“Spike,” Gibbs said the name for the fourth time already this morning, the name already having taken on the sound of a curse as it left his lips. “One more and I will shoot you somewhere that won’t grow back so quickly.”
Spike just leaned back in his chair, a scrunched up paper ball in his hand ready to be thrown at the bin that he had placed in the center of the room by the side of the printer. “I’m bored!” He stated emphatically. “Nancy boy’s out jogging, Xander and the bit are downstairs in the gym, you’re doing paperwork, I am bored!”
“Find something to do, go help Abby in forensic,” Gibbs paused, wishing he hadn’t given the vampire that suggestion, not for Abby’s safety, but for his. Every time Spike went into the lab now Abby had more and more tests to run on him to check he was actually alive, or un-dead, whichever it was, she’d even borrowed a liver temperature thermometer from Ducky and used it to test if Spike’s internal temperature was the same room temperature as his skin. “Go help Ducky with an autopsy,” He paused, shaking his head, no, Ducky had kicked Spike out of autopsy earlier that morning after he wanted to taste one of the marine sergeants that they were currently checking for suspicious circumstances by another NCIS team. “Do something else.”
“Wot then?” Spike shouted, spinning on his chair. “Everyone’s busy or bored, or banned me from going in there,” He paused, actually thinking about letting Abby run some more tests on him, he was that bored. “Bugger it; I’m off for a smoke.”
“Those things will kill you.” Gibbs said without thinking and then paused in his typing looking up at Spike with a smirk. “Enjoy.”
“Yes sir!” Spike said, snapping of a salute.
“Do I look like a sir to you?” Gibbs asked back his usual question, he hated being called sir.
“No ma’am!” Spike quipped with another smirk and a salute before dashing out of the room laughing.
“I swear, one day,” Gibbs muttered under his breath, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t wipe the smirk off his face. He actually enjoyed having Spike around; it was a reminder that no matter how bad DiNozzo’s pranks or childish behaviour was, he wasn’t as bad as Spike. As he continued to type up his reports for the day he was interrupted by a beep coming from somewhere in the office, when he didn’t hear it again he went back to typing, shrugging his shoulders and ignoring it as some random electrical equipment beeping that he didn’t know the use for, a lot of the stuff that had been shipped over from SWIC he had no idea of the use for, he just ignored it for the moment and trusted Harris would tell him what it was for if they ever needed to use it. Probably something like a demon slime analyser or horn remover, maybe a vampire dust bunny collector for all he knew.
And now his brain was wandering and he just sat there for a moment, reading the last paragraph he’d typed and trying to figure out where the hell he was supposed to be going with it, no matter how many times he read it, it didn’t make any sense to him. Deleting the entire paragraph he set about rewording it, intent on finishing all his backlog of paper work today so it could be moved up for where they were setting up the equipment and papers for the new team working out of NCIS, Special Agent Sheppard was heading it up, that was a name he hadn’t heard for a while. Leaning back in his chair he decided to ignore the paperwork for the moment, letting his brain wander back to the hot May nights they had shared in the Paris hotel room, his senses were finally catching up with him where he heard that annoying beep again.
Getting up from his chair he started scouting the room, ready to pounce on the annoying beep when it happened again. It was just someone’s cell phone or pager he thought, trying to figure out how long it had been in-between beeps while he stalked around the room, trying to find the source of the sound.
“Wot are you doing?” Spike’s voice came from behind him, turning round he saw him leaning up against the door frame, watching him with a smirk.
“Something in here’s beeping, I can’t concentrate with it.” Gibbs explained before going back to hunting through the random equipment that was scattered around the room and making sure it was all turned off.
“Just Xander’s computer,” Spike noted, wandering over to Xander’s desk and moving the mouse. “Hey, that’s the git that shot ya!” Spike said, pointing to the screen with a grin. “Ari Haswari, or sommet like that,” Spike paused, reading the file. “‘Old up, this is a FBI page.”
“What?” Gibbs shouted, already interested but now amazed that Xander had FBI database access on his computer. Darting over he slid into Xander’s chair and started reading. “Ari Haswari, March tenth nineteen sixty-nine.”
Spike raised his eyebrow, bored now and wandered over to the center of the room where he started singing ‘Summer of Sixty-nine’ and making air guitar movements with his arms.
“It says he’s a Hamas mole working for the FBI,” Gibbs read off the screen. “How did Harris get this?”
“He used the FBI database the SWIC has full access to on his desktop,” Xander grinned from the doorway where he and Kate were watching with matching smirks on their faces. “Which you have as well on your computer by the way.”
“I do?” Gibbs asked, wondering why he’d never spotted it before.
“It’s the little icon on your desktop that had the FBI logo on it.” Xander grinned as he watched Gibbs move away from his desk and behind his own, moving the mouse a few times before he was looking at his desktop.
“Huh,” Gibbs smiled. “Guess I do, what are the rest of them for?”
“You’ve had the computer for two days and you don’t know what the icons are for?” Kate asked with a smile as she dropped her gym gear off under her desk and sat down in her chair, groaning from the work out.
“I don’t fiddle with things unless I know what they are for,” Gibbs stated as if it was a known fact. “For all I know I would be clicking on an icon that would take me to naked lesbian orgies of south American witches.”
“Nah, that’s the black hat one in your links menu,” Xander grinned at him. “It’s kept on a private server back a SWIC for personal reasons.”
“There’s CIA, FBI and limited NSA database access from here,” Kate smiled. “I think you and Xander might have more access than me,” She paused as Xander nodded at her to Gibbs surprise. “But there’s access to pretty much every known database out there, you just need to know how to navigate the system.”
“And I’m still finding my way round it,” Xander quipped. “I ran a search on your ‘mister happy’ using a face recognition software built by the NSA to check ID’s on people boarding planes, it’s supposed to be able to check someone’s ID off a security camera, build a three dimensional model of them and then use that to scan for a full ID workup.”
“English please,” Gibbs stated, still staring at his desktop and noting all the funny little pictures that were there now. “And why is there are golden key icon and a, is that a willow tree icon?” He turned to Xander for an explanation. “For my help desk enquiries?”
“I used the picture from your security camera footage to get a full ID on your terrorist.” Xander said simply. “And the icons are a private joke.”
“You’re sure it’s him?” Gibbs asked, smiling as Xander sent the file over to his computer. “Never mind,” He said, glaring down at the picture of the terrorist staring up at him. “He’s a FBI informant?”
“You got shot by a fed informant?” Spike grinned from where he was lazing in his chair, his feet on his desk as he leaned back as far as he could with his feet balancing him carefully. “That’s low.”
“Is there any more about him?” Gibbs asked, turning to Xander who was more familiar with the system than he was.
“Nope, anything else and I need level eight clearance or above,” Xander shrugged. “That’s directors or people in charge of the case only, not something we can access from here.”
“Who would have access to that file?” Gibbs asked sharply.
“Senior Special Agent dealing with Ari Haswari is...” Xander paused, “Unknown, no name attached to the file.”
“I'll find out,” Gibbs stated, “Fornell,” He muttered low under his breath, slapping his hand down on his desk as he snatched up his phone and started dialling.
“I love the after morning run,” Tony grinned as he waltzed into the office, spinning in the center of the room before dropping his bag on his desk and hopping up so he was sat on it.
“That grin only means one thing,” Kate smirked at him.
“Nancy got himself a nooner,” Spike finished off. “Blonde, brunette,” He paused, looking at Tony carefully. “He’s a blondes guy, doesn’t smell of sex though, bit of a crap nooner if you ask me.”
“Firstly it wasn’t a nooner,” Tony glared at Spike. “Secondly, how did you know I prefer blondes?” The glare turned into a curious face. “And lastly, the smell thing is still gross.” He finished off, wrinkling his nose.
“Do you even know her name?” Kate asked.
“She’s Swedish,” Tony started.
“Hah!” Spike shouted with a grin. “Blonde, knew it.”
“Nobody likes a smart alec vampire.” Tony said, scrunching up a paper ball which he proceeded to throw at Spike, who easily caught it out of the air and threw it back at Tony with perfect aim, smacking him clean on the forehead. “I met her running, blonde, tight spandex outfit, body to die for.” He motioned with his hands, miming out a perfectly curved female figure in the air.
“Nice,” Spike grinned. “So when’s the date?”
“Well, we didn’t really... I didn’t get chance to...” Tony stuttered out.
“Blown off by a Swedish girl,” Spike laughed. “Sucks to be you.”
“I wasn’t blown off,” Tony defended himself with a pout. “I'll get it tomorrow; she’ll be on the same path.”
“That’s called stalking Tony,” Kate quipped at him, fetching out a bottle of water from the fridge next to Spike’s new ‘snack fridge’, which she avoided even touching because of the several bio-hazard stickers displayed on the front and the heavy brass padlock that kept it locked tight. “Coming for lunch you two?”
“I’m game,” Xander smiled. “Work out got me starving for some sugar,” With that said he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a stash of Twinkies, stuffing one hole into his mouth before returning the packet to its sacred place.
“Yeah me too,” Tony smiled. “Coming boss man?”
“I'll come,” Spike smirked up. “Anything to get out of ‘ere for a bit.”
“Bored?” Xander asked with a grin. “Abby could always run some more tests on your stomach acid if you want; I hear she wasn’t satisfied with the liver temperature the probe gave her so she wants a more accurate reading.”
“No way,” Spike shook his head at that. “Enough is enough; I’ve been poked, prodded, hooked up to things and electrocuted too many times, enough!”
“I know, I’ve already told her no more tests.” Xander grinned as Spike put his hands together in a praying position and bowed to Xander.
“You four go ahead, I’ve got some calls to make.” Gibbs stated, picking up the phone again and dialling a long number.
“You sure?” Tony asked again, always safe to double check with the boss.
“Go!” Gibbs stated, waving them out of the room.
“Come on,” Xander smirked. “Leave the boss to his hunt,”
“He found out the name of the terrorist?” Tony asked excitedly.
“And we’ll fill you in later,” Xander explained, pushing him out the door as he tried to crane his neck back to see what Gibbs was doing.
“Remember,” Spike said, stopping at Gibbs’ desk on the way out of the office. “You said I could eat him.” He looked down at Gibbs, his face deadly serious before cracking a smirk as Gibbs smirked up at him.
“I did, didn’t I.” Gibbs grinned before waving him out of the office.
=/^=
“Gibbs was married?” Xander asked in shock as the four sat around the table at Kate’s favourite outdoor restaurant in the city.
“Three times,” Tony explained in-between mouthfuls of chips.
“And they call me sadistic.” Spike grinned at them, he’d settled for just a plate of onion blossoms, under the oath that he would gargle with mouthwash before they all went back to the office.
“What else?” Xander asked, using this opportunity to find out a bit more about the guy they were working with now.
“Don’t know,” Tony paused thoughtfully. “Gibbs doesn’t really talk about his past much, kind of like you.” He said the last pointedly while staring at Xander.
“Ok, I asked for that,” Xander said, putting his knife and fork down, ignoring his rare steak and jacket potato for the minute as he stared across the table at Tony. “What do you want to know?”
“What happened in high school?” Tony asked simply.
“Going to have to be a bit more specific there,” Xander grinned, taking a mouthful of his orange juice. Spike had a beer, as did Tony while Kate had a small glass of white wine. He’d long ago set a rule of never drinking alcohol before nine at night, it was a simply rule he lived by and never broke it, even the smell of alcohol coming too close to him before nightfall made him nauseous now. “The demon teacher, the time the Hellmouth opened, the candy that turned all the adults into children or the time we blew it up?”
“You blew up your school?” Kate asked, scandalized.
“There was a fifty foot demon snake inside at the time, if that helps.” Xander grinned at her. “And, you know, it was high school.”
“Early November, nineteen ninety-seven,” Tony narrowed down the memories for him drastically. “What happened to make you buckle down like that?”
“Halloween,” Xander smiled. “It was a chaos mage; he enchanted all his costumes so that everyone who wore them literally became their costumes for the night.”
Tony looked impressed while Kate actually looked worried about the ramifications of that amount of magic being used so openly and with such drastic effects.
“I went as a soldier, a marine to be precise,” Xander nodded with a smile at Tony’s unasked question. “When the possession ended, I still had all the memories, all the training, muscle memory, everything. Every time I closed my eyes for a week I could hear the explosions, the gun fire, feel the hot sand blasting my face as I stood facing the wind as the sun was roasting the ground.” Xander paused, shuddering. “It was a lifetime’s of memories compressed into one night, gift of a lifetime, curse of it as well.” Xander forced a smile on his face, taking a long gulp of his orange juice.
“Iraq,” Tony said simply as Xander nodded. “And you have all the soldiers’ memories?”
“Everything,” Xander closed his eyes, focusing on them to bring them to the forefront. “Hell, even his wedding day and the day his daughter was born.” The smile was genuine, it was pure happiness that none of them, even Spike, had ever seen on his face before. “But I can’t see their faces,” The smile faded as he tried to concentrate harder. “It’s all blurred, I can feel the emotion, feel the happiness, but I can’t see who they are.”
“That’s tough man,” Tony nodded in sympathy. “Having a whole other life in your head, just out of reach.”
“Wot about whatshisface few nights back,” Spike asked with a raised eyebrow. “You know, swish swish thing?” He pantomimed having a miniature sword fight with his knife. “Anything from him?”
At Tony and Kate’s questioning glance he chose to elaborate. “You mean the Quickening,” Xander said with a smile. “Bits and pieces,” He announced in fluent Russian. “When we take a quickening, it’s everything, the skills, the memories, the knowledge; everything that person was is now in here.” He paused with a smile, tapping the side of his head.
“So there’s you, and then two other people in there?” Tony boiled it down to the simplest format he could understand to get his head around all of the weirdness.
“A few more than two,” Xander said darkly. “I don’t hunt immortals, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to lie down and let them kill me.”
“How many?” Kate asked, watching him carefully for the reaction.
“Nine, including Robert West,” Xander said slowly, all emotion drained from his voice. “I gave them all a chance to walk away, even when I won; I gave them a last chance.”
“Some people are just stubborn,” Tony said, not knowing what else to say in the situation.
“Death wish,” Spike said simply, leaning back on his chair and enjoying the sunlight playing through the leaves of the tree above him onto his face. “They’d lived too long, they knew there time was up, ‘e was just giving them what they wanted.”
As Spike spoke, Xander stiffened in his chair, glancing round the area for anyone he knew. “Stay sharp,” He muttered, his code word to Spike and the rest of the Scoobies that there was an immortal around.
“Huh?” Tony asked blankly, looking round the restaurant for anything that looked out of place that had set Xander off.
“Doesn’t matter,” Xander grinned, standing up from his chair and pulling another one over to his table as a marine approached. “Master Chief,” He nodded as the new immortal walked over, saluting the table crisply before taking the seat Xander had offered him.
“Agent Harris,” Patrick Stanze smiled at him, nodding in a mutual show of respect. “Agent Todd.”
“Xander,” Xander smiled at him. “Kate, Spike and Tony.” He introduced the rest of the table.
“Please, Just Patrick or Stanze,” Stanze smiled at them, nodding to each of them as they welcomed him.
“How you doing?” Xander asked, finishing off his steak quickly so he could talk without interruptions.
“Good,” Stanze smiled. “I came to invite you out tonight,” He paused, glancing around the table before settling his gaze on Kate for a minute before returning to Xander. His eyes asking the question that he wouldn’t vocalize.
“You know Kate does,” Xander grinned. “Spike’s over a hundred,” He grinned as Stanze’ eye’s shot open wide at this revelation, the show of shock being covered up quickly be centuries of marine training. “I trust Tony, he knows about Rupert and Me.”
“Knows what?” Tony asked, raising his eyebrow at the strange conversation that was taking place between Xander and Patrick. “Oh right,” He nodded, finally putting the pieces together, smiling when Kate just glared at him.
“Rupert’s playing at the Admirals Arms tonight,” Stanze smiled. “In memory of Fitz,” He smiled as Xander nodded. “I'll be there; Giles could always play a mean acoustic rock song.”
“Giles, your teacher?” Tony asked.
“Mine too,” Stanze nodded with a smile. “Fitz was a good student of his, he may have liked the limelight a bit too much, but he was a good kid, didn’t deserve what happened to him.”
“We’ll be there,” Kate nodded with a smile, Tony followed suit.
“I remember the first time I met him,” Stanze smiled, the memories coming back. “I hadn’t seen Rupert for nearly three hundred years, Fitz was visiting the old man as well,”
Xander had to laugh at Stanze’ nickname for Giles, it fit him perfectly and would probably be what he would be calling him if he lived long enough. “Heard he was a bit of the ladies man.”
Stanze laughed, a low rumbling sound that echoed through the courtyard. “That he was,” Smiling at the memory for a moment before continuing. “I couldn’t believe it when he told me he was joining a rock band,” Stanze shook his head in amusement. “He was good as well; we almost came to blows when he started flirting with my wife back then.”
“You’re married?” Tony asked in surprise.
Stanze shook his head slowly. “She died, back in eighty nine, car crash killed her and me, I came round a few hours after, car was totalled after hitting a tree, she died instantly, or so the doctor’s tell me.” He paused, bowing his head and making the sign of the cross over his chest.
“I’m sorry,” Tony said simply, one again at a loss for words. Now finally realizing that being immortal meant seeing everyone you loved die around you, sooner or later they would all die, while you remained the same forever. After thinking of it like that, it didn’t seem like such a gift after all, a quick glance at Kate told him that she was thinking the same thing.
Stanze smiled, shaking himself out of it, forcefully schooling his features back to the blank mask he normally wore around people. “I'll see you tonight then, twenty one hundred hours.”
“We’ll be there,” Xander smiled, nodding his head as Stanze stood up.
“Aye,” Spike nodded. “To Fitz,” He grinned, raising his bottle of beer, smiling when Tony, Kate and Xander toasted their glasses in the middle of the table.
“And to love ones lost,” Kate said simply, smiling at the Master Chief for a second before joining the toast.
“Thank you,” Stanze smiled at her before leaving the table and making his way back to his car.
“Seems a good guy,” Spike stated, smiling as he watched Stanze walk away.
“Giles taught him,” Xander nodded with a smile. “Told me that if anything happened to him, to tell Stanze all I knew about it, guess Stanze is the golden pupil for Giles.”
“So when’s this new guy coming,” Tony asked, looking at Xander and Spike for information. “Giles’ teacher.”
“Supposed to be here tomorrow,” Xander smiled. “Anything else, your guess is as good as mine.”
“What’s a Watcher?” Kate asked, she’d been dying to ask Xander about them for a while now, but the subject of immortals had never come up and she didn’t feel she knew him well enough to ask about them openly.
“Watchers watch immortals luv,” Spike said dryly with a smirk. “They’re like peeping toms who record everything the immortal does.”
“And Ducky is yours?” Tony asked, raising an eyebrow. He’d never pictured Ducky as the sort to invade someone’s privacy like that.
“And Stanze’,” Xander smiled. “Giles’ explained about them to me, they’re fine, they watch, record, talk about us, we’re like they’re pet project.” He grinned. “Without them, when an immortal dies, everything that they were is just lost, only in the hands of the immortal who killed them. The watchers have records on pretty much every immortal, what they did, how they lived, who they loved, everything. It’s nice, you know, knowing that everything you do actually means something to someone, that they feel that your life is worth recording.”
“Still bloody creepy,” Spike grinned. “Being watched all day, some guy just sat there paying that much attention to you,” Spike paused, giving an exaggerated shudder. “Creepy guys.”
“They’re watching you right now?” Tony asked curiously as he started darting his eyes around the area, seeing if he could see Ducky or anyone else watching them suspiciously.
“Nah,” Xander waved it off. “Me and Ducky have an agreement, he doesn’t follow me around, and I keep him updated on anything important I do. That way he doesn’t have to leave NCIS too many times, and I get to keep what little sanity I have left.”
“Good to know,” Kate smirked at the sanity part. Tony still not convinced was still looking around the area for anything that stood out.
“It’s her!” He stated, bolding up from his chair. “The blonde from this morning,” He smiled, checking his shirt to make sure he didn’t have sauce or anything down himself.
“Wot you waiting for then mate,” Spike smirked. “Follow the bint.” Slapping Tony on the back he pushed him towards where he could see a young blonde running along the street in skin tight yellow and pink spandex gym wear. “Nice,” He smirked as he watched Tony run after her.
“Well, I’m going to head back to base,” Kate smiled. “You two want a lift?”
“Yeah,” Xander smiled. “I’ve got some paperwork to catch up on from the transfer, need to get it all done before the new team starts upstairs next week.” He paused, looking at the blonde vampire who was still lazing back on his chair. “Spike?”
“Nah,” Spike grinned. “I'll make me own way back; fancy a smoke and a walk anyway.”
“Right,” Kate smiled, nodding to him. “Don’t forget the mouthwash,” She grinned as Spike smirked back at her, popping another bit of the onion blossom into his mouth. “See you back there.”
“You’ve got your ID right?” Xander checked, hoping that Spike had at least got into the habit of carrying it around with him.
“Yes mum,” Spike smirked up at him, pulling his shirt aside to show the ID clipped to his belt.
“Right,” Xander smiled. “After you,” He bowed slightly, letting Kate lead the way back to where she had parked.
=/^=
“Can I help you?” Gibbs asked as he watched the man walk past the teams office door for the third time, he knew the man wasn’t a regular on the base, he was wearing jeans and t-shirt with a unbuttoned khaki shirt over, and his haircut definitely wasn’t military but he didn’t have a visitors pass or anything else that would identify him as someone that should be here.
“Yes,” The man poked his head round the door. “I’m looking for Miss Sciuto or Mister Harris,” The man stated with an open smile.
“Abby’s out helping medical with something, Harris is on lunch,” Gibbs explained, trying to place the man’s accent, it wasn’t American, had a slight touch of English but the rest of it was inflections from a dozen different places. “I’m Special Agent Gibbs, what can I do for you?”
“Ah,” The man smiled and entered the office finally. “I’m a day early, Rupert Giles probably told you to expect me?”
“He said he was sending someone, but didn’t give a name or a picture.” Gibbs said, eying the stranger wearily.
“Right, hold on,” The man paused, pulling the rucksack off his shoulders and unzipping it before rummaging through the contents. “He said to show this?” Smiling the man passed over a leather ID wallet with his federal badge along with a dozen other ID’s inside.
“Doctor Pierson?” Gibbs raised his eyebrow, motioning for the man to come inside and shut the door. “Can can prove that you are what I think you are?” He raised his other eyebrow as he pulled his knife out of his pocket and placed it on the desk in front of the man.
“Rupert said a few people knew,” Adam paused with a sigh. “I didn’t expect it to be common knowledge though.” Picking up the knife he was about to slice his hand open when Gibbs stopped him.
“I don’t need to see it,” Gibbs stated, holding out his hand to take the knife back.”You weren’t supposed to be here until tomorrow.”
“I caught an earlier flight,” Adam smiled, jumping up to sit on one of the desks. “Thought I’d meet the people I'll be working with before I moved everything in.” That wasn’t it at all of course, he’d made his way here quicker than he normally would have because for one, Rupert asked for this favour, and he owed Rupert more than he’d care to admit. And two, working for the military, even as a civilian, when they knew what he was unnerved him, so he wanted to find out more about the people he was working with before committing to anything. “So, who knows the secret?”
“Me, Tony, Kate,” Gibbs rattled the names off. “Xander, Spike, Abby and Ducky, that’s it.”
“As Rupert said,” Adam nodded, checking what his old student had told him against what he was being told now. “Your team and the scientist I'll be working with along with Doctor Mallard, I haven’t seen him in, well, more than a few years.” Adam smiled, thinking back to the last time he had seen Ducky at Edinburgh University while he was over there visiting Connor back in the early sixties. “What about the team I’m supposed to be joining?”
Gibbs just shook his head. “And I take it you’re rather keep it that way?” Smiling when Adam nodded, “It’s your secret, tell who you want or keep it to yourself, as long as you can do the job.”
“You don’t care?” Adam paused, reassessing the man in front of him now, it was his experience that people typically hated what they didn’t understand, and tried to kill what they hated, it had been a long understanding that if the general public found out about immortals there would be witch hunts and panic.
“I’ve got a vampire with a soul working here now,” Gibbs stated, nodding at the desk across from him that was practically empty with just a long leather trench coat slung over the chair to indicate that anyone worked there at all. “In the past week I’ve found out about vampires, demons, immortals and who knows what else is out there, people who live forever is pretty low on my list of worries at the moment, as long as you can do your job, I don’t care if you’re thirty or three hundred.”
“Huh,” Adam smiled, letting out a breath he didn’t know he’d be holding. “Rupert said it would be interesting here, but he didn’t say how interesting.”
“How long have you known him?” Gibbs asked, assessing the man in front of him now with his full concentration.
“A while,” Adam smirked.
“You were his teacher,” Gibbs smiled, watching as Adam didn’t show any shock that he knew this. “That puts you over three thousand seven hundred.”
“Yup,” Adam grinned, lazing back on the desk and rocking forwards and backwards slowly, his eyes never leaving Gibbs’.
“But you’re not going to tell me how old, are you?” Gibbs stated more a fact than a question.
“Nope,” Adam shot an amused grin over to him. “It’s going to be weird, working with people who know what I am,” He smiled in amusement at the situation. “But I couldn’t turn Rupert down.” He stiffened slightly, looking around the room, watching the windows carefully for any sign of someone walking past. “I take it Mister Harris is back.”
As Gibbs turned he saw Harris edging slowly out of the elevator, Kate standing back with her side arm out, covering Harris as he moved slowly forwards down the corridor.
“I’m in here,” Adam called out with a smirk. “Rupert sent me.”
This seemed to relax Harris, as his guard slipped back to neutral and he walked round the corner with Kate into the office.
“Adam Pierson,” Adam smiled, hopping off the chair to greet Xander and holding out his hand, which Xander took and shook slowly. “Something wrong?”
“Weird,” Xander muttered, concentrating harder before ignoring the sensation and smiling at the man. “You’re quickening pulses, one minute it’s strong, the next it’s weak.”
“You can sense an immortals age through their quickening,” Adam said with a smile. “I had a friend who could do that, Darius,” Adam smiled, thinking back to Darius and their infamous chess matches that could go on for weeks. He always had a pot of some new tea, normally something brewed with moss or something equally as strange. “Useful.”
“Yeah,” Xander quipped, throwing his stuff behind his desk. “Seen Abby yet?”
“She’s out,” Gibbs stated simply, but before he could explain further the phone on his desk rang, the shrill noise attracting the attention of everyone in the room. “Special Agent Gibbs?” He answered, turning his name into a question.
“So,” Xander tried to strike up a conversation with the older immortal. “Giles is playing at some pub tonight, in memory of Fitz, you coming?”
“The Admirals Arms,” Adam grinned. “Only place for miles that serves a proper beer.” Smiling to Xander he nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
“You might have to,” Gibbs stated, putting the phone down. “Ducky wants to see us, a fresh body just came in, Metro marked it as a John Doe suicide, but now he’s been identified as a Junior Grade Lieutenant on board the Arrow, he’s downstairs now, Ducky said the case is a bit weird.”
“A bit weird as in one of ‘our’ cases?” Xander asked, raising his eyebrow as Gibbs stood up and started for the door.
“He wouldn’t say, only that it looked like suicide, but wanted your input first.” Gibbs paused at the door, turning to look at the new person in the room. “Coming Doctor Pierson? Might as well get started sometime.”
“Sure,” Adam grinned, thrusting his hands into his pockets as he walked over to the door. “My equipment’s being delivered tomorrow, so I’m game for a little detective work while I wait.”
“You do know that NCIS has access to the best lab equipment the navy has to offer right?” Kate asked as the group made their way to the elevator.
“Yes,” Adam grinned. “But not the best the private sector can offer.” He smiled as the elevator doors opened.
“You’re funding your own private lab?” Gibbs asked suspiciously.
“Why not?” Adam smirked at him. “A few bits of equipment here and there, nothing too big.”
“And how much would these ‘bits of equipment’ cost the navy if we paid for them?” Gibbs asked as he took a mouthful of his coffee.
“One or two million,” Adam replied with a smirk as Gibbs spat his coffee out over the inside doors of the elevator. “Rupert called in a big favour, so Doctor Benjamin Adams from England donated them anonymously through a research program funded by SWIC.”
“I'll just bet he did.” Gibbs said with a smirk, wiping the coffee from his mouth.
=/^=
“Gibbs!” Abby jumped over to him only a few seconds after the automatic doors to the mortuary had opened, embracing him in a tight hug. “Tell me it isn’t true.”
“Abby,” Gibbs stated, pulling her off of him. “I’ve only just got here, what is it?”
“It’s horrible,” Abby said, her voice wavering as she buried her head into his shoulder.
“I must agree with Miss Sciuto here,” Ducky interjected, his concentration still on the body in front of him. “This is perhaps the most bizarre case I have ever had on my table.”
“Ok, now I’m curious.” Xander said, moving forward so he could see the autopsy table, he was nearly in view what Abby released Gibbs and grabbed Xander by the shoulders, spinning him round so she could face him, glaring into his eye.
“Tell me it isn’t him!” She ground out, sounding more dangerous than Xander had ever taken her for.
“It isn’t him?” Xander offered weakly.
Abby paused, slapping him on the shoulder before turning to Adam. “Who are you?” As asked, her voice demanding an answer.
“Adam,” Adam smiled reassuringly at her, upset women had never been one of his strong points, he tended to avoid them at all costs.
“Adam, my boy, how good it is to see you,” Ducky smiled, giving him a thorough look over. “My god, you... you haven’t aged a day, my lord,” Ducky paused as his thought process finally caught up with him and he put it all together. “You, you’re Rupert’s teacher.”
Adam smiled, bowing slightly in Ducky’s direction before turning his gaze to Abby who was staring at him like he was liquid gold.
“He’s your new assistant,” Gibbs explained, moving forward so he could finally see what was on the autopsy table. “Harris, is that what I think it is?”
“One sec,” Xander smiled at Abby before moving past her to look at the body that had Gibbs so interested. The sight brought him to a quick halt, and he almost let out a laugh before remembering Abby’s reaction. “It looks like it boss,” Xander grinned at Gibbs.
“Are you telling me he’s real?” Gibbs whispered, leaning in close so Abby wouldn’t hear.
Xander just shrugged in response, looking over at the table where the body was still in its ‘clothing’ and the visible skin was an unearthly pale colour under the harsh autopsy lighting. “Suicide?” Xander asked, turning to Ducky.
“It appears so,” Ducky nodded at him. “I found a large quantity of sleeping pills in his stomach along with a strong concentration of alcohol, no other markings or wounds on the body, no sign he was forced to consume either of them, cause of death was a toxic overdose of sleeping tablets and alcohol, and there was also this in his pocket.” Ducky nodded to the next table where a note in an evidence bag was lying next to the man’s wallet and cell phone. “It appears genuine, and the hand writing matches up to the signature strips on his bank cards.”
“Suicide then,” Gibbs nodded, reading the suicide note.
“Yes, the metro police believed so as well, there was no sign of forced entry or any struggle in the house, he was found two days ago and taken to the hospital as a believed suicide.” Ducky nodded at Gibbs. “I have to agree with all of their findings.”
“Pierson, what do you make of this?” Gibbs called out; smiling what Adam came to stand next to him.
“One question,” Adam said, turning to Xander. “Why’s he wearing a Santa outfit in July?”
“You mean,” Abby shouted, jumping forwards to look at them all. “That isn’t Santa?”
“It’s a fake beard Abby,” Ducky said for the second time. “Just glued on for some reason.”
“As far as I know,” Xander started, before a glare from Gibbs told him he knew where this was going and to shut up about it. “Santa is still alive, and will be for a long time.” He smirked at Gibbs as Abby embraced him in a tight hug.
“My first case,” Adam smirked. “Is a Santa lookalike suicide?”
“Oh there’s no case here,” Ducky smiled at him. “Suicide rulings are few and far between, I'll notify his CO to make the official notification.”
The rest of the conversation was interrupted with the sound of Gibbs’ cell phone tone echoing through the lab, flicking it open he answered it. “DiNozzo, where the hell are you?” He spared the rest of them the conversation by heading to the back of the room, leaving everyone watching after him.
“So you’re Abby’s new assistant?” Ducky smiled at Adam, “And Rupert’s teacher as well,” Ducky’s face was a little put out at having the wool pulled over his eyes for so long. “You must have some stories to tell us.”
“A few,” Adam smirked. “I promise to share them with you over a bottle of scotch one day, is this the only case at the moment?”
“DiNozzo’s sick,” Gibbs announced, slamming his phone shut and putting it back in his pocket. “Food poisoning, he’s taking the rest of the day off.”
“Huh,” Xander shrugged, ignoring it. “Back to the office then,” He smiled, leading the way as Gibbs followed him back to the elevator, Adam, Kate and Abby in tow.
“And you can come with me,” Abby grinned, linking her arm into Adams. “I'll show you around the lab while you tell me some of your stories.”
“Uh,” Adam’s brain raced, trying to find a way out of this.
“Don’t forget to tell Abby what equipment you’re bringing in tomorrow,” Gibbs smirked at him. “It’ll need to be put on the insurance documents and have a place found for it in the lab.”
“New equipment as well?” Abby beamed at Adam. “What, what are you bringing?” Her eyes dancing with the thought of new toys to add to her arsenal of forensic equipment she already had access too.
“Thanks,” Adam said dryly, sending a soft glare at Gibbs who just smirked back at him. “A Helium Ion Microscopy unit for starters,” Adam grinned as Abby’s jaw dropped at the name of the equipment Adam was bringing to the table. “Some more if you’re good.”
“Hold on,” Xander said, stepping out of the elevator as his phone started beeping. “I'll catch up, it’s Spike, probably lost on his way back or something.”
“Don’t be long,” Gibbs said as the elevator doors closed.
Flipping open the phone he raised it to his ear, “Spike, where are you?” Xander asked, impatiently waiting for him to tell him where he was so he could go and pick him up. “Right,” He muttered as Spike tried to explain something. “Crap, get back here asap, I'll tell Gibbs.” He slammed the phone shut before punching the button for the elevator, waiting a few moments before hitting it again repeatedly. “Damn thing,” Xander shouted as he darted back through the mortuary, ignoring Ducky’s comments about running as he ran into the stair well and up the stairs, taking them two or three at a time as he
“Tony’s been kidnapped!” Xander shouted as he swung round the corner into the office. “Spike saw him being bundled into a van by that blonde he was chasing and two other men, he followed as far as he could before he lost them,” He paused, taking a deep breath as everyone darted up from their chairs to listen to what he was saying. “Spike swears the bloke driving was the ‘git that shot Gibbs’.” He finished off, mimicking Spike’s accent.
“Find him,” Gibbs stated, Kate was already back at her desk typing frantically on her computer. “Get me a GPRS fix on Tony’s phone.”
“Already on it,” Kate announced.
“Harris, get me everything you can on this Ari Haswari, find out who’s dealing with him and why, what his mission is, who his contacts are, everything, I want to know what this guy had for breakfast by the time I get back.” Gibbs shouted his instructions to Xander, who immediately set to work on his computer, picking up his phone and dialling quickly.
“Where are you going?” Xander asked as he watched Gibbs get his gun and ID from the desk drawer where he kept them.
“Getting Abby and Pierson to run a compete check on this guy, I want to know why he was chosen by the FBI, everything.” Gibbs didn’t bother with any other explanation as he strode out of the room.
“Is Tony going to be alright?” Kate asked, looking at Xander for reassurance.
“Yeah,” Xander nodded back with a smile. “He’d better be, for Ari’s sake.” His smile grew darker as he thought of all the things he would do to this terrorist before letting Spike finish the job.
=/^=
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.