Disclaimer: The characters of N.C.I.S. Los Angeles are property of CBS
"Are you alright Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked.
"For the time being." Deeks said.
"What's your location?" Eric asked.
"Actually it's better if my location remains undisclosed." Deeks said.
"Why? Nell asked.
"Someone wants Kensi dead, and I'm the bait." Deeks said.
"Who?" Hetty asked.
"Ross Erickson, although I'm not sure that is his real name. If that is the case his real name is unknown." Deeks said.
"Mr. Deeks." Hetty said, sensing that this call was coming to an end.
"Yes Hetty." Deeks said.
"That puncture wound on your right has a tracking device beneath it." Hetty said.
"Tracking device that's not fair." Deeks said.
"Life isn't Mr. Deeks, that's why we're here." Hetty said.
"I miss the olds days." Deeks said.
"Why?" Nell asked.
"Because in the past if you found yourself in trouble you can go off the grid, and be left alone for a while. These tracking devices takes the fun out everything." Deeks said.
"I know the feeling Mr. Deeks. I know the feeling." Hetty said.
Deeks disconnected the call and continued moving. If he had a tracking device in his arm he needed to stay mobile, or find a place to hide. Across town Sam and Callen got to their location and started to look around. Then Sam was approached by some random stranger.
"Are you DeMarco Williams?" The man asked.
"Yeah." Sam answered.
"Some man named Jason Wyler told me to give this to you." The man said.
The man handed Sam a box, and then walked away. Sam looked at Callen and then opened box. Sam saw that it was a phone inside. Sam pulled it out and dial any preset numbers. There was just one. It took one ring for the line to pick up.
"Hello." Deeks said.
"We meet again Jason Wyler." Sam said.
"Well I'm on the run, and I needed to get a line to you two." Deeks said.
"So what's the play?" Callen asked.
"You're going have to talk to Kensi. I'm trying to remain incognito for the time being." Deeks said.
"You know that you have-"
"I know. There's a tracking device in my arm. Hetty told me." Deeks said.
"So what's the play?" Sam asked.
"Get Kensi to come clean." Deeks said.
Deeks disconnect the call. Sam and Callen head back to the challenger, and then headed back to Ops.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
I've been at this location for about twenty minutes, and I still don't have a clue what's going on, what I'm supposed to be looking for. I think.
Next thing I know I'm being approached by some random stranger.
"Are you Melissa Waring?" The stranger asks.
"That's me." I say.
"I was told to give to this to you by your husband Justin." The stranger says.
I'm handed a box by this person, and then they leave as fast as they came.
Deeks is trying to get in touch with me, but can't make contact. I think.
I open the box and see a phone inside. I pull the phone out and dial any preset number. It takes one ring before there's an answer.
"Hi Fern." Deeks answers.
"Deeks where are you?" I ask.
"I can't tell you that Kensi." Deeks says.
"Why not?" I ask.
"Because I'm being followed, and I can't come in." Deeks said.
"How about I come to you?" I say.
"Not happening." Deeks says
"Why not?" I ask.
"Because a man from the past has come seeking vengeance, Tessa Black." Deeks says with venom in his voice.
"Who, and how do you know about that alias?" I ask, shock at Deeks tone.
"The who is simple question to answer. A man going by the name of Ross Erickson is looking for you, and wants to kill you. How do I know about Tessa Black? L.A.P.D. wanted me to locate you so they can enlist your services in taking down Erickson." Deeks said.
"I have no idea who Ross Erickson is, so I will be of no use to L.A.P.D. on taking down this Ross Erickson." I say.
"Ross Erickson knows you, and specifically wanted me to go find you so they follow me right to you." Deeks said.
"Did he say why he wanted to kill me?" I ask.
"Nope. All he wanted me to do was find you." Deeks said.
I think back to the location of the tracking device on Deeks arm, and then something is starting to feel very eerie about this whole ordeal.
"Deeks I have to run something down. I'll be in touch." I say, and then hang up the phone.
I head back to SRX, and then head to an old bunker that I thought I wouldn't have to use again.
I'm going have to dump the SRX a few blocks from the site to keep it hidden. I think
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Deeks is on the phone again to Oakville prison, he has to update Mason on the current situation.
"Mason Anderson." Mason said.
"Mason its Caine. I've found myself in a spot of trouble." Deeks said.
"Oh yeah. What seems to be the problem?" Mason asked.
"Ross Erickson is back from the dead." Deeks said.
There was a pause on the end of the line. Then Deeks heard Mason ask.
"That's why we're have this conversation over the phone." Mason said.
"Yep." Deeks said.
"What's your new number?" Mason asked.
"323-627-0495." Deeks said.
"I'll be in touch." Mason said, and then hung up the phone.
Deeks turned in time to see one of Erickson's men try to assault him. Deeks fended off the attack, and then knocked his assailant out. Deeks secured him, and then called for a cruiser to come pick him up.
I think these guys will be coming none stop until I remove the device. Deeks thought as he rubbed his thumb over the scar on his right arm.
By the time the cruiser showed up, Deeks was long gone. Back at Ops Sam and Callen were entering ops when Nell got a phone call.
"Hello." Nell said.
It was a few moment before she put in on speaker phone.
"This is Special Agent Callen. To whom am I speaking with?" Callen asked.
"This is Lieutenant Roger Bates of the L.A.P.D." Bates said identifying himself.
Sam mouth Deeks superior.
"What can we do you for Lt. Bates?" Callen asked.
"My detective hasn't made contact in over twelve hours; have you made contact with him" Bates asked.
"As a matter of fact we have; about a half hour ago." Callen said.
"Do you have an update on the situation?" Bates asked.
"All we know is that Deeks has been implanted with a tracking device. That's about all we know." Callen said.
"Did he tell you what his op. was that that I assigned to him?" Bates asked.
"We haven't been read into the mission briefing." Hetty said, as she and Granger entered ops.
"The official briefing is that Deeks was to track down a hacker that was active a few years ago, and enlist her aid." Bates said.
"Lord Nikon." Granger said.
"Yes." Bates said. "You know of her?"
"I was tracking her a few years back, but I never got a picture of the woman." Granger said.
"We made contact with a Mason Anderson earlier, and he said that Tessa Black is the average woman: tall, caucasian, brunette, with brown eyes." Sam said.
"What a suspect pool." Eric said.
"Sh!" Nell said.
"Is there anything that you have to add to this briefing?" Callen asked Bates.
"Nope that was the extent of the briefing." Bate said, and then hung up the phone.
"Has anybody spoken to Kensi since she left ops?" Callen asked looking at his watch.
"Kensi hasn't reported in since she left." Nell said.
"Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna get some rest. It's going to be a long night. Mr. Beale, Miss. Jones don't burn the midnight oil all night." Hetty said.
It was nearing eleven P.M. when the phone call with Bates ended, and the team needed a break. Nell and Eric took shifts on locating Kensi, and if possible where Deeks was. Sam and Callen went and broke out a couple of sleeping bags and got comfortable. It was going to be a long night.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
I haven't spoken to Deeks in over three hours, but I had to come here a dig into what Deeks meant about Ross Erickson wanting to kill me. I found an abandoned emergency shelter on the edge of the T.M.Z. that was left behind about thirty years ago.
At least that's what Mason said a few years back. I think.
I can't head back to Ops without some grasp of the situation that my partner is currently stuck in.
Ross Erickson; who is he, and what does he want with me? I think. That name doesn't ring a bell.
I booted up the laptop that I bought two months ago, and bring up the search program. I type in Ross Erickson and let the program run. I try to get some sleep because I have no idea how long it will take to find this Erickson man. I take a shower, brush my teeth, and then crawl into bed.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Deeks found himself in a homeless shelter hiding from Erickson's goon squad. He figured that the smell, and the crazies would keep them away, and for the time being it was working. Deeks found a corner, put his phone on silent, and then went to sleep. Deeks figured that he might be able to sleep in the shelter for a day or two, but sooner or later the goon squad will come in looking for him.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Ten hours after Kensi went dark-
At nine in the morning Sam was bringing a bagel and a smoothie in for Eric to drink. Callen got some other goodies to help Nell get her A game online. Eric exited ops to eat his breakfast, and then went to take a shower. Nell had taken a shower, and was eating her breakfast while keeping an eye on her tablet. By the time Eric got back Nell had gotten a hit on Kensi SRX.
"We found Kensi vehicle." Nell said, brushing her hair.
"Where?" Hetty asked, she was flanked by Granger.
"On the edge of the T.M.Z." Eric said.
"What's she doing there?" Callen asked.
"Well go and find out." Granger said.
Sam and Callen headed out to go see what Kensi has been up to.
"How long has Kensi vehicle been in the area?" Hetty asked.
Eric found the SRX and ran back until he found Kensi arriving.
"Ten hours ago." Eric said. "If she has left it wasn't using her vehicle."
"What do you know about Lord Nikon?" Hetty asked Granger.
"She is just like any other hacker, except she has gotten into the military, and federal database at one time or another." Granger said.
"What was taken?" Hetty asked.
"Nothing of relevance. And the time that she took classified data, it never left a federal controlled building." Granger said.
"So what: she hacked a database, download the data, and then left it in a relative safe area and pretend to have the data?" Eric asked.
"Yeah." Granger said.
"For what?" Nell asked.
"I never got close enough to get a lead on her." Granger said. "The last time I had a lead on her was five years ago."
"Every time you get close to Lord Nikon goes to ground before you can catch her?" Eric asks.
"Pretty much." Granger says.
Eric tablet started beeping. When he say the email icon it baffled him. When he opened it he saw that it was a dossier on Ross Erickson.
"I just got an anonymous email, and it has a dossier on Ross Erickson." Eric said.
The four of them headed up to ops to get a bead on their enemy. The list R.A.P. on Erickson was a mile long and had many entries. The four of them would spent the next three hours going over the data.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Four hours earlier-
I've been asleep for six hours, so I decided to get up and start moving. I find that the search completed itself three hours ago, so I compile all the data and upload it to my cloud server. I create a program to send it to Eric in four hours. After the email, and program are set I shut down the site and move out. I don't want the location of this bunker to be located. I need to leave my vehicle behind because Eric, or Nell will spot it sooner or later. I pull out the phone that Deeks gave to me and call Oakville prison. Mason might be able to shed some light on the situation.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Six hours later-
Sam and Callen pull up to the street Kensi had parked her vehicle. Callen pulled out the spare remote car starter and unlocked the vehicle. They find nothing in the car. Sam pulled out his phone and called Ops.
"Hello." Eric said.
"Eric we're at Kensi car, but it looks like it hasn't been touch for some time." Sam said.
"The SRX has been there for ten hours." Nell said.
"Did you catch Kensi leaving the area?" Sam asked.
There was silence for a minute, or two before Eric replied.
"That's a negative." Eric said.
"Do you have an update on Deeks?" Sam asked.
"He's still in the wind." Eric said.
"Well as long as Deeks is A.W.O.L. Kensi is out of the line of fire. Callen said.
Sam shrugged his shoulders, and then spoke again.
"We're going to bring the SRX back. From there we will wait for the next lead." Sam said.
Sam disconnected the call, and then headed back to the challenger. It would be another five hours before the team heard from either Deeks, or Kensi.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Deeks woke up at five in the morning, and prepped to start running again. Before leaving he had a light breakfast. As he was leaving he threw two bottles of water in his little ruck sack that he bought yesterday and then headed out the back door.
It will take them a few minutes to realize that I have exited out the back. Deeks thought. Guess it's time to get running.
Deeks went out the back of the shelter because there were a lot of obstacles that Erickson's goons would have to navigate; a problem he wouldn't have because of his time he spent a lot of time here as kid, and then again as a homeless person for the police.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
When Callen and Sam entered ops they saw that Eric, Nell, Hetty and Granger we're going over the dossier on Ross Erickson.
"When did this information come in?" Callen asked.
Something about the sender got Sam's attention.
"We got it shortly after you left to check out Kensi vehicle." Nell said.
"Granger does this address look familiar to you?" Sam asked pointing out the sender line.
It took all of two seconds for Granger to recognize the address.
"Yeah. That's Lord Nikon address." Granger said.
"How is that possible?" Nell asked, looking at Eric.
"Lord Nikon has connections, and that's how she found me." Eric said.
"Trace the location of the files origination." Callen said.
Nell and Eric were working tandem to find the location of where the email came from.
"It was sent from a cloud server." Nell said.
"Can you find the location of where it was uploaded?" Hetty asked.
It took them a few minutes before the found the location.
"It was uploaded from an internet café at ten this morning." Eric said.
"Address is on your phones." Nell said.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
I have to take a cab out to Oakville, Mason says that he wants to meet face to face; not sure that's a good idea, but I don't have a choice. I hail a cab, and then give the location of the prison.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Deeks has been on the run since he left the shelter. It's been hit or miss, but it has been a pretty eventful day. He has at least five men arrested before he could catch his breath. Deeks finds a small restaurant, to get a bite to eat. Deeks decides to call ops while he is waiting.
"Hello." Nell said.
"Put me on speaker." Deeks said.
Nell didn't hesitate. Next thing Deeks heard was Eric speaking.
"Where are you at?" Eric asked.
"I was at a homeless shelter until five o'clock this morning, but right now I'm in near the beach getting a bite eat, while I catch my breath." Deeks said. "Any word from Kensi?"
"Haven't heard from her, and she is currently A.W.O.L. too." Granger said.
Deeks groaned and then continued speaking.
"Anybody heard from my boss?" Deeks asked.
"Yeah we heard from him last night." Hetty said.
"What did he have to say for himself?" Deeks asked.
"Bates wanted an update." Granger said.
"What do you guys learn about Lord Nikon?" Deeks asked.
"She's a hacker, but she hasn't done anything that would call for her arrest and imprisonment." Granger said.
"Tessa Black has a program that allows her to erase her identity from public record, or public security footage." Deeks said.
"Is that possible?" Eric asked.
"If you have to ask." Deeks said.
"Shut up." Nell said.
At this time the server was bring Deeks food.
"I going have to let you go; my meal just showed up." Deeks said, and then ended the call.
Across town Callen and Sam were approaching the café that Tessa Black sent her email from when something caught Sam's eye
"G." Sam said pointing at the times of services on the glass panel.
The café opened at ten thirty.
"Are you times on the internet?" G asked as the worker as they entered the café.
"Nope." The worker said.
"Thank you for your time." Callen said.
The partner's exited the café and headed back to Ops.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
"Mason." I say as I enter interrogation.
"Tessa, long time no see. Are we currently being watched?" Mason asked.
"I hacked the server, and uploaded a program that erases all footage of me being on the premises." I say.
"So what do I owe the pleasure of this chat?" Mason said.
"What's do you know about Ross Erickson?" I asked.