Hey readers - Here we are with another new chapter : )

Sorry that this is up so late in the day. I've been sick in bed most of the today, and I actually completely forgot that I hadn't posted this yet XD

I don't have very much to say this week, so let's just get straight on into it. Thank you so, so much to everyone that has reviewed, favourited and followed this story. The support you guys have shown to it continuously blows me away, and I really appreciate it, so please keep it up : )

Finally, please remember that NCIS does not belong to me : )

I hope you enjoy this chapter : )

Mind Games - Part 4

Kate honestly couldn't tell if she was amused or exasperated as she stood in the garage at NCIS headquarters. She quickly decided that it was probably a mixture of both. And the reason for this particular blend of emotions was really quite simple. She was currently stood off to the side with McGee, the pair of them dressed in scrubs since their regular clothes had gotten so filthy in that damn fireplace. They were watching as Tony marched up and down in front of a group of nervous-looking young probationary agents, barking out orders like he was some sort of drill sergeant, and turning what should have been a simple briefing into a right old parade. Kate really just wished that he would get to the point already though. This whole process was starting to make her feel a little bit nervous, and whilst she understood the logic of bringing Boone to NCIS to throw him off balance, Kate couldn't help but also have a very bad feeling about it. That's why it came as a great relief when Tony finally stopped bullying the poor probationary agents, and long last got down to the matter at hand.

"All right, listen up my little probationary field agents" Tony called out loudly, his tone rather dramatic, causing Kate to roll her eyes once again, "You are about to witness the transfer of a maximum security prisoner to our humble facility. While he's here, he's our sole responsibility" one of the probationary agents couldn't quite hold back a yawn, and Tony was on him like a shot, "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I boring you?"

Kate didn't know about the probationary agent, put his act was starting to bore her. At her side, McGee seemed to be of a similar opinion.

"Good grief, is he ever going to stop?" the junior agent frowned in annoyance.

"You've been on the team long enough now to know the answer to that question McGee" Kate replied, her lips twitching in amusement, "Once Tony gets on a roll like this, nothing can bring him out of it. Well nothing but Gibbs of course".

"I'm just glad it's not me" McGee admitted, before an idea struck him, and he smiled, "Hey! You're more senior than me Kate. You think you can go over there and give him a Gibbs-slap to shut him up?"

Kate snorted, but quickly remember to just how much whining Tony had done the last time she had Gibbs-slapped him.

"Nice idea, but it's not worth listening to how much complaining he'll do" she pointed out, and McGee was forced to agree with her reasoning.

"Fair point" he sighed deeply. It was a shame though. Like Kate, McGee was also really starting to get tired of listening to Tony's babbling now.

The two of them watched their senior field agent's spectacle continue for another few moments, before Kate checked her watch.

"It's almost ten o'clock" she remarked to the junior agent at her side, "Boone should be arriving any minute now".

McGee couldn't help but throw her a slightly confused look.

"I still don't understand why Gibbs has arranged to bring him here" he admitted, and Kate turned to him with an arched eyebrow, "Surely he can interrogate Boone just as well at the prison as he can here".

Kate just gave him a patient look in response. She remembered what it was like when she had been trying to learn all of Gibbs' methods, unorthodox as many of them seemed.

"Gibbs is trying to put him on unfamiliar ground McGee" Kate explained to him, but when McGee frowned at her, she elaborated, "Throw him off balance. It's a technique that many skilled interrogators put into practice when needed".

"But... but that didn't work ten years ago" McGee spluttered, still not getting it, "I don't understand. What's so different this time around?"

Kate opened her mouth to reply, but unfortunately for the female federal agent, she never got the chance to utter so much as a single syllable. For right at that exact moment, Gibbs did that thing where he just seemingly appeared behind them, without making so much as a single sound. Both of the younger federal agents jumped when he suddenly spoke out.

"I am, McGee" the silver haired agent growled.

Kate and McGee both floundered for a response for a second, but thankfully they were spared from having to answer when suddenly an alarm started ringing, and the large corrugated metal door at the far end of the garage started to open.

It was obviously showtime.

"Stand tall!" Tony barked at the line of probationary agents as a large white prison transfer van started reversing carefully into the room, "Wake up, Probies!"

Kate, Gibbs and McGee all watched silently as the van eventually stopped moving and come to halt. Once the vehicle was properly parked and the engine was off, two prison wardens disembarked from either side of the van and moved their way around to the back of it. They each opened one of the rear doors, revealing the face of Kyle Boone himself. The two guards quickly grabbed hold of him, and once satisfied that he was secure, they helped the man in chains to step out of the prison van.

"I knew I could count on you, Jethro" Boone practically crowed in delight as he caught sight of the silver haired agent. The sociopath took a deep breath, and a smile that was almost nostalgic appeared on his face, "It's good to be home again. Yeah, good to be home".

Kate couldn't help but shiver violently upon hearing those words.

It wasn't so much the creepy manner in which Boone spoke them. It was more to do with a certain sense of irony that she felt in that moment. Because if Kyle Boone really did feel view the NCIS headquarters as a sort of second home to him, than the female federal agent couldn't help but feel a wave of pure and utter revulsion. Because to Kate, this place... it was her second home.

And that similarity between her and the monster... terrified her.

Late night quickly gave way to early morning, and before Kate knew it, she was stood in the squad room the next day with Tony, each of them wearing a fresh change of clothes, and watching the plasma screen between Tony and McGee's desks intently. Displayed on it was the CCTV footage being broadcast live from one of the interrogation rooms that NCIS headquarters housed. Boone was standing in the middle of the room almost rigidly straight, his hands behind his back, a calm and almost serene expression on his face. It quite frankly with enough to chill Kate all the way down to the bone. In her not-so-humble opinion, the sooner this bastard fried and justice was served, the safer the world would be.

"The guy's been impersonating a statue all night" Tony remarked to Kate, a grim look in his normally jovial eyes as he looked upon the image of the sociopath, "According to the watch, he hasn't moved a muscle".

Kate honestly couldn't help but shiver uncomfortably again.

"Trust me, this might be creepy..." the female federal agent trailed off for a moment to gather herself, "But it is nothing compared to actually having a conversation with him".

Upon hearing the slightest hint of fear in his partner's voice, Tony turned to her in concern.

"I never got a chance to ask yesterday, but are you okay?" he asked her gently, and when Kate looked at him quizzically, he elaborated, "After talking to this... animal, I mean?"

"I'm fine" Kate said quickly, her tone slightly defensive.

"It's just... Ducky told me and McGee about the effect this guy can have on people" Tony explained awkwardly, "He told me, and I quote, 'Talking to that sociopath is not a chore that you should be envious of'. So I just wanted to make sure you were okay".

Kate swallowed hard. She couldn't deny that interviewing Boone with Gibbs yesterday had been rather mentally and emotionally challenging. Nor could she deny that she was slightly touched by the genuine concern in Tony's voice. Once you got past the juvenile behaviour and constant teasing, he really was the best partner you could ever ask for.

"I'm... okay, Tony" she eventually replied working hard to keep her voice even, "It just... it wasn't easy, you know?"

To be perfectly honest, Tony did not know.

"I'm sorry" the senior federal agent apologised earnestly, and when Kate threw him a quizzical look, he quickly elaborated on that point, "I should have offered to take you out for a drink or a meal or something last night to help take your mind off of this".

Whilst Kate understood the point he was trying to make, she couldn't help but feel the need to point something else out to him in turn.

"We're federal agents Tony" the young woman reminded him, though not unkindly, "Seeing horrible things that will give us nightmares, and dealing with people we truly believe deserve to be dead... it's a part of the job that there's no getting around... as much as we might want to sometimes".

The look that Tony gave her was very understanding.

"I know. You're absolutely right about that" the senior field agent responded in a surprisingly and very uncharacteristically serious tone, "But that's why it's so important that we're able to depend on each other. That we're able to sometimes unburden ourselves if we need to. I mean... you and I have known each other a long time now, and we are partners after all. You shouldn't have to handle something as horrible as this all on your own".

Kate honestly couldn't help but be taken aback by how thoughtful and sweet her partner was being today. She was half-expecting him to come out with some sarcastic or teasing comment just when she'd let her guard down. When no such thing happened however, Kate gave him a genuinely touched smile of appreciation.

"That's really sweet of you Tony" she admitted softly.

"There's no need to be so surprised you know" Tony chuckled lightly, a twinkle in his eyes, "I know we might bicker constantly, but I do actually care about you Kate".

She smiled. She knew that that was very much the truth after all.

"I know. I care about you too Tony" she admitted, and her partner grinned mischievously. Playfully narrowing her eyes in response, Kate continued, "And if you repeat that to anybody, I will deny it under oath. But thank you. I really do appreciate your concern. But I really am doing okay though. And truth be told, I'll feel a lot better on Saturday when this guy is finally gone forever".

"Amen to that" he replied understandingly, "But the offer stands. If you feel that you want or need to talk about this, I'm happy to listen. Hell, I'll even promise not to tease you until I know you feel better about it. Now you can't say fairer than that!"

Kate couldn't hold back a chuckle. She gave her partner, no... her friend a smile that could not be mistaken for anything but utterly and sincerely grateful.

"Thank you Tony" she said softly.

No more words needed to be spoken at that moment. Instead, the two of them just shared a tender smile with each other.

Before Tony and Kate had a chance to resume their conversation, Gibbs came storming into the bullpen. He had a Caf-Pow in his hands, and he looked ready to get right down to business. Upon noticing the slightly intense expressions on his two most senior agents' faces however, the silver haired man threw them a quizzical look.

"Everything all right, you two?" he asked them. Snapping out of a minor reverie, Kate quickly nodded at him.

"Yeah, we're fine" she confirmed. She gave Tony a specific look out of the corner of her eye, and a silent understanding passed between the two of them.

"All good boss" Tony nodded in agreement, understanding why it was that Kate wouldn't want to discuss this topic with their boss. And considering the fact that he didn't particularly want Gibbs to know about the rather personal moment they had just shared either, Tony decided that for once, he was going to respect Kate's desire for some privacy, "We were just talking about how Boone's execution is drawing nearer. On that note, we were wondering when you're going to start the interrogation. There's less than forty-eight hours before the switch gets flipped on Boone after all".

"I'll start when I'm ready DiNozzo" was the rather blunt response from Gibbs, not that it was unexpected, "But right now I want you to go and check Boone's security detail".

"You got it" Tony obeyed the instruction, and immediately turned and walked out of the bullpen, heading in the direction of the elevator.

Once he was gone, Gibbs then turned his attention to Kate. He held out the Caf-Pow for her to take from him, but she didn't. Instead, she just frowned up at him in confusion.

"Err... thanks Gibbs" the dark haired woman said in a slightly puzzled tone, "But you know I don't drink that crap. It's really bad for you".

"Good job it's not for you then, isn't it?" Gibbs told her, but realising that she still wasn't getting it, he elaborated, "It's for Abby. I want you to go and find out how many victims she's identified from Boone's scrapbook".

Something of a grimace flashed across Kate's face for a moment, but she didn't hesitate before she nodded and took the beverage from Gibbs. Without another word, she turned and left the bullpen as well, hoping that her friend might have had more luck than they'd had in that effort so far. They had to get something on Boone after all.

If only to wipe that smug smirk off his face.

The music was blaring in Abby's lab, and the gothic forensic scientist in question had been hard at work, as had McGee, who had come in early that morning to assist her in the particularly daunting task of identifying the unaccounted-for victims in Boone's photo album. The two of them had been combining their sharpened IT skills all morning in an attempt to get their fearless leader the information that he required from them as quickly as possible. But despite their best efforts, the duo were still not quite as far along as they would have liked to have been. Thankfully, they were not empty-handed however. Now, Abby was walking around her lab, reciting what they had uncovered so far, whilst McGee sat at one of her computers, obviously lost in deep thought.

"There were twenty nine women in the scrapbook, McGee" the gothic forensic scientist announced, as if her friend hadn't been perfectly aware of that already, "And as far as I can tell, they're in the order that they were killed. Now, Boone has admitted to killing twenty two, which matches with the photos in the files at the FBI centre".

"Uh-huh" McGee replied distractedly, not even looking up from the computer screen he was staring at.

"Which would make you think that we'd be left with seven Jane Does, but you'd be wrong" Abby replied gleefully, pleased with herself for having managed to solve at least one of the mysteries presented to them by Boone, "Because I know who the first victim was!"

The gothic forensic scientist paused for a moment, expecting some sort of exclamation of surprise or even a word of praise from her federal agent friend. When she received no such reaction however, Abby turned to face him, and learned to her dismay that he was barely paying any attention to her, and was thoroughly wrapped up in whatever he was doing at the computer. A soft sigh of exasperation escaped her dark lips.

"You're not listening to a word I'm saying" the young woman shook her head.

Again, no response.

Scowling in irritation since Abby was not a fan of being outright ignored, she decided that perhaps a change of tactics with an order. With an evil gleam in her eyes, she stepped up so that she was right behind the distracted McGee.

"I'm pregnant, McGee!" the gothic forensic scientist announced in an overly dramatic fashion, one that even Tony would have been proud of. She clutched her stomach theatrically as she continued, "With twins..."

What Abby had no way of knowing however, was that right at that precise moment, a newcomer had just arrived outside her lab. Kate, the Caf-Pow still clutched in her grasp, had arrived, and she could scarcely believe what she was hearing. Almost rooted to the spot in shock, the female federal agent just stood there listening, her mouth hanging wide open in sheer disbelief.

"Haven't told the father yet. It's Gibbs" Abby announced boldly, and behind her turned back, Kate sighed in relief and rolled her eyes. She had finally cottoned on to the fact that Abby was just joking after all, "I know it's wrong, but something about his silver hair just gets me all tingly inside".

"And that was more information than I ever needed to hear!" Kate said in a slightly raised voice, deciding that it was time to reveal her presence.

Abby gasped in surprised and wheeled about, before she smiled at the sight of her best friend. Kate continued talking before she could say anything though.

"I mean, I love you like a sister..." Kate trailed off with a small shudder. Joking or not, what Abby had just described was just wrong on so many levels, "But I honestly think that I'm about to vomit".

Abby just smiled and playfully rolled her eyes at her friend's teasing.

"You know full well that I'm joking, Kate. Except for the part about Gibbs' hair" the gothic forensic scientist continued, and a queasy expression appeared across Kate's face, "That is really hot".

Those words did nothing to diminish the female federal agent's look of disgust.

"Eww!" she exclaimed, horrified.

Abby took note of her friends expression, and shook her head at the other woman's rather innocent nature. Honestly, when it came to sex, Kate could be such a prude. Still, rather than pursue the subject any further, the gothic forensic scientist decided it would be better all-round to just change the subject.

"McGee is ignoring me again" she explained the reason why any of this bizarre conversation had occurred in the first place.

"Oh!" Kate said in realisation, before a wicked grin suddenly flashed across her features as a particularly devious idea came to mind, "Well that's easily fixable".

And without missing a beat, Kate promptly gave the junior agent a Gibbs-slap.

"Ow!" McGee whined, his hand immediately flying up to the sore spot. He turned to see Kate smiling at him, "What?! What'd I do?!"

"Stop ignoring Abby" was the female federal agent's response, "It's really rather rude, McGee".

A sheepish expression immediately etched its way into the computer expert's face.

"I'm sorry. I was concentrating" McGee explained in a hurried daze, his attention already starting to go back to the computer he was working hard at, "I think that I know how we can find Boone's victims without Gibbs having to talk to him".

"Well I'm sure he'd be pleased if you manage to pull that off McGee" Kate praised him. She wasn't quite able to keep the note of surprise out of her voice however.

"I hope so. Now look at these photographs of Boone's are distinctive geographical and man-made features in several of these pictures" he started to explain the idea that he had come up with to the two women, "There's a stream... and what may be a bridge. Up here... appears to be a power line".

"It could be" Kate nodded slowly, not really sure where McGee was heading with this, "But how does that help us McGee?"

"Well... if I can make a land plot, create a scale by computing the distances between these points, then we can a virtual image of what the dumping ground might look like" the junior agent said excitedly.

"Okay... I'll admit that the idea has some merit..." Kate slowly nodded in acknowledgement, "But I can already think of one rather large flaw McGee. Searching for streams and power lines in the right positions to each other would take us years to find... unless..."

Kate turned her eyes to the computer, and they grew to almost comically large proportions as the realisation set in. McGee grinned up her, seeing that she understood now.

"Now you're getting it Kate" he beamed, and Kate just gaped at him, stunned by the sheer brilliance of his idea, "Satellite imagery!"

Abby gasped as she quickly cottoned on to the idea as well.

"Why didn't I think of that?" the gothic forensic scientist asked herself rhetorically.

"I just need to figure out a way to calculate an accurate scale" the junior agent that was also their computer expert informed them.

"Polaroid cameras have a fixed focal length" Abby pointed out. McGee's eyes widened and he nodded his head approvingly.

"That's a good start" he smiled, before getting back to work on the keyboard in front of him, "Uh... I'm going to need one known measurement".

"Pick one body and I'll pull her stats" Abby said as she moved to the other computer to assist him.

"Three known vectors should do it" he told the forensic scientist before he turned to look back at care who was still gaping at him in amazement, "So what do you think Kate? Is it worth running with this idea or not?"

"McGee..." Kate breathed out slowly, "It's genius!"

McGee beamed at her. The young man couldn't help but preen under the compliment. He was still so new to NCIS that he was happy to take any praise when it was given, which wasn't all too often. It just wasn't something that happened on Gibbs' team all that much, and if it did, it was a rare occurrence. He'd enjoy it whilst it lasted.

"You get working on it right away" she instructed, before she remembered why she had come down to the lab in the first place, and turned her attention back to Abby. She offered her the Caf-Pow in her hand, "By the way Abby, Gibbs wants to know how many victims we've ID'ed so far".

Abby looked up from the computer where she was assisting McGee, and smiled at her best friend.

"You can tell him that we've managed to name all except for the last six of his victims in the scrapbook" the gothic forensic scientist replied, "We're running them against missing persons reports prior to Gibbs putting Boone behind bars. No matches yet. The one that stands out the most is the first victim. She disappeared in nineteen seventy four".

Upon hearing those words, Kate couldn't help but blink in surprise. A confused expression immediately flashed across her face.

"Are you sure about that, Abby?" the female federal agent needed to be sure. Because if Abby was right on that fact, it threw Kyle Boone into a whole different category as far as psychological profiling was concerned, "Boone was just a child back then".

The gothic forensic scientist just turned to her friend with a smile that spoke of absolute certainty.

"I know" she announced, and Kate couldn't help but stare at her in puzzlement, "And it turns out that his mother did not abandon him. She was his first kill".

And without another word, the gothic forensic scientist simply gestured towards the plasma screen that hung on the wall at the back of her lab. Obediently turning to look, Kate's jaw dropped wide open in pure and unadulterated horror. Sure enough, right there on the screen for all the world to see, were two photos placed side by side, as if for comparison. One was a police mugshot of Kyle Boone's mother, being charged on a prostitution offence. The second was of a blonde haired woman, dangling from a chain and covered in blood, having clearly just been tortured. Her expression was one of unimaginable terror. It was obviously one of the photographs from Boone's disgustingly perverse photo album, but that wasn't what was so horrific about it. What was so horrible, was that Abby was right. It was the same woman, and that could only mean one thing. Kyle Boone... had murdered his own mother! Kate immediately felt sick to her stomach, but she couldn't help it when her mind immediately jumped to one specific question that she honestly just could not shake.

Was there was any end to this animal's depravity?!

Gibbs was standing in the darkened observation room, glaring hatefully at Boone through the observation window, which to the serial killer in the interrogation room, would appear to just be an ordinary mirror showing his own evil reflection. Kate had just informed him of the gruesome and horrific discovery that Abby had made, a discovery that left even Gibbs feeling slightly rattled. Not even he had imagined that Boone would have committed such a terrible atrocity as to kill one's own mother. Now, the silver haired agent wasn't sure what to make of things, a feeling that he did not particularly care for.

It was for that reason that Gibbs had sent Kate back to the squad room to go and re-examine the psychological profile that had been compiled on Boone at the time of the original investigation ten years previously. Clearly there were many things that they did not know about him, and if anybody could help to fill in some of those gaps, it would be Kate.

Gibbs was just thinking about how best to proceed at this point when the door to the observation room suddenly opened behind him. Turning, the silver head agent, saw to his surprise that it was Ducky that was entering the room, a grim expression set in his face. He closed the door behind him before turning to Gibbs.

"You don't have to do this again, you know" the medical examiner stated without any preamble whatsoever.

A sigh that spoke of his absolute exhaustion slipped past Gibbs' lips.

"You're wrong, Duck" the silver haired federal agent miserably shook his head in disagreement. He very much did have to talk to Boone again. He owed the serial killer's victim that much if nothing else, "I do".

It was Ducky's turn to sigh miserably this time.

"He's never going to tell you where those poor girls are" he felt the need to point out to one of his oldest friends. Having seen the devastation that Boone had inflicted on Gibb's life the last time he'd been at NCIS, Ducky had no desire to see history repeated itself on that front.

"I know that" the silver haired federal agent acknowledged grimly.

"Then why?" Ducky couldn't refrain from asking, nor could he keep a faint trace of utter despair out of his voice either.

"Because ten years ago I couldn't break him" Gibbs murmured. It was obvious from his tense body posture that even after all these years, he was still very much haunted by that fact.

"No" Ducky was begrudgingly forced to admit that his friend had a point there, but he still felt the need to argue, "But you did what no one else could. You caught the son of a bitch".

"I should have killed him" Gibbs spat, a look of self-loathing crawling into his expression. Ducky merely shrugged at him.

"And in two days that will be rectified" the medical examiner said in an attempt to reason with the other man, "I'm telling you this as a friend Jethro. It's time to let this one go".

But Gibbs simply wasn't having it.

"Not yet, Ducky" the silver haired federal agent stubbornly shook his head. He couldn't give in and allow Kyle Boone to have the last laugh. To put it simply, neither his pride nor his conscience would allow it.

Ducky allowed another dejected sigh to escape him. His shoulders slumped in defeat.

"You already lost one relationship as a result of this case" again, Ducky couldn't help himself from pointing out another aspect of the past that was a reason as to why Gibbs shouldn't be doing this, "She was a wonderful girl. And you neglected..."

But unfortunately for the medical examiner that was just trying to help, he had evidently touched the wrong nerve. Losing his temper entirely, Gibbs whirled on the spot and quickly got up in Ducky's face.

"She left me, Duck!" the silver haired man yelled angrily, not appreciating his past being raked up at a time like this, and especially not by one of his closest friends, "I didn't leave her!"

And without waiting for a response, the fuming federal agent side-stepped his friend, and stormed out of the observation room.

"No!" Ducky indignantly called after him, unwilling to stop until he had finished his piece, "You made it impossible for her to stay!"

The door slamming shut in his face was the only response that he received.

Ducky sighed for what felt like the millionth time that morning already, before he turned his attention to the looking glass. Almost immediately, a frigid shiver passed through the old man's entire body when he realised that Boone was standing directly in front of the glass, almost like he was looking right back at the medical examiner, despite that being impossible given that the window was one-way only. Behind his spectacles, Ducky's usually kind eyes hardened into a cold glare that was full of intense loathing. A particularly vindictive thought immediately crossed the medical examiner's mind.

The sooner the bastard in the next room was dead, the happier a place the world would be...

And that's another chapter done : )

Like I said before, I don't have an awful lot to say today, but I did want to thank you for reading this chapter and my story in general, and I really hope you're enjoying it. Please also consider leaving a review as I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback on how I'm doing so far, and like I said before, please also keep those suggestions coming in as well, because some of them have been extremely helpful : )

Until the next time, keep on reading : )