"There is more to cinema than just Bogey and Wayne." Tony grumbled waiting as the load door opened.

Kelly nodded, adjusting her pack, "You're right; there's also Katherine Hepburn."

Tony sighed, "You're infuriating."

"You both are." Gibbs shouldered between them, "But she's not wrong, DiNozzo."

Kelly smirked victoriously at Tony and followed Gibbs down the ramp, stopping to stretch her back and take in a deep breath, facing the rising sun. She smiled, "I forgot what it smells like."

"Dirt and goat and jet fuel in too thin air?" Tony frowned.

She rolled her eyes, falling into step behind Gibbs as he headed directly for the garage. She hesitated, gesturing to the base administration, "Um don't we need to check in..."

Gibbs continued to the garage, ignoring her and Tony gave a short shake of his head.

Kelly frowned and hurried to catch up, entering the garage bay just as Gibbs was approaching the counter.

He flashed his badge, "Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo. Captain Howell."

The Corporal behind the desk glanced across each of them, "NCIS bringing your own uniformed escort now?"

"Special assignment." Tony shrugged.

The Corporal snorted, "Alright, I know better than to question." He tilted his head, "Let me get the the XO."

Kelly waited for him to disappear around the corner before she looked up at Gibbs, "We're going to take a humvee?"

"Going to ask." He shrugged, dropping his hat on the counter and running a hand through his hair, "No point in commandeering a rack if we don't need to stay."

"Gunny!" A Major came through the back door, "Welcome back to our little camp in the mountains."

Gibbs smirked, "Hey Barnhart, I like what you're doing with the place." He gestured to scorch marks on the side of a humvee, and another with extra blast plates soldered on the doors.

"Yeah, well, we don't got Maaco around here." The Major shrugged. "So what brings you through? I was told to expect you; something about a fugitive?"

Gibbs nodded, pulling a wrinkled paper photo from his vest. Barnhart leaned in, shaking his head, "Don't recognize him."

"How about drugs?" Tony leaned in, "You know about any kind of issues with drug abuse on base?"

"No more than one might expect among 40,000 people." Barnhart shrugged, eyes flicking to Kelly and then back to Gibbs, "Of course any is unacceptable by US Military standards."

"That's for damn certain." Gibbs agreed, folding the picture of Fulkroad away.

The Major nodded, "So what do you need?"

"We have to knock on the door of a compound about 50 klicks north east of here." He looked around the garage, "Got something for me?"

Barnhart's eyes scanned the three people in front of him, "You're looking to head into the mountains?"

"It's where our guy is." Gibbs tilted his head, "Outside Rukha. A 90 minute drive?"

"Yeah; Maybe in August." Barnhart looked at him.

Kelly sighed, and Tony looked to her, eyebrows raised. "Snow, ice, mud..." She grumbled.

The Major looked at her, nodding his agreement, "No one goes anywhere fast in the Hindu Kush during the winter."

"At least not by road..." Kelly smirked.

Gibbs turned to her, "How convenient."

She held up her hands, "I can't control the weather."

"You sure?" Tony raised an eyebrow, "You don't just stare it down until it relents like another immovable force we know?"

Gibbs smacked the back of Tony's head without taking his eyes off of Kelly.

The agent winced, "Sorry, Boss." He glanced to Kelly with a faux whisper, "Should have left my helmet on."

"Yes, you should..." Gibbs muttered, looking back to the Major, "The Director of NCIS was supposed to have something arranged."

Barnhart nodded, "Director Vance called the CO; I have orders to give you what you need. I don't have a problem with that Gibbs, but to go up to Rukha and back is going to take more men and time then I can spare right now and I can't be sending you off in a vehicle alone. Give me a few hours to work something out. Hopefully we can have you on the road tomorrow morning."

Gibbs exhaled and picked up his hat, pulling it tight on his head, "Alright. We're going to go bunk up. Talk to the Colonel; let him know we'd like to get out there sooner than later."

The Major nodded, and gestured to the side door, "Temp quarters are over by the Frogmen; CHU 72."

"Perfect." Gibbs picked up his gear, gesturing for Kelly and Tony to move out.

Barnhart leaned over the counter, "Hey, Gunny...you want me to have Moriarty to arrange something separate for the Captain?"

"Oh no." Gibbs shook his head, "She's not leaving my sight. Right, Captain?"

"Your party, your rules, Sir." She smiled patently back at him.

"Oooh rah..." The Major grinned, "I guess you haven't forgotten how to pull rank."

"Something like that." Gibbs bounced his eyebrows and nodded for Kelly and Tony to follow him back outside.

DiNozzo cracked his neck, as they crossed the base, "This could be a good thing."

"Why?" Kelly looked at him.

Tony shrugged, "If we were to go out and pick this guy up in a matter of hours we'd be on the next transport out of here and as pleasant as your company is, Captain, I'd like a little space and maybe a little sleep before getting back on one of those flights."

"Stop your whining, DiNozzo." Gibbs warned.

"Ya-Boss!" He nodded, rolling his eyes at Kelly's smirk as they hoofed past a group of bearded men returning from a run.

As they passed, one of the men let out a sharp whistle, "Foxy!"

Gibbs and Kelly both stopped, turning their attention to the man jogging up to them. Gibbs took a step in front of her, lifting his chin and narrowing his eyes at the Navy Seal. "You got something to say, Seaman?"

The other man blinked, and backed up a step, "Yo easy man, just looking to say hi to Foxy there."

"You mean Captain Howell?" Gibbs narrowed his eyes.

"Uhh...yeah?" The taller man frowned and tried looking around the NCIS agent.

"Hey..." Kelly stepped around him, putting a placating hand on his arm, "It's alright," She winced, "Foxy is my nickname..." She gestured to her head, "Red pony tail? Foxtail? Foxy..."

Gibbs' mouth dropped open and he stared at her for a beat before turning to look at the group of SpecOps men that had started to pay attention. He shook his head and exhaled, "Ohhh yeah, there are some things I really don't want to know."

Kelly grinned and turned her smile to the other man, "Bradley...You back again? What's this 4, 5?"

"Nah, you know me, the tours all just blend together." He shrugged, looking at the small pack on her shoulder, "How about you? You're not back for another?"

"No, no, not really." She gestured to Gibbs & Tony, "I'm here on an NCIS mission." She pulled a face, "Trust me, it's a long story." She took a step back, tilting her head, "Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo, Petty Officer Peter Bradley."

"You're in good hands with the Captain." Bradley gestured with his chin as he shook both man's hands, "No fancy flier I'd rather call for a hot ex-fil than the Fox."

Gibbs raised an appraising eyebrow and Tony grimaced, shaking out his fingers after the Petty Officer's firm handshake, "That's good to know."

Kelly gestured down the road, "We're going to settle in but ultimately trying to score a ride up to Ruhka."

The SEAL's eyes looked over Gibbs, up and down, evaluating for a beat, "You had to have known that wouldn't be easy."

"Nothing worthwhile ever is." Gibbs replied evenly.

Bradley snickered, "No Sir, it is not." He looked to the garage, "Grease monkeys shoot you down?"

"You know other options for us?" Kelly tilted her head.

"Well, as you know, Captain..." He leaned in smiling, "T-Man doesn't like to fight when it's cold. It's pretty quiet round here." He shrugged, "Convoys go out each day on PRT missions and clearing IEDs but your whirly-bird people seem pretty bored lately." He winked in the direction of the helicopters on the airfield. "Maybe one of them'll give you a lift..."

She nodded, "You know where they are?"

He pointed to a building across from the barracks, "Mostly DFAC."

"Thanks." She nodded smiling to Gibbs who gave a minute shake of his head in acknowledgement.

"No problem, Fox." The Petty Officer smirked, "And you know, if you miss us that bad and want to stay I could circulate a petition..."

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, yeah." She smirked, waving him off and falling into step between DiNozzo and Gibbs.

"You've got some fans." Tony looked at her once they were out of ear shot.

She shrugged, "SEALs get themselves into trouble more than most."

"And helicopters are the cavalry?" Gibbs finished for her with a smirk.

She gave him a self-satisfied grin as he held open the door to the hangar converted into dining facility.

A captain was leaning back in a chair by the door, his feet propped on the wall. As they entered he looked up from the gameboy he was focused on, his feet immediately falling to the floor, "Holy Hell."

"Scrapper!" She grinned, launching away from Tony and Gibbs, pulling the officer into a hug.

Tony cleared his throat and she stepped back, looking self-consciously over her shoulder. "Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo; this is Captain Anthony Schrap. We copiloted my first tour."

Schrap pulled away, glancing to the Agents, "Gibbs?" He looked back to Kelly, "Any relation?"

Gibbs raised his eyebrows, and tilted his head, waiting for her explanation.

She shrugged, "Yes."

Schrap blinked at the one word answer then grinned, "Still as talkative as ever." He shook his head, "What are you doing here?" He looked to the back of the hall, "Hey Tops! You know Howell, right?"

A middle aged marine approached, carrying a plate of eggs, eyebrows raising at the new arrivals.

"Foxy." He smirked, eyes flicking to Gibbs and tilting his head, "And Gunny Gibbs." He snorted, "That's a combination I wouldn't have expected."

"You're not the only one." Kelly acknowledged with a grin.

"First Sergeant Santana." Gibbs reached out to shake the other man's hand, "Moving up in the world."

"One devil dog at a time." The Sergeant grinned, accepting the shake. "Thanks for that bottle."

Gibbs shrugged, "Thanks for that other thing."

"Ain't nothin." He stared down the curious look from Schrap before smirking back to Gibbs with a lift of his chin, "What do I need to do to earn another?"

Gibbs pursed his lips and shrugged, "How about help us reach our objective despite winter roads?"

Santana took a deep breath, "And what would that be?"

"A compound east of Ruhka." Kelly answered.

His eyes moved from Gibbs to focus on Kelly, "I thought you transferred to instructional, Howell; you with these investigators now?"

"One off assignment." She shrugged, "It's important, First Sergeant."

He huffed, crossing his arms and nodding, "You know I want to help two of my favorite Marines but I can't make any promises."

Schrap stepped closer, "There is nothing on the boards for the next 72. If the XO wants volunteers you can tell him to count on me."

Santana grinned, "Copy that, Captain." He nodded to the packs they were all still carrying, "You three go settle in and I'll see about getting y'all airborne."


A/N - survey question! - in the FF story set up I didn't list Kelly as one of the characters because I wanted the first several chapters to maintain their ambiguity and mystery. But she is a prominent character. So; should I change that and add her to the character list as a warning to folks or do I keep it off to avoid spoiling the first half of the story?