THE
DAY
AFTER "SCULLY'S SCOOBY-GANG" RESCUED SENATOR McMURPHY &
JENNY
LERNER
THE
WORLD-FAMOUS FBI CRIME LAB
THE J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING, WASHINGTON
D.C.
Dana was
seated in what was more or less a dentist chair. It was
comfortable... in a chilly, antiseptic, clinical sort of way...
but the
associations with dental ordeals past—not to mention the time
the
maniac with the icepick had almost
given
her
a trans-orbital lobotomy—were ominous. The
glaring spotlight on its articulated arm didn't help. Yes,
FBI Special Agent and veteran of the X-Files Dana Scully was
nervous. At least Gracie
and Veronica are
here for moral
support, she thought,
which definitely helps.
A
female forensic scientist was off to one side, pulling tools and
equipment from various cabinets. Her name was Abby
Sciuto, and she was actually from NCIS headquarters, rather than
the
Crime Lab. She'd been visiting the Hoover Building for a
technical symposium and had agreed to give them a hand.
Gracie was dubious. With her tattooed neck, leather
collar, and
"schoolgirl uniform" attire, Abby was eccentric, to say the
least; however, the obvious respect with which she was treated
by
the Crime Lab's scientists and technicians spoke volumes.
"Seriously," Gracie whispered, "she's a forensic scientist?"
Dana smiled and nodded. "I know her by reputation, and
you're the last person
who should be
complaining
about people being unconventional."
Veronica giggled, and Gracie favored the rookie with a fierce stare—then cleared
her
throat and took a step back
Abby was carrying over a tray laden with a mix of medical
instruments and standard hardware tools. "Are you sure you
want it removed?" she asked Scully. "I think it's
cute."
She set the tray on a nearby rolling table. "And it was
locked around your neck by a beautiful, female, international
criminal
in a
black leather catsuit and mask? That's sooo cool!"
"You're kidding, right?" Gracie muttered, and Veronica giggled,
again.
"I've got a friend, an NCIS Agent who writes crime novels," Abby
continued, still focused on Dana's amused (but worried)
face. "I
should get you two together and—"
Gracie cleared her throat, again, this time quite a bit louder.
Veronica giggled, again, and this time Abby joined her.
"I'm just saying," Abby said, composing herself,
"it's cute." She snapped on a pair of latex gloves,
settled the
headband of a high-powered magnifier over her head, then
selected a
blunt
probe from the tray. "And it's indestructible?" She
lowered
the lenses over her eyes and leaned close. "Sooo cool!"
"She said it's a titanium alloy," Dana huffed, "and that the
locking
pin
can't be removed."
"Try and hold your head perfectly still," Abby said softly, then
reached up
and
pulled the light closer.
Veronica bit her lower lip. "Don't be scared," she
whispered, and
took Dana's hand.
Dana and Gracie locked eyes—and smiled.
"She's cute when she gets all protective like that," Gracie
purred,
"isn't she?"
"Shuddup," Veronica muttered, blushing furiously, but she didn't
let go
of Dana's hand.
There was a click... and Abby removed the collar.
"That's it?" Dana gasped, blinking in surprise.
"That's it," Abby answered. "The pin was
spring-loaded. All
I had to do was depress the end and it sprung right out."
"That absolute bitch!" Gracie growled.
"More of Bondarella's misdirection," Dana sighed.
"Here ya go," Abby said, handing the collar and pin to Dana.
"Well... that was a disappointment," Veronica said, a coy smile
curling her lips.
Dana focused on the grinning little blonde... and smiled.
"Grab
her
and hold her still," she told Gracie. "Let's see how she likes wearing this
thing."
Veronica edged towards the door. "Uh... gotta go!" she
said, and
lunged for the safety of the bustling corridor.
Gracie made a half-hearted attempt to block her exit, but let
her
escape.
Abby giggled, then pointed at the pin. "See that flange on
the
side?" she told Scully. "That's what makes it seem to
lock. Just use firm pressure and push something into the
end,
like a small Allen
wrench, until you feel it click. Then, let it go and
the pin'll pop out far enough for you to grab the end."
"Thanks," Dana said. "Let me know how I can return the
favor."
"Ooo!" Abby gasped, "will ya let me read the file on all this?"
"Okay," Dana grinned. "I'll send a copy to NCIS, attention
Abby
Sciuto—but don't show it to your novelist friend, okay?"
"Mum's the word," Abby agreed, then grew thoughtful. "I will show it to Ziva—I
know she'll
be interested." Her smile returned. "But don't
worry.
She can keep a secret."
"Who the hell is 'Ziva"?" Gracie asked.
"You guys would love Ziva,"
Abby
gushed. "She's a beautiful, Mossad
amazon-warrior-princess!"
"Uh... okay," Gracie said, then glanced at her watch and gave
Dana a
significant look.
"Thanks again," Dana said, shaking Abby's hand.
"A pleasure," Abby responded, then carried the tray of tools
back to
the cabinets and began putting them away. "Sooo cool," she
whispered under her breath.
Scully turned and headed for the door with Gracie in tow.
"It is kinda pretty,"
Gracie
purred, nodding at the collar in Dana's hand, "in an ethnic
statement
sorta way."
"Shuddup," Dana chuckled... but she had to admit the choker was a pretty piece of
jewelry. Maybe she'd keep it for a while, rather than add
it to
the evidence inventory... for further study, of course.
