Shadow Beach, Southern California

The unusually warm waves coming from the Pacific Ocean gently crept up to the shoreline on a warm September evening. Nightfall had arrived, forcing locals and tourists to the comfort of their homes. Only a few remained on the beach, four surfers trying to catch a last wave and a small brunette standing in the sand. She stood alone, taking in the warm ocean air and the quietness that came with an empty beach. It was a momentary solace for the brunette, more of a reminder of California's beauty.

Her moment of solace quickly ended when she spotted the shadows of two figures approach from behind. She knew instantly who they were and why they were there, the figure standing behind her needed no introduction.

"It's nice, isn't it?" she asked the figure in a near whisper. He placed his hands behind his back and sighed, a sick feeling passing through him due to a dislike towards the smell of sea salt. "You know why I'm here," he finally stated after a minute or so had passed.

"I know. My question to you is why now? You've had a week to make your move. Why so late?"

"I was busy," he said in a sarcastic tone. It caused her to look up at him in disgust. "That's crap and you know it, Owen."

Owen Granger stepped in line with her. "Hetty, I've been dealing with a lot of crap lately because of your team so excuse me if I didn't show up according to your schedule." Henrietta "Hetty" Lange smirked at his comment, reading straight through his lies. "Your words are crap, Owen," she snapped back, "Your timing of finding me and the Director's decision regarding my team seems to be more than coincidental. It was planned."

"Now why would I do that?"

"Because of your ego, my dear."

Granger pulled Hetty's arm and sent her a dark glare. The dark, threatening look in her eyes seemed to repel his glare in seconds. "I'm not going to ask you again-"

"Then don't."

"Last chance. Where is your team?" Granger asked bitterly. The man that he had come with, a NCIS agent, was becoming restless. If they were going to do something, it needed to be done now.

"I have no idea," Hetty answered, "And even if I did know, I most certainly wouldn't tell you. I would have gone to the Director myself."

"And tell him what? How under your watch, a rouge LAPD cop ran loose around Los Angeles and killed nine people? Or would you mention the three- or in your book- four agents that are running around Europe with top-level government secrets in their heads? How would the Director take that they are a danger to our national security and you let them go?"

"I'd have to tell him first to know how he'd react."

"Oh, that is it!" Granger motioned over the NCIS agent and stated, "Henrietta Lange, you are under arrest for obstruction of justice, aiding and abetting four felons that have committed treasonous acts against the United States. You have the right to remain-"

"Let me stop you right there," Hetty said as she was handcuffed, "I am not aiding and abetting four felons, I am aiding four individuals who are innocent and running for their lives." The agent gave Hetty a gentle push towards the road where a government vehicle was parked. Hetty was walked towards the vehicle as Granger exclaimed, "Running for their lives? They went digging into things that should not have been looked at- they did things that are considered to be treasonous! Now, Blye, Callen, Hanna, and that runt of a detective-"

"Ex detective-"

"Whatever, ex detective, probationary agent-I really don't give a damn what you want to call him. All of them are going to jail when I find them. And remember, I will find them," Granger warned. Hetty smiled at his statement. "I don't doubt that for one second, Owen. When you do find them and they are exonerated, I will enjoy watching the Director strip you of your badge and send you to jail."

Granger gave Hetty a push and told the agent, "Get her into custody." He then turned towards the ocean where the ocean horizon now had an orange hue to it. In the water there were only two surfers left, both now sitting on their surf boards. One was a redhead, who had kept her body facing away from Granger during his entire argument with Hetty. Next to her a blonde male with short cut hair paddled around in the water on his surfboard. Granger felt as if he could almost place the blonde male, but the distance made it hard.

In the ocean, the blonde male paddled in a complete circle before noticing that Granger was gone. He turned to the redhead and said, "Granger's gone, Nell."

Nell Jones winced and said, "Thank God he didn't notice us, especially since neither of us knows how to surf."

Eric Beale nodded his head in disbelief. "Yeah….that's the least of our problems, though. He arrested Hetty, which means he'll be coming after us next. What do we do?"

"We do what Hetty told us to do; stay low and out of sight." Nell pushed herself towards the shore and heard Eric slowly paddling behind her. Once they had reached the shore, Nell slipped off her ankle leash and found herself looking back at the horizon that Hetty had just observed. It had now turned a reddish color as the sun seemed to go further and further away from them. Nell disliked it, the color made a chill run down her back, which Eric noticed. "You alright?"

"I don't think I've ever see the horizon look like that," she answered, "It's weird and dark. It reminds me of….why do I get the feeling that this isn't going to end well?"

Eric gently placed a hand in hers. "Come on, we need to go, but Nell- don't worry about the team. They'll be alright."

"I wish I could believe that," Nell said as they trudged through the sand, "I really wish that I could. How the hell did one little case blow up in our faces like that?"