Tuesday morning, Sam stomped into the bullpen with a thoroughly disagreeable look on his face and an attitude to match. Kensi glanced up as Sam passed by her desk, then quickly looked away to avoid any eye contact, wondering if it were too late to go somewhere, anywhere, but here. She was happy that Deeks wasn't in yet because if he irritated Sam this morning, as he was apt to do, Sam might just make good on his threats to harm the Detective. The only other person in the bullpen was Callen who appeared to be reading a paper. Kensi knew the senior agent had already clocked his partner's mood; the question was would he provoke the bear or not.
"Little late their partner," an accusing voice rose from behind the paper.
Damn, thought Kensi. Callen was going to provoke the bear. She slouched a little bit lower in her chair, hoping not to get caught in the crossfire.
Sam slammed his bag on the ground, as he dropped heavily into his chair. "I was up late last night. Washing my car," he growled.
"Again? Didn't you do that over the weekend? It got that dirty in one day?" Callen remarked as he flipped the page but didn't lower the paper.
"How many times do I have to tell you G. She. Not it."
Kensi couldn't see Callen's face, but she didn't have to; she knew it was configured with a smirk.
Sam slammed his hand down on his desk. "Do you know what I found on her hood last night when I left work?"
Callen flipped another page. "I'm guessing not a lady bug."
"A banana peel. A dirty, blackened, smelly banana peel," Sam said with utter disgust.
Dropping the paper, Callen took the last bite of the banana he was eating then ceremoniously tossed the peel into Sam's trashcan across the bullpen. "Huh. Imagine that." He blinked innocently at his partner. "Two points."
"I'm gonna..." Sam said rising out of his chair but he was interrupted from any further words by Deeks, who came around the corner eating his own banana.
"Hey big guy. Want a banana?" he offered innocently holding out an extra one.
"He gave me one earlier, when he first came in. Before he went to look for some pens," Callen added, his face neutral but his eyes sparkling.
Deeks held a box of pens aloft. "I got them too, though I did have to bribe Candice. She guards the supplies like she bought them with her own money instead of the US government's funds."
Deeks held the banana out to Sam, who viciously grabbed it and also ripped the one Deeks was eating out of his hand. He threw both in his trash with a resounding thump. "No more bananas. In fact, no more eating in the bullpen, or for that matter anywhere in this building. We have to stop making trash that ends up in that dumpster!"
Deeks had a hurt look on his face. "It's fruit. It's good for you. It's not like I offered you a bacon sandwich. Yeesh," he concluded walking over to his desk and plopping into his chair. "Get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"
Callen, who still had an amused look on his face explained. "Sam found a banana peel on the Challenger last night and apparently stayed up all night washing..."
"And waxing," Sam grouchily interjected.
Callen picked up his narrative, "and waxing her."
Deeks couldn't stop himself. "His wife?"
Sam took a menacing step towards Deeks. "Tell me you didn't just go there."
Using his feet, Deeks rolled his chair a few feet further away from Sam. He was saved by the bell, or in this case Eric's whistle, calling them to Ops.
"New case on deck boys and girls," the tech said before turning and heading back to the control center.
Kensi quickly scooted out of her chair and up the stairs, happy to put some distance between her and the boys.
Sam glared at Deeks, then his partner. "I know you are behind this G." Sam headed for the stairs and Callen got up and followed him.
"You think I used all my years of experience to sneak into the parking lot and place an old banana peel on your car?" Callen asked, climbing the stairs.
Deeks, who was trailing behind Callen said, "If you are so upset Sam, why don't you check the surveillance video of the parking lot."
"That's an excellent idea," Sam agreed.
Callen stopped dead on the stairs, swiftly turned and glared at Deeks. For the second time in the space of five minutes, Deeks thought he was going to get hit, hard. Callen's eyes flick quickly over Deeks' shoulder and narrowed before the older agent turned away and headed to the top of the stairs into Ops.
With an audible sigh of relief, Deeks started back up the stairs, when he heard the voice. "I would lay low if I were you, Mr. Deeks. Avoid being trapped alone, in any place, with Sam or Callen. I won't always be there to save you." Hetty climbed past a worried Deeks.
"Save me? I don't need saving," he called after her with bravado. "I didn't do anything. I'm innocent," he protested though inwardly he thought her advice was sound.
When Deeks finally walked into Ops, last, Sam sarcastically said, "Nice of you to join us. Were you busy taking out the trash?"
Deeks stood on the far side of the table from Callen and Sam. "Trash? What trash? How could there be trash? There's no eating in the bullpen."
Eric's head whipped around to stare at Deeks. "Wait. What? I know there is no eating in here but Hetty has forbidden you guys to eat in the bullpen?" Eric almost looked happy that he wasn't the only one under a 'no food' edict."
"It was Sam," Callen explained.
"But why would...," but the stern warning glare from Hetty had Eric redirect his conversation, "...I care. Let me tell you about this case."
Hetty graciously smiled. "That is an excellent idea, Mr. Beale. Proceed."
"James Reid." A picture of a man, mid-forties, tan and fit, flashed up on the screen. "His wife, Cathy and daughter, Jill." Two more pictures popped up. "Both deceased. Killed in a boating accident six months ago. Seems the Navy was doing advanced testing on highly classified under water weapon. The test did not go as planned and Reid's 42 ft. Catalina sailboat was destroyed."
"What was Reid's yacht doing so near the test site?" Sam asked as the pictures of destroyed boat appeared on screen.
Nell cleared her throat. "Actually, they weren't. Let's just say this test went really, really wrong."
Sam studied the picture. "Looks like it blew up."
"Yeah, something like that" Eric said evasively.
"This case has nothing to do with how or what caused that boat to explode. That has already been handled by others," Hetty explained.
Callen folded his arms over his cheat. "What is our job?"
"Find Reid," she said succinctly. "Eric."
"Reid's wife and daughter died in explosion."
Callen squinted at the picture of the destroyed craft. "But not Reid? How Eric?"
"At the time of the accident, he had taken the dingy and gone ashore for supplies."
"Leaving his wife and kid alone on the boat?" Deeks inquired.
"Yacht, Mr. Deeks. She was over 100 feet in length. This was an experienced seafaring family," Hetty supplied.
"So he comes home from grocery shopping and finds his family dead," Sam said flatly.
"Still not seeing our connection," Callen complained.
Hetty took a few steps to her left. "James Reid was distraught to say the least and vowed revenge."
Deeks raised his hand. "Let me guess. He has access to something super dangerous that could wreak this revenge."
"Indeed he does. Mr. Reid has shall we say connections, with people that can obtain unique items. Add that to the fact he has a lot of money..."
"And you get the motive and opportunity for revenge against the Navy for blowing up his family," Callen concluded, dropping his arms to his sides.
Sam shifted his weight against the table he was leaning on. "Can you blame him? The Navy killed his family."
Hetty glanced up and over at the ex-Navy SEAL. "What happened was a tragic accident and the Navy has some explaining and apologizing to do, but that doesn't give Mr. Reid the right to take the lives of 282 sailors."
Nell picked up the narrative. "The USS John Paul Jones is due back to base in two days. Based on current Intel, we believe this is Reid's target."
"Do we have any idea how he is going to do it?" Sam inquired.
"We found a few clues," Nell pulled few emails up on the screen, "that indicate Reid, a licensed pilot, plans to make a suicide run on the ship with a plane full of explosives."
"Can't the ship just shot him down? After all it is warship," Deeks pointed out.
Kensi studied the picture of the USS John Paul Jones on the monitor. "They have the technology but it they miss they forfeit 282 lives. Either way, this isn't going to look good on the evening news."
"No, it is not. If it comes down to it, the ship will protect herself. But the SECNAV is hoping we can apprehend Reid first and avoid all the unpleasantness," Hetty said drily.