NCIS. Abby/Kate. 035. Sixth Sense. *
Title: Pretty Early in the Morning
Fandom: NCIS
Characters: Abigail Sciuto, Caitlin Todd, Jethro Gibbs, Tony DiNozzo, Timothy McGee, Donald "Ducky" Mallard
Prompt: 035 Sixth Sense
Word Count: 4,760
Rating: R
Summary: While investigating a case, Gibbs discovers something about one of his agents.
Author's Notes: The "Sixth Sense" in the prompt refers to Gibbs' sixth sense about his people. I swear, it was a much bigger part while outlining the story. ;-D
Little Damn Table
Cadet Cheryl Wilkerson's quarters were immaculate. Blanket pulled taut across the mattress, clothes in the closet hanging in order of their color, night stand in perfect condition. Kate snapped a photo and moved towards the window, looking for anything out of place and coming up empty. "If she did go UA, she certainly didn't take much with her," she said, taking a shot of the closet.
"And if she was abducted from here, the kidnapper really did a great job at covering his tracks," McGee pointed out.
"Too much or not enough," Kate said. "The neatness seems to disqualify one theory, while the full closet negates the other."
"Well, she didn't just vanish into thin air," Gibbs said from the doorway. "Find me something."
Tony came in, slipping past Gibbs into the room. "Talked to her neighbor. Really sweet girl. Has this weird obsession with stuffed frogs. Had 'em everywhere. Kind of cute, but..."
"Was Cadet Wilkerson kidnapped by one of these stuffed frogs, DiNozzo?"
Tony cleared his throat. "Not likely," he said. He nodded at the bed. "According to the neighbor, Cheryl Wilkerson was as straight an arrow as they come. Daughter of a chaplain, church every Sunday morning and Bible study on Wednesday night. No boyfriends to speak of. Just class, home, church and bed."
Gibbs was examining her entertainment center. "Who is Bill Gaither?"
"Christian singer," McGee said, not looking up from his pad. "Leads something called Homecoming for lots of other Christian performers." He looked up and saw everyone staring at him. "My mother loves him."
"So does Cadet Wilkerson," Gibbs said. "The DVDs are all she has." He worked through the stack, looking for anything different. "Okay. McGee, head back and check out Wilkerson's credit card statements. See if there are any unusual purchases."
"Basically, anything that doesn't involve a cross," Tony said.
Gibbs smirked and said, "Kate, find her address book and get in touch with her friends. See if maybe she's hiding out with one of them."
"On it."
He nodded and said, "DiNozzo, with me. We'll interview her CO, see if he can explain her absence."
---
"Hell yes, she had a reason to run," Gunnery Sergeant Boyle said. "Girl was weak. I gave her a good three months before she threw in the towel; guess I overestimated." He stopped and examined the class of students on the field, then turned to face Gibbs. "My opinion? She turned tail, ran back to Momma and Daddy as fast as her little legs could carry her."
"Any idea why she wouldn't pack any of her belongings?" Tony asked.
"She was in a hurry. Wanted to get out of Dodge 'fore we caught her, made her stay. Look, Agent Gibbs, I appreciate NCIS being involved, but you've been handed a stinker here. Wilkerson wasn't fit to be a Marine, that is all there is to it."
Gibbs cell rang and he nodded to the Gunny. "Thank you. We'll be in touch." He answered the phone and walked away with DiNozzo. "Yeah. Okay." He hung up and said, "McGee found something in the cadet's quarters."
They crossed the field and headed back into the building. Cadet Wilkerson's quarters were at the top of the first flight of stairs, just to the right. Gibbs led the way in and saw McGee and Kate bagging what seemed to be a blouse. "What'd you find?" Gibbs asked.
McGee held up the bag. "It was between the mattress and the headboard. I never would have found it if Kate hadn't suggested moving the bed away from the wall."
Gibbs took the bag and held it up to the light from the window. The shirt was petite, looked like it belonged on a Barbie doll. The blood on it looked fresh and was evenly splattered across the chest. A closer look revealed two missing buttons. "Well," he said. "I guess we can eliminate the theory that she left because she couldn't handle it..."
---
Abby held up the shirt and said, "Out, damn spot. Out, I say!"
Kate smirked and Gibbs said, "Let me know as soon as you find anything, Abby."
"You got it, milord," Abby said, carrying the shirt over to her table.
Gibbs and Tony headed to the elevator and Kate said, "Actually, guys, I'm going to stay down here, use Abby's phone to make the calls to Wilkerson's friends and family, be available if Abby needs a hand."
"All right," Gibbs said. "Let us know as soon as you have anything."
He stepped into the elevator with Tony, hitting the button for the third floor. As the doors slid closed, he saw Kate join Abby on the opposite side of the table, putting her hand on the small of Abby's back. He raised his eyebrow but said nothing.
---
McGee hung up with the Visa people and reported. "There have been no unusual purchases, but she did withdraw four hundred dollars the day of her disappearance. It was before her last sighting, so it may have been for bills or something innocuous..."
"Who was the last sighting?" Gibbs asked.
Tony checked. "Her neighbors. Two days ago, they saw her go into her room and leave a few minutes later. Last time anyone saw her."
"So the four hundred could have funded her getaway," McGee said. "If it was in fact a getaway."
Kate and Abby hurried into the bullpen, both of them looking fit to bust. "We have news," Abby said. "Which do you want first?"
Gibbs stood and said, "Kate."
"Gibbs!" Abby gasped.
Gibbs motioned for Kate to go ahead and she glanced apologetically at Abby. "Um... I called one of Cadet Wilkerson's friends and she was still at work. Pulling a double-shift."
"Should've gone with Abby's news," Tony said.
"She's working a double-shift because a mutual friend of her and Cadet Wilkerson didn't show up for work today. As far as we can tell, the last time anyone saw her was four o'clock yesterday afternoon."
"Friend's name?" Gibbs said.
"Michaela Pool."
"Ooh, girl named Mike," Tony said, moving towards them. "Gotta love chicks with guy names. Sam, Alex..."
"Toni," McGee suggested.
"Tony is all-man, Tim."
"Abby, news," Gibbs said.
"This actually is more impressive following Kate's news, now that I think about it, but I ran a quick type-test on the blood on the blouse. It's AB. Cadet Wilkerson is B-positive."
McGee said, "She stashed a shirt covered in someone else's blood in her quarters?"
"Number one reason for disappearing," Gibbs said. "Hoping to avoid punishment. Tony, Kate, grab your gear. McGee, check the car out of motor pool. We're heading to the missing friend's house." As he came out from behind his desk, he quietly said to Abby, "Nice work, ladies."
He glanced over his shoulder as he passed, spotting a secretive look pass between them. He filed it away to consider later.
---
Michaela Pool's house was a one-story duplex which she shared with a small family. The team let themselves in the front door, spreading out to examine each corner of the small place. Tony set down his gear and shook his head. "I couldn't live in a duplex. Having to stay in one side of the house? Always hearing other people through the walls? It'd be creepy."
"One step up from an apartment," Kate said, starting on the living room.
"I guess," Tony admitted, brushing his finger along the back of the couch and checking for dust. "Still. You move up from an apartment, you expect a house. Not half of one."
"You were just spoiled by your mansion and your four-poster bed."
"Maybe I was, Kate," Tony sighed. He knelt down to open his gear and said, "How about you? Ever live in a duplex or an apartment?"
"No," Kate said. "All houses for me."
The phone rang next door and they heard a muffled hello, followed by a mostly-unintelligible conversation. Tony pointed at the wall. "See? That. I would never get used to that."
"Tony..."
He sighed, "Yeah, I know, get to work, leave you--"
"There's blood on the leg of this chair."
Tony got up and rounded the couch, kneeling down and shining his flashlight on the leg of the chair. The blood had apparently been cleaned up, the fabric showing signs of bleaching. Whoever had cleaned it, however, had missed a good portion of the trail that wrapped around the wooden chair leg.
"Ooh." Tony snapped a picture of it and shook his head. "This is adding up to something very not good."
---
They found nothing beyond the blood at Michaela's house, leaving them with nothing concrete to go on. Due to the lateness of the hour, Gibbs told them to drop the blood sample off at the lab, seal up Michaela Pool's house and call it a night. Tony laid out his theory as they headed into the dark squad room to get their things. "Wilkerson had all that Christian, church-y stuff in her quarters, right? She and this quote-unquote 'lifelong friend' of hers go missing at the same time... I'm thinking maybe they were... closer than friends."
Kate rolled her eyes. "What evidence do you have of that?"
"No boyfriends for either one, apparently. Neighbors all said she never had dates. So maybe her significant other was around, just not... visible."
She shook her head. "I'm not buying it. Call me when you have some actual proof."
"Speaking of actual proof," Tony said, "I have to drop this blood off with Abby."
"You know what," Kate said, stepping forward and holding out her hand. "I'll do that."
Tony handed it to her. "You're sure?"
"Yeah. You probably have something to do."
"Well, I mean, I'd be happy to do it, more than happy, in face, and if you ever need a favor, don't hesitate to bye..." He turned and darted away.
Kate chuckled and grabbed her things before going to the elevator.
---
Gibbs walked out of the back door of the building, spotting DiNozzo walking across the parking lot. As he passed the lab, he crouched and peered through the glass into Abby's lab. At first, he thought it was empty and was about to move on, but then he spotted movement at the back of the lab. Kate and Abby were standing by Abby's desk, pressed together, Abby's hands on Kate's hips.
He hesitated for a moment, filing the position away in my brain before he stood and continued walking to his car.
---
The next morning, Kate arrived to find a photo of Michaela Pool up on the plasma. The missing girl was a young brunette, eyes squeezed shut and her mouth wide in mid-laugh as the photo had been taken. "Productive morning, Tim?" she asked.
"Mmm," he said, not looking up from his computer. "More productive than DiNozzo."
Kate looked at Tony, who had a plate of M&Ms on his desk. They were separated by color. "Breakfast?" she said.
"Of champions." He held up the plate and said, "Don't take any of the yellows. There are always fewer yellows and they're my favorite. And try not to mess up the color scheme. Took me forever to..."
Gibbs walked past and thumped the edge of the plate. The candy jumped and so did Tony, the colors all mixing and coalescing. "Morning, boss."
"What did you find, McGee?" Gibbs asked.
"Managed to find out quite a bit about Miss Pool. She works at a local bookstore. The Plot Thickens. Like Cadet Wilkerson, not much about her of interest... work, home and the library."
"How did she and Cadet Wilkerson know each other?" Kate asked.
"High school. Found some very dated photographs on the bureau in her bedroom."
"Bureau?"
"The dresser, Tony," Kate said.
"I know what it is," Tony said. "It's just... 'Bureau,' probie? Come on."
"Did they have any contact on or around the day they disappeared?"
"Yes," McGee said. "I got hold of their phone records and it seems Michaela called Wilkerson seven times two days before their disappearance." He frowned at the printout and said, "She also called 911 four days before she disappeared."
"Wilkerson or Pool?" Gibbs asked.
"Pool. The call was made at 11:43 PM."
"Wonder what that could've been about?" Tony asked. He glanced at Gibbs and grabbed his phone. "Easy way to find out. On it, boss."
Kate stood and said, "I'll go see if Abby's made any progress on the samples we gave her last night."
Gibbs watched her go and stood up. He hurried to catch up with her, following her into the elevator just as the doors closed. She turned to him and he reached out, stopping the car. "How long have you and Abby been sleeping together?"
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "I... have no idea what you're..."
He turned to her, half-smiling. "You want to try and lie to me?"
She sighed and quietly said, "The night before last was the first time she... stayed over."
"Ahh, Kate," he groaned, turning away from her. "You tell 'em and you tell 'em... it's always a bad idea to date a coworker."
"We held off as long as we could, Gibbs. Believe me, it's--"
"I do not need details," he interrupted.
"I wasn't offering any. But... I do want you to know we're going into this fully informed. We looked at all the facts, weighed the pros and cons..."
He looked at her.
"And... then we just did what we wanted anyway."
He sighed and started the elevator again. "Good."
"Good?" she said, more than a little surprised.
"Yeah. It means you're willing to fight for it. And, I suppose that's a good thing. But if you break her heart and make her sulk, I will slap you so hard, DiNozzo will feel it."
"I'll take it under advisement."
They arrived in the lab and Gibbs held up a finger to silence Kate. He raised his voice slightly and said, "Be that as it may, Agent Todd, the next time I find you and DiNozzo making out at a crime scene, you're both gone!"
Abby spun around, shooting daggers with her eyes. She fixed first on Gibbs, then on Kate. Kate stammered and pointed at Gibbs, finally simply saying, "He knows."
Abby's frown quickly reformed into a smile and she aimed a finger at Kate. "I told you it would be impossible to hide."
"What have you got, Abs?"
"A guaranteed New Years kiss if we keep this thing up for two months."
Gibbs signed 'with the case.'
Abby smirked and pointed at the computer. "The blood from the chair is a match to the blood on the blouse. And, I checked with her medical records and discovered that Miss Michaela Pool is indeed type AB. I'll need some more time to do a definitive test, but I think we can say the blood is from the same source: Michaela Pool."
"Good job, Abs," Gibbs said. "McGee has Pool's laptop. He'll bring it down, you two can have fun digging it apart."
"Ooh, I love you, Gibbs. You always bring me the best toys."
Gibbs smirked and brushed her shoulder as he walked out. "Sorry to add a third wheel," he muttered to Kate as he passed her. She smirked and watched him walk out.
She looked at Abby and said, "He really took that well."
"When he found out I was bi, he was actually speechless."
"Gibbs? Speechless?"
Abby held her hands out. "Hand to God."
---
Tony said, "Michaela Pool spoke to an Officer Jerry Crane. She wanted to report a rape. He's faxing over his notes..." The fax machine began humming at Tony said, "Even as we speak." He snatched it from the tray and scanned over the report.
Gibbs glanced up. "Anything of interest?"
"Officer Crane noted that several women have been attacked in that park, near that time of night. The police took Pool to the hospital, they ran some tests and... They determined she hadn't been raped."
Gibbs frowned. "How's that?"
"Her clothes were a little torn and muddy, but according to the doctor, she was... still a virgin?" He looked up, pondering, and then looked at Gibbs. "Um, the tests showed no signs of tearing, bruising, anything that would indicate rape."
"So they sent her home?" Gibbs said.
"And she disappeared two days later."
Gibbs phone rang and he picked it up, turning away from Tony. "Gibbs. Now? Send her up." He hung up and stood. "Cadet Wilkerson would like to speak with us."
"Okay..."
"She's on her way up."
Tony shrugged and said, "Works for me..."
---
Kate and McGee joined Tony in the observation room. Cadet Cheryl Wilkerson was sitting in interrogation, nervously picking at her cuticle and rocking slowly in her chair. "She just walked in?" Kate said.
"Hey, I'd be happy if every case ended like this," Tony said.
"Well, yeah," Kate admitted. "But... talk about anti-climactic."
Gibbs appeared in interrogation, taking a seat across from the cadet. "Cadet Wilkerson," he said. "We've been looking for you."
"I know. I heard. That's why I'm here. I... wanted you to know I was okay. That you can stop looking for me, because I'm fine."
"We're very happy you're safe," he said. "But unfortunately, in the course of our investigation, we learned that a Miss Michaela Pool is also missing."
Wilkerson bit her bottom lip and looked down.
"Ooh," Tony said. "Don't need a profiler to translate that."
"Do you know what happened to Miss Pool?"
"Yes."
Gibbs waited.
"I assume, if you know she's missing, you know she called 911 a few nights ago. She was raped in the park." Gibbs nodded and she continued. "She went to the police, but she didn't get a very good look at the guy. And then, at the hospital, they claimed she'd never even been raped! Do you know how that would feel, Agent Gibbs? To go through something like that and then have the police turn you away? Say you were telling stories?"
"Did you witness the..."
Wilkerson sighed. "No. But I witnessed Mike at the hospital. I witnessed the way she didn't sleep all that night because she was crying too hard. I looked up that park, Agent Gibbs. Five rapes over the past four months! Close to the times Mike said she was attacked, same place. How could those cops say she was making it up?"
Gibbs opened the file in front of him. "Michaela Pool accused three of her high school teachers of inappropriate behavior. All of them were cleared."
"She was a little melodramatic in high school. Who wasn't?"
"She has a reputation for crying wolf, Cadet Wilkerson. The police may have been under the impression this is another in a string of lies."
Wilkerson groaned. "You're making her out to be some kind of pathological liar."
"And you're talking as if you know for a fact she was attacked."
"I do know for a fact," Wilkerson said. "We went back for him."
Tony and Kate exchanged a look in the observation room.
"Care to explain that?" Gibbs asked calmly.
"When the cops turned their backs on her, we decided to go after the bastard ourselves. We checked online, we knew the guy repeated himself. So, we waited until dark and then I followed the same path Mike had been walking. Sure enough... he showed up. But we were ready. Mike had a knife from her kitchen and was following me. When he grabbed me, I pepper-sprayed him. But I-I missed. I didn't get his eyes. He grabbed Mike's knife and swung it at her. He sliced her stomach open, Agent Gibbs. I was... so much blood...
"The bastard got away. I took Mike back to her house and tried to help her, but she was cut too deep. So I loaded her into my car and we headed to Sutton. It's a... a small town, a few hours west of here. I know the doctor there. He helped her, sutured the cut and bandaged it. We were hiding out there, trying to figure out what to do because Mike doesn't feel safe here anymore. When I finally turned on the TV, I saw something about the missing cadet and thought... well, I-I thought I should let you know I was okay."
"Well, it's appreciated," Gibbs said. "We'll have to have your friend back here to interview her and make sure she's okay."
"Okay," she said softly.
"As for you... we can't ignore the fact that you went UA. But we may be able to argue extenuating circumstances."
"Thank you, Agent Gibbs."
He nodded and stood, gathering the file. "I'm going to need to know where your friend was attacked."
"It's in the police report. Photos, everything."
"Good," he said. He stepped into the hall, meeting his team as the exited the next room.
"That's it?" Kate asked. "We're just going to walk away?"
"Other than going UA, we have nothing to hold her on. We'll inform the local police about the assault, but I doubt they'll do much in response." He headed down the hall and then turned. "Kate, DiNozzo. How do you feel about working late tonight?"
---
They waited until 11:15, around the time Michaela Pool had been attacked. Kate walked along the path, cell phone to her ear and speaking at a normal volume. "So how much were the tickets?"
"Coming through loud and clear," DiNozzo said from the van.
"That's far too much," Kate laughed, shaking her head. "Okay, I'm heading home now. What are your plans for tomorrow?"
"If this guy doesn't take the bait," Tony said, "Gibbs will probably have us out here again with Abby. And if Paula Cassidy isn't busy..." He coughed into the mike and said, "Gibbs just head-slapped me."
"Good for him," Kate smiled. "I'm going to let you go. Talk to you later."
She hit the speaker button and stuffed the still-activated phone back into her coat pocket. She nervously glanced at the trees ahead and to either side. She wasn't sure how someone was supposed to lure a rapist. Everything in her body was primed to go the other way, be aware of your surroundings, run if necessary.
When she heard the footsteps behind her, it took everything she had not to turn and whip out her gun. But he had to get close enough to grab her. He had to get close enough to remove any doubt of what he was going to do. At the very least, she knew that he was coming and that she had her gun in her purse. All she had to do was--
She yelled when the stun gun was pressed against her side, just beneath her rib cage.
Apparently, she wasn't the only one who'd come prepared.
---
"You ain't gonna spray me, are ya, bitch?"
The sentence was barely finished before Gibbs had his headphones off and was out of the truck. They'd parked far enough away that he wouldn't be scared off. Now, Gibbs was praying that decision wouldn't prove fatal for Kate. DiNozzo was right behind him, calling for back-up on the walkie-talkie.
Gibbs picked up some speed, wishing the streetlights had flooding capability. Cover the whole damn park, bright as daylight, flush out all the pervs and lowlifes. He rounded the bend in the path and saw a dark figure hunched over a prone body. "Freeze! NCIS! Federal agent, drop your weapon!"
"Relax, Gibbs," Kate said, holding both hands out and turning to face him.
Tony caught up to him, shining his flashlight on Kate's face. "DiNozzo..."
"Sorry," he aimed it at the man lying on the ground. "Got him, huh?"
Kate opened her coat as if she were flashing them, revealing the bulky sweater she was wearing. "Bulletproof vest didn't quite work as advertised."
"Are you paralyzed?" Gibbs asked, moving forward and kneeling next to the rapist.
"No," she said. "But I almost peed my pants. You said it wouldn't hurt! You said I wouldn't feel anything if he zapped me."
Gibbs sighed. "To be honest, I didn't think he'd have a stun gun."
"That is very comforting, Gibbs," Kate sighed.
Tilting the unconscious man's head back, Gibbs saw two red marks in the soft flesh below his chin. "Turned the gun on him, eh?" he chuckled. "You did good."
"Thank you, Gibbs," she said. "Next time, Tony can be the bait."
Gibbs shook his head. "I don't want to meet the rapist that bait would catch."
---
Ducky lowered Michaela's shirt and said, "Well, I can't say waiting for treatment did it much good, but it will heal rather nicely. Hardly a scar, if I gauged the depth correctly."
"Thank you, Dr. Mallard."
"It was my treat, my dear."
"You know, my father had an old train set... his favorite engine was the Mallard."
Ducky's eyes brightened. "Really? Well, perhaps you'd enjoy seeing some literature I've discovered on the first--"
"Duck," Gibbs said, walking in.
"Ah, she's fine, Jethro. A bit sore, but none the worse for wear."
Michaela asked, "It was him? Wasn't it?"
"Mr. Ryan Rayburn," Gibbs said. "35-years-old with an apartment overlooking the park entrance."
"He watched the entrance, waiting for women to enter alone."
Gibbs nodded. "The time it would take him to spot the victim, run downstairs and catch up with her matches approximately where every one of the attacks takes place."
"Good Lord," Ducky muttered. "And I think Mother needs a hobby."
Michaela said, "They tell me a female agent hit him in the face with a stun gun?"
"She did indeed."
"Thank her for me," Michaela said. "But tell her, next time, to aim for--"
Gibbs held up a hand and smirked. "Believe me, she won't make the same mistake twice. But I'll give her your advice, just the same."
"I appreciate it, Agent Gibbs. And I appreciate all the help you're giving Cheryl."
"She was trying to help a friend. There are few things higher in my book. Is she good to go, Ducky?"
"Ahh, yes. I apologize for the examination, but I've had my share of experience with small town doctors. It would appear you managed to find one of the good ones."
She slid off the table and Gibbs said, "Come on. I'll give you a ride home."
As he escorted her from the room, Michaela asked, "Is Cheryl going to be punished?"
"Yeah, unfortunately. But it won't be too bad. I'll put in a good word for her."
The elevator doors slid open and Kate looked up, smiling at Michaela. "On your way home?"
"Dr. Mallard gave me a clean bill of health," Michaela said.
"Good."
"On your way downstairs?"
"Yeah," Kate said, glancing at Michaela. "Going to spend some time with Abby before we call it a day."
Gibbs nodded and stepped into the elevator. "We'll ride down with you." When the doors closed, Gibbs said, "Agent Todd here is the person you wanted me to thank."
"You took down the rapist?"
"That's right," Kate said.
Michaela shook her hand and said, "Thank you."
Kate blushed and glanced at Gibbs. "It was my pleasure." The elevator doors opened and she said, "Well... this is my stop. It was wonderful meeting you."
"And you."
"Good night, Agent Todd," Gibbs said, hitting the button for the garage.
Kate waved good-bye as the elevator doors closed, then headed into the lab to find Abby. All of the lights were out, the only illumination coming from the computer screens. She was seated on the floor, watching her computer as it ran through a series of test. "Hey," she said quietly, lowering herself to the floor. "What are you doing?"
"We got a sample from Ryan Rayburn," Abby said. "I'm running it against DNA evidence from unsolved cases in the area."
"Any luck?" Kate asked, putting her arm around Abby and drawing her close.
"Eight cases so far," Abby said, drawing her knees to her chest and curling against Kate's side. "I'm hoping for an even dozen. Really fry his gizzard."
Kate smiled and stroked Abby's arm.
---
Gibbs paused as he stepped off the curb, crouching again and looking through the window into Abby's lab. He finally spotted her and Kate seated on the floor, their legs the only thing visible from his vantage point. From the looks of it, they were sitting next to each other facing the computers.
He smiled and straightened, continuing to his car.