A/N – I try to respond to all reviews as soon as they come in, but don't always get the chance, then I lose track of those I thanked and those I didn't. So, let this be thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed and/or favorited this short (cough, cough) story. Special thanks to everyone who has given me a suggestion or prompt, this wouldn't have been the same without you! I would have run out of ideas long ago. DON'T SAY IT!

A/N2 – Thanks to honus47, as always, for taking the time to review!

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Chapter 63

Eric stared at his screen, missing his partner. He was still digging through the financials of everyone who had turned up at the scene, and there were a lot of them. Nothing had popped on his first initial pass through and now he was digging deeper. The door to ops opened and he never even heard it, he was so focused. He startled when a hand came down on his shoulder. "How ya doing there, Beale?"

"Nell! I'm so glad you're back!"

He leapt up and pulled her into a hug. They stood that way for a while, neither wanting to talk about the fact that she'd been in a fire fight with one of their fugitives earlier that day, just glad that she was there, safe and in his arms. Stepping back, he held her at arm's length and looked her over head to foot, looking for any damage to her body. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine! Monty saved my life today."

"Remind me to buy him a big bone later."

"I'll hold you to that!"

"How's Deeks? How's Kensi holding up? Does she know about Carson?"

"He's doing good; Kensi said they might be able to take him off the ventilator in the next day or so."

"That's good news, right?"

"Yup! And Kensi is holding up as well as can be expected. I offered to stay with Shaggy while she took a nap. She said she wouldn't be able to sleep but was gone just about the second her head hit the pillow. I didn't bring up Carson, I wasn't sure Hetty would want me to so I just left it alone."

"She must be exhausted."

"She napped for a couple hours. When she woke up she seemed better and we talked for a little bit. Once I was sure she was okay, I headed back here." She smiled up at him. "Have you found anything?"

"No. I did my first pass but found nothing. We now know that Carson was paid off but we think maybe he hid it in a safe deposit box he has at Pacific National, because nothing showed up in any of his accounts."

"Maybe he was the only mole?"

"I doubt it. Someone killed Pastor and helped McGonagle escape. According to Carson, it wasn't him. And you won't believe his reasoning for getting in bed with these guys! He said Deeks stole his place on Callen's team and he took this as an opportunity to get rid of him! The money was secondary!"

"Why would he think that?"

"We don't know. Hetty pretty much told him that he would never have been asked, Deeks or no Deeks."

"Wow. I don't even know what to say! He's obviously delusional."

"You can say that again."

Nell opened her mouth to do just that and Eric put a finger against her lips and smiled down at her. The smile faded as he said "It's just so frustrating, you know? I want to help find the people who hurt Deeks. I want to help make them pay, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere."

"Well, what do we know about LAPD SWAT teams?"

"I looked them up. The main positions are sniper, spotter, weapons expert, scout, communications and lead." He ticked the positions off on his fingers. "Hiller is the lead."

"So, we know that the team LAPD sent didn't know that it was a cop they were there to rescue, correct?"

"Right. And we know LAPD knew, so why was the SWAT team in the dark?"

"Maybe we should concentrate on the communications officer. He would have been the one to take the assignment and brief everyone on what was going on. Was Pastor in that position?"

"Nope, he was the scout."

"So who was the communications officer?"

Eric turned to his computer. He tapped a few keys and said "That would be Stuart Kingsley. 48, married, one daughter. Nothing suspicious in his accounts to indicate that he's on the take."

"Okay, let's dig a little deeper. See if we can find anything out of the ordinary. Maybe he has a safe deposit box too."

They both started digging into Kingsleys's life. About fifteen minutes later, Eric found something that raised a red flag. "Look at this. His daughter attends a very exclusive school. Pretty pricey on an LAPD salary."

"Wife?"

He tapped a few more keys. "Nope, stay at home mom, no family money on either side. Tuition is two thousand a month. I'm not seeing any withdrawals from their accounts to make those payments, yet the school shows he's current." With relative ease, he broke into the school's records. "The payments are made each month by cashier's check but there are no corresponding withdrawals from any accounts in either of their names."

Nell kept searching. "His credit card bills are pretty high each month too. Lots of high end purchases. Each one paid in full. Also, by cashier's check. Wife is driving a brand new SUV, no car loan. They also took two vacations last year, neither one exactly budget friendly and no huge withdrawals to pay for them."

They looked at each other. "I think we found our LAPD mole!" They both said.

Nell said "Jinx!' and hit him in the shoulder. He instantly grabbed the spot and moaned. She giggled and he felt better about her frame of mind after the experience earlier in the day.

"We'd better tell Callen and Sam." Eric said as he reached for the phone.

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Down in the boatshed Callen said "Thanks Eric." and hung up his phone. He turned to the others and said "Eric and Nell think they found the LAPD mole. It's the communications officer on Hiller's SWAT team. He would have been the one to take the assignment and brief his team. Most likely he was told to make sure the SWAT team wasn't on extra high alert, the kind that knowing it was a fellow cop in danger would engender regardless of how well liked or not the cop was. He sent me this guy Kingsleys's home address. Do we bring him in or do we inform Bates?"

Hetty answered "Neither. Put a team on him, watch his every move, but let's not give away what we know, or think we know, just yet. If Mr. Kingsley goes missing and Mr. Carson is uncharacteristically asking for his money immediately, we may spook them. We wait until after the meet, then we decide on what to do in regards to our friend at the LAPD."

"Franklin and Porter. They were both on guard duty and neither one made any effort to hurt Deeks." Said Callen.

"Good choices, Mr. Callen. Mr. Hanna, please brief them as soon as possible and let them know that they are not, under any circumstances, to discuss this with anyone but myself, Owen and the rest of your team. They also are not to engage Mr. Kingsley unless absolutely necessary. "

"Why I am doing the briefing?" Griped Sam, well aware of the reason but wanting to see if Hetty would admit it.

"You need to put some space between yourself and Mr. Carson, Mr. Hanna. Please do as I ask and then return. I assure you, we will not proceed with anything until your return."

Sam huffed and looked to his partner for backup but Callen just shrugged. He, too, knew the big guy needed some time to calm down before he took Carson's head off. Sam glared at him and stormed out.

"He's not happy." Said Callen.

"Do you disagree with me, Mr. Callen?"

Callen sighed. "No."

"We'll make sure Mr. Hanna is in place for the meeting. I wouldn't wish to deprive him of that satisfaction."

"What about Kensi?"

Granger answered. "As much as I'm sure she'd like to be in on this operation Callen, I think we can all agree that she's better off where she is. I'm not sure I would trust her not to shoot McGonagle on sight and it would be better to at least attempt to take him alive, as much as I would prefer the alternative."

"Bates is going to be pissed that we kept him out of the loop on this." Said Callen.

Hetty found that she agreed. "Perhaps we can include Lt. Bates in our surveillance of the meet. I know he is as eager to get his hands on these two as we are." She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed a number.

"Lt. Bates? Henrietta Lange."

"You did? Yes, well, I wouldn't have expected any less."

"We've found the leak inside NCIS and are planning on using him to set up a meeting with Mr. McGonagle. We will be in place to take him into custody and thought you would like to be included."

"You and Mr. Wolinsky?"

"Of course. I'll call you back when we have a time and place."

She hung up and looked at the two watching her. "Lt. Bates and Officer Wolinsky will be more than happy to attend out little party."

While she had had her run ins with Mr. Deeks's other boss over the years, she knew he was sincere in wanting to take down both the people who had done this to his detective and uncover any dirty cops in the LAPD house.

Callen nodded and the three of them sat down to wait for McGonagle to call Carson back on the phone sitting between them, in the middle of the table. This was the part of the job that drove him, and the rest of his team, nuts. Sitting and waiting. He got up to make a cup of coffee, sat down and drank it, got up to poke around in the cabinets, found nothing to hold his interest, sat back down at the table, got back up to browse through some of the old magazines on the coffee table, sat back down, started to get up again when Granger stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"If you don't stop this continual up and down, Callen, I may shoot you myself."

Callen smirked at him, pleased he'd gotten on the Assistant Director's nerves, even if that hadn't been the reason for his constant motion. He was restless. He wanted McGonagle and Robinson in custody, any and all moles uncovered and under arrest. He wanted to know that Deeks was safe. This team was his family and, when one of them was in trouble, it was hard to just sit still and do nothing. Even when nothing was the only thing they could do.

He was about to give Granger a smart ass answer, when the phone finally rang. Callen leaped up, grabbed it and took it into the interrogation room. He held it out to Carson and said. "Answer it. You say just what we agreed to, nothing more, do you understand me?"

Carson nodded and took the phone. "Carson."

"Hey, thanks for getting back to me so soon."

"Yeah, it's done. Far as they know, his heart just gave out. No, no one is any the wiser, but the heat is on. His team is on a rampage now that it's gone from assault to murder. I want to get out of town for a bit. I need my money."

"Ok, usual place, 7 PM. I'll be there."

He hung up and said "He's meeting me at the bar at 7."

Callen looked at his watch. "That gives us 2 hours to set up. Sam should be back any minute. He and I will be at the bar long before 7. Hetty and Granger will follow you there. You even think of making a run for it, you won't survive the first move."

Carson looked at Callen and knew he wasn't kidding. If he made any move to escape, this man would not hesitate to shoot him. He looked over at Hetty and Granger and saw the same look on their faces. He sighed and nodded.

Outside, Sam had returned and was waiting on them, filling them in on the briefing he'd given the two agents selected to follow Kingsley, both very happy to do so. He let them know he had returned in time to watch the meet being set up on the plasma.

Hetty nodded to him and said "Neither Mr. McGonagle nor Mr. Robinson should recognize the Lt. or Mr. Wolinsky. They'll be inside the bar, keeping an eye on our Mr. Carson and waiting for the meet to go down. Mr. Hanna, Mr. Callen, you'll be keeping watch from the street just outside the bar. Owen and I will be in the car, watching as well. I'll update Lt. Bates with the time and location."

She proceeded to do so while Sam and Callen worked out their covers for outside the bar.

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Lt. Roger Bates and Officer Stan Wolinsky sat in a booth in the back of O'Reilly's and kept watch on both the door and Carson. They were just minutes away from the time set for the meet and Wolinsky was surprisingly calm and Bates was pleased to see it. Sam was outside, dressed as a homeless man digging through the trash. Hetty and Granger were in the car, watching. Callen was standing in the doorway of an abandoned store a couple doors down, hidden in the shadows. All were on comms, including Carson.

"This is usually Shaggy's gig, G! How did I draw the short straw to play a homeless man?"

"You're too noticeable Sam. I told you, you need to stop working out so much. All those muscles make an impression on people."

"Ha! You're just jealous because you're getting flabby in your old age."

"I am NOT! I'll have you know I can keep up with anyone half my age!"

"Yeah, at the buffet!"

Just about to make a comeback, Callen heard his partner's voice change from lightly teasing to pissed off.

"Damn it." He said over the link.

"What's up Sam?" Callen was instantly on alert.

"It's Robinson. No sign of McGonagle." Sam replied.

"Well, it's not optimal, Mr. Hanna, but it will do. Mr. Robinson should be able to lead us to Mr. McGonagle. Lt. Bates, if you and Mr. Wolinsky would be so kind as to escort Mr. Carson back to the boatshed after Mr. Robinson leaves?" Asked Hetty. She received acknowledgement through the comms. She also heard Wolinsky complain about being left out of the action and his Lt. letting him know, in no uncertain terms, that this was just as much a part of the job as shoot outs and arrests. It would seem that the Lt. had a new protégé.

"Do we take him or do we tail him?" Asked Callen.

"We tail him. Mr. Hanna, do you see the car Mr. Robinson arrived in?"

"Yeah, it's a black Chevy Malibu, the same one he was driving when he took a shot at Nell."

"Tag it, please."

Sam shuffled over to the car and leaned down, pretending to dig through the trash on the sidewalk next to it. He carefully placed a GPS tracker in the front passenger wheel well. They all listened as Robinson approached Carson who was sitting at the bar.

"Carson."

"Robinson. I'm surprised McGonagle sent you out to do his messenger work. Figured he would have wanted blow by blow details of how our dear detective friend took his last breath."

Callen and Sam both tensed up. Listening to Carson talk about Deeks like that was just about enough for both of them to blow their cover and shoot him where he sat.

"Mr. Hanna. Mr. Callen. Remember what we're here for. It's not to take out Mr. Robinson or Mr. Carson just yet. We want Mr. McGonagle." Hetty stared at Owen sitting in the driver's seat, his hands white on the steering wheel. "That goes for you too, Owen."

Granger nodded and removed his hands from the wheel. He flexed his fingers and stared out the window at the bar, listening as Robinson responded.

"Sean is…a bit otherwise occupied at the moment. Our boss was not happy with the outcome of our assignment, nor with Sean's follow up attempt to rectify the situation. All you need to know is that he sent me with the money he owes you. He also wanted me to remind you. You talk, you die. Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Just give me the money and I'm out of here. I already put in for two weeks' vacation. Planning on lying low on a beach somewhere until everyone calms down."

Robinson handed him an envelope and Carson opened it. Judging it all to be there, he nodded at the man, who then stood up and left the bar. Carson stood up as well, looking around, wondering if he could outrun the two LAPD lackeys that NCIS had placed at the bar with him. The thought had barely formed in his mind when a gun was placed up against his side. Bates growled in his ear. "Give me a reason. Just one." Carson nodded his understanding and the three of them left the bar to head back to the boat shed.

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Callen and Sam got back in the Challenger and activated the GPS tracker. They pulled out behind Granger, who had given Robinson enough lead so that he wouldn't notice the tail. They followed him into one of the seedier areas of L.A. until he pulled up in front of an old, run down house. Both cars stopped up the street, their headlights out, not wanting to be made. Robinson got out and looked around before heading in. Sam, Callen and Granger got out and drew their weapons. Hetty would stay in the car to coordinate. Using hand movements, Granger indicated Sam and Callen were to take the back while he covered the front. The two senior agents melted into darkness as they made their way around the back of the house. Granger walked quietly up the front stairs and looked in the window.

Softly he said "I have Robinson and McGonagle as well as two hired guns. Front living room."

In place, Sam and Callen looked in the back door. "We got a goon in the kitchen."

"That makes five of them and three of you. Please be careful gentleman." Said Hetty. She listened as each acknowledged her warning.

"Callen, you and Sam enter through the back. Try to take out the kitchen goon with as little sound as possible. When you're in place, let me know and I'll breach through the front."

"Acknowledged."

"Acknowledged."

Sam reached out and carefully turned the door knob, finding it unlocked. He eased the door open on surprisingly quiet hinges and slipped inside, his partner covering him. Kitchen goon was making himself a sandwich and had his headphones in; he never saw Sam until the very large arm came around his neck, cutting off his oxygen. He didn't make a sound as Sam squeezed. He passed out and was lowered quietly to the floor. Callen entered the room and they moved carefully towards the living room, clearing each room as they passed in case there were others that they hadn't seen from the very limited view they'd had. They found no one else and positioned themselves in the hallway, on either side of the opening to the living room. Not wanting to talk and give away their presence, Callen tapped twice on his earwig, the signal they always used to let the rest of the team know they were in position when running silent on an op.

Hearing the double tap, its meaning not lost on any of them, Granger kicked open the front door and yelled "NCIS! Drop your weapons, on the floor now!"

All four men turned, pulling out weapons and firing at Granger, who had jumped back out the door and taken safety off to the side. Sam and Callen came through the opening from the back of the house and shot the two hired guns, trying to keep McGonagle and Robinson alive for interrogation. Unfortunately, this gave the two men in question time to split up and run. Sam and Callen followed Robinson as he was closest to them, Granger taking McGonagle. They chased him through the house until they caught up with him in a side bedroom, trying to open a window that was painted shut. Callen entered the room, Sam covering his six, and said "Federal Agents! Drop your weapon!"

Robinson turned and looked at the two men facing him, weapons pointing at his head and decided he'd take a chance on Parks getting to him. He bent over and placed his gun on the floor and then raised his hands. "Turn around, hands behind your head!" said Callen. He complied and Callen holstered his gun and pulled out the zip tie cuffs. He roughly grabbed Robinson's right hand and pulled it down behind his back. He grabbed the left and did the same, pulling the ties tightly around the man's hands. He leaned in and whispered in the man's ear "I really wish you'd resisted arrest!" Taking another set of zip ties out, he pushed Robinson to the floor and tied him to the radiator. Leaving him secured, he and Sam went in search of Granger and McGonagle.

Granger chased McGonagle through the house, towards the back door. Trying to keep an eye on Granger, McGonagle didn't see kitchen goon lying on the floor and tripped over him, hitting his head. Granger approached him as he lay motionless on the floor, eyes closed. When he got close enough, he reached out a foot to pull the gun away from the fallen man's hand, McGonagle leaped up quickly and smashed him on the side of the head with thegun. Granger stumbled to his knees, his gun dropping from suddenly nerveless hands.

McGonagle stood up and pointed the gun at Granger's head. "I wish I had time to enjoy you as much as I did Detective Deeks, but I'm in somewhat of a hurry." He started to pull the trigger as Sam and Callen skidded through the door. A shot rang out and McGonagle looked down in surprise. A bright red spot showed on his shirt and began to spread. He looked up at the agents in front of him who were looking at him with as much surprise. He tried to raise his gun but had no strength. He slowly dropped to the ground, his eyes dulling.

Granger, Callen and Sam looked up from the dead man towards the back door to find Hetty standing there with the still smoking gun held in her hand. She smiled at their surprise and said "Well, we couldn't waste a perfectly good Assistant Director, now could we? We've just about got him trained. Wouldn't want to have to start over."

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A/N 3 - Focus will now turn to Deeks and getting him better. I've missed him!