Chapter One is here! I'll try to update asap, okay?

Chapter 1

Everything was darkness, and cold. She had never been so cold. She weakly pounded the sides of the container, hoping someone would hear her. "Help! Can anyone hear me?" she yelled, trying to pound even harder. The young teenager didn't hear anyone coming. Did they even know she was here?

Then she remembered her cell phone. She pulled it out and dialed a number her dad had told her to call if she was ever in danger. The phone rang and rang, and then someone picked up.

"Hello?"

"This is Laura Williams, Commander Williams's daughter. I can't breathe; I think someone's trying to kill me."

"Where are you?"

"Backstage at Jefferson High School. I'm in some kind of box." Her voice grew weaker, then finally died. Her hand went limp, and the phone clattered to the floor. Her body followed a heartbeat later.

Officer Tom Hanson, undercover at the school as Tom Bower, skidded to a halt as he looked around in the semidarkness for his quarry. He had been assigned to Jefferson High to solve a rape/murder case, and had a fairly good idea who the perp was. Sadly, the guy had spotted him and ran—and Hanson had just lost him.

The twenty-one-year-old cop silently cursed his bad luck and scanned the auditorium once more. He didn't see anything and turned to leave, but paused when he heard a thud coming from backstage.

Tom drew his weapon and stole through the darkness to the source of the sound. He nearly stumbled as his foot caught something—something soft and limp. Regaining his balance, he saw it was an arm—that was attached to a body. Worse, he recognized the vic. Her long brown hair covered her face, but even so, Hanson was able to ID her.

He pulled out his phone and dialed the office. When Jenko picked up, Hanson didn't wait for an introduction. "Boss, we have another body. This one's Laura Williams."

"Isn't she the daughter of that Navy Commander or whatever?"

"Yep."

Hanson couldn't see the captain of the undercover Jump Street program, but he knew Jenko well enough to picture his boss sighing as he ran a hand through long, stringy black hair. "You know this vic isn't our jurisdiction, Hanson."

"Whose is it?"

"Just let me make some calls." Captain Richard Jenko hung up without another word.

At NCIS headquarters, Special Agents Timothy McGee, Ziva David, and Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo were sitting at their desks. McGee was surfing the Net, Ziva was listening to some music on her iPod, and Tony was staring at Ziva while reading a magazine.

"See something you like, Tony?" the probie teased, leaning back and resting her legs on her desk.

"Uh, well, I—"

"Gear up," the team's boss, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, said, rounding the corner with his ever-present cup of coffee in hand.

Immediately they scrambled to grab their SIGs, bags, and shields. Tony asked, "What do we got, boss?"

Instead of answering with words, he motioned for his team to follow him up the stairs to Director Vance's office. Exchanging confused glances, DiNozzo, McGee, and David followed, wondering when they were going to be able to arrive at the crime scene.

Cynthia saw the four field agents coming and buzzed them in.

Vance was sitting behind his desk, toothpick as usual in his mouth. "Sit down," he ordered once the door was safely closed.

Warily, Team Gibbs did as directed. Tim asked the question that was on all of their minds: "What's this about, Director?"

"Naval Commander John Williams's daughter was found dead at Jefferson High School this afternoon. We're sending in Tony and Ziva undercover to investigate while the rest of you will be providing backup here in D.C.," Leon Vance replied.

"But, Director," Tony interrupted, "honestly, do we look young enough to be in high school?"

"You have it down personality-wise," Ziva muttered, earning a dark look from her partner.

Vance ignored Ziva's comment and, with a small smile, said, "You two are going in as substitute teachers. Everything you need to know is in here"—he handed the two agents a couple of folders—"and be sure to hop on the most recent flight to Washington State. You guys are going across country."

Without waiting for the dismissal, Gibbs rose and strode for the door, his team behind him. As the door closed, the Director could hear Tony moan, "Why am I having a flashback to a very bad episode of Charlie's Angels?"

Sorry this is so short. It's kinda the introductory chapter, obviously. I'll try to make the next one longer.