Almost 3,000 views. Never thought I would get this many. So thanks guys. This story is winding down soon. It was difficult to write this chapter. Was having issues as to how to write it. But I powered thru and got it done. Hope you enjoy.
DISCLAIMER. I dont NCIS LA or its characters only my OC.
Eric is working on decrypting the voicemails on the burn phone and having a tough time. His frustrations on his face are showing. It doesn't help that Callen and Sam walked back in and are hovering over him.
Nell notice's his uncomfortableness and says to him "You got this Beale."
"Never seen this much encoding just on a phone. But I do got this," and then his screen beeps at him. "Bingo! I'm in. Alright let's see what we got here." Eric selects a file and hits play. Callen and Sam wait impatiently.
The voices come up over the speakers in Ops, but immediately their hopes are dashed.
Callen shakes his head, "Anyone speak Chinese?"
Eric starts typing on his keyboard, "Not to worry I'll run it thru a translation program."
Just then the Ops doors slide open.
"No need, that's actually Mandarin, not Chinese," I announce as I walk in. Kensi and Deeks are right on my heels.
Sam looks at the group, "You guys got back here fast. Deek's you look like crap."
"Thanks Sam, between Kensi's techno and Matt's dubstep and rock mixes I have a headache, and throw on top of that Matt's driving …. makes Kensi look like a grandmother." Even though he had said harsh words he still put a smile on his face towards Kensi and I.
"Eric play it from the beginning again," I ask him.
Callen looks at me with a perplexed look on his face. "You speak Mandarin?"
I give him a look like I was hurt. "What just cause my last name is Lee you didn't assume?" I smile "Well I'm not an Asian Lee, as you can plainly see" I wave my hands up and down in front of me. "I'm one of those redneck Lee's….. Took it in college, wanted the challenge." I wait a beat and then add, " I also was always curious as to what they said in the kitchens of the chinese restaurants I went to that was so dang funny all the time." I get a few laughs out of the six of them.
"Ok this call is from Yu Fan Lin, he is saying that the price has doubled due to unforeseen complications. And if they agree to the price to contact him. And not to cross him.
Eric goes on and plays the next one. I close my eyes and listen in. The language is difficult especially at the speed and tone of the voice.
"Doesn't give a name, just says that they found the location and have it under surveillance. The voice is telling him to finish up and get over there quickly."
"Timestamp has it left around the same time Crumble was killed", Eric adds.
"I think Chinese intelligence didn't like the price hike. They might just hit the gang and get it for free," Deek's make the observation and their are some head nods in agreement.
"We dont need a street fight between the MSS and Liao Liao. Maybe we can convince MSS to take their ball and go home. We gotta head over to the restaurant," Callen looks over at Kensi and Deek's, "You guys up for a date night dinner?"
Deek's looks over at Kensi and flashes a look, "Well Fern, isn't it our anniversary today?"
We mount up, Deeks and Kensi in the OSP black Mercedes, Callen, Sam and I in the Ford Excursion. I was given an earwig to wear.
"Kensi, Deeks stay back for a bit. We are going to check the area first before you go in," Sam tells the to younger agents.
"Copy that," Kensi replies.
Its early evening, the sun is still up, probably for another half hour or so. Shadows begin to come off the buildings. We pull up near the restaurant location.
"Sam pull over and let me out," I ask Sam.
"And why would I do that?", Sam responds with a little annoyance in his voice.
"You probably got the MSS out there watching the place, and then you got a on edge Asian street gang that kicked over a hornets nest by boosting the price for the helmet. So when a truck pulls up with three men inside and they get out, don't you think that'll raise suspicion? I'm an expert in counter surveillance and counter intel, you read my file, I know you guys are good at it it too. Just let me out and let me do a walk up." I stare right at Callen.
"Let him out Sam." Callen orders, guess he is starting to trust me a little.
I sit in the back of the truck, pull out my weapon make sure it's loaded and slide it back into the holster in my pants. I get out of the truck slowly and shut the door quietly. I head off across the street that is opposite of the restaurant, avoiding traffic as I go. I walk at a normal pace acting like I was headed somewhere down the road. I take my phone out and act like im texting someone, but I am keeping an eye around me in my peripheral vision. One thing about being a fighter pilot your eyes are constantly scanning when you have to be looking at instruments as well keeping an eye out for threats out the canopy. You get good at seeing things in your peripherals.
During my walk up I notice two cars that don't seem they belong. Most the parked cars are empty but seeing two cars with two guys in one and a solo guy in the other kinda raises a red flag in my head. One is directly across from the restaurant but down the street, the other is down the street on the other side of the road. The one down the road I recognize. Its the Impala from earlier this afternoon. I walk past the car thats on my side of the street looking straight ahead but looking in a shop window I can see its two Asian men sitting in the car talking and watching the front door of the restaurant. They have the car windows open. I keep walking, stop at one of the free newspaper boxes that are on the sidewalk, grab a For Sale Car book and sit down at a nearby bus stop thats behind the car.
"Callen, Sam I got the black Impala from earlier with one in it down the street and a red Toyota to my right about 25 yards with another two. Looks like the MSS."
Knowing where those three guys were was my first task, now I start examining the restaurant itself. To the untrained eye picking out someone who is packing a gun and on watch can be difficult. To the trained eye, once you know where and how to look its easy. I spot one by the entrance paying to close attention to the pretty ladies walking up and down the street. Another one on the side of the building leaning up against it. He was in a shadow well but it was him lighting up a cigarette that gave him away. A third man walked out the front door and stood off to the left of the door. I make Sam and Callen aware of what I see. They tell me they are headed up on foot.
'Think we should handle the MSS guys first, I think we can "politely" ask them to leave," Callen's voice comes over my earwig.
Within a minute or two I feel a presence sit down next to me. Its Callen. Sam I can see is stealthily working his way to the black Impala using the buildings and growing shadows. I don't make eye contact with Callen and I hear Sam in my earwig "Ready when you are."
"How you wanna play this?", I ask Callen.
"I'm open to ideas." He responds.
"Head towards the car…. I think I see my ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend." I say that while looking down at my phone. Callen gets up and walks down the sidewalk. I wait a few beats and stand up and start walking forcefully behind. When he gets just behind the car with the two MSS agents window I walk up and close the distance to Callen quickly, grab his shirt collar and spin him around.
I get right in Callen's face, "I thought I told you to leave her alone."
"Leave her alone? She chose me. Thats not my fault she rather be with me." Callen gets right back in my face.
"Yeah like she would be with some old ass hasbeen, over me. She downgraded big time, Old Man." I respond angrily.
The two MSS agents notice the argument right outside their car and take an interest in us. Callen swings and arm up breaking the grip I had on his shirt and puts two hands on my chest, spins me around and shoves me up over the fender and I go ass over tea kettle down the hood to the ground in front of the car. The two MSS agents turn their heads to watch me fly over the hood and hit the ground.
While they are distracted Callen had drawn his SIG and was pointing it inside the car. He then gives a short whistle and the two agents draw their attention back to Callen and see he has a gun drawn on them. Their eyes light up in shock. They both try to reach for their sidearms but then I pop up on the driver side window with my SIG drawn. During the confusion I had made my way around the front of the car and to the window.
The two MSS agents relax and let go of their sidearms and put their hands out in front of them.
Callen gets their attention and says to them flashing his badge just inside the car so only they can see, "We know you guys are MSS and why you are here. It would be in your best interest to just go home now and forget about what you came here to do. We wouldn't want an international incident on our hands."
Callen peeks over to the black Impala and see Sam has his gun up in the passenger side window aimed at the other two men. "Call your backup and tell him to go home too."
I lean down to the car window and speak in perfect Mandarin "I would do what my friend says, and do it right cause I will know." I give the two men a wink. They look up in shock and the driver makes a call. I hear him speak to the other agents and tells them to abort and head back.
"Xie'xie'" I say and take the drivers phone away and Callen takes the phone off the passenger. I move away from the window heading in one direction as Callen heads away in the other as the car starts up and drives off. A moment later I see the Impala drive off.
I hear Sam over the earwig "Old man? Ouch G. that was kinda cold of the new guy wasn't it."
"Why do you think I threw him over the hood," Callen responds with a little laugh. I pick up a new spot to keep an eye over the restaurant from the street while Callen and Sam head back to the truck.
"Kensi, Deeks, you're a go." Sam gives them the all clear to proceed to the restaurant for their "date night." The Mercedes heads down the street and parks in the small lot next to the restaurant.