„Can we finally get started?"
Jethro asked annoyed as he paced up and down in front of McGee's desk. The young man tried to get the memory chip Fornell had brought going so the FBI agent could start his briefing.
„Yes."
He handed Fornell the remote and they turned to the plasma.
„Ok, we have five victims so far. All girls, between 3 and 6, abducted on 5 different playgrounds in DC. They were in different kindergartens and schools, haven't visited the same day care or are anyhow connected."
„They resemble eachother?"
Tony asked hoping to have at least a lead for what the kidnapper is looking.
„Not really."
Fornell pulled five pictures onto the plasma.
„Alexandra Elaina Stavros, 4, her parents run a greek restaurant down town. Olivia Sola Marino, 3, her father is the Navy Admiral. Samara Jamila Karim, 6, her family immigrated a short time before the II. Iraque War. Her father is a human rights lawyer and her mother works as a bilingual secretary for Amnesty International. Drew Nimee Sha Hicks,5 , her father is African and her mother American. And Ivi Ricci Russo..."
„I know that girl!"
Tony said and jumped off his desk. He went to the plasma and stared at the little girl with the black hair and the big dark eyes.
„I saw her on the playground when I was there with Lish...I talked to her mother...a very nice woman. Ivi played with Lish the whole morning and...they wanted to see eachother again...I gave Maria our number but she didn't call...when was she abducted?"
„Tuesday, two weeks ago."
Tony looked at Jethro with big eyes.
„It was the day we met...she was abducted the day I was there..."
Everybody standing there swallowed thickly. They realized just how close this case went and even if they had intented they couldn't remain on distance now.
„Have you seen anything?"
Fornell asked, the absolute wrong thing to do in this situation.
„Like what, Fornell? A crying girl on the arm of some man? Yeah, one or two! But it's a god damn playground! Kids are crying all the time there! And what should I have done? Stop everyone walking past me only because their daughter didn't look happy? I had no idea that I had to be attentive! I had no fucking idea that there was a kidnapper running around! And if I did I wouldn't have brought my daughter there!"
Tony went into the older man's face until Jethro and McGee together managed to pull Tony away, before he'd do something he would regret later.
„Everything was normal. Kids were playing, kids were laughing, some kids were crying. All I know is that when I left Ivi was with her mother."
„It's ok, Tony."
Jethro soothed and seated the younger man in his chair. He gave Fornell a death glare before he looked at the five pictures on the plasma. He turned to the ME.
„Ducky, can you give me anything?"
„Well, Jethro, in this case it is easier to go by elimination than anything else. Obviously the perp doesn't try to replace somebody, then the victims would resemble eachother. And I can't see any preferences in this seemingly random choice. The only thing these five have in common is that they're all beautiful, by the modern standarts."
With that Ducky definitely was right. Green, blue and brown eyes, but all bright and big. All of them had a smile that would light up the day of every proud father or mother, and everybody around. There was a girl with shiny red hair, a cute brunet and sweet black haired. Different skin types, different origins, probably different characters. Jethro really couldn't see any pattern...except...
„They're too different."
Tony looked up at that statement and stepped to the plasma next to his husband. As he looked at the pictures, he suddenly knew what Jethro meant.
„He's collecting them."
„Collecting them?"
Ziva repeated.
„Like stamps?"
„More like dolls, Ziva. Can't you see it?"
She tilted her head and then frowned.
„Why would somebody collect children?"
„Why do you train every sunday? Why does McGee write? Why does Jethro build a boat? Why do some people paint, why do people collect stamps, coins or postcards? It's their hobby, as macabre as it sounds."
Tony explained heatedly. He hated the image this thought created but it was the most plausible explanation, or at least the only one at hand.
„That actually sounds quite reasonable...in a very desturbing way."
Ducky agreed and then a heavy silence followed.
„Does that help us?"
McGee finally asked and again nobody spoke for a moment.
„Well, let's go with this doll theory for a moment. The perfect doll is nothing without the perfect dress, right?"
Tony asked taking his knowledge from his daughter. She wasn't really the doll type girl but she insisted to have a business barbie and not the miami barbie, though the doll is the same. Relunctant nods came from various persons.
„Ok, so...he, or she, though I'm pretty sure we're talking about a man here, has to buy those dresses somewhere. So, how about checking out the stores that have those kind of dresses dolls wear?"
„That have to be hundreds of stores, Tony."
Ziva reasoned with him.
„That ever stopped us before?"
Jethro snapped and suddenly there was movement. McGee was hurrying to his desk, mumbling something about finding doll and pupper collector web sites and Ziva went to get a list of children cloth stores.
„They're right, Jethro. The lead is too weak. He still could order the dresses online."
Tony said once more resigned.
„We'll try, Tony. If it's leading us nowhere we're not falling back. Every lead is a lead, no matter how weak."
Jethro squeezed his shoulder once and then sat down at his own desk. Fornell resumed the desk he has gotten next to the actual bullpen and Tony remained, staring at the picture of the little girl who has played with his daughter only two weeks ago.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.