AN: No, I'm not dead, and no, I didn't abandon this story — though I can't blame you for thinking otherwise. The short version is a lot of RL insanity that's sidetracked me. I'm on vacation this week and trying my darnedest to get the rest of this drafted so I can edit and post over the next month or so. Thank you all very much for your patience with my tardy writing and posting and for not giving up on this story.

NCIS: Los Angeles: Act 1

Los Angeles

"I don't get it, G," Sam said as he sat at his desk. "Why now? That op was ten years ago."

"It might have taken the Russians — or whoever is behind this — ten years to find out that we have their scientist," Callen replied. "I'm more concerned about the timing behind the leak. How is it that we got a tip about this just a few days before McGarrett was attacked and about the same time the other member of your team died from this bioweapon?"

But Sam wasn't the one to answer.

"I've been wondering that, too," Nell said as she walked into the bullpen. "I did find out more about Lt. Singer. He left that Navy on a medical discharge after some shrapnel damaged his left leg and hip. He did extensive rehab at Bethesda, but his mobility is pretty impaired."

"That might explain why they targeted him first, then," Sam said. "If this affects your heart muscle, Singer is the only one who might not have noticed. Master Chief Wardell is still active duty, which means he's training at SEAL levels. I don't train like that anymore, but-"

"You train plenty," Callen said.

"That's because I have to make up for you dragging your ass around," Sam retorted. "I would notice the effects of this heart-exploding poison before my heart actually exploded, and McGarrett would, too."

"But even if you noticed, it wouldn't matter," Nell said. "There's no treatment once you've been infected."

"But we would know he had been," Callen said. "That's it. Singer was the only person they could get with this poison, but he's also the easiest one to target. By waiting until McGarrett was off Hawaii, they were able to get to him."

"If his trip is the key, then if we can find out how they knew about it, we'll be able to backtrace the connection from there," Nell said. "If we can't connect that person with Singer, we'll at least have two points to run a vector analysis on and that should lead us to anybody else involved."

"I don't know," Sam said. "It still seems fishy that the tip should come just as all this is happening."

"The only thing fishy around here are those tacos Eric had for lunch," Callen said. "Either we got the tip because they got careless-"

"They don't seem careless," Sam said.

"Or they leaked the news about the stolen research to get us on the case so they had a clear shot at you," Callen said. "Think about it: Your tradecraft is impeccable. Hetty's protection for our personnel files is, frankly, scary. If all they knew about you was that you worked covert ops, the case might have been bait to lure you out."

"Great," Sam said. "Forget about a safehouse — if you're right, Hetty'll have me bunking on the damn couch, and I'm a lot taller than you are. That couch wasn't meant for me to sleep on." He stood up. "I'll be in the gym."

Nell started to say something, but Callen put his hand on her shoulder. Once Sam was out of earshot, he turned to her. "For Sam, the gym is like one of Eric's video games — it's his way to blow off some stress. He'll be fine."

"As long as we catch whoever's behind this," Nell said. "I'm going back up to ops to see what we can find."

~NCIS~H50~LA~NCIS~H50~LA~

"I don't like this," Kensi said as she sat down on the couch in the boatshed. "If we're really being watched, Callen and I need to be back at the labs so nobody suspects our legends."

"If Hetty hears you saying that, she'll think you're questioning her tradecraft," Deeks said. "You know her cover story will hold up."

"And if they're watching Sam, they know what Callen and I look like," Kensi replied.

"Then your cover's already blown," Deeks said. "If they were watching Sam already, they know Callen. And if they weren't, then Hetty's cover story holds up."

"But-"

"Fern, relax," Deeks said.

She rolled her eyes at the old nickname. "I can't relax when my- when you guys are in trouble."

"Relaxation isn't a four-letter word," Deeks said. "If you get wound any tighter, Hetty's going to bench you." He turned to face her. When she finally gave up and angled her body to match his, Deeks put his hands on her shoulders, his fingers firm. "I didn't let anything happen to your mother that one time, and none of us are going to let anything happen to Sam — or Callen. Your family is safe."

"How can you-" But the sound of the door opening made her stop. She looked over to see Agent Wilson escorting the two Hawaiians into the building. "You're early," she said.

"We had a tail wind," Chin said. His Hawaiian shirt fit the relaxed atmosphere of the boatshed. "Are the others here yet?"

"Not that we've heard," Deeks said. He stood up to greet them. "We can head over to OSP and see."

"What is this place?" the woman asked. She held out her hand to Deeks. "Kono Kalakaua."

"Wait, you're the Kono Kalakaua?" Deeks said. "It didn't click before."

Kensi turned to glare at her partner, but it didn't make a difference. It never did.

"I saw you win the junior championships at Mavericks when you were surfing for Coral Prince," Deeks said. "You were amazing."

"Until a wave spit me out the next month," Kono said. "You like surfing?"

"I'm not in your class, but I get out there as many mornings as I can," Deeks said. "Good thing I went out today — with this case, I don't think I'll be out again this week."

"Brah, we'll wrap this up and then go surfing," Kono said. "With all of us, how long can it take?"

Kensi tried not to growl as she said "Too long." She made herself take a deep breath. "They got to Steve already. How long before they try to take out Sam?"

"It's Sam," Deeks said. "They won't get him. He's unkillable."

"That's what we thought about McGarrett," Chin said. "It hasn't stopped them from trying."

"Well, they're going to have to go through all of us," Deeks said. "They won't get either one of them."

Kensi didn't object this time. Maybe, just once, Deeks was right.

~NCIS~H50~LA~NCIS~H50~LA~

Nell was leaning over her tablet at the table in the middle of ops when the secure message alert came through. "OK, everybody out except for Eric," she said. As soon as the other techs had left, she flicked the switch to secure the room and connect the call.

"Ah, Miss Jones," said the director. "Mr. Beale. I have some additional information."

"What kind of information?" Nell asked.

"We've been able to confirm there was no security breach at Annapolis," he said. "However, there was a story about the ceremony Commander McGarrett was attending in the sailor's hometown paper in Iowa, announcing the award. It did not mention Commander McGarrett, but it did provide the date of the ceremony."

"How long ago did it appear?" Nell asked.

"A month ago," Vance said. "The paper did a story about a street in the town being renamed in the sailor's honor, and it mentioned the Navy was giving him several posthumous commendations, and the information about the Annapolis ceremony. I spoke with the public affairs office at the Academy, and they knew about it. The reporter went through the proper channels and the information about the ceremony wasn't classified."

"But that doesn't explain how anybody could have used that to track McGarrett," Eric said. "What, were these guys guessing?"

"Unlikely, Mr. Beale," the director said. "But this sailor and McGarrett were at Annapolis together, went through BUD/S together and were friends as well as teammates. It wouldn't be a stretch to think he might come."

"Eric, check hotel servers in Washington from the date the article appeared until last week," Nell said. She looked back at Director Vance. "If he thought the commander would come, he could check hotel logs for a reservation in his name," she explained. "They're easier to hack than either the Navy or airline computers."

"I'll leave you to your work, Miss Jones," Vance said. "If you find anything that indicates a greater security breach-"

"We'll let you know right away, sir," she said.

~NCIS~H50~LA~NCIS~H50~LA~

Hetty sipped her tea as she watched the hands of the clock tick around the dial. Just a few more… Ah. Perfect. By now, Sam should have worked out the worst of his frustration. She set the cup down in its saucer. When she looked into the gymnasium a few minutes later, Sam was still punching, but judging by Mr. Callen's expression, he was beginning to fatigue, just as she'd suspected.

She walked over to stand next to the lead agent. "Not enough investigating to do, Mr. Callen?"

"I'm just waiting on-" He broke off as his phone beeped. "Nell has a lead for me." He retreated from the cavernous space.

"Mr. Hanna," Hetty said.

"I'm almost done," Sam said.

"You are done, Mr. Hanna," Hetty said. "Your commitment to fitness is admirable, and your insistence on proving to yourself that you have not, in fact, become infected with the bioweapon is understandable under the circumstances. But now that you've done that, I suggest you find something more productive to do with your time."

"Like what?" Sam threw one final punch, then steadied the heavy bag with one hand as he swiped away his perspiration with the other. "I can't go out and do my job — you confined me here."

"Might I suggest you find some additional chairs for the bullpen?" she said. "There are rather a lot of agents coming in this afternoon, you know."