Home    Stories by Author    Stories by Title    Links

Unconditional Love 6: Lab Work

Rating: IM15 for now
Summary: This chapter is a bit more NCIS than JAG, but needed to get some lab work out of the way.
Disclaimer: See Part 1

NCIS Lab

“Hey, Abby,” McGee walked in the lab, where Abby had her Goth music blaring. “Gibbs sent me up here to-”

“-give me a hand,” Abby finished his sentence for him.

“How did you know?”

“Psychic powers,” she deadpanned. “I’m kidding. Gibbs called me about a half hour ago and told me you were on your way.”

“And did he tell you-”

“-that he liked my idea and asked me to get samples from Green’s case file. They’re on their way up here.” She grinned at him. “And I have a futon now, so you don’t have to worry about the coffin.”

“It, uh, didn’t bother me,” McGee was quick to say. “It was just a surprise, that’s all.”

“Riiight. Anyway, are you ready to get to work?”

He pulled his laptop out of its case and powered it up. “Sure thing.”

“Here’s what I’ve got so far.” She handed him a disk. “The initial profile on Talbert’s blood and the same for the most recent drug overdose victim from the Norfolk PD.” He pulled up the charts. “You’ll see they’re very similar.”

“Just as we suspected.”

“The next file is the initial tox screen on PO Talbert. Some really nasty stuff there.” Abby shuddered. “I’ve already sent it to the hospital to help them treat Talbert.”

McGee looked at the report and whistled in shock. Not just an overdose of drugs, but a cocktail of various poisons. The more in-depth report, which was still in process, would give them more accurate percentages and target the doctors’ treatment even more. It would also give them something against which to match Green’s toxicology report.

Someone knocked on the door to the lab. It was Ducky, the ME.

“Awww, Ducky, you didn’t have to bring this up.”

“Ah, yes, well, I couldn’t trust the new assistant, and I don’t get to see you often enough, my dear.” He noticed McGee sitting at the table, hunched over the computer. “And young McGee, I see. Is there anything I can help with?”

“Not yet, Ducky, but once we pilfer through this, we might want your expert opinion.”

He lay a hand across his heart. “You honor me, Abby with such praise. I am at your disposal," he told her before leaving them to their work.

Norfolk Hospital

Harm and Mac walked through the hospital hallways, making their way to the ICU.

“How do you want to approach Mrs. Talbert about this?” Mac asked. “It’s going to be quite a shock if her sons’ cases are related.”

“We take it slowly and carefully,” Harm responded. “But knowing what little we do about Mrs. Talbert, I think she’ll feel at least partially vindicated if we have a possible suspect in Nathan’s murder.”

“You’re probably right on that,” Mac agreed.

When they got to PO Talbert’s room, though, their plans changed. They heard a loud shriek “No, it’s not true!” and then Mrs. Talbert came running down the hallway toward them, her face tear-streaked.

To Part 7