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On her way to the elevator she noticed Dr. Mallard going through some of his files. She assumed that the older doctor was now reviewing all of his case files with a more skeptical eye. She was still sorry that her task in the morgue had caused the man to think his work was being held in question, but she guessed that maybe it would be something the esteemed doctor could turn into a positive.
As she stepped onto the elevator, Maj. Cassidy breathed a sigh of relief. This day had started out as any other, and she had no indication of how it would end when she woke up this morning. She was infinitely glad to have been provided with the depth of training the Corps had seen fit to give her, and she honestly believed it was for days such as this one that she was given that opportunity. She only hoped that it would yield positive results.
During her review of the case files, it became very clear to her why this was such a crucial case for Special Agent Gibbs and his team. The victim, GySgt. Furmansky, was a service buddy of Gibbs' out in the Gulf, so his death and the gruesome nature of it had to have been a real blow to Gibbs and his team. Maj. Cassidy was deep in thought about this very detail when she failed to notice the elevator stopping short of her intended floor. It was not until the doors opened and Agent Gibbs entered the elevator that she returned from her thoughts.
"Well, Major…" The woman was startled by Gibbs' voice, but did her best not to make her surprise visible. "Looks like you've already made some progress on the case."
"Sir?" She instantly regretted her repeated lapse back into her training.
Although Gibbs cringed a bit at the title, he tried to let it slide, "Yeah, Crypto is still salivating over that sequence you found and McGee tells me you've already ID'd the marker used to write those numbers." Gibbs turned around to see the Major as he prepared to ask his question, "You really think this slime is Navy?"
She took a deep breath for before answering; reminding herself not to slip up again, "Agent Gibbs, the subject at the very least has intimate knowledge of the supplies and procedures of a World War II aircraft carrier, and has access to same. I would turn attention to anyone associated now or previously with the de-commissioning of aircraft carriers in the last ten years. It would be the ideal place to start, S-Agent Gibbs."
Gibbs simply turned back to face the elevator doors and nodded his head. "Yeah, that's what I was figuring, too."
The elevator doors opened and Gibbs walked out and put his arm out to stay the doors as the Major exited the elevator. They walked the rest of the way to the front doors in silence. As they approached the front desk security, Gibbs noticed a man in a Naval Officer's uniform pacing in front of security. Upon closer examination, he decided it was a Lieutenant Commander's uniform. Gibbs mused to himself that the Lieutenant Commander must have done something pretty bad to have been exiled to the Navy Department's car service.
Before he headed down the hall to the parking garage Gibbs stopped and turned again to the Major, "Good night, Major… See you in the morning?"
Maj. Cassidy smiled a bit and answered, "0700, Agent Gibbs… Good night, Sir."
Gibbs smirked to himself as he noticed the Major chastising herself for slipping up once more. She walked through the security gate and signed out of NCIS headquarters. Gibbs was about to turn down the hall to the parking garage when he noticed something odd for a member of the Marine Corps. Maj Cassidy was kissing the Naval Officer on the cheek as he took her metal case and then her arm before they both left the lobby. Gibbs decided this would need more investigation; tomorrow.