Sylvia
/Chapter 12/
a/n: turns out I did enough prep before I left for summer break so I don't have to work so much (unpaid) OT to set up my room...so, my biggest stumbling block for finishing this story is now... acute 'writers block'...
...ncis la...ncis la...
As expected the conversation with Paula was unpleasant with the woman nearly inconsolable in her anger and grief for her friends, insisting to be able to go immediately to the hospital.
"No Paula, there's absolutely nothing you can do for Lanni...they won't let you in the ICU anyway; and it took a lot to settle Marty down...he needs his rest too," Chris said firmly, "tomorrow is soon enough to see either of them."
It was close to 2 am before the two friends called in a night and retired to their rooms.
...ncis la...
Both the hospital and safe house hosted a quiet night, though none of the occupants in either location could boast anything near a restful night's sleep.
Chris and Paula, up early, were surprised to find Sam in the kitchen; apparently cooking breakfast.
"Full service safe house..." Paula commented, pouring coffee for herself and Chris.
"Breakfast...the most important meal of the day," Sam replied, sliding eggs onto plates.
Sam placed the plates in front of his 'charges' before turning to grab the plate of bacon and toast and setting it on the bar. He noted they both looked down at their plates but made no move to begin eating.
He took a few moments to make his plate ready and took a bite, before commenting, "Not taking the time to take care of your selves isn't helping anything or anybody...you both need to eat. Deeks and Lanni need you at the top of your game."
Sighing deeply and sitting up straighter, Chris replied, "Yeah, you're right..." turning to Paula he continued, "We have to stay strong for Marty and Lanni...and that means taking care of ourselves..."
Paula nodded and grabbed up a piece of bacon and taking a small bite.
Sam gave a small smile, as he watched them both slowly begin eating; he knew the next several days were going to be hard on everybody and if he could help alleviate even a small piece of the burden Deeks was feeling, by seeing that his friends were taken care of, he would gladly be the one to see to it that they took care of themselves.
With all his experience and training, both as a SEAL and as an agent, he could never fathom the way people dealt with stresses such as this...where you needed to be strong to face the adversity, people tended to do the opposite...not eating, not sleeping, wearing themselves down with self-recriminations and 'what-if's'; when what they really needed to be doing was fueling their minds and bodies to meet the challenge and defeat it.
The meal was eaten mostly in silence; as they finished up Paula said with a small smile, "Thank you Agent Hanna; that was actually very good. I don't know when the last time was I actually took the time to sit down and eat breakfast."
Sam smiled, as Chris nodded in agreement before saying, "So, is there a plan for today? I want to stop by the hospital this morning then head to the office...I think we have more than one problem," he then looked to the NCIS agent, "I'm not too sure the attempt on Lanni's life had anything to do with Sylvia."
"What, why do you think that," Paula asked in surprise, "What else could it have to do with?"
Sam too was surprised and curious by Chris's statement. Due to the lateness of the hour when the information had come to light the previous evening, he had yet to inform the ADA of Eric's analysis of the traffic cam footage that had indeed shown it to be Sylvia driving the car...or that she had apparently had an accomplice who had picked her up blocks from the accident.
In answer to Paula's question and Sam's inquisitive look, Chris pulled the flash drive from his pocket, "Marty gave me this last night...it's the flash drive Lanni got from the source she was meeting with...and it sounds like she's onto something big..."
"So, you think it has something to do with a story she was working on," Paula asked.
As Chris nodded in answer to Paula's question, Sam shook his head in frustration. They were all so focused on Sylvia's obsession with Deeks they failed to link the accident and accomplice to anything the young reporter may have been working on...a link that could offer up an explanation as to why or how Sylvia would have an accomplice. The burning question now was how Sylvia's release might be tied up with Lanni's story.
"So, then, as soon as you're ready we can go," Sam told them.
Paula nodded and slid from her seat, "Give me about thirty minutes, and I'll be ready."
Sam nodded and picked up the plates and put them in the sink while Chris also stood, taking another sip of his coffee as he watched Paula leave the kitchen.
"So what's up, you look like you could chew through a nail..." Chris said, "Something I don't know?"
"Our focus has been on Sylvia, and not Lanni's meeting with her source, but it could explain what we found out last night..." Sam said.
"Which was...?" Chris prodded.
Sam then proceeded to fill in the ADA on the traffic cam footage and the accomplice that Eric had put together the night before.
"None of this is making any sense; if it was an attempt on Lanni's life because of the story...how does Sylvia fit into any of this," Chris said with a shake of his head, "how would anyone even know about Sylvia?"
Realizing the team had been focused on Deeks well-being and Sylvia's connection to their liaison officer...then being blind-sided by the hit and run, Sam realized that they had not asked Deeks or Kensi if they knew the focus of Lanni's investigation.
"Pharmaceutical testing," Sam reiterated thoughtfully, when Chris filled him in on what Deeks had told him the night before, "So, we have an unstable woman released from a mental health facility that just happens to have a history with a reporter who is working on a story about illegal pharmaceutical testing..."
"What are you thinking, Agent Hanna," Chris asked.
"I'm thinking we need to find out what's on that flash drive, and fast," Sam said, as he pulled his phone to update Ops.
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They came off the elevator on Deeks floor to see Callen speaking with a doctor outside the detective's room.
"Everything okay G," Sam asked.
"Yeah, just arranging Deeks release papers before he bolts out of here AMA..." Callen said with a tired sigh.
"Rough night," Sam asked.
"No, not really; it was pretty quiet except for the constant checks," Callen stated, adding with a grumble, "I don't know how they expect a patient to get any rest when they are constantly coming in and out of the room."
Sam just gave a snort or amusement before make brief introductions between his partner and Paula.
"If you'll excuse me, I want to see how Marty is doing," Paula said before slipping into the detective's room, leaving the three men outside in the hall.
...ncis la...
The three NCIS agents stood near the elevators watching Deeks and his two friends as they conversed quietly with a couple of LAPS officers outside Lanni's ICU bay.
After a quick hug, Paula stepped inside the bay while Deeks and Chris make their way to the waiting agents.
"Paula is going to stay at the hospital for a while...LAPD will have round the clock guards on Lanni's room, and Paula will have an escort when she returns to the safe house," Deeks said.
"Good, let's get back to Ops a see what Eric and Nell have found," Callen said.
...ncis la...
Hetty greeted the group with a nod when they entered Ops Center, as Callen made the introduction between Hetty and the ADA.
"I'm sorry to be meeting under such circumstances, Mr. Peterson," Hetty said.
"Yes, ma'am, me too..." the man said, "...but I'm appreciative of all the help you can give us on this...I know it's really not your jurisdiction..."
"Nonsense, Mr. Peterson," Hetty interrupted, "any threat to our agents is our jurisdiction...now, I believe you have something for Mr. Beale..."
"Yes, it's the flash drive that Lanni got from her 'source' yesterday..." Chris said as he pulled the drive from his pocket and holding it out.
Hetty took the drive and handed it off to Eric, who immediately opened the files, "Well, there is a lot of information...but it's all encrypted; it will take me a few hours to crack it..."
"What about the traffic cam footage...any ID on the driver that picked Sylvia up," Deeks asked impatiently.
"The driver knew what they were doing...staying on side streets...no plates or identifying stickers...and no shot clear enough for facial rec..." Eric reported.
With a frustrated sigh, Deeks ground out, "So we go nothing..."
"Not quite," Nell popped up, "we couldn't ID the driver but we did ID the man Lanni was meeting with...a Jackson Parker, 47...works for Arrow Point Pharmaceuticals as a lab technician, been with the company about eight years..."
"If he gave her the drive he's bound to know what's on it," Sam mused.
"Why would he risk it...talking to a reporter," Callen questioned with a puzzled frown, "What would he get out of exposing illegal drug testing?"
Without looking up from his computer, Eric interjected, "from what I can find, Jackson Parker had a twin brother who died about two years ago...he was taking part in clinical trials for a new cancer drug, but as it turned out, he was in the control group..."
"And one guess as to who was running those trials..." Chris spoke up.
Eric nodded, "Arrow Pharmaceuticals."
"So, he blames his employer for his brother's death...but isn't it common practice to have several different groups; as a tech he would know how the trials work," Callen put forth.
"Maybe he was expecting some company loyalty," Sam replied.
"Or maybe he found out the whole trial was a sham..." Deeks said.
"Whatever his reasons we need to talk to Mr. Parker, find out what he knows," Hetty said, "if they knew enough to know where Ms. Sullivan would be..."
Exchanging grim looks, Callen said, "...then they probably know exactly who it was she was meeting with..."
"...which means he could be their next target..." Sam said.
Fingers flying over his keyboard Eric said, "...address to your phones..."
"Lanni mentioned files at her house too..."Deeks interjected.
Hetty nodded, "Sam and Callen check out Mr. Parker's place, Deeks and Kensi...Ms. Sullivan's..."
Chris watched the agents leave, intent on their assignments, before turning to view the tech's, already busy with their own assignments: then looking to the operations manager, "I'm starting to feel like the fifth wheel here..."
Hetty smiled at him, "Nonsense...we still need to discover Ms. Gray's connection to all of this...we need to question the other doctors that signed off on the paperwork that released Ms. Gray..."
"Ah, good old fashion paperwork...now that I can do," Chris said, "give me a couple of hours and a phone and I'll get us the warrant's and access we need..."
She lead him down to the bullpen and to Deeks desk, "If you can see past the pile of paperwork then you may use Mr. Deeks desk..."
Chris gave a snort and began moving things around to make room for his briefcase; seeing the ADA settling in to do his part of the job, Hetty turned to leave when Chris said, "Ms. Lange?"
She turned back to him expectantly, "Something else you need?"
"No...its just; thank you...for everything...for helping out Marty...for taking on this case, I know it doesn't have any military angle...and Marty isn't an agent..." Chris said earnestly.
"No, Mr. Peterson...he's not an agent; but he is very much a part of this team..." Hetty said.
Chris nodded, suddenly self-conscious, he gave a quick sigh as he ran a hand through his dark hair, "well, I better get started on those calls...it's gonna take some fast talking to get a warrant for medical records..."
Hetty again nodded, "If you need any assistance, just let me know..."
Chris again nodded before turning his attention to his task.
...ncis la...
a/n: my original idea for this story is so far away from what it is now morphing into...I never intended it to turn into a case story...but I guess it's working out...I'm still trying to figure out how to get some of the characters (ie Eric) in a position for a little "sylvia" time...