guardianM3: This story is also occurring at the same time as the crossover story with Walker, Texas Ranger and Criminal Minds with the title "The Blonde Killer". The two stories are separate but there may be minor mentions of characters and/or actions related to the other story.

Chapter 1

"Come on, honey," a woman of about twenty, with blonde hair and green eyes called out as she ascended the short cliff, the light on her cap bobbing around.

"Charity, hold up," Zach called out as he clambered after her, pushing his sweaty black hair out of his blue eyes, the light on his cap losing sight of his girlfriend as she pulled herself over the top.

Her laugh reached his ears and her face appeared above him. "Zach, you are too slow." She teased with a huge grin.

He didn't answer as he concentrated on his handholds, making certain that he wouldn't be pulling on a loose rock. He finally made it to the top, breathing heavily. He could feel the sweat beads rolling down his face and it felt like his face was beet red.

Charity placed a hand on his shoulder, and handed him a water bottle with the other.

He nodded his head in thanks as he accepted the peace offering and drank deeply.

"Once you catch your breath, we can climb the rest of the way and check out that sunrise," she said, excitedly.

"We should have taken the trail," he finally managed to gasp out before he rose to his feet.

"We wouldn't have made it in time. Besides, we do free-climbing all of the time."

"Yeah, but we usually don't have a fifty-foot drop," he pointed out.

Charity laughed at his exaggeration. "Better fifty than hundred," she said as she took back the water bottle, taking a drink before closing the bottle and putting it back into her bag.

She shut off her headlamp as she turned toward the east, which was beginning to brighten as the sun crept up towards the horizon.

He bent down on one knee, opened his jacket and unzipped the pocket on the inside of his coat; he pulled out a box and cleared his throat, which had the desired effect of causing Charity to turn around.

The sun crested the horizon, casting its light on them, allowing Zach to see the shock, then surprise and then happiness on her face.

"Yes, yes I will marry you, Zach," Charity squealed as she hugged him tightly and then pulled back, held out her left hand so he could put the ring on her finger.

They shared a long kiss as the sun rose, casting its golden light over them. They ate breakfast, in which Zach had brought a small nip of champagne to share, promising to get a larger one once they got home.

They packed up and headed back down the mountain. It was a few hours trek to where they had parked their car. Zach allowed Charity to get a few feet ahead as he took in the day. His gaze seemed to leave the path and go to the right, he saw something that he couldn't quite process what it was, and his mind would only be sated once he figured out what he was seeing.

"Charity," he called out, "could you wait for a second?"

Charity stopped and turned around. "What is it, Zach?"

Zach didn't answer as he stepped off the path and walked through the underbrush, being careful not to let some thorny bushes grab onto him.

As he took careful steps closer to whatever he had seen, his brain seemed to be sending signals, telling him to turn around, grab Charity and get out of there, but his curiosity kept him going forward.

As he pushed aside a low hanging branch, he heard something come up behind him. "Zach, what is it?" Charity asked behind him, her voice wavering with a little bit of fear.

He leaned down and moved away two branches that didn't seem to belong. He heard Charity gasp right behind him. He could only stare at the face of a man whose skin was gray and insects had begun to collect around him.

He stood up, grabbed Charity gently, but firmly by the arm and rushed back to the path and in the direction of their car. He figured it would be best to get as far away from the body as possible and then call the police. He would never forget where he had found it.

DiNozzo was thinking about how glad he was that he had put on some bug spray because when he looked over at McGee, he could see a cluster of bugs circling around, while McGee waved his arms around. DiNozzo snapped a few pictures that he would show and tease the younger agent on the way back to the office. He returned to snap more pictures of the dead body, making sure to get the dog tags in the picture.

When he, Gibbs, Ziva and McGee had arrived, they had been greeted by the Park Ranger that had called in the body. Gibbs had sent Ziva and McGee to search the area for evidence, while he spoke to the couple that had discovered the body. Gibbs had DiNozzo speak with the Park Ranger, a woman of about twenty-five with caramel-colored hair and matching eyes. She had explained that the couple had contacted her and when she examined the body, from a distance and careful not to disturb the scene, she had noticed the dog tags.

DiNozzo had thanked her, after giving her one of his dazzling smiles and got to work. He had noticed that the body had quite a few lacerations and bruises, even though critters and insects had discovered the body.

It wasn't long before he saw Dr. Mallard and his assistant, Jimmy Palmer arriving onto the scene.

"Good morning, Anthony," Ducky greeted DiNozzo as he gazed down at the body.

"Hey, Ducky," DiNozzo greeted the doctor and he looked over at the younger man. "How is it going, Palmer?"

Palmer had carried the bag that contained the instruments they used. "Morning, Tony," the younger man greeted with a wide grin, setting the bag down but then his gaze wondered over to Gibbs and his grin vanished, his face changed to appear more serious.

Ducky squatted down next to the body and carefully removed the dog tags and lifted them up to Palmer who already had a baggie ready. Palmer handed the sealed bag to Tony and when Tony read the information on the dog tags, he pulled out his phone and discovered that the victim, at least possibly, was one Daniel Carter, a gunnery sergeant, well a former gunnery sergeant, since he had retired a few years ago. A few minutes later, Palmer confirmed the man's identity by scanning the one usable fingerprint on the body.

Ducky leaned down at the body after asking DiNozzo if he had finished taking the pictures. After a few moments of examining the body, talking quietly to Palmer, Ducky looked up at Tony. "What is on your mind, Anthony?"

"Oh, nothing, Ducky, just thinking about this murder," DiNozzo answered and waved his hand over the body. "Was he was tortured?" DiNozzo asked, knowing that he wanted confirmation.

Before Ducky could answer, Gibbs walked over to them, greeted Ducky and Palmer and asked for information.

"Jethro, before your arrival here, Anthony asked if this man had been tortured, by the various bruises and wounds, as well as broken fingers, that I believe it may be true." He frowned as he looked over at Palmer. "Mr. Palmer, what was the man's possible time of death?"

"Oh," Palmer said as he pushed his glasses back onto his nose. He opened the bag and pulled out a thermometer. He checked the liver temperature and after looking at it, he pursed his lips for a moment. "Well, given the temperature of the liver and the amount of decomposition, I would say that he may have been dead for at least five days."

Ducky nodded agreeing with that assessment as he squatted down and looked over the body. "We will of course determine a more accurate time of death once Mr. Palmer and I have accomplished a thorough examination."

Ducky asked Palmer to help him lift the body slightly, which the younger man was eager to help. "Well, this is interesting, Jethro, there is pooling of blood on his side. There is not a significant amount of blood loss here as would be expected from his various wounds."

"That means he was dumped here and killed somewhere else," DiNozzo said.

"Right you are, Anthony. Now, you have quite the job of finding out where this young man was tortured and killed." Ducky looked over at Palmer. "Mr. Palmer, I suggest you get the stretcher. It is time to get this young man out of here."

"Yes, Doctor," Palmer answered as he got to his feet, grabbed the bags and went to the van to get the stretcher.

DiNozzo helped Ducky to his feet.

"Anything else you can give us, Ducky?" Gibbs asked.

"Not until I get the young man on the table," Ducky answered as Palmer arrived with the stretcher.

Gibbs and DiNozzo stepped away to let Ducky and Palmer work, and went to meet up with Ziva and McGee. Tony filled them in on the man's name and that he had a wife.

"Boss, I found tracks over there," McGee pointed to the east. "Usually, people have to park down in the parking lot, but when I mentioned it to the Park Ranger; she said that it used to be a logging road." He smiled as he slapped the back of his neck. "I got impressions and pictures of the tracks.

Gibbs nodded his head. "McGee, give all of that to Abby and then I want you to find out all you can on the former Sergeant. Ziva, I want you to call and speak to his former CO."

Gibbs looked at DiNozzo. "You and I are going to go speak to his wife."

DiNozzo held back a sigh. He hated the part of the job when they had to tell family members about a loved one's death. "I'm ready, Boss," he said as he handed the camera to McGee.

Gibbs began to walk towards his car and DiNozzo followed his boss, mentally preparing himself for a distraught wife.

As they exited the car, DiNozzo sent a silent prayer that his boss had been able to avoid the black SUV that had nearly hit them. He followed Gibbs up to the front door, readying himself for the tears.

Gibbs rang the bell and they waited patiently a few moments before the silver-haired agent knocked on the door.

After a few tries and no one answered Gibbs and DiNozzo turned away from the house, but that was when a neighbor poked her head out her door and called out, "Is there anything I can help you with?" The woman had white hair showing that she was older, but her vivid green eyes shone with curiosity, intelligence and caution.

Gibbs retrieved his badge and flipped it open. "I'm Special Agent Gibbs with NCIS and this is Special Agent DiNozzo."

"I'm Ruth Swanson." The woman nodded, stepping out onto her small porch her hands across her chest. "Has something happened?'

"We really need to speak to Mrs. Carter."

The woman looked at the house, her light blue eyes filled with concern. "I haven't seen her in awhile and I thought they had gone away. Now, since you two are here and it seems serious." She paused for a moment, biting her lower lip. "I have a key, let me go get it."

Gibbs thanked the woman as she disappeared in the house and returned a few minutes later a key in hand with a keychain of a ship. "It is how I know whose house it belongs to, since Daniel Carter had once been in the Navy."

She unlocked the door, but before she could open it, Gibbs gently grabbed her wrist and shook his head. Ruth nodded and stepped back, allowing Gibbs and Tony to enter the house.

DiNozzo followed Gibbs and once he stepped foot in the house, he could feel that something was wrong. They cleared the entryway and the kitchen.

As they entered the living room, one of the end tables was on its side and the lamp that had been on it was on the floor, the light bulb broken and the lampshade crushed.

They cleared the rest of the house and put away their weapons.

"DiNozzo, call Ziva and McGee," Gibbs ordered as his eyes swept the room.

"Will do, Boss, will do," he said as he pulled out his cell and called Ziva, knowing that this case just got more complicated.