"Gibbs!"
"Gibbs!"
"Boss!"
The cries rang out simultaneously, accompanied by the sound of three hurried pairs of feet smacking the concrete corridors. Gibbs turned from his conversation with Daniel to see his two subordinates rushing toward him, faces lit up in excitement. Abby followed, white lab coat billowing out behind her as she rounded the corner quickly. She, too, looked fit to burst.
Predictably, they began talking as soon as they ground to a halt in front of their leader. Shouting over one another for priority, they soon created a din that was turning heads in the cramped hallway. Gibbs held up his hands for silence, the simple gesture enough to stop the conversation without any additional yelling on his part. Daniel was impressed.
"That's better," he groused. "Now, what've you got?" Before they could begin their shouting match again, he pointed. "Abby."
"The tape I thought was hinky?" she reminded him. "It really is. It took a lot of staring at really boring video but I found it. Like in Speed, y'know? When Dennis Hopper finally figures out --" She stopped herself, noticing Gibbs' (somewhat toned-down) death glare. "Anyway, Hoedemaker must have set up some kind of video loop in the security tapes. It's a good one; he managed to get a good hour where only two nondescript guys get on and off, so it's really hard to spot the repetition."
Daniel's brow wrinkled. "So, what does that mean?"
"Hoedemaker wasn't where he was supposed to be when Colonel Havelock was killed," Abby gloated.
"Good job, Abbs. Kate," Gibbs nodded to her.
"I talked to the west elevator guard, Isaac Mayer. He was never a suspect because he wasn't here when the murder took place. He was on emergency leave; his grandmother was sick."
"We know that," Gibbs prompted.
"Yeah, but he requested his emergency leave at about 9:00 from his supervisor, Staff Sergeant Hoedemaker," Kate finished dramatically.
"Hoedemaker knew the west elevator was unguarded and wasn't at his post in the east elevator," Daniel summarized. "Sounds pretty open-and-shut."
"Still pretty circumstantial," Gibbs muttered. "DiNozzo."
"You're gonna love this, boss," Tony grinned widely, holding up an evidence bag. "I found the weapon."
For the briefest of split seconds, Gibbs actually looked surprised. He recovered quickly, though, replacing his raised eyebrows with a small smirk.
"Not bad, DiNozzo. Abby --"
"On it," she sang, snatching the bag and rushing back to Carter's lab.
"Tony," Gibbs beckoned him closer. Lowering his voice, "Do I want to know where you found that weapon?"
"It was all by-the-book, boss; I swear," Tony vowed. "I was reprocessing the doors on the 14th floor for trace when they just opened, all by themselves. I don't really believe in ghosts but that brought back some pretty bad memories..." Tony cleared his throat. "Anyway, there was no car behind the doors. I shined my flashlight up and down the shaft, trying to see what made the doors open, right? The light reflected off something about two levels down."
"DiNozzo, just get to the point!"
"The weapon was caught on a gear box. I'll bet Hoedemaker tossed it down the shaft thinking no one would ever find it at the bottom."
"You wouldn't have," Daniel commented, ignoring the fact that he was the reason they had lowered their voices. "This facility goes down for miles. You're only on the tip of the iceberg, so to speak."
"Bring him in," Gibbs ordered, ignoring Daniel.
"Didn't you just say it's too circumstantial?" Daniel asked, puzzled.
Gibbs glanced at the scientist briefly before walking away in the direction of Jack's office. Tony swaggered toward Daniel, pleased to be the teacher for once.
"We've got enough to arrest him," he explained. "Then Gibbs'll break him in interrogation. And if we match the weapon..."
"He's done for," Daniel finished, understanding. Tony nodded, satisfied with his 'student.'
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs' voice rang out, amplified by the austere walls. "I want Hoedemaker in my custody yesterday!"
"On it, boss."