3.

Tony put the last folder back into its box, leaning back in his chair until his spine creaked. "I think eight of the cases are connected."

Gibbs winced at the sound. "Six attacks on females, five of which were rapes. Why include two of the bar fights?"

"Beside the similar description of the guy involved?"

The NCIS special agent nodded.

"Both fights were instigated by inappropriate behavior with women working at the two bars. And that's something else. All the women attacked work in this six block area. Not a one were customers, all of them worked at the local bars, clubs, and restaurants."

An expression of satisfaction showed in Gibbs' eyes. "Interesting. So you think our guy prefers to attack people he doesn't consider an equal."

"Yeah, that's my take. His problem is with women who serve him, cater to him."

"But not as far as he wanted."

"Exactly."

Gibbs considered the boxes in the room, divided by the possibility of a connection. "So we have two fights that preceded the seven attacks, five of those ending in rape. We can presume that Ramirez was the reason that Faith wasn't raped. But why wasn't Rebecca Malone?"

"She was the first attack. Could be he hadn't worked his way up to it yet, or something stopped him. The detective assigned to the attack never considered it as an attempted rape. His report was sketchy at best. We need to talk to all the victims again, Gibbs. And look again at the evidence we have, see if there is something there that could forensically tie the cases together."

"Not here. I want everything gone over by my people."

Tony grimaced. "The only way that can happen is if NCIS takes over the case. Sorry, cases."

"Then that's what I'll do." Gibbs didn't understand the problem.

"As soon as you do, Tidwell will try to pull me off."

"Try?"

"Like I told you, I want this S.O.B. I'll still work it with you, but it'll be tough. Tidwell tends to micromanage my time." There was an edge to Tony's voice.

"I'll take care of that. While I'm talking to your captain, I want you to get everything ready for transport to NCIS, including any and all forensic evidence."

"On it, Gibbs."

Gibbs flipped open his cell phone, quickly dialing a well-known number. "Tom, I need a favor."

Once the call was completed, Gibbs' tall figure turned and headed toward Tidwell's office. He knocked once before stepping inside. He ignored the captain's glare of annoyance.

"What can I do for you, Special Agent Gibbs?"

He tossed the list of case numbers onto Tidwell's desk. "I'm taking these cases over. They are all related to the attack that ended Marine Corporal Gonzalez's death."

Tidwell looked at the nine case numbers. "He committed all of these?"

"No, he was a victim. Detective DiNozzo believes that you have a serial rapist."

"Detective DiNozzo believes that? I'm afraid you've put your trust in the wrong man. DiNozzo is a screw-up. He's been bounced from department to department since he started in law enforcement. He'll be out of here soon enough."

"I've looked over the cases myself and I agree with him. I also want DiNozzo assigned as liaison."

"That's out of the question."

Gibbs gritted his teeth. "Why?"

"We're short-handed."

Gibbs looked out into the bullpen. He saw six detectives, one of whom was reading a newspaper while another was playing solitaire. "Yeah, I can see that."

Tidwell's face grew beet red with rage and embarrassment. "I told you, he's no good."

"Then you shouldn't care if he's working with me."

"Fine. Take him, Special Agent Gibbs. Just don't come back here complaining about DiNozzo." Tidwell waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. "Sgt. Callahan will prepare the necessary paperwork for my signature."

Gibbs struggled to keep his temper, wondering how DiNozzo managed to work for so long under an idiot like Robert Tidwell.

It took longer than Gibbs believed reasonable to complete the paperwork necessary to transfer the cases and related evidence to NCIS. By the time he came outside to find DiNozzo leaning against the government-issue sedan, he was ready to explode.

Tony took one look and immediately changed whatever he had planned to say. "Gibbs, everything is stuffed in the car. The perishable stuff is packed in dry ice in a cooler I placed on the back seat. The file cases are in the trunk and the back. It's a tight fit, but I made sure to seal everything with duct tape." Tony hesitated for a moment. "You should be fine to drive back to NCIS. All I need is your signature for evidence transfer."

"Get in the damn car, DiNozzo," Gibbs growled. "For the time being, you're mine."

~NCIS~

Arriving at NCIS headquarters at the Navy Yard alive, Gibbs had grabbed two red-garbed individuals to help carry the various boxes of evidence and case files.

Tony followed behind the others as they took the elevator to another floor. He was startled to see a most unusual young woman come bounding across the room calling Gibbs' name over and over again. Her black hair gleamed in the lights of the lab, bouncing in the shape of pigtails. She had dark eye makeup, black lipstick, and a collar around her neck decorated with nasty spikes.

He found himself smiling when the bouncing figure threw herself into Gibbs' waiting arms, barely avoiding impalement.

"Gibbs! Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs! You're back!"

"I wasn't gone that long." Gibbs gently disentangled himself. "And I was only in Baltimore, not the other side of the world, Abby."

"Might as well have been," she muttered, before taking in the boxes being deposited throughout the room. "Ohhh, you brought me presents?"

"Cases, old ones that need to be looked at again and see if any information and/or evidence can be tied together."

"Cool." Abby glanced sideways at the man currently snooping around her lab. "So who's the pretty boy?" she whispered.

"Detective Anthony DiNozzo, Baltimore PD. We're working together."

"Together? You and a local cop?" Abby looked back at the intruder.

Tony grinned across the room at her sudden interest. "So you think I'm pretty?"

Abby turned scarlet. "How did you hear that?"

He tapped at his ears. "Exceptional hearing. And I think you're rather pretty as well." His strikingly handsome face smiled warmly down at Abby as he moved to stand beside her. "You can call me Tony."

"When you two lovebirds are done admiring each other, I'd like to get back to finding the Corporal's killer," Gibbs said, glaring at both of them.

"Sorry, Gibbs."

"Sorry, bossman."

"This is Abby Sciuto, our forensic expert. DiNozzo caught a case that may be more complicated than it appeared at first. Abby, I want you to recheck every piece of evidence on these cases. See if anything matches."

"You've got it, Gibbs." Abby darted around the room, organizing the boxes by date and switching her equipment on. "Give me the evidence logs so I can get started."

Once that business was completed, Tony found himself following Gibbs into the elevator. They made a silent journey to another floor, the silver doors opened onto a busy working area. Tony looked at all the people hard at work, a stab of jealousy slamming into him. This was what he had searched for during his spotty career. People working together toward a common goal.

"Sit over there," Gibbs pointed to an empty desk across from where he took his own seat. "The case files are on the floor next to you. Set up an interview schedule."

Searching the desk drawers for a pad of paper, Tony soon got to work, using the computer to find local addresses for victims and witnesses, as well as what station the detectives involved worked out of.

It was hours later that the seductive fragrance of fresh coffee filled the air, drawing Tony's attention from his work. Looking up, he was just in time to grab the sandwich tossed at him from across the room. A fresh cup of coffee had been placed by the telephone, packets of sugar and creamer beside it. Tony gave a quick nod of thanks before digging into the food.

~NCIS~

"Does he have a place to stay?"

"What?" Gibbs looked up to see Ducky standing in front of his desk.

"That young man you brought back with you. If he is to continue working here, Detective DiNozzo cannot keep commuting. Particularly if he lives near the area where Corporal Gonzalez died."

Gibbs glanced over at the man in question, currently on the phone and oblivious to being the focus of attention. "So he'll get a hotel room."

"During the height of convention season? Most of the decent hotels will be fully booked. That will leave him a choice between extremely expensive and barely more than a flop house, I believe you call them. I sincerely doubt if his department will be reimbursing him for his living expenses."

"What do you expect me to do about it, Duck? Invite him to stay with me?"

Ducky beamed. "Excellent idea."

"I wasn't seriously suggesting that as a solution."

The older man shrugged. "You have a spare room, Jethro. He needs a place to stay, not to mention a ride since you drove here together. It seems perfectly logical."

Gibbs knew when to give up, grumbling a bit as a matter of form. He was well aware that at the end of the day, he would be taking home a guest.

"DiNozzo!"

Tony jumped, his startled green eyes wide.

"You planning on staying here during the case?"

"Yeah, thought it would cut down on commute time." He frowned. "I need to call around, see if I can find a hotel nearby. Anything close that you can recommend?"

"Doubt you'll find anything. I've got a spare room. You can stay with me."

"Don't think your wife would appreciate you bringing unexpected guests home."

"No wife, not anymore."

Uncomfortable, Tony tried to get out of the obviously reluctant invitation. "I can sack out here, Gibbs. Won't be the first time I've slept at the office, even without using the cots." He grinned. "You've got better carpet here."

"Forget it. You're staying at my place. I assume you'll need to go get some spare clothes?"

Tony held up a small backpack. "Nah, I've got enough here to last me a few days."

Gibbs was impressed by the detective's foresight. He gave a quick nod of approval before getting back to work.