Sylvia, 21
"Nothing…not a sign of her anywhere near anyone's house or apartment all night…" Eric commented with a tired and frustrated sigh, "and nothing at the boat shed either…"
"Are you sure…?" Callen asked.
Eric just quirked his head and gave the SFA a pointed look, "even if she was trying to disguise herself, facial rec goes by facial features not clothes or hair color…she's just not out there…"
"Maybe we were wrong…maybe she did return to the cabin last night…" Callen commented to the team.
Smirking, Sam replied, "I'm sure our new 'liaison' would have let us know if her saw her…"
"That's not funny…if that kid run's across her and tries to play the hero…tries to bring her in himself…" Deeks said with a scowl.
Sam held up his hands in a placating gesture, "Sorry, you're right; but, I'm sure the kid's fine. He was going to canvas the town this morning anyway…see if anyone had seen anyone matching Gray's description anywhere around town in the last month."
"So, we don't know if she went back to the cabin then…" Kensi reminded the team.
"We can give the kid a call, see if he can drive out that way and take a look…" Callen said.
"Are you sure that's a good idea…having the kid check alone…" Sam asked with mild concern.
Callen nodded in reluctant agreement, "guess it's better to wait for the satellite…"
"Which we will have on-line in just under six hours…" Eric was quick to interject. "One way or another we will spot her…she can't hide from us forever."
.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,
It was a slow, trying morning for the team. With no other cases pending and no leads on Sylvia's whereabouts the team was idle…absently shuffling around overdue paperwork in an attempt to take keep distracted.
"Anything…" Sam asked as he saw Eric come down the stairs.
"Sorry guys, still nothing…just came down to ask what anyone wanted for lunch…my turn to get lunch for the tech team upstairs…thought I'd pick you guys up something while I was out…" Eric asked hopefully.
"Not really hungry…" Deeks mumbled as the team nodded their heads in agreement.
"Come on guys…ya' gotta eat…" Eric cajoled. He hated seeing the team like this and wanted to do anything to help since so far his technical skills had proved ineffectual at finding their suspect.
Before any of them could protest again, Hetty came around the corner, "Mr. Beale is right…I know an excellent Italian take-away about a mile from here…"
"Fine Hetty…whatever is good," Callen agreed as he eyed his team, who nodded in the affirmative to the offer they knew they couldn't refuse.
"If you'll come with me Mr. Beale, I will call in the order and you can pick it up…" Hetty instructed the tech.
…..NCIS LA…..
Nell turned from her computer screen as the operations manager made her way back into ops, her voice worried, "Hetty, we might have a problem…"
"Yes, Miss Jones…"
"Eric and I have set up to monitor the local police bands in a hundred mile radius or the Gray farm…in case something comes in on the BOLO; but I'm getting something else from the Cordwood Sheriff's Department…" Nell said.
Hetty nodded as Nell keyed up the audio feed…
"…so far no one's seen him, it doesn't look like he started that canvass…." Came Deputy Peter's voice.
"Keep askin' around…that boy had his head in the clouds with them federal agents here yesterday, hard to tell what he's got hisself into. Then I want you ta' swing around an' pick up Saunders, go on out and check around the homestead, make sure he ain't doing something stupid…" Sheriff Millsap said, "we're gonna get doc Peters over here, see if he can tell us whose blood this is…need to get an APB out, have the State Police be lookin' for the boys car…"
Hetty looked to Nell to explain.
"Deputy Riley is missing…when he didn't show up for work, the sheriff sent one of the other deputy's over to check on him…they found traces of blood in the apartment and also the deputy's car is missing…" the analyst explained.
Hetty nodded, "keep monitoring…it may have nothing to do with our current case…but it is a bit odd that something like this would happen so soon on the heels of the team being there…just as a precaution, have kaleidoscope begin a search for the deputies car here in Los Angeles…"
"Do you really think it could be her…but how, they would have immediately recognized her form the BOLO…?" Nell asked.
"Perhaps Deputy Riley did recognize her…" Hetty said, adding, "And get Sheriff Millsap on the phone for me…"
…..NCIS LA…..
Sylvia sighed tiredly, this drive to and from the city was indeed tiresome. She was looking forward to the time when she wouldn't have to do it anymore.
She pulled out Riley's phone and scrolled through the numbers until she got the one that said, Beale. Staring at the contact number she contemplated how she was going to lure the man to her…if what Riley said was to be believed, this Beale, never left or needed to leave the company of his prying machines.
The obvious hero worship and awe that sounded in the young deputies voice as he spoke about the way the computer tech could almost draw information from seemingly thin air would almost have one believe that this man was the very embodiment of these meddling and intrusive machines…his magic weaving a spell through circuitry and lens to intrude into the most secret of your desires.
'Well, that was going to stop.' Sylvia thought bluntly. Cut out the eye and the team would be blinded to her plans. These meddling friends of Marty's were certainly troublesome, but it was this Beale that kept interfering-with his prying computers and cameras; he, who had alerted her lover and that woman, keeping her again from her prize.
But that left her back to her original dilemma…how to draw him out. She shrugged, she wasn't accomplishing anything by just sitting here staring at the phone.
She quickly dialed the number and waited with bated breath as it rang several times before he answered, "Beale. Deputy Riley, has something come up?"
"Uh, sorry…Mr. Beale, this is Peggy at the Cordwood Sheriff's department…Deputy Riley just wanted me to give you a call and tell you that so far he hadn't found anything in his…uh…canvas of the area…"
"Oh…okay…" Eric replied a little hesitantly, wondering why it was the secretary and not the deputy that was calling, "Is everything all right…is Riley okay?"
"Oh, its fine…Riley is a little scatterbrained, left his phone when he went to lunch, but wanted to report in…" Sylvia went on to say, "he was so excited about his 'liaison' position…just wanted to make a good impression…"
"Okay, then, I'll report it to the team when I get back…" Eric said absently.
"Get back…?" the woman asked.
"Uh…yeah, getting lunch…" Eric replied hesitantly, adding quickly, "Look, thanks for the information…we'll be in touch."
"Of course, good afternoon…" Sylvia replied.
She then hooked the phone up to Riley's laptop and punched in his password to the department's data base…then following the steps the deputy had explained, she soon saw a little dot appeared on the screen…" The wonders of this modern technology…" she said aloud as she watched the dot slowly move across the map.
Sylvia couldn't contain her excitement, the GPS signal was coming from less than two miles from where she was. It would be no problem to follow the signal and intercept this Beale character. Putting the car into gear, she pulled out into the early noon day traffic.
…..NCIS LA…..
While Nell put the call through to the sheriff's department Hetty called the team to ops.
As they walked in they heard the agitated voice of the sheriff over the audio feed, "….I don't really have time to be chasing after your non-existent suspect Miss Lange, I have a fool deputy missin'…"
"We are aware of the situation. Indeed, that's why we are calling, to offer our assistance, and we would like to know what you have found out so far in you investigation…" Hetty countered.
"You're aware! How do…never mind about that. Why are you so interested in my missing deputy…?" the sheriff's voice was agitated and wary.
Instead of answering the sheriff's question, Hetty countered, "Deputy Riley was supposed to canvas your community this morning for signs of our suspect…"
"Yeah…but it 'ppears the boy never made it out this morning…no one my boys have talked to have seen him…" the sheriff replied.
"Do you believe something happened to him…?" Hetty inquired.
They heard the sheriff take in and release a heavy breath, heard the squeak of his belt and weapons as he shifted with uncertainty, "we found a might bit o' blood at his apartment, doc Peter's said it was a match for Riley's…not enough to be saying the boy is serious; and, the boy's car is missin'. Boy mighta' got himself into a bit of a fight or something. We'll know when we find him. Got my other deputy's riding out to the homestead to check it out, see if the boy headed out that way for some fool reason…"
The team exchanged guarded looks as Hetty continued, "Did your deputy have reason to suspect Ms. Gray was in the area?"
"Hard to tell what was going through that boys head yesterday…what with all those ideas that team of yours was putting in his head…" the sheriff snapped back in irritation. "And I'm perfectly capable of conductin' my own investigation in my own town…"
"Sheriff…" another voice sounded in the background.
"Saunders…?" the sheriff addressed the new speaker.
"Peter's and I are heading over to the diner, see if Miss Layla knows what Riley might be up to; seems ol' Miss Robertson down the hall, the ol' snoop that she is, seems to think she saw Layla here late last night…"
"Be over that way shortly…" the sheriff replied.
"Miss Layla…?"
"Young thing that works over at the diner…Riley has a bit of thing for her, been puppy doggin' after the poor girl since she came to town," the sheriff gave an amused snort as he continued, "she don't do much more than tolerate the boy…"
"Wait…this Layla, she's new to town…?" Callen interjected.
"Well…coming up on about six weeks now, I'd say…" the sheriff was slow to recollect.
"And you didn't think to mention this to us…you have someone new show up in town about the same time as our suspect is believed to have disappeared…" Callen asked with mounting impatience.
"Now you just hold up there agent…your suspect is a little blonde haired thing…our Miss Layla has a fiery head of hair and is hardly some murderess; she's done right good by Martha Mae and the diner…helps out all she can…" the sheriff countered defensively.
"Send us a picture of this Layla…" Hetty demanded.
It took several minutes and several calls to his station before the secretary finally found a picture from a fair at the local farmer's marker that managed to catch a shot of Layla.
Once the picture was sent the sheriff abruptly ended the call, citing an investigation to conduct.
Putting the picture on the screen, facial rec. only took seconds to compare features between Layla and Sylvia.
"It's a match…" Nell said unnecessarily.
"Miss Jones, adjust the search parameters to include this disguise…" Hetty ordered.
"She was right there in town…right under our noses and we missed it…" Deeks exclaimed angrily.
"We never even went to the diner, how would she know we were even there…" Kensi asked, adding with frustration, "If she didn't stay in LA, where was she last night…we'd already been to the cabin…?"
"With her disguise she probably is staying in the town of Cordwood, assimilating herself into the community…" Sam postulated. "And the sheriff said the deputy had a thing for her…kid was eager to please…"
"So Sylvia pumps him for information, most likely kills him, and steals his car…why…?" Callen said.
"She knows we're on to her…we know about the cabin…she's going to be desperate by this point…" Deeks said, fear making his voice a hoarse whisper.
"By why kill the deputy…her cover was in-tact…?" Callen asked.
Deeks just shook his head, "we alerted the sheriff's department, they were going to keep checking up on the property so there was a chance she would get caught…she's out of options…"
Callen shook his head, "she's changed up her game plan…" looking at the liaison officer he said, "everything she does, whether we can understand it or not, has a purpose...goes towards her endgame…"
"Which…" Deeks coughed in an attempt to clear the tightness in his throat, "which is…me…"
"And we've stopped her every time…" Callen reminded the detective.
"What are you driving at Mr. Callen…?" Hetty demanded.
"She really didn't need to kill the deputy, he was useful to her…she could have used him to get more information, keep tabs on the investigation; but she didn't…she stole his car instead…" Callen explained, "I think she needed something else from him, something she couldn't get while he was alive…"
"Like…?" Sam questioned
"Everything she's tried so far has failed, she needs to change her game…" Callen said,
Looking at his team mates who wore equal looks of confusion, Sam turned back to his partner, "G, we're not following…"
"How would we keep tabs on Cordwood and the Gray farm…who would we contact with new information…?" Callen asked his team.
"The deputy…Riley, the sheriff sure wasn't going to be helpful…" Sam commented.
"If she stole his car…she probably stole his phone…now she has a direct line to ops and the investigation…" Callen said,
"But Eric would expect Riley to check in…a woman on the other end would be suspicious…" Kensi said.
"Eric just knows we are working with the sheriff's department, he has all the numbers…anyone might call; a deputy…a secretary…" Callen pointed out.
"Nell, pull up Riley's cell phone log..." Callen ordered.
Seconds later the log appeared on the screen, Nell explaining, "according to his log the last call was made…the last call was made less than ten minutes ago…"
"To whom…" Hetty inquired.
Looking at the team, fear evident in her eyes and tone, "the last call went to…Eric's phone…"
…..NCIS LA…..
As Eric pulled into the lot of the small, Italian restaurant he had to give a little smile. It wasn't every day that he got a hold of one of Hetty's magic and infinite credit cards. Though he told her it wasn't necessary, she had insisted on picking up the tab for everyone's lunch that day…after all, she couldn't appear to be playing favorites…and the tech's had been working just as hard as the team to bring this nightmarish case to a close.
He smiled again and shook his head, before exiting the car. Twenty minutes later, laden with three large take-out bags, Eric made his way back to his car, tossing his keys into the driver's seat as he loaded the bags into the back. Stepping back to close the door, a reflection in the window caught his attention and he whirled around in surprise; fear making it into a single word, "You…"
"Hello, Mr. Beale, I don't think we've been formally introduced…I'm Sylvia Gray…" she said lightly, a smile played across her face as she giggled, "You've been a real nuisance, you know…"
"How…why are you here…" Eric stuttered, as his hand slowly slid towards the front door handle of his car.
A tire iron hitting his door handle mere centimeter from his fingers caused him to flinch harshly and pull back. Putting his hands up in a placating manner, he looked around desperately for help; but the restaurant's parking lot was behind the building and his car was as such an angle to the stores windows that any patrons could not see the driver's side door where he stood.
"Every time…every time I had Marty right here," she held her hand palm up, "he slipped away from me; and do you know why…?"
Despite himself, Eric just shook his head.
"Because of all this intrusion into our lives…guess Orwell was right… that we would eventually have that 'Big Brother' society…" she said conversationally, "and who is behind that window…looking into where he shouldn't be with all his fancy toys and cameras…you, Mr. Beale. Must say, ol' Riley was certainly fascinated with all of it…couldn't wait to tell me how it all worked… he really had wanted to meet you…"
"He's…he's dead…isn't he…?" Eric asked, realization suddenly dawning as he said, "it was you…you called me…"
Sylvia just giggled as her eyes slid across the parking lot to the deputy's car, "he was out canvasing this morning…just not quite the way he was expecting."
Eric blanched when he realized the body was most likely in the trunk of the car.
"Time to go…" she said, drawing his eyes away from the other car.
"What…? Go…why?" Eric babbled in growing panic.
"Why, you're going to make them stop looking for me of course…then Marty and I can finally be free to start our new life…" she said as thought explaining it to a child. "No more cameras or these GPS things or searching…if you can find us, then you can 'un-find' us…you're going to make us fade away…make them stop looking for us…"
Eric started to shake his head, "but, I can't…I…."
Stomping a foot and waving the tire iron, she said angrily, "yes you can…and you will…"
The cell going off in his pocket startled both of them and he looked first at his pocket then at the angry woman, whose eyes bore through him like he wasn't even there. Pressing the tire iron hard into his chest she hissed, "Give it to me."
Eric could feel the metal tip biting into his flesh and slowly pulled the phone from his pocket and handed it to the woman. A twisted parody of a smile crossed her features as she saw the incoming call was from the ops center, looking back up into Eric's terrified face she dropped the still ringing phone to the pavement, before removing he tire iron from Eric's chest and swiftly bringing it down to crush the phone.
…..NCIS LA…
"Try calling him, Miss Jones…" Hetty instructed.
Nell's brow creased with worry, as an out of service message played through the ops center; she looked at the team's grim faces, "guys, Eric never turns off his phone…"
"We know…" Callen replied.
"Go, now…find Mr. Beale…" Hetty said.
As the doors closed behind the ops team, Nell turned to Hetty, barely able to voice the fear everyone felt, "You don't think…"
"Pray to god not Miss Jones…" Hetty replied tightly.
.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,
In minutes the team poured into the parking lot and surrounded Eric's car.
"Foods in the back," Sam said.
"Keys in the front seat…" Callen said, as something caught his eye and he stooped down and picked up the broken remains of a cell phone.
"Now we know why he wasn't answering his phone…" Callen said grimly.
.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.
Back in ops, the team stood watching the scene play out on the screen. Despite the lack of sound, they all flinched when Sylvia brought the tire iron down on the car door, barely missing Eric's hand. Watched as the clearly terrified man held out his hands trying to placate the angry woman.
Sam clenched his fists to his side in anger and growing fear, remembering the story Chris told him of Sylvia's similar attack on Lanni all those years ago.
The team continued to watch in grim silence as Eric suddenly startled and looked down at his coat pocket before slowly handing Sylvia the phone, and couldn't help another flinch when she crushed it with tire iron…and directed Eric towards another car.
When it looked like he was refusing she swung the iron low, hitting him just below the rib cage, when he staggered she pushed him towards the car. Holding his injured side, the tech stumbled towards the other car, falling against in in obvious pain.
Though cornered and now injured, Eric again refused when Sylvia indicated he should get into the car and reached out to stop the iron's deadly swing. The team watched as Eric and Sylvia stood for a moment, locked in an even struggle for control of the weapon until Sylvia suddenly stepped back and kneed Eric in his injured side. While he was double over she quickly opened the back door and shoved the tech in before quickly making her way to the driver's side and quickly driving away.
Though stunned by all they had just witnessed, Nell quickly keyed up her computer and commented, "…checked the plates…it's the deputy's car."
Turning to the still shocked analyst, Callen's requested, "Nell…the car, can you find it…?"
"Uh, yeah…I…I can start a kaleidoscope search…they didn't get that much of a head start…" Nell stuttered as she began to key in the search…mumbling as she did so, "why Eric…?"
"We'll be sure to ask her when we find them…" Callen ground out.
"I'll kill her…" Deeks suddenly erupted in rage, "first Lanni…probably that poor deputy…and now; now Eric. It's gotta stop…it has got to stop-now…"
"Whoa, hold up man…" Sam said, moving quickly to stand between the enraged man and the door.
"Stand down Mr. Deeks," Hetty ordered.
Turning towards Hetty, Deeks continued to rage, "What…no! No, Hetty…enough is enough…I've let this drag on long enough…it ends now…today…before anyone else dies…"
"And what are you going to do…?" Hetty asked evenly.
Grim faced, eyes flashing, his tone low and dangerous, Deeks replied with a sudden calm, "what I should have done a long time ago…"
"I don't like what your implying Mr. Deeks…" Hetty replied with her same even tone.
"Maybe you'd like it better if she puts Eric on a slab downtown…" Deeks yelled angrily.
"Deeks," Kensi gasped, both at his harsh words and uncharacteristic rage.
The sound of his partner's shocked voice brought Deeks back to himself and he slowly looked around the room at the shocked and concerned faces of his team. Suddenly his legs buckled and he fell hard to his knees, his head bowed so far his chin was resting on his chest as he fought to draw in a breath, "god, Eric…this can't be happening…I knew this would happen…we've got to get him back…I'm sorry…so sorry…"
Kensi was immediately on the floor beside him, she pulled him close and he grabbed onto her like a life line, "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry. God, not Eric too…I shouldn't have…I've got to stop here…."
Kensi ran her hand over his head attempting to soothe the distraught man, fighting back her own tears as she tried to calm him, "sshhh…it's okay…it will be okay. We'll get him back, its okay…"
She looked up into the equally grim faces of her team, her eyes begging for answers…somewhere in the distance she heard Hetty's voice, "Miss Jones, please contact Mr. Gertz."