Prologue:
Location: San Diego, california
Time: 3:00 pm
The crime scene was crowded with NCIS’s team as they huddled around the fallen man, their expressions grim. The disturbing sight of a man in his early thirties sprawled lifeless on the sidewalk sent a chill through the air.
“Oh dear, let’s see what we have here,” Ducky said solemnly, crouching beside the body. His gaze was filled with a quiet empathy as he examined the scene with practiced care.
There was no immediate indication of a weapon, but the lack of obvious evidence only deepened the mystery as they continued their investigation.
“Boss, this is the cleanest crime scene I’ve ever seen,” Tony remarked, a hint of humor in his voice as he snapped photos. “It’s almost like someone went out of their way to make sure there wasn’t a trace left—no blood, no fingerprints… it’s like it never happened.”
Gibbs glanced over at Tony, his expression unreadable. “That’s because whoever did this knows how to cover their tracks,” he said, his voice steady but firm. “Don’t get distracted by the clean surface. We’re missing something—keep looking.”
It wasn’t until the C-5 corridor opened, the shimmering portal catching their attention, that the investigators paused, eyebrows raised.
“Duh, aliens. They’re here to abduct our life forces, just like they did this poor guy,” Tony quipped, acting startled as he threw his hands up in mock surrender.
Gibbs didn’t even look up from his inspection. A quick slap to the back of Tony’s head was enough to silence him.
“Focus, DiNozzo.”
Tony groaned, rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah, yeah. I was just getting into the spirit of things, Boss.”
The ACME detectives, Zach and Ivy, tumbled out of the C-5 portal, landing with a loud crash into a nearby trashcan.
“Curse you, tech boys!” Zach groaned, struggling to free himself from the garbage. “You said you fixed the collaboration on the C-5!”
Ivy, equally disoriented but already up and brushing off her clothes, shot him a glare. “Next time, you test the portal before we jump through it, Zach.”
Gibbs watched as Zach and Ivy untangled themselves from the trashcan, his face unreadable. He exchanged a look with Ducky, who raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
“Teenagers?” Gibbs muttered under his breath, glancing back at Tony and McGee.
Tony, never one to miss an opportunity for a joke, couldn’t help himself. “What are we, the babysitters now? Should I start carrying a pack of juice boxes and some trail mix for them?”
McGee, a little more serious but still clearly surprised, nodded toward Zach and Ivy. “I mean, they look pretty… capable. But are we sure they’re… legal?”
Ivy shot McGee a pointed look. “We’re legal, and we’re trained professionals,” she said firmly, brushing dirt off her jacket and stepping forward with confidence. “Just because we’re young doesn’t mean we’re not qualified.”
Zach, still picking pieces of trash out of his hair, grinned. “And we’ve been on more cases than your average detective.”
Ducky chuckled softly, adjusting his glasses. “Well, it’s clear that age doesn’t necessarily equate to experience. Let’s see what they’ve got.”
Gibbs let out a sigh, clearly processing the unexpected development. “Alright,” he said, glancing over at Tony. “No more jokes, DiNozzo. We’re aren’t even working with them, not babysitting them.”
“Actually, we’re investigating a tip that Carmen Sandiego was spotted in the area,” Ivy exclaimed, her confidence clear as she surveyed the surroundings.
But as she glanced over at the group of NCIS agents, her eyes caught the badges on their uniforms. Her gut tightened, sensing something was off.
She paused, her voice dropping. “Wait… NCIS? What are they doing here?”
Zach, still brushing off trash from his clothes, shot Ivy a questioning look. “I don’t know, but we’ve got a case to solve.”
Ivy wasn’t so sure. The presence of NCIS meant the murder was involved in this somehow, and her gut was telling her their two cases were about to collide in a way they hadn’t planned for. “We should stay on our toes,” she muttered, scanning the area for any signs that Carmen—or the murderer—was close by.
