Jeffrey awoke to see Gus standing in the doorway. "What're you doing here?" he mumbled, looking up at him.
"I need to take Sandy's statement…" Gus said.
"What?" Jeffrey mumbled. "Why? Jack confessed four different times to three different people, I think that the case is pretty damned open and shut…"
"I need to take his statement…" Gus repeated.
"Can't you see that he is asleep?" Jeffrey snapped, getting up out of the chair and walking over to Gus.
"I can wait…" Gus said. "The AD said that this is a top priority…"
"You don't work for the AD anymore, remember?" Jeffrey said. "So why don't you just get out of here?"
"Until this case is closed, then I'm still on it…"
"You're going to wake him up…" Jeffrey said. "He needs his rest. Just go away Aitoro… You know who hurt him. You don't need his statement…"
"Damn it O'Neill, you have no idea what went on yesterday when you were gone…"
"Well then why don't you tell me Aitoro?" Sandy stirred slightly in his sleep and Jeffrey wondered if he was going to wake up. "Can we talk outside of this room?" Jeffrey said. "Please…"
"All right…" Gus said. "Whatever…"
Jeffrey followed Gus out of the room, shutting the door behind him. "He doesn't need this kind of stress right now…" Jeffrey said. "I don't understand why you need his statement when you already have Jack's confession…"
"Oh come on, O'Neill!" Gus said. "Did you think that the FBI was just going to let him get put away and put the department to shame?"
"Aitoro, what the fuck are you talking about?"
"They lawyered him up, O'Neill…" Gus replied. "They're mounting an insanity defense, and quite frankly, I think that the jury is going to buy it… Unless we can get someone who comes across as sympathetic to testify against him…"
"Testify?" Jeffrey snapped. "You said that you needed to take his statement… You didn't say anything about him testifying in court…"
"Do you honestly think that if there was another way to do this that I would be here right now?" Gus said.
"Jack tried to kill me too…" Jeffrey said. "Why can't I testify? Isn't that enough? I could even testify as to what Sandy told me happened to him…"
"He told you everything?" Gus asked.
"He told me what he felt comfortable telling me..." Jeffrey answered.
"So, what exactly did he say?" Gus asked.
"I am not just going to tell you.." Jeffrey said. "He trusted me and I am not going to tell you anything unless he says that I can…"
"Or unless the judge orders you to…"
"So…" Jeffrey said. "I can testify instead of him?"
"Have you heard one word that I've said to you?" Gus said. "I said that we need someone who comes across as sympathetic to testify, O'Neill, and you just don't…"
"You're a detective, Aitoro…" Jeffrey said. "You're not a lawyer so quit talking like you are one…"
Gus glanced at the window. "He's awake…" he said. "I'm going to take his statement…"
"Why can't I do it?" Jeffrey asked. "He'll tell me more than he'd ever tell you…"
"Not gonna happen O'Neill…" Gus said. "You have too much of a personal stake in this case. They want someone who is going to be totally objective here…"
Jeffrey sighed, he knew that there was no point in trying to talk him out of this. "Aitoro, just, do me one favor, please…"
"What?" Gus asked.
"Your badge…" Jeffrey said. "Just… Take it off… Stick it in your pocket or something…"
Gus raised an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Just do it Aitoro…" Jeffrey said. "I am not going to let you into this room until you do…"
Gus took off his badge and stuck it into his back pocket. "All right O'Neill…" he said. "You gonna let me in now?"
Jeffrey moved out of Gus' way and followed him back into the room.
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