Tony was still excited about his vacation when he woke up the next morning. He couldn't wait to go and see what was in store for him next, especially since it was going to be with Amelia. Tony jumped out of bed and grabbed his phone. He typed out a short message to Amelia:
I booked our flights and hotels last night. I can't wait to go! The hotels look amazing! I'll send pictures to you. We can work out some things to do together closer to the date that we leave. I'm really glad you're coming with me, Amelia.
Tony grinned to himself as he got ready for work. He had a feeling that the day was going to be a really good one.
Fornell was bristling with anger when he stepped out of the interrogation room. Agent Thomas from the CIA was arrogant and ignorant, and it was grating on his nerves that morning. Topping it off, he had heard about the two new agents on Gibbs' team, and one of them shared a last name with the smug CIA agent. Fornell hoped it was a coincidence since Thomas was a popular surname. He didn't want to tell Gibbs that the person behind Kate's actions had a family member on his team. Fornell would have to investigate that once he got the chance.
"Agent Fornell?" asked Morrow when Fornell entered the observation room. "What do you want to do?"
"Hopefully Gibbs can get this guy to talk," said Fornell. "I don't know what to do if Gibbs can't get him to admit that he put Todd up to this."
"Do you believe that he wasn't calling the shots?"
"I do. But he won't tell me who is, either, so there's nothing I can do about that. I want to find them before they can do more damage to DiNutso. Gibbs will have my head on a stick if I let anything else happen to his favourite agent."
"I'll have your head on a stick before Gibbs can get to you," said Morrow lightly, though he meant every word. Tony had certainly found a way to make the director like him.
"That I do not doubt." Fornell sighed. "Is Gibbs in yet?"
"He got here before you this morning. I think last night was the first night Tony spent alone, and Gibbs was probably worried about him. He wouldn't have gotten much sleep, if any."
"I'm going to find him and get him down here. I want this jerk in prison as soon as possible."
Gibbs frowned when Fornell stepped in front of his desk and started talking. He had been looking over some reports and didn't like being disturbed, especially when his thoughts were really on Tony.
"What, Tobias?" Gibbs growled.
"I need you to help me interrogate a CIA agent," said Fornell.
"Why?"
"He won't talk to me, and I need answers before his victim gets hurt again."
"Who is the victim?"
Fornell hesitated, unsure of whether to actually tell Gibbs or not. Finally, he said, "DiNutso. The guy in interrogation is the person responsible for drugging Todd and sending her after DiNutso in the first place. He says he was following orders, but he won't tell me who was giving him the orders. I need you to help me."
Gibbs was up in a flash, desperate for answers to give to Tony. "Take me to him," he said angrily. "Why didn't you tell me he was here before now?"
"To avoid what I'm going to allow you to do in just a few minutes."
"What's his name?"
"Charles Thomas. There's no relation to the agent on your team," said Fornell, hoping he was correct in that assumption.
Gibbs nodded wordlessly and started to follow his friend to the interrogation room. His anger at the CIA agent was boiling, but Gibbs wasn't going to let it spill over at his friend. Fornell wasn't the reason Tony was injured and still suffering the consequences.
"Are you coming in with me?" Gibbs asked.
"Yes. I can't let you kill the guy, no matter how much I want him dead."
Gibbs gave a fleeting smile and then opened the door to interrogation. He immediately felt hatred toward the man sitting in the room, but he pushed it down as far as possible to stay calm.
"Agent Thomas, do you understand why you are sitting in an NCIS interrogation room?" Gibbs asked.
"Yes, and you do too. I know you aren't FBI, by the way," said Agent Thomas.
"I never said I was. Now, I believe that you told Agent Fornell that someone was putting you up to this? I checked into your finances before coming in here, and I noticed a large sum of money was deposited into your bank account the week before Agent Todd started hurting a fellow agent. Where did the money come from?" Gibbs knew he was right, though it had actually been Fornell that had found the money.