I do not own NCIS or any of its characters.

Chapter 2

Gibbs swished the coffee around in his cup. He took another sip as he waited for the elevator to reach the squad room floor. The bell sounded and the doors slid open. DiNozzo was blabbering on about some date he had the night before to McGee.

"Seriously, Probie. You should've seen this girl. She was smoking! Hell, she could even make Gibbs blush."

"Who could DiNozzo?" Gibbs interrupted as he walked to his desk.

"Hey boss. We were just talking about …uhh…Oh! Abby called for you. Says she may have a lead on our dead corporal."

"Yeah? She say anything else DiNozzo?" Gibbs walked straight up to Tony who was sitting on the edge of McGee's desk.

"Just that she thought she deserved a Caf Pow."

Gibbs smirked. He started walking toward the back of the office before turning back. "Oh, and DiNozzo."

"Yes boss?" DiNozzo said as he met up with Gibbs. He regretted it as soon as he did because there was a sudden burst of pain to the back of his head as it came in contact with Gibbs' hand.

"No woman has ever made me blush. Just to let you know."

"Yes boss." Gibbs walked away, still smirking.

Down in Abby's lab, Gibbs could hear her blaring music from the moment the elevator reached the ground.

"What do you got, Abbs?" Gibbs said, crossing the threshold into the lab.

"Gibbs!" Abby squealed. "Where's my Caf Pow!" she pouted.

"Depends on what you got."

"Well, you're in luck Gibbs because I just solved our latest mystery!" She started to type on the keyboard to bring something up on the screen, and then she turned back to Gibbs. "Corporal Vega was definitely not murdered!"

"And you know this how?"

"Because, I analyzed the marks that Ducky found on the corporal's arm. They were puncture wounds. From a needle Gibbs. Just like the needle we found at the crime scene." The evidence bag with the syringe was on the table behind the two. "The only fingerprints on this needle are Corporal Vega's. I found traces of various drugs in his system. CSU found more drugs under the floor boards of Vega's apartment. He overdosed Gibbs. And my guess is, on purpose."

"That's good work Abbs." He gave her a peck on the cheek before turning to exit the room.

"What about my Caf Pow!" Abby called after him.

"Check the fridge." Sure enough, there was a full Caf Pow in the scientist's fridge.

Back up stairs, Gibbs noticed that Kate's desk was empty and there was no sign of her ever being in that morning. DiNozzo was at his desk reading a GSM and McGee was typing away at his computer. Gibbs looked around suspiciously once more.

"Kate been in yet?" He finally asked his other two agents.

"No boss." DiNozzo replied.

"Haven't seen her" McGee said. "She hasn't called either. You think something's up boss?"

"I don't know." Tony added. "She has been late an awful lot this week. Probably ran into a cute guy at her coffee shop." He smirked.

"No. Something's not right." Gibbs walked over to McGee. "Try calling her cell."

The phone didn't even ring. The call went to voicemail immediately. Tony walked over to join the other two agents.

"What about her house phone?" Tony suggested. McGee quickly dialed. The phone rang this time, but eventually went to voice mail too.

"No answer boss."

"Yeah. Yeah I got that McGee. Can you get a fix on her cell?"

"Well," McGee started, "It's probably off because it went right to voicemail, but I think I can trace where she made her last call from."

"You think McGee?" Gibbs asked hastily.

"I'm-I'm starting the trace now." McGee stuttered. "Alright, the last time Kate's cell phone was on she was…at home boss." Gibbs walked back toward his desk. He stared at Kate's desk.

"Something's not right…Tony!"

"Yes boss?" DiNozzo replied quickly.

"You're with me. We are going to check out Kate's apartment. McGee, stay here. You call me if her cell phone comes back on."

The two agents quickly walked over to the elevator. Once inside Gibbs felt uneasy.

"Where are you Kate?" He whispered.

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