Abigail Sciuto, who is called from her friends just Abby or Abbs, dropped her luggage to the floor and hugged the man in front of her. His name was Dwayne Cassius Pride and he was a NCIS special agent. Abby worked for the NCIS, too, but while she worked in Washington as a forensic scientist, Pride worked in New Orleans with a small group of people. But this time Pride needed help with a case, so she agreed to come over to New Orleans to help him.

»Hi Pride. «

»Hey kid. How was the flight? «

»Very long. I'm glad that I'm finally here. «

Pride smiled and then he took her luggage.

»Well then shall we leave this place and go to my office? «

»I thought you never asked. «

Pride offers his arm to her and she gladly accepted.

»So how are the people you work with? Are they nice? Do you think they will like me? How looks your office? Is it like ours? And… «

»Whoa kid. Calm down. You will see everything when we are there. «

»But I want to know everything now. «

»Well I can tell you that my people are really nice and that you will like them. But for the rest? You will have to wait. Why don't you just enjoy it to be back in New Orleans? I think you weren't here since a while, aren't you? «

»No I wasn't. The problem is that I don't make that much holidays and I don't have that much free time to come here. «

»Well then enjoy it. The work will come faster as you believe it. «

They arrived at the office and Pride smiled when he saw how Abby walked around and looked at everything. Well almost everything, because she was so intrigued with the technique that she really overlooked his agents, who were standing at the door. The special agents Christopher Lasalle and Meredith Brody walked over to Pride.

»I guess that is her? «, Brody asked him, while they all watched Abby on her tour.

»Yep. Abigail Sciuto. «

»She is a goth. «, Chris said.

»Yes. Do you have a problem with that? «

»No. I saw stranger people in New Orleans than her. I'm just curious how she got the job at the NCIS. «

»Why don't you ask her? «

»Maybe later. «

Pride laughed and then he walked to his desk. His two agents followed him.

»Kid? I want to introduce my people to you. This is Christopher Lasalle and our new member Meredith Brody. «

Abby turned around and smiled.

»Hi. I'm Abby. Nice to meet you. «

They both greeted her back.

»Your office is cool. I like the big flat screen. But it is not as big as ours. «

»Well we don't have that much people as you have. «, Pride laughed, »But if you want we can call Gibbs on that big flat screen, so you can tell him that you landed safe. «

His smile faded as he saw that Abby was actually thinking about calling her boss. Normally she was thrilled.

»What's wrong? Don't you want to call him? «

»I want to call him, but I don't think that now is the right time. «

»Why? «

»Well my flight went off early and he is already at work, but I don't think that he is in a good mood. It is maybe a few hours since the director told him that I'm here with you. In New Orleans. «

»Wait. Do you want to tell me that Gibbs doesn't know about your flight here? You haven't told him? «

»No I haven't told him. The director and I agreed that it would be better to tell him, when I'm already on the flight. «

»Are you crazy? Don't you know how angry he will get if he finds out? «

»I know that. But he will forgive me. He always does. «

»Yeah he will forgive YOU, but not ME. He will kill me because I didn't ask him. «

»I don't think that he will kill you. «

»Kid! You are his treasure. His little girl. No one takes you away from him without asking. «

»Now you are overreacting. «

»No I don't. «

»I am still a person. A person, who can do what she wants and who can make her own decisions. «

»Maybe about small things, like buying new clothes or shoes, but a big decision like flying to New Orleans without telling? I don't think that he likes that. «

»But he trusts you. He knows that I'm safe with you. «

»That doesn't mean that he won't kill me if he finds out. «

»The director will calm him down. Why don't we start to work and call him later? Then he has time to calm down and it will be easier to talk to him. «

Pride sat down in his chair and shook his head doubtfully.

»I don't think that it will be that easy, kid. But let's start with the work. Now we can't do anything against it. Do you want to see the lab? «

Her eyes started to glow at his words.

»Oh yes please. Please let me see it. «

»But I have to warn you. It's not nearly as big as yours. «

»I don't care. Just show me. «

»Ok. As you wish. «

After the visit of the lab, which was really nothing in compare with Abbys lab in Washington, Pride got a call from Chris.

»Hey king. We've got an anonymous hint. The person gave us his photo and the name of the club he always went to. His name is Liam Masquerp. Do you want to go to the club or shall Brody and I go? «

Pride looked at Abby, who were sitting on a chair and enjoyed the familiar surrounding.

»Hey kid. Do you want to go out? «

»Didn't you say we have to work? And besides, it's just afternoon. «

»It is work. We've got a hint on a suspect. He is practically living in a club. «

»You would take me with you? «

»Sure. Why not? «

»Gibbs never takes me with him. «

»Well he is not here, isn't he? «

»No he isn't. «, she said and smiled happy.

»We take this, Chris. Do you send us the photo and the name of the club? «

»I'll send it to Abbys mobile phone. «

»Thanks. «

Abby ran to him and gave him a bone crush hug.

»Thank you, thank you, thank you. «

»But this will be our little secret, do you hear? Gibbs will never find out about this. «

»Of course not. I swear it. «

»Ok, special agent Sciuto. Then let's see how good you are outside the lab. «

Half an hour later they arrived at the club. Although it was just afternoon a lot of people were already at the club. Pride and Abby sat at the bar and watched the people.

»Do you see him? «, Abby asked.

»No. Either he isn't here by now or he is in a room where no one else can go. «

»If he is in that room how can we catch him? «

»That is a good question, Abby. I'm working on it. «

»Ok. While you are thinking I will go to the toilette. «

»Yeah. Call me if you see him. «

»Sure. Keep looking. «

When Abby returned from the toilette, she froze. A few steps away she saw Liam Masquerp with his two bodyguards, who were walking towards the exit. Quickly she made her way back to Pride, who was still sitting at the bar.

»I found Liam. He goes outside with his bodyguards. I will follow him. «, she explained quickly before she walked away.

»What?! Abby wait for me! «

But she couldn't hear him. Pride threw the money for their water on the bar, took his jacket and ran outside, which was harder than he thought, because always he had to stop because someone was in his way. He sighed when he managed it to the exit.

»Abby? «

But the street was empty. Alarmed he looked around and ran to the corners, but the forensic scientist was gone.