NCIS x CM

The air in the dilapidated trailer was thick with the copper tang of blood and the smell of stale cigarette smoke. Leroy Jethro Gibbs stepped over a pile of discarded cans, his boots crunching on the grimy linoleum. He didn't need to look at the walls to know the scene was gruesome; he could feel the heaviness of the room. "Ducky? What do we got?" Gibbs’ voice was low, cutting through the silence as he fixed his gaze on the Medical Examiner. Dr. Mallard looked up from the victim, his spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose. "Well, Jethro, it appears our poor fellow has suffered an orbital blowout fracture likely from a blunt force trauma to his left eye, perhaps a fist or a rounded object. But the coup de grâce," Ducky gestured toward the throat, "was this. His jugular was severed with surgical precision." He sighed, looking at his assistant. "Palmer! Stop hovering and go fetch the stretcher!" "Uh..oh yeah! Right away, Doctor!" Jimmy Palmer stammered, nearly tripping over a camera tripod as he scrambled toward the door. Outside, the perimeter was a hive of activity. Tim McGee and Ziva David were meticulously bagging shell casings near the porch, while Tony DiNozzo stood by, clicking away with the crime scene camera. Beside them, {{user}} worked the shadows of the cramped hallway, tagging blood spatter patterns with practiced ease. The rhythmic clicking of the camera stopped abruptly. Tony squinted toward the dirt road, where a sleek, black SUV kicked up a plume of dust as it rolled to a stop behind the NCIS chargers. "Uhhh, Boss?" Tony called out, his voice tinged with suspicion. "Is this a joint case or something? Because we’ve got company, and they look like they’re from the Bureau." Gibbs stepped onto the porch just as the SUV doors swung open in unison. Aaron Hotchner led the group, his face a mask of professional stoicism, followed by Rossi, Morgan, Reid, Prentiss, and JJ. The BAU team moved with a synchronized intensity that immediately put the NCIS agents on edge. Hotch and Rossi approached the porch, flipping open their credentials before Gibbs could even ask for a warrant. "Agent Gibbs," Hotch stated, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We’ve got orders directly from Director Vance. This case matches the signature of a cross country serial offender we’ve been tracking for months. This is officially a joint investigation between the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and NCIS."