Debrief

Tony blinked his eyes open as the snarl of a wolf faded into the recesses of his memory. He was lying on his back; he turned his head to look into Gibbs' eyes. Those eyes gazed back at him steadily.

"You okay, Tone?"

Tony nodded, then turned away to stretch his neck, back, and limbs before lifting the sheets out of the way and settling himself on top of his lover. "You know, this would be more fun if we weren't wearing clothes."

Gibbs smiled, reaching up run his fingers through Tony's hair. "You were twitching and muttering in your sleep. Figured you were having nightmares. Almost woke you."

Tony leaned down and brushed his lips over Gibbs'. "Glad you didn't. Nightmares now means I'll be okay later. Better if I'm not repressing it."

There was a knock on the door. "Gibbs? Tony?"

Tony rested his forehead on Gibbs'. "First those beady little eyes on the way over here. Now this. She's turning into stalker," he complained.

Gibbs grinned at him. "What is it, Ziver?" he called out.

"There is a young man here, says he is to take you to Erik if you wish, whenever you are ready."

Tony levered himself up and off the bed, almost tangling up in the sheets and falling over. He got out of them with a muffled curse and strode to the door, opening it quickly. Ziva stood just a little too close to it, and started visibly before settling herself.

Tony glared at her. "How long have you been listening at the door?"

Ziva's chin lifted. "Only long enough to hear voices. I could not hear what was said. I did not want to wake you, but I did not want to keep Martin waiting too long."

Tony sighed. "Sorry, Zee. Guess I'm gonna have to try to relax a bit more."

Ziva shook her head and smiled, glancing past Tony to see Gibbs getting out of bed. "You are protective of him. That is good… he needs it, even if he will never admit it." She looked up at Tony seriously. "I promise you I will never intentionally invade your privacy again."

Tony's eyes widened. "What do you mean, again?"

Gibbs rested his hand on Tony's shoulder. "I took care of it, Tony." He looked at Ziva. "Tell Martin we'll be down in five."

Ziva nodded, smiled at them both, then headed for the stairs. Gibbs shut the bedroom door, pulling Tony in for a kiss.

As soon as they broke apart, Tony repeated himself. "What did she mean, again?"

Gibbs looked at his watch. "Less than four minutes left. Better get cracking." He set off for the bathroom, grinning at Tony's frustrated growl.

They came downstairs to see a tall, thin young man at the kitchen table with McGee, who was gaping at him, his face astonished. The young man rose to his feet as soon as he noticed their approach, hunching over and lowering his head, turning it sideways. "Agent Gibbs, Agent DiNozzo," he said quietly and respectfully. They could see scars on his neck, one trailing down under his shirt. "My name is Martin."

"Hi, Martin!" Tony smiled and held out his hand. Martin's eyes widened; he reached out hesitantly. Tony took his hand and shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you."

Gibbs glanced at his senior field agent, then followed his lead, also shaking Martin's hand. "Likewise," he said.

Martin stared at his own hand after Gibbs let it go, then smiled shyly. "Erik has offered to speak with both of you if you like; he is sure you have many questions."

"Sounds good," Gibbs said. "Now okay?"

Martin nodded. He turned toward McGee and Ziva. "It was nice to meet you both."

Ziva smiled at him, while McGee continued to sit there with his mouth open. Ziva saw Gibbs and Tony shooting him strange looks; she frowned and reached out to close McGee's mouth. His teeth clicked. "What is wrong with you?" she asked. Tony and Gibbs could only make out a garbled noise as they left the house.

"What's up with McGee?" Tony asked Martin.

Martin answered without making eye contact. "We were exchanging hacking stories; he asked how the town supports itself economically. I told him about Amazon."

"The rainforest?" Gibbs asked.

Tony barely stopped himself from delivering a head slap. "C'mon, Boss, no way you're that ignorant."

Martin smiled. "Ever since online commerce started up, werewolf communities have supported themselves that way, allowing us to stay separate from humans' everyday lives. Amazon's founder heads one of the northwest packs. Our communities are linked; we run a warehouse a few hours from here."

There was a snarl from behind them. They all turned to see a large, angry man staring at Martin, arms folded over his chest. "What right do you have to share our secrets?" he demanded.

Martin blinked and began to cower. Tony stepped up, resting a hand on Martin's shoulder. The low-ranking werewolf froze, then straightened up. "I have every right," he replied quietly. "Erik sent me to our visitors, and told me to answer their questions. I am liaison, like Arina before me."

"You? Liaison?" The man took a step forward.

Martin whimpered quietly. Tony squeezed his shoulder, and Martin took a deep breath. "Obviously," he said, his voice shaky. "Don't you see who is with me?"

The man stared at Tony and Gibbs, then shrugged. "Humans. So?"

Martin shook his head. "Where were you this morning?"

The man's brow furrowed. "I just got back from a two-day shift."

"You know what happened to Daniel?"

The man rolled his eyes. "I have a phone, idiot. Daniel is outcast. I came back early to join the hunt."

"This man here, Agent DiNozzo, he's the one who defeated Daniel and proved his betrayal."

Martin's antagonist backed up a step. "The one who used silver."

"That's me," Tony spoke up cheerfully.

"I… uh, good day to you," he said quickly, before walking rapidly away in the opposite direction.

Martin watched him go. "I'm not omega anymore," he whispered.

Tony dropped his hand and looked at him carefully. "Isn't that a good thing?"

Martin turned and smiled at him. "It's a very good thing. I'm not strong or coordinated, so I lose challenges. Daniel's defeater supported me; I'll never be omega again. Thank you."

"Is that guy omega now?"

Martin shook his head. "No, we didn't actually fight... but it's not like we'd have exchanged ranks anyway. I didn't back down, though. The pack will turn to another to be omega."

"Congratulations," Tony said, smiling.

"Erik's waiting for us," Gibbs reminded them.

Tony made a show of rolling his eyes. "Give the guy a moment, will ya? Let him bask in the glory of his non-omeganess." He winked at Gibbs, whose lips almost twitched into a smile in return.

Martin led them the rest of the way, back to Aleksandra's and Daniel's house. "Isn't this…" Tony began, but stopped when Erik stepped outside.

The new pack leader looked at Martin. "Thank you, Martin. And congratulations." Martin dipped his head, flushing. Erik winked at Tony, then spoke again to Martin. "Keep your eyes on the young ones. When one falls into omega, help him or her." Martin nodded, backing away, then turning to head down the street.

Erik grinned at them. "I was hoping making him liaison would raise him up. He's been omega way too long. Come on in."

"Uh… is Aleksandra here?" Tony asked. "Can't believe I'm her favorite person right now."

Erik's smile faded. "This is the pack leader's home. Aleksandra and I talked for a long time after you left this morning. We agreed that shaman and first should be separate; there was too much consolidation of power when she and Daniel bonded. She has moved back to the traditional shaman's home a few streets away." He led them into the house and back toward the study.

"How'd you know about Martin's status change?" Gibbs asked.

Erik turned around and tapped his nose. "Pheromones. Scent tells us status."

They entered the study, which was already very different from what it had been when it was Daniel's. Erik's desk faced the wall, leaving no barriers between him and his guests. Tony sat in the same chair as before; Gibbs moved toward the matching chair, but Erik shook his head, holding out his hand. "Sorry Agent Gibbs, that's Patryk's chair. It will remain empty as a tribute for a cycle of the moon." Erik moved the chair off to one side, pulling another one forward for Gibbs. He then grabbed the chair from in front of the desk and swiveled it around to face them. Tony noticed that it was the same one Daniel had used.

"So," Erik said, smiling at them. "I figured you'd have some questions, and I also wanted to give you a heads-up about tomorrow morning's ceremony." He laughed quietly. "More of a party, really."

Tony leaned forward. "You said I'd have a part to play?"

Erik nodded. "Guest of honor, really. You don't have to do much, just react appropriately at the right times."

"I get the feeling you're not going to tell me what those are."

Erik grinned at him. "Nope. Your reactions need to be genuine." He tapped his nose. "Downside to having a superior sense of smell. If you act surprised but you aren't, we can tell. Last thing the pack needs right now is a reason to doubt the power transfer."

Gibbs cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at Erik. "You're using Tony for political gain."

Erik transferred the grin to him. "Sure am. You too." He sat up straighter. "It's not a bad thing, really. You won't have to commit to anything, or swear fealty, or any other nonsense. We just need honest reactions from all of you. Nothing to be apprehensive about, but if you want to be worried, that's okay."

Tony scowled at him. "I take it back, you couldn't be one of my frat brothers."

Erik's face lit up. "Yes, I could! Pledged at NYU."

Tony sat back with a grin. "Hence Hedwig."

"Love Broadway," Erik sighed. "Really, all you need to know is that you're going to be honored, Tony. And it's a big deal. Believe me, we are all well aware of how difficult it is for a human to fight one of us when we're in wolf form." He looked at Gibbs. "Aleksandra wants to make amends for her earlier, ah, animosity. Please just go with it."

"With what?"

"Can't tell you. Genuine reactions, remember? And tell McGee and your female to just relax and enjoy. Werewolf parties are a blast. We have to be so formal most of the time, 'cause hey, fanged killers. But when we have an induction like this, there's an agreement: no challenges, no tests, just everyone have a good time."

"We'll have to keep McGee away from your home brew," Tony mused.

Erik grinned. "Only if you really want. He's fun."

Tony smiled, but it didn't last. "So… why exactly did Daniel challenge me? I mean, I get it was to defend himself, but what did he really hope to gain from it?"

Erik sighed. "Daniel… he's complicated. He's been first for a long time… close to twenty years. He was always a tough one, but he got worse once he and Aleksandra bonded. It wasn't really her fault, wasn't intentional. They sort of fed off each other, got more extreme. I didn't see it happening, because I was in college. Most of us either train here for some sort of career within the pack or join the military, but I was one of the few who wanted a more academic pursuit. Came back with my MBA and some kick ass computer skills. I'm no Martin, but still. Anyway… he challenged you because it was the only way to divert attention from the accusation of betrayal." Erik reached up to rub his forehead. "Wasn't really a brilliant plan… if he'd killed you, he'd have brought dishonor on the pack. If he'd injured you, your accusation would have been deemed false, but only officially. No way anyone was going to ignore what you'd said and what Arina reported. His leadership was probably doomed as soon as he called you in, but he was too arrogant to see it."

"He'd never have called me if it hadn't been for Petty Officer Haynes," Gibbs offered.

"Nope. I guess he figured you'd investigate both and come up empty when there was no connection between the two."

Tony was frowning. "Who called her death in to NCIS in the first place?"

"One of our youngsters on leave from his naval post… your training is too good. He didn't even think twice. Daniel caught on to what he was doing, but too late to stop him. So, he called you… well, called the main number and got transferred to you saying he had information on the case."

They all sat quietly for a moment. Tony checked his watch. "You said he has until nightfall."

Erik nodded. "The entire pack will be out for blood… most of it, anyway. I'm sure Aleksandra won't participate; she loved him in her own way. There may be a few others who choose not to go." He shrugged. "Betraying pack is just about the worst thing a werewolf can do." He looked at Tony, clearly understanding his discomfort. "If he can remain hidden or get far enough away, and is still alive at sunrise, he'll be safe. And he just might do it, too. He's crafty enough."

"What did the silver do to him?"

Erik grimaced. "Silver interferes with our cellular metabolism. Edward explained it to me once, but biochemistry was never my thing. It causes a reaction that spreads through living tissue... that burning effect."

"He seemed to be getting better," Gibbs offered, glancing at Tony.

Erik shook his head. "Only on the surface. We heal quickly… but that burning was spreading inward. Reactions vary… some individuals handle it better than others. I don't know how Daniel will handle it; I don't think he's ever been hit with silver before."

Tony's brow furrowed. "There was no sign of that kind of reaction on Lieutenant Conrad… is that because the arrow killed him instantly?"

Erik shrugged. "Maybe? Or maybe he was one of the few who don't react to silver that way. Still killed him."

Tony sighed, clearly unhappy about the situation. Gibbs reached out and put a hand on his thigh.

Erik looked at the two of them. "Don't feel responsible, Tony. He chose to challenge, and you had every right to defend yourself. He'd probably have killed you if you didn't have those knives. And it's not like we couldn't have helped him."

"What?"

"There's a mixture of herbs that negates the effects of silver, if you have enough of it. We withheld it because of what Daniel did to Patryk."

"Okay." Tony sat silently for a moment. "Yeah, I feel a little less guilty now."

Erik smiled. "Good."

Gibbs squeezed Tony's thigh and let go. "My people okay to walk around town, or are things still too unsettled?"

Erik considered the question. "You should be fine to wander around until dark. You might want to stay in after that. I don't anticipate any problems, but… an entire town of werewolves in bloodlust, not really cuddly puppy time, if you know what I mean."

Tony raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. "This party… what time and where?"

"Nine a.m., big field at the end of town, across the street from where Patryk was killed, actually."

"We'll be there."

"Thanks for staying. It will help give many of the pack closure." Erik rose to his feet. "I have a few things I need to do before the hunt," he said apologetically.

Gibbs and Tony stood too. "Got a second yet?" Gibbs asked.

Erik shook his head. "There are a few contenders. Something might shake out tonight. I have a feeling Anton might just take the spot."

"Anton?" Tony looked at him, surprised. "But he challenged you."

Erik nodded. "We'd never fought before. He probably respects me now more than he did… and he knows I'll beat him if he challenges again. Sometimes that makes for the best second."

"Yeah," Gibbs agreed. "They know their place."

Tony glared at him. "Just for that, forget about getting lucky tonight."

Gibbs laughed. "I think I can persuade you to cooperate."

Tony shook his head, but he was smiling. "You're probably right. But it will be fun to make you ask nicely."

Erik smiled at them. "You guys are cute."

Gibbs' hand twitched. Tony reached out and grabbed his arm. "No head slapping the werewolf, Boss."

Gibbs smiled. "C'mon, Tone, let's get McGee and Ziva and go for a hike."

"Team bonding time?"

"Yeah, why not. Been a while."

Eric snapped his fingers. "Ziva! That's it. Don't know why I can't seem to remember."

Tony rolled his eyes. "We won't tell her." He paused and looked at Erik. "I don't know whether to wish you good hunting or not," he admitted.

"I get that," Erik said. "It's okay. Have a good hike, guys."

They left the house and went to meet up with the others. Tony stomach growled, loudly. "Think I missed lunch, Jethro."

"We'll eat first, then hike."

"Sounds like a plan." Tony grinned suddenly. "Race you!" he yelled, taking off toward the house.

Gibbs laughed and let him go, perfectly content to watch Tony run.