NCIS: The New Recruit

Chapter 12

I was lounging at my new desk and staring at my computer screen. My desk now had two computers, both high tech and fancy, and surprisingly all of my stuff had survived the tornado.

I took out my iPhone and stared at it for a while. I was wondering if anyone from my old school had heard about the tornado. I knew that I had been in the news because I had entered a collapsed building and saved McGee, but perhaps they had already forgotten about me.

I looked over at the other Agents of the MCRT. Gibbs wasn't at his desk. He was up talking to the Director. McGee was next to me, typing unbelievably fast and staring at his computer with a frown.

Tony, on the other hand, was leaning back on his chair, playing with some coloured pens. He had been complaining all day that there was nothing to do and the Cold Cases he was supposed to be sorting out lay scattered on the floor. Ziva was sitting on her desk on her phone. She was speaking quickly and smiling slightly. She must like the person she was talking to.

We only had thirty eight minutes left of work today. There hadn't been much to do and we were all looking forward to getting home.

I put my phone down and lay back in my chair. What was there to do for half an hour.

"Gear up! We're going to Arlington!" said Gibbs, walking down the stairs.

"A-Arlington, boss!" said Tony, the pens falling from his hands and onto the floor and his face dropping in disappointment.

McGee suddenly stopped typing and looked up and Gibbs, "What's in Arlington, boss?"

Gibbs ignored the question and stared at Ziva who was still talking on the phone, oblivious to everything else that was happening.

"Confirm this address, McGee," he said, handing McGee a piece of paper.

Ziva caught on to what was going on and quickly hung up. Her and Tony shared a look. Both of them were quickly out of their chairs and near McGee's desk, when Tony whispered 'traffic' and made a face, while Ziva muttered back, 'I have a date.'

Gibbs heard them both speaking and glared at them. I stood up too and walked towards Tony and Ziva, standing next to them. Gibbs had moved behind McGee and was impatiently waiting for the address to be confirmed.

"There's no name associated with it," said McGee then he checked a different database and quickly announced, "The property is leased by the US Government. Boss, I don't have access to the records to confirm who lives there."

"Wheeler, Kyle E., Marine Corps," said Gibbs and we all stared at him.

McGee hesitated then typed in the name.

"Here it is," said McGee and me, Tony and Ziva all stared at his screen, "Kyle E. Wheeler, forty seven, stationed at the Pentagon."

"What department?" asked Gibbs before McGee could say anything else.

"It... It doesn't say," said McGee, "Wait... Uh... he's a two star general, assistant director of... something... and his record of assignments and postings is almost non-existent."

"How is that possible?" I asked.

"He's not listed on the Official Pentagon personnel roster," said McGee.

I went to my computer to double check the list. McGee was right. He wasn't there.

"He doesn't exist," said Ziva.

"Boss, he's a Distinguished graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, the School of Advanced Warfighting and graduated from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. And he has a Masters of Science Degree in National Security Strategy and Management," said McGee.

"What's so secret about this non-existent guy?" asked Tony.

"McGee?" said Gibbs.

"He's not listed anywhere, boss. His name doesn't come up at all," said McGee, frowning.

"How did you know he worked at the Pentagon, then?" I asked.

McGee switched back to the initial information. Sure enough, it said he worked at the Pentagon. Nothing else, though. No office number or anything.

Gibbs frowned and seemed to be deep in thought.

"Something you'd like to share with us, Gibbs?" asked Ziva.

"Yeah... Why does a Marine two star have his official mail going to the Department of the Air Force?" said Gibbs and we all stared at the plasma.

Sure enough, that was where his official mail was going to.

"Uh, boss, why are we investigating Wheeler?" I asked.

"Because he died... At GW Hospital," replied Gibbs.

"Then why are we going to Arlington?" asked Ziva.

"He collapsed home and was transported to the hospital where he was DOA," said Gibbs.

"So... He wasn't murdered?" I asked.

"Doesn't look like it, no!" Gibbs replied.

"NCIS looks into all deaths of active duty Marine Corps and Navy personnel," Ziva explained.

All deaths were looked into, but not usually by MCRT. Unless there was something questionable or sinister about the way they had died. Ducky and other medical examiners reviewed deaths certificates, performed autopsies when necessary and the agents gathered and recorded basic information. Lots of military personnel died in hospitals everyday and most of the time nothing needed investigated.

"But it's almost time for us to go!" whined Tony.

"Shut up, DiNozzo!" Gibbs slapped him on the back of the head.

I smirked and Tony glared at me. Behind me, Ziva was frowning at the picture of Wheeler on the screen, as if trying to place his face.

Gibbs grabbed his coat and headed for the lift, "C'mon! Let's go talk to his family."

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Do you like this case so far? I'm not exactly sure where it's gonna end up...

I hope you enjoyed this! Any way I could improve? PLEASE COMMENT AND TELL ME! xD

Thanks for reading!