KING'S RETURN
X-Over w/ NUMB3RS-featuring Colby & Deeks
A/N: Remember Stan King from "The Job" (NCIS LA), I always felt he could have been a really intense bad guy had they had the time to develop the character...so I'm gonna 'try' to flesh him out and whump some of our (my) favorites in the process.
This story is mildly AU as I I'm mangling time lines to get these shows to fit together...takes place a year after Colby's whole "spy" fiasco and any time after "The Job" in NCIS. I know absolutely nothing about surfing so if the brief surfing scene is off...give over to creative license and move on! Also, I can barely teach third grade math so this story will be Charlie (math) light... (this is a stand-alone and is not part of my "Interagency Co-op AU 'verse...)
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Marty Deeks sat on his board as it gently bobbed in the swells, his eyes casually roaming over the few early morning surfers and beach-goers. It was mid-week so few people were out.
He quirked his head when he saw a young man walk onto the beach carrying a board, something about the man struck him as familiar but he couldn't quite place it. He didn't recall seeing the guy on this particular stretch of beach before...and he wracked his brain to match the face up to any case he'd worked in the last year, also coming up blank.
Marty settled for just watching the blonde headed man. To the casual observer he seemed relaxed, but Marty recognized that slight tenseness to his stance as the man looked up and down the beach like he was looking for something or someone; and that finding it was not necessarily going to be pleasant.
The detective scanned the beach, just as the other man had done...looking for what, he wasn't sure. The few beach goers seemed harmless enough, and there were a few early morning fishermen on the nearby pier...nothing out of the ordinary on this beach: but if he had learned one thing from his time as an undercover and with NCIS is that looks can be deceiving.
Marty continued to watch as the man seemed satisfied with his surroundings and headed for the water.
The man paddled out into the water and sat up on his board about 20 feet from where Deeks sat on his board, asking casually, "Waves any good this morning?"
"Just got out here my-self, haven't caught any yet," Deeks replied. "They usually run twenty or thirty feet on a good day, but it seems a bit calm today, don't know if we'll catch any good ones."
The man just nodded as he scanned the area, "Sounds like you surf this area a lot."
"As often as work allows," Deeks replied.
"I hear that," the man agreed.
After several more minutes they each found their wave and moved off in different directions.
After another forty minutes of less than satisfying waves Deeks gave a frustrated sigh and began paddling to shore...he was due in Ops in another hour anyway. He noted that the man he had spoken with earlier was already out of the water and heading up the beach.
Marty toweled off quickly and headed in the direction of the parking lot. As he was stowing his board, a disturbance several aisles over sent his "cop" radar into overdrive as the sounds of flesh on flesh met his ears.
Quickly reaching into his glove box, he pulled his service weapon and cell before making his way carefully around the cars. What he saw was three on one...that one being the man he just met on the beach less than an hour before.
The man seemed to be holding his own against his three assailants, making Deeks wonder at the man's "skill" set, maybe he was military like Sam; but the hooded assailants weren't in to playing fair (like three on one was fair) as one quickly produced a taser and brought the blonde down in seconds, spurring Deeks into action.
"LAPD...freeze," Deeks yelled as he came out from around a car to face the assailants. "Move away now."
The three men looked up in surprise, raising their hands out to their sides and taking a few steps back from the downed man. "Really, guys, three on one—and, a Taser; you boys have serious performance issues...on the ground, now..."
The men exchanged uneasy glances, and slowly began to do as instructed, while Marty flipped his phone to call the PD for backup. With the detectives attention split between the assailants and his cell he failed to see the fourth man edging around the van behind him.
"This is Detective Deeks, I'm at the seventh street pier parking lot, need back up for an..." the phone call was left unfinished as both the cell and the gun clattered to the ground from suddenly nerveless fingers as another taser made contact with flesh.
The fourth man came up slowly and crushed the dropped cell before nudging the unconscious detective over with his foot. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Well, well, well, what do we have here, small world...if it isn't detective Deeks."
The three other assailants just looked at the fourth man expectantly, who merely waved his hand over both downed men, "Load them both up."
None to gently, the three men hoisted the two unconscious men into the back of the windowless van and without any additional difficulty, left the parking lot.
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The three agents were sitting at their desks in the bull pen, diligently trying to make some headway with the backlog of paper work in their boxes when Kensi gave a tired sigh and leaned back in her seat with a frown.
She looked at the clock, then looked at her partners 'empty' chair, and frowned. "Anyone seen Deeks today...it's almost ten thirty..."
At the question, Callen leaned back in his chair with a frown; while the detective did seem to be chronometrically challenged at times, he was never this late without reason. "Have you tried calling him?"
Kensi shook her head and pulled out her cell, her frown deepening as she listened to the message.
"Kens..." Callen asked with growing concern.
"It's...it's not even going to voice mail; I'm getting an out of service message..." Kensi answered with confusion, mixed with concern.
"He didn't get an undercover from the PD did he," Sam asked.
"Surely he would have said something yesterday if he had an LAPD job," Kensi replied.
Just then a whistle from Eric got their attention, the tight look on the young tech's face ratcheting up the three agents sudden worry for the detective when Eric said, "We just got a call from LAPD...we have a new case..."
They exchanged worried glances before heading quickly up the stairs to ops.
Barely in the door, Kensi demanded, "Hetty, has something happened to Deeks?"
Lips pursed, her face also holding a concerned frown, Hetty merely indicated Eric should cue up the screen.
"At approximately eight forty this morning the LAPD dispatch got a call from Deeks requesting back up at the seventh street pier..."
"Back up for what," Sam asked.
Eric just shook his head, "He never got that far, his phone call was cut off and when dispatch tried to re-establish contact they received an out of service message. When they got to the scene they found Deeks cell, destroyed, and his service weapon, just lying in the parking lot...and no sign of Deeks; they also found blood at the scene."
"Deeks," Sam questioned.
"Forensics is running it as we speak. As soon as they know they'll contact us," Eric replied.
"Cameras," Callen asked.
"There are cameras at each of the four corners of the parking lot...I stated cueing them up after the call from LAPD," Eric said as he pressed several buttons on his hand held.
The agents watched as several people filed in and out of the parking lot, then a blonde headed man came into view in the lower right corner of the screen...as he passed by a dark green windowless van, three men jumped out and attacked him.
"That boys got some moves...I recognize the defense pattern...he's definitely military," Sam commented as he watched the young man defend against his three assailants.
Everyone in ops winced when they saw the man go down with a taser hit at about the same time Deeks came into view; they watched as the detective obviously ordered the men to desist, and start to place the call when a fourth man appeared around the van and tasered the detective.
"Eric, plates..." Callen demanded, as they continued to watch both men being hoisted into the van.
"No plates...they knew what they were doing." Eric replied.
"Kaleidoscope," Kensi asked.
"Pulling up surrounding traffic cam footage now," Nell said.
"Do we have an ID on the other man, he was the original target; if we ID him we might have an ID on the kidnappers," Callen asked.
"It's running through AFIS and DMV records now," Eric said.
"What I don't understand is-why take Deeks...if they didn't want witnesses, why not kill him...why burden yourself with another hostage," Sam mused.
"Cleaning up after themselves...a body would get quick attention...but if Deeks hadn't started the LAPD call this might not have been discovered for several more hours; maybe days," Callen offered.
"Uh, guys...we got a match on the guy that was attacked," Eric said, his voice full on uncertainty, "he's FBI...and Sam's right; he is also ex-military...army special ops... and CID."
The agents looked to the main view screen as each of the ID's popped up on the screen.
"His name in Colby Granger and he works for the special crimes unit of the LA FBI..." Eric said.
"Someone like that...they can have a lot of enemies," Sam commented.
"Do the feds know their man is missing," Callen asked Eric.
"They didn't have him ID'd when they first contacted us twenty minutes ago, so I doubt the FBI has been contacted, unless some kind of demands were made," Eric explained.
"Let's head to the FBI office, find out what Agent Granger was working on," Callen said.
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"We need to speak to Agent Epps," Callen asked the first agent they saw when they stepped off the elevator at the FBI building.
The agent pointed towards the war room before moving off.
Don looked up from his debate with his brother when the three strangers came into the room. "Can I help you with something?"
"Agent Epps," Callen questioned.
"Yeah, I'm Epps...and you are..."
The three agents flipped open their badges, "Agent Callen, agent Hannah and agent Blye."
"And what can I do for NCIS," Don asked warily.
"We're here about your agent, Colby Granger..."
"Colby...why..." Don demanded defensively.
"Are you aware your agent was abducted from the Seventh Street pier parking lot, this morning..." Callen said.
"Don," Charlie gasped quietly, looking at his bother in shock.
Waving his brother off for the moment, Don exclaimed, "Excuse me...what are you talking about..."
"What was your man working on," Sam asked.
"Nothing at the moment...we just wrapped up a counterfeiting case two days ago...my team had a few days off..." Don explained, countering, "...how do you know Granger was abducted?"
"Because he was taken this morning along with an LAPD detective, Marty Deeks...our liaison office..." Sam said.
Running a frustrated hand through his short hair, Don huffed out angrily, "Why am I just now hearing about this?"
"We found out less than an hour ago when LAPD contacted us because of Deeks," Callen defended lightly. "We have the video footage of the kidnapping...maybe you can recognize something."
Charlie quickly cued up the footage of the mornings events and the room was silent as they watched the kidnapping.
When it was over, Don commented, "So Colby was the target and your man got in the way."
"Something like that," Sam said. "You know of anyone who would target your agent?"
With a heavy sigh, Don replied, "In this job...with Colby's past experiences...it could be any number of people; this isn't the only agency he's worked for."
"Yeah, he did a stint with army CID, and special ops in Afghanistan; the boy has a lot of classified files..." Sam said.
"So you know narrowing down Colby's enemies is not going to be easy," Don said.
"Don, I can help...I can run an analysis of..." Charlie began, only to be waved off by this brother.
"Don't explain it just run everything you got Charlie..." Don said, adding, "I need to call David and Megan back in, and let the director know; if you'll excuse me for a moment."
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Colby came to with a pained groan trying to piece together in his addled brain why everything hurt so much...the case was over; arrest went off without a hitch...he remembered surfing, but couldn't recall getting dumped from any wave with the force to cause his current level of discomfort.
Finally deciding the only way to get answers was to open his eyes he cracked them open slowly...his confusion only increasing as his addled mind sluggishly processed his surroundings; which were totally unfamiliar to him.
The pain, coupled with unfamiliar surroundings and the sudden realization that his hands were bound behind his back lead him to the unfortunate conclusion that he might just be in some kind of trouble (and wasn't that just like his luck); but from whom and why was still a mystery to fuzzy brain.
Colby was startled from his thoughts by a groan coming from behind him, and he attempted with his rather limited range of motion to look behind him. He saw another blonde headed man slumped and tied to a chair in a similar fashion as himself...so he wasn't the only one invited to the party; but as the man was equally unfamiliar to him it did little to shed light on his current predicament.
"Hey, you alright...hey, man, you need to wake up...we need to figure out what's going on here," Colby cajoled the stranger, hoping the man could shed light on the situation.
With his head still bowed, the man squirmed in his chair, coming to the same conclusion about his situation as Colby had just moments before and huffing out in frustration, "Tasers...really...damn those hurt..."
"Is that why my muscles feel so cramped up," Colby commented causing the other man's head to shoot up in surprise.
Though Colby was looking over his shoulder at an odd angle the two men still managed to lock eyes...sizing each other up in seconds.
"So who are your friends," Deeks asked, nodding his head towards the closed door.
"Wish I knew...never saw their faces; did you get a look at them," Colby asked hopefully.
"Nope," Deeks replied, before looking down then behind him trying to assess how trapped he was in the chair.
"Whoever tied them knew what they were doing...without a knife you're not getting out of the ropes," Colby supplied.
Deeks just scowled at the other man, continuing to squirm and wiggle around in his bonds for several more moments before giving a curse of frustration.
Colby just shrugged in an apologetic, yet 'I told you so', kind of way. "So how did you get invited to the party?"
"Trying to stop them from beating the crap out of you; you're sure you don't know who these guys are," Deeks asked more forcefully.
"Unfortunately I have a long list of enemies...it could be any number of people," Colby answered dejectedly.
"So making friends and influencing people not a high priority for you, huh..." Deeks snarked, as his eyed wondered around the room.
"Making friends is not exactly in the job description..." Colby said with a wry chuckle and shake of his head.
Raising an eyebrow, Deeks asked, "And that job would be?"
"FBI..Colby Granger; and what about you, not just anybody would try to intervene in a fight..."
"Yeah, well, comes with the job description...detective, LAPD," Deeks replied. "...and its Marty Deeks."
"Fed, huh, you must have really pissed someone off if they are willing to risk abducting an FBI agent..." Marty commented.
"Some of my enemies see the FBI as about as big of a threat as the neighborhood watch," Colby answered tightly.
"Oh, that just fills me with confidence," Deeks groused. "Well, someone should be looking for us by now...I managed to get a call through to LAPD before we were taken...hopefully Eric and Nell will do their magic and find the van..."
"Yeah, when Don finds out, Charlie will be all over this with his math 'whats-its things'...we should get out of this in no time," Colby said.
"So all we have to do is stay alive until the cavalry arrives," Deeks said.
"Yeah, piece of cake," Colby answered with sarcasm. "These people grabbed an FBI agent and a cop...somehow, I don't think they have a lot of fear of being found out."
"Ah, but you don't know my team...they can work miracles," Deeks said airily.
"I think this may be beyond the scope of the LAPD," Colby countered.
Deeks gave a snort, "Not LAPD...my team at NCIS..."
"Naval Criminal Investigative Services...thought you said you were a detective," Colby asked in confusion.
"LAPD liaison to NCIS...too many overlapping cases...so now I work both sides of the fence," Deeks answered.
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Though each team knew it was a long shot they each searched the apartments of their missing agents in hopes of finding a clue to their whereabouts, only to, as expected, come up empty handed. A quick search of the crime scene was equally disappointing.
By mid-afternoon the agents were reconvened at the boat shed.
"The van was found by an LAPD patrol about an thirty minutes ago, —they're holding the area for us...it was reported stolen from a used car lot yesterday evening," Eric reported to the two teams assembled at the boat shed. "There are no traffic cams in the area where it was abandoned."
"And so far no demands, no one taking credit..."Sam interjected.
"And no bodies...we have to believe that they are both still alive," Megan said.
"Yeah, but for how long...we don't know who targeted your man and Deeks was just caught up in it...they didn't target him; he doesn't fit into whatever plans they have..." Callen commented.
"No, don't say it...he's not dead..."Kensi snapped. "I need some air."
They all watched her go...Sam started to follow, but Callen stopped him with a hand to his arm. "She needs some space Sam...this is hardest on her..."
Sam just nodded, noting the other agent's expectant looks he supplied, "Deeks is Kens i's partner."
They nodded in understanding, David exchanging a quick look with Don before heading in the same direction as Kensi.
When the same expectant look was thrown Don's way by Sam and Callen, the agent said, "Colby is David's partner...maybe they can help each other."
"Guys, I think we might have finally something," Nell said.
They turned to the screen expectantly as Nell continued, "We may have lost the van in late rush hour traffic after the kidnapping but we went back to the dealership where the van was stolen and pulled up traffic cam footage in the area...I have footage of the robbery and backtracking a little I got a clear shot of the car they drove to the dealership, and I ran the plates..."
Eric picked up the narrative as a driver's license popped up on the screen, "The car is registered to a Marco Pomeroy; ran the other guy through the facial rec software and DMV records and got a hit on a Patrick Donahue. They both have records for theft and assault. I'm sending their last known addresses to your phones."
"Great job guys," Callen said, turning to Don he asked. "So how we gonna do this?"
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David found Kensi leaning on the rail outside of the boat shed, her eyes absently watching the surfers out on the waves.
He stood there for several moments, his eyes also taking in the activity at the beach
"Your partner...Deeks; he was at the beach, he's a surfer," David said, never taking his eyes off the waves, "Colby loves it out there..."
"Yeah, Deeks spends a majority of his off time surfing," She replied quietly, adding with a small chuckle, "I'm surprised he hasn't gotten eaten by a shark."
David returned the chuckle; then sobered as he added, "I'm sorry your partner got caught up in this..."
"He couldn't have walked away, even if he wasn't a cop," Kensi explained, "It's in his nature to help anyone who needs it."
He turned to look at her, "Yeah, sounds like Colby; just a big overgrown boy scout."
"I wouldn't go so far as call Deeks a boy scout...buy yeah, I know what you mean," Kensi said with a wry grin.
"We'll get them back; I won't accept any other option...I almost lost him once before and I swore it wouldn't happen again," David said emphatically, his voice low and tight with suppressed emotion.
Kensi reached out and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, "They're both good men...and until we get them back we have to believe that they'll have each other's backs."
David just nodded, "Guess we better get back inside; figure out how we're gonna get our partners back."
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A/N: sorry, started another one without finishing up others...just got to many ideas floating around in my head