Dialogue in italics is in Spanish.

NCIS LA HEADQUARTERS – MORNING

Kensi walks into the bull pen, "Good mor . . . ." She stops and glances around at each desk. None of the guys are here. It looks like she's the first one in. She looks at her watch. She doesn't think she's that early. Sure, it's easy to beat Deeks in, but Sam and Callen? She looks around at the whole facility and suddenly it is eerily quiet. She puts her bag on her desk and heads up to ops.

The automatic doors leading into the ops center opens and Kensi walks through them. She sees Nell sitting at a computer monitor, "Hey Nell. The guys aren't in yet?"

Nell looking worried, "No, and Eric's not around either. He's usually here before me."

"Huh, I wonder where they are?"

"I don't like this, I've got a bad feeling."

"Maybe they got back late from their surfing trip and they're sleeping in."

"Maybe, but I'm surprised I didn't hear from Eric."

Kensi smiles, "Really?"

Nell looks at Kensi incredulously, "It's not like that. I asked him to send me a few pictures. I had received some pretty regularly until early yesterday afternoon."

"You haven't heard from him since then?"

"Nope. Didn't really think anything of it until I came in and he wasn't here this morning."

Kensi growing a bit concerned, "Maybe they're at the boat shed."

Nell puts up the teleconference screen from the boat shed. She and Kensi scan the live feed of the main room. There's no one there.

Kensi is uneasy, "Maybe they're in one of the interrogation rooms."

Nell studying the screen, "Why would they be . . ," Nell shakes her head, "never mind." She puts up each of the interrogation rooms' video feeds. Nothing.

Hetty walks in overhearing Kensi and Nell, and looks at the large monitor showing the surveillance of the boat shed.

Hetty asks, "No boat shed, Ms. Blye?"

Kensi shakes her head, "No. "

Nell sounding hopeful, "Maybe you're right, Kensi. They could have gotten back later than they expected and they'll be in late."

Kensi's not buying it, "The last picture I got from Deeks was yesterday morning." Nell raises her eyebrows as if in question. Kensi shakes her head. "He always sends me pictures. . . ." Nell looks up from the screen. "Nell, come on, you know that." Nell grins and looks back at the screen. "Anyway, nothing seemed out of the ordinary."

Hetty with concern in her voice, "Ms. Jones, call them. See if you can reach them." Hetty turns to leave, "Ms. Blye, head over to Mr. Deeks' apartment and see if you can find out anything."

16 HOURS EARLIER INT. - BAR IN MEXICO – EARLY AFTERNOON

Deeks, Callen, Sam, and Eric are sitting at a table at the local bar next to the large double door entry way. There's a bar across the back that seats about 12 people. There are also tables and chairs, booths, and long picnic like tables to accommodate large groups of people. Along one side of the bar is a small dance floor. Music from a juke box is playing. Patrons are dancing and visiting with each other.

Callen looks over at Deeks and smiles, "Great idea coming down here for the long weekend."

Sam nodding his head in agreement, "It's just what we needed."

Eric excitedly, "The waves down here are sick! I always like coming down here."

Deeks, "I told you it would be worth the trip." Looking at Sam and Callen. "Not bad for being newbies, huh?"

Sam beaming, "To tell you the truth it was pretty good."

Callen with a grin, "Yeah, you actually got up a couple of times."

Sam defensively, "What are you talking about, G? I got up just about every time."

"Are you kidding me? You barely got up while we were practicing on shore let alone getting up when in the water."

"Listen, G-"

Deeks smiling, interrupts, "I tell you what, while you guys settle this, I'm going to get us another pitcher."

Deeks walks away from the table, but hears Sam, "Eric? Who surfs better, me or Callen?

Eric, not wanting to get into the middle of this debate, "Look guys it's not about who surfs better, it's about having fun."

"That's easy for you to say, Mr. King of the Surf."

Deeks goes up to the bar to order another pitcher. The door to the bar suddenly opens. The glare from outside temporarily blinds Deeks so that he can't see who's entered. Once his eyes adjust he sees Carlos Molina walk through the bar. He continues to track him as Molina goes into a backroom behind the far end of the bar. Deeks avoids Carlos's line of sight. Once Carlos disappears into the backroom Deeks calmly makes his way back to the table. Callen sees Carlos as well.

Sam, spots Deeks coming back from the bar empty handed, and says to Callen and Eric, "It looks like something spooked Deeks."

Callen nods, "Not something, someone. Carlos Molina just walked in. He headed straight to that door behind the bar."

Sam looks in the direction of the bar and spots the door marked PRIVATE.

Deeks arrives back at the table. "Carlos Molina is here, we need to get out of here before he spots me."

Sam looking at Callen,"What do you think he's up to?"

Callen shrugs his shoulders. Then, looking over Sam's shoulder at the PRIVATE door. "Sam and I never actually came in contact with Molina in LA." He looks over at Deeks, "Deeks, you and Eric get out of here before Molina shows up again. Check to see if he has friends outside. We're going to stick around."

"Got it."

Eric and Deeks leave through the front door. Callen and Sam move their position from the table to up to the bar. A young, local woman approaches Callen and Sam, and begins making conversation. Callen takes this opportunity to sit at the bar facing the door that Molina went through. Sam sits on the other side of Callen so that he has the same vantage point. Callen gently guides the woman to sit with her back towards the door marked PRIVATE.

The woman looks at both Sam and Callen, "Why, hello there handsome, will you buy a woman a drink?"

Callen looks at Sam, smirks, and turns back to the woman. "Are you talking to me?"

The woman with a smile, "I'm talking to the guy who's going to buy me a drink."

Callen laughs and says, "In that care, you're talking to me." Sam sits back and discretely watches the door Molina went through.

The woman leans into Callen, "What's your name?"

"Mr. Carl."

"Mr. Carl?"

"Yeah," Callen looks at Sam and then back at the woman, "I like to party."

Callen hears Sam give a soft chuckle. Callen smiles and says to the woman, "What's your name?"

The woman leans in to Callen, "Antonita."

Callen gets the bartender's attention, puts his arm around her and suggestively asks, "What would you like, Antonita?"

OUTSIDE THE BAR

Eric and Deeks leave the bar and immediately see a group of young men standing around their dirt covered Escalades away from the entrance to the bar. At first glance they appear harmless, but upon a second glimpse, however, Deeks spots weapons among a few of them.

Deeks, speaking softly, "There they are."

Eric, taking his cue from Deeks, whispers and looks around, "Where?"

"Stop looking around."

"But I don't know where they are."

"Look without looking."

"What do you mean?"

Deeks stops and turns Eric so that he's facing him, "First lesson in undercover, don't appear obvious."

Eric nods nervously.

"Or nervous."

Eric takes a deep breath and releases it slowly.

Deeks waits a few seconds for Eric to compose himself then calmly says, "They're directly behind me."

Eric looks over Deeks' shoulder and spies a group of men. He furrows his brow. "How do you know?"

Deeks, whispering, "Escalades, suits, and AKs." Deeks sees Eric squint out into the parking lot. He frowns at Eric. "Eric." Eric looks at him instead of over his shoulder. "Stop staring."

"I'm staring?"

Deeks shakes his head in disbelief and chuckles, "Come on."

They sneak around behind a parked car. Close enough to hear the group of men, but not be seen. They silently crouch behind the car listening to the conversation in the distance.

Man #1, "I'm tired of being Carlos' errand and message boy . . . do this, do that, drive me here, drive me there. I was cut out for more than this."

Man #2, "Careful, my friend, what you are saying. If Carlos heard you you would be cut up alright. Cut up as fish food."

The group laughs.

Man #1, "I'm just saying I can do more than move drugs and people across the border, and dig tunnels."

Man #2 looks around the parking lot, "Shut up, man, before you get us all killed."

Man #3, "Yeah, well. By the end of this week the tunnel will be done. And just in time, too. Carlos has some big plans."

Man #1, "That's the last tunnel I'm digging. I'm going to tell Carlos that."

Deeks and Eric both hear the first man and their interest piques. Eric turns to Deeks and mouths, "Tunnel?"

Deeks nods.

"People?"

Deeks nods again.

Man #2, "You're going to be digging your own grave if you're not careful."

Man #3, "It's been nice knowing you."

The group laughs again.

Eric tries to reposition himself behind the car and knocks over a few empty beer bottles someone has left behind the car. The group of Mexicans quickly gets quiet. They spread out, guns at the ready and cautiously begin walking over to where Deeks and Eric are hiding.

Deeks motions for Eric to get under the car. Eric raises his eyebrows and points to himself. Deeks nods and whispers, "Don't come out until you hear from me." Eric clumsily makes his way under the car.

Once Eric is safely in position Deeks takes a deep breath to settle his nerves, messes up his already mussed up hair, yanks at the collar of his t-shirt so that it's slightly askew, noisily stands up, and burps.

Suddenly one of the cartel members runs over and shoves Deeks roughly over the hood of the car. Eric, flinches at the sound of a body hitting against metal.