Brothers in Arms
Disclaimer:I do not own NCIS:LA, if I did, I probably have a better desk chair.
A/N: Thanks to jmlane1966, shestarsky, and beverlie4055 for dropping a review at the end of the last chapter!
Day 9
Kensi listened as the woman sitting across the table told the story of how her son was killed when he got caught in the middle of gunfight. It was yet another tale involving the consequences of 'wrong place wrong time'. She pushed the glass of water closer as the woman's voice caught. Kensi tried to offer some comfort by patting the lady's hand and apparently it was enough to get her through the rest of the story. Kensi made some notes on her pad of paper and stopped the recorder after they had stood, hugged and the lady had moved on. She stretched, stood again, and headed to the bathroom. She paused in front of the foggy and scratched mirror and took a breath.
When she had first come in and explained what she was doing, the interest was minimal. The first man that came to talk to her had been more interested in her background than telling stories. It was an interview, that much was clear. She had explained about the project she going to be doing; how the public should be introduced to the real Columbia and not the one portrayed in the movies and the bad-news media. Once she passed the test, the stories had come fast and furious. The first day she spent frantically taking notes. The second day she came with a recorder to get the details down. Her Spanish was good, but she lacked the local slang. A couple of the teenagers who worked at the cafe, which had become her home base, had enjoyed schooling her in their lingo.
By the third day the people were comfortable enough with her to start telling her their real names. She assured them that she would use pseudonyms, but needed real names so that she could ask the correct person for clarification if necessary. One kind lady had brought her scrapbook of pictures she had been taking of the community. Kensi hit the goldmine. Through Maria she found the pictures, names, and connections of all the people they were searching for. Maria had graciously let her borrow it for a night. Eric had made the most of it, scanning and saving the pages.
Kensi had gone back each day, sometimes for a full work day, sometimes for a part day, depending on the demands of the office. Sam had originally found a spot to observe, but had slowly been working his way out of the area. His plan to go in had been rendered unnecessary by Maria's scrapbook. They agreed he would stay out of sight.
Callen had sent in a wish list for Sam to hunt down so Kensi had driven herself to the plaza today. After the chaos of the first day she had asked that people sign up so that she wouldn't miss anyone. There was one more person on the list and then she would be through everyone.
She let herself out of the bathroom and headed back to the table. "Luis?"
A shy boy came from the front table and stood beside the chair opposite her. She smiled at him and he smiled back, she looked at the chair and back at him. He tugged it out and climbed up on it.
"I speak English. I teach my mama."
"Good for you! What would you like to tell me?" She kept her voice soft.
He shrugged a bit, "I wasn't there for much time. But what I remember most is the trees. Everything was so green."
"Do you miss the trees?"
"Si. They were so tall and they made beautiful music. The wind wooshed." He waved his hands slowly back and forth.
"Do you like it here?"
He shrugged. "The wind is not as pretty here. But I no longer have to pick the leaves that make my hands tingle."
"What does the wind sound like here?" Kensi flinched at the reference to harvesting coco leaves and wanted to steer him into more happy thoughts.
"Noises. I like the songs the people play at the Hollywood pool better."
"At the Hollywood pool? What does it look like?"
He went on to describe a stage with a cover that looked like half a bowl. The seats were on a hill and rose higher and higher. He would slip through the trees and climb up so that he could hear without being seen.
"The Hollywood Bowl? I know the place." She failed to mention that she knew the place empty and harbouring a man bent on killing Hetty. "Who do you listen to when you go?"
"I like the big group with the violins and the drums and the trumpets."
"The orchestras."
"Si. I wish to play with them some day."
"Do you play an instrument?"
"I played the guitar and bugle with my papa in Colombia, but here I make my own drums with pails and sticks."
"I hope that one day you will play with them."
"Mama wishes this too."
Kensi reached across the table with her hand and tipped his chin up. "I believe you will find a way."
He smiled at her. "I am happy that you are taking our stories. If people know the real Columbia, maybe my papa can come here too. And bring his guitar and bugle." Kensi laughed at the impish smile on Luis' face.
"I have to go back to work. I have a lot of stories to go through."
"I have a pail and stick to practice with."
They stood, shook hands and Kensi went out to the car and Luis went out back to his drum.
Somewhere in the recesses of Kensi's mind a snapping noise registered. She shook her head slightly to get rid of it, but it persisted. Giving up, she blinked a few times to better focus on what was in front of her. She found Sam, looking slightly concerned, and Hetty, looking like...Hetty.
"Welcome back." Sam leaned back against his desk. "You were spaced out."
Hetty settled her hands in front of her and asked "Is there something bothering you, Miss Blye?"
Kensi shifted in her seat. "I have concerns."
"By all means, share, please." Hetty waved for her to start.
Kensi's brow furrowed and her mouth pinched. "I have spent the last week talking to these people. Yes, there are some criminals in the mix, but for the most part they are good people who deserve for this fake project to become a real one. It would be devastating for them if all these stories to just end up in a garbage can." She paused. "There was a kid today, Luis, he was so cute and he loves music. He's been sneaking into the Hollywood Bowl to listen to the orchestra concerts. I think he could do something with music if he had the opportunity."
"I agree." Hetty smiled, "You look surprised. I don't believe in taking from people who don't deserve to be hurt. That is why I contacted a journalist from the academic realm. She will be taking over from you. Once you feel you've completed the interviews, she will take them and write up the article. I'm looking to have it published in certain journals. And if the LA papers happen to hear of it, specifically the story of a young boy who loves music, so be it."
Sam shook his head, "you planned this from the start. There's always an angle."
"I surely did not. I have only been planning it since you came up with this plan. And yes, Mr. Hanna, if you think good things coming from bad is an angle, then I have an angle." She turned a stern look onto him, but the twinkle in her eye softened it. "Good work, you two. Good partnering."
Hetty was stationed behind her desk when Kensi leaned against the post and mimed a hand knocking on a door. She waved her to sit.
"I...uh...have more concerns."
Hetty shut the folder she had opened and nodded for her to continue. She felt that this was a conversation that required her full attention.
"I'm happy that you think Sam and I make good partners. I agree, we do work together well, once we worked out the whole driving thing." A small smile graced her lips. "I saw Deeks and Callen having their conference yesterday. They seem to be working well together."
"Yes, they had their own rough patch."
Kensi shifted, seemingly uncomfortable with what was coming next. "Hetty...they were finishing each other's sentences. They were so in-tune that half the conversation was just head nods and single words. Even Callen and Sam haven't worked that well together. They were seamless."
"I think you are over-estimating the smoothness of their partnership, but I will agree that they have developed a rapport in a short time period."
"Like Sam and I."
Hetty had a feeling where this was headed, but she decided to let it play out.
Kensi bit her lip and then launched into the question that was clearly bugging her. "Why don't you switch the partners if this is such a better way?"
"Who said this is a better way?"
Kensi blinked, "there's less fighting, things are getting done, and we're being successful."
"Are you not successful and get things done while there are some minor squabbles?"
"Yes, but..."
"Do you not trust that I took the decision to partner Sam with Callen and you with Deeks very seriously?" At Kensi's nod, she continued. "I am very glad that these new partnerships are working out so well, but I would never let them stay this way."
"Why not?"
"It would never work, I'd be cleaning up after many disasters. Not from you and Sam, mind you."
Kensi scrunched up her face. "What would Deeks and Callen do that would be so disastrous?"
"They are cut from the same cloth. Limited and unstable family background. They are both far too comfortable with working alone and under the radar, even my radar. I release them on the world together and I fear I would lose them to their own causes. Yes, they might stay together, but one person is not sufficient back-up for the forces they would undoubtedly go up against. They have a passion for justice that can blind them from caring for their own safety."
Kensi's mouth started to dry, "but...they've never really tried to go rogue or dark with us."
Hetty tapped her nose. "Exactly. Sam is able to rein Callen in. He is his conscience and the good fairy sitting on his shoulder. Deeks cares about you, he doesn't want to see you hurt and sticks close to ensure that doesn't happen. By having someone else to focus on beside himself gives him a reason to stay in line. Both you and Sam have good families; yes, you haven't had much contact with your mother, but your father was a good example. You give them something they haven't experienced that they need."
"I had no idea."
"I know. But when they get back that itch to go deep will be there. It will be up to you and Sam to convince them not to scratch it."
"Does Sam know about this?"
"We've had a similar conversation. He'll have his way to snap Callen back. You'll have to figure out what Deeks' trigger is."
Kensi planted her hands on the arms of the chair. "I'll figure it out."
"I have faith in you. That's one of the reasons I put the two of you together."
"What were the other reasons?"
Hetty smiled that enigmatic smile of hers and opened her file.
A/N: Updates are still going to be slower than weekly, but the plot to the finish is starting to take shape.