Striding toward his desk early the next morning, Gibbs decided to start with finding out more about Paladin Incorporated. He needed to know what he was up against. Armed with more information he thought talking to Abby would then be more productive.
He ignored the little voice inside him that called him a coward. He could talk to Abby directly to find out what he wanted to know. In the conversation Gibbs had overheard she was going to stop by Tony's place the day he'd left so it was a safe bet she'd gotten a glimpse of the job offer. She knew how to do a computer search, ferreting out information better than anyone else Gibbs knew. She'd probably researched Paladin already. And she'd been in touch with Tony. She'd have insight into what he was thinking which could be the piece Gibbs needed to convince the younger man to stay with NCIS...with him.
But Gibbs had a long standing habit of knowing things before his team did. This was one area he didn't want to admit ignorance. He couldn't go to Abby and tell her he'd already wasted week. He couldn't tell her his pride and embarrassment had kept him from doing what she would have expected him to do immediately. He should have gone after Tony then---the day he left and stopped him. He should have never let the younger man think he wasn't trusted or valued, should have known how close Tony was to just walking away, should have been more generous with his praise...the list of 'should haves' was far too long for Gibbs to want to think about any more.
Gibbs turned on his desk lamp, sitting down with a sigh. He really couldn't go to Abby for help without admitting he'd let her down. Time and again, Abby had shown absolute faith in him. It was something Gibbs had come to count on when his own faith wavered. He didn't want to see doubt and disappointment in her eyes. He didn't want to become as small in her mind as he felt he'd shrunk in his own; at least not until he absolutely had to.
Gibbs booted up his computer. His eyes were drawn to Tony's desk while he waited for the machine to warm up. He glared at it, irrationally angry at the furniture for adding to his sense of being incomplete. The desk lamp should be on, suggesting Tony would be back any minute. There should sheets of paper haphazardly scattered over the desk. There should be folders neatly stacked in the black plastic basket on the corner, waiting to be opened or ready to be returned to the file room. His computer screen should be displaying a psychedelic screen saver that Tony favored. His chair should be half out, not pushed under the desk. There should be candy wrappers and coffee cups in his trash can.
Gibbs sighed and looked away. He'd dwelled on the obvious long enough. He eyed his own computer suspiciously before opening an internet browser determined to make it work for him the way it did for everyone else. He'd heard Abby and McGee mention "Google" and he'd managed to successfully use it once or twice. He typed in 'google', relieved when a screen he recognized popped up.
Armed with the basics, Gibbs searched for Paladin, Inc. He scanned the listings, frowning at the number that turned up. Evidently the name was not uncommon. It was easy to dismiss one that apparently handled forest products, another that did something related to mechanical engineering, and one that was an interactive marketing company.
Gibbs nodded in satisfaction when he found one clearly related to the Paladin Inc. he was looking for. His lips pursed as he considered the page that came up. It was more like getting a business card than anything else. Just generic information--services the company offered, a list of offices and a phone number he could call.
He frowned. He was hoping for something more...useful. He needed a name, a point of contact. He wanted to know who 'Pete' was. Whoever he was, he had to be someone of importance in the organization. Gibbs couldn't see some grunt low on the totem pole having the wherewithal or authorization to give Tony a Ferrari as incentive or a sign on bonus or whatever the damn car was supposed to be. Was he the guy who did the hiring and firing? Or was there someone else Gibbs would need to talk to? He growled at the computer, wanting to slap it for not giving him what he needed.
Knowing slapping the monitor would not be helpful and having no patience to try to keep searching, Gibbs picked up his phone instead. He called a friend in the state department who owed him a few favors. He was lucky that Gary didn't sleep any more than Gibbs did and routinely started work in the wee hours of the morning. Gary picked up on the first ring, and never asked why Gibbs wanted to know what he was asking him to find.
"Give me an hour. I'll have somethin' for ya by then," Gary told him, his southern drawl just as heavy as it had been when they'd met in basic training nearly thirty years ago.
Gibbs used the time to clear out his inbox, signing more forms that McGee had finally figured out how to do. It had honestly never occurred to him that Tony hadn't passed on the responsibility for the paperwork minutia. He never really looked at the forms before, trusting they were on time and done correctly whenever they appeared in front of him. It was stupid, and something he should have been aware of.
He never considered how much legwork Tony did either. McGee was fantastic with computers, no question, but there were still things that had to be found the old fashioned way. Technology was no panacea when it came to investigative work. Someone had to do what computers couldn't and apparently that someone on his team was usually Tony. Not exclusively...Ziva and McGee helped with that as well, but the job was a hell of a lot easier with Tony there to help out.
And there were things that required an ability to connect obscure, unrelated details to create a whole. Ziva was getting better at it, but she still floundered at times when it came to understanding how people's actions connected with their motives. Not everyone had a political agenda, and religion drove people to extremes less often than money.
Gibbs shook his head. For nearly a year, it had been just him and Tony,,,with Abby and Ducky to help get the job done. Tony had been a jack of all trades then, and gotten everything done that currently was split between him, Ziva and McGee. Gibbs couldn't see McGee or Ziva being able to go solo with that work load---at least not on a consistent basis. He wondered if they'd realized that yet.
He finished his coffee, eyeing the clock. Gary had less than ten minutes. Gibbs decided to wait on getting another cup.
He grinned when the phone rang. "Prompt as ever, Gary."
"I aim ta please." Gary chuckled. "You ready for what I found?"
"Give it to me."
"Paladin Inc was started by three guys just after the end of world war two. Two brothers, Fredrick and Simon Petrastorsky, and a guy by the name of Willis Hottle." Gibbs heard Gary swallow and figured the man was having a cup of hot tea. He'd never liked coffee but always had something hot to drink to start his day.
“It’s a multimillion dollar company and is still privately owned. Shares are held by only a handful of people with Keira Petrastorsky being the largest share holder. She's got 60% ownership givin; her controllin' interest in the company. Don't know if she's a grandkid of Fredrick or Simon. Could be she married into the family. Still checking on that. But everythin' I've found out so far says she's the main decision maker for the company...and has been for the last fifteen years or so."
There was clear note of approval in his tone as Gary continued speaking. "Company was always well run with a solid reputation. Services they offer don't come cheap, but everythin' I've found says clients are getting their money's worth."
Gary cleared her throat. "It's under Keira's leadership that they've really taken off. Company more than doubled its gross revenue in the first five years when she took over. And it's doubled again since then. She's one tough lady from the intel I've seen. Damn good with money, and hell on wheels when it comes to keeping her customers satisfied. Gets a lot of repeat business and most of her new customers are almost always word of mouth referral types. She doesn't have to drum up business or advertise. Customers seem ta beat a path to her door."
Gibbs heard paper shuffling and the sound of Gary taking another sip of his drink. "You said you wanted to talk to the guy in charge...she's the one you want. From the look a things, nothin' happens at Paladin unless it has Keira Petrastorksy's stamp of approval."
"How do I--"
"If ya'd wait a minute, I'd tell you what yer all gungho ta ask." Gary chuckled softly. "She's in D.C. as we speak. Has a meetin' with couple of high ranking types with DOD to review the proposal Paladin submitted last week to provide more security in Iraq for civilian contractors. I read the contract they put out there for the last job they did for DOD. It was tighter than a dolphin's ass, Jethro."
Gibbs grinned at the open admiration in Gary's voice. "No loopholes?"
"Not one. Was the most straightforward legal document I've ever had the pleasure ta see."
Gibbs shook his head. Gary had always been a little on the strange side. Being so impressed by legalese was definitely a quirk Gibbs was glad he didn't share.
"You got a number for this Petrastorsky woman?"
"No. Couldn't get that, but I do know where and when she has her meetin' today."
Gibbs waited a bit, pencil posed. He almost snarled 'now, Gary' when nothing was said immediately.
"Nice ta know some things never change." Gary sounded more amused than annoyed. "You ever stop being a pushy, demanding bastard, Jethro, I'll know to start lookin' for the four horsemen on the horizon."
"The address, Gary."
He gave Gibbs the location and the time of the meeting. Gibbs was surprised that the address was not located anywhere near the Pentagon, but rather an upscale hotel down town. It made sense he supposed. The hotel had conference rooms that were a hell of a lot more comfortable than the Pentagon could probably offer. Military furnishing tended to favor practicality over comfort. And it was unlikely Paladin employees had sufficient clearance to have full access to a facility like the Pentagon without going to a lot of trouble to get it. That was likely too much trouble for a short meeting.
Gibbs was surprised by the time as well. It wasn't often meetings with someone who had gold stars on their lapels happened before 9 AM, unless they were meeting at the White House or in a war room. He said as much getting a laugh from Gary.
"Keira Petrastorksy is a busy woman and she doesn't have any problem with lettin' people know her time is valuable. If you want some of it, you'll take what's she's willin' ta give, when and where she's willin' ta give it or not at all. Brass might not like meetin' before nine, but they aren't going to say no to her. Not if they want Paladin ta take the job. And after that clusterfuck with Blackwater, they definitely want Paladin ta take the job."
"Thanks for the intel."
"Welcome. I'll get whatever else I find to you when I get it." Gary hung up, cutting the connection just a second ahead of Gibbs. Gibbs gave the receiver a dirty look before hanging it up.
He waited for McGee to arrive before shrugging back into his coat. "I'm going out." He didn't explain where or why, but then he rarely did, and he wasn't going to start now. If he couldn't tell Abby about his failure to act, he sure as hell wasn't going to tell McGee either.
Gibbs stifled a wince at how relieved McGee looked that he was leaving. He had definitely been riding the younger man hard this week. Gibbs sighed silently. It wasn't any harder than he rode Tony...not really, but he was beginning to understand that not everyone handled pressure the same way, or for as long. Finding out Tony had a breaking point he'd never bothered to see made Gibbs more aware that the rest of his team likely had similar stress fractures he'd been ignoring. If he kept head slapping McGee and pushing him too hard, he could lose another teammate.
Gibbs took a deep breath. He stepped over to McGee's desk, making eye contact and holding it. "You're doing a good job, Tim."
McGee stared at him, open mouthed for a moment, before smiling hesitantly. "Thanks, Boss."
Gibbs nodded once and walked way, moving purposefully toward the elevator. "Call me on my cell if anything comes up."
"Will do, Boss." McGee called after him.
Gibbs needed coffee. He'd pick that up on the way. He also needed to figure out just what he was going to say to Kiera Petrastorsky when he confronted her. He couldn't exactly demand she rescind the job offer or order her to leave Tony the hell alone...no matter how much he wanted to.
Gibbs punched the elevator button with more force than necessary. He'd figure out what to say. Words might not be his forte when it came to personal things, but he was damn good at interrogation. His gut had never let him down before. It wouldn't this time either.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs researches the competition.
Chapter End Notes:
I have been posting weekly...and with the holidays approaching, I opted to make this portion of the story a bit shorter so that I could make a post before Christmas. I likely won't get another up until after New Years.