"Corinthos," Gibbs barked, approaching Kellie, "What the hell are you doing sitting at my desk?"

"It was empty," Kellie said, "So I borrowed it."

"What are you even doing here?" Gibbs said, "How did you get on base?"

"Visitor pass, LJ," Kellie said.

"Which one of you…." Gibbs looked at McGee and Bishop first.

"It was me, boss," Tony said, "She showed up at my hotel this morning. Seemed to know all about that lead to check the shipping companies. Said she passed it on to you. I figured she met the terms of the deal you made and that we could straighten out her clearance once we got here."

"Your guy's program is clean," McGee said.

"What program?" Gibbs asked.

"The one that looks at known cases involving the Le Requins and could say check the activity of the shipping company they inherited for patterns, correlations," Kellie said.

"We're ready to run it," McGee said.

"No," Gibbs said.

"Run it and we'll discuss your reservations regarding Ms. Scott's involvement in the meantime," Leon said, joining the group.

"Director Vance, it's nice to meet you in person," Kellie said, standing up and reaching out to shake his hand.

"Why don't we head on up to my office," Leon said, "And we'll discuss your assistance and get you the clearance you'll need while you're here. DiNozzo, need I remind you that you need to keep your involvement to a minimum…."

"I know, I know," Tony said, "I'll go say hello to Ducky and Jimmy."

"I'd like to have a word with you first, DiNozzo," Gibbs said.

"Then I expect you in my office, Gibbs," Leon said.

"Right away," Gibbs said, following DiNozzo.

Gibbs smacked DiNozzo upside the heard, "This girl shows up and you just let her in."

"On a visitor pass," Tony said, "I know you're mad I brought in outside help. But human trafficking or black market adoptions aren't exactly our wheelhouse and you know it."

"Did she say much more about what she expects to find when we run her program," Gibbs asked.

"No," Tony said.

"If it works, we just might resolve other cold cases involving the Le Requins," Gibbs said, "I thought there's no way the girl could be that good."

"She certainly lives up to the rumors," Tony said.

Well, jury's still out on that one," Gibbs said.

Leon's Office

"Gibbs was sparse on the details of your conversation yesterday," Leon said, "He made it difficult to track him down."

"So LJ went with avoidance of you and of lying to hold me off," Kellie said.

"LJ?" Leon questioned.

"LJ, as in Leroy Jethro," Kellie replied.

"No one calls him that," Leon said.

Kellie shrugged, "So how's this going to work?"

"Let's not get ahead ourselves," Leon said, "I haven't officially given the go ahead for you to work with us."

"I held up my end of the bargain," Kellie replied.

"I have some concerns about you," Leon said, "I talked to Mac Scorpio about you."

'How is Mac these days?" Kellie asked.

"I wanted to know more about how you work with law enforcement," Leon continued, "I figured I'd start with the PCPD given your extensive history with them."

"I'm sure he had all good things to say about me," Kellie said.

"He did," Leon said, "But also said his station tended to turn into a three-ring circus when you were involved and you got into shouting matches with the district attorney."

"So some of those shouting matches were for show. But the bad guys were still put away," Kellie said, "Did you talk to people that work with me in California?"

"Yes, and they don't describe you as the quite the nuisance Mac Scorpio did," Leon said, "But they did note you tend to throw your weight around and expect to give the orders."

"And yet they still take my suggestions," Kellie said.

"If you're working this case, you are working with Agent Gibbs," Leon said, "He is the lead on this case. I need to know that you can take orders."

"If he actually works with me," Kellie said, "And leaves the avoidance put me off bull crap at the door yeah."

"Really?" Leon said, raising an eye brow.

"I'll do my best," Kellie said, "LJ and I might just be like oil and water. But I made to promise to Tony to help find his daughter. My methods however law enforcement desribes them are part of why he asked for my help."

"Valid point," Leon said, "But it is your methods that give me concern."

"You don't need to concern yourself with them," Kellie said, "Whatever information I pass along to you will be admissible in court."

"Fine, I'll get you the clearance you'll need. But you do as Gibbs says even if you don't agree," Leon said, "If you and Gibbs can't get along, you'll be on the first plane to California."

"Understood," Kellie said.

"I haven't understood yet," Gibbs said entering the office, "I'm still not sold on her working with us."

"I'm going to leave the two of you to sort this out," Leon said, leaving and turning around at the door, "Gibbs….I think she'd be an asset. Work it out."

Leon shut the door.

"So LJ," Kellie said, "What's next?"

"First off, Corinthos," Gibbs said, "You're going to stop calling me LJ."

"Corinthos isn't legally my last name any more," Kellie said, "You stop calling me Corinthos, I'll stop calling you LJ."

"Your married last name," Gibbs said, "Doesn't change the fact you're a Corinthos."

"No, it doesn't," Kellie said, "But it doesn't mean I have to advertise it. It's not like you go around advertising the bad blood between you and the Reynosas."

"You don't know anything about that," Gibbs said, hiding his irritation.

"No, but my uncle Lorenzo Alcazar did recall hearing about someone named Gibbs tangling with the Reynosa Cartel," Kellie said.

"That was years ago," Gibbs said, "You're better off leaving well enough alone."

"Then I think we understand each other," Kellie said, "We both have parts of our pasts, our backgrounds we rather leave well enough alone."

"Fine," Gibbs said, "Here's the deal, you're here merely to gather information, check out some leads. If you need to leave here to do that, one of my agents will go with you."

"I'd expect no less," Kellie said.

"If you so much as set one foot off in a direction I've told you not to," Gibbs said, "You'll be off this case faster than you can blink."

"Now that we've got that settled," Kellie said, "Shall we see how Agent McGee is doing with the program I sent?"

"Not until the Director gets you official clearance," Gibbs said as Kellie started to protest, "My case, my rules."

Kellie just glared at him. Gibbs left and Kellie proceeded to follow him out the door.

Leon was waiting for them outside the door.

"Do the paper work for her clearance," Gibbs said, "Until that's done, keep her out of my hair."

"LJ…" Kellie said as Gibbs continued walking.

"You're going to have to come with me anyway," Leon said, "I'll give you the tour in the meantime.

Abby's Lab

"And this is the forensic lab," Leon said as they entered seeing Abby with head phones on dancing.

"Abby," Leon yelled, tapping Abby on the shoulder.

Abby turned around startled at Kellie's presence and pulled the headphones off.

"Abby, this is Kellie Scott," Leon said, "She's going to be helping us find Tony's daughter. Kellie, this is Abby Sciuto, our forensic scientist."

"You could have warned me that the woman whose hit list I'm on is wandering the halls," Abby finally said.

"One, I don't have a hit list," Kellie said, "Even if I did why do you think you'd be on it? We've never even met."

"Never mind," Abby said.

"Abby," Leon said, raising an eyebrow.

Abby huffed, "I gave Tony your address. I didn't know what it was for at first and then when I realized who you were I tried to talk Tony out of whatever he was doing…"

"DiNozzo showing up at my house is on him," Kellie said, "We're good provided you tell me how you found my address."

Abby breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you"

Abby launched herself at Kellie and hugged her, "And thank you for not fitting Tony with concrete shoes."

"You're welcome," Kellie said, uncomfortably, "I'd really like to breathe now."

"Of course, I'm sorry," Abby said, stepping back.

Autopsy

"And this must be the enigmatic Kellie Scott," Ducky said as he noticed Kellie and Leon enter.

"Kellie, this is Dr. Mallard," Leon said, "Our chief medical examiner."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Ducky said.

"Pleasure?" Kellie replied, "You obviously haven't talked to your other co-workers about me yet."

"As far as having Tony arrested, one can't fault you for moving what you perceived as a threat away from your home, your children," Ducky said, "I'm just glad you're lending your time and talents to locate the young Miss Tali. It can't have been easy to adjust your schedule on such short notice."

"Well, fortunately, I'm able to be flexible with my schedule should the occasion require it, Dr. Mallard," Kellie said.

"Please call me Ducky," Ducky said, "All my friends do."

Leon checked his phone, "You'll have to excuse me. I have to check on something with your clearance. Is it alright if she stays down here with you, Dr. Mallard?"

"Of course," Ducky said, "provided hanging out with the dead bodies doesn't bother you, Kellie."

"Doesn't bother me," Kellie said.

"I'll be back shortly," Leon said, leaving.

"So this is your assistant I take it," Kellie said, looking at Jimmy who remained speechless.

"Yes, Dr. Palmer," Ducky said.

Jimmy opened his mouth and closed it.

"If you're worried that I'm to do anything like you saw on the Sopranos or in the Godfather or Scarface, I won't," Kellie said, "I don't do that stuff."

"I wasn't sure, there's so many stories about you," Jimmy said.

"Most of them exaggerated," Kellie said.

"As is usually the case when someone has such a colorful past as yours is," Ducky said.

"Well I just," Jimmy started to say.

"Dr. Palmer why don't you start the autopsy on table two," Ducky said.

"Yes, sir," Jimmy said, moving to the table.

"Can I offer you something to drink?" Ducky asked.

"Water's fine," Kellie replied, "But there is something I'm curious about?"

"What would that be?" Ducky asked.

"What's the director's real reason for leaving me in Autopsy with you?" Kellie asked.