Sylvia
Chapter 22 & Epilogue
Though Deeks had pulled himself together by the time Nate arrived in ops, the psychologist none the less insisted on a quick examination of the detective.
"Stress and shock…nothing any of you haven't already experienced since this case started…" Nate said pointedly as he eyed the tense faces that surrounded him.
"I'm good to go…we're wasting time here…" Deeks said as he attempted to rise from the chair he was seated in.
"Whoa…whoa, whoa…" Sam said hold the detective in the seat with a firm hand to his shoulder, "just where you think you're going?"
"What the hell kind of question is that…?" Deeks snapped as he shook off the hand on his shoulder.
"Nate…?" Callen questioned.
Looking first to Callen, then to Deeks and finally to Hetty, Nate said, "he needs to finish this…he's stressed, yes…but, staying behind will only compound the problem; he needs to see this finished…"
"So, if you're done talking about me like I'm not here, I'd like to get back to getting Eric away from that psycho…" Deeks snarled angrily as he rose from the chair and straightened his clothes.
"We've alerted the State and county police, and kaleidoscope is running a search on all the routes back to Cordwood…" Nell reported, shaking her head in some confusion, "so far we've come up with nothing…"
"Nothing…she has to be out there somewhere…" Sam exclaimed.
"Where could she be going if not back to the farm…?" Kensi asked.
Callen's brow was furrowed in concentration, as he attempted to get into the mindset of the psychotic woman, "as far as we know her endgame still hasn't changed, no matter how many set-backs she has, she's still after the same thing…"
"We know that…" Kensi said with some impatience towards Callen as she felt her partner stiffen beside her.
"She's feeling pressured, nothing she's done so far has worked so we're assuming she used the deputy to get information about the investigation…to try to get a step ahead of us…" Callen continued, unperturbed by his junior agents simmering temper.
Picking up on his partner's line of thought, Sam jumped in, "so you think Eric might be a next step…"
"The sheriff said Riley was fascinated by the tech of the job…he probably told her all about Eric and his computers…" Kensi interjected, picking up the thread of Callen's growing theory.
"So if she wants to use Eric…they'll need to stay close to the source of all the technology…she's on her end game, she's not leaving without Deeks…" Callen said, looking to Nate for confirmation of his theory.
"Her options are shrinking, she doesn't have a lot of time left…and her actions show she is becoming more erratic and unstable in her thinking as her psychosis increases…" Nate explained, "Her whole focus is now on how to get to the detective."
"So where would she go…?" Sam asked.
"Not back to the farm…she's burned that bridge, her alias is known and you found her safe house…" Nate supplied.
"So definitely in the city…" Callen stated.
"My place…" Deeks suddenly said.
"What…why there…?" Kensi asked.
"Think about it, where would the last place be we'd look…?" Deeks said, "She's psychotic, but not stupid; she knows we'd be scouring the city and the all the routes between here and Cordwood for her…and with Eric's tech toys at her disposal…"
"All his toys are here…" Sam pointed out.
"It's Eric, all he needs is a laptop. He can hack his way into anything…" Deeks reminded.
"He wouldn't help her willingly…" Nell interjected in defense of her missing partner.
"No, he wouldn't…but he's smart enough to make it seem like he is…maybe trying to send us a clue in the process…" Callen replied.
"Miss Jones…" Hetty said, nodding towards the bank of computers.
"Sylvia may not be as tech savvy as Eric, but he would still have to be careful, she would most likely be looking over his shoulder, questioning everything he did; so whatever he might try to slip by her would have to be subtle…" Deeks put forth, as he came to stand behind Nell.
"Okay, I've checked all his email accounts and sky drives…nothing…" Nell reported after a few moments.
"Cycle through the traffic cams again…" Sam directed.
The seconds it took to cycle through the cameras felt like an eternity to the team, and they strained to pick up anything out of the ordinary.
"There…right there…" Nell suddenly exclaimed.
"What…?" Callen asked, as he and the team scrutinized the screen trying to see what Nell saw.
"It's only a second or two…if we weren't looking or it, it might be something we'd miss…" Nell said as she backed up the feed, slowing it to half its normal speed, "right there, there is a skip in the feed…only a couple hundred frames…a few seconds at most…"
Nell turned towards the team, "Deeks was right, she's at his place…that's our clue…"
Callen looked towards Nate for his take and the psychologist nodded, "what better place to catch him unaware…at his place. We expect her to strike from the shadows, not in broad daylight…but like I said, her window of opportunity is shrinking…if she hasn't slipped totally into psychosis, and from what Riley might have told her, she has probably figured out what Eric is capable of and may be counting on him to cover her tracks when she leaves…"
Looking towards Hetty and then towards his team, Callen said simply, "Let's go…"
…..NCIS LA…..
By tacit agreement they all rode in the same vehicle to get to Deeks apartment.
As they exited the SUV they all scanned the surrounding parking lot and buildings for any untoward surprises…but could find nothing out of the ordinary.
"Guys…that satellite feed is just coming into range over the city…give me another minute and I can scan the building," Nell said over the coms.
The team cautiously made their way to the lobby of the apartment building as they waited for Nell's report.
"Two heat signatures in the apartment…" was Nell's concise report moments later.
"How are we gonna do this…?" Sam asked.
"Can't risk Eric…" Callen said.
"If she feels cornered she'll lash like any wounded animal…" Nate supplied.
Suddenly holstering his gun, Deeks straightened and headed for the elevator without a backwards glance at his startled teammates.
"Deeks…" Kensi hissed. "What the hell are you doing…?"
"It's me she wants…if she sees me, she'll stay calm…." Deeks said, "she sees any of you or we go charging in guns blazing…" he let the implications hang.
"Nate…?" Callen questioned.
"It could work…he's the object of her obsession, what she wants; and the team are nothing but obstacles to her…obstacles that have repeatedly thwarted her efforts." Nate explained, "Just seeing any one of you could set her off…and if she can't reach you she has a convenient target in Eric…"
"You're not going up there alone…" Sam said definitively.
Deeks just nodded and the team filed into the elevator and rode in grim silence to Deeks floor.
"We'll be just outside the door…" Callen told Deeks as they exited the elevator.
Again, Deeks just nodded, puffed out few nervous breathes and headed down the hall towards his apartment.
As he slowly made his way the hallway he frantically ran the different scenarios through his mind…one thing in all their discussion they couldn't determine was whether Sylvia expected him to show up here.
Standing outside his own door, he stopped hesitantly, before producing the key and slowly unlocking the door.
He pushed on the door gently, letting it fall wide open of its own accord and taking in his apartment in one practiced sweep.
Sitting at the kitchen table, surrounded by several laptops, was Eric, looking a little dazed and a lot scared, but none the worse for it all; and, hovering above and behind him was…Sylvia.
She appraised him curiously for moment, her eyes moving to view the empty hallway behind him as her hand came down to rest heavily on Eric's shoulder; causing the tech to flinch at the touch.
"You're early…" she finally said.
"Couldn't wait any longer…" he replied noncommittally.
"Your friend isn't done yet…" she said in the same calm, conversational tone that held just a hint of questioning suspicion.
"Done with what…" Deeks asked with a calm he did not feel.
She smiled and shook her head, her hand squeezing Eric's shoulder, "I thought Lanni and the rest were quite the meddlesome bunch…but these new friends of yours Marty; my, but they have led me on a merry chase…"
"That's over now…" Deeks said as he took another step into the apartment.
"It will be…soon…" she replied, giving Eric's shoulder another squeeze.
"What's he doing…?" Deeks asked again, nodding towards the laptops and taking another step towards them.
"He's making us disappear…" she replied.
Despite the precarious situation, Deeks couldn't help give a snort, a wry smile crossing his face as he shook his head, "yeah, Eric has many talents…"
"To hear Riley talk, this kid is some kind of technological god…" Sylvia said with an almost gently laugh.
Suddenly coming out of his stupor, Eric said fearfully, "he's dead…Deputy Riley is dead…she kil…"
Just as sudden was Sylvia's response, and the hand on his should reached for his throat. Squeezing, she bent down to whisper harshly, "shut up…"
"Sylvia, let go of him….now!" Deeks demanded, daring several more steps in her direction.
She let the tech go with an angry shove, rocking the chair, but not tipping it.
Sylvia straightened and gave a sigh, "why does it have to be so hard Marty…?"
"It doesn't have to be…" he said.
"All I ever wanted was for us to be together…don't you want that…we were always so good together…" her tone was almost pleading.
When Deeks did not immediately reciprocate the sentiment, Sylvia's rage grew anew and she growled out, "but they just couldn't leave well enough alone…telling lies, poisoning you against me…I couldn't let them do that…couldn't lose you to their jealousy…their lies…"
"They aren't here…" Deeks reminded the woman, "they can't hurt you anymore…you showed them…"
Settling down, Sylvia nodded, "I did didn't I. They learned not to interfere, didn't they?"
Deeks just nodded, finding it harder and harder to reign in his anger at all the damage this woman had caused him and his friends…his team. He took another step closer, "and now it's time to let Eric go…"
Surprised, Sylvia took a step back, her hand again going to Eric's shoulder, "no, he's not done…"
"Yes he is…" Deeks said more strongly.
"No…he'll tell them…he can't tell them…" Sylvia said with a shake of her head, "they won't stop looking for us. They don't want us to be happy…won't let us be together. They'll always come looking for us…"
Now standing on the opposite side of the table, Deeks looked at Eric then at Sylvia, "no, they won't…I won't let them…"
She looked at him oddly, quirking her head to one side she asked in an almost childlike tone, "you won't?"
"I won't. But you have to let him go…I can keep them from looking for us…from finding us. I know all of Eric's tricks," Deeks implored, "but I can't keep them away if you hurt Eric…Eric is their friend and they won't stop looking for anyone who hurts him…"
Sylvia looked at Deeks, as though trying to gauge his sincerity then looked down at Eric.
She took a step back from Eric and Deeks took that as permission to move forward.
"Eric man…let's get you out of here," Deeks said as he gently grabbed the tech's arm and went to pull the chair from the table with the other hand.
Before he could pull the chair out, Sylvia's hand came down on his, and he looked up into eyes fiery with psychosis and longing; it was all he could do not to pull away from her frigid touch. His mind replaying that same look all those many years ago, and his body tensing in mounting fear at being in the presence of his nightmares.
"Show me Marty…show me that we can be together…" she demanded quietly.
She clenched her hand tightly around his, enough to cause the detective to wince, raising it to touch her chest and slowly sliding it up to her throat and around until it was loosely hanging against her shoulder.
In her longing she mistook his shiver of revulsion as the same mounting anticipation she felt, stepping closer to him until their bodies touched.
"I have missed you so much…just hold me, tell me that we can be together…" she whispered as he hands wrapped around him.
Closing his eyes tight against the onslaught of terrifying memories, Deeks imagined himself anyplace but where he was as his other arm came up to wrap around her waist.
Barely daring to breath, Eric sat rigid until he caught Callen peering around the corner, the agent beckoned Eric to make his way off the chair and towards the open doorway.
Eric had made it about half way across the room before Sylvia seemed to sense something was amiss and opened her eyes to look over Deeks shoulder to see the team slide into the apartment; Sam pushing Eric towards the open door.
"Liar! Liar, you brought them…" she screeched in a rage, managing to grab Deeks revolver from his back holster before pushing away from him.
The team held their guns at the ready, not daring to shoot with Deeks in range of a kill shot from the gun Sylvia had pointed at him.
For his part, Deeks held out his hands in a placating manner, "It's over Sylvia…just drop the weapon…"
"No…I can't…" She said sadly, "All I ever wanted was for us to be together…but it's not going to happen is it, not like this…?"
Grim faced, Deeks just shook head imperceptibly.
She nodded sadly, "there's only one way we can ever be together…one way that their lies can't touch us…"
Four guns fired simultaneously and the team watched as Deeks and Sylvia feel to the floor.
"God, no, Deeks…no…" Kensi yelled, diving to the floor near her partner, "Deeks!"
While Kensi applied pressure to the shoulder wound in Deeks arm, Callen and Sam moved up to secure the prisoner; who surprisingly, with three bullet holes in her chest was still clinging to life.
Turning slowly to face Deeks, her eyes fastening on his bloody wound, and her smile a sick parody of joy with blood bubbling from her mouth at every wheezing breath, she reached out, "now we can be together…"
Her arm stayed suspended in air for a moment longer before falling to the floor with her last breath…and Sylvia Gray was dead: the nightmare was finally over.
Epilogue
He stood watching the flames lick at the black plastic of the VHS tape…with Sylvia gone and his friends and teammates now safe and on the mend, with even Lanni having been released from the hospital: he could finally let the last fragment of the nightmare go.
Even as he heard the door to the furnace room open and quietly close, his eyes never strayed from the melting plastic as the flames finally found the delicate thread of film and greedily engulfed it.
He sensed more than saw the woman as she stepped up beside him, "you left the party…people were worried…"
"Something I had to do," he replied, adding quietly, "it's over…all of it…it's really, finally over."
"Yes it is…she cannot hurt you or anyone else anymore." Hetty said with a finality that somehow settled Deeks uncertainties.
They stood in silence, watching as the flames curled up and consumed the film.
"No one blames you, you know…" Hetty finally said.
"No…well, maybe I blame myself…" Deeks said with a resigned sigh.
"Why…since when is the victim to blame…and make no mistake about it…you were the victim in all of this." Hetty said.
"Victim…I hate that word…" he grumbled.
"Nobody likes it…but don't mistake being the victim of another person's actions as being weak..." Hetty said.
"Yeah, maybe someday I might actually believe that…to many people were hurt, people I should have been able to protect," he said, his voice tight with emotion.
"We can only do so much…and you and your team did everything they could to see that happen…" Hetty reminded the man.
"Was it enough…"
"What would you consider enough Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked curiously.
"Lanni not getting hit by that car…nearly dying; Eric not having to live through being kidnapped…that kid not dying…"
"Since when did you come into possession of a crystal ball…we cannot predict the actions of others. And if memory serves, Miss Sullivan as well as her source, Mr. Parker, made themselves targets when she took on that story-long before you were ever involved. If the doctor would have had his plan, we would have been none the wiser to Ms. Gray's release; and that 'kid', as you call him, was a deputy sheriff who well knew the risks when he put on that uniform…" Hetty said.
"And Eric…?"
"And Eric…well Eric can be as much of a target as any agent out there in the field…with his technical expertise and security clearance…" Hetty said.
Deeks snorted, "yeah, maybe. But that wasn't what happened here. This wasn't a case of national security…no one wanted state secrets or some key US asset…this was personal…"
"Which made it all the more important. It wasn't something abstract, it was this very team under attack…and it was an important asset-to myself and this team…" Hetty said, turning fully to face the detective, "it is you, Mr. Deeks. Never underestimate your importance to this team. And I suspect you would have done things no differently had it been any member of this team facing those circumstances."
Despite himself he nodded the affirmative to the sentiment. He would back up his team no matter what the circumstance or danger.
The stood in silence for a few minutes more, just staring through the glass…only ash now covered the furnace grate.
"Come back to the party…" it was both a question and a statement.
He nodded slowly, "yeah, in a few minutes…"
Hetty reached over and gave his arm a gently pat, before turning towards the door, "don't be long…"
He just nodded, his eyes watching the last of the ash and nightmare finally fall away….
THE END