Chapter 4

After we finished at the crime scene, we drove; I should say Carla drove to the address on the post-it note. We found the apartment complex that Chernov's apartment was part of. The area was not the best neighborhood in Los Angeles. Venice Beach is better than this. His apartment was about five hundred feet from the main street and if he'd been looking he'd know we were coming for him. I have to admit a younger man and an older woman are probably not the most usual sight on an LA street but not the weirdest by a long shot. We're not couple material and I'm not too sure how she'd feel about being my mother or even how often we'd be able to pull it off. I wasn't about to ask her….yet. We just need time to figure these things out. Maybe we'll get a beer after work, with the rest of the team.

I got my head back in the game as we walked through the complex and up to Chenov's door. I pulled my Sig Sauer and she pulled her weapon as well. I picked the lock and we let ourselves in. "Federal Agents, come out with your hands up." No one answered. Chenov walked around the corner brandishing a Marine K-bar knife. He dove for me and I stepped back.

Carla sized him up and then she did the most remarkable thing. She holstered her weapon. "Distract him for me."

Yuri looked confused. Hell, he wasn't the only one.

I really didn't want to be sliced and distracting a man with a knife can be tricky so I opted for straightforward. "Drop the knife Yuri."

His decision making process was quick. Since I was the one with the gun he came for me. I guess he felt I was the more pressing concern. I held the gun and she was an old lady. That was not my choice of words; they were hers. Carla moved in taking hold of his knife hand and using the same ploy she used on Deeks, took him down.

I stood holding my weapon on Chenov and shaking my head. "You'll teach me that, right?"

Carla chuckled and nodded as she cuffed and hauled Yuri up to the chair.

As he sat cuffed to the chair, Carla and I started a search of his apartment. We'd get forensics in here later. Everything seemed to be in its place. I was going through the cabinets in the kitchen and one seemed much smaller than it should. A knot hole was in the bottom of the drawer so I tried to move the panel and it did. It slid to the side and when it was open I found a heavy metal box. I brought it out of its hidey hole to the kitchen table. Chenov's face froze but gave away very little except surprise that we found it. "What is this Yuri?" He turned away from us. "Look around for more." We looked again through all the closets and cabinets and found nothing more. Carla examined the box and wanted to open it. I wouldn't let her do that without protection. "Wear gloves and stand back a bit, please." Inside the box were two canisters. Two were already gone. We knew where one resided. Where was the other one?

Chapter 5

Carla and I had just gotten back to the boatshed and put Yuri into the interrogation room when Deeks and Kensi showed up. Deeks gave her the once over and decided to play it safe and by that I mean he didn't laugh again.

Deeks looked at the monitor and nodded towards our 'guest.' "Who's that?"

I looked at Yuri and began to formulate my answer. Carla excused herself to the ladies room. Both my teammates looked like they were about to burst with questions. "Kensi first."

Kensi had that look about her that says I want to know but not now. "What's she like to work with?"

I chuckled at the question because I know they wanted to get the dirt on her but there was none to tell. "She is a capable operator. She doesn't have a qualm about getting dirty or doing scut work and she took him down unarmed. I think I want to be her when I grow up."

We heard the door to the bathroom open and Deeks got the look that said 'I didn't get my turn'.

I shrugged and turned to the monitor. "You'll just have to wait." Carla rejoined us and I continued. "This fine specimen is Yuri Chenov. We found his name and address on the victim's body. We also found two canisters, where there should be four, of the mystery material, in a hidey hole in his apartment. There was one missing and we know where the other one ended up."

Deeks, ever the cop, eyed Yuri. "How do we want to handle this?"

I looked across the room at Carla and she watched as we worked it out. "Grumpy cop and Grandma?"

She smirked back at me. "Yeah, but who is who?"

She was growing on me. I looked into interrogation and smiled. "Let's let him decide."

"After we finish with Yuri, and get him locked up, we're going for beer. You in Carla?" I watched her face. She showed amazement at being asked but I also saw happiness at being accepted.

She walked to the door of interrogation. "I'd love to come but can I have something other than beer? Never got the taste for it." She nodded to the door and our suspect on the other side. "Let's get this over with."

Yuri sat in his chair and watched as we came in. He looked wary of the two of us but more so of Carla. "Keep her away from me. She is one tough old broad."

I sat across from him while Carla took the corner seat where Sam usually sits. She crossed her arms over her chest and didn't smile. I met her eye; she would take the part of Grumpy Cop. "You know you should treat her with some respect. I've seen what she does to people that diss her. You know what she did to you? I've seen her do worse and that was to a good guy who just teased her. I don't want her mad at me." I looked over my shoulder at Carla, shuddered and hesitated for a moment so that he could get the full effect. "So, Yuri, where'd you get the canisters from and what is in them? We know it's radioactive. Would you please tell us what it is… exactly?

Yuri decided that he'd push it. I guess that he didn't think she was that fearsome. She'd have to prove it to him. Carla got out of her chair and walked behind Yuri. She slowly waved her hand over his shoulder and then the other one. She did it again, only this time she grazed his shoulders with the edge of her hand. I noticed they were calloused so I'm sure it felt like a rock being rubbed along his collarbone. As she grazed the second one she stopped at the shoulder and grabbed it. Yuri began to sweat. "Tell me what is in the canister and who has the other one and I'll get her to stop."

Yuri shook his head no. Carla grabbed the shoulder harder just inside of the ball joint. I am sure it hurt like hell. "Yuri, if you don't talk soon, I may not get her to stop. Oh did I tell you she worked at Guantanamo Bay? She has interrogated Taliban and Al Qaeda members." I waited for him for emphasis. "Talk to me man."

Her other hand was coming down to the other ball joint and just before she grabbed he cried out. "Stop! The canister holds an isotope of uranium that is only found in Turkestan and was to be sold to several people in Los Angeles."

We were getting somewhere. "Why did Fielding want the canister?"

Yuri shrugged. "I don't know but he had the money so I sold it to him. Before you ask I have no idea how he found me. I never heard from him before today. I sold it to him and he left."

I sat up on the table and looked at Carla. "Think hard before you answer the next question or I'll sic her on you again. Who'd you sell the other canister to?

I saw his eyes narrow as if he thought about misleading me and then he looked over his shoulder at Carla. "I sold it to a member of the Molina Cartel. His name was Juan Molina. He was running the buy as a favor to his brother Raul."

"What was he going to do with it?" It concerned me that a cartel with links to Al Qaeda had radioactive material in their hands. Yuri didn't have the answer.

We walked out the door and Deeks was talking to LAPD and giving them the information to use to pick up Juan and Raul Molina.

"I don't like where this is going." I looked back over my shoulder to the monitor. Yuri sat there and the itch between my shoulder blades grew, telling me he wasn't as innocent as he made himself out to be. We'd find out soon enough. "Process him and let's go get that beer." I needed the time to figure things out.

Kensi had a funny look on her face and again I wondered what that was all about. "Carla and I will meet you at O'Malley's. We need some 'girl' time.

Deeks smiled. He knew what Kensi was up to. "Looks like it's you and me Bro, twenty question time."

I just laughed and got the key out. The processing officers came through the door and we gave them the paper work for our friend Yuri. I motioned to Deeks to follow me. "Let's go and don't ever call me Bro."