Chapter 9

The next morning agent Todd and McGee headed to retrieve the files and evidence and talk to petty officer Wilsons parents, they were gone until noon as Gibbs had expected, their arrival announced by a sneeze from the elevator. Tony chuckled as a very red nosed probie walked to his desk carrying a box of files, Kate not far behind with the security guard and trolley holding another six boxes. Gibbs was surprised they hadn't received a phone call complaining, but then again he didn't expect the captain to call Tony and tell that the files were ready. Another sneeze erupted form Tim's desk, causing Gibbs to look at him, and boy was Tim in a bad state, he could barely type without blowing his nose.

Kate informed them that the Wilsons knew no reason anyone would want their son dead, they didn't even know he was on leave and as the USS Jefferson was currently at sea, they had no way of knowing why he was on leave, the Captain had yet to reply to the calls. SACNAV were not about to let an undercover rescue operation be stalled just because NCIS wanted to interrogate the crew. The only thing they were sure about is that no one on the Jefferson wanted him dead. "McGee", "Yeah boss" his voice failing him every other word; "take the evidence down to the lab!" Without a word he got up and headed for the lab.

When McGee came back a pile of files had been dumped on his desk, autopsy reports and suspect lists. He looked at them then sneezed, Kate came up behind him offering him a cup of coffee, "get stuck in" she said, as her and Gibbs started looking at the files, Tony was nowhere to be seen. "Er where's Tony?" he asked annoyed. "Right here probie" came a cheerful voice behind him, Tim looked at him wearily and sighed, how he wished for his bed right now. Tony was holding two files, making sure no one saw them, he was about to say something when Abby came running in to the bull pen and hugged him tightly, "Abs can't breathe", she giggled like a school girl "hope you've found something Abby" warned Gibbs, just at that moment Ducky came in looking grim "What's up Duck man?" asked Abby.

"I just managed to get the number that was branded on to the victim" "well, what it is?" asked Gibbs intently watching Tony, "72" replied Ducky. Tony's mouth fell open, "That's impossible, I only ever found 60 bodies!" he stated as he slumped into his chair, looking horrified, "WHAT!" came five shocked voices. Tony was getting a headache again, he looked at them, Abby was nervously playing with her lab coat close to tears, Kate was staring at Tony as if he might break, McGee was trying not to sneeze and comfort Abby at the same time, Ducky had a frown upon his face and Gibbs was unreadable as usual. Tony took a deep breath "I think it's time you all know who you're up again" everyone took a seat, Tony still had hold of two files, protectively covering them 'they don't need to know about these, Gibbs maybe, but not everyone else' he thought to himself as he began to tell them about the 'Number' serial killer. He gave the shortened version "I had been a detective for two years when a case landed on my desk, no one wanted it, but I was ordered to take it by my captain". He had told Gibbs this much, he left out why he was ordered. "Bodies had been appearing all over Baltimore, all young people 16-20 year olds, male and female, all fitting the same physical characteristics, the males were 5''8 – 6", light brown hair, females petit – 5'' 11, brunettes. The first bodies were never identified; run- aways that no one cared about, no missing persons were ever recorded, for them, turned out they travelled for Europe. Trace evidence found at later scenes concluded that the bodies had been near a forest or a park and later dumped all over the city were they would be found, each victim had been beaten, tortured and branded with a number on the right hip, the only difference apart from the numbers changing, was that the male victims were mutilated and the female victims raped repeatedly.

The only other evidence that was found was the note, jar and a finger to degraded to get anything from. The later victims had their kidneys removed, as trophies. The jar was always a pint of blood from a different victim, indication that they had a different victim when a new body appeared. I had nothing to go on, every lead turned to a dead end or another body, and the suspect list got bigger every day. Once the body count went up I asked for more men before anyone else died, never happened, the captain always said that he'd get the guy coz a jumped up probie was never gonna get the best of him, and he did catch the guys responsible". Tony stopped talking waiting on the barrage of questions that were bound to happen, he didn't have to wait long, "how'd he get the guy?" asked a slightly confused Kate. "Apparently they turned themselves in over the hotline, the captain arrested them got confessions and here we are again. "You don't think that the guys he arrested were responsible do you" asked a cautious McGee. "Oh I know they had a part in it, when we searched their homes we found everything, including the kidneys, all dated with the victims' names. What got me was the fact that the three of them didn't have the smarts to do something like this on their own, there was definitely a fourth player, the mastermind behind it, someone I never saw. The captain didn't care, he had his suspects, after that I was shoved off onto another case".

Tony then remembered that Abby was bursting with something before Ducky came up, "Abby did you find something?" he asked, Abby looked at him, "another dead end, the paper and ink that was on this new note, is an exact match to the notes from the number cases, how can anyone not change ink or paper in ten tears!" she huffed. Kate answered that, "not unless you have a stock pile, this guy stopped killing when these three were arrested and charged ten years ago, why start again now" "maybe he was released from prison" interjected McGee has a coughing fit racked through him. Gibbs thought about that, "ten years is a long time for a break especially with serial killers, then normally escalate, not stop then start again, something happened in those ten years and we need to find out what. McGee check recent parolees, see if our guys are in the wind." McGee was about to start the search when Tony stopped him, "Our guys are dead; Weston was killed by a rival gang in Sing-sing, Staples committed suicide while in police custody and Preston died of cancer in the security wing of Washington memorial a year ago, death certificates are here." He handed out the death certificates, "How do you know that they are really dead and didn't fake it" inquired Ducky, Tony smiled at that question, I identified them, and attended their funerals, there's no way that this new guy is a copy cat, he knows details that were never released to the media, even if they hacked the files, these details were never written down, the only people that knew were captain Davis, the coroner and myself, two of which are still alive".

"Okay, the files may not have revealed anything we didn't already know, any luck with the evidence Abs?" Gibbs asked as he kept a careful eye on Tony. "Nothing yet my silver haired fox, but I'm not gonna give up" she replied in her chirpy voice that would bring a smile to anyone's lips, and headed back to her lab.

Tony could feel Ducky's eyes boring a hole through him, "PROBIE" he called as he headed toward the elevator, McGee looked at him and quickly followed leaving a bewildered Kate and a bemused Gibbs staring after them, Kate returned to the files while Gibbs and Ducky chatted. "Antony looks slightly better today" stated Ducky, "Yeah, but he's still not one hundred percent, I don't think he will until this case is solved" growled Gibbs as he took a swig of coffee. "True, the sooner the better, now will he be staying with you tonight again" Gibbs eyebrow twitched, "I think it's better if he does, incase he does something stupid, after you left last night he actually allowed himself to relax and sleep, I don't think he's been able to do that for a while". "I agree Jethro, try not to push him too much, one every three hours you now the rest" he chuckled as he handed him a bottle of painkillers, Gibbs looked at the retreating form and laughed causing Kate to stare at him suspiciously, "Oh and Jethro, when Timothy reappears, send him to see me!".

"What's the deal?" asked McGee wearily, as they exited the coffee shop, "Nothing, just wanted to see how you were feeling, and to thank you for not keeping it to yourself!" joked Tony, McGee looked at him then laughed, "wonder if I can pass it on to Kate" he allowed himself to speculate, Tony laughed "Or Gibbs", both men were still laughing when they exited the elevator and headed back into the bull pen, fresh coffee in tow. "McGee, Ducky wants to see you!" stated Gibbs, McGee looked at Gibbs and laughed, "sure thing boss" and headed for the elevator laughing. "Tony, what did you do to him" demanded Kate. Gibbs watched on, he enjoyed the banter between the two agents especially when Tim was concerned. "Didn't do anything Katie" retorted Tony, "Don't call me Katie; well what was he laughing at?" "Awww Kate are you jealous, maybe you should get sick and see how we can manage to cheer you up" he said winking at her. "Over my dead body!" she huffed and went back to reading the files, Tony released a breath he didn't realise he was holding, and slowly sank into his seat as his head throbbed. Gibbs saw the reaction, and noted Tony although he looked better, was still too pale. At five on the dot he told his agents to go home, McGee was the first out, no less heading straight for bed, followed by Kate and Abby who were discussing plans for the evening. Tony was still rooted to his chair, rubbing his temples, cursing under his breath.

"Here!" said Gibbs handing him the bottle of painkillers, Tony looked at them and accepted them without a fight, Gibbs knew how much he hated how painkillers made him feel, 'Tony must really be hurting if he took them without a word'. "You gonna stay here all night?" Tony getting the hint, finally moved and grabbed his gear, not saying a word, when they reached the elevator Tony closed his eyes and allowed the darkness to ease his headache, ' just what I don't need… a migrane'.