Chapter Text
Section 22
The papers were no longer neatly stacked as Vance hadn’t been concerned with reorganizing them. Fornell pulled them out, looked at the other four men and put off looking down for a minute. When he did, he had the misfortune of seeing the third picture Tony had seen. He had been prepared to see Senior in the photo and recognized him instantly. What Fornell hadn’t been prepared for was the warehouse. Senior and another man appeared to be walking on an aisle through rows and rows of pallets. On each, a small child was chained like a dog. They were filthy, sparsely clothed and their ribs could be seen between the shreds of cloth.
It took all of Fornell’s years in law enforcement to keep his face impassive. Tucking the photo under the stack, he glanced at a copy of a flight manifest before moving it to the bottom and coming upon the picture that had so distressed Tony. It was Senior and a young girl from the warehouse. Fornell fought a wave of nausea as the tortured girl transformed into Emily in his mind. The man was clearly a monster. Resolutely, he forced himself to move on. If there was a depravity on earth, it appeared that Senior had tried it.
As he thumbed through the evidence, the charges mounted: pedophilia, child pornography, rape and drugs. Photos of Senior in various warehouses and shacks made him both aware of and an accomplice to the illegal trade and trafficking of humans. Evidence kept coming; slavery, sexual exploitation of infants, toddlers, youths and women. Plus, the harvesting. Fornell could barely keep from vomiting at the pictures of people cut open for their tissue/organs and left to bleed out. Finally with relief he came to the initial picture again. He stuffed the evidence roughly back in to the envelope; annoyed by the slight tremble in his hands.
Gibbs motioned to Vance for the bourbon intending to freshen his friend’s coffee. However, after looking at Fornell’s face, Vance reach down and pulled a stack of glasses from his bottom drawer and poured everyone a healthy measure of bourbon. He handed two glasses to Gibbs and passed the others out.
“Tobias.” Gibbs pressed the bourbon into his old friend’s hand.
Tobias took a grateful sip enjoying the burn, but it wasn’t enough to burn the images from his mind. Looking at the glass, he made a decision and emptied it. Placing it carefully on the edge of Vance’s desk, along with the envelope, he looked around the room. “Alright, gentleman, how are we playing this?”
Gibbs smirked at Vance’s reaction to Tobias’ query. “Your game, Tobias. We’re totally out.” The others nodded in agreement.
“DiNozzo… Hell, kid, you know if I file these or reporters catch wind of this…”
“Not if.” Setting his drink down, Tony pulled himself up straightening his backbone and faced Fornell. “He doesn’t walk from this… You promise me that. He does not walk after he… he…”
“I know it’s a shock, DiNozzo, but do you realize what your life will be like?” Tobias didn’t like cutting deals with scum but he also didn’t like screwing over friends. He wasn’t sure that DiNozzo was truly a friend but he had come to respect the young man. If he hadn’t thought Jethro would hunt him down and kill him; he would’ve tried harder to recruit the younger man. “I could go to the DOJ myself...”
“No,” Tony shook his head. “No deals, nothing under the table. Senior goes down for this, he deserves nothing less. I won’t be a party to covering it up.”
“If that’s the way you want to play it,” Tobias glanced at Gibbs and saw the approval in his eyes. “No deals. I’ll take this to a judge myself, get the warrant.” He looked at his watch. “I may not be able to get it tonight but I’ll try. In the meantime, can you hold him?” The FBI agent looked at Vance.
“Assaulting a federal officer,” Vance said dryly. “McGee has the security footage and a transcript of the altercation.”
Tobias looked at Tony’s bruise. He’d struck his own kid? Of course, Tobias realized . after what the man in the pictures had done, this shouldn’t be a shock. “You okay, DiNozzo?”
“Yeah, figured we might need leverage.” Tony had the grace to blush as Gibbs raised his eyebrow.
“I figured Gibbs here missed the back of your head in his old age.” Tobias tried to lighten the mood, smirking when Tony reflexively rubbed the back of his head.
“Trust me, he doesn’t miss.” Tony grumbled.
“You have copies of the footage?” Tobias asked. McGee handed him a disk and paper copies of the conversation to all of them. Tobias scanned down the words and then looked at Tony, “You got balls, kid, I’ll say that for you. You want a front row when we take them down?” Tobias offered.
“No.” Tony shook his head.
“I understand.” Tobias sighed reluctantly. “Well, I’m going to go work on these warrants. I’ll let you know something as soon as I get it.” He picked up both envelopes and headed for the door.
“Fornell.” Gibbs called. “Thanks.” With a nod, Fornell exited.
Vance placed the bourbon bottle back in his bottom drawer. “You realize that this is going to put MCRT back in the spotlight, gentleman? Might I suggest that you brief Ms. Scuito and Dr. Mallard prior to the reporters getting hold of this mess?”
“Ah, hell.”
“It’s my mess, I’ll tell them.” Tony said shrinking a little.
Surprisingly, the initial objection came from McGee not Gibbs. “No. I told you I had your six. We’ll do it together."
Gibbs looked at McGee approvingly before delivering a swat to Tony. “We’re a team. Not going to bail when it gets a bit rough. Okay, McGee, call them and then take off. Meeting at my house…” he looked at his watch. “…at seven. Add Palmer. We’ll order in. Tony and I have some things to take care of before then.” He rose from his seat and looked at Vance. “Make sure SecNav understands no deals when you brief him, Leon.”
“He’s going to be concerned about the effect of a scandal on NCIS, Gibbs. I can’t guarantee…”
Gibbs glared at him. “No deals. This time, we do not compromise. I want to see their perp walk on tv within the next forty-eight hours or I will go to the press myself. Tony and I followed the plan to deal with Tony’s arrest. This time, we do not compromise.”
“SecNav is getting a bit tired of your threats, Gibbs.” Leon stood.
“Not threats, Leon.” Gibbs was steadfast. “Senior goes down. Hard.”
“You can’t use the system for revenge, Gibbs.”
“You’re going to tell me that, Leon? I worked with Jenny.” Vance had the grace to look down when Gibbs retorted. “You saw what he did. Are you going to tell me he doesn’t deserve it?”
“I’ll do what I can.” Leon acquiesced. “He may want to talk to you.”
“We’ll be at the house at seven.” Gibbs looked at Tony. “Grab your bag, I’ll meet you at the car.”
“Yes, boss.” Tony looked at Vance for confirmation. “Director.”
McGee took the tone for dismissal and made to move past on the way to the door when Gibbs grabbed his arm. Turning, Gibbs made sure Tony was gone. “If it isn’t on file, get a warrant from legal for Senior’s DNA.”
“On what grounds?” McGee questioned.
“Be creative.” Gibbs picked up the hot chocolate cup and handed it to McGee. “Have Abby compare it to this.”
“Boss?”
“Just do it, McGee.” McGee took the cup and left.
“What are you thinking?” Vance questioned.
“Just a hunch.” Gibbs shook his head. “I hope like hell I’m wrong.”