Operation Formosa

Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine.

Chapter 3

NCIS Office, The Navy Yard

The debrief for Operation Formosa went longer than Leon had anticipated. But with the urgency of ending the operation short of making arrests once all contacts on the five ships and the ports at Norfolk and Cartegena, had brought along further implications. Leon prayed that all men involved in transporting the cocaine into the States were on their list of suspects. He needed to prevent a repeat of what happened to Agent Smith and his daughter, twenty months earlier.

Finally, after four hours of intense debriefing which went on into the night, he was able to release his agents and allow them passage home. Many of these agents had been away for more than four months, with previous undercover operations that had taken them away from their families. They all deserved to head home and rest and spend precious time with their families. Some had young children who would struggle to remember their dad, after the length of time they'd spent away. Agent Michael Nassir was one of those agents. Over the past year, he'd spent very few weeks at home, many of those visits were short and sporadic. He looked inside Agent Nassir's personal file and made a mental note to make sure he didn't travel away from home or go on any undercover operations in the next two years. He was a good man and his wife, Melissa, had been patient and understanding enough. She deserved to have her man home, to share their lives together with their two young children, five year old, Ella and one year old, Thomas. The boy wouldn't even recognise his daddy, which tore at the Director's conscience. He knew better than any how precious family time was, especially after the loss of his beautiful wife, Jackie. Now he was a single father raising his two children with the help of his family.

Agent Nassir laid down on Gibbs' sofa and nodded off to sleep. It was three in the morning before he arrived at the older man's house, but he was desperate for some sleep. Gibbs always had an open door policy for any of his friends and he had in the past slept on the same sofa. He was desperate to fly home and see his family as he'd missed them so much over the past four months. He hated being so far away from them. The last year had been tough of them all since Thomas had been born. He'd even missed his first birthday. It had been hard, but he'd managed to get a Skype session with Melissa, thanks to Jack three weeks earlier, to see them on his son's birthday. It was a risk that he saw was worth it just to see them. He and Jack had been careful and since nothing had happened after that day, he'd thought they were safe. Now he tossed and turned and worried if he had put his and Jack's lives at risk by that kind gesture.

"Mick." Michael opened his eyes and saw Gibbs' concern for him. "You're safe now."

He squinted his eyes and realised it was daylight. He looked at his watch and saw it was eight in the morning.

"Hungry?"

Mick nodded and followed Gibbs through to the dining table and sat down. Gibbs threw bacon and eggs on toast onto his plate and handed him a coffee. "Thanks, Gibbs. Just what I need. Something decent after four months at sea."

"How's Melissa handling your case loads?" He knew from Agent Bronte Smith just how much he'd been away since she'd moved to L.A. six months ago. They hadn't crossed paths once in that time.

"It's been tough on her, Gibbs. Thomas turned one, three weeks ago. I'm a stranger to my own son."

Gibbs saw the regret in his friend's eyes.

"I only hope no more undercover stints occur for a long time. I'll lose her if this continues." He was glad to be heading home later that day.

"I'll talk to Vance to see if I can persuade him for you. He's a father himself, he'll understand." Gibbs took a good long sip of his coffee, savouring his favourite beverage.

Michael Nassir looked over appreciatively at his old friend. "Thanks, Gibbs. Anything that can help keep me home, I appreciate it."

The rest of the morning involved Nassir writing his report up from his four months stint at sea, while Gibbs and his team interrogated Ensign Roger Davies and Lieutenant Lewis Jackson, from USS Arlington.

By lunchtime, a woman with honey blonde hair exited the elevator and walked towards the desks that belonged to Gibbs' team. Ellie Bishop looked up surprised by the visitor. She had just bitten into her sandwich after a long morning.

Special Agent Bronte Smith looked down at the new face on the desk before her and smiled. "Hi, you must be Ellie Bishop. I'm Agent Bronte Smith, an old friend of Gibbs."

Ellie quickly wiped her hands before shaking with the new arrival. "Hi." She muffled between gulps of her food.

"Bronte?" Bronte's head turned and a her face lit up when she saw a familiar face.

"Mick, what are you doing here?" She walked over to the desk Gibbs had given him and hugged him. "It's been too long." She enjoyed the warmth and smile from her oldest and dearest friend, Michael Nassir.

"You two know each other?" Tony entered the squad room, surprised that Bronte knew their visitor. He'd only met Agent Nassir two days earlier onboard USS Arlington, under the guise of Petty Officer, Zachary Wallace. He'd worked out that Gibbs knew him but was surprised Bronte did too. As far as Tony knew, Bronte worked out of the New York office up until six months ago.

Bronte turned and smiled. "Tony, it's good to see you again." She hugged him and stepped back.

Ellie looked on with curiosity. Her brain tried to make a connection to Agent Smith's name, when she furrowed her brow and looked up details of their current operation, Formosa. There written in detail, was the last time the agency had dealt with the Colombian cartel in New York. Agent Greg Smith and his daughter were gunned down in front of his seven year old son, who miraculously was unharmed. She scanned the notes on how Agent Smith and his ten year old daughter died instantly from gunfire from a semi-automatic. She shook her head and exited the details on her computer screen.

"It's always a pleasure to see you again, Bronte." Tony charmed his way with her. "So how come you two know each other?" He pointed to Agent Nassir, as he asked her.

Bronte's face lit up and looked back over at Nassir. "We went through the Naval Academy together. Met on day one and became best friends."

Mick smiled over to Bronte, he was pleased to see her so happy again after the grief she'd suffered over the past two and a half years. "We remained together on our first posting on USS Arlington, twenty years ago."

"USS Arlington?" Ellie inquired, surprised Agent Nassir was placed undercover on a ship he'd once worked on, as himself.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

Both Tony and Ellie looked over at Nassir, waiting for him to answer.

"Because I've just spent four months undercover on the USS Arlington." Michael replied to her.

"You've what?" Bronte asked, shocked. "You should have refused, Mick, what if someone on the ship recognised you and your alias was burned?"

"Relax, Bron, no one is on there now from when we were assigned to Arlington." He noticed the worry in her eyes and he tried to appease her. The fact that he worked on Operation Formosa in itself he knew would freak her out. After what had happened to Greg and Carrie, he felt he owed it to her to go deep undercover and help bring this cartel down.

"I still don't like it. When are you heading home? Melissa and your kids miss you so much. It's a good thing I'm living there now. Max and I visit as much as we can."

"And I am thankful for you for being there for them, Bron. I'm heading home in a few hours. Just finishing off my paperwork and then heading for the airport."

He held his ticket in his hand, waving it to her with a broad smile on his face.

McGee hopped off the phone and looked over at Tony and Bishop. "Gibbs said that the suspects from the Formosa Cartel have all been taken to the DEA for questioning so our agents won't be compromised."

"Did you just say Formosa?"

McGee looked up and realised Bronte was there. "Hi Bronte, good to see you again. What do you know about the cartel?"

Tony and Mick cringed and both shook their heads at McGee, trying to get him to stop talking to Bronte about it.

Bronte's eyes widened and stared intently at Mick. "Mick, what were you doing on Arlington?"

"Top secret, Bron, I'd have to kill you if I told you." He smirked, hoping to distract her, but he knew his attempts were fruitless. Bronte was not one to fool easily.

She stepped forward and glared at him. "Spill it, Mick."

Her anger radiated from her and Tony quickly moved in to appease her. "Mick can't talk about it with you, Bronte. You worry too much."

"With good reason," she turned and shook her head. Tears began to well up in her eyes and threatened to spill. "You know how much I've lost from this cartel."

She spun around and pointed her finger into Mick's chest. "You of all people know my thoughts about them."

"I went for you, Bron." Mick tried to appease her. "I needed to do something, to help put them away and finish them for good. Before they took someone else we care about away from us."

Bronte shook her head and wrapped her arms around her body. "No, Mick. Don't you ever tell me you went for me. If I mattered to you, you would have stayed clear of them. They are bad news. You make sure no one follows you home. I can't lose anyone else I care about."

Mick pulled her in for a hug, holding her until she calmed down. Gibbs entered the squad room and realised Bronte was there. When he saw the state she was in, he concluded that she had found out about the undercover operation that he'd worked on.

"Bronte?" She turned and moved to hug him. "Don't blame Mick. He only did what any of us would have done if given the chance."

She fisted her hand into his chest. "No, don't ever tell me that. You know I wouldn't allow it."

She turned to Mick. "That's why you went without saying a word to me. Four months you've been away, but I've been in L.A. for six. You avoided me knowing I would disapprove."

Mick sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I give up. Guilty as charged."

"Why are you here, Bron?" Gibbs tried to change the subject, knowing how hard it was on her.

"Vance wanted to see me." She furrowed her brow at him. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm just surprised to see you here, that's all." He knitted his brow, curious to Vance's reason for bringing her over to D.C.

"But I am glad, it's been five months since I've seen you and I've missed you. How's it working out for you in the L.A. office? Is Callen behaving himself?"

A smile appeared on her face at the mention of Callen and Mick noticed it. "What's been going on since I've been away, Bron?"

Gibbs laughed. "Don't look at me."

Bronte blushed and glared at Gibbs.

"Thanks, Jethro."

Tony was amused watching the three of them. "Do tell, Bron."

Bronte took in a deep breath and knew that she was not going to escape this one. "Callen and I, well let's just say, things happened between us."

Gibbs chuckled. "More than just happened, Bron. More like fell, both of you. Pretty hard too."

Mick raised a brow surprised, but he shouldn't have been. Bronte was beautiful and he knew that any guy would be happy to have her in his life. He smiled and was happy to see her smile again.

"I'm happy for you, Bron. You deserve to be happy again. Greg would have approved. Callen's one of the good guys." He stepped forward and hugged her.

"Thanks, Mick."

"So how's Hetty going?" He knew how worried Bronte had been over her mother six months ago, Melissa had filled him in about Hetty's cancer.

"She is amazing. She's right into her yoga and meditation, only eating vegan and organic. And drinking dandelion tea. She's doing well, although she's not returned to her post full time yet."

"What will you do once she does?" Mick was curious to know her plans, now that he knew about her and Callen. It was going to be interesting to see them together.

"I'm not sure if she will come back full time. She keeps pushing me to stay where I am as full time Operations Manager. I think she's trying to baby me too much, keeping me out of the field. She had a fit when Callen and I had to take down three gunmen at the beach which she saw happen on the news. I received a graze and she rang Callen in a fit of worry. Not what she needed after her op."

"What? You got shot?" Mick studied her more closely. "Where?"

"Just on my arm. You can hardly tell now."

Mick shook his head. "No wonder Hetty's keeping you house bound. I would too in her position."

"I can take care of myself and you know that, Mick. She does too."

"So you're okay working out there with Hetty?" Tony asked her. He had heard a great deal about her over the years and was glad they had the width of the country between them.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of Hetty, Tony?" Bronte's eyes sparkled, slightly amused.

"I've heard rumours, how she's made grown men quake in her presence."

Bronte laughed and Ellie Bishop was intrigued over their visitor. The team knew who she was and it appeared that Gibbs and agent Nassir knew her particularly well. Bronte turned to Gibbs. "Hetty doesn't scare you, does she Jethro?"

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head. "Never."

"Mick?" Bronte winked over to Michael, and he could see that she was enjoying it.

"Nope. She's a big softy." Mick told Tony who looked skeptical at them.

"You know something and are hiding it from the rest of us. What is it?" Tony's agent skills were on overdrive, trying to work it out.

"Have you ever met Hetty, Tony?" Bronte asked him, he shook his head. "You should come to L.A. sometime and meet her. I'm sure she'll fall in love with your charm instantly. She was good friends with Fred Astaire back in the day. You're well attuned knowledge to the old classics will impress her." She smiled again over to him. "I could see Kensi might be taken with you. You'll give Deeks a run for his money."

"Deeks?" Tony and McGee asked, not knowing who Deeks was.

"Our LAPD liaison officer and Kensi's partner. He's like a lost puppy in love with her. It's rather sweet."

"Not with Hetty there." Tony admitted.

"She's hardly there at the moment, just overseeing things on a part time basis. I'm pretty much running things over there these days."

When she saw the look of doubt in his eyes, she raised her right brow. "You don't want to come and see us?"

"You, yes, but not her."

Bronte laughed. "Well if you change your mind, you'll know where to find us."

"I'm still missing something here. What is it that you're not telling me? And why is it that you're not afraid of her?" That was what had Tony curious most of all. He'd heard that she ran a tight ship out west."I've never been afraid of Hetty, Tony. She's like Mick said. A big softy."

"Are we talking about the same person here?" Bronte nodded her head. "How long have you known her?" Tony narrowed his eyes, thinking she was pulling his leg and all the rumours were true.

"All of my life." Bronte jumped when Abby's arms came around her and wrapped her into a big hug. "Hi, Abs." She breathed out.

"Bronte. You never told me you were coming."

"Last minute call from Vance. How are you, Abs?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Great."

"Abby, maybe you can help me." Tony stepped forward. "Is all that I've heard about Hetty true?"

Abby looked between Tony and Bronte puzzled. "What is it that you've heard?" She raised her brow at Bronte, who chuckled.

"That she'll make grown men quake in their boots." Tony told her.

"Yes, that's true. But only if you deserve it. Otherwise, she's a big softy, like Bronte here."

"What do you mean like Bronte?" Tony looked at them confused. McGee and Bishop looked between them and felt like they were missing the piece to the puzzle like Tony was.

"Oh, I've put my foot in it, haven't I?" Abby looked to Bronte and whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Abby?" Tony almost growled as frustration took over.

"Hetty's my mother, Tony." Bronte finally admitted.

Tony and McGee's eyes almost popped out of their heads. "What? Now you're definitely pulling our legs."

"No, it's true." Gibbs added. "But Bronte's more like her Père."

"Your father's French?"

"Oui."

"Wow. No wonder you think Hetty's a big softy."

"It's because it's true." She looked up and saw Vance looking over the mezzanine watching her. "I've got to go, Vance is waiting for me." She turned to Mick. "Take extra care heading home. No buts."

"I will, Bron. See you in a few days." He hugged her again and watched her rise the stairs up to their director's office.

"Bronte, good to see you again, please come on in." Bronte shook the director's hand and sat. "You wanted to see me?"

Vance nodded. "I do. Sorry to drag you away from Max, but I thought this would be best done in person."

Bronte furrowed her brow, as worry began to form in the pit of her stomach.

"I wanted to tell you that we've been working closely with the DEA to bring the Formosa Cartel down for good. That you and Max can soon relax and not worry about them lurking about." He watched her facial expressions change as memories came flooding back. "How are you doing these days, in Los Angeles?"

"Thank you, Director. I appreciate all that you've done to bring this family down. But why did you have Mick involved?"

She saw his look of surprise that she knew about Mick's involvement. "McGee let it slip about the cartel, not realising the history."

"I approached Mick knowing about your friendship. He offered to come on board for the operation. It was a huge give on his part, but he wanted to for you. You still mean a great deal to him, Bronte."

"He told me why he went, but you know what I've already lost, Director. I'm surprised you allowed it. Mick was too close to this case, yet you allowed it."

"He insisted, Bronte." Leon sat back in his chair and sighed.

"He's out of it now and heading home in a few hours. I wanted to go over a few things with regards to the case, and to talk to you about your work in Los Angeles."

Bronte nodded. She still wasn't happy, but she was thankful that Mick was heading home. "Gibbs told you about Mick?"

Leon nodded. "Don't worry, no one else knows."

"Thanks, I appreciate it, Director. It was a difficult time for us back then."

"I understand, Bronte. You've been through a great deal. Now let's talk about OSP."