Oblivious | Leroy Jethro Gibbs

2.2

Lauren frowned, glancing towards a confused Kate. Painfully, she handed the camera to her new colleague and took a step back as Tony climbed his way smoothly into the aircraft.

"Especially the static lines. Ren and I will start the interrogations." Gibbs continued. Ren's brows furrowed at the man, bewildered as to why he had changed the roles up.

Tony held his fist out for her to bump just before he held a hand out to Kate who shot him an icy cold look just as she gracefully made her way up into the aircraft. Snorting, Lauren sent Tony a teasing look taking a step back to stand by Gibbs.

"Jumping's got to be so cool," Tony said, taking a look around the craft.

"Hey, you want to play paratrooper?" Gibbs raised his brows, "Pay 180 dollars, take a class like all those other weekend warriors."

Lauren tailed behind Gibbs as he walked away with an amused smile on her face as Tony groaned.

"Yeah, I have so many weekends free." He quipped before disappearing inside the craft.

...

"Sergeant Fuentes lead your stick?" Gibbs asked the soldier 'Dafelmair' who looked to his superior quickly before nodding.

"Yes, sir. I was number two." He then inclined his head towards the two men beside him, "Ramsey was three, Brinkman four. After my shoot deployed, I looked around...I saw Brinkman's chute open above me. When I looked down I only saw one canopy below. I didn't know if it was Paul or Thumper."

"Thumper? Is that what you called Fuentes?" Lauren asked, crossing her arms.

"Yes, Ma'am." The Sergent confirmed.

"Sounds crazy now," Ramsey said, "But he was the squad's good luck guy, Ma'am."

"He was a walking rabbit's foot." Dafelmair continued pressing his lips together.

Lauren sent the two a small smile, "So Thumper," She murmured.

"Yes, Ma'am." Dafelmair confirmed, "He always seemed to dodge the bullets. We could tell you a million stories."

"Why don't you tell us just one," Gibbs spoke up, sending the Sergeant a hard stare.

"Well, Sir. Bought himself a new bike last week. Car ran a red light, he went over through a plate glass window." He told them, his brows furrowed remembering his friend.

"Dinged his collarbone a little." Ramsey continued the story, "Other than that, not a scratch."

Gibbs tilted his head, "Dinged it a little?"

Dafelmair nodded, looking between the two NCIS agents, "A day or two, he was fine, sir."

Lauren pursed her lips and shared a glance with Gibbs, she sighed at him. He was always so suspicious. "Who reached him first?" She asked the soldiers.

"I did, ma'am," Dafelmair confirmed. "I saw him Roman candle short of the field." He gulped, looking down, "Soon as I got out of my harness I took off to find him."

"You two?" Gibbs turned to the other soldiers.

"I hung up in a tree. Dave gave me a hand." Brinkman told them, a grimace on his face. "Saw Paul yelling, and we joined him."

"Can't believe the way that Thumper died," Ramsey's voice cracked, he schooled his features as Lauren frowned at him and cleared his throat, "It was like a bad movie."

"Was he dead when you reached him, Corporal Dafelmair?" Gibbs crossed his arms, his expression grim.

"Yes, sir." Dafelmair straightened and met Gibb's gaze, "He died on impact. I'm sure. Well, at least I hope he did." He trailed off.