Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or its characters
Sorry for the delay guys...
Chapter 22
Gibbs had spent nearly an hour pacing back and forth outside the hospital entrance in an effort to calm himself down, after the interrogation with Jim Ward, before making his way in to see Tim.
"Jethro, there you are" Ducky greeted
"Hey Ducky, Tim." Gibbs returned the greeting as he headed straight to Tim's bed, he'd made the decision that he was no longer use the name McGee anymore.
"Boss" Tim replied automatically, the look on his face, along with the greeting telling Gibbs Tim was unsure of where he stood with him right now.
"Tim, you need to start calling me Jethro, or if you really want Leroy like dad suggested, when we're not at work."
"You've been at work." Tim retorted, making sure Gibbs knew that he wanted to know what was going on.
"Yes, I have" Gibbs responded "and we're making progress."
"But you're not happy." Tim replied, after nearly seven years of working with the man, Tim could easily pick up on Gibbs mood, even if he couldn't always read his face, wondering if it was the fact that they we're brothers that Gibbs was unhappy with.
Gibbs sighed, he should have known that Tim would still pick up on his bad mood even though he thought he had taken enough time to calm down, Tim was just over sensitive that way, but like Tim could easily pick up moods, Gibbs definitely read his expressive eyes "Not in the way you're thinking."
"Jethro" Ducky gave a guarded warning to his friend
"I know, Duck" Gibbs responded, letting Ducky know he knew what he was doing, before he turned his attention back to Tim "Basically Tim you've been deceived…..
"What, how?" Tim questioned with disbelief
"The court paper you received, demanding you pay back the money for your qualifications….It's a forgery" Gibbs held up his hand to stop Tim from interrupting his explanation "Yes I know you had them looked at, but unfortunately the one person you asked was in on the scam."
"He was involved?" Ducky questioned in surprise whilst Tim just looked stunned
"Yeah, it would appear that Jim Ward and Admiral McGee grew up together, Ward was helped out a few years ago by McGee and just before you transferred here, McGee called in the return favour."
"He lied to me?" Tim questioned in disbelief.
"Yeah Tim, he did."
"Okay, but that doesn't explain why you're in a bad mood."
Gibbs huffed "I in a bad mood because Vance wouldn't let me go with the others to arrest the Admiral."
NCIS
"How does McGee do this all day?" Tony whined his questioned, for the last hour and a half - he and Ziva had been trying to make the connection between the accounts.
"He doesn't do this all day Tony and we have only been doing this for less than two hours." Ziva replied
"Okay yeah, but you know he would have had it done by now." Tony retorted, telling Ziva that he was obviously bored already.
"That's because this is our weakest area and McGee's strongest, something we have taken for granted I feel." Ziva responded.
"I couldn't agree with you more Agent David" Vance's voice drifted into the conversation as he made his way down the stairs and into the bullpen "Update"
"Still trying to track the money, Director." Tony answered, immediately becoming all business as he pick up the clicker and pointed at the screen, bring up the current information they had "This is the account number Tim's false orders gave for the money to be paid into."
"We already knew that detail DiNozzo" Vance stated, showing his frustration.
"Yes sir, but look if you look carefully the money is never in the account for more that forty eight hours before it's transferred out." Tony responded
"Transferred were?" Vance demanded
"That's what we are currently struggling with Director" Ziva informed "We have track the money into various accounts it moves to, but it never stays in any account very long before moving to another account and we have yet to find the find account that the money land's up in."
"How many accounts so far?" Vance questioned
"Including the account Tim paid into, four." Tony Informed "We're trying to find the next one know."
"Your right Agent DiNozzo, McGee would have this done by now." Vance deadpanned
NCIS
Fornell was glad when the Helis finally touched down on the Abraham Lincoln one of the ships that was part of the fleet Admiral McGee was currently visiting. The journey hadn't been exactly comfortable and the fact that he was with a team of NCIS agents he hadn't worked with before this present case made him unease.
It wasn't that he didn't trust them, actually he knew Agent Balboa very well, it was just he was more comfortable with Gibbs team and his own, but with Ron still in hospital and only being involved to oversee the case that Gibbs couldn't be overly involved in for person reasons, left little choice. Now it was just a case of waiting until the Admiral to transferred from the Donald Cook to the Abraham Lincoln, which if they had timed it right would be within that next few minutes as this was the next ship on his fleet visit schedule.
The Abraham Lincoln was the lead ship in for the particular fleets exercise excursion that they were currently undertaking and as such it meant that this ship Agent Afloat was in charge of all the other agents in the fleet. The current Agent Afloat was someone Fornell had met many years ago, when he had worked under Gibbs and this also help Fornell feeling about whether or not this trip would be successful.
They had communicated briefly before the team had head out and Stan Burley was there to greet them the moment the step on board.
"Make yourselves comfortable gentlemen" Stan suggested showing the group to a room where they could wait. "We've got some time to kill the Admirals schedules running behind, he won't be here for another hour and as the Director doesn't want our hand tipped he has no idea"
"Great" Fornell grumbled as he headed for the coffee
"Any word on McGee?" Stan questioned, he really liked the sea sick agent and his ability to do his job even despite the impairment.
"He's recovering, got a long roadhead of him" Balboa replied. "Actually, whilst were waiting we might as well bring you up to speed."
"With what exactly, I thought you were here just to interview the Admiral regarding a case he might have some information on."
"That was the initial plan" Fornell agreed "Things have moved on since then"
"Is that why you're here Fornell, not that I'm complaining, it's great to see you again, it been a while" Stan replied.
"Stan we're here to arrest the Admiral" Balboa informed as he decided it was time to cut to the chase
Stan starred at the group for a moment, the disbelief on his face evident "I think you guys better fill me in and fast."
NCIS
"Got it!" Ziva exclaimed, punctuating the air with her fist as she had seen Tim do on a number of occasions when he had such successes, she had finally found what they had been looking for, nearly two and a half hours after Vance had come downstairs for an update.
"Great, I'll get Vance." Tony exclaimed as he reached for his phone.
Less than two minutes later Vance was in the bullpen, along with SecNav as he was currently visiting and was interested to see what all the excitement was over finding a bank account.
"Admiral McGee has been very clever Director." Ziva informed as she started her report "He has kept this account off the record completely."
"Why are you looking into Admiral McGee?" Clayton Jarvis the current SecNav questioned.
"I'll explain later Clayton, go on Agent David."
"As we told you earlier the money was being transferred into multiple accounts, twelve in total, Director." When Ziva paused Tony took over
"Not all of those accounts are in this country. There's a couple in the UK, one in Jersey, one each in Australia and New Zealand…" Tony voice drift off when he saw Vance was getting impatient. "But the important thing is the first and last accounts are both here in the good old US of A."
"Nice recovery, DiNozzo." Vance smirked
"Also we can link it to the two accounts the Admiral has got declared" Ziva informed as she point the clicker at the screen, bring up the information for the Director to see for himself. "It took longer to establish the link, because when the Admiral makes a withdrawal from this account he does so in cash and then splits the money between his two declared accounts. The amounts credited are never the same and it took us a while to figure out that the cash deposits did in-fact add up to the amount withdrawn."
"Devious and sneaky" Tony muttered
The only indication that Vance had heard Tony's comment was the brief look of amusement on the man's face before he turned professional again.
"Good. Well done, both of you." Vance stated with a clear hint of satisfaction before issuing further instructions. "Right this all up, I want you're reports on my desk by the end of play today."
"You're going to explain Vance this to me?" Clayton challenged.
"Let's go back up to my office Clayton."
NCIS
Looking over the water as their Helis fast approached the main land Fornell had time to reflect on the arrest of the Admiral. It had gone off smoothly as they had hoped, having brought Stan Burley up to speed with the investigation he insisted on being part of the arrest and that they at least inform the Captain of the ship what was going to happen, to smooth their passage of the ship if nothing else.
***Flashback***
The Admiral's Helis touched down and Stan walked up to the Admiral greeting him as if nothing was amiss, indicating to Fornell and Balboa who were standing off to one side, having earlier decided that the whole team being would not be a good idea, instead they were in placed a few feet away in case the Admiral tried to bolt for it.
Walking and talking with the Admiral the whole way over to the other two agents, the Admiral had no idea of what was happening until Balboa snapped the handcuffs on the man in one swift action, making sure that they were tight enough to cause discomfort, for the man that had inflicted so much on his colleague and friend, without leaving any evidence. After that there had been show down
"What the hell!" Admiral McGee roared as he felt the handcuffs snap into place.
"Admiral McGee you are under arrest" Agent Balboa informed before continuing "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you."
"Are you mad, do you have any idea who I am, release me at once!" McGee demanded as he struggled in Balboa and Fornell grasp, the rest of the team were closing in on the group, showing their badges and ordering people to back away, however one of the men from the admiral's party slipped past them ""Excuse me, what is going on here?"
"Nothing for you to worry about, Sir" Stan Burley informed showing his badge "Please step aside."
The group made their way past the group with the Admiral still struggling and making demands.
"You're going to regret this!" Admiral McGee threatened, as a Commander approached the group. "The Helis is ready for you gentleman as the Captain promised"
"This is a mistake!" Admiral McGee shouted over his shoulder back to the shocked group of on lookers, as Fornell and Balboa struggled to get the man aboard the Helis and had to be helped by Stan to get the man safely on without causing any of them an injury.
***End Flashback***