"I was buried alive once," Tony said, conversationally.
"That is not funny, Tony," Ziva admonished, leaning over the stainless steel table in Abby's lab to examine the casket recovered from the crime scene. There were two sets of five parallel lines gouged into the lid.
"You're right," Tony said. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, Dinozzo," said Gibbs, walking into the lab, and handing Abby her customary caffeinated beverage.
"Right, Boss. Sign of weakness," Tony said, turning away from the casket. "We have an ID on the victim. Take it away, Abby."
Abby saluted. "According to Major Mass Spec, the corpse is Ensign Roger Horwich. His last assignment was on board the USS Enterprise. He was reported missing two months ago."
"He wasn't reported missing until his leave ended?" Gibbs asked.
"No family," Tony took over. "His father left when he was ten, and his mother died when he was nineteen. No siblings, aunts, uncles or cousins. He didn't have any friends, and his relationships never lasted for more than two weeks. According to his ex-girlfriend, he had commitment issues. I'll be able to tell you more after I have dinner with her on Friday night."
"He sounds like Tony," McGee said.
"That's funny," Tony said. "Probie."
"How did Ensign Horwich end up six feet under?" Gibbs asked.
"Working on it, Boss. Abby pulled a partial from the exterior of the casket."
"I'm running it through AFIS," Abby said.
"Good work, Abby," Gibbs turned to leave. "Dinozzo, you're with me. We're going to talk to Ensign Horwich's neighbors."
"On your six, Boss," Tony said.
Gibbs stopped, and turned around. "I can't remember, Dinozzo. When the parolee buried you alive, where you working at Philly, or Peoria?"
"Philly, Boss," Tony said.
McGee and Ziva looked at him.
"You were not pulling my arm?" Ziva asked.
"Leg," Tony corrected.
"That too."
"Of course not," Tony said, following Gibbs out of the laboratory. "You were right, Ziva. It isn't funny."