Gibbs was standing motionless staring at the giant SAGE radar antenna. It had struck him that there was something wrong with this picture. Camp Hero had been officially closed in the 1980s yet the radar antenna had never been dismantled. He was no technology geek but he was sure that SAGE had been replaced years ago with more modern and efficient systems. Yet there were definitely new modern power cables leading into the radar building. The question was did this have anything to do with the case?
Drake & Kelly appeared beside Gibbs.
Without any prompting Kelly looked at Gibbs and said, "I'll have a look inside."
Drake smiled. "That's a great little field agent you have there, I'll go with her."
They both vanished leaving Gibbs alone again. He started searching the surrounding buildings; there were signs of many teenaged beer parties and drunken vandalism but no clues that suggested a connection to a murder.
Gibbs' radio crackled into life. "Gibbs… this is McGee, over."
"Go ahead McGee, what have you got? Over." Gibbs responded.
"We have found a military issue Colt automatic hand gun, but there is something very strange about this boss."
"Well photograph it and bag it for Abby." Gibbs said.
"Umm I can photograph it boss but I can't bag it without a chain saw boss…." answered McGee sounding hesitant.
"Ok McGee what is your location?" Gibbs asked looking a little puzzled
"We are at Rough Riders Road at the beach end." answered McGee.
"Ok I'll be with you soon." Gibbs put the radio in his pocket and was about to set off to find McGee and Ziva when Kelly appeared.
"Daddy there is something very strange under the radar building. There are tunnels and a big machine and a whole lot of skeletons."
Gibbs looked startled. "Where is Drake?"
"He decided to look around some more. He will be ok daddy. He's like me. Nothing can happen to him and he cannot contaminate the crime scene."
Gibbs smiled and reached out to stroke his daughter's hair, stopping himself at the last moment. His eyes were full of sadness again. "Can you see if you can find me a way in sweetheart?"
"Yes Daddy, I'll look right away," answered Kelly. She smiled and vanished again. Gibbs set off to find McGee & Ziva.
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Tony was having a bad time; he had found a bunch of buildings and had searched them all carefully. The words filthy and disgusting were high on his list of descriptive terms. There were an awful lot of beer cans and the smell or second hand beer and vomit were making Tony feel ill. He had overheard the radio conversation between Gibbs & McGee and he decided that he would be of more use where the action was.
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McGee had photographed the gun from every conceivable angle, it was bothering him. There was just no way this could happen.
Ziva had managed to locate a few foot prints leading away from the tree but none approaching it, as she was following the trail she collided with Gibbs. Ziva pointed to the tree with the Colt automatic apparently growing out of the trunk.
"Well I don't think that is the murder weapon." said Gibbs, as he examined the gun closely.
The pistol was clean and oiled yet the wood seemed to have grown around it. Not a trace of rust.
"Dust it for prints McGee." Gibbs said getting up off his knees. "DiNozzo! Help Ziva follow the tracks. They will lead to the crime scene."
Tony came out of the undergrowth looking surprised and a little disheveled. "Yes boss." he said as Gibbs stalked off back towards the radar station.
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Drake was lost; he had been wandering around in the tunnels under the old military base for almost an hour. He had descended three levels and there just seemed to be no end to them. Something was not right; everything was spotless, as clean as a new pin, no dust, nothing to suggest that the base had been abandoned. There were store rooms with crates containing every thing from ammunition and weapons to clothes and food. The lights were on, all that was missing was people.
Kelly appeared beside Drake and told him, "I have found a tunnel on the second level that leads to the beach on the north side of the island."
"Oh? So has it anything to do with the body that was found up top?" Drake asked.
"No but Daddy wants a way in and that is the only one that has not been sealed. But it would be very hard to find from the beach so I need you to wait there whilst I tell Daddy where it is, then you can show him the way…. Ok Mr. Drake?" asked Kelly politely.
"No problem Kelly you show me where it is and I'll wait for Gibbs there. Oh and call me John. Mr. Drake is a little formal under the circumstances," Drake laughed as Kelly took his hand and they faded only to reappear at the entrance to a cave on the beach at the north side of the island moments later.
"Wait here Mr…. John. I'll tell Daddy where to find you. There is something else I need to do." Kelly smiled and faded into nothing.
Drake looked at the rocky beach. There was a time when he would have liked to fish here but now baiting a hook could be a problem.
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