Sylvia
Chapter 16
a/n: so very, very sorry for the delay…but as you all know RL must unfortunately take precedence over our hobbies…and RL has been hell of late: also, I am so VERY "Disgusted" with the direction of the present season I can hardly stand to watch an entire episode (so therefore I haven't had a lot of motivation to write/add to my NCIS LA stories)…I swear, I think they hired a room full of retarded monkeys to write the scripts each week and the acting has been flat and one-dimensional. The actors just seem like they are going through the motions each week to get a paycheck. As for the story, I don't claim to be a psychiatrist, while some of the medical info is on target, some is creative license to advance the story.
…..NCIS LA…..
Deeks, Kensi and the tech's began a systematic search of Asher's home…looking for anything to tie him to Sylvia or the pharmaceutical case. After nearly an hour of coming up empty handed they heard a call from one of the techs.
"Deeks, in here…think I got something…." Perry called from the bedroom.
Coming into the room, Perry help up a large manila envelope, pointing to the open dresser drawer, "your perp isn't very original…found this taped to the underside of the drawer."
"Yeah, that's why we catch 'em…" Deeks quipped, taking the envelope from the tech.
Tipping the open envelope over the unkempt bed…a flash drive, a dozen loose photos and several small, bound stacks of cash fell out. Scooping up the pictures, Deeks flipped through them, a dark frown creasing his face as he turned them towards Kensi, "looks like Asher had been following Lanni…and the missing tech, for a couple of weeks…"
Picking up the money and flipping through it, Kensi agreed, "looks like Asher was paid to take out Parker and Lanni…"
Deeks just shook his head angrily, "if he was paid to kill Parker…and Lanni…what the hell was Sylvia doing there…?" he tossed the photos on the bed and picked up the drive, "wonder what Eric can get off of this…?"
"If we're lucky it will point us to who in Arrow Pharmaceutical is conducting the illegal testing…and where…" Kensi replied, "we need to get this back to ops and we still need to stop at the hospital and pick up Lanni's cell…"
Deeks nodded, turning to Perry, "you guys got the rest of this…"
"Yeah, just about done dusting for prints…if we get a hit well let you know…" Perry said.
The trip to the hospital was made in silence, Deeks running the flash drive through his finders, a thoughtful look on his face.
"You lose that, Eric will kill you…" Kensi commented.
"Huh…oh, yeah…" Deeks startled from his thoughts, "but Eric's idea of killing you is to erase you from existence..." his joke fell flat and he sighed heavily, still rolling the drive through his fingers, "this might be it…we'll find who hurt Lanni…probably killed the tech, Parker…hopefully lead us to…Sylvia…"
Brow creasing in worry, Kensi said, "…between that drive and whatever Eric and Nell found on the other computers we will find out who hurt Lanni…finish what she started..."
Deeks looked over at his partner, nodding, a small grateful smile on his face, "while we're there I'm going to check in with Paula…"
"Yeah, sure…" Kensi said.
….ncis la….
"I assure you Mr. Peterson, if were up to me, Ms. Gray would never have been allowed to leave Pine Crest…" the intake doctor said, "yes, she was stabilize, I won't refute Dr. Shreeves there, but it was due to the due diligence of the staff, that followed through with her daily meds and intensive, daily therapy sessions. I strongly believe that without the constant supervision of the staff a relapse would be inevitable."
"So, there was never any recommendation to release Ms. Gray…now, or in the future…?" the ADA asked.
"None…while she could, no doubt, function for a time outside this institution-the stresses that trigger her psychosis and paranoia would eventually cause a relapse of symptomology…" the doctor explained.
"And this relapse…could she become dangerous…?" Chris asked.
A grim look crossed the doctor's face as he leaned back into his chair, "I believe that any psychotic break would be even more severe than what put her in here to begin with…she has worked through a lot of issues in her time with us, and though she tried, she could never quite hide the fact that she just couldn't get past her obsession with the man she felt she was in love with…convinced that he was out there, waiting for her…"
"Thank you for your time and your insight…" Chris said, standing and shaking Dr. Chase's hand
"Any way I can be of assistance…I hope you find her before anyone else is hurt…"
"You and me both doc…"
…..ncis la…..
"So according to most of the doctor's familiar with Gray's case," Callen reiterated as they walked to car, "…they were hesitant on releasing Gray, said the medication combo he prescribed was unusual and hard to regulate. But, as she presented as stable for the last four months, they were hard pressed to offer a valid argument against it…"
"Maybe because he planned on her receiving more than just the normal out-patient services…" Sam mused, "They commented that over the last five months, Dr. Shreeves had taken a special interest in Gray's case, and a few others he would normally only have signed off on…"
"Have those other patients been released…?" Chris asked.
"Two have been released and three more have pending committee meetings…" Sam said as he looked back over his notes.
"Did they also have unusual medication combinations…?" Chris asked, his face furrowed in thought.
"We didn't ask…why…?" Callen asked curiously.
"I feel like we're missing something…like we have all the pieces we just haven't put them together right…" Chris mused aloud, asking, "Who would be responsible for Sylvia and these other patients' medication once they were out…?"
"Shreeves is listed as the supervising doctor…so he would write the prescriptions…" Sam answered.
"What are you thinking…?" Callen asked.
"I'm not sure yet…but when I sort it out I'll let you know…" the ADA said, adding, "If it was just Sylvia I'd lay money on something more than doctor/patient relationship; but even that doesn't make sense. Shreeves has seen her records…knows what she's capable of…why would he risk her attentions…? So why would the head psychiatrist suddenly take an interest in a few select patients…?"
"Nothing about this case has made any sense…let's see what Eric and Nell have found…" Callen said.
…..ncis la…..
"Just in time guys…when we had both computers it didn't take us anytime to get through the encrypted files on the flash drive that Parker gave to Lanni…" Eric said with a big smile.
"I take it you found something useful?" Callen commented as the team converged on the ops center.
As Eric nodded and turned to key up data on his computer, Nell continued to explain, "We found plenty, a majority of the information on the flash drive was of Arrow Pharmaceuticals research on a particular drug…Celeston….being tested for use for certain mental disorders…" eyes resting on Chris and Deeks, Nell said pointedly, "including delusional behaviors…"
"Like Sylvia's…" Deeks said.
"Now, according to Parker…the trials weren't going well…the results they were expecting just weren't happening…" Eric chimed in, "the company complained that the FDA guidelines and restrictions on human testing were skewing the results….but the FDA wouldn't give them any waiver to on human subjects without more thorough data…Arrow was in danger of losing the government grant money…."
"Government grant money…?" Sam asked.
"The drug was also being tested for forms of PTSD and nervous disorders…the government hoped it would help returning soldiers…" Eric continued.
"That's apparently where Pine Crest comes into the picture…" Nell continued, dizzying the agents with the fluid back and forth of Eric and Nell's dual explanations.
"The tech, Parker, got wind that the company found a way to test on humans despite FDA restrictions…" Eric said, "Pine Crest…and specifically one, Dr. Shreeves, came up in the testing results…"
"That's the missing piece. Arrow was paying Dr. Shreeves to test the experimental drug on the patients at Pine Crest…that's why he suddenly took an interest in particular patients?" Chris exclaimed.
"Testing on humans, the company could see where the drug was really working, where there were flaws in the formula…they could then take those results back to the lab and make it appear the results came from lab testing…" Nell said.
"When they worked out the bugs…they could keep their grant and then go into legitimate trials and have the drug out there on the market in half the time…" Callen said.
"Save the company millions in time and research hours…" Deeks mused.
"But Parker found out…and angry about his brother's death, took the information to the papers…" Kensi postulated.
"Right to Lanni…she's well knows as an investigative reporter…has done a dozen's of exposes," Deeks said, exchanging a nod with Chris.
"So Arrow Pharmaceuticals makes a deal with Dr. Shreeves to test on the patients at Pine Crest…" Callen summed up the information.
"And who would notice…a bunch of pysch patients…one of them goes off…the doc's just think they're having an episode or need their meds readjusted…" Sam commented.
"Okay….I'm following all this so far…Shreeves agrees to test experimental drugs on his patients; Sylvia fits the trial protocols, but why would Shreeves let her out…?" Eric asked.
"Very good question and one we will be asking him shortly…" Callen commented.
"I'll contact the FDA and the FBI…this is more than enough to get them a warrant, they can pursue the case against Arrow Pharmaceuticals…" Hetty informed her agents, "meanwhile, bring in the good doctor…let's see what he has to say and see if he can tell us where Ms. Gray is hiding."
"Address to your phones…" Eric said.
…..ncis la….
The ride out to Dr. Sheeves estate was one of strained silence…each occupant of the SUV lost in thought.
Seeing the confused and pained look that pinched Deeks face, Chris finally commented, "It's almost over…we catch Shreeves…he leads us to Sylvia and this nightmare will finally be over for good…I will see to it personally she is never let out…"
Though focused on following the NCIS vehicle in front of her carrying Sam and Callen, Kensi shot Chris a relieved look in the mirror before glancing over at her partner, concerned by the strange look on his face, "Deeks, you okay…?"
Pulled from his dark thoughts, Deeks gave a slight nod as he briefly make eye contact with his friend and partner, "yeah…I'm okay…it's just…"
"Just what…?" Kensi asked with mild concern, her eyes briefly meeting Chris's in the mirror, "Deeks what's still bothering you…we'll find Sylvia…"
"It's not that…well not all of it…it's just…."Deeks shifted in his seat and gave a growl of frustration, "why…I don't know why….I shouldn't feel this way…gods…."
"Deeks, you're really starting to freak me out…what's wrong….?" Kensi demanded.
"This testing…for money, and a doctor…a doctor is supposed to look out for their patient's best interest…instead, Shreeves is pumping them full of some experimental drug-for money…." Deeks shifted and growled again, "haven't those people been through enough already…"
Kensi nodded, "it's horrible…and we're going to stop it…these patients will be safe again…because Parker and Lanni were brave enough to try to expose it…"
Deeks nodded, but the scowl never left his face, causing Chris to comment knowingly, "you mean, hasn't Sylvia been through enough already…?"
Deeks squirmed in his seat, eyes downcast as though ashamed to meet Kensi and Chris's eyes, "I know she has caused so much trouble…hurt so many people…and," Deeks looked out the window, his voice cracking with emotion and shame, "and, god forgive me, but, I swear there are times I feel like I could just kill her with my bare hands for what she's put everyone through…but…"
"But she's still a human being…" Kensi said softly, taking a hand from the wheel and resting it on Deeks shoulder, "no one, not even Sylvia deserves what Dr. Shreeves was doing…"
Deeks eyes never left the passing scenery out his window, but he nodded slightly in acknowledgement of his partner's statement.
Kensi and Chris exchanged knowing looks through the rear view mirror…Marty Deeks wouldn't be the man, and cop, they knew if he didn't care about the wrongs committed to the innocent…no matter the cost to himself. Though they shared no real pity for Sylvia Gray, they admired their friend all the more for his caring heart.
…..ncis la….
Half a block from Dr. Shreeves the lavish estate, Sam suddenly pulled his SUV off to the side of the rode, forcing Kensi to pull in behind him.
"What's up…?" Chris asked as Deeks and Kensi exchanged confused looks.
"Don't know, but I'm gonna find out…" Kensi said, sliding from the car.
She was back a moment later, putting her ear wig in she motioned Deeks and Chris to do the same, "Go Eric…"
"Kaleidoscope has picked up a car besides the doctors in the front of his house…it's the car Sylvia Gray was last seen in at Lanni's apartment when she shot Asher…" Eric said, "And back tracing the traffic cams in the area, she's been there for almost two hours…"
Grasping Deeks shoulder in a comforting squeeze, Chris said, "It's almost over…"
Chris stayed at the SUV while the team moved stealthily towards, and began to fan out around, the large mansion.
Deeks and Kensi split at the driveway, each beginning to make their way around the house to the back while Sam and Callen approached the front from opposite angles. The agents' were startled to hear gunshots, Sam and Callen watched as seconds later the front door opened.
"Federal agent, stop right there…" Callen yelled, moving up to intercept the woman as she came from the house.
Startled but not deterred, Sylvia raised the small handgun in her hand and fired off several shots, causing both agents to duck for cover…giving the woman a chance to dash to the nearest car.
Kensi and Deeks had come back around to the front of the house upon hearing Callen's order and the gunshots. They met up with Sam and headed after the car that was now careening around and down the circular driveway. They watched first with relief then with growing horror as the next few seconds played out.
Callen, being closest to the fleeing car, jumped from his cover and began firing upon the car. Instead of letting up…Sylvia put on a burst of speed, and before Callen could jump from its path, the bumper of the car clipped the agent and sent him flying sideways into the dense shrubbery lining the drive.
"Nook…." screamed Deeks, who ran full tilt after the fleeing car, shattering glass and pinging off metal as he emptied an entire clip at the fleeing car; but to no avail…the car continued its screeching escape and was soon gone.
Deeks just dropped his arm, watching as the car disappeared around the corner. Seconds later, Chris came running up the drive, "what the hell happened…how the hell, did she get away…?"
Noting his friend's unresponsiveness, Chris looked past Deeks to see Kensi and Sam kneeling beside Callen, "no, not again…come on Deeks, Callen's down…"
…..ncis la….
Kensi, Deeks and Chris jumped up when the doors to the ER swung open to reveal Sam and Callen.
Besides a slight limp and some very visible bruising they took immediate note that Callen's left arm was in a sling.
Waving his good hand to stave off a rush of concerned questioning, Callen said, "I'm fine…really…"
"Sam…?" Deeks questioned.
"Bumps, deep bruising to his left hip and a hair line fracture to his elbow…but, doc's said he'll be fine…" Sam assured them.
"Can we go now…I'm sure Eric has pulled something off Shreeves computer by now…" Callen grumbled.
"What…dude, you just got hit by a car…you need to be home, not in ops…" Deeks said.
"I cracked my elbow…but my ears work just fine…" Callen rebuked, "Since you're all still here I'm guessing Eric's Kaleidoscope search hasn't found her or the car…so we go hear what Eric has to say and take up the search first thing in the morning…"
…..ncis la….
"He kept detailed notes…" Eric said, "And the encryption was easy enough to break, guess he didn't figure anyone would have access to his home computer."
"So what you find out…?" Deeks pressed impatiently.
"According to his files…Dr. Shreeves was approached about eight months ago by someone from Arrow Pharmaceuticals about a new drug that could help the more severe cases…at first the doctor seemed reluctant to even consider Arrow's proposition, since the drug wasn't approved for human trials…" Nell began.
"So he wasn't always a monster…" Deeks commented to no one in particular.
"In his notes he wrote that this person from Arrow wouldn't take no for an answer…kept telling him how the sooner the drug could be tested and marketed the sooner his patients could get treatment…and to a certain extent he agreed with Arrow about the length of drug testing and trials before drug could be marketed…." Nell continued.
"That and the zero's it added to his bank account sure didn't hurt either…" Eric interjected. "Took a little digging…but the good doctor had two separate accounts…one with over a million dollars…paid to him by Arrow as a consultant…"
"Okay…so that explains the drug testing…and how Parker and Lanni hooked up and why they were targeted," Deeks said, "still doesn't get us any closer to how Sylvia is involved in all of this?"
"Sylvia was one of the patients Shreeves tested the drug on…" Eric stated.
"That much we figured…but if he was trying to prove this drug worked…letting out an unstable patient and having them commit murder certainly doesn't make your drug look to marketable…" Sam said.
"That's where everything gets a little weird…" Eric said.
"Arrow found the security breach to its trials…found out some of the testing results from the patients at Pine Crest had been downloaded…" Nell explained, "The technician, Parker, didn't cover his tracks and it was easy enough for Arrow security to find out it was downloaded from his lab….they were going to back out of the testing at Pine Crest, but it was Dr. Shreeves who talked Arrow into continuing. He convinced them he could take care of the problem."
"He hired Asher to follow Parker…." Kensi said.
Nell nodded, "Asher followed Parker for a while…saw him meet up with Lanni Sullivan…."
"Okay, so we have a pretty straight forward motive for murder…why would Shreeves involve one of his patients if he already had Asher on his payroll?" Callen asked.
"That's where things really get weird…" Eric stated, "He did pay Asher to kill Parker…but he let Sylvia out to…"
"To kill Lanni…" Deeks finished. "Why? Why not have Asher do it?"
"If Parker's murder would be seen as anything but a random break in, it couldn't be tied to him in any way because any line of investigation would lead them to Arrow Pharmaceuticals…but Lanni's investigation, should it become public, would name him and Pine Crest as well as Arrow…" Nell explained.
"So he needs her murder to be something random also…no reason to tie the death of a pharmacy tech and a reporter together if their hard drives were conveniently erased," Sam commented.
"Shreeves would know Sylvia's history…know she had ties to Lanni…" Deeks said angrily.
"But, if she's his patient and he approved her release, wouldn't he be liable for her actions if she hurts someone…" Kensi asked.
Deeks and Chris exchanged grim looks, before Chris explained, "that's a slippery slope of law…technically she served her sentence and she was stabilized before her release…and just like you can't predict if a felon will repeat offend…you can't necessarily hold someone like Sylvia on a maybe either; and with all the push for patient's rights, the DA' office wouldn't have a lot of leverage to prosecute in criminal court…It might have been tough for a few months, but most likely after a little scrutiny…the press and the DA's office would move on to more pressing cases…"
Exchanging a look with Eric, Nell said hesitantly, "that's not the only thing Shreeves was counting on…"
"There's more…?" Callen asked.
"Shreeves was well aware of the fall out that would happen if Sylvia killed Lanni…apparently had already consulted several lawyers and got about the same answer Chris just gave us…" Eric reported.
Deeks shrugged, "as a psychiatrist it wouldn't be unusual to consult a lawyer before releasing a patient…"
"Not just that…we found his personal notes on each of the patients he was testing the drug on…" Eric continued reluctantly.
"Eric, what else did you find…?" Deeks pressed impatiently.
"Letting Sylvia loose to kill Lanni was just half of it…" Nell said, taking up the explanation from a very uncomfortable Eric, "he was also using her as the control to test against the other patients he was administering the drug too."
"Meaning what exactly…?" Sam asked.
"First off, the drugs he listed in these particular patients official files at Pine Crest were not the drugs they were really being given…Shreeves was substituting the trial drug, Celeston, and he was getting the results Arrow was hoping for…" Nell said.
"But the drug was being administered in a controlled setting…Arrow needed real world data…whether the drug would hold if the patients were exposed to the real world stressors that put them in the institution to begin with…" Eric said, casting a knowing look at the agents.
"So, he gets Sylvia and the other's released so he can test it…" Deeks commented.
"Not only that, but Arrow wanted a real world test to compare it to the drugs already out there in use…" Nell explained further.
"Are you saying that he gave some of these patients Celeston, and the rest, drugs from approved treatment regimens already in place…?" Chris clarified.
Nell nodded, "all the patients scheduled for release, except Sylvia, were given the Celeston…she was given a combination Shreeves already knew wouldn't stand up to the stresses on the outside…"
"Making sure Sylvia would be unstable…" Deeks said.
"So, he lets out half a dozen patients that he has secretly been giving this Celeston too…not only to prove its effectiveness in Arrow's trails, but to show that a majority of patients released from Pine Crest can lead productive lives…" Nell finished.
"Making Pine Crest out to be some kind of miracle cure…" Sam commented.
"And Sylvia regressing to her paranoid state, attacking Lanni, would be seen as the fluke...Arrow gets its test results…the doc just has to ride out a few months of bad publicity and with Lanni and Parker out of the way, both he and Arrow are safe…" Callen summed up the meeting.
"But it didn't all happen that way…" Kensi reminded the group, "She came after Deeks…"
"That's in his notes too…" Eric said, "Once she was out, it wasn't hard to steer Sylvia towards Lanni. The doc told her that Lanni's story would mean she couldn't keep getting her drug, which would mean years still at the institution while it went through FDA trials."
"Somewhere along the line he lost control of her…" Chris said.
"Most likely because he had switched her meds to the less effective ones..." Nell agreed with a nod.
"How was he planning on reigning her in…he couldn't leave someone that unstable out there…?" Sam asked.
"You're not gonna like the answer…" Eric said with a sigh.
"So far we haven't liked any of this Eric…" Callen reminded the tech.
"Right…well, when he realized what she was doing…and that she had found a way to contact Deeks he was going to arrange for…" Eric dropped off, shooting a pleading look towards his partner.
"Arrange for what, Eric…another accident…" Deeks pressed.
"Not exactly…" Nell said, "He was going to make it look like Sylvia committed suicide when Deeks rejected her again…"
Deeks just turned away from the assembled group, shaking his head in disbelief while the others just exchanged looks of grim horror and disgust.
"The two bullet holes she put in his chest indicates she didn't agree with that plan," Callen commented.
With a heavy sigh, Chris now verbalized what they all feared, "weeks without the proper medications and now she's in the wind…and, no doubt, close to her breaking point…"
…..NCIS LA…..
So, I hope that ties up the loose ends of the "case" story…but the danger is still out there…where is Sylvia? (Next chapter soon)