Inter-agency Nightmare 3/?
"Flyboys and their fancy planes." Gibbs smirked as he was escorted onto the Lear jet behind McGee. They weren't allowed to sit together, but they were each handed a bottle of sparkling water. He smirked again when Tim spoke for the first time.
"What, no lemon?"
Rolling his eyes, Colonel O'Neill went to the front of the plane and started their pre-flight check. Usually Carter went up with him, but today she stayed with their guests. By the time they'd reached cruising altitude, Gibbs was snoring. Carter watched him for a few minutes, then she turned back to McGee. "For someone accused of treason, he's awfully relaxed."
"Of course, because he's right." Tim followed Gibbs' lead and leaned back, closing his eyes. Samantha wasn't satisfied.
"How do you know he's right this time?"
McGee didn't bother to open his eyes. "Because the Boss is always right." Behind Carter, Gibbs smiled, not missing a beat.
---NCIS---
"Well?" Vance's last hope faded as Abby shook her head and behind him, Tony and Ziva sagged in disbelief.
"Come on, Abs, there has to be something."
She shook her head again. "No, Tony, there's not. It's like when your grandmother cleans house and she picked up every single knickknack and wipes under them and then wipes every inch of the knickknack before she sets it back down. McGee's computer is spotless. Every single file that he's suppose to have is there, right where it's supposed to be, but there's absolutely nothing else there. I had to check the serial number to make sure it's the right hard drive, that's how clean it is."
"He scrubbed it."
"Yeah, and after he scrubbed it, he sterilized it. Big time. He's been chasing criminals through their hard drives for years, he knows tricks that no one else does." Abby chewed on her lip as she thought about it. "Well, I don't think anybody else does."
"It is too clean." Ziva crossed her arms as she stared at the tower. "If they get a search warrant and seize his computer, they will know that he was hiding something."
While she was thinking as an operative, Tony was thinking as an investigator. "Maybe, but with no proof, they can't do anything about it."
"Perhaps, but they could continue to push for answers. McGee does not lie well, how long can he keep that up? My sources tell me that this O'Neill is very much like Gibbs in that respect. He does not give up."
"Great." Leon saw his family weekend slipping away. "I'll see if I can get the SecNav to put some pressure on, get the Air Force to back off, at least a little bit." Not looking forward to that conversation, Vance turned on his heel and left the sub-basement. As soon as he was gone, Abby burrowed against DiNozzo.
"Tony, I'm really worried. This could get bad, really bad."
---NCIS---
Behind his calm facade, Jethro Gibbs was worried. He'd managed a few catnaps while McGee had worked to track down Bobby Dickerson, but the younger agent had been up, working hard for almost thirty hours straight now. Gibbs knew he had to be running on fumes and a skilled interrogator would use that to his advantage.
Now they were in Colorado Springs, after landing at a military airport, where it was cold, the air was thinner and, judging from McGee's struggles, the pollen count was very high. Gibbs laid his hand on Tim's back, glaring at O'Neill, challenging him to say something. O'Neill didn't and McGee just burrowed closer to Gibbs, enjoying the warmth and the silent support.
Now in a jeep and being driven to an unknown destination, Gibbs felt better having McGee tucked up against him. Their weapons had been left behind and they'd been searched already, but the MP's hadn't found everything. Gibbs wasn't planning on doing anything stupid, but he'd do whatever was necessary to protect the younger man.
The entrance to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex was huge and intimidating, especially when in a jeep surrounded by armed guards, but McGee couldn't help but look around. They were led to an elevator and as they descended, he wondered just how close to the secret labs and equipment they would be.
The corridor they were escorted down looked like many other military bases, much to Tim's disappointment, but when he and Gibbs were separated, he started to panic. "Umm, where are you taking us?"
O'Neill gave a rigid smile. "You'll each be interviewed - separately. Might take us a while, we're kinda busy around here. The small room he was placed in reminded him of the interrogation rooms back at NCIS, but there was no mirrored wall hiding observers, only a small camera up in the corner. Two guards were left outside the door and the last thing McGee saw as the door closed was Gibbs being taken away. Feeling suddenly exhausted, Tim sank down in the chair and buried his face in his hands.
Gibbs was taken down a series of hallways that twisted and turned. He carefully counted the corners and mapped the layout in his mind. Nothing was marked, but a scuff on one of the walls confirmed that he'd been taken in a circle at one point and the room he was placed in was only one hall over from where McGee was being held. Dismissing the two guards out side the room, he listened carefully for any snippet of conversation or sound of movement in the halls.
---NCIS---
"Well, Colonel, I sent you to Washington for one possible suspect and you brought me back two. Why?"
"Happy birthday." O'Neill grinned at General Hammond before turning serious. "They weren't surprised when we got there, but that kid, McGee, was scared and Gibbs was ready to fall on his sword the second we stepped off the elevator."
"To protect McGee? Again, why? Is he someone important?"
The full dossiers had been waiting for Jack when they arrived and he set them on Hammond's desk. "Well, he is the son of an Admiral, but he's also some sort of computer genius."
Hammond put the pieces together the same way O'Neill had. "You think he tried to get into our system."
"And since we weren't allowed to seize any physical evidence..."
"You brought back the kid. All right, Colonel, have our guys go through our computers with a fine toothed comb. If there was an attempt at a breech, there should be some sort of record. Find it."
Once he was alone in his office again, Hammond leaned back and pinched the bridge of his nose. Whoever this Gibbs was, he had enough friends in high places to make their investigation difficult. Determined to find out why, he straightened up and started reading the files Jack had left him.
---NCIS---
Gibbs glanced down at his watch, confirming how long he'd been alone in the room, and let out a yell. "Hey, Airman." A few seconds later, the door opened and one of the guards stuck his head in.
"Sir?"
"We gonna get fed anytime soon?"
"I can have dinner sent up, Sir. We have either pork chops or fish today. Which would you like?"
"Do I want the fish?"
The Airman shuddered and winced. "Not really, Sir."
Gibbs grinned at his reaction. "Then I'll take the pork chop, and Airman?"
"Yes, Sir?"
"I work for a living, don't call me sir. Make sure McGee gets fed, too, and see if you've got a doctor around here that can give him something for his allergies."
"Yes, Si.. Agent Gibbs. I'll take care of it." The Airman started to pull away, the turned back. "Off the record, Agent Gibbs, thanks for caring about what happened to Bobby. He's a good guy." When Gibbs nodded, the Airman closed the door.
The door closed and Gibbs sat back pleased with his progress. He'd confirmed that the real workings of the base were below their current level and made a personal connection with one of his guards.
Out in the hallway, O'Neill nodded in approval to the Airman. He was pleased with their progress. Gibbs had acknowledged that he knew about Robert Dickerson and was beginning to trust one of his guards.
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