Mira, chapter 9


Thank you so much, again, for all your kind words, and for taking the time to read and leave a review to the previous chapter. It's much appreciated!

Disclaimer: by now you all know that none of the original NCIS LA characters of this story belong to me. Thank you, CBS, Shane Brennan and all of your marvelous team for letting us use them. All the other characters are made up by me, as is the storyline itself. And well, if there is any resemblance to anyone you know – that is purely coincidental.


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NCIS Office of Special Projects (OSP)

Nell and Eric each focused on the two Comescus they just found out about, working concentrated. After some silent minutes, Eric turned his attention from the search definitions he had entered to his partner. "You think it is as simple as that, Nell? Finding the Comescus and finding Callen at the same spot?"

Nell stared at her screen for a few seconds before she replied. "No, it won't be simple. Once they're at the same location, we'll be too late. Which means we'll have to be one step ahead, all of the time. But with this scheme of us, right now we are at least one step behind."

Eric nodded, unconsciously pushing his glasses up several times. "We are, Nell. I don't like it a bit. It's not only 'just one step'. It's about what, six hours and a lot of 'what-ifs' behind. We're in need of extra hands, Nell. You think you should ask—"

Before he could finish his sentence the sliding doors to their office opened and much to their surprise, Hetty entered.

"Hetty! I did not expect you in here already," Eric spoke in surprise. "We were just wondering if… who we could call for some assistance."

The older woman pursed her lips slightly before she took one of the stools next to the table with the interactive screen and set down. "Well, Mr. Beale… Before I am to answer to your question, please do feel free to brief me about the latest developments."

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Motorhome || Manhattan, Kansas

Callen sighed deeply. So far he wasn't feeling better than before. But it did not matter, he thought. Feeling sick and feeble was better than being dead or waiting to be killed, he figured. So he needed to get out, no matter the struggle and the pain.

For now he understood that either Dario or Tomas had decided to prohibit that Mira was interfering too much with their business for the time being. They probably used the same stuff to sedate her. It could mean that they did it knowingly because they lost their trust in Mira.
On the other hand, Callen supposed they just used her. Mira had explained how she owned this motorhome, and Tomas' sister had been one of her friends in the past. He hypothesized that perhaps they linked Mira to something of the past, and because of that, or because she was a witness, she was in danger just as much as he was.

It didn't matter. He knew there was something more he wanted to know from this woman, something he felt he needed to know. More than she would be able to tell him in here.

So, Callen needed to get away and take her with him. Which meant he had to work fast and quietly.

The roof porthole was too high and too small as well. Looking up, he figured it was in the late afternoon. There was no use to simply try the door handle, since there was none. Tomas, or more probable Dario, had taken care of disassemble it, together with the usual inside door lock. With his hands tied, Callen was less handy than MacGyver and more important, certainly not in the best condition at all.

He looked around in the smallest bathroom he remembered he'd ever seen. The toilet he used. The small basin with a tiny cabinet underneath it.
Her motorhome… which should mean there would be some typical female toiletries he might be able to use to try and open the lock from the inside. He opened the cabinet and more or less to his surprise, he found what he wanted to find – the right tool, a nail file. Callen nodded to himself, this was what he needed.

'If you want any water, use the faucet'… He opened the tap and hoped the sound of the water splashing into the basin would be enough to hide the noises he was about to make with the file. Still sitting on the floor, now leaning against the toilet, Callen started to work.

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NCIS Office of Special Projects (OSP)

"Well…" Eric said, not sure how or where to start. Instead he asked "So, how're you doing Hetty?"

She just nodded as an 'okay' before she raised her brows slightly and repeated "What is there, Mr. Beale, you can tell me that went on during the time I was so unfortunate to be not around? And before you ask, Mr. Kolcheck will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow as well."

"Right. Well… I did what you wanted me to do. Find a connection between Armenians and, uh, inhabitants of Romania. And I did. But it's bad, Hetty. Where you all assumed there were none of the Comescu family left, Nell and I found two of them."
He paused while he re-opened the file and swiped it from his hand held tablet straight to the large screen and explained. "Those two. Tomas Comescu and Vigo Comescu. Whereas the first must have been outside Romania when you last checked, he's been in and out different places all around the world. Vigo Comescu on the other hand is much older. And there's the connection – he's been living in Armenia for quite some time."
Eric turned to Hetty again and concluded "Like I said, it's bad, Hetty."

"I see, Mr. Beale. I see."

Nell now felt she could add to Eric's explanation. "What Eric forgets to mention is that we discovered that both Comescus entered the US soil earlier this week, in Chicago as a matter of fact. So, we're trying to find them as we speak. So far, there's nothing to hold on to. But we figured that once we know where this Vigo and Tomas are, we will also know we can find Callen through them. Although—" She ended her sentence, then decided she should go on to say "We need to one step ahead. But then, we don't know which step, yet."

Again, Hetty simply stated "I see… I see."

The three of them fell silent for what seemed to last minutes. Then, when Eric inhaled and wanted to ask Hetty if she thought she was alright like she said, the buzzing of the landline phone on the desk sounded. And whereas Eric himself or Nell were supposed to be the ones to answer it, this time Hetty took the receiver.

"Miss Blye," she said as she heard Kensi speaking. "What is it you want to share with me?"
For both Nell and Eric there was no way to catch Kensi's message. There was the reply of Hetty though. "Aram Demirchian?" she asked. "Please spell the family name for me." She nodded several times. "I get that, Miss Blye. Now, I suggest that you and mister Deeks hurry back in here." There was another short interval but then Hetty said "Yes, I am, Miss Blye. So, no matter what your partner happened to mention, and remind you, I díd overhear his remark about 'being ordered around again', I do suggest that we have a teamwise meeting as soon as possible." She shook her head several times and sighed deeply. "I see…" she then muttered.

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Half an hour later, Deeks and Kensi stood next to each other, leaning over the interactive table top in the ops room. "Nope, nope, nope," Deeks repeatedly stated as pictures came and went. Hetty had ordered them to go through pictures of any persons who had once been convicted and who had Eastern European or Russian ancestors and try to find if there were any familiar faces among them.
He then whispered "Fern… You think she's alright indeed?"

Deeks was sure that Kensi understood what he meant. Kensi twitched and pursed her lips before she replied in a low voice "It must be hard for her, losing anyone so close to her. Still… She's the same Hetty, right? Not really showing if or how a situation affects her. I mean…" she sighed deeply and looked into the blue eyes of her partner which mirrored her worries. "It is Callen we're talking about, Deeks. And you and I know there's more in the bond between Callen and Hetty than we know of."

Deeks nodded. Then he let the 'nopes' continue until he abruptly stopped.
"You got one you recognize?" Kensi curiously looked up.

"Nope," Deeks answered. "Hey, Nell? What happened to the other possible lead you had? You know, the one you told Kensi about?"

A slight blush appeared on Nell's face. "Oh, crap," she muttered as a reply.

"What?" Eric exclaimed. "Crap what, Nell? You mean…"

"Uhuh, Eric. That's what I mean." She opened another spread sheet on her screen and her fingers started hitting the keys in front of her. "On it… again." She looked up at her coworkers and explained "Once you came up with those Comescus, Eric, I simply let it go. But you're right, it's worth the try. We've been monitoring traffic which we expected to have left off within one to ten minutes after we think they took Callen's... uhm, they took Callen."

"But I thought Eric mentioned there was no footage?"

"That's right, Kensi. That's why I let some other options running, from other angles and traffic which came from about the same direction. And contrary from what you may think, there wasn't that much. Your lead was one, and we've checked another three cars which pulled off from the neighborhood. Those were dead leads, I can tell you. But there's this one other lead Nell is talking about, a large motorhome. Could be of tourists though who spent a night and morning near the shore. But—"

"It belongs to a certain M.C. Constanta." Nell blurted as an interruption. Her hazel eyes were wide now when she added "How's that for a Eastern European name?"

"Miss Jones? Could you please repeat that?" Hetty's voice came from the sliding doors, where she stood and overheard Nell's message.

"Off course, Hetty," Nell said. "Mirela C. Constanta. Constanta as in the name of the city in Romania," she added.

"Date of birth 15th of July 1974, place of birth Constanta, Romania." Deeks read aloud. "Well, I'd say that is a lead we should follow, right?"


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