KING'S RETURN
/Chapter 12/
A/N: Yeah, our boys get rescued at last (well, almost)...this story decided to take on a life of its own...I really thought I'd have it cranked out faster than this...and it's longer than I intended.
A/N: I also realized I was remiss is some details about the abduction that the NCIS team would surely have questioned closer, so I managed to work in it in...lucky for me, Sam is an ex-SEAL and Callen is just insanely distrustful and paranoid—made it easier to work in the conversation. (Remember our boys know about King's deals (plural) with the Chinese...our rescuers still have to figure that out...)
A/N: I'm going to apologize to my regular reader's now...it might not have quite the level of whumpage you were hoping for...I'm more for the emotional kind rather than physical (as it is sooo overdone) AND I'm really into showing the emotions and teamwork involved in solving a case! I know exactly how I want the rescue scenes to play out, I'm just havin' a hell of a time getting it down right...because of that the rescue is gonna be broken into two parts...and an epilogue...
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
Not knowing the status of their missing men was starting to take a toll; the thought of Deeks and Granger being with King for any amount of time left them frustrated and edgy with the endless waiting and inactivity. They wanted their men back...and they wanted them back now!
Pomeroy wasn't doing a whole lot to take the edge off the agents forced inactivity...he found another bar to spend most of his afternoon and early evening; he then went back to his own place to apparently wait out the time until the meet.
His only action of any significance the entire day had been a short call to Donahue to verify things were still on track. The thirty second call was nowhere near the time Eric needed for a trace, and Donahue had turned off his cell afterwards, making a GPS trace impossible.
"God, I can't take much more of this waiting," Kensi grumbled. "Were sitting her watching this putz do nothing and Deeks and Colby could be...anything could be happening to them,"
Sam tried to ease his friends minds, "Look, to King, Deeks and Granger are merchandise...he's not gonna risk his payday by killing them."
Callen just nodded grimly, "Doesn't make this waiting any easier..."
"It can't be that much longer...Pomeroy told Preston it would be over in a day..." Sam said. "We'll get our guys back, nail King...and this time he's not crawling out from underneath the charges; and let the Chinese know they're messing with the one people..."
The agents maintained their surveillance throughout the night, taking turns dozing fitfully, waiting for Pomeroy to make his move.
It was well after midnight and Sam noted Callen was scowling and rubbing a hand over his chin as though in thought, "You wanna share, G?"
"What?" Callen started in surprise.
"What's on your mind...?" Sam prodded his partner.
"Something Pomeroy said earlier, haven't quite put my finger on..." Callen began, shifting in the passenger seat to give a quick look at a dozing Kensi before facing his partner. "We know why King abducted Granger...for the money; and we know King has it out for our team for his arrest...but why hang onto Deeks; if it was about revenge why not kill him: Pomeroy clearing indicated that the 'merchandise' was on ice until the buy with the Chinese...and that King couldn't handle two cops on his own..."
"So what are you thinking...that King has a 'buyer' for Deeks too?" Sam asked in surprise. "But who...Deeks is an LA detective, not a spy...never in the military...never even been out of LA."
"But the theft we nailed King for was for a Chinese diplomat..." Callen reminded his partner needlessly, "King's already got the Chinese spy network on the hook for Granger; what if Chin Lo or someone else from the embassy is looking for payback?"
Sam just shook his head and sighed, "That's out there G, why Deeks, Kensi is the one who played him...maybe King's just waiting for his deal with the Chinese, for Granger, is completed before killing Deeks..."
"I think it was all one fucked up coincidence that Deeks landed in King's lap...the kid said King was surprised when he saw Deeks...I think King saw an opportunity and took it; and who's to say he didn't intend to come after the rest of us after his deal for Granger," Callen countered, continuing adamantly, "I don't think King will stick around now, after his business with the Chinese is complete...he knows, regardless of who got him out, that NCIS and the Feds are gonna come after him with everything we've got so it only stands to reason he'd want to high-tail it out of the country as soon as possible."
When Sam didn't answer, Callen pushed, "It's a least worth a look," then pressing his com, "Hey Eric, see what you can dig up on Chin Lo, the diplomat that hired King for his last job."
"Will do...something up?" the tech asked.
"Just a theory, let me know what you find," Callen replied.
It was few hours later that Eric finally got back to them.
"Callen, Chin Lo is dead...from what I could find he died shortly after returning to China..." Eric informed the agent.
"Do the reports say how?" Callen asked.
"No, I can't really find an official cause of death," Eric replied.
"Thanks Eric..." Sam said, looking towards Callen.
"That wasn't helpful," Callen muttered.
"The shame Chin Lo would have brought to his family...no cause of death listed..." Sam mused, "Could mean on of two things..."
"Either his own people took him out...or..." Callen supplied.
"He might have committed suicide to spare his family the shame of his failure..." Sam finished.
"So maybe it's not Chin Lo himself...maybe someone is his family wants payback," Callen said with a small nod.
"If that's true then King is trying to cut two deals, with two different parties..." Sam put forth grimly.
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
Shipping containers stood stark and silent as twilight was beginning to break over the bay and port area, it was still too early for the dock workers to begin the day loading and unloading the thousands of containers, but none-the-less there was movement amongst the containers.
"Its four fucking o'clock in the morning, why are we doin' this now," a grumpy voice complained, "The buy isn't for hours yet."
"You're not paid to ask stupid questions, just follow orders," anther voice snapped back.
Grumbling the voice continued to mutter, "Still don't see why I can't wait for Marco to help me lug their sorry asses..."
"Shut up and set up and run the tubing through the hole..."
The voices roused Colby from his restless dozing, he looked over to Deeks to find the detective sleeping fitfully, before standing and trying to discern from which side of the container the voices; that were clearly that of King and Donahue, were coming.
He heard a thumping noise in the rear corner of the container and went to check it out, a moment later he saw a clear tube snaking into one of the holes near the top; stopping six to eight inches in, then an ominous hissing noise sounded seconds later.
"Damn it," Colby cursed loudly, realizing after a moment that King was filling the container with some kind of gas. He looked at the tubing helplessly, he had no way of reaching the top of the container.
His loud shout startled Deeks awake, and the detective shot to his feet, "What..."
Putting his face in his elbow, Colby just pointed to the tubing...it took a moment for Deeks to grasp its meaning, adding a curse of his own before he succumbed to the gas and dropped boneless to the floor. Colby took two steps toward the downed man before he too succumbed to darkness.
Outside the container, King's head was quirked, listening; the sounds of two heavy thuds from the inside brought a sadistic smile to his face as he turned to Donahue, "That's enough, turn it off."
Donahue cut the gas and stood up, "What now?"
"Give it about thirty, then open the container and pull him out...get him on the boat," King ordered.
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
"Guys, we've got movement," Don reported over the coms, early the next morning.
"About time," Kensi groused.
The agents watched from their positions at either end of the street as Pomeroy strolled from his house and climbed into his car. They saw him put his cell to his ear.
"Eric, we got Pomeroy making a call..." Callen said.
"On it," Eric's voice replied.
Another thirty seconds and the call ended and Eric informed the agents, "It was another call to Donahue..."
"Still no location," Sam asked.
"Nell is triangulating now but the closest we can get is a six block radius at the shipping docks...sorry guys," Eric reported.
"That makes sense...if the Chinese are involved...they want a quick departure point...last time they..." David's comment trailed off.
"Last time, what?" Callen asked, exchanging a look with Sam.
A heavy sigh came over the com-link from Don before he answered, "Chinese don't like to conduct business on the mainland...they prefer the safety of international waters where we don't have jurisdiction..."
"Maybe you don't, but we do..." Callen commented. "They won't get away with either of our men."
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
The agents followed Pomeroy at a distance...counting on Eric and his mastery of the traffic cams to keep eyes on their suspect if they lost him in the early morning, LA rush hour.
The two SUV's rolled slowly to a stop at the end of a port side street, hidden behind shipping containers, watching as Pomeroy drove to the other end and stopped, getting out and meeting up with another man.
"Donahue," Callen commented as they watched the two men conversing at the other end of the pier. "Don't see King anywhere."
"Eric, you got a good visual on our two suspects," Sam asked.
Back in OPS, Eric had the port cams showing Pomeroy and
Donahue up on the big screen, "Got them...no sign of either of our guys or King though..."
"Keep us posted..." Callen said.
The agents from both teams watched tensely, waiting impatiently for any sign of King and the Chinese...any sign of their missing men...
/gee, this would have been a real good place for a cliffie...but I just wanna get this story done and posted so consider this a brief commercial break before the "rescue" action that always happens in the last ten minutes of any show/
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMBERS...NCIS
At the SUV's, six agents watched the two suspects, noting Donahue pointing off towards one of the containers over Pomeroy's shoulder.
"You think that's where Kings' keeping them," David asked impatiently.
"Good chance...but where's King...I don't like this. If the deal's about to go down he should be here," Sam said.
"Eric, you have eyes on King...where is he," Callen asked the tech who was monitoring back at OPS.
"I'm scrolling through all the cams in a four block radius of your position Callen, so far nothing...wait...Callen, I have a black Mercedes approaching from the north...you should have a visual in thirty," Eric reported.
"There," Kensi pointed, and all the agents turned their attentions to the car pulling up to the two suspects.
"That's him," Kensi spat out, as King exited the car and walked over to the two men.
"All we need to round out this party are his buyers and we can finally end this," Sam said.
"Let's move in..." Callen directed, as all the agents checked their guns and vests and silently exited their vehicles to move in on King.
"Eric, we're in position...you got eyes on the buyers yet," Sam asked.
"Two cars approaching from the east side..." Eric supplied.
In less than a minute two cars pulled up near King's Mercedes and several men climbed from the cars...
"Move on my signal..." Sam cautioned the teams, "We want this airtight when we take them in."
From their various positions hidden amongst the containers the agents waited for money to exchange hands...for King to produce his 'merchandise' to his buyers.
They watched as King shook hands with one of the men and moved off to a nearby red container; watched him wave Pomeroy and Donahue over to open the container. Three of the Chinese men then moved to look inside the open container, one giving a satisfied nod before the container was quickly shut back up.
"We have conformation on our missing men...as soon as the money is exchanged, move in and let's take these bastards down," Sam told the waiting agents.
As King moved back to his car, one of the Chinese men waved one of his lackey's towards their car then pointed to another lackey and to the container. Lackey number two immediately whipped out his phone and seconds later, to the agent's dismay, the container was suddenly being lifted off the ground by a nearby dock crane.
"Move...move...move..." Sam commanded and the agents poured from their cover to converge on the suspects...one agent breaking off from the firefight and heading in the opposite direction.
Shouts of "FBI", "NCIS" and "Federal Agent" filled the air, startling the suspects into action...the firefight was short lived, and most of the Chinese were soon on the ground.
However, King and his two lackeys managed to duck to cover when the firefight started.
"It's over King, give it up," Kensi shouted from her position.
"Why, Lori...is that you...don't think so sweet cheeks, I owe you and you team a lot...my revenge is nearly complete," he scoffed arrogantly.
"You got nowhere to go King...this will only end one of two ways...you can leave in cuffs or a body bag—your choice," David shouted.
"You willing to bet your man's life on that agent..." King shouted back.
Don and David exchanged looks before Don demanded, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Your man is still mine...whether you arrest me or put a bullet in me, if your man dies, I still win," King's response was smug. "What's the chance of survival if that container drops?"
The agents looked up at the suspended container that had stopped moving at the onset of the firefight.
"Yours will be zero," Callen promised.
"All you have to let me do is walk to my car, take my money and go...you caught the guys that wanted your man...I walk away and the container hits the ground in one piece," King said.
Tense moments passed as multiple scenarios raced through each agents head as they tried to find leverage to use against King.
"Clocks ticking..." King shot out.
Before anyone could offer up a deal, the container was suddenly being lowered to the ground; to the surprise of all parties involved.
Their silent question was answered seconds later when Megan came over the coms, "Take King, I got the crane operator."
Callen and the FBI agents engaged King and his men in another round of gun fire while Kensi and Sam moved around to box the suspects in.
In a momentary lull of gunfire, two loud ominous clicks caused the three suspects to turn, coming face to face with two very pissed agents, guns cocked, "Just give me a reason, King."
Pomeroy and Donahue quickly gave up, but King just shook his head, a smug smile creasing his features, "Ah, 'Lori'..."
"That's Agent Blye to you..." Kensi snapped, "It's over King."
King cocked his head, as the container scraped the ground, the smug look never leaving his face, "Is it, we'll see..."
"Clear, G...we got 'em," Sam called out to the other agents who were cautiously converging on the container.
Kensi and Sam quickly zip cuffed the three men, leading them to the container.
Callen and Don make quick work of opening the doors to the container, peering into the gloom...
"Man down," David yelled as he rushed into the gloomy container to check the man who was lying with his back to them, "It's Colby, he's alive..."
David, along with the rest of the agents quickly scanned the container.
While Don moved to join David as he attempted to assess his partner, the NCIS team converged on King; Kensi grabbing the man by his collar, forcefully slamming him against another container.
"Where is he? What have you done with Deeks?" she demanded angrily.
Sam, meanwhile, turned and quickly made his way inside the container. Colby was slowly rousing to the ministrations of his team...
"Come on Colb, wake up man...help us out here, where's Deeks," David asked urgently, gently tapping at his partners cheeks, "The man that was with you...where did King take him?"
Colby was fighting his way towards consciousness, the pleading voices filling his addled mind with a sense of urgency he couldn't quite put his finger on...suddenly, another voice, deep and commanding broke through the haze, kicking in his automatic response from years of military training.
"Lt. Granger, we got a man missing, repeat, we have a man down...report; do you know his location?" Sam barked out the command.
Colby's eyes flew open, and though they didn't immediately focus, his training kicked in and he replied to the command automatically, "...over...overheard, King...yacht...slip 46..."
His energy spent, Colby drifted back off. Sam smiled tightly, giving the downed man's shoulder a squeeze, "Good work soldier, good work..."
Sam shot out of the container, and without slowing his pace, shouted to his team, as he made his way towards the nearest vehicle, "Slip 46...Deeks is on a yacht...Eric, get eyes on the marina north of our location, we need everything you've got on the mooring at slip 46...and we need it yesterday..."
Kensi turned to King, he was looking decidedly less smug, "If my partner dies...I will kill you..."
She then hauled back with everything she had and downed her partner's abductor with a swift fist to the face.
David had followed Sam out of the container, spying Megan making her way towards the group with her prisoner, he said quickly, "Megan help Don, I'm going with them..."
Without stopping to get acknowledgment of he ran to catch up with the NCIS team, barely sliding into the back seat before the car took off.
"Why aren't you with your partner," Kensi asked.
"This isn't over...you helped us get Colby back...but your man is still out there..." David responded, "And it's what Colby would want..."
Sam just nodded his understanding to the agent.
"Sam, the yacht moored at slip 46 is registered to the Chinese consulate...it's signed out to Chin Lo Hiramoto..."
"Any relation to the Chin Lo that hired King," Callen demanded.
"Callen, it's his brother..."Eric said slowly.
"Damn it," no one had to voice just how dire the situation was becoming.
Eric's frantic voice again came over the coms, "Guys, the yacht, it's pulling out...it's leaving its slip..."
Callen and Sam exchanged grim looks, "Faster Sam."
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
OOPS...not quite done after all...god, this chapter was hard to write...and for anyone who might have thought it was weird that Sam seemed to be calling the shots at the take down...let's remember, he was the Navy SEAL and is well versed in these kind of operations and tactical...and he is not only rescuing one of his own (Deeks), but he's rescuing a fellow military man (Colby) so I imagine he, more than any of the other agents, might be taking all of this "real" personal...and we all know he can be a real 'mother hen'!