Fort Leonard Wood is located deep in the Ozarks. What few towns are nearby have such picturesque names as Devil's Elbow and Big Piney, which really should have tipped Danny Crowley off as to what he was getting into with this one.

Actually, the chaplain reflected, the nickname Fort Lost in the Woods should have done the trick.

It had looked like the usual kind of hoodoo case. A dark-haired woman in a red dress staring through the perimeter fence, tears streaming from her eyes, seemingly disappearing when called to. A lot of people on-base talking about ghosts was bad for morale, of course, so the MPs asked for a CID specialist. And so, as always, Danny Crowley was called to have a look around, to figure out whether they were dealing with ghosts or simply a disturbed woman. That meant combing the woods for any sign of her, which meant a few more pairs of eyes, which meant a few low-level MPs with him. Which meant grumbling and whispering as they hiked through humid, itchy woods.

Danny didn't care.

"What kind of trees are these? These are very pretty," he called back to the men following him. The question was met with shrugs. "I'll have to look that up. Beautiful country around here." He touched the very slight amount of perspiration on his forehead, as compared to the other dripping men. "God has blessed us with a gorgeous day," he said with no discernible trace of irony. "Even if we find no trace of this woman, just this nice walk in the woods makes it all worthwhile." 

He turned as the peaceful Missouri summer day was interrupted by the sound of someone crashing heavily through the brush towards the group. While the rest of the men tensed in confusion, Crowley merely smiled. Maybe that would be their mystery woman, in which case they would have very quick results. 

However, rather than a weeping woman in a red dress, it proved to be a rather out-of-breath woman in ACUs waving a sealed envelope. "Captain, sir," she panted. "Message for you, sir. Confidential."

"Well, it's a good thing you were able to catch up to me, then. Thank you," Crowley said casually and pleasantly as he took the sealed envelope from the corporal. Tearing it open, he pulled out the tersely written letter within and looked it over. The messenger and MPs noted a split second of confusion and possibly shock on his face, but he recovered well. He always did.

"Well, then," Crowley said absently as he finished. "I suppose you should all report back to base. She'll lead you back through the woods," he said with a wave to the messenger. "My replacement should be taking over tomorrow and the search will resume."

"Your replacement, Captain?" one of the MPs asked quizzically.

"It appears I'm no longer serving in the United States Army," Danny Crowley said. With a shrug, he removed his tan beret and wandered off into the trees. "God's plan, I suppose."

* * *

The last few days had been a whirlwind. A flight from Waynesville to St. Louis, then from Lambert to Minneapolis. It didn't seem right to continue wearing his uniform, so Crowley had taken the time to buy a few changes of his other uniform: black pants, black shirt, white tab collar. He was no longer Captain Crowley, but he was quite satisfied with being Father Crowley. 

And now, here he was, sitting in the briefing room of an agency he didn't know existed two days ago with a bunch of strangers. He listened to their introductions with interest, making a mental note about each person and paying close attention, before eyes settled on him. Smiling beatifically, Father Crowley stood.

"Hello. My name is Father Daniel Crowley. I was formerly a chaplain in the Army Rangers," he said with a nod to the woman who had mentioned she had been a Sergeant First Class. "I also spent a year or so in CID, working on cases of a somewhat suspect nature. I feel very blessed to be included on this team, and I look forward to getting know each of you. With your permission, I would like to lead us in a brief prayer." He bowed his head, waiting to see if anyone would follow suit.