A Dare, Or Something More Sinister?
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS... I'm just taking the characters for a spin!
Author's Notes: Thank-you all for the reviews, I'm glad you all like it... as always a few more wouldn't go unnoticed! Please!
And of course, again a gigantic thank-you to Kate for her fantastic work and great inspiration!
This one is a bit longer than the other chapters; hopefully it doesn't seem like I'm rambling too much
"What are you staring at, Probie?" Tony asked, not looking up
"Ah, nothing, just thinking" McGee replied quickly
"About?" Tony asked, feigning curiosity
"Nothing" McGee replied, looking back at his computer and started typing a bit
Tony looked up and frowned, "You're thinking about nothing? Do that a lot, Probie?"
"Mmm, yes.. I mean, no" McGee replied, then sighed and looked back at Tony, "You know, it wasn't your fault, Tony"
"'bout what?"
"Gibbs getting injured in the line of duty. The lack of coffee wouldn't have made any difference" McGee replied
"Don't know what you're talking about, Probie" Tony responded, looking back to his computer
"Yes you do, you blame yourself for…" McGee started
"Drop it, McGee!" Tony snapped. "I don't wanna talk about it!"
"Well, you should, it would be better for…"
Tony hit his desk with his hand, cutting McGee off, "Dammit McGee! I said drop it! Now, get back to work!"
Tony continued to glare at McGee until he turned back to his computer and started typing again
The elevator dinged, breaking the silence in the bull-pen, Tony looked up as Gibbs and Kate approached with smiles on their faces. Tony narrowed his eyes before looking back at his screen.
"So, what have you got for me, boys?" Gibbs asked
"Not a lot, Brown's only living relatives are in California, but his relationships with them weren't very good" Tony replied
"Not a lot on this end either, still having trouble getting his financial records. I spoke with a few people who trained with him at NROTC, but nobody knew him much, kept to himself" McGee said
"Right, I want those records McGee. Kate, continue looking through the list, see if there is anybody he might contact and/or stay with, I also want you to prepare a profile for him. I wanna find this guy" Gibbs said, rattling out orders
"What about me, boss?" Tony asked
"You're with me, DiNozzo" Gibbs replied, walking back to the elevator
Tony got up and followed Gibbs. They got to the elevator as it was opening to let some other people out, Tony recognized them and smiled, briefly saying hello to them.
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs called, getting into the elevator
Tony got into the elevator and stood behind Gibbs. As the door closed, Tony smiled, "So, when do I get my week off, boss?"
Gibbs turned around, "What!"
"You had coffee"
"What makes you think that?"
"Firstly, you're happy. Secondly," Tony put his hands on Gibbs' shoulders, putting them at arms length. Tony tilted his head and smiled again, "You smell like coffee"
"I didn't have one" Gibbs said, denying it
"I can smell it on your breath. You had it slightly stronger than usual" Tony responded, dropping his arms, "So, feel better?"
The elevator stopped at their level and they got out. Gibbs grinned and cocked his head to the side, studying Tony, "Yeah, much"
"Good" Tony said as they walked into the lab
"Abs, got the hacker yet?" Gibbs asked after turning down the music
"Boss-man! What? No caff-Pow?" Abby asked, then sighed, resuming her normal, happy self, "Ok, not yet. But I've set like, a hundred traps, so that as soon as he rears his ugly head," she clapped her hands together, "he's a goner"
"And in the meantime?"
"Well, I've tried back-tracing it, but haven't turned up anything. He used some pretty sophisticated stuff; he knows what he's doing. It's just a pity we don't know what he's looking for, cause then I'd have more idea where to…" Abby said, descending into more techno-babble
"Abby!" Gibbs pleaded
"Right, so anyway, we should be able to get him" Abby finished. She looked at Gibbs and slightly tilted her head to the side, studying him "You look like you've had coffee"
Tony smirked, "You noticed as well?"
"How could I not? How long ago did you have it?" Abby responded
"Half an hour ago" Gibbs replied, "It's not that obvious is it? I mean, it's only coffee"
"And you're only addicted" Abby replied
"And yeah, it's that obvious. You look better already" Tony told him, when Gibbs glared at him, he added, "Not that you didn't look good anyway, boss"
Gibbs slapped him over the back of his head
"You know, one day you're going to give me a concussion from doing that" Tony said, rubbing his head
Abby narrowed her eyes as she looked back and forth between Gibbs and Tony, then turned to Gibbs, "So, did you learn anything?"
"Yeah, Tony thinks I look good" Gibbs replied, smirking, as Tony blushed and tried to deny it, but Abby interrupted him
"No, I mean from going without coffee for a week"
"Six and a half days, Abs" Tony corrected her
"Not really" Gibbs replied
"So you're denying that you are addicted to coffee?" Abby asked
Gibbs thought about it for a second, "No, not denying it"
Abby smiled, "I know somebody who can help you quit, and I'm sure the director would let you have some time off…"
Gibbs held up his hand, "I don't want to quit. Why would I? Coffee is the best stuff in the world, and as long as I continue drinking it, it doesn't affect my work"
"I believe that is a wise idea, Jethro" Ducky said, walking into the lab
"What, continuing to drink coffee?" Tony asked
"Yes." Ducky replied, "When you were in the hospital wing on the ship, I had one of the doctors run some blood tests for me. I'm not sure how to say this without confusing you too much, but the tests revealed that you're health deteriorated quite a lot due to the lack of coffee. But it was hardly surprising seeing as you've been drinking it every day for longer than 22 years"
Gibbs stifled a yawn and leaned back into his chair, staring at his screen as it came in and out of focus. He looked over his desk at his three agents who were still working diligently, but looked over-tired. He knew they had all been worried about him whilst he was missing and then even more so when he had been found, and although he would never admit it to them, he appreciated their concern. His eyes rested on Tony and he frowned, not because he knew the younger man was playing a game when he was supposed to be working, but because he knew that Tony had blamed himself for what had happened, he'd have to talk to him later. Gibbs thought back to the events earlier in the day, and wondered what was up with Tony, he knew the younger man was not himself and had been acting strangely of late. Glancing at McGee, he remembered that he had to remind Tony to take McGee shopping for a new car; he didn't want him catching buses anymore.
Gibbs cocked his head to the side and studied the man, "McGee, do you have a driver's licence?"
McGee looked up and blushed, "I let it expire. Been without one since day before yesterday"
Gibbs nodded, "You're gonna have to get one of those as well"
McGee frowned, "As well?"
"Yes, McGee, as well as a car" Gibbs replied
"You were serious about that?" McGee asked
Tony groaned, "Of course he was, Probie. Does he look like he was joking?"
McGee looked back to Gibbs and sighed, shaking his head
"Any luck getting Brown's financial records?" Gibbs asked, squinting as he looked back to his screen
"Yeah, but it's complete. It has transactions that are missing, at one point; there are no deposits or withdrawals for six months, that's including bank fees. Either somebody deleted them or I haven't been able to retrieve the whole record" McGee replied
"Why not?" Gibbs asked, "Something to do with the hacker?"
"Could be" McGee paused, thinking, "I might be able to find out if I go to Abby's lab"
"Why would a hacker stop us from accessing Brown's records?" Kate asked, frowning.
There was a moment of silence, which was broken when Tony's eyes lit up and he held up a finger, "Hang-on, what if the hacker was Brown? It would explain a lot, we've had this hacker, for how long? Since a couple of days after we got the case? Maybe he was checking up on us; see if we thought it was him"
"McGee, go help Abby. And try to find those records" Gibbs said
"Well, if you can't get them through the net, you could always try for the hard copy at the bank" Tony suggested, then seeing the look on Gibbs' face, "They're closed at the moment, be open at nine tomorrow"
"Right, I want you there at 0845. For now, we'll have to try the internet. Kate, you got anything?" Gibbs asked
"No, any close friends of his are dead, missing or uncontactable. You've already spoken to his parents. And he was never in the same place long enough to get to know the neighbours or anything" Kate replied, looking at the screen, "Except for somebody who went to chef's school with him, but he's away in Sweden at the moment, studying chocolate"
Gibbs and Tony raised their eyebrows, "Chocolate?" Tony asked
Gibbs shook his head, "Why?" he asked, ridiculously
"Some people like things other than coffee and boats, Gibbs" Kate replied
Gibbs frowned and shook his head again, "The more I know, the less I understand"
"What is there not to understand? Chocolate is great" Tony said
"You would study it, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked
Tony frowned and shook his head, "Point taken"
"I'm just getting started on his profile now" Kate told Gibbs, before he could ask.
Gibbs nodded and looked back at his computer. He grumbled under his breath and looked back to his agents, making sure they weren't watching. Opening one of the draws in his desk, he took out his glasses and put them on. He grumbled again as the words came into focus, and went back to his work. Half an hour later, he put the glasses back, determined that he didn't need them.
That's it for chapter 26... I hope you like it! Please review, please!