Partners

/Chapter 7/

Despite the fact the team had several scheduled days off; the three agents were all at Ops by eight am the next morning.

"So, Eric, what can you find us on this LAPD case," Callen asked.

Eric's skills easily breached the LAPD firewalls and soon he was giving the team the run down on the narcotics division case notes...

"Should we be worried that it's this easy to breach their firewalls," Callen commented quietly to his partner. "This Intel in the wrong hands could compromise a lot of officers..."

Knowing what Callen was really saying was that if this information fell into the wrong hands, Deeks could be put in danger, Sam said, "This isn't just any hacker...this is Eric we're talking about...even the Pentagon isn't safe from him."

"According the LAPD, a new designer drug hit the streets about fifteen months ago...nine deaths and dozens of overdoses have been reported from the local hospitals," Eric reported, "narcotics had a tough time tracing the drug to a single source because the deaths and overdoses have been spread out all over the LA area: plus, tox- screens weren't matching up...it was only when the hospitals started comparing the chemical compositions that they realized it was essentially the same drug."

"Sounds like someone is playing around with the formula..." Callen commented.

"Testing it on your customers...not a good way to get repeat business," Sam interjected, "word gets around you're selling bad stuff..."

"It's not so much that they are selling bad stuff: according to the victims...the drug takes effect very slowly and its effects are very subtle to start...making the user think they haven't taken enough to get the desired effect..."

Nodding, Sam commented, "thus the overdoses..."

"So how's this drug any different than any other drug on the streets," Callen asked.

"According to victim reports, it's not much different than anything else out there, but you don't crash, the effects are as subtle coming off of the drug as they are getting high from it. It's still the usual euphoria and hallucinations-gives the user a feeling of being in a dream...it seems to affect the subconscious...bringing to life the victims wildest fantasies or worst nightmares..." Eric reported as he skimmed through dozens of medical reports, adding, "...most of the deaths weren't from the drug itself but what people did while under its influence-one victim thought he could fly and took a header off his six story apartment: another apparently thought he had been turned into a vampire and...he, uh...he staked himself...two others were convinced they were in a video game and got a hold of a grenade..."

"So people aren't just getting a euphoric high, they're trying to live out their fantasy's..." Kensi commented.

"Or their nightmares..." finished Sam, asking, "with that kind of hit and miss, how are these guys still in business?"

"That's the other unusual thing...the LAPD investigation also turned up that the drugs were being dealt through several, unconnected and inconsequential, low end gangs that are also spread out all over LA...these gangs don't boast many members or control a lot of area, so most didn't have anything more than minor offenses in the system."

"So whoever is makin' this stuff is using dealers that are essentially off the police radar...and in neighborhoods far enough apart that the deaths and overdoses wouldn't be connected," Sam commented.

"But that's not gonna make you a lot of money," Kensi commented, "gangs that small would only give you limited distribution."

"Unless that's what the supplier wanted. A new drug hits the street, the police are gonna look at the big players first...especially if it's bringing in a lot of cash," Callen agreed.

"Good cover while it lasts," Sam agreed. "But, it doesn't make sense...drug dealers are in business to make money; something you can't do if it's killing your customers and has a limited distribution area."

Callen got a thoughtful look on his face, "maybe it's not about the money...maybe it's about the testing—refining the formula."

"You think someone is using LA as a big drug trial...?" Sam exclaimed mildly.

"Deeks said he was getting face time with one of the dealers...?" Callen questioned.

"Not a dealer...the supplier—whoever it is making this stuff. One of the gang members arrested agreed to set up a meet between Deeks and the supplier to get murder one charges off the table for the drug related deaths," Eric reported as he skimmed the files.

"What's Deeks cover," Kensi asked.

"He's going in as the front man for an East coast distributer...the dealer they busted said that the 'formula' was close to being refined and the supplier is looking to expand his market..." Eric reported.

"What's in the backstopping," Callen asked.

"Uh, there isn't much...just the basics; driver's license, bogus rap sheet...stands up to a cursory look; but if someone were to dig deeper..." Eric said.

The team exchanged frustrated and angry looks before Callen turned angry eyes towards his operations manager, "this is exactly what I was talking about Hetty...they've had months to set him up with a deep cover and that's all they've come up with..."

Hetty held up a staying hand, "I am aware of the LAPD's short comings Mr. Callen and I assure you I will have it remedied in short order."

...ncis la...

A rather arch and heated 'conversation' with the chief of police and several rounds of one-upmanship later and Hetty was breathing easier in that her liaison officer was as safe as he could be in an undercover.

"You'll be happy to know that Mr. Beale has 'plugged' the holes in Mr. Deeks backstopping..." Hetty said as she came up to the agents sitting at their desks, "and we are no longer riding in the back seat on this one."

Raising an eyebrow, Callen asked, "So, we're on the case? Do we need to hide a body?"

"Yes...and no, Mr. Callen..." Hetty said, adding cheekily, "I am perfectly capable of hiding my own bodies..."

Giving a snort and leaning back in his chair, Sam asked, "So how did you convince Bates of that one..."

"I just got the full report of the chemical composition of the drug...and some of the components are rather-rare...you have to have a government contract or license to purchase the compounds..." Hetty explained.

Smirking, Callen commented, "...so we now have an angle we can work."

Hetty nodded, "I have Mr. Beale and Ms. Jones tracking down all pharmaceutical and chemical companies in California that have government contracts and have access to these chemicals..."

"Why would someone be messing around trying to put a new drug on the street if they were working government contracts," Callen mused.

"So, some chemist is just whipping this up in his basement for the fun of it," Sam commented.

"Only someone with extensive knowledge of chemistry and government access could be formulating this new drug," Hetty replied.

"So the supplier Deeks is meeting up with could just be the tip of the iceberg," Callen commented.

"If someone is using government access to gain these compounds for the making of illicit drugs...what else might they be doing with their government credentials," Hetty asked rhetorically.

...ncis la...