Disclaimer: The characters of N.C.I.S. Los Angeles are property of CBS
As Kensi and Nell pulled up to Deeks apartment, Kensi did a once over while she as parking.
{Better park close to the door to make this quick.} Kensi thought.
The women got out and headed for Deeks apartment. Upon entering, Kensi made a bee line for the bedroom.
"What are we grabbing?" Nell asked still following Kensi. Kensi opened the closet door and looked down towards the floor and saw the blanket. Kensi pulled the blanket back, and as Deeks said, looking at the five boxes.
"These." Kensi said. "Now let's get them into the vehicle before we run into trouble." Kensi said. She bent down, grabbed the first box, and the headed for her suv.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Eric looked at his tablet after it dinged. It had received a message. He brought up the mail box and saw that he had a message from Deeks.
"Hey guys! I got something from Deeks!" Eric exclaimed. Sam, Callen dropped what they were doing and came back into the bull pen where Eric was standing next to the plasma. Eric brought up the message and downloaded the attachment. Eric opened the attachment and saw that it was a dossier. The picture looked familiar, but Eric couldn't place him.
"Aramis Devereux: French national, born 8/14/1969. His father was factory worker, and his mother was a stay at home mom. They had three children, but only Aramis is really discussed." Eric said. "Military at the age of eighteen; made it into the special forces by age twenty. After that he drops off the radar. A few years later we have this picture on a wanted posted."
Eric brought up the poster and it showed Aramis face. Everybody stared at the picture in silence before they were interrupted by the tiny ninja.
"Who is this?"
The men jumped, but when Eric regained his composure he compared the two pictures.
"Folks meet the fake Jack Renner." Eric said. Then he turned to Hetty "Hetty the man we're chasing is ex-French Special Forces. To be honest until Deeks returns I'd we say sit this one out."
"Why do you say that Mr. Beale?" Hetty asked.
"Seeing as how Deeks has been chasing Aramis since he joined the L.A.P.D., do any of you know his habits, or his motives?" Eric asked.
"So, we just sit around and do nothing until Deeks returns?" Sam asked.
"We have this dossier, and whatever Kensi and Nell are getting. We have enough to placate the brass for the time being. And if all else fails, tell them we aren't willing to risk our assets until we know what is really going." Eric said.
There was a silence that fell over the bull pen, and everybody contemplated what Eric just said.
"Once Kensi and Nell return, we will review what they have. Maybe Mr. Deeks will get back to me before I have to talk to Granger again." Hetty said as she walked away towards her desk. Sam and Callen grabbed their work stations and brought the over to their desks in the bull pen and continued what they were doing before the message from Deeks, and Eric swept the dossier for any clues on where to find the Aramis "The Hermit Crab" Devereux.
N.C.I.S L.A.
Nell was already in the passenger seat and strapped in as Kensi was getting into the driver's seat, and shutting the door. Before Kensi could get strapped in next thing her saw was a gun pointed at her temple and a man yelling.
"GET OUT OF THE SUV NOW!"
Kensi and Nell both put their hands up and slowly got out of the suv. Just as Kensi' right foot hit the ground; the unknown assailant was hit over the back of the head, being knocked to the ground. As he was trying to get back up he was hit over the back of the head knocking him unconscious. Kensi looked at the new person and waited for him to make a move.
"Get in the car and leave!" The man exclaimed. Kensi and Nell got back into her vehicle, shutting the doors, and strapping themselves in.
"You have a name stranger?" Kensi asked.
"Aramis Devereux, now get lost before I change my mind!" He exclaimed.
Kensi put the suv in drive and released the parking brake and gunned it out of the parking lot. They were half way to O.S.P. before Kensi realized that Nell was extremely quiet. Kensi looked over at Nell and saw that she was spooked.
"You okay Nell?" Kensi asked.
"Other than the fact that we were almost car jacked, Aramis guy looks familiar. I'll have to look into it when we get back, but I swear he looked familiar." Nell said.
"Let's worry about that later; for now let's get these files out of my vehicle before we have any more surprises." Kensi said. The rest of the drive back to the mission in an uncomfortable silence; the women wanted to break it, but they were too shook up to do anything about.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Bosnia-
The marines, four in all, and Deeks were on the trail leading to the scientist, and/or other political figures for the last half hour. It was a long and boring journey. Deeks was dying to start talking to his partners, but he knew that out here in the urban sticks of Bosnia, that could get you killed. So he passed the time by letting his mind wander, while keeping an eye out for tangos, to his girlfriend back in Los Angeles.
{I wonder how Kensi and Monty are doing?} Deeks thought.
The lead marine lifted his right hand called the company to a halt. Everybody got low to the ground to avoid being spotted by sentries how in the trees, or in the buildings nearby. They leader surveyed the area before he sent the scout out to get a closer look.
"Sir." Said the lead marine, indicating he had to speak to Deeks.
"Don't Sir me, I work for a living." Deeks said as he approached the marine. The marines all snickered at Deeks response. "What do you have?"
"I want you and Johns to skirt around the outside of this village and try to gain entry to those building over there. If you can't enter, at least take over watch position." The leader said. The scout fell back, and he and Deeks head for the other side. It was ten minutes before the marines heard Deeks on the radio. But it wasn't pretty when they did.
"Uh, guys. We have a problem." Deeks said.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Los Angeles
"Kensi, Nell welcome back." Callen said. Kensi and Nell walked into the bull pen visible shaken from their ordeal. "You two okay?"
"Yeah as we were leaving somebody tried to car jack, but we were rescued." Kensi said.
"By who?" Hetty asked.
"Who's that? Nell asked pointing to the picture on the plasma.
"Aramis Devereux: Deeks buddy that he has been chasing for the past ten years." Eric said. Eric was waiting for a response from one of the women, but heard Callen ask.
"You guys saw him?"
"He rescued us!" Nell exclaimed.
"So." Callen said.
"He told us to go before he changed his mind." Kensi said.
"Well at least we know that the killer is still in town." Eric said. The team continues to stand and look at the screen before Hetty chimed in.
"What did you collect Ms. Blye?"
"Five boxes that Deeks had hidden in his bedroom." Kensi said.
"Give us the keys and we'll bring them in." Sam said. Kensi tossed Sam the key, and Sam and Callen left to go get the boxes. Nell grabbed Kensi hand and took he to somewhere private to converse, Hetty went back to her desk, and Eric browsed through the Devereux's dossier some more.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Upon popping the trunk on Kensi suv, Sam and Callen saw the boxes Kensi was talking about.
"These are evidence files, G." Sam said.
"I wonder what Deeks got himself into- hey. You remember a few months ago Hetty said something about Deeks first assignment as an agent." Callen said.
"Yeah I remember G. You think Shaggy went out to Pendleton as some training camp to supplement his skills, so he would be more valuable to the team?" Sam asked.
"Makes sense; but back to the subject at hand: these are a lot of boxes." Callen said.
"Of course there are. I've been a bad boy." Said a voice behind them. Callen and Sam turned and saw that it was Aramis. The two agents drew there weapons and had the trained on him.
"If I want you two, or the two women I saved, dead you would be. So I'd listen to mine, and Special Agent Deeks advice: don't take the lead on this case. It will get you killed." Aramis turned and walked away. And before he exited the parking garage he spoke again.
"No one knows the location of this establishment. So If I were you I'd pray that Deeks succeeds in this confrontation, or you will need a new base of operations." Then he left.
Callen and Sam turned to each other and took into account to gravity of the situation, and nodded. The carried the five boxes back into O.S.P., locked Kensi' suv back, and then went to find Hetty.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Sitting at her desk in her office, Hetty saw the entire exchange between Sam, Callen, and Devereux on her laptop.
{Mr. Deeks, what kind of trouble have you brought into my house?} Hetty thought as she closed her laptop lid, and got lost in her thoughts.
"Do we need to remove Detective Deeks from the case once he gets back?" Asked a gruff voice. Hetty looked up and saw that it was Granger.
"Umm, no! As strange as things would seem Mr. Deeks will be taking the lead on this one Owen. Callen, Sam, and Kensi haven't spent time chasing this guy like Mr. Deeks has. This guy is a lot more sophisticated than anybody we have ever chased." Hetty said.
"Hetty!" Callen exclaimed as him and Sam call jogging into her office.
"I know Mr. Callen. I saw the conversation through my camera in the garage." Hetty said.
"Then you know that are hands are tied until Deeks returns?" Sam asked.
"What conversation?" Granger asked. The agents turned and look at Granger and realized that he joined the party.
"It's seems that Mr. Deeks has be followed for quite some time." Hetty said.
"Really." Granger said.
"With all due respect sir, even you would have made the same mistake too" Sam said.
"What did Kensi retrieve from Mr. Deeks place?" Hetty asked.
"Evidence boxes." Sam said.
"Ah, so he had them the entire time." Hetty said.
"He?" Granger asked.
"Had them?" Sam asked.
"What is this "time" you are talking about?" Callen asked.
"Grabbed the evidence boxes and bring them into the bull pen." Hetty said, and then G and Sam wandered off to get the boxes.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Fifteen minutes earlier-
Nell dragged Kensi into the burn room so the two women could talk in peace.
"What do you know about the situation?" Nell asked with a little bit of an edge in her voice
"Nothing!" Kensi exclaimed. "I just learned the killer's real name today."
"Your boyfriend is chasing/being chased by a serial killer with ties to the French military and you never asked?" Nell asked.
"How did you know he was French?" Kensi asked.
"I stole Eric's laptop before I dragged you in here." Nell said.
"Wait a minute! Are accusing me of withholding information pertinent to the case?! I'm sorry weren't you the one who had a photo of the man, and didn't check foreign databases." Kensi said.
"Accusing? No, but if you want a future with that man, now would be the time to get him to come clean to protect it." Nell said.
"Deeks doesn't want to share the information how is it my fault? I just learned about his childhood last year. Deeks is an enigma: I thought I knew everything about him, and then he goes and throws a monkey wrench in the plan." Kensi asked.
Before Nell could answer Kensi phone rang.
"Blye." Kensi answered.
"Come to Deeks apartment, and come alone." The voice said.
"On my way." Kensi said. Then she hung up her phone and stared at Nell.
"Who was that?" Nell asked. Kensi glared at Nell.
"And you're really going to go?!" Nell squeaked.
"Nell if he wanted me dead he could have left me to that car jacker." Kensi said and then exited the burn room heading towards the garage.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Bosnia-
"What's wrong gentlemen?" Asked the lead marine.
"I'm looking towards the village square and I see our targets." Said the scout.
"Status." The leader asked.
"They're all de-"
"I see a live one!" The scout exclaimed cutting Deeks off.
"Wait!" Deeks exclaimed and put a firm hand on the Johns shoulder.
"Why. That one of our targets; we have to rescue them." The scout said. Deeks put one finger up and silenced the scout. Deeks looked around the village and saw that it was in clear view of a sniper.
"If we go down there and try to rescue that person, we could get shot by a sniper." Deeks said.
"Now what?" another marine in the unit asked.
"That's what we're trying to figure out." The leader said.
"Wait a minute." Deeks said. "Give me your binoculars."
The scout handed his binoculars to Deeks and waited for his response. Deeks put the instrument to his face and zoomed in on the lone figure. What he saw was not what he was expecting.
"Well it's safe to say that the V.I.P.s are still alive." Deeks said.
"And you're sure of this how?" Asked the leader.
"Look at the guy through your binoculars." Deeks said.
The marines took out there binoculars and zoomed in on the guy lying in the middle of the village and he was not one of the people they were sent to rescue.
"So what do we do now?" one of the other marines.
"What for them to move the prisoners, or for them to return to the prisoners." The leader and Deeks said.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Los Angeles: Deeks apartment-
"Devereux." Kensi called out as she entered Deeks apartment. After she shut the door, Kensi towards the middle of his living room and stopped.
"Brave woman coming here alone; what makes you think I won't kill you right now?" Aramis asked entering the living room from Deeks bedroom. He had a manila envelope in his hand.
"If you wanted my dead, you could have killed me already, or chanced it this morning with the car jacker. Want to shock with the truth?" Kensi asked.
"What truth?" He asked.
"Why are we standing in my boyfriends, your nemesis' living room?" She asked.
"I know that Deeks is out of the country, I just want you to inform me of his return." He said.
"Why should I?" she asked.
Aramis walked over and pulled out a photo and show it to Kensi. Kensi looked at him with hopeless rage, and was on the verge of breaking down. Kensi wanted to kill Devereux right now, but given his extensive military training he probably would have killed her, and then and went on to kill the person in the photo. It was a picture of Kensi with her mother at Julia's house.
"Do as I say, and dear ol' mommy won't have to die." He said. "On the backside is a phone number; just send me a text message the moment he lands at Camp Pendleton."
After he told Kensi to text him when Deeks returned state side, Devereux left Deeks apartment. As Aramis shut the door Kensi broke down and started to cry. She now understands fully why Deeks never wanted her to get involve, or have any dealings with Devereux. After she had cried herself out Kensi got up, grabbed the photo, and left the apartment. Kensi got back in her suv, and headed back to the mission. The whole ride back was in silence that could have chocked her to death. So Kensi turned on some techno music and hope it could soothe her soul.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Bosnia: three hours later-
"I got movement." Deeks said.
"Where?" Asked the lead marine.
"House; east side of the village." Deeks said.
"Deeks stay in over watch; Echo one you take the north side; Echo two you go up the middle; Echo three take the left side. Echo scout you come in from your current position." The lead marine said. As the marines were getting into position there heard over the coms.
"I see one of the targets." Deeks said.
"Any more?" Asked the scout.
"Well gentlemen it's our lucky day. All four friendlies are on site." Deeks said.
Deeks continue to watch the bad guys and started to wonder what was going on, and then he realized what they were doing.
"You guy might want to hustle it up." He said
"Why." Asked Echo two.
"Because they are about to start executing the hostages against the house they just exited." Deeks said
"Echo two in position." Said the marine.
"Echo one in position." Said the marine.
"Echo scout in position." Said the marine.
"Echo three in position. " Said the marine.
"Echo leader in position." Said the lead marine. "Deeks if you would mind knocking on the door."
"In the immortal words of John McClaine: Yippee-ki-yay, mother-"
"BOOM!"
Deeks sentence was cut off by the sniper rifle discharging as he pulled the trigger. The marines charged the tangos as they were shooting at them; all the while Deeks was shooting at the tangos from over watch.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
O.S.P. mission house-
Kensi walked into the mission in a daze. All she could think about is her mother being target; one that would keep Kensi in line. She made bee line to the shooting range to reign in her frustration. As she made her way to the range Hetty followed from a distance.
"You know what spooked Kensi?" Granger asked coming up behind her.
"My best guess: Devereux has leverage on her. When it is no longer viable? Your guess is as good as mine." Hetty said as she walked off to go talk to her agent.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
After Kensi had emptied her magazine, Hetty walked in and waited.
"What do you want Hetty?" Kensi asked. Her voice was thick with sorrow.
"What does Devereux have on you?" Hetty asked. Kensi handed the picture to Hetty. She understood her agent's plight. "In exchange for her safety?"
"On the back is a phone number. As soon as Deeks reaches Camp Pendleton, I supposed to send him a text message." Kensi said.
"Are you upset because your mother is a target, or is it because you are going to alerting Devereux to Deeks return?" Hetty asked.
"Both." Kensi said.
"Well seeing as how Deeks is crucial to this investigation, I think he would be okay with you telling Devereux." Hetty said.
"Hetty how could you say that? I love Deeks!" Kensi exclaimed.
"And you love your mother. Let's put it this way, which would last in a fist fight with Devereux: Mr. Deeks, or your mother?" Hetty asked.
"That's not the point." Kensi said fighting to keep the rage at bay that was at war within her. As much as Hetty was telling the truth, Kensi still didn't like it.
"But isn't it? Mr. Deeks is the crucial part of your future. Mr. Deeks taking down Devereux protects both him, and you mother." Hetty said.
"Hetty, I don't think a prison sentence is going to be involved." Kensi said.
"What makes you so sure of that?" Hetty asked.
"Devereux has been killing for almost thirty years or more, what makes you think a prison will be able to contain this man. I think the two men will be paying their tribute in blood." Kensi said.
"Let's pray it doesn't come to that Ms. Blye. I don't think either of us could take the loss of Special Agent Deeks." Hetty said.
T.B.C.