Chapter 1
Mission Bullpen
Wednesday, 9:08 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time)
Sam and Callen are sitting at their respective desks reviewing e-mails. Kensi and Deeks approach their own desks in mid-conversation.
Kensi: "There is absolutely no difference. Today doesn't prove anything."
Deeks: "Au contraire, mon ami. Today proves that there's an irrefutable consistent pattern… and that I'm right."
Sam: "Late again? That's like what, the third day in a row?"
Deeks: "Exactly."
Kensi: "Sam, can you please explain to Deeks that Google Maps gets you from that new breakfast place on Lincoln just as fast as Waze?"
Deeks: "Sam, can you please explain to Kensi that Waze uses crowdsourcing to augment their traffic data so it's much better at navigating around traffic than Google Maps thereby shaving off those valuable extra minutes?"
Sam: "Callen, can you please explain to Kensi and Deeks that if they really wanted to get somewhere on time, that they would stop worrying about what GPS program they use and just leave earlier?"
Callen: "Sam, will you tell everyone that I really don't care?"
Eric whistles from the landing halfway up the stairs.
Eric: "Rerouting. We've got a case."
The team moves toward the stairs led by Kensi and Deeks.
Deeks: "I'm just sayin' we were on time all last week, but this week: late . every . single . day."
They climb the stairs.
Eric: "Sometimes Waze does save you time, but sometimes surface streets actually take longer with all of the lights and lower speed limits. They're both owned by Google so eventually it'll just come down to personal preference and which interface you like better."
Sam: "Aha! See. Leave earlier."
Callen: "I'll just stick with Eric telling me which way to go."
Eric grins as Callen passes him.
Eric: "Aww. I can make a file of my voice that you can use to replace the default one. I can have it ready to upload to your GPS program by Monday."
Eric turns to follow the Callen up the stairs from the landing. Callen calls behind him.
Callen: " Not . what . I . meant."
Ops
Wednesday, 9:12 a.m.
The team enters the room with Hetty and Nell standing on the far end waiting for them.
Deeks: "Pop quiz: Google Maps or Waze?"
Nell: "Uuuuhhhh… Whichever has the best route."
Deeks crosses his arms in an 'X' and makes a game show wrong answer sound.
Hetty: "The correct answer, Mr. Deeks, is the Thomas Brothers Guide. Now, let's focus on the matter at hand, shall we? Mr. Beale?"
Once the team settles in the room, Eric begins the briefing by putting a military ID photo and a selfie of a pretty brunette woman in front of a temple in Asia up on the big screen.
Eric: "Last night Seaman Evelyn Grant disappeared from a Honolulu bar. She had just returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam from a three month deployment."
Nell: "The Agent Afloat interviewed the shipmates she was with, and none of them saw what happened. They just knew that she'd gone to get a soda at the bar and never came back."
Callen: "Could she have just left with someone without saying goodbye?"
Eric: "Possibly, but she was the designated driver. She took her keys and left the car in the lot."
Nell: "Plus, she missed her flight home at 05:20 this morning to visit her little brother Dylan. Dylan has leukemia and isn't responding to his treatments. She's supposed to have her bone marrow tested tomorrow to see if she's a match."
Sam: "That definitely doesn't sound like something she'd blow off."
Eric: "Then there's this."
Eric puts a military ID of a pretty blonde woman and her engagement photo up on the big screen.
Eric: "Petty Officer Ashley Higgins disappeared on Thursday night from a Jacksonville bar hours after she'd returned to Naval Station Mayport from a five month deployment."
Kensi: "Let me guess: not a coincidence?"
Nell: "Not likely. According to the Agent Afloat, Ashley's bachelorette party was scheduled back home on Saturday night. Her shipmates took her out to a bar to celebrate the night before she left for Tucson. Nobody's seen or been able to reach her since she picked up their things from the coat check while her shipmates closed out their tab. They were supposed to meet out front and she never showed up."
Eric: "They looked for her, and when they couldn't find her, they went back to their ship and reported her missing. There just wasn't much to go on."
Callen: "But now there's a pattern."
Hetty: "Exactly. We know that in less than one week, two female sailors have been taken from military bars immediately after they returned from deployment."
Sam: "I hate to ask, but do we even know if they're still alive?"
Nell: "Well, there haven't been any ransom requests, but there haven't been any bodies recovered either, so we're working under that assumption for now."
Callen: "But why target military personnel? They'd definitely be missed even if they were on leave."
Hetty: "Despite the best efforts of the local offices, we don't know much for certain. Their investigations have turned up no information about how these women are being abducted, who is responsible, or what happens to them once they're taken. That means that we must assume that there will be more abductions and parlay what we do know into a lead."
Kensi: "But there has to be at least a half dozen ships coming into port across the country. How can we predict which one they would target?"
Hetty: "We can't, which is why we've been asked to help here with our own nearest potential target. Mr. Beale?"
Eric: "The aircraft carrier, USS John McGee is scheduled to arrive in Naval Base San Diego at 14:30 today. The pattern suggests that if they're going to take someone else, that might be where it'll happen."
Nell: "There's a large territory to cover, much too large for one office, so San Diego has requested our team's assistance as they blanket the popular military bars."
Kensi: "T.J.?"
Nell: "There's no indication of any abductions outside the U.S., so we don't expect them to target Tijuana.
Deeks: "Well, it sounds like a long shot, but I'm up for a road trip. I've been wanting to try Corvette Diner. I've heard it's kitschy fabulous."
Everyone but Hettie reacts, most rolling their eyes or stifling laughs. Sam just shoots him a disapproving glare.
Hetty: "This operation requires us to change things up a bit. Miss Blye and Miss Jones will attempt to draw out our abductor. Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna, you will be their backup also posed as off duty sailors. Mr. Deeks, I'm afraid you'll be alone in overwatch."
Deeks: "Aww, come on. Really? I'm the one person who won't be in the bar? Everybody knows that's my jam."
Hetty: "It could be worse, Mr. Deeks. You could be a clean-shaven sailor with a high and tight instead. Correct, Mr. Callen?"
Callen groans, Sam snickers, Eric and Nell's eyes widen and meet, and Kensi takes a quick involuntary breath in and holds it to keep a laugh from escaping.
Deeks: "Well, there is that, I guess."
Hetty: "Miss Blye, Miss Jones, Mr. Callen, and Mr. Hanna, please report to wardrobe. You have outfits waiting for you."
As the team files out of Ops teasing Callen, Nell hangs back to face a clearly concerned Eric.
Nell: "Don't worry. I can hold my own against a few drunk sailors."
Eric: "Yeah, I know. It's just... just promise me that you'll be careful tonight."
Nell teases: "I'm always careful."
Eric isn't amused, so she moves closer and places her hand on Eric's upper arm, responding more seriously.
Nell: "I promise."
Nell removes her hand, but stays near him, lightening the mood.
Nell: "But we both know that I'll be fine. Kensi's going to be the one with a target on her back. That's assuming that we're even going to be at the RIGHT bar AND that anything is even going to happen other than a bunch of people who've been at sea for months will let off a little steam."
Eric and Nell hug for as long as they dare in Ops.
Nell: "I'll see you tomorrow."
Eric's mood lightens a bit.
Eric: "Yeah, see you tomorrow."
As Nell turns to walk out of Ops. Eric calls to her.
Eric: "Oh, and if you do go to Corvette Diner, ask your waiter or waitress for some bubble gum."
Nell turns back and throws Eric a quizzical look before they exchange smiles and she leaves the room to go downstairs to wardrobe.