I believe you." I had to calm him down to get more answers, even if his word seemed a little less worthy this night, but I wasn't sure if I was going to get any more information. The way Felix was sounding made it seem like someone was out to get him…and it wasn't just Gibbs.

"I'm so sorry about Mara," Felix then blurted out, knowing how antagonized we both were with each other, our friendship starting to crumble. "I'm sorry that she's dead."

"Do you know who committed the murder?" I asked softly, not sure that the tape caught my sorrowful, low voice.

"I can't tell you that and you know it. I'm being watched, Lydia. You have to believe me. I have to go soon."

"Didn't I say that I believed you?" I asked, quiet again and trying to squeeze more out of my conversation than just hurtful comments and questions.

Felix was silent for a moment, as if thinking. He didn't reply, but it left me room to talk and try to get him to give me answers to the many questions swirling in my head.

"You know that Special Agent Gibbs will find you here once he hears me, right?" I smiled, knowing that Gibbs was someplace nearby, probably listening and drinking some coffee, calling McGee to search where Felix is by using my phone.

"Tell him that you're talking with a friend," Felix said dismissively. "You're not lying."

"But this friend is wanted by many people in an investigation involving family," I argued quickly. "Come on, Felix, let it up. Why are you being watched? Who's watching you? Where are they?"

"The Black Crusade is after me," Felix whispered furiously, sounding far off, like he was walking away. "Seth's father is in charge. Ever since I was dating him some time ago, there has been trouble, and it all started because Uncle Jim investigated them and found out that he still was. They forced us from our homes, cleaned it for us and I've been on the run, ever since they lost sight of me for a second and I ran. I escaped, but have been going from homeless shelter to shelter, friend to friend, for help, and leaving some time later. I don't know anything else about them other than they're dangerous, you know."

"Because you're choosing not to tell me? Come on, Felix, you can trust me. I'm not going to tell anyone. Besides, why badger me to call you?"

"Oh, Lydia, I…"

"You…?"

"I love you and you know that, Lydia, but I can't endanger you anymore. The last time I saw you, you were almost shot to death by some crazy guys in black masks. I can't see that, you being dead like Mara, and in the middle of somebody's guarded house. I'll protect you, whatever the cost. And I wanted to let you know that."

"That was so urgent that you had to tell me?" I sounded bitter, as if there was going to be something more to this conversation than some endearments and apologies, but knew that Felix did care about me somehow. He was a good friend…good, albeit alluding

"And that you should be careful," Felix warned seriously. "The murderers are after anyone who is trying to shut them down, even those who had been around the fringes for a long time. To investigate the case might get you killed. Already, the Black Crusade has taken over control of Haiti again."

"Where did you get this information?" I asked, worried about the NCIS agents in Haiti.

"I can't tell you now," Felix replied, seeming to be in a rush. "I gotta go. I'll call you sometime later, when I can. Love and kisses to your boss there…"

And with that, the phone clicked and went dead. Felix was gone.