A/N. Afternoon, all. I hope you are still enjoying the story, and as promised here is the next chapter. Good news... I have finished my exams... go me! Although I think I have failed my Physics... ah well, I've never been very good at it. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I still do not own NCIS, it's characters or environments... I am purely using them for entertainment purposes.
"Ziva… McGee, you can leave for the night." Gibbs flexed his shoulders to try and get rid of some of the kinks that had accumulated in his shoulders over the day. It had been almost 6 hours since they had their discussion in the Morgue and he had worked them like dogs from then. McGee had even gone as far as to set a button up on his computer so he could push refresh carelessly on the bolo for Jester to try and find a hit. He figured his yawn must have given away his feelings to Gibbs.
Ziva stood up quickly, not wanting to waste time so Gibbs could revoke his suggestion. She was shattered as it was and in no mood to be having a pissing contest about who should go home. Nevertheless she knew Gibbs had only mentioned the two of them for a reason and was pretty determined to find out why. Her answer came as she looked across the bullpen and at the top of Tony's head. He was leaned over his desk, sitting rather slumped over a piece of paper reading it almost feverishly.
DiNozzo looked unaware of the scurry of movement around him as McGee almost jogged to get away. The air was tense and nothing had been said between the team apart from a short bark of instructions from Gibbs and various phone calls since they had got back. Ziva leant down and ripped open her bag, her eyes never leaving the furrowed heads of Gibbs and Tony. She threw in her jacket, swung the bag over her shoulder and with her head held high strode from the room leaving the empty room with a seemingly cackling, striking silence.
Gibbs spared a glance up and across the bullpen to his senior agent. The ex-marine had a scowl on his face as he finally showed his true emotion on the case. He knew what Tony was feeling, due to what had happened, and despite what the others thought of him he did care.
"DiNozzo." Gibbs met the sluggish eyes that lifted up and stared across.
"Yes, boss." Tony replied back automatically.
"What you got?" Gibbs stood as he spoke, stretching after sitting for too long. He lifted his arms and pulled, feeling the muscles in his back lift and tense, also letting a little moan as they moved.
"The truth?" Tony asked him as Gibbs made his way over to the furthest plasma waiting for something to appear in front. He looked at Tony and gave him a stare, although slightly move forgiving then usual.
"Ya think, DiNozzo."
"Absolutely nothing, Gibbs… unless you call problems something." Tony too now stood flexing his legs in the hope to get some feeling returned to them. "Not one agency has seen him in the past 3 years, Fornell has caught wind of what has happened somehow," He paused in thought, "and now thinks he has the upper hand and more 'jurisdiction' over Jester." It came out like a list and so was now overshadowed by Tony's fatigue, the sentence even sounding like a chore.
"Are you okay to go along with this, DiNozzo?" Gibbs turned to face him fully, also noticing how it was hard for the man to keep his eyelids open.
"Are you asking if I can do my job, Gibbs?" Tony looked slightly hurt at the notion, but his anger came out over the top. The Gunny levelled his voice, not wanting any uninvited attention but had to bite back a smirk at the strong eyes demanding an answer when the nose beneath it was wrapped in bandage.
"Tony-" Gibbs tried to use his first name for a bit of reassurance but the sentence was cut short by a unfamiliar beep ring from his computer. The two sets of eyes met in understanding before both pairs travelling over to it and listening o the small chirp of various short noises. It lasted for a while and Tony couldn't help but think of the irony of a computer cracking up when only the two of them were in the room.
"Is it supposed to do that?" Gibbs asked, unsure.
"I don't… think so." Tony spoke very slowly, his eyes focused on the computer after realising that there was no-one left in the bullpen but themselves. His computer had never done that and he sure as hell wasn't going to make a full remark in case of a headslap. Both were unable to move their legs to get closer to the computer, not sure that it wasn't about to explode.
The plasma flickered to life beside them, the colours changing from blue to green and then back to blue before landing on a steady video stream. The orchestra of beeps had stopped from Gibbs' computer much to their relief which was quickly extinguished as they glared at the plasma.
"Special Agent Jethro Gibbs." The voice called, it sounding mocking as he made a fake knocking sound. Jester sat behind a desk, his webcam positioned in what seemed a perfect position to see his face and body but no background or the room he was in. "Anyone home?"
Gibbs and Tony spared a quick glance at each other and Jethro called out uncertainly that Jester could hear them.
"McWilliams?" His voice was commanding and he tried to make it sound as forceful as possible.
"Agent Gibbs!" Jester's voice sounded too happy at the call. "Now I've heard your pretty voice maybe I could see your handsome face." The sarcasm hid the bored tone of the man, waiting as Gibbs ran to his computer, sitting behind his desk and looking at the webcam in front, unsure if it was right.
"You look confused, Jethro. Not a big fan of the whole technology thing?"
"What do you want?"
"Such hostility?! I would have a look what is in the coffee at NCIS… first Tony… now you. Hello Anthony, by the way… how's the nose?" The question was asked but it wasn't there to be answered, instead more of a reminder.
"Just splendid, Jester." Tony mocked him, trying and failing slightly at an even tone like Gibbs had accomplished just before.
"I digress, I apologise. More importantly… Agent Gibbs… I have some important news for you."
"Why don't you come in to NCIS, and you can tell me then." Gibbs gave a smile at the camera, pretending to ooze charm to him.
"Hah!" Jester leant back in his chair and smiled back. "And they say Americans don't get sarcasm! But I think I will have to pass on your offer, as much as I would love to, the conditions are much to warm and then of course there is the matter of secu-"
"What do you want Jester?" Tony interrupted, tired of the monologue.
"We're catching up on old times, Tony! I told you how much I have been relishing the meeting with just the three of us, no-one else interrupting like that young man you normally have working there. Timothy McGee, correct? I have to say I'm impressed by him, such loyalty by one so clever. I guess you have to balance some factors, hey Anthony?"
Gibbs face remained impassive as the predator seemed to stalk his team and make a slight jibe at Tony's intelligence. It made his stomach feel horrible as he realised Jester had been around for a while, particularly if he knew the rest of his team. It would have been stupid to think the man that had just managed to hack into a Government building wouldn't have done his research. This very reason was displayed at the show of white teeth as Jester spoke.
"How is Agent Todd, doing? Tony… you were close friends weren't you? Oh wait… is that the one who was killed?" The last part was aid slowly but deliberately, clearly showing he knew all along.
Gibbs spoke before Tony would destroy their only connection to Jester, especially with the look he had on his face.
"Are you done?" His experience had told him that the only way you could get through someone like this would be to match his ability to use the lowest form of wit available. "What do you want? We're a bit busy… you know real jobs." A snort came from the computer, and they tried to watch patiently as he lifted his arms and rested his hands behind his head.
"I've already told you, Jethro." The use of the first name now had the effect Gibbs didn't want, using it to try and goad the person in question, "I have some lovely news for all of you." He stopped and looked at Gibbs, seriously.
"Are you waiting for the beep, Jester?" Gibbs saw a smile but it only lasted for a second or so before the face turned serious and tight.
"In two weeks time, Special Agent Gibbs, there will be a threat on the President of the United States life."
Gibbs mouth opened only slightly and he looked over his computer to the now still Tony whose eyes were wide and now how no trouble staying so. The gunny felt his throat become dry as the seconds in silence ticked by, but he couldn't help but gulp nonetheless.
A/N Apologies about the cliffhanger but that's the way this thing works, right? You need to review... then i will think of updating ;) Next chapter; Continuation of the talk and more will be revealed, more sarcasm and of course a lovely sighting of the wonderful Abby.