"Do you know what's going on?" Kensi asked as she entered the bull pen.
"I just got here myself. I received the bat signal and reported to OPS, as requested. The Wonder Twins will have more information up in Ops." I said.
"Wonder Twins?" she said.
Kensi and I bickered as we walked up the stairs to Ops, but I can still feel the rift between us. Not that I'm in a rush to close it. I thought, as we were walking towards Ops.
"Gamma rays, and x-rays were picked up by satellite. So far, the radiation fallout has only covered uninhabited areas of the Chihuahuan desert." Eric said, as Kensi and I entered Ops. Hetty Callen, and Nell were already in Ops waiting for us.
On the big screen there were a couple screens: one was a grid section of the desert that the nuclear device exploded in. Another was satellite feed of the explosion, and the third was a live conference call from Granger. Granger has now left me in the lurch twice. If he does it again, I might actually kill him this time. I thought.
"There's been communication at the highest levels between Russia, Great Britain, China, India." Granger said.
"And everyone's denies involvement. It's like the Vela incident." Callen said.
"What's the Vela incident?" Kensi asked.
"Nineteen seventy-nine, satellite detected a nuclear explosion near South Atlantic." Sam said, as he and Michelle entered Ops.
"No country ever took responsibility." Callen said. Callen, Kensi and I looked at Hetty for answer about Michelle's presence at in OPS.
"I invited CIA Operative Hanna here. On this one, she's one of us." Hetty said. Callen look at Michelle, who nodded to Hetty.
"So from the description and the fallout readings, we believe—" Callen began.
"This is one of the three bombs Sidorov acquired." Granger said, and then two photos of Sidorov appeared on screen.
I hope Mr. X comes through with Aton's location. I want to close this chapter, and be done with it for good. I thought.
"Why'd he detonate it?" Nell asked.
"Proof that the bomb was still functional." Sam said.
"It would exponentially increase the value of those two remaining weapons." Michelle said.
"Nuclear bomb is as big as the fear it creates." Callen said.
"And they just made their bombs bigger." I said.
"CIA and NCIS have been monitoring this man, Michael Zhrov." Granger said, and then two photos of the man in question appear on the screen.
"Zhrov runs Sidorov's arms-dealing company. While Sidorov was in the wind, Zhrov meets potential buyers for the weapons." Michelle said.
"If they complete the sale, these bombs could disappear for years." Granger said.
"Then we need to find Sidorov another buyer, and fast." Callen said.
"It has to be a corrupt international broker." Hetty said.
"Someone that Sidorov already trusts." Callen said, looking at Hetty.
"Any suggestions where we might find such an individual, Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked, but all Callen did was stare at Hetty. Hetty look at Sam and his wife. "Agent Hanna and Agent Hanna?"
"We find Sidorov, and we re-embed ourselves in his crew." Michelle said.
Is it wise for Sam to be with you? I mean, Sidorov did made it look like Sam had commit a murder that I'm certain that Greshnev committed. I thought.
"He owes you a lot of money. Gives you motive to reconnect with him." Granger said.
"It's too risky. We don't know if Sidorov made Michelle." Sam said.
Why are you bothering? I thought.
Michelle was not happy about Sam speaking up, but Granger ignored Sam. "We don't have a choice. This is an unprecedented threat to our national security." Granger said.
"An agent's life is on the line. Getting somebody killed for no reason—" Sam continued.
You're wasting your breath. I thought.
"Agents' welfare is secondary to the mission. Always has been and always will be. I'm getting on a plane now. I'll see you in six hours." Granger said, and then his screen disappeared from the screen.
I could have told you that. Look at Granger's history with me. I thought.
"I still have first dibs on Granger if this operation goes south." I told Sam.
"Not the time, Deeks." Kensi said, through clenched teeth.
"Whatever." I said.
"Mr. Deeks, you'll be in overwatch." Hetty said.
"What, why?" I asked.
"No, not Deeks. I need Callen on this." Sam said.
"Well, that makes two of us." I said.
"Not possible. Mr. Callen and Ms. Blye will be out of the country." Hetty said.
"Hello?" I said.
"Where are we going?" Kensi asked.
"Really?" I asked.
"Iran. And we need you here Deeks to coordinate with L.A.P.D." Callen said.
"Iran? You don't need me to coordinate with L.A.P.D. You don't want to go along so you can bring him back alive. I'm going to say it now: this is the worst idea in the long and sad history of bad ideas." I said.
"Noted, Mr. Deeks." Hetty said, and then we all left Ops.
Kensi and I were down in the armory, having a little pep talk while Kensi was gathering her gear.
"You got sunscreen?" I asked.
Kensi had grabbed a rifle, and checked the barrel making sure there were no imperfections in the connections. "Yup." Kensi said, and then walked over to the bench where her bag was.
"Extra ammo?" I asked.
"Always. Unlike some people who can get away with carrying a couple kukri." she said, showing two extra magazines for her rifle.
"They're not as clumsy and random as a gun. They're an elegant weapon for a more civilized age." I said. It took me a moment, but I just realized that I quoted Obi-wan Kenobi from Star Wars when he talking about lightsabers.
"Whatever." she said.
And Kensi missed the reference. I thought.
"You know I can ride a camel, right?" I asked.
"Deeks, I'm gonna be fine. This is what I do." she said.
"Not without me. I'm just saying, I would be more comfortable if I was there watching you ass, that's it." I said.
"Of course you would." she said, with a grin. I could hear the sarcasm in her statement.
"I didn't mean that literally. I meant watching you back." I said, not wanting to play semantics at the moment.
"That's not what you said." she said.
Not time. I thought. If Kensi is still pissed about the Monica assignment, why didn't she say something? That was two weeks ago.
"I'm pretty certain you knew what I meant." I said.
"Do you know what you mean?" she asked. Kensi face lost all expression.
"Contrary to popular belief, I do know what I mean. What do you think that I mean?" I asked.
"I really have no idea." she said.
I was hurt, and I let that hurt mask the pain and fury that Kensi is too stupid to realize that she was, and still is being unprofessional about Monica. I felt a lump in my throat, swallow it, and then asked. "Okay, so where does that leave us exactly?"
"I don't know. Where does that leave us?" she asked.
"You can't keep doing that, answering my questions with questions." Is aid.
"Why not?" she asked.
If looks could kill, I would have murdered Kensi right then and there. "You have terrible communication skills." I said, as my face lost all expression.
"I do?" she asked.
"Yes." I said.
"You're the one who never says what he means." she said.
"That's not true." I said, shaking my head.
"Then say something you actually mean." she said, and I could see the fire in her eyes.
I love. I miss you. I was married to a woman you resemble, and we had four kids together. I want to become human again so I can spend the rest of my life with you. I want to hold you in my arms again. I want to grow old and die with you. You've had my heart ever since I saw you in Blood and Guts Warrior Gym. There are so many things I want to say, but I can't. We won't survive if I did. I thought. I want to say all of those things, but Kensi wouldn't be able to cope if I did, so my countenance feel as I kept the thoughts to myself. We heard footsteps coming towards the armory, and Kensi turned to see who it was. It was Callen coming to tell Kensi that. "Wheels up in thirty. Let's go."
After Callen left, Kensi looked back at me, wanting me to say something, but I kept quiet.
"I will see you in a few days." Kens said, grabbing the container that she had already finished packing and left.
"Yeah." I said, after Kensi had already walked ten feet from the bench.
Just as Kensi was exiting the armory, she looked over her shoulder one last time at me, stopping momentarily. We both looked at each other with blank stares, and then Kensi walked out of the armory.
Eric and Nell found a lead on Sidorov's whereabouts, but, for some strange reason, we didn't move on the lead until Granger arrived. Six hours later, Granger walked into Ops.
"What do you got?" Granger asked.
"Radiation sensors at the border pegged a white cargo van that crossed into Mexica two days before the nuclear explosion. Mexican border patrol missed it. They let the van into the country." Nell said, a picture of the white van at the border was on the big screen
"That's how Sidorov got the bomb into Mexico." Sam said.
"Two days before that, Kaleidoscope found the same van outside the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles." Eric said.
"According to the CIA, three members of Sidorov's gang entered united States two weeks ago. And the stayed within blocks of—" Nell said, as Eric put the photos of Sidorov's men on the screen
"Biltmore Hotel." Granger said, finishing Nell's sentence.
"The thing is the CIA doesn't have surveillance of Sidorov entering or leaving said hotel." I said.
"They figured it was a dead end." Sam said.
"But the analysts don't know him like I do. He could be in there and no one would see him come or go." Michelle said.
"Then let's find him quickly." Granger said.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Outside the Biltmore Hotel-
Sam and I were playing chess, while Michelle was in the suv.
"Fourth move, Bobby Fischer style. Wait for it. Boom, check, partner." I said.
"We're not playing for real, Bob. And we're not partners." Sam said.
"Thank you Captain Obvious, but I hate to break it to you, but yes we are." I said.
"Not really." Sam said.
"On a technicality, we're are. Just because I'm not your first choice, doesn't change the fact that we are partners." I said.
"You talk to Kensi this much during a stakeout?" Sam asked.
"Usually more. Sometimes we text even though we're right next to each other. It's pretty adorable." I said.
"Yeah, that's cute. I'm not texting you." Sam said.
I got quiet, and I my demeanor changed so quickly even Sam almost did a double take. "You know what, man? I've been in this line of work for almost five thousand years, and I've being doing this job for a few years now. Some would say, Hetty, for example, exemplary. Always had everybody's back." I said.
"What's your point?" Sam said, after picking his jaw up off the ground.
"I can take the crap you dish out a thousand times over. I'm just curious about the why." I said.
"I'm Navy, straight up. Everything about you is different. The way you dress, your jokes, your hair." Sam said.
"If this is about my haircut, I'd strongly suggest you drop it because I can guarantee you don't want me to make you." I said.
"It's not about your hair. It's about what it say about you as a person" Sam said.
"So you're saying this is about my character?" I asked. I've had many thing about me brought into to question, but this six foot three, two hundred and twenty-five pound mortal has the audacity to question my character.
Sam hesitated at first. My guess he didn't want to say it at first, that or he's still reeling from the fact that I'm almost five thousand years old. "Yeah, something like that." Sam said.
"North on Olive, Going towards the front of the hotel. She's Sidorov's type." Michelle said.
"Not that I noticed, but there's a lot of beautiful black women in Los Angeles." Sam said.
"Oh, really?" Michelle said.
"You are toast." I said.
It took Sam a moment, but he said. "None as beautiful as you are, of course."
"Nice recovery." Michelle said.
"Thing is, it's true." Sam said.
"There are a lot of beautiful black women, but very few wearing Valentin Kartshyov dresses." Michelle said.
"Valentin who?" Sam asked.
"Moscow's preeminent dress designer. Sidorov gives them to all the girls." Michelle said.
"All right, I got her. She's getting off on the ninth floor." Eric said.
A few seconds later we hear Nell say. "That's one of Sidorov's men. He's in there."
"There are no cameras in the south staircase. And they lead directly to the garage." Eric said.
"He uses the stairs, goes in and out in the middle of the night. Always has three or four men with him." Michelle said.
"We're gonna have to bring more men." Sam said.
"A lot more." Michelle said.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
A cargo plane over the Pacific-
Jack was getting nervous. Kensi had a gun resting on her knee, and the muzzle was point at him. "Is there a reason you have that thing pointed at me? We hit turbulence there might be accident." Jack said.
"Oh, relax Jack. Is it all right if I call you Jack?" Callen asked.
"Only Agent Deeks can call me Jack." Jack said.
"Pilot did say it was gonna get a little rough." Kensi said.
"You know. I wouldn't have believe Sam when he said you made Janvier nervous. Consider it an insurance policy. You try anything funny, we put you down until we land state side." Callen said.
"Surely, Agent G. Callen, you didn't put together a mission like this just to kill me. You need me for something. What?" Jack asked. Callen remained silent at first. "Oh. Chess match begins again. Trouble is this time I don't wanna play. You have nothing to offer me. Remember our mutual friend Naseem Vaziri? He took it off. One joint at a time. You can't play chess with a dead man." Jack lifted his left arm, revealing that he lost his left hand to Vaziri.
Callen took a seat next to Jack. "I need you to broker a weapons deal for me." Callen said.
"I said, you have nothing to offer me, Agent G. Callen." Jack said.
"But I do. I'm offering you revenge. Against Vaziri and Iran. You have until we land to decide." Callen said.
Six hours later, the plane touches down at Camp Pendleton. And when the pane comes to a complete stop, a U.S. Marshal vehicle pulls up a long side the plane.
"I'm guessing that's your ride." Callen said.
What nobody on the plane knew was that the occupants of the vehicle were people pretending to be U.S. Marshals who were sent to collect Jack if he refused to help out. In reality, their actual job was to collect Jack and take him to a location where he wouldn't be found, except by me, and his body would be left to rot after I was finished the job.
"Next stop, Federal supermax prison, Florence, Colorado." Kensi said, as she was unlocking Jack cuff from the bar by his feet, and Jack turned to look out the window.
"Well, personally I'm lobbying from Gitmo." Callen said.
"Opening move. You know what? Playing can be fun. Okay, let's work together Agent Callen."
"Understand, I know this is about revenge, which means you also harbor that for me." Callen said.
"Let me put your mind at ease. This is my first requirement. When it's all done, I need you to finish what you started when you pullet that bullet in my face." Jack said.
"You want me to kill you." Callen said.
"You owe me that." Jack said.
"Well, as much as I'd like to, I don't do that." Callen said.
"Maybe I can seduce you into it." Jack said.
"Don't worry, Jack. You'll get your wise, but it won't be coming from me." Callen said.
Jack had the dignity to not to throw a fit by me calling him Jack, but was a little put off by Callen alluding to my involvement. Although he was going to think of a way to hurt Callen. Vengeance for giving him to Vaziri.
"You're going to call Vaziri and make him an offer." Callen said.
"And what are we going to sell him?" Jack asked.
"Something that will change Iran forever." Callen said.
Jack's interest was piqued. "Go on."
"A nuclear bomb." Callen said.
"Hmmm." Jack said.
"Our mission was designed to make it look like you financed your own escape from prison. I'm sure the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence would love to hear from you." Kensi said.
"You tell them to have Vaziri call you back." Callen said, as Kensi handed Jack a phone.
"Maybe now we're not playing chess." Jack said as he looked at Callen.
"No, high-stakes poker." Callen said.
N.C.I.S. L.A.
Los Angeles-
I find the car that Sidorov's men were in, and call it into the police. When two patrol cars pull up, I made my move. "L.A.P.D. Put your hands very, very slowly on the dash and the back of the seat. And don't do anything stupid." I commanded.
It was at this time that Granger appeared, and we cuffed all four men. I looked over to see that Sam and Sidorov were heading back to the suv that Michelle was in. For good measures we pretended to kill Sidorov's men. The patrol men started shouting commands, and then opened fire on the car. Sidorov panicked, and tried to get into the suv, but the doors were locked at first. It was ploy, but Michelle finally let him in.
Granger was walking up to me as Michelle drove off. "Did Sidorov buy it?" I asked.
"Oh, yeah." Granger said.
"So what do you want me to do with these guys?" I asked, as the patrol men walked Sidorov's guys over to the squad cars.
"Bury them in the system." Granger said.
"No phone calls?" I asked.
"No need. They're dead." Granger said.
"Fair enough." I said.
