Deeks slumped in the driver's seat of the Maserati and caught his breath. He checked to see if he was followed but saw no one. He didn't take any chances, however, and rapidly exited the garage and wove through the streets until he was sure he wasn't tailed. Eric had provided him with a machine to sweep for bugs and he was clear there too. Finally, he put in his com-link and called Ops.

"Hetty?" he said as he tried to catch his breath. "We've got 'em."

"Almost Mr. Deeks, almost." she replied calmly. "We still need the name of the mark, but you set it up nicely, and we will be ready to pounce when you transfer the money. Go home, Mr. Deeks, you've earned a relaxing evening."

"Thanks, Hetty, will you be coming for dinner?" he asked and she could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

"No, but Austin has prepared a special meal for you, so enjoy yourself and get some rest." Hetty ended the call and looked at Callen, Sam and Kensi and smiled.

"Eric, do we have good video and audio on that whole conversation?" Callen asked as he looked at Hetty with worry clouding his face.

"It's all perfect," Eric replied.

"What's wrong, Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked soberly.

"I don't like the idea of him being out at sea with them on his own." Callen said quietly. "We won't be close enough if something goes wrong."

"We'll just have to have a boat in the vicinity." Sam could tell it was really bothering him. "Maybe even a chopper in the area."

"Mr. Beale, get me the Officer in Charge of the Coast Guard in Long Beach," Hetty instructed. "We're going to need their help."

...

Deeks dressed casually for his meeting on the boat. Ella had texted him to bring some swim trunks since there was a small pool on the yacht and she hinted at a nighttime tryst. She was an exciting woman, but he would just as soon get this over with so he could make up with Kensi. Then he remembered Austin cautioning him about rushing, and he took a deep breath. He wanted to make sure they got everything they needed to put these guys away. He wondered how deep Ella's involvement was. He felt a little sorry for her, but she had to know what was going on.

He checked the computer Eric had provided him with, which included a hand scanner. No transaction could be completed without his hand being scanned and verified and then there was a lapse time of thirty minutes before the transfer was completed. It offered some protection, but they could always do it themselves if he was dead. He didn't want to think about that, right now, he just wanted to complete the assignment and go back to his old life. Being the life of the party every night was getting old. He would miss the Maserati, though.

He parked at the marina and walked down to the slip. He hadn't picked up the presence of any of the team, but he knew they were around. He saw Ella waiting by the gangplank and put on his best smile.

"Hello Ella baby." He kissed her on both cheeks and then she kissed him softly on the lips, letting her tongue slide between his lips and linger. One of her hands reached up under his shirt and rested on his hip as she pulled back to look seductively into his eyes.

"Ready for an unforgettable evening, Julian?" she purred softly and ran her tongue over his lips again as her hand stroked his body slowly and insistently.

"Are we starting early?" he asked as he ran his hand through her long golden hair and pulled her in for a deep languid kiss. He heard her moan softly as he let her go.

"Welcome aboard, Julian," Stafford called from the deck.

"Roger," he nodded at the man and walked up to greet him. "I hope you don't mind me calling you by your first name."

"Not at all, Julian," he said quietly. "Just try and keep your hands off Ella, okay? I don't like the way you touch her. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Rix?"

"Perfectly, but you had better make it clear to Ella, because she seems to have a mind of her own." Julian stood looking seriously at Stafford and started to wonder if the deal would fall apart because of a simple kiss.

"I'll speak with her," he said. "Until then, shall we have a little celebratory drink before dinner?"

Deeks' heart started beating again and he was sure everyone listening in at OSP was finally breathing again as well. Eric had outfitted him with a camera button and a separate audio pick up. He knew he was on his own until the deal went down, but as soon as OSP heard the name of the target of the assassination and he wired the money, then all he had to do was wait thirty minutes for the transfer to go through. After that the team would swoop in and arrest everyone, including Julian Rix.

"Champagne Mr. Rix?" Stafford asked holding out a glass. They were in the stateroom of a yacht that was bigger than his apartment. He thought it had to be nearly 300 ft. long, with a pool and a helipad, which Deeks knew would be in use later tonight.

Julian took it and smiled graciously at his host as Ella joined them. She looked incredible tonight. She wore a pale green dress that barely covered her ass or her breasts and had a tantalizing zipper that went from top to bottom and she was giving him looks that left him wondering just what she had in mind for tonight. Her interest in Julian wasn't lost on Stafford as he stared at her with barely contained anger. This was not going as smoothly as he'd hoped and he had to think of something to get this back on a business footing.

"So, Roger, tell me about the target," he said excitedly. "I spent most of the day trying to guess."

"I can tell you don't like suspense, Julian," Stafford remarked coldly. "First let me introduce you to my associates in the dining room."

Deeks was surprised and pleased with this development. Now they had them all in one place for the take down. He smiled as he followed Stafford into the dining room. Two men turned toward him as he entered. They were average looking businessmen.

"This is Kyle Blanding and Harold Briggs, my partners," Stafford said as he downed his champagne and went to the bar and poured himself a whiskey. "Care for something harder, Julian?"

"I'm good," he answered, keeping his voice light and easy as he shook each man's hand.

"Mr. Rix here wants to know the target, gentleman," Stafford said dramatically. "So, why don't you tell him Harold."

Briggs was a small man, slightly overweight and wore designer glasses that were slightly comical looking to Deeks. His voice however was loud and cold and not funny at all.

"Stafford told us your requirements, but I'm not convinced that should be part of the deal," Briggs said as he downed his drink and slowly placed it on the table.

"Well, then I guess you'd better turn this boat around and drop me back in Malibu, gentlemen, because that is non-negotiable." Julian Rix stood and picked up his computer brief case and waited. "You want me to give you five million dollars, but you don't trust me with basic information? Haven't you done your homework on me gentlemen? I am capable of financing multiple projects for you, so why would you refuse to divulge the name of the target?"

The three men looked at each other and Stafford suddenly smiled.

"You're right, Julian, we get a little paranoid sometimes," Roger Stafford said. "Kyle, would you show Mr. Rix a photo of our target?"

Deeks swallowed hard as he looked down at a photograph of the Attorney General of the United States. He gathered himself and then decided to let his surprise be seen by the men in front of him.

"The Attorney General? You guys don't mess around," he said with a surprised look on his face as he bent over the photo to make sure his camera button picked it up. "I'm impressed and honored to be a part of your group. I think I'll take you up on that whiskey now, Roger."

Ella went to the bar and poured his drink. She walked slowly back to him and he looked up at her as she handed him the drink and saw a mysterious and lustful look in her eyes. She definitely had plans for this evening and in spite of his desire for the op to be over, he was curious and excited by her. He hoped Kensi wasn't seeing that look in Ella's eyes or his response because she would be furious. He really needed to be done with these people, especially Ella.

After a toast to the success of the project, they finished their drinks and got down to business. Julian opened his brief case and the computer inside, explaining the procedure and wait time. They nodded and he could see the greed in their eyes as he scanned his hand for access and typed in the amount.

"Gentlemen, in thirty minutes we are in business," Julian said, smiling broadly.

"I think I'll take Mr. Rix on a brief tour," Ella said as she took his arm. The three men hardly acknowledged their departure as they began to talk excitedly among themselves. Deeks didn't see the smug look on Stafford's face as Ella led him out.

She walked him down to the lower deck and out to the pool deck.

"Whose boat is that?" he asked as he noticed another yacht tied up along side.

"That's mine, Julian," she said as she led him toward the pool.

"Are we going swimming?" he asked laughing.

"Something like that," she whispered as she went behind him and pulled his jacket off his shoulders, letting it drop to the deck. She ran one of her hands up into his hair and Deeks felt his heart quicken as she began to nuzzle his neck, kissing him as she undid the buttons on his shirt with the other hand. He realized that his camera button was now useless and he hoped they weren't too pissed back at OSP, because he just had to let this play out, and he hoped they understood that.

When his shirt was open, Ella came around to face him, looking up into his eyes and smiling.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked as he pulled her close. His hands rested on her hips and then he slid them down and under her dress to discover she wasn't wearing anything underneath. He heard himself growl softly as his hands caressed her and explored.

"Oh, you're going to be very surprised with what I have in mind, sweet Julian," she laughed as she moved under his hands.

She slowly stripped him of his shirt and left a trail of kisses along his collarbone that had his heart racing. She was a seductress extraordinaire, he thought and his body responded as her hands moved over his body and her mouth found his. He suddenly felt dizzy and stumbled slightly, but she embraced him as her hands pulled at his pants. He felt like he was floating as she pushed his pants to the deck.

"I seem to be the only one still clothed, Julian," she said softly as she stepped back to admire his body. He reached for the zipper that hung tantalizingly between her breasts, but couldn't seem to grasp it as his vision blurred. He finally pulled it down as he tried to remember how much alcohol he'd had because he was feeling very drunk. His mind cleared as he looked down at her breasts as the dress fell away.

"You're beautiful," he said, but the words slurred as he spoke them.

"So are you, Julian," she purred as she led him down the stairs into the pool. "We make such wonderful love in the water. Should we do it again?" She pulled him in on top of her and wrapped her legs around his waist and they sank under the surface. Her mouth closed over his but he couldn't respond. He felt numb and suddenly was having trouble moving and panicked. She pulled him above the surface and laughed when she saw the fear in his eyes.

"Oh, Julian, I told you you'd be surprised," she laughed as she pulled him to her. "You're mine now, sweet Julian. I drugged you so I could do whatever I wanted with you." She kissed him passionately. It was the last thing he remembered.

...