*Chapter 11*

At NCIS Headquarters, the team works valiantly to figure out where Apocalypse is. Their efforts, even the efforts of the FBI are all coming up empty.

"Hi, I'm Special Agent Samantha Cole with NCIS." Samantha introduced herself to a person on the phone. "Is Brian Metcalf home? It's urgent that I speak with him." The person responds and puts her on hold.

"What are you doing?" Tony wondered.

"Contacting people who used to go to school with Apoc." She's taken off hold. "Yes, hi... I'd like to speak with you about a person you might have known a long time ago. Do you remember a Marien Greyson?"

Tony looks back to his own desk as Samantha's conversation continues with the person on the phone. He looks across the way to Ziva.

"Psst! Ziva…" Tony tries to get her attention. Upon getting no response, he crumples up a piece of paper and throws it at her. She looks at him in an annoyed manner. "Why is she…" The elevator dings and he notices Arthur steps off.

"Why is she, what?" Ziva wanted him to finish his sentence.

"Nevermind." Tony said. He stands up and Arthur enters into the bullpen. "It's good to see you."

"Good to see you too." Arthur greeted him with a hand shake. Chioke gets up from sitting at Gibbs' desk, runs to Arthur and hugs him. He lifts the boy into his arms.

"Thank you for watching him today, Arthur." Tony said.

"It's my pleasure." Arthur said. "I'm taking him to the National History Museum."

"All museums are closed today." Tony stated in confusion.

"I have connections." Arthur said with a smile. He sets Chioke down on the floor. "We'll have the entire museum to ourselves"

'Can friend come?' Chioke signed with his hands. Arthur looks to Tony because he doesn't understand sign language.

"He wants to know if a friend can come." Tony translated. At the sound of the word, friend, Julianna lifts her head in attention from Gibbs' desk.

'Please.' Chioke signed as he looks up at Arthur with an expression he cannot resist. Even without knowing sign language, Arthur knew.

"Chioke…" Tony tries to get his attention. "We can't expect Arthur to…"

"Yes, your friend can come." Arthur said before Tony could say another word. "But only if your friend is allowed to."

It's at that moment that Gibbs enters into the bullpen from the back. Julianna immediately looks to him in the hopes for permission to go to the museum with her friend.

"Hey Arthur." Gibbs said as he approaches his own desk.

"Can I…" Julianna begins to say.

"Enjoy the museum." Gibbs said. He kisses her on the forehead.

"Thank you, thank you!" Julianna stands up and hugs him. She lets go and with excitement, approaches the front of Tony's desk where Chioke is jumping up and down.

"Chioke…" Tony tries to get his attention again. The boy looks to him. "Take your notepad." He hands Chioke his notepad because writing is the only way he can communicate with Arthur and also Julianna. "Have fun."

'I will.' Chioke smiles happily.

The three of them walk toward the elevator. Tony can't help but watch his son walk away. It's only for the day so that the team can work without any type of distractions. Tony never likes to see his son go, but sometimes, he knows he must learn to let go. Letting go is one of the hardest things for a parent to learn. And one day, when Chioke is older, Tony knows he won't have a choice.

Not long after Arthur and the kids leaving, Fornell and Jared step off the elevator onto the third floor. The sight of Gibbs' brother Jared sickens Tony.

"Oh great…" Tony sighed.

"I'm disgusted by the sight of you too, Tony." Jared said. He looks to Ziva. "Hello Ziva. Anyone you know die in a fire lately?" He referenced the death of Ziva's son Isaac in order to get under her skin. There's no response from her except for an agitated facial expression. Then he looks to the new agent. "And who might this lovely lady be."

"Do you value your balls?" Samantha wondered. "Cause if you don't get away from me then that's what you'll be missing." She threatened him as she's well aware of the type of person Jared is.

"Feisty…" Jared said with an evil grin. "I like her. She's a keeper." He turns and looks at his brother Jethro. "Well, well… If it isn't my dear baby brother. I've been looking forward to working alongside you again. Just me and you fighting crime like superheroes. Though… I'm not much of the hero type, am I? I guess being a serial killer excludes me from the hero label. As you already know saving people isn't my forte. It's just not in my nature."

"Hey!" Fornell shouted. "That's enough, Jared."

"Working with you hasn't been very fun, Fornell." Jared stated. He looks back to his brother. "If I permanently silenced him that would take away you're one and only friend, wouldn't it?"

"I need to speak with you, Gibbs." Fornell stated. Gibbs stands up and walks around his desk. He and Fornell walk toward the back. "How on earth were you able to deal with Jared when you were forced to work with him? I just want to shoot him."

In the bullpen, Jared sits down in his brother's chair and sets his feet on the desk in a relaxing fashion.

"I could get used to this." Jared stated. He notices Ziva looking at the device around his ankle; a probationary ankle bracelet with GPS. "The FBI wants to know where I am at all times. I don't think they trust me."

"Gee, that's a surprise." Tony said in a sarcastic tone.

"Hi Jamie." Jared said as his niece enters into the bullpen. There's no response; she completely ignores him and walks to her husband Tony. He can tell she still thinks he's the one responsible for what happened three weeks ago.

Meanwhile, outside the rear gate to the small community of Smoke Rise, Apocalypse watches the security booth. A car pulls up to the gate.

"Good morning, Charlie." The woman greeted the security guard.

"Good morning, Mrs. Potter." The guard greeted her back from inside his booth. "How's the vegetable garden coming along?"

"It's coming along very well. The tomatoes are looking great." Mrs. Potter said. "I'm having a little trouble with rabbits though. So I need to go out and buy a fence."

"Yeah, those rabbits can be bothersome." He presses the button and the gate lifts.

"Have a nice day, Charlie." Mrs. Potter said.

"You too."

The car drives away. The security guard sits back down and continues reading his magazine.

The second the security guard lowers the magazine a hand crashes through the window and grabs him. Apocalypse pulls the guard out from his booth.