Bad Shot – Full

Chapter One – Hard Heads

"Thanks again Nate" John said extending his hand for the familiar handshake. This was not the first time Nate Getz had got him out of a hole. Probably would not be the last either. Nate had quite the list of IOU's if he ever wanted to call on John for them.

"No problem" Nate replied easily, "let me know what paperwork you need from me" he continued. If truth be told Nate quite enjoyed his excursions to LAPD. He worked as an independent profiler for them when they needed another perspective. This morning had been a productive morning with a good arrest. Another scumbag down as John liked to say.

"If ever you want to quit the day job and join the big boys you know I'll hire you in a heartbeat".

Of course there was a little downside, John always came round to this route of conversation and Nate had to defend an imaginary very boring job in NCIS recruitment, his cover story.

As Nate took a breath ready to wax lyrical about preferring the office to situations like this morning that needed stab vests and police dogs. After 11 months in the Middle East and Africa this morning was truthfully a cake walk but John did not have to know that. Nate however was saved from having to talk the spiel as John was called away to booking to deal with the collar.

Nate smiled to himself glad of the morning's change of pace but actually happy to be heading back to the office. He had had three messages already from Eric, apparently the team had a new case and for once they really wanted a profile. A sign it was not a pretty case.

As Nate approached his car contemplating if he had time for a drive through breakfast on the way to the office, his day had started at 3am after all, he felt wrong, like he was being watched. Nate took his time getting his keys from his pockets and changing the hand that held his bag all the time subtly looking around and checking reflections in his car windows.

Something was wrong, out of place. Nate gave himself a shake, declaring himself paranoid, he was in a police station parking lot for goodness sake. As he got into his car his rear door window exploded showering Nate in glass. Nate dropped to the ground and scrambled around to the back of his car to get cover. He felt his arm tear as a round found him but before he could assess the damage his world went black.

When Nate came too he had a paramedic holding a gauze to his head and another shinning a light in his eyes. John was hovering over both of the paramedics and yelling into his phone, when he saw Nate had opened his eyes he ended the conversation tersely and turned his attention to his friend.

"Anything I need to know Dr" John asked the younger man.

"What happened?" Nate asked back "It's all a bit fuzzy".

John laughed, "You just got shot in the arm in a cop shop parking lot. Not to mention the bullet that grazed that thick skull of yours. By a lousy shot we think it was more luck you got hit then skill".

"Shot?" Nate tried to sit up but was pushed back down by paramedic one, "Who?"

"That's what I want to know" John responded, "anyone you can think of?"

Nate contemplated that question, deciding it was one he could not answer, to John anyway. He decided to be more practical, "I need to call my office".

John sighed knowing when he was being stonewalled. "I already did".

As if purely to prove the point a silver SUV came rampaging through the gate, halting abruptly and expelling a anxious Kensi and slightly calmer Deeks. Nate would of laughed at the timing, most especially the look on Johns face if he had not suddenly felt guilty. He was the cause of the concern on his team mates faces.

Kensi spotted Nate on the ground with two paramedics working on him. Flashing her identity she bypassed everyone in her way to get to Nate.

Once close enough she ascertained that Nate was not about to die on them and then turned on John who was the closest and appeared to be in charge. "I'm agent Kensi Blye and you are?"

"John Reddick, LAPD negotiator" He introduced himself extending his hand in greeting. "Dr Getz was consulting this morning. We were done and he was on his way back to NCIS recruitment when this happened".

"Recruitment?" Deeks chimed in before silently gasping for breath as Kensi's elbow found a particularly delicate rib. Despite Sam's mentoring he still was a little LAPD and missing the fundamentals of all agents' lives. Nate may exist, a step up from the others, but his job did not. His cover was general psychologist things such as checking applications and reviewing parole requests.

John smirked to himself, he never brought Nate's job story. The man was too good, too ambitious to be in a low level job. "So who has jurisdiction? You're man and our car park".

"How about we work the crime scene together and go from there" Kensi offered, knowing while the crime scene was in LAPD territory there was no point wasting time arguing.

"Was there an element from this morning that could be involved here" Sam asked materialising from no-where; Callen was knelt down next to Nate talking to the paramedics.

"Sam Hanna" Sam gave by way of introduction. Then he waited for a response.

John contemplated the two new men who had appeared from no-where before answering. "No it was a straight forward domestic, husband in hospital and the wife is in lock-up. The husband's mistress is in county morgue. No guns or other parties as far as we are concerned. I will take a closer look of course but don't think it will be a cause for this. What about your side, any rejected applications?" John asked turning a smirk on Nate. Nate to his credit held the man's gaze, not difficult when the world would not focus.

Callen had joined the group by now and exchanged glances with Sam, Kensi smoothly stepped in "We will look into his files".

"Well I better look into what we have I will of course pass on everything. Call me later to let me know what you find, if you can", he added.

"Sir" a uniform called over to Reddick, "we have found the spot the shooter was and some casings, roof of the Hot Hub coffee shop".

"Show me" Sam said directed at the uniform.

Callen watched Sam go with Kensi in tow. Nate was being lifted on a stretcher arguing all the way. "Shot in the arm and one ricochet off his hard head, he'll live" Callen said in way of answering the unasked question. No one was happy on the team two shot in the space of a year. Deeks was unconsciously rubbing his own scars. Something not missed by Callen or the protesting Nate who immediately fell silent.

Deeks went with Nate to the hospital whilst Callen interviewed more witnesses and Sam and Kensi went over the roof top. When they were all done with the exception of Nate they headed back to the office.