Tony’s Father just stared at him for a minute before he spoke, “I have a small problem that seems you might be able to help me with.”
“A small problem?” Tony said, “That’s what you call it, a small problem?”
His father looked surprised. Tony continued “After you left NCIS today, I did a little digging. I know all about your ‘small problem’ Father.”
His father started to get angry, his voice rising slightly, “How dare you investigate me!”
Tony shot back, keeping his voice lowered, “Because I’m a Federal Agent, that’s what I do.”
Tony sat back, giving the appearance that he was relaxed, “Did you really think you could come to me, after all this time and I would just automatically do what you asked?”
His father sighed, “How much do you know?”
“Enough” Tony replied, then leaned forward and said in almost a whisper “Insider trading? I thought you were smarter than that.”
Father and son just stared at each other, neither one speaking for a few minutes and not giving any ground either.
Tony was the first to speak, “Just what is it that you think I can do to help? It’s not like you killed a Marine or something.” He paused, then said with a note of humor and raised an eyebrow, “Did you?”
“Of course not, don’t be ridiculous Anthony.” His father said with a note of exasperation.
As Gibbs listened in, he smirked at the last bit. Noting that Tony seemed to be acting as his usual annoying self, he was glad to see someone else be on the receiving end this time. But he also knew it was just an act, his way of getting suspects to reveal more than they intended and he wondered how much Tony would get his father to let slip.
“So, again, why come to me?” Tony asked.
“Anthony, you know how things work in the business world, people do favors for one another, a kind of ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’ scenario?” DiNozzo Sr. said. “I just figured it was the same in Law Enforcement.”
“Of course you would think that” Tony mumbled not quite loud enough for his father to hear but Gibbs heard it; it just helped to lower his opinion of Tony’s father even more.
Tony took a deep breath “So you want me to try and get this swept under the rug, make it go away?” Tony then said, “Why don’t you just get your lawyer to get you a deal? You know, since this is your first offence you could probably just pay a hefty fine, maybe a little community service.” Adding sarcastically, ”You’re always bragging about how you have the best lawyers money can buy.”
His father shifted a little in his seat, took a breath and said’ “Well, this isn’t exactly the first offence.”
Tony’s head shot up as his eyes narrowed, “What are you talking about? When I was looking into this I didn’t see anything, your record was clean.”
Gibbs was equally surprised by this latest revelation. He, too, had looked into DiNozzo Sr.’s past and hadn’t found anything.
Tony’s father, now sounding a little defensive said, “It was just a misunderstanding, I borrowed some money from the family business. I planned on paying it back but there was an audit before I had a chance to do that.”
Tony said, “You embezzled? From the family?” his voice void of any emotion.
Tony’s father, now starting to get upset, “I TOLD you, it wasn’t like that. Besides, that’s all been settled now.”
Tony studied him for a moment, then it dawned on him, “You paid someone off, or used blackmail knowing you.”
Still sounding angry but more in control, his father said, “That doesn’t really matter now, does it? The point is…”
Tony cut him off, now sounding angry too, “The point is you’ve now used up all your favors and have to come crawling to me for help. What makes you think I can help you? No wait let me rephrase that, what makes you think that I WILL help you?”
Although their voices were low, Gibbs could hear the anger and feel the tension growing between the two. He shifted in his seat wanting to be prepared for anything.
DiNozzo Sr., sounding as arrogant as ever, said, “You’re my son Anthony. I raised you, clothed you, feed you, put a roof over your head. We’re family.”
Before he could continue Tony shot back, “Yea, right” Then ticking off on his fingers, “First of all you DID NOT raise me, that was the nannies job. Second? As for the clothing and feeding bit, you only did that for twelve years. That goes for the ‘roof over my head’ line too. All that ended when you sent me away to school.”
Pausing to take a breath, he finished, “And we are only ‘Family’ when it’s convenient for you.”
As he listened in, Gibbs was proud of the way Tony stood up to his father. He couldn’t see the anger that was gathering in DiNozzo Sr.’s face but Tony could. He knew he had probably crossed the line but he just hoped his father could control his temper out in public.
“So” his father practically ground out between clenched teeth, “You won’t try and help?”
Tony leaned back, shook his head no and then said, “You know, a little time on the inside might be good for you. Look what it did for Martha Stewart.” Gibbs smirked at that, “Typical Tony, always pushing it” he thought
The silverware on the table clanged as Tony’s father grabbed his wrist in a vice like grip, he practically hissed at Tony, “I don’t know why I bother, you’re just as worthless to me as you ever were.”
Gibbs was about to jump up and intervene but Tony’s response stopped him.
In a low voice, with a coldness that Gibbs didn’t think he had ever come from Tony before, he heard him say, “Unless you want me to add the charge of assaulting a federal officer to all the other crimes you just admitted to, I suggest you let go of my arm.”
As they stared at each other, Tony continued, “I said. Let. Go. Now!”
He let go and Tony resisted the urge to rub his wrist in front of his father, he wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. DiNozzo Sr. just glared at Tony as he got up, threw some money on the table and stormed out.
Tony let out the breath he had been holding, got up and then leaned over to Gibbs behind him and said, “I’ll be in the bar.”
Gibbs just stared at Tony’s back for a second before he allowed a small smile to cross his face. He should have figured that Tony would know he was here.
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