After Kort replayed the message for the five people in the bedroom, you could have heard a pin drop from several miles away. Five face stared into nothing trying to contemplate what their friend and colleague was trying to tell them. Tony was the first to break the silence.
"When did you and Tim become so cozy that he calls you Trent?"
Kort froze has the question made him think, "He never had before, its always been Agent Kort. I've often laughed to myself at his insistence to stand on protocol."
Before anyone could comment further the FBI team that Fornell had called in to process the scene arrived and he began to direct them to collect the body of the canine. He looked at Vance for permission before he also told them to go through McGee's computer and laptop.
Tony looked at Gibbs expecting him to intervene and claim jurisdiction for NCIS, when the older man just stood by silently he exploded, "OUR AGENT. OUR LEAD!"
He glared at his boss and director as he yelled the words.
"Tony, a missing federal agent is FBI jurisdiction." Vance said trying to calm the younger man.
"Since when as that ever mattered to you Gibbs. If it was me or Ziva you'd be all over this and demanding to have the lead." He was steadily moving into the older man space as he spoke, and soon he was right in his boss' face as he finished, "Or is it just because Tim is the computer geek, so he's not worth your interest."
Gibbs spoke softly but with all the venom he was holding back physically coming through his voice, "Tim belongs to me and is as much a part of this team as you or anyone else ever was. The FBI is taking and analyzing the evidence from here while we interview Kort and do everything we can to get him back." He took a step forward so the two men where nose to nose. "Don't ever question my loyalty to one of my own ever again." The last words were said so quietly that if you weren't listening carefully you would have missed them but they scorched Tony's ears and made him hang his head in embarrassment at his behavior.
Vance and Fornell had moved behind the two men to intervene if it became physical and both took a deep breath and backed off as the situation seemed to diffuse.
It was at that moment Sacks turned on McGee's computer to start going through the information, when a series of sparks came from the CPU tower and the whole system went dead. A few seconds following the computer dying sparks could be seen coming from Tim's bedside table as the same thing occurred with his cell phone. The pattern was repeated again with every piece of electronic equipment in the apartment that had access to the internet.
Sacks' face was grim when he reported to Fornell, Vance and Gibbs, "Everything is gone. He had some kind of security program and if you didn't use the correct process to turn on his electronics it fried out everything. It's all gone."
Vance grimaced at the report but their was also a glint of pride in the man's eyes as he realized the skill it would take to implement such a complex program that destroyed anything someone was trying to get while not damaging the apartment or harming anyone inside. In one fell swoop he turned every piece of electronic equipment he possessed into junk.
"Can anything be salvaged?" It was Fornell that asked the question.
"I'll bring everything back with me, but I doubt it. He did a good job of destroying everything."
While the FBI team, under the watchful eyes of Ron Sacks, collected and bagged the ruin electronics, Tony smiled smugly to himself at the ingenuity of his partner, "Way to go, Probie." he said softly to himself.
"Okay time to head back to the Yard." Gibbs looked hard at Kort when he spoke, "Kort you will ride back with me and Vance. Tony on our bumper the whole way, Tobias you will be in the lead."
Everyone looked at him curiously at the extreme security being taken for the ride back.
"You heard Tim's message to Kort, Rule 40. Kort stays close to us until this is handle. We have to assume that he is the next target."
"Gibbs, I'm a trained..." Kort began not happy with the declaration.
"So was Tim." Gibbs stopped the man glaring at him. It was obvious to everyone in the room that while Gibbs was willing to protect the CIA Agent he still blame him for what happen to Tim.
"Let's go."
The ride back to the Yard was uneventful, much to everyone relief and soon the group was in a conference room waiting to be debriefed on by the man that they now had in protective custody for all extents and purposes.
"Start at the beginning Kort and Don't Leave Any Out." Gibbs growled once they had all sat down.
"This past April, I was in Norfolk when I noticed the very distinctive car the your young computer expert drivers at a coffee shop that I frequent when I'm in town. Having finished my business their, I decided to see what he was doing so far from DC."
"Another words, you were checking up to make sure he hadn't stumbled on to whatever it was you were up to in Norfolk." Vance interrupted.
Kort shrugged noncommittally at the comment.
"When I went inside he was reading through some old journals while enjoying a cup of coffee so I joined him. We talked for a while and I discovered he was going through his father's belongings deciding what he wanted to keep for himself and his sister and what to give to charity, when he discovered several journals in an old seachest in the attic. The journals belonged to his grandfather Admiral Robert McGee. He was confused by some of the entries in fact he said 'Something is hinky' I believe were his exact words."
"His grandfather was stationed in England during the time frame of the entries that puzzled him and it didn't take long for us to realize that I was born in the general location of where he was stationed so he asked me if I had any contacts who could pull up old records for him."
"I saw no harm in helping, so I made a few phone calls."
"What were in the journals?" Gibbs asked.
"Don't know he never let me read them."
"What kind of records did he want?"
"Just some information from the society pages. Balls and other Events and a list of who attended. Nothing top secret or dangerous anyone in the area with computer skills or access to the library with enough patience could have retrieved the information he wanted."
"It ended there and though we met a few more times all we ever discussed were things about the area where I grew up. Then about a month ago I got a phone call from him saying he thought he had finally stumbled onto the reason behind the discrepancies between the official records and his grandfather's journals. He asked me to get a list of all the children born between June 1961 and October 1961 in three Providences in England."
"I sent him the list two days later. Two days ago he called again he sounded worried, he asked me to meet him this morning for coffee it was important."
"That's everything, until we find the journals and figure out what he found out, I'm just as stumped as you. If I thought this was dangerous I would have given you a heads up Gibbs. I know better than to play with your kids without your permission."
Abby came through the door at a full head of steam just as Kort finished his last statement, "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs. I got an E-mail from Timmy."
She quickly moved to the computer terminal in the room and pulled up the e-mail on the plasma for all to see.
It was block lettering "the truth will cost" and then there was a picture of a penny head side up.
"The truth will cost a penny?" Tony mumbled "That makes no sense."
AN: Wow two chapters in three days for this one. Hope you enjoy the story so far. Please review with thoughts and comments. Stray:)