Chapter 2 – Lunch
After driving his team crazy throughout the morning with his foul mood, Gibbs received the phone call he had been impatiently waiting for. Unfortunately, Jenny didn’t have good news. In fact, she didn’t have any news. No one, not the FBI, CIA, NSA, Army, Navy, or Air Force intelligence agencies, absolutely no one, knew why the President himself had requested the lunch meeting. Apparently, Jenny’s contacts didn’t include President Hayes or his White House staffers.
So, with his time running out, Gibbs finally decided to bite the bullet and just go to the lunch meeting. After all, how bad could it be? He should be able to sit still and eat without throwing his career down the tubes. It’s not like they would leave him alone with the President after all.
Gibbs gathered his badge, but left his gun, and quickly left the office, ignoring the relieved sighs from his team. His trip across town was free of the usual traffic problems. He was actually on the list for entry to the White House parking gate and was waved in far sooner than he expected. Finally, he was ushered into a small private dining area and told to wait. He quietly studied the room as he waited, noting that lunch was set for two. Okay, maybe they would leave him alone with the President if that’s what the President wanted. Before long, the man himself, President Henry Hayes entered the room and firmly closed the door on one of his more persistent aides.
“Mr. President,” Gibbs greeted formally as he stood at attention, old habits coming to the front.
President Hayes gave him a friendly politician’s smile and quickly took his hand. “Special Agent Gibbs, please sit down,” Hayes gestured to one of the nearby chairs. Gibbs reluctantly sat down.
The President opened the dumb waiter and pulled out a tray with sandwiches. Gibbs jumped to help, but was waved away. “Please, they don’t let me do anything as it is. Let me at least do this.” Hayes quickly sorted out the meal and took a seat opposite of Gibbs, “Alright, now, I bet you’re wondering why I asked you here. I have a job for you...” Hayes quickly raised his hand to stop Gibbs’ protest, “I know you are happy where you are. I wouldn’t dream of taking you away from NCIS.”
Hayes’ leaned back in his chair, “I’ve found that I am privy, as President, to a large amount of classified information. Information so Top Secret that I didn’t even have clue about it…until my first day in this office. Since that day, I’ve been asked to make some hard decisions…decisions that have resulted in tragic consequences for some of our people.” The President’s eyes saddened and took on a far away look, “I’ve found that I don’t much like making those decisions. But there is something I like even less…lying about the consequences of those decisions…to the surviving family members.”
Gibbs held his tongue as Hayes lapsed into silence and quietly picked at his meal.
The President slowly focused back on Gibbs, “I absolutely cannot declassify this information, but these men and women deserve to know that their sacrifice wasn’t in vain. That their loved one was lost or killed doing something important and not in a careless ‘training accident’. I’ve given this a lot of thought and I think I’ve found a compromise between telling them the truth in all its classified glory and ensuring the security of that information. That is where you come in,” Hayes said.
“Me, Sir?” Gibbs replied suspiciously.
“Yes, you, Agent Gibbs.” The President leaned forward with his hands resting on the table. “NCIS was developed for both intelligence gathering and criminal investigations. The ACID and AFOSI, your counterparts, serve in almost the exact same capacity. As such, you and your agents already posses the skills needed to review the types of classified reports that spell out how one of our people was KIA, or worse, MIA during a classified mission. As it stands now, when the family of one of our fallen needs reassurance, they have no one to act on their behalf; No one to turn to; No one that they can trust to be objective about the facts, no matter how classified; No one to ensure that their loved one didn’t die in vain.” Hayes continued to lean forward, carefully watching Gibbs’ face, trying to gage his reaction.
Gibbs sat back and crossed his arms, “What exactly is it you are asking of me, Mr. President?”
“I want you to be the first test case,” Hayes said smoothly. “Usually, I have an organization that has clearance to oversee these types of classified projects and operations. However, they have proven to be politically motivated and incompetent at the best of times and treasonously corrupt during the worst. I need someone to be the voice of the dead. My sources say that you are one of the best. That you don’t let politics or money deter you from finding justice. That you will find the truth, no matter how uncomfortable, and bring it to light.”
Gibbs nodded, surprised at the description. He figured that the other agencies saw him more as a pain in the ass, a political liability, rather than a shining white knight. He let that image form and then dismissed it with a slight grin, “So, you have a case that you need investigated, Mr President?”
Hayes broke into his first genuine smile, “I do. One of our lost Marines has a very politically connected family. Just after I entered office, this Marine along with many others deployed to a classified location to protect an international cooperative of scientists. He was listed as MIA a year and a half ago. A year ago his status was changed to MIA-presumed dead based on new information. His family hasn’t accepted the cover story and they have demanded action…”
Hayes turned serious and gave Gibbs a considering look, “I want you to talk to his family and reassure them that you will conduct an independent review of the case. See if they will accept your judgment without learning the classified details. Don’t worry, I expect you to go over every detail from his owning unit. If this boy needs justice, I want you to find it for him… and for his family.”
Gibbs considered the case. He carefully worded his reply, “Sir, are you sure you want me for this job? I won’t lie to them or to you. If someone is responsible for his death and is trying to cover it up, I will prosecute, with or without your support.”
Hayes again smiled genuinely, “Good. I expect you too. These people are doing a damn fine job. I don’t expect any surprises. They were handpicked from around the world. If someone is responsible, I insist that they be taken out of the program.”
“I’ll need full access to all the classified details. I can’t do a complete investigation without all the facts,” Gibbs added, remembering the number of times the FBI and CIA had shorted his investigations by withholding vital information.
“You’ll have it,” Hayes said, his eyes lighting up as Gibbs accepted, “…and you will report directly to me,” he added as an afterthought.
“And I’ll need my team,” Gibbs insisted. If he was in, he might as well go for broke.
“Unfortunately, I can’t authorize that,” Hayes said, holding up one hand in a placating gesture as Gibbs started to turn stubborn. “Only Ms. Abigail Sciuto has passed the initial security screening. Some of the others pose some security concerns,” Hayes stopped him.
Gibbs narrowed his eyes, “I trust them with my life.”
Hayes returned the steady gaze, “I don’t doubt that they are trustworthy. Nor, under normal circumstances, that they can maintain confidentiality. But this case is far from normal. Israel is not a part of the alliance, automatically excluding Officer David. Agent McGee has a bad habit of sharing dirty details in his novels and Agent DiNozzo is a wild card most of the time. I’m sorry, but I can’t take that kind risk. Nor can the other countries involved in this endeavor. Far more is at stake then the credibility of a few NCIS agents.”
Gibbs quirked his eyebrow at the mention of other countries, and continued to try and stare down the President. He finally asked, “I’ll be short handed with just Abby.”
Hayes easily returned his gaze, but smiled as he replied, “I have someone in mind that will help you immensely. He is an expert on the program, its history and current reach, and can serve as your backup, if you need it. Plus he is an unknown outsider to this particular unit...well, he won’t be recognized at any rate.”
Gibbs prepared his standard protest when saddled with an unknown assistant, but Hayes stopped him dead, “Plus you have already met him.”
Gibbs frowned, “Who?”
“Jon O’Neill…Of course, he’ll have to use a different surname for this investigation. The O’Neill name carries a bit too much weight in the program.”
O’Neill. Jon. Gibbs was swarmed by images from the hospital where the kid was being treated for a gun shot wound. The knowing looks that had passed between General O’Neill and the kid. Nephew? Son? He never did find out. But the kid was the General’s family, of that Gibbs was certain.
“Sir? O’Neill’s just a kid...” Gibbs started, trying to voice his reservations. The kid was far too young. He shouldn’t have had a close brush with death so soon. Gibbs surely didn’t want to add a missing person’s case to the kid’s list of nightmares.
“Oh, he’s much, much more than that,” Hayes interrupted. “Don’t discount his experience because he looks young. His age is his cover. It also makes it more likely that everyone will underestimate him, including you. Use that to your advantage.”
Gibbs was still unsure about adding the kid. He didn’t know how dangerous the situation could get. He didn’t want to take the kid into a potentially explosive situation. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea, Sir,” he finally stated, trying to sound reasonable.
Hayes just grinned at him, “I know. Trust me. He’ll do just fine.” Hayes reached over and grabbed a folder from the side table. “Here is the public file on the missing Marine. You have 3 days before you’re flight leaves. Jon O’Neill will coordinate your departure. Expect to be gone for least 3 weeks. It takes two weeks to travel there, plus however long you want to investigate. All the classified files will be made available on your departure. Unfortunately, I doubt any physical evidence still exists anymore, so, Ms. Sciuto won’t have much to do until you reach your destination, and even then it won’t be much.”
“Then why am I bringing her, Sir?” Gibbs asked, frustrated.
“Because you trust her with the hard science. This project is staffed with the best and the brightest from around the world, but…YOU don’t know them. So, I doubt that you would trust their findings. By taking Ms. Sciuto, you will have someone who can evaluate the data collected and advise you,” the President replied smoothly.
“Mr. President, you sure seem to know a lot about me and my team. I would think that we would be beneath your level of notice,” Gibbs said warily, his suspicious nature trying to determine why he and his team was under this kind of close scrutiny…Why he was being picked for this assignment…
President Hayes just smiled in response, “Normally, I would agree with you. But this project is special. This unit is special. The nature of their work is…beyond description. But it is also very dangerous.”
Gibbs watched the regret that shadowed the President’s face, “I had no idea when I took this office that there were men and women of such high caliber, like this young Marine, that were so willing to put themselves in harms way to protect the rest of us. And every day I pray that I can live up to their faith in me, as their Commander in Chief…That I will be able to honor their sacrifice and ensure that it isn’t in vain…that I can live up to the very high standard they have set for me.”
President Hayes met Gibbs’ eyes and held them, “I have given your team this kind of close scrutiny because those men and women deserve the very best and I fully intend to give it to them. Of course,” he continued with a soft grin, “it helps that General O’Neill recommended you. Without his endorsement, I doubt that your team would have even been in the running for this assignment. It’s amazing how many important people you have managed to upset, Agent Gibbs.”
“General O’Neill?” Gibbs asked, confused and suspicious. He recalled the strange Air Force general that had so easily pushed all of his buttons. But he didn’t see how he earned the general’s trust, if anything, it was the opposite. “And with his endorsement, Sir?”
“With it, you are given the keys to the kingdom…or the city in this case. You have carte blanche authority to run this investigation in any matter you see fit. General O’Neill and I will back you fully,” President Hayes said with his smile once again in place.
“Sir,” Gibbs replied, “That sounds too good to be true. Neither you, nor General O’Neill know me well enough to give me that kind of authority. Hell, I do know me and I wouldn’t give myself that kind of authority. What’s the catch, Sir?”
“No catch,” the president said chuckling, “I’m sure that once you understand the scope of this investigation, you will understand my…flexibility in your authority. You won’t be within range of easy contact…so it’s easier to give you all the authority you may need up front. Your record speaks volumes and because of that record, I trust you, Agent Gibbs. ”
Gibbs considered the case and its scope. It wasn’t the kind of case you normally give a senior field agent. It had to be a political goose chase. Maybe he was being punished for something. Yeah, thanks a lot, General O’Neill. He sighed, resigned to his fate, “And where exactly are we going, Sir?” Gibbs asked, finding himself unable to say ‘no’ to the President.
Hayes gave him a big smile, “To the Lost City of Atlantis.”
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TBC
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