Chapter 15
AN: SORRY about there being no update, I was really dehydrated yesterday and just completely forgot.
Question: I am writing season 3 at the moment and so far are addressing most the episodes to include changes some pretty minor basically just making Gibbs Dad when Ziva talks. As seasons go on things are going to get more different from cannon and 'episodes' will be even more different, (while there will be earlier examples of this every episode starting at 10x01 will need to be addressed due to how I am planning things) How do you want me to handle this? do you want me to address every episode or only ones that have more differences than similarities? Let me know. And to assure you I will not just be addressing episodes in this story, there will be additional storylines fit in around episodes and I will also be including a lot of 'moments' between episodes and especially over summers and holiday breaks.
About a week Later Gibbs still hasn't heard from Ziva, while he is not surprised, he is worried. As a pair of eyes were delivered in the mail Kate, McGee and Tony are researching them, and where they came from, though Tony looks like he is sleeping, though with his eyes open.
"Wow, I'm impressed. You can actually sleep with your eyes open," Kate comments.
"Yeah, I'm meditating," Tony comments.
"Yeah, on how much you drank last night or trying to remember her name?" Kate asks curious.
"I don't kiss and tell, Kate," Tony says.
"Since when?" McGee asks. "I know more about your sex life than I do my own, Tony," McGee reveals.
"That's not hard to believe, Probie, considering you don't have one," Tony responds.
"Gibbs wants to know everything there is to know about this package, and if I were you I wouldn't let him catch you napping," Kate comments.
"Thanks for the advice, but I've got it covered," Tony explains.
"Anyone, talk to me," Gibbs requests, as he walks into the bullpen.
"Well, I'm checking with eye banks and the MTCs handle tissue and organ donation," Kate explains.
"Any of them missing a set of blue eyes?" Gibbs asks curious.
"Well, I haven't heard back from them yet," Kate admits.
"Ah, no return address on the address on the package Boss, but I did contact the post office," McGee explains.
"Yeah, and?" Gibbs asks.
They're running the tracking number from the barcode," McGee comments and Gibbs gives him a look. "Yeah, I'm going to call them back right now," McGee says, heading to his desk.
"Package was addressed to a Petty Officer Second Class Benjamin Horlacher, stationed in Dam Neck. Currently on a seventy-two, due back tomorrow. Now that's a seventy two hour leave there Katie," Tony says, causing Katie to roll her eyes. "He's a student at the Navy and Marine Intelligence training centre. Been living at the address since last September. Military records are clean," Tony reveals, and as he speaks Kate and McGee look shocked. "the only thing that stand out are a speeding ticket two months ago and he didn't pay his cable bill last week," Tony explains.
"Good to know someone is working around here," Gibbs comments.
"Thank you," Kate says into her phone before turning to Gibbs. "So far no one's reported missing a pair of cobalt blues, Gibbs," Kate explains.
"The package was shipped two days ago from Ciuded del Este, Paraguay," McGee explains.
"Paraguay. The TBA," Tony realises. "That's the Tri-Border Area. It's where Paraguy, Argentina, and Brazil meet. It's a base of operations for smuggles, drug trafficking, illegal organ trafficking," Tony explains.
"And Hezollah and Al Qaeda cells," Gibbs adds as he grabs his stuff and heads out of the bullpen.
"All right, we'll meet you out front, Boss. We're going to Dam neck!" Tony says excited.
"You didn't move all morning. How did you know that?" Kate asks shocked as she and Tony start to gear up.
"Work smarter, not harder, Kate. You'll live longer," Tony explains. "Probie, I want to know who shipped that package from Paraguay soon as I get back," Tony orders.
"You go it bos…. Uh Tony," McGee corrects.
"Let's move it, Kate!" Tony exclaims and the two of them head out of the bullpen.
A little while later Kate, Gibbs and Tony go to the apartment building where the eyes were delivered too, where the Petty Officer lives.
"Believe me, this isn't the first time that fool mailman put stuff in the wrong box. I got a video of some college girls just last week flashing their you-know-whats," The Landlady, Robinson, explains.
"When's the last time you saw Petty Officer Horlacher, Ma'am?" Kate asks.
"A couple days ago," Robins explains.
"What can you tell us about him?" Tony asks.
"He's quiet. He keeps to himself. He's got a girlfriend," Robinson explains.
"Do they live together?" Gibbs asks curious.
"Who knows these days? She comes and goes. I think he made her a key. It's a violation of the lease, but I looked the other way," Robinson explains.
"We'd like to look at Horlacher's apartment. Is that a problem?" Gibbs asks.
"Considering what was in that package? Please do," Robinson requests. "I see you're not wearing a wedding ring, Agent Gibbs. Maybe you'd like to inspect that video with me when you're done?" Gibbs asks and in response he just heads into the apartment, without saying anything.
"He is single," Tony reveals.
"Now how does a fine man like that stay single?" Robinson asks, sounding curious.
"Well, he didn't. he's been married three times," Kate explains.
"Hmm…" Robinson comments.
"I'll let you know when we're finished, Mrs Robinson," Kate says.
"Okay," she responds, as the door is closed.
The next day Petty Officer Horlacher has committed suicide, and when he was found he was a woman. It is early morning and Gibbs is walking into Abby's lab, where she and McGee are.
"Hey Gibbs! You're just in time. Okay, from the outside it looks like a normal laptop, but on the inside… voila!" Abby reveals. "Fortified with the kind of data encryption that only someone with something to hide would have," Abby explains.
"The Petty Officer's protocols are more sophisticated than any PGP or DES software I've seen," McGee explains.
"At first, we didn't even understand his obfuscation algorithm!" Abby exclaims.
"Really hardcore stuff," McGee reveals.
"Very, very hardcore," Abby confirms.
"Did you get in or not?" Gibbs asks.
"Yeah," Abby confirms.
"And no," McGee reveals.
"There's just one layer we haven't cracked yet," Abby explains.
"But we did get Petty Officer Horlacher's blog," McGee reveals, and Gibbs looks confused.
"It's a personal intent journal. Web log. Bog. Get it?" Abby asks.
"Pig Latin?" Gibbs asks.
"Actually, that would be ebway oglay. Pig Latin adds way to words starting with vowels and ay to words starting with consonants after moving part of the word… but I'm sure you knew that already," McGee explains.
"Did the blog say anything useful?" Gibbs asks curious.
"it's mostly men are from Mars' stuff. He was very interested in the differences between men and woman," Abby explains.
"Men are from where?" Gibbs asks.
"Mars, Gibbs, and woman are from Venus," Abby explains.
"It's a famous book about relationships and communication between the sexes," McGee explains.
"There was a TV show, and a board game, and the guy wrote like ten sequels," Abby explains and Gibbs jut continues to look confused. "I'm beginning to understand why you were married three times," Abby admits.
"Abby?" Gibbs asks, sounding a little annoyed.
"Come look at it for yourself," Abby suggests, as she shows the blog, and drags Gibbs over to the plasma.
"Inside every good man there is a better woman, L-O-L?" Gibbs asks.
"That's laughing gout loud," McGee explains. "Which, of course, can be topped by…"
"R-O-T-F-L-O-L," Abby explains.
"Rolling on the floor laughing out loud," McGee explains.
"Keep looking. Horlacher was leading two different lives. I want to know everything there is about both of them A-S-A-P," Gibbs says as he leaves.
A while later the team have considered an expert In the TBA, by the name of Purcell, and because there were a lot of questions about what he said Gibbs and Tony are in MTAC, waiting for a connection of Gibbs' to appear on the video screen.
"I got your email, Special Agent Gibbs," Gibbs' friend, Bushnell says. "To tell you the truth, I was shocked. When did you learn to use a computer?" Bushnell asks.
"Well, times change, Colonel," Gibbs comments.
"That they do Gunny. I've got two grandkids now. I heard you got remarried," The Cornel says, knowing better than asking about Ziva as Gibbs is incredibly private about his personal life, and tells very few people about his daughter.
"Ah, that didn't work out," Gibbs comments, as Tony looks amused.
"Well, then again, some things don't change," Bushnell comments, looking amused. "How can the Southern Command help you today?" Bushnell asks.
"I'm investigating a civilian contractor working out of the Tri-Border Area in Paraguay," Gibbs explains.
"Name?"
"Guyman Purcell," Gibbs explains.
"Yeah, I've heard of him," Bushnell admits. "Oh yeah, he's part of a TAT, Tactical Analysis Team, we have in Ciudad del Este. What's your interest in him?" Bushnell asks curious.
"One of his students committed suicide after receiving a part of female eyeballs in the mail from TBA. We think Purcell knew the victim," Gibbs explains
"Body parts in the mail generally denote kidnaping. Eyes?" Bushnell asks.
"Well yeah. That does send a hell of a message, Sir," Gibbs comments.
"Someone's putting pressure on Purcell. But why?" Bushnell asks.
"That's what I want to find out," Gibbs admits.
"Our TATs work with a few other agencies, and they're not always as forthcoming with information as I would like, but when's that ever stopped us? To old Times, Gunny," Bushnell comments.
"Old times, Skipper. Old Times," Gibbs says as the screen turns off.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tony asks curious.
"You ask me in seven years," Gibbs says as they head to the door.
"Why seven years?" Tony asks curious.
"It's when the Freedom of Information Act Kicks in," Gibbs reveals as they exit MTAC.
Over the next day Gibbs has sent Tony and Kate to Paraguay as Purcell disappeared. Since being in Paraguay Kate and Tony have talked to their contact and after discovering something disturbing they are calling into Gibbs, and McGee, on video call.
"We ID'd the girl in the photo, Boss," Tony explains.
"Name's Anna Real. Purcell married her last year in Paraguay?" Kate explains.
"How old is she?" Gibbs asks, feeling incredibly disturbed as she cannot be eighteen.
"Seventeen," Kate answers.
"And he's been 'dating' her for about three years," Tony explains, putting finger quote marks around dating.
"The bastards a paedophile, Gibbs," Kate says angrily.
"Tabarez knew this?" Gibbs asks surprised, as that is the contact.
"Well, he's the one who told us," Tony explains.
"I want to talk to him," Gibbs says angrily.
"He's out trying to find Pucell," Kate explains.
"Or he's having coffee with him!" Gibbs exclaims. "He looked the other way while Purcell was molesting a fourteen year old! What that tell you two?" Gibbs asks angrily. "Get me Bushnell," Gibbs tells McGee.
"On it," McGee says.
"You two find me Purcell!" Gibbs says angrily.
A little while later Gibbs, and McGee, are standing in MTAC and waiting for Gibbs' friend, as soon as Gibbs sees Bushnell he knows things are not good.
"Oh, yeah. I've seen that look before. In Bosnia. When we returned to Brcko two days after NATO ordered us out," Gibbs says, recognising the look.
"I can still smell it burning," Bushnell reveals. "I have been given a direct order to protect Purcell as a valuable intelligence asset," Bushnell explains.
"Regardless what he has done?" Gibbs asks angrily.
"Regardless of what he has done," Bushnell confirms.
"With all due respect, Colonel…" Gibbs starts to say.
"You don't have to say it, Gunny!" Bushnell says, sounding just as angry as Gibbs. "Only two things a Marine can do when he receives a director order. Obey or resign," Bushnell explains.
"You're resigning your commission?" Gibbs asks surprised.
"I will never have another brcko on my conscience," Bushnell reveals.
"Can you find out who's protecting him?" Gibbs asks curious.
"Someone at the farm, but I have no way of knowing who it is," Bushnell reveals.
"Sir, how do you contact him?" McGee asks curious.
"Encrypted teleconference like this," Bushnell explains.
"You've seen him?" Gibbs asks, feeling that that could help him to identify who it is.
"No. he's always in shadow. Very corney. Like some cold war firm," Bushnell explains.
"That's corny, but effective," Gibbs comments.
"Yeah," Bushnell confirms.
"Boss, if the colonel can get him on a teleconference, his encrypted can patch him through to us," McGee explains.
"Skipper?" Gibbs asks, and the man nods.
A little while later Gibbs and McGee are still in MTAC, though McGee has moved over to the counsel, when Bushnell appears on the screen one more.
"All right, stand by. My farm contact's coming on the system… now. He's all yours, Gunny," Bushnell says.
"Patch me in, McGee," Gibbs requests and McGee does just that. "Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS. You either give up Purcell, or I will personally compromise the identiy of this man," Gibbs syas, puts an image of Ari up. "Ari Haswari. Our link to Al Qaeda for a child molester. Your call," Gibbs says, and the screen clicks off.
"What's next?" McGee asks.
"Now we wait, McGee," Gibbs says.
While Gibbs is making his threat Tony and Kate are in at TAT headquarters in Paraguay with Purcell and their contact.
"According to your 'wife' you're not just getting intel on rackets in Ciudad del Este, you're actually running some of them," Tony says disgusted.
"Drugs, organ harvesting, child prostitution rings," Kate says, looking equally disgusted.
"It's my mission to infiltrate these organisations, I'm very good at it," Purcell says, defending himself for his actions.
"and having sex with underage children?" Kate asks looking disturbed.
"Once she testifies, you're going to spend the rest of your life in Leavenworth, Purcell," Tony explains.
"No you misunderstand, Agent DiNozzo. Anna wasn't threatening to tell your government she was threatening to tell hers," Purcell explains.
"What difference does that make?" Tony asks confused and Purcell laughs.
"You should have shot him when you had the chance, DiNozzo," Tabarez says as he walks over and uncuffs Purcell.
"What, you know what he is, what he did. How could you!?" Kate asks angrily.
"The same way you do. follow the orders, Agent Todd," Tabarex explains.
"Now if you excuse me, I have a job to do," Purcell responds, as he heads out.
In MTAC, Gibbs and McGee are waiting when finally McGee realises something.
"Boss, there's another encrypted transmission coming up on the system," McGee explains.
"Put it on the the screen," Gibbs says and he and McGee watch as Purcell is walking down a street in Paraguay and then is suddenly shot. "Bring our people home," Gibbs tells McGee as he heads out of McGee.
Heading out of MTAC, Gibbs hurries down the stairs and pulls out his phone and calls Ziva, hoping she answers.
"Hello," Ziva answers, just when Gibbs thinks she isn't going to. As she is he is not with Ari currently she can answer, and she would like to talk to her Dad, so she is glad he is calling.
"Hey Ziver," Gibbs says, relieved.
"Is everything okay, Dad?" Ziva asks as Gibbs stands in the corner on the stairs, the closest thing to a private area in the bullpen.
"Yeah, but you need to be careful Kid, even more careful than you have been," Gibbs explains as what was just done to protect Ari's identity shows him how much danger Ziva could be in.
"I am okay Dad, I know what I am doing," Ziva reveals, feeling like she is finally building some trust with Ari and so she should hopefully know whose side he is on soon.
"I know you do, Kiddo. I'm just worried," Gibbs reveals, and as he does Ziva gets a message on her work phone.
"Dad, I would love to talk more, but I cannot talk more," Ziva admits. "I love you,"
"Love you too, Kiddo," Gibbs responds, before hanging up and once he hangs up he stares at his phone for a few moments before he pulls a picture out of his wallet, a picture of Ziva, Kelly, and Shannon that he found when he returned form Kuwait.
"I miss you," Gibbs says, looking at all three people in the picture. As he stares Gibbs knows he has to do whatever he has to do to keep Ziva from ending up like Shannon and Kelly.