Chapter 14
The hours passed slowly. Deeks continued to shadow Callen inconspicuously while Sam and Kensi maintained their overwatch positions. Callen stayed close to Gladys Park never drifting more than a block away. Deeks hovered just outside the fence so that he could maintain a view of Callen as he wandered. Sam, surveying the scene and checking in with Ops at least every fifteen minutes, sat in the Challenger parked at the corner of 5th and Stanford, and Kensi waited at the corner of 6th and Ceres. At 3:45 Deeks would join Kensi in the Audi, and he hoped she had ample provisions of food, water, and organic facial cleansing wipes because he really needed to eat, hydrate, and clean up and he wasn't going to spend another 25¢. He'd already spent $10 in two days and wondered how to list this on his expense report because forty trips to the public toilet seemed a little excessive now that he thought about it. He couldn't let Callen or Sam ever find out about his "visits," and he wasn't even sure if he could trust Kensi. That many trips was a tempting tidbit of blackmail trivia.
"Sam," Eric's voice broke through the street noise. "I picked up a black Expedition SUV with heavily tinted windows coming down 6th. It just passed the old Greyhound station, but it doesn't have the license plate you gave me."
"They might have changed it, Eric. Can you get a shot of the driver?" Sam asked. It was almost 3:30, so the timing was right.
"If it stays on 6th, I should be able to. I'm going to make it stop so that I can get a clear view," and so saying, Eric made sure that the signal at 6th and San Pedro turned red as the SUV approached. He got a clear shot of the driver and sent it to Sam and the others.
"That's Ross," Kensi said as soon as the photo appeared on her phone.
"You got that, Eric?" Sam asked.
"Got it, Sam."
Sam looked at the photo on his phone. "Anyone else with him, Eric?"
Eric studied the photo and enlarged it. "Not in the passenger seat. If someone's with him, they might be in the backseat, but I can't see because the tinting is too dark."
"Okay, let me know if you see anyone else in the vehicle."
"Will do."
"And don't lose him," Sam said again.
"If he goes into an alley, I won't be able to see him," Eric said with a touch of exasperation and anxiety.
"I know," Sam replied, "but don't lose him."
In Ops, Eric sighed and gave Nell a look that said, "Help me." She reached out, touched his knee, and said quietly, "You won't lose him, Eric. He can't escape Beale."
Eric gave her a little smile and turned back to his screen. "Sam, he's turning south on San Pedro St."
"South? You sure?" Sam sounded surprised. "That's away from the alley where the delivery's going to be made."
"I'm sure," Eric confirmed. "He turned south."
"You still have eyes on him, Eric?"
"I do," Eric replied. "He's now turning east on 7th."
Kensi offered a theory. "Maybe he's surveying the neighborhood before making the delivery."
"Could be," Sam agreed.
"Sam, he's turning into an alley off 7th, and there are no cameras in that alley."
"Where's the alley?" Sam asked doing his best to keep the exasperation out of his voice.
"Between Towne and Crocker."
Sam paused for just a moment. "Okay, Eric, let us know when he leaves and pick him up."
It was now 3:45, and Deeks stood outside the Audi waiting for Kensi to unlock the door. He started to grow impatient and was about to say something when she rolled down her window and tossed a package over the roof toward the sidewalk. He caught it, smiled, and pulled out a wad of organic facial cleansing wipes.
Eric's voice interrupted Sam's thoughts as he waited in the Challenger, "Sam, the SUV just left the alley and turned north on Towne."
"Okay, Eric. Kensi, Deeks, it looks like the delivery's going down. Look sharp," Sam said as he turned his eyes to the north end of the alley. Kensi and Deeks—now considerably cleaner after using 30 cleansing wipes vigorously—watched the south end of the alley.
"Sam," Deeks said, "Callen's entering the alley."
"Copy that," Sam replied. Something tugged at his mind, but he couldn't grab hold of it. He felt as though he'd missed something, but while he was still sifting through the events of the past few days, Callen's voice interrupted his train of thought.
Callen spoke in a low voice, but his voice came through clearly. "There are four guys in the alley." He paused. "Kenz, is Deeks with you?"
Surprised, Kensi replied in the affirmative and looked at Deeks with raised eyebrows. "Why?" she asked.
"One of the guys is mumbling to himself, and his coat looks a lot like Artie's."
Deeks responded with a slightly offended tone, "Okay, I don't talk to myself. Artie does, and he left the area fifteen minutes ago."
"You don't talk to yourself, Deeks? Really?" Callen asked with sarcastic disbelief.
Kensi smiled and Deeks looked mildly insulted, but Sam's voice broke the levity, "G, what are the guys in the alley doing?"
"Well, Sam, Artie's clone is mumbling and wandering, another guy is rummaging through a dumpster, and the other two seem to be sleeping although how anyone can sleep with this stench is beyond my comprehension," Callen said as he moved further into the alley toward the 5th Street entrance. "They look harmless, but I can interrogate them to be sure," he continued and Sam could picture him smiling.
"Don't smile, G," Sam said with a slight hint of irritation. "Looks can be deceiving." He hesitated. "Maybe Artie should join you."
"What?" came out of Deeks mouth before Kensi could elbow jab him in the ribs.
"Look sharp." Sam's voice cut through the joking as the SUV reached the north end of the alley and entered.
"You're out of luck, Artie," Callen told Deeks, "because my appointment has arrived."
"Kensi, Deeks," Sam said, "when the SUV leaves the alley, don't lose it. I'll follow Callen."
"We've got him," Kensi replied as she and Deeks kept their eyes fixed on the south end of the alley.
The SUV pulled into the alley slowly, drove forward about 20 feet, and then parked. No one exited, and Callen noticed that the engine was still running. He walked up to the driver side window. After a few seconds, the window was lowered and Ross looked out at Callen. "Jim Matti?" he asked.
"That's me," Callen replied casually and stepped closer. "You have some things for me to deliver?"
"I do."
"The guy who contacted me said you were going to pay me," Callen said and waited.
Ross smiled, "I am. Two hundred dollars. Not bad for a few hours work."
Callen didn't smile. "When?"
Still smiling, Ross said, "When you make the delivery."
"How do I know I'll get paid?"
"How do I know you'll make the delivery?" Ross replied.
"Good point," Callen said, "but what would I do with a bunch of toys and crap from Mexico?"
"True," Ross conceded. "You don't look like the type to play with toys. Or crap."
"I'm not," Callen said and his voice reflected impatience. "But I am the type who needs $200."
"I know and I really appreciate you making this delivery because I like giving back to vets like you."
"Thanks," Callen replied with just a hint of sarcasm. He paused and looked past Ross to the backseat. "Your guy said there were two of you. Where's your buddy?"
"He had to take care of some other business. I'm picking him up later," Ross replied easily.
Sam cut in, "You catch that Kensi? Ross is picking Xavier up later. We want both of them."
"We heard, Sam," Kensi said.
"What if he's picking him up in San Diego?" Deeks asked and Kensi scowled at him and gave him the "hush" sign. He shrugged and whispered, "It's a legitimate question."
Ignoring Deeks, Sam replied, "You know what to do, Kensi."
"We've got it," she said and jabbed Deeks before he could offer his two cents.
Back in the alley, Callen scanned the backseat and asked, "Where's the stuff you want me to deliver?"
"It's in a large duffle bag in the back. I'll pop the liftgate for you," Ross said and reached over to push the mechanism while Callen walked to the back of the SUV. Callen stood a foot from the liftgate. Ross exited the car and came and stood next to him. Now Callen needed to watch Ross and the cargo area. As the liftgate rose slowly, he could see a large duffle bag, apparently packed with a lot of merchandise, resting almost against the liftgate in the cargo area. Just then, Ross tripped slightly and fell into Callen, putting him slightly off balance. "Sorry," Ross said while straightening up.
"Don't worry about it," Callen said as he righted himself. Ross stood next to Callen as he waited for the liftgate to go up higher, but it stopped after rising about three feet, so he reached down to grab the handles of the duffle bag. When he did, a hand reached out from the cargo area and grabbed his wrist. Ross threw a hand over Callen's mouth and the liftgate was shoved up, hitting Callen's chin, as the hand gripping his wrist wrenched his arm forward. Before Callen could react, he felt a sharp sting as Xavier thrust a needle into his right bicep.