( what I've become )
( Xander hasn't had to explain to someone who didn't know in a while. )
It’s slightly worrying when they reach the newest crime scene and the kid is as unfazed as Ducky with the body. All he does is wrinkle his nose a little and push his sunglasses back up. “Man, this is worse than back in ’03,” he remarks, voice calm and steady.
One of his ‘agents’ isn’t quite so lucky; she runs off the crime scene to throw up in the bushes, and the others look a little green.
“Hey, Sierra. I thought I said, after you could barely look at the pictures, that you could wait in the car?” At least he cares about his agents.
“I didn’t want to be the wuss,” she mumbles, miserable, and DiNozzo quickly takes pity on her.
“Well, why don’t you help me bag and tag?” That way, she doesn’t have to look at the giant mass of blood and body parts splattered over the brick wall.
The quiet one—Isabelle?—nods and takes the camera. Her manner is no-nonsense and businesslike and Redgrave grins in approval.
He crouches, staring at the stain fixedly.
“Redgrave?” Kate asks, looking disturbed.
“I’m thinking.” He points at a particular spot on the wall. “Those marks? Pretty sure I’ve seen them before. Claw-weapons. Just trying to place them.”
“We’ll keep the nosy ones out,” the one who’d been hurting Tony says with a smile and takes two of her friend’s arms to join the police at the barricade.
Redgrave taps on his communications device. “Willow-lite, you there?”
“The name’s Orelia, and yeah, I’m here, and yes, I’m going through the databases. No hits as of yet. I’ll keep you updated. Oh, and Willow will be glad to know that yes, the sunglasses are working and probably everyone in the field should wear them.” She sounds sarcastic, long-suffering even.
“Don’t worry, she enjoys her job,” Redgrave assures them.
“We’ll help talk to people,” the last two add together, smiling. They could be non-identical twins.
“Get everything you can, and we’ll see you back at base,” Redgrave acknowledges, thoughtful and distracted.
Always watch the watchers.
“About Number Thirty-Five. Had anyone met the old Watcher’s Council?” Xander tries and fails to appear disinterested, but he’s not put off at all by the corpse sitting between them, and that’s something Dr. Mallard always seems to appreciate.
“I don’t believe Jethro ever has, young Alexander. There was a point, back when I was in England, where I may have met a representative, though I hadn’t realized at the time. You see…”
Ducky smiles as the younger Gibbs leans in to hear the story better.
