Chapter 23 NCIS OP

Kensi and Marty walk into the Blye home just after 12:00. "Nice flight?" Julia asks.

"Great," Marty smirks. "I had to check my legs." Kensi gives him a soft elbow.

"I know what you mean," Sam Hanna smirks back.

"Now that all our body parts are here, may we begin?" Hetty retorts.

Everyone sits around the dining room table and a roll call is taken.

Julia Blye,

Kensi Deeks (Blye),

Marty Deeks,

Hetty Lange (NCIS-OSP),

G. Callen (NCIS-OSP),

Sam Hanna (NCIS-OSP),

Eric Beale on phone (NCIS-OSP),

Hetty starts, "I received the email as promised from Kensi and Marty which I will read later. First – would Julia state what she found when she arrived home?"

Julia repeats everything for the record.

Agent Callen picks up the story, "Agent Hanna and I have thoroughly examined the house and premises. Our only findings in addition to what Julia has reported are in regards to the gun locker. It looks like all weapons are present and accounted for. However, upon closer examination it appears that some guns have been re-arranged and a long gun is missing – probably a sniper rifle. A Baretta hand gun is also missing, as well as ammunition for the Baretta and a sniper rifle. Mr. Blye's personal vehicle is missing; otherwise, all vehicles are accounted for."

"Mr. Beale, I believe you have Kaleidoscope searching for Mr. Blye's car?"

"I do, no results yet."

"Julia, have you thought about warning signs?"

'I can't say I saw this coming. I didn't. I read Kensi's email and I agree with her and Marty about the events they mention as being stressors for Donald. But I can't say that I put the pieces together beforehand, Hetty."

"Unfortunately, that is very common, Julia. Don't beat yourself up over it . . . neither should you, Kensi or Marty."

"So, what do we have, Mr. Callen?"

"We have a retired Marine, certified sniper, missing for 2-7 days. Possibly armed with a Baretta hand gun and a sniper rifle with ammo for both. Probably driving his personal vehicle. No sign of violence at his residence."

"Mr. Beale, any financial activity?"

"None yet, unless he has an alias that we don't know about, Hetty."

"Julia or Kensi, does Donald have an alias that we are not aware of?"

They both reply in the negative.

"Eric, have you searched traffic and security camera footage yet?"

"Just starting, Hetty."

"Might I suggest you call San Diego for assistance with the footage, Eric?"

"Already done, Hetty. I will report ASAP."

"Very well; Mr. Callen what is our plan?"

"Sam and I are going to spend a couple days around here seeing what we can dig up. A tech team will add some enhanced security and surveillance here at the home; and they will set up all phone lines into the residence so that we can monitor all calls in and out. I am wondering if we should do a little digging in the SF bay area, as he has spent some time up there in the last 2-3 months?"

Hetty responds, "I will take care of the SF bay area as I have some business to attend to up there. I may request one agent assistance from the SF NCIS office. I will be visiting Marty and Kensi while I am up there."

Hetty continues, "Julia, I am wondering about your plans. I understand you have been spending extensive time at Stanford helping out Kensi and Marty with their two young foster children? You haven't talked about them yet."

Kensi interjects, "We have an alternate caregiver with them today. Marty and I will evaluate her performance when we get home, and then touch base with you, mom. We will go from there."

Hetty asks, "Kensi and Marty, how long will you be staying down here?"

"We hope to go home Sunday afternoon," Marty responds.

"Very well, agents Callen and Hanna will be staying a couple days as suggested, I will plan on one day, then we shall see," Hetty concludes.

"May I report," Eric asks.

"Certainly," Hetty responds.

"I am getting some K-scope hits over the last six days for the car. All in the local area, random times and places. No discernable pattern at this time."

"Thank you, Eric, keep me apprised," agent Callen asks.

"I will."

"Anyone else?"

No one speaks up.


As Eric sits at his computer, he occasionally switches views on his monitor and scans K-scope shots as they flash by. He gets an epiphany. He thinks back to the 'tail' Kensi and Marty picked up as they left Stanford for LA a while back. He adds the specs for that Lincoln Town car to the K-scope search parameters.

Viola! Hit, after hit, after hit. AND Donald Blye's car appears to be following the Lincoln! At least much of the time. He calls Hetty and Callen.

"Hey, guys," he reports his findings.

"Does there seem to be a home base for either car?" Callen inquires.

"Don Blye – no; the Lincoln – yes."

"TXT Mr. Callen and me the address," Hetty demands.

"On your phones," Eric replies.

"Good work, Beale!"

"Mr. Callen, caution, please!"

"Always."

Hetty smirks.


The NCIS team discovers that the twosome using the Lincoln were staying at a mid-scale motel; they got the room # and booked an adjoining suite for surveillance purposes and set up shop. Eric ran facial rec on the two men and discovered, to no one's surprise, that they were the same two men who had tailed Kensi and Marty previously. Things were starting to make sense. But how and why was Donald Blye involved?

Upon further thought, Julia remembered that Don had frequented a specific bar on the edge of town; he would meet fairly regularly with Marine buddies there.

Hetty called in extra agents to stake out the bar and they immediately spotted Donald Blye meeting daily with three specific men. Again, facial rec identified them as retired Marines, acquaintances of Don's from his time in the service. More pieces to the puzzle. But, what to do?

Hetty had an idea, not everyone liked it. Marty Deeks was solidly in the NO camp. But he was intimately involved so he guessed he could live with it, as long as he could watch Kensi's back. (He loved that view!)

Six weeks before the wedding Donald Blye had purchased a motorcycle – a Ducati Multistrada V4s in red. While the bike was not designed for a rider and passenger, it would work for short rides and 2 people who are comfortable with close, intimate contact. Don had shown Kensi the bike and had let her drive it twice. She was comfortable with it, so . . . Hetty's idea was to have Kensi and Marty drive by the motel in question when the two men were known to be there. The duo would be attired in bright leather and would hopefully catch the eye and start some 'action' i.e., a 'tail' or chase. Then the team would see what develops.

As mentioned, Marty was only on board because he was able to watch Kensi's back – he would literally be glued to her back. And they would both be armed.

When it became obvious that Kensi' career choice was self-defense and weapons training, Marty decided to get on board fully and become certified and trained to carry and use a concealed weapon (handgun). Kensi, of course, did the same. They had not traveled with weapons, so they perused Don's weapons locker and selected guns of their choice to carry. Kensi chose a Sig-Sauer and Marty chose a Baretta.

Besides supporting Kensi, Marty was attempting to exorcise one of the most persistent demons of his past. Only his most trusted friends knew this part of Marty Deeks' past. His father had been an abusive alcoholic, towards both Marty and his mom. One evening things escalated to very dangerous territory. His dad was wielding a shotgun and Marty, in a very courageous move for an 11 y/o boy, shot his father in the shoulder. He thus probably saved his mother's life as well as his own. Unfortunately, that incident left Marty Deeks with a severe phobia for guns. He figured now was the time to overcome that, and to all appearances he had. This op would be a real test for him.

The goal would be for the men under suspicion to give chase and be led to an area where they would expose themselves, their plan and the people they were working for. Obviously, there were risks involved. The biggest wild card was Donald Blye; they did not know where he was.

The plan was to have the bike cruise by when the two men were going to or in the car, tricky timing but the men had shown themselves to be fairly predictable. Poor tradecraft, but to the team's advantage.

Marty and Kensi were both wired and on comms. They were parked two blocks back and waiting for Callen's signal to GO. When they got the GO signal, Kensi started the bike, and they took off. They cruised past the parking lot at medium speed, watching for a response. Sure enough, they attracted a tail.