LAPD had not arrived at the boatshed by the time the two junior agents arrived. Nell popped up on the screen just as they had sat down at the table.
"From what I've found through it seems that Beatrice Moore has had quite the life. Her mother stole away with her when she was 7. It looks like she wasn't treated too well. Found in a hotel room 18 months later with her mother dead. Coroner reports an OD. Placed back with her father. He's had several other women in her life between then and now, but it looks as though none of them have stayed"
Kensi frowned. "How old is she Nell?"
"According to her birth certificate she's just short of 16"
"Huh" Deeks looked thoughtfully at Kensi, drawing parallels to her childhood. She was taken by her mother when she was little, and she too was 15 when her father was killed.
Nell disappeared from the screen just as there was a knock on the boatshed door and two LAPD officers walked in escorting the young girl.
"Yo Brian, what up man" Deeks called to the most sullen looking of the two, a cheesy grin plastered on his face.
"Deeks" Detective Brian glowered at the LAPD liaison. "This one is all yours"
"I hear you had a bit of a rough pursuit" Deeks chuckled, and was met with a scowl from the LAPD officer. "Maybe it's time you retired".
He took a look at the girl in question. Beatrice Moore stood around 5'6, with her arms cuffed behind her. One look told Deeks she'd been on the streets for a while. The dress she was wearing was stained with dirt and her tangled black hair was falling out of its tie. Bruises and scraped littered her arms and legs. Some were patched, others remained raw
"Right. We've got her from here" Deeks motioned to the cops to let her go, but as they did so Detective Brian's partner gave her a slight push and she tripped. Unable to stay upright she fell, landing on her shoulder and all four adults heard the unmistakable pop of what sounded like a something moving internally. She lay motionless, arms still cuffed behind her back.
"Get outta here" Deeks growled at the two detectives as he and Kensi rushed to her aid. Deeks went to roll Beatrice over and as he did so she gasped, her eyes rolled back and she went limp.
Kensi was already on the phone to Eric, getting an ambulance.
"Mongrel" Deeks muttered. Although he was still on of them he had little respect for how many of the LAPD detectives treated suspects in their charge. He dug around in his back pocket, withdrew a key and uncuffed the young girl.
Her shoulder sat at an unusual angle and Deeks knew it was a textbook dislocation. Brushing her hair from her face he could feel heat radiating from her forehead.
"Ambo is fifteen minutes out. They said the traffic is nuts" Kensi knelt next to Deeks.
"She dislocated her shoulder in the fall, and she's running a temperature. This here…" Deeks peeled a crude dressing off her knee. "…is what is causing it".
Just above Beatrice's knee was an angry looking horizontal gash. Infection was clearly visible, with tell tail red streaks racing up and down her leg.
"Septicaemia?" Kensi proposed. Placing two fingers on Beatrice's throat she felt for her pulse.
"Rapid heart rate, and fast but shallow breathing. All consistent symptoms".
Beatrice's eyes suddenly snapped open.
"Hey, hey, you're okay" Deeks reassured. "We're going to get you to a hospital. You dislocated your shoulder when you fell, and your knee needs looked at by a doctor".
Her eyes flickered as she tried to stay conscious.
"What's she saying?" Deeks asked Kensi as he saw Beatrice's lips move. Kensi put her head closer.
"The-they're after me. N-not safe" she whispered before she passed back out.
At the same moment Eric appeared on the boatshed screen.
"Kensi, Deeks. We have a problem"
"What Eric" Deeks and Kensi were both on their feet.
"We've been reviewing footage from where Beatrice was found, and it looks as though she's been pursued over the last week by the same team of men. Twice we've seen altercations between her and them, but both times she's escaped"
"Team, as in hit squad? Or team as in the Dodgers? Because I'm missing a signature on my cereal cards from…oww!" Deeks stopped talking as Kensi punched him in the arm.
Nell rushed onto the screen. "Uh guys, there are five armed men approaching the boatshed. Consider them hostiles. Sam and Callen are on their way, but they're four minutes out".
Both Deeks and Kensi immediately unholstered their weapons.
"She wasn't kidding" Kensi muttered to Deeks. "There are definitely people after her"
Kensi thought for a minute about the best way to hold off the assailants.
"Move her upstairs. We'll have to barricade ourselves up there and hope Sam and Callen hurry".
Deeks hauled Beatrice into his arms and the two agents and wounded civilian retreated into the small room upstairs.