"Have you ever seen this man?" The young agent asked me.

"No."

"You're sure? You've never seen him?"

"No sir. What happened to him?" I took the small photograph of the unknown man into my hands.

"He's dead," the older agent responded. I traced my thumb across the dead man's face.

"Well yeah, I can see that. I mean how'd he die? And why?"

"Gunshot to the chest. The why, we're not so sure about."

I handed the picture back to the younger agent. "And you're showing me this picture; why? I'm sorry but i don't know who he is. What lead you to believe I knew this guy anyways?"

The younger agent opened his mouth to speak but his boss was way ahead of him. "He knew your father."

"Oh I see. You should ask him then. He's on business right now but if you ask Col. Tate I'm sure he'll know where to reach him."

"Well you see, Lucy...that's the problem." The younger agent let out a sigh that made my nerves go whack. Something didn't feel right. "We don't know where your father is."

"What do you mean you don't know where my father is?" I sat up straight and looked the older agent in his eyes, his bright blue orbs piercing back. He seemed to have more information.

"We have reason to believe he's been kidnapped."

I stared blankly at the agent's face. Kidnapped? My father? No. No way! The two agents must have screwed up! My father was NOT kidnapped. He was away on a business trip. He told me himself three days ago! I leaned back on the couch, closed my eyes, brushed the silky brown hair away from my face and thought back to how this whole ordeal with these agents even started.

It was around 11:00 in the morning. I had gotten up at 9, eaten, taken a shower, and was currently folding laundry in the living room. Suddenly a knock came from the door. I froze and set the shirt down on top of the basket. "Done," I had said out loud. As I got up from the leather couch another knock was heard and this time someone spoke.

"NCIS open up!" It was a man's voice. Deep and very loud. I opened the door and in front of me stood two men. One had silver hair and blue eyes. He was fairly old and I figured it was him who had banged on my door and spoken. The other agent was younger and had light brown hair with some blonde in it and deep green eyes. I smiled at him. He was cute. Hey, I may have only been just turning 14 but anyone at any age would have agreed that this guy was totally hot.

"May I help you?" I asked.

"Yeah is Craig Mills home?" asked the younger agent.

"No."

The man sighed. "Lucy Mills?"

I paused. He knew my name? "Yes?"

"I'm Special Agent DiNozzo and this here is Speical Agent Gibbs. We'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Oh, come right in then." I stood aside from the door to let the special agents enter. I sat down on the couch and they followed, Agent DiNozzo took the wooden chair my dad had built and Agent Gibbs sat down on the longer leather couch where the laundry basket lay. "Here, let me get that," I said as I picked up the basket and placed it over by the stairs. I walked back into the living room and sat down on the empty couch so that I was centered in between the two agents. "Where did you both say you worked again?"

"NCIS," responded Agent DiNozzo.

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service," I smirked. "Fancy."

The older agent smiled at me and so I smiled back. I was confused as to why they were here but being polite to people of authority was always a rule made present by my father, and I always obeyed. After my mother died two years ago my dad started to get stricter until he could finally call me the "perfect child." I didn't always like following them but I enjoyed the upside of being trusted enough to stay home for weeks without any adult being present (which tended to happen quite a lot because of my father's job.)

"So what can I do for you, Agent Gibbs?"

And then the questions began...

I felt a hand touch mine and I immediately snapped back into reality. I opened my eyes to face a similar blue staring back. It was Agent Gibbs' hand on top of mine.

"Lucy, I promise you I'm going to do what ever it takes to find your father and bring him back home safe." All I could do was nod. Somehow, his calm voice relaxed me and I truly believed everything he was saying. "We're going to take you back to the Navy Yard."

"Navy Yard? As in...NCIS headquarters? No way! I find here by myself! I've stayed here alone before for weeks! I won't go!" I pulled my hand away from his. Not cool, not cool at ALL!

"We don't know why your father was taken, only that he was. There is a possibility it was a personal motive which means you may not be safe," spoke Agent DiNozzo. For a moment, all his hotness disappeared.

"So I could be kidnapped too?!"

"Not if you're with us," said a reassuring Agent Gibbs.

I frowned and shook my head but thought about what my father would say to me. "Lucy, these men are federal agents! Their job right now is to protect you. Let them do their job Lucy. It's all for the best." My frown was replaced by a smile at the thought of my dad's voice. All I wanted was him back home, safe and sound with me, and if these so called 'special' agents were going to make that possible, I might as well tag along like they asked. I stood up and walked to the door. "Well," I turned to the agents. "You gonna keep me safe or not?"

A smirk from Agent Gibbs and a quiet laugh from Agent DiNozzo was all I needed to believe that I was in good hands.

END CHAPTER 1.