The agent in question looked up from his desk and the statement he'd been rereading, to see McGee and Abby approaching, neither one looking particularly happy.
What's up, you two? Tony set the papers carefully aside in favor of the anxious couple.
We've think we've found Gibbs' attacker on one of the hospital surveillance cameras, Abby cut in, before McGee could speak. Only McGee insists it's not Ari.I thought Gibbs was certain he saw Ari. If the man you found isn't him, then who is he?
Abby fidgeted as McGee picked up the conversation. I don't know, Tony. This guy has a distinctly different look about him in certain key facial characteristics. Here, see for yourself. He stepped behind his desk and with a few keystrokes brought up a split screen picture on the plasma. The first was the original camera shot of their suspect and the second was Abby's enhanced picture. He motioned with the controller and said simply, That's not Ari, Tony.
Tony walked over to the screen and tilted his head. How can you tell, McGee? he asked, perplexed, after a moment. As the younger man began to point out certain bone structure and facial contours that didn't match up, Tony held up a hand. Okay, whatever. Did you run it against that facial recognition software, just to be sure?
As Tim assured Tony that he had, and that the software had come back with a negative match, Abby huffed out a disgusted breath. Both men turned to look at her and Tony moved from the plasma to his friend's side. Abbs? What's wrong?I know what the technology says, she said, seeming to dismiss the very thing she built her career around. But this time, my gut agrees with Gibbs. This is Ari. We have to get him, Tony. We have to get him for Kate; before he gets Gibbs.We'll get him. And keep in mind, just because this may not be Ari, doesn't mean he's not behind the attacks, he told her.
Tell that to McGee! He seems to think that this is someone or something else altogether. She gave the other man a petulant glare and added, I think he just doesn't care whether we get Ari or not.
Tony turned to stare at her in absolute shock. What? Abby, nobody has studied Ari more than Tim has. Every day since Kate died he's spent hours trying to find a way to catch that son of a bitch. If you think he doesn't care about avenging Kate's death, you couldn't be more wrong. His voice cut through the girl's anger in a way that Tim's could not.
Then why does he keep saying this might not be Ari behind this? Why is he looking for an excuse not to go after him? Abby's green eyes shone with emotion she seldom showed.
I don't know. McGee?This doesn't feel right. These attacks on Gibbs aren't Ari's style. It's not that I don't want to go after that asshole, but I don't want to be going after the wrong man and leave Gibbs unprotected against another threat. If this is someone else, let's think about it for a minute. Gibbs has too many enemies to discount all of them in favor of the one we most want dead. What better time to attack him and play on that weakness?
Tony ran his hand over his face. Hadn't Laurie said the very same thing to him in the car? Okay, for the sake of argument, let's assume that Gibbs is being targeted by someone else. What's the purpose of making it look like he's Tony trailed off. He looked up at the other two, tapping a finger to his lips as he thought. Whoever it is, is making it look like Gibbs is obsessed with Ari, he said slowly as he worked through the evidence.
He heard Laurie's voice in his head, her words came back to him now as clearly as if she were next to him, telling him they were all obsessed. Shoving that thought aside, he continued his own thought aloud.
Making him look like he isn't sleeping, drinking too much coffee, chasing after phantoms, having hallucinations'. What's the point? he mused. To push him over the edge, get him to crack? To give him more fuel for his obsession? No, that doesn't make any sense. To get him out of the way for some reason?
McGee saw the logic in Tony's last statement immediately. Yes! If Gibbs is obsessed with Ari, then how can he run an effective team? Then what happens with us, if Gibbs
Abby cut him off. So that's it. You're just going to go with this theory and forget about the man that killed your partner, she stated flatly.
McGee, tired of Abby's single-mindedness and irritable from lack of sleep, rounded on her. No, we're not just going to forget about Kate's killer. But are you honestly that unwilling to look at the bigger picture, Abbs? Would you rather we ignore this possibility and maybe let Gibbs die too? Shall we go to another funeral? Cry for another agent who shouldn't have had to die? Dammit, Abby! Someone attacked Gibbs! If it wasn't Ari, then don't you think we should catch that asshole too? Or should we just let him keep coming until Gibbs is dead?I'd rather you didn't. Gibbs' voice caused them all to turn.
Sorry, Boss, McGee mumbled.
Don't be sorry, tell me what you've got, McGee.
The group recounted the evidence Abby and Tim had found. Tony took the plasma controller and clicked through the various shots Abby had isolated from the tape, displaying the nearly unreadable ID badge and the hand with the cigarette along with the Abby's close-up of the suspect's face.
I have to head out to pick up whatever the local LEO's managed to find for us, Tim finished, glancing at his watch.
Send someone, if you can, Gibbs told him. I need you here. He then turned his attention to the enhanced photograph. He studied it carefully and, as he was the only one in the group who'd had a look at Ari, face-to-face, they waited for his assessment. After a long moment, he had to agree with Tim, the person in the picture wasn't Ari. It certainly could have been the man he saw.
Tony seemed to be the only one to note Abby's reaction as she folded her arms tightly across her chest and turned slightly away from the men. He was about to reach out to her when Gibbs stepped over to her, bumped her shoulder gently with his and gave her a rare smile.
So, Boss, Tony continued the discussion as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, for Abby's sake. Do you think it could still be Ari behind this? Or is this someone else?Yeah, any other any enemies we should be checking out? Tim chimed in.
Who else have I pissed off recently? You want a list, McGee? Gibbs asked with a half grin.
Well, we didn't exactly make friends with that Deputy Secretary when Tony went undercover to recover those Iraqi artifacts, McGee supplied.
I don't think the Deputy Secretary of State is sending an assassination team after Gibbs, Abby muttered scathingly.
I'm sorry, you pissed off who? Tony asked, looking between the two men.
Gibbs waved away DiNozzo's comment and frowned in thought. What about that spook when Tony and Kate were in Ciudad del Este? I don't think I made a new friend in the CIA. And that could still be connected to Ari, since I did threaten to expose him as our al-Qaeda mole in order to get my way.Any others, Boss? Tony tried to look innocent as he asked, but his tone didn't quite manage it, and he received a smack on the head for the comment.
McGee, you figure out who the hell our scumbag is. Gibbs directed as he eyed the lab-tech standing quietly to his side. Come on, Abbs, he said, slipping an arm around the dark-haired girl. Let's go down to your lab and see what else you have for me. The pair was halfway to the elevator when Gibbs turned back.
Oh, and DiNozzo, he called, I believe Director Morrow would like a word or two with you.
Tony swore for a moment he saw a flash of pity on the older man's face.