NCIS Season 9

Episode 9.1.1

Murder by Proxy

Part One

By: Lady JenDragon

Disclaimer: We know the drill. I do not own NCIS or characters created for the show. Now that that's out of the way, I do declare my own characters as MINE, MINE, MINE!

Author's Notes: A huge fan of NCIS for sometime now. I have all 7 seasons on DVD now. AH! My psychosis is complete! So with that in mind, I present MY SEASON NINE of NCIS.

Keep in mind this first EPISODE ignores anything that might happen in Season 8. I will try to incorporate information and new characters introduced in Season 8 along the way. However I wish to create my own characters as well. Each episode is divided into 3 sections with individual chapters. Also: I had to reload the chapters since I found loads of errors. I would've done this sooner but my mother just passed away from cancer.

MURDER BY PROXY

PART ONE

Chapter One

The forest did not appear as scary last night. George Bison, a first year at Waverly University, was on the prowl of becoming the first in his family to join a fraternity. Most of his friends were already members of other fraternities but the Alpha Beta Ki's were considered the fraternity of fraternities.

Which led to his current predicament. The young man walked along the trail he recognized would lead him out of this hellhole. The night did not bode well for his quest to become a fraternity member. The forest appeared the same as the last quarter mile. He felt dazed and a bit hung over. Those four beers last night were probably not a good idea either.

"It was just a camping trip." He reasoned staggering down the trail.

Dressed in khaki shorts, gym shoes, white socks and black t-shirt, he felt cold and hungry. He hoped there would be joggers on the main trail leading towards the university. His two pals, Mark Davidson and Allen Katz walked from campus last night to the campsite. Not an official campsite but many of the students used it often enough.

He swished his hair anxiously finding dried leaves and small braches littering his hair.

"Come on!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. "This ain't funny anymore!"

He paused hearing no answer not even a snicker. There was no breeze blowing this morning. He walked further down the trail deciding it was time to answer the call of nature.

"Where are you guys?" He tried one more time.

Hearing nothing, he pushed through some trees and bushes. More like staggered as he giggled despite the raging headache forming inside his skull. He tried to maintain a straight line but found it difficult to maintain. Losing his balance, he fell to his hands and knees crawling through more bushes just in front of him.

"Just a little privacy please." He demanded in a stooper.

The bushes were thicker than he recalled and the ground was wet and thick. It oozed through his fingers. Sticks and leaves stuck to his knees as he emerged through to the other side. He brushed off the debris from his hair, shirt and shoulders. Slowly getting to his feet he looked at his hands.

They were red and black with leaves and some kind of gook clinging to his skin. George staggered around to look at the bushes he just crawled through to find something round just barely covered by soil.

"What the…" George blinked rapidly as a minor thought popped in his head. "Blood?"

George hunkered down and brushed the dirt away from the dome-like artifact. It was too big to be a mushroom and too small to be a new tree stump. He dug into the earth uncovering…a skull.

George fell backwards away from the skull. The eyes stared directly at him. His scrambled backwards, pushing through leaves, branches and grass to get away. His hand grazed something hard and plastic that made him stop. Closing his hand around it, he pulled up a black cellphone from the ground.

He got to his feet as if he found the Holy Grail. Desperately, he turned it on to find enough juice still left in the battery. Something snapped under his foot. George froze at that moment.

He looked down to find five things sticking out from under his foot. Panic began to set it as he realized he was standing on a decaying human hand. His mouth gaped open as panic turned to shock and then turned back into panic. Logic sunk in finally and he decided to make a run for it.

Chapter Two

The third floor of NCIS Squad Room appeared business as usual when the doors of the elevator opened. Tony DiNozzo drank from his highly sugared coffee wearing a black suit, white shirt, red tie, and black shoes despising that another gloomy weekend was wasted in doors during a freak rainstorm. His bag hung securely on his shoulder. He pretended to need adjustment, hoisting it up, and letting drop in his hatred gloomy weekends. And yet another bright and sunny Monday morning loomed in front of him. He lamented silently walking towards his desk.

Tony threw his bag behind his desk to protest the end of another weekend. He slammed his coffee cup on the desk in agitation and plopped into his chair. He spun once in his chair to find some humor in the irony of his weekend only to find Agent David staring at him amused from behind her desk.

"Where's McGeek this morning?" Referring to McGee's absence.

Ziva David's hands were folded on her desk studying her fellow NCIS agent. She wore an army green shirt with white sweater, dark green field trousers, and dark brown hiking boots. She smiled at Tony knowing he would become curious about what she may or may not know. Tony lost his smile then and stood up abruptly.

"Don't have a home life?" He asked out of the blue.

"More than you it seems." Ziva glanced at McGee's desk.
You always pay people to hang out with you?"

"Ha!" He threw his head back in a pretend laugh. "At least I don't wear guns for jewelry on a date."

Ziva stiffened as Agent Gibbs walked by and WHAM, slapped DiNozzo upside the back of the head in one elegant motion. Clearly he was used to doing this on a regular basis. Tony scrunched his face wincing from the pain.

"Ow, boss!"

Gibbs wore a beige coat with green polo shirt and white undershirt with dark gray trousers and brown boots. His usual coffee accessory was unphased by the maneuver in DiNozzo.

"I hear a crack like that again, DiNozzo, I'll move your desk in with Palmer." Gibbs walked around his desk, pulling open the right side drawer. "Let's get going you three."

Tony cringed again as the pain had yet to wear off. Ziva and Tony both frowned when McGee arrived at his desk from the laboratory.

"You're late." Tony stated.

"McGee's been here since seven." Gibbs replied. "Ziva you drive."

Tony silently cursed himself for saying anything about McGee's non-tardiness.

"What've we got?" Tim McGee asked standing at his desk late.

"Navy Seal in the woods." Gibbs paused to look at the junior agent. "McGee, call Ducky."

"On it." McGee immediately picked up the phone and hit speed dial.

"I'll the get the car." Ziva declared.

"I'll get the car." Tony insisted and added a hint of anger to 'car' despite Gibbs' orders that Ziva was driving.

Ziva smiled and jingled the keys between two fingers and replied. "It's okay, I've got it, Tony."

McGee slammed down the phone following Gibbs, Ziva and Tony making faces at one another on their way to the elevator.

Chapter Three

An NCIS truck, the NCIS coroner truck, one NCIS sedan, three sheriff's cars, and the park ranger vehicles were parked in a group along the wide trail along the Rock Creek trail.

"We would've been here already if I drove." Tony whined. "DC traffic is getting worse, I swear."

"You're unhappy cause you spent the weekend alone." McGee pointed out.

"I did not!" Tony denied vehemently. "I chose to watch movies and spend time at my home. Big difference."

"Alone." Ziva declared and walked off.

George Bison stood with two deputies making his statement and relinquishing the cellphone he used to call 911. McGee and Tony pulled out equipment from the back of their truck while Ziva grabbed the camera and began towards the crime scene clearly marked by yellow caution tape through the forest. Medical Examiner assistant, Jimmy Palmer and Dr. Mallard walked into the forest following a third deputy ahead of them.

"Let's see what we have Mr. Palmer." Ducky Mallard knew what to expect.

But his assistant seemed placated by hearing the words. Made him feel useful, Ducky surmised. Not that the lad was of no use. However, he preferred to be loose in the field and less stoic.

The caution tape led directly to crime scene.

McGee, Ziva and Tony arrived with the equipment to find Gibbs was already there marking locations of evidence to collect with large black on yellow marker numbers. The location was off the beaten path with little or no interference from humans.

They arrive at the bushes cut away and bagged for evidence that sits off to the side of the body. Gibbs walks up behind Dr. Mallard.

"My, my, nothing ever surprises me anymore." Ducky sighed deciding the best course of action.

It was clear the body was in pieces and spread around the immediate vicinity.

"I'm sure there's something you haven't seen yet, Duck." Gibbs walked up beside Ducky.

"That's what scares me, Jethro." Ducky sighed and decided to look at the bush where the skull remained where it was buried. "However, I believe those days are over, I'm afraid. What do we have here?"

Ducky knelt next to the decaying skull with minimal flesh remaining on the bones.

Gibbs showed Ducky the evidence. "Navy Seal, Captain James Bricker according to his dog tags. Looks like animal scavenging took care of most of him."

"We'll be looking for pieces." Ducky looked to Jimmy Palmer. "Help Tim, Ziva and Tony look for evidence, will you, Mr. Palmer?"

"Be glad to, doctor." Mr. Palmer went in search of McGee, the closest NCIS agent to him.

Tony and McGee walk around collecting evidence after Ziva photographed it and made a sketch of the area. Tony broke off from McGee and headed to Gibbs.

"Hey boss, the witness," He pulled out his notepad, "eh George Bison, claims he was lost in the woods when he found Captain Bricker. He went camping with friends who left him behind last night. Looks like a drunken party to me."

"Find his friends and verify." Gibbs replied evenly.

His eyes were fixed on finding more pieces judging from the stack of black on yellow tag numbers in his right hand. Gibbs moved away from Ducky and the skull.

"Ziva's on it already, boss." Tony turned to find McGee more than twenty feet from him.

Ziva glared at him as he passed. Tony smiled widely as he passed her and rejoined McGee.

"Time of death, Duck?" Gibbs called out.

"Don't rush me, Jethro." Ducky replied out loud. "Our Captain's been out here for some time judging from the amount of decay. However, I believe he was bound at the ankles and wrists when he met his demise. Reminds me of a case I was on fifteen years ago outside Seattle. A young petty officer met his demise in the forest and was found bound at the wrists and ankles behind his back. Poor fellow, he must've died in that…"

Gibbs walked back to Ducky. "Focus, Duck. Cause of death?"

"You always want what I can't provide, Jethro. The similarities just brought the memories to mind is all." Ducky glanced around the crime scene. "I won't know time of death for a while yet. There are no immediate indicators leading to a possible cause I can see. I need to get him back home to figure out what killed him."

Ducky leaned closer to the bushes finding remnants of the torso beneath the braches.

"It's a shame George Bison had to crawl through you." Ducky said grimly. "Who knows how much evidence he took with him. Don't worry lad. We'll find the bastard who did this to you.

Palmer returned to Ducky's side and stared then shook his head and smiled.

"I was able to scrape off as much as possible, doctor." Jimmy announced happily. "It seems Tony and Tim don't need my help."

"I noticed." Ducky smiled then.

Gibbs left the crime scene and began heading back towards the NCIS vehicles. Ziva tapped McGee and Tony collecting evidence.

"Is there something wrong with Gibbs?" Ziva asked concerned.

"When isn't there something wrong with Gibbs?" Tony squinted his eyes in the sunlight. "Man sees conspiracy behind everything these days."

Chapter Four

Ziva arrived back at her desk from the field having dropped the evidence off at Abby's Laboratory. Tony sat at his desk on the phone with someone named Denise discussing personnel issues. She glanced over at McGee tapping away at his computer.

"Thanks for your help." Tony set his phone down.

Gibbs took that moment to walk through the office towards his desk with a cup of hot coffee in his hand. Tony and Ziva stand at the same time waiting to report in. Gibbs appeared unhappy this morning even before they arrived at the crime scene. He sat at his desk and tapped at the keyboard slowly.

"Well?" He asked without looking at his team.

"It seems Captain Bricker was on sick leave out of San Diego." DiNozzo read from his notes. "He was here visiting a friend for a while."

"Sick leave?" Gibbs glanced at DiNozzo and returned to his computer.

"Been off for more than two months." Tony glared at Ziva while he spoke. "Had surgery for an injury to his right leg during his last mission. The mission's classified of course. Surgery was immediately afterwards. He wasn't due back in San Diego until late next month.

Ziva cut in. "His sister is on her way from Seattle to identify and claim any personal affects. Civilian, never married, and has three degrees. She has two bachelor's degrees in Biology and Chemistry, and a Masters in Electrical Engineering."

"Impressive." Gibbs replied quietly.

"Navy usually moves fast to notify of next of kin, boss." DiNozzo informed the team. "They already called her."

Gibbs glared at DiNozzo.

"Right…" Tony shrunk away to let someone else have the floor.

"It appears she was planning on coming out here anyway." Ziva glanced at the print out she mad. "Maybe to visit the brother at the friend's house? The airline reservations were made more than a week ago."

"Suspicious." Tony folded his arms, pinching his chin with his right thumb and index finger while attempting to appear thinking.

"Agreed." Gibbs responded. "When she gets here, pick her up and bring her in."

Ziva nodded and continued. "Captain Bricker was visiting one Lt. Derek Martens stationed here at Norfolk. He lives off base. Lt. Martens is also missing, almost three weeks before Bricker turned up dead. According to the missing persons report they've been friends since training."

McGee spoke up to add to the conversation. "Martens and Bricker called each other a lot over the last nine months. There must be over a hundred calls back and forth between them. Thousands of text messages as well."

"Where was Martens stationed before Norfolk?" Gibbs stood up.

"Uh…San Diego, boss." McGee squinted at his screen. "He's a systems analyst for UAVs pre-flight program. He got transferred two months ago and was declared UA a week ago."

"Strange to declare a missing soldier UA already." Tony looked to McGee. "Usually it takes a month first."

"How long has Captain Bricker been here?" Ziva asked curious.

"About a month according to airline records." McGee tapped away the keyboard. "Strange, according to the missing persons report, Bricker made friends with the neighbors, the Solis'. There's a lengthy interview with them in the file."

"Now he's dead and his friend's missing." Tony pointed out.

"Anyone file a missing persons on Captain Bricker?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"I don't see anything in his file." McGee frowned. "His sister hasn't filed anything with local authorities."

"Something's not right." Gibbs stared at his desk.

Gibbs left his desk with coffee in hand.

"Where we going, boss?" Tony got out of the way.

"To the friend's house to see what they didn't find when Martens first went missing." Gibbs ignored DiNozzo's innuendo to tag along. "McGee you're with me. DiNozzo check on Bricker's service record and talk to his CO. Ziva, find out about his sister."

Tony raised his hand.

"Shouldn't I find his sister, boss?" DiNozzo smiled widely. "I mean…I am…"

Gibbs stopped, turned and glared at DiNozzo. He took a drink from his coffee. Tony cringed slightly then composed himself.

"All you're going to find is my hand upside your head." Gibbs replied. "Move it, DiNozzo!"

Tony's eyes moved back and forth realizing he did not know what he was supposed to do next. Gibbs never mentioned a task or gave him a demand.

"Right boss." Tony pointed his finger upwards and nodded.

McGee smiled at Tony as he passed following Gibbs to the elevator.

Chapter Five

Gibbs and McGee arrived in front of a small box-shaped house painted white on a quiet residential street belonging to Lieutenant Derek Martens. The exterior appeared unassuming and boring with modern landscaping and brown grass. Clearly, the worst house on the block belonged to the single guy.

McGee got out of the passenger side, Gibbs the drivers side of the car. They slowly walked towards the front door. McGee followed Gibbs' lead, looking at everything.

"Doesn't look like much." McGee said finally after his initial sweep.

"Never does." Gibbs sighed.

They found the front door locked. Gibbs nodded towards McGee, and then disappeared around the side of the house. McGee pressed the doorbell waiting for someone to answer. Or at least make it appear that way to the neighbors.

He recognized they were being watched from the time they pulled to the curb. Strange, most neighborhoods did not case unusual or foreign vehicles parked along the curb in their community. Most people never bothered to watch for suspicious individuals staking out residents.

Tim felt like a germ under a microscope. He pretended to knock then looked in the window. A few minutes later, Gibbs opened the front door to McGee.

"Come in." Gibbs turned from the door. "You have the warrant?"

McGee pulled the warrant out from an inside pocket then shoved it back in his inner pocket. Gibbs and McGee entered the front living room. Nothing special, two sofas faced one another in front of a large unused fireplace. A coffee table was placed between the sofas with striped drapes hanging at the large picture window.

"Doesn't look like a bachelor lives here to me." McGee commented.

"Feels like a woman's touch." Gibbs agreed.

"There's no TV in here." McGee nodded. "What man doesn't have a big screen TV who watches sports?"

Gibbs smiled noting the Colts football jersey laid over the arm of the sofa in front of the window. It was the only thing that appeared out of place.

McGee donned a pair of gloves and began sorting through personal belongings and a stack of mail sitting on the round table next to the front door. Clearly it was used for keys and mail. McGee frowned suspicious that the mail was on the table and not lying on the floor when it was pushed through the mail slot.

The house appeared normal from the outside. The inside proved no one lived here in several weeks. Dust collected on every surface. Martens relatives left the house untouched until they got final word that something sinister happened to their brother. The contents were left in place.

"Looks clean." McGee noted nothing held a fingerprint.

"Too clean." Gibbs commented.

His eyes slowly scanned the bookshelves against the wall heading into the kitchen. He left McGee in the living room and surveyed the cabinets, counter and appliances in a small square shape of the kitchen. Gibbs finds the white kitchen remarkably clean and nothing out of place.

There was plenty of counter space to cook and prepare meals. The stove appeared used and the refrigerator was on. There was a microwave set on the counter in the back corner to minimize impact. McGee followed Gibbs into the kitchen.

McGee played with his phone staring at the screen in a constant frown. "According to the missing persons report Derek Martens never made it to work at 0600 on the 17th of last month."

"Who reported him missing?" Gibbs asked disappearing into the hall leading to the bedrooms.

"Captain Bricker actually." McGee called out. "He was pretty adamant that something happened to his friend but it turns out the Navy didn't do much to find Martens. He got pretty hostile with the investigator in charge."

"Nothing on Martens?" Gibbs returned from the bedrooms.

"No activity on any of his accounts, ATM card, or checking accounts since his disappearance." McGee touched the screen several times. "The house is registered under him and it's paid off. Bought it two months ago using inheritance money from his grandmother. He has two brothers serving in Iraq right now, different units. Explains why no one's been here to take care of thins. No sisters."

"What about Bricker?" Gibbs could find nothing out of the ordinary except Lt. Derek Martens was missing.

"Captain Bricker shares his accounts with the sister, Salem, currently on her way here." McGee smiled. "Kinda cute. Uh…sorry, boss. Her activity has been relatively normal. She's been in Seattle for almost a month now on business."

Gibbs appeared deep in thought.

"What you thinking, boss?" McGee frowned.

"Bricker came to help Martens with something." Gibbs decided finally.

"Wh…what makes you say that?"

Gibbs looked to McGee. "I wouldn't come for a long visit unless my friend asked me to come, Tim. Get what you can from the house. Anything suspicious, large or small, bag and tag it. Take it to Abby for processing. Look for anything Martens might have been investigating."

"He wasn't an investigator…ah." McGee paused at Gibbs staring at him. "I see. I'll get right on that, boss."

Gibbs returned to the bedrooms looking for clues.

TO BE CONTINUED…