Interagency Cooperation
/ Chapter 4 /
A/N: man, sometimes stories just take on a life of their own...instead of having just two more agents undercover I managed to work in both teams...hope it doesn't seem to convoluted...just trying to stick close to the kinds of action/undercover you'd get watching the shows... (sometimes I wonder how the script writers keep all these details in order...I'm confusing myself...)
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The teams of agents could do little in way of actual planning, just throw out vague ideas, until Hetty finished her extensive conversation with the base commander and Eric finished with his backstopping. The case just had too many angles to cover...selling Sam and Colby's covers, the break-in at the base
After forty minutes or so of useless planning, the agents seemed to drift apart into new pairs to continue discussing the case...Don and Callen discussing their teams strengths and weaknesses and worry about what could go wrong on the op, Colby and Sam trades stories back and forth of their time in Afghanistan, looking for some common threads to tie their covers together, and David and Kensi expressed worry over their partners being undercover without them being their personally to back them up.
After another thirty minutes Hetty returned to the Ops center, "The commander thanks us for the heads up to the likelihood of the 'robbery' to his base and is willing to cooperate; Eric, Commander Davis will shortly be sending schematics of several buildings and routes through the base and setting up the crate of 'rockets' to be stolen and is graciously stepping aside as base commander so we can put an agent in his place...so I need you to pull up the commanders files and do a little tinkering to put Agent Sinclair in his place."
Don was not liking how the control of his team seemed to be slipping through his fingers and asked pointedly, "First Colby, now David; why does my agent need to be undercover as the base commander?"
"Because the buildings have retinal scanners..." Hetty began only to be interrupted by Don.
"So they'll need to the base commander to get them access..." Don finished. "Do I need to remind you of what happened to the last person Cooper kidnapped..."
"We will have eyes on Agent Sinclair at all times and Agent Blye will be his backup, posing as his civilian secretary," Hetty informed them.
The agents took a moment to digest this latest piece of information before Hetty continued, "Eric will be monitoring from ops and will see to it that Agent Sinclair gives our 'mercenaries' access to the building with the delivery system."
Callen and Don exchanged looks as the implications of their agent's undercover assignments sunk in and soon looked to Hetty with less than enthusiastic expressions.
"Hetty, really...guard duty..." Callen complained.
"How else are you going to be able to be right there on the base and near the storage units to let your mercenary buddies into the building...unless you can think of another way to back up your teammates...?" Hetty said with a raised eyebrow and amused tone.
"Hetty, the commander has sent the schematics..." Eric chimed in.
"We have another hour before we can contact Mr. Deeks; I suggest you two," pointing to Sam and Colby, "get your covers worked out while the rest of you familiarize yourselves with the layout of the base."
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Exactly three hours later the detective's phone rang, "Deeks and company..."
Sam picked up on the hint that the conversation was on 'speaker' and that Cooper was most likely listening.
"I don't know whether you incredibly lucky or incredibly stupid, but I checked into what you're lookin' for and they got a few systems on base that are due to be shipped out next week," Sam said without preamble, "even without your asinine timetable we are cutting things close..."
"So you'll do it," Deeks asked slowly.
"Yeah, but I only have one guy from my team that's available right now...but there's a bigger problem..." Sam said.
"Gee, just one," Deeks shot back, trading a look with Cooper.
"They've installed retinal scanners on some of the storage buildings..."
"And the one we need happens to have one..." Deeks finished with a sigh, asking, "And how do we get around that?"
"Commander Davis is the only one it's keyed to right now..." Sam said.
Deeks looked over at Cooper who was thoughtful for a moment before interjecting, "Not a problem..."
"Who in the hell was that," Sam demanded.
"The guy who's paying you..." Deeks supplied.
"Listen, Stryker, can you and your guy get into the facility or not?" Cooper demanded.
"Yeah, getting' in ain't the problem, it's the retinal scanner..." Sam shot back.
"You leave that problem to me..."
"Really..." Sam shot back suspiciously.
"Really," Cooper said with equal sarcasm. "We've got forty-eight hours to pull this off...I want your plans for getting into the facility in place in the next twelve...Deeks will pick you and your man up in twelve hours to go over the final preparations."
Sam gave a huff over the line, indicating he was not at all happy about the 'plan' but finally acquiesced, "Fine, I expect to hear from you in twelve hours..."
When the conversation was ended Cooper turned to Frank, get on-line, find out about the installation and about this Commander Davis...get me an address or itinerary...we don't have much time to make the commander's acquaintance."
"So, we're handling this problem how," Deeks asked, already guessing where it was leading.
"Why, we're gonna invite the commander to tea..." Cooper shot back acerbically, "what do you think we're gonna do...we don't have time for subtlety..."
"So you're going to...kidnap him..." Deeks asked slowly. "Isn't that risky...I mean, you're talking about grabbing the commander to a major military installation."
Shaking his head in frustration, Terry answered, "How do you think we got the security codes to the lab at the collage...we nabbed on of the tech's that put it in place; didn't take a lot to persuade the nerd to 'help' us out."
Deeks raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Okay...but scarin' the shit out of a computer geek is one thing...you're talking about an army commander..."
"Everyone has a weak spot...we'll find his," Cooper replied.
Deeks just nodded slowly, it was obvious to him that Sam had maneuvered Cooper into this course of action and Deeks couldn't help but wonder why...he just had to trust his team had a plan.
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After ending the call David said, "Sounds like they took the bait, so I guess 'Commander Davis' should get ready to have company."
"I put the address of one of our old safe houses in the commanders file and a list of his itinerary for the next eight hours..." Eric said, turning from his computer.
"I'd feel a lot better if I knew when they planned on making their move," Don commented, running a hand through his short hair.
"They'll need all the time they can get to convince the commander to 'help' them...no doubt they'll make their move soon," Colby stated, looking over at his partner, "Try not to be too uncooperative..."
"We'll be shadowing them the whole time...if it looks to be getting out of hand, we'll abort the mission, and Deeks will be there as back up," Callen commented, looking first to Hetty for confirmation of that point, then towards Don as way of showing that they weren't taking any unnecessary risks with any of the agents lives. "If it comes to it, we can always bring in Cooper and his crew on the charges already pending and hope they give up their overseas contact to the Amal Hamat terrorist group."
Hetty nodded, "Agent Hanna, Agent Granger...you have a break-in to plan; 'Commander Davis' and Miss Smith need to go work, and you two," pointing to the lead agents, "need to stick to them like glue."
They all nodded and went about their assignments...
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A/N: yeah, a little slow (and short)...but the next couple chapters will be the teams working together to pull off the robbery and catch the terrorists...I just loved having Hetty mess with Don...he's not used to our little ninja and her take charge attitude...