Tony rolled his eyes as the elevator pinged open.
"Well I'm not saying its a bad film, its just...its a remake." Madisyn continued as she walked after Tony. Kate looked up from her desk to see Tony slump into his chair and glarred at Madisyn. She'd finished the first part of her rant. She gave Kate a smile, which she returned.
"Does she know more about films than you do?" Kate asked, sarcasm heavy in her voice. Tony gave her what could only be called, a look.
"I doubt it, but I do know a great deal of trivia." Madisyn smiled.
"I can tell you-"
"Who killed Petty Officer Conningsworth." Gibbs finished, walking to his desk with a cup of coffee. Kate stood up, theories running through her head.
"Conningsworth was stabbed at the campsite. The substance under his fingernails were fibres from a coat, most probably his murderers. He must've put up a fight from the broken fingernails and the bruises. He must've been conscious when he was brought to the car, but his attacker must've severed the engine from the car. To make sure he wasn't going to go anywhere."
"The fuel pipe to the engine was cut away, just destroyed. That car would never run again." Tony muttered from his desk. No-one was suprised by his extensive knowledge of cars.
"So, bleeding to death, his killers stopped him driving away. How far would he have gotten?" Madisyn mused, sitting on the edge of Tim's desk, he didn't object. "What, out of the parking lot before he passed out from loss of blood."
"So why stop his car from working?" Tim wondered aloud. "Why not just kill him?"
"Worry maybe, or superstition." Madisyn turned to Kate. "Do we know what religion McKain or Oedds is?" Kate flicked through and shook her head.
"But files don't usually say whether someone's superstious or not." Tony squashed one of her theories before sitting up. "But McKain's appartment did look like one that had some sort of orientation towards the occult." He thought outloud, talking about the candles and delicate symbols she had in paintings on the walls.
"Get McKain in for questioning." Gibbs said behind the group who had been talking, gathered around Tim's desk. They all jumped except Tim who had seen him coming.
"On it boss." Tony said, grabbing the keys to the sedan, quickly followed by Kate. Madisyn smiled at Tim and turned to sit in Kate's empty desk, crossing her legs. Gibbs had already left to go somewhere or other that neither young agent had chosen to ask.
"How long you been working here, Tim?" Madisyn asked. Tim looked up from his desk. He wasn't really used to being called by his first name.
"About six months, transfered from Norfolk."
"So you're a probationary agent?" She asked with interest.
"Has Tony never called me 'Probie' infront of you."
"Not that I can remember." She replied. "But then again, you're not the Probie so far as I'm here." She smiled, recieving one back from Tim.
"Why arn't you two working?" The shout came from above and who voices replied with a scrabble of paper: "Sorry, boss!"
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Gibbs took the cell phone that was ringing from his pocket and looked at the caller ID. It was unknown. He stood up and walked out of MTAC to take the call.
"Special Agent Gibbs?" Came the whispered question over the line.
"Miss McKain?" Gibbs asked, leaning on the railings, over looking the bullpen.
"Specail Agent Gibbs, there's...there's something you need to know. I...please..." She faultered off.
"Miss McKain, stay on the phone. Where are you?" He was already making his way down the steps in a record pace.
"Hurry Agent Gibbs, I'm in my apartment and...Pete?" Gibbs grabbed his keys.
"Who are you talking to?" Came the voice on the other end, Oedds.
"Just an old friend, she called to say."
"Give me that!" There was a crackling on the line as Oedds grabbed the phone.
"C'mon Pete, I-"
"Feds! You were talking to the bloody feds!"
"Pete, it wasn't like that. No, Pete!" There was a scream on the end and Gibbs quickened his sprint, followed by Tim and Madisyn. The elevator clicked shut, forcing Madisyn and Tim to rush down the stairs. Then the phone line went dead. Gibbs swore.
"Kyran! Call Todd and DiNozzo. Get them round of McKain's fast, guns ready. McGee with me." Gibbs car screeched out as Kyran dialed Kate's mobile.
"Todd."
"McKain's in trouble, Oedds seems dangerous. Gibbs says hurry the pace."
"Okay, thanks Madisyn." Madisyn closed the connection and looked around the garage, wondering what to do.
The two sedans were parked one behind the other. Gibbs drew his weapon and ran into the building. The appartment was hectic. Tony had Oedds in hand cuffs, but there was no sign of McKain. Oedds had scratches down the side of his face but was refusing to talk. It was only in interrigation that Oedds said anything. He'd been in the cells for a few hours as the team finished up paperwork and gone home one by one.
"Agent Gibbs." He said softly. Gibbs looked up from the file on his table. "You'r agents do live a way from NCIS head quarters, do they not?" His voice as calm as Gibbs eyes.
"Have they ever needed you...fast?" He asked. Gibbs eyed him.
"Threatening my people is never a good idea." He snarled.
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Kate stretched, hanging up her coat on a peg. She yawned and flopped down on the sofa. She reached out a hand to where she usually kept the remote control for the television, but instead found she was sitting on it. She smiled slightly and switched on the TV. It was only later when she'd turned off and started getting ready to bed, she noticed the open curtains. Not an unusual thing. She closed them and seated herself on her bed, turning only when a soft creak echoed through the rooms...
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Tim rubbed his eyes and gave up on his type-writer. Writers block like no other. He sighed and stood up, his MIT t-shirt lying on his bed. He changed and ran himself a glass of water from the kitchen tap. The dim light in his apartment didn't really show much of what was in the corners and such. He decided to have one more go and sat back down at his desk, staring at the empty page in front of him. It was only then that something shifted in the shadows, catching Tim's hearing...
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Tony collapsed onto his sofa, kicking off his shoes and throwing his jacket onto an arm of the chair. He turned on the television, pressing play on the DVD player. He didn't know what was in there, but it was enough to have him asleep on his sofa, his feet up on the coffee table. The kitchen clock clicked away the minutes and the bed sheets were left untouched. Tony shifted in his sleep, his foot falling off the table. He woke with a start, muttering. It was only then that the soft breathing was easily audible over the silence caused by the menu of the DVD...
Who's safe
Author's Chapter Notes:
"As they say: 'Ask no questions and be told no lies.' and it was true."