At What Price

Chapter 3

McGee felt as if he'd gone a couple of rounds in the ring with his Director, a former boxer. That sounded like he was going to be charged with something or at least be interrogated further. Chaos reigned in the room as Tim, Gibbs and the others started making protests; Ms. Newell's best courtroom voice rang out over everyone else.

"Why the change in location, Agent Fornell? Special Agent McGee has cooperated fully, has ripped open his life for you, what more do you need to know? Is this what he gets in return, a chance for more bullying? And when will you tell us the reason for this fishing expedition?"

Director Vance, who had again slipped into the conference room, cleared his throat.

"I agree with Attorney Newell, why the change and what more do you need? Agent Fornell, I assure you, whatever you believe you still need from Special Agent McGee, it is best my agent stay here. Not only have Special Agent McGee and Special Agent Gibbs cooperated fully, so have I!"

Fornell knew Director Vance was just as much of a bulldog as Gibbs. If he continued to insist on McGee reporting to the Hoover Building, there would be a call to his boss, at the least. This meant time away from the investigation to play politics. Or he could concede now, as a favor, and avoid wasting any more time. Damn, he'd known he was going to hate this case and he was right.

"All right, in the interest of inter-agency cooperation, we'll meet here, Director Vance, Ms. Newell, Special Agent McGee. However, we will not continue with this…" Fornell swept his hand around the room, "…cast of thousands. Ms. Newell and McGee only."

Gibbs and McGee glared at the FBI Agent. Ms. Newell opened her mouth to protest but McGee got the words out first, "You haven't charged me with anything and I still don't trust you, Agent Fornell, not after my teammates' past experiences. Special Agent Gibbs will be in the room with me."

Fornell looked at the Director's very firmly set expression, sighed again and nodded. He and Sacks packed up and left the building.

After agreeing to return the next morning, Ms. Newell gave Tim her card and departed. Gibbs and McGee remained silently in the conference room; the younger man slumped in his chair with his elbows on the table, his head in his hands, physically and emotionally drained. Gibbs reached over and affectionately grasped the back of his neck.

"You did well today, Tim. Being blindsided with all this, you did a great job keeping it together. Even more, including the rest of the team. Damn proud of you."

"Thanks, Boss. But I don't understand what more they could want from me, I feel like they've already sucked all the blood out, what's left?" He looked sideways at his boss with a twist of his lips.

"Beats the hell out of me. They're definitely zeroing in on your stepmother, is there more about her?"

"Other than my hatred of her for abandoning us…no. Except…but that would be us, not the FBI."

"The accident that killed your father and brother?"

"I don't believe it was an accident and yes, that's what I meant. NIS investigated but never closed the case. It's cold, Boss, 20 years cold." Tim looked up at his boss as he spoke and saw a brief glimpse of what might have been surprise flit across Gibbs' face.

"I know, I should have asked to have it reopened, for our team to look at it. But it's been 20 years, Boss, I'm the only survivor and I don't remember anything more than what I said today. I still have big holes in my memories of life before the crash, I mean years before. I don't remember names, faces, if we have relatives, a lot of blank spots. And after the way we had to live growing up in Bayopolis, I just wanted it all behind us, that's probably really why I never told you. … It's just so personal…you'd want to solve it, close the case. It doesn't matter now, there's no way justice could be done, no way time could be reversed, Patrick and my father would still be dead and Sarah and I would still not have been loved and cherished instead of orphaned, abandoned and homeless!" Tim turned his head away from Gibbs, ashamed of his moisture-laden eyes.