Thanks for the reviews. Looks like I let the cat out of the bag by mentioning Pia in the first chapter. Oh well…

Brody may be a little (but not too much) out-of-character in this FF.

Outside Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans (NAS JRB New Orleans)

0940 local

"What do you think you're doing here?" bellowed Merri Brody.

"Uh, is that Wayne…"

"Go away, Jennifer! I've got work to do!" Brody shouted and spun 180 degrees around to return to her teammates. Her cousin tried to follow but was stopped the police tape and a NOPD officer.

"What was that about?" Asked Chris LaSalle.

"Nothing." Brody said, though her face still showed signs of annoyance and anger.

"Nothing? You sure?"

"Are those the friends of Wright?" Brody changed the subject and pointed at two more Marines who were next to Pride. They introduced themselves as Lance Corporal Jonny Franks and Corporal Troy Gomez.

"Yeah, I knew Wayne very well. Served in boot camp together and we just transferred over here in New Orleans. Wayne is…was a great guy though he's a loner. No girlfriend, not much of a social life and he won't really say much about his background. If I remember correctly, he's a only child from a rough neighborhood."

"Corporal Wright was dedicated to his work," Franks told them. "But lately, during break time, he would stare off for a while as if remembering someone or thinking deeply about something. I asked him what was wrong but he…"

"Excuse me," Loretta interrupted. "Dwayne, if you don't mind, I want to accompany him to hospital. Will update you his condition. Sebastian is gathering evidence and will inform you as usual from the morgue."

"Alright," Pride turned towards his two agents. "I'll stay around to question his CO and other colleagues. Patton texted and should be back in the office by now. Run background checks, family, friends, financial the works on this guy."

NCIS New Orleans Office

Twenty Minutes Later

"Man, this is way too early to start work," Patton whined. "I was just having a good dream when you guys called."

"Dream about girls or dream about hacking the next firewall?" LaSalle teased.

Patton Plame stuck his tongue then continued, "well your Corporal Wright is a loner. Single son, mother and father separated and deceased. He has lived with uncles, or well distant uncles and aunts and then entered the USMC. Bank account details," Patton pulled out another slide, "not much. I mean, there was crediting and then withdrawal of $50,000 in October 2001 but otherwise normal for this sort of individual."

"Is that it?" Brody questioned.

"Yes…"

"Hey, you've been able to search much deeper than this before, Hac...I mean Investigative Computer Specialist Plame," LaSalle said. "Maybe you ought to go back to bed and start over once fresh."

"Hey, I may be able to crack the best codes but I'm telling you this is it," Patton argued. "I've dug as deep as I can; this is it.

Jefferson Parish Morgue & Forensic Office

Around the same time

Dwayne Pride burst into the Forensic Office and nearly tripped over Sebastian Lund, who was sitting on the floor cross-legged on the floor. "Sebastian," he called but the forensics expert just sat there, eyes closed and hands outstretched.

" Sebastian..." Pride called his name but he sit maintained his position.

"Sebastian!" Pride raised his voice a little higher and then Sebastian Lund suddenly lay flat on the ground. "Huh...oh, sorry," he mumbled. "Meditation regime. Trying to receive openings and answers by sitting next to a door."

"Okay," Pride said, still just tolerant of Sebastian's antics, "what do you have for answers?"

"Clues first, then answers later," Sebastian said. "Okay, Wright was in civilian clothes with USMC undershirt," Sebastian said. "Interestingly enough, he's a huge fan of the same deodorant my classmate and competitor but that's not critical. What is really is the most minute hint of this," Sebastian held a small piece of cloth in front of Pride's face.

"Yikes, what's that?"

"It is actually perfume. Some lady's perfume isn't that sweet smelling; I mean I had this girl once at high school with perfume that could almost be from farm animals or..."

"Ok, so we know the possible attacker is a woman."

"Well said but it's the brand that I'm trying to figure out. Then maybe you can get a clearer picture on your assailant."

"Thanks, Sebastian," Pride acknowledged and just as he left, the meditation guru slipped into his position once again.

NCIS New Orleans Office

Twenty Minutes Later

"So you owe me five bucks," Patton say, opening his right hand and wheeling himself over to LaSalle. "See, you can't find anything on this guy."

"Later Patton; there is a mystery with him," LaSalle said.

"No Marine Corporal can simply have..." Brody started before hearing a commotion outside. The two agents saw a NOPD officer holding back a girl around Brody's height. "Hey, Meredith, tell this officer to let me go!"

"Jennifer?!" Brody exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing here? I told you to stay away. Go to the French Quarter or something. I'm busy."

"Meredith, I'm here to help you!" But Brody had spun around once more and moved back into the office.

"Officer let her off," LaSalle ordered, more because he was fascinated by this new beauty and fascinated by the recent conversation. "How do you know..." but before he could complete his sentence, the girl had lost her balance and fell, her cell phone falling and reaching LaSalle's feet. The Alabama native picked it up and stared at a picture of the recently attacked Marine.

To Be Continued.