Once a Hero

By the time I got to the NCIS building in Quantico, Tobias Fornell was already there talking with Director Alexander and my team leader Logan Meyer.

"Tobias, it's good to see you." I said shaking his hand.

"You too. I promise we'll find Jayla, Blayke."

"I hope you can keep that promise. I'd like to be involved in this Fornell. Jayla would want me to help find her." I said.

"I'm sure Director Alexander already explained to you why you can't. I know your daughter would want you to be included in this investigation but you can't be. You're too close to this."

"Yes he did but I can't and will not be left out." I said in frustration.

"No Agent Carrington. You're going to be far too busy handling other cases."

"I can multi task. No disrespect Director but I don't care about the rules or policies. I will not be excluded." I stated honestly.

"You will not go near your daughter's disappearance case. Agent Fornell will update me on everything and then will be relaid to you. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir. " I said sighing unhappily.

"Good. Now I believe that Agent Fornell has a few questions for you. Answer them and then rejoin the team." Director Alexander walked away and I went with Tobias and another FBI agent to an interrogation room for privacy. With each question he asked the more and more I became frustrated.

"How about relationships? Was Jayla seeing anyone?"

"Not that I know of. I'm pretty sure that she's never had a boyfriend." I answered.

"What about friends?"

"I've already talked to them and they hadn't seen or heard from Jayla since yesterday afternoon. I explained as I rubbed my head.

"I'll still need their names and phone numbers." Tobias pushed over a page of paper and a pen. I wrote down the names of Jayla's 2 friends along with their numbers before pushing the items back across the table.

"Thank you. If I have anymore questions I'll call you." I nodded and left the interrogation room. I went back through the hallway and to my desk. Tsunami and Jethro pressed their noses against my hands as they whined quietly.

"Blayke don't worry. Agent Fornell will find her and bring her back to you."

"I know Mike. I just...I want to know why or how she could just disappear like this." I said sighing as I put my head on my hands feeling as if I was failing her. I felt Mike's hand touch my shoulder.

"We all do. I'm sure she's not mixed up in anything like the FBI must be thinking. She's a good kid."

"I know she's not involved in anything. I would know."

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One month. 2 months... 3 months.... 4 months have passed and Tobias hasn't had any new leads on where Jayla is. I haven't had a solid lead in three weeks. I can tell by Tobias's body language that he's having trouble keeping the case from going cold. The FBI can't close this case. Jayla would want us to keep searching to find her just like she would if it were me that had disappeared. I went over the notes I made from the FBI's case file but I can't find anything that's out of place. While I've been investigating Jayla's disappearance, I worked on the renovations on making my kitchen bigger and I finally finished it last week. Jayla needs to be here to see all the work I've done. My new task is working on a new kitchen table with chairs. Whenever I find Jayla and bring her home, we can start on some kind of project together.

"Blayke, where are you?"

"Basement!" I yelled as I turned down my music. I stopped hand sanding the table top and popped open a beer as Director Alexander and Tobias came down into the basement.

"This certainly reminds me of someone."

"Instead of reminiscing about people, tell me you have a good solid lead Tobias." I said setting the beer down on my work space and lighting up a smoke.

"I'm afraid he's got bad news."

"What?" I asked looking straight into Tobias's eyes.

"My Director believes that the FBI has spent too much time and resources to find a single missing Petty Officer. I'm sorry Blayke but he's ordered me to file Jayla's case into the cold case files until further evidence is provided."

"You can't just give the hell up!" I yelled angrily.

"I'm sorry Blayke. I tried to get my Director to give me some more time but he wouldn't allow it."

"That's bullshit! She would never stop looking for me if I were the one missing!" I said picking up the bottle and throwing it against the wall. The bottle shattered scattering glass and beer all over the concrete floor.

"I know she wouldn't but we've had her face all over the news and questioned everyone she came in contact with and came up with nothing. I have to move on to the cases that I can solve."

"Get out." I whispered through gritted teeth as I leaned on my work area.

"What?"

"Get the fuck out of here Agent Fornell! You're not going to stand there and tell me that my daughter is a lost cause." I yelled in anger as I slammed my clinched fists down on the hard wooden surface.

"I'm not saying that."

"I don't give a shit. Get out of my house or I'll have you removed." I said glancing over at Tsunami and Jethro. Without another word, Tobias left my basement and my house.

"You gonna say that you're sorry too Director?" I asked.

"I am sorry Blayke. I wish there could be another way but that's not the only reason I came with Fornell."

"What is it?" I questioned as I cleaned up the glass.

"I'm transferring you to the NCIS headquarters building in Washington DC. I believe you could benefit from a change of venue." I filled a glass with some Bourbon from my private stock.

"Do I have a choice?" I asked after downing the 102 proof brown liquor.

"Nope."

"When am I leaving?" I asked filling the glass again.

"I'm letting you stay for 2 weeks just to get your paperwork on order from the other cases. Director Leon Vance will be expecting you, Tsunami, and Jethro at 0900 on the 18th."

"I'll be there." I said.

"Good. Director Vance is a good man Blayke. Very determined and a good friend of mine."

"Anything else sir?" I inquired.

"No. I have to be getting home or my wife will start calling. She doesn't like me to be late for dinner." I nodded and Director Alexander left. Once I heard the front door shut, I turned the music back up. Tsunami and Jethro looked up at me from the corner and I sighed.

"Don't worry guys. The Director and Tobias might have stopped investigating but that doesn't mean I'm going to." I said sighing sharply. I won't let anyone or anything slow me down in bringing my precious baby girl home.