Chapter One
Yankee White
I relaxed into my chair as I was finally seated on the damn plane, I ignored Kate talking to one of the newbies and continued my watch on the corridor leading to where the President currently was. I sniffled and rubbed my nose, hoping I wasn't coming down with anything, it would not be good to let the President catch whatever pathetic cold decided I would make a good host.
I let out a breath and stretched my legs in front of me, feeling the muscles tense and relax which felt really good for someone who had been sat down for an hour. The plane was almost ready to leave so Kate came and sat down next to me.
"I see you've taken a liking to him" I teased her, motioning to the man she was talking to. She rolled her eyes at me.
"I was just congratulating him on being asked to have lunch with the president" She informed me with a scowl. I raised my eyebrows and looked away, she never really liked me for some reason, I just don't know what.
We didn't talk while the plane took off, I was sucking on a sweet like my life depended on it. My ears always seemed to burst when I was planes, and I usually avoided going on them but where the president went I followed. Agent Baer sat opposite us, reading some files that he had gathered earlier. He handed over one to me, asking me to look through and see if there were any anomilies.
I shuffled through them slowly, still sucking on my sweet, so when a crew member 'Bobby' came over and asked us if we wanted anything I smiled and declined. My eyes lingered over a few words, crunching the sweet with deliberate slowness, smiling when I heard Kate let out a huff of annoyance.
"Can you not?" She asked, spinning in her chair to face me. I looked up slowly, and gave her an innocent look.
"Not what?"
Baer got up suddenly, cutting off whatever retort she had planned and from the look on her face she was itching to say it but was too professional to in front of the senior agent. I smiled mischeviously and was about to do something I would probably regret but stopped at the look on Baer's face.
"Agent Summers, with me" I immediately stood up, taking care to not spill anything out of the folder and handed it back to Baer. He turned to Kate "We'll be in the comm, getting an update from Bowman" I tried to hide a wince at the name of our boss. "Keep an eye on things down here".
Kate gave him a look of confusion although still had a smile plastered on her face "You expecting a problem, sir?"
"Expect problems Agent Todd" I nodded from where I was standing next to him "And with a little luck, you'll never lose the President". I raised my eyebrows at her quickly, before following Baer upstairs. We entered a room filled with people, there was an open comm with the face of our boss staring at us as we entered.
"Agent Baer, Agent Summers" He nodded, I nodded my head respectfully back. "Everything seems to be normal, the President has current-" Our radios crackeled and Kate's panicked voice flowed through.
"Slammer Rose for a medical emergency, section one". I gave a quick glance to my boss before hightailing my ass out of there and back down the stairs, Baer on my heels.
"What's wrong?" Baer asked as we saw Kate hovering over the same man from earlier, he appeared to have collapsed and he didn't seem to be breathing.
"I don't know" She replied, standing up and backing away as medics arrived and immediately began trying to help the poor soul. There was nothing I could do except watch, which made me feel useless and anxious.
"What've you got?" The doctor asked as the female medic did some basic checks.
"He's not breathing" The doctor leant over and tried to take a pulse "No pulse" He muttered.
"Give me the bag" He reached over to grab it for her when Kate's eyes widened, she gripped the back of my jacket in a panic.
"He just got back from having lunch with the president" I inhaled sharply and exchanged a glance with Baer as the doctor panicked.
"You two stay here with football" He and the doctor ran for the president's office while Kate and I just watched the proceedings anxiously. She went over and took the commanders briefcase and placed it out of the way by our chairs. I felt a bit sorry for her seeing as she had somewhat bonded with the man before all of this. I nudged her slightly and took her back to our chairs were we still had a good view of what was happening.
"Are you okay?" I asked, she simply nodded and continued to watch. "What was his name?"
"Commander Trapp" She quietly replied. "What's going to happen now?"
I thought quickly "We're going to land ASAP and the President is getting off, then a medical examiner is going to come and inspect the body. We'll have to stay through that" Baer soon came back with a look of worry on his face.
"The President is fine" He said as he sat down "We are landing soon in Wichita, Kansas to let him off and get him onto the backup" I nodded and soon enough the plane descended. The door was opened quickly and the President was escorted off by Baer, Kate was about to leave but I reminded her that she was a witness. She didn't really want to stay so I took her statement and told her to keep her phone on.
I watched as they left, I went to sit back down in my seat to avoid having to talk to all the stuck up 'officials' that were trying to steal my body. A coroner came on quickly and shut them all up.
"If J. Edgar Hoover was alive, I'd tell him what I'm telling you. This body is in Wichita County, and as County Coroner I have jurisdiction. No one moves it until the M.E. says they can"
One of the agents decided to speak up, his name was Fornell "Your jurisdiction doesn't supersede the FBI on Air Force One" I rolled my eyes before getting up.
"It's not Air Force One, Agent Fornell" I moved closer as the men moved out of my way. I came to a halt in front of them "When the President departed on the backup plane, it became Air Force One. This is now Alpha Foxtrot 2900"
"Don't get into this pissing contest, Agent Summers. As you pointed out, the President's gone. It's no longer a Secret Service problem"
I rolled my eyes and sneered at him "Let me break it down for you, he had lunch with the President before he died, do you see how this could be my problem? It could be some sort of botched attempt to kill the President and until I know otherwise I'm not going anywhere". He looked a bit shocked that I had the balls to contradict him.
"Uh, I don't give a damn which one of you is boss. You ain't moving this body until the M.E. says you can" The Coroner interrupted Fornell and I's glaring contest.
An older gentlemen came though the door followed by two men, one with silver hair and the other was much younger with dark hair. "You talking about me, Elmo?"
The newly named Elmo turned around with a giant smile "Ducky! How'd you like those steaks I air-expressed you?" I raised my eyebrow at their interaction, and what kind of a name was Ducky? And what kind of a name was Elmo?
"Ah, delicious!"
Fornell furrowed his eyebrows and leaned over to whisper to me "He "air-expressed" him steaks?"
I shrugged, frowning slightly "It's a big state. Look how long it took him to get here" motioning to the dark sky outside.
Elmo decided to introduce us "Uh, Agent Fornell here is FBI" Fornell's expression did not change when he was pointed to "Agent Summers, Secret Service" I smiled but crossed my arms. "Ducky, they've been fighting over this body like two hounds over a t-bone" I frowed at the comparison.
Ducky crouched down and peered at the body "Well, it's our t-bone for the moment". The silver haired man walked slightly closer but made sure his face was mainly covered by his cap, I frowned slightly.
"All these LEOs are contaminating the potential crime scene" He glanced at me before continuing looking at the body. My eyes narrowed at him, if he thinks he can get rid of me that easily then he has another thing coming.
"Oh yes, my assistant's right. Everyone who boarded in Wichita will have to evacuate the plane" Ducky glanced at us.
"I'm not going anywhere" Fornell looked like a pack of wild dogs wouldn't get him to move.
"I flew in on it" I smiled, glancing smugly at Fornell who looked like he wanted to hit me.
"Very well, you two can stay. But everyone else must deplane" Ducky looked at Elmo for support.
"Alright, you heard the M.E., let's move it boys" Fornell's lackeys moved off the plane and we all looked to the medical examiner "Ducky, what do you think?"
He bent over the body, checking for anything and everything "No outward sign of trauma".
I decided to speak up "He got ill after his lunch with the President". This caught the brunettes attention and he peered up at me from where he was snooping around.
"Yeah, how is the President?" I narrowed my eyes at him.
"He's okay. Deemed healthy by his physician and flew on to L.A"
"What happened?" Silver hair asked softy, he stared at me patiently and I got out my notes which I had taken from Kate.
"When the Commander returned from lunch, he had an equilibrium problem and his grip was too weak to hold his briefcase" I read. He looked confused at my notepad. "The Agent who witnessed the collapse had to go on with the President, I was asked to stay behind"
Ducky's question broke our eye contact "Did he gradually become ill, or was it sudden?"
"Sudden" I replied glancing down at my notes "He started to convulse and collapsed. The President's physician believed that the Commander had a stroke"
"Kinda young for a brain fart" I was taken aback at the brunettes coarse words. He looked to see my glare and smiled at me. I looked away.
"Looks like a natural death to me, Elmo. They can leave with the body as long as they sign releases" Ducky stood up and snapped his gloves.
Fornell turned to Elmo "Why the hell didn't you say that?"
He shrugged, not too bothered by Fornell's aggressive attitude "Couldn't. Like I said, it's the M.E.'s decision. Release forms are in my car."
Fornell turned to me "Let's go. We can work out jurisdiction for Washington on the flight to Dallas." I glanced at the silver haired man quickly, slightly suspicious, he seemed a bit too old and nosy to be an assistant.
"Ah, Ducky… about those soft-shell crabs?" I paused as I heard this question, my eyebrows furrowed as I thought about soft-shell crabs, there weren't any around this place. I glanced at the medical examiner once more seeing that he looked quite nervous, I followed Fornell down the stairs. When I got to the bottom I stopped, Fornell continued obliviously and I almost ran back up the stairs.
I entered the plane angrily, my hand touching my gun which was holstered to my hip. "Who the hell are you?" I practically snarled. "You're no M.E. assistant" I spat at silver haired guy and then I turned to Ducky "and there's no soft-shell crab within a thousand miles."
"Sorry" Ducky muttered to his friend who swiftly walked over to me and showed my his badge, which proclaimed him to be Special Agent Leroy Gethro Gibbs.
"NCIS. We flew down here from Washington to take over the investigation" My mouth dropped open and I dropped my hand away from my gun before I was tempted to use it.
"Oh for God's sake, first the FBI tries to muscle in, and now NCIS. Who next?"
"Yeah, well, I do believe this is a dead naval officer" Gibbs motioned to the dead commander before attempting to go upstairs, I blocked his way.
"He died after having lunch with the President" I stared intently at him trying my best not to glare "Who it's my job to protect"
"Okay, we can share jurisdiction. You can be on my team" I paused a bit confused, that was a sudden change.
"Excuse me, your team?" I stopped him from going up the stairs once more "Why in the world would you think I would want to be on your team?"
"You ever worked a crime scene, Agent Summers?" I looked down briefly, not willing to admit that he had more skills than me.
"I am a Secret Service agent"
He smirked at me "I thought not"
"Are you kidding me, don't you dare do that to me, okay, I'm not some kind of nancy girl that you can just walk all over. I roll with the big boys Gibbs"
"And I'm the big boy?" He smirked at me.
"I was talking about the President, no matter how much you wish I was talking about you" His smirk got wider, he leant closer to me seemingly impressed by something I had done, but before I could say anything the other guy ran down the stairs
"Gibbs! Pilot won't take off until the Secret Service chick gives us the" He caught sight of me and paused awkwardly. "thumbs up."
I raised my eyebrows in delight "I think that just made it my team." It felt nice to one up him.
He obviously didn't feel the same way "No. It means we'll just have to hijack Air Force One. Tony, escort Agent Summers off this aircraft and close the hatch." My mouth dropped open and I moved away from Tony's arm.
"You cannot serious. Hey! Wait" I ran after Gibbs, up the stairs "Okay, okay! Your team, but only because I don't want to delay us further by having to decapitate you. That stuff's messy, takes time to clean up" I held my hand out to Gibbs, who shook it swiftly. He continued upstairs and I didn't really know what to do so I sat back in my seat and waited for the plane to take off.
Once we were up in the air, Ducky reclaimed his position next to the body and he inserted some kind of thermometer into it.
"Um, not to be rude, but what are you doing? I doubt this is the right kind of place to do an autopsy"
"And you'd be right my dear, I'm just taking his liver temperature to corroborate the time of death"
I glanced down at my notes once more "The President's physician declared him dead at 20:32 Zulu"
"It never hurts to double check" Ducky took a look at the thermometer once it beeped while Tony came up to me.
"Excuse me, you'll need to stand clear so I can take measurements for my crime scene sketches, thanks" I looked at him confused and curious.
"Sketches? What do you need sketches for if you've already taken photos?"
He picked up a magazine, which had a girl in a bikini on the front "Tell me her measurements." I looked at him incredulously.
"Did you honestly just ask me that question?"
"Yes I did. Can you tell if she's 5'4" in a 35-C, or 5'7" in a 36-D? You can't, not from a photo. That's why we do sketches, take measurements." He gently pushed me away. "Thanks"
Ducky frowned at his thermometor "I've got 19:50 Zulu, that's nearly an hour earlier"
I shook my head "That can't be right." Gibbs chose this moment to walk down the stairs.
"What's the problem?" He glanced at me before looking at Ducky.
"There's apparently a discrepancy between my time of death and the President's physician's" He explained.
"Log yours. Enough sketches, Tony. Agent Summers is gonna give you a floor plan" I raised my eyebrows once more, and shook my head, laughing sarcastically.
"That's funny I thought I just heard you say that I was gonna give away top secret floor plans to him" I pointed to Tony who gave me a dazzling smile. I followed Gibbs as he didn't stop to talk to me.
"What can you tell me about Commander Trapp?" Gibbs cut me off.
"I can't give him Air Force One floor plans, they're top secret" I insisted, panicking slightly.
"Come on, I saw this in a Harrison Ford movie" I wanted to hit him.
"Well this isn't a movie, this is the real thing" He kept snooping around which infuriated me further.
"Isn't the President's head down here someplace?"
I took a deep breath to calm myself "No."
Gibbs peeked through one of the rooms and back tracked into it "Now this was in the movie! Yeah! Harrison was sitting right here." He motioned towards the President's chair.
"I can't risk those plans getting out on the Internet."
"NCIS does not leak. These plans get out, you can shoot DiNozzo."
"Oh i'll kill you both" He smirked at me, if only he knew I wasn't joking.
"What about Commander Trapp?" He asked.
"I barely even spoke to him, he just got his Yankee White clearance and was filling in for the Major who has the flu" I narrowed my eyes at him as he seemingly ignored me and continued exploring.
"We'll have to get a Navy doc to verify that."
I rolled my eyes "Do you not believe me or something? He has the flu" Trust me I know this for definate.
Gibbs finally stopped poking around the office long enough to fix his attention on a cabinet. "This is where the terrorists got their weapons in the movie" He played around with the keypad. I slapped his hand away from it.
I ignored his look of surprise and huffed "Oh, that is as ridiculous as the President's "escape capsule"."
"Anybody switch planes with the President?" He asked once he got over his surprise.
I shook my head "The President was put on a separate plane. Everyone else boarded the backup except three stewards who were put in the Press cabin" Gibbs tilted his head slightly.
"What'd you keep them for?" He moved over to where the door and moved the curtain, waving at the men inside "Make coffee?"
I glared at him "I may not know how to measure livers or swimsuit models but I have enough sense to figure out that the people who made the President's lunch should be detainted."
"Hmm, okay" He put the curtain down and moved away.
"You want to questionâ€"â€"?"
"No, they're not going anywhere. We've got a crime scene to investigate. Rule number one, never let suspects stay together."
"I didn't think of them as suspects" I furrowed my eyebrows, and almost stumbled when Gibbs turned back to me.
"Why'd you hold them?" He passed me some gloves, and I had no idea where he got them from "Put these on."
"But my fingerprints are probably all over this aircraft?" I hesistantly pulled them on, following him out of the doorway.
"Rule number two, always wear gloves at a crime scene."
"Rule what?" I was flumoxed by this point, but we somehow made it back to the crime scene and Ducky was kneeling next to the body.
"I believe I know why there's a discrepancy in the time of death. Now since the Commander had lunch with the President, I'm sure the President's physician rushed to evaluate his condition. He also called Trapp's time of death." I nodded.
"Yes, he ran straight for the President when Kate realised..." My eyes widened "He was gone nearly an hour."
"Yes. I'm sure the autopsy will show that Commander Trapp expired almost immediately."
"That's right, I'm sorry for doubting you doctor"
"Oh, please, it's Ducky to my associates. I'm just relieved we straightened it out. It's inconsistencies like this to lead to conspiracy theories. It reminds me of a case once in New Orleans. A jealous husband shot his wife off a Mardi Gras float, right out of the clock at the corner of Bourbon Street" I smiled at him, his rambling reminded me of my adorable grandfather.
"Ah, doc, give it a rest. She's got work to do."
I stifled a laugh at Gibbs' annoyed tone, apparently this happened a lot "I'll tell you the rest later!" Ducky called after me.
"Rule number three, don't believe what you're told. Double-check."
I rolled my eyes "I'll try to keep all these rules in mind for my next crime scene, which will hopefully be never" Gibbs smirked, like he knew something I didn't. He led me back to the President's office where a monkey was sitting in the President's chair.
"Get out of his chair or I will kill you" I snarled at Tony.
"He's not using it" He defended himself.
"Gibbs!" I practically shrieked.
He turned to Tony "If you're finished taking pictures, start bagging and tagging."
"Just waiting for you, boss" He jumped out of the chair and I supressed the urge to wash it.
"What are you gonna bag... and tag?" I asked looking at all the food on the table.
"Well, to start with" He pointed at it all "… everything." He pointed at the chair "President was sitting there?"
"Seeing as it's his desk, I would say yes" Tony passed Gibbs and evidence bag, which allowed Gibbs to attempt to teach me how to bag and tag properly.
"Okay, to maintain the chain of custody, take the item" He picked up the plate "in this case, Commander Trapp's lunch "place it in the evidence bag" He tipped it all in, sealed it and folded the bag over and wrote on the label "Seal it, record all pertinent information, initial across the seal" Once he was done he handed it to Tony and told him to keep it cold, Tony handed over a new evidence bag and Gibbs turned back to me.
"Okay, why don't you try it?" I had a horrible feeling in my stomach, I lurched forward and put my hand over my mouth, running out of the room. Before I get to the bathroom Gibbs cornered me against the door and I had no choice but to vomit in the evidence bag he thrust in my face.
He sealed and labeled it, ignoring my gasps but before I could say anything I had to lunge into the bathroom because the taste of vomit made me want to puke again. Gibbs grabbed my arm once more but realised I wasn't vomiting let me go. What a bastard.
I rinsed my mouth out thoroughly. Leaning my head against the door and closed my eyes. I looked in the mirror, moving my red hair out of my face and making sure I didn't have any puke in my teeth. I jumped as a few minutes later someone knocked on the door.
"Yeah?"
"Are you alright my dear?" Ducky's voice flowed through the door. I staggered upwards and unlocked the door, Ducky frowned as he took in my pasty complexion, he took hold of my hand and led me back to the seats.
"Low temperature. I think it's a stomach virus" Ducky concluded after taking my temperature.
"I thought so" I sighed before taking another look at the thermometer "You didn't use that for...?"
"Would you rather I use the liver probe?" He laughed, I'm pretty sure I went green again.
"Why you so sure it was the flu?" Gibbs asked, crouching down next to me. I bit my lip, I really didn't want this getting out but I had no choice.
"It's the same symptoms Major Kerry had."
"Did you work together recently?" Ducky asked curiously.
I shook my head awkwardly.
"Well if you didn't work with him, then how…? Ah!" I blushed a little.
"Not like I'm a virgin Ducky" I coloured a little more as he avoided eye contact with me. "Didn't think I was did you?"
"I'd… hoped not" Ducky awkwardly said, before leaving quickly. I giggled watching him leave before remembering that Gibbs was still here. I looked at him to see that he was staring at me. I bit my lip and moved some of my hair away from my face before relaxing on the couch a bit more.
"You disgusted with me sleeping with a co-worker?" I asked hesitantly.
"Nope" I nodded and looked away as he was still staring at me, I was about to break the silence when the intercomm crackeled.
"Agent Summers, Agent Baer's on a secure line for you" I sat up, wincing at the slight pain in my stomach. Gibbs continued to stare at me.
"You want me to take that call for you?" He offered, I gave him a look.
"I'd literally have to be dead" I left him by himself, walking up the stairs making sure to keep hold of the rail to ensure that if I did have any dizzy spells I wouldn't fall down and have something for Gibbs to tease me about.
I was handed a phone and I took a deep breath before saying a polite greeting.
"I made a deal with NCIS to share the investigation, sir." I winced waiting for the backlash.
Baer's voice was furious when it came through "You're not senior enough to make deals, Agent Summers. We're working this with the FBI." I scowled thinking about Fornell and how smug he would be.
"Sir, there is no way in hell these NCIS agents are just going to turn the body and the evidence over to the FBI, they have some sort of grudge-"
"NCIS had no right to use a local coroner to delay your departure"
"You have to admit that was pretty clever"
"Agent Summers, shut up and listen." I winced "I'm giving you a direct order. That's our aircraft, everything living and dead on board is under Secret Service control. Turn the body over to the FBI at Andrews, or the only presidential detail you'll get will be walking Spotty." He hung up on me, I slammed the phone back down and closed my eyes for a second. I was going to make Gibbs do what I said, if it killed me.
With that in mind I went back downstairs and before I could even open my mouth I noticed that the body had been moved and the only person, dead or alive, was Gibbs who was sitting a car looking innocent.
"Gibbs, where's the body?" I raised my eyebrows and put my hands on my hips.
"I don't know" He shrugged as if the body just walked away from him without his notice. We both laughed and I shook my head before sitting down.
"You playing hide and seek with it, or move it to the off ramp for a quick getaway?" Gibbs grinned and drank from his coffee cup, which I had no idea where he got it from.
"It won't work, Gibbs. I've been ordered to turn the body over to the FBI at Andrews." I said a little sadly.
"You could stall them until we get off." Gibbs tried, leaning over to me.
"No, I can't. I won't defy a direct order. I'm sorry, Gibbs, but I would if I could."
"Never say you're sorry" He smirked at me "Sign of weakness" I smiled at him, looking down and biting my lip, brushing my hair out of my face as the intercomm crackeled overhead.
"Folks, please fasten your seatbelts, we're beginning our descent into Andrews at this time" I buckeled my seat belt, looking down I spotted my pack of sweet. I grinned happily as I took one and started sucking on it.
"Want one?" I held the pack out to Gibbs, who smirked and stole a handful.
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After we parted ways I followed Agent Baer into the director's office, I cringed before entering, seeing Kate with a smug look on her face staring at me from her desk.
"I hate her" I mumbled as I was subjected to a couple of dirty looks.
"Good afternoon Agent Summers" I nodded a polite hello. "It has been decided that you will be the liason representing the Secret Service in a conjucture with NCIS and the FBI" My eyes widened comically, I seriously thought I was in trouble. "Do you have any objections?"
"No, no" I shook my head "That's fine" I was filled in on the major details and sent on my way. I sashayed my way past Kate's desk, maturely sticking my tongue out at her before turning and making my way towards the Navy Yard.
I paid the taxi fare and procedeed with NCIS security, getting a visitors badge and taking the elevator up. Before the doors could close, a hand wedged it's way through and stopped them, Agent Fornell's face greeted me when the doors opened. I sighed and cursed my luck, I forgot he would be here.
"Long time no see" I sneered at him.
"Good times"
Upon reaching the correct floor I led the way to where Gibbs, DiNozzo, Ducky and a young woman dressed in what looked like goth clothes, with a lab coat over were standing waiting for us. Ducky managed to get a brain scan up on the screen and pointed at a yellow spot.
"My neural pathology exam indicates that our victim succumbed to a cerebral embolism. Here, in the parietal lobe. I also found a number of clots, most of them centred in the renal artery."
"And that's not normal?" I questioned, most of what he said went over my head.
"Oh, not at all. In most cases of arterial thrombosis, clots will develop over a period of minutes or hours, spread to the rest of the body" I nodded, staring at the dots a bit more.
"But what caused them to develop in a healthy young aviator?" Gibbs asked impatiently. I think this was his default setting.
"Abby?" The goth girl newly named bounced a little bit, like she had so much energy and didn't know what to do with it.
"Well I did a fibrinogen test. The procoagulate numbers were high, but they weren't off the charts." Her hands guestured wildly as she talked and I couldn't help but try not to smile at her.
"Any drugs that might induce the clotting?" Fornell asked.
"Well yeah, but none of those popped up. I only iso'ed the epinephrine that was injected when he got jolted and juiced on the plane."
"No vitamins? Herbals?" DiNozzo asked.
"The guy was an organic freak. I mean, he probably whizzed green. But none of that'll cottage cheese your blood"
I bit my lip and asked the question that had been bothering me "Did you test the food that ingested on Air Force One?"
Abby turned to me, and my eyes wandered to the spider web tattoo on her neck, that was awesome. "Everything that was bagged and tagged. Ribs, coleslaw, barby sauce… it was all negative for toxins. I mean, that stuff will kill ya, but it'll take, like, thirty years. Do you dudes in the Secret Service ever think about throwing yourselves in front of the President's diet?" I smiled, the President did like a load of crap.
"So, you're both saying he wasn't murdered?" Fornell asked, a bit bewildered.
"However freakish and tragic, it apparently was a natural death." Ducky confirmed. I let out a sigh of relief, knowing that the President wasn't targeted.
"I want my people to check your results." Fornell said.
"Of course. You and Agent Summers will be receiving copies of all our tests" I nodded gratefully, knowing that the director probably hasn't slept since this whole thing began.
"Does it for me" Fornell turned to Tony "How's your butt?" I was confused at the random question and tried not to laugh.
"Still bouncing on the beltway." Fornell smirked and went to leave. I decided to follow seeing as I got everything I needed. My job was hopefully safe and there was no reason for me to stick around. Before I could get anywhere Gibbs called me back offering me a stick of gum, I smiled remembering the sweets on the plane.
"Iris" I looked up wondering where he found out my name, but took the gum anyway "When's the President returning?"
I thought for a second before replying. "Uh, tomorrow. Noon. I'm flying back tonight to rejoin the detail" I undid the wrapper and stuck it in my mouth, chewing slowly.
"Mind if I tag along?" I almost choked on my gum "Please?"
"Well since you said please, it's a whole different story" I grinned at him "You can. Your Sig Sauer can't. We have a rule: no weapons on Air Force One unless they're Secret Service" I waited for him to react, he took off his sidearm and put it in a drawer in his desk. I started walking knowing he would follow.
After clearing that Gibbs could come alone with the director I went to visit Major Kerry or as I liked to call him Tim. We met at our favourite bar and he ordered a beer for himself and a vodka and coke for me.
"To Commander Trapp" We toasted "To come all the way through the war without a scratch and then die in a stroke… He was in the thick of it on the push to Baghdad" I looked at him curiously.
"You never told me that you knew him."
Tim shrugged "We had a drink when he reported to the Whitehouse. He wanted to know what tips I could give him."
"About his new assignment?"
"Yeah. Where he could find a good gym. Dry cleaners. Grocery mart. Local watering hole."
I bit my lip "Did you tell him about this place?" I looked around a bit.
Tim shook his head "No. He might have run into us and that wouldn't have been good, would it?" He took my hand in his and squeezed it.
I looked at our joint hands "No, it wouldn't" I moved my hand from under his, thinking about everything that happened and how this probably wasn't a good idea anymore.
"Huh. He wouldn't have run into us after tonight though, would he?"
"No" I whispered, looking down at my drink, avoiding eye contact.
"Worried about losing your job?" Tim asked taking a bigger gulp of his beer.
"Worried about losing the President. When we work together, your going to be a distraction, I don't want the President to die because I was too busy checking you out" He smiled sadly at me. "I'm sorry" He walked me over to my car, I got in and sighed before driving away. I didn't look back.
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On Air Force One once more the President climbed aboard and greeting everyone.
"Sir? I'm a bit shocked that you let Agent Gibbs ride with us" I said to Agent Baer.
He turned to me "He's here because his gut is still churning, isn't it?"
I was a bit confused at the phrase "Yes, sir. I suppose you could put it that way."
"Well so is mine"
Oh shit, now I had a bad feeling. I watched as he walked after the President before sitting back down as the plane took off. When the food trolley came around I actually ate some of it, I was starved and since Abby cleared all the food I wasn't too worried about dying any time soon.
"Expect him to drop?" I asked as I saw Gibbs watching the new football carrier eat. He walked over to me and gave me an appraising look.
"I see you're over the flu" He commented before sitting next to me.
I shrugged "It was only a twenty-four hour thing, nothing too serious. Tim got over it yesterday" I smiled before realising my mistake "I mean Major Kerry"
"Yeah. I kinda figured that."
I huffed at the sarcastic note to his voice "I saw him yesterday for a drink, I told him it was over. I decided that dating a co-worker is a bad idea and comes with too many worries"
I ate some more of my food as Baer came out and took one of the reporters into the President's office.
"Where they going?" Gibbs asked, after having gotten up to watch them.
"The President promised ten minutes to each member of the Press on board. Seeing as they got kicked off last time, he doesn't want them making anything up"
"Three years before 9/11, Clancy wrote a book where a terrorist hijacked a commercial jetliner and crashed it into the Capital." He peered over at the reporters "In the Harrison Ford movie, the terrorists were reporters."
"Gibbs, this isn't a movie. Everyone on this plane has been credited for years" I gave him a look "Except you"
"In the film" He continued, ignoring me "the terrorists got they're credentials from a Secret Service turncoat." Gibbs walked away, ignoring my taken aback expression. As if any of the Secret Service Agents would turn on the President.
One of the reporters walked up to me "Loosening up your dress code, Iris?"
"He is not one of us."
"We all gonna get our fifteen minutes of fame?" Leonard asked.
"It's ten" I curtly replied "and the President is doing the best he can" I decided to go and find Gibbs, I hoped he didn't do anything stupid seeing as I was the one who got him on this plane in the first place.
"There's something different about this plane than Air Force One" He observed, not slowing his stride for me.
"This is Air Force One" I smirked.
"You know what I mean" Gibbs sighed.
"The only differences are minor, like the 2900 is new so obviously it was updated"
"Like what?"
I thought for a moment "Rear loading hatch is bigger on the 2900. Extra lavatory forward. Locks are digital on 29, and keyed on this" I tried to think of others but the intercom interrupted us.
"Special Agent Gibbs, you have a teleconference call in Comm."
Gibbs looked at me before turned to walk away "Iris, I want to know every difference on this plane, no matter how small you think it is."
"Please?" I teasingly called after him. I set to work finding all the differences on the two planes. It was easy enough to do and a few minutes later I was on my way to find Gibbs once more.
Seeing him walking towards me I motioned towards the laptop "I've accessed everything I could on the differences. I think it's everything"
"We need to talk." I raised my eyebrows at his serious tone, but stopped him from opening one of the doors.
"There's a campaign conference going on in there" I stared up at him.
"I need to talk to you in private."
I shrugged my shoulders "Well, there's no other private meeting room. You could ask the President to give up his office, but I'm pretty sure how that would go" Apparently he didn't appreciate my joke as he took my laptop and threw it down on a random seat. "Hey!" He ignored me and shoved me into a bathroom. "Gibbs!" He squeezed in behind me and stole my gun.
"Sit down." I stole a look at the toilet and decided against it.
"What the hell do you think are you doing?" I demanded, ignoring his own demand.
He pointed my own gun at me "Commander Trapp was poisoned. Australian snake venom. Hard to detect, mimics a natural death." I furrowed my eyebrows, what did that have to do with-
"What? You think I did it?" I was significantly outraged.
"Well, sweetpea, you were with him when he was poisoned" Gibbs sarcastically pointed out, still trapping me with my gun.
"Yeah, so was the President. You gonna accuse him?"
"No. He wasn't with Major Kerry yesterday." My world shut down for a second.
"Tim?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah. Stroked, on a Georgetown street." I struggled not to cry "You know, I bet it wasn't far from the bar where you two kissed and said bye-bye" That was the final straw, I launched myself at him, trying my best to hit him while tears streamed down my face.
"Get off me!" I shouted, tears bluring my vision as he held my wrists to stop me from hitting him. I finally gave up and buried my face in his shoulder while he wrapped his arms around me.
"I gave it to you cold, wanted to see your reaction. Liars can't bail on cue." I could have killed him, which he probably could tell seeing as he didn't give me my gun back straight away. "Come on"
I took my gun back, glaring at him "Your an absolute bastard" I took a deep breath "How were they poisoned?" I hesitantly asked.
"Dry cleaner laced their uniforms with poison. Must be an Al-Qaeda sleeper."
I flashbacked to yesterday "Tim must have recommended his dry cleaners, he…" I had to cut myself off as I felt the tears creeping back up.
"What?" Gibbs insisted.
I took a deep breath, calming myself "Yesterday, Tim told me that he gave Commander Trapp tips like that"
"Well they've got to be after the President, but what would killing the Ball carrier give them?"
I shook my head "Nothing, another aide steps in."
"And another plane. This plane. They forced the President to fly his backup." I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Security is exactly the same for both planes"
"But the plane isn't the same. And I'll bet Security isn't either until the President's on board. Al-Qaeda has to have planted something on this plane."
I thought fast "If it was a bomb it would have been detonated by now, so it must be something else"
"You said the locks were different." Gibbs reminded me.
"29 has digital ones, this one has keys." I moved slightly away from Gibbs as he thought.
"Armoury, the armoury. They have keys to the armoury. They copied the movie. They've vetted a reporter"
"But that would have taken years" I remarked as I put my earwig back in.
"So did setting up 9/11" I nodded, and opened the door to the bathroom. As we came out my comm went wild.
"There's a medical emergency in the Press cabin." I informed Gibbs who waved it off.
"It's a diversion. Cover the President" I sprinted towards the President's office, taking my gun out as I went.
"Nobody gets past you" Out of the corner of my eye I saw him plant himself in the middle of the aisle, I opened the door to the office and waited anxiously in front of the door trying not to alert anyone so that no one would panic.
A few minutes later I heard gunshots, opening the door with my weapon raised I saw Gibbs walking towards me with Leonard on the floor, dead. He handed me his weapon with a smirk that made me want to shoot him, but seeing as he practically saved my ass I guess I could let him off.
After a few minutes of deliberation I decided to resign, I couldn't keep going on with this job having done what I did. I got off the plane after talking to Baer walking towards the road.
"I heard you quit, Agent Summers" I whirled around, hearing Gibbs' voice.
"Wow, that sure was fast. Literally five minutes ago. I decided it was the right thing to do, you know?"
"Yup. Pull that crap at NCIS, I won't give you a chance to resign" Gibbs walked away after that sentance.
"Wait, what?" I grinned. "Is that a job offer?" I called out. He didn't repond and got into a fancy car with a reheaded woman. I started laughing as I realised that this new job was bound to be anything but boring.
Author's Chapter Notes:
A different secret service met Gibbs and the team on Air Force One that fateful day. This is my story from fanfiction . com so don't be alarmed.