NCIS. Abby/Kate. 100. Writer's Choice (Australia). *
Title: Walkabout
Fandom: NCIS
Characters: Abigail Sciuto, Caitlin Todd, Jethro Gibbs, Tim McGee
Prompt: 100 Writer's Choice (Australia)
Word Count: 10,202
Rating: R
Spoilers: "The Immortals," "Bikini Wax"
Summary: Abby asks Kate to accompany her to Australia to find a missing friend.
Author's Notes: As evidenced by Tony's absence, this takes place between "Bikini Wax" and "Conspiracy Theory." Either way... filling in a little of that missing time. Speaking of time... the time zones are so crap... don't think too hard on them, okay? And one street name is mentioned, but don't think too hard about where it actually is. ;-D I just picked a name at random without worrying about what kind of neighborhood it was, etc. I've been told it's not entirely accurate for the story, but I can't really... changing it to something else would just be blind guessing on my part and may actually make it worse (he can't live there! That's a warehouse district!) ;-D So... um... yeah. Fictionalized street names ;-D
Little Damn Table
I. Traveling in a Fried-Out Combi
There was always light in Abby's lab. Dim, at times, but always present. At 5:45 in the morning, a series of red and green lights beamed out across the darkened space to announce they were still there, ready and willing to begin another day's work. The streetlights shone in through the windows, a pale yellow that cast long shadows across the barren floor. The walls seemed to echo the heavy metal that usually reverberated between them, the ceiling tiles seeming to hold their breath in anticipation for the next day.
Behind Abby's desk, the fax machine's display lit up with a ghostly blue, illuminating its entire corner. After a quick, ringing pulse, the fax sucked a piece of paper into the mechanism and began to ink out a message. When it finished, the paper was ejected into the tray and the machine once again fell silent.
It remained there, undisturbed, for another three hours.
---
Kate stepped out of the elevator, unable to keep the smile from her face as she saw Tony's undisturbed desk. "Morning, Gibbs," she said, reaching into the bakery bag and withdrawing a bagel. "Beautiful morning, isn't it?"
"DiNozzo's in Panama City for a week," Gibbs said, taking the bagel from her. "And you couldn't be happier."
She shrugged and sat down, shedding her coat. "What can I say? It's like the sun is brighter, the sky is bluer..."
"The halls are quieter," Gibbs added.
Kate laughed and turned her chair, facing her computer. "Where's McGee?"
"Deciphering a note Abby got faxed."
"Deciphering?" Kate asked.
"Apparently it's in binary."
Kate raised her eyebrows. "Wow. McGee reads binary?"
"I guess," Gibbs said. "I couldn't even find Binar on a map."
She looked at him, hoping he was pulling her leg. She didn't have a chance to ask, because just then Abby came rushing into the room. Gibbs looked up and said, "Problem, Abby?"
"Big problem, Gibbs. Maybe... possibly."
"Where's McGee?"
Abby turned, looking behind her as if expecting McGee to be there. "I think I lost him at the elevators," she admitted. "Anyway. Never mind. I think I need a week off."
"Sorry, Abs," Gibbs said. "We've already lost DiNozzo for this week."
"But Gibbs! This isn't for some alcohol-laden hallucination down in Panama! This is serious! I think one of my friends might be in trouble."
Kate stood up. "What happened?"
Abby twisted a ring on her finger, hesitating before she said, "Okay... promise you won't just dismiss this out of hand."
"I won't," Gibbs said.
"You won't dismiss it?"
"I won't promise it. What happened, Abby?"
McGee came running in, out of breath. "She ran for the elevator, boss. Doors closed before I could..."
Gibbs held up his hand and said, "Abs."
She held up the note she'd received. "This is from my online friend, Mouse, who lives in Australia. He sent it to me this morning and says not to be worried if something happens to him. It's a good-bye note, Gibbs. Something is really, really wrong here."
"Can't you just call him?"
"He doesn't have a phone."
"But he has Internet?" Kate asked.
"He doesn't like to talk on the phone. Does everything he needs online, on the computer." She turned back to Gibbs. "He wouldn't just run off like this unless something really hinky was going on."
"Let me see the note," Gibbs said. She handed it over and he squinted at the small print. McGee cleared his throat and Gibbs glared at him. "I can read it, McGee."
McGee stepped back.
"You really think he's in trouble," Gibbs sighed. "And what do you plan to do if something is wrong?"
"Call the police! I don't know... do something."
Gibbs sighed. "You're a brilliant scientist, Abs, but you're not trained for field work." He glanced at Kate and smiled. "Have you ever been to Australia, Kate?"
Kate looked at Abby. "Um... what? Why?"
"I thought you couldn't spare me. Now you're sending Kate, too?"
"I'm not going to send you alone," Gibbs said. "And I'll be damned if I leave NCIS in McGee's hands."
"No offense," McGee muttered.
Gibbs said, "And McGee, I feel more comfortable with Kate being Abby's back-up." He handed the note back to Abby and said, "Be safe. Keep in contact, if and when you can." He pointed to Kate. "Contact the Australian branch, NIS. Tell them you're in the country and you're conducting an unofficial investigation."
"Right," Kate said, rising.
"And no guns. You don't have the permits and I'm not bailing you out of an Australian prison."
Kate looked at him for a moment to see if he was joking and then returned her gun to the desk. "Right." Abby moved to the edge of Kate's desk, smiling brightly. "So. The land down under, huh?"
"Yep."
"Good thing Tony isn't here," Abby said. "Imagine the jokes; Going down... under..."
Kate smirked.
Abby waved a hand, dispelling the tangent she'd started on. "Come on. We don't have a lot of time to pack." She grabbed Kate's hand and tugged her around the desk, hurrying to the elevator.
McGee moved to stand in front of Gibbs' desk, smiling when Gibbs looked up at him. "So, boss. Guess it's just you and me for a week, huh?"
"Yeah," Gibbs said. He closed the file he'd been reading and stood, pulling his jacket from the back of his chair. "I'm going to go see what Ducky's up to."
Alone in the squad room, McGee looked at Tony and Kate's abandoned desks and then walked to his own. "I'll just... hold down the fort then." He nodded to himself and opened a file.
---
Kate quickly shoved some things into her bag, a pair of shorts, some t-shirts, enough to cover her for at least five days. Abby was in the living room with her own suitcase already packed. "You know, I'm sorry Gibbs forced me on you like this."
"No problem," Abby said. "I'm happy to have you."
Kate examined her suitcase again, grabbing an extra pair of underwear just in case - always better to have too much than too little - and closed the top. She found her passport in the drawer and hurried out to the living room. "What time is our flight leaving?"
"Five hours," Abby said, checking her watch.
"Five hours?"
"Hey, post 9-11 security, check-in, all that greatness. We'll be lucky if we have enough time."
"Okay, right. Are you ready?"
Abby nodded and stood, pulling her suitcase behind her. Kate watched as Abby walked to the door, eyes downcast as she trudged forward. Kate put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Hey. What's wrong?"
"I'm just worried, Kate. It's like if... Gibbs came in and gave Tony a pat on the back."
Kate shuddered. "Okay, don't joke about something like that."
Abby actually smiled and gestured at the living room. "Your apartment rocks, by the way. I love it. It's so comfy."
Kate looked at the décor, which had long been invisible to her. The apartment was dark save for the two lamps on either side of the couch. "Thanks," she said.
"Why haven't I ever seen it before?"
"I don't... bring people home much."
"Can I come back when we get done in Australia?"
Kate smiled. "Sure. Maybe I'll even cook for you."
"Awesome," Abby said. She started for the door and suddenly turned back, reaching out and embracing Kate. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Gibbs may have ordered you to come with me, but he didn't order you to care."
Kate grinned and ducked her head, pressing her chin against Abby's shoulder. "It's not out of my way."
Abby smiled and said, "All right, then. We have to get to the airport and I have got to tell you everything you need to know about Mouse."
"Mouse?" Kate said.
"Yep," Abby said with a single nod. She stepped into the hallway and Kate followed, shaking her head.
---
On the ride to Dulles, Kate was astonished to realize that, despite considering him one of her greatest friends, Abby had only a very vague idea of where they'd find Mouse. She knew his real name was George McKenzie, that he lived somewhere near Sydney. She'd never seen a picture of him and had his address from a package he'd sent her six months earlier: "A bunch of CDs with some awesome bands I've never even heard of. Decrepit Echidna is my new favorite band... they're kind of like heavy metal mixed with the Rat Pack." She held up a hand. "No mouse-rat jokes, please."
Kate grinned and promised to keep the witticisms to herself.
They arrived at the airport with time to spare, sitting in the uncomfortable blue seats as they waited for their boarding call. Abby had grown taciturn again, staring out the window at the taxiing planes on the runway. "So," Kate said, trying to draw her out. "How'd you meet Mouse?"
"I was trying to hack my way into an Australian-run site. Some Navy commander based in Sydney was running a child pornography ring. Mouse latched onto me, rode my trail back into the NCIS mainframe. I dug him out and we started talking. He showed me what I had done wrong, why he was able to get in and told me how to fix it. Before you knew it..." She shrugged.
"Wow," Kate said, shaking her head. "There are times I know exactly how Gibbs feels. Technology is just... I mean, it's getting hard to do even a modicum of crime-solving without knowing computers inside and out. I mean, I just figured out how to download 'Imagine' onto my iPod."
Abby scoffed. "Right. I've seen the way your PDA is attached to your hand. It's like an extra appendage."
"PDAs are different than this mess," Kate said. She glanced sideways at Abby and said, "At least you didn't mock me how lame my music taste is."
Abby shook her head. "Oh, no. John rocks. Especially that song. I'd be worried if it was Yoko."
Kate laughed.
"So, anyway, every now and then, Mouse would mention this band he'd heard over the weekend or something. I'd do the same, tell him about cases we'd worked on - nothing, you know, classified..."
"Of course," Kate said.
She closed her eyes and sank down in her chair until her face was turned to the ceiling. "I just feel so..." She shook her head.
Kate slid down so she was in the same position as Abby. "You're flying to Australia at the drop of a hat. You can be impulsive, but this feels different. I know you're scared." She put her hand on Abby's and squeezed. "I'd want to be here for you even if Gibbs hadn't ordered me."
"Thanks, Kate," Abby said softly.
"Attention Qantas flight 4574 passengers. We are now boarding rows A-D at Gate 11. Please have your boarding pass ready."
Kate sat up and gathered her things. "What row are we?"
"43, seats E and F," Abby replied, looking at the ticket to make sure.
Kate helped her stand and they made their way closer to the gate so they'd be ready when they were called.
---
On the flight, Abby tucked a blanket around herself and curled up, determined to sleep. Kate asked for Mouse's note before she went to sleep, spreading it in front of her on the tray table to examine it fully. The note had been printed off the computer and preceded a sea of ones and zeroes. Abby had told her the message had originally been sent in binary, so Kate wasn't too surprised. What did surprise her was the fact it had come by fax, when Abby insisted Mouse didn't have a telephone. They'd figure that mystery out soon enough, she hoped. Gibbs had given them a week and she wanted to spend a little time being a tourist. She'd never been to Australia.
She folded the note up and stuck it into her pocket, leaning back and glancing over at Abby. Abby had taken the window seat, her dark hair spreading across the wispy clouds like a spider web. Kate reached out and lightly brushed a strand aside, watching Abby's face for signs she was about to wake up.
When Abby's face remained still, Kate took the opportunity to look at her. She'd abandoned most of her jewelry to accommodate the screening process. She looked naked without her bracelets, earrings and collar. Slumped in the airline seat, Kate also noticed how frail Abby looked. It was easy to miss when she was dominating the lab like a queen in her throne room, but here, slumped in the seat and asleep...
Kate reached out and rested her hand on Abby's shoulder, near her neck. She brushed the spider web tattoo with the pad of her finger and smiled at the way the spider seemed to move. "Excuse me, ma'am?"
Kate turned and saw a stewardess leaning towards her. "Yes?"
"Will your friend be awake for lunch?"
Kate glanced at Abby and said, "When will it be served?"
"In about twenty minutes."
"I think we should let her sleep."
The stewardess smiled and said, "Well, I'll hold one of the lunches for her, just in case."
"Thank you," Kate said. The stewardess walked away and Kate slid lower in her seat. The in-flight movie was beginning, but she didn't really like the main actor. From her purse, she pulled the paperback she'd bought in the gift shop and flipped it to the first page.
Halfway through the fifth chapter, they started serving lunch. Kate closed her book and glanced at Abby to see if she was awake. Abby's hands were curled on her lap, the fingers also seeming thin and naked without their many rings. At the moment, they seemed to be dancing; they curled and bent and her hands twitched as she half-consciously formed words in sign language.
Kate watched for a while, seeing if she could decipher any of what she was saying. When the cart arrived, Kate took her lunch and whispered a thank-you to the stewardess. At that moment, Abby woke with a start and blinked at her surroundings, trying to wake up and figure out where exactly she was. "Morning," Kate said.
Abby turned and looked at her, eyes wide and searching. Kate had never seen Abby look so lost, so desperate. "It's okay. We're flying to Australia..."
"To find Mouse," Abby said, signing the words as well as saying them.
"Right," Kate said.
Abby sank back against the seat and covered her face. "How long was I out?"
"Not long," Kate assured her, taking Abby's lunch from the stewardess and passing it to her.
"I feel like I slept for hours."
Kate smiled. "Do you always sign right after you wake up?"
"Yeah," Abby said, sounding embarrassed as she poked at her food. "If I was sleeping really, really soundly. Sometimes I sign in my sleep."
Kate decided not to tell her what she'd seen and pointed at Abby's tray. "Your chicken is getting cold."
"I don't know what this is," Abby said. "But it was never chicken."
Kate laughed.
---
During the seventeen hour flight, Kate shifted uncomfortably, dozing and reading, getting up to stretch her legs more than a couple times. Abby filled her in on all the details of her friendship with Mouse, which took nowhere near long enough to fill the amount of time they had.
At the ten-hour mark, Abby said, "We'll have next to no time to find Mouse."
"We have a week," Kate said.
"Not so," Abby said, holding up a finger. She turned over the in-flight magazine, finding an empty space where she could write. She made seven boxes. "Okay, here we are at the start of our vacation, on the fifth."
"Okay," Kate said.
"In Australia, it's already the sixth. They're fifteen hours ahead of us. So even though I was reading the email at eight this morning, it was already eleven at night in Sydney. Our flight didn't leave until one this afternoon. By the time we arrive, it'll be the next night."
"Okay," Kate said again, a little more hesitant this time.
"So we're arriving late on the sixth. Meaning we'll have already lost two days."
"Right," Kate said. "But we have to be back in Washington on the twelfth. Which means we don't have to leave Australia until... the... thirteenth?" She frowned at the magazine. "Is that right?"
"I don't know," Abby admitted. "I was hoping you did. I hate dealing with time zones."
Kate rolled the magazine and stuffed it into the pocket of the seat in front of her. "We'll deal with it when we deal with it. Besides, we won't be here long. Just long enough to find Mouse, Gibbs-slap him for making you worry and waste our frequent flyer miles and then start sightseeing."
Abby smirked. "Gibbs-slap."
"It's a new word. I'm trying it out," Kate said.
---
Kate leaned across Abby's seat at the latter's insistence, looking down at Sydney Harbor. Since it was night, the bay was just an expanse of black. But the lights of the bridge and opera house more than made up for it. Kate said, "Wow. That's lovely!"
"We totally have to come back here when it's not business," Abby said, leaning back to let Kate have more room. She tried not to look at the way Kate's blouse gapped around her throat, the shadowed bra strap reaching from top to bottom within. She licked her lips and turned to look down at the harbor.
The fasten seatbelts light came on and Kate dropped back into her seat. "I'll be glad to get off this plane."
"I hear ya," Abby said, shifting uncomfortably. "I feel naked without my bling."
Kate snickered and secured her seatbelt, pressing her back against the seat. She hoped finding Mouse was as easy as she was pretending. Abby was willing to drop everything and fly to Australia to find him; Kate could only wonder how hard it would be for her to leave if they failed.
---
They retrieved their luggage from the carousel and went in search of a car rental agency. Abby was sure most of the places on their 'investigation' were within walking distance of their hotel, but Kate wanted to make sure. They finally found a place and signed out a mid-sized sedan, similar to what Kate drove at home. Well, save for the confusion of having the wheel on the opposite side.
She and Abby stowed their luggage in the backseat and Kate rubbed her arms, surprised at how cold it was. When Abby got into the car, Kate said, "Okay, we check in, catch a nap..."
"Definitely," Abby said.
"And head out tomorrow morning." She checked the car's clock and adjusted her own watch. "Six in the morning in America, ten pm here." She sighed and scratched her head. "Okay. Definitely sleep, then exploring in the morning."
"Sounds good."
"Right," Kate said, starting the car and leaning forward to look out the windshield. They could see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and, of course, the famous opera house. "Sydney is so beautiful."
"Right on," Abby nodded, peering out the window.
Kate pulled out of the parking lot. "Left or right?"
"Left," Abby said, digging into her pack and pulling out the directions she'd printed.
Kate shivered as she took the papers, holding them against the steering wheel. "I hope it gets warmer during the day..."
"Why?"
"I'm freezing here!"
Abby paused and looked at her. "Tell me you didn't pack summer clothes."
Kate frowned. "Why... oh, no." She put her hand to her forehead. "Oh, don't tell me..."
Abby reached over and rubbed Kate between her shoulders. "It's okay. We'll get you some warm clothes to wear."
"I can't believe I did something so stupid," Kate said.
Abby snickered, covering her mouth with her hand.
The hotel was a gorgeous, three-story Victorian building. A red awning shadowed the door and thin trees lined the sidewalk on either side of the entrance. They found a parking spot along the street and Abby headed to the lobby to check them both in. Kate took a moment from unloading the luggage, looking up at the balcony over her head. The building was just another beautiful sight in a beautiful town. She was beginning to regret that this wasn't a personal trip.
By the time she got to the lobby with her bags, something had definitely gone awry. Abby was talking loudly to the clerk, who was shrugging apologetically. "What's wrong?" Kate asked.
"Apparently, they only have two economy rooms."
"And...?"
"McGee only reserved one."
The clerk said, "Excuse me, Miss. The economy room does include a bunk bed in addition to the king-sized bed."
Abby turned and glared at her. "Neat. I'll remember to come back the next time I'm twelve and having a sleepover."
"Abby," Kate said. "It's fine. I can sleep on the bunk bed."
Abby pressed her lips together, squinting at Kate.
"It's fine, really. Besides, splitting the cost of one room will help the bank account."
"Okay," Abby said. "But I'll take the bunk bed. You've been put out enough for me this trip."
Kate nodded, eager to get it figured out. Despite the nap on the plane, she was exhausted. She'd been awake for close to twenty-six hours and was starting to feel it. "Okay, sure, that's fine."
Abby finished the dealing and took her bag, leading Kate to the stairs.
---
Kate dumped her suitcase on the top bunk, unbuttoning her blouse as she trudged to the big bed in the middle of the room. Abby put her bag next to Kate's and dropped onto the bottom bunk. Kate took off her blouse and stood in her bra, undoing her belt and checking her watch. "I wonder if I can stay awake long enough for a shower..."
"You can give it a try," Abby said, unlacing her boots. "If I hear a loud thud, I'll come in and wake you up."
Kate smiled and dropped onto the mattress, throwing her arm over her face. "I'll just take one in the morning. Good-night, Abs."
"Night, Kate," Abby said, lying down on her bunk. After a few minutes, Kate was quietly snoring. Abby looked over and saw that her legs were still draped over the edge of the bed, her shoes were still on. She slipped out of her bunk and walked over, untying Kate's shoes and slipping them off. She lifted both of Kate's legs, moving her until she was completely on the mattress, and folded the far end of the blanket over Kate's shoulder.
"Love you, mom," Kate murmured, half-asleep.
Abby smiled and kissed Kate's temple, brushing her hair before getting into her own bed.
II. I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
Kate grumbled and rolled over, pressing her face into the strange-smelling pillow. Her mind raced, trying to remember who she'd gone home with the night before. It hit her all at once - the odd feeling that it was later than it seemed, the peculiar air-freshener in the room. She sat up, blinking at the bright square of sunlight falling on her face. She rolled over and saw Abby's bare back on the bunk next to her bed.
"Right," Kate said softly. "Australia. Sydney. Mouse." She inhaled and threw the covers back and looked down. Sometime during the night, she'd lost her bra. She had done it before, when she fell asleep in her clothes; sometime during the night, she managed to sleep-strip out of her underwear. It was a comfort thing, but it never failed to embarrass her in the morning. She found the errant underwear wadded in the blankets and held the material against her naked chest, moving to the bunks and searching for something to wear.
---
Abby rolled onto her back and stretched, pointing her toes towards the bottom of the bed. She looked to her right, expecting to look out the window. Instead, she saw Kate from the breasts down, standing next to the bed and, apparently, searching in her suitcase. She was wearing a thin sundress, her body backlit by the open window. Abby saw every curve of Kate's body through the material, toned and lean.
Abby licked her lips and shifted, coughing quietly to let Kate know she was awake.
Kate ducked down and saw her. "Hey, morning."
"What time is it?"
"Just after noon," Kate replied. "Too early." She went back to her suitcase, digging around again. "And we definitely have to find something warmer for me to wear. Sundresses will not cut it. I went down to get breakfast and I nearly froze to death."
"How long have you been up?" Abby asked, sitting up and holding the sheet to her breasts.
"About an hour," Kate said. She pulled a pair of cargo pants from her suitcase and moved to her own bed. "Thank you for getting me to bed last night. This morning. My back is very grateful."
Abby said, "No problem." She watched as Kate pulled the cargo pants on under her dress, admiring how much thigh was being revealed. She stood and opened her own suitcase. "What's first today?"
"Get something to eat," Kate said, pulling the dress over her head. Abby glanced over her shoulder and saw Kate's bare back. She looked away again, embarrassed and mortified at the thought of Kate catching her.
She withdrew a sweater and a pair of pants, holding them against her chest. "I'm going to go change and shower."
"Okay," Kate said, still standing topless with her back to the room. Abby glanced once more over her shoulder before she shut the bathroom door.
---
NIS Agent Simon Clifford was in the lobby when they came down for breakfast, standing at the door and lighting a slender cheroot. He was wearing a light-tan suit, his receding red hair cut tight against his head. He turned at the sound of them coming down the stairs and dropped his smoke, smothering it with the tip of his shoe. "Special Agent Todd?"
"Caitlin Todd, yes," Kate said, extending her hand. "This is Abby Sciuto, our forensics genius."
"Miss Sciuto," Clifford said, shaking her hand as well. "I spoke with Special Agent Gibbs this morning, told me a little about what you were planning to do here. Something about a missing friend?"
"His name is George McKenzie," Abby said. "I don't know much about him, except that his online moniker is Mouse. He lives..."
"On Kamboora, yeah," Clifford interrupted. "We know Mouse. Had a few run-ins with him. He's a hacker, you know."
Abby glanced at Kate. "Yeah. He's... helped us on a few cases. We're a little concerned about him, that's all."
"Yeah, okay," Clifford said. "You need help, give us a call and I'll send you whoever I can spare. I don't want to find you two ladies have been up to anything illegal."
Kate smiled and said, "We'll be on our best behavior, Agent Clifford."
"I reckon you will, Agent Todd." He nodded to them both and said, "Welcome to Australia." He waved to the desk clerk and headed out into the sun, pulling another cheroot from his coat pocket as he crossed the street.
The clerk leaned across the front desk, smiling at them. She waved them over and said, "You ladies have plans for dining?"
"None to speak of," Abby said.
The clerk pointed through the door. "Go out, to the right and down three blocks. Little place called Pearl's. Best seafood you'll have in years, trust me."
Kate thanked the clerk and they stepped out into the sun, Kate shivering slightly. "Oh, it shouldn't be this cold when the sun is shining that bright."
"Kate... do you mind if we skip lunch? I'm... just really eager to get out there and find Mouse."
"Not at all," Kate said. "Seafood would only make me nauseated right now anyway. Do you have Mouse's address?" Abby held up a slip of paper and Kate gestured at their rental car. "Lead the way, Miss Sciuto."
---
Mouse's small yellow apartment building was hiding between two taller structures, the front door hidden on the other side of a small overgrown courtyard. Kate parked in front of the building, checking the address Abby had written for her and led the way up the walk. "Let me do the talking," Kate said, turning to see Abby was investigating the empty fountain.
"Yeah," Abby nodded. "Sure. Okay." She gave double thumbs-up and followed Kate into the building.
The lobby betrayed the apartment building's former existence as a hotel. They crossed the wide room to the front desk, where a man was shuffling a deck of cards. The weekly and monthly room rates, written neatly in magic marker, hung from the front of the desk. The clerk looked up as they approached and put his cards away, leaning forward. "Something I can help you ladies with?"
"We're looking for a George McKenzie."
"Room 18," the clerk said. "Top of the stairs, to the left, fourth room on your right."
"Is there a key?"
The clerk pulled a key off the hook and tossed it to them. Kate caught it and looked at Abby, shocked that it was so easy. Rather than press their luck, they started for the stairs and he called, "He ain't there, though."
Kate returned to the counter. "When was the last time you saw him?"
The clerk shrugged, pulling his cards back in front of him. Kate and Abby glanced at each other and Abby dug into her pocket. She turned her back to the counter and handed Kate a twenty. Kate held it up and said, "This help your memory?"
"American," the clerk said, taking it and turning it over. "About three or four days ago." He paused and then shook his head. "No, I take it back. Saw him last night, actually. He came in, had something for me to fax." He looked down at the money. "To America, in fact. You the ladies he sent all them ones and zeroes to?"
"He didn't tell you what the fax was about?"
"Nah. Paid me nicely to send it, too. But I ain't seen him since. He in trouble?"
Abby pushed forward and held her hand out. The clerk stared at it and Abby said, "You want to know or not?"
The clerk pursed his lips and stuck the twenty into his shirt pocket. "I can live with mystery."
Kate and Abby thanked him and headed for the stairs again. When they were out of earshot, Kate said, "Nice try with the money."
"Eh, I gave it a shot," Abby said.
They found Mouse's room and unlocked the door, stepping into the apartment. The shades were drawn, casting a sick yellow-brown glow over the room. The apartment was split into three rooms; an open kitchen to their right and a bedroom hidden behind a privacy screen to the left.
The main room was cluttered with computer parts that Kate couldn't even begin to identify. Every flat surface seemed to be commandeered by a half-dozen devices, all of them blinking silently in the near-dark. The floor was a snakes-den of wires, surge-protectors and extension cords. The wall opposite the balcony was occupied by a huge world map. Kate walked over and scanned the push-pins marking the board.
Near Washington, D.C., the pin was labeled "Abby Sciuto, Vamperstein, NCIS." Various other marks had other names, some with mundane occupations - librarian, file clerk, video store clerk - and others with more important positions - senator's aide, talent agent... She blinked in surprise at one mark near Vancouver, British Columbia. "Abby."
Abby walked over and Kate pointed out the pin. "Wow. Love him."
"Maybe when we find Mouse you can ask if he can get you an autograph."
Abby smiled and turned around, scanning the apartment. "There doesn't seem to be any foul play."
"How can you tell?"
Abby shrugged. "That's just what they say on all those shows. But look..." She walked over and lightly pushed on a stack of... big blocky machines Kate couldn't hope to identify. They swayed dramatically to the side, stopping only when Abby stopped them herself. "You think there could've been a struggle in here."
"No," Kate said. "If an intruder tried, they'd probably get tripped up on all these cords."
Abby pushed the privacy screen aside and stepped into the dark and rank bedroom. "Ugh. Well. We've confirmed Mouse is definitely male."
Kate stayed behind, picking up one of the manuals on the coffee table. It was an RPG guide, complete with statistics and folded maps that had been drawn by hand. Apparently, not all his time online was spent emailing foreigners. She put the book down on top of a stack of identical ones and turned to examine the stack of papers on one side of the couch. Mostly bills, past-due statements and junk mail. There were a few flyers for upcoming community events and an envelope that had apparently held a personal letter. She searched the surrounding area for the note and found nothing. "Abby, see if you can find anything like a letter or a note from someone in there."
"Come here," Abby said.
Kate stepped into the bedroom, wincing at the smell. "This is what I always imaging Tony's room smelling like," she grumbled, moving to where Abby was. She'd found a lamp, lighting a small portion of the disaster area. There was a map of Sydney on the wall and someone had marked one portion with red ink. "Friday, 1A, here here here," Abby read. "Any idea what that means?"
"Friday." She tried to do the time zone math in her head. "That would be the day after you got the fax. The 1A is most likely one in the morning... This morning."
Abby bit her bottom lip and looked down at the bookshelf that was leaning against the wall. "The part of the map that's marked is on Druitt Street." She shuffled through the papers and found a computer print-out. "8 Druitt Street. One in the morning. AL, NM, SC."
"Nice," Kate said, taking the print-out and reading it herself. "You ever think of leaving the lab, getting out in the field?"
"Never," Abby said without hesitation. "Gibbs would make me wear regular clothes if I went out on the scene. Never happen."
Kate picked up the photo of Mouse and said, "Okay. Why don't we see what 8 Druitt Street has to offer?"
---
8 Druitt Street turned out to be a small pub called Darts. Three windows flanking the front door provided the majority of the light for the main room, the raised back area lit by green-capped sconces. They made their way through the bar area, heading to the back and picked a booth where they could survey most of the bar.
"So, this is where Mouse met someone this morning," Kate said. She withdrew the photograph they'd taken from the apartment. It showed a dangerously thin young man with black-rimmed glasses standing next to the apartment building, smiling into the camera.
A waitress approached and said, "Afternoon to you, ladies, what will you have?"
Abby said, "You still want breakfast, Kate?"
"We serve breakfast all day here," the waitress said, smiling.
"Scrambled eggs," Kate said. "Bacon, some... hash browns. Abby?"
"Sounds good," Abby said. When the waitress left, Abby scanned the restaurant area. "Where do you think they sat?"
Kate shook her head. "Don't have a clue. We don't even know he met anyone here, Abby. Did you see those role-playing books?"
"What about them?"
"No offense... but we're not sure he was playing with a full deck. The initials on that paper could have been characters in his game."
Abby rolled her eyes. "Kate, playing an RPG doesn't automatically make you a bad person. You can learn valuable skills from them. Remember that guy who was killed not long after you joined NCIS? He played on that online game, the Immortals?"
"Yeah, I remember. Seaman... Mac... MacDonald, right?"
"Right!" Abby said. "You get a gold star! Anyway, I played a little of it to get a feel for the game. It's really challenging. Helps you hand-eye coordination, teaches you strategy..."
"I read MacDonald's character diary, Abs. He was living the majority of his life as a fictional character. I mean, he died trying to prove he was immortal."
Abby pressed her lips together. "Okay, that was maybe a bad example. My point is, you can't just group together every RPG player in the world as an insane psychopath, ready to snap. It would be like saying every single government agent is like Gibbs or Fornell."
"Point taken," Kate said.
The food arrived and Kate pulled out Mouse's photo. "Excuse me," she said to the waitress. "Would you happen to know this man? He was probably in here this morning, around one?"
She looked at the photo, pulling her head back to get a clear look. "No, doesn't look at all familiar. He do something wrong?"
"Not that we know of. Thank you."
The waitress nodded and left the check before hurrying off. Abby reached out and grabbed the check, sliding it across the table to herself. "I'll take this," she said, waving a handful of Australian bills. "I managed to get some changed this morning."
Kate raised her fork in thanks and said, "I'll have to let you drag me across the world more often."
Abby smiled.
---
He swept his bread across the plate, soaking up the remainder of his gravy. He was shoving the wet mass into his mouth when the waitress returned, moving behind the bar and hesitating in front of him. "Hey," she whispered. He barely raised his eyes. The dizzy broad had been trying to hook up with him for weeks, since he started coming to Darts. He found it easier just to ignore her. "Hey, Bert!" she said again.
"What do you want?" he grumbled.
"See those two ladies up there?" she whispered. He turned, following her finger to one of the back booths. An attractive brunette was sitting with a younger woman, maybe her sister. The younger girl was dressed like a Goth, her hair in ponytails. He shrugged and turned back around.
"Yeah, I see 'em. Lemme alone."
"They got a picture. Picture of that fella you and those other fellas walked outta here this morning."
He looked up, raising an eyebrow. "You don't say." He looked over his shoulder again. "Any clue who they are?"
She shrugged. "Dunno. Americans, I know that much."
He pushed his plate away, dropping a handful of bills next to the plate. "Thanks for the information, love. Keep the change." He looked back at the women as he hurried from the bar.
III. Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.
He was sitting in his car, smoking a cigarette as he watched the front door of Darts. The two women had been inside almost an hour now, probably asking all over about that damn Mouse kid. Damned trouble-maker, that's what he was. Sticking his nose where it didn't belong. He rolled down his window and spit onto the sidewalk, sniffing loudly as he checked his watch.
He'd called the others and, naturally, they'd both known about the federal agents arriving from America. Feds! Nate had told him not to worry, to keep a cool head. Easy for them to say, sitting all nice and comfy and safe. He was the one in danger, the one exposed. He checked his watch, prepared to go back into the bar and face the waitress' advances when the women stepped onto the sidewalk.
---
"That was a bust," Abby said, looking down the street.
Kate shrugged. "Maybe not. We know that no one recognized Mouse from the photo. Maybe he wasn't here."
"Or maybe none of the people we asked were here at one this morning!" Abby said. She rubbed her forehead and said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't snap at you."
"It's all right," Kate said, reaching over and stroking Abby's hair. "You're under a lot of stress."
Abby sighed, pressing her head against Kate's caress. "Okay. Any ideas for our next stop?"
"As much as I hate to say it, back to Mouse's apartment. There might be something we missed; with that mess, it's almost a certainty."
"Once more into the breach," Abby groaned.
"You said it."
---
"It was a medieval role-playing game," Kate said from the couch. "George McKenzie, a.k.a. Mouse, was known in the game as Cleric Abner Graham."
"Abner?" Abby said. "Geez."
"Seemed like a pretty routine existence. He ran a scam here and there, from what I can tell. But mostly on brigands and thieves."
Abby returned from the bedroom and put down a handful of files. "Guy was crazy organized. Journal entries, log books, all that jazz." She looked at the book Kate was flipping through and said, "Ah, he was resurrected. Because before Cleric Abner, he was Dauphin."
"Kind of a downgrade," Kate said, looking over Abby's shoulder at the files.
Abby tried not to be distracted by Kate's face hovering so over her shoulder. She cleared her throat and pointed. "He was killed protecting the king from an assassination attempt. His 'spirit,'" she made air-quotes with her fingers, "petitioned the king for a resurrection. Since his death was a result of protecting him, the king agreed."
"Was he forced to be a cleric?"
"No," Abby said. She pointed to a later entry and read aloud. "'I have chosen to re-enter the world as a lowly cleric. My life shall be far less strenuous, I pray, now that I no longer am forced to bear the...' Blah, blah, blah. He goes on."
There was a knock on the door and, before they could answer, the apartment manager stepped inside. "Hello, ladies! Anything I can help you with?"
"No, we're fine," Kate said, standing. "Aren't we? If you need us to leave..."
"No, no, no, nothing like that." He ducked down into a crouch and pressed a finger to his lips.
"Is... everything all right?"
He waved both hands and motioned her forward. Kate stepped around the coffee table and bent down. He whispered in her ear, his breath hot against her cheek. "I don't wanna alarm ya, but a man showed up after you came back. He followed ya into the lobby and sat there for a long time and then he went back out to his car. He's still out there in a yellow Volkswagen, watching that window," he pointed over her shoulder. "I think he's waiting for you to leave. Just thought you'd wanna know."
Kate nodded. "Thank you."
He smiled to them both and rose to his full height, patting his stomach. "Well. If there's nothing else I can help ya with, I'll be going."
"Thank you," Kate said again, louder.
He smiled and winked at them both, slipping out of the apartment. Abby stood and went to the window, staying against the wall as she looked outside. "I don't see anyone," she said softly.
"Still," Kate said. "We can't be too careful."
"You have a plan?" Abby said.
---
Bert put down his cigarette when the Goth came from the building. He was ready to start following them again when the brunette exited... and went in the opposite direction. He watched her in the mirror and then turned back to the Goth. She was almost out of sight. He slapped his palm against the steering wheel, trying to figure out which one to follow.
The brunette would be too hard to keep track of. She could disappear into a crowd with ease. The Goth, on the other hand... He started the car and pulled away from the curb.
---
Kate sat in the outdoor café area of Pearl's, the seafood place suggested by their hotel clerk. She sipped her coffee, watching the street for signs of either Abby or the mysterious man in the yellow Volkswagen to pass by. She and Abby had gotten the directions from Mouse's landlord on their way out of the building, separating to throw off their tracker.
After ten minutes, Kate started to get worried that he had chosen to go after Abby instead. She pulled out her cell phone, dialing Abby's number and leaving a few dollars on the table to pay for her drink.
"Abby Sciuto."
"Abby," Kate said. "I think he came after you." She stopped and looked down the street in both directions. No sign of the yellow bug.
"No doubt about it," Abby said.
Kate started to jog. "Where are you?"
"I'm..."
There was a rustling sound and then a deep male voice said, "Hello, precious. Where might you be?"
Kate froze. "Who is this?"
"A friend by association. Tell me where you are. I'll have my associate pick you up and then we'll see you out of the country as soon as possible."
"I can't do that."
"You're not here on an official investigation. Otherwise, you'd've brought guns with you. I didn't see any weapons on ya and your hotel room was clean."
Kate shuddered at the idea of the guy being in her hotel room. "Where are you?"
"Doesn't work that way, precious. I have your friend. I make the deals."
Kate hesitated and then looked up at the street post. "I'm on the corner of Deacon Street."
"Stay there. You'll be reunited with Ms. Sciuto in no time."
She hung up, already kicking herself for giving in. She paced for a moment and then dialed the number she had looked up that morning. When the receptionist answered, she said, "Agent Clifford, please."
---
Fifteen minutes later, a blonde beach bum walked up to Kate and gripped her arm just above the elbow. "Watch it," she said, trying to pull away from him.
He tightened his grip and leaned in. "Now, now. Wouldn't want to do anything to get Ms. Sciuto hurt, now would we?"
Kate stopped resisting and let him lead her down the sidewalk. "Where are we going?"
"Down the street." He was scanning all the cars parked along the street.
"Is Abby hurt?"
"The Goth is fine." He laughed and said, "They let federal agents dress like that in America?"
Kate remained close-mouthed. He guided her to a minivan and pulled the back door open. "In," he said, shoving her forward. She stumbled and her shoulder hit the edge of the door, sending a shock of pain down her arm. He grabbed a handful of her shirt and lifted, tossing her onto the floor. "In," he said again. She pulled her feet back just as the door was slammed shut.
She clambered into the seat, rubbing her hurt shoulder as she glared into the front seat. The man in the passenger seat was holding a gun on her. She was surprised that she was surprised, considering the way their luck usually ran. She smiled and waved at him. "Hello, Agent Clifford."
"I appreciated the heads-up, love," he said as his partner got behind the wheel. "But as you can see... it really wasn't necessary."
---
As they drove, Kate stared at the driver until she realized where she knew him from. "You were in Darts earlier, weren't you?" He glanced at Clifford, but said nothing. Kate thought for a moment and said, "SC... Simon Clifford. So that makes you either AL or NM."
The driver said nothing.
Kate sagged against the seat, watching the scenery through the window. They weren't very far from their hotel. If they could get away from these jokers, it wouldn't be that hard to get back to familiar territory.
"You should've blindfolded her, Bert," Clifford muttered.
"Yeah, blindfoldin' a Sheila in broad daylight. I'll let you handle that one, Mr. NIS."
Clifford sighed and looked out the window.
"Bert," Kate said. "Albert L., I take it?"
"Damn it, Clifford," Bert growled.
"You best watch yourself, sweetheart," Clifford said. "The more you know, the more we have to lose by letting you go."
Kate smirked. "You don't honestly think I believe you? What, you just abduct me off the street, drop me and Abby off at the airport and send us on our way?"
"Didn't say nothin' about Ms. Sciuto leaving with you."
Kate tensed. "What?"
"Insurance, love," Bert said. "You go back to America, we wait to make sure everything stays nice and quiet, then we send your friend to join you."
"How long with that be?"
"Until we feel safe."
"I'm not going to let you hold her hostage."
Clifford turned in his seat. "All right then. We'll hold you. Send Miss Abby back to the States. Will that work for you?"
Kate seethed, but decided she didn't have many options at the moment. "Fine," she said. "So long as Abby's safe."
Clifford turned in his seat and smirked through the glass. "Yeah. Figures you'd say that."
---
IV. Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Nathaniel Moore sat across from Abby, staring at her. "Quite a sacrifice you're making," he said. "Stayin' here with us, just so your friend can go back to the States. It's, uh... what's the word I'm looking for here?"
"Noble?" Abby offered.
"Yeah," Nathaniel nodded. "Noble. I like that. It's noble. I'm sure once the two of you are reunited, you'll have a nice long bonding session about it."
Abby sneered at the man.
---
Bert parked the car outside of a warehouse, getting out to unlock the garage door. Kate said, "So, you, this Bert guy and someone else with the initials NM had a meeting at Darts at one o'clock this morning. Somehow, Mouse found out about it."
"McKenzie was a troublemaker." He turned in his seat. "You know what happens when mice poke their noses into shadowy corners? They get snapped in two."
Kate shifted uncomfortably as Bert got back into the car. They pulled into the warehouse, parking next to another, identical van. Clifford got out of his side, pulling the side door open and motioning for Kate to get out. "Come on. Haven't got all day."
Kate stayed where she was. "We didn't turn."
"Turn?" Bert asked. "What's she talking about?"
"We were driving here the entire time. And you didn't call anyone to tell them plans had changed."
Clifford pursed his lips, drumming his fingers on the door. "You're really trying my patience, Special Agent Todd."
Kate stood and climbed from the van, staring him down. "Where's Abby?"
Clifford sighed and pulled a phone from his pocket. Dialing a number, he turned his back to Kate and said, "Bring her in. Yeah. Yeah." He snapped the phone shut and then glared at Bert. "Tie her up. Handcuff her, do something, you useless dropkick."
Bert grumbled and pushed on Kate's sore shoulder, turning her around. He groped for her wrist and pulled it back, pressing it against the small of her back. "Maybe you 'n' me will get some alone time later. You like that, Yank?"
Kate resisted the urge to slam her head back into the man's face.
"Your friend's been alone with good ol' Nate for a long time," he said, fastening a handcuff around her wrist. "You think he ain't sampled the goods?"
This time, Kate let the urge take over.
---
Abby turned in the seat, her arms nearly folded behind her, as she watched Kate slide across the floor. The tall, ugly guy - she thought they'd called him Bert, stormed in behind her, wiping blood from his lip as he stalked towards her. Clifford, the NIS guy, came running in behind him and stopped him from planting his boot on Kate's face. "You son of a bitch!" Abby said.
Kate rolled onto her side and looked at Abby. "Are you okay?"
"For the time being," Abby said. "You?"
Kate nodded. Clifford hoisted her to her feet and shoved her towards the chairs. "Sit," he growled.
Kate took a seat and Nate produced another pair of handcuffs. He knelt behind Kate's chair and secured her wrists as she looked over at Abby. "So, he grabbed you off the street?"
"Yeah," Abby muttered, glaring at Clifford.
Nate grabbed the back of Kate's chair and pulled her away. "Hey!" she said, kicking as he tilted her backwards.
"Ease up," he said. He turned the chair until she and Abby were back to back. "Hey, Simon. You got any more cuffs?"
Clifford pulled a pair from his belt and tossed it across the room.
Abby smirked. "God, what are you guys, handcuff smugglers?"
"Shut it," Bert growled.
"No, seriously," Abby said. "They've got, like, a hundred pairs of handcuffs."
Nate ignored her, cuffing her wrists to Kate's. He stood, brushing his hands on his thighs and nodded to Clifford. "They'll hold for now."
"Good. Now, you ladies sit tight. We'll come back and let you go, just like we promised. But we wanna make sure you don't throw a wrench into our plans." He winked and motioned for Bert and Nate to leave. When they had left, he walked over and knelt next to their chairs. "George McKenzie. Your friend. Eh..."
"Mouse," Abby said softly.
"Right. He was a trouble-maker. A law-breaker."
"Heart-breaker, love-taker," Abby sang under her breath.
Clifford glared at her. "He found out a little too much about what we were doing. Tried to stop us. He was a criminal, trying to make a, a citizen's arrest. It's why you two are getting off easy. You're cops. It's your job to keep people safe from fellows like me. So. Sit tight. You won't be harmed."
He stood and walked to the door. Just before he left, Abby said, "Mouse is dead, isn't he?"
"Mouse got into things he shouldn't have ought to," Clifford said. He shut the door, leaving them alone in the large room.
Kate looked over her shoulder, groping for and finding Abby's hand. "Hey. It'll be all right."
Abby bowed her head. "He was a great person, Kate. I know people say you can't really know anyone over the Internet, but... I knew him. We were friends, Kate."
"I know," Kate said. "You don't fly to Australia for someone you don't care about."
"You did," Abby scoffed.
"I didn't come along for Mouse. I did it for you."
Abby smiled and squeezed Kate's hand back. After a few seconds of silence, Kate tested the cuffs and said, "He wrapped them around the rungs of the chair. So unless you want to walk back-to-back with a pair of chairs between us..."
Beyond the wall, they heard Nate, Bert and Clifford loading something into the back of the van. "Any idea what they're doing out there?" Kate asked.
"It has to do with drugs, I know that much. Nate shot up with something while I was here; took the edge off real quick."
"Doesn't mean they're smuggling drugs," Kate said. "Nate might just be an addict."
"Right," Abby said. "Do you really think they'll let us go?"
Kate shook her head. "Doubtful."
"So what are we going to do?"
"Wait."
"For?"
The warehouse doors lumbered open and the van's engine roared to life. Kate smiled and said, "Hopefully... this."
The van's engine roared as it pulled out of the warehouse... and the air was suddenly filled with the sound of sirens. There was a squeal of tires, two gunshots rang out and then everything was silent. Abby was whipping her head from side to side, hitting Kate with her pigtails, trying to make sense of the commotion. "What's happening? What's going on?"
The door Clifford had just disappeared through opened again and a man in SWAT gear approached them. "Special Agent Todd?" he asked.
"Yes, and this is Abby Sciuto."
He knelt next to the chair and said, "Agent Russell Crowe, NIS."
"Russell Crowe?" Abby said.
"Not him," the black agent said. "Never met him, don't even like the bastard." He released their cuffs and smiled at Abby. "But if you ladies ever have any Russell Crowe fantasies to live out, by all means, give me a ring."
They both smiled and got out of the chairs, Abby massaging her back. "How did you...?"
"After I called you, I called NIS headquarters and gave them a head's-up. I asked to be put through to Agent Clifford, but they told me he was in the field. So I spoke to Agent Crowe here, who informed me that Clifford was under investigation. I left my cell phone on speaker and stuck it between the cushions of the seat."
"We heard everything in the car. Might be needing you ladies to testify when it comes to trial."
"Gladly," Abby said.
They followed Crowe from the room to where the rest of his team was arrested Clifford's team. Abby waved hello to them as they walked by, leaving the warehouse and stepping into the sun. "Wait right here, ladies," Crowe said, moving off to speak to someone else.
When they were alone, Abby turned to Kate and embraced her, holding her tightly. "Mouse is dead," she said softly.
Kate held her. "I know." She stroked Abby's hair, holding her until she was ready to stand on her own.
---
After wasting a day filling out affidavits, giving their statements and basically reiterating the entire ordeal bit by bit, Kate and Abby went to Mouse's apartment. Abby went online and used Mouse's address book to contact all of his online friends and let them know of his passing. Kate stayed in the living room, sorting through his paper correspondence. She found an unmailed manila envelope addressed to Abby Sciuto, c/o NCIS.
She carried the package into the bedroom and said, "Abby?"
She turned in the chair and took the envelope from Kate. She frowned at the Sharpie-written letters and said, "Thank you." Kate left her alone to open the package.
She slid out a handful of CDs and a short, hand-written note.
"Vamperstein! Your absence on the message boards is brutal! But I know it's because you and your friends are out making the world safe for hackers like me. *big goofy grin* I downloaded a couple of wicked vids for you, those bands I was telling you about? I got a couple of their concerts bootlegged. It's a beauty! Really miss you, Abs. What's it gonna take to get you down to Oz? Love ya lots, Mouse."
Abby gathered up the stuff and carried it back into the living room. She dropped onto the couch next to Kate and looked down at it. "I really want to cry. But... I don't cry."
"Never?" Kate asked.
Abby shook her head.
Kate moved closer, putting her arm around Abby. "Tell me about Mouse."
"What do you mean?"
"How did you meet?"
Abby smiled. "Well, I told you about him following me into the NCIS computers, right?" Kate nodded. "After a while, it became a game. He'd hack into my computer, I'd hack into his. We never, like, hurt each other's stuff. We just left marks that we'd been there."
Abby continued regaling Kate with stories of her friendship with Mouse. The night slowly darkened the apartment window. Abby laughed instead of cried.
---
Their last night in Australia, Kate rolled over and felt something next to her in the bed. She opened her eyes and saw the outline of Abby's body in the shadows. Kate wrapped her arm around her, wondering when she'd moved from the bunk bed, and pulled her close. Abby shifted on the mattress, pressing her face against Kate's shoulder. "The coffin," Abby said. "The funeral gown, all of it. Do you know why I do it?"
"No," Kate said.
"Death scares the hell out of me. I want to mock it. I want to show it that coffins and funerals are just ceremonies. Screw 'em, you know." She tightened her grip on Kate. "I've been sleeping in a bunk bed for a week. Do you think it still knows I'm not scared?"
Kate smiled and said, "I think you scared it off for a good long time."
"We're not making any sense," Abby chuckled.
"I know," Kate said, brushing Abby's hair. "But if two friends can't not make sense on vacation in Australia, then what hope is there?" Abby lifted her head and Kate laughed. "No, I don't know what I just said, either. It's late, Abby."
Abby smiled. "Yeah. Good night, Kate. Thank you for being here for me."
"There's no place else I'd rather be."
Kate smiled and stroked Abby's shoulder as she looked out the window at the moon. Tomorrow they'd go home, be federal agents, sleep in different beds in different houses in different neighborhoods.
For now, though, they could sleep together under the Australian moon.