I´m so sorry for the delay, I know an update would have been due a few days ago but school got kinda in my way. Final exams and a few other things needed my attention. I really hope you like this Chapter. Please read and review as always. Take care! =)
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Hold up, hold on don't be scared,
You'll never change what's been and gone
May your smile shine on don't be scared,
Your destiny may keep you warm…
Oasis – Stop Crying Your Heart Out
Chapter V - Revelation
"What is going on here Director?" Gibbs asked and looked skeptically at the older man. "Why aren´t we meeting the Marshals downstairs where the rest of my team is or do they have any top secret stuff with them?"
"The U.S. Marshals asked me to meet you here in my office, in private Gibbs. It looks like you and your team stepped into a quite tricky situation. They didn´t want to tell me more about what it is about over the phone." Tom explained and the investigator furrowed a brow in question while sitting down on the chair his boss offered him. His knee was still protesting when he was putting too much weight on it, but he still refused to use the crutches and Ducky had stopped threatening his friend, but he was still throwing him a disapproving look every time he saw the investigator –of course without the crutches.
"Well, since I can´t work much right now you might want to call agent DiNozzo or agent Todd to be here as well. They will be the ones to arrest the Carmichael´s murderer in case the Marshals let us." Jethro said and watched Morrow shaking his head, which only let his confusion increase.
"No, they insisted that it is only the two Marshals you and me are in my office when they come and reveal some information." Tom said and watched the confusion becoming even more visible in his agent´s face, he knew it could easily change into frustration and annoyance which wouldn´t be exactly the best premise to start a turf war. Before Gibbs could ask anything else the intercom beeped and Cynthia announced the arrival of the Marshals.
Jethro watched the men skeptically while they entered the office and came over to the table where he was already sitting. The two looked quite stern, their faces giving nothing away and the second one was carrying two manila folders. Jethro assumed at least one of them was the case file of the Carmichaels. "This is special agent Jethro Gibbs. Agent Gibbs these are U.S. Marshals James Cooper and Cameron Thomas."
The gray haired man just nodded towards them and everyone sat down. To say `It is a pleasure to meet you´ would have been wrong and hypocritical so the gray-haired man remained silent for the moment. Finally the man who was introduced as James Cooper started speaking, it seemed to be that he was the one with the higher rank. "Alright. The Carmichaels were under our protection when they were murdered, because the Gunnery Sergeant wanted to testify against Marine Colonel Chase Anderson. He was suspected to sell top secret information to the highest bidders, mostly sleepers of Hamas who would use it to plan more attacks, probably worse than 9/11."
"So it was you who failed to protect them?" Gibbs asked bluntly and Morrow gave him a warning glance. "How could they be found?"
"In a way yes because we just relocated them without a new identity since we thought it was enough. Now we are afraid that the boy and everyone who is with him is a possible target, we want to help you protect him. Colonel Anderson went AWOL since the Carmichaels were murdered and we think that he will track their son down." Jethro chuckled lowly and the Marshal looked slightly confused at the reaction.
"Well, I know this." Gibbs said and his tone changed from amused to dead serious. "I was the one who got in Anderson´s or his myrmidon´s way. Be sure that Brady Carmichael is at this moment under the very best protection we can offer."
"That´s why we want to send you and the boy to a new location. Witness Security is a good addition to your protection detail." Cooper explained and Thomas opened the other folder, revealing a dossier. "Since you are handicapped at the moment we want to add agent Todd."
The investigator furrowed a brow and looked at Morrow, waiting for a reaction from Tom which probably saved him from entering Witness Security. Finally the NCIS director started speaking but it wasn´t exactly what the silver haired man wanted to hear from him. "I think that would be the best for everyone especially for the boy. He trusts you and agent Todd, Gibbs."
"What?" Gibbs snapped and his mouth literally hung open. He was completely taken aback by Morrow´s agreement with the U.S. Marshals. "No, no way in hell we enter that Program. Neither Brady, nor agent Todd, nor do I."
"How do you want to do it?" Tom asked and outright ignored the fit of anger his agent had. He knew Jethro was a damn good agent but sometimes he had to accept help from others and accept orders. Morrow had never doubted that Gibbs would disobey to any orders, but this time he wasn´t entirely convinced if the gray-haired man wouldn´t boycott the whole operation.
"A car-accident, the three bodies will be burnt far beyond recognition and the autopsy will be performed by one of our medical examiners since the case is under our jurisdiction again. Of course the NCIS will get all your service items and personal belongings, like jewelry at least what could be saved, to give them to your families." Cameron Thomas was speaking now and ignoring the special agent just like Morrow did it. "Everyone will grieve over your deaths and the whole incident is going to be public so Anderson will know that he can come back. Our team will arrest him and he will be sentenced. Case closed."
"And then we are resurrected or what? I´m sorry but that is ridiculous... By the way when are you telling agent Todd about this?" Gibbs asked and Cooper turned towards him.
"She won´t know about the protection detail until we get you when you leave the headquarters in the evening. Otherwise it would be a high risk that she lets something slip in front of her co-workers, writes letters or makes calls, stuff like that. We already had cases like that." James stated and Jethro just shook his head. That just wasn´t fair for her, he would cope with it but she was quite close with her family so it would be hard.
"What assures you that I won´t do something like that?" The silver-haired man asked and shot the Marshal a challenging look. Cooper tried to stand Jethro´s look, but looked down just before Morrow spoke up once again.
"My orders agent special agent Gibbs." Tom stated and the investigator looked at him, sensing that this battle was lost. He slightly bowed his head and Morrow motioned for James to go on with his explanations.
"We already made up new identities for you and right now all your information is put into the right places."
"Where are we going to?" Gibbs asked and it looked like he finally accepted his fate, though reluctant to do so.
"For the first two days you are going to stay in a secured house near New York City where you get all the information you need; your names, vitae and the address of your new home. Then you will go to your final destination." Cooper answered and glanced at the dossier in front of him. "I can´t tell you where exactly you are going to right now."
"Great..." The gray haired man mumbled in defeat and the Marshals just watched him with sober expressions. They were used to every reaction of their clients but most of the time they were cooperative because they wanted protection. This was completely new for everyone. "Can I go back to work now?"
"You can agent Gibbs." Morrow said and could see that his subordinate was everything but satisfied with the situation. The older man just hoped that Jethro would stick to the rules the Marshals set up and wouldn´t do anything stupid like telling Kate or anyone else about the Program.
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