This is the episode where Callen and Sam end up in Mexico chasing the one survivor of an office shooting who turns out to be in league with the bad guys, and they try to defend a house populated with women who are way too interested in landing themselves an American boyfriend. I love that Granger plays the white knight in this one, and those sassy girls!

Enjoy!


Season 6, Episode 5: Black Budget


This time the bag on her desk was bright pink, with flowing text in Spanish. The red flower on the package had been altered to have a smiley face in the middle of it.

Hetty picked it up, noting the heft of the bag.

"Hibiscus tea," she said.

Unerringly Callen appeared from the side. "Agua de Jamaica as they say in Mexico," he said. "The girls were very firm that I buy only this brand. They said the rest taste like they were made with packets of Kool-Aid."

Hetty smiled. "I'm surprised you had the time to discuss tea given your adventures."

"Well." He squirmed for an instant. "We traded phones around a couple of times…"

"And they got your number." She shook her head at his sheepish expression. "Rather a rookie mistake. Assuming it was a mistake at all."

"Definitely a mistake," he said. "I've been getting texts almost every hour since we left."

"They owe you their lives, and a lot more, I imagine."

Callen blinked. He knew Sam hadn't said anything about the money they'd left behind. And Granger had sworn his report would read the same. How did Hetty…?

"Because I know you, Mister Callen," she answered before he could even ask. "And I also know how to read bank statements."

Before he could become alarmed, she raised a hand.

"Not to worry. Owen made it very clear that the missing cash could have been lost before you even entered the country. No one is going to trouble those women."

"Good. Especially since they gave me the recommendation for your tea."

"Thank them for me the next time you get a text, please."

A moment later, G's phone pinged.

"After you have expressed my gratitude, however," she added, "please get Eric to do something to reroute those messages. The sooner the better."

Callen looked at the message without allowing her to see it, and his face went bright red, redder than the flower on the bag sitting upon Hetty's desk.

"I'll go talk to him right now."

Hetty waited until he was out of earshot to laugh.