The squad room at NCIS was relatively quiet the next morning. Gibbs had set McGee and DiNozzo to work on background checking the fire victim of the previous day. Abby was busy in her lab processing the evidence which Captain Gage had passed onto Gibbs and Ducky was performing the autopsy on the unfortunate man.

The elevator doors opened and DiNozzo looked up in surprise to see Captain Gage enter the squad room. He was dressed in his best dress uniform.

"Director Vance will see you now." the escort said, as she ushered Gage up the stairs to the director's office.

"Why is he going to see the Director?" DiNozzo asked.

"Search me." McGee said.

"I'd prefer not to. Bet he's trying to get the case re-assigned to him."

"Gibbs won't like that" McGee responded.

"Won't like what McGee?" Gibbs asked, rounding the corner, coffee in his hand.

"That Fire Investigation jerk from yesterday is in with Vance." DiNozzo replied.

The phone rang on Gibbs' desk.

"Gibbs, I'll be right up." Gibbs said and made his way to the stairs. "Oh and DiNozzo if I hear you calling Captain Gage a jerk again I shall tan your hide got that?"

"Got it Boss" DiNozzo stammered. "What are you grinning at McGoo?" he demanded as soon as Gibbs had left.

"Nothing." McGee said with a smile.

"So what are you waiting for?"

McGee threw Tony a puzzled look.

"Let's dig the dirt on the Captain before Gibbs gets back!"

Both men got to work on their respective computer terminals.

"Got something" McGee said a few moments later.

"Okay McGeek, enlighten me".

"Captain John Roderick Gage. Born Montana to Native American parents. Joined the LA County Fire Department on leaving high school. Part of the first paramedic programme. One of the youngest in the Department to achieve the rank of Captain. Career cut short by an accident that nearly cost his life. Transferred to the Fire Training Facility. Now with the Fire Investigation Bureau."

"Well done McSneaky, but kinda basic. I on the other hand have a more thrilling tale to tell." Tony replied, he continued in a dramatic tone.

" 'FIREFIGHTER HERO FIGHTS TO KEEP LEG - Captain John Gage of the LA County Fire Department is in a critical but stable condition after a warehouse roof collapsed in downtown LA yesterday. After saving his colleague from the falling debris, Captain Gage was trapped beneath a roof beam for over 4 hours. Firefighters were unable to lift the beam and it was feared that Captain Gage's leg would have to be amputated at the scene. However, the use of a pneumatic drill ensured that he was pulled intact from the debris. Doctors are unable to say at this stage if he will lose his leg.' So this is the million dollar question folks, did Gage lose his leg or not?"

"Tony!" McGee admonished, "Don't be stupid of course he didn't"

"I mean he was limping as he went up to see Vance, even a good prosthetic limb could cause a limp."

"Tony, I bet he hurt his leg yesterday, you know when the roof fell on him and Abby."

"They make really good ones these days, can't tell them from the real thing until you take it off I guess" Tony rambled on.

"It is real and I can show you the scars if you're interested." A voice came over the bay partition.

"I'm glad to see that you are spending your valuable time on solving this case DiNozzo." Director Vance said, sternly.

"Sorry Sir." DiNizzo said, jumping up from his seat. "Won't happen again Boss." He added, throwing Gibbs a guilty look.

"Folks, Captain Gage here will be assisting us with this investigation. He has a great deal of valuable knowledge about the circumstances of this fire and those that have gone before. I'm sure that we shall all do our best to make his stay a welcoming one. Gibbs, I believe Agent David is on leave?"

"Yes." Gibbs replied.

"So you might as well have her desk for the duration. Gibbs I'll leave it to you to familiarise Captain Gage with our facilities."

Gibbs nodded and Vance took his leave, fixing Tony with a stern look as he went.

"Ah, sorry about that." DiNozzo said nervously, as Gibbs gave him a heavy slap to the back of the head as he continued onto his own desk. "I can't resist a dangerous rescue story."

The fire investigator nodded curtly.

“One thing that puzzles me Gibbs.” Gage said, as he started to set up his laptop on Zivas empty desk.

“Go ahead.” Gibbs invited.

“When my Director called me in to tell me I had been re-assigned, he talked about a high level fire prevention project at the Navy Yard in Norfolk.”

Gibbs smiled.

“There is no high level fire prevention project in Norfolk is there?”

“No.” Gibbs admitted.

“A barefaced lie then?” Gage asked.

“Not a lie, more like misinformation,” Gibbs replied. Gage raised an eyebrow. Gibbs continued. “You told me that all previous investigations had been blocked. So I figured that the less your department knew about what we needed you for the more likely they were to let you go.”

“Coupled with the fact the Norfolk is 200 miles away from the latest incident.” McGee said.

“Well at least I’m not on a wild goose chase.” Gage tugged at his tie "Talking of which, I feel like a Thanksgiving turkey trussed up in this uniform, anywhere I can get changed?"

"I'll show you." Gibbs offered.

"So, what have you got on my 7th victim?" Gage asked, perching on the edge of Zivas empty desk upon his return dressed more comfortably in chinos and open necked shirt.

"Marine Sergeant Andrew Davis, aged 37. Unmarried, lived off base " McGee said, as the Marine Sergeants ID and service record flashed up on the plasma screen.

"Whoa, this is strange," Tony exclaimed.

"Is that the same as thrilling?" McGee asked. Tony threw him a dirty look.

"6 years ago Davis left the Navy only to re-enlist 1 year later."

"Unusual" Gibbs remarked "Find out why."