Chapter Twenty Seven: Bringing in Their Man

Tony sat quietly behind the wheel as he navigated through traffic on their way to Norfolk. His mind was still playing scenarios in his head as to what might have happened between Gibbs and Director Shepard. Ziva was staring at the window when she happened to glance to Tony and notice the grin.

"What is with you today? Your lips seem to be glued to your teeth," she said with a sigh.

"You know when I called Gibbs earlier to give him the report?" Tony replied.

"Yeah," Ziva said nonchalant.

"Gibbs didn't answer the phone," Tony said.

"So you had a conversation with his voice mail?" Ziva asked.

"No," Tony said with a snort giving Ziva a look. "Director Shepard answered his phone."

"His cell phone? Director Shepard answered it?" Ziva asked confused.

"Yeeaah, she was at his house," Tony said with a grin. "And she said he was sleeping at the moment and I couldn't talk to him and in his current mood he wouldn't mind that I told her the info first."

"Did she sound playful or," Ziva asked arching an eyebrow. Tony looked at her and smiled.

"Oh there was definitely something there," Tony said nodding his head. Ziva smiled.

"Like?"

"Do you know the history? You're close to the director," Tony asked.

"No. She doesn't discuss it," Ziva said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"You've asked her?" Tony asked with surprise.

"Not directly," Ziva said with a shrug. "How long before we reach Norfolk?"

"Not to much longer," Tony replied absently. "What do you think they were doing? I mean it was afternoon when I called him, late afternoon and he was sleeping, that sound like the boss to you?"

"Maybe he didn't get much sleep in the last few nights and," Ziva started going back to staring out the window.

"Yeah, with the director staying at his house," Tony said thoughtfully. "You think they're…together?"

"Why are you so interested?" Ziva asked with a sigh.

"Think about it, Boss and the director, man," Tony said shaking his head.

"Is this all you think about?"

"What?" Tony asked defensively.

"Sorry I asked," Ziva said leaning her head against the window yawning.

They road the rest of the way to the base in silence, once there they found Rogers' CO and were led to the barracks where Rogers was housed. When they entered they saw Lariman sit up in his bunk and stare at them, Tony saw the recognition. The man thought they had returned for him. They walked past him and came to an empty cot. They heard the CO grumbling under his breath as he headed back to the other side of the room.

Suddenly the lights flicked on and all the men were sitting up in there bunks looking around a little surprised. The CO came to the center of the room making a point to make eye contact with every man in the room before speaking.

"Where is Captain Jericho Rogers?" he bellowed loudly. All eyes in the room shifted to the empty bunk and Tony could see the anger welling on some of the faces. They would be punished for this.

"He was here for lights out, General," Lariman said from his bunk.

"And after?" the General growled.

"Don't know, General, we were all out. Long day," another man said.

"Apparently not long enough for Rogers," the General answered and the men nodded.

"Apparently, sir," Lariman said standing next to his bunk pulling a white t-shirt down his chest. "Does this have to do with Johanna's death?" he asked, his eyes shifting to Tony. Tony stepped forward and nodded.

"He's a suspect yes," Tony said softly.

"Damn it, he came in with me from San Diego. I never thought," Lariman said his anger welling deep inside him. He looked up at Tony. "I'll help you find him."

Tony nodded and walked to the door with Ziva behind him. The General instructed the rest of the men to stay in their bunks and then joined Lariman as they left the room. Tony stopped in the hallway and Ziva came up next to him. He looked at her with tired eyes and wanted to scream.

"What now?" Ziva asked.

"Find him or Gibbs'll have our asses," Tony said with a sigh. Ziva nodded. Lariman and General Markus Dilliford walked up to them.

"Sorry about this Special Agent DiNozzo," Dilliford said with a grunt.

"Things happen, General, let's just find him so we don't have to deal with my boss," Tony replied with a slight smile. The General simply nodded and turned to Lariman.

"You've been spending the most time with him, Jake, where do you think he's gone?" Dilliford asked the other marine.

"Well, Sir, he keeps to himself. Mostly doesn't talk with the other men, avoids them almost. I should have noticed sooner that something was…off," Lariman said shaking his head. "My guess though, Sir, is he makes a lot of phone calls, maybe he's reaching out to someone."

"Maybe he doesn't want to leave his comfy spot in San Diego and hit the sand with the rest of his Marine brothers," General Dilliford said with another grunt. "Take DiNozzo and check the phone banks. I'll take David and sweep the common hall."

"Yes, Sir," Lariman said. Tony nodded and headed off with Lariman towards the phones while Ziva followed the General the other way. They were around a bend when Lariman first spoke to Tony.

"This has really hit me hard," he said softly.

"Commander Conrad?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. I mean it's a shock…I really thought we would work things out," he said taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"Death is never easy," Tony said reassuringly. Lariman nodded.

"How's this man connected?"

"We think he's in a weapons trafficking ring," Tony said.

"How would Johanna gotten mixed up in this?"

"She investigated an ensign also involved and even though the official report said not enough evidence she continued to snoop," Tony continued.

"Deeves," Lariman said stopping in his tracks. "That's where I've seen Rogers before, with the Admiral."

"What?" Tony asked suddenly very interested in what the marine next to him had to say.

"I had this feeling this week that I'd seen Captain Rogers somewhere but you know a name like Jericho you remember right? So I thought maybe he just resembled someone I knew. But yeah, he was with the Admiral that day when I stopped by to pick Johanna up."

"What Admiral?"

"Oh sorry, Admiral Kirkpatrick," Lariman said deep in thought. The name rang a bell in Tony's head but he couldn't place it at the moment.

"What was so special about this?" Tony asked seeming to read the other man's emphasis on this particular moment.

"Well I was standing off a bit waiting for Johanna; I never interrupted her if she was working. This Admiral and Rogers were talking to her," Lariman continued as they started moving again. "But then it got a little heated, like an argument. Johanna just backed away and I was about to go help her when the Admiral just turned and briskly walked away, Rogers on his heals like a lost dog."

"Did you ask Commander Conrad what it was about?" Tony asked as they rounded another corner and came up on a pair of doors.

"Yeah, but she said it was nothing and that he just wanted to know what she had on the ensign, on his case," Lariman said stopping outside the door.

"Did you believe her?"

"No, but I didn't push," he said, a hint of guilt in his voice. Tony just nodded as Lariman pushed the doors open revealing a line of telephones. On the last phone they saw Captain Rogers with his back to them, phone to his ear. He was mumbling something but neither could understand him. Tony put a finger to his mouth and then moved around Lariman.

Rogers hung the phone up and turned around. He nearly jumped when he saw Lariman and DiNozzo standing behind him waiting. He made a quick strike nailing Tony over the eye knocking him to his butt. Rogers then bolted to his left but Lariman cut him off and slammed his body into the other running man.

The two crashed to the floor in a heap, arms and legs flailing in all directions. Tony sat up dazed from the blow and saw Lariman struggling to stay on top of Rogers, the two men twisted together as if one. He got to his feet and swiftly made his way to the bodies tussling on the floor and grabbed Rogers by the arm and twisted making the man yelp in pain.

It gave Lariman just enough maneuvering room to flip Rogers to his back as Tony twisted with him and they managed to pin the man between them. Tony snapped a pair of cuffs on him and the Lariman kneeled on his back holding him in place. Tony took a step back and put a hand to just above his left eye and felt it was sticky.

"Got you a bit there," Lariman said pointing to the spot with a smile. Tony just nodded and used his shirt to staunch the bleeding. It was then that Ziva and General Dilliford came through the doors. Ziva's face split into a smile as she looked from Tony, to Lariman, to Rogers on the floor.

She walked up to Tony and looked at the gash on his face and her smile widened. She didn't say anything and Tony smirked at her before turning to the General. He looked down at Rogers and then at Lariman before eyeing the General.

"General Dilliford, we appreciated all you've done for us today," Tony said with a smile. "And thank you, Captain Lariman, for all your help."

"Just finish this and get the rest of them," Lariman said as he stood pulling Rogers up with him. The four managed to get Rogers into the backseat of the car and soon Tony and Ziva were on their way back to headquarters to a waiting Gibbs as the night sauntered on.

TBC…