Chapter 1



Agent Emma Jordan was outraged. Walking from her closet to the open bag on her bed, "I can't believe the FBI is just handing this case over to NCIS." She said to her best friend and partner, Drew Toscani. "They don't know what they are doing. They don't know what this guy is capable of and they're just going to turn this case over to some Navy cops?" She sighed and zipped her suitcase closed.



Grabbing her bag and her purse, she headed for the door. Drew grabbed her keys from the table by the door. "You aren't going to want to leave your car parked at the airport. I'll drive you."



Emma looked at Drew seeing understanding. "Thanks."



-------



Emma sat back as the plane took off. Closing her eyes, she thought about the scene at her boss' office.



Flashback



"It's the same M.O. Charlie!"



"We don't know it's him, Emma."



"That's bull and you know it." She told Charles Madison. "I was this close to him 18 months ago and then he dropped off the radar. Nothing has matched his M.O. until now. Our own profiler told you he would resurface. We have to take this case."



"I'm not taking this case, Emma. You'll have to deal with it. You have a partner that relies on you."



Emma put her head on her hands and mumbled, "I have a partner that's taking her vacation this week."



Charles looked at her. "So why don't you take some of this unused leave you have?"



Emma peaked at him from over her fingers. "Me? Take vacation?"



"Yes you, Emma. Take a vacation. I don't think you've ever seen Washington DC, have you?"



Emma raised her eyebrow. "DC huh? You're right. I've never seen the capital."



Charlie picked up the phone. "Why don't I go ahead and get your paperwork ready for you to sign?"



Emma rose from her chair. "I appreciate that Charlie. See you soon?"



"Be careful though, Emma. It's dangerous this time of year."



"You got it boss." Emma said as she walked through his door to sign her leave paperwork.



End Flashback



The plane touched down and Emma opened her eyes. She had been going over the case history in her mind figuring out what she would tell NCIS Director Shepard. Getting her bag from the overhead compartment, she filed off the plane with the other passengers.



Hailing a taxi, she gave him the name of her hotel then changed her mind. Her bag was a weekender and she could shoulder it while at NCIS. Asking the driver to take her to the Navy Yard, she watched the buildings fly by still working on what all to tell Director Shepard.



When the driver pulled up at the guards, Emma rolled down her window and produced her ID. They searched the car top to bottom and looked through her clothes. Finding nothing suspicious, the guards raised the bar and let them in. She walked in the building and met yet another guard. This one offered to keep her bag downstairs while she was shown up to the Director's office. She handed it over and walked with her escort to the elevators. At the ding, the elevator doors slid open once more and she was led through a squad-room. She could feel people staring at her but the one that made an imprint on her mind was the man at the first desk she passed by. He was older with silver hair and obviously the team leader. He was talking with a woman that didn't move as Emma nearly brushed her. The woman was blonde and wore an Army uniform. The others she classified by first sight as well. The tech, the foreign agent and the playboy. Tech because he was typing away at his computer and not paying attention to what was happening around him. The foreign agent because of the accent she heard before the woman slammed her phone down. And the playboy because he looked up at her and grinned a "hi there, busy later?" smile when she passed him.



Finally she was introduced to Cynthia, the Director's assistant. Now all that was left was to explain her line of reasoning to the woman and hope she hadn't flown all this way in vain.

Chapter 2



"Who was that?" Tony asked after the mystery woman was shown up the stairs.



Ziva shrugged and turned away when she noticed Gibbs glaring at Tony for getting off track.



McGee looked up from his pc and looked around. "Who was who?"



Tony smiled at him. "See Timmy? A pretty young woman walks by and you don't even notice. What's wrong with this picture?"



"There's nothing wrong with this picture DiNozzo." Gibbs told him. "McGee is working on the case. What have you been doing?"



Tony sat up in his chair. "Can I turn your attention to the plasma, Boss?" Once everyone was looking at the screen, Tony brought up the pictures of the deceased couple. "Lee and Paula Jackson, married two years next month. They met while on leave in the Bahamas. Lee Jackson is 42, Paula is 26. He's a Marine, she's in the Army. Sergeant Major Lee Jackson, time in service, 24 years. He was last stationed at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina. Corporal Paula Jackson, time in service, 8 years. She was last stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. According to both of their commanding officers, they traveled each weekend to see each other."



"According to their workmates, they also spent a lot of time texting and emailing one another." Ziva added.



"I've been working on accessing their emails since we got back boss. For the most part, nothing in the emails indicates there were any problems in the marriage." McGee told Gibbs.



Tony's nostrils flared and he clenched his jaw. "They were on vacation in DC for the week. Taking in the sights and celebrating their anniversary a month early."



"No ideas on motive for killing them?" Lt. Col. Hollis Mann asked them all.



In response there was a chorus of "we're working on that" before they all scattered.



Gibbs walked to the elevator, Mann following close behind. As he reached for the button the doors slid open. Special Agents Fornell and Sacks stepped out.



"Fornell." Gibbs said with a question in his eyes.



"Not here for you Jethro. The Director herself called us in." Fornell informed him before brushing past him.



Gibbs and Mann watched them as the two Federal Agents made their way up the stairs. Turning, they entered the elevator. When the doors closed, Hollis reached out and stopped it from descending to Abby's lab.



"Hollis…" Gibbs started.



"Jethro, I know this isn't the time or place, but I have to tell you something." She smiled when he looked into her eyes. "What are they telling you Jethro?"



He smiled, the small one that she really found attractive. "They're telling me whatever you're about to say is a relief to you."



She nodded. "Yours are telling me this will be one to you as well. I've been offered a transfer and I've decided to take it. It's an advancement and a location change." At his look she told him, "I know you weren't interested in anything long-term with me, Jethro. I wasn't really looking that far ahead myself. I've never been the kind of woman meant to settle down anyway. So I just have to know, are we all right?"



With his penetrating stare, Gibbs asked, "What are my eyes telling you?"



Hollis smiled and started the elevator again. "They said they've enjoyed what we had."



-------



"Agent Fornell, Agent Sacks." Director Shepard greeted the two men that entered her office.



Emma stood, waiting for an introduction or some type of acknowledgement. Agent Sacks nodded in her direction but Agent Fornell ignored her and spoke directly to Director Shepard.



"I've spoken with the Chicago office. They are not pursuing this case as an extension of their investigation. Our Director has decided to leave this decision in your hands as to whether we help or not. I do feel with Agent Jordan's experience in tracking this killer that, if it is the same person, her help would benefit your investigation."



Agent Fornell turned and addressed Emma. "I was told by your boss that you are technically on leave. If Director Shepard decides to allow you to help, the leave will be cancelled and you will be temporarily assigned to our offices in the Hoover Building. Working with Gibbs, I wouldn't expect to see you there much except for your paperwork."



Emma nodded. "I appreciate that, sir."



The three agents turned to face Director Shepard. She took a moment and then decided, "Agent Jordan, you'll be helping on this case if the evidence proves your theory. I'll have Cynthia show you to the conference room while I check this out."



"All due respect Ma'am, if I could come with you I would probably be able to tell if this killer is the same or not." Emma spoke quickly.



Director Shepard's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Agents Fornell and Sacks will also join us. You have reviewed the case file, correct Agent Fornell?"



Fornell nodded. "Yes I have."



"Good." Director Shepard said. "Let's go talk to Ducky."

Chapter 3

"Hello Director. I was just about to fill Jethro in on my findings." The older man in the surgical gown said.

Emma walked past him and looked first at the man, then at the woman. Before the doctor could speak, she started pointing things out. "They were both bound judging by the marks on the wrists and ankles, mostly likely facing each other at some point. They struggled as well or the bruising wouldn't be as bad as it is. The husband was killed first?" She asked, looking at the doctor to find everyone staring at her.

"Yes, time of death suggests he was killed at least an hour before the wife." The doctor told her. "Dr. Mallard. And you are?" he asked.

"Emma Jordan, I'm with the FBI. I've seen cases like this before."

"Where?" the blond woman asked, standing beside the silver-haired man Emma noticed earlier.

"Chicago." Emma answered.

"Agent Jordan, why don't we return to my office to talk?" Director Shepard said. It wasn't really a question and Emma understood this.

"Yes ma'am. It was nice to meet you Dr. Mallard." Emma walked back to the elevators and remained quiet on the return trip to the Director's office.

-------

"Who was that?" Gibbs asked.

"Emma Jordan, FBI." Hollis answered. For that she earned a stare. She smiled and turned to Ducky. "What were you about to say, Doctor?"

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!" Abby's voice shouted at them from the desk against the wall.

Ducky sighed. The interruptions were normal but still, the quicker he told Gibbs his findings the quicker he could go talk to Agent Jordan about her knowledge on the case.

"What is it Abs?" Gibbs asked, standing now in front of the small screen looking down at Abby.

"I got a hit on the hair Ducky found. No ID, but it matches several cases from the FBI. Does this mean Fornell will be working with us?" Abby asked, looking hopeful and aggravated at all the same time.

Gibbs remembered Abby still got upset thinking how Fornell had arrested Tony for murder and how she liked playing with his head from time to time.

"That's what I'm about to find out, Abs." He told her and walked out of autopsy without getting Ducky's full report.

-------

When the doors closed behind the three FBI agents, the Director sat at her desk. "Fornell?" she asked.

"From what I could tell by looking, the bruising and cuts all appear to be similar. Without having Dr. Mallard go over the other reports, I couldn't say for sure."

Emma moved restlessly and Shepard noticed. "You've already made up your mind this is the same killer, haven't you Agent Jordan?"

Emma looked her straight in the eye and explained. "I've been after this killer for 3 years, Director Shepard. Except for who he is and why he kills this way, I can tell you everything about him. He left the knife at the scene. There will be no evidence from him found on it - no blood, no prints, no sweat. There will be a hair on the female but the DNA won't match anything in the database except the FBI case files already open on this sick bastard. The husband will have been cut in three places – the brachial and femoral arteries and just for fun at the wrist. If he wasn't found in a pool of blood he was moved or the blood was drained. The nature of the killer leads me to think drained would be more his style. The wife would have watched her husband die. Then when the husband was dead, the killer turns his attention to the wife. First he terrorized her with the knife, making small cuts all over her body. He gets off on hearing them cry and beg for their life or hearing them beg him to end it already. He played with her for a while longer, the cuts getting deeper but he wasn't losing control he was still just toying with her. Finally, when she bled enough and cried, screamed and begged enough, he slit her throat. And even with all that blood, all that you'll find on the knife is DNA from the victims. He doesn't make mistakes. He is too smart for that. He doesn't want to get caught, he wants the power that killing gives him."

"So how do you plan on catching him?" the Director asked.

"One of his victims survived." Emma told them, turning away.

"I thought you said this guy didn't make mistakes." Agent Sacks said.

Emma looked over her shoulder at him. "He doesn't. If the ambulance hadn't come along when it did, I would have died."

Chapter 4

Gibbs stepped off the elevator to find Fornell, Sacks and Agent Jordan standing in the squad room with Jenny. Before he could say anything, Jenny told him, "I've already made this decision and it's not up for negotiation, Special Agent Gibbs."

"And what decision would that be Director?" he asked, looking at Agent Jordan.

"We have a situation that demands that we work with the FBI on this case. From everything we've learned so far, this is the same killer they've been tracking for three years."

"Three years?" He asked sardonically to push the young agent's buttons. "And you still don't have him?"

She stared at him without answering. The elevator doors opened and Hollis walked in. Jenny nodded at her.

"I've spoken with your superiors, Col. Mann, and they are in agreement with this as well. Agent Jordan along with Agents Fornell and Sacks will be assisting in the investigation of this case. Now, I'll let Agent Jordan brief you all on the history of this killer while I talk with Agent Gibbs in my office."

The look Jenny was giving him tolerated no argument. He walked passed the FBI and followed her upstairs.

-------

Emma looked around, once again the center of attention. "Hello." She said quietly then decided to just dive in. "Our profile on this killer says he's male, late 30s to early 40s. All known kills with DNA tying back to him have involved couples. Those cases go back to three years ago. Serial killers don't just appear at that stage in life and start. We haven't gotten any information on him other than his DNA. Our profiler says that he has anger issues with both men and women, possibly going back to his own mother and father. He mainly focuses his anger on the women, toying with them, cutting them, making them terrified. And all of this after having them watch their husbands die. All of the victims have been married. All of them with a significant age difference between the husband and wife – significant by at least 15 years. I've laid out a plan with the Director and she agrees on the course of action I've suggested. When Agent Gibbs returns…"

Emma trailed off as the man in question walked past her and ordered, "Conference room Agent Jordan."

She watched as he hit the elevator button, confused, thinking the conference room was on the same floor they were on. Seeing expectant looks on everyone's faces she ran to the elevator before the doors could close.

-------

Gibbs was angry. Not only had this upstart FBI agent flown in from Chicago to ‘help' his investigation, she had apparently taken over the Director's job at deciding what is best for the case and the people investigating it. Without discussing it with him first, Jenny took the woman's word for gold and gave him a choice – do the assignment as she ordered or step away from the case entirely. The elevator started moving and he pushed the button to stop it.

"Agent Gibbs…" the woman started.

"You don't talk, you listen. I don't know you or your history with this case. I don't know what you told the Director to get her to go along with this, but once this undercover op starts, you answer to me, got it? You don't run to her when you have a problem and you don't run to your boss at the FBI. As long as it takes for your little plan to work, you will be under my command. Do you understand?"

She stared at him with light brown eyes and nodded her head. "I understand."

He turned from her and started the elevator moving again. "We are going to see Abby about our identities, you won't need a false one but I will need to still be in service for your plan to work."

The doors slid open and she followed him out. Music was playing loud but not at Abby's normal volume. "Abby." Gibbs said and signed for her to turn the volume down even more.

Abby's eyes were wide as he explained what he'd need. Grinning she spun around and headed for her desk. "Not a problem, boss-man. I'll have everything looking real in no time."

He watched her fingers fly over the keyboard and sensed Agent Jordan standing behind him. She was watching curiously over his shoulder. Abby got his paperwork fixed and his military ID ready and handed them over along with a fake marriage license and wedding date.

"Happy Anniversary. Ok, I've got to find a house now, give me just a minute." Abby said and looked at Agent Jordan. "I'm Abby. What kind of house do you like?"

"I'm Emma and anything will do."

Abby shook her head and made a ‘tsk' sound. "No, no, FBI lady. Anything won't do, you have to have a place that reflects a little of both of you."

Gibbs and Abby watched as Emma's mouth twisted to one side as she looked Gibbs up and down. "Something one story, nothing cluttered, with a functional layout. Two bedroom, two bath, kitchen, living room and den."

Abby nodded and started searching rentals. Gibbs tapped her shoulder, "Don't forget the basement."

Abby grinned. "We can't let you go without a basement." She came up with two possibilities. They took the virtual tours and simultaneously picked the same house. "Wow that was so couple-like of you."

Chapter 5

Emma signed her name and rubbed her neck. She had a tension headache but she wasn't stopping for it. She knew instinctively that her plan would work. What she didn't know was if the Director explained everything to Gibbs or not. She shook her head. Jethro, his name was Leroy Jethro Gibbs and he was called either Gibbs or Boss, Jethro by the daring. For this op she would be calling him Jethro.

She stared at the computer where Abby Sciuto had photoshopped a complete wedding album for the two of them. The slideshow was mainly showing her co-workers her skills but Emma didn't mind. At first glance, Ms. Sciuto was different but with a second look you could see what a good person she was. Emma liked her. Now all she had to do was make-up for the initial lack of enthusiasm she had shown for Abby's hard work. She had a feeling she had her work cut out for her.

-------

Gibbs frowned at Tony's laughter. One more wise-crack and he'd …

SMACK!

"Ow. Won't happen again, Boss." Tony said stepping out of Gibbs' reach.

Hollis was enjoying this as well, knowing another wife – even a fake one – would not make him happy. And Agent Jordan…there was something she wasn't telling him.

"What makes your plan foolproof Agent Jordan?" he asked her.

She looked around the room before answering. "We're giving him two things he can't resist. A couple that fits his requirements and his only living victim."

"What victim?" McGee asked. He stared at Agent Jordan. "He tried to kill you?"

"Yes."

"What makes you think he'll be watching the news?" Gibbs asked.

"We believe he chooses his victims in advance and studies them for several days at least before making his move. It's the only way he can know so much about them. Also, we believe he selects his next couple before he kills the one he's currently watching."

"So that means we'll have one more set of victims before he moves onto you two?" Ziva asked.

"Yes, more than likely." Agent Jordan answered.

-------

Emma washed her hands and stared at her reflection. The door opened and Office David walked in. Quickly throwing her paper towels away, she started to leave her alone.

"If this is only about revenge, you don't need to join this investigation." Officer David told her.

Straightening and staring her in the eye, Emma told her, "I'm not going to lie and say that hasn't crossed my mind. This case has been mine since his first victims. I've wanted to catch him for three years. It's funny in a way, but his pride in himself will be his downfall. Seeing him on death row, being at his execution, that's all the revenge I need, Officer David."

Ziva David's eyes spoke of understanding and Emma started to move past the Mossad Officer only to be stopped once more.

"We nearly lost Gibbs last year. Out there you'll be his closest backup."

It was Emma's turn to understand the teams concerns. "No matter who my partner is, I'll always be willing to protect them no matter what."

Chapter 6


He was sitting at his desk looking at the 4 x 6 photos in his collection. Frowning, he put them back in the box. They were all wrong. In the past two months he had selected 7 couples and none of them fit his profile. Disgusted with his screening process he stood and walked to the window overlooking his perfectly manicured lawn. Time was ticking away. He had to find another couple soon. Closing his eyes, he brought the images up from his last home visit. Smiling, as he remembered the smell of fear from the husband and wife and the scent of their blood as it drained from their bodies. This next couple wouldn't be as sweet. They weren't as tough as his last one, but they would have to do. That was the reason for his discontent with his current choices. Turning towards the doorway, he went to the kitchen to fix himself a nice sandwich. No bother, he'd just choose another couple.


-------


Drew was restless. She hated vacations almost as much as she hated being without a partner when Emma had been on medical leave. Shaking her head at the volume of noise coming from the living room of her parent's house, she walked out the back door. The night sky was clear of clouds and full of stars. The moon was half full. She sat on the steps and thought back to the day Emma strutted herself back into the office.


Flashback


"Jordan! What the hell are you doing here?" Charlie shouted at the agent from across the room.


"Getting back to work," was Emma's reply. She raised her eyebrows when another agent took control of her desk chair and pushed her into Charlie's office.


Charlie shut the door and Drew could still hear him. "Four weeks! You've been out four weeks and you come waltzing back in here like you're 100%. What is going on in your head?"


Emma's reply was muffled but Drew read her lips. "I'm going crazy at home. Other than PT I have nothing to do. You won't even let Drew bring me paperwork to look over. If I hadn't come back today, I would have been bonkers by the time I was released. At least here I can do desk work."


"The doctor said twelve weeks, Emma. Twelve, not four. And even then he isn't sure if you'll be back at 100%."


"We'll see in other eight weeks won't we?" Emma said and stood, taking her chair with her back to her desk.


End flashback


Drew smiled at the sky. Just like that, Emma was back. Not in the field, but back. At her desk every day, running down leads for their current cases and going over other agents cold cases finding things they had overlooked or not thought significant. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. Dialing the number, she waited as the rings counted off then she left a brief message.


"I'm bored as hell. Family's great but I've been here three days. If you've got something, save me."


Closing her phone she turned to see her father standing behind her. He grinned at her. "I won't say a word to your mother about this." He too had been an agent with the FBI, retired just last year. He knew what it was like. She hugged him and went back inside to gush appropriately over her sister's dessert.


-------


Emma sat at the desk on the other side of Agent McGee. She had a feeling she was lucky she even had a desk. Listening to her voice mail she quickly dialed a number even as she looked over her plan of what would happen the next day.


"Emma? Tell me you need my help." Drew's voice was hushed and Emma heard her family in the background.


"Glad to hear you're enjoying your vacation. How's the weather there?" Emma asked. She heard the small intake of breath on Drew's end of the line.


"The weather's been fine here. And on your end?"


"Fine here too. The vacation is going great."


"Oh really? That's a shame to hear." Drew said and Emma heard her say, "Be right there Mom!" Emma laughed quietly when Drew whispered, "I'm on the first flight there!"


"See you after the vacation is over." Emma told her and hung up the phone. She turned to put the cell back in her purse and found Gibbs staring at her from his desk. Showing the phone, she told him, "My partner was just checking in."


Not impressed, he asked, "He thinks you're on vacation?"


Emma nodded. "Yes, she does."


-------


Gibbs walked to the helicopter and nodded to the pilot. Climbing on board he looked back at DiNozzo only to find him grinning like an idiot. Putting his bag down at his feet, he strapped in and motioned that he was good to go.