Here is another chapter for your enjoyment. Things are finally starting to move along. Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited or commented. It means a lot.

Disclaimer: Forgot this last time, but I still don't own TMNT or NCIS.

Chapter 3

"Go," Gibbs ordered as he joined his team.

"Corporal James Barry, three years of service, one tour in Afganistan. On leave to visit his family in New York," McGee started. "I talked to his CO. He was a good marine with a solid future. No trouble in his unit official and unofficial. He was well liked. He came back to New York to help his mother and sister move out. His friends said he was worried about them because of the up-tick of gang activity in the area."

"He actually sent his family way to his grandparents in Vermont. His mom is driving down now and will arrive tomorrow. The neighbors said he was wild as a boy but never got into too much trouble, no juvie record. He joined the corp. like his dad who died overseas when he was a boy," DiNozzo jumped in. "No enemies, everyone liked him, just a real stand-up guy who proved that kids from the neighborhood could make something of themselves."

Ziva snatched the remote from DiNozzo with a dirty work. "I asked around about Jones. It sounds like he was a real trouble maker. He has multiple arrests, but charges were never pressed. He's very nice to his neighbors but has a pork with the local gang, the Purple Lizards."

"Beef, not pork," DiNozzo corrected. "That's not kosher. And it's Purple Dragons, Boss. They are a street gang that has become really big lately. The local LEOs said that they have some kind of behind the scenes backing that's been giving them money and weapons. Most crime in the area is attributed to them or the mob. Our crime scene was smack in the middle of their territory as was our victim's apartment."

"Okay, get me everything you can on this gang," Gibbs ordered as he turned away. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw something green roll across the floor, but when he turned to look there was nothing. "Ziva, you come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"To finish talking to Jones, then his girlfriend."

Back in interrogation, Jones was getting frustrated. He kept punching the wall hard enough to leave dents.

"Sit down, now!" Gibbs shouted as he held the door for Ziva.

"Hi, Agent and lady, are you ready to let me go yet?" he said as he sat down backwards in the chair.

"Not if you insist on damaging government property," Gibbs said as he sat down. Ziva stood in the corner, just watching for now. "Now I have a few more questions for you. If I like your answers, I might let you go home with your girlfriend."

"Girlfriend? April's here? Oh man," he started to get flustered "She's going to kill me. I was supposed to be avoidin' trouble, then I get nicked by the Feds? So much for my ninja lessons." He put his head in his hands in despair.

Ziva couldn't help herself from commenting, "Ninja lessons?"

"Yeah, Nin-jit-su. I've been learning from Master Splinter but April's a lot better at it."

"Focus. Mr. Jones, where were you the night before last?" Gibbs interjected.

"I can't say, but I didn't kill nobody. Like I said, it's against the code. I've been learning balance," Casey said earnestly. "Really!" he added when Gibbs didn't comment.

"So, no alibi?" Gibbs asked. "Okay, why were you fighting next to my crime scene?"

"I was patrolling."

"Patrolling?" Gibbs encouraged.

"Yeah, see it's been real bad in the neighborhood lately so we patrol to keep the stupid Purple Dragons and other rif-raff away. I was just busting a few heads out of self-defense."

"Yes, you've been arrested for busting heads before," Gibbs stated, leaving it open for Jones to continue.

"Sure, but the punks I beat never want to press charges so the cops can't do nothing to me. Again, I just go after Purple Dragons because those rotten scum deserve it and to protect the neighborhood. Oh, and the Foot Clan. I fight them to but never by myself. I'm reckless but not stupid," Jones pointed out defensively.

"Who are the Foot Clan?" Gibbs asked.

"You might not believe me, but they're ninjas lead by this really evil guy. They are crazy strong and good; lately they've been fighting with the Purple Dragons and the mob for territory. See, they all used to work for the Shredder, but he was out of the picture for a while. He's back now, but the Purple Dragons don't like taking orders anymore so they're trying to hold their territory."

"That's a lot of inside information," Gibbs said.

"A friend explained it too me. Me, I just bust all of their heads cuz their all scum. Leo though, he's got a head for strategy."

"Is that one of your friends that you patrol with? Were you with him the other night?" Gibbs pressed.

"Um, you said April was here?" Jones deflected. "Can I talk to her?"

"You didn't answer the question. You keep avoiding any mention of these friends of yours," Gibbs said carefully. "Do you think they have something to do with the murder?"

"What? No!" Jones shouted coming to his feet. In the corner Ziva tensed, ready to come to her boss's aid. "Take that back, you bastard! The guys would never kill an innocent man! In fact they've kept me from going overboard when I started out. You know what? I'm done. You ain't charging me with anything and you don't think I did it so I'm leaving and you stay away from my friends!" He was shouting as he moved toward the door. Ziva stepped in front of him, and looked to Gibbs to see what he wanted her to do.

Gibbs nodded and she relaxed. This was a strange situation, but Gibbs trusted his gut. Casey Jones was no killer, but he definitely knew more than he was telling. It would take a different approach if they wanted his cooperation. "Take him to the conference room, his friend is there," he told Ziva. Maybe a change of scene would help calm the man down, again. He certainly had a hair trigger temper.

"Thank you. I'm sick of these walls anyway. A man like me not 'posed to be caged, you get me?" Jones asked Ziva as she led him out.

"What can I get you?"

"No, man, like, you understand me?"

"I'm not a man."

"Now you're just messing with me, dog."

"What did you say?"

Gibbs laughed as he listened to them walk down the hall. He left interrogation but stopped in the observation room. Vance was waiting for him.

"Well, Gibbs? Obviously you don't think he did it. Why are you still holding him?" the director asked.

"Something isn't adding up, Leon. I think he knows who could have done it, but he's hiding it for some reason. But it might just be a dead end." Gibbs shrugged, letting his director read what he wanted out of that conclusion. He, himself was not convinced that Jones wasn't involved or at least these mysterious friends he was protecting. His instincts told him to follow this lead to the end, hunting down everything before he let it drop.

"I think your just covering your ass if this doesn't pan out, or give you time to find a new lead. Fine, I trust your methods, mostly, but don't let this mystery distract you." Vance said, waving his stupid tooth pick around.

"Oh, I won't, director," Gibbs said as he left. It always felt good to have the last word.

Gibbs grabbed McGee's report on the Purple Dragons and Ducky's autopsy report before going into the conference room. He walked in just as April was delivering a head slap worthy of Gibbs to Jones. The bigger man whined like a little kid and apologized profusely, though it sounded like he didn't know what he was apologizing for. Gibbs turned to close the door so they wouldn't see him smile. Again, something green caught his eye by his feet, but by the time he turned around it was gone.

"Please, if you have a seat, we can get this over with," Gibbs said politely. He took a seat across from the active couple. Ziva sat down next to April's chair, prompting the woman to sit down. Jones looked put out but a look from April convinced him to take a seat as well. She bent down to mess with her purse, before finally settling in to listen.

"Good. Now, Miss" Gibbs checked his folder, "O'Neil, Ziva already has your statement about the other night so I won't waste time going over that. I'm going to start with telling you some of what I know. Does that sound alright with you?"

April O'Neil eyed him suspiciously. According to her file, she owned an antique store that she inherited and rebuilt after it was burned down. She was a respected member of the community with an advanced degree in computers. Maybe he should have her talk more to McGee. When she didn't reply, he continued anyway.

"Corporal Barry was a marine visiting his mother in your neighborhood; he was worried about the gang violence and was helping them move. Before his death he was beaten by a long cylindrical object."

"A what?" Jones interrupted.

"Like a staff, Casey," April said with a sigh. Then she stiffened and shared an odd look with him.

Gibbs continued but he was watching them even closer now. "He was beaten again before he was killed by a sword. He was stabbed three times."

"Do you know anyone who could have done this?" Ziva asked gently. She was focusing on April, which left Jones to Gibbs. The younger man was getting anxious.

"There was one more injury that we can't tell what it came from," Gibbs said and pointed to the picture of the bruise on the marine's side. "It was caused by something large which slammed into his ribs and dented them in. My people say it could have been a shield," he paused dramatically.

"Or a shell," Jones whispered. He sank miserably in his chair.

April smacked him. "No, our guys didn't do this and they wouldn't. Never in a million years, so shut up right now Casey. We're leaving."

"I want to talk to your friends. If they did this, you aren't helping anyone by protecting them," Gibbs said forcefully.

"No," April said angrily. She started to get up and pull Jones to his feet. In any other situation it would be funny to see the little redhead haul the big man around.

"I will charge you with obstructing a federal investigation," Gibbs threatened. He would to, if he could make it stick.

"Agent Gibbs, I may not be a lawyer but I know enough to know that we have done nothing wrong and you cannot hold us. We are leaving and you will send Casey's property back to us as soon as possible or I will be suing you. Now, kindly, move." That last was directed to Ziva who had moved to block their exit. April was a head shorter than the NCIS agent, but she knew how to throw her weight around. Gibbs gave the go ahead to let them go as soon as they had valid contact information, including their cell phone numbers.

As soon as the two left, Gibbs went straight to Abby's Lab so he could give the numbers to McGee and Abby to track. He wanted to know the couple's every move. He knew they were connected to his case. Something that was confirmed when Abby clapped as he walked in.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the star of our show, leader of our team, the marine with the timing, the man who can read minds and anticipate results: Leroy Jethro Gibbs!" she announced loudly.

"Wipe that smile off your face, McGee," Gibbs snapped at his smirking agent. "What have you found, Abby?"

"Okay, you know how I ran the DNA evidence off of all of Casey Jones's weapons/sports equipment, well I found a match. Well, actually I found several because of criminal records. Jones is quite a vigilante; he beats on anyone from convicted murders to sex offenders."

"Abby, point?"

"Right, anyway, one sample did not come up on AFIS, it dinged on my data base."

"Meaning?" Gibbs asked, hoping she'd come to the point soon.

"Meaning I had it in my system because I was already running a search for it. The blood on the cricket bat matches the flesh we got from under our corporal's fingernails!" Abby smiled smugly as she concluded, "Casey Jones has beat our murder with this cricket bat."

"Beating someone with a cricket bat is pretty unique, Boss," McGee said. "I bet he remembers who it was."

"I bet he does to, Tim," Gibbs agreed. "I'll have to talk to him. Think you can track these cell phone numbers?"

"Are these Jone's and O'Neil's phones, Boss?" McGee asked as he started to do his thing.

"Yes, McGee, that's why I want you to track them. Call me when you have a location," Gibbs said as he started to leave.

"Wait, I have more," Abby called out. Gibbs turned to face her. "First, I'm still not sure about the mystery bruise, my babies are still compiling but with the DNA searches it was more than they could handle. But that's not why your still here. I determined that the explosive residue Ziva found is commonly used in smoke bombs and flash-bang grenades. It's pretty common but if you see anyone disappear in a flash and cloud of smoke, I recommend looking closer at them."

"Is that it?" Gibbs asked.

"Yep!" Abby chirped.

"Good work, Abby." Gibbs went over to kiss her cheek. "Call me when you have a location, DiNozzo and I will be heading back to New York."

"What? No Caf-Pow?" Abby called after him.

"Put it on my tab!" he called back.