Rule 39: There Is No Such Thing As Coincidence (Tony DiNozzo Love Story)

Recruitment

"What about them?"

    "What led to his death?" SecDef asks.

    "I'm sorry but how is this related to my connection with Claxton?"

    "Did his death not initiate Claxton to seek you out to initiate you into the Ghosts program?" The VP asks.

    "Najibullah's death was an accident, he was not a target. Under patrol with my unit, we came upon a group of traders. It was a routine check, nothing was suspicious."

    "If nothing was suspicious, how did you end up killing him?"

    "Najibullah cleared the checkpoint, his son followed him. He had a bomb under his clothing, we tried to secure the boy and Najibullah knocked into me. He forcibly took my weapon and things moved very fast. My team took out two of the members before the boy and one other quickly overpowered us. They shot my group leader and one other. As Najibullah aimed my own gun at me, I did what any Marine would do to ensure the safety of the remainder of my team."

    "The report states that you overpowered Najibullah and used your Ka-Bar and subdued him. When in fact you practically gutted him, correct?" SecDef questions.

    "I was protecting my team," I say.

    "Only one other person from your team of five survived, besides yourself. That doesn't really say you're protecting them, but indeed aided in their deaths."

    "That is not true," I argue. "Najibullah's son tried to use the bomb. I eliminated Najibullah before he could shoot me then shot his son. Staff Sergeant Rice was able to acquire his rifle and shot the remaining member of the group. Staff Sergeant Rice received a bullet would to the leg and I field dressed it and radioed for assistance."

    "You received the Navy Cross after that didn't you?"

    "I'm sure it's notated in my file, yes."

    "You've also received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal and the Silver Star," the VP says looking over a different file.

    "Yes," I say.

    "How did First Sergeant Joe Claxton get in contact with you initially?"

    "I received a phone call requesting that I report to my superiors. When I arrived, Claxton was there no one else."

    "What did you talk about?"

    "There really wasn't conversation. Claxton commended the encounter I had with Najibullah, he was especially impressed with the fact that I had killed Najibullah's son. Said it was a heroic act of a marine. He handed me a file and left. He didn't give me any instructions or any additional information. He left and as I was leaving my superior officer returned to his office, I tried to speak to him and he dismissed me. He said I was dismissed back to my bunk and from the look he offered me, I knew he meant for me to return to my bunk and to review the envelope that was in my hands."

    "What was in the file?"

    "My background, details of my parents. My father's death, the beginning of my career in the Marines. My life with Gibbs and my everyone I've ever had interactions with. It was everything, recon photos from my deployment to Afghanistan in 1993, photos of when I first started at NCIS, my relationship at the time. It was proof that I had been watched, I had been noticed long before Najibullah and his death. There was a card in the envelope, it had a phone number."

    "How long before you decided to call it?"

    "Two days, I was asked to confirm my service number and told that if I did not wish to proceed with the offer to hang up. I didn't and after a transfer and patch in, I believe I was speaking to you," I say as I turn to look at SecDef, "except you weren't the Secretary of Defense yet, you told me that events that what I was going to join would not be on any official records that it wouldn't make a point to research them. The individuals I would come in contact with, they were like me. Patriots to their country who showed signs early in their careers."