"Lieutenant Sims, I need you to get me the number for Lieutenant Commander Meg Austin." Brett said as he walked past her desk after his meeting with Mac.

"I'm afraid I can't do that sir." Harriet responded causing Brett to stop.

"You can't locate her and get me a phone number?"

"No sir." Harriet replied.

"Why not Lieutenant?" Brett asked.

"Lieutenant Commander Austin works for a highly classified area of the Navy and especially after she was stalked a few months ago all numbers for her are classified too."

"So you're telling me she's unreachable?" Brett questioned.

"Yes sir." Harriet replied.

"But Major Williams talked to her and Petty Officer Coates." Brett said.

"Yes sir, but that was after Colonel Mackenzie called the private number that only she and Captain Rabb have for the Lieutenant Commander and left a message for her to call them back the appropriate person back."

"So you're saying that the only way I can get to talk to her is to convince Colonel Mackenzie or Captain Rabb to call her and leave a message and hope she finds the time to check her messages and call me back."

"Something like that sir." Harriet said.

"This is ridiculous." Brett stated.

"It's national security sir." Harriet replied.

"I thought she was a lawyer."

"She is sir and a computer weapons expert amongst other things." Harriet replied. "But that's all I can really say sir."

"Fine. Can you tell Captain Rabb I need to talk to him when he gets out of court?"

"Yes sir." Harriet replied.

"Ridiculous." Brett muttered to himself as he headed back to the office.

"What's ridiculous Commander?" AJ asked.

"Sorry Admiral, I didn't see you there." Brett apologised.

"You didn't answer my question Commander."

"It's nothing sir." Brett said.

"You wouldn't have said it if it wasn't something Commander." AJ crossed his arms.

"I just found if I need to talk to Lieutenant Commander Austin, I have to have someone else leave a message on her answer service and hope she can check her messages and call me back."

"It's part of the security they set up after an incident with one of the men from a case she worked on while she was here. Very few people have the number for her; even I don't have clearance enough to get her number. She works for a highly classified program and she's insulated."

"So I'm informed sir." Brett sighed. "Sir how do you know the Commander?"

"I was her CO when she was assigned here and when she helped out with some Freedom of Information Act requests when she was staying with Captain Rabb."

"You were Captain Krennick's CO when she worked here as well weren't you Admiral?" Brett questioned.

"Yes."

"Then I'm going to need to talk to you sir, ask a few questions."

"Talk to Tiner and see if he can find you some time in the schedule. But it won't be today I have to go to the Pentagon. I was just on my way to inform Commander Turner that I'm leaving him in charge since Rabb is in court with Williams."

"Yes sir. If you'll excuse me I need to get back to work."

"Carry on." AJ said.

#

"You wanted to see me?" Harm asked as he got to Brett's open door.

"Yes sir." Brett started to stand.

"Stay where you are. What do you need?" Harm said.

"I need to ask you a few questions about Captain Krennick and your relationship with her."

"Well now's not a good time. Mac doesn't have time to pick Abi up because Gibbs is sending someone over for a search warrant. But she wanted me to invite you and Faith over for dinner tonight at 1930, so we can talk afterwards."

"I spent most of her lunch hour interrogating her and she wants to invite me over for dinner?" Brett said.

"That's what she said. Faith said she can come, she knows where the house is. Is there anything you're allergic to or don't eat?"

"Beef." Brett replied. "But other than that I'm easy."

"Okay. I'll see you at 1930." Harm turned and left.

"This day gets stranger and stranger." Brett muttered a minute later.

"The Captain's actually quite a good cook." Faith said leaning against the door frame of his office.

"Huh?" Brett looked up at her.

"I was guessing you were talking about Colonel Mackenzie inviting us to dinner tonight." Faith entered the office.

"Don't you find it a little odd?" Brett asked.

"No. There is one thing you have to understand about this office they just don't work together they're family. Commander Turner, Jen, Bud and Harriet are Abigail's godparents. The Captain and the Colonel are little AJ Roberts' godparents. AJ is named after the Admiral because he delivered him in his office and Tiner was there. Commander Turner and Captain Rabb went to the academy together. Jen got into trouble and Captain Rabb was her lawyer and Colonel Mackenzie let her stay with her because the brig was closed for Christmas. She turned her life around and ended up being Bud's legal man when he was serving on the Seahawk and then saved his life when he stood on a landmine. They're all interconnected, which is what makes this such a good place to work. It's family. I'll pick you up, dinner will be casual so no uniforms." Faith turned and left.

TBC