I don't own NCIS or NCIS LA, only this storyline
Chapter 8
The moment Gibbs and his newfound family leave Vance's office, the director turns around and addresses the rest of his agents on both teams. "With that out of the way, I want all of you working on getting rid of the problem. So that the Gibbs family can come home again." Not that he thinks that his agents in hiding, will just do nothing. He knows they will work from there, but here is to hoping. "Agent DiNozzo, Agents Hanna you both have the lead on this one." He makes a gesture with his hands to tell the agents to follow him.
In silence they follow him into MTAC. "I want to keep this investigation in house. You all will work form in here." Vance turns to Tony and says. "DiNozzo bring the team up to speed." With a nod of his head Tony acknowledges his order. That was all the Director needed a he turns to Hetty and says. "I have good tea in my office Hetty I think you will like it."
"Sounds good, Director Vance." she tells him as he already was on his way back to his office. With that she turns to her team. "Agent Hanna come to me if you need anything." They may not be as crazy as with Agent Callen in the lead, but this team comes up with some suspicious ideas if they want and in the most cases, they don't tell her about it. It was makes them the best team in their field. But it also makes it hard for her to protect them, if she doesn't know, what is going on.
"Of course, Hetty." Sam answers for his team and he means it. He knows that they need as much backup as they can get on this whole mess. With that she leaves her team to work the case. She wasn't a helicopter parent and they work best without anyone watching them, especially her. Normally she only appears out of thin air at the appropriate moment.
As soon as the door was closed behind her, Tony takes the lead or at least he tries to. His computer skills aren't the best and the equipment in the room are more than advanced for his skill level, he feels like a first grader. The others watch him as they take a seat in front of the big screen. With a smile Eric steps to him as he senses his problem or better knows from Tim that Tony DiNozzo is a little technical challenged. "Can I help?" he asks.
For a moment Tony looks perplex at him until he remembers that he is the geek of the LA team. Thank you, lady luck, and with a smile he says. "Please, there should be a case file on the Reynosa Cartel in the system secured by McGibbs." A good one, Tony thinks. He must use it with Tim and Gibbs near. But after a moment of thinking, he dismisses the idea. He likes to live, and he knows that Gibbs doesn't like to be teased and reacts to it badly. "Ah …"
His face tells Eric that he doesn't have an idea, where to find it, but Eric is good and not in the least worried, so he answers. "I will find it."
"Thanks." Tony turns around, so that he can look at the rest, steps in front of the screen and starts his briefing. "It all started almost a year ago. We had a case involving Mike Franks and his family. Franks was Gibbs old boss and is one of his closest friends. His daughter-in-law is the daughter of Shada Shakarji."
"The political activist from Iraq?" Sam asks. He has heard of her; she is ruthless and fights for her believes with sweat as well as blood. She lost most of her family, which means that she wants her living relatives as close as possible.
"Yeah." Tony answers with an impish smirk. "She hired the corrupt Colonel Merton Bell to rescue." he uses quotation marks to show the others, that it is an euphemism. "Leyla and her daughter Amira, who is also Gibbs goddaughter, from Franks grasp. But it didn't work, and, in the end, we prosecuted Bell in Mexico for kidnapping. Which he didn't like, and he started his revenge. As a freelancer, who works for everyone as long as the price is right, he worked for the Reynosa Cartel and somehow, he brought Gibbs to the attention of the Cartel. Which wasn't good, because Paloma Reynosa has recently taken over as the drug lady."
The image of her appears on the screen after Eric finally got access to Tim's working account. "She is the daughter of Pedro Hernandez, but she isn't his only kid, she has a younger brother, named Alejandro Rivera." Another picture, this time a man, appears on the screen beside Paloma. A sarcastic smile starts on Tony's face as he adds. "On the contrary to his father and sister he went to work for the government and is now working for the Mexican Department of Justice."
"So, he is on our side?" Deeks interrupts him.
"No, not really. It is just a front; he works closely with his sister." Tony answers.
For the first time Ducky gives his five cents in. "On the contrary to Paloma, Alejandro hasn't taken the step to become a ruthless killer, yet. That is Paloma's part, she is consumed by revenge, she doesn't care how she gets it as long as justice is served in her eyes. Her brother on the other still tries to nail Gibbs with the means of the law."
"Meaning?" Sam wants to know.
It was Tony, who answered instead of Ducky. "He created a false convention for forensic science in Mexico and lured Abby there. He had her teach a class with an old unsolved murder case from 20 years ago."
"Let me guess, it was the murder of Pedro Hernandez." Kensi says after she figured out, where he is going with this.
"Bingo, but unforeseen events, let her final report go missing. Not that she found anything substantial." Tony was vague at this point, he may suspect that Tim lets some of the evidence disappear, but that doesn't mean that he would throw him under the bus. "But Rivera still tries to get his hands on the report."
"What would push him over the edge, Dr. Mallard?" Sam wants to know. He was working an idea in his head.
"Call me Ducky!" he tells him, before he thinks about the question for a moment. "I think his point of no return, would be Paloma's death. She was the one, who raised him, kept him away from the bad things in their live. Which is also the reason she is unhinged, she always put him first. So, if he loses her, he will lose himself and go off the deep end."
That is perfect for Sam's idea. But for now, he listens to get all the information he needs for it. "Where are they now?" he wants to know.
Now Tony was a little embarrassed as he scratches his head and answers. "We don't know. That is partly the problem, why we didn't do anything until now. We saw her last six months ago as she threatened Gibbs life and tried to turn him against our government, then she disappeared. Since then, we try to find her."
"On the other hand, Rivera tries to get back into the country according to Vance." Ziva jumps into the briefing for the first time. She needed a little time to cool down and work through the fact that her love was on a hit-list and she can't do anything to change it. At least not in the way she wants. She knows that Tim wouldn't like, if she goes on rampage to revenge him.
"Could it be that, they are together?" Deeks wants to know.
"We are not sure. But we identified some of their current business partners." With that Tony looks at Eric and he nods. Next three mugshots appear on the screen. The three males were arrested for drug dealing, black-marketing and assault in various cases. "We are watching them now, but so far we got nothing. Paloma evaded our attention on every turn." Tony adds a moment later.
One of the suspects was familiar to Deeks and only thinking about why, makes his stomach turn. It was an old contact of Max Gentry, an undercover identity of him. Inconspicuous he sighs, because he knows that he would have to go back in and make contact. Since he was part of this team, Deeks feels like part of a family for the first time in a long while. That is, why he would become Max again, even if he hates it. But the things you do for family.
For that he has to talk to Hetty, she is his boss after all, and she has to sanction his mission. But first he needs more information. "So, you know, where those three are at the moment?" he asks without looking to eager. He doesn't want that Kensi learns, what he has planned. He doesn't want that she gets to know this identity, who sometimes hits to close to home. It is a part of him he tries to hide, even form his own team.
"Yes. We have eyes on them like on Will Smith in Enemy of the state." Tony answers.
Ziva groans, she hates Tony's movie references. She hoped that because of the closeness to their team, to their family, he would spare them with such things. But Tony wouldn't be Tony if he lets himself get stopped by such things.
Even with the seriousness of the situation Deeks must laugh. There was a reason, why he liked Tony DiNozzo from the start. They have a similar sense of humor, that is why he answered. "We should plug them into the Matrix, that would work better." Laughing from Tony followed. But before anyone can answer something to that Deeks received a head slap from his partner. "Hey." he yells at her.
Irritated Kensi sighs as she rubs her temple and says. "Deeks stop it, the situation is serious." Sometimes her partner gets on her last nerves with his childishness.
"Hey." was Deeks reaction. He hates when she insinuates that he isn't serious about something. He knows that part of their family is in danger, but joking is a coping mechanism for him and after being partners for almost two years she should know that, by now.
As the current team leader Sam wants to step in and stop the current discussion, they have other things to worry, but he wasn't fast enough. "It looks like I am not the only one with a childman as partner." Ziva says to Kensi, who smiles in answer.
"Manchild, Ziva." Tony corrects her instead of denying it. Most of the present people know that it is true, and he loves to be the jokester. It gives him the possibility to lift the tension during a duff case and the current tension really needs lifting. Tony prefers to work in a cool, not tense environment, especially if his family is concerned. Only this way he can keep a clear head.
With a smile Kensi says to Ziva. "No, believe it, I would give everything to have a partner, who is at least 12 years old." Teasing and criticizing someone goes hand in hand, maybe he will learn this way.
"Hey, I resent that, I am at least 13 and a halve years old." Deeks gives back. He wasn't in the least hurt by her statement. He knows that no matter the teasing Kensi trusts him with her life as it should be in a good partnership. They have each other's backs.
Ziva's sees, what Kensi is doing and wants to get in on the fun for a moment. It gives her something else to think of and helps her connect with the other woman. Something she normally has problems with, she simply wasn't a girly girl, not with her knife collection and her combat fighting. Another plus is that she would get one over Tony, who needs a serious teasing occasionally. "This one" she points at Tony "isn't in High school either."
"Ha ha, very funny." but Tony says it without any bite, because they need a few moments of normalcy and teasing apparently is normalcy for both teams. That is the reason, why Sam after his original urge to step in, lets them be for now. He knows that the teams need a moment to wind down, so that they can come down form the stress of having their own people in danger. For now, he will let it go on, before he intervenes. Tony looks at Deeks and says. "Are you seeing what I am seeing, they are … against us."
"Yeah, looks that way." Deeks gives back with a smile. He can see that those two women are kindred spirits, both beautiful and deathly. Alone a force to be reckon with, but together, they could triple the damage they want to inflict. He likes that, he knows that Kensi has not many female friends beside Nell, because they are too intimidated by her, that is why he welcomes this, even if he is the butt of the joke.
Tony sees the same thing. Ziva is in the same boat as Kensi in matters of female friends. She only has Abby or at least until today, because after what he knows about his partner that friendship ended. Abby's own actions lost her many friends, him included. In Tony's opinion Ziva needs a new friend and the best way to make friends is, give them something to bond over. In this case it would be them being against him and Deeks. So be it, but Tony still would throw in some teasing, that is the least he can do. Hey, he as well needs some fun. "Why don't you fight against each other instead of us. We" he points between him and Deeks. "are too easy to beat. You both need a challenge." With a smile he turns to Deeks, holds out his hand and says. "I bet 100 on Ziva."
Of course, Deeks has to take that bet and accept it with a shake of his hand as he answers. "Deal. I am always for a good fighting, but please do as a favor and wear almost nothing." Deeks adds, because he as well as Tony wants that the girls become friends. It was easy to figure out what his counterpart is doing, and nobody knows better ways to annoy Kensi then him, so he makes use of it.
The reaction they wanted from the women happen, they look at each other annoyed, roll their eyes, cross their arms in front of their chest, before turning back to their partners and says in one voice. "Not even in your dreams."
In Sam's opinion the point, where he must step in is reached, even if he can see the intentions of both men. Both women are a menace on a rampage, if they provoke them further, but they all need a clear head now. "Are we done here?" With that he got the attention of all four. Good, just what he wanted. "Because we have some things to do, like eliminating a threat and keeping our family save." He scolds them. He doesn't know why, but no matter the situation he always ends up as the killjoy. Sometime in the future he wants in on the fun, but that day was not today.
All of them look scold and says together. "Sorry." They look almost pathetic, only their hanging heads were missing from the picture.
Ducky and Palmer watched the whole time. They have nothing else to say, but they find the dynamic of this two teams cramped into one, very funny. They can see that they already are one big team, one big family. Even with the core of the family missing, the present pieces try to keep the family together. That is something both like. But they were mostly ignored by all the others. Not that they have a problem with that. It is always good to have a good observer at hand. There is no better way than to get to know people and learn something about them, then by observing them.
"Where were we?" Sam tries to bring the team back on track.
"That we have the suspects under surveillance." Tony answers. He knows that Sam is right, they need to concentrate on the business at hand, but he also hopes that this short trip helped to bring the tension down.
"Is there anything else we have?" Sam asks further.
A sad face is answer enough for Sam, but Tony still voices it. "Unfortunately, no."
"Then that is, what we need to do! We need to find Reynosa and Alejandro." Sam points out.
"Why him? She is the bigger threat." Tony points out.
A feral smile starts on his face. "According to the doctor." he points at Ducky. "I think he is the weaker link of the siblings and with it easier to find. He could be a way to bring them down."
That makes sense to all of them. Tony acts and orders. "Ziva call your contacts and try to find information's on the siblings." She nods in answer. "We all should do that as well." He indicates that he means himself, Sam and Kensi. But in comparison to Ziva's connections his own aren't as good as hers. He figures that is the case for the others as well. But it still is an angle they should work, then he turns to Eric and says. "Eric concentrate on Alejandro and give us a call as soon as you find something on him, on Facebook, Twitter I don't care, if it is Candy Crash."
At this point Sam takes over effortless and surprisingly it didn't bother Tony. Normally he has his problems working with other teams in matters of leadership. But here it was easy to fall into place with him, so he lets Sam take the lead. "After we found him, and if his position is in Washington as I guess." he turns to Kensi and Deeks and orders. "You both will tail him."
This was the moment Deeks must stop Sam. He can't be part of the surveillance, if he wants to put his own plan in motion. "You will have to tail him with Kensi, because I have another idea. I only need Hetty's approval for it." He answers Sam vaguely as he gets up. Both Kensi and Sam know that he has an undercover plan in mind and until Hetty would give her ok, he wouldn't speak about his plan, so they simply nod. Not that they like that one bit. But it can't be helped. It is the way they work.
With that Deeks turns to Eric and says. "Call the Directors office and tell him that I want to speak with Hetty."
"The discussion should be in private." Sam points out, before Eric can answer.
"Good point." Deeks says.
Tony may not know, what is going on. But what he gathers is that Deeks has an idea that is more on the OSP teams' turf, meaning undercover work. So, he would follow Sam's lead. The second thing he knows is that Deeks needs a secure space to talk with his boss. Only one place comes to mind, that is why Tony says. "I think Gibbs office is a good idea." All the members of his team smile, while the others look bewildered at him, so he adds. "Take the elevator and bring it to a stop, there isn't a more secure room in the whole building."
"Ok." was Deeks slightly perplexed answer. But hey, if it works, he will use it. "Can you tell Hetty to meet me there!" he says to Eric. A nod was the answer and with that Deeks leaves the rest of his team to their planning.
They all watch him as he leaves MTAC. As soon as the door was closed Tony claps his hands and says. "Let's get to work." Nods in agreement were the answer. Sam and Kensi start to work their contacts to find any information on the Reynosa siblings. It is time to get offensive.
Ziva wants to do the same, but before she can go to work, she feels Tony at her side and turns to him with a questionable look. He understands her effortlessly and answers. "Can I speak with you for a moment?" He asks her. She knows that it must be something private otherwise he wouldn't have waited until the sit rep was over. So, she nods, with that he leads her further away, so that they were out of earshot. She follows him without a word. As soon as Tony has the feeling that they can't be overheard, he asks her. "Are you ok?"
Bewilderment was shown on her face, why does he ask that. "Fine." was her standard answer. The answer of course isn't true, but he doesn't know about here and McGee. At least not that she knows off.
Of course, with Tony everything is possible, at least that should have been clear to her. They are partners for a long time now, after all. His gaze was penetrating as he says with insistence. "Are you sure?" The question was rhetorical in her eyes, but before she can answer, he adds. "Because if my lover was on the hitlist of a drug cartel I would go spare."
It doesn't happen often, but occasionally Ziva David was shocked and now was such a moment. It was clear as day on her face, that she didn't think he would know about them. A smile starts on his face. "You and McGee aren't as subtle as you think. I knew for week's now." he tells her matter-of-factly without any anger in his tone.
The missing anger surprises her. So, she asks him after she worked through her shock. "Aren't you mad at us?"
A snort escapes him, a while ago it would have hurt him. But people grow up and he learned some time ago that him and Ziva aren't right for each other, but her and McGee on the other hand match at least to him. He also found someone in the last months, not that Ziva knows that, and he started to see Ziva as a sister. "No, I think you are well matched." he tells her sincerely. "But if he hurts you, I will resurrect him after you killed him and will kill him again." He adds after a moment.
A huge smile starts on her face, instead of answering directly, she hugs him, which doesn't happen often. She wasn't a hugger, but she considers him as her brother for a long time now and these words tell her that he sees her in a similar way. That is why she can say sincerely. "I am not okay, but I have to work to bring him and the rest of the family home."
Tony hugs her back and answers. "We will do that. We will get them home unharmed." Before he says more, he makes her look into his eyes so that she sees that he means, what he says. "But if it gets too much tell me and we go for a spar or anything in the gym." Not that he likes to be a punching bag for a raging ex-Mossad-agent, but to help her, he would do it.
"Will do." she says with a smile. For a moment longer they hug, before they both walk to the rest and start with their task to find those damn siblings. Unknown to them Ducky observed their interactions with a smile. He may not have understood what they said, but their body language tells him, that they worked something out that was important.
In the moment Deeks reached the elevator Hetty descends the stairs in his direction. So, he uses the time to call for the elevator and as the doors open Hetty was at his side, without a word both get in. He follows her, pushes the button for the ground floor, watches the doors close and feels the elevator start to move. Only a moment later he activates the emergency break. The light gets out in the cabin as the elevator comes to immediate stop.
"Mr. Deeks you wanted to talk to me?" Hetty asks him before he can begin with his plan. She has a slight idea, that it is a delicate matter, that can be the only reason for his secrecy.
For a moment Deeks closes his eyes, because he knows that slipping back into this cover will cost him. He hates and loves Max Gentry at the same time. He simply is too close to home. He could have been him, shouldn't he have chosen the righteous path. But he knows that it is important so with an iron will, he opens his eyes and says. "I have a way to get information about the Cartel, but for that I have to become Max Gentry again."
He knows that name tells her exactly, what he is asking without him having to voice his thoughts. Hetty knows that name, that cover, she also knows, what this person can do to her agent, but she also knows that they need every advantage they can get in this whole mess. So, with a heavy heart, she looks at her watch, calculates in her head and answers. "I will have the essentials for your cover here in six hours. So, get ready."
Both know that he will need time to come back to that person. So, that is why he doesn't acknowledge it in any way, but simply turns off the emergency break and the elevator starts moving again. For now, he will hit the gym and mentally prepare his mind for, what is coming. Training is the best way for him to do that and six hours is enough time to work his emotions on a punching bag. As soon as the doors open at the ground floor, he leaves the cabin for the gym.
Hetty watches him walk away. She hopes with all her heart that his trip back to that cover will not break him. She as well knows that this cover is more than a cover to him and that can be dangerous in their line of work. The only thing she can do is hope and even as a seasoned spy like her, she must trust faith sometimes.
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