Gibbs was working on the boat in the basement, while I was reading a book. My father didn't even bother picking up the phone as it rang, I didn't budge either...it was the rule when Gibbs was down here working on the boat.
"Gibbs. Talk," his voicemail ordered causing me to laugh.
"Gibbs, Stan Burley. Put down whatever the hell you're doing with that stupid boat and pick up! I'm working a case on the Enterprise. I sure could use some help on this one. Really could use your help, boss,"
My father picked up the phone at that point "Okay, you got my interest. What's going on, Stan?"
"Two days ago an Arresting Gear Operator went wacko on Liberty in Roda. His crewmates found him naked in a restaurant freezer. His body temperature was one oh six,"
"What kind of drugs?"
"Well, I'm thinking amphetamines. Still waiting for the tox report,"
"Well, to trigger the seizure you're describing, chances are he's a chronic drug user,"
"You'd think. Only his last random piss test was negative. That was less than three weeks ago. I'm in a squeeze, Gibbs. I don't have enough time to work on this one by myself,"
***
"How long did Burley work here?" Kate asked as the team waited in the Squad room.
"Five years," I replied
"Five years with Gibbs? Amazing the guy didn't end up in a straight jacket," Tony joked
"I live with the man, Tony. Are you surprised I'm not in a straight jacket?" I challenged.
"What was that?" Gibbs questioned as he came into the squad room.
"Oh, nothing, boss. Just praising your communication skills," Tony went to sit but I kicked the chair from under him and went back to my desk, Kate high fiving me.
"I really miss Burley. He was cool, you know," Abby noted
"Listen, when you see Agent Burley, would you mind giving him this?" Ducky asked me
"No problem," I told him
"Cricket ball. Well, he was not only an amazing agent; he was also an incredible athlete. And cricket was one of the few games he wasn't an expert in,"
"Ah, shame," Tony said
"Yeah, I think he'll get a kick out of it,"
"Of course he will." Abby inferred "He gets a kick out of everything. I love that guy!"
"Okay. The COD's waiting for us," Gibbs ordered
***
"Just accept the fact that you're going to get lost," Tony told Kate as we were on the flight deck
"Why do you assume I'm going to?" Kate questioned
"Because everyone does. A carrier is a big and confusing place the first time on board,"
"Duly noted,"
"The numbers are stenciled on the bulkheads. First one tells you the deck level. They're called bull's-eyes," I explained to Kate
"Deck level,"
"The second one the frame number. Third tells you the compartment's position in relation to the ship's centerline. The last letter tells you what space is used for,"
"Crossing from port to starboard or starboard to port isn't as simple as going straight across," Tony claimed
"Sometimes you've got to go up one deck and down another,"
"Or down one deck and up another,"
"Sometimes two,"
"It's frustrating,"
"Not to mention confusing." I looked up at Kate "But you'll get the hang of it,"
"After you get lost a few times,"
***
"Arresting gear control, this is Pri-fly. We've got a COD in the groove,"
"Gear set for a COD,"
"Thirty seconds. Thirty seconds till trap," The Crew Chief explained
Gibbs looked over at Kate "You okay?"
Kate only nodded
"Good. Just so you know, this isn't like landing in a seven-forty-seven,"
"I sort of assumed," Kate admitted
"Dropping from a hundred and twenty knots to zero in one second can take it out of you. Just try to..."
The COD landed before Gibbs could finish.
"...breathe normally," Gibbs finished
"Whew," Kate breathed out
***
"Tox report come back yet, Stan?" Gibbs asked
"Just like we thought. Traces of meth in the bloodstream," Burley replied
"His urine was negative just twenty-seven days ago?" I questioned
"According to the Urinalysis Coordinator, clean as a whistle,"
"Where's this Petty Officer Wilkes now?" Tony asked
"Still in sickbay." Burley looked at Tony "You the one at my desk now?"
"That's right. Gibbs must have told you about me,"
"Actually no. Abby mentioned it in passing. Just assigned?"
"Two years,"
"Really? Huh,"
"You said he was an Arresting Gear Operator?" I questioned
"Yes, ma'am,"
"The same crewmen with him in Rota work for the flight deck here?"
"All of them are on Chief Petty Officer Reyes' crew,"
"Anyone else suspected of using, Stan?" Gibbs questioned
"Not so far,"
"Good,"
"What buddies were with him that night?" Kate questioned
"Petty Officers Niles and Shrewe. They berth on deck five. Designator five, fifty-six, two, L,"
"We'll be fine." I told Burley "Oh, and this is for you from Ducky," I handed Burley the cricket ball, before following Kate out of the office.
***
"If Wilkes was tweaking, Reyes would have noticed," Tony noted once Kate and Caly had left
"I didn't get much out of Reyes in my interview. You're welcome to try," Burley explained
"You're looking good, Stan," Gibbs said
"I appreciate you coming, boss,"
Gibbs looked over at Tony "You waiting on something?"
"Oh no. I'm gone," Tony walked out of the office.
"I'd like to see Wilkes in action. Can you get me the deck tapes of him during flight ops?"
"Only about a hundred hours," Stan said
"Is that all?" Gibbs wondered
***
"Excuse me, Ma'am," A man said as he tugged a mailbag behind him.
Kate watched the man only to realize that Caly had walked away from her. Kate turned and realized she was watching a man urinating.
"Okay...Can I help you, ma'am?" the man asked
"This isn't the deck five berthing compartment, is it?" Kate questioned
"This is the men's head on deck six, ma'am,"
"Uh, sorry...How do I get to deck five?"
"You go aft past bulkhead 126, down the starboard ladder, through the hatch,"
"Thanks," Kate began to walk off.
"Ma'am?"
Kate turned towards him.
The man turned his head to the right direction "Aft,"
***
"That's impossible. I don't use drugs," Reyes told Gibbs in the infirmary.
"Your blood test says otherwise," Gibbs said
"Then it must be a false positive,"
"Before you joined up, you were an emergency medical tech. You tell me how often does that usually happens? Maybe it's just a whim, or maybe you like hanging out in walk-in freezers in your birthday suit?"
"I don't know what happened, sir." Reyes laid his back against the pillow "I was, feeling light-headed and hot, really hot,"
"Well, your body temperature was 106. That's high enough to kill most men...unless their cardiovascular system was being boosted by some sort of synthetic stimulant,"
"Somebody must've slipped something into my drink,"
"And idea who that someone might have been?"
"No, sir,"
'Any idea who would've provided the meth?"
"No, sir,"
"You know what, I'm to help you out here, Petty Officer, if you try to float this story at your court-martial hearing they will laugh your ass all the way to Leavenworth. Where did you get it? Shrewe?"
"No!"
"From Niles?"
"I don't do drugs. And no one else on my crew does either,"
***
Down below the decks, Kate was still trying to find her way around. "Deck five berthing?" she asked a man.
"Yes, ma'am,"
"Thank God,"
"Ma'am, it's SOP women are supposed to announce themselves in designated male quarters of the ship,"
"NCIS Special Agent Caly Gibbs," Caly announced as she came into the room and this is "NCIS Special Agent Kate Todd. Does that count as being announced for you? Can you tell us where we can find Petty Officers Niles and Shrewe?"
"Haven't seen Shrewe lately, but Niles just went to work out in the hangar bay,"
"Hangar bay..." Kate said
"I know where it is," Caly said "Come on Kate," she smirked once they were well away from the men "What took you so long anyway?"
"You left me," Kate told the girl
"I'm sorry I thought you were right behind me...I swear,"
Kate shook her head as she saw the smirk remain on the girl's face.
***
"I'll be honest with you, ma'am," Niles said "I did my fair share of partying when I was in high school. Experimented with pot and all that,"
"You still experimenting?" Kate asked
"Absolutely not, ma'am. Wildest I get now is a pitcher of Sangria and a couple of beers. I'd never even considered something like meth,"
"What about Petty Officer Wilkes?" Caly questioned
"Solid as they come, ma'am. Fourth generation Navy. His grandfather was a gunner's mate on Arizona. Wilkes would never disgrace the uniform,"
"Well, we've got news for you, Petty Officer Niles," Kate said "he did,"
"I can't explain it, ma'am,"
"Can't or won't?" Caly demanded
"Code of silence doesn't fly too well on the flight deck, ma'am. There's no room for screw-ups,"
***
"We're being temporarily rerouted to assist in a search and rescue. A private yacht has gone missing and we are closest to the area, so the Coast Guard has requested our help. It's a shame really. So close to home these men now have to turn around and go back,"
"That's why you're resuming flight ops," Gibbs noted
"If there's a drug problem, I need it stopped. I need to know who it is and why testing procedures haven't picked it up,"
"We'll do the best we can, Skipper,"
"I'm sure you will. Lives depend on it,"
***
"This wire's looking tired, gentlemen," Reyes said "Strip wire!"
"Move! Move!" The officers said "Tow the wire! Let's go!"
"Today, gentlemen! Today!" Reyes looked down at his stopwatch "30 seconds and the next Viking's on top of you! We're not sunbathing, Hancock! Let's go! Let's go!"
Tony came onto the deck.
"Not up to speed. Two seconds slower than last time! All right. Stand by. We've got an E-2 landing in five minutes," Reyes looked over as Tony came over. "I heard NCIS was bringing in the cavalry,"
"She's below decks." Tony claimed "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Pushing your guys pretty hard, Chief, considering it's just a search and rescue run,"
"I always push my men hard, sir. Got to be ready. Tomorrow it might not be search and rescue. We may be back in the soup in Iraq,"
"Still, don't you ever lay off, give your men a break?"
"My philosophy, if you got to do a job, you got to do it right, 110%. That's why my men are the best, sir,"
"How did Petty Officer Wilkes handle being pushed?"
"He does okay,"
"Ever show any signs of stress?"
"14 hours a day on a flight deck during Combat Ops, everyone shows signs of stress, sir,"
"You ever notice anything unusual in his behavior? Anxiety attacks? Irritability? Mood swings?"
"Not that I ever saw, sir. If there's nothing else, I've got to prepare for the next aircraft, sir,"
"The ball...did he call the ball?" a man in a green outfit asked, "Did the flier call the meatball?"
"Shrewe, get off the deck!" a man exclaimed to the guy.
"Wave 'em off, sir!" Shrewe exclaimed "Wave 'em off! Cable snap!" he fell to the ground and laid in a fetal position, groaning as the plane flew overhead.
***
"Well, you never know for certain, but I don't think he's in any real danger now," The Doctor told the Agents. "I've got him pretty heavily sedated.
"What does it look like?" Gibbs asked
"I really won't know until the tox report comes through,"
"I appreciate that, Doc, but I don't have time to wait for a tox report,"
"Your considerable experience, what's your best guess?" Caly questioned
"It looks like the same situation we have with Petty Officer Wilkes," The Doctor admitted
"Methamphetamines?" Kate wondered
"Yeah, most likely,"
"Chronic, long term use?" Gibbs asked
"With his symptoms, it would have to be,"
"Yet his last random piss test was negative, just like Petty Officer Wilkes," Tony pointed out
"It doesn't make much sense," Caly said
"No, it doesn't," Gibbs agreed "When can I talk with him?"
"That's hard for me to say, Agent Gibbs. Well, let me make it easier for you, Doc: 1500. Consciousness will make the interview go much smoother,"
***
"Toss Shrewe's rack," Gibbs ordered
"Got it," Tony said
"Go over everything, and I mean everything. Above his mattress, below his mattress, inside his mattress. If there's such thing as a fourth mattress dimension goes over that, too. Find out where the urinalysis coordinator likes to let it all hang out,"
"Okay," Kate said
"I want to find out about this testing procedure. How it all works. See if there's any way that anyone can beat it. You, me, and Caly we're gonna have a flight deck film festival. See if you can arrange someplace we can watch those tapes,"
"I have one of the ready rooms on hold, boss," Stan said
"Always anticipating, Stan. Some things never change,"
***
"Can I help you, Petty Officer?" Tony asked Niles in the berthing area
"Lot of messy racks around here lately," Niles said
"Gonna be a lot more 'till we find what we're looking for,"
"No disrespect, Sir, but like I told your partner, none of the guys on my crew..."
"...on my crew use drugs. I've heard the party line so many times it's like a bad song I can't get out of my head,"
"You don't understand, Sir!"
"I do understand! Two of your guys are in sickbay with enough meth in their bloodstreams to kill a herd of Navy goats. For a crew that doesn't do drugs, you guys sure do a lot of drugs,"
***
"Rota was our last liberty port after we left the Gulf," Stan explained to Gibbs and Caly.
"This tape was done before they hit Rota," Caly noted
"Well, maybe he stocked up at Naples or Nice,"
"Is that the best you can do, Stan, after working under me five years?" Gibbs teased
"Well, at least I don't taint evidence when I bag and tag,"
"I tripped. One time," Caly argued
"As I remember, it was because your eyes were glued to some little..."
Caly's cheeks heated up at the reminder "Do you mind if we get back to tape now?"
"Sure, Cal," Stan laughed
"We have a job to do, remember?"
"I do, boss,"
"Good,"
***
"Petty Officer," Kate called out as she once again was lost
"Ma'am?" Gomez asked
"You just came out of the Urinalysis Coordinator's office,"
"I hope not, ma'am. I just got a hair cut in there,"
"Go ahead. Tell me how many bulkheads, hatches, and passageways I have to traverse to get there,"
"It's right next door,"
"Of course it is. Thank you, Petty Officer,"
"No problem, Ma'am,"
***
"We don't do the actual testing on board." Norski explained to Kate "What we do is we collect the samples and record the data and ship them off to a land-based lab,"
"Obviously with such a large crew, you test them in batches," Kate said
"The computer generates a random list-about twenty-five or thirty a day,"
"Do you...watch?"
"Of course we watch. Someone from security accompanies them to the head and observes casually by a mirror,"
"And if someone wanted to beat it?"
"Ma'am?"
"The system,"
"Oh. They try. Detox drinks, herbal tea, vinegar. Some try slipping bleach crystals in. Or even passing off a shipmate's clean sample as their own,"
"How do they do that if they're being watched?"
"You fill it up with someone else's urine, slip the balloon in your underwear and tape the tube to the underside of your..."
"Ah, I get the picture. Obviously, it didn't work,"
"Well, balloons aren't the sturdiest of containers. If you want to examine it..."
"That won't be necessary. How about the other methods that you mentioned?"
"Most of them don't fly. But every once in a while one does slip through. No system's perfect,"
"How about twice within six weeks?"
"Unlikely, but as I said, anything's possible,"
***
"Lost?" Tony teased Kate as the door closed
"No," Kate said
"How's it going?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. Finding your way around the ship and all,"
"It's going fine,"
"Good, I'm glad. Really glad,"
"I admit, it was a little confusing at first. I had a few...you know..."
"False starts,"
"Complete disasters. But I think I've got a pretty good handle on it now,"
"Good,"
***
"This is the second time I have had to come down here to talk to a member of your crew," Gibbs noted as he was in the sickbay.
"I don't know what to tell you, Sir," Shrewe admitted
"Why don't you tell me how two members of the same crew who work the same team flip out on meth within a few days of each other?"
"Meth?"
"Yeah. It's a fine white powder cooked up in trailer parks. Makes people do funny things, like freak out on a flight deck with a plane on final approach,"
"Sir, there's gotta be a mistake. I've never done drugs,"
"Never?"
"Not once in my life, Sir. It's against my morals. I feel the same way about alcohol and tobacco,"
"Is that so?"
"Yes, Sir. I even reported a guy for smoking some pot on my last cruise,"
"Well, it makes a nice story to cover your own ass in case they catch you with the real deal,"
"I'm telling the truth, Sir," they heard a machine give off a solid beep tone.
"Code blue! We've got a code blue!" Milano called out
"Crash cart!" The Doctor called out
"Coming in!" A Corpsman reported
"Start the charge,"
"Lead lines in,"
"Charge to two hundred joules,"
"Clear,"
"All clear!"
"No response,"
"Three hundred joules!"
"Charging,"
"All clear!"
"Three sixty?" the machine continued with a solid beep tone.
"Won't help,"
***
"Five-one, gentlemen," the PA said "Keep your eyes peeled. Don't miss a thing,"
The team was observing the crew from above on the flight deck, Caly leaning against the railing. "Wilkes was killed probably because he was going to give up the supplier," Gibbs reasoned
"Makes sense," Tony claimed
"No, what makes no sense is that these boys are involved at all," Kate argued "I mean, Wilkes was a proud Navy legacy, Shrewe a Boy Scout,"
"That's what they want you to think," Caly told her "Drug addicts learn the art of the con fast,"
"I had the lab that tested the urine samples send them to Abby for retesting,"
"Good," Gibbs said
"Where's Burley?" Tony wondered
"Watching more flight deck footage,"
"Still?"
"Yeah, he's been at it almost 18 hours now. He's always been this way. I'll go see how he's doing," Gibbs headed back up.
Caly sent a sly smirk towards Tony. "It's not the same thing, you know,"
"What?" Tony asked
"You and Gibbs, Burley and Gibbs,"
"I don't know what you're talking about,"
"It's a different dynamic, you know, a different time. You can't compare the relationships,"
"Who's comparing?"
Caly rolled her eyes "All I'm saying is that things on the surface are not always the same as when you put them in context with the way they actually developed, you know...under the surface, kind of,"
"I have no idea what you said,"
Caly looked over to Kate for help.
"Neither do I," Kate admitted
Caly rolled her eyes and went back up.
"Where are you going?" Tony asked
"To tell Gibbs to restation me...maybe in New Orleans...I hear it's nice over there,"
***
"Petty Officer Robert Wilkes," Ducky read off the toe tag as Gerald took pictures of the body "You're a bit of a puzzle, aren't you, my lad? A secured room, no sign of trauma..."
"No bruising or ligature marks," Gerald noted
"Let's rule out strangulation." Ducky leaned close to the body "If that's okay by you,"
"Color's good, no cyanosis,"
"You weren't suffocated by a pillow. Poisoned, perhaps?" Ducky opened the mouth and wafted the smell towards him "Well, we'll soon see. You'll tell Ducky everything eventually. They all do, you know,"
***
"Got you a bagel," Gibbs told Burley as he came back into the viewing room.
Burley opened the container "You remembered. Bacon, sausage, eggs, onions, cream cheese and jalapenos,"
"You want to fill me in here?"
Burley pointed to the screen "This is interesting," he played the video.
"What is Chief Petty Officer Reyes handing them?"
"It's hard to tell from this distance,"
"Can you get closer?"
"We'll have to enhance the tape,"
"Find DiNozzo, Kate, and Cal. I want Cal to work on the video. Have DiNozzo and Kate check out the air boss's take on Reyes." Gibbs turned back to Burley "Got a little glob on your shirt there, Stan,"
Stan looked down and wiped it off.
***
"Chief Reyes is one of the most committed men I've worked with,"
"He runs his crew hard," Kate noted as she and Tony followed the air boss
"And they appreciate him for it,"
"Aside from the two incidents, have you noticed anything out of the ordinary the past few weeks?" Tony asked
"Not unless you consider a 50% above average performance out of the ordinary,"
"That's quite a record," Kate said
"With two new guys, he's falling behind a little but that's expected. He'll get 'em up to speed. He always does,"
"Let's go! Work it! Work it!" Chief Reyes ordered some members as they worked out.
"Why get them up to speed at all?" Kate asked "It's only a rescue mission after which they're going home,"
"Because that's Chief Reyes, ma'am," The Air Boss claimed
"What's your problem, Hatcher, getting winded?" Chief Reyes demanded "Girlfriend teach you anything about stamina? You're playing catch-up. Lose this race, you'll be tooth-brushing urinals! You think this wasn't a race, huh? Just thought it was an exercise?"
Hatcher fell to the ground.
"Well, well...we finally find something you're good at, Hatcher...lying down," Chief Reyes turned around "What are you looking at, Steuer? Did I say stop? Give me 25 more! Let's go! Let's go!"
***
"Well, here is Petty Officer Wilkes," Ducky explained to the video feed "with an I.V. drip going into his arm."
Gerald waved to the camera as he was playing Wilkes.
"Please, Gerald, this is not dinner theater,"
Caly couldn't help but laugh as she continued working on her laptop with the video of the flight deck.
"Suppose someone disconnected his I.V. tube at both ends and blew all the liquid out of the tube, leaving nothing but air. Suppose they emptied the saline bag halfway." Ducky emptied the IV bag "That should be about it. The I.V. tube is attached. This blue balloon taped to Gerald's arm represents his vein. And the valve is inserted into the bag. Air is blown into the tube using this one-way valve. The air is trapped. When I open the flow rate valve...and squeeze... the air is pushed down the tube and into the vein and death occurs within 60 seconds,"
Gerald acted as though he was dying.
"I do apologize," Ducky said as he shook his head at Gerald's antics.
"So that's what killed Wilkes?" Tony asked
"I'm pretty certain,"
"Anyway the air could have gotten into the line accidentally?" Kate questioned
"Normal air is less than one percent carbon dioxide. The gas bubble in Wilkes's heart was six percent CO2,"
Gerald lifted his head "That was not air, that was breath. It was deliberate,"
"So, Doc, this would have had to have been done by someone with medical knowledge?" Gibbs asked
"Most certainly," the two M.E's responded.
Ducky looked down at Gerald "You're supposed to be dead,"
"I'll see what I can find," Kate told Gibbs
"I'll have Burley meet me in sickbay," Gibbs said as he got up
***
"I had no reason to kill Petty Officer Wilkes, Sir," Corpsman Milano
"Not unless you were supplying him methamphetamines and you were afraid he would talk," Gibbs claimed
"I wasn't,"
"Your prints were all over that saline bag,"
"Sir, I was the attending corpsman,"
"My prints are supposed to be on that bag. Petty Officer Wilkes was alive when I went to change that bag out. When I came back, he was dead. That's the truth, sir. Give me a polygraph, anything. But that is the truth,"
***
"Where have you been?" Gibbs demanded as Burley came running up
"Waiting for a print match," Stan told him
"You were supposed to meet me here, Stan,"
"I thought this was more important,"
"Let me be the judge of what's important,"
"Yes, boss,"
"I mean, that is why you called me, right?" Gibbs asked as he stopped walking and turned to Burley.
"You know, it's funny how it's all starting to come back to me now,"
"What's that?"
"The tightness in my chest, the upset stomach. All the pleasantries that come with working for you,"
"You're breathing's not labored, you're fine. What have you got?"
"There were a second set of prints on the saline bag,"
"Wilkes,"
"You knew he used to be an EMT,"
"Think he killed himself?"
"One of the doctors bent a few rules, let Wilkes take a call from his father...his very proud...retired Chief Petty Officer father,"
***
"So Wilkes's urine was clean," Abby reported in the video conference. "No nasty metabolites, no additives. There's just one tiny problem." she moved to the computer "Look at this. It's the exact same urine as Petty Officer Shrewe,"
Kate and Tony shared a look "Someone's replacing their samples,"
"Urinalysis coordinator," Tony said
"Maybe. Or maybe one of the 25 Masters-At-Arms he uses to monitor,"
"We need a look at the records of all the people on pee patrol."
"So, anybody happy about this?" Abby voiced "Anybody freaked out? Be nice to have something here,"
Caly watched as Kate and Tony left the room "Sorry, Abby, looks like they really had to go,"
"So what am I supposed to do with all this pee?"
Caly smirked slyly.
"Cal...no..." Abby said, "I'm all for pranks but peeing Tony's desk??"
"Woah...Tony was definitely going to be the victim but I never said anything about his desk..." Caly argued.
Abby gave Cal a look.
"Not anymore..."
***
"No, it's 3-76-9-A," Tony argued "We're at 5-45-7-E. We need to go up two levels, over to port then three bulkheads aft,"
"No, which is why we need to go up one level so we can traverse port before heading aft," Kate said
"The ladder two bulkheads takes us up and across. Is this going to turn into one of those guy-girl things where you insist we stop and ask for directions?"
"No, because unlike you, I know where I'm going,"
"Then be my guest,"
Kate went one way and Tony went another.
"I'll be in Admin,"
***
"Can I help you?"
"Special Agent Kate Todd, NCIS. I need to see some record books, please,"
***
Tony smirked as he opened the door only to see that it was laundry.
"Excuse me, sir,"
***
"I was able to bring it way up." Caly declared as she showed Gibbs and Barley the video "Take a look at this,"
"Much better," Barley said
"Right there," Gibbs pointed to the screen "Cal, can you get us in closer?"
"Patience, Gibbs you can't rush art," Caly teased as she zoomed in on the video. "Smart money says that that is not a Tic-Tac,"
Gibbs leaned down and kissed Cal's head "Nice work," he praised.
***
"Chief Reyes?" Gibbs called out
"Yes," Chief Reyes said
"We haven't been introduced. Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS. You already know Special Agent Burley,"
"What can I do for you, sir?"
"You can give me one of those capsules you gave Petty Officer Wilkes during Flight Ops,"
"Sir?"
"We have it all on a flight deck tape, Chief," Burley said
Chief Reyes looked up "You can see a capsule from that camera up there?"
"We had it digitally enhanced." Gibbs said "I can see the hairs standing up on the back of your neck,"
Chief Reyes smirked as he handed Gibbs a bottle of Caffeine capsules. "What do you think those are, sir?"
"Meth, Chief," Burley said
"Meth? That's 98% caffeine. Available over the counter at any pharmacy in Norfolk. Coffee's not allowed on the deck so I give it to my men to keep them going. I would never do anything to jeopardize these men, sir. I love these men. And I would die for these men,"
***
"Standard test pouches." Tony said as Caly took out a kit"Just like I used in Baltimore,"
"Yeah, DiNozzo was a Baltimore cop before coming to us," Gibbs told Barley
"That right?" Barley asked, "How long?"
"Almost two years," DiNozzo replied
"And before that?"
"Philly PD,"
"18 months, right?" Caly joked
"There were extenuating circumstances,"
"And what was before Philly?" Kate asked
"Pittsburgh?" Cal said
"Peoria," DiNozzo corrected
"Right,"
"And it doesn't matter how long. All that matters now is that I'm here at NCIS,"
"Oh, and you've been here for, um...Refresh my memory." Kate said
"Two years. What did you do before NCIS, Burley?"
"Uh, just...pushing papers around in Washington," Burley said
"Well, I'm sure it wasn't so bad,"
"How bad could being a senator's aide be?" Gibbs wondered. Everyone turned to Burley.
"Wasn't me," Burley said
"Cal, the kit," Gibbs said
"Yeah," Caly said "The way it works is simple. We place a small sample of the suspected substance inside the pouch and seal it. Break the ampule inside the pouch, which releases the test chemicals. If the clear liquid turns color, we have drugs." Cal looked at the pouch "Not meth,"
"Well, that pouch might be clear, but my gut's still in living color. All right, get a search authorization and sweep Chief Petty Officer Reyes's rack. Wait until he's occupied with Flight Ops in the morning,"
***
"There's just nothing here," Burley complained as he and DiNozzo were going through the rack.
"Nothing that's obvious, anyway," Caly told him as she stood up "I'd say it's time we turn out the lights and play in the dark,"
Tony turned off the lights and Caly took out her UV wand. "Anywhere Chief Petty Officer Reyes touches can leave a residue,"
"I might have something here," Kate called out.
"Could be toothpaste," Barley said
"Could be meth.' Tony argued "Bag it,"
"Hold it. Tony," Caly called out as she was looking at Reyes' locker and found a white line.
"Who needs a drug dog when we've got you, Cal,"
***
Caly put what they found in Reyes rack into a capsule but it was the same as the last packet...clear.
"No, looks the same as the Alert capsule we tested," Burley said
"You think we're barking up the wrong tree?" Kate asked Gibbs
"Actually, I was thinking just the opposite." Gibbs told her "Why have the contents of an Alert capsule loose on your locker shelf?"
"Unless you emptied it so you can fill it up with something else," Burley suggested
"Then why didn't we find traces of speed?" Kate asked
"Because you can be sure Reyes is taking extra precautions with a substance that can put him away," Caly realized
"Okay. Then how do we link Reyes to the meth?"
"By going to the one guy from the original crew who still might be holding some," Gibbs suggested
***
The Petty Officer was working at a punching bag and went to hit Gibbs as he came up behind the Petty Officer.
"Whoa, whoa." Gibbs said as he held up his hands "Little jumpy today, Petty Officer?"
"Nah. You know, just get a little nervous when it gets close to duty time," The Petty Officer said
"Reyes works you hard on that flight deck,"
"Yes, sir. Got to keep on top of it,"
"Sounds exhausting to me,"
"Nothing I can't handle, sir," The Petty Officer went to the weights.
"Especially when you have yourself a little pick-me-up,"
"Sir, I don't know how many times we got to go over this, but I've been..."
"This is the last time, I promise. My crew's tossing your rack as we speak,"
"They're not gonna find anything,"
"Maybe that's because you have it on you,"
"You want to search me, go ahead, but I'm telling you, the only pick-me-up I use is a cup of coffee before I go on duty and a couple of these when I'm on deck," the Petty Officer handed Gibbs a bottle of Alert.
"Mind if I hang on to these?"
"No, sir,"
***
Caly once more cracked a capsule and shook it, however this time it turned blue.
"Meth disguised as caffeine capsules," Burley noted
"I'm assuming you didn't find anything in Petty Officer Niles's rack," Gibbs said
"Clean as a whistle,"
"They've been telling the truth all along." Kate noted "They were getting hooked, and they didn't even know they were using,"
"How in the hell could a chief feed his own guys' speed?" Burley wondered
"Are we going to bring him in now?"
"Not yet," Gibbs told the team "All we have is a petty officer in possession who claims his highly regarded superior gave it to him without his knowledge,"
"That won't fly well with JAG," Burley noted
"We want to get him with the evidence in hand,"
***
Burley, Kate, Tony, and Caly watched as Chief Reyes left a room.
"As you probably already guessed, we're not here to make a deposit," Tony told the officer in the room as he closed the door.
"More like a withdrawal, actually," Kate said
"I'm not sure I know what you're getting at," The officer said as he began to stand but Burley pushed him back into his seat.
"I think you do, Lieutenant," Cal said "Your service record indicates you and Chief Reyes have served on three different ships together. On each one, the chief's crew had the distinction of maintaining the highest performance rating. Thanks, of course, to his capsules and your help in covering up the urine tests. It's over, Lieutenant. Before you pee your pants...why don't you show us where he keeps his stash,"
***
"Why the hell aren't you on the flight deck, Niles?" Reyes demanded
"I don't know, Chief. I ain't feeling so hot right now," Niles explained
"What do you mean, you don't know? We got aircraft coming in,"
"I'm beat, man. I don't know what's wrong with me,"
"You got to get it together, Petty Officer. You've got to suck it up,"
"I don't think I can, Chief,"
"Come here." Reyes handed Niles some tablets "This should help you out,"
"Just one, Chief?"
Reyes put another in Niles' hand "Now, get the hell on the deck,"
Niles looked behind Reyes at Gibbs.
Reyes looked back at Niles "It's okay, son. You followed orders. That's what a good sailor does. Go on, now,"
Niles handed the two tablets over to Gibbs.
"Thanks," Gibbs told him.
"These men spent ten months in the Gulf," Reyes explained "combat conditions. 12 hours a day, 110 degrees on the deck,"
"With you in their face, pumping them up with meth,"
"I gave my men something to help them do their jobs better...and it worked,"
"Explain that to Wilkes's family,"
"I'm sorry about what happened, but I'm not going to make excuses. We got our planes on the deck and out of harm's way faster than any other crew. Wilkes was a casualty of war, Agent Gibbs. A hero,"
"Yes, he was, Chief. He was also a victim of a leader who betrayed his trust," Gibbs turned Reyes around so he could be handcuffed.
***
"I have to say, it was like deja vu working with you again, boss," Burley said as the team was preparing to leave.
"Good deja vu or bad?" Gibbs asked
"Good..."
"And bad," Gibbs and Burley said simultaneously
"Now boss, in all seriousness...you know how much it means to me that..."
"Aw, hell, Stan, you gonna go getting all huggy on me?" Gibbs asked
"I guess I'm not,"
"I didn't think so," Gibbs held out his hand "Bye,"
"Bye,"
"See you, Stan." caly said as she quickly followed after Gibbs
"You know, in the two years I've worked for Gibbs, he's never shaken my hand once. Never," Tony told Stan.
"I was in the office two years before he even looked me in the eye," Stan admitted
"Really?"
"Yeah, three years before he called me by name. Four till he got it right. By then, I'd actually gotten used to 'Steve'."
Tony laughed
"He must really like you,"
"Thanks,"
***
"The cat launch is like the wire landing, only in reverse." Gibbs explained to Kate on the plane "We go from zero to 140 knots in a second and a half,"
"It's kind of like sex without all that work," Tony teased
"Everything is like sex to you, Tony," Caly said
"Cross your arms," Gibbs ordered "Chin to your chest. Lean forward as far as you can,"
"And breathe normally," The plane took off.
"How are you doing, Kate? Kate? DiNozzo, how's she doing?"
"She's smiling," Tony said