I apologise for not updating in so long. I will try to be better but I make no promises.
I hope this chapter was worth the wait but I am not too sure it is.
Merry late Christmas and happy new year
I hope this year is better for everyone then last.
Thank you to everyone who messaged me to make sure I was okay
Tony and I are running as fast as we can through a warehouse while panting for air because we have been running for a long time. There are two men at the doorway and Tony shoots the one of the left without stopping running while I shoot the one of the right. Tony throughs his gun onto the ground before jumping into he river. I come to a stop at the edge of the land waiting to help Tony get out of the water and watching to make sure there isn't anymore men. I walk around onto a pontoon to be closure to where I think Tony is going to resurface. Tony breaks the surface of the water with a girl wearing a green shirt. He swims over to the edge while dragging her.
"Here," I call out while grabbing her arms and dragging her body onto the pontoon I am standing on.
"Got her?" Tony asks me.
"Yes," I answer him while getting down beside her and checking is she is breathing but she's not. I begin CPR as Tony dives back under the water for a second time. I begin to give compressions to her chest while counting out load, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine."
"Alice," Tony calls out while breaking the surface of the water again but with Gibbs this time. I move from the girl and grab Gibbs by the arms. I pull him onto the pontoon beside the girl and then help Tony get onto the pontoon before returning to giving the girl CPR. Tony can take care of Gibbs, I have to get her to breathe again. Behind me I hear Tony pant for air as he begins to give Gibbs CPR.
"Don't do this to me, boss," Tony complains. He continues to mumble, "Come on, don't do this to me." I lean down and give the girl two breaths of air before returning to the compressions on her chest. "Don't make me kiss you, boss," Tony complains. "Come on, boss! Come on!" Tony yells while attempting to start Gibbs heart again.
I look back at Tony and Gibbs while continuing to do CPR, how long does it take an ambulance to arrive? We need one know, I can't loss Gibbs too.
...
Twenty-four hours earlier.
"No," Gibbs states as we step out of the elevator with Abby following us where her phone in her hand. I am wearing a white shirt with black tight jeans and a pair of low heeled boots that come up to my knees. Gibbs is wearing a green polo over his white undershirt and a brown jacket while carrying his coffee like normal.
"Please, please, please, Gibbs," Abby begs him as she follows him around.
"No," Gibbs answers her before she even finishes begging.
"Ok, I'll never ask you for anything again, ever..."
"Abby," Gibbs cuts her off as we walk towards the squad room.
"I promise," Abby finishes while talking over him.
"Come on, ever?" Gibbs asks her while stopping walking and turning towards her.
"Well, okay, maybe not ever, but I won't ask for anything else for at least like a week," Abby corrects herself making me laugh at her making him think about it while half smiling.
"Sure. Where and when?" Gibbs asks her as he turns and walks over to his desk. Gibbs turns back to her while giving her a closed mouth smile.
"Boss," Gibbs calls out making Gibbs loose the smile while looking at him. I turn to look at him to because he sounds out of breath. Abby takes a photo of Gibbs ear as McGee informs him, "There is a young women here waiting to see you. I sent her to the lounge."
"Name?" Gibbs demands of McGee while Abby huffs in annoyance.
"Maddie Tyler?"
"Do we know what about?" I ask McGee while smiling at Abby.
"Twenty-two, twenty-three," McGee guesses her age but Gibbs gives him the look making him change it too, "Sorry. Personal. She wouldn't say."
"Uh, Gibbs," Abby calls after him as he begins to walk away and she follows him. He turns around and grins at her so that she can take the photo before walking away. She walks back to us while continuing, "It's for my cell phone, so that when Gibbs calls, his face will appear, and I'll know it's him. See?"
"Nice... print," McGee informs her making her look at the photo that is a human shaped smug of nothing making me laugh at it. She can't catch a break today.
.
Gibbs pov
.
"Hi," Maddie, a young blonde lady, greets me as I walk around the corner into the dinning/lounge room of NCIS.
"Special Agent Gibbs," I interduce myself as I walk over to the table she is sitting at and stand behind one of the chairs without offering her a hand to shake.
"I know. I... I mean, I remember. But you... probably don't. I'm... Maddie... Maddie Tyler," Maddie interduces herself nervously while offering her hand that I shake. She continues to ramble in a nervous way as I look the young lady over and try to remember where she knows me from, "It's been a long time. I used to come over to your house... I was Kelly's best friend... or, I mean, at least I remember myself being her best friend... I like to think she thought so, too." I look at the young lady in front of me and try to picture her as the little girl that my baby used to play with, but I can't do that... I am also trying not to be flooded with the memories I am trying to buries as not to hurt myself anymore... I miss my baby girl and I would do anything to have her back... I just don't know why her best friend is standing in front of me.
"You lived on base?" I ask her softly, while trying not to tear up like she has.
"Marine brat. My dad was an officer," she informs me making me smile at the memory of her dad.
"I remember. Good man," I inform here while sitting down on one of the chairs making her retake her own chair again.
"He retired. Move back to Oakland. Died a couple years ago," she informs me. There is a silence before she continues, "I'm finishing my degree at Georgetown. Science." I give her a half smile while waiting for her to tell me why she is here, and I don't think it is to talk about Kelly or her dad. She continues when she sees my face, I guess you're wondering... why I'm here." She begins to play with her bracelet while continuing, "This is going to sound so stupid... I can't believe, I need some help, and you're the only person I know who..."
"Problems?" I ask her to cut to the chase.
"Guy problems," She informs me making me look down. I'm not too sure if I can help with that. She continue to inform me, "Crazy guy problems. I went on a couple of dates with him, about eighteen months ago. He's a marine. Went to Iraq. Just got back a week ago. He came to see me, you know, wanted to get things started again. But I mean, there was... there was nothing to start because nothing had ever gotten started. I tried to explain that, but, uh, he kept insisting. He was desperate to move in with me, and, when I said no, it wasn't what he wanted to hear."
"He stalking you?" I ask her while leading slightly on the table... I couldn't protect my little girl but I am going to protect her friend until my dying breath. She nodes making me add, "Did you report him to the police?"
"They said there's nothing they can do. It's only been a week."
"He threaten you?" I ask her making her node at me. I ask my next question and praying she won't answer it with a yes, "He hurt you?"
"I don't think he meant to," She informs me while pulling up her long sleeve shirt to show me a yellow bruise on her arm. She continues, "He just kind of grabbed me, but... he's really freaking me out."
"What's this marine's name?" I ask her. I am going to pay him a visit and make sure he doesn't hurt this little girl again.
"Rudi Haas."
"Where would I find him?"
"Outside my house."
...
.
Alice pov
.
"Cute!" Abby exclaims while taking a photo of McGee sitting on Ziva's desk. She moves from McGee to the smiling Ziva who stops smiling but gives the camera a serious, sexy look as Abby takes the photo. "Pretty!" Abby exclaims. Abby moves onto tony who pulls a face as she takes the photo meaning that his mouth is open in the photo and she exclaims while showing him the photo, "Tony!"
"That's the best yet."
"Boss!" McGee warns us making everyone run back to their desk as Abby takes a photo of a half smiling Gibbs and Maddie.
"I didn't know you were," Abby mumbles before saying, "Sorry, Gibbs." They walk over to the elevator where Shepard stops him and I know that won't end well so I quickly walk over to the slut.
"Agent Gibbs, we need to talk about the latest East African threat assessments," Shepard informs him before giving Maddie a once over. I step up into her personal space.
"Think wisely on your next words, because I have know problem turning your life into a hell," I whisper into her ear as she gives Maddie a dirty look. The girl looks scared out of her mind and I am not letting Shepard scare her more.
"When you got a moment," Shepard adds quickly.
"Now, walk away from the elevator," I add before grabbing her arm and dragging her away from the elevator... if anyone should be giving the scared girl a dirty look, it should be me, his girlfriend and not some slut who broke his heart. Once the elevator door is shut and descending I walk back over to the squad room where Abby is programming the photos into the correct contacts.
"Know her?" Ziva asks the team as I enter the squad room and walk over to my desk without saying a word.
"Wish I could say I did," Tony comments making me pull a face before turning to face them as I sit at my desk.
"Maddie Tyler," Abby informs them.
"Who is?" Ziva asks her in confusion.
"Ask McGee," Abby answers her while redirecting the question.
"Said it was personal," McGee informs them.
"New girlfriend?" Ziva guesses.
"Hey," I exclaims while looking at them, they couldn't really thing Gibbs and I have broken up and he got a new girlfriend.
"Sorry, Alice," Ziva says while looking at me before adding, "It's the first thing that came to mind.
"Not a redhead," Tony reminds her as Abby gives me a sorry look.
"Niece?" Ziva guess again as McGee begins to type at his computer.
"Nice. Mc-Geek called Mc-Google, her name," Tony says while kneeling behind McGee's desk.
"Oh, I can do you one better. Myspace," McGee informs us making them all get up and walk over behind the geeks desk, I attempt to pretend I am not interested but after a moment I also get up and walk over... I am just including myself in the team activity of snooping and I am not jealous or worried about my relationship at all... just making sure they aren't doing anything to get themselves throw in jail or fired... that totally it... I am going to married Gibbs, so there is no reason for my to be jealous of a blonde lady... that's the truth and all I am going to say.
"Well, she has an eclectic taste in music. Everything from yo-yo ma to Metallica," Abby comments as we look at the myspace page of the blonde lady.
"Lots of friends, college kids mainly," McGee comments while looking through her friend list on her feed.
"And one from her childhood," Ziva comments before reading from under a photo of a girl I have seen a lot at Gibbs' house. Kelly Gibbs, "'My first and still my best friend, Kelly.
Forever in my memory.'"
"Gibbs' daughter was named Kelly," Abby reminds us.
"One and the same," McGee agrees with her.
"Mystery solved," Tony mumbles but if the mystery was solved, why was she here to see Gibbs? And why did he leave with her?
...
Gibbs pov
.
I pull up outside of Maddie's house and get out of the car. I look around while walk around until I am on the sidewalk with her. She looks really scared while looking around the street.
"That's his car," Maddie informs me while nodding her head to a dark car on the road with the Washington, DC numberplate 'NG B473.' I turn and lead her towards her house that has an open door.
"Hey, Madds, I was just looking for you, babe," Rudi says while jogging out of her house and down the steps to us. When he reaches us, he goes to touch her face and she physically steps back and I put my arm between them to protect her. He grabs my arm and attempts to remove it from between them by breaking it while exclaiming, "Hey!"
"Look, Hey!" I exclaim at the same time. I quickly manage to overpower him and turn him around so that I am holding both arms behind his back so that I can cuff him for assaulting me and then for stalking Maddie.
"Who are you?" Rudi demands of me. He then demands of her, "This your old man?!"
"She does not want to see you," I whisper into his ear while pulling his arm up his back higher, hurting him and making it so that he can't escape my hold until I am good and ready. I continue to inform him, "It means you're not going to come back. You're not going to call her. You're not going to drive down her street." He continues to struggle in my hold making me ask him, "Do I need to say it again?"
"No," he answers me. I release him and he looks at Maddie for a moment before walking away when she wont even look at him. I stand behind her and wait until she looks at me before smiling and pointing my head to her house in a sign to go inside know. Once she turns and behind to walk inside I stop smiling and watch that this prick leaves know before I have to do something else.
...
"Okay. It's around here somewhere," Maddie comments while looking under her bed in her messy bedroom as I watch her and sip coffee at the table. She asks me, "Do you want some more coffee?"
"Nope. Fine," I answer her while forcing myself to swallow the disgusting coffee she gave me. This coffee is worse then Alice's cooking and she can't cook, only back cookies and make coffee. How can this girl not know how to make good coffee? Did her father not teach her anything? I am embarrassed for her. I'll have to teach her the proper way to make good coffee.
"As soon as I graduate, I am moving back to Oakland," Maddie informs me while walking into the living room and looking around the room. She comments while moving a magazine and picks up a photo album, "This place is such a pig sty. There is this really great animal hospital there. They offered ne a job in the lab. It's just a general practice. Eventually, I have plan to specialize in horses. Kelly and I were both crazy about horses." She continues to talk while looking through the photo album. I remember them both always talking about horses and how they want to be vets when they grow up. It's nice to know that Maddie hasn't changed a bit in her ambitions in life. She shows me the photo while saying, "Here it is. Can't remember who took that photo."
I take the book from here while looking at it. Jelly is on the left with brads in her hair while Maddie is sitting on the right with her arm is around Kelly. They are both laughing at something but I don't know what. I inform her with a tight lip smile, "I did. I never did find out what was so funny."
"She never told you?" Maddie asks me as I put the book down. I shake my head at her making her whisper, "Sorry."
"I shipped out to Iraq that month. They followed me all the way to Pendleton. Last time I saw them," I inform her while remember the day I was leaving. How Kelly begged me to stay but I couldn't... I wish that I stayed, more then anything in life... but I didn't and know they are dead.
"It was a time capsule. We've filled this toy suitcase with all of our... treasures. Kelly's mostly, and... buried it in your backyard. We were sitting on it," Maddie informs me making me laugh at them. She looks down for a moment before informing me, "I never stopped crying." I look away from her for a moment so that I don't start crying right know. She continues, "Still think about her, after all these years. Wonder what she'd be like."
"Like you," I inform her she continues to look at me.
"Here, you should. You should have this," Maddie exclaims while trying to hand me the photo.
"No. no, that's your memory," I exclaims while stopping her from giving me the photo.
"Our memory," She corrects me while handing me the photo.
"I should be going. Thanks for the coffee," I say while pocketing the photo and turning to leave without drinking more then a sip of the bad coffee.
"That back?" She asks me while standing up. She continues, "I really can't thank you enough."
"You got my number. He comes back... call me," I inform her before opening the door. I step out before turning around and pointing to the deadbolt on the door while saying, "And keep this locked."
I half jog outside to see a car packed behind mine with Rudi sitting in it talking on the phone. I begin to walk towards the car but he hangs up the phone and drives off quickly.
....
"Marine Sergeant Rudi M. Haas. Works in logistics, currently on thirty-day leave after returning from Iraq eight days ago," McGee reports to me in the squad room while putting up his photo up on the plasma between his and Tony's desk. Alice is standing with me while everyone else is at their desk.
"Service record?" I ask him.
"Clean."
"Eight years in," Alice reads out.
"Prior to that, grew up in Chicago," McGee informs us.
"State and local police. See if he's got a record," I order him as Shepard walks into the squad room.
"Why do we need to know? Are we opening an investigation into sergeant Haas?" Shepard demands of me while coming to a stop beside me. I feel Alice place her hand on my back as she looks at Shepard in annoyance.
"Background check," I order my team without answering Shepard.
"On what grounds?"
"Stalking," I answer her.
"The young woman that was in this afternoon? Did she file a complaint?"
"No."
"IS this personal, Jethro?"
"If you're asking do I know her, the answer is yes," I answer her while attempting not to hurt Alice. The way Shepard is asking this question. I don't know if she is asking this because she is jealous or to hurt Alice but I am not going to play her game. I continue while turning to face her, "Is it personal? No."
"Since when does NCIS only work cases that you like... this guy is stalking a civilian, it is our job to protected the civilians," Alice informs Shepard when I walk away making me want to smile at my smart girl... she doesn't asked questions, she just does her job and makes sure everyone else does it, while pranking them... I love that about her.
I walk out of ear shout know thing that Alice will make sure they do what I tell them to do and I don't gave to be here for the moment.
.
Alice pov
.
"Do it," I order the team while staring Shepard into the eye. The team all get back to work while I watch Shepard leave the room.
"She knew," Ziva whisper to us when Shepard leaves.
"Reads Gibbs like a book," McGee responds.
"Short read, not a lot of dialogue," Tony comments.
"Oh, trust me Tony... nothing is short," I promise him making him freeze them all freeze while staring at me as I walk away from the plasma screen to my desk.
"You're kind of book," Ziva overlaps me.
"Y... You suggesting I don't read?" Tony asks Ziva while giving me a side eye for my comments.
"I think she's suggesting you only look at the picture, Tony," McGee informs him without looking away from the computer.
"A picture paints a thousand words, McGee," Tony responds.
"And in your case, most are the names of female body parts," Ziva comments.
"I'll have you know that since, 1981, I've been loyal subscriber to national geographic magazine."
"Tony, that's nothing to be proud of," I state while looking at my computer where I am trying to find out anything on Rudi.
"That's some serious picture-gazing right there."
"So how did she know?" McGee asks Ziva.
"Woman's intuition," Ziva answers him.
"Do you have that?" Tony asks Ziva making her look at him and he add, "Forget I asked that question."
"The director could see Gibbs was preoccupied with something, and she saw him with the girl."
"Sounds more like male logic than woman's intuition," McGee comments.
"Either way, I think she's worried about him," Tony comments.
"Question is, should we be?"
"No... you are wrong, she isn't worried about him. She is jealous that there is another lady that might know Jethro. Typical jealous ex-girlfriend," I correct them.
...
Gibbs pov
.
I look at the garden in the back of my yard that I have kept alive for Shannon. I find the point at which the photo was taken. I kneel down next to the garden with a hand shovel and find the place to dig. I begin to dig where I think the time capsule is going to be. I have to remove a tree which I gently lift out and put on the ground next to me with every intention of putting it back. I go to stab the shovel back into he ground to move more dirt only to hit the box. I move the last of the dirt with my hand ad see that it is her old metal lunchbox with a rainbow on it, making me grin... that lying little girl... she told me that she lost it at school and I had to buy her a new one... she know where it was.
I pull the box out of the ground and place it onto my lap so that I could put the tree back into the ground. I make sure the tree is stable and then I stand up with the time capsule and the shovel and walk back into my house. I walk though the house and walk into the basement without even looking away from the box... I walk to the bench at the end of my basement and put the box down gently. I wipe more off the dirt off to see that it is her 'My little pony' box, making me smile at the memory of the day I bought it. I remember singing to her.
'Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird,' I sing to Kelly while trying to get her to fall asleep.
"Pony," Kelly corrects me. I smile at the memory before blowing the dirt off the lid. I sit down on the ground with the box in my hand.
'And if that mockingbird don't sing,' I continue to sing with Kelly joining me. I remember sitting with Kelly and Shannon on the ground, Shannon has her hand on top of mine so that her ring is sitting next to mine.
'Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
If that diamond ring turns brass.' I am spinning Kelly around in the garden. Shannon is laughing at us on the sideline
'Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass. '
"Don't go daddy, please don't go," Kelly cries to me while hugging me tightly as Shannon is in the background carrying lemon juice. The last time I saw them... the day I wish I could change for all of eternity.
'If that cart and bull breaks down, you're still the prettiest... little baby in town,' I sing as I drive away from my girls for the last time. Shannon is wearing a green dress while holding a crying little Kelly who is wearing a dark red dress.
"Yeah, Gibbs," I answer the phone that pulls me out of the memories only to release I am crying. Good I miss them.
"Jethro, he's back!" Maddie exclaims through the phone.
...
I quickly pull up in front of Maddie's apartment and jump out of my car. I slam the door of the car and run around it and through the open door and upstairs. I arrive at her door, only to see that the door has been kicked up and the lock is broken. I drawl my gun while steeping into the apartment and the first thing I see is that the certain has been pulled down. I clear the living room first.
"No," I hear outside apartment as I step into the bedroom. I turn and run back to the window to see Rudi forcing Maddie away from her home by her jacket.
"Shut up and get it!" Rudi orders her.
"No! Somebody help! Help me!" Maddie yells out as she is forced into a car. I turn and run out of the room. I run back down the stairs and out of the front door. I run outside to see a green car drive out from beside the building. I run into the middle of the road where I aim after the car but I don't shoot because I couldn't be sure I am not going to shoot Maddie.... I can't be responsible for her death like I was Kelly's
...
Alice pov
.
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs calls out while walking out of the elevator into the squad room. Gibbs is wearing a green shirt over his white t-shirt and a cream jacket. I am wearing a black singlet under a red jacket with a matching pair of red paints and my black combat boots.
"BOLO's out on Haas's car," DiNozzo reports to Gibbs.
"His photograph and details are on their way to metro police," Ziva adds.
"Need her photo, too," Gibbs orders her while walking over to the plasma screen between Tony and McGee's desk.
"Abby's got one," McGee informs us. Gibbs turns to face him as he continues to explain, "From when she was trying to take yours, earlier. Ziva, you want to call Abby."
"Don't bother. I have a copy," I cut in while walking over to Ziva and handing her the phone with the photo of Gibbs and Maddie walking out up for her to us.
"Haas's current address," Gibbs orders us while walking over to his desk.
"Assigned to Quantico as an enlisted trainer, but he hasn't reported in there since he got back from Iraq," McGee reports.
"Got to be staying somewhere," Tony comments.
"No known relatives in the DC area.;'
"Friends then."
"Yeah... outside our vic's house," I comment while walking back to Gibbs.
"I want the address of every place he's ever lived," Gibs orders us while leaning over his computer as I place my hand on his back and rub it in an attempt of calming her down.
"I'm working on it, boss," Tony exclaims after a moment.
"Her cell phone?" I ask them while rubbing his back some more.
"Switched off," McGee informs us.
"His?" Gibbs demands of him.
"Also switched off, I'm trying to access his recent calls now."
"And?" Gibbs demands of him as I rub his back.
"Jethro," I whisper to him when he gets too angry with his team.
"And I've... well, I've only just started," McGee defends himself as Shepard walks into the squad room.
"How long will that take?" I ask him softly... Gibbs is far too involved in this case and I hope we find this girl alright or he will never forgive himself.
"I don't know," McGee answers me.
"You were going to brief me, weren't you?" Shepard taunts Gibbs.
"She called me. I got there, place was trashed... saw her being pushed into Haas's SUV," Gibbs informs her while walking back over to the plasma screen.
"You identified him?" Shepard demands of him.
"I identified his car," Gibbs corrects ger.
"So you didn't actually see Sergeant Haas abducting her? maybe it was someone else?" Shepard taunts him.
"Well, it must have been Haas driving."
"Could have been driving."
"Best guess," Gibbs states while walking back to his desk.
"Why are you so incline to defend the guilty party while letting the vic get hurt more? I know you don't have any emotions... but have some compassion, this poor girl is being stalked by a crazy marine... that is scary enough without being kidnapped by him and the head of NCIS having her head so far up her own ass that she couldn't see a murderer through all the serial killers she hired... SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO LIE AND OBSTRUCTED OUR INVESTIGATION INTO A KIDNAPPER AND STALKER. GET THE FUCK OUT OF THIS SQUAD ROOM AND HAND IN YOUR RESIGNATION BEFORE I GET YOU FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM YOUR JOB... trust me, I can do it... I am Kate's sister," I threaten Shepard loud enough for everyone to hear and everyone in on the level is looking at us and waiting for what Shepard is going to do.
"Agent Todd," Shepard begins.
"No... That is Special Agent Todd to you, and if I have my way it will be just Miss Shepard for you very soon... we are doing our JOB. Even if this want a true case, how is this any different then what happened with Froggy. OH THERE IS A DIFFERENCE, WE HAVE EVIDENCE THERE IS STALKING AND A WITNESS OF A KIDNAPPING WHILE YOU HAD A PERSONAL VENDETTA," I demand of her before looking at all the people that are watching our fight... they don't normally get to see someone stand up to this gutless woman and here I am going it... I continue but in a whisper this time, "The whole building is watching your next move... don't make the wrong one or you'll be looking for a job."
"What else do we know about him?" Shepard demands of us as I walk over behind Gibbs desk and sit on the ledge to watch how she is going to save face and hopefully her job.
"Haas turned down Uncle Sam's offer to reenlist last month. In sixty days, he'll be a former marine," McGee reports to her.
"Late deployment?"
"Logistics, worked out of the green zone in Baghdad. Everything marine going to or coming from Iraq channelled through his department," McGee reports to her.
"Desk jockey," Tony comments.
"Got his phone records," McGee reports to us while putting them onto the plasma screen between him and Tony's desk. He continues, "Moderate usage."
"Recurring numbers?" Shepard demands of him.
"There's a few. Fifteen calls in the last eight days to a landline in the name of Maddie Tyler," McGee informs us as I stand up and walk over to Gibbs where I rub his shoulder.
"Others?" Shepard asks him.
"Five incoming from a company here in DC. It's the first call he received when he got back from Iraq, and the last call he got before he switched off his phone," McGee informs us as Gibbs gets up and walks back over to the plasma screen and I followed him.
"'Bordais security solutions,'" Shepard reads the name of the company off the website that McGee pulled up.
"BSS, a small sized security firm," McGee informs us.
"With a contract in Iraq, Marine today, mercenary tomorrow," Ziva comments while holding her phone to her ear.
"Filthy rich the day after. Looks like Haas was being headhunted," Tony adds.
"Yeah, I need a name, McGee," Gibbs orders him while walking back to the plasma screen above my desk.
"CEO is a retired Army Major, Max Bordais," McGee informs us while pulling up the mans profile on his own website.
...
"Ours is a small company, Agent Gibbs. Less than a hundred employees, the majority of whom were in Iraq," Bordais informs us in the conference room.
"Doing what?" Gibbs asks him.
"Protections details for various VIPS."
"Haas doesn't seem like the highly trained soldier your company would hire. He's a paper pusher," Shepard comments even though she has been protecting this man this whole time.
"And from what I've been told, no one pushes paper better," Bordais informs her as Gibbs gets up and walks over to look outside of the window.
"Signed him up?" I ask him.
"Made him a generous offer," Bordais informs us.
"And?" Gibbs demands of him while walking behind him.
"He passed."
"He say why?" I ask him next.
"No. evidently a thousand dollars a day wasn't enough."
"A lot of money for a clerk," Shepard comments.
"Guess he didn't need the money," Bordias informs her while looking at her before looking at Gibbs and adding, "Look, I did my homework. Has is considered one of the best logistics people in Iraq. You want it, he'll find it. 'you can't get it through channels, you get it through has,' that's what they say about him. A guy like that is worth a dozen of my highly trained soldiers."
"Where is he?" Gibbs demands of him while leaning on the back of my chair.
"I don't know," Bordais informs us.
"I only have his cell phone number. Am I under arrest?"
"No," Shepard answers him making him turn to get up but Gibbs forces him back into his chair.
"Where is he?" Gibbs demands of him while sitting down on the table facing him.
"Agent Gibs," Shepard begins.
"He is wanted for going AWL... if you don't help us you can and WILL be arrested for aiding a criminal," I inform him calmly.
"I only talked to him on the phone. He didn't want to meet me. He made it clear he wasn't looking for a job. Now, if you're not going to arrest me, I'm walking out of here," Bordais informs us while leaning into Gibbs personal space. Gibbs looks over at Shepard then back to me before looking at Bordais again before standing up and walking away, allowing Bordais to leave the room.
"Nicely handled, Jethro," Shepard comments when we are alone again. He continues, "You're right. He's holding something back."
"I don't like him," I state while standing up and walking over to Gibbs and placing my hand on his arm.
"Then again, he's not the only one, is he?" Shepard asks him. She continues, "You said you knew her."
"Family friend," Gibbs answers him.
"When?"
"Long time ago."
"How long? Five years, ten years?"
"It is none of your business. You might badly run this business, but your not his wife... or his girlfriend for that matter... drop it," I order her while placing my body between them two. I continue, "We are done here... if you actually decide to care about the case, you can come and talk about it... if not, get lost. Or drop dead, I really don't care which." I turn Gibbs and lead him out of the room before Shepard can get over her shock of me stepping in.
We walk out of the room and he almost runs down the stair with me struggling to keep up with him.
"Gibbs," Abby exclaims while running up after us. She continues, "I e-mailed Maddie's photo to state and local police. I printed you one, too." Abby informs Gibbs while handing him the photo of him and Maddie walking out and they are both smiling. She continues, "OF course, I cropped you out of the one that I e-mailed. I just thought that maybe you would want a copy of the original."
"Thanks Abby," I say to her while she is smiling at Gibbs who is smiling at the photo.
"She was Kelly's friend, wasn't she?" Abby asks him making him node at her and she adds, "We're going to find her, Gibbs. I know it"
"I can promise that," I inform her while placing my hand on Gibbs arm with a grin. A computer starts to beep in the squad room.
"Boss, you might want to see this," Tony calls out making us walk to the squad room with Abby. Tony and Ziva is looking at the plasma screen above my desk while McGee is sitting at his desk.
"What's up?" I ask them.
"McGee got something," Tony informs us.
"I plotted all the cell phone calls Haas received or made in the last eight days," McGee informs us while showing up a map with all the phone calls plotted onto it. Gibbs steps between Tony and Ziva while I stop in front of him with his hands on my hip while watching the screen. McGee continues, "Most were made from his car as he was driving. The signal passed from tower to tower, which doesn't help us, but three of the calls were made from the same location using the same tower each time." He highlights the towers while continuing, "Now given the range and signal strength, they could only have been made from this four-block radius."
"Lot of real estate, McGee," Gibbs states while looking at the block McGee highlighted.
"Until you added what I found. Only job Haas ever had in DC was in the six months before he joined the marines. He worked as a night watchman at a clothing factory, lived on-site. The factory closed three years ago," Tony informs us as McGee zooms in on the factory on the map.
"Puts him right in the zone," McGee adds.
...
We arrive at the warehouse and enter through he side door with our guns raise, ready to fire is need be. There is music playing in the room, 'until I die' by johnny cash. We walk down the hallway to see Haas's car in the room. Ziva opens the boot to see that it is empty.
We continue to clear the building and find a radio on the wall above someone's bed.
"Shushed," Ziva whispers to us while stopping us from moving. She asks us after a moment, "Hear that?" Gibbs reaches over and turns the music off, allowing us all to hear flies coming from somewhere. Ziva calls for the elevator which arrives at our floor and opens to show Rudi, dead, almost naked, nailed down to the floor of the elevator. With flies everywhere.
"Guess we found Haas," Tony comments as we lower our guns know that there isn't a threat of Rudi.
...
McGee is shooting the crime scene whole Ducky walked up behind us. Gibbs is taking notes on what he is seeing while I am squatting next to the body without touching it.
"Not quite a stairway to heaven. Perhaps an elevator to a less compelling place," Ducky comments while looking at us. He leans over while placing his bag down, before asking us, "This is he, I take it?"
"Yup," Gibbs asks him.
"Rudi Haas," I add while looking back at him.
"When we're confronted with crucifixion, we immediately think of the romans, but it was used as a form of execution long before them by the Egyptian and the Greeks, and after them, by the Persians, and then, of course, the Japanese," Ducky informs us wile walking up behind Gibbs.
"Duck, I don't have a whole lot of time on this one," Gibbs cuts him off.
"Dad, we have a missing girl and we are against the clock on this one," I inform while looking up at him.
"Yes, I understand, Jethro, Alice," Ducky says to us while squatting down next to me. He continue while looking at the victim, "Obviously at first blush, the uninitiated would pounce upon the theory that he was involved in some sort of macabre or perhaps demonic ritual, but we are not so quick to draw such an easy conclusion, are we, Timothy?" we all turn to face McGee only to see him playing on his camera. He looks at us making Ducky continue while stepping over the body, "Numerous cuts and nicks on his torso and face. Significant bruising of the left arm. Coloration indicates that this bruise predates these more recent wounds. Yeah, someone gripped him, vicelike, and squeezed."
"Yeah, that would have been me, Duck," Gibbs admits to him. Ducky looks up before looking at McGee in warning.
"I'll go see how the others are doing," McGee says while catching on.
"Now, Jethro, I think in this case, there is a totally mundane, though no-less-sickening reason that he was nailed to the floor. They didn't want us to struggle while they tortured him," Ducky informs us.
"Time of death, dad?" I ask him softly.
"Well, now, that is another problem. well, not for me, but for you. Rigor is fully set. He's as stiff as the boards to which he is nailed, indicating a time of death at least twelve hours ago. I'm afraid sergeant Haas was already long dead when Maddie Tyler was abducted," Ducky informs us.
"Damn... he was a good suspected too," I mumble while standing up and placing my hand on Gibbs arm. I continue, "I'll see how the team is doing." I walk back down the hallway to the car that Tony, McGee and Ziva are processing.
"Guy comes back from Iraq, starts stalking a girl he barely knows, trashes her apartment, and then abducts her?" Tony asks them while photographing the keys in the ignition.
"Didn't abduct her," I correct Tony.
"Didn't abduct her?" Tony asks me in surprise.
"Already dead. Tortured first," I inform him while leaning the window of the car.
"He gave them Maddie's address."
"They trashed her apartment. Apparently, they did not find what they were looking for," Ziva comments.
"So they abducted her. whoever they are," Tony continues.
"She must know something."
"Or have something they want."
"McGee," Gibbs calls out to who is working under the driver seat while leaning though the same window I am, and placing his hand on my hip.
"It's a GPS locater, boss. Real time, wired into the radio," McGee informs us while Ziva photographs the GPS locater. He comments, "Our stalker was being stalked."
...
"You're always welcome down here, Jethro, but I've barely started," Ducky comments without looking at us as we walk into autopsy where he has Rudi on the table.
"I'll take whatever you got," Gibbs says to him as we come to a stop beside him.
"Well.. nothing confirmed at this point. No fatal wounds. And there was very little blood loss at the scene. So we can rule out stabbing, bludgeoning and gunshots. No sign of strangulation. There does appear to be some petechial haemorrhaging, which suggests asphyxia," Ducky informs us while looking through a magnifying glass to the victims eyes while Gibbs walks around the table. He continues, "Someone... could have smothered him with a pillow or clamped a hand over his nose and mouth... Jethro, she was abducted more than six hours ago."
"Your point?" Gibbs asks him.
"Well, there's a strong possibility that... look, if I have to explain it, perhaps you are too close to this case."
"What else?" Gibbs asks him while walking away from them.
"Swelling of his face. And there are these lumps and bumps. Could be hives," Ducky informs us while pointing out the marks on the victims face.
"Allergic reaction?" I ask him calmly.
"Wait a minute. It could be anaphylactic shock," Ducky informs us while walking over to pick up the file and walk back over to us where he puts the file on the Rudi's stomach while moving onto the head of the Rudi. "Yes, the most severe form of anaphylaxis occurs when an allergic response triggers the release of large quantities of immunological mediators. This leads to systemic vasodilation. Yes, my suspicions where correct. His air passages are closed up. Probably dead within minutes."
"Allergic to what?" Gibbs and I ask together.
"Seafood. And he wouldn't have to have eaten any of it. Merely coming into contact with it would have caused his demise," Ducky informs us. He continues, "Jethro, just who are you trying to save?" Gibbs stares at him for a long moment while thinking. I walk around the table and put my hand on his arm in support.
"I look at her, I see Kelly, Duck. How it should have been," Gibbs admits.
"Jethro, be careful. Don't let you... somethings... just can't be undone," Ducky informs Gibbs while trying not to hurt him.
"I wasn't there then. I am now," Gibbs states.
"I don't want to see you, cause I don't have anything yet. Working on it as fast as I can, you know how fast that is nobody's faster than me. I am the master of faster, normal, but there's nothing normal about this," Abby rambles as she walks into autopsy and over to us. She turns to face ducky while asking, "Do you have my things?"
"Yes, his clothes and the nails," Ducky says while walking off to get them.
"We're going to find her, Gibbs," Abby promise him. She continues, "We're going to find her. you believe that, right? Don't answer that. Forget I asked. Just..." she trails off while stepping up to him and pulling him into a tight hug. She release him while walking over to Ducky and saying, "Okay. I need all of you to get out of my lab. Let me do my thing. I have all these samples to test and Major Mass Spec is going to blow up in protest if I don't blow up first." We are all looking at her in amusement and she slowly looks up at us and then around the room. She says, "Sorry. This isn't my lab. I'm going to go."
Ducky walks closure to us while looking at Gibbs who returns the look but when he doesn't say anything Gibbs turns and leaves the room with me following him. We hit the button for the elevator because Abby has already left in the elevator but I don't mind waiting for it at the moment. We step into the elevator and begin the long track back up to the squad room nut I hit the stop button.
"Jethro, are you alright?" I ask him softly while turning to face him.
"I'm fine," Gibbs lies.
"It's fine to be worried about her... but she'll be fine. She has the best team looking for her," I inform him calmly.
"I have to protect her... I couldn't protected my family, but I can protected Maddie," Gibbs informs me.
"We well protected her... she will be found, perfectly safe," I promise him while pulling him into a hug which he tightly returns.
"I love you, baby," Gibbs mumbles into my neck while holding me against him.
"I love you too... know lets go see what the team has found on this case," I state while pulling away from him and starting the elevator again.
...
"A high-end item like a GPS locator I figured the manufacturer would keep a record of who it was sold to. Cross-checked the serial number against their records," McGee informs us in the squad room while putting the information up on the plasma above my desk which we are all but McGee standing around the plasma screen. He put the name of how brought the GPS locator.
"Makes Maxie Bordais a big fat liar," Tony comments while looking at Max Bordais bio again.
"And a suspect. Bring him in," Shepard orders us.
...
No pov
.
"Soldier of fortune is about to become soldier of misfortune," Tony comments in the observation room while watching Bordais.
"Dogs of was are about to taste the hair of the dogs," Ziva adds making Tony look at her in surprise.
"Think she's alive?" Tony asks her after a moment.
"After what they did to Haas, maybe it'd be best if she was not."
"Showtime," Tony comments as the door open in the integration room. In walks Shepard followed by Alice and then finally Gibbs who shuts the door behind them while Shepard sits across from Bordais while Alice sits on the end of the table.
"This your subtle way of sending me a message, director?" Bordais asks her as Gibbs stands by the door.
"Nothing subtle about it, Mr Bordais. You are now officially a suspect in this murder investigation," Shepard informs her.
"Want to explain that?" Alice asks him as Gibbs walks over to Alice and throws down the GPS locater.
"GPS locator. Real-time tracking of target vehicles," Bordais informs us.
"Bought by your company," Gibbs states.
"Found in Sergeant Haas's car," Shepard adds.
"Operational," Alice finishes.
"Wait for it. Wait for it," Tony mumbles while watching them, as Bordais looks at all the people in the squad room.
"I need to make a phone call," Bordais informs them while leaning forward in his chair.
"Some of these guys are so predictable. First sign of pressure, and they cave. See that coming a mile away," Tony comments.
"A lawyer is not going to help you now," Shepard comments.
"I'm not calling a lawyer. Calling the pentagon," Bordais informs them while leaning back in his chair. Tony looks surprised at that while Ziva looks happy. Gibbs and Alice look at each other in disbelief without commenting.
"Like I said, hair of the dogs," Ziva exclaims while tapping Tony on the arm.
...
Alice pov
.
"I was assigned as a special investigator with SIGIR. I take it you've heard of us?" Marine col. Stacey Radcliffe asks us proudly in Shepard's office. Radcliffe is standing in front of the desk that Shepard is sitting behind while Bordais is sitting on the conference table. Gibbs and I are sitting on the couch off the side of the office where we can watch everything, Gibbs has his legs crossed while I have my arms crossed while watching.
"Special inspector general for Iraqi reconstruction," Shepard agrees with her that she knows him.
"As I'm sure you're aware, SIGIR was established to audit funds allocated to the rebuilding of Iraq. Unfortunately, substantial amounts of that money are unaccounted for," Radcliffe informs us.
"I heard eight billion dollars in cash. Hundred dollar notes. Plane loads of them," Shepard comments.
"No one denies mistakes were made, director. We're doing the best we can to recover the money to return it back to the Iraqi people."
"What's that got to do with Haas?" I demand of them. We are running out of time.
"Two of my employees were suspected of stealing four million dollars from a vault in Baghdad three years ago," Bordais informs us.
"Names?" Gibbs demands of them while standing up and walking over to them.
"Danny Coyle, brain Judd. Both ex-army," Bordais informs us while Radcliffe hands Gibbs the file of the two men. He continues, "While we suspected them, we never found the money."
"Until two weeks ago. It had never left Iraq. Couldn't move it. Finally, they approached sergeant Haas. He found a way to smuggle the money out of the country. But it appears he got greedy," Radcliffe informs us as Gibbs walks back over to where I am sitting.
"No honour among thieves," Shepard comments.
"Sergeant Haas is the only one who knows how the money's being shipped," Radcliffe informs us.
"His tour was up. He didn't have a lot of time to organize it. We think just a few days," Bordais informs us as Gibbs reads the file beside me as I am looking over his shoulder.
"You were tracking him via GPS?" Shepard asks them.
"Yes," Radcliffe answers her.
"And Coyle and Judd?"
"Until they switched cars twenty-four hours ago. We know the money has arrived. We just have no idea how or where Haas is planning to collect it."
"You know where they are?" Gibbs demands of her.
"No."
"You said you were tracking them," I remind her calmly.
"Were tracking them. As I said, we lost them," she corrects me.
"Compromised?" Gibbs asks her.
"We font believe so," Radcliffe says to us in annoyance. Oh, we are good at annoying people.
"They're very good at what they do. Taking counter measure, changing cars, only turning on cell phones to check messages," Bordais adds.
"They abducted a girl this morning," I inform them calmly.
"We know," Radcliffe informs us making Gibbs get up angrily. That is the wrong thing to say right now, and I don't know if they will survive this.
"You know?" Gibbs demands of them.
"Out surveillance was breaking down, and we were waiting for more manpower," Radcliffe informs him.
"You saw it happen?" Gibbs demands softly.
"We couldn't have stopped it, agent Gibbs, and I resent the suggestion that we placed this operation ahead of the life of that young woman," Radcliffe snaps back at Gibbs in defence.
"Where did you lose them?" I ask her calmly.
"I don't have to share that information with you."
"Where?" Gibbs demands of it."
"Agent Gibbs," Shepard attempts to do it.
"In her apartment, in the street?" Gibbs asks her.
"The next suburb?" I asks next.
"Where exactly did you lose them, colonel?" Gibbs yells at her.
"Enough, agent Gibbs," Shepard overlaps him. Gibbs stares at her for a long time before walking past her and throwing the file down while leaving.
"I think we're done here," Radcliffe says before turning to leave.
"The help we are!" Shepard exclaims.
"There is a murder and kidnapping... you do NOT want to get in our way. We will find Maddie... that's her name is you never bothered to ask who she was. And then we will arrest you obstruction of justice," I promise them calmly.
"NCIS is conducting an investigation into the murder of a united states marine, and I can assure you, I will bring down the weight of this service if you do not give me your at most cooperation. Do I make myself understood?" Shepard adds to my comment.
"Yes, ma'am," Radcliffe answers.
"Where exactly did you lose them?" I demand of her calmly.
...
No one pov
.
"Hey, DiNozzo," Gibbs says while he walks into the squad room from the director's office.
"Boss," Tony responds.
"Abby gets something, you handle it," Gibbs orders him while walking over to his desk.
"No problem, call you right away," Tony answers.
"Is that what I said, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asks him while looking at him.
"I'll handle it," Tony promises as Gibbs removes his gun out of the desk drawl he keeps it in. making everyone watch him as he watches the mail lady deliver letters before turning and walking towards the elevator with director Shepard and Alice walking down the stairs and see him. Shepard rushes to catch up to him while Alice walks into the squad room.
"Jethro," Shepard says when she catches up to him as the elevator arrive. He steps in as she continues, "they think Coyle and Judd might be somewhere down in the old dock district."
"Tell, DiNozzo," Gibbs orders her while pointing to the squad room and hitting the button in the elevator, closing the door on her. once the elevator door is completely closed she walks back over to the squad room where DiNozzo is doing paperwork at his desk.
"Tony," Shepard says while walking up to him.
"Director?" Tony asks her in confusion, what does she want with him know? How does she want him to lie to know?
"Any idea where he's going?"
"No."
"Hazard a guess?"
"Well, he took his badge and his gun. Maybe he's gonna shoot someone," Tony comments while McGee and Alice walk over to Gibbs desk. Alice opens the drawl and hands something to McGee.
"Oh, boy," McGee mumbles while showing everyone that he is holding Gibbs badge.
...
Gibbs dials a number on his phone while standing in the elevator waiting for it to get back to the ground floor.
"This is Coyle. Leave a message," the answering machine of the phone call answers.
"You want your money, call me back," Gibbs says into the phone.
...
Alice pov
.
"This is ground control to major Mc-Tom. Tis is ground control to Major Tom. Is anybody out there?" Tony says to McGee while standing behind McGee who is staring at the plasma screen between Tony and McGee's desk. I am sitting at my desk while looking for any sign of Maddie for Gibbs.
"What?" McGee demands of her.
"Ah... I'm just checking. You've been staring into space for the last hour. Even on the Mc-Geek-o scale that's cause for concern," Tony comments while walking around McGee.
"It's been five minutes, not an hour, and I'm not staring into space, I'm staring at the plasma," McGee corrects him.
"Calling Gibbs?" Tony asks Ziva.
"He is not picking up," Ziva answers before turning to me and adding, "Why don't you call him?"
"Because I don't know if I want that question answered," I inform her without looking up from my computer... I don't know what is worse, calling Gibbs and him answering but not being able to tell me where he is, or him not answering me. Either way I wont know where he is going.
"Worried about him?" Tony asks us.
"Always... but that's what I get for dating an idiot. But he'll be alright. He has to, or I'll kill him myself," I comment while looking up from my computer to look at them.
"Are you?" Ziva asks Tony after a moment of silence while looking at me.
"You be worried about him. I'll be tentatively troubled... privately perturbed... fleetingly flustered," Tony answers her while walking around McGee again.
"Have you called him?"
"I would have to bee deeply discombobulated to even think of calling him. Okay, mc-Tim, you win. What are we looking at?" Tony asks while turning to face the plasma screen.
"What do you see?" McGee asks Tony while looking at a pyramid.
MADDIE Tyler: MISSING photo of Maddie with Gibbs cut out.
______________________
FOUR MILLION DOLLARS: MISSING
______________________
photo of Rudi SERGEANT RUDI, USMC LOGISTICS DIVISION – IRAQ
______________________
photo if max. MAX BOURDAIS, DANNY COYLE, BRAIN JUDO photo of Coyle
photo of Judo
______________________
BORDAIS SECURITY SYSTEMS (BSS)
______________________
COLONEL STACEY RADCLIFFE, USMC, SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR IRAQI RECONSTRUCTION (SIGIR)
______________________
RIGHT BILLION DOLLARS: MISSING FROM TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS TOTAL SHIPPED FROM USA TO IRAQ 2003-2004
"It's an iceberg, and we're headed right for it," Tony exclaims while slapping his hand down onto McGee's shoulder.
"More line the four million dollar tip of an eight million dollar iceberg," McGee comments.
"Forget the four million dollars, I'd settle for finding Maddie," Tony comments.
"Me too... Jethro couldn't and wouldn't survive if we don't find her, and bring her back safely," I comments.
"I've been trying to figure out where she fits," McGee comments while Ziva gets up and walks over to them to look at the pyramid.
"She doesn't," Tony comments.
"For her to have been abducted, they must think she has the money," Ziva comments.
"Or can lead her to the money," McGee comments.
"If she can, she doesn't know. She would have told Gibbs," Tony comments.
"Whose to say that didn't tell Jethro... he isn't exactly the type to tell us everything she knows," I comment while getting up and walking over to them.
"Maybe she doesn't know she knows," Ziva comments as we all turn to face her. she continues, "Sergeant Haas comes back from Iraq , the first thing he does is try to move in with a girl he's dated twice. Why."
"He's a man," Tony comments.
"What does she have that he does not?"
"A bed," Tony answer her.
"A room," McGee overlaps her.
"A place for Haas to stay."
"He had a room at Quantico," Ziva reminds.
"So, what does her apartment have that Quantico doesn't?" McGee asks.
"Privacy," Tony answers him.
"No guardhouse," Ziva adds.
"A street address," Shepard informs us while standing next to Tony's desk.
"A civilian address and civilian mail... hell, you could send Y pestis and no one bats an eyelid," I comment while attempting not to think about the day I almost died and got together with Gibbs... one of the best and worse days of my life. I continue after a moment, "He sent something in the mail... that's why he was stalking her."
"How long does takes a letter to get here from Iraq?" Tony asks Shepard.
"A week. Give or take a day or two. He's from Chicago. No family here. No delivery address," Ziva answers him.
"He wasn't stalking her. He was hanging out to check the mail," McGee releases.
"Get down to her apartment. Find the mailman," Shepard orders us. Everyone rushes to their desk but for me and Tony who is looking annoyed. Shepard slowly walks up to us and whispers "HE figured it out."
"And he didn't tell us," Tony adds. He asks her softly, "You call him?"
She shakes her head yes before asking him, "You?"
"He didn't pick up," Tony admits softly.
...
Gibbs pov
.
I am sitting on Maddie's bed while looking at the photo of Maddie and Kelly... I miss my girls, all of them. I remember them laughing up at me. I remember spinning my daughter around in the back yard of my home... because no matter what house we were in, it was home because my girls made it home... I haven't been home in a very long time, and when Maddie is safe, I am taking Alice back home... and I am not letting her leave all weekend, she is going to be my new home and no one is going to take it from me this time.
'If that diamond ring turns brass
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass,' I sing with Kelly as she sits with Shannon on the garden that I have kept alive all this time.
"Don't go, daddy. Please, please don't go," Kelly begs of me.
"I still think about her, after all these years. Wonder what she'd be like," Maddie says to me as I am ignoring her bad coffee that she made me.
"Like you," I whisper the answer I gave her.
"Excuse me," someone knocks on the door. I look up to see the mail man. I put the photo in my jacket next to the photo of Alice and me in the hospital... I didn't mean to pick that one up but I did anyway. He continues, "Got a registered letter for Rudi Haas. I need to see some ID." I smirk at him while bouncing on the balls of my feet before opening my jacket so he can see my gun. He continues, "I don't want to know." He hands me the clip board and I take it and sign for the letter. I return it to him and he hands me the letter that I have been waiting all day for. I watch him walk away before opening the letter and dropping the envelope onto the ground for my team to find... they need to know that I have the letter and that Maddie's still safe because I have the evidence they need to find the money... and my team will find me in time. I look at the letter but I am having trouble reading it because it is on yellow paper and I don't have my glasses. THAT I DON'T NEED, NO MATTER WHAT ALICE SAYS.
...
No one pov
.
McGee and Ziva come around the corner to see the mail man walking down the street.
"There he is," Ziva exclaims making McGee pull the car up. Ziva jumps out and runs over to the guy while exclaiming, "Excuse me! NCIS. We're trying to locate a letter addressed to Sergeant Rudi Hass."
"Just delivered it," the mail man informs him.
"Okay. Thank you."
...
"How long?" Shepard asks Ziva over the phone as Gibbs phone begin to ring. Tony comes running into the room.
"Five minutes," Ziva answers her.
"Hello, NCIS this is Gibbs phone. He is unable to answers or talk at the moment but if you leave a message, I will give it to him at the next possible moment," Alice answers the phone.
"He signed for a letter. It appears Haas shipped the money out of Iraq as the personal effects of a dead marine. Gibbs must have the receipt. Gone to collect them," Ziva informs her in the apartment while holding the envelope Gibbs dropped on the ground. But there is no other evidence that Gibbs has ever been there.
"Find him, Ziva," Gibbs orders her before handing up.
.
Alice pov
.
"HE beat us too it," Shepard informs us as I hang up Gibbs phone.
"Abby... she's caught a fish," I inform them while walking off to the elevator to go see what Abby found... I hope it will help us find Maddie and Gibbs.
...
"Atlantic bluefin tuna. These pallet nails were sticky with it. The fish oil gets caught in the spiral shank of the nails, it dries, it gets gucky. The more oil, the more gucky. So they're just layer after layer after layer of guck. When they whacked these into his hands, they were like poison darts," Abby explains to us in the lab while holding the nails in the evidences bag.
"How common is bluefin tuna?" Shepard asks her.
"I checked with the fishing authorities. There's very few places that handle it in DC. Most are at the Maine avenue fish market," Abby informs us while putting the nails down and walk over to her computer with us following her.
"That's too crowded," Tony comments.
"That leaves us with... southwestern marine. It's down by the old dock. There was an exporting company there. It closed down a couple years ago," Abby informs us while pulling the address up on a map on her computer.
"Exporting what?" Shepard asks her.
"Can I guess?" I ask her before continuing, "Guck?"
"Guck," Abby agrees with me.
"I'll get McGee and Ziva to meet you there," Shepard informs us as we turn to leave.
.
No one pov
.
Alice and Tony leave the lab, Shepard does to follow them and Abby follows her one step behind her. she turns and says, "Abby."
"Has anybody heard from Gibbs?" Abby asks her sadly.
"No," Shepard answers her.
"I called him and he didn't pick up. He always picks up.'
"Good work, Abby," Shepard says while tapping her arm before turning and leaving the room.
...
Gibbs pov
.
I am standing out the desk while collecting the money as my phone rings.
"Yeah," I answer the phone as a marine comes out with a bag.
"You got it?" Coyle demands of my.
"I got it," I answer him as the bag is placed on the table.
"All right, then bring it to us."
"where?" I demand while signing for the bags.
"Southwestern Marine, main storage building. And make sure it's just you."
"On my way," I state while hanging up the phone. I grab the two bags and leave the building.
...
Alice pov
.
Tony and I arrive at the southwestern marine but it looks completely empty as we get out of our car.
"Something doesn't feel right," I comment.
...
Gibbs pov
.
I walk down the warehouse with one of the bags over my left shoulder. There are two men and Maddie. The older one, Judo, has his gun pointed at me while the younger one, Coyle, has his gun pointed to the scared but Maddie.
"You Okay?" I ask Maddie who nodes at me.
"I'm so sorry," She says to me and I know that she is sorry she came to me to protect her but I am not. I am not going to another one of my girls funerals.
"You're her father?" Coyle demands of me.
"It make a difference if I am?" I demand of him. I throw the single bag of money on the ground between us.
"Not to me. Arms up," Coyle informs me while Judo walks over to me and searches me for the gun as Coyle pointed his gun at Maddie's head... I am going to kill these two.
"Spread 'em," Judo orders me while kicking my legs apart. He holsters his gun while patting me down. He calls out, "He's clean."
"Haas said there were two bags," Coyle informs me.
"Other one is in the trunk of my car," I inform him while reaching into my pocket and get the keys out as Judo checks the bag.
"Yeah, it's good," he says while holding up a bundle of cash.
"You get the keys, I get Maddie," I inform him while shaking the keys in the air.
"Where's the car?" Coyle demands of me.
"Downtown parking lot. I caught a cab," I inform him smartly. He continues to glare at me while watching me, trying to guess if I am lying or not.
"Then you better find another cab and go get it," he orders me while pointing the gun at Maddie's head who gasp in fear.
"Get it yourself," I order him while throwing the keys into the air. Maddie ducks while elbowing Coyle in the stomach. She ducks under Judo who swings the bag at her head as I dart over and punch him in the stomach. I push the two men together and over while ordering Maddie, "Run! In the car! Car!" I push Maddie into the car before getting in myself as well... I look over and make sure that Maddie is laying below the dash while I start the car. Coyle and Judo begin to shoot at the car as I slam it into reverse, so I put my hand on Maddie's head to hold her down while I reverse out of here.
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No pov
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Tony and Alice look through the fence when they hear gunshots as Gibbs backs the car towards the water to get away. The car goes over into the water as Alice and Tony run towards there car. Gibbs attempts to get Maddie out of the car because she is unconscious from the car hitting the water, he then tries to get out himself but the steering wheel is holding his legs in place. He then attempts to smash the windows out but none of them will break for him.
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Gibbs pov
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I watch as the water is broken and then I see Tony swimming towards us, quickly. He tries my door but it wont open so he returns to punching on the glass. He manages to force it away from the fame of the car, I quickly push Maddie out and into Tony's hands. I watch as he swims away with her, at least I saved her... she is safe now. I'm going to die down here and I am okay with that... that is my last thought before everything turns white.
"It's okay daddy," I hear Kelly before I see her... she is so pretty, just like her mother. I look at them, they haven't aged a day... Kelly continues, "It's okay. Go back, daddy. It's okay. Go back, daddy. Go back. It's okay. I love you, daddy. Love you. I love you, daddy."
I look over to see Alice leaning over a soaking wet Maddie who is looking back at me... I finally saved my girl.
"Thank god," Alice gasp out.
...
I run down into my basement to see the lunch box still sitting on the bench where I left it. I am wearing a black long sleeve shirt under a white t-shirt with an old pair of work cargo pants. I walk over to the lunch box and pick it up but I can't open it... it was her treasure and I can't take that from Kelly. I pull the two photos of Maddie and Kelly and me and Maddie out of my pocket. I place the photo down while grabbing the lunch box and my shovel, I will just put that back where I found it.