Tuesday night

By the time McGee and Abby had the microphone and video bugs planted on Carly's things, the team was amazed at the transformation she underwent. She was wearing hip-hugging jeans with a purple t-shirt and her hair was up in a high pony tail. She told them she would fix her hair in the dressing room at the Pub. Her necklace was a silver chain with a black onyx stone hanging from it and was rigged to be both audio and visual windows into the bar. Once she put her swimsuit on, the bug would be in the clasp for her hair. She had a new purse with a fake driver's license and military ID. Everything was set.

Gibbs didn't want to send her in alone, but knew he didn't have any other choice. He kept watching her go over the notes about the women that were missing. He knew she realized she fit the profile, just as Ducky had pointed out to him before meeting with the team this morning. Her dark hair and body type eerily matched the three missing women. Even with the so-called normal clothes and hairstyle, the most noticeable change in her was her walk. Gone was the slow, loose-hipped walk that she didn't even seem to realize was a turn-on to most males. In its place was the straight-backed, stiff walk of a well-trained Marine. Seeing this made Gibbs realize why her former boss in LA allowed her to go undercover. She was almost chameleon-like, able to master the act without practice.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The surveillance van was parked one street over from Mickey's Pub when Carly pushed open the door and walked up to the bar.

"What can I get you to drink?" The bartender asked, putting glasses back on the shelf.

Smiling at his like a new friend, Carly ordered a beer. After she paid for it, she looked around the pub. Noticing the sign for the contest, she motioned for the bartender.

"Yes?" He asked when he reached her place at the bar.

"The contest on the poster," Carly started, nodding at said poster, "does the winner really get $500 bucks tonight?"

"Yep, that's tonight's prize. Sunday's was $200. It all depends on the crowd."

"Is it too late to sign up?"

"No, ma'am. All you have to do is put your name on the list and put on your swimsuit."

"Swimsuit?" Carly echoed as though she hadn't been expecting that condition.

"Too afraid of walking in front of this crowd, little lady?" The bartender asked. With a cocky smile, she answered, "Not a bit. Lucky for me I went swimming earlier today." She signed her name on the form and he pointed to the dressing room in back. She walked in to change feeling at least one person watching her progress across the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Man, I am so glad those Marine b*tches aren't here tonight. What is it with the guys in the bar liking them ‘cause they're military?" One woman asked.

"I don't know. I heard they were missing though and the last place they were seen was here." another answered.

Looking in the mirror, they adjusted their tops and walked out to get ready to go onstage. Carly stepped out of the stall in the small room and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn't believe she was wearing this suit. It was blood red and barely covered anything. It certainly didn't hide two of her favorite tattoos. Forgetting about the video feed in her hair clip, she turned around to view the back. Satisfied that everything was covered as much as it could be, she walked out the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gibbs almost dropped his coffee when he got a full view of the bikini Carly was wearing. She had assured him it was decent but would put her near the winner's circle if she didn't win. The top consisted of two triangles held up by impossibly small strings. The bottom, he wasn't sure what style it was supposed to be. Triangles were the theme it looked like. One in the front and one in back again held on and together with those tiny strings. One tug from an overzealous drunk and it would fall right off. But the swimsuit itself wasn't as shocking as the two tattoos she had revealed. One was a four leaf clover in green on her shoulder blade. It was hidden at work with the shirts she wore and even the night he delivered her car, it wasn't noticeable. Also not noticeable were the three fairies on the small of her back. They were laying side-by-side imitating the see/hear/speak no evil pose. This was no black and white tattoo. It was full color. The first fairy was a purple, the second was blue and the third was red.

"Wow. That's the one she tried to describe to me." Abby said staring at the screen. "It's beautiful work."

"Nice art." McGee chimed in.

Gibbs snapped out of his trance when the door closed behind Carly, cutting of the mirrored image of her tattoo.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As she walked through the crowd making her way to the stage, Carly felt several hands on her bottom. Gritting her teeth, she kept going. If she stopped and made a big deal out of it, she would get no where. Out the corner of her eye, she spotted Mickey Delacroix in a deep conversation with one of his security guards. He looked up when the red of her suit caught his eye. She watched covertly while he looked at the emcee for the competition and nodded in her direction. She wondered what they were up too as she took her place on the stage.

All the women walked around as their names were called and strutted their stuff for the crowd. Carly's suit and tats got a big pop from the crowd and at the end of the competition, she was named the winner and given the $500 in cash. Mickey walked up to her and invited her into his office for a celebratory drink. After a moment's hesitation, Carly smiled and agreed.

Closing the door behind them, Mickey motioned for Carly to sit down. He poured her a drink, which she accepted and sipped at it. She looked up in time to catch his smile as the world went black and she passed out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The video feed showed that Carly had collapsed. Gibbs and Tony were about to jump out the van when they heard Mickey talking to someone.

"This one was easy. We gotta get her out of here before anyone notices." The guard said as he came into view. It was one of the same guards that had blocked Gibbs and his team yesterday.

"She'll bring a fine price in." Mickey said and the sneer on his face was heard in his voice.

"I don't understand why those men want an independent woman." The guard said as he lifted Carly off the floor.

Mickey laughed. "Because it's fun to break them down."

Then made their way out the back of the building and got into the car waiting for them.