------------"Detour"------------
Story by R. O. Knight
based on the hit television series "NCIS"
Created by Donald P. Bellisario
It was a beautiful day outside NCIS HQ, and inside the squad room at NCIS HQ it showed.
Tony, Ziva, and McGee all sat at their respective desks conversing back and forth with one another.
Abby stood in front of Gibbs' desk conversing with her lover, and soon-to-be husband.
Suddenly a smile crossed Tony's face.
"Hey, I know where they can go on their honeymoon." Tony said enthusiastically.
Ziva shot Tony a look.
McGee interrupted Tony's thought before it could go much further.
"They're taking Chloe with them, Tony...so I don't think that a NUDE beach would really be appropriate." McGee said.
"Thank you, McGee." Abby said, as she shot McGee a quick smile.
"You're welcome." McGee replied.
"I can't wait til next Saturday...I'm just so excited." Abby said to Gibbs, with an excited smile.
"Hmm, and I thought I was the impatient one." Gibbs remarked with a chuckle.
Abby laughed at Gibbs' remark.
Ziva couldn't help but laugh.
"Seriously Probie...you gotta stop doing that." Tony said, shooting McGee a look.
"Sorry Tony, I guess I've just been around you for so long that now I can read your mind." McGee said, with a sly grin.
Tony balled up a piece of paper from off the top of his desk, and tossed it at McGee.
"What is the matter, Tony, not feeling safe inside your own head anymore?" Ziva asked, playfully, with a chuckle.
"No its just-" Tony began, but a noise from above them interrupted his thoughts.
Up above them where Director Shepherd's office was located, the office doors swung open and Jenny Shepherd herself came rushing out and down the stairs.
Jethro, I need to speak to you!" Jenny called down to Gibbs.
Jenny made her way, quickly, down the stairs from her office down onto the main floor/area.
"Something wrong, Jen!?" Gibbs called across the squad room to HIS boss.
Within only a matter of seconds Jenny rounded the corner and became visible again to everyone standing in the bullpen.
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Downstairs in the NCIS HQ Lobby...
A small group of FBI agents walked through the front door, flashed their Badges and IDs at the security guard at the front door, and the guard proceeded to wave them on through the metal detectors without hesitation/or problem.
The small group of FBI agents then made their way to the elevator where boarded it after pressing the up button on the wall next to it, and then waited for it to come down to them and the doors to open.
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Jenny, quickly, hurried over to Gibbs' desk as fast as she possibly could.
"Jethro, because I know how much you just LOVE the FBI...I thought it would be better if you heard it from me first." Jenny said as she approached Gibbs' desk.
"Oh, hello Abby." Jenny, quickly, said to Abby once she noticed that she was also standing in front of Gibbs' desk. "Good, you're already up here...that's good."
Everyone in the bullpen, at this point, thought that Jenny might possibly be losing her mind--or going crazy, somewhat.
"Uh...Hi Director Shepherd." Abby said, confused and bewildered by Jenny's behavior.
Gibbs leaned forward in his desk.
"What is it you wanted to tell me, Jen?" Gibbs asked.
"I know you're not gonna like this, Jethro, but I just got off the phone with the Director of the FBI, and they're coming to arrest Abby." Jenny informed Gibbs.
"What...that's ridiculous." Tony said, as he leaned forward in his chair.
"What do they want with me...I haven't done anything." Abby said, kind of panicked.
Gibbs gives Tony the look, and then turns back to Jenny.
"What're they arresting her for?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know...they wouldn't say." Jenny replied.
"The FBI obviously does not want us to get involved." Ziva pointed out.
"Well that maybe, but I am involved, and I will find out." Gibbs said, quietly.
PING! The sound of the elevator echoed through the squad room.
"They're here." Jenny said.
Footsteps could be heard coming from the elevator to where they were at in the bullpen.
Tony and Ziva stood up.
"Gibbs?" Abby said, a little scared.
Gibbs flashed Abby a warm smile. "It'll be alright." he assured her.
Gibbs stood up.
"Sacks!?" Tony said, shocked as Agent Sacks rounded the corner and entered the bullpen.
"DiNozzo." Sacks said, as he passed Tony's desk.
Sacks left his lackeys standing at the edge of the bullpen nearest Tony and Ziva's desks.
"Abby Scuito, you are under arrest for-" Sacks began as he approached Abby.
Sacks wasn't able to get close enough though, because Gibbs suddenly stepped between him and Abby.
"Step aside, Agent Gibbs." Sacks said, agitation in his voice.
"What's she under arrest for?" Gibbs asked.
"Agent Gibbs, this our investigation--strictly need to know." Sacks informed Gibbs, rather rudely.
Gibbs didn't budge from his spot. He just lowered his eyes and gave Sacks "The Stare".
"Agent Gibbs." Sacks demanded.
Gibbs just grinned at Sacks.
"Agent Gibbs, I'm not gonna ask-" Sacks started.
"Not until you tell me what she's under arrest for." Gibbs said, quietly.
Sacks rolled his eyes.
"I'm warning you Agent Gibbs." Sacks snapped. "Don't stand in my way."
Sacks tried to push past Gibbs, but Gibbs pushes Sacks back away (not too hard, but hard enough).
Sacks' men automatically/instinctively pull their weapons and move to attack Gibbs. They are intercepted by Tony and Ziva, who have their guns drawn and stand between them and Gibbs.
"I wouldn't if I were you." Tony said, sternly.
Sacks straightened up, and paused for a moment to assess the situation.
"Sacks." Gibbs pressed.
Sacks finally gave up, and answered Gibbs' question.
"She's been stealing Top-Secret government plans, and we believe she's been selling them on the black market." Sacks informed Gibbs.
"Wait...you can't be serious." Tony remarked.
"Abby wouldn't do that." McGee added.
"Oh wait, I get it...it's a joke." Tony said.
"Its no joke, DiNozzo." Sacks informed Tony.
Gibbs moved closer to Sacks.
"You know that's a load of crock." Gibbs said, quietly.
"It doesn't matter, Gibbs. We have proof that she did it." Sacks said.
Gibbs grinned, slightly.
"Oh well, if you've got proof...that's different." Gibbs said.
Sacks tries to move past Gibbs again, but Gibbs stops him.
"Just give us a sec, will ya." Gibbs said.
Gibbs turned and took Abby by the arm, gently, and pulled her a little ways away.
"Jethro, I swear to you I didn't-" Abby tried.
Gibbs pressed his finger to her lips to silence her.
"I know...but I want you to go with them, for now." Gibbs said, quietly.
"But-" Abby protested.
"I'll get this straightened out...I promise." Gibbs said, quietly, as he placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
Gibbs wiped a tear from Abby's eye.
"I love you, Abs." Gibbs said, quietly.
Gibbs stepped away from Abby.
"We will be chatting with each of you as part of our investigation, so don't go to far." Sacks informed Gibbs.
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to share your...file with us...would ya?" Gibbs asked, even though he knew the answer.
"Sorry Gibbs, I can't do that." Sacks replied.
"Didn't think so." Gibbs said, with a grin.
Sacks then moved over to Abby and handcuffed her, read her her rights, and then he and his team escorted Abby out of the building.
After Sacks and his team had left...
"I can not believe this." Ziva said, irritated. "You know she is innocent...and yet you let them take her anyway." Ziva said.
"Ziva, now's not the time." Gibbs said, calmly, as he sat down behind his desk.
Gibbs picked up his desk phone and dialed a number.
"So what's the plan?" Tony asked.
"Hello, Friend, we need to meet." Gibbs said into his phone, ignoring Tony. "Nope, just calling in a favor."
"Yeah...it's about that." Gibbs said.
"Sure, I can be there, no problem."
"I will see you then...bye." Gibbs said into his phone just seconds before hanging up.
Gibbs stood up, grabbed his badge and his Sig, and walked out around his desk.
"Boss...what's the plan?" Tony asked again.
"Don't have one yet." Gibbs replied.
"Well then...we are you going?" McGee asked, before Tony could.
"To get some coffee." Gibbs replied, with a sly grin, as he headed for the elevator.
Gibbs stepped onto the elevator and the others watched as the doors closed behind him.
"How can he be thinking about coffee at a time like this?" Ziva asked, confused.
"Somehow, Ziva, I don't think he's really goin' for coffee." Tony said.
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Two Hours Later...
In the middle of a park somewhere in Washington D.C. Gibbs sat on a park bench waiting...waiting for someone to arrive.
It was an extremely beautiful day outside. The sun was shining brightly, and the birds were singing their songs in the trees.
"You do realize I could lose my job over this?" came a familiar voice from behind Gibbs.
Gibbs stretched his limbs in front of him.
"Yeah...I know." Gibbs said. "But you owe me, Fornell."
Agent Fornell came around the bench and sat down next to Gibbs.
"I know." Fornell said as he sat down next to Gibbs.
"Beautiful weather we're havin'." Gibbs said, with a grin.
"Sure is." Fornell agreed.
"They assigned this one to Agent Sacks because they don't think I can be objective enough on this one." Fornell informed Gibbs.
"I thought that might be it." Gibbs said.
"What'll happen to Abby if she's found guilty?" Gibbs asked.
"Well if she's tried and found guilty, she'll be lucky if she only gets a life sentence in a maximum security prison." Fornell replied.
"That's what I thought." Gibbs said.
"Anyway, this is what you're here for...isn't it?" Fornell asked, as he pulled a manila envelope out from within his jacket.
"Yep." Gibbs replied.
Fornell handed Gibbs the envelope.
"That's a copy of their case file...the condensed version anyway." Fornell told Gibbs.
"You understand that If you get caught with this, I can't help you Jethro." Fornell said.
"Yep...understood." Gibbs said, with a grin.
Fornell stood to leave.
"Good luck Jethro." Fornell said. "I hope you're right about this."
Fornell turned to leave.
"Oh I am." Gibbs said.
Fornell chuckled, and flashed a grin.
"Oh, and Fornell...I won't get caught." Gibbs said confidently.
Fornell chuckled again. "We'll see."
Fornell walked away, and left Gibbs sitting all alone on the park bench.
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Not too long after his meeting with Fornell, Gibbs strolled into the FBI's Hoover Building.
"Can I help you?" the man at the front desk asked Gibbs, upon seeing him walk through the front door.
Gibbs walked over to the front desk.
"Yeah, maybe you can." Gibbs said. "A woman came in here, earlier, Abby Sciuto...I need to see her." Gibbs told the man.
The man looked through some papers laying in front of him on the desk. After a minute or so had passed by...
"Yeah...she's here." he said to Gibbs. "What's your business with her?" he asked.
Gibbs grinned that trademark grin of his, and pulled out his NCIS badge.
He flashed his badge for the man at the front desk.
"Agent Sacks sent me." Gibbs said calmly, with a grin.
The man at the desk hesitated, at first, but then motioned for Gibbs to follow him.
"Right this way sir."
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Gibbs was led into a room, much like the interrogation room back at NCIS HQ, where Abby was being detained.
The man unlocked and opened the door for Gibbs. Gibbs thanked the man and then stepped inside. The man closed and locked the door behind Gibbs.
"Gibbs!" Abby said, as she jumped up from her chair.
"Abs." Gibbs said, as he held out his arms, knowing full well what would come next.
Abby practically jumped into her lover's arms, and began kissing him almost immediately.
Abby was just so happy to see Gibbs. The whole time that she had been locked in that small room, she had felt vulnerable. She had felt like she was in danger...like she was all alone in the world, and that the darkness would begin to close in around her at anytime.
But just by Gibbs simply stepping into the room she instantly felt warm, sheltered, wanted, at peace...SAFE.
"Abs." Gibbs said, after a moment, pulling her back slightly.
Abby looked into Gibbs' eyes and saw worry, suspicion, among other things.
To Gibbs, Abby looked as if she had been crying--or at the very least she had been very upset by something.
"Talk to me." Gibbs said softly.
Abby pulled away and went back to her chair. Gibbs sat down in the other available chair.
"They've been treating me like I'm some kind of criminal, Gibbs." Abby started.
Gibbs knew from that point that something was definitely wrong. Now a days, since they had been together, she called him by his first name--Jethro. Now a days she only called him Gibbs when they were at work (sometimes), but mostly only when she was deeply and genuinely upset or very emotional.
"So Sacks has already questioned you?" Gibbs inquired, quietly.
"Yes." Abby replied, with a sniffle.
"His questions were...weird." she informed Gibbs.
"How so?" Gibbs asked, quietly.
"I-I don't know, Gibbs, I just...it felt like he was pushing me." she continued, quietly.
"Interesting." Gibbs thought to himself.
"I almost felt like he knew I was innocent, and yet he still wanted me to confess." Abby said, with another sniffle.
Gibbs suddenly became aware that Abby was shaking in her chair.
"Sweetheart." he said softly, as he moved around to her side.
He knelt/squatted down beside her chair, and looked up at her.
Abby hid her face in her hands not wanting Gibbs to see her like this.
"Abs." Gibbs said, softly and soothingly. "Look at me."
Abby refused at first. "No...I-I can't, Gibbs." she sobbed into her hands.
Gibbs had never really seen Abby cry before--at least not that he knew of.
"Look at me." Gibbs said again, softly.
This time Abby did as she was told, and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes as she did so.
"It's gonna be alright." Gibbs reassured her, softly and soothingly. "I promise you that."
Abby knew that Gibbs was a man of his word. "Marine's all keep their promises," was what Abby always said.
"I love you, Abby." Gibbs said softly.
"I know." she replied with a sniffle, wiping more tears from her eyes.
Abby stopped rubbing her eyes and looked into his piercing blue eyes. Those eyes, she had found over the years, always told her all that she needed to know. Those eyes were full of love, kindness, trust, loyalty--a veritable safe-haven for anyone lost in a violent, raging storm. All the traits that had caused her to fall for Gibbs in the first place.
Abby suddenly wrapped her arms around Gibbs' neck without thinking about what she was doing.
"I'm scared Gibbs." she sobbed, quietly. "I wanna feel safe again." she told him.
Gibbs rubbed her back, and then placed his hand, gently, on the back of her head.
"And I'll make you safe, Abby." Gibbs said softly and soothingly. "I promise." he added.
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A Little Bit Later...
Back at NCIS HQ...
Tony, Ziva, and McGee stood in autopsy filling Ducky, who had come in too work late this particular day, in on what had happened with Abby.
"Why that's absurd." Ducky said in disgust. "Why, our Abigail would never do anything of the sort."
"Yeah, that's just what we said." Tony remarked, as he folded his arms across his chest.
"But they say they've got proof that she did do it." McGee added.
Ducky shook his head in disbelief.
"Well, what did Gibbs say?" Jimmy asked.
"He did not." Ziva said.
"Yeah, just said he was goin' for coffee." Tony added.
"Well knowing Jethro...that could mean anything." Ducky pointed out.
"That's what we thought too." McGee said.
"I do not like this." Ziva said, suddenly. "I do not like sitting around and doing nothing."
"I know whatcha mean." Tony said.
"I mean, we should be trying to prove that Abby is innocent." Ziva pointed out, anxious and agitated at the same time.
"And we will." came the familiar voice, as the automatic doors of autopsy slid open and the shut again.
Everyone turned around.
"Boss." Tony said.
Gibbs strolled, quickly, up to his team, and sat his coffee cup down on the unoccupied autopsy table.
"Does that mean you have a plan?" McGee asked.
"Of course it does Probie-Wan Kenobi." Tony said, as he whacked McGee on the back of the head.
"Ouch! Tony!" McGee said.
Tony grinned, and started to turn back towards Gibbs when he felt a hand land firmly against the back side of his head.
"Ow!" Tony winced. "What was that for?" Tony asked, rubbing his sore spot, as he came face to face with his boss.
"That's my job, DiNozzo." Gibbs said quietly, giving Tony the "Stare".
"Sorry boss...won't happen again." Tony apologized.
Gibbs just grinned. He knew Tony DiNozzo far too well.
"So what is it?" Ducky asked, quietly, leaning in towards Gibbs.
"Nothing solid, yet...just a feeling." Gibbs said quietly, flashing Ducky a grin.
No one questioned it. They had all learned to trust Gibbs when he had one of his "feelings".
"Your famous gut, I presume?" Ducky asked, with a lop-sided grin.
"Yeah...somethin' like that, Duck." Gibbs said, quietly, flashing his trademark "Gibbs Grin".
"So what d'ya want us to do, boss?" McGee asked.
"For now...nothing." Gibbs replied.
"Nothing...but Gibbs we should be-" Ziva tried, her voice rising an octave or two above everyone else's.
Gibbs shot Ziva the stare, and she immediately knew that she would not win this one.
"Just do what they tell you...and tell the truth." Gibbs instructed.
"Who?" Tony asked, slightly confused.
Autopsy's automatic doors slid open once again.
"Is it my turn yet, Agent Gibbs?" Agent Sacks asked, as he stuck his head into autopsy.
Everyone turned around, slowly (well to a degree).
"Speak of the devil...we were just talking about you Sacks." Tony quipped in his usual fashion.
"I'll bet you were, DiNozzo." Sacks said, un-amused.
"So is it?" Sacks asked, again, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets.
"Your turn...yeah sure, go ahead." Gibbs said, with that trademark grin.
Gibbs picked up his coffee cup and headed towards the door, taking a quick sip as he did.
"Knock yourself out." he added as he passed by Agent Sacks.
"And where are you going, Agent Gibbs?" Sacks asked after him.
"Ahh, you don't wanna talk to me first." Gibbs said, turning on his heel at the automatic door.
"Fine...just don't go too far." Sacks said.
Gibbs gave an amused grin as he turned and walked out of autopsy.
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Gibbs headed down the hall as the automatic door closed behind him.
He took a sip of his coffee, and a small grin could be seen playing at the corners of his mouth.
"This should be interesting." he muttered to himself.
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Back inside autopsy...
Sacks turned back to the others.
"I will be interviewing each of you...separately; and at the request of YOUR Director Shepherd, I will be performing your interviews here at NCIS." Sacks informed the group, with a sigh. "Even though I would much rather do this in OUR facility."
"Yeah, betcha you'd really like that wouldn't ya?" Tony asked, sarcastically.
Sacks chuckled.
"I take it, DiNozzo, that you're volunteering to go first...is that right?" Sacks countered.
"Sure. If that's what it takes to make you happy, Sacks." Tony replied, as he strolled over to Sacks.
"Follow me then." Sacks said as he turned to leave autopsy.
"I would advise the rest of you to not leave the area...yet." Sacks said, over his shoulder.
Tony followed him out through the automatic door.
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Thirty Minutes Later...
In the NCIS Interrogation Room...
Tony and Sacks sat at opposite ends/sides of the table in the dimly lit interrogation room.
"How would you describe Ms. Sciuto?" Sacks asked.
"Smart, funny, weird, a little eccentric at times, but a great friend. She cares about everyone--maybe a little bit too much sometimes." Tony said.
"So, in other words...everything else aside...normal." Sacks said.
"Well, maybe not your definition of normal. Which I'm guessing by the way you dress, would be dull, average...so un-exciting, really." Tony remarked with a DiNozzo grin, and a chuckle.
"She's got a bunch of tats you know...all over. I've only seen three of'em myself. But I'll bet Gibbs has seen'em all." Tony added.
"So I've heard." Sacks said, with a sigh, beginning to get annoyed with Tony.
"I'll bet you don't even have so much as a single piercing." Tony said.
Sacks rubbed a finger over his temple.
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An Hour and a Half Later...
"Do you think Ms. Sciuto is smart, Officer David?" Sacks asked, flipping through a file folder sitting in front of him on the table.
"I would say she is...intelligent, yes." Ziva replied.
"And do you think she could possibly pull off something like this?" Sacks asked.
"Yes, if she wanted to I suppose she could, yes." Ziva answered, calmly.
"But, I do not think that Abby is capable of what it is you claim that she has done" Ziva added.
"And you believe this...because?" Sacks inquired, further.
"Because I know Abby." Ziva replied.
"Really." Sacks mused, aloud.
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Two and A Half Hours Later...
"And what is it, exactly, that you do, Agent McGee?" Sacks asked.
McGee twiddled his thumbs, nervously, in front of him on the table.
"Uh w-well, well I um..." McGee started. "I-I am a field agent, but I also work with computers, and such." McGee answered Sacks' question nervously.
"You're a hacker." Sacks said, calmly.
"W-well, no, I wouldn't go that far, I-"
Sacks showed a slight grin.
"According to your file, throughout your career, you've been known to hack many different electronic and computer-based systems." Sacks pointed out. "Is that not correct?" Sacks asked, slightly amused.
"W-well, well yeah, but I mean-" McGee tried.
"Then you are...a hacker." Sacks stated.
"Yes I am...I mean, I guess I am, but-" McGee tried again.
"So it is conceivable that IF Ms. Sciuto needed an extra pair of hands...then she would come to you." Sacks continued.
"Well yeah, I-I guess so, but what does that have to do with anything?" McGee countered.
"I'm just saying...maybe Ms. Sciuto wasn't working this operation alone. Maybe...she had an accomplice." Sacks mused.
"Wait a minute...so now you're accusing me too!?" McGee said, almost hysterical.
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At That Same Time...
In the outer observation area...
Gibbs and Jenny stood side-by-side in front of the large viewing window in the dimly-lit observation room.
Gibbs took a sip of coffee from his coffee cup.
"Poor Tim." Jenny said, as she and Gibbs watched Sacks have a field day with McGee. "If Sacks isn't careful, he'll destroy him." she added.
"That's kind of the point, Jen." Gibbs pointed out.
Jenny looked at Gibbs.
"He's doing his job Gibbs." Jenny said.
"Oh, is that what it is?" Gibbs replied, sarcastically.
He took another sip of coffee.
"And just what would you call it, Jethro?" Jenny asked.
Gibbs turned to Jenny, moving slightly closer to her.
"He wants them to confess, Jen." Gibbs said quietly, lowering his voice.
Jenny looked confused and bewildered.
"Confess?" she repeated, quietly. "Confess to what...something they didn't do?" Jenny asked.
"Exactly, Jen." Gibbs replied, quietly.
Jenny rolled her eyes at Gibbs. She usually trusted him and his wisdom, but this was one of those times when she thought he might just be a bit paranoid--or something to that extent.
"And what, pray tell, gives you that idea?" she asked Gibbs.
Gibbs glanced out through the observation window at McGee and Sacks, and then turned his attention back to Jenny, quickly.
"He did the same thing to Abby." Gibbs informed Jenny.
A shocked look crossed Jenny's face at Gibbs' confession about having seen Abby since she was arrested.
"You spoke to Abby?" Jenny asked, shocked.
"I didn't just talk to her, Jen, I saw her." Gibbs informed Jenny.
"Would you care to explain how you managed to pull that off, Special Agent Gibbs?" Jenny demanded
"Well, I did have a little help." Gibbs admitted, with a grin.
"Who?" Jenny asked.
"Agent Sacks of course." Gibbs said, as he took a sip of coffee from his coffee cup.
Jenny gave a knowing expression--as in she knew Jethro Gibbs well enough to know his methods, and how he worked.
"I'm guessing Agent Sacks doesn't know...that he helped you." Jenny said, as she turned back to the observation window. "Does he?"
"Not yet." Gibbs said, quietly, with a grin. He took another sip of coffee as he turned back to the observation window.
Jenny gave a slight chuckle crossed with a "Huh", kind of "I Should've known" kind of sound.
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A Few Hours Later...
Down in Autopsy...
Tony, Ziva, and McGee stood in autopsy discussing and comparing their encounters with Sacks in the interrogation room.
"Something is definitely wrong." Ziva said.
"You said it...Sacks is acting weird, even for Sacks." Tony remarked.
McGee was about to put his two-bits in when his cell phone pinged.
"Excuse me for a sec." McGee said as he pulled out his cell phone. "Oh, I have a text message...and its from Gibbs."
"Gibbs...sending you a text message." Tony said out loud. "I find that hard to believe, since we know that Gibbs doesn't know how to text." Tony pointed out.
Suddenly the autopsy door slid open and then shut again.
"That's because Mr. Palmer is the one who sent the text--for Gibbs." Ducky said as he walked up behind the team.
"Oh, well, then that would make sense." McGee said.
"Okay, so what does it say McGoogle?" Tony asked.
McGee read the screen to himself first, and then he read it out loud.
"It says...My house, basement, in boat. Go Now." McGee said as he read the text message.
"Short, sweet, and to the point...just like Gibbs." Tony remarked.
"Okay, so apparently Gibbs wants us to go to his house and look for something in his boat." Ziva said.
"Which is in his basement, by the way." Tony pointed out.
"Right." McGee said.
"Well then, if I were you I would do as Gibbs says...and I would hurry." Ducky said.
The team thanked Ducky and then hurried off out of autopsy.
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Meanwhile in Interrogation...
Sacks sits at the table with Gibbs. The two of them sit in complete silence for a few moments.
"I hear you're due to be married soon." Sacks said.
"Why don't we skip the bull, Sacks." Gibbs said, calmly.
"Fine by me." Sacks replied.
Sacks flipped through some papers in a file folder on the table in front of him.
"Were you aware that Ms. Sciuto was involved in illegal activities?" Sacks asked.
"She wasn't." Gibbs replied, calmly.
"If that's what you wanna believe Gibbs...then by all means, go right ahead." Sacks said, as he continued to rifle through the papers in the file.
Gibbs leaned forward.
"No, that's what I know, Sacks." Gibbs corrected him.
"How do you know she didn't do it?" Sacks asked, as he leaned forward.
"Better question is...how do you know she did?" Gibbs replied.
"Like I said, Gibbs, I have proof." Sacks replied.
Gibbs leaned in closer to Sacks.
"Why don't you look me in the eye, and tell me that you know beyond the shadow of a doubt...that she's guilty." Gibbs said quietly.
Sacks leaned closer. The two of them locked in each other's eyes, almost staring each other down.
"She's guilty." Sacks said.
Gibbs sat in silence for only a few seconds, but then he leaned back in his chair.
A small grin crossed his lips.
Sacks leaned back, and put all of his papers back together inside the file folder, and then he closed it.
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At Gibbs' House...
By now it was late in the evening, or at the very least it was getting there.
Tony, Ziva, and McGee were busy searching the nearly completed boat that sat tucked away down in Gibbs' basement.
"I think I found it!" McGee called from inside the boat.
"Excellent Probie...what is it?" Tony called back.
McGee climbed out of the boat, and jumped down right in front of Tony and Ziva.
"I don't know, some kind of envelope." McGee replied.
"A thick envelope." Ziva pointed out.
McGee opened the envelope, and pulled out of it a file folder with a bunch of papers stuffed into it.
"Come on over here with it, Probie." Tony said, as he motioned towards the tool bench/table.
Ziva flipped on the overhead lights so that they could see a little bit better.
McGee laid the folder down on the bench and opened it. They were first greeted by a photo and background information on one Ms. Abigail Sciuto.
"What's Gibbs doing with a file on Abby." McGee wondered out loud.
"Perhaps he is...how you say, paranoid." Ziva remarked.
"No, Gibbs doesn't get paranoid...he just gets suspicious." Tony said, quietly.
"Hey, what's this?" Tony said, noticing a slip of paper hanging onto the outside of the file folder.
McGee put his hand in the spot where he is reading, and then flips the folder over.
Tony pulls the slip of paper off of the file folder, and reads it out loud.
"Active Case...Agent in Charge...Sacks." Tony said, surprised.
"Wait...this must be Sacks' file." McGee said, as he flipped the file folder back open again.
"That must be why Gibbs sent us to get it." Ziva added.
"Yeah makes sense." Tony said. "Gibbs wants us to find out what Sacks has on Abby."
"So that we can help prove that she is innocent." Ziva added.
"Exactly." Tony replied, quietly.
"What does it say McGee?" Tony asked, as he folded his arms across his chest.
"Abby's background...her family, friends, places of employment-" McGee started.
"Anything important, Probie?" Tony said, displaying slight annoyance.
"Oh, uh right...right." McGee said, as he began flipping through the papers, digging deeper into the file.
"Oh, okay...here's something interesting." McGee said, stopping on a page, in the middle of the file.
"What?" Ziva asked.
"These documents...they show computer activity for Abby's computer." McGee said, as he examined the documents closely.
"Someone in the Hoover Building was monitoring Abby's computer." Tony said.
"Looks like it." McGee replied.
McGee continued to flip through, and examine the documents closely, until he flipped a page and felt something hard.
"What the?" McGee said, more to himself than to the others.
"What is it McGee?" Ziva asked.
"Don't know." McGee said as he reached up under the page and pulled out a thin CD case with a single CD-Rom inside of it.
McGee held the disc up in front of him, and looked at it.
"It's a CD-Rom of some kind." McGee said.
"Any idea what's on it?" Tony asked.
"Nope. But I know how to find out." McGee said with a grin.
"What do we need Probie?" Tony asked.
McGee turned to Tony and Ziva.
"A computer." McGee said.
"Right...I knew that." Tony replied.
"It will have to be one that the FBI does not know about, right McGee?" Ziva asked.
"Right." McGee answered. "Cause we don't know what kind of surveillance they've got on us yet."
"IF they have us under surveillance." Tony pointed out.
"Oh, they do." Ziva said, with a grin.
Tony and McGee looked at Ziva, confused a little bit.
"Care to share, Ziva?" Tony asked.
"We were followed." she informed her team mates.
"Followed...how's that possible...I mean how's it possible that you know that we were followed?" McGee asked.
"They are not very good at their job." Ziva said, with a chuckle. "I watched them follow us from the time we let NCIS." Ziva continued.
"Great...that's just fantastic." Tony said, as he turned away and began pacing the floor.
"Now what?" McGee said.
Ziva just grinned.
"There is, however, a way to avoid getting caught." Ziva said. "Interested?" she asked.
"Yes." McGee said, almost immediately.
"How?" Tony asked.
"We split up." Ziva informed them. "McGee give the disk to Tony." she instructed McGee.
"What...why?" McGee asked, almost in protest.
"Because...you are the computer expert, yes?'
"Well, yeah I guess." McGee replied.
"I think I see where she's going with this, Probie." Tony said. "Do as she says."
At that point Tony and McGee both listened to Ziva's instructions, as she told them exactly what to do.
"No, a cyber cafe would be way to obvious, Tony McGee interjected. "I have a better idea."
"Fine then McGoogle...let's hear it." Tony said.
"Ziva I'll need my laptop from my apartment. Think you can get it for me?" McGee asked.
Ziva nodded. "Sure."
"Good." McGee replied.
"We'll meet up at Frank's Diner, agreed?" McGee asked.
"Agreed." Ziva said.
"Sure." Tony added.
McGee handed Ziva the keys to his apartment.
---------------------------------------
Back at NCIS HQ...
In the Interrogation room...
"I can see I'm not going to get anywhere with you, Agent Gibbs." Sacks said, as he stood up--file folder in hand.
"Funny, I was kind of thinking the same thing." Gibbs said, with a grin.
Sacks rolled his eyes at Gibbs.
"I'm sure you were." Sacks replied.
"So we'll end this, now, while I'm still ahead." Sacks added as he walked towards the door.
Gibbs stood up as Sacks walked out of the room.
---------------------------------------
Jenny met Gibbs in the hallway as he exited the interrogation room. Sacks had already made his way back up the hall towards the elevator/squad room so he was out of earshot of Jenny and Gibbs.
"You know he was lying." Jenny said, as they walked up the hall.
"Yeah, I know." Gibbs replied.
"I was staring him right in the eye when he did it, Jen." Gibbs said.
"So, what's the plan?" Jenny asked.
Gibbs stopped walking, and Jenny stopped with him. The two of them looked at each other.
"Director Shepherd, technically we're not supposed to do anything, remember?" Gibbs said, with a slight grin.
"Technically...no." she replied. "But something just doesn't feel right...about this whole thing." she continued.
"Hmm." Gibbs huffed, with a slight grin, as he resumed walking.
"Is that all?" he added.
Jenny rolled her eyes at Gibbs.
"That...and I know you too well Jethro." Jenny added, calling after Gibbs.
Gibbs stopped.
"It's never been your style to just sit back and watch...especially where your team is involved...especially not Abby." Jenny said.
Gibbs turned to face Jenny, and then walked back over to her.
"So what's the plan, Jethro?" she asked, again.
"Too many people are involved in this already...you don't need to be." Gibbs told her. "It's probably better if you stay out of it...just in case it doesn't work out."
Jenny rolled her eyes, again.
"That's a load of bull, and you know it, Jethro." Jenny said.
Gibbs gave Jenny the stare.
"Sorry Jethro, but the "Gibbs Stare", doesn't work on me." Jenny informed him.
Gibbs grinned, and finally gave up.
"The plan?" she asked, yet again.
"I'm waiting on a call from DiNozzo." Gibbs informed her. "So when I know...you'll know."
Gibbs turned and walked away.
"We will get her out of this, Jethro." Jenny called after Gibbs. "There will be a wedding next week."
Gibbs just grinned.
"I know." Gibbs said, confidently, and with a grin.
---------------------------------------
Meanwhile across town...
At "Frank's Diner"...
The sun has almost completely set, outside.
Ziva entered the diner through the front door, and looked around for a second until she finally spotted Tony and McGee sitting way back in the back in a corner booth.
Ziva walked over as quickly, and yet as calmly as she possible could.
"You got it, good." McGee said, quietly, as Ziva handed him the laptop.
"Yes, and it was not easy." Ziva said, quietly.
"What did you do with the rest of the file?" Tony asked her, quietly.
"I burned it." she informed him.
"Good." Tony said.
"Now what?" she added, as she sat down across from McGee.
McGee opened the laptop up and turned it on.
"Now we find out what's on this disc." McGee said, quietly.
"Well then do it...and make it quick." Tony said, quietly.
The screen finally finished loading on McGee's laptop. McGee then opened the CD-Rom drive, and inserted the disc.
After a few seconds the disc automatically loaded itself, and a information box popped up. It showed several marked file folders among other things.
"What's that on there?" asked, quietly, as he pointed to a strangely marked folder.
"Don't know...so let's find out, shall we." McGee muttered, as he clicked on the icon.
"It looks like it might be a sound file." McGee said, as he examined the information that popped up next.
"Of what?" Ziva asked.
"Well, the case report that I read in the file did say that Sacks was tipped off by an anonymous caller." McGee said.
"Maybe its a recording of the call." Tony suggested. "You know like how all 911 calls are recorded by the dispatch officer on duty at the time the call is placed."
"Well then, let's here it." Ziva said.
"Okay, just a sec." McGee said as he began punching keys on the laptops' keyboard.
"There." McGee said, as he finally got the sound to play.
McGee also made certain that the volume on his laptop wasn't turned up too loud.
The sound file began to play, and the team listened very carefully to it.
"Hello, can I help you?" came the first voice. It sounded like a woman, maybe in her mid-thirties or so.
"Yes, I have a 'tip'...about some illegal activity." came a second much, much deeper voice.
"Sir?" the first voice replied.
"I hear things...a LOT of things, and I sometimes see things too." the second voice said.
"Sir, if this is some kind of joke then-" the first voice started to say.
"Project Aquarius." the second voice said, cutting off the first voice.
"Sir, how do you know about-" the first voice started to ask, again.
"Someone has hacked secret government files...right under the FBI's nose." the second voice continued.
"And I know who." the second voice added.
"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you for some information." the first voice said.
The second voice chuckled.
"All you need to know is Abigail Sciuto. She works for NCIS as a forensic scientist." the second voice informed the first voice.
"Sir-" the first voice tried, again.
"Oh, and tell Agent Sacks that his friend, 'Black Lung', said Hi." the second voice added.
"Sir-" the first voice tried, yet again.
Then there was a click on the line, as the mysterious second voice hung up.
The recording stopped at that point.
"Well, that was...helpful." Ziva said, sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"Well, we certainly know who they want us to think called in the 'anonymous tip'." Tony said. "Don't we McGee?"
"Sure do." McGee agreed. "To bad whoever it was had their voice disguised."
"Yeah, its such a shame." Tony replied.
"Anything else on there that might help us, McGee?" Tony asked.
"I'm checking on that now." McGee said.
McGee's hands flew across the key board as he brought up all of the information, and examined it carefully.
"In this life, McGee." Ziva snapped, anxiously.
"I'm working as fast as I can, Ziva." McGee said, without looking up from his laptop.
After some careful examination of the materials on the disc, McGee finally found something worth talking about.
"Aha...I think found something." McGee said, a little bit louder than he originally anticipated.
"Shush!" Tony snapped.
"Do you want us to get caught?" Ziva asked, rhetorically of course.
"Sorry...I think I found something that just might help us prove Abby's innocent." McGee informed them, quietly this time.
"Okay, what is it?" Tony asked.
"Well, I was looking through some of these documents and such, that Sacks has on here...and I found this." McGee said, as he clicked a button on the keyboard.
Some information popped up onto the screen.
"What is it?" Tony asked, again.
"They're encrypted transcriptions of activity on selected websites." McGee informed them, quietly.
"And?" Ziva asked, impatiently.
"And...while I can't actually read them until they are decrypted, I can tell that these websites were not accessed by Abby's computer." McGee said.
"She has more than one computer, Probie...so how can you be sure?" Tony asked, not amused, yet.
"She wouldn't be able to do it from work...it would've raised a flag in the system if she had." McGee said.
"Okay Probie, now you've got my attention." Tony said.
"How do you know it's not hers?" Tony asked, leaning closer to McGee.
"The only part that's not encrypted is the IP Address. I know the IP Address for Abby's computer." McGee said. "I mean I've helped her do maintenance on it enough times, so I mean at least I should know it."
"Can you tell who's it is then?" Tony asked.
"I can try...but I'll need a little more time to run the program." McGee informed them.
"Time is something that we are running out of, McGee." Ziva said, anxiously.
"I know...I know...just give me a little...that's all I need." McGee said.
McGee's hands, once again, began to fly over the keys on the laptop's keyboard, as he did his computer thing.
---------------------------------------
Back at NCIS HQ...
In the Squad Room...
Gibbs sat at his desk, and watched Sacks and his people as they packed up their things/equipment and got ready to leave the NCIS building.
Jenny walked over to Gibbs' desk.
"Anything yet?" she asked Gibbs.
"Nope, not yet." Gibbs replied, calmly.
"Well, whatever it is they're doing...they had better hurry." Jenny told Gibbs.
"Just give'em a little more time, Jen." Gibbs said, calmly.
Jenny let out a sigh, as she backed up and leaned against McGee's desk.
"I hope your right Jethro, I really do." she added.
At that moment Ducky strolled into the squad room, having taken the stairs up from autopsy.
"Any word from the others?" Ducky asked, quietly, as he entered the bullpen area.
"Not yet Duck." Gibbs replied.
"Poor Jimmy was scared frightened out of his mind when they arrested him." Ducky added.
"I know Duck." Gibbs said. "Abby's scared too."
"Who would want to frame Abigail and Jimmy?" Ducky asked. "They'd never hurt anyone...nor have they ever."
"We know, Ducky, we know." Jenny said, still leaning against McGee's desk.
"How's Chloe?" Gibbs asked, looking up at Ducky.
"Oh, she's fine...she's fine." Ducky said.
"Good." Gibbs said, a certain edge of worry in his voice, though he tried to mask it from Jenny and Ducky.
"Yeah, I left her in Abby's lab coloring in one of her coloring books. She seemed alright when I left her to come up here." Ducky added.
"Though I could tell she did seem upset by her mother's predicament, but suffice it to say she's a lot like her father." Ducky said.
"She won't show it." Jenny said.
"Precisely." Ducky said.
---------------------------------------
Back at Frank's Diner...
The team, mainly McGee, is still hard at work on the laptop.
"Got it." McGee said, suddenly.
"I ran the IP Address through a program that I wrote, to determine it's point of origin, and..." McGee began.
"And what, McGee?" Tony demanded.
"And...that's, that's strange." McGee said (he does that thing with his mouth), slightly confused. "The IP Address came from a computer inside the Hoover Building." McGee informed them, quietly.
"The Hoover Building...you mean to tell me that someone with the FBI is framing Abby." Tony said, also slightly confused.
"But they are the ones investigating Abby...are they not?" Ziva said.
"Yeah, they are." Tony answered.
"Wait...let me try something." McGee said, as he punched some keys on the laptop's keyboard, and eventually brought the sound file back up.
"What are you doing?" Ziva asked.
"I'm running the sound sample through a voice recognition-type program. I want to check something." McGee told Ziva.
A few minutes passed as McGee did, once again, his thing working like crazy to get it done as quickly as possible.
A few minutes later...
"Alright...now let's hear what our anonymous caller really sounds like." McGee said.
The team listened intently to the recording once more, but this time they were able to figure out who the 'anonymous caller' really is/was.
"Is it just me, or does that voice sound familiar to you Tony?" McGee asked, quietly, with a grin.
"Yeah." Tony replied.
"You are right," Ziva agreed. "It does."
Tony pulled out his cellphone and dialed Gibbs' number, and then put the phone up to his ear.
"Gibbs is gonna love this." Tony said, with a sly grin, as he waited for Gibbs to pick up.
"Yeah, but I'd hate to be Sacks right now." McGee said, sharing Tony's grin.
"That is for sure." Ziva agreed.
---------------------------------------
Back at NCIS HQ...
In the squad room everyone was still in the positions that they were in earlier.
Sacks walked over to Gibbs' desk.
"Well, we're done here. Thank you for your cooperation Director Shepherd, and Gibbs...it's nothing personal, you understand, I'm just doing my job." Sacks said.
Sacks offered his hand to Gibbs, for him to shake, but Gibbs just grinned.
Sacks got the message, and backed away.
"Well, goodnight, and I hope we won't have to do this again anytime soon." Sacks said as he turned and walked towards the elevator.
Ring! Ring! Came the sound of Gibbs' cell phone ringing. Gibbs grabbed it and flipped it open.
"It's about time, DiNozzo." Gibbs said into his cell phone.
"Sorry about that Boss." Tony was heard saying.
"Whatcha got?" Gibbs asked.
"HmmHmm." Gibbs said, a grin working its way across his lips.
"Jethro, what is it?" Jenny asked, from McGee's desk.
Gibbs ignored Jenny's question.
"Yeah, I know." Gibbs said into the phone, with a grin.
"Good work, DiNozzo." Gibbs said. "Why don't you call Fornell...tell'em to pick you guys up and bring you back here." he added.
"Alright...and tell McGee and Ziva...'Good Work'." Gibbs said, just before he hung up his cell phone.
"Well, what did they say?" Jenny asked.
"Jen could you call Clint, down at the front desk, and have him hold Sacks for me?" Gibbs asked.
"Well, sure, but why Jethro?" Jenny asked Gibbs.
"Just do it, Jen." Gibbs said.
Jenny sighed and picked up McGee's desk phone and dialed up the front desk.
"I'm sorry to say I'm slightly confused...would someone care to explain what is going on?" Ducky asked.
"Why don't you come with me, Duck." Gibbs said, as he walked out from behind his desk and headed for the elevator.
---------------------------------------
Downstairs at the front desk...
The elevator pinged, and then the doors opened and Gibbs, Ducky, and Jenny stepped off.
"Ah, Director Shepherd. This clown here (he points to Clint the security guard) won't let me through, so I can leave." Sacks said, when he saw Jenny.
"That's because I told him not too." Jenny said.
"Thanks Clint." Jenny said to Clint, who was standing by the metal-detector.
"What...why?" Sacks asked, trying to act surprised.
Gibbs walked straight up to Sacks, just as calmly and coolly as possible.
"What's this all about...something I should know?" Sacks asked.
Gibbs grabbed Sacks (but not too hard) and turned him around. This action caused Sacks to drop his brief case on the floor.
"What're you doing?" Sacks protested.
Gibbs pulled Sacks' arms behind his back as he slapped a pair of handcuffs over Sacks' wrists.
"It's nothing personal, you understand, I'm just doing my job." Gibbs whispered to Sacks, with a grin.
Sacks pulled against Gibbs, but to no avail.
"You think you're so smart, don't ya!?" Sacks snapped at Gibbs.
"Well you're not...you don't have any proof of anything!" he spat at Gibbs.
The sound of the front door sliding open is/was heard.
"Actually they do, Sacks." a familiar voice was heard, coming from the front door.
Gibbs didn't even look up from Sacks.
"Hey Fornell...got my team with ya?" Gibbs asked, with a grin.
"We're here boss." Tony said, as he and Ziva and McGee trudged through the front door, walking past Fornell.
"You...you helped them! You helped them, Fornell!?" Sacks spat at Fornell, angrily.
"Nope, they figured this one out all by themselves." Fornell said, flashing Gibbs a slight grin.
"You liar!" Sacks shouted at Fornell.
"Believe what you want, Sacks, cause where you're going you'll be the only one who thinks so." Fornell informed Sacks, calmly, and yet sternly.
"This isn't over Gibbs, this isn't over." Sacks told Gibbs, threateningly.
"Actually, it is." Gibbs said, as he handed Sacks over to Fornell.
"Clint, why don't you escort Agent Fornell out to his car, please." Jenny instructed Clint.
"Yes ma'am." Clint said, as he moved over to Fornell.
Fornell was about to leave, but then he turned back around to Gibbs.
"Oh, before I forget...I also brought you something else Gibbs." Fornell said.
"What?" Gibbs asked.
Fornell turned back to the door and nodded to someone outside. Gibbs couldn't really see who, it was just too dark outside to see.
Suddenly the front door slid open again and Abby came running inside. Jimmy followed behind her, though he was not running, but he was greeted by Ducky and the others, most joyously.
"Abs." Gibbs whispered.
Abby jumped up into Gibbs' arms, and through her arms around him.
"I missed you so much." she sobbed, quietly.
"I know." Gibbs said, hugging her tight. "But I knew you wouldn't leave me there for long." Abby said.
"Not a chance." Gibbs whispered to Abby.
Abby pulled back, tears in her eyes, and kissed Gibbs full on the lips.
Gibbs returned the kiss in kind, while reassuring her that everything was okay.
Fornell just grinned at the happily re-united couple, and then turned, with a chuckle, and walked out the door.
"Thanks Fornell." Gibbs whispered.
Everyone else was happy and relieved to see Abby back where she belonged, and out of danger. Mostly just glad that the whole thing was finally over.
Gibbs sat Abby back down onto the ground, and put his arm around her.
"Let's go get Chloe, and go home." he said softly, as he led her towards the elevator.
"You guys go home and get some sleep already...you've earned it." Gibbs said to his team.
"Well, I for one am glad to see that this story does, indeed, have a happy ending." Ducky said, with a smile.
"Me too Doctor." Jimmy said, in agreement.
---------------------------------------
Down in Abby's lab...
Gibbs and Abby entered the lab together.
"Chloe." Abby called as they entered the lab.
The automatic sliding door to Abby's office area slid open almost at once.
"Mommy!" Chloe cried as she raced over to her mother.
Abby stooped down and wrapped her daughter in the biggest hug imaginable.
"Mommy missed you so much sweetheart." Abby said, still really emotional.
"I missed you to Mommy." Chloe said, as she squeezed her mother's neck as tightly as her little arms could manage--without hurting her mother of course.
------------To Be Continued in "I Do"------------
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs and Abby, and the rest of the team members, are super psyched about their upcoming wedding that is to take place the following week, but when one member of the team is accused of stealing top-secret/classified information from the United States government. It kind of puts a damper on things...
Chapter End Notes:
Enjoy and God Bless!!!!!!