𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄 ━━ 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐳𝐨

THREE | green eyes

"Just accept the fact that you two are going to get lost." Tony warns me and Kate.

We share a suspicious look as to his foreshadowing.

"Why do you assume we're going to?" Kate questions.

"Because everyone does." While Tony begins to babble, Gibbs looks back at us. "A carrier is a big and confusing place first time on board."

The two of us nod our heads. "Duly noted."

"Numbers are stenciled on the bulkheads. First one tells you the deck level. They're called bullseyes. The second one, the frame number. Third tells you the compartment's position in relation to the ship's centerline. The last letter tells you what the space is used for."

"Crossing from port to starboard or starboard to port isn't as simple as going straight across."

"Sometimes you gotta go up one deck and down another."

"Or down one deck and up another."

"Sometimes two."

"It's frustrating."

"Not to mention confusing. But you two will get the hang of it."

"After you get lost a few times."

Gibbs and Tony go back and forth multiple times until they run out of things to say.

"College was never this confusing." I whisper to Kate. "But whatever. I'm just excited to meet this Stan Burley I've heard so much about. And how he's got Tony's panties twisted."

Tony shoots me a look, to which I smirk in victory.

Once we are aboard the COD, we fly to the ship. The sudden drop is startling but manageable. On the ship, Burley himself leads us to our quarters.

Of course, clumsy me trips over the second-to-last step on the staircase.

"Careful there." Luckily, Burley catches my arm at the last second before I can fall face first.

I let out a tight breath. "Thanks." And then I notice his eyes. "Huh. You have green eyes."

"Had them my whole life." He jokes.

"I'm a sucker for green eyes." I trail behind him into the room. "Always have been, always will be."

"Evaline?" Gibbs speaks up, interrupting my daydream moment.

I clear my throat and grab my notepad. "Right." Kate raises a brow in my direction. "Let's go visit Petty Officers Niles and Shrewe."

After getting lost a few times and ending up in the men's room, we finally reach deck five berthing.

Only to walk in on a shirtless man.

Actually, three shirtless guys.

"Deck five berthing?" Kate reads off of the palm of her hand.

One of the guys slips on a plain white shirt. "Yes, ma'am."

"Finally." I lean against the doorframe, winking at a guy in the back.

"Ma'ams, it's S.O.P. women are supposed to announce themselves in designated male quarters of the ship." He stuffs his shirt into the waistband of his cargo pants.

We raise our badges in sync. "NCIS Special Agents Kate Todd and Evaline Giudice."

"Is that good enough for you?" I smile sarcastically. "So, care to tell us where Petty Officers Shrewe and Niles are? It's kinda important."

"Well, I haven't seen Shrewe lately, but Niles just went to work out in the hangar bay."

"Hangar bay. . ."