The team sat around the table, listening to their leader, Barney Ross, discuss their next mission. "We've taken an assignment to rescue the granddaughter of a politician from a very prominent South American country. Problem is she's being held in a heavily guarded compound by a General who is very well funded and with an extremely large contingent of soldiers."

"And this is different from any number of our other assignments, how?" Hale Caesar responded.

"It's not. That's why we may have to do this as a snatch-and-grab, keeping it as low a profile as possible," Barney countered. "So, to do that, I'd like to get a team in with deep cover."

"Okay," Toll Road answered back, "who do you want to go?"

"That's just it. If we send in a couple of guys, they're going to get suspicious. We need to send in a real couple," Barney answered.

"A real couple?" Gunnar Jensen laughed. "In case you haven't noticed, we don't have all the required parts to make a real couple."

Ross frowned, "I know that. That's why we need to find a female to add temporarily to the team."

Lee Christmas chimed in, "What about Maggie? She said she'd work with us again. Pair her up with Yin – instant couple." Yang nodded in agreement with the suggestion.

"Yeah, I've already tried to contact her," Barney answered back. "But, I want to have somebody in the wings, just in case."

"U.S. women are only now being authorized for special forces training," Toll countered.

Barney nodded, "But, there have been women in the armed forces, pilots, served as military police. Hell, real police, even. Think. Reach out to your sources. Someone has got to know someone. Start bringing them to the gym tomorrow morning around ten."

From his end of the table, Tool sat quietly, listening to the conversation. He knew immediately whom to contact.

Barney put his head in his hands. The candidates that they had seen this morning just hadn't had that "something" he was looking for. Not that they were all bad. If he couldn't get exactly what he wanted, there were a couple plausible leads.

Lee dropped into the chair next to Ross, "So Maggie's a definite no?"

"Yeah, seems Church has got her on a job right now," Barney said, shifting in the chair. "So, we're back to finding a suitable replacement."

They both turned as the door to the gym squeaked open and Tool walked in, followed by a female. From the look of her, she was dressed for their try-outs.

She did a quick perusal of the room, taking in the two men sitting at the table and the other four, lounging about the room, quietly carrying on their own conversations. She thought back to the moments just before entering the gym.

"And tell me again why I'm here?" She asked.

"They need a woman to round out the team for a mission," Tool answered. "You can do it."

She cocked her head, "Tool, I don't know."

"I do," he answered emphatically, "Be yourself. Draw upon your skills…your training. You're the one they're looking for."

She paused, pursed her lips, thinking over Tool's words. She finally nodded her consent and followed her friend into the gym.

"Tool," Barney called, standing from the table, "who's this?"

He grinned as he walked closer, followed by the woman, "The person you're looking for."

"Hell, Tool, I said I need trained females. Not some of your biker bunnies," Ross laughed.

"I think I'm insulted that you believe I'm one of Tool's biker bunnies," the girl answered bitingly.

Lee stood and joined Barney, "Then, who are you?"

She thrust out a hand in greeting, "Shady Powell."

The British lilt was hypnotizing as he answered, "What kind of name is Shady?"

"The kind my father gave me," she responded with heat when the man didn't take her hand. "Are we doing this or not?"

"Yeah," Barney said, his eyes narrowed, taking in the girl in front of him, "Let's see what you've got."

She nodded and walked over to the mat. Ross and Christmas shared a glance and it was the younger that joined the girl.

The other guys who had been observing the exchange and sizing up the candidate, gathered around the mat. Lee made the first move and the battle was on. Shady ducked and parried Christmas' moves, getting in a few strikes of her own. In her heart of hearts, she knew he was holding back. This man was lethal, graceful and exciting.

The other team members traded glances. Powell was obviously well trained and used to hand-to-hand combat. The size of her foe and the differential in strength and skill hadn't intimidated her in the least. On the contrary, she continued to attack. Finally, getting a signal from the team lead, Lee leg whipped the girl, putting her flat of her back, face up. The breath completely knocked from her, stunning her into stillness.

Lee offered a hand to pull her up which she slapped away, "I'll just lay here a bit. Catch my breath."

Barney spoke, "You're winded."

"No," she said, sitting up slowly, "I'm out of shape."

"And why is that?"

"I've been sitting on a couch for the last six months," was the matter of fact answer.

"How come?"

"I'm a former federal agent. I was injured on a case," Powell said.

"Why not go back to work?" Hale quizzed.

Shady looked to the behemoth who had asked the question, "I was unable to pass the re-qualifying exercises. My doctor has told me I won't ever be able to return."

The shorter of the men, Toll, asked, "Military experience?"

"Yes, sir. Navy pilot. Call sign, Boots."

"Boots?" Lee asked.

She cocked an eyebrow as she answered, "Yeah, as in these boots were made for walking or, if you mess with me, I won't hesitate to put my boot up your ass."

Tool smiled. That was Shady Powell at her best, absolutely being herself.

Barney interrupted, "Okay, enough." He called the room back to order, "Shady? Why don't you step outside, cool off and give us a few minutes."

She nodded as she pushed up off the floor and took her leave. Barney rounded on Tool.

"Who is she?"

"Shady Powell, Navy pilot and former NCIS agent," he recapped.

"You know what I mean," Barney glared.

"Her father is an old friend, Colonel Thomas 'Shadow' Powell."

"Damn," was Ross' quietly uttered oath.

"He contacted me after she got injured. Knew I did some work and asked me to keep her in mind if something came up." Tool smiled mischievously, "And, something came up."

"Why can't she re-qualify?" Caesar asked.

Tool shook his head, "That's for her to tell you. Not me."

"They fire her?" Yin quizzed.

Tool shook his head, "Nope. She quit. She led the op and lost a man. She fell on her sword."

The men once again exchanged glances. She seemed more and more like a viable candidate for their opening.

Barney got into Tool's face, "You vouch for her?"

"I wouldn't have brought her in if I didn't." He responded curtly.

"Lee?" Barney asked, "You'll be the one living with her."

He looked thoughtfully out the window where he could see Shady stretching her body, arms over her head, pulling first one elbow and then the other. She had fought well. She'd answered their questions succinctly, not embellished. She had potential. He looked back at their leader, "Yeah. She's the one."

Barney chuckled, "Tool? Get her back in here. We may have found the misses for our couple."