A/N: Spoiler Alert. I feel that I should be up front and explain now where this story is going. This story is not going to have a Deeks is exonerated and becomes an agent ending. In no small part, this is because he's guilty of robbery and possibly murder and it didn't seem realistic that a federal law enforcement agency that knew this would accept his job application.

This wasn't my intention when I started writing the story. In fact the first version of this story had Deeks not be guilty of anything, but that was less interesting and basically made Rivera into the devil, which I thought was kind of cliché for an Internal Affairs detective. So, I made Deeks' crime worse but still committed for what I feel were understandable reasons. Even then, I wanted a happy ending.

But over the last couple of days, I've been thinking about the Siderov and Afghanistan storylines. The writers basically wrote events that would should have had major impact, including having Hetty do some things that, for me, fall squarely into the box marked 'not forgivable', and then went back to the status quo as if not much had happened. I understand why they did it, changing the status quo is enormously risky, and it would require them to fire a colleague and friend. However, I feel that the writers should have either nuked the status quo or not written the storyline in the first place. And I didn't want to do less.

I know I asked for opinions, that they were 100% in favour of the 'happy ending' option and that I am basically going against your opinions, which is why I've written this note trying to explain my reasons.

TL;DR, I have decided to nuke the status quo and see how it goes.

Your feedback has been, and will continue to be, deeply appreciated.

As Kensi drove from Central Holding, Granger instructed Eric and Nell to pull everything on Jonas Hodges. By the time they arrived back at the Mission, the pair had assembled a considerable dossier.

"Jonas Xavier Hodges, born 1975, normal suburban upbringing, joined LAPD 1993, average academy scores," Eric listed. "Served in several divisions, though not Rampart. His uniformed days show nothing out of the ordinary other than above average number of brutality complaints. None were substatiated enough to take to a trial board, though two were withdrawn shortly before the board was convene. In 2005, he passed the Detectives exam with flying colours. Entered the Narcotics unit in South Central."

"That's interesting," said Kensi. Either he studied, or he was helped along.

"Even more interesting is that the same year his wife took out a small business loan and brought a carwash," said Nell. "A business that has returned a tidy income to the family, even as Mrs Hodges continues to work a full time job as a surgical nurse."

"Who runs the carwash?" Sam asked.

"We don't know, but Hodges hasn't changed jobs in a decade."

"Not unusual for LAPD."

"In a high stress job like Narcotics, its unusual," countered Nell.

"So he's part of the corrupt network."

"Not the head certainly, but a part of it. A senior part probably, because two years ago, his wife has brought another car wash."

"Sam and I will look into the car washes. There's probably nothing we won't find without a full audit but you never know. Nell, Eric, look into the guys that Hodges works with. Kensi and..."

"I'll go," Granger offered. Kensi nodded.

"Kensi and Granger follow Hodges, find out who he talks to, where he goes. Hodges has had a decade to forget that he's not the law, he'll let something slip."

Deeks was standing against his car on the top storey of a parking lot in downtown LA, with Hodges, Ramirez and Hart. Samuels, the team's Sergeant was giving the briefing.

"Thanks to Deeks, we know there are three guys inside, they'll be armed but they won't be any trouble. We smash down the door, Hart and Deeks will clear the upstairs. The rest of us will take the down. Ramirez, find the stash."

"Got it."

The stash house was located in South Central, a partially boarded up row house. The team parked their cars before

They broke down the door. "Police, search warrant."

The three men were all in the downstairs lounge and threw themselves on the floor at those words. Deeks followed Hart up the stairs, backing up his partner. They swept the rooms efficiently before returning down stairs. The three dealers were lined up on the couch, not handcuffed. A small pile of weapons was gathered on the table.

"Where's the stash? Don't make us look, if you make us look, we're not going to be happy at all," Ramirez said. He always used the same speech, and usually it was enough. Not today, though. The three men just looked up at Ramirez sullenly. Ramirez backhanded the one on the left across the face. There had never been a time when that hadn't worked. Still the three men said nothing. So Ramirez picked him up and started punching

"Hey,"

"He's had enough." Ramirez punched the man in the face again and then dropped him to the floor. The man was groaning, but still conscious.

"What the hell?"

"You kill him imagine the trouble that will cause. And for what, if they were going to talk, they'd have done it already."

"I'm going to get the job done and you're acting like some vegan pussy."

"Hey," said Samuels. "He's right. These guys aren't going to talk. Start a search."

At that moment, the man on the right leapt up and shoulder charged Hodges. Hodges recovered, threw the man down, and then drew his pistol and shot him once in the head as he lay on the ground. The man in the centre made a play for a weapon on the table. Ramirez shot him twice in the chest.

Deeks didn't move. Just stood there, as Samuels drew his own pistol and shot the beaten man. No witnesses, no hesitation. They'd done this before.

"Oh Jesus."

"Calm down," said Hodges.

"You just shot them." He was babbling, shock talking.

"Vegan pussy," said Ramirez.

"Enough. Let's get the hell out of here," said Samuels.

Then a closet door banged open. Ramirez, Hodges and Samuels all had their backs to the door, Hart was searching the kitchen. There was a fourth man hidden there, maybe another dealer, maybe their boss. Pale skin, light brown hair, hazel eyes, freckles on his cheeks, yellow t-shirt, tan cargo pants. A 9mm pistol in his hand. He raised up, about to shoot his team in the back.

Deeks did what he had been trained to do. He drew his service weapon and put two in the pale man's chest.

Hodges looked at the dead man, then at Deeks. "See, first time jitters, the kid's solid."

Sam and Callen were sitting in front of the car wash, just watching who came and went.

"You want to tell me what we're doing here?'

"Did you not hear that Hodges is laundering money through this place."

"I heard that. I'm wondering why we're here, following Hodges is the more fruitful play."

"Yeah but we don't need four of us to follow Hodges."

"Rank has its privileges."

"Kensi wouldn't have liked just sitting here. I'd be the same if it was Joelle and I seem to remember how you behaved when Michelle was undercover."

"Its not much better having something to do." Sam wasn't proud of the things he'd said or the way he'd acted. A failing. Deeks was a good man, even if that hadn't always been true.

"Its something. Every bit helps, or something."

"That's insightful, G."

"Try not to sound so surprised."

Just them an SRX drove past. "Was that?"

"Yup." Sam called Kensi. "Fancy seeing you here." Hodges got out of his car as Callen took pictures.

"Hodges took a meeting with another cop this morning, I recognise him from Central Holding. Eric is running him now. They talked for five minutes then Hodges came here."

"Getting rid of the books, maybe," said Sam.

"Criminals are stupid. Especially the ones who are cops," said Callen.

"Yeah, but if the cop recognised Deeks, then Hodges knows and he'll do something about it," said Kensi.

"We'll be there to stop him," said Granger.

"Will we?"

Before any of the men could answer, Eric called. "Bad news. The officer that Hodges met with is one Hector Ramirez, bounced from Narcotics for brutality."

"Ramirez, as in Ramirez from Deeks' old squad?"

"Yes."

"Damnit."

"This is not the end of the world," said Granger. "In fact it's a good thing, Hodges is spooked, which means that he's going to make mistakes, like the one he made just now." Hodges came out of the car wash this time carrying several paper ledgers.

"Follow him Kensi. We'll go in for a closer look at the car wash," said Callen.

"On it."

Once Hodges had driven off with Kensi and Granger in tow, Sam and Callen got out of their car and headed into the car wash. There wasn't anyone at the counter, though there was movement in the office. Both men headed in.

The man behind the desk was pale, sweating, holding a glass of some liquor in his hand.

"Hey, man we're looking for some service here."

"You're cops aren't you." The man stood and drew a pistol from the desk drawer.

Sam and Callen drew their pistols at the same time. "Federal agents."

"I can't go to jail." He raised the pistol to his head.

Sam shot him in the arm. The pistol clattered to the ground. Sam and Callen moved in. Callen cuffed the man's uninjured arm to the chair while Sam quickly checked the gunshot wound and applied pressure.

Callen quickly gave the man his rights. Then got down to business.

"What's your name?"

"Adam." The man was pale and shaking, though not from blood loss, probably just shock.

"Ok Adam, we know your boss is laundering money and I'm sure an audit will provide the proof for that. And you may not know this, but your boss is a corrupt cop, so you're an accessory to all kinds of stuff."

"So you have two choices, you testify against your boss and go to club fed, or you don't testify, and you go to San Quentin," said Sam.
Which one is it going to be?"

"He's going to kill me."

"He'll try to kill you whether you decide to testify or not. Now, we can protect you, but only if you help us."

Adam seemed to come to a conclusion. "About 60% of our revenue is cash he brings in himself. I don't know where it comes from."

"And you'll testify to that?"

"Not much choice now, but the only proof is in the ledgers he took."

"Leave that to us."

"Thank you." More than six hours following Hodges and Granger hadn't asked her once about Deeks.

"You're welcome."

Hodges was standing in the parking lot. Pacing in circles, waiting for someone.

A blue Chevy drove up. The driver, a white male, got out. "Do we know this guy?"

Kensi took a picture and sent it to Eric. "No, but we will soon."

"Is there a problem?"

"What makes you think there's a problem?"

"When you're waiting, you pace back and forth, when there's a problem, circles."

"Deeks has been arrested."

"I presume it's for your prior association with him."

"I assume so, Ramirez saw an IA puke bring him into lockup."

"But you don't know."

"Ramirez checked, he's in the system as Max Gentry, they put him in gen pop first and now he's in the hole."

"So maybe he's undercover."

"Then it would be one of Bates' wonder boys bringing him in, not IA."

"What do you want to do?"

"Deeks is going to be under a lot of pressure, I'm not sure he can withstand it."

"I don't see him ratting us out, especially if he hasn't already."

"Neither do I, but are you really willing to bet the rest of your life on that."

"You have a plan for dealing with him? He is in the hole after all."

"Anyone can be gotten to, and we have to get to him. Talk to Ramirez, Deeks needs to be pulled out the hole for some meeting, maybe with Rivera. I'll arrange for the Aryans to do a walk by. Problem solved."

"He has friends. You can be Bates will be raising hell, the guy may be an arrogant dick but he looks out for his guys."

"Bates has nothing on us and when Deeks is gone, that will end, it always ends."

"I'll talk to Ramirez."

"Good."

The unknown male went back to his Chevy and drove off.

Kensi turned to Granger. "Do we take him now?"

"No, we wait until he orders the hit. Then we take him and the Aryans."

"That's a dangerous game."

"This job always is."

"This time the stakes is Deeks' life."

"The stakes are always your lives. By now, we have warrants on Ramierez and Hodges. We'll know what they're saying before they say it."

"What if we miss it?"

"I know you're scared, but I am very confident. We are going to get these guys, we are going to get them before they get Deeks and we are going to find a way to fix this."

"You don't know that."

"No, I don't. But right now, we don't have enough to arrest them. So we don't have a choice."