Chapter 2
Anna was the first of the team members to arrive at headquarters that morning and Hetty greeted her warmly.
"So, how's our boy today, Anna? You did stop by and check on him, didn't you?"
"I did, Hetty, and he's definitely getting better," Anna answered with a mischievous smile.
"That's what we want. We'll see if he's ready to come back next week. In the meantime, we're very lucky that you're able to step in and help."
"I enjoy working with the team, Hetty, so you can call me whenever you need me."
At that moment, Sam entered and Hetty greeted him. "I was just asking Anna how Mr. Callen was doing."
Sam couldn't suppress a grin as he looked at Anna, "And did you tell Hetty how he's doing, Anna?"
Anna wasn't fazed although Hetty began to wonder what she wasn't being told. "I told Hetty," and Anna looked at Hetty with a smile, "that Callen is definitely improving."
"He is improving, isn't he, Mr. Hanna?" Hetty asked with a note of concern.
"Yes, Hetty, there's no question that he's definitely improving," Sam assured her with absolute sincerity and without the hint of a smile, and then he pulled out his laptop and got to work. Anna took a seat at Callen's desk.
"We have a case this morning, but Ms. Blye and Mr. Deeks seem to be a little late this morning, so wait for them to arrive," Hetty said and went back to her office to finish the reports she had begun.
Sam stopped working on his laptop and looked at Anna until she finally stopped what she was doing and returned his gaze.
"What is it, Sam?"
"'G's improving?' That's what you said?"
"Well, I think he's improving."
"Improving? He seems to be getting friskier every time I see him."
"I like frisky."
"I bet you do."
"There's nothing wrong with frisky."
"There isn't. It's just so . . . unlike G to be frisky."
"Really? I often find him to be frisky," Anna said and gave Sam a wink. Sam couldn't help it; he laughed out loud. Anna smiled and went back to her paperwork.
The feeling in the room changed immediately when Kensi and Deeks entered. There was nothing "frisky" about either of them. In fact, it was as if they were complete strangers to one another: they didn't speak to each other; they didn't even look at each other. Sam and Anna both sensed the tension and even Hetty looked up from her work as if she'd been hit by a blast of freezing air. She watched without a word as these two partners took their places behind their desks and never said a word to one another. Sam watched with some concern, and then decided he'd make the first move. He turned to Deeks sitting beside him. "So, got a late start this morning?"
"Yea, we did," was all he said without looking in Sam's direction.
"Everything okay?" Sam asked, and when Deeks didn't answer, he turned to Kensi. "Kensi?"
Kensi looked up and presented an expression of almost unnatural calm. "Everything's fine, Sam."
"Good, because we have a case," and with that Sam stood up and the other three followed him to OPS. It was obvious, regardless of Kensi's assurance, that things weren't fine because on the way to OPS Kensi made a conscious—and obvious—effort to avoid Deeks on the stairs, and when they entered the room, she stood as far away from him as possible without actually leaving the room. Nell and Eric glanced at Sam, but he just shrugged his shoulders. "What do we have, Eric?"
Eric threw some shots onto the screen. "Lieutenant Tom Marris was found in Oceanside this morning. It appears that he may have been the victim of foul play; there was no obvious cause of death, but there were defensive wounds on his hands and arms."
"Had he been stationed long at Camp Pendleton?" Sam asked.
"Actually, he was just passing through. He arrived at Camp Pendleton a few days ago. He was on his way to join his unit in Afghanistan," Nell remarked. "He worked in intelligence and had been on leave recently because his daughter was extremely ill."
"Is she alright?" Anna asked quickly.
"Yes," Nell continued. "Sergeant Marris' daughter, Elle, was diagnosed with what was believed to be a rare form of leukemia, but further testing revealed that it was actually pernicious anemia—which is not life-threatening and can be treated with regular supplements."
"That's good," Anna nodded in relief.
"It is," Sam agreed. "It's just a shame that her dad is dead."
"True," she agreed and turned back to Nell and Eric.
Eric continued, "Sec Nav wants us to check out the lieutenant's death and see if it might be related to his work in Afghanistan or any other intelligence work."
"Right," Sam said and turned to Kensi. "You good working with Deeks, or would you rather take Anna?"
Kensi gave Anna a welcoming smile. "I'd love to work with Anna today. What about you, Anna?"
"Sure. That works for me."
Sam turned to Deeks, "Then we'll be a team today. It looks like men vs. women."
"We'll kick your butts," Kensi offered and Anna looked at Sam with raised eyebrows. Something was definitely wrong with Kensi and Deeks.
"That's yet to be seen. We'll take a trip to Oceanside while you two visit his family in Glendale," Sam said, and Kensi and Anna left OPS. As Sam and Deeks started out, Sam turned to Eric, "Send me the name of Lt. Marris' commanding officer and the others in his unit, and I want to know if any of them are stateside."
"Will do," Eric said to their retreating backs, and then began searching for information on his tablet while walking back to his computer.
At the bottom of the stairs Sam turned to Deeks. "You want to tell me what's going on between you and Kensi?"
"Nothing's going on."
"Really? Then why am I your partner today?"
Deeks hesitated a moment. "It's men vs. women day?"
"Yea, right. Whatever it is, you and Kensi get it worked out because when G gets back, he and I are partners and you two will have to work together—or we'll have to get a new liaison officer." And with that, Sam strode out of headquarters.
"I wonder is it too late to call in sick?" Deeks asked no one in particular before heading out to join him.
