The only person who's head didn't snap up when Gibbs snapped out "DiNozzo" was the first person who should have responded. Instead, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo was simply staring at the computer screen, barely breathing. Gibbs stalked down the stairs from MTAC, shoulders prepped for a sharp smack to be delivered directly to the back of the unmoving head.
The printer behind him sprung to life and DiNozzo jumped about a foot. He blinked rapidly and looked up at Gibbs with such confused and frightened innocence that the older man's frown transformed from anger to worry. "If there's a game on that screen, we have an appointment in the gym." Gibbs stepped forward, blatantly encroaching upon the younger man's space. He leaned down to speak softly to him, leaving no doubt in his observers minds that a soft lecture was far more dangerous than his loud anger. DiNozzo had, after all, slumped down in his seat and paled at the soft words. "Tell me what happened."
"Look at the screen."
Gibbs turned his head slightly. He stiffened. His icy-blue eyes studied the evolving scene. "Where did that come from?"
"I don't know. I asked Abby to trace it, but. . ." DiNozzo shivered. "Boss, is it okay to be really creeped out right now?"
"Yeah," Gibbs said absently.
"Oh good."
"Faint and you'll regret it."
"I'm a guy. I do not faint. Pass out, sure, but not faint." Tony's voice trembled even as he put his defensive mask back on. Then, he glanced at the screen. He stared in fascinated horror. "It's an underground space. No windows. The door has got to be either old thick wood, or metal like a bunker. The walls are concrete. And that is. . . is a staff sergeant who really doesn't deserve any of this."
"What's his name?"
"His shirt says Rogers, under the blood." Gibbs looked at his second sharply.
"McGee, is there any way to record this feed?"
"On it, Boss," McGee responded.
"Abby's got it recording. I told her not to watch."
"And you think she listened to you?"
"No, but McGee's still and innocent and Kate's still at the doctor's."
"Why didn't you call me?"
"Figured if I spoke, I'd throw up or start screaming. This is not good." Gibbs stood up, drawing Tony's eyes. There was a fine sheen of sweat developing on Tony's brow.
"Get yourself something to settle your stomach from Ducky."
"He has that powder crap right?"
"Yeah."
"Good." Tony seemed steady on his feet, but Gibbs saw him slump against the inside of the elevator as the doors slid shut.
"Will I have to hide the body?" Morrow asked, as he leaned against Kate's currently empty desk.
"Only if he finally gets the backbone up to shoot me," Gibbs informed the Director. "Take a look at this."
Morrow crossed the space in three long paces. He glanced at the screen. He sighed. "You didn't tell me you were hiring a trouble magnet. Just tell me in advance when you're going to start destroying property. Keep me informed." Morrow glanced at McGee.
"Yes, sir." Gibbs nodded and Morrow stepped back. That was the best part of having Tom Morrow as his director. The man knew when to let the leash drop and let his people have the space they needed. "McGee, get me stills from the feed. Just grab them at random."
"I think Tony already did that, Boss." McGee bit his lip. "He told me that if I tried to hack his files that he'd make Kate's spars look like child's play."
Gibbs snorted. "Somehow I have the feeling the phrase, 'I've tortured geeks since high school' was involved in the threat."
"That might have been part of it, but I was a little more focused on the beat you until you can't stand up and lock you in your apartment until Abby pleads for your release instead."
A small smile twitched at the edge of Gibbs' lips. He glanced back at the screen and understood why DiNozzo had gotten so trapped in it. He closed his eyes, then forced them open. Hopefully, he'd find the clue Tony'd been looking for so intently that he hadn't responded. Gibbs frowned, that breach of discipline would have to be addressed. The young man knew better than to not respond. He watched, noting details on the yellow notepad sitting on Tony's desk. His own handwriting was neat and precise, compared to Tony's hastier scrawl.
Tony's hand settled on his shoulder. "My shift," he said quietly. Gibbs gave him a short nod. "Will you go argue with Abby? She thinks she should watch this. We don't even know if it's live or Memorex. I. . . I asked Ducky to come take a look."
"Tony," McGee said hesitantly.
"No." DiNozzo's command was sharp. Gibbs met his eyes for a moment. "Sorry, Boss," he said with a sweet grin that never reached his eyes.
"Not yet, McGee. Find out where this is coming from and how whoever's doing this got into this computer. I want the source found, now." Gibbs let Tony retake his seat. The intimacy of witnessing this was almost as torturous as watching the scene unfold. The victim lay still now. His torturer made a note on a clipboard that he then hung on a hook on the wall. The perp kept his back to the camera. He knew it was there. He snapped a vial under his victim's nose and Sgt. Rogers surged away from it, twisting in his bonds to vomit over the side of the table he was bound to.
"I don't want this one to make it to a cell, Boss," Tony said quietly, "but I think dying is too easy for him."
****
Abby frowned at the computer. It wasn't letting her do what she wanted to do. She was not happy about that at all. And Tony trying to tell her not to look at the feed he wanted recorded? As if that was going to work. Sometimes he was just so naïve. She left her programs running, attempting to get a lock on the feed's source. She opened up the feed and stared. She shivered. "Oh, God," she whispered. She crossed herself. She turned off the monitor. Her eyes widened as she looked at her reflection in the darkened mirror. She checked the clock. "Tony's been watching this for almost half-an-hour, Abigail," she told her reflection. "He'll be off his track and Gibbs will be in a mood, so you better find out where it's coming from so they don't take it out on each other." She pointed a finger at the screen. "Capice?"
She turned to her computers again, then picked up the phone instead. "McGee, come down and hack with me?" she asked sweetly. "Is Gibbs still in his meeting?"
"Uh, let me check. Boss? Abby wants some help." She heard Gibbs' voice indistinctly in the background. "Okay, I'll be down in a minute with my laptop."
"I'll get the cables out. Isn't Kate here yet?"
"Not yet." McGee hung up without saying good-bye, but Abby expected that. She expected that before too long, Tim would pick up plenty of Gibbs' and Tony's habits. It would do him good. The flicked the feed monitor to life again. It was worse going back to it than it had been to turn it on. There was none of the excitement of disobeying orders or the curiosity of the unknown to mitigate the sickening, creeping horror of what she was seeing. She didn't know how long she'd been watching until she heard Tim's strangled gasp behind her. "Is that the feed?"
"Yes."
"God. Turn it off."
Abby shook herself and turned off the monitor. "How can people do that to one another?" she asked, not expecting him to have an answer.
"I don't know. Gibbs went cold up there. He and Tony are taking ten minute shifts watching and taking notes. Kate just got here. She'll analyze whatever they come up with. Tony ordered me to not watch it."
"He was right." Abigail Scuito was not exactly innocent, but she knew she didn't have a strong enough stomach to watch real torture as opposed to mock ups. This wasn't some fantasy. She closed her eyes. "No one should have to watch it. We'll have to remind them to get lunch later. Even a Slim-Fast or something."
McGee nodded. "Tell me what you've been trying."
They settled into their usual positions, sharing a drink. The dark monitor stared at them.
****
Kate Todd did not like being coddled. She watched her teammates through narrowed eyes. "Is this because I'm a woman?"
"No," Gibbs said quietly. "This is so that one of us doesn't want to make this piece of scum scream when we bring him in." He laid a gentle hand on the back of Tony's neck and squeezed. Tony's eyes closed for a moment. He took a breath then looked across the desk to meet Kate's eyes. She startled back, even though she knew the anger in the gaze wasn't directed at her.
"I think you should look for anyone private who's purchased a large amount of concrete and rebar. This place is made to specifications and the bolts look to be concreted into the walls." Tony's voice was colder than she'd ever heard. "I don't think it's a cellar."
"No, it looks more like a cell," Gibbs commented. He'd given Tony the chair, but refused to stop watching. He cursed roundly as something on the screen changed.
"It's live, Kate. Sick bastard. I need to hit something."
"Keep it to the bag. Be back in ten." Kate was shocked by the harsh orders. There was something she'd missed between the two men today. Damn it, she hated being out of the loop. "And don't break anything. I need you field ready."
"Yes, *Sir*." The twisted emphasis on the "sir" shocked her. There was no hesitation in Gibbs' swing. The smack was harder than usual, actually knocking Tony forward. Tony met Gibbs' glare with his own challenge. Then, she could see him giving ground, shoulders softening. "Right, boss. Thank you, boss," he muttered, only partly sarcastic. "I'll go get some coffee." Gibbs inclined his head in permission.
She waited until the elevator doors had closed. "What was that all about?"
"Memories," the former Marine stated. He looked her dead in the eye. "DiNozzo's my responsibility, not yours. Don't push him on this, Agent Todd."
She blinked. "Uh, sure. Right. I'll just get back to the property searches."
****
Tony looked across the room to find Kate studying him again. "Don't you have actual work to do?" he asked. "Study those reports, not me."
"You can't give me orders."
He felt his jaw clench. "Gibbs isn't here. I'm the ranking officer. Get. Back. To. Work." He saw her swallow convulsively and turn back to her computer. He'd frightened her and that wasn't going to help him keep up the façade of frat-boy he'd worked so hard to create. He sighed. "Sorry, Kate," he said softly.
She looked up. "It's okay. You like control and whatever you've been seeing on that screen isn't in your control. It makes sense you'd look for someplace else to get it." A sly smile crossed her face. "But what's up between you and Gibbs today?"
"Control," Tony replied.
She was quiet after that. "He said it had something to do with memories?"
"Leave it." He tried to keep his voice steady but couldn't. "Oh, thank God. Let him be. Better yet get him some health-care, you sadistic prick. What I wouldn't give to lay one of Grandma's curses on you."
"Curses?" He heard the laughter in her voice, and ignored it. He knew that Abby would feel the same way. Maybe she'd even help him, if he could figure out how to do it. Of course, his grandmother had informed him that as a man, he didn't have the power to do it right. It was too bad, because if anyone deserved to be cursed it was the psychopath who'd just had the temerity to put up an "out to lunch" sign over the camera.
"Looks like it's lunchtime in psycho-world."
"And you should do the same," Dr. Mallard said as he approached. "I was about to suggest I collect lunch for the team."
"I'm not hungry, Ducky, thanks," Tony told the older man.
Ducky clucked and shook his head. "That will never do, my dear Anthony. Choose something or I shall."
"Soup then." Ducky nodded decisively and turned to Kate. While they were debating, Tony checked the status of the missing persons search. "Finally, a scrap of information," he muttered to himself. "Now, we just need to find you, sarge." He started scanned through the case-notes, looking for a name and location.
****
Kate watched her partner covertly. He was muttering to himself as he ran searches. It was strange, she hardly ever got to see him in this mode. Normally, he was on the phone or joking with other people in the office. This was the investigator the file she wasn't supposed to have accessed painted. He was too independent for his last lieutenant and too reckless for a partner, so the lieutenant had simply let him investigate as he wanted. There had been nothing but praise from Baltimore and nothing but derision from Philly. From his file, she couldn't see why he let Gibbs get away with half of the things he did.
Gibbs settled behind Tony's desk with a file. The younger man's head lifted, but he didn't move from his place behind McGee's desk. He assessed Gibbs' state of mind quickly and turned back to his work. That was something else, Kate realized, Tony seemed to be overly-aware of Gibbs. She didn't think it was fear. "Did you eat?" Gibbs asked.
"Ducky brought food. Yours is on your desk." Tony cocked his head to the side as he looked at Gibbs. It was too boyish for the moment. Kate frowned, wondering what game Tony was playing this time. "I didn't even steal the chips. Yet."
Gibbs snorted. "Yes, I'll eat it. And yes, you can have the chips when I'm done."
"Thanks." Tony turned his attention back to whatever he was researching.
"Report."
"Staff Sergeant Rogers disappeared four days ago from Camp Lejeune. That's in North Carolina, Kate. He worked at the hospital. He didn't come in for his shift. When they checked his barracks, they'd been trashed and there was blood on the carpet. DNA's still waiting. Nothing was stolen. His wallet and cash were on the table just inside the door. No one saw or heard anything. He works the night-shift and most of his neighbors had gone to work for the day when he got home. There was a swastika painted onto the wall in the front hall."
"Was Rogers Jewish?"
"According to his service records he's Catholic. Doesn't mean anything. My records say I'm Catholic too. Doesn't mean I practice. He was a field medic, then was transferred State-side last year. He never made the mistake of getting married."
"Mistake?" Kate prodded.
"Marine Corps has a 70 percent divorce rate. Mistake," Tony replied. His irritation at being interrupted was easy to see. "He didn't have a steady girl. He barely dated. He was looking to go to Iraq, but the hospital needs people and he's getting close to retirement age. They want to hang onto him for as long as possible."
"How old exactly?" Gibbs asked, frowning. He retrieved the sandwich and drink. He ate quickly, efficiently.
"Forty-three. Went into the Corp at 18. Just a few insubordination write-ups. Nothing serious. Looks like he used to have a problem with getting up on time when he first started, but nothing since then. I don't get it. There's nothing about this guy that screams kill me. There's no hidden finances. He lives within his means. At worst, he's neutral. I'm still tracking his family."
"Kate?" Gibbs prompted.
"I haven't found any large amounts of cement that have been stolen. I'm still working on finding purchases that aren't part of a major construction project. I'm also looking for sites that might support an underground bunker."
"Anyone else having Ng flashbacks?" Tony asked, the wry twist to his lips didn't look much like a smile. "Did you get any work on that profile done?"
"White male, in his mid-thirties. He's been doing this for awhile and hasn't gotten caught. He wants some sort of recognition. This isn't a taunt, he's sharing this. He's got enough money that he can afford to own property and undertake a project like this without anyone wondering why he isn't at work. Something happened that made him snap. I think he lost the person he used to share this with." She paused, frowning. "He probably had some military training, though he might not have been in the service. He might have been a cop, or tried to get onto the force somewhere."
"Medical training?" Gibbs asked.
"Not exactly. I think he learned to torture from someone, not to heal."
"There are books," Tony said, eyes fixed on something on the computer screen. "Bet if you find the right person you can get how-to videos too. Terrorist camp?"
"I'd put my money on survivalist," she said after a moment of thought. "This is a ritual for him. It's very elaborate. He's been doing it for years. He's incredibly controlled. He doesn't have outside attachments to distract him. He thinks he has a right to do this."
"Why the swastika?"
"I don't know."
"Rogers' family was German. He's first generation American," Tony said. "Maybe it's someone who has a thing against immigrants."
Gibbs frowned over his sandwich. "He's back."
"Thank God he's not in Technicolor," Tony muttered.
"Get McGee to figure out what sort of equipment he needs to transmit this. Then, track purchases."
"Right, boss."
****
Abby frowned at the computer. "This is so wrong. It's like the signal keeps moving. It has to be broadcasting from somewhere! This isn't like the usual bounces."
McGee didn't answer. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the screen. "It's been off for two hours. Why didn't we notice?"
"What!"
"It hasn't been transmitting for two hours. The channel was open, but there were no packets transferring."
The phone rang. "Forensics!" Abby called into the speaker phone.
"Abs! McGee! Give me a list of equipment you'd need to make this broadcast." Tony's voice was sharp. Abby hoped it was just an attempt to be heard over her music. "And where could it be found?"
"Any computer store," McGee informed him. "At least for most of it. You'd need a video card and a web-cam. It's not high-quality. Probably some extra memory so that it comes across as smooth. And an internet connection."
"Could it be wireless?"
"Yes."
"Crap. How new would this stuff have to be?"
"A couple years old would still work," McGee seemed apologetic.
"Way to dash my hopes, Probie."
"Sorry."
"Nice twist of sarcasm on that one. Little Probie all grown up." There was a manufactured sniff on the other end of the phone. McGee rolled his eyes. "I'll have Kate add it to her searches. Any idea on the location of this?"
"Not yet."
****
Gibbs looked at his second in command and frowned. Tony hung up the phone carefully. "No luck. McGee says this is standard purchase equipment. They're still trying to track it."
"Still? That's strange."
"Tell me about it. I think McGee is pissed." The young man managed a small smile at that. "So, my turn on the all-evil channel?"
"No, keep working."
"Right, boss." Tony leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. "Could this room be mobile? It might explain why they can't find it."
Gibbs frowned. "Kate, check to see what sort of vehicle could move a cement room approximately 10 by 10. DiNozzo, find me his other murders."
"Right, Boss. I'll run it past the Fibbies too?"
Gibbs grimaced. "What was the name of that profiler in Philly you worked with?"
Tony flinched back as if he'd been hit. "Angie Martins?"
"That's the one. See if she's still available."
"On it." Gibbs stared at the screen. There was a cold rage deep in his stomach. He could understand murder. He could understand control. But this level of sadism was beyond his understanding. Their perp could not be allowed to get away with this.
"Kate, figure out why he chose Tony," he said, as soon as Tony was engrossed in a conversation. Her eyes jerked to his in surprise. She gave him a small nod. She'd seen stills of the damage, but not the live footage. With luck he'd be able to keep it that way.
"Angie says that she'll only come if I'm willing to stand up for her at her wedding."
"At least you can use your tux."
"She's marrying Jimmy. She'll be here tomorrow."
"Jimmy?"
"Jimmy Sands. The bartender I introduced her to after we went belly-up. They're the ones that convinced me to leave Philly."
"Can't wait to meet her."
"Who told you about that case?"
"Lt. Cameron."
Tony snarled involuntarily at the name. "Cameron hated her on sight. One of the reasons I asked her out."
Gibbs raised a brow. "How long?"
"With Angie? Three weeks or so. Working, dating, sleeping, well, not really sleeping, but you know. And there was that incident and I introduced her to Jimmy because I knew they'd get along like crazy. She's intense."
"Intense?" Kate prompted with a sardonic smirk.
Tony didn't bother to look at her. "She taught me a lot. And she probably saved my career."
Gibbs snorted. "Cameron wouldn't have let you go down. I did that interview in person." He felt a smirk on his lips. "It was fun."
DiNozzo looked at him as if he'd just announced that he was taking up hula dancing. "Fun?"
"I won. It was fun."
"Ah. Too bad you didn't kill him."
"Tony!" Kate's scandalized tone made the cop smirk at her lazily.
"Trust me, you'd hate him too."
"And just who are we discussing?" Ducky asked as he rounded the corner. "Anyone I know?"
"I hope not. Jerk who worked me when I was in Philly."
"And how did Angie get permission so easily?"
"Because Angie's one of the best. She's got a lot of leeway. Hopefully, Jim will come to take care of her in the evenings."
Ducky pinned Tony with a look, asking for explanation. "And who would Angie be?"
"Special Agent Angela Martins. One of the best investigators and profilers in the country. Currently she works out of the Philly office."
"FBI?"
"Yes."
"Anything intriguing?" Ducky asked Gibbs.
"Nothing worth having more than one person suffer. Get back to work," Gibbs snapped at his juniors. They turned back to their computers. A new note was pinned to the camera.
"Tomorrow. Same time. Same channel."
****
Tony ran a hand through his hair. "Boss, what if it isn't all cement. What if it's a truck or something?"
Gibbs frowned over the top of his coffee. He'd sent Tony to work at his desk and the younger man had given in gracefully. Well, almost gracefully, or rather graceful if you didn't count whine, moaning, and snapping until he'd received a sharp smack to the back of the head that had, in it's usual weird way, helped him focus. It was still sort of creepy to be sitting at Gibbs' desk. It offended Tony's sense of order. "Figure out what kind of vehicle it could be." Tony nodded an acknowledgement.
"Hello, Killer," a soft, almost growling contralto voice said.
"Psycho," he growled back. Angela Martins hadn't changed much in the four, almost five years since he'd last seen her. Her red hair was coiled intricately on the top of her head. Small gold hoops dangled from her ears. Her once-pretty nose was crooked ever so slightly to the left from being broken. Her suit was a conservative black with a skirt a shade too short and a red blouse opened a button too far. She wore stiletto heels and he knew for a fact that she could run in them if she needed to. Tailoring hid the gun she was wearing. The flair of her skirt hid the gun on knife she kept on her thigh. A thin black choker ringed her neck, showing off her collarbone and the knife scar that ran along it. Her nails were painted blood red and her lips matched. "You look like a stripper."
"Good. At least you'll pay attention to me."
"Attention has never been the issue." He met her eyes, spine stiffening. If he let her get the upper hand now, he'd never get it back. She sauntered across the floor. He met her in front of the desk. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. He slid one hand under her hip-length jacket and under the waist of her skirt to determine just what she was and wasn't wearing. "Ready to get to work?"
"You are no fun today, honestly." She stepped back. In the heels she was only an inch shy of six feet.
"Be good, Angie-cat, and I'll let you torture my rookie."
She looked at him with narrowed eyes. He smiled blandly at her. "You've gotten much better at this," she told him with a cheerful smile. "Jim will be so pleased. You'll be having dinner with us."
"When the case is over."
"So, which of the suspects are you attracted to?" she asked, flicking a glance over Gibbs and then over Kate.
"No suspects yet."
"Damn. I thought this was going to be easy. Rule of thumb, if you're attracted to a suspect, he or she did it." She winked at him.
"And where were you last year when I could have used that advice? Boss, this is Special Agent Angela Martins. Angie, this is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs."
Tony watched at Gibbs and Angie sized each other up. He was willing to lay bets that she hadn't expected Tony to work well with someone as blatantly powerful as Gibbs. She'd known him when he was working for one of the nastiest head-case bosses he'd ever had. She backed down with a sweet smile that reminded him of Abby. He shook that disturbing thought out of his head. In fact, he was considering locking Abby in the lab so the two would never meet. He turned back to work as Angie introduced herself to Kate. "You're cute, in that girl-next-door sort of way. You could manage the Catholic school-girl thing."
Oh, great, like I need that image in my head again, he thought as he glared at Angie.
"Agent Martins, you want to get started rather than bothering my agents?" Gibbs snapped. Angie's eyes flashed with anger.
"Okay, let me see the body."
"It's live," Gibbs informed her. He stood up and let her sit down. He stood behind her, sipping his coffee. He settled a hand on her collar-bone. Tony raised his brows and got a patented Gibbs-smirk.
A nervous clearing of the throat announced Georgie's presence. "Agent DiNozzo, I have a package here for you."
"Thanks, kid." Tony signed for the small package. He didn't recognize the handwriting. He sighed. "I'll take this down to the lab."
Gibbs nodded and left. Angie's eyes were fixed to the screen in excited-horror.
*****
"Okay," Abby said, frowning. "Someone just sent you a crystal ball. Why did someone send you a crystal ball, because if you don't want it, I'll definitely take it."
"Abby."
"Because I know just what to do with it. I have the book and it's all about scrying, but you need a real crystal, not one of those things that you can get anywhere. Those are just blown glass or something. That is a rock crystal and it's big. That's probably at least 1500 in your hands right now. And I cannot believe that someone just sent it to you without anything but some old scarf wrapped around it. Although, the scarf's pretty cool too. Do you think it's actually Victorian? I mean it has the look, but I don't know if it's really silk and silver or what. And those symbols look sort of familiar. But really, that should have been majorly packed with like cotton or something. It could get chipped. But why did they send it to you? Are you hiding something from me, mister? Have you been doing magic or something? Or are you just a gypsy in disguise?"
Tony held up a hand. "Abby!" he snapped. He sounded just like Gibbs. Abby shut her mouth with a snap.
"I don't know who sent it to me. I do know that it's real crystal. The scarf is silk, and you're supposed to insulate these with silk. I have a feeling that it's a clue for something. No, I have not been practicing magic. And yes, I have gypsy blood, but it's through my mother's mother, so I wouldn't have any power, even if I were going to use magic."
She stared at him. "Truth?"
He smirked. "Guess."
Her eyes narrowed. "Liar. Okay, take the crystal, leave me in the dark, see if I care."
"You just track down the sick bastard who's killing our boy. I'll worry about tracking who sent the package. I'm going to do the scut-work, you run the tests, deal?"
"Deal. But don't you dare put anything other than fingerprint powder on that crystal, you hear me?"
"Got it. By the way, FBI's upstairs. McGee, you don't want to get involved with her today. Give her a day and she'll be approachable."
"And she's not approachable because you put her in a mood?" Abby asked. So, she was being a little snarky, but honestly, Tony did not get to order her around in her own lab unless Gibbs was missing.
Tony sighed. "She's in a mood because she's insane. She wants to see if she can get me back into bed or something, even though I know her fiancée is here and we're good friends. I think she's just playing predatory because she gets a kick out of shocking people. She's not wearing anything under her skirt except her weapons and some thigh-highs. She really should."
Abby froze. "And how do you know this?"
"I gave her a hello grope like she wanted." Tony shrugged as he pulled on a set of latex gloves. He turned his attention to printing the crystal. He obviously didn't notice McGee gaping at him. "I mean really, she looks like a call girl and I think Gibbs is going all butch and drooling already because she's a red-head."
"I need to see the surveillance tapes of this one," Abby stated.
"Hey, Killer!" A joyful shout said from the doorway. "What sort of pressie did your current serial killer get you anyway? Get upstairs and read his note."
"He can do it here." Abby turned on the monitor. Tony spun on his stool and looked at the screen. The new woman settled on his lap, straddling his knee.
"I don't even know what language that is," he said. He ran a hand absently up her leg and under the edge of her skirt to rest on her thigh. "Do you think it's a code?" Abby hated her instantly for that. This wasn't her Tony. This was letch-Tony who normally only showed up under-cover. He'd never turned that strangeness on her and she was glad. It just creeped her out to see him doing it with an FBI agent of all things.
"No, I think he expects you to understand it. So start thinking. He's trying to bridge the gap."
"No, really? You think? And you get paid for that sort of thinking?" Tony demanded.
She put one red-nailed finger over Tony's lips. "I was wrong. React. Don't think."
Tony was staring at the screen again. His eyes narrowed. "I need to make some calls. Did those other cases pan out?"
"I think you've found at least two of them."
"The swastika is important."
"Very."
Tony looked at the crystal ball. "Let me finish printing this. Then, I'll do some phone work. You can find the rest of his kills."
"I'd rather stay with you." The FBI agent pouted.
"Too bad. Upstairs," Tony ordered. She sighed, but acquiesced. Once she had left the lab, Tony spoke again. "Abs, do you know any linguists? We need to identify the language, even if we can't translate it."
"Well, there was this one guy I was dating. I'll see if he's home. He travels a lot."
"Thanks."
"So what's the story with her?"
"Ex-girlfriend. She's engaged now."
"And she's acting like that?" McGee squeaked.
Tony chuckled. "Jim would be more disappointed if she didn't flirt with me. For some reason he likes knowing that she's all his even when she's flirting." He shrugged. "It doesn't bother me, though I'll probably have to set the limits a little tighter so Gibbs doesn't get mean."
McGee stared at Tony for a moment, then his eyes narrowed. "Define limits?"
"Only torturing you and not being quite so blatant when there's security cameras watching us. She's only doing it to prove she can. Besides, from what I know, Gibbs will put her in her place if I don't. He just won't be as nice as I will."
Abby grinned wickedly. "So, you and Gibbs huh? Can I get pictures?"
Tony blinked at her, confused. Then, his cheeks flushed and his eyes got distant. "Okay, I didn't need that mental picture right now."
Abby laughed outright at that. "But it's such a nice picture."
"Thought you needed music for that." He turned back to his work.
"I've got music playing. You're just so used to it that you tune it out."
"No, I have earplugs, you just can't see them."
"I turned it down just for you." She batted her lashes. "Any luck on prints?"
"I've got a few. With my luck, it'll end up being the store clerk that sold it."
"Go on. Keep Gibbs from shooting your ex-girlfriend. And I want stories later, by the way."
Tony grinned at her. "I figured." He headed out of the lab. "Don't forget to talk to your linguist," he called over his shoulder.
****
Kate studied the FBI agent for a long moment. Gibbs had disappeared for a coffee and Tony was watching the feed. Angie was watching Tony. "Why do you call him 'Killer'?" Kate asked her.
She smirked. "Because he fits the profile. White male between the ages of 25 and 35. Difficulty in maintaining meaningful relationships with women. An interest in law enforcement."
"Angie-cat, shut up before I call your husband." Tony's voice was silky and dangerous and Kate couldn't help but stare. He blinked, then smiled boyishly at her.
"Tony-sweet, have you called Rafferty yet?"
"Why would I do that? I haven't caught this one."
Kate and Angie both looked at him in confusion. Kate's "Who's Rafferty?" was drowned out by Angie's "What does that have to do with the tea in China?"
"I only talk to Rafferty when I've been successful. I write to him and send him pictures and things whenever I feel like it. But I only talk to him or call him when I have something enjoyable to share."
"And enjoyable is having caught a killer, not just chasing one? He'd love to be in on the hunt."
"Last resort." Tony's mouth tightened. "Besides, the warden doesn't like me to get him too hyped up."
"Hyped up? Rafferty? What's he going to do? He's kept in isolation."
"I've tried to convince them that they should let him into general population. He'd have a lot more fun there, but the warden's worried about body-count."
"It would be a solution to overcrowding if he could pick off the ones who haven't really started yet," Angie said. "He's good at picking out potential. I studied everything he ever did. It's incredible how much information he gathered."
"Don't taunt a dog on a leash," Tony informed her. "I can't let him hunt, so I don't talk to him about hunting. That's why he won't do interviews."
Angie snorted. "Are you enjoying your viewing?"
Tony ignored her.
"Who's Rafferty?" Kate tried again.
"Rafferty Connely," Gibbs said as he walked into the area. "Back to work, DiNozzo." He pulled the younger man up from his chair.
"But, boss," Tony whined sarcastically, "it's just getting to the good part. You know, when he turns and puts his face to the camera so I can see who he is."
"Figure out why he picked you."
Abby bopped into the center of the desks. "It's some form of Romany."
"What is?"
"The note," Abby rolled her eyes. "So he thinks you're a gypsy."
Tony frowned at her for a long moment. "Oh. Damn. Boss, I need my address book."
"Don't you have it all on your PDA?" The young Goth put her hands on her hips.
"Only ones I need often."
Gibbs opened Tony's backpack and took out the thick, leather bound organizer. He pitched it with a soft under-hand toss. Tony caught it and flipped it open. Abby frowned. Tony ran through the pages quickly, looking for his own arcane version of notes. He dialed Gibbs' phone, then flipped the planner shut. "Dr. Jameson? This is Tony DiNozzo. I'm part of the gypsy project? Yeah, I know, I'm not terribly enthusiastic about it, but. . . no, Grandma's fine, thanks. Last I heard she was threatening to sue my father for being an idiot and she wants my lawyer involved. And no, she's still not talking to you, doesn't speak the dialect any more and considers herself gadjo now. I need two things, first, have you shared that clan-list with anyone recently? And second, do you know anyone who can translate Romany?" Tony rubbed his temple. "You seriously want blood for that?" He bit his lower lip. Abigail and Gibbs both reacted with raised brows. "Yes, I'll give you a vial for your genetic tracing, but I want the list and a translator by the time I get there." He hung up without saying goodbye. "That man is creepy. Hey, Abby, you want to come to the Holocaust Museum with me? Dr. Jameson will meet us there in about an hour."
"Holocaust Museum? Like behind the scenes? Sure. Not as cool as a date with Ducky under the Smithsonian, but still cool. Can I?" she asked Gibbs. She was trying out puppy-dog eyes. Kate rolled her eyes. Gibbs melted as he always did. He nodded. "Yes!" She gave him a hug. "I'll go get a print out of the screen." She practically skipped out of the room.
Angie snorted. "So, is she your new girl? I didn't think you went in for the Goth-look anymore. I mean, considering the lack of eye-liner. Although, it would explain the looks I got down in her lab."
"From Abby? Nah, she's just a good judge of character." Tony slung his back-pack onto his shoulder and leaned against Gibbs' desk. "And just because I wear eye-liner better than you do, doesn't mean you get to whine about it."
Kate's eyes narrowed. She really didn't like this Feeb.
"Meow, meow. Connely should have kept you on a choke collar."
"Raff likes me better than you." Tony batted his lashes. "What else should I ask Dr. Jameson about?"
"The killer seems to be targeting people of German descent. See if he can get you a list of names of concentration camp guards. Especially for the camps in Poland."
"Gram was in Treblinka," Tony offered. The rest of his team stared at him. "What?"
"I thought your grandmother was Italian."
"No, she married and Italian-American soldier who helped her after the camp. If she'd gone to Auschwitz, she'd probably be dead. But she was sent to a work camp because she was the lover of the Nazi official who was doing the paperwork." Tony shrugged. Abby stopped by the desk with the print out in hand.
"Ah, so that explains your tat issues. Come on, tell me all about her and about this doctor we're meeting. Creepy can be good." She hooked her arm through Tony's.
"Nah. None of your boys are creepy like Dr. Jameson. He's creepy in that sociopathic scientist way." Kate hid a smile as the two left. She didn't want to give Martins anything to work with.
****
Abby tangled her fingers into Tony's hair while he drove. Her grip tightened. "Slow down or else," she stated. He glanced at her with a quick grin. “I’m warning you. I will throw up on this nice interior.” That got the car slowed down. “So, does Agent Slutty’s fiancé know what you’re really like?”
“He should. He’s my ex.” Tony put a finger to his lips. “Shhh. Don’t tell Gibbs.”
“Are you kidding me? That kind of blackmail material will be kept for a rainy day. And to completely jump subjects, when are you going to introduce me to your pet serial killer?”
“What is ‘never in this lifetime’, Alex.”
“Bzzt. Wrong answer, Tony. I want to meet him. You at least have to get him to autograph my forensic psych text.”
“That I can manage. God, I hate traffic in this area. Think Gibbs will go freaky if we stop for Chinese before we head back?”
“Only if you don’t bring back a heavy dose of pork lo mein for him.” They shared a smile.
“Can’t forget the egg rolls. Are you going to let go of my hair any time soon?”
“Nope. I want you to look debauched when we get there.”
“Abs, are you getting territorial because of Angie or are you just trying to get Gibbs to smack me for getting laid on company time?”
“Actually, I heard rumors that you know Connely in a Biblical sense and want details, but watching Gibbs smack you is fun too. You know, if you weren’t such a sub, he wouldn’t get such a kick out of it.”
Tony laughed. “Trust me, if you’d known me when Angie met me, you’d hate me. Raff made sure I could hold my temper. She and my boss back then,” Tony shook his head. “Let’s just say, just before my enforced two week vacation with Raff, I screamed at my boss so much that I lost my voice for a day and a half.”
“And you didn’t get put on suspension?”
“Nah, he liked it. He screamed at me. I screamed at him. Didn’t matter because I was still the best and he was my boss. He knew I’d do what I was told as long as I could yell about it first. He used to wind me up just to watch me spin.”
“Like Gibbs frustrates you to see how long you’ll take it.”
“No, Gibbs I work for willingly. Okay, we’re going to have to walk from here.” Tony parked the car.
“Just a second.” Abby ruffled his hair and kissed him. “There, that’s better.”
He laughed and found a tissue to wipe the lipstick off with. “You are a tease.”
“You could try asking me out.”
“Gibbs would castrate me.”
****
Angela Martins was well-aware that she was insane. It was part of why she was so good at getting inside the heads of killers. She also had a taste for very dangerous activities. She’d learned that at the feet of the master of dangerous activities Rafferty Connely. As far as she knew the serial killer-serial killer had six law enforcement students. Tony was the one who’d managed to get enough evidence to catch him. That meant he was the golden child. It also meant that he was more dangerous than he appeared. She smirked to herself. He’d always been dangerous.
The man on the screen who was getting such a kick out of his tortures? He wasn’t dangerous enough to be appealing. She started her profile on the notepad Tony kept on his desk. He believed that his victims deserved this treatment. He was utterly dispassionate about the actual torture, as if it were just a set series of motions. Except, there was a shake in his right hand every so often when he had held a knife over the man’s chest. He was controlling his impulse to go for a kill shot.
“Are you trying to impress him?” she murmured at the screen. “Do you just want his attention or are you showing off thinking he’ll be proud of you?”
Agent Todd was talking quietly on the phone. She didn’t know who she was talking to, but it seemed to be professional and not personal. Too bad, it would have been nice to get some more on her. Angela tapped her pen on the pad. She jumped when a ball of paper hit her on top of the head. She looked up sharply, but couldn’t identify her attacker. Her eyes narrowed, this could easily become a war. She started tapping the pad again as she watched.
Yes, there it was – the crack. She had him. She hoped she could be there when this one went down.
****
“I’ve got lists. Do you have the profile?” Tony asked as he settled on the corner of Gibbs’ desk. He didn’t know if he wanted comfort or power right then, but being near Gibbs gave him both. Kate raised her brows. Angie looked up from the screen, a hunting smile on her face.
“I’ve got it started.” She crooked a finger at him. “Come look.”
“Share with the class, Angie-cat,” he chided.
“He’s between twenty-five and thirty. Younger than Tony by enough to make him feel it. He moves around a lot. He’s not used to staying as still as this little adventure is forcing him to. He’s broken his usual patterns in order to get Tony’s attention. He wants approval. He wants to impress you. He’s taking more time with this kill than he usually does, so his other kills aren’t this elaborate. We need to be looking for men of German decent in their mid-thirties who had a swastika painted on the wall or on their bodies. There’s going to be a slew of them, I’m sure. He only uses a knife, not a gun, so that should narrow things down.
“He is looking for revenge for what he sees as the death of his family. He thinks that Tony will be impressed by that and might be willing to help him. He wants connection, family.”
“Clan,” Tony corrected smoothly.
She dipped her head in acknowledgement. “He’s transient. No fixed address. What we’re seeing is something that can move. He wouldn’t invest in a piece of land. There’s a rhythm and balance to his cuts that makes me think he’s working off of a prior plan or ritual. I think he orchestrated this. And he’s not used to this much blood. He’s developing a taste for this amount of elaboration.” She frowned. “He may be trying to recreate something he was told about. He’s using their money and goods. What was missing from this victim’s home?”
“We don’t know. There was nothing obviously missing like a television, but we don’t have a way of knowing what should have been there. He was single.”
“Damn. He’s fencing things. Probably does odd-jobs for cash as well. He just doesn’t have a steady job.”
“Could he be something like a drug salesman? Someone who travels a lot?”
She considered that for a long moment. Tony watched her eyes focus inward. “No, I don’t think so. Nothing slick. He does construction maybe. Or something on a level with that. Firmly lower middle class. Although he’s good with technology. He might be doing freelance computer work, the sort of thing you could learn at ITT. Or laying out fiber networks. His family died recently. They were the ones keeping him steady. That’s why he’s looking for someone new. On the lists, weed out anyone with a wife and family.”
Tony nodded. “McGee, did you get anything on this guy?”
"I’ve narrowed the broadcast range down. He’s somewhere in Virginia, Maryland or Pennsylvania.”
“DiNozzo, report,” Gibbs said before Tony could snap at the younger agent. He looked over his shoulder at Gibbs who looked at him levelly. Damn the man for knowing when to pull him up short.
"I've got all the lists that Dr. Jameson had. Took three vials of blood, but I'll find a way to get reimbursed for that." Gibbs snorted. "And I have a list of people who have accessed those lists in the last year. It's longer than I'd hoped. Looks like there's been a resurgence in interest. Could be part of the whole ancestry craze. I'll start winnowing. Unless you want me to take over watching?" He raised his brows at Angie. She gave him a sly smile. She shook her head. She was enjoying it far too much. Not as much as she would someone with a more established pattern, but enough to be creepy to someone who didn't know her. It didn't bother Tony. Once you knew Rafferty, there was nothing that anyone could do to really creep you out.
"What was the translation?"
Tony sighed. "It was crap. It said 'Come join me, cousin, and have our revenge.'" Tony rolled his eyes. "It confirms part of the profile, but beyond that, it wasn't helpful. It did narrow down the clan lists though because of the dialect."
"But he's part of whatever clan you are," Angie stated. "That's why he wants your attention. He didn't pick you because you're a cop or he's from the area. He picked you because you don't have direct clan either anymore because of your relationship with your father."
"He couldn't know about that. It's not in the records. Only the line through my grandmother and mother."
"Are you sure? Is your father in the records?" she pressed.
He frowned. "No. Gram didn't talk about him. She couldn't stand him."
"So he thinks you're without a clan too." She nodded to herself. "He's trying to get revenge for the Holocaust. I think he's trying to recreate he heard something his grandparents talking about."
"Great. Now tell me how to find him."
She smirked at him. "He wants you to find him, Killer. Not me. There's something here for you and you alone."
Tony's eyes met hers for a long moment, brain clicking too fast for him to really grab any of the thoughts. "Stop looking in the Virginias, McGee. He's in Maryland or Pennsylvania."
"How do you know that?" Kate asked.
"If he wants me to find him, he'll be someplace I've been. Philly, Baltimore, DC. I don't go to Virginia unless I'm pulling Gibbs out from under his boat." Gibbs snorted behind him and Tony felt his lips curl up in satisfaction. It wasn't often he got a strong reaction from his boss. That didn't stop him from trying. "Will that help your broadcast search?"
"Yes." McGee's fingers were already moving to change the programming.
"Any luck on the family background?" he asked Kate.
She shook her head. "I don't know why he picked this victim."
"He has the right look,' Angie said calmly. "He looks like he could have been a camp commandant."
"No," Tony stated. "Look farther back. We need to know what his family was doing in the thirties and forties. This one is specially picked for me. Look up the guard names for Treblinka." He kept hold of Angie's eyes as he spoke.
"You think he's trying to get revenge for your grandmother?"
"Yes."
Angie crooked her finger at him. "You'll think better over here." She stood up. He took his seat after dropping the list on his desk. He glanced at the screen. Their killer was taking a break.
"Do you think he's moving the site?" he asked the profiler as she settled in his lap. She curled an arm around the back of his neck. He could smell the excitement on her skin. He wrapped his right arm around her waist. He answered his own question. "No, because he expects me to find him. He's also found someplace he feels safe. McGee can't trace his connection any further because. . ."
"Because he has someone on the inside," Kate murmured. "That's how he got the receiver on your machine. One of the tech people must have put it in for him. She reached for the phone. Tony assumed she would call personnel.
"Someplace safe," Tony he whispered. "Not the pier, too much traffic. Not a warehouse, it's too big. A campsite maybe. He could have built this into a trailer of some sort."
"Define safe," Angie purred into his ear. She ground against him as she shifted. He knew what she was trying to do, and unfortunately it was working. He settled his hand on her knee, holding her still as he thought.
"Someplace where he knows the terrain. He understands it. It's off-season, if he's at a campsite. An RV park or something. The walls aren't concrete, that's why he gagged him. He can't let the sound escape." He closed his eyes and let her snuggle closer. "He has to have a place to clean up outside of the camera's view, but before can go outside. This can't be the first person he's kidnapped. He had to practice. Just like playing an instrument."
****
Kate frowned at the tableau. Martins was theoretically engaged, but she was more than flirting with Tony. If she pushed any further, it was going to be an issue for HR. For all intents and purposes they were heavy petting in the middle of the office. If it weren't for the creepiest conversation she'd ever heard going on with it, she'd be telling Tony to just take her down to autopsy or something and get it out of their systems.
"Does he get off on the torture?" Tony asked her, voice low and velvety.
Martins stroked his cheek and nuzzled his hair. Kate's eyes narrowed, hair that was surprisingly rumpled after a long lunch with Abby. Abby wouldn't, would she – not with Tony. Martins seemed to enjoy the feel of it on her face. "No. Not the torture, but he does get gratification from the kill. This is just to get your attention. The way Bledsoe did in Philly by leaving you packages of organs."
"But Bledsoe did that for all his victims. This one's been functioning for awhile."
"No, not that long in the scheme of things. Not like Green River or BTK. Maybe a year at the outside. He got lonely. He knows he needs a family. He can't do this on his own."
Tony made a hum of attention, but his eyes were closed. "What does he need, Angie-cat? What should I give him to come to me? An announcement in a the papers? Something on-line? Or do I just find the tech that's helping him and lean on him?"
"Find the tech. Then, we'll figure it out. You need to go to him, he won't come to you."
"He thinks I'm nomadic."
"Aren't you?"
"Been over two years here."
"There's reasons for that though. It's not just the job?"
"No, not just the job," Tony answered. "He wouldn't want to be in Philly. Why compete with Raff?"
"What address does that list have for you?"
"DC. But there's no place he'd feel safe in DC."
"What does he need to stay hidden?"
"He's not hiding. He's acting the way he always has. He's only hiding his victim."
"Call Raff."
"No."
"Tony," Angie purred at him. She ground into his lap. "Where is he?"
"Maryland," he said firmly.
Kate's phone rang. "Hello?"
"I have the listing of techs you wanted, Agent Todd," the young man on the other end of the phone said. "You'll need to review it in my office though."
"I'll be right down." She hung up. "Tony, I need that list."
Tony leaned forward. He handed a copy to her. She didn't let herself glare at Martins. The profiler only glanced at her. Her fingers were curled around Tony's tie. It looked as if she were tightening it. Tony gently moved her hand away. "Not my thing," he murmured. "That's all yours." Martins' fingers found his lapel and wrapped around that instead. Her partner's eyes were distant and unfocused when he leaned back in his chair. She was fairly certain it was how his eyes looked behind his lids when he was "meditating". She left them there and went to do something that might actually give them hard evidence to support the profile that Martins was giving them.
****
Gibbs watched Tony through narrowed eyes. The instant he didn't feel the case was being helped by Martins' actions, he'd step in. Right now, while it was annoying, it wasn't detrimental. He still started a mental note to defend their actions to HR. Heavy petting in the office was frowned upon. That was a shame really because just look at the show they were putting on. He corralled his thoughts. He looked down at the copy of the background information Kate at dug up about their victim. He wasn't a stand out in any way beyond being considered reliable. He had a few reprimands and a few commendations in his file. He seemed pretty much an average man, doing an average job. He didn't have a lover that anyone knew about. There had to be something interesting about the man, but they had yet to find it.
"DiNozzo," he barked.
"Yes, Boss?" Tony looked at him with the hazy, half-focused eyes he got when he was busy thinking.
"How did he get access to the living quarters?"
"He asked someone to let him in. A woman. So he could 'surprise' his lover."
"She let him into the apartment or just onto the base?"
"Smuggled him out of the hospital side. He took the victim's car to leave. No one looked at the driver leaving the way they would have coming onto the base."
"Find her."
Tony's eyes sharpened. He'd been given a target to hunt and that always worked to excite him. He left Martins to her own devices and sauntered across to Gibbs' desk. He gave Gibbs a slow, seductive smile. "Can I use your computer?"
Gibbs nodded, rolling back with the print outs he was reading. Tony stopped his chair with a foot. Gibbs raised a brow. Tony leaned down to murmur into Gibbs' ear. "She's going to need to take a break soon. Somewhere private or she'll spin me up too high and we'll get into trouble. Smack her down. Take control or she's going to keep pushing the envelope." He winked. "Just don't really smack her. She'll think it's foreplay."
TBC