Minerva Precisions
Summary - The team is investigating tat murder at a DoD contractor with the possibility of naval intelligence being compromised. During the invenstigation the team comes in contact with a certain shaggy lawyer, who might end up in more trouble than anticipated.
Disclaimer - I own nothing, NCIS is not mine, I am merely borrowing the characters.
A/N - This is my first ever fanfiction so any and all feedback in highly appreciated, thank you!
Chapter 1: Compromised
Callen walked into the bullpen only to find that neither of his coworkers were at their usual desks. That is when he noticed the tiny woman walking towards him, he smiled at the figure, how could one be so small in stature but so large in character, he wondered. His boss Henrietta Lange, or Hetty as she preferred to go by, was an enigma to all around her. Ever knowing and all hearing. Probably one of only a handful of people where the reality of their life story is even more outlandish than any imaginative author could write or any silly action movie depict.
"I already sent the others upstairs," she said, gesticulating towards the stairs leading to the second floor in the Spanish Mission.
"Good morning, Hetty," the seasoned agent replied.
"Well, that's a matter of perspective, Mr. Callen", was the response he received before heading towards OPS and the rest of his team.
He wanted to get right into the case, if it was so important, that Hetty had already sent his coworkers into OPS before he had even arrived there were surely no time to waste.
"What have we got, Eric?" He asked entering through the automatic doors leading to the secure briefing room. Acknowledging his team with a nod as he stood next to his partner.
"Jonathan Hanson, 42, found dead half an hour ago at Minerva Precisions. No known family, he lived alone." Eric quickly summarized. He took a deep breath before he continued, "It looks like he was pushed down a flight of stairs leading to the parking garage. No cameras in the staircase, the security team at his work have closed off the area and are waiting for us to arrive on the scene. They have also made sure that no one left the premises after the discovery of the body, and are trying to contact the few employees who had already left earlier today to get them to return."
"If Hanson isn't Navy then why aren't the LAPD handling the case?" Kensi asked, wondering what possible connection there might be to include NCIS.
Just as she had asked, the doors to OPS swung open and in came Hetty. Impeccable timing as always. "Because of the classified nature of some of the products that Minerva Precisions work on for the DoD and the Navy," she clarified, nodding towards the intelligence analyst to continue the briefing.
"Right," Nell quickly cleared her throat and continued the briefing, "Minerva Precisions is a defense contractor specializing in both hardware and software for the Department of Defense. As a hardware focus, they are currently developing both telescopic and holographic weapon sights, for the Army and Navy, capable of switching between night vision and regular usage. The other department focuses on missile tracking software that the Navy utilizes on their cruisers." She ended, almost out of breath from giving the information as quickly as possible, barely stopping for a breath in between sentences.
"Seeing as how Mr. Hanson worked with the missile tracking software, Director Vance wants to ensure that Mr. Hanson's passing has not compromised any classified information he would have been prone to knowing." Hetty quickly finished the briefing, opening her hand towards agent Callen, a sign for him to take the reins.
He looked towards the other senior agent, "Sam why don't you go check out Hanson's apartment? Look for any signs that he might have been selling classified naval information."
"You got it, G!" He said nodding.
"Eric and Nell, get me any information on known associates of Hanson, any possible enemies, money he shouldn't have, his colleagues, everything you can find."
"Already on it!" The duo chirped together.
"Kensi, you and I go to the crime scene, see what we might be able to find." Before quickly adding, "Eric can you-"
"Already sent the addresses to your phones!" The technical operator said with a huge smile. It always made him feel great when he knew what the trained agents wanting him to do before they could ask him for it.
The agents made way for their vehicles, eager to solve a case after an otherwise boring week filled with nothing but paperwork.
...
The team had split up, Sam taking his Challenger to Hanson's apartment, whilst Kensi and Callen took the senior agents' Aston Martin to the scene of the murder.
The two were waved through security after showing their badges, parked the car and was led to the entrance of the building by one of the many security guards that the facility had. The head of security was already standing awaiting the arrival of the NCIS agents, he greeted them, and let them through the building to the staircase.
Kensi, being the forensics specialist, started to examine the crime scene, whilst Callen talked to the head of security to get the details about the facility's security protocols as well as any information on the victim that might not be available from OPS, such as a change in behavior. The head of security informed him that three of the employees had left before the murder had been discovered, but was assured they had been called and would be making their way back to the facility within the minute.
Kensi noticed a lanyard with the company ID around the neck on the victim. "Hey Callen!" She called, and when he crouched down next to her she continued, "Look at this," she grabbed the small keychain connected to the lanyard, "It looks like there is something missing from this casing, shaped like a small flash drive."
Callen drew out a long sigh, "Good job, Kensi." This meant that Director Vance was probably right in his worries that secret navy technology was possibly compromised, and he would be the one having to inform Hetty of the fact. A call he did not look forward to making.
He quickly mad the call, thinking it was better to get it done and over with. After informing his boss of status quo, he made a second call to OPS asking Nell and Eric to look into all employees at the company, specifically starting with the three employees who had previously left the facility, since they potentially could have brought the USB drive with them and thereby away from the secure facility.
After getting some basic information on the three premises leaving employees thanks to Eric and Nell, they were still waiting for Sam to return to them from Hanson's apartment, as such, they decided to start 'interviewing' the employees, opting to start with the ones they have information on already.
Callen and Kensi set up for interrogation in a small bright room, curtesy of Minerva Precisions' head of security. The first two interrogations lead to nothing.
The first, a woman who worked the front desk who had gone to pick up her sick child, who was now currently with the father, confirmed by OPS. The second was an elderly woman, working part time as a cleaning lady, signs of an early onset of mild cognitive impairment making it highly unlikely, if not impossible, for her to be the perpetrator.
Both of their background checks came back clean, making Callen and Kensi dismiss them as having anything to do with neither murder nor stealing navy secrets.
The third employee who had left the company earlier that day, was led into the room by a security guard. As he entered, Kensi was busy writing down a few notes on a sheet of paper in front of her. When she finally looked up after the man had sat down, she saw a young man with shaggy blonde hair and scruffy face, he was wearing a charcoal suit with a slightly loosened black tie.
"So, what can I do for you agents today?" The man asked, with what Kensi could only describe as a captivating smile.