4. "'Spy' is such a short, ugly word. I prefer 'espionage.' Those extra three syllables really say something." - Howard Tayler, "Schlock Mercenary: Emperor Pius Dei"

Agent Blye was in contact with her office as soon as they got in the SUV so Deeks pulled out his phone and called ONI.

"Manannan Industries, this is Kelly, how may I direct your call."

"Kelly, this is Derek Martin," Deeks answered. "I have a problem with order number 2010-CMAD-02." That earned Deeks a world-class eyebrow lift from Kensi.

"I'm sorry about that Mr. Martin. I'm going to transfer you to customer service. Are you on your Manannan Industries issued cellular phone."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Would you like District Manager Rogers conferenced-in on the call?" Kelly asked.

"Not at this time, but I would like him to be aware of the call," Deeks was in no mood to deal with Bates, especially with a now very attentive Kensi Blye an arm's length away.

"Of course, I'm transferring you now." Several clicks later, "Lt. Rollins."

"Catherine, it's Deeks."

"Hey, so glad to hear from you. Everyone was so worried last fall. I'm pulling up your status report right now, Commander. What's the problem?"

"Tommy Lin's location has been compromised. I'm with NCIS Agent Kensi Blye right now on our way to Lin's location and I'm bringing him in."

There was another click. "Deeks, what's going on?" Admiral Bates joined the conversation.

Both Deeks and Catherine said "Evening, sir," before Deeks updated the pair on the situation. Bates wanted a full report once Lin was in protective custody. He'd be waiting at home in his study. Bates's study was as wired and secure as his ONI office. Catherine updated and activated a number of the field apps on Deeks's phone before ending their call. Deeks thought that move boded well for his return to duty.

As Kensi left the Ventura Freeway, she asked "Derek Martin?"

"Calling in from exotic locales as Commander Marty Deeks, US Navy is probably bad for keeping my operations, oh, covert," Deeks told her. "Are Agents J and K on their way to the hotel?"

"It's G, not J. Or K."

"Add "Men in Black" to the list of movies you need to see. Callen and Hanna, are they going to the hotel?"

"They'll met us there. We're not to do anything until they arrive."

"You can do nothing, I'm getting Tommy out of there."

"They said..."

"Nothing I'm interested in hearing. They're your bosses Kensi, not mine. If you want to help, you're more than welcome to. Otherwise just drop me off and I'll contact you once Tommy is secure."

"First, they're not my bosses, we're a team. Second, what are you going to do, just walk him out of the hotel?"

"Now that sounds like a plan," he said as she turned the SUV off the highway. "Hotels have cameras, lots of cameras. Fancy, expensive hotels have even more. A hotel like this probably has both uniformed and undercover security throughout the facility. Add in the usual assortment of upscale tourists and business-types, when I get Tommy out in a crowd, the two of us are good to go."

"When we get Tommy out in a crowd," she corrected him as she pulled into the hotel's entrance. "And it will be the three of us who are good to go."

As a security officer jogged up to the SUV, Deeks rolled down his window. "Dude, can we just leave the car here for a second. My buddy is a day early drunk for his bachelor party and..." Deeks pulled a fifty out of his backpack. "We just need to load him into the..."

"Right over by the fence. Ten minutes or I'll call for a tow," Dave the security guard instructed.

"Thanks man, you're the best," Deeks said as he rolled the window up as Kensi pulled into the spot Dave indicated.

"I could have shown him my badge," Kensi said as she got out of the car.

"And if he took a fifty from the guys looking for Tommy wanting to know about any law enforcement being nearby?" Deeks took his backpack as they walked to the hotel.

"Good point." They walked into the Four Seasons through the hotel's main door and made their way to a bank of elevators. "Are you armed?" Kensi whispered.

"Devastating wit, cutting sense of humor and my knife which is in my backpack since the straps chafe when I run," he answered.

"An image I don't need. So no gun"

"I was going for a walk, an early dinner and a run home. Didn't think I'd need one," he told her as the elevator door opened. Once in, Deeks hit the button for the third floor.

"But you brought your knife. And a fifty dollar bill."

"A gentleman always carries a pocketknife. I carry the money because early into my rehab I had some problems making it all the way home. I could usually flag down a town car or a limo and get an off the books ride back," he told her. "I'm guessing you're armed."

"Of course."

"Then we're fine. And if we do this right, no need for guns," he said more to himself than to her. As the elevator door opened on the third floor, Deeks saw housekeeping attendant knocking on a door. The attendant was Chinese and his uniform did not fit. "Follow my lead," he whispered in Kensi's ear as he draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. "Ready to start the honeymoon a little early, darling?"

"Oh baby, you take me to all the best places," Agent Blye said with a smile as she wrapped herself around him. "I'm so glad your Mom is letting you use the family credit card again."

"Nothing but the best for you, Fern. You've spent your last night in that trailer park, baby girl," he told her as he pulled out his phone. They got to room 304 and put his phone over the key card slot and hoped Catherine's update worked. The door beeped and they were in.

"Thank God you're here," Tommy said as got off the bed.

"Fern, you called me Fern?" was Kensi's complaint when the door closed.

Deeks took Tommy's arm and walked him to the bathroom. "Lock yourself into the bathroom. The only person you open the door for is me, got it?"

"Should we have a secret code?"

"No."

"What's going on?" Tommy asked as Deeks closed the door. Worry about him later.

"What is going on?" Kensi asked. "And I hate Fern."

"Vamping. Take off your jacket," he told her as he pulled the bedspread off the bed.

"What are we doing?" Kensi took her jacket off as Deeks went to the hotel room door.

"Fern baby, I have missed you so," Deeks looked out the peephole as he took off his hoodie and running shirt in one pull and tossed them on the floor. He also dropped his cargo shorts and kicked off his sneakers.

"What are you..." Kensi's question was interrupted as he walked over in his running compression shorts and socks. Deeks saw her react to his scars.

After pulling her jacket off the bed and dropping it on the floor, he picked her up and tossed her on the bed. Grabbing the bedspread around him, he jumped on top of her and put his hand over her mouth. "Trust me," he whispered.

There was a light tap on the door followed by someone saying "Housekeeping."

"Oh baby, you feel so good," Deeks said as he heard the lock on the room door beep to open. He pulled his hand way from her mouth and put his head in the crook of her neck. "Just play along," he whispered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the housekeeping attendant in the badly fitting uniform said when he saw the two of them in bed. "Excuse me," he said smirking as he backed out of the room.

Kensi and Deeks feigned outrage at the intrusion. Deeks pulled himself off of Kensi and mumbled an apology. Picking up his cargo shorts, he made his way to the door. "Cover me," Deeks told her as he put on his shorts and exited the room. Waiting in the hall outside of room 303, Deeks put the housekeeping attendant in a sleeper hold as the man left the room. The attendant was out cold in less than a minute. Deeks dragged him back to Tommy's room.

Kensi held the door opened. "What are you doing?"

"Do you have handcuffs?" Deeks asked as he started unbuttoning the man's shirt.

"In the car, I can get them."

"Not enough time. Can you tear up the pillow cases into ties? We need to..."

"We need to wait for Sam and Callen."

"Again, something you can do. I need to get Tommy out of here." As he pulled the man's shirt off, Deeks saw he was covered in tattoos. "You're more than welcome to spend some quality time with this fine specimen. Looks like Tommy's fiancé's family may have farmed out his capture. And this guy may not be the only person looking for Tommy."

"He also might be part of the housekeeping staff," she said as Deeks removed the man's shoes.

Deeks started unzipping the man's pants - thank God this guy was wearing underwear. As he pulled off the pants, Deeks found an ankle holster with a Kel-Tech P3AT. "What do you think he uses this for, stopping towel theft?" Deeks took the holster from the man's lower leg and put it on his own after he took his cargo shorts off.

Kensi started ripping a pillow case apart. "What's the plan?"

"I'm going to make sure nobody else on the floor is looking for Tommy. I give you the all clear, you walk Tommy out the front door and I'll meet you at your car. Callen and Hanna can pick up Basil Fawlty here," Deeks said as he put on the man's uniform.

"How did you know he was coming in?" Kensi asked as she sliced through the pillowcases with her knife.

"I would have. Make sure the new people on the floor were just a happy couple on their honeymoon and not a threat," Deeks said as he pulled on the man's shirt, grateful Kensi couldn't see the scars on his side any more. "I would have waited outside the door to make sure the the happy couple stayed in the room." He walked over to the bathroom door. "Tommy, open up."

"How do I know..."

"Open the damn door Tommy or I'll give you to the guy who's looking for you.."

"Alright," Tommy said as he opened the door. Looking at Deeks in a housekeeping uniform and the heavily tattooed man in his underwear on the floor, he asked, "What the hell?"

Deeks pointed to Kensi, who was giving him the strips of pillowcase material. "This is Special Agent Blye from NCIS. You're going to go with her in a minute to her SUV. I'll meet you down there and we'll take you someplace safe. You do exactly what she says, you got that."

"OK."

"Gimme your phone," Deeks handed Tommy his clothes, slipping his cellphone from the pants pocket, "and put these on."

"Dude?"

Kensi asked, "Is that necessary?"

"Tommy, how typical are the clothes you're wearing to your everyday gear?"

"Hey, this is my look." Tommy pretended to be a model, displaying his white and blue checked shirt, black jeans and custom-made chartreuse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. "Everyone knows that."

"Put his clothes on," Kensi told Tommy as she pointed to the bathroom. Tommy did as he was told.

Deeks slipped his weight vest on the unconscious man before flipping him over and tying his hands and feet. Kensi's phone rang. As Deeks pulled the man into a sitting position, Kensi was speaking to either Callen or Hanna. Deeks tied the man's hands tightly and his neck loosely to the frame of the bed and his feet to bed post. Pulled one of the velcro straps from the weight vest and attached that to the frame as well. Out cold tattoo guy wasn't going anywhere. Deeks pulled his phone from his backpack and took a picture of the man.

"What are you doing?" Kensi asked as she ended her call.

"Sending it to my office and have them run it through facial rec."

"Catch," Kensi said as she tossed him her phone. "Take a picture for me and we'll run it through our database."

"We're probably working the same databases," Deeks said but did what she asked. With the final pillowcase strip, he gagged the man. Satisfied with that, Deeks put on his socks and then slipped on the unconscious man's shoes. They were uncomfortably tight.

"Do I have to go surfing with you when this is done?" Tommy asked as he returned to the room in Deeks's clothes, carrying his own.

"No," Deeks pulled his knife, keys, wallet and a Nike white dri-fit cap out of his backpack. Putting the cap on Tommy's head, Deeks said, "But you owe Agent Blye and me dinner. Put your clothes in the backpack and get ready to go."

Deeks walked into the bathroom, removed the battery from Tommy's cellphone and flushed it down the toilet. Returning to the bedroom, Deeks said, "I'm going to clear the hall and once I do, you go with Agent Blye and do exactly what she tells you. Keep your mouth shut. I'm telling you that as your friend, as your lawyer and as someone who will kick your ass if I hear anything different from Agent Blye." He hooked the knife inside the waistband of the borrowed pants, tucked his wallet and keys in the back pocket and held on to the Tommy's battery-free cellphone.

"Callen and Sam are about ten minutes out," Kensi told him.

"I'll clear the hall. When I knock on the door and say 'Neptune,' you go right to the elevator. I'll meet you at the SUV. If you're not there when I get there, I'm coming back in," Deeks told them as he picked up Kensi's jacket. He made sure he guaranteed his ride with Agent Blye and Tommy as he handed the jacket to her.

In the hall, Deeks checked the housekeeping room, trash and laundry closets and the ice machine area - all clear. He made his way down the hall, knocking on their door and calling "Neptune" before walking with a purpose to the stairwell. While Kensi and Tommy waited for the elevator, he checked the second floor hallway and found it was empty. He left Tommy's now dead cellphone in the ice machine room since there was no fake attendant searching the floor.

Racing down the fire exit steps carrying the borrowed shoes since they were just too tight and his socks or he would have killed himself running down the stairs - he left barefoot through the back exit and made his way to the SUV. He arrived just as Tommy and Kensi were making their way across the hotel's driveway. Deeks tossed Kensi her keys.

"You stole my keys!"

"Didn't want you to leave without me," he pointed to his feet. "Tough walk to your place." Getting in the SUV, he ordered Tommy to crouch down in the back. As they left the hotel property, a blue van started following them. "On your six," Deeks told Kensi.

"Eric, I need a plate checked," Kensi said after she called in to her office. "2-George-9-4-8-Charlie." There was a pause and Deeks heard her say "OK, we're on Lindero Canyon Road...I see them, we're good. Thanks Eric."

"You see who? How are we good?" Deeks asked as Kensi slammed on the brakes. "What the?" he said as the SUV now blocked the blue van.

"Stay here, don't move," Kensi ordered as she got out of the vehicle, weapon drawn.

"What's going on?" Tommy asked.

"Stay down, shut up," Deeks whispered in reply, pulling the tied-up fake-housekeeping attendant's gun from the ankle holster. Deeks saw Agents Callen and Hanna each walking down one side of the van. The driver and a front seat passenger had their hands out their respective window. Deeks watched as Callen open the door and pull a rather tat'd up man out of the passenger's front seat. Hanna did the same with the driver.

Reholstering his borrowed weapon, Deeks provided Tommy with a play by play on what was going on. He pulled out his phone and took pictures of the men in the van as Hanna and Callen were putting them in handcuffs. He sent the photos to his office. Once the men were in cuffs, a black GMC van pulled up. Several agents dressed in tactical gear including bulletproof vests with NCIS on the chest, placed the handcuffed men in the black van. One agent remained with the blue van. Kensi returned to the SUV.

"Callen and Sam are picking up the guy in the hotel and we're all going to the boat shed."

"Boat shed?" Tommy asked as Kensi pulled back into traffic.

Deeks saw Hanna pull the blue van to the side of the road. "Pre-safe house," Deeks answered as his phone chirped. The text was from Bates: 'Find a secure line and call immediately.'

"What's up?" Kensi asked as she turned onto the Ventura Freeway.

"Do you have a SCIF or a secure line at your cool little hang out?"

"We can get you in contact with anyone you want. What's going on."

"Well, a text from an Admiral requesting a secure line means probably nothing good."

Deeks knew it was bad when they walked into the boat shed and Hetty Lange was waiting for them. "Commander," she said as she looked him over head to toe, 'I'm sure there is a delightful story to explain that particular uniform."

"You do look funny, man," Tommy commented.

"Really, Tommy?" Deeks looked at Hetty. "Do you have a room where Tommy can change?"

"Mr. Lin, please come with me. Miss Blye, you can stand guard outside the restroom. Commander, Admiral Bates will be on the plasma screen shortly. He's asked for the room and he shall have it."

"Thank you," Deeks said as the three walked down a hallway. The door was shut behind them just as the plasma screen came to life. "Good evening, sir."

Bates was in his study wearing a checked shirt and a sweater. He looked more like a TV dad than an Admiral. "What have you stumbled on...what the hell are you wearing?"

"Housekeeping uniform from the Four Seasons. The guy in the picture I sent in was wearing this. Tommy got out of the building in my clothes, I got out in this."

"What's the former occupant of that uniform wearing right now?"

"My guess, handcuffs. Oh and my weight vest. Still training, sir. Back to the suspect, NCIS was picking him up."

"Well, they're going to have some company. I had my third conversation with Hetty Lange in two days after your picture nearly burned down the NSA database. Your guy is Wang Yong Pan."

"Okay. Should I know him?"

"No. His father, however, is Li Ho Pan."

"The former head of Chinese Intelligence."

"Li Ho Pan retired in 2002 after he and several other Chinese officials were caught in a sex trafficking sting in Hong Kong. The other officials were fired but the senor Pan had enough dirt on his accusers to orchestrate his own exit. A year later, he and his family were visiting Hawaii when Pan, his wife and two of his three children defected. Pan provided our government with some useful intelligence so he was set up with a home in Hawaii and asylum for his family."

"Was my guy the one who didn't defect?"

"No. Pan's oldest son is actually his brother's child. The brother died when Pan's wife was pregnant with twins. Ming-hua Pan is an up and comer in Chinese intelligence. Wang Yong Pan and his twin Shen Ru Pan defected with their parents and are listed to the world as college students Will and Sean Pan."

"They're not students."

"Technically they are, grad students, actually. But there are others who think there is so much more to the Pan family defection. People inside the intelligence community - and ONI - believe Li Ho Pan orchestrated everything from the sex scandal to the defection to his oldest still being inside Chinese intelligence."

"I don't..."

"The information we got from Li Ho Pan about China was useful but it showed the Chinese government as a somewhat backwards and benevolent band of dotty old grandpas just a little behind the times."

"I've met enough prisoners of that regime to disagree."

"The intel was clever. A lot of the people who heard Pan's story liked it - it confirmed their beliefs that China wasn't a threat or that America was still miles ahead of another world power."

"We didn't believe him."

"As you said, we've all met enough people on the wrong side of that government to know that they're not a group of kindly old men. ONI's official belief was that Pan told us what we wanted to hear and was setting up something in the states. Will and Sean are both getting their Masters in computer science at U Cal Berkley."

"What's Will doing down here?"

"He and his brother have year-long internships at Capital Flow International in their computer department. Capital Flow handles private equity transfers for dozens of West Coast banks."

"And he was dressed in a hotel housekeeping uniform looking for Tommy."

"Your man Tommy must be a big deal. We've got an alert out for the other Pan brother. A team from Pendleton just landed in LA and is going to pick up Sean Pan. We've had unofficial reports that the Pan brothers have been more than just dutiful interns while in Los Angeles. They've been doing some money laundering and using their computer expertise to get in with several of the Chinese gangs in Los Angeles. Not sure if that's on orders from the old man or if they're just industrious."

"You think the old man is in on this?"

"Based on what we've been able to put together since Lt. Commander Lee's suicide, ONI believes Pan arrived in Hawaii just as the first group of trained since childhood sleeper agents would be entering positions of power in the workforce. While Pan was monitored somewhat by the FBI, it's possible that he was here to run the program. He could be running it in conjunction..."

"With the non-defecting son," Deeks finished. "That's smart."

"Very smart. I've got a team from Pearl going to check out old man Pan and see what's going on there."

"Is the FBI going too?" Deeks asked.

"No. I've got enough civilian alphabet agencies involved in this as is. As part of our cooperative agreement with NCIS," Bates nearly spit out that line, "the brothers Pan and whoever else was or is picked up will be brought to their off-site location until Morales and company can move them to Coronado."

Deeks was stunned by what was going on. "Morales is out here? I thought he was in his parents' basement studying for the bar."

"He was but he said he could study for the bar anywhere so he's been in San Diego for a bit. Play nice with NCIS until we have all our targets in custody. Once we do, shut them down. I've spoken enough to Henrietta Lange over the last few days to last a lifetime."

"Yes sir," Deeks answered.

"And good work, kid. You may have stumbled into this assignment accidentally but you do seem to be rounding back into fighting form."

Deeks smiled. "Thank you sir." And then the screen went dark. Sick leave was over. He was sure of it.

Walking over to the closed door, Deeks knocked twice before yelling "clear."

"What's going on?" Kensi was out of the side room in record time.

"Navy Intel is picking up a few more suspects and we're waiting here for further orders. Do you have some place on site where we can store Tommy that isn't your interrogation room? He's still very much a civilian and probably won't react well to being held somewhere official. I'm going to contact the Marshals after everyone is in custody."

"We have a place," Hetty said as Tommy walked into the main room. "Miss Blye, if you'll show our guest upstairs. It isn't as luxurious as the Four Seasons, Mr. Lin, but I can assure you it is a good deal safer," Hetty said.

"Thank you ma'am," Tommy said as he and Kensi started up the stairs to the boat shed's second level.

"Commander, what did the Admiral have to say?" Hetty asked.

"The person Agent Blye and I encountered at the Four Seasons is the son of a former Chinese Intelligence Official. There's a lot of people working late right now at the CIA, NSA and ONI looking into this." Deeks looked down at the ill-fitting housekeeping uniform. "Did Tommy leave..."

"Your clothes are in the restroom. I wouldn't mind keeping what you're wearing, however. A good janitor's or hotel staff uniform always comes in handy."

"I've got enough uniforms. As long as I don't have to wear it again, consider it yours," Deeks said as he heard a door open. In walked Agents Hanna and Callen with the two agents in tactical gear. Each man had a suspect in handcuffs. Hanna was stuck with the only in his underwear Wang Yong Pan. He was also carrying Deeks's weight vest.

"With that hair, that uniform looks more appropriate on you than your summer whites," Hanna said as he steered his charge through the room.

"Since Miss Lang...Hetty is taking the uniform, I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of it," Deeks replied as he left the room to change. "And I want my vest back. It was nearly a hundred bucks from Amazon."

Once back in his own clothing and passing Pan's gun to Kensi to have it run through a ballistics check, Deeks gave a briefing to Kensi, Sam and Callen. Hetty was returning to her office to see what she could get from her contacts in the intelligence community.

As she was leaving through one door, a rather muscular Hispanic man named Morales according to his name tag walked in another wearing a Marine combat uniform. "Is there anything you California types do that isn't beach themed? Look at this place," he asked as he sized up the room. "Where's David Hasselhoff and Pam Anderson?"

Deeks smiled and offered introductions. "Major Miguel Morales, this is NCIS's Office of Special Projects. NCIS, this is Major Morales."

"Migs. Call me Migs." Morales said as he removed his cover. After Kensi, Sam and Callen identified themselves, Morales updated them all. "The other Pan brother hit the road just before we got there. A neighbor saw him leave in a hurry so you have to think he knows what went down at the Four Seasons."

"What's the plan?"

"We've got a transport coming down from Point Mugu and we're going to fly them to Coronado tomorrow."

"Shouldn't we question them here?" Callen asked.

"The Admiral wants them moved away from the civilian population as quickly as possible. The three non-Pan brothers are all here on expired Visas and by expired I mean they showed up here when they were high school age and forgot to go home nine years ago," Morales said. "A contact Admiral Bates has at LAPD thinks they're all muscle for the Zhulong street gang, who have been having their money laundered by the Pans."

"Admiral Bates has connections with the LAPD?" Kensi asked.

"The Admiral has connections everywhere," Deeks and Morales said in unison. Morales continued, "Bates wants Deeks to run the Gitmo hustle on them before they're packed up for Point Mugu."

"Gitmo Hustle?"

"They're going to pit them against each other," Sam answered Kensi. "Explain the future to them."

"And make it awful," Deeks said with a smile.

The transport from Point Mugu arrived as Sam and Migs were making fast friends. While Migs denied any connection to the military intelligence community in general and NEIT in particular - "I'm no secret squirrel, just a jarhead following orders," he said with an easy smile - he and Sam knew a number of the same Special Forces members and even passed each other in Iraq in 2003.

Will Pan, now dressed in dark green tee-shirt and matching pants, and his three accomplices were put in leg and waist irons in their interrogation rooms by four large and well-armed MPs. They were led, shuffling, to the boat shed's main room and placed next to each other on the couch with each suspect's MP standing behind couch. Callen, Sam and Kensi all had their weapons pointed at the men while Migs stood behind Deeks. Deeks had his feet up, relaxing at the table.

"Hello, fellas," Deeks started. "While your buddy Will here was enjoying the Four Seasons earlier, you boys won't be going back there. Or anywhere really in California. Nope. These rather large men," Deeks pointed to the MPs as he took his feet off the table and sat up straight, "they're going to take you to an airplane for a nice long trip."

Deeks stood and pointed to the three Zhulong gang members. "You boys are going to get that island vacation most Americans dream of. Sun, beach, ocean. I love Guantanamo Bay. The beaches, pristine. The water is crystal clear. Sure it's warm but when you spend your whole day in the water, who cares. Am I right?"

The three didn't respond.

"But I forgot, you guys aren't going to the beach part. You're going to the barracks. Since you boys aren't citizens, you have no rights. You'll go there, we'll get some intelligence from you. If you're good, we'll let you come back to LA and face whatever crimes the LAPD Gang Unit has on you - and you will be pleading guilty. If not, you'll be part of some trade for dissidents or prisoners the US wants from China. Nobody is going to bargain just for you boys, unlike Mr. Pan over here, you'll just be throw-ins. China never wants an even exchange. If we're getting five, they want six. You boys are throw-ins."

Deeks saw the trio largely unmoved by his chat. He continued. "Now, I know what you're thinking. 'I'm a major badass, I can do two years in a neat little prison cell.' Well, maybe you can but you're not getting just that treatment. I told you. I love Gitmo. Even though I live here, I love their beaches. And the beaches here are a bitch Memorial Day weekend. Everyone is starting their summer, everyone is back from school, whole bunch of newbie surfers in the water. Awful. You know what's not busy - Hidden Beach in Gitmo. I'll be down to see you boys around Memorial Day. Show up in my shiny white uniform. Bring a couple of Marines with me, make sure your fellow prisoners see me walking down the hall and having you boys picked up and brought in for individual questioning. By then, our psych guys will figure out which one of you is the tough one, which one is the weak one and which one is the follower."

The men looked at Deeks, still unmoved. He continued. "And then you'll be returned to your barracks and some other prisoners will be dragged out and never seen again. We'll probably just move him to some other quarters or maybe ship him off somewhere but he will be gone. And I'll show up with a carton of smokes for one of you. Probably the tough one. See how long you last once the others think you're a snitch."

"You can't do that," one of the men said.

"Sure I can. You dudes were trying to steal Navy technology. I'm Navy. You're ours to do with as we please within reason."

"No, he just told us..." a second man said.

"Shut the fuck up," Will Pan ordered.

"Yeah, shut up," Deeks told them. "You're not citizens. You have no rights. You're going to Gitmo with the fine MPs behind you and unless you confess to all your gang activities and make plans for Pelican Bay, this is your last day in sunny Cal-i-forn-i-a."

"I have rights," the first man said.

"Not a single one," Morales told him. "And I just finished law school. You're done. And we'll make sure the Chinese know you losers squeal like pigs."

"And then there's you, Mr. Pan," Deeks turned his attention to the real prize of the three. "Your old man probably has his own little detail of MPs searching his home."

"I have rights."

"No, you don't. Your asylum deal, all asylum deals, include no spying, no criminal behavior clauses. Once our computer forensic guys go through your desk at Capital Flow, once your parents are packed up and brought into custody. You, your brother, Mom and Pops are going off..."

"To Gitmo, I heard the speech."

"You're not going to Gitmo. You are so much more valuable. Nope, we'll find some country that's friendly to the US but that maybe worries China. They'll get some intel out of you and share it with us, that's the usual deal, but you'll be theirs to do with as they please. And while we'll show these loser some basic rights - three hots and a cot - some of the people we trade with aren't nearly as hospitable."

"You can't..."

"Yes I can. And I give you about a week before you fall apart like a twenty-dollar suitcase. Geez, I'm a Navy lawyer and an injured one at that and I took you out with my girl Fern there," Deeks pointed to Kensi, "in like nothing flat. Wait until some pissed off interrogator from some country that doesn't like your old homeland gets his hands on you. Once you've dime'd out your parents, your friends, the Zhulong dudes here, some US intelligence agency will pick up what's left of you and trade your miserable ass back to the Chinese. We'll get some human rights activist and a ton of positive press and the Chinese will get your family of lousy spies. And it will all be leaked to CNN, the Washington Post - complete with pictures. Win, win for America."

As if on cue, two of the MPs said "Hoo-rah," and the men were all marched to the transport.

"How much of that is true?" Kensi asked once it was just NCIS, Deeks and Morales in the room.

"Well, I'm probably not going to Gitmo anytime soon but my fine friend Migs or someone like him will do the visits. No rules against messing with their heads."

The transport horn blasted. "I'm off to Mugu then San Diego. We'll talk," Morales told Deeks as he shook his hand. "Agent Hanna, Agent Blye, Agent Callen, nice to meet you all," he said as he left the room.

"Now what?" Kensi asked.

"I think the Admiral and your Director will probably want us to find the missing Sean Pan. In the meantime, if we can get Tommy to some sort of safe house, I'll pass him off to the Marshals tomorrow."

As Kensi started up the stairs, Deeks cellphone chirped. The text message from Morales read "Please tell me you're making a run at Agent Blye because that is one fine looking fed."

"Anything we need to know?" Callen asked.

Deeks smiled. "Major Morales was impressed with the look of your team, Agent Callen."

Tommy came bouncing down the stairs. "All good?" he asked.

"So far. We're gonna find you a safe house tonight and I'll have the Marshals pick you up in the morning."

"I owe you, man," Tommy said sincerely. "I owe all of you."

Deeks just nodded and looked at his watch. If he could get a lift home, he could ride his bike to Neptune's Net and try dinner again.

"Can I borrow your phone?" Tommy asked Deeks.

"Why?" Deeks, Callen and Kensi replied simultaneously.

"I need to call Lenny," Tommy answered.

"Who's Lenny?" Sam asked

Deeks sat down and put his head in his hands. "Don't answer that yet, Tommy. Answer this, what's your IQ?"

"Huh?"

"Your IQ? What is your IQ?"

"Why?" Kensi asked.

"Because when he answers Agent Hanna's question, you won't think he's a complete moron." Deeks looked up, Tommy seemed completely confused. "IQ Tommy," Deeks said.

"143."

"Now answer Agent Hanna's question," Deeks told him. "Who is Lenny?"

"Lenny is my cousin."

"Oh my God," Kensi said.

"What, what do you guys know that I don't. Is Lenny in trouble? He was supposed to bring in a pizza - the food at the Four Seasons is boring - and watch the Twins-Angels game."

"Tommy, what did you just find out about your parents?" Deeks asked gently.

"That they were sent to America to be spies, which is crazy. They were normal people."

"And who is Lenny and how is he related to ..."

Tommy interrupted Deeks. "Oh my God, Lenny is in on this too."

-30-