Tim tried not to worry, but he couldn't help it. "Are we gonna be fired?"

Gibbs set the mug on the table and looked at the younger man. "I don't think so, McGee, but if it happens, you have to know that I'll fight for you." He held McGee's gaze for a couple of seconds before doing the same with the others. "All of you."

It was almost 0725 and Gibbs needed to get going. He was hoping to see Vance before the meeting, whatever the meeting was, and held out hope that he would. He had tried calling him again, but the man didn't answer and didn't call back even after he left a more civil message. Whatever was happening involved the Director, as much or more as it involved him and the rest of the team.

He looked at each of them. "We don't know for sure what this is about."

Tony thought he knew. "Sure we do. It's about a cover-up."

Ziva agreed. "The Air Force wants to silence us."

Gibbs didn't believe that, but from start to finish the investigation had been a screw-up. He and Vance should have stopped it from the beginning.

Tony informed Ziva, "Military guys are a sub-human species. Everybody knows that."

She looked from Tony to Gibbs and back again, glad that she hadn't said it.

"Uh, boss, you know I don't mean marines." Like saying that would make a difference.

Gibbs knew DiNozzo had no respect for the military. It was the one thing he wish he'd picked up on before suggesting the man join NCIS. Oh sure, he remembered the Navy cop comments, but he didn't know it hadn't been a 'friendly' rivalry. Ten years later and DiNozzo's attitude hadn't changed. If anything he'd gotten even more fervent in his beliefs. Nothing Gibbs could do about it. DiNozzo wouldn't change.

It was past time to end the discussion and get going to the mysterious meeting.

"I need to go, but I'll be there for the meeting at 0840."

They still looked nervous, but his words seemed to sink in.

"Abby, I need to talk to you for a minute before I go."

She went with him and after ordering coffee to go, he paid the check for the table. He and Abby stood to the side out of the doorway.

Quietly he inquired, "I need to know about the lab work," and Abby blanched.

"I think you've been ordered to keep secrets." He saw the truth in her eyes. "Nod if I'm right."

She didn't nod. She looked scared.

Gibbs needed to know for sure. He whispered, "Abby, it's okay. I'll keep your secret."

He noticed that she seemed to relax a little so he asked again.

"Have you been ordered to keep secrets about the Wheeler case?"

After her eyes looked everywhere around her, she nodded.

He needed to be sure. "Did Secretary Jarvis give you the order?"

Gibbs could swear Abby's eyes teared up. She'd been struggling for several days and while he felt for her, he wished that she had come to him.

"Did he threaten you?"

She shook her head, but Gibbs could tell there was something there. "C'mon, Abbs, tell me."

"Not physically. He said I'd get fired and he'd make sure the closest I ever got to forensics ever again would be cleaning up crime scenes."

Now there were tears in her eyes and Gibbs drew her into his arms for a hug. Not with bodily harm, but Jarvis had certainly threatened her.

"It's okay, Abbs. Not going to happen." He brought her face up so he could look into her eyes. "Trust me?"

Abby nodded.

"Did you find anything suspicious in General Wheeler's blood and tissue?"

She spoke softly, her voice shaky. "No, Gibbs. Everything was consistent with his daily meds and the drugs they would have given him in the ambulance and at the hospital. Three of them never even circulated. There was nothing suspicious."

Ducky would rule Wheeler's death from natural causes and that would be the end of it. The investigation would be closed, and his body released. There hadn't been a murder. SevNav had orchestrated everything and he and Vance had jumped right in. It hadn't exactly been an illegal order, one they could lawfully refuse, but they could have chosen to not dig so far and so deep and make assumptions until they had more facts. Now his team was on the hot seat too and Abby had been threatened.

"It's going to be okay, Abby." He tried to give her a confident smile and she gave him a tentative one. "I'll see you at the Pentagon at 0840."

OUTSIDE ROOM 9999 AT THE PENTAGON -

Gibbs sat on the bench sipping his coffee. He'd get rid of the cup when they called him, but for now he wasn't wasting a precious drop of the dark roast.

At 0756 Director Vance showed up. He looked terrible, like he hadn't slept in a few days. Gibbs knew he'd been struggling with the loss of his wife and he would continue to struggle, probably for a long time. Having his kids had to help, but it wasn't a cure-all.

"Director?"

So much in that one word.

Leon sat down next to him, sighing heavily. "We smacked the hornets' nest with a stick, Gibbs." He leaned back in a slouch.

So much had happened in a week. Some of it good, most of it not.

"You couldn't tell me over the phone." There was no bitterness in the statement.

Vance didn't bother to look at him. "No."

"I'm locked out of NCIS."

Vance shifted on the bench. "Me too."

Gibbs wondered how the Director gave an order to security to keep himself out of the building, but he didn't ask about that. Instead he wanted to know about Jarvis. if they were in trouble, wouldn't Jarvis be in trouble too? Or maybe Jarvis would be at this meeting to chew them out and make it out that they were to blame for everything. Gibbs almost smacked himself. Of course they were to blame. Yes, Jarvis pushed, but they let him.

"Have you spoken to Secretary Jarvis?"

Vance sounded defeated. "Not since yesterday afternoon when he called to ask me about the case."

"He gonna be here?"

"I don't know."

The closed end corridor was the most boring of any they had seen at the Pentagon. They had gone through the security checkpoint and walked past half a dozen closed doors before finding room 9999. The handwritten paper sign taped to the door told them it was 9999 and when Gibbs tried the door he found it locked. The small window in the door was papered over on the inside so they had no idea what or who was in the room. All they could do was sit down and wait.

Gibbs wondered why they weren't in a corridor close to SecNav's office, but before he thought to ask the door opened and a pretty, smartly dressed woman announced, "Director Vance, Special Agent Gibbs, please come in." No trash receptacle nearby so he left his empty cup sitting on the bench.

The room was nondescript. Nothing on the walls. Nothing on the two tables. Ten chairs were available and the woman motioned for them to sit at the smaller table with two chairs. The other table was longer and wider and positioned closer to an inner door.

She didn't identify herself or say anything else. She just waited.

The door opened and she went out before a woman and four men came in. Vance looked surprised, but not shocked and Gibbs followed his lead by standing. Looking at four of the people he thought, oh yeah, we're in trouble.

tbc

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