Chapter Ten

The truth Miss Sullivan...

Gibbs was proud to see that his agent had followed his instructions without him having to spell it out to him over the phone.

Then again Gibbs didn't have any doubts when he asked for Tony ten years ago and he hadn't had any so far.

After leaving Vance's office and giving both McGee and Ziva a quick briefing in the elevator, Gibbs called Tony and told him to wait in his basement with Chloe and Ducky until he arrived home.

He didn't like having Ducky involved but he made sure Tony knew that Ducky was to be armed.

After checking the street twice to make sure no one was waiting for him nor that anyone was trailing him, Gibbs entered the house and made out he was going about his normal business, checking each room before heading towards the basement where he found Tony and Ducky both standing with guns.

Chloe quickly ducked out from beneath the boat with a look of relief across her face.

Gibbs waited until Chloe had gone to take a shower and Tony had gone to get some food and some basic clothes for the woman before he got his report from Ducky.

"That young woman upstairs is in perfect health Jethro" Ducky stated with a hint of confusion. Gibbs chose to ignore it until Ducky was ready to approach the subject.

"Good to know, she'll be staying here for a while and I don't want her getting sick" Gibbs stated as he sat down across from Ducky at the kitchen table.

The Scot worked his brow in time with his thoughts while Gibbs sipped his coffee and watched the older man.

"What I mean to say is," Ducky broke off gaining an interested look from Gibbs. "That young woman has never be hurt in her life" Ducky declared as Gibbs raised an eyebrow at him, a confused look simmering just below the surface.

"Apart from being shot and stabbed" Gibbs pointed out, gaining a shake of a head from Ducky. Drawing in a deep breath and leaning on the table, a troubled look crossed the elderly ME's face.

"Like I said Jethro; that young woman has never been hurt in her life" Ducky stressed before he met Gibbs gaze. Nodding Gibbs got to his feet and headed over to the waste bin.

Under the watchful gaze of Ducky the agent pulled the bin out and spotted the white hospital gown. Dragging it out Gibbs quickly saw the red stain of blood spreading from a hole the size of a knife blade.

"Jethro would you like to explain what is going on" Ducky questioned as he raised his eyebrow at the gown, the look he sent Gibbs meant he wasn't really asking but telling Gibbs to tell him.

Clenching his teeth at the dishonesty from his agent, Gibbs sat at the table once more and put the gown between the men.

"I don't know why Chloe isn't hurt but I do know that she was looking into something that might explain all this. Have you done the autopsy on Garrison yet?" Gibbs questioned as Ducky frowned and nodded.

"The young man had unusual levels of adrenaline in his system; he was in very good shape. There was a small scar at the base of his neck above the knife wound, I discovered some scarring that suggests someone may have operated on him with in the last year" Ducky admitted as Gibbs frowned.

"Anything else Duck" Gibbs questioned

"Corporal Garrison's bones and muscles despite being in excellent shape did show some signs of... well" Ducky stopped himself as he searched for the right word.

Looking to Gibbs once more Ducky couldn't the shrug that lifted his shoulders.

"Garrison showed signs of mutation" Ducky admitted as Gibbs eyebrows shot up and he attempted to take in the word.

"It's unusual Jethro, cells within a human often mutate over the course of their life span. Cancer is a mutant cell that requires a trigger to start changing, but the signs I found in Corporal Garrison suggested these mutations were jumped started and very controlled" Ducky explained. "In my belief these mutations were controlled to produce the corporals improved physical development" ducky finished as Gibbs lowered his eyes and stared at the gown.

"Ever hear of Luther Corp or Doctor McKilics" Gibbs questioned, looking up he caught Ducky nodding his head.

"I performed the autopsy on a young marine in connection with Luther Corp and I have once heard Doctor McKilics speaking on the idea of creating the perfect solider without relying on drugs" Ducky admitted as Gibbs nodded.

"Anything suggest that maybe they were doing something else; something that did use some type of drug" Gibbs questioned as Ducky shook his head.

"Nothing Jethro; but if you are suggesting that they introduced some drug into corporal Garrison's diet then I would have to disagree with you. For the results I have found corporal Garrison would still show signs of that drug in his body. Unless of course this is some fast acting drug there is only one way I could explain this"

waiting with baited breath Gibbs watched as Ducky thought to himself before catching the agents gaze once more.

"Corporal Garrison may have been exposed to radiation that trigged the mutations in his body. A controlled burst would have done the job and then he would have been observed and monitored to make sure the mutations occurred to gain the required results" Ducky declared as Gibbs sat back and processed the information.

"Could this radiation account for rapid healing" Gibbs questioned as Ducky furrowed his brow as he thought over what Gibbs was asking.

"I don't believe I know of any radiation that would produce healing; most radiation is damaging to humans" ducky admitted before the front door opened and closed.

With a firm nod Gibbs watched the doorway while Ducky continued thinking over Gibbs question.

"When I go shopping for clothes I usually don't get that many strange looks," Tony declared as he strolled into the kitchen with several bags and a pizza box. "I should have taken Ziva or Abbs with me; Ziva when I got the underwear" Tony exclaimed with a smirk.

Dropping the bags he quickly put the pizza down and went to open the lid. He froze when he saw the gown sitting on the table and look to both Gibbs and Ducky faces made him swallow hard.

"Um boss"

"How did Chloe escape her attacker DiNozzo" Gibbs questioned in a even tone, knowing he was busted Tony tried hard to think up something.

"She stabbed him boss; with her IV needle" Tony exclaimed, Gibbs raised an eyebrow and shot his agent a look that meant he would have to do better.

"And he may have swung his knife at her"

"Anthony I suggest you explain now what happened" Ducky's serious tone caused the younger man to gulp again before glancing over his shoulder.

When no escape plan came to mind Tony looked back and lowered his eyes knowing he would have to tell the two men before him what really happened.

"I found Chloe in the elevator curled up; I didn't notice the blood until we got to the car and she said the guy stabbed her. She pushed him and ran like hell, once she got in the elevator she said she felt warm and after a few seconds the wound had healed. When I took her finger prints, during her coma, she was burning up and it wasn't until I touched her hand that I realised how hot she really was" Tony explained as both Gibbs and Ducky raised eyebrows in surprise.

"She woke up after I let go of her hand and Price was surprised at how well she was healing" Tony finished before chancing a glance at Gibbs who was simply staring at him.

"I told him not tell you" all three men spun to stare at Chloe, wearing the same clothes from before her shower she looked a lot more smaller and younger with her wet hair.

Her green eyes was fixed on Gibbs with a look of pleading in them that had Gibbs swallowing hard.

"I was freaking out because of what happened, that I asked Tony not tell anyone and he promised that he would wait until Doctor Mallard checked me out before telling anyone else" Chloe explained as Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

"DiNozzo knows better then hiding something from me," Chloe looked away finally and played with the hem of her shirt.

"Sorry boss" Tony offered as Gibbs ignored him.

"I was scared OK... I was scared that you would turn me over to some lab to run tests and that man would come back to kill me" Chloe muttered and the way she stood made Gibbs remember the times he had caught Kelly out and she waited her punishment.

"Do you really believe that" Gibbs questioned, pursing her lips Chloe shook her head and chanced another look at Gibbs.

"No; I know you wouldn't let anything happen to me but you would have to tell your boss about me and they might force your hand" Chloe declared.

Shaking his head Gibbs stood up and grabbed the gown. Under the gaze of the three people in his home Gibbs took the gown over to the counter, grabbing a knife he began to rip the material to pieces before discarding of it back in the bin.

Turning round he found Ducky and Tony staring at him with strange looks, Chloe was simply fighting the urge to smile at him with relief.

"That doesn't change the fact of what I did" Chloe pointed out before Gibbs glanced at Ducky.

"You filed your reports yet on Chloe" Gibbs questioned, the ME quickly understanding and shaking his head.

"If you would allow me five minutes peace I might be able to. But with the autopsy needing my reports and several other cases that I've just remembered, it might be some time before I can bring them to you or the director" Ducky admitted.

Giving Chloe a look, Gibbs had to smile when the younger woman smiled to herself.

"Your a witness and until we have your attacker in custody you will have to be in protection. Ducky will be on hand if you need a doctor but for now you are not going anywhere unless you have an armed agent with you" Gibbs told her and worried for a moment that she would have thrown herself at him to hug him.

"Thank you Gibbs" Chloe thanked in a small voice, Gibbs simply shook his head and looked to Ducky with a serious face.

"You doing anything tonight Ducky" Gibbs questioned, smiling Ducky shook his head as he got to his feet.

"I have a feeling that you will be needing me this evening Jethro, so the answer would be no and a question on what shall you need" ducky stated causing Gibbs to smile.

"Just meet me in your lab tonight" Gibbs ordered, nodding Ducky turned and after giving Tony a firm look he smiled brightly at Chloe.

"Rest my dear and let Jethro protect you" Ducky ordered, reaching for her hand Chloe smiled brightly for the old man. With a quick squeeze of his hand Chloe nodded to reassure him before Ducky released her hand and walked to the front door.

As soon as the front door shut both Chloe and Tony looked to Gibbs only to see him glaring at the pair. Tony knew this look well but Chloe on the other hand stared back at him with a fire that had been present since they first met.

"I was going to tell you" Chloe admitted, Gibbs raised his eyebrows at her and Tony glanced between the pair as though this was some family dispute.

"OK maybe not right away but I would have" Chloe assured causing Tony to smirk and look down.

"I can't protect you if you lie or hide anything you might know from me" Gibbs ordered and Chloe nodded.

After a few seconds of silence Gibbs strolled around the table and slapped Tony around the back of the head, the agent simply just ducked his head and rubbed the sore spot while Chloe giggled to herself. She flinched when Gibbs stopped before her and stared down at her.

"For what it's worth DiNozzo is in charge" Gibbs ordered, Chloe nodded and looked up to stare at him.

Moving past her Gibbs headed to the door.

"You got any films boss... couldn't find any DVDs before" Tony called, Gibbs didn't stop his stride as he walked out of the house.

"There books if your bored" Gibbs called over his shoulder not bothered by Tony's pout and Chloe's giggles.