Fornell didn’t know what to tell the younger agent. He knew his duty, Ari’s cover had to be protected at any cost. They had never before been able to place any agent in the Al-Queda hierarchy. Ari was too valuable an asset to compromise.
Tony ran a hand through his hair. He wasn’t really sure what he expected from Fornell. A denial, a promise to apprehend Haswari. He laughed mirthlessly, they were now leaning against the outer wall of the lab building. “Nothing to say? Tobias, you disappoint me. I never thought I would see the day that the FBI would side with a terrorist in the killing of a policeman,” Tony hit the brick wall with the flat of his hand in anger and frustration, “now I have truly seen everything.”
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Ryan rushed through the halls he had to find Tony it was nearly a compulsion now. Eric followed in his wake. Ryan hit the front door at a dead run. He stopped outside to survey the area and find his wayward cousin. He turned and saw Tony with an older man about Gibbs’ age dressed in a stereotypical FBI suit, just in time to see his cousin swing his arm. Ryan rushed forward knowing he wouldn’t get there in time to prevent his cousin from belting the older man but yelled at him anyway “Tony! NO!” Ryan hurried over to the two men trying to prevent any further escalation of hostilities.
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Tony looked up from his intense encounter with Fornell and saw his cousin hurrying toward him with Delko following behind. Tony leaned in to Fornell and whispered in his ear, “This isn’t over.” Tony stood up straight and called out to the Miami CSIs.
“Ryan, Eric, there’s someone here that you need to meet.”
Ryan was relieved to see his cousin had not decked the FBI agent standing with him. Actually the man standing with Tony didn’t appear fazed in the least with the exchange that had occurred between the two men. It was at that moment that Ryan finally realized that Eric was following him. He spared a glance at his coworker and quirked an eyebrow at him. Eric just shrugged and fell into step with Ryan as they quickly walked the remaining distance to the relatively quiet corner of the lawn in front of the CSI lab.
“Gentlemen,” Tony began as the 2 CSIs joined them, “This is SAC Tobias Fornell of the FBI, Fornell this is Ryan Wolfe, and Eric Delko. They both work for the Miami Dade PD as CSIs.
“Agent Fornell is based in DC. We have worked together in the past. I am curious what brings a DC team all the way to Florida however, care to enlighten us?”
Tony had quickly replaced the folder with the information about Speed’s death back in his bag and shouldered it, distracting the CSIs with the introduction to the FBI agent and deflecting their attention to him. He wasn’t ready to tell Ryan yet what he had learned about Speed’s death and he definitely didn’t want to out his cousin to a coworker who had been just this side of hostile to him since Ryan had transferred to the labs. Tony was the one who had counseled both Speed and Ryan on the need for discretion while working for the PD. The need to keep their relationship a secret. It was a hard won lesson that Tony had received just before he left the Peoria PD.
Ryan both knew Tony, and was a CSI trained to be observant, and was not distracted by the introduction of the FBI agent. He saw the thick folder than his cousin surreptitiously placed in his bag. He didn’t comment on it but it deepened the mystery of what Tony was actually doing in Miami.
Fornell was oblivious to Tony’s manipulations and Ryan’s observations, he shook the hands of the CSI’s and decided to answer DiNozzo’s question.
“ I was assigned this case when Gibbs worked on it for NCIS, 4 years ago.”
Tony noticed he didn’t mention how he was notified of the case this time and Tony still had his suspicions about some kind of plant in the NCIS phone or computer systems. He would have to talk to Abby or McGee as soon as possible.
Tony started walking back towards the entrance to the building. His encounter with Fornell had wasted enough time. It was nearly the time to pick up the NCIS team from the airport and Tony still wasn’t sure what Ryan had been able to arrange with his boss to pick up the NCIS agents. Tony broached the subject with his cousin, not wanting to be late to the airport.
“So Ryan, what did your boss say about the cars to get my teammates?”
Ryan opened his mouth in an attempt to reply and slammed it shut at the words of Fornell.
“Don’t bother Di Nutzo, I have a car waiting at the airport for Gibbs. They should be here shortly.”
Tony was less than pleased by this. He knew that Gibbs would be irked that the FBI, had beaten his team to Florida. He would also not be pleased with Tony. Tony was supposed to meet them not some FBI suits.
Ryan looked at his cousin he could practically hear the internal conversation. Ryan knew enough about Gibbs from having met the man and all that Tony had told him.
This was going to be an interesting case no doubt about it.
Chapter End Notes:
Short chapter, sorry for than and the delay. I will try and post more frequently.