Chapter Two: "Coming back is the thing that enables you to see how all the dots in your life are connected, how one decision leads you another, how one twist of fate, good or bad, brings you to a door that later takes you to another door, which aided by several detours-long hallways and unforeseen stairwells-eventually puts you in the place you are now." - Ann Patchett, "What Now?"
Deeks took Genevieve's offer letter and his motorcycle to the boat shed. Yes it was a childish act of defiance but he felt he earned it. Pulling into the parking lot, he saw a Maybach and Sam's latest muscle car.
Deeks walked in from the parking lot, entering the boat shed door he walked through a thousand times. "Hey kids, don't say you started the party without me."
Callen and Sam were just standing up from the big room's table. Sam, as always, was closer to the door. He gave Deeks a big hug. "Good to see you man, what are you doing here?"
Deeks turned to Callen who had an extended hand. "What are you doing here?" Callen asked in a more serious tone as Deeks shook his hand.
Deeks pulled out Genevieve's envelope. "Got my golden ticket to the Wonka Chocolate Factory."
"Do you know what's going on?" Sam asked.
"Rarely," Deeks joked. "I was asked to be part of this new joint task force and to show up here for a 2PM briefing. LAPD in the house."
"How is that going?" Callen asked Deeks. "Being back downtown? Being in charge?"
"Good. Weird. I spent years here saying 'on it' or 'done' when you were doling out assignments. Now I'm doing the doling and everyone else is saying 'on it' or 'done'."
Sam laughed. "Bernhart and Talia don't seem like the 'done'-types all of the time."
"You kind of give Matthew more emphatic recommendations than actual orders but he knows where I'm coming from so we're good. Talia is three-years away from leaving the DEA with a full pension in place when she hits retirement age. She puts in that time with LAPD as a liaison officer and she's there. After that disaster with her partner, she was either being shipped to Southeast Asia or South America or she was given an administrative role in some ongoing investigations here at home. After everything that's happened to her, working with LAPD seemed like the best solution for everyone."
"The Deeks solution," Sam teased.
"Something like that," Deeks agreed.
"And she gets to stay close to home," Callen said.
"She's got a younger sister who had a kid a couple of years ago. She likes being Auntie Talia on a more full-time basis."
"How is she working out with Bernhart?" Sam asked with a bit of a smirk. "Oil and water?"
"Nah, cookies and milk, PB and J and I'm figuring at some point, love and marriage." Deeks chuckled.
Callen shook his head, pulled out his wallet and handed Sam a twenty.
"Am I the only person not enjoying the fruits of legalized gambling?" Deeks wondered. "What was this about? Betting on how much Matthew and Talia would hate each other?"
"No, we went to Messhall Kitchen last week," Callen explained.
"Matthew loves that place," Deeks said.
"The food wasn't the only thing he seemed taken by. We saw Talia and Bernhart sharing that banana cream pie thing they do. They were, uhm, well…."
"Canoodling?" Deeks found the word for Callen.
"I was going to say really close but canoodling works."
"So why does that get Sam an order of Messhall's Turkey Kale Chili? You saw they weren't at each other's throats."
"Nah, Callen didn't think you knew they were a couple. I thought you were smarter than that." Sam said, patting Deeks on the back.
"I fell in love with the woman I worked with," Deeks said with a smile. "I know the signs." And Matthew admitted to Deeks he really liked Talia after about a week of working together – 'she could be my Kensi, Martin' was his confession after a month. Since Matthew was not someone to fall that hard and that fast in the past, Deeks knew Matthew was all in too.
Wanting to change the subject, Callen asked "Is anyone else coming?"
"Kensi texted me from LAX that she and Nell were waiting for the valet to bring them the Audi."
"Kensi's using a valet for long-term parking?"
"I just had the Audi detailed last week, Mr. Hanna. I asked Miss Blye specifically to use a particular lot and to tell the valet that I sent her. Guarantees the Audi is in a secure location and that NCIS could have instant access to it if need be," Hetty said. As always, she more appeared than entered the room. "Lieutenant Deeks, so very good to see you," Hetty smiled as she greeted Deeks.
"Good to see you too Hetty," Deeks said and actually meant it. That morning's conversations aside, he wouldn't be where he was now without Hetty. "That would explain why Kensi didn't want a ride to the airport."
The door to the boat shed opened again and this time a large man in a dark suit walked in carrying a briefcase. Taking out his badge, he announced in a slightly accent, "Deputy U.S. Marshal Eli Ben-Aharon. We met a few years ago."
"Of course, Marshal Ben-Aharon. Is Ms. Fitzgerald with you?"
"She is currently in our vehicle in your parking lot. It is a black Navigator," he told the group as he placed the briefcase on the desk. "She would like to talk to Agent Hanna and then Lieutenant Deeks individually and privately before any debrief will begin. Agent Hanna, Director Fitzgerald wants to see you first."
Sam nodded and made his way to the door.
"Why does she want to talk to Sam and Deeks?" Callen asked.
"If the Director wanted me, or you for that matter, to be part of her conversations, we would be currently sitting in the SUV. Instead, I am here with you and Agent Hanna is with Director Fitzgerald," Eli replied as he pulled out a laptop and started working.
"Any idea why she wanted to see Sam before me?" Deeks asked.
"As she does in times like this, she decided to see you two 'alphabetically by height' and then chuckled to herself."
"That doesn't make sense," Callen said.
Eli linked his computer to the boat shed's plasma screen. "But it amuses the Director and life is better with an amused Director."
"Do you know anything about the case?" Callen asked.
"Yes," Eli replied before returning to his work.
"And you're not sharing because life is better is also better with a happy Director," Deeks added.
"If she wanted me to do the briefing, I would be doing the briefing instead of preparing for it. Though I was told there would be several other women operatives here besides Miss Lange."
"Hetty," she corrected.
Eli nodded his head. "Of course, Miss Lange."
The door opened with Kensi walking in followed by Nell and Mosley. "Hey babe," Kensi said to Deeks with a big smile.
Deeks loved that big smile. "Hello dear," he said giving her a light peck on the cheek.
"That's it? We've been gone for a week and all you have is 'hello dear'?" Nell teased.
"He has a lot more than that, don't cha, babe?" Kensi teased.
"I'm calling in an HR violation," Callen threw up his hands in mock disgust.
"Well, I don't work here anymore so that shouldn't be a problem," Deeks said with a smile before turning his attention elsewhere. "Good afternoon, Executive Assistant Director Mosley. I've brought a permission slip to prove my attendance here has been requested by an outside agency."
"Yes, Director Vance called me and said you were personally requested by Director Fitzgerald for this assignment. It is good to have you back," Mosley said warmly.
"On loan," Deeks noted.
"And on deck," Sam added as he returned to the group. "The Director will see you now. And before anyone asks, I'm good."
"Anything I need to know?" Deeks had a different question.
"The car smells like McDonalds," was Sam's reply.
"When tired, the Director food choices devolve to those of a 12-year old boy," Eli told the group without ever looking up from his computer screen.
"About the right size," Deeks joked as started to leave.
"The Director so enjoys the short jokes. Make sure you share that one with her," Eli said as Deeks passed by.
Deeks opened the door to the Navigator and Sam was right – the place did smell like McDonalds. "Eli said you eat like a 12-year old boy when you're hungry."
"Ate. Quarter pounder, no cheese, large fries with three ketchup packets and a diet Coke gets a girl feeling good, And none of it got on my clothes. So proud," Genevieve said, showing off her clean black polka dot Carolina Herrera sheath dress. "Another thing, don't In and Out burger shame me. I'll be here for a few days, they'll get more than their fair share of my inappropriate dining dollars."
"You can eat McDonalds anywhere. You're in LA, go Animal-Style."
"Duly noted. Good to see you, Deeks. Congrats on making Lieutenant. Nice to see LAPD has an eye for talent and is moving that talent along."
Deeks was pleased by the compliment. "I'd ask what brings you to my fair city but I'm pretty sure it is whatever case Vance was talking about this morning."
"The case is why I'm here. And it is cold and wintry in New York so this wasn't a hard decision to run this from somewhere where I'm dodging slush puddles. Back to the case though, it's why I needed to talk to you and to Agent Hanna before we start."
"What did Sam and I do?"
"Survived. You survived. So did Sam. What was done to you and Chief Hanna is more my concern. The case has some Russians involved. OK, a lot of Russians. One in particular – the target of the investigation – served under Isaak Sidorov when they were with the FSB. The two had a falling out but for years my target saw the FSB version of Sidorov as an ideal."
"Sidorov is dead. Your target should realize how things end for that sort of ideal."
"And the world's a far better place with Sidorov in the ground. But my target had a falling out with his old boss because he didn't think Sidorov was committed enough to their work. Thought Sidorov's taste for the Western good life was a hinderance and made Sidorov soft. And that soft version of Sidorov is who was killed by NCIS. Not the FSB Sidorov."
"Sidorov was not soft. Any version of him."
"No. NCIS intelligence had an informant with KGB ties call Sidorov a 'disciplined psychopath' so with my target thinking Sidorov was soft, you can imagine what level of psychopath this guy is. It ups the level of danger the task force will face."
"OK."
"You were beaten and tortured by a man my target believes wasn't properly committed to violent and abusive behavior to achieve an end. Are you going to be good with this?"
"I'm a professional," Deeks started.
"And that's why I thought of you for this assignment. I am, however, perfectly fine with you walking away. I'll take care of whatever requests you have at the DoJ and put you back in the hopper for future assignments. I don't want you or Agent Hanna feeling you have to work a case where you think you're defending your professionalism or courage or manhood or whatever. Surviving what you did – no questions about your professionalism or courage from me."
"I've worked cases with and against Russian operatives in the last five years. Hell, I've been to Russia. I'm good."
"I've been reading about your new assignment. You're more than good. That's my other concern with you, Lieutenant."
"I'm a multiple concern guy?" Deeks was almost proud.
"You've been running your own show for a while. You've been separated from OSP for a while. Are you going to have a hard time working with your former teammates? Maybe taking orders from them again?"
"Nope. Director Vance and I already had this conversation."
Genevieve nodded. "Yes, I spoke with Leon coming in from the airport. He said you'd be good to go with NCIS."
"Did he say anything else?"
"You were 'notably frank' – his words, not mine – about your time with NCIS and that should serve the task force well."
Deeks smiled. "I think that's your answer."
"Seems to be but isn't everything. Are you going to have a hard time taking orders again from someone like Chief Hanna or Henrietta? You're currently giving orders now. I don't want LAPD and OSP getting into some sort of inter-agency spat. I don't have time for that."
"First, I think we'll all be taking orders from you," Deeks noted.
"True," Genevieve said.
"But I'm also taking orders from others now. I run a team, not LAPD. I answer to Roger Bates. As long as the orders given are legal, I'm good," Deeks said. "Any other questions?"
"I'm sure I'll think of some down the road but right now, I'm good if you're good."
"I'm good."
"That's all I needed to hear. And I'll tell you what I told Sam. Anything bother you in this case, you tell me and we'll figure something out."
"I am good, Director. I've been good for a while."
"That's why I picked you years ago and that's why I want Milo back."
"Milo?" Deeks smiled, remembering his old undercover persona.
"There is an art component to this case. Let's get inside and I'll explain it all to the team."
x-x-x
Deeks and Genevieve made their way to the boat shed. Eli was at table still working on his laptop. The NCIS staffers were chatting among themselves.
As Deeks returned to Kensi's side, Genevieve walked up to Mosley. "EAD Mosley, good to meet you." Genevieve said, extending her hand. "I'm Genevieve Fitzgerald, head of the Honos Project at Homeland and DoJ."
Shaking her hand, Mosley said, "Honor to meet you, ma'am. I've heard so much."
"Please, it is Genevieve. And I'm sorry one and all about the Saturday meeting. I'm sure this is not how any of you wanted to spend your day off."
Eli walked up to Genevieve and handed her the presentation clicker. "Ready to go, Director."
Genevieve hit the clicker and started he debrief. A person-of-interest bullietin appeared on the plasma screen. "This is Dmitri Vanin. He'll be 40 in June and the hope is he'll be spending that day in a federal lock-up."
"I've heard of him," Callen said. "Former FSB. Works as a security director for the Russian officials visiting Los Angeles as part of the SBP."
"SBP? Like SPF?" Deeks asked.
"Protection yes, Mr. Deeks but not from the sun. I could give you the official translation but the SBP is Russia's Presidential Secret Service detail. They protect the Russian President," Hetty told the group.
"To state the obvious," Kensi said, "Putin isn't here."
"No but Putin has allies in the government who he will extend SBP protection as they travel. They have a man in New York, a man in London, a man in Paris, you get the idea," Genevieve used the clicker and a number of Russian ID's appeared on the screen. "And they are always men. Vanin is their West Coast man."
"Since these men all report to Putin, they are effectively the Kremlin's spies here, in New York, London and so on," Callen said.
"And they also spy on Putin's allies. Get them a little liquored up and make sure all is well in Putin's inner circle. More than one member of Putin's inner-circle was found on the outside looking in after a visit to a place like Miami or Rio," Genevieve confirmed.
"Do you think Vanin is spying?" Sam asked.
"Oh, I'm sure he is. They all are. Just as our government has people in dozens of countries doing the same. If this was the typical spy guy nonsense, the FBI would be paying attention to Vanin but I'd be home in New York working on other threats."
"So what is Vanin doing to get your attention?" Mosley asked.
"Shorter list may be what isn't he doing. In recent months, Vanin has been moving money from Russian coffers to outside and transferrable items."
"Diamonds?" Hetty asked.
"Diamonds, art, wine, drugs," Genevieve said. "Add in some arms dealing, we think some human trafficking, though that's the weakest part of our case, and some general theft and extortion plots. Since last fall, Vanin is a crime family all by himself. We're sure he's up to something but we don't know what so it has to be stopped and stopped now."
"How did he get to Los Angeles?" Callen asked. "These are usually jobs saved for older spies who are being rewarded for something."
"When the Russian Consulate was temporarily moved to LA while the San Francisco office was being upgraded – and by upgraded I mean all of the US spy stuff planted over the years ripped out and new Russian spy stuff put in - Vanin was sent in as the replacement chief of security. Seems there was a breach of their computer system during a party a few years back." Genevieve put up a photo of Ivan Delov.
"Oh, the old catering uniforms," Kensi said. "That was a fun party and fun breach."
"It was also the last U.S. party for Delov. He was returned to Mother Russia with a new assignment in Norilsk."
Callen shook his head sadly. "Not good."
"Norilsk?" Mosley asked.
"Mining town. North of the Artic Circle. Considered one of the most polluted cities in the world. Today's high is likely 17 below zero with a noon sunrise and sunset about now but in local time. Two hours of sun on a double-digit day below zero. Not the reassignment someone living for a decade in California would appreciate. He's now the head of security for the mining companies."
"Will the Office of Special Projects involvement in the security breach at the Consulate be a concern?" Hetty asked.
"No. Our spy guys in Russia report that Moscow credits the CIA with the breach. They also credit the CIA for the prison break that got a captured CIA Officer and a Russian expat out of some FSB run prison."
"All that hard work and the CIA gets the credit." Sam shook his head.
"Things ended badly enough for Officer Sharov that I'm sure the victory lap at the CIA was short," Hetty said.
"How are we going to be involved in all this?" Callen asked.
"Vanin has grown in favor with his Russian bosses," Genevieve showed a small ranch home in Northridge. "Unlike many of the SBP security officers who have adapted to their decadent Western surroundings – their guy in New York lives in the same building where Derek Jeter lived when he was with the Yankees – Vanin lives in a condo in Northridge. One bedroom, one bathroom. He drives a four-year old hybrid SUV. Doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, no drugs or gambling, sends his salary back to his sister and her family north of Tuapse."
"Toupee?" Deeks joked.
"They're teachers at a state run school," Genevieve started to explain.
"Orlyonok," Callen provided.
"Thank you for saving me from butchering that word. It is a year round camp for smart kids from all over Russia. They're junior high school or high school age kids. Vanin's sister and brother-in-law are teachers."
"Doesn't drink, smoke, what about women?" Kensi asked.
"Or men?" Deeks added, remember Kirkin.
"Married young. She was killed in one of the apartment building bombings in Moscow in September of 1999. He was moving up in the FSB, she was a pediatric nurse in the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital. The few people who we've been able to talk to about Vanin say that Irina was really the only proof he was human. He was and is cold and clinical about everything else in his life but he could not do enough for Irina."
"So our target has a weakness and she's dead," Nell said.
Genevieve nodded her head. "Exactly. The CIA threw women at him when he got set up here. Nothing. Threw a guy or two as well – nothing. Seems to have one love – Mother Russia. And anything he can do to make Russia more powerful and the US unstable, he's happy. It makes all the money moves recently worrisome."
"So how do we get to him?" Sam asked.
"Arrogance," Genevieve told them. "The Kremlin has made it clear, he's their best and their brightest. He's the foreign security officer ideal. Their guy in New York. Not a fan."
"You flipped him?" Callen asked. "The New York SBF security officer?"
"The US Attorney's Office in New York, which is technically my home base, was investigating a call-girl scandal a while back."
"Emperor's Club?" Deeks remembered that scandal from his time in New York.
"Eliot Spitzer was Client 9, Aleksei Gregor was Client 27," Genevieve put up a photo of a rather large man in his tighty-whities dancing with a young blonde wearing expensive matching bra and panties with a million dollar diamond necklace.
"Oh, I can unsee that," Nell said, covering her eyes.
"I've been living with it for a decade – enjoy." Genevieve laughed. "Aleksei has been most helpful over the years. He wants asylum. His time with the SBP comes to an end this year. He ages out of his role and would prefer a Manhattan retirement to life back in Moscow. If he can take down Vanin as he defects…"
"He wins," Sam says.
"He's enjoying the decadent American lifestyle," Genevieve told the group. "He actually is a smart guy – Masters degrees – plural – in agriculture, international relations and computer sciences. Wants to teach at Harvard."
"And you're an alumna," Hetty noted.
"Yes I am. Though according to them, I'm not nearly generous enough when it comes to the school. Perhaps a gift of this guy," Genevieve clicked on another photo of Gregor, this time sipping champagne in a fluffy robe on a large bed, "is in order."
"All this is fascinating, and you can take your Russian friend off the screen at any time," Mosley made it a point to turn away from the plasma. "So what is the plan for OSP to arrest Vanin? And why has this become a priority?"
"Vanin is upping his criminal behavior. We don't know what he is doing, we just know he's doing something. OSP long has the reputation of taking down these sort of operations before they can truly begin."
"This is what we do," Sam said with some pride.
"Agent Hanna is a certified sommelier, as is his longtime legend Charles Duncan," Genevieve hit the clicker and an older photo of Sam appeared in a black suit, shirt and tie standing in a large wine cellar.
"Mr. Duncan has been in France for several years working on his craft," Hetty told the group.
"Mr. Duncan is about to return and take over the management of the Elite Cellarage," Genevieve explained.
"In Silver Lake?" Sam was familiar with the establishment.
"Yes and you'll be happy to know that Mr. Duncan has owned a delightful little cottage in Silver Lake Heights. Been renting it for the last few years but now he's coming home." Genevieve passed Sam a folder.
"Nice," Sam said as he looked at his temporary new home.
"Elite Cellarage was the wine storage facility of choice for Isaak Sidorov and a few other delightful souls. When Sidorov began his stint in Hell, my division took a long look at Elite. Got an accountant in there and a few months later, it stopped being a front for terrorist and criminals hiding their money and started being a front for DoJ/Homeland looking for terrorists and criminals hiding their money."
"Does Vanin have wine stored there?" Sam asked.
"Yes, wine he's stolen from other facilities or private collectors. He likes getting his hands dirty when he knows he can't be caught." Genevieve put a security photo of Vanin sneaking into a different wine facility dressed as a repairman.
"But you know he stole the wine, isn't he caught?" Mosley asked. "You could arrest him now."
"All I'd get is him recalled back to Moscow if I pushed the State Department to expel him for trespassing. Nobody ever reported the wine stolen," Genevieve explained.
"Why not?" Kensi asked. "If you're storing wine in one of those places, it isn't a $12 bottle of white from Ralphs."
"One of his targets was a movie producer out here involved in an awful divorce from wife number five."
"Six, Director," Eli interrupted. "Wife number six."
"My mistake. Wife number six is about to be ex-wife number six."
"Five, he married the same woman twice," Eli said.
"Again, my mistake. Anyway, about ex-wife number three or so, the producer started hiding his money with wine purchases. Same with a jeweler in Beverly Hills who is moving some diamonds for an Armenian businessman in less than legal and ethical ways but in quite profitable ways for both men. When this is all over, those two men and a few others will get a visit from the Homeland, the DOJ and of course the IRS."
"Ill-gotten gains are still taxable," Deeks noted.
"Just ask Al Capone," Genevieve said before turning her attention back to the case at hand. "We believe Vanin is looking to sell some of that wine for a crew he's putting together to rob an art exhibit. In recent years, the Russian underground for stolen art has been highly profitable."
"The Downtown Arts Exhibit," Hetty figured.
"Yes. They have a Klimt, a Kahlo and a Kandinsky along with two Jackson Pollacks pledged for the event. There will also be some non-big name art there that has some real value. And then there will be a Milo."
"A Milo?" Nell asked.
Genevieve pointed to Deeks. "Milo."
"The greatest artist that almost happened," Deeks said with a false, wistful tone.
"The head of the FBI's New York Art Division paints all of Milo's pieces in my garage on Long Island beach house after polishing off about half a bottle of wine."
"Seen the place," Deeks whispered to Kensi. "The garage is bigger than our house."
"Let me guess, modern art, Director Fitzgerald." Hetty said, obviously not a fan.
"Crap is a better term but the gallery my office was investigating in 2009 didn't care about art, they were moving drugs and trafficking women. They were just looking for stuff to put on their walls while the back office did their true work."
"Deeks was undercover as an artist?" Callen asked.
"Oh yeah," Deeks said with a smile and fell right into character. "And Milo needed to make sure everything was hung with care by people with the right auras and energy fields to properly enhance each piece's inherent power."
"Oh Lord," Sam said, shaking his head.
"I feel negativity over here," Deeks walked up to Sam and made circles with his hands in front of Sam's face. "It is draining the power of the creativity in my soul."
"Why don't you move your creativity over toward Kensi," Sam told Deeks. "Let her be your muse."
"That's actually the role I had in mind for Agent Blye," Genevieve took a folder and handed it to Kensi. "Half muse, half patron."
"Oh, Deeks is going to be a kept man," Nell teased.
"You think that makes money on its own, Agent Jones?" Genevieve said with a smile as she pointed to the still-Milo Deeks. "Agent Blye will be Willow Tyler Warren – old Texas money, only child. Blowing through one of her numerous trust funds supporting Milo's career."
"What else do you need from our group, Director?" Hetty asked.
"I'd like to co-opt Agent Jones as my liaison with the team and with my people. I'd also like you, Agent Jones, to just review all the points of the case we have going on. With arrests planned in numerous cities of these Russian SFB agents for other crimes, I'd like to make sure there isn't a gap or gaps in our case."
Nell smiled. "Of course."
There was some noise at the boat shed's door. Eli had his gun out as did Sam and Kensi when the door opened.
Genevieve looked down the hall. "They're with me. Well, they're with the Marshal's office doing a favor for me."
The Marshals brought in a handcuffed and feisty Arkady Kolcheck. "Callen, Sam. Oh look, Deeks, you're back. I have missed you."
"Put him in the Interrogation Room there," Genevieve said. "I need to talk to him."
"Oh, hello Genevieve Fitzgerald. I did not see you there, so tiny and all. I do not like that Interrogation Room. Like you, tiny."
"In," Genevieve pointed to the Interrogation Room. "Now."
"I can sit here," Arkady started to make his way to the coach but Eli's firm hand in Arkady's chest stopped any movement "I can sit there," Arkady turned around and pointed to the couch with his handcuffs. "We are all friends here. We are free to talk."
Turning to the Marshals, Genevieve said, "I want you to take him to the federal lock-up downtown and put him in a 72-hour hold. The minute the clock starts, call me. I'll be in to question him in 71-and-one-half hours."
"Oh, no, no, no, no. No reason to do that. It is the weekend. Everyone loves the weekend," Arkady said. "I will sit in your teeny-tiny little room. It will be uncomfortable for me but that is how far I am willing to go to help with whatever matter may need my assistance."
"Oh Arkady, what have you done?" Callen asked.
Arkady turned to Callen. "There was some confusion…"
"Interrogation or downtown. Now," Genevieve said.
"To quote our former governor, I'll be back," Arkady said as he hurried to Interrogation. The Marshals opened the door and Arkady went into Interrogation.
"If you were wondering about your assignment Agent Callen," Genevieve said.
"Yeah, I figured that." Callen shook his head. "I should have learned my wines."
"Is there anything else you need, Director?" Mosley asked.
"Eli will have everyone's full legends, access to your new homes and vehicles. Agent Callen, if you don't mind observing my questioning of Mr. Kolcheck. I assume everything he is going to tell me will have the aroma of truth covering a good deal of mendacity."
"And a healthy heap of evasion," Callen added. "Of course, I'll be right here."
"And Lieutenant Deeks, an extra lawyer in the room always makes me feel good."
"Of course."
"The rest of you, thank you for allowing me to ruin your Saturdays. If Vanin has something big planned, we need to wrap this up quickly. We need to stop him." Turning to Deeks she said, "Let's go be lawyers at Mr. Kolcheck."
-30-
Thank you all for the kind notes about chapter one. This is the best fandom in the world.