Disclaimer: The characters of N.C.I.S. Los Angeles are property of CBS
"Come again Hetty?" Sam asked unsure if he heard her correctly.
"Kensi and Deeks were kidnapped while on assignment: The video footage showed a group of armed men walking into their room, and then walking out shortly after that with Kensi and Deeks in tow." Hetty said.
There was more silence from the men in the room, but Nell had broken down and started to cry in her chair. Eric grabbed Nell's hand and led her out the room.
"What do we know about the operation they were on?" Callen asked.
"I'll try to grab the file for the operation." Hetty said, and the left ops.
Callen and Sam were at a loss for words; unsure of how to continue with the loss of their family, they went about the current case they had.
"I just hope the mission file isn't redacted, or we are going to be in a world of hurt." Sam said.
Callen and Sam left ops to run down the lead on their case until Hetty hands over the mission documents.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
"This Granger speaking." Granger answered.
"The games have begun." Hetty said.
"What games, Hetty?" Granger asked.
"I just got confirmation about an hour ago that Kensi and Deeks have been kidnapped from their room." Hetty said.
"And we're just now hearing about it?!" Granger exclaimed.
"Sam and Callen are asking for the mission file." Hetty said.
"I can't give them the full file." Granger said.
"Think wisely before handing over the file, Owen. This team has its ways of getting pertinent information with, or without my help." Hetty warned.
"Are you threatening me Hetty?" Granger asked.
"What do you think?" Hetty asked, and then hung up the phone.
Granger thought on Hetty's words, and then set out to get the document for her team.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
By the time both Kensi and Deeks started to wake up they were both in stasis chambers and hooked up to tubes that were injecting fluids into their bodies. Though they were in separate tubes, but Kensi and Deeks were fighting the injections. The technicians were getting upset with how long it was taking for the fluids to take ahold on the couple's systems.
"What's taking so long?" A man in an expensive suit asked.
"They are actively fighting the drugs that we are giving them." The closes scientist said.
The business man looked at the couple and saw what the problem was. They were fighting the drugs because of the bond they had shared.
{How strong is that bond if they are separated?} The man thought.
"Separate them." He said.
"Why?" Another scientist asked.
"Just watch; separate them." The man repeated.
A group a scientist hooked up a few dolly's to Kensi tank and started to wheel her into the adjoining room and then close the doors; all the while Deeks was grunting and protesting the separation from his partner. After Kensi was locked in the room next door both Deeks and Kensi, which the business man and the scientist could watch through a monitor on the computer console, resigned themselves to their fates.
"Didn't these two have a child together?" The man asked.
"If they did, it wasn't in the room when they were kidnapped." The first scientist answered.
{If the sent the baby away before they were kidnapped, then they had advanced notice that we were coming. But they let themselves get caught anyways, why?} The man thought.
When the man looked back at the screen again he saw that both Kensi and Deeks were succumbing to the drugs.
"And so the games begin." The man said, and then he walked away from the bank of computers, and medical equipment.
{If they had to be separated before the drugs took effect, it might take longer for us to rewrite their psyches before we could start the operation proper.} The man thought.
"Vengeance will be mine Owen Granger and Henrietta Lange!" The man exclaimed.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
"Do you think this will work?" asked a scientist.
"Of course!" Another scientist exclaimed. "Why wouldn't it?"
"Well Psycho-hallucinogenic drugs can cover up the mind, but there is one drawback." The first scientist said.
"Which is?" The second scientist asked.
"It's a chemical compound. Over time it breaks down and the person affected by the drug will regain bits and pieces of their mind." The first scientist said as he whisper in the other scientist ear.
The second scientist processed what he just heard and looked at the partners.
"If these to have a shock to their head it could undo everything we did in this room." The second scientist said.
A guard walked by and the two scientist got back to work on until he passed.
"So what do we do?" The second scientist asked.
"Nothing." The first scientist said.
"Really, that's it." The second scientist asked.
"You understand later." The first scientist said.
The two scientists went back to work adjusting intake rates and metabolic consumption. This would be a long procedure rewriting Deeks and Kensi psyche.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Two days after Hetty requested the operation files-
As Hetty walked in she saw the operation file that she requested from Granger. She gave a once over and then passed it on to Callen and Sam for them to read when they came in, and then headed up to ops. Two hours later Sam and Callen came in and see the file.
"It's all redacted." Callen said flipping through the pages.
Sam and Callen heard Eric's whistle and looked at him; Eric was pointing towards ops. Sam and Callen ran up the stairs to grill Hetty about the file.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
"What's going on here Hetty?" Sam asked.
"That is what was released to the agency gentlemen." A deep, gruff voice said.
"You really want to play this game Assistant Director?" Callen asked.
"I'm not playing any games, I'm doing my job." Granger snapped at Callen.
"I remember having this conversation before Granger." Sam said.
Granger glared at the Seal.
"How do you expect them to do their job if you won't give them the proper file?" Hetty asked.
"That was the file I was given." Granger said.
"Was given, or gave?" Callen asked.
Granger and Callen stared each other down for a few minutes, and them Sam broke the contest by saying.
"Let's get lost and figure this out the usual way."
Both Callen and Sam turn from the big screen and left ops. Granger and Hetty looked at each other and then Eric cut the feed. Hetty left ops to work on finding an unredacted copy of the mission file.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Later that night-
As Nell and Eric were walking up to their apartment that they got a year ago, they heard barking.
"Sheesh! I wonder if he's like this with Kensi and Deeks." Eric asked.
"Hey don't complain. You volunteered for the job, so put up or shut up." Nell said.
The couple entered the house and was greeted by Monty. Monty moved out of the way so Eric could shut the door.
"I'm glad he's staying here." Nell said.
Eric and Nell weren't ten feet from the door before they heard a knock on it.
"I'll get it." Nell said.
When Nell opened the door she saw someone that she wasn't expecting to see.
"Nell Jones." A voice said.
"Jon Doe what are you doing here?" Nell asked.
Both Eric and Monty turned to look at Jon Doe, who was accompanied by his lieutenant. Monty started to get excited when he saw the saw tiny bundle in the Lieutenant's arms.
"A mutual friend asked me to get him to safety. And I thought that you two would be a good choice given that you are less exposed to the elements." Jon said.
"Why us?" Nell asked.
"Him?" Eric asked.
The lieutenant pulled top cover off the bundle and reveal a sleeping baby boy.
"Oh, he's cute!" Nell exclaimed taking the baby in her arms and rocking him back and forth.
"And adorable." Eric said coming up behind Nell giving her a hug from behind.
"We have some papers here to make it look like a legitimate adaptation." Jon said, and then handed the papers to Eric.
"Is he-"
"The boy has been weaned off of mother's milk, here is the formula that we had at the time we acquired the boy, and here is some extra money in case you need more." The lieutenant said handing over the rest of the bags, and an envelope with the cash to Eric.
Nell took the blanket that had been covering the boy and let Monty sniff it. Monty went berserk; although Eric and Nell couldn't figure out why, but Monty could smell a familiar scent. From that night on Monty was overly protective of the child.
"Conor Donald Beale." Eric said reading the paper work out loud. "I like that."
After reading the adaption papers out loud Eric and Nell shared a look; after the child was return to his parents they would try to have a child of their own. Cause like there missing family members, Eric and Nell are also secretly married.
"Stay safe, and keep that child safe." Jon said, and then the two men left as quietly as the came.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
One year after the abduction-
At a lab located in the middle of nowhere in Europe the scientists were about to do their first field experiment.
"It's Carnevale, so this looks like a good time to do some basic field testing." Said the business man
"Send out the subjects with guide. Don't want to spook them before the main event." A scientist said.
In separate rooms a table was raised to a standing positon. On the table was a person dressed in a colorful cloak. A scientist approached the person on the bed and placed a mask on them, and then the restraints were retracted. The people on the beds fell into a standing/resting position with their backs against the table. Then scientist said.
"Go out into the city and wander around for a bit."
So the people that were in the rooms left and went into the city.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
One hour later-
After wondering around the city for an hour, the two scientists lead the test subject on a path that would intersect with the other one. Within fifteen minutes the test subjects spotted each other and then stopped in their tracks. The test subject stared each other down and waited for the other one to make a move.
"Make them get into a pushing contest." One of the scientists said.
Back at the lab another scientist type in a few lines of code that was transmitted to the test subjects. Under the skin at the base of the spine is a little transmitter. The test subjects approached each other and started to push each other around. This went on for five minutes.
"Alright tell them to move on, and mingle with the crowd." The other scientist said.
Within five seconds the test subjects move on and got lost in the crowd. It went on for four hours with the test subjects interacting with each other and then disappearing into the crowd.
"Alright bring them home." Said one of the scientists back in the lab.
The scientist in the field told the test subjects to follow them, and the four of them returned to the lab for the night. The test subjects returned to their rooms and lied down on the tables that were in them. The restraints were put back in place and then subjects drifted off to sleep. Then two scientists came in and remove their masks. Back in the main room with the computers digital read out of the nights display was being computed.
"It was a success sir!" the lead scientist exclaim.
"Let's move on to the next phase tomorrow night. Type into the chip that as soon as the one is spotted to start chasing each other; and if one is caught unaware to push them around until the make visual contact and then run away.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Los Angeles-
It was a Saturday morning and the O.S.P. team had closed a case and decided to spend the next day celebrating at the beach with friends and family, but the team was going to be in for a surprise.
"Anybody seen Nell and Eric yet." Callen asked as him and Joelle approached the sight that Sam and his family had picked.
"Seeing as how I haven't heard Monty barking yet, then no." Sam said as he approached Michelle and gave her a kiss.
"Gentlemen." Hetty said as she approached the group in a wind suit.
"Hey Hetty." Both Callen and Sam said.
The two agents, from the San Diego office, that were filling in whenever the team had a big case didn't bother to show up for the cook out, so they wouldn't be missed. Sam perked up and then looked in the direction of the parking lot.
"Hear something Sam?" Hetty asked.
"Yeah, I hear a dog barking." Sam said.
The group turned and looked in the direction of the parking lot to see Eric, Nell, Monty and a new addition; to which this caught everybody's attention.
"Is there something you're not telling us guys?" Callen asked as the couple approached.
Sam's daughter ran up to Monty and started to pet him; to which the dog just laid down and rolled over on his side to let the child rub his belly.
"This is Conor." Eric said as he pulled the little guy out his car seat.
"We adopted him last year." Nell said as she wrapped an arm around Eric's waist and smiling from ear to ear.
Eric held Conor so everybody could get a good look at him. Oddly enough Conor just let Eric show him off without fussing. Conor smiled as the team got a closer look at him.
"Explains the "ran over by the train" looks we have been seeing this past year." Sam said.
"I'm surprised you didn't pick on it Sam." Callen said.
"Just because I have a kid doesn't mean I'm going to pick up the lifestyle changes. My daughter is six years old." Sam said.
"May I hold him?" Michelle asked reaching out for Conor.
"Sure." Eric said.
Conor was passed off to Michelle, so Eric could help set up the rest of the picnic. Callen approached Hetty quietly and asked.
"You know nothing about this?" Callen asked.
"If they adopt Conor Mr. Callen then they did so in private. I have caught very little in their purchase history that would lead me to believe that they had adopted a child. On top of that they found a private babysitter to watch the child so they wouldn't have to miss work." Hetty said.
Hetty was curious as to how the tech agents had adopted Conor without her knowledge. The day went on without problems, and Conor was satisfied to be held by anybody who wanted to hold him; all the while being shadowed by Monty.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Six months after the first field test-
"How much longer until we can go 100 percent?" The business man asked.
"I'd say three months tops." The scientist said.
"Okay. In four months we take this show on the road." The man said, and then walked away.
The scientist looked at the man, and then returned to his work.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Los Angeles-
Nell and Eric were at a local playground with Monty and Conor playing, and relaxing when they had an unexpected guest.
"Nell Jones." A voice said.
Nell turned and looked and saw that it was Julia Feldman.
"Julia it's so nice to see you." Nell said as she hugged Julia.
Monty came over to get some attention from Julia. Eric was the last to come over to greet Julia. Conor was holding Eric's hand, but when he saw Julia he get excited. Conor held his hands out for Julia to pick him up.
"Hey there little guy. Do you want me to pick you up?" Julia asked.
Conor kept reaching out for Julia, and then Julia bent down and picked Conor up. Eric and Nell watched Conor snuggle up to Julia like he had been with her for all his life and Monty walked over and lay down at her feet. Nell got suspicious, and wave Eric closer to whisper between the two of them.
"Conor is extremely comfortable with Julia." Nell said.
"To an extent of it being frightening, but something about her has put Conor at ease." Eric said.
Just as Eric finished his statement something clicked in Nell's head; a conversation almost two years old.
I'm Kensi mom. Julia Feldman's voice echoed in Nell's head, from the first time the met
"NO WAY!" Nell exclaimed.
"Something wrong Nell?" Julia asked.
"What's wrong baby?" Eric asked
"I know who Conor's parents are." Nell said.
"Who?" Both Julia and Eric asked in unison.
"The same people that own him." Nell said point down at Julia's leg.
Eric and Julia looked down and saw that Nell was talking about Monty.
"Kensi and Deeks!" Eric and Julia exclaimed.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Hetty was checking the adoption records for Conor, and was hitting a dead end. Whoever wrote up the paper work hid the birth parents from public record.
"The child must be very special if the people who wrote up the papers hide the birth parents." Hetty said.
Hetty continued to search for the parents, but it was in vain. So Hetty shut down her computer and went about her day. Though it eluded her who Conor's parents were, she was still curious about their identities.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
"Are you sure this child is my grandson?" Julia asked to the point of tears.
"As soon as Conor saw you he wanted you to hold him." Nell said.
"So that doesn't mean anything." Eric said.
"I let Monty sniff a blanket that had been covering Conor and he went berserk. He smelled something that was either Deeks or Kensi scent." Nell said.
"Or both." Julia said.
"Julia I know this is hard, but we need to keep Conor with us." Eric said.
"Why?" Julia asked.
"The person who gave Conor to us bailed both Kensi and Deeks out of a mess about three years back. He gave Conor to us as protectors in case who ever came for your children would come back." Nell said.
"I don't think it would be hard to meet on the weekends so you can spend time with him." Eric said.
Julia face lit up at the fact that she can still spend time with her grandson; even if she couldn't have custody of him until Kensi and Deeks returned.
"Please bring my children home." Julia said as she handed Conor back, while shedding some tears.
Conor started to cry as Nell was holding him close; Monty started to bark though he was a little puzzled as to why Conor is crying.
"I'm sorry baby boy, but grandma has to go, but she will be back to see you at a later date." Nell said, and Conor continued to cry.
"Don't cry little man, Grandma Feldman will be back." Eric said.
The through tear, as of some freak coincidence, Conor started to calm down.
"Oh crap." Eric said.
"What?" Nell asked.
"He thinks I'm Deeks." Eric said.
"In the vein of calming Conor down that's good." Nell said, and placed a kiss on Conor's head. Conor started to mellow out, and then he fell asleep.
"I can't believe we have had Kensi and Deeks son for a year and a half." Nell said.
"When should we tell the other?" Eric asked.
"Not sure, but now isn't the time." Nell said.
"I'll follow your lead." Eric said.
Nell and Eric rounded up their thing, plus Monty, and headed home. When and where they were unsure, but when they did Nell and Eric were going to have a lot of explaining to do about why they kept Conor's parent's birth parents a secret.
T.B.C.