"In the land of forensic science technology, the mass spectrometer is king. It uses the basic magnetic force of a charged particle to measure the mass and relative concentration of atoms and molecules. Pretty cool, huh?" Abby asks a group of boy scouts that is standing in her lab as she stands in front of the mass-spec.
"Are those tattoos real?" one of the boys asks Abby making her look at her tattoos for a moment.
"Yes. Any other questions?" Abby answers uncomfortably.
"How many do you have?" the same boy asks her.
"A lot. That's all I'm gonna say about that," Abby answers him while putting her lab coat on.
"A lot? I only counted five."
"The rest of 'em are… hidden," Abby informs him.
"Hidden where?"
"They're…"
"Hi, guys," McGee says while walking into the lab with a box of little flags and wearing a boy scout uniform. Tony is never going to let him live this down.
"Hi," Abby greats him.
"What's I miss?"
"Nothing yet. Abby was just about to show us her," the same boy from before says.
"AFIS… program… right," Abby cuts him off while walking past the boy and reading his name tag, "Carson?"
"Right," the boy, Carson, agrees with her.
"So, if the mass spectrometer is the kind of the land, this little darling is definitely the queen," Abby informs the kids while showing the machine that take peoples prints.
"In the last four years, we've made two-hundred arrests thanks to AFIS fingerprint matches," McGee boosts.
"We?" Abby asks with a bit of laughter.
"It's a team effort," McGee exclaims.
"So this is an L scan. All you do," Abby explains while grabbing the finger of Carson and putting it on the glass to scan it while continuing, "is put your finger on the glass and… voila, you're in the system."
"Cool," Carson says while stepping back with a grin.
"As we speak, the program is filtering through a database filled with millions of prints," McGee explains while the fingerprint is ran on the plasma screen.
"The majority of them were recorded after somebody's arrest. So, assuming that you haven't served any hard time, I doubt we're gonna get a," Abby begins to say only for ironically a match to be found right as she is going to say match. The match says with flashing red lights,
CARSON MATTHEW
-ABDUCTED—
LAST SEEN 05/27/1998
Everyone turns and looks at Carson in surprise.
…
Carson is sitting in a conference room swinging back and forward in a chair as McGee looks through the door before turning and looking down the hallway as Abby rushes down.
"Where is Gibbs and Alice? It's been like twenty minutes" Abby demands of McGee.
"Abby, it's been like four minutes," McGee corrects her.
"In little kid time, that's like twenty minutes," Abby defends herself.
"They will be here any second," McGee comments.
"Look at him. He looks so scared," Abby says after looking into the conference room to see a sad looking Carson.
"Seems fine," McGee dismiss her.
"IF you're gonna be heartless, that's on you, McGee. I'm going in," Abby exclaims.
"To say what?" McGee asks her making her look confused when she doesn't have an answer making him add, "Exactly. Like I said, we need to wait for Gibbs and Alice."
"Who's Gibbs?" Carson asks them from the door.
"Agent Gibbs, he's our boss," Abby explains to him.
"And who's Alice?"
"His girlfriend," McGee answers him.
"His fiancé," Abby overlaps him making McGee spin to stare at Abby in surprise… since when was Gibbs and Alice engaged.
"What?"
"Am I in trouble?" Carson asks while getting the conversation back onto what is important to him.
"No, no, no, Carson. Not at all," McGee exclaim while attempting to hid his surprise at what Abby said… he didn't think Alice and Gibbs would be more engaged.
"What about the AMIS thing?"
"AFIS," Abby corrects him. McGee gives her a disapproving look making her says, "Sorry… you know what? I'm… I'm just gonna go back to work." McGee looks after her in confusion as she speed walks away again. McGee looks back at Carson who smiles from where he si hiding behind the door making McGee smile at him in return.
"Where are the other kids?" Carson asks McGee.
"The tour ended early," McGee answers him.
"How am I gonna get home?"
"We're gonna figure that out," McGee informs him.
"The computer said I was abducted," Carson says while McGee walks him back to the table and sits with him. Carson continues, "That's like kidnapped, right? Kidnapped, as in… stolen?"
"I'm sure there's some sort of explanation."
"There is. You guys messed up."
"Would be the first time," Gibbs says while walking into the conference room with Alice following him. Gibbs is wearing a dark jacket over a grey/green polo shirt with black pants. Alice is wearing a green shirt with black jeans and her jacket is in her arms.
"Jethro, that wasn't very nice," Alice says while smacking Gibbs arm with a grin at Carson.
"Hey, special agent Gibbs," Gibbs says while holding his hand out to Carson to shake.
"The boss," Carson says while shaking Gibbs hand making me laugh as Gibbs smiles.
"To some people," Gibbs says with a smile.
"Alice," Alice says to him while gently squeezing his shoulder as she walks around him and sits down.
"The fiancé?" Carson asks her making her blink in surprise.
"How did you work that out?" Alice asks him with her eyebrows pulled together in confusion.
"Abby."
"Thought you might be thirsty," Gibbs comments while pulling a soft drink out of his pants pocket and throwing it and catching it before putting it on the table in front of Carson.
"I'm not supposed to drink soda after three o'clock," Carson informs Gibbs making him remove the drink and Carson pulls it back while saying, "Given the situation,. I think my mum would understand."
"Mums usually do," Gibbs agrees with him while leaning on the table towards Carson and everyone in the room follows suit.
"I wouldn't open it, he just shook it up," Alice says to Carson when he goes to open the drink but Carson opens it anyway and it doesn't go everywhere. (if that was me I would have soft drink all over me.)
"So," Carson begins before taking a sip of the drink, he than continues to ask, "You guys figure this thing out yet?"
"Working on it," Alice informs him.
"It's been a long day. I know you're looking to get out of here," Gibbs adds.
"You're right. Who's driving?" Carson asks him while putting the drink down and leaning towards Gibbs.
"No me," Alice exclaims while leaning away from Carson.
"Hold on. We're gonna talk first," Gibbs corrects him.
"Knew that's be too easy," Carson says while leaning away from Gibbs and back into his chair a bit. He asks them, "before we start, can I ask you guys a question?"
"Yeah, shoot," Alice says with a smile.
"Do I look like a missing kid? I mean, come on. I'm a youth ranger."
"He's got a good point," Gibbs agrees with him with a half-smile for a second while looking across at McGee.
"And I'm from franklin, which means I cant be missing, 'cause nothing cool ever happens there," Carson continues.
"That bad, huh?" Alice asks with a small chuckle.
"Worse. we only live there 'cause it's close to the woods. My dad goes most weekends," Carson informs them.
"Hunting or camping?" McGee asks him.
"Teaching," Carson corrects him before explaining, "HE shows people how to live without phones, lights, that kind of stuff. He's super tough like… Russell Crowe in 'gladiator.'"
"Sounds like a cool dad," Gibbs comments.
"Coolest. He's taught me pretty much everything he knows."
"That explains all the badges," Alice comments.
"Eighteen. Second most in my troop. Took me close to three years," Carson explains to him.
"I bet your dad's real proud of you," Gibbs comments softly.
"Yeah. My mom, too," Carson explains before looking sad. They all continue to stare at him until he asks, "Is it okay if I ask one more question?" Gibbs nodes making him add, "when can I go home?"
…
"This is exactly like 'the deep end of the ocean.' Michelle Pfeiffer movie. Infant son… kidnapped. Reunited with the mother ten years later. It's very 'lifetime,'" Tony rambles in the squad room as him and Ziva walks over to the plasma screen above Alice desk.
"'Lifetime?'" Ziva asks him in confusion.
"The cable network. Geared towards women… you'd hate it," Tony explains before turning and seeing Gibbs, Alice and McGee walking into the squad room and McGee is still wearing the boy scout uniform, making Tony exclaim, "Seriously probie, I don't make enough fun of you?"
"Knock it off, DiNozzo," Gibbs orders him as they all walk over to the plasma screen, McGee stopping beside Tony with Gibbs and Alice behind Tony and Ziva.
"All roads lead to the father, boss. Brian Matthews, native of DC, married his high school sweetheart, Lisa, at nineteen," Tony informs them while opening a photo of Brian's licence.
"Two months later, Carson was born," Ziva adds as Gibbs walks over to beside her with his hand on Alice back.
"Good old shotgun wedding," Tony comments while making shotgun sounds as Alice rolls her eyes at him.
"Six weeks after giving birth, Lisa drowned," Ziva reports.
"Death was ruled accidental. Brian Matthews took it bad, lost his job, started hanging with the wrong crowd," Tony reports
"The dead wife's mother sued him for full custody of Carson and won," Ziva continues the report.
"Explains why he took Carson and ran," McGee comments.
"Somebody just earned their detective badge," Tony teases McGee making Alice laugh softly.
"Can we talk to the grandmother?" Alice asks after a moment.
"No. Dead a year ago. Heart attack," Tony informs her.
"Brian Matthews became Brian Taylor, ended up living in franklin. He and Carson started a new life," Ziva reports while pulling up a photo of Brian's false license with the fake name on it.
"Remarried?" Gibbs asks her while placing his hand on Alice's back.
"Yes. Lieutenant Elaine Taylor. Works anti-fraud for naval procurement," Ziva informs them while pulling up the wife's naval information.
"Think she knows?" McGee asks them.
"Well, there's only one wat to find out," Alice comments while stepping between Tony and Ziva while walking over to her desk. Gibbs grabs his brown jacket while turning to McGee.
"McGee… loss the uniform," Gibbs orders while walking off with Alice.
"Where's the kid?" Tony asks McGee with a grin.
"Abby's got him," McGee answers him.
"Our Abby?" Ziva asks him in surprise.
"Allow with a minor?" Tony adds as McGee begins to remove the scarf of his outfit.
"He'll be fine," McGee says in denial about what Abby could do.
…
Abby shoots a gun into the gun testing barrow, emptying the magazine before turning and smiling at Carson who is watching her.
…
Alice pov
.
I knock on the door of Brian and lieutenant Elaine Taylor's house.
"Can I help you?" Elaine asks us while opening the door in a purple jacket.
"NCIS," Gibbs informs her while showing her his badge.
"Oh, my god, Carson? Wha…what happened?"
"Cason's fine. He's still in DC," I promise her calmly.
"I don't understand. What's this about?" Elaine demands of us while opening the door fully.
"Your husband," Gibbs answers her while putting his badge away.
"He's wanted for kidnapping," Ziva informs her making her look confused at her.
"Be better if we talk inside, lieutenant," I inform her while nodding inside making her node and let us into the house. Gibbs, McGee, and I follow her over to the couch while Ziva and Tony search Carson's room.
"This is all a big misunderstanding," Elaine informs us.
"I'd rather hear that from Brian," Gibbs informs her while leaning back in the big couch we are sitting in.
"You will, on Tuesday, when he gets back," Elaine informs us calmly.
"Gets back?" McGee asks her while I take notes on what is being said for the report.
"He's away, teaching a class."
"Where?" Gibbs demands of her as I note it down.
"Black ridge woods."
"Survival class. Carson mentioned them," I comment.
"OF course he did. He's very proud of his father."
"Is there any way to contact your husband?" McGee asks her.
"First rule of survivalism: no phones, no radios, so if you want to talk to Brian before Tuesday, you're gonna have to go find him," Elaine informs us making Gibbs smirk while I laugh… I think I know a marine that could do that.
"How much do you know about Brian's past?" I ask her.
"I know that he had it rough. He didn't know his dad and his mum died when he was sixteen," Elaine informs us.
"Carson's mother?" Gibbs asks her.
"You're looking at her," Elaine says to us cynically.
"Biological?" Gibbs corrects her.
"She drowned. That's all I know," Elaine informs us finally.
"Never been curios?" McGee asks her.
"Brian is a very private person."
"He's your husband," McGee says what we are all thinking… how can she not ask questions about his first wife's death. Hell I've asked question about Gibbs, well all, wives and we're not even married… yet.
"And I'm his wife, not his therapist, agent McGee," Elaine informs us snidely.
"How'd you two meet?" I ask her.
"I took his class… and hated it. I thought some time in the woods would do me good sleeping under the stars, relieve some stress," Elaine informs us.
"didn't work, huh?" Gibbs asks with a small chuckle.
"I got poison ivy. Everywhere. Brian rushed me home and a couple months later, I moved in with him and Carson. I want my son."
"Stepson," Gibbs corrects her.
"You never legally adopted him," McGee adds.
"SO?" Elaine demands of us snidely.
"So, legally, we can't release him to you."
"This is completely ridiculous. You can't do this," she informs us. She looks at all of us before demanding, "What have you done with him? Where is he?"
"He's at NCIS for, for now," I inform her calmly.
"Legal or no, he's my child. You can't possibly expect for me to let him stay with some stranger," Elaine informs us.
"That or social services. Choice, lieutenant," I informs her.
"I need to see him."
"Okay," Gibbs informs her making her look at him until he adds, "Soon." She gets up to pack a bag for Carson.
"You have kids, agent Gibbs?" she asks him while putting stuff in the bag. I put my hand on his leg, she has no right to ask him that…
"NO. I don't," Gibbs says after a moment making me rub his leg… Kelly might not be here anymore but she is still his baby and saying he doesn't have one, does hurt him.
…
"Twenty-four hours surveillance on the house. If she makes a phone call, McGee, I want to know about it," Gibbs orders as we walk out of the house.
"What about Carson?" Ziva asks him as I hitch the back higher up on my shoulder.
"Hands are tied, Ziva," Gibbs states making me take his arm… if she wasn't such a bitch, he wouldn't be making it this hard for her.
"Untie them. You can't just keep him from his mother."
"Not his mother," Tony comments as we arrive at the car.
"She raised him," Ziva defends her.
"You want a family reunion, Ziva? Prove she wasn't involved," Gibbs orders her before getting in the car angrily.
"Ziva, you'll have better luck getting the truth from Ari then getting him to go easy on that… that… thing," I inform her before getting in the back of the car.
…
Gibbs and I walk into the director's office to see her quickly shutting a newspaper.
"I need a signature," I inform her while placing the file onto her desk as she quickly removes her glasses.
"For?" she demands of us.
"Carson Taylor. Turning him over to social service," I state.
"What about his stepmother?"
"No, not his legal guardian, and why too many unanswered questions," Gibbs informs her but she continues to look at us in confusion.
"Problem?" I demands of her.
"No, I… I'm just surprised that you're not trying to talk me into letting him stay with someone from here," she admits to us.
"Not an option. We're not babysitters," Gibbs informs her.
"So you're turning him over to child welfare?" Shepard asks him.
"NO. You are," I correct her while Gibbs walks around the table.
"Soon as you sign it," Gibbs adds while handing her a pen.
"It's late on Friday night. I mean, who's still hanging around in social services?" Shepard demands of us.
"Have you got a better idea?" Gibbs demands of her while leaning onto the table.
"He can stay with me," Shepard offers making me blink in surprise… she is volunteering, she never does anything useful. This is so out of the normal for her.
"Are you sure?" I ask her in surprise.
"No. but given my options, it's the decision I'm making," Shepard informs us.
"Oaky, you should meet your new houseguest," Gibbs informs her while getting up and walking around to where I am waiting for him as I walk over to the door with him.
"Guarantee he's better than the last," Shepard comments while getting up too and opening the file. She suddenly says, "Jethro… this is a case report. Not a custody transfer."
"Must've grabbed the wrong folder," I comment before walking out the door with him.
"You owe me fifty dollars," Gibbs informs me with a grin.
"I can't belief that works… since when does she have a heart?" I ask him in confusion.
"Go figure," Shepard calls after us before begins to walk with us to of see Carson. We walk along the cat wall to see everyone playing a video game with Carson. Shepard comments, "Looks like we missed the party."
"At his age, the party never ends," Gibbs comments while placing his hand on my lower back.
"Could be a long night," Shepard comments as Abby gets off the elevator and meets us at the stair to go down to the squad room.
"Not just for you, director. I lifted Brian Taylor's prints off his computer and his files. AFIS got another hit. They were all over a beretta used in an unsolved shooting in May of ninety-eight," Abby informs us.
"The same month Brian and Carson disappeared."
"He's not running because he kidnaped Carson. He's running because he's wanted for murder," Abby informs us.
…
No one pov
.
"Black ridge woods are closed off," Tony reports hanging up his phone.
"DC metro's cold case files are already en route," Ziva adds.
"En route?"
"Offered to hand deliver."
"And you agreed? That's one of the oldest tricks in the book, the hand delivery, Ziva. It's metro's way of making sure they stay involved in the case."
"You think?"
"Why else would they personally deliver the files?"
"To see your pretty face, DiNozzo," a DC metro cop states while carrying boxes towards the squad room. Making both men fake laugh before the cop push Tony's stuff over to put the box down. He continues, "It's been a long time."
"Not long enough, Collins," Tony says while shaking 'Collins' hand.
"Old friends?" Ziva asks them.
"Detective Collins is on metro's cold case squad. He and I worked a couple homicides back when I was on Baltimore P.D," Tony reports to her.
"And, unfortunately, we're oh-for-two," Collins adds.
"Third time's the charm. Catch a break and we'll have this case closed by Monday," the woman detective comment.
"'We?'" Ziva repeats in surprise.
"Danielle Hamilton," the lady detective interduces herself to Ziva happily. Before continuing to say, "I'm looking forward to working with you."
"Hey, DiNozzo, think you could rustle up some coffee?" Collins request of Tony while placing stacks of folders onto Gibbs desk.
"Sure thing," Tony comments while walking away.
"This is not my fault," Ziva hisses at Tony.
"Tell that to Gibbs," Tony hisses back at her.
"Here's the other one," Danielle says to Collins while handing him some files to put onto Gibbs desk.
…
"Maybe you could turn it off now!" Abby informs Carson who is playing in the car with the sirens on so that you almost can't hear her as she holds her head in pain from the loud noise.
"What?" Carson yells back at her.
"I said maybe you could turn off the siren now!"
"Huh?" he yells at her.
"You need to turn off," Abby yells as he turns the siren off but she doesn't not so she yells, "the damn siren!" everyone in the garage turn and look at her. Carson begins to look at her surprised face. She asks him, "You think that's funny?"
"Very. Where to next?" Carson asks her.
"Let's see," Abby thinks while getting out of the van. She informs her, "You've seen autopsy, and you've seen my lab… you've seen everything."
"Not… everything," Carson says slowly.
"Forget about the tattoos, okay? It's not happening," Abby orders him while walking over to the elevator and scanning her eye to open it.
"Come on, not even a little peek?" he begs of her.
"Hey, big man," Gibbs says as the elevator opens and he sees Carson and Abby. He points to Carson's chest while asking, "What's that?" Carson look at Gibbs finger who then removes it and takes off Carson NCIS hat that si on backwards and put it on properly.
"Come to take me home, agent Gibbs?" Carson asks happily while turning his hat back around. Gibbs doesn't answer him but just continue to stare at him making him add, "I'm not going home, am I?"
"Not tonight," Alice informs him as she kneels in front of the boy.
"I want my mum," Carson says. He correctly corrects himself, "I mean… she must be worried."
"She misses you," Gibbs says after Alice and he exchange a look.
"It's Friday night," he comments randomly. When everyone looks confused, he continues to explain, "Friday night. We make double-fudge S'Mores and watch scary movie."
"It sounds nice," Abby comments.
"Here. You want to call her? make sure she's doing okay," Alice comments while handing him her cell phone.
"She'd like that," Carson comments while taking the phone and dialling his mum's phone number. She answers the phone and he says, "Hi, mum. It's me… yeah, I'm okay. Are you okay? Miss you. I love you too. Hey, have you started the S'Mores yet? Make sure to save some for me."
…
Alice pov
.
"May second of ninety-eight, two assailants enter the Stop n Go mart, out witnesses describe them both as Caucasian, about six foot, a buck seventy," Danielle reports with the old security footage of the robbery on my plasma screen. We are all standing around the screen while McGee works on his computer looking for something.
"Description matches Brian Taylor," Collins adds.
"Matches a lot of people," I correct him.
"Including you, Collins. Give or take five pounds, maybe ten," Tony adds.
"Clerk hands over the cash without any argument or struggle," Collins informs us without commenting on Tony's comment.
"But that wasn't enough," Ziva comments as they play the video where the people shoot the clerk.
"Dead before he hit the floor."
"Motive?" Ziva asks him.
"Thrill, officer David. We believe we're dealing with two cold-blooded killers," Danielle informs us.
"We've been over this case a thousand times, it's textbook," Collins informs us.
"You haven't solved it," Gibbs states making me smirk, he's not happy.
"Some cases take time," Collins defends himself.
"Nine years?" I ask him.
"We've been looking for a lead. And no we've found it."
"No… we found it… you didn't find shit," I correct him.
"We have boxes of DNA evidence from the scene. We'll find a match," Danielle defends her case, or lack thereof.
"All we need is Brian Taylor," Collins adds.
"Good luck finding him, he's teaching a class in black ridge," Tony informs them.
"Okay, we send out a search party," Danielle states like we are idiots.
"If he hears us coming, his students become hostages."
"So we just wait?" Collins asks us.
"Yeah, you never were very good at that, were you, Collins?" Tony comments sarcastically before asking, "You still have the highest arrest rate in your precinct?"
"Yeah," Collins answers him.
"Still bucking for that captain's job?"
"One day."
"Found something," McGee reports to us. He explains to us, "Filtered through Brian Taylor's electronic maps. He keeps a log of all of his locations: training exercises, rest areas, and most importantly…"
"His base camp," Ziva finishes for him.
"Seven miles from highway nine," McGee informs us while us while putting the map up that is titled base camp.
"If we leave now, we can be there by morning," Tony reports.
"Take Ziva," Gibbs orders him while we all back to our desk.
"We'll follow," Collins says.
"No, I don't think so, detective," Gibbs stops him.
"Here to help, agent Gibbs," Collins says while holding his hands up in an innocently defenceless way.
"Good. Let's go over all that evidence you have," I state while turning on my computer.
"And then? Collins demands of us.
"And then… you can help… when I ask," Gibbs informs him before his phone begins to ring, "Yeah, Gibbs… Hey, Carson, you okay? We'll be right there."
"What's going on Jethro?" I ask him.
"Carson want to talk," Gibbs informs me before signalling for me to follow him.
…
"Surprised it took you so long," Shepard comments when she opens the door and sees us standing there. We step into the entry way of her house as she continue to talk, "To check up on me." Gibbs just give her a look making her check her pockets while saying, "Except that's not why you're here, is it? Which explains where my cell phone went."
"Kids," Gibbs comments while walking into her house and following the music.
"Jazz?" I ask in surprise, she better not being torturing this kid.
"His favourite," Shepard defends herself as we walk into lounge room to see Carson reading a swimsuit book and listening to music.
"Bitch was right," I comment making Shepard look at me.
"DiNozzo," Gibbs finishes.
"You get lost, agent Gibbs?" Carson asks us making him grunt at him. He continues to talk, "I called almost an hour ago."
"Well, we're here now," I say while kneeling down at his height. I ask him softly, "You want to tell us why?"
"Do you get mad easily?" Carson asks Gibbs.
"Depends on who you ask," Gibbs admits.
"I lied… about my dad. I just wanted you to come over," Carson admits while moving around on the chair nervously.
"Why?" Gibbs asks him without getting angrily.
"To talk."
"Okay," Gibbs says while removing his jacket and throwing it over the chair before sitting down across from Carson. I move back so I am sitting on the floor leaning against Gibbs chair.
"Want me to start?" Carson asks.
"You're the one with the questions," Gibbs reminds him while raising his hands.
"Good point," Carson comments before asking us, "Why can't I go home?"
"Because we need time to do our job," I inform him.
"You mean to find my dad?" Carson asks making Gibbs node in agreement with him. He continues to asks, "You think he did something wrong?"
"Not sure yet."
"My dad never breaks the rules. Ever. This is all my fault. Me and my stupid field trip," Carson exclaims while blaming himself.
"Carson," Gibbs cuts him off while leaning closure to the boy. He continues, "This is not your fault."
"It was my fingerprint. What are you going to do when you find him?"
"Talk," Gibbs admits.
"He'll tell you the truth, agent Gibbs. He says telling the truth is his number one rule."
"Well, that sounds like my kind of guy," I state.
"Mine, too," Carson informs us. After a moment he says, "Time for letterman."
"Mm-mm. time for bed," Gibbs corrects him.
"But I'm not even tired," Carson complains as Gibbs gets up and grabs his jacket before offering his hand to me to help me up off the ground. Carson looks at Gibbs before asking, "Can I finish my hot chocolate first?"
"Sure," Gibbs agrees with him before leaving the room to see Shepard leaning on the door watching us like a pervert.
"I forgot," Shepard whispers to Gibbs.
"What?" Gibbs asks her in confusion. That is a half a thought she is saying.
"How good you are with kids," Shepard informs him making Gibbs laugh before she adds, "You think he knows more than he's letting on?"
"Think he's worried about his dad, that's why he doesn't want to go to sleep," I comment.
"Guess he's not worried anymore," Shepard informs us making me turn around to see Carson sleeping in the chair. Gibbs laughs before walking over to Carson and picking up the boy. He carries the boy upstairs into one of Shepard's bedroom where he lays him down and tucks him into bed. We begin to walk down the stair only for Shepard to look back up the stairs to the room.
"He'll be fine," Gibbs reminds her.
"It's been a long time. Us. Together outside of the office," Shepard says to Gibbs as we arrive at the bottom of the stairs and he picks up his jacket.
"Paris. If you don't count hospitals and car chases," Gibbs admits while placing his hand on my lower back.
"I don't," Shepard admits. She continues, "Yeah, once upon a time, I would have asked you to stay. And I wouldn't have taken no for an answer."
"That sounds like rape," I comment in disgusted. Don't we stop them, not be them.
"No," Gibbs overlaps me.
"What happened, Jethro?" Shepard demands of him while giving me a dirty look for my comment.
"You made a choice," Gibbs reminds her.
"I had to do what was best for me. I still do," Shepard informs him making him half smile before opening the door and we leave her house.
…
"Agent Gibbs. Where's Carson?" Elaine asks Gibbs we walk into the integration room where she is sitting in the navy uniform. She continues, "Is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine," Gibbs states while sitting down at the integration table.
"You're not," I add as I sit beside Gibbs and McGee pulls out a page from his file and puts it in front of her.
"Look familiar, lieutenant?" Gibbs asks her about what McGee found on Brian's computer.
"It's a background check you ran on your husband two years ago. These are e-mails you sent to a private investigator asking him to look into your husband's past," McGee informs her while placing more papers in front of her.
"Said you trusted him," I remind her of the lie she told.
"I was trying to protect him," Elaine informs us.
"From what?" Gibbs demands of her.
"From whatever Brian did that made him run nine years ago."
"How long have you know?" I ask her.
"Since before we were married. I always asked questions about… his parents, Carson's mother, and he never gave a straight answer."
"Started researching," Gibbs comments.
"I found hundreds of Brian Taylors from the DC area."
"But you never found your husband?" McGee comments.
"No, I found him. In a picture of his high school tennis team," Elaine informs us making McGee put the photo on the table.
"That one?"
"I saw the caption said that his surname was Matthews, but… I never had any doubt. I knew it was him."
"And when you confronted him?" McGee asks her.
"She didn't," Gibbs comments.
"I was afraid of losing him. My husband ran for a reason, and I'm sure it was a damn good one," Elaine informs us.
"It was… murder," I inform her making her laugh at me in disbelief.
"Killed a store clerk," McGee adds.
"No, Brian could never hurt anyone," Elaine defends her lying husband.
"Brian Taylor or Brian Matthews?" Gibbs demands of her.
"They're the same person," Elaine snaps at him.
"People change, lieutenant," I inform her calmly.
"My husband is a good man, and an even better father," Elaine informs me before wiping tears from her eyes. He yells at us angrily, "He couches little league, he's in the PTA, and no matter where he is or what he's doing, he always calls his son to say good night."
"Always?" Gibbs and I ask her. That is not what she said earlier.
…
"Hey, where's your cell phone?" I demand of Shepard while storming into her office with Gibbs and McGee to see Shepard and Carson sitting on the ground and yelling excitedly.
"Excuse me?" Shepard demands of me.
"Give it to me. NOW," I yell at her while holding my hand out for the phone. When she takes too long I add, "Don't make me take it myself." Gibbs messes up Carson's hair while Shepard hands me her phone finally. I give it to McGee who looks through the call from last night as Gibbs looks over his shoulder.
"What are they doing?" Carson questions Shepard as I lean against the table next to Gibbs, there is no point to crowd McGee.
"Not sure," Shepard admits.
"Satellite phone number. Called last night, eleven-thirty," McGee reports to us.
"Can you locate it?" Gibbs asks her while pulling his phone out.
"If the phone's still on, I can triangulate it," McGee admits while Shepard gets up and walks over to us.
"Do it," Gibbs orders him.
"Want to share, agent Gibbs?" Shepard demands of Gibbs.
"Your phone bill is going to be huge this month," I inform her as Gibbs rings Tony.
"Hey, give me some good news… he got tipped off," Gibbs comments as we all look at Carson.
"Does this mean I'm going to jail?" Carson demands of us while Gibbs hangs the phone up.
…
"I've got to tell you, agent Gibbs, you're full of surprise," Carson comments in the conference room while eating ice cream that Gibbs got for him.
"That right?" Gibbs asks him while eating his own ice cream. They two boys are scary, they bite there ice cream while I am eating mine out of a bowl.
"Ice cream as punishment? There's no way I saw that coming," Carson admits.
"What makes you think you're being punished?" I ask him.
"I messed up," Carson admits.
"You did?" Gibbs asks him after swallowing another bite of ice cream.
"I called my dad. Told him you guys were looking for him," Carson reminds us what he did.
"You just told the truth," I remind him calmly while pointing my spoon at him.
"Yeah, but… but," Carson says.
"Um-mm. no buts. You were trying to protect your dad," Gibbs informs him.
"He said he's gonna be gone for a while. I told him all about you… said he'd like to meet you one day. I told him you were on our side. Everyone's been really great to me here. Agent Gibbs, Todd, between us… I'm ready for this to be over," Carson admits.
…
"The father's pursuit of solitude is indicative of a far deeper problem," Ducky informs Palmer as we walk into the squad room.
"Which would be?" Palmer asks in confusion.
"Trust," Gibbs informs him as we look at what they are looking at. Photos of Brian and Carson.
"Lack of it," I finish for him while stopping between Gibbs and ducky.
"The evidence is all here, Jethro," Ducky informs us while walking over to another autopsy table while saying, "Separate bank accounts from his wife. A date book that shows very little social interaction. And, of course."
"His job," Gibbs comments while removing the fliers from Ducky's hand.
"Survivalist training. It's a field which typically lures a very specific type of personality," Ducky informs us.
"Jethros," I answers.
"Loners," Gibbs overlaps me making me snort in laughter as he give me a look of disbelief that I would say that. I smirk at him while shrugging my shoulder, I'm just telling the truth.
"And that leads us to his diary. It shows that he has very few social engagements other than with his son. He had led a troubled life that is full of pain. And Mr Palmer, someone who's experienced this much pain often finds release in the form of rage," Ducky states while flicking through the diary that we have.
"Or murder," Gibbs adds as he throws the fliers onto the autopsy table as we leave autopsy. Once we are safely in the elevator Gibbs turns to me while asking, "Is that really what you think of me?"
"Your saying you would enjoy that job? If it was up to you, you wouldn't ever deal with people," I tease him while pulling on his jacket.
"Not all humans," Gibbs informs me before leaning down to kiss me softly. He steps away from me as the elevator dings and more people enter the elevator to ride it up.
…
"DiNozzo," Tony answers his phone as Gibbs, Shepard, McGee, and I stand in MTAC with a map of the wood they are in on the screen and two dots.
"Taylor's phone was just activated, Tony. We're tracking it now," Shepard informs him.
"Yeah, welcome to the club. I wish I could say it's a fun one," Tony says while sounding tired.
"You sound tired, DiNozzo," Gibbs comments making me smile.
"Following Ziva. Even the dogs are tired," Tony informs us making me laugh at him… I wouldn't want to follow her, she doesn't stop for anything.
"Tony, Taylor's heading right towards you. Keep your course," McGee reports to Tony.
"How far?" Tony demands of us.
"A hundred yards, give or take. Looks like he's passing through some sort of clearing. Maybe a…"
"Dirt road?" Tony asks him.
"Yeah. How'd you…?"
"Well, we're staring at it, McGee," Tony reports to him.
"Talk to us, Tony," I say to him as Gibbs walks over towards McGee.
"Got a visual," Tony says before hanging up the phone. We watch as the dots get closure together and we can do nothing but to hope that we don't have to bury another agent.
…
"Psst. Guys," Abby hisses as we step out of the elevator at the lab. We walk back over to her and she just look at us.
"Are you okay, Abby?" I ask her softly.
"Yeah. I'm with child," Abby informs her making me blink. She's pregnant? Whose the father? Why is she whispering that? Do I know the father? She continue to inform us, "the director asked me to watch Carson this morning, so I enlisted Palmer's help. Turns out… he's a pretty good babysitter."
"Why exactly are you standing by the elevator?" McGee demands of Abby how is watching Palmer and Carson play a game with a whiteboard that Palmer is drawing.
"For privacy. I don't want to you-know-who to hear. Someone," Abby defends herself while leading us away from the elevator and away from the lab. She continues to whisper inform us, "So, I hacked the Globalstar database, and I accessed the ball log from Brian Taylor's sat-phone."
"How?" McGee asks her in confusion and surprise.
"Was not easy. First, I exploited a weakness I found in the network's packet filter," Abby rambles.
"Abby," Gibbs buts her off.
"Abs, remember he can't work his phone, let alone understand what you are saying," I remind her while placing a hand on Gibbs chest making her grin at me.
"Sorry. Right. Anyway, so, Taylor… made one phone call. Ronald Keenan," Abby informs us while holding up a photo of a license of a hippy looking dude.
"That's good work," Gibbs says to her as we turn to leave.
…
We pull up out front of Ronald's house and get out of the car. We walk up the stairs to see the front door is open making us drawl our guns as Gibbs quickly runs past the door to the other side of the door. He pulls it open letting McGee enter the house first, followed by me and the finally Gibbs.
"I repeat, this is nine-one-one. please state your emergency. Officers have been dispatched to your location," a lady says over the bloody phone while Ronald is laying in the middle of the room.
Gibbs walks over to the man while holstering his gun. He kneels over the victim and checks this pulse only to see that he is dead with a knife in his chest.
…
I am photographing the crime scene while Ducky is checking the liver temp of Ronald.
"This young man never stood a fighting chance, because, unfortunately, or him," Ducky rambles like normal.
"He didn't fight," Palmer cuts Ducky off making us all looking at them. He continues, "Sorry doctor."
"No, you're right. Not the lack of defensive wounds on his forearms and hands," Ducky informs us while showing us the victims hands and arms that are not damaged at all.
"He knew his attacker," I comment.
"But judging by that hunting knife in his chest, I think we can presume that their relationship had soured somewhat," Ducky informs us as McGee enters the room.
"Boss, I spoke with the nine-one-one dispatch. Keenan didn't say a word," McGee reports to him.
"Yes, well, given the circumstances, even dialling the phone was quite a feat," Ducky comments.
"It's amazing what a person can do when their life depends on it," Palmer says as Gibbs leaves the room.
"Yeah, Gibbs… maple street. Any sign of Taylor?" Gibbs asks the person on the other side of the phone as we walk over to the car.
"Maple street, three blocks away," McGee informs him as Gibbs ends the phone.
"Yeah," Gibbs says while getting into the car.
…
"Ronald Keenan born and raised in the DC area," Danielle informs us with a photo of Ronald's license on the plasma screen above my desk.
"Also happened to be one of Brian Taylor's high school buddies," McGee adds from his desk.
"Metro interviewed him nine years ago. Said he didn't know why Taylor ran," Collins informs us.
"Maybe he didn't," McGee defends the victim.
"There's a reason he's dead," I state.
"Yeah, murder," Collins reminds us.
"He's five-ten, a hundred and eighty pounds. He matches our witnesses' description," Danielle informs us.
"I think we just found Taylor's accomplice," Collins says while jumping to conclusions.
"Or he could just be an innocent victim. There is no need to jump to conclusions… I don't know how you do it at metro but here at NCIS we use evidence to prove crimes," I snap at him as McGee's phone begins to ring.
"NCIS. Agent McGee," McGee answers his phone.
"Taylor knows we have the murder weapon. Last thing he need was his accomplice getting nervous and flipping," Collins informs us angrily.
"Agent Gibbs… sure, I'll just get him for you now," McGee says while standing up. He calls out, "Boss, Brian Taylor asking for you by name." I walk over to him with Gibbs who take the phone as he says, "Starting the trace." He begins to type at his computer before informing me, "Ready." I hit speaker phone while placing the phone onto the cradle so that everyone can hear what is being said.
"Special agent Gibbs," Gibbs says while watches over McGee's shoulder.
"How's my son, agent Gibbs?" Brian demands of me.
"Scared. Confused."
"That makes two of us."
"You want sympathy?"
"I want my life back."
"Which life, Brian Matthews or Brian Taylor's?"
"I ran because I didn't wanna lose my son. I was naïve. I was a twenty year old who made a lot of mistakes."
"Murder."
"I never killed anyone."
"Tell that to Keenan."
"Keenan was my friend."
"I'd hate to see your enemies."
"Carson says you're good. He says you're on our side."
"Yeah , well, he's a smart kid."
"Are you? You on our side, agent Gibbs?"
"Come in."
"I do that, my life's over."
"Not if you're innocent."
"It's not that simple. You've got this all wrong," Brian informs me before hanging up the phone.
"Did we get him?" I ask McGee softly.
"Pay phone, north end of rock creek park," McGee informs us. We all move to get our jackets and guns.
"Call DiNozzo," Gibbs orders him as we leave the squad room.
…
We all arrive at the park, including Tony and Ziva who I don't know when they got back from black ridge park, and the metro cold case detective.
"Pair up, spread out," Gibbs orders us as we get out of the car.
"We'll take east of the creek, the rest is yours," Tony informs Collins.
"On it," Collins says while turning and walking away from Tony. Gibbs and McGee pair up, Ziva and Tony pair up. Collins and Danielle pair up and I run after them, I don't know if I trust them yet, so I am going to keep my eye on them.
.
No one pov
.
"Yeah Gibbs," Gibbs answers his phone while walking through the park with McGee.
"Big news, Gibbs. The bloody fingerprints we found on Keenan's phone, they didn't belong to Keenan. They were Brian Taylor's," Abby informs him.
"Means Taylor called nine-one-one," Gibbs comments while ducking under a tree.
"I've been looking at the evidence from the stop 'n go, really sloppy police work."
"What have you got, Abby?" Gibbs demands of her because she could ramble for years if he doesn't get her to jump to the point.
"a strand of hair that has titanium dioxide."
"English, Abby."
"It's a synthetic gel, but it didn't hit stores until 2002, which is strange because…"
"The murder happened in ninety-eight. Someone tampered with the evidence," Gibbs cuts her off.
"According to the chain of evidence, there were only two officers that had access," Abby informs Gibbs making him lower the phone while looking around.,
"McGee, where's Alice?" Gibbs demands of his agent… she better be with Tony.
.
"You go that way," Collins orders Danielle.
"Got it," Danielle says while running off.
"We are meant to stay together. Splitting up is just going to get you killed," Alice snaps at Collins.
"You go that way," Collins while pointing towards another direction.
"No. I am staying with you… I will not have your death on my consciousness because you want to be a hero," I snap at him while following him closely.
.
"McGee. He wants us here," Gibbs informs McGee when he releases there is no more tracks to follow.
"Why?" McGee asks him in confusion.
"Payphone number?" Gibbs asks him making McGee pull his note book out with the number. Gibbs dials the number while looking around for Alice, where is she? "Hey, you were framed," Gibbs says into his phone when the payphone is answered.
"I guess Carson was right, you are on our side," Brian says to Gibbs.
"Stay where you are. I'll come to you," Gibbs orders him.
"No a chance. I'm coming to you, and only you," Brian corrects him. Gibbs hangs the phone up when the line goes dead before shaking his head and removing his bulletproof vest.
"What are you doing, boss?" McGee asks him.
"My job," Gibbs informs him.
.
Brian runs thought the park while jumping over trees and moving towards where Gibbs is but before he gets too far there is snap of a twig making him look up to see Collins alone in front of him.
"Don't move, Taylor," Collins orders him while aim his gun at the mans head. He then asks him, "You armed?" Brian nodes while going to remove the knife so he is safe but Collins says, "hold on to it. Less for me to explain."
"You killed Keenan," Brian accused Collins.
"Should have done it years ago. He was going to tell. From killer to cop. Funny how life works out," Collins admits to the murder.
"Why did you set me up?" Brian demands of him.
"I didn't. spur of the moment. Just needed a gun, that's all. Keenan said he knew a guy who had one. now I've got my own. Government-issued," Brian admits.
"So is mine," Gibbs says while aiming his gun at Collins not Brian as he steps out from behind the trees behind Brian.
"And mine," Alice says while stepping out from the trees behind Collins and aiming her gun at Collins. She continues, "How fast are you Collins? How many people can you kill before you die?"
"Put it down," Gibbs orders him as Ziva and McGee appears from beside Gibbs. Tony comes over to besides Alice as they all aim at him and not Brian.
"He's got a knife, agent Gibbs. I was just protecting myself," Collins attempts to defend himself as Tony takes his gun.
"So was I," Brian says while opening his hunting jack to show Gibbs NCIS vest. McGee walks over to Brian and pulls out a recording device and plays it. And it plays Collins saying, 'I should have done it years ago. He was going to tell.' Making them all smirk at him because they court a killer and someone who is willing to let an innocent man go down for a crime he never commented.
"You set me up?" Collins demands of Brian as Tony handcuffs him and Alice walks over to Gibbs.
"Yeah. Kind of ironic! Huh," Brian comments.
"Looks like we're one for three, Collins," Tony comments while dragging him away.
…
Alice pov
.
"McGee a word," I ask him as I step off of the elevator with the team.
"Okay," McGee says while looking at me in confusion.
"Privately," I add before leading him over behind the stairs as everyone returns to the squad room.
"What is this about?" McGee asks me in confusion.
"You know what this is about."
"No I don't."
"Abby told you."
"That you and Gibbs are engaged?"
"Yes… don't tell anyone."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want Shepard to find out… and if Tony finds out, he will tell everyone," I inform him.
"But you are engaged to Gibbs?"
"Yeah."
"When?" McGee asks me in confusion.
"Few months ago… please don't tell anyone until I'm ready," I beg him.
"I'll keep my mouth shut… but congratulations," McGee says to me.
"Thank you," I say with a smile small.
…
"Okay. One more answer correct, and… I win my title back," Tony boost while doing a movie quiz on Gibbs time.
"From a ten-year-old," McGee reminds him.
"Who has just been through hell," Ziva adds.
"You mess with the bull.. you get the horns," Tony informs us while placing his fingers on each side of his head like they are horns. He adds, "NO exceptions."
"Wanna hope Jethro doesn't catch you doing that," I comment while looking at him.
"All right. 'in the 1985 film back to the future, this device makes time travel possible.' Come on, baby, I'm back," Tony says before punching his desk a couple of time before says and typing, "What is the flux capacitor?" Tony looses the game making him loose his mind again while exclaiming, "Wait, what happened?"
"You spelled 'capacitor' wrong," Carson informs him making us all laugh at him. Carson walks around to face Tony before adding, "Touch break."
"I bow to the champion," Tony says while bowing to him.
"Handshake will do," Carson says before shaking Tony's hand which quickly turns into a secret handshake thing. Gibbs steps out of the elevator with Brian and Elaine making Carson run to his father for a hug.
"I'm really gonna miss him," Abby complains.
"There's something about that kid," Tony agrees with him as I get up and walk over to Gibbs who place his arm around me as the family leave NCIS.
…
"Jethro, what are you doing?" I ask Gibbs as I walk out back to see him sitting on the back stairs.
"Thinking," Gibbs answers me while tapping the seat beside him for me to sit down.
"About?" I ask him while I sit down nest to him and lean my head onto his arm.
"Life," Gibbs answers me.
"Life in general? Or like a specific life?"
"How life turns out. If Carson's grandmother didn't report him missing when she won custody, and he didn't join the boy scouts and McGee didn't bring him to the lab and Abby picked a different kid… we might never have caught Collins… life," Gibbs informs me while wrapping his arm around me.
"I don't think that's life," I inform him before adding, "That's fate."
"Either way… what are the chances?"
"Same chances as us getting together.
"True," Gibbs hums while kissing the top of my head while watching the stares.