Chapter 6

Dabi and Gibor were curled up the corner of a couch near Hetty's office. An iPad was in one hand, which was playing The Thomas Crown Affair with Rene Russo and Pierce Brosnan, complete with subtitling, and a cup of chamomile-lemon tea with honey was in the other. Gibor was curled up next to her, dozing contentedly with his head peeking out from under the blanket around Dabi, which also hid the heating pad that was across her hips and stomach. Hetty, upon learning of Dabi's little problem, had kindly set her up with the iPad, tea, blanket, and heating pad.

Dabi had seen the picture of the dead passenger and confirmed him as the one she'd seen earlier. The hole in his face had not amused her.

Everyone else was gathered in Ops.

"His name is Joseph Fielding, a known member of a group of gun runners run by a guy known as Arboreal Omen," said Nell.

"I know that name," said Deeks. "It's come up in a few investigations that I know of but the guy's a damn ghost."

"Exactly. He's also ruthless; if he thinks you're a liability, you're dead. Just like Joseph Fielding," said Nell. "NCIS has been investigating him, and so have the FBI, DEA, and every other agency." She pulled up some reports on the main screen and continued. "Arboreal Omen has a nasty little habit of getting small import businesses to work either for or with him. That's how he gets his weapons across the border."

"And those that don't want to work with or for him?" Callen asked.

Eric pulled up a series of photos showing murder victims and bombed-out buildings. "He targets family members, heads of the family, their business, even their homes. You don't say no to this guy."

"And his competition?" Callen asked.

"Last week a known gun runner by the name of Leo Crowley was found shot to death, along with six other known members of his crew. A day later the Crow's lieutenant was spotted with a member of Arboreal's crew," said Nell.

"And the description of the guy Dabi gave us?" Kensi.

"She did better than that," said Eric, grinning as he pulled up a grainy photo. "She got a picture of the guy. It's not perfect, considering the distance and the fact that she took it through the binoculars, but it's pretty good."

"Name?" Sam asked.

"Still running," said Eric, "but if he's connected to Arboreal's crew, we'll find him."

"What's the connection to Vintage Imports?" Deeks asked.

"Got to be weapons. Arboreal suggested they do business, Paul Macabe said no, and Arboreal had him shot," said Callen. "Hetty?"

"NCIS has been investigating this particular fellow and this is one of the few times we've had a lead on him," said Hetty. "Take him down before Agent Gibbs finds him and beats him to death for shooting at his daughter."

"Any word on Macabe?" Callen asked Eric and Nell.

"Last report is that he's out of surgery but still critical," said Nell.

"Kensi, you and Deeks get over to the hospital. Talk to his family, see what they know. Make sure you post a guard with him. I don't trust Arboreal to finish what he started, especially if the family continues to resist," said Callen.

"Going, going, gone," said Deeks, following Kensi out the door.

"What's the word on that SUV?" Callen asked.

"CSU is still going through it but they've found a few prints and one of them does not belong to the deceased passenger," said Eric. "They're running it now."

"You find that driver; he's our link to Arboreal Omen," said Callen.

"And Dabi and Gibor?" Nell asked.

"Get them out of the hotel. I don't trust Arboreal to start trying to find Dabi, especially when we start poking around. She's just a kid and I don't want her caught in the crossfire again. Who else has Arboreal been knocking at?" Callen asked.

"You thinking undercover?" Sam asked. Callen nodded.

"I should warn you, Mr. Callen, that there have been several undercover agents that have turned up dead or gone missing while attempting to deal with Arboreal," Hetty cautioned. "Somehow he knows who the agents are, which says somehow, somewhere, we have a mole or a hacker."

"Understood," said Callen. "That's why, once we find our target, we go deep cover."

"Find him and nail his head to the floor," said Hetty.

"Happily," said Sam.

"Try Tall-Tree Custom Furniture," said Nell, bringing up the company. "They import a lot of exotic wood for some very wealthy clients, and there have been reports of beatings and at least one death connected to Arboreal around the company."

Sam looked at Callen, who looked at him. "Gibbs," they both said. Gibbs, with his wood-working skills, would be perfect for such a place, and he was already on the way.

"Nell..." said Callen.

"One deep cover for Jethro Gibbs coming up," was the reply.

"Excellent," said Hetty.
"Let's go play rich boys," said Sam, rubbing his hands eagerly. He loved this part; it meant dressing up.

"Bodyguard or playboy?" Callen asked as they headed for the costume area of OSP.

"I get the playboy, you get the bodyguard. That way, you can case the place," Sam said.

"Fair enough."

Downstairs, Dabi watched the two men with amusement.

"What's the game?" she asked.

"Sam's a rich boy looking for quality, customized furniture made with exotic wood," said Callen. "I'm his bodyguard."

"We're talking teak, British elm, maybe even European walnut?" Dabi asked.

"You know wood?" Callen asked.

"Dad's a wood-worker, remember? I spent a whole afternoon with him at a lumberyard one time."

"That must've made for an interesting afternoon," said Sam, emerging from the changing room.

"It was fair, considering he spent the morning with me at the bakery." She grinned. "Despite my best efforts, he still can't turn out a baking powder biscuit that doesn't resemble a hockey puck."

"Now that takes skill," said Sam. "Whatcha watching?"

"The Thomas Crown Affair. I'm having a Pierce Brosnan fit," she replied. " After this I'm going to see if any of his James Bond movies were subtitled," said Dabi.

"I thought you already had a boyfriend."

"I do. That doesn't mean I can't look; I just can't try on. Besides, I'm allowed to dream." She jerked her chin at him. "Spiffy. But isn't furniture a girl thing?"

"Normally yes, but as a guy with a lot of money, I want only the best," said Sam.

She grunted. Then an idea lit up her eyes. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a tube of lipstick. After a quick application of the lipstick (Red Revival by Maybelline) she carefully stood up and came over to Sam. "Hold still." She planted a quick kiss on his cheek before flashing him a wink. "Most guys tend to forget about that until someone else tries to mention it to them."

"Smart," said Callen, joining them. "If your dad wouldn't kill us, I'd suggest you coming along as his latest girlfriend, since you clearly know something about wood."

Dabi's eyes shot up. "Can you guarantee my safety?"

"Only if you do as you're told," said Callen.

"Hetty?"

"Stay close to them and you'll be fine. I'll figure out how to explain this to your father."

"Got anything sex-ay in my size?"

Hetty looked Dabi up and down and then nodded. "Yes, I do believe we have just the thing."

"Gibbs is going to kill us," Sam muttered to Callen, watching as Hetty lead the way towards a rack of dresses.

"Only if she gets hurt," was the muttered reply. "I'll get the Ruger LCP .380, you get the knife."

"And then we both start praying."

A few minutes later, wearing a one-shoulder dress with an asymmetrical hem that started at twenty-two inches and finished at fifty-nine, in a bold floral print, with nude sling-back heels, gold jewelry and matching purse, her hair piled on top of her head, and eyes made smokey, Dabi had gone from a typical teenage girl to a hot and sexy woman, one that was sure to cause more than a few rising problems.

"If she gets hurt and Gibbs finds out, we're dead," said Callen, eyes wide.

"Death would be merciful," said Sam, eyes just as wide.