Chapter 3
"Jethro," greeted Ducky as he got into the car with his friend early Tuesday morning, "what has our Anthony done this time?"
"He took off with out leave to chase down Petty Officer Smith's killer by the name of Russell Benton, also a Petty Officer. The whole attack was captured by a security cam outside a local nightclub. It seems they were involved when Smith decided she wanted a chance and Benton obvious didn't …there was a scuffle and in a fit of rage Benton strangled her. It's an open and close case. Benton ran and we surmised that he headed home; I was going to have the State Police issue the arrest since his family may have some pull in his home town and I didn't know how the local LEOs would handle it," explained Gibbs as they headed off after his wayward agent.
"Why did Anthony decide to disobey you?"
"He was mad when I told him that the local LEOs would handle it but I think it was something more. I think he made a promise to Petty Officer Smith's mother and told her that he would handle it personally," explained Gibbs.
"Oh, his heart was in the right place Jethro; try not to be too hard of the lad when we catch up to him," admonished Ducky.
"Oh there is no doubt that his heart is in the right place Duck but it's his head that isn't. He's walking into a town that his father probably influences in some way or the other and they aren't going to take it lightly to have an outsider take one of their own into custody. I'm afraid that this time they are going to take a piece or two out of his hide before I have a chance," growled Gibbs as he drove on.
"Jethro you wouldn't really do the boy a real harm, would you? He is an excellent agent and investigator he just needs guidance," Ducky asked.
"That's all I want to do Duck…I want to guide him to the nearest tree and wear his butt out with my belt…and this time you won't be talking me out of it," declared Gibbs angrily.
Ducky took one look at his friend's face and knowing that what he said was truth decided to chance the subject. "Where are we going, Jethro?"
"To a small town in the Allegheny Mountain Range in West Virginia called Micksville. Its population stands just under 3500 during tourist season and 2000 before. It's a picturesque community that you wouldn't mind visiting but not living year round," Gibbs described from memory.
"And that is where our Anthony has got himself in trouble," stated Ducky.
"Yeah," responded Gibbs fearfully, "they have old ways and I'm afraid that DiNozzo is going to taste them before we can get there," he added as his foot bored down on the accelerator the car sped on even faster. He was scared for his agent. He knew what type of discipline some of the mountain folk adhered to and as much as he wouldn't mind being the one to apply a few licks to his agent's backside damn if anyone else could.