NCIS Season 9
Episode 9.17.3
THE HULK
By: Lady JenDragon
Disclaimer: The usual.
Author's Notes: Read, read, read…
The Hulk
Chapter Twenty
Abby got the identity match by seven, just in time to leave for her date. Fleeing around the lab in preparation for the evening, Abby launched into a parade of directions and instructions. Hach was left as the alternate if something came up, not that she minded since there was plenty of time before she headed home to cover for Abby. Since the team knew Abby needed a distraction, no one stopped her on her way through the Squad Room, dropping off Ducky's autopsy report and her preliminary written report.
"Abby matched the fingerprint to one Rinaldo Marin." Tony brought up the photo of the man he interviewed with his true name. "Computer whiz out of Cal Tech. Class of 2000. He's been touring around the technology companies starting on the west coast and moved to the east coast four years ago. He's been making the rounds through all the tech companies."
Tim added. "Stayed almost two years at each company before he moved on to the next one." His fingers flew across the keyboard. "He used his own name for every company with exception to Global Technologies. He wasn't hired under his own name when he interviewed there last year for the same position he was hired under the name Blake Elton."
"Any reason given for why he wasn't hired under his own name?" Gibbs asked over his coffee.
"None." Tim didn't see anything strange that peeked his attention. "There isn't anything that jumps out about this guy."
Tony added. "Brought up by a single Spanish mother, no siblings."
"His financials are clean, nothing out of the ordinary." Tim was concerned that he wouldn't find the link quick enough. "Lives within his salary from Global Technologies." Tim eyed the financials quickly looking for anything out of the ordinary. "He lives in a room-for-rent in Virginia, separate entrance."
"Shannon Doyle, his landlady, says he's a quiet guy, keeps mostly to himself, and is never late with the rent." Tony looked at his notepad filled with scribbled writing. "He goes out a lot on weekends and comes home late on Fridays and Saturdays. Apparently she's up at all hours of the night these days spying on her tenants." Tony winced at the idea of his landlord keeping track of his schedule. "She's worse than a mother!"
"Nothing unusual about his credit cards." Tim looked through a multitude of records. "If he's a corporate plant, I'm not finding any evidence to support it."
"Other than taking a deadman's identity, McGee." Gibbs reminded Tim.
Hach spoke from directly behind Tony DiNozzo. "His name."
Tony yelped before jumping away from her. "Don't do that, little one!" He patted her on the head…finding her chilled gaze upon him, pulling his hand back as if from a hungry wolf. "Sorry."
"Do you always scream like a girl, Agent DiNozzo?" Hach asked softly.
Tony's back straightened suddenly insulted. "I do not scream like a girl."
"Sounded like it to me." Hach eyed DiNozzo.
Tim and Gibbs both softly laughed at the moment.
"Why are you here, doc?!" Tony allowed his annoyance to show.
"Mr. Marin would not have been hired by Global if they could track his employment history. Someone who moves around every two years is not considered a viable asset. His computer skills were excellent but Global worried that he could be a security risk."
"Blake Elton has a better employment history than Rinaldo Marin?" Tim wanted to know.
"Simply, yes." Hach glanced at Tony then to McGee. "Elton's history implies dedication, someone who is not looking to move around. Global Technologies looks for employees who are intent on staying long term. There is too much at stake to trust in the hands of employees who only care about how much they get paid versus the importance of the work they do."
Gibbs walked towards Dr. Hature. "How do you know this?"
"I made a call to HR of Global this morning and inquired as to whether a Mr. Rinaldo Marin was interviewed recently." Hach looked to Gibbs. "I just received their response ten minutes ago. They are sending his interview file to NCIS by 9pm this evening to help you with your investigation."
"I guess there's a reason to keep you around after all." Tony folded his arms, still miffed from the scream comment.
Hach smirked at DiNozzo as she left. "A number of reasons, yes…" She smiled before leaving. "…little screamer."
Tony's mouth gaped as Tim burst out laughing. He frowned, scrunching his face into a pout. His shoulders hunched, Tony went to sit at his desk. That was it, he was done for the night.
Chapter Twenty-One
The evening appeared to be warming up this spring night. Ducky checked his watch as he waited at the front entrance to NCIS, his Morgan humming softly. He wondered how much longer he would have to wait for Hach to emerge from NCIS. She asked him to wait so she could relay some information before leaving. At last, Hach appeared exiting the building. He leaned over to open the door for her.
"Thank you, doctor." Hach slid into the seat. "Global HR returned my call last minute. I informed Agent Gibbs and his team of the findings."
Ducky was quite aware of the case despite not hanging out in the Squad Room. "Oh, our mystery imposter finally has a name it seems." He pulled the car away from the curb heading towards the main gate.
"Yes, Rinaldo Marin, Spanish American." Hach relaxed against the comfort of Ducky's Morgan passenger seat. "He attempted to get hired at Global under his own name and was unsuccessful. He waited two months before re-interviewing under the name Blake Elton."
"I'm to understand his name prevented his hiring?"
"Yes." Hach replied evenly. "I hear that 'Heavenly' is reportedly an excellent restaurant."
"And incredibly difficult to get into these days." Ducky was thankful for Hach to give him some new adventures in experiencing cuisine. "However did you manage to get a reservation?"
"I know the owner personally." Hach left out that she also gave the owner the money to set up his restaurant in the beginning. "And there was a last minute cancellation. I do say it has worked in our favor, doctor."
"How lucky for us indeed." Ducky knew there was something she was not telling him about this evening.
"I agree." Hach eyed the passing cityscape. "Heavenly is reported to have an excellent menu with an even better wine cellar."
"Nothing more perfect than an evening with good food and pleasant company."
"I could not agree more, doctor." Hach liked spending time with Dr. Mallard.
He was a quiet man with enough history with a few hidden secrets not even Dr. Mallard would ever utter a word again. His NCIS records were quite detailed and followed a spectacular history that spanned the globe. He had experiences she would never have in her lifetime.
He smirked. "Please call me Ducky, Hach."
Hach knew Ducky would be fishing for information. "Forgive me, I find it difficult to break old habits."
Whether he shared this information with Agent Gibbs or Director Vance was another matter. Dr. Mallard was person of integrity, with a caring soul for his colleagues, friends and family. She found him to be a highly respectable man even if he was looking for answers.
Ducky was quite aware Hach was aware of his interest on a professional level. "You keep people at arm's length for a reason, don't you?"
"Yes." Hach readily agreed. "It is for their safety. Someone in my position must keep their friends close and their enemies closer."
"Makes it difficult to trust someone." Ducky noticed her nod out of the corner of his eye but she said nothing more. He decided that now was the time to change the subject. "Have I ever told you of my experiences in the Galapagos Islands?"
"Indeed you have not." Hach was looking forward to his stories. "You seem to have visited every corner of the planet."
Anyone who could keep the center of attention off her over the course of a few hours, all the better for her. Hach disliked discussing her past. In fact, she often avoided discussing herself at all, which made going to parties highly annoying and avoidable whenever possible.
"It does seem like I have." Ducky admitted. "Let me see, where shall I start?"
Hach smiled, enjoying her evening with Dr. Mallard.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next morning, McGee was first in the office, tracing the BOLO they placed out on Rinaldo Marin aka Blake Elton. Sitting back in his chair, even his hands didn't want to hover over the keyboard in anticipation. So far, no hits had come back yet on the BOLO. He checked four times since he arrived in vague hope of redemption. Now Tim felt at a loss about the next step. Something bothered him though he couldn't place a finger on why, at least not yet anyway. He hoped in time this gut-feeling would reveal itself.
"Where the hell are you?" McGee whispered at his computer screen.
Tony walked off the elevator at the moment eyeing Tim at his desk appearing lost. Apparently Timmy hadn't heard the ding of the elevator signaling his arrival. This was good. It wasn't unusual for Timmy to be stuck in his own little world. He expected this kind of behavior from one so attuned to electronic devices. Still, the expression on Tim's face did worry him just a little bit. Still, why let his junior agent know that minor detail?
"Looking for an extra bone in your bonus, McEarly?" He smiled sarcastically as he dropped his bag behind his desk chair on the floor and sat down in his chair.
Tim looked over at Tony from his desk. "Something's bothering me about Rinaldo Marin, er, Blake Elton." He shook his head seemingly frozen in thought at trying to figure it out. "I can't get it out of my mind."
"You've always been out of your mind." Tony smirked at him. "So what's caught up in the circuitry, McGeekster?"
Tim decided to let Tony's usual morning quips slide by. "If Blake Elton's running…why isn't he easier to track?"
Tony appeared thoughtful. "He's a computer genius like you. What you should be asking is…what mad skills does he have that you lack, McSecond?"
"He fails at getting a job using his own name, fine." Tim knew how it felt to lose out on a job he really wanted. "But then he goes after the same job using another name he stole from a dead guy and gets the position."
"Yeah…" Tony didn't understand the rationale yet.
"Why use another guy's name?" Tim looked to Tony. "He gains access to these different companies, spends two years there, and moves on. Why? It has to do with more than his employment history." It wasn't very often someone's behavior stumped him. Normally he could figure out psychology but this guy, with the level of programming talent should be making far more with his abilities than he collected every month.
Tony perked up. "There's a motive in his pattern?"
"Yeah…but I'm not seeing it…yet." Tim nodded, letting a thought begin to form in his mind.
"Patterns?" Tony wondered what was mashing together in McGee's brain to give him an idea these days. "Like prints on furniture?"
Tim ignored Tony mainly because his mind was actively sorting the clues they gather thus far. "You know, you might have something there." His fingers began flying across the keyboard almost in a blur. "The order of the companies he chose to become employed at means something."
Chapter Twenty-Three
Tim hadn't left his desk since the idea popped into his head.
"It appears that Rinaldo Marin was working his way up through the corporate ladder." Tim brought up his employment history. "Or so I thought. At first I thought he was looking to go from one company to the next associated with military technology. He wasn't."
Gibbs eyed the pattern on the plasma with wary eyes.
"He's looking for someone, not the technology." Tim smirked that he hadn't thought of this sooner. "When he gets to Global, he fails to get hired under his own name so he goes back under an assumed name. I checked all the employee records from all the companies he worked at from Hawaii to New York and DC. Only one name pops up."
Tony eyed the obvious. "The Little Doc?" Hoping they could bust her at some point.
"She's just one of a few thousand he's been tracking." Tim nodded, feeling thrilled that he stumbled on the pattern accidently. "It gets better." He brought up another screen that showed bank statements and six checks for amounts between twelve hundred dollars and ten thousand over a twelve mother period. "He's being paid by a head hunter from the Cayman Islands to track down people within the company for which he's hired."
Gibbs added. "The amount is dependent on what he finds."
"That's my thought." Tim nodded in agreement. "The company listed on the checks is located in the Caymans. It's nothing more than a front. The only information I've been able to gather is the address and the bank accounts opened in the company name in the Caymans. We can't touch it or the company's financials."
Tony narrowed his eyes. "Isn't corporate head hunting illegal?"
"Not technically illegal, unless you're the company being scrutinized." Tim highlighted the past twelve years of Rinaldo Marin's statements. "All of these checks were deposited electronically from the Cayman Island account. Since Marin graduated from Cal Tech in 2000, he's been touring the companies all over the US looking for the best of the best in their fields."
Tony added. "He's been sending his reports to someone in the Cayman's and getting his check."
"And he's damn good at covering his tracks." Tim admitted. "No one's caught onto his pattern as of yet."
"What about the interview file on Rinaldo Marin from Global?" Gibbs inquired.
Ziva arrived in the Squad Room and stepped to her desk dropping a brown paper bag on top. "Marin answered everything correctly, even excelling at the question portion of the interview. He demonstrated extensive knowledge on computers and encryption. Global clearly stated that his work history was the reason he wasn't hired."
Gibbs wanted to know. "Global using a head hunter to keep track of perspective employees?"
Ziva shook her head. "No. They've been using electronic files through their human resources department only. It seems Marin didn't think that kind of employment history would come back to bite him in the arm."
"Ass, Ziva." Tony corrected her. "Bite him in the ass."
"Either way, he didn't get hired." Ziva glared at Tony and continued. "Under the name Blake Elton, he was pushed through to the second and third interview rounds simply based on his employment history and his skills. He got the job because his skills were the best out of the group of candidates."
"Got motive, boss." Tony made a connection. "Daniel Welker finds out Blake Elton's dead, Rinaldo Marin knocks him out and takes him off to the farm in Virginia to keep him quiet."
"He was at a conference in San Francisco at the time." Tim reminded everyone bringing up the evidence he was able to find on screen. "On his own dime too. While working at Global, he was still being paid by the head hunters out of the Caymans. Probably networking to gain access to other companies associated with Global. He can find access codes, employee lists, or most likely, have access to direct military contacts."
"There are a lot of companies out there who'd pay for a network like that." Ziva folded her arms.
"Problem is, Marin didn't meet with Welker." Gibbs turned towards his desk. "He's a head hunter, not a kidnapper. Look at the attendees of the conference Welker was attending, McGee. DiNozzo, compare Marin's phone records with Welker's. Ziva, track down anyone who might have seen Welker at the conference in Jersey."
Tony, Tim, and Ziva turned and sprang into action.
For the moment they were back to square one.
Gibbs knew the answer lay within the information they already obtained. Who was threatened by Daniel Welker enough to warrant knocking him out and hauling him off to a farm in rural Virginia? Clearly killing him wasn't the intention. Finding Daniel Welker alive was proof of that motive.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Abby bounced around her lab in good spirits this morning. She took to making noises overly loud when not necessary. Hach looked up from her computer realizing that Miss Sciuto was attempting to attract her attention.
Hach realized her manners were lacking. "How did your evening go last night?"
Abby turned and immediately bee-lined to her. "I'd thought you'd never ask!" A wide smile spread across her bright red lips. "Spectacular! Thank you so much for getting us a reservation at Hibris. The food was exceptional and the wine…wow! What a collection!" Abby turned serious. "But I didn't expect it to be free though."
Hach shrugged her puppy-dog eyes off. "It was the least I could do for a friend in need of an evening out."
Abby hugged her without warning. Unable to breathe or do anything else for that matter, Hach froze where she sat. After a moment, Hach smiled and patted Abby on the shoulder. Eventually Abby let her go.
"Charles was totally impressed with the whole evening!" Abby felt overly exhilarated to have spent an entire night with someone who couldn't speak a word. "We went to the promenade afterwards and walked around. He's quite a gentleman that Mr. Deveux."
Hach could not help but smile. "I should hope so."
A well-dressed man beside a "Goth" woman would have been a sight to see out on the town in Georgetown. Not that Abby Sciuto saw herself as "Goth". But, it was well worth the effort to give Abby something else to think about besides work. The L-12 had taken its toll on Agent Gibbs' team. Her evenings with Dr. Mallard were always enjoyable and helped offset the boredom of day-to-day management tasks. Eating with someone was far more pleasant than eating alone, especially those without an agenda of their own. Gibbs' team would be suspicious about her, everyone in NCIS was since she was hired at eighteen, but there was more to their friendship she never expected.
There was a loud traffic accident in the background that neither woman paused to note.
"Shame they didn't find anything at the farm besides the tire tread." Abby needed something else to do besides wait for evidence to come in on the Welker case.
"Agreed." Hach shook her head slightly. "The tire tread belonged to Daniel Welker's vehicle."
"Looks like they're pursuing a new avenue of inquiry after all." Abby heard the beep to her email in-box receiving something. "Sounds like Tim sent me something." Abby turned towards her workstation. "This should be good."
"Better than doing nothing." Hach spoke after Abby who seemed to have forgotten her already.
A smile formed on her lips, finding Abby Sciuto a refreshing change from the usual hum-drum of a forensic lab analyst. She returned to the email she was writing to NCIS Pearl Harbor regarding a recently short-circuited mass spectrometer though she didn't quite believe their reasons for the short in the first place. However, as director of Forensics, it was her purpose to replace what was broken as long as it was within budget. Keeping NCIS stocked with working equipment appeared to be a momentous task lately. Since The Reaper destroyed her lab, she was stuck at the Navy Yard until it was rebuilt.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Director Vance allowed the New Jersey Police Department to collect the evidence from Welker's hotel room. It would've taken too long for Gibbs and his team to reach New Jersey despite his protests. Since the local evidence lab was backed up, NJPD offered to send everything to NCIS Navy Yard due to Welker's car being found in front of Director Vance's residence. It had been more than thirty-six hours since Welker was reported missing and found at a rural Virginia farm.
"I knew we should've gone up to New Jersey to collect the evidence." Tony quipped at the evidence chain-of-custody sent ahead via email. "They have very little to go on."
"It would've taken us eight hours to get there anyway." She shrugged happy they didn't have to make the drive. "Besides, they're sent us everything they got." Ziva replied from her desk. "It's on its way to Abby now."
"I'm looking through the security video now at the conference check-in desk." Tim had been tagging faces and running a search of the attendee list sent by the conference. "Abby's going through the training conference in San Francisco."
"I doubt we'll find anything." Tony slammed his index finger down on the enter button to send the email. "Local LEO's indicate there's no video in the parking garage. No cameras were installed at the time the hotel and conference center opened for business either."
Ziva looked around then lowered her voice. "You don't think this has anything to do with the L-12…do you?"
Tony and Tim stopped what they were doing to look over at Ziva. Neither spoke for several moments. She could see the wheels turning, knowing that flicker of recognition that her question had already crossed their minds. No one wanted this case to be related. Not in this office.
Tony shook his head. "Not yet. I'm sure Gibbs is wondering about it as well." He sighed letting his shoulder drop. "If Marin's gathering names of potential targets within companies, there could be a chance someone's willing to go to great lengths to get rid of the competition."
"We're talking about a guy who collects names and moves on." Tim frowned at the thought of this leading to the L-12. "Whoever he works for could be selling to the highest bidder for the intel. It's not the first time information's been sold on the black market."
"But why gather the data?" Ziva found no usefulness in the information alone.
Tim or Tony didn't have an answer either.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The image was frozen on her screen of the man calling himself Blake Elton sitting with a group of men at the conference. The time stamp indicated that the photo was taken on the day Daniel Welker was kidnapped from his hotel. Abby blinked several times before she realized why she stopped.
"Are you seeing this?" Abby asked Hach point blank.
"I am not paying attention to what you are doing, Miss Sciuto…I mean Abby." Hach did not want to put Abby in a bad mood since she was currently riding a "high" in her life. "Exactly what do you require?"
"I need another set of eyes." Abby waved her over.
Reluctantly, Hach slid off her stool and walked over to aid Abby. Her eyes set on the photo finding Blake Elton was where he said he was during the weekend in question.
"And your problem would be?" Hach eyed the time and date stamps.
Abby pointed to someone behind Blake Elton. "That."
"He does look familiar." Hach wondered where she had seen him before but the name would not manifest itself.
"His name is Randal Clemens. He works for Global as the Marketing Manager in the Emerging Technology Department." Abby brought up the employee list for Global Technologies. "I find it really strange that Clemens is sent to attend the training conference and the fake Elton isn't, despite his lowly title of administrator."
Hach knew Abby had a point and asked simply. "Are you implying Mr. Clemens is out of place at this conference?"
"Yes!" Abby pumped a fisted hand. "Thank you! Clemens is a manager at Global, not a programmer. What's he doing there?"
Hach narrowed her eyes slightly since Abby liked to play guessing games. "You believe he might be a contact for this fake Elton person?"
Abby formed an "O" with her lips. "I hadn't thought of that." She turned and ran out of the Forensics lab using small running steps.
Hach shook her head. "I do not understand her sometimes."
She was baffled why Abby left at such a fast pace when she could use a phone just as easily. Shaking her head, Hach returned to her workstation.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Gibbs exited the elevator in time to find Randal Clemens name up on the plasma screen. He read Clemens employee badge ID with Global Technologies. Another person-of-interest was good. He also noted Abby was standing with Tim, Tony and Ziva, their backs to him.
"Something's fishy with this guy." Abby folded her arms standing next to Tim McGee.
None of the four realized Gibbs was standing there.
"He took personal time off from Global to attend." Tim brought up the requested documents from Global. "According to what Global sent me, it looks like he submitted his expenses under a false project number to cover the cost of attending the conference."
"That's a big no-no." Tony hated guys who claimed false expenses. Maybe because he was never able to get away with it? He shrugged it off and glanced at Tim.
Tim smirked and continued. "Global shows him on the west coast for vacation, not training. However, he went to LA afterwards for a meeting with a new client. They thought he took a few extra days to prepare for the meeting so no one questioned his days-off request or his expense report."
Ziva agreed it was a good cover. "New clients require wining and dining. What better way to slip in a conference knowing no one would question him?"
Tony looked to Tim. "Find Randal Clemens yet, McAtlas?"
"Supposedly he's here in DC." Tim hadn't been able to track the man's phone since Abby alerted Randal Clemens to the team. "His phone's been turned off since last night."
"He's not at Global either." Ziva turned to Abby. "I called. He took a sick day today."
"Find him." Gibbs said from behind, making all four jump. "Now."
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Tim and Ziva walked up to the front porch of the small quaint home on a quiet suburban street. There were no cars parked on the street this afternoon and no one seemed to be lurking around. Strange, there were no obvious neighborhood spies keeping track of the street when they arrived. Neither agent rushed the walk up to the front porch.
Ziva eyed the small green house warily. "Looks like no one's home."
Tim nodded he agreed with her assessment. "His car's missing too."
Ziva peeked in the window finding nothing out of the ordinary inside. Any indicators of a struggle or broken objects would give them probable cause to break-in the door. Dissatisfied with their progress, Ziva nodded with her head to go to the backyard.
It took a few minutes to get through the side gate and into the backyard. Rounding the corner of the house, they found the patio table on its side. Cautiously, they focused on the back door. Pulling their weapons, they found the backdoor hanging wide open.
"This isn't good." Tim whispered as they took positions on either side of the door.
Ziva nodded she was going to move in first. "NCIS!" She burst through the open door.
Nothing greeted them. The house remained silent. Ziva went left though the kitchen, her weapon at ready. Tim followed her lead, clearing each room, as they went room-by-room through the house. The house was a single story with a basement. Twenty minutes later, they exited the house just as baffled as when they arrived.
"His clothes are gone." Ziva holstered her weapon. "But his computers were left behind."
"Something just doesn't seem right to me either." Tim knew something was amiss. "Abby and I can sift through the computers when we get back to NCIS. I bet they were wiped."
Ziva frowned at Tim. "You think Randal Clemens was just like Blake Elton?"
"No." Tim looked at Ziva. "He's a manager."
Irritated by Tim's lack of the obvious question, Ziva would let it pass this time. "No…a head-hunter. He's the information gatherer type person. The fake Blake's the technology side. Randal's the management equivalent."
Tim only stared at Ziva for the brilliant idea, who stared back at him perplexed.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
In the Forensics Lab, Tim and Abby worked side-by-side until the computers were reloaded with the data that was supposed deleted. Tony and Ziva stood side-by-side waiting for the pair to finish up their idea to progress their investigation forward before Gibbs showed up expecting answers.
"You were so right, Ziva!" Abby was in awe of Ziva David this time. "Randal Clemens was another head hunter only in a management position. Apparently they never met until the conference. He figured out that fake Blake was also head hunting. Only the fake Elton had the computer skills to back his information up."
"They're rivals?" Tony wanted to know.
Tim nodded slowly. "Clemens thought he wiped the computers he left behind."
Abby liked it when criminals gave her everything she wanted. "He's very organized here. Names of people, places, companies, addresses, and phone numbers. This guy's got a whole network of contacts."
"Can you trace him back to the Cayman Islands?" Tony thrust his hands into his pockets.
"Not yet." Abby let her fingers do the talking to the computer. "Once we find his real identity, we'll find the paper trail to his accounts."
Ziva wasn't satisfied. "Why did he run?"
"He got made." Tony replied evenly. "One head hunter recognizes another head hunter. He reports it to his boss. Boss might send someone to deal with said rival."
Tim and Abby paused to look at one another.
"They're running from each other." Tony folded his arms. "I love it when head hunters get caught."
"We better find them before they end up at the end of a barrel." Ziva sounded concerned that two murders could take place if they didn't move fast enough.
Tony sighed. "Rope, Ziva." He glanced over his shoulder in case Gibbs silently arrived finding no one there. "End of a rope."
"If they both end up dead…" Abby threw over her shoulder. "Doesn't matter if it's a rope or a barrel."
Ziva nodded in agreement, Tony remained silent. Suddenly there was loud beep in Abby's office. Abby froze in place, her head perking up at the noise. She immediately left Tim's side and ran for her desktop.
"Yes!" Abby cheered. "Someone's turned their phone back on." Sliding to a stop next to her desk, Abby's fingers flew across the keyboard finding the information she needed. With four movements of her hands, she looked up at Tony and Ziva. "Got 'em both! Both phones are on…and they're in the same location!"
"Where?!" Gibbs asked from the glass enclosure.
"I've sent it to your phones!" Abby waved them off.
"Let's go!" Gibbs ordered.
Tony turned first with Tim and Ziva heading out behind Gibbs.
Chapter Thirty
The parking deck in the mall would be the perfect backdrop for their confrontation. Elton was planning on leaving his car here for NCIS to find later while he fled the DC area. He kept to the shadows of the upper decks using them as cover. Finding Blake Elton was far easier than he imagined since he left NCIS with the pretense to return to his apartment and flee. Since then, following him had been a cinch. Still, orders were orders.
He emerged from the shadows. "So you've been the one preventing me getting into the system."
Randal Clemens held the 9mm at the fake Blake Elton, his hand steady. He didn't know the guy's real name, nor did he care. His brown hair and graying eyes were firm and unyielding to his inner emotions. These young punks nowadays were always getting in the way.
Blake spun around, his weapon, a 357 magnum in his right hand, pointing at Clemens. "Not bad keeping the information I needed hidden in an external hard-drive separate from the main system and operation programming."
"Once I figured out what you were hacking into the system for, it all made sense."
"You abduct Daniel Welker?" Blake wanted to know.
"Had a friend who needed a job." Clemens shrugged. "The point was to frame you for it. Put you out of commission."
Not one to pass on the chance to brag. "Shame we went to the same conference."
"I had to make other arrangements for that." Clemens smiled shortly.
"So what do we do now, Randal?" He gripped the gun more firmly incase Randal made a move. "If that's even your real name."
"We both have fake names in this business." Randal hated knowing his cover was blown and would take years to vet himself a new one. If he lived long enough to make that happen. "Blake Elton was dead for six weeks before you took his identity."
Neither had the intention to shoot just yet.
Blake inquired. "You knew him personally?"
"Portage Contracting ten years ago." Randal kept his gun trained on the fake Blake Elton. "A bit of a cowboy back then but he simmered down once he got a good challenge in front of him. My boss knows about you."
"As does mine." This would not bode well for either of them.
"NCIS!" Gibbs voice echoed through the parking garage.
Clemens and Elton both turned towards Gibbs flanked by Tony and McGee. Ziva appeared from the stairwell behind the two men, her Sig aimed. Both raised their guns…
Fourteen pops later, Gibbs walked up to Elton and Clemens lying on the floor with three bullets each. Blood was beginning to run downhill from where they lay. Ziva holstered her gun, shocked that a gun fight broke out.
"Why did they try?" Ziva didn't understand the mentality.
Gibbs replied evenly as if stating the obvious. "They were ordered to take each other out." He began walking away from the scene.
Tim finished for Gibbs. "Head hunters don't like competition."
Tony and Tim both nodded in agreement with Gibbs.
"Then why did Clemens burn Welker's car?" Ziva holstered her weapon.
Gibbs replied over his shoulder. "Told Elton he was fired."
"Wanted media attention so he placed it in front of Vance's house." Tony watched Gibbs leave, pulling his phone out to call the proper authorities to the scene. "Problem is…we didn't announce it in the media."
Tim added. "Blake Elton never got the message since he was in California at the time Welker went missing."
Ziva only stared at Tim and Tony.
THE END
