A/N: Okay, so I've got only three reviews, but lots of favorites and alerts - it's good to know people are still following this story :D Thus, there are lots of familiar names in my inbox. Thanks to Takoh, Pondera 2.0, montydam, rynni is happy, cms4ever, PsychicPineapples, and DS2010 for adding this story to either alers or favorites. Special thanks to my three reviewersleathman, idiot9and602, and TwilightPony21. You guys made my day!
Now, I know the prologue was very mysterious, but I promise you, it's a mystery that's solved eventually. However, before you read on, I thought a quick recap may be necessary to refresh your memory of what has transpired so far in this trilogy. Please bear with me, because the recap will make this author's note a little long.
Back in the 1990s, a group of people hijacked a truck transporting jewels from a mine. This was the beginning of the smuggling ring that would later become Main Wave. Main Wave's key operatives grew to include Ernest St. James, the leader; Kendall Wilcox, his second-in-command; Wilcox's brothers, Vincent and Linnaeus; Linnaeus' wife, Marie; and Kendall's stepdaughter, Janice Bright.
As the years went by, Main Wave attempted to expand across the country. The first few attempts were unsuccessful, resulting in the death of a thirteen-year-old named Anna Winston in Washington, D.C. in 1996. Winston's murder was never solved, and years later her two best friends, Leah Jasper and Daniel Wells, both became officers in the Navy in order to be able to gain access to old case files. In the course of their joint investigation, they uncovered more evidence about Main Wave than anyone had before, and both were eventually killed to protect the ring - Jasper by Vincent Wilcox in New York, Wells by Ernest St. James in D.C. Vincent was arrested by NYPD, while Gibbs' team caught Kendall. Janice Bright, a college enemy of Leah Jasper who was stealing jewelry for Main Wave, was also arrested for the murder of the judge who had put her in prison for theft.
This leaves, St. James, Linnaeus, and Marie still at large. All three fled to Los Angeles, where the case is now, and that is the material of this story.
So, without further ado, I give you the first full chapter of Pacific Crime.
Chapter One
09:00, November 2 (the present); NCIS: OSP, Los Angeles
"You have seriously got to stop your bad punctuality habits," Sam Hanna complained as he and his partner, G Callen, walked into OSP.
"Bad punctuality?" Callen repeated in mock indignation. "I picked you up at 8:30. What's wrong with that?"
"You told me you'd come at 8:45."
Callen considered that with a puzzled expression as he slung his bag behind his chair. "So you're complaining 'cause I was early?"
"You're usually late."
"Then why are you complaining?" Callen asked.
"Because," Sam said, "since you're usually late, I figured 8:45 meant nine o' clock. So I planned to be ready by nine o' clock. Instead you show up 8:30, half an hour earlier."
"Is that why you forgot your socks?" Callen inquired innocently, with a pointed glance at Sam's sockless feet in his shoes. The bigger man glared at him.
"I have a spare pair in my locker."
"Uh-huh. In case you forget them – like you did today."
"I intentionally left them behind in favor of saving time, since I knew I had an extra pair here."
"You forgot them."
Sam shook his head. "You're deluding yourself."
Callen held up his hands, stifling a smile. "I'm not the one denying I forgot my socks."
"I'm not denying anything – I didn't forget my socks."
"If you say so." Callen sat down in his chair; he was openly smirking now.
Sam nodded. "I do. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to my locker to get the spare socks which I knew I had."
"Has anyone seen Deeks?" Kensi asked as she entered the bullpen.
"Uh, I think he's surfing," Callen replied. "He mentioned something about a 'wicked swell' today or something."
"Yep, he's surfing," Nell interjected from the upper level. "Eric's not here either – and whenever both Eric and Deeks are missing, you know they're surfing."
"They'd better get in by 9:30, or Hetty will kill them," Callen commented.
Kensi laughed at that. "Oh, hey, Sam," she greeted, as said agent came back to his desk with a pair of socks in his hand. "Forgot your socks?"
Now it was Callen's turn to laugh as Sam frowned.
"No,"Sam insisted. "I kept an extra pair here, so I went to get them."
Kensi smirked. "Uh-huh. That's why you're wearing shoes without socks."
Sam rolled his eyes and huffed irritably as Callen gave Kensi a high-five for successfully annoying the former SEAL.
"You're both comedians," Sam muttered as he kicked off his shoes and pulled his socks on.
"Who's a comedian?" Deeks asked as he and Eric came in, their hair still wet from their surf and subsequent shower.
"Callen and Kensi," Sam replied as he put his shoes back on. "They won't quit bugging me about my socks."
Deeks looked puzzled as Eric climbed the stairs to Ops. "Why?"
"Ask them."
Deeks caught Kensi's eye, still dancing with mirth – but she just shrugged, and he decided it was one of those things. So he said nothing more about it and instead settled down at his desk, next to Sam.
"Good morning, everyone," Hetty greeted, suddenly appearing in the bullpen.
"Morning, Hetty," Callen replied.
"I trust you all had a good night's sleep?" the Operations Manager said.
Sam shrugged. "It was all right."
"Good," said Hetty, "because we've got a new case." Her employees were already halfway up the stairs to Ops before she called, "Where are you going?"
Kensi looked puzzled. "Up to Ops, so Eric can brief us."
"Mr. Beale won't be briefing you, Miss Blye."
The agents exchanged glances.
"This is a big case," Hetty continued. "As such, Director Vance has sent a team from NCIS Headquarters to help us. They will brief you."
"Okay," said Callen, coming back down the stairs. "When will they arrive?"
"They're already here, Mr. Callen."
"Boss, are you sure we're in the right place?" Tony asked, frowning at the large red 'CONDEMNED' sign on the wall of the building.
McGee, even though he was the one who had accompanied Gibbs on the last trip to L.A., was equally bewildered.
"Gibbs, I don't think this is the place," he said. "I remember the entrance was in an alley, last time – and this definitely doesn't look like where we went."
"So we are in the wrong place," Tony surmised.
"Really?" said Gibbs. "Then why are they coming out?"
Tony and McGee stared as four people came out of the door to greet them.
Gibbs parked the car and everyone got out. A minute later, another car pulled up and parked next to Gibbs' vehicle – and Ducky, Ziva, and Abby climbed out. Abby had a bright grin on her face – of all the people on Gibbs' team, she was the only one who had been to OSP's current headquarters.
"Callen," Gibbs greeted his old friend. Callen grinned at him and gave him a one-armed hug.
"It's good to see you again, Gibbs."
"Likewise," Gibbs agreed.
Tony stared. "They know each other?"
"Sure do," Callen replied. "We've saved each other's lives several times." While Tony processed this, Callen offered him his hand. "I'm Callen."
Tony shook his hand. "Callen…?" he inquired.
Callen smiled slightly – but it was a sad, wistful smile. But before he could answer, Abby ran up to him, grinning from ear to ear and calling, "Hi, G Callen!"
Callen grinned right back at her and said, "Hi, Abby Sciuto," as he gave her a hug.
"I missed you," said Abby.
Meanwhile, McGee was busy catching up with Sam. Kensi made her way over to Ziva and introduced herself and Ziva, recognizing a common spirit in Kensi, smiled as she returned the favor. Really, it was all-out milling around for about three minutes; everyone was pretty much acquainted with each other even before Hetty came out to see what was taking so long.
"Ah! Jethro! Dr. Mallard," she called; the OSP agents frowned at the obvious familiarity in her tone. "It's wonderful to see you both again."
"Hetty," Gibbs acknowledged with a hint of a smile.
Ducky was a bit more expansive in his greeting. "Good morning, Henrietta," he wished her. "You're looking as spiffy as ever."
Hetty smiled. "One tries, Donald."
Tony was nearly having a coronary trying to figure out all the connections his team apparently had with the Los Angeles group.
"Okay, so…Gibbs knows Callen," he said, pointing at said two agents, "and Abby and McGee know practically everyone here…and Gibbs and Ducky know…um…" He almost said, "the tiny lady" – but he decided at the last minute that that wouldn't be a good idea.
"Henrietta Lange, Tony," Ducky supplied.
"Hetty," Hetty corrected.
"Hetty," said Tony.
"And while it is a wonderful thing to chit-chat and catch up on old times," said Hetty, "I believe we have a case to work?"
"Yes, we do," agreed Gibbs. "Where's your Ops room?"
"Oh, follow me," Abby interjected brightly, rushing into the building and pulling a bemused McGee along with her. "Come on, McGee – they've got even better toys now than they did when you came."
Eric was excitedly telling Nell about the 'awesome' waves at the beach this morning when the door opened, admitting more people than had ever been in Ops before. Eric sprang up from his seat when he saw Abby.
"Abby!" he exclaimed.
Abby waved excitedly. "Hey, Eric," she returned brightly. "I'm back."
Grinning from ear to ear, OSP's lead techie gave the bubbly forensic scientist a bear hug. Then he looked over her shoulder and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw all the people with her.
"Wow," he said.
Abby nodded, beaming hugely. "Eric Beale, meet Special Agents Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Timothy McGee, Anthony DiNozzo, Ziva David – and Ducky."
"Ducky?" Nell repeated.
"Donald Mallard, my dear," Ducky explained. "But I'm known as Ducky to my friends."
Nell smiled as she shook his hand. "Hi, Ducky. I'm Nell Jones, and this here" – she nudged Eric with a slight bump of her hip – "is Eric Beale."
"My pleasure," Ducky greeted.
The other Washington visitors murmured similar greetings before Gibbs cleared his throat pointedly and Hetty, taking the hint, said, "Mr. Beale, would you mind letting Agent McGee use your technology in order to brief us on their – well, I should say our – case?"
Without a word, Eric moved aside to allow access to McGee – who, if his unsuccessfully hidden, not-so-subtle grin was anything to judge by, was obviously thrilled to be able to touch such superb technology again.
Within seconds, the agents had all quieted, ready to hear the briefing.
McGee cleared his throat and began.
It was two hours later when McGee finally finished briefing the Los Angeles team on all aspects of the convoluted case the D.C. agents had been working on. There was a beat of silence as he wrapped it up. Callen was the one who broke the pause first.
"So this Ernest St. James character is in L.A. to perform a final jewel heist before disappearing off grid along with the rest of Main Wave?" he summed up.
"That's right," Tony agreed.
"And so are Marie and Linnaeus Wilcox?"
"Yep," said Abby, bobbing her head.
"Eric…" Callen didn't even need to finish.
"No problem, Callen." Eric cracked his knuckles over his keyboard. "If they're in L.A., I'll find them."
"Nell…"
"I'll run background checks on all jewel suppliers and jewelry stores in the city and see if I can find any connection to Main Wave."
"Wow," Abby commented, tilting her head. "He's just like you, Gibbs."
Callen smiled at her before plowing on. "Sam and I are going to have a look around the neighborhood – see if we can spot a possible location for Main Wave's headquarters. Kensi, Deeks, drive up to Pendleton and see if you can find out more about Anna Winston's homicide fifteen years ago. A few of the veterans at Pendleton were stationed in D.C. around the time of her murder."
"You got it," Deeks agreed.
A/N: Next chapter coming tomorrow!