Squad room

McGee, Bishop, and Torres are sitting in the squad room. They are working on their separate computers.

"hey, check this out," Torres says and stans up and grabs the remote for the monitor. "Holland served in Afghanistan in Helman province at the same time as Sloane." Torres brings up a photo with both Sloane and Holland.

"that doesn't prove that they knew each other. Torres." Bishop says. In the photo, Sloane is in the front, together with 2 of her teammates. In the background, Holland is standing alone. He is looking towards the camera.

"Okay, but then explain why he got his first spot on his service record exactly five days after the Wingos, Sloane's unit, was reported missing," Torres asks with confidence in his voice.

"could be a million different other reasons for that. Why would a PFC be so upset because the wingos goes missing? They probably never even spoke with each other." McGee says. "Jack and the other wingos were officers. Holland was a PFC in a completely different unit. There were more than 500 US soldiers stationed on that base at the time. "McGee argues. "officers and PFC have nothing to do with each other if they are not in the same unit," McGee explains to Torres.

"guys, I got something. I took a deeper look into his life before he joined the army. Jonathan Holland was abused by his father when he was a kid. his father was an abusive alcoholic who lost his job after a work injury. The father died when Jonathan was 17. After high school, he joined the army to be able to provide for his mother. His mother worked three cleaning jobs." Bishop explains why she is bringing up some of the information and pictures on the monitor. "his mother, Tess Holland, was diagnosed with severe cancer three months ago. It was already so advanced that it was incurable. She got hospitalized for two months. She passed away two weeks ago." Bishop explains.

"wait, I see a timeline here," McGee says and stands up and joins his colleagues in front of the monitor.

"2 weeks ago. That was when Holland first contacted Jack. I have… to my great displease. I feel it really invasive…"

"dude, come on." Torres interrupts, and McGee continues after he swallows hard to get the guilty feeling to go away.

"I have been sorting through his massages to Jack. He writes about his mother and about personal things from when they were both in Afghanistan. He writes a lot about how they first meet and that she helped him with an injured hand the first time she spoke with him."

"Seriously?" Torres asks, laughing. The other two agents look at him confused. "it sounds more like the little freshmen boy who has a crush on the hot senior girl in high school.

"continue, McGee," Bishop says after she slaps Torres on the shoulder to tell him to sip it.

"Holland writes to Jack that he was in love with her, and he was looking forward to their date when they came back stateside and that he was heartbroken when he was informed she was missing." McGee reads.

"wait," Bishop says. "Jack was a lieutenant, 1st class. He was a PFC. They are not supposed to have a relationship. That is against regulations."

"The heart wants what the heart wants," Torres says with a smug smile.

"he actually writes about that." McGee says to Bishop ignoring Torres's comment. "he writes that he was in love with her, and he knew she was in love with him too, but they both knew it couldn't happen because they both served."

"so, what he is trying to score her now that they are both out of the army?" Torres asks.

"How did he find out she was back in the states?" Bishop asks. "and in DC?"

"He writes he was thrilled to find out two months ago that she is alive and living in DC. He never writes how he found out, but he writes about a common friend. But when she asks him who that is, he always avoids the question." McGee explains.

"We need to find out who that common friend is he is mentioning. It could mean he has a partner who is setting him up with his victims." Bishop suggests and the two other agents agree. They go back to their desk and continues their work.

Kasie's lab

Jimmy comes into Kasie's lab. It has been a hectic day down in autopsy, so Jimmy needs a break and decided to bring up some tissue samples by himself to get a small break. He comes into the lab where Kasie is busy working on what seems to be a broken picture frame.

"hey, Kase." Jimmy greets. "got some tissue samples for you."

"what are you working on?" Jimmy asks as he walks over to her table after he put the tissue samples in the refrigerator.

"a picture frame," Kasie explains. A hint of frustration is evident in her voice. And she signs heavily.

"why?"

"Gibbs brought it in. He won't tell me who it belongs to or how it relates to the case. He just told me to process it for fingerprints and touch DNA.

"well, if Gibbs told you. here is always a reason." Jimmy says in his usual optimism. Kasie signs and walks over to can a newly lifted fingerprint from the frame.

"Although I don't think anyone other than Gibbs always understands what the reason is," Jimmy says loud to himself before he joins Kasie in front of the computer monitor.

"well. now it is just waiting for a result." Kasie says and rests her elbows on the table. She continues to stare at the monitor with a tired look in her eyes.