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Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS.

Chapter 10

Tony arrived at home with a big grin on his lips. Elena has accepted his offer to a date, but because Tony asked her spontaneously to a date and without having exact details to give, he told her he'd contact her with the details of the date. Meanwhile she'd look in her calendar and tell him when she has time for a date.

Tony made his way to his apartment. The prospect of a quiet evening with two of the most wonderful women in the world changed his grin into a warm smile. Maybe an evening of board games? Or just sitting on the couch and watch movies?

He unlocked the door to his apartment and closed it behind him again. After he had taken off his jacket and his shoes, he went to the kitchen. „I hope you had a charming afternoon, my ladies."

„Anthony. You're here earlier than I thought. We have a visitor." greeted Lu who prepared dinner in the kitchen.

„Visitor? I haven't expected anyone."

„Oh, he won't stay for dinner. He just wanted to come over for a little bit. It's a pity, he is such a nice man."

Tony brooded over who could visit him at this time and didn't announce his visit. „Where is he?"

„He is in the living room and keeps Amelia company."

When Tony came into the living room he stopped stunned when he saw that the surprise guest was in fact Cole. He should have known it. Tony didn't see Cole the whole day and he should have known that he planned something. But he may have expected all, but certainly not that Cole would be coming to his home. Not yet.

Cole sat on the armchair, with the back to Tony and he could only recognize his contours. Jo sat on the couch and saw her dad immediately when he came into the living room. „Dad! Look, we have a visitor. Tyson said that he knows me when I was still a little baby because you two used to work together. He even has told me a few stories of you and Mom!"

A piercing pain went through Tony's chest. If Cole wanted to keep an eye on him, alright, he could live with that. The fact that Cole would probably make his life considerably more difficult, he could live with too. What he certainly couldn't live with was when his little angel got pulled in their private war. He didn't like this at all and Cole knew this. That was the only reason why he was here now. „Yes, Tyson has an amount of stories which he could tell. Unfortunately, I heard that he wouldn't stay for long. Jo, would you be so nice and go help Lu in the kitchen, please. I'd like to speak with Tyson about some private matters. "

Jo knew the look on her dads face and didn't ask further questions. But she noticed that something wasn't right. She would ask her dad later about it. „Of course." She turned to Cole. „It was nice to meet you. Maybe we see each other again."

Cole smiled at her and shook her hand. „I'm quite sure that we'll see each other again. "

After Jo left the room, the temperature considerably sunk. The faked smile on Tony's face disappeared instantly, while the grin remained on Tyson's lips.

„What do you want here?" Tony sounded a little more aggressive than he wanted, but it was fine with him.

„Can't a friend just visit his ex partner? I don't understand, why you're so offensive towards me. Has something happened that I don't know of? "

„You know exactly what this is about."

Cole put his hands in his trouser pockets and nodded affirmative. „Oh right! You believe that I'm corrupt. Tell me, do you have proof which would confirm your little theory? Any witnesses who could support your theory? Anything at all?" With every question he asked, Cole stepped closer to Tony until he stood right in front of him.

Tony remained quiet. Cole studied him and then smirked again. „Thought so. Do us both a favor and stop searching for something that doesn't exist. You're just making the situation more difficult for everyone else. Besides, we don't want you to wake up sleeping dogs, do we?"

He patted Tony on his shoulder and went to the direction of the front door. He stopped shortly at the entrance of the kitchen. „Mrs. Sinclare, Amelia. It was nice to meet you. I hope, we'll see us again."

„Are you really sure that you can't stay a little bit longer, Mr. Cole? Dinner would be soon ready."

Before Cole could get any ideas, Tony intervened to guarantee Cole's leaving. „Lu, Cole still has to do some things. He can't stay for dinner."

Cole looked cunningly at him. „Tony is right. I have to take care of a few more things, so unfortunately, I can't stay. But thank you though for the charming invitation. I'm sure that you cook wonderful meals."

After Tony shut the door when Cole left, he put the safety letch on just to feel a little better. When he arrived back in the kitchen, two disapproving faces looked at him. „What?"

„That was not very nice of you, Anthony. Maybe he would have liked to stay for dinner."

„Well, it seems like I've lost my manners somewhere throughout the day and obviously haven't found them yet. But it looked like Cole wasn't troubled by it." Unfortunately. „I'll just jump briefly under the shower."

Tony arrived in the bullpen in a bad mood the next day. Since his discovery of Cole in his living room, together with his daughter and Lu, his mood hasn't improved. The two women have quickly noticed that they should stay away from any topic that could've further annoyed him. After dinner, they've picked out a movie and when it ended, Lu wished them a good night and went to her apartment. Tony felt guilty that he let out his mood on them. He has sworn to himself that whatever would happen at NCIS or somewhere else, he'd never bring it home and that he'd always be the loving father who wouldn't cause his daughter and Lu any grief.

But that wasn't always easy and of course it often didn't function that way. There were many moments in which they were concerned about him. Unfortunately, there were also some moments in which he came home with some injuries. Actually, it wasn't that long ago when he came home injured. After the car crash with Ziva when they arrived back from Berlin, his daughter and Lu were about to go to the hospital and be there for him. In the end, he could calm them down over the phone and told them that he'd be home as soon as possible.

However, the situation with Tyson was something entirely else. Tony guessed that Tyson wanted to show Tony with his little visit that he wouldn't have any problems getting his family involved. This was something that would be Tyson's undoing. Because as much as Tyson would terrorize him and make his working hours a living hell, with his visit at home he made everything more personal for Tony. Tony will certainly not give up. After all, he wasn't just responsible for the death of Matt Duncan but also for the death of Duncan's wife and his children. They were all innocent. He'll ensure that Tyson got his punishment for that. Besides, if he wouldn't continue bringing Tyson behind bars, he'd be forever a thread to him and his family.

After all these years he only searched now and then for some leads to bring Tyson to justice and divided his free time between the search and his daughter. But until now he couldn't find anything. However, since Tyson was back in Tony's life and thus in Jo's life also, he has to be a little bit more aggressive in his search. Last night, he called two contacts of his who are working for other agencies and called in some favors. He told them that they have to find everything they can get about Tyson Cole and the Duncan case. Unofficial of course. The last thing he needed was that one of the bosses of these two agencies will call his boss about said favors.

Tony put his bag besides his desk, sat down and switched on his computer. Tony was momentary alone in the bullpen, but the things of Ziva and McGee were lying next to their desks so that they have to be somewhere in the building. Gibbs presumably was also somewhere here. When they still were a two men team, Tony came once or twice very early to work just to see at which time Gibbs arrives in the morning. However, every time he had to find out that Gibbs was still before him at work. Since then he hasn't tried to be at work before Gibbs. It would be impossible for him, especially when he wanted to see his daughter in the mornings. He once wanted to ask Gibbs as a joke if he actually sleeps at NCIS but chickened out in fear of a head slap.

„Good morning, DiNozzo." Gibbs stepped into the bullpen followed by Ziva. She greeted him with a smile.

„Good morning, boss. Where's McGee?"

„He's with Abby. They try to reconstitute the last phone calls of Petty Officer William Fallon."

Tony saw from the corner of his eye how Ziva collected her things. „Are there any new leads?"

„Yes. A surveillance camera has a man on it that was in the side street around the TOD of Fallon. Abby put the picture in the system and we've got a match. Malcom Hayes. Sat twice behind bars because of mayhem. You and Ziva will go and get Hayes here for questioning. "

„Sure, boss."

Ziva and Tony stopped in front of a dilapidated house. The house was yellowish and in need of new paint. Apparently the windows weren't cleaned in a long time and in the canopy was a rather big hole. Tony wouldn't be surprised if he'd find any more holes in the roof. Obviously nobody took care of the garden also.

„Are you sure this is the right address?" On the way here Ziva told him everything of what they had discovered. According to Hayes' file, he was one of the worse kinds of the criminals. One of his victims was sitting now in a wheelchair and was paralyzed from the hip on.

„That guy sat twice in prison because of mayhem. I don't think that he cares a lot about his household. Come on, let's see if he's at home."

The two got out of the car and went to the front door of Hayes' house. Ziva noted the full mailbox. „Seems like he is not at home that much."

„Maybe he lives with a friend at the moment. "

Tony knocked at the door and noticed that the door was already open. He pulled out his gun and signaled to Ziva that they'll go in. Immediately after Ziva pulled out her own gun, Tony opened the door a little bit further. It didn't even take five steps after entering the house and you were already in the living room. The living room was equipped loveless. A sordid sofa stood in front of an old television and in between a small wooden table. Otherwise there were only another two camping chairs you could use for sitting. Everywhere was lying garbage. Moreover, it smelt not quite pleasantly too.

After they've secured the room, they went into the next room opposite to the living room. It was a small kitchen in which the dirty dishes were piled up in the sink. The cupboards didn't look new also. Actually they rather looked like they'd fall apart every moment. Since the kitchen was also clear, the first floor was now completely cleared. They carefully went back to the entrance where a staircase to the next level is at its right side. Tony leaded the way, closely followed by Ziva.

The first door was on the left and leaded them to a small bathroom. There was a toilet; a washbasin and a shower. In the corners was light mould infestation and if nobody would do something about it soon it absolutely will spread out fast.

The next and last room which they still had to check was the bedroom. Ziva entered the room first. It was also empty. A double bed with musty sheets was standing on the one side and on the other side stood a big wardrobe which looked even worse than the cupboards in the kitchen.

Tony and Ziva put their guns away after they cleared the last room. „There are motels which are better equipped than Hayes' house. It's really disgustingly. And what is reeking so badly?" Tony commented on what they saw.

„I have no idea, but it is disgusting. However it looks like Hayes has not been here for a while."

„No, he wasn't according to the condition of the house and the mailbox. We should go back to NCIS and find out with whom Hayes hung out lately. Maybe we can find him like this."

Tony and Ziva went down the stairs and towards the front door when suddenly the door opened. Tony looked in the surprised face of Hayes. Hayes has a bald head and a black goatee. A variety of piercings were hanging on his right ear. He wore black jogging trousers and a white undershirt. His body was full with tattoos.

After Hayes recovered from the shock at discovering two people in his house, he quickly pulled out a gun and aimed at the two NCIS agents. Tony couldn't react that fast at all and looked right into the barrel of Hayes' gun. He was completely taken with surprise when he suddenly heard a shot going off.

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Until the next time :)