Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Chapter 10

Back on Air Force One, the press were being allowed to interview the President. As one woman walked passed Gibbs and Kate, Gibbs stood up and watched as she and Agent Baer walked towards the President's office. "Where are they going?" he asked, confused.

"The President promised ten minutes to each member of the press on board. Since we kicked them off at Wichita, he's playing catch-up."

Gibbs turned and looked at the remaining press in the cabin. "Three years before 9/11, Clancy wrote a book where a terrorist hijacked a commercial jetliner and crashed it into the Capitol. In the Harrison Ford movie, terrorists were reporters."

Kate stood up. "Gibbs, everyone on board has been vetted by us for years, except you."

"In the film, the terrorists got their credentials from a Secret Service turncoat." He turned and headed down the side corridor towards the main cabin.

Another reporter, Leonard Rish, walked out of the press cabin up to her. "Loosening up your dress code Kate?"

"He's not one of us." She turned and guided him back towards the press cabin.

"We all gonna get our 15 minutes of fame?"

"It's ten Leonard, and the President's doing his best." He returned to the press cabin. Kate stood and watched them for a moment before turning and following the direction of Gibbs.

Abby had just finished put Emily's hair in pigtails, when the computer again gave a reading of 'negative.' She sighed. "I guess we'll have to try again, won't we?" She asked the 5 year old, who giggled. "What do you want to do now while we wait?" The little girl thought about it for a moment, when she suddenly yawned. "I guess we just found your answer. I think its nap time." She was expecting a strop, and so was surprised when Emily agreed and held her arms out for Abby to carry her to the futon.

"Story?" She asked.

"I'll tell you a story in a minute, just after I finish this, ok?" Emily nodded, and surprised her again by hugging her. Abby went back to her test, but by the time she had finished, Emily was already asleep. The lab rat smiled.

Meanwhile, Tony had been called to a marine who died outside a restaurant. As he arrived on the scene he waved at the officer at the side of the road who let him through. He got out of the car, and walked towards the body. "Tony DiNozzo, NCIS. What'd ya got?"

"One dead Marine officer. No signs of trauma. It doesn't appear to be a robbery. There's still cash and credit cards in his wallet." He handed the wallet over to Tony. "I've got two shootings already this morning and since this guy's one of yours, I hoped you might take him."

Tony looked at the driver's licence and read the name – Timothy Kerry. "Yeah, we'll take him." He paused for a moment, thinking. 'So you're the guy that was sleeping with my wife.' Part of him was glad that the guy was dead, but he knew that Kate wouldn't have wanted that.

Abby was practically falling asleep in her lab when suddenly the computer read 'positive' for a toxin. She was jumping up and down shouting. "Yes. Thank you. Thank you." Unfortunately, all the commotion woke up Emily.

"Mommy?"

"Ooh sorry Ems, I forgot you were here. I guess I got a little over excited." The little girl smiled. She held her arms up to be picked up. Abby very happily did so and threw her up in the air and caught her again, before resuming her jumping.

As Gibbs was walking the corridor, he was muttering to himself, convinced that there was something different about that plane and Air Force One. Although Kate quickly corrected him, reminding him that they were already on Air Force One. As they went to sit back down, the female reporter, Annie, and Agent Baer were returning from seeing the President. Agent Baer called the next reporter, Leonard, to follow him.

"There are some minor differences. 29000 is newer and has some minor updates."

"Like what?"

She sighed. "Rear-loading hatch is bigger on 29000, extra lavatory forward, locks are digital on 29000 and keys on this."

Gibbs was sent a message over the intercom that he had a teleconference call. He got up to leave, "Katie, I wanna know every difference on this plane no matter how small." He left.

"Please?" Kate asked after a beat.

"What's up?" Gibbs asked once settled in the communications room. Tony reported about Major Kerry's death. "Another stroke Ducky?"

"I'm afraid so Gibbs." He turned to the x-ray machine. "But this time there are multiple embolic infarctions. The Major must have a received a heavier dose than the Commander."

"Dose of what Abby?"

"It's venom from a coastal Taipan. It's a highly toxic Aussie snake. Well, this junk zaps the nervous system and it clots the blood. You convulse and then you stroke. The toxin is almost impossible to detect."

Tony was feeling guilty over interrupting her while she was ALS-ing the uniform. "The venom was in the uniform?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah I found traces of DMSO in the collars and the cuffs. I think it was mixed with the venom to make it absorb through the skin." Abby replied.

"Major Kerry was the intended target, but he came down with the flu. Didn't put his uniform on until yesterday." Tony informed him.

"How did the terrorists get the poison into the uniforms?" Abby informed him that they both used the same dry-cleaners. "DiNozzo, why are you sitting there on your ass? Get a team and go hit those dry-cleaners."

The NCIS director interrupted Tony before he could answer. "I've passed that baton onto the FBI. This has all the earmarks of Al-Qaeda. Unexpected, well planned, brilliantly executed. But to what end?"

Tony decided to answer, "Wouldn't surprise me to, uh, hear Bin Laden on Al-Jazeera bragging how he iced the President's ball carriers."

"I don't think that's what he wants to brag about." The director informed the younger agent. Gibbs agreed.

"Hey Tony, is that Emily behind you?"

He turned around, smiled and picked up his daughter holding her close to the screen. She giggled. "Say hello to Uncle Gibbs."

"Hello Unkie Gibbs." She smiled before going shy again and hiding in her father's neck. Gibbs laughed.

"Think you could get Kate on the call?" Tony asked Gibbs.

The older man shook his head. "I know you want to break the news to her, but I think I should do it. I'm sorry Tony." He cut off the call, took out his ear piece and leant back in the chair.

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