A/N: Hi, readers. Sorry for the gap in updates. I'm working on 3 fanfics right now, and,believe it or not, this one's my favorite. It's actually the first in a series! But, I'm so excited about the series that I'm getting a little scatterbrained, and I'm already working on the next ones. But I'm trying to focus on this one! After a chapter or two, updates will get faster, I promise.

They all met up at the Belson house to discuss their findings. Seated at the dining room table, they sipped the coffee and tea that Barbara had made for them. It was, after all, early February, and Tim, Gibbs, and Tony had been out in the cold.

Ziva opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by McGee.

"What'd you find, Tony?"

"Well, not much. The one kid, Simon, said that he saw someone that could have been our kidnapper."

"That's a lot, DiNozzo," Gibbs informed him.

"Not really, Boss. He just saw his feet."

"Then how does he know it wasn't just one of his friends?" McGee asked.

"He was wearing boots. Simon said that he didn't pay any more attention, because none of his friends had boots like that, and he was only trying to keep from getting caught." Everyone looked puzzled, so he hurried to explain, "They were playing manhunt. He was hiding."

"Did he describe the boots?" asked Ziva.

"No, but maybe we could come up with a bunch of pictures of different boots and he could point one out to us. Like boot mug shots!"

McGee was too far away, but Gibbs and Ziva both smacked his head.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"I think—" Ziva started, but again was cut off, this time by Gibbs.

He threw an evidence bag down onto the table as he said, "It wasn't a random abduction."

Tony reached for it quickly, trying to get to it before Ziva. She didn't even try. She was annoyed at being ignored. Tony gave her a puzzled look, but she ignored him. He shrugged and took a look at the paper in his hands. Turning the paper around so that Ziva could see it, he said, "That's not all this tells us, Boss." After a concerned glance at McGee, he continued, "Our kidnapper didn't know her, but he knew she was definitely the intended target. This could have been a hit."

Tim paled, and Ziva forgot her annoyance and stood up to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We will find her," she promised.

"But we don't know anything! We don't have a motive, we don't have any real evidence…"

At this, Ziva remembered what she had to tell everyone. "I think you may be wrong about that, McGee."

Everyone turned to stare at her.

"What do you got, Ziva?" asked Gibbs

She grabbed an evidence bag off the counter. Putting on gloves, she pulled out an envelope, and, from that, a piece of paper. "The Belsons received a letter from the kidnapper in the mail today." She passed it to Tim, who had put gloves on as well.

He read:

Belson family:

I am sorry about what you are going through. It is nothing personal, but I had to do something. I won't worry you with my problems, though. I doubt you care anyway. I've been there; I know. However, your situation will have a different ending. You will get your daughter back alive. I know you won't believe this, but as a Marine, you can take me at my word. All I want is to talk to NCIS. And I know you have your connections to them. Once they get into town and agree to speak with me, your daughter will be released.

"What does this mean?" Ziva asked when the men had finished reading.

"It means that we have two options: Believe him, and just focus on finding her; or just treat this letter as a lie, and still focus on finding her. Either way, she is our priority. We have all the time in the world to catch him, but… but she…"

Gibbs rose and walked around the table to Tim, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We understand. You're doing fine, Tim."

He quickly pulled himself together. "Okay. The first thing we should do is get the evidence to Abby…" Apparently remembering something he had to do, he cursed and left the room, leaving Tony and Gibbs chuckling, and a confused Ziva, in his wake.

"You didn't tell her, did you, Boss?" Tony asked, knowing the answer.

"Nope. Must've slipped my mind," he answered with a grin.

Then she understood. "No one told Abby what is going on!"

"Nope," Gibbs and Tony said, grinning.

"Abby Sciuto, forensics extraordinaire."

"Hey, Abs…" McGee began nervously.

"We did get a case, Abs."

"Then why are you calling me? That's Gibbs' job!"

"Not today," he began.

She cut him off. "Why not? Where is he?"

"Abs, calm down, he's –"

"I don't want to know! Tony, too? Where are you? I'm coming!" He could hear her hurrying to get her things.

"Abby! They're fine. Rule 38." Before she could ask, he told her. "It's my cousin, Ashlyn… She's been kidnapped."

"Oh my God, McGee! Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, Abs. Don't worry about me; just focus on finding her."

"Whatever you've got, I'm ready for it. Let's get this guy."

A/N: Sorry, I know that chapter was almost pointless. But I had it done, and the next chapter will have them exploring the leads that they have. I'll probably post it by Sunday night, if enough people review...