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When Worlds Collide 5: Convergence Summary: Gibbs searches for a solution. NCIS Headquarters MTAC "Get me the FAA!" Gibbs barked. Tim McGee scrambled to obey. While he waited, Gibbs paced back and forth. He knew Tony wasn't telling him the whole truth, but he couldn't tell what he was lying about. "Dammit!" Ziva looked at him. "What, sir?" "Nothing." He reconsidered. "Wait. Get Ducky up here." Maybe Ducky could help solve the puzzle. Why would Tony hold back? "Boss, I have the head of the FAA on line." McGee handed him a headset. "Ms. Blakey, I'm sorry to bother you on a Saturday night, but the situation has escalated." The administrator of the FAA, among others, had been privy to Tony's original assignment. "Escalated how?" Without mincing any words, Gibbs told her that they had a plane in the air, with passengers, without a pilot. "What do you need? Our resources are at your disposal." "A passenger manifest. We'll need air traffic control to keep other planes clear of this flight. An airport that can handle an emergency landing. Someone to talk this plane down." She covered the phone and muttered some instructions. "The manifest should be there shortly. Air traffic control along the Northeast has been informed. Tell us which airport you want and we'll reroute other traffic away. And here is the number of the man to talk the plane down, Matt Wilson." She read off a telephone number. McGee scribbled it down. "Anything else?" she asked. "If I think of it, I'll call you back." "Sir!" It was McGee. "I've got the passenger manifest." "You work fast, Ms. Blakey." "Thanks." She hung up the phone. "McGee, start checking out the names on the manifest. See if there's anyone helpful on the list." "I'll get Abby to help me, Boss," and with that McGee left MTAC. Ziva came back with Ducky right behind her. "What do you need, Jethro?" "You've known Tony as long as I have, and I know he's holding something back from me. I want you to listen to our last conversation and tell me what you hear." "I'm not a mindreader, Jethro." One glance at Gibbs, however, told the medical examiner he wouldn't take no for an answer. He sighed and picked up a headset. "Play the tape." He listened intently to the recording of Tony's voice and when it finished, shook his head. "I can't tell for sure, Jethro. He sounds scared. Of what, I don't know." "Perhaps of crashing and dying?" Ziva put in. She hadn't heard the recording, but her sharp ears had picked up all of Gibbs' and Ducky's conversation. "That is possible," Ducky admitted. "So let's find a solution to that," she suggested. "Is there anything I can do?" Gibbs looked at her and was surprised to see the worry in her eyes. "Sir, I'm going to go crazy if I can do nothing to help Tony. He's my partner." "See what Abby and McGee have gotten from the manifest. Get McGee working on possible airport locations once we've figured out how to land this thing." Grateful for an assignment, even if it was just gopher duty, she hurried to the door and exited. Gibbs caught a whiff of coffee and smiled grimly. "You always know what I need, Director Shepard." He held out a hand and she placed a tall cup in it. "It's the least I can do, Jethro. This assignment certainly hasn't gone to plan, has it?" she asked sympathetically. "No, it hasn't." He took a quick sip of coffee. "Once we know where the plane is going to land, I'm going to need a-" "A helo is already standing by for you," she interrupted smoothly. "That should get you there fast enough." "Thanks." She covered his hand with hers. Just then, Ziva called in from Abby's lab. "Sir?' Gibbs jumped up and walked toward the monitor. Abby jumped in. "We've found someone. There's a naval aviator on the flight." "Fighter jets?" It wasn't ideal, but better than talking a non-pilot down. Ziva looked at the computer screen in front of her. "Among other things. He spent some time in the CIA air wing. Parts of his record are classified, but it says he's qualified on C-130s-" "That's close enough." Gibbs was relieved. "What's this pilot's name?" "Harmon Rabb." Gibbs thought for a moment. "Why does that name sound familiar?" he asked aloud. "Wasn't he involved in a case a few years back?" Ducky asked. "Oh my god, yes," Abby shouted. "He was that Navy commander that went on trial for murdering that pregnant lieutenant from JAG." Gibbs remembered. All the evidence they had pointed to Rabb; they even had a possible motive, but it turned out another officer had framed him. "What are the odds that he and DiNozzo would end up on the same flight?" Ducky commented, "Don't question the luck. Just be grateful, Jethro." "Any word on airports, McGee?" Tim whirled around his chair in Abby's lab. "Based on their current location and the size of the plane, they have two options: Bangor International in Maine, or Greater Moncton International in New Brunswick." "Good. Get in touch with our landing man. Matt somebody-or-other, right?" "Wilson, boss." He cut on the mike connection with DiNozzo. "Tony." "Yeah, Boss?" "You've got a Navy pilot on board. He should be able to get the plane down in one piece." "Great. Give me the name and I'll get him in here." Tony sounded relieved. "Harmon Rabb." He paused to let Tony's memory kick in. "No shit? As in ..." his voice trailed off in surprise. "The same one." "All right. I'll get back to you when he's in here." On the airplane Harm was lying on a beach, rubbing oil into Mac's back. He untied the strings to her bikini. "Don't want you to have any tan lines." As she rolled over, she said, "Whatever you want, sir." "Sir? Sir?" A gentle shaking roused him from his dream. It was the flight attendant. "Captain Harmon Rabb?" "If I say 'no', will you let me go back to sleep?" he asked, half-serious. "Sir, I need you to come up front with me." She had a serious look on her face. This was not a good sign. Mac was still curled against him, sleeping. He leaned over and whispered, "I'll be back shortly, honey." She murmured as he kissed her forehead, then followed the flight attendant to the front of the cabin. She opened the cockpit door and gestured for him to enter. The familiar young man from the airport terminal was sitting in the copilot's seat, looking pale and sweaty. He held up a badge. "Tony DiNozzo, NCIS. We need your help." |