NCIS Los Angeles s12e07 Episode Script
Overdue
1
AUTOMATED VOICE (OVER PHONE):
Ten cuidado. Los patos están heridos.
Ten cuidado.
Los patos están heridos.
"The ducks are wounded"?
I better not see
any wounded ducks in Cancún.
- (PHONE CHIMES)
- (SHOUTS)
Cool Ten points. Oh, um
- (GUNFIRE)
- (GASPS)
(MAN GRUNTS)
(PANTING)
(GUNFIRE)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(GASPING)
911.911.
- Good run, champ.
- (CHUCKLES)
You know, I got an idea.
Last time you said that, we
were dropped into Budapest
on Thanksgiving with nothing but
a headlamp and a roll of tape.
The headlamp was part
of the deluxe package.
Ooh, and I am thankful
for that to this day.
You're lucky I'm proud of you right now
or I'd make you run
another ten miles with me.
Oh, yeah. With you or ahead of you?
- 'Cause
- Mm.
You're funny.
- I get that from Mom.
- Mm.
And I get my desire
to Zen-fully celebrate
on the inside from you,
so can we change the subject?
Not a chance.
You just got accepted
into the Naval Academy.
That's a huge accomplishment.
Couldn't have done it
without your support.
- Hmm.
- Oh, and as a thank you,
I guess I'll let you tell me
about this idea of yours.
How about over spring break,
we go over to Annapolis,
do a few dry runs?
And here I thought Aspen with my friends
was gonna be my best offer.
You worked really hard for this.
I want you to be prepared.
June is a long way away. I've
got plenty of time to prepare.
- It'll be here before you know it.
- Dad.
(SIGHS)
It's been a really weird year.
Can we just take this
one step at a time?
(LAUGHS SOFTLY)
You're right. There's nothing wrong with
focusing on the present, right?
Speaking of, I've only got
a few days of winter break
- left with my friends
- Say no more.
You earned the right
to have a little fun.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Yeah, yeah.
I got an hour to kill before
I have to be back here.
You want a ride over to the boat?
That's okay. You can just drop
me in the center of El Segundo
with some duct tape.
I'll find my own way.
Yeah, why don't you find
your own way to pay for Aspen
- while you're at it?
- Ooh.
Ooh.
Got to go.
Mm, yeah. Deuces. Yeah.
(DOOR OPENS)
No, I can explain.
No need.
Look, I forgot I had
a standing meeting every Monday.
What, you couldn't call
and tell me that?
Well, it's not exactly standing
if you know what I mean.
- (LAUGHS)
- Okay, just stop, right there.
No, it was with woman. Zola.
- You'd like her.
- Okay, well,
you were supposed
to meet me here 40 minutes ago.
See, this is your exact problem:
Schedule, schedule,
schedule, schedule why?
When you give up time,
that's when you get
where you need to be.
Uh-huh. Who taught you that? Zola?
No.
Goop.
(SIGHS) Look, Arkady,
I really need to talk to you.
Then talk.
- Not over the phone.
- Why not?
Is my Anna okay?
Anna is fine.
Ah. Ah, then it's the Russians.
They finally took that jumpy
Urkel who mumbles in your ear.
(CHUCKLES)
His name is Eric, and he's fine, too.
Look, I just need you
to weigh in on something.
Text me where you'll be this afternoon.
I'll come to you.
How can I know?
I'm like great white.
I stop moving, I die.
Arkady, this is important. 3:00 p.m.
See, there you again with the schedules.
I promise you, it's going to kill you.
Yeah, well, so will that cigar
you're smoking right now.
DEEKS: Garfield, Arthur,
Cleveland, Harrison, Cleveland.
Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland,
Harrison, Cleveland.
Still trying to memorize presidents?
No, I've moved on to matchmaking
with Kat, Mindy, Mandy,
Tiffany and Tiffany.
- (LAUGHS)
- Mm.
I already told you that
presidential history
is not on your DCSA interview for FLETC.
How can you be so sure?
Uh, for one, I've actually,
you know, been through FLETC.
That sounds vaguely familiar.
And two, I don't think
law enforcement training
requires an intimate knowledge
of Zachary Taylor's death.
Contaminated cherries.
- Hmm?
- That's how he died.
Contaminated cherries, which, sidenote,
is also the name of the punk
band I started in college.
Yeah, you might not want
to talk about that today.
Why? I think it humanizes me.
Listen, babe, I've
already done my interview
with DCSA Agent Martinez yesterday,
and believe me, you have
nothing to worry about.
Okay? This is one last teeny-tiny hurdle
before you get through FLETC.
Okay, but why is my heart
beating so fast?
I feel like I'm having a heart attack.
In, like, real time. It doesn't matter.
You're fine you're right.
You're right. You are the
calm in my storm,
you are the wind in my sails.
You are the, uh
Apple of your eyesore?
It's so weird that you would say that.
Side-sidenote,
the Contaminated Cherries,
that was their greatest hit.
I know.
She didn't.
- She did.
- No!
Yes. Mama D sent me the whole album,
and it's wonderful.
You don't have to share that
with anyone,
especially not, you know, Sam.
'Cause I think that he would
I don't
- You should just bury it.
- Hey.
You're gonna do great today.
- I'm gonna be great.
- I promise.
Now let's go, because
I have to get to work
because I have a job.
Yeah, no, no. I definitely
realize I have no job.
ERIC: Her name was Moonbeam.
Or maybe it was Carol.
Either way, she was about five-foot-two,
lived in a yurt kissed with turquoise,
and I really thought that tea
she gave me was oolong.
Mr. Beale, get to the point.
The point. The point,
the point is, Agent Martinez
is that I saw God
on that mountaintop that morning,
and whether it was the tea
or my altitude sickness,
I'll never know.
But what I do know is this:
I could never live with myself
if I didn't tell you the truth.
I don't care about Moonbeam
or what kind of tea it was.
See, now I'm thinking it was,
like, a rooibos or something.
We're here to talk about your colleague.
(GASPS) Ah, yes, the whole reason
why you asked me to fly down here today.
I did suggest a Zoom call.
Well, I'm here now,
so let's-let's dive in.
I assume you
and Detective Deeks are close?
To answer that question, Agent Martinez,
I'm gonna have to ask you a question.
Mm-hmm.
Are you familiar
with a little app called Jervis?
Unfortunately, I'm not.
That's because it doesn't exist.
But I can explain.
Settle in.
So, what it is, right,
what it does, it's-it's-it's
Well, this one's just
filled with floppy disks.
ROUNTREE (SIGHS): Tell me again
why we're doing this.
Well, because most of
this stuff is archived
and Nell wants to make sure
it's all logged in
before we consolidate.
Or is it because Nell
wants to keep us busy?
I'm not following.
Think about it.
We're young, we're attractive,
we're elite, we are
A little full of ourselves?
But I'm not saying you're wrong.
We are in high demand.
Right? Out on the open market,
we would sell like hotcakes.
And, um, how do hotcakes sell, exactly?
I have no idea.
But I imagine that's
exactly how Nell wants it.
Or maybe she just wants us to clear room
for a new shredder bin.
You're probably right.
I fell asleep watching
that new cult documentary
you recommended last night.
Think it stuck with me.
Look, the only thing
that needs to stick with you
is that we are all happy
to have you here.
- (CHUCKLES)
- (TABLET BEEPS)
Oh, looks like we got a case.
Will you, uh, take these
floppy disks while I look into it?
Uh, yeah, sure, as long as you
tell me what a floppy disk is.
(LAUGHS) Yeah, right.
(CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY)
(CLEARS THROAT)
Here. See for yourself.
Uh
What is?
You can't play dominoes, Mr. Callen,
without making a few trips
to the boneyard.
Nailed it.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Oh. Hi.
I hope I'm not interrupting.
Oh, no, no. I was just, um,
practicing delivering hard truths.
An unfortunate part of the job.
That it is. So, what do you have?
Well, another unfortunate part
of the job. I just got an alert
that Personnelman First Class
Joel Bellamy
was found dead last night
outside a public library.
Shot twice in the back.
That's terrible.
- What do we know?
- Well, at this point, not much.
Bellamy was a reservist
at the Navy Medicine Operational
Training Center in San Diego,
and the rest of the time,
he worked nights
as a security guard at the library.
What about the crime scene?
Security footage?
The library's cameras were down,
and so far, we only have one witness.
It's possible that he saw someone
doing something they shouldn't.
You know, tried to intervene.
Things went south.
Personnelmen do have access
to sensitive files
on hundreds, if not thousands,
of officers and enlisted reservists.
Well, the witness did say
that Bellamy was chased
before he was shot.
Does feel more targeted.
And if this has something to do
with those highly sensitive files,
then it's gonna get
a lot more complicated.
Sorry about that.
Had to put out a fire. Literally.
Someone took a match to a Robert Frost.
Well, I guess that's one way
to take the road less traveled.
Really thought I'd seen it all
until last night.
Yeah, so, besides the fact
that this guy had a gun,
did anything else stick out about him?
It all happened so fast.
Yeah. Well, that's okay.
How about the van?
A dent? A scratch?
"Don't take it personal"?
- I won't?
- No.
That's what it said
on the license plate holder. Um,
I'm sorry I don't have more.
It's something.
Look, I'm gonna take a look around.
If you think of anything else,
just find me.
Oh, um, if you get hungry,
there's a grilled cheese truck
around back.
It's really gotten me through
some hard times. (CHUCKLES)
How often is that truck here?
Oh, pretty much daily.
They park here overnight.
MARTINEZ: Sorry to keep you waiting.
No need to apologize.
I'll take the silence when I can get it.
It's an honor to meet you, Agent Hanna.
Your reputation precedes you.
As of today,
it just may succeed me, too.
Oh. I won't let you retire.
You're far too young.
And you're far too kind,
but I was talking about my daughter.
Just found out she got in
the Naval Academy.
(SIGHS)
Congratulations.
You taught her well, I see.
I wish I could take the credit.
She did it all on her own.
I'll be certain to keep
an eye out for her.
Thank you.
But in the meantime, we should
probably get to the matter at hand.
Oh, we were having such a nice time.
All right. Where you want to start?
How about the beginning?
Why don't you tell me
about your first impression
of Detective Deeks.
I hated him so much, I had to punch him.
In the face.
A few times.
You can quote me on that.
But instead of "hate,"
let's go with "despised."
Uh (CLEARS THROAT)
Okay.
Oh. Eric, what are you, uh
what are you doing here?
Since I was in town, I thought
I'd personally stop by,
make sure my new version of
Kaleidoscope is fully operational.
It's part of the white-glove
service we provide.
You're really bored
without us, aren't you?
- It's very lonely at the top.
- Mm.
Oh, hey, how did your interview
with Agent Martinez go?
Oof, exhausting. That thing took longer
than all seven seasons
of The Gilmore Girls.
- (LAUGHS)
- NELL: Ah, finally.
Someone who knows how I like my sitreps.
(CHUCKLES) Unfortunately,
no time for pleasantries.
- I have an update for Kensi.
- Shoot.
So, we got permission to access
Bellamy's bank statements,
and they indicate a bit
of a gambling problem.
His credit cards were used
almost every day at Hollywood Park.
Well, I guess that tracks.
I mean, his landlord said
that he was kicked out
of his apartment a few months ago.
Rountree's been trying to find
out where he's staying ever since.
- Hmm.
- (TABLET BEEPS)
- I remember that sound.
- Ooh.
I remember that look.
Okay, so Fatima just found
an encrypted file
on Bellamy's phone.
It contains the names
of over 100 reservists.
Well, either he had the unfortunate
job of throwing an office party
NELL (CHUCKLES): Yeah.
Or he was planning
on selling these names
and paying off his gambling debts.
The only way we're gonna
find out is if we isolate
each one of those names,
cross-reference it with
That's what
I'm gonna pop over to the server room,
check in on the new Kaleidoscope.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Hey, Eric, um, if you get done early
and you want to go give Fatima
a hand at the knobs,
I'm sure she wouldn't mind.
You know, if you're bored, that is.
If you're bored. (CHUCKLES)
If I'm bored.
- Yeah.
- Of course.
(CHUCKLES)
(BUTTONS BEEPING)
- How long you been out here?
- What? No.
I-I ju I literally just
I walked in right now.
So you haven't been trying
to watch my interview?
What? You were doing an inter
I didn't even know that.
I wouldn't do that.
Camera's off.
The cameras are off.
Agent Martinez had 'em shut down.
(SIGHS) Like an underage kegger.
Mm. You okay?
- Yeah. Mm-hmm.
- You, uh,
- look a little pasty.
- Pasty?
Yeah, no, that's just my, uh,
Central Coast Viking heritage in me.
- Deeks.
- What?
Speak.
Okay. Uh, you know how we go out
every single day
and we have a plan, right?
- Mm-hmm.
- And if that plan
doesn't work out, it's fine,
because we have a backup plan.
- Mm-hmm.
- And that's how we do it.
That's how we stay protected.
- It's how we survive.
- Right.
- Yeah.
- Right, well, in real life,
I don't have a backup plan.
Right, I have all my eggs
in this basket, so the reason
I'm out here is because I'm nervous,
and I'm nervous because this
listen, man,
this has to work out for me.
- Deeks, I'm gonna tell you something.
- Okay.
And I'm only gonna say this
one time, so listen closely.
I've waited my whole entire life
to join the Sam's Club, so
You're good at what you do.
You have instincts.
You have the guts to follow them.
If you keep following your gut,
you won't need a backup plan.
That's good. Thank you for that.
Uh, just one more thing real quick.
- D, don't ruin this.
- Yeah, no, I just
I mean, I know that you said
that you're only gonna
say this that once,
but that's in addition
to having just said it
to Agent Martinez, right?
- I'm leaving.
- No, no, no, no, no.
I just feel like that's the kind
of solid gold
that belongs on the record.
- (CHUCKLING)
- Did you tell her that?
Because that seems like
it would be important.
- (GRUNTS)
- (DOOR CLOSES)
Cleanup on aisle two.
Oh. I was just on my way to you.
Oh, yeah? What do you got?
Well, besides 15 paper cuts
and a possible dust allergy
(CHUCKLES)
Well, why don't you take a break
and, uh, catch me up to speed.
I just hung up with LAPD.
Turns out Bellamy
has been living in an RV
ever since he got evicted
from his apartment.
It's been ticketed all over the city
but recently got a boot
in a vacant lot in Burbank.
Interesting.
Well, Sam just finished up his
interview with Agent Martinez.
Why don't you have him meet you
down at the RV, see if you can find
any explanation as to why Bellamy had
the encrypted list of names
on his phone in the first place.
Copy that. I'll keep you posted.
Great. Oh, and, uh, Rountree,
you be careful.
I hear there may be
a lot of dust out there.
(LAUGHS)
Yeah. Good one, Nell.
FATIMA (OVER PHONE): Hey,
I got the footage you uploaded.
I thought the library's
cameras were down.
They were. I got it from
a food truck around the corner.
Guy had been held up three times
in as many months,
so he got himself some cameras.
Nice find.
The quality isn't great,
but I cleaned it up the best I could,
and you're gonna want to see this.
(SIGHS)
CALLEN: And here we go.
You know how that ends.
CALLEN: Oh, yeah.
So our dead guy Bellamy, he had access
to reservists' files
from across the country?
Which could include information
on their classified assignments,
civilian jobs, families.
The list goes on and on.
And he's also a gambling addict
who is swimming in debt,
so he's desperate.
Could've sold that intel
for a pretty hefty sum.
Well, that would explain
the list of names on his phone.
So he takes the names,
puts an offer online, gets a bite.
Reservists also work for universities,
government contract firms,
think tanks all across the country.
There's no telling how many
people he may have put at risk.
Or how many are after them.
We need to figure out if any of
his intel is inside that envelope.
And if it is,
who the hell has it now.
Eric, what a pleasant surprise.
Pleasant?
I'm flattered. Surprised, I think not.
You're right. I saw you ride in.
Hope it's okay if I help out
a little bit today.
Well, of course.
I mean, at least I think so.
You do still work here, right?
Technically, sort of.
Uh, but I also work for myself.
And then there's
my contract with the DoD,
so I guess I work for them, too,
which, duh, begs the question,
is my nonprofit work even actually work?
You know, 'cause it feels
like it's just charity
Never mind. It's great to have you back.
Catch me up to speed.
Okay, so Callen found this footage
outside the library,
which caught Bellamy
making some sort of exchange.
Do you think it's possible
it has something to do
with the list of names that
you found on his phone?
I think it's more than possible.
Get this.
So I found this ad that Bellamy
posted on the dark web.
Now, it doesn't list
any names, but it's clear
that he's offering to sell
his sensitive info.
Mm. Nice work.
- I learned from the best.
- Mm.
I'm surprised Nell let you out.
Especially in that again.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah, well, she
said this time, if I break it, I buy it.
I think she was serious.
Hetty handed off a pretty strict baton.
Yeah, tell me about it.
I was knee-deep in a box
of wardrobe receipts before I left.
- Mm.
- Speaking of, if I'd have known
Hetty would've sprung for Tom Ford,
I would've joined NCIS a lot sooner.
Let's focus on this case,
so you can hang around a lot longer.
(LAUGHS) Good idea.
So, Fatima discovered
that Bellamy was selling
a list of names and locations
of reservists for a fee.
Iran, Russia, North Korea.
They constantly hack our
database to get that kind of access.
I saw it a lot in the FBI.
It's responsible for over $350 million
in identity theft alone.
Something tells me identity
theft is the least of our worries.
Callen, we have problem.
I knew this wasn't gonna be easy.
I have important business just come up.
Everything okay?
It's Vladlena. She's in trouble.
What kind of trouble?
Do you remember her brother?
Abram Sokolov. But he's dead.
Da, but he had ex-wife, Nadya.
She's even more dangerous.
What, she's after Vladlena?
No. She's dead, too.
But she put curse on Vladlena
that her bounty would not prosper.
Now Vladlena has bar,
and it does not prosper.
So you have to help her.
I'm going to help her bar prosper.
Can we talk tonight?
Well, that depends on if
you're gonna cancel again.
No, I will come to you.
And, Callen,
if this is about a kidney,
you can have one of mine, no problem.
Oh, I think there'd be
plenty of problems with that.
Good luck with Vladlena.
(CHUCKLES)
It'd be problem if it might be my liver.
(LAUGHS)
(HANGS UP)
I got nothing out here.
Got a set of spare keys.
That's about it.
Yeah, well, he must not have been
too concerned with somebody
driving off in this thing. (CHUCKLES)
- You ever ride in one of these?
- Oh.
Every year when I was a kid.
(LAUGHS) I can't see it.
It was a different time.
No, no, I-I can't see you as a kid.
I mean, you must have
crushed at tag literally.
(CHUCKLES)
So, where'd you guys go?
We had family in Ohio,
so my father insisted
that we drive there to visit every year.
Why not just fly?
My dad said, "If you want
to serve this country,
you need to appreciate every inch."
I like that. That-that sounds fun.
There's nothing fun
about eating canned beans
and watching a VHS copy of Taps
every night
for two weeks straight.
(LAUGHS)
Maybe it was more so about
the life lessons, you know?
Yeah, well, I learned
a couple of things.
One: Always call your bed first.
Hmm.
Then two
(LAUGHS)
Always keep your valuables hidden.
I could've never learned that
in the office.
No, you couldn't have.
What are they?
SAM: Let's see.
Military files.
For over 20 different people.
Well, Bellamy's list had
over a hundred names on it.
These are all high-ranking officers.
He must have narrowed it down to
the people with the most value.
Hopefully, Fatima and Eric can
use these files to do the same.
Hopefully.
I needed a change of scenery.
- Please.
- Oh.
Okay, great. Yeah, no.
That's a good i Good idea.
So, how, uh Just out of curiosity
How does this, uh, how does this work?
Um, I put two minutes on the clock
Okay.
and you write down the name of
every president, and how they died.
I'm kidding, Detective Deeks.
- (CHUCKLES)
- Wow.
Did not see that coming.
- Touché. Wow. Well played.
- (CHUCKLES)
Having met some of the people
you surround yourself with
over these past few days,
I gathered you might appreciate
- a little humor.
- Yeah.
No, I'm-I'm very lucky to have them.
You should probably call
and tell your mother that
- more often.
- Oh, God, what did she say?
I'm not at liberty to share.
That's fine.
I'm sure it's all up on her
YouTube channel by now anyway.
I've asked her to take it down.
Good. I should just go, then, right?
- I should see myself out?
- And miss all the fun?
Relax, Detective Deeks.
This first part should be easy.
Yeah.
I just need to hear about you
in your own words.
- Just about me in my own words.
- Mm-hmm.
Okay. Yeah, I can do that.
Um, my name is, uh,
Martin Atticus Deeks.
Uh, Martin to my mom,
Atticus to nobody,
uh, and Deeks to my friends.
You're one of the more, uh
(CLEARS THROAT)
Seasoned applicants I've seen.
Yeah, you can, uh,
you can just say "old."
Everybody else does.
(CHUCKLES) Why don't you tell me
about your life before NCIS.
Yeah. No, of course.
Uh, before, I was, um, uh, a lawyer,
which seems like a lifetime ago.
What made you get into law?
Um, that's a great question.
Uh, growing up, I saw, um,
a lot of injustice.
I saw a lot of things
that weren't right.
You wanted to fix them.
Turns out there's a few more questions
on the California bar
I had to answer first.
Hmm.
We have any leads?
Yes. Uh, Fatima and Eric
managed to get in touch
with all the names that were
on the files that Sam found
except for one,
Lieutenant Commander Natalie Chan.
Also a reservist.
Yeah, she's a Navy research
psychologist. She was born in China.
Her parents moved to the
U.S. when she was five,
and she now runs a private practice
out of her home in Van Nuys.
Any connection to Bellamy?
Eric's still trying to find one.
Well, I suppose they could've
crossed paths at Pendleton.
Well, if that's true,
it may be where he learned
that she was also working with DARPA.
If he knew that Dr. Chan was
involved with defense research,
it would explain
why he was focusing in on her.
- Mm.
- Do we know what she was working on?
No. But Sam and Rountree
are on their way
to her house now to find out.
Hopefully, they get there soon enough.
(ENGINE STOPS)
Yo, you should, uh, write a book
about your time in the RV.
That's never gonna happen.
(CHUCKLES) Come on, man.
What about a podcast?
That's never gonna happen, either.
- You seeing what I'm seeing?
- ROUNTREE: Yeah.
Excuse me!
Yo! Federal agents!
(PANTING)
(GRUNTS)
(GRUNTING)
That's a bad idea.
(GRUNTING)
(ROUNTREE CHUCKLES)
Yo, I was right. You do crush at tag.
Suit yourself.
Stay put.
My guy's not talking.
What a surprise. Neither is mine.
Fatima hasn't been able
to locate Dr. Chan.
Nobody's seen her or talked
to her since last night.
Inside of the house is ransacked.
There's no sign of forced entry.
Yeah. They had house keys.
Found them on my friend here.
So you think she was kidnapped?
Starting to look that way.
And I think these two
might have been trying to find this.
Laptop. Hard drives.
If this has anything to do with her
work with DARPA,
they're hoping she
brings it home with her.
Something tells me
she's too smart for that.
We need to figure out what
they want her for and why.
We need to do it fast.
MARTINEZ: I talked to some of
your former colleagues at LAPD.
You don't seem to have
a lot of fans down there.
Yeah, well, you know,
you can't be
everybody's cup of tea, right?
No shortage of tea references
around these parts.
There's a reason
we work so well together.
Is there a reason why you
didn't work so well with LAPD?
As a former lawyer,
I know when you're leading a witness.
You can just ask the question.
The internal affairs investigation.
And there it is.
Dead partner.
Missing informant.
It's a complicated file,
but the one clear
through line is that you
did not look good in any of it.
I'm sorry, I didn't I didn't
hear the question in there.
Your LAPD files don't make
you out to be a team player.
Do you have any regrets about that?
- I'll rephrase that.
- No, you don't have to.
I, uh
spoke out against a partner
and a significant portion
of that department
that was rotten to the core.
And in turn, they retaliated against me.
So, do I have regrets about that?
Absolutely. Yeah, I'm lousy with them.
But not because of
the punishment or the backlash.
My only regret is,
I didn't speak out sooner,
louder and more often.
I'd say that answers that.
Agent Martinez,
the world can be an ugly place.
And you can trust me when I say
that I have seen
the absolute worst of it.
And my greatest fear,
the thing that scares me the most
is not being able to fight to fix it.
And I've thought a lot
about this. I've thought a lot
about NCIS over the last year,
and I think it's true.
I think sometimes you got
to lose something to love it.
But this is more than a job to me.
This is more than an occupation.
This is about purpose.
'Cause the world's always
gonna have that dark side,
but at least here, I get to get up
every single day with a team
that I love and respect
and go out and do everything
we can to shine some light in.
So, if you need to write anything down,
it's that I will do everything
that I can to keep doing that.
This feels like a good time for a break.
(BEEPS)
Dr. Mooring?
Hi. Thank you
for meeting me here. I appreciate it.
Oh, and please, uh, call me Rocket.
- Rocket.
- It's a nickname.
Ah. Yes, I gathered. Why Rocket?
'Cause you don't want to mess
with a guy named Rocket.
That makes sense.
Also, I have a doctorate in aeronautics.
That makes a lot more sense.
Uh, so, you and Dr. Chan
were working closely with DARPA, right?
Um, can you tell me what
you were working on?
Are you familiar with neurotechnology?
I believe it allows the
brain to communicate
with external devices?
Yeah, through an exchange of signals.
Soon, you'll be sending an emoji
just by thinking it.
But the possibilities are endless.
Natalie and I were using that
same brain-computer interface
for an emerging nonsurgical therapy
to help soldiers with PTSD.
Wow. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
World needs a lot more people
like you and Dr. Chan.
Do you know of anybody else
who was working
on some similar technology?
Uh, foreign governments,
private contractors, universities.
We're all racing
to gain technological supremacy,
but we're at the forefront.
That may explain why somebody
was after Dr. Chan.
She's integral to the whole operation.
Natalie's an immense talent.
She's my colleague, but
she's also my friend.
You're gonna find her,
right?
We're doing everything we can.
Okay?
Get this.
"Don't take it personal. Take it home."
Well, well, well. I should have known.
You swept in here like a
little millennial mouse,
quiet, calculated, succinct,
waiting for the day that
you could take over Ops
- and send me away for good.
- What?
No, Eric, that's the slogan
for Fast Frank's Used Car Dealership.
ERIC: Oh, well,
in that case, yes, of course. Um
(CLEARS THROAT) Please scratch
that last bit from the record
- and continue.
- Okay.
Fast Frank,
who actually talks quite slowly,
has sold six vans in
the last two months.
I'm searching for them as we speak.
Hmm. Nice work.
And very succinct. Speaking of which,
I traced the e-mails that
interacted with Bellamy's online post.
- And?
- And, uh,
two were college students from
Germany who got cold feet,
one was a single mother from Calgary
with a rogue ten-year-old,
and the last one
was (CLEARS THROAT)
Kelsey Miller, who rented an apartment
to
Jimmy Fang.
And who is Jimmy Fang?
No, I have no idea,
but he did enter the country
with David Lao,
aka the man that Rountree and
Sam currently have in custody.
Okay, you could've just skipped
to the David Lao part.
Oh. You're new here.
You'll learn how things work.
Always bury the lede
for dramatic effect.
(CLICKS TONGUE)
Hmm. Noted.
Yeah.
FATIMA: Lao and Fang are
Chinese nationals.
ERIC: Who entered L.A. from
China just shy of a month ago.
Which times out almost exactly
with when Bellamy posted his ad.
NELL: Please tell me you have something.
I'm getting an awful lot of heat
from DARPA and NMOTC.
And it's just a matter of time before
the rest of the acronyms join in.
Mm-hmm. So, Kensi said Dr. Chan
was working on some emerging therapy
for PTSD?
And Fang and Lao
were presumably sent here
from China to go after it.
So, let me get this straight.
China wants Dr. Chan
to turn over our technology
because they're concerned with
the mental health of their soldiers?
Yeah, that doesn't sound
like something they would do.
That's because it's not.
Dr. Chan does primarily focus
on mental health, but
DARPA said that her technology
could be used across multiple arenas.
Like the battlefield.
Cyber defense mechanisms.
Intelligence gathering.
The use of unmanned systems
could transform warfare as we know it.
Mm. I feel like I'm living
in a sci-fi movie
Eric used to make me watch.
Well, if China gets their hands
on Dr. Chan's technology,
we'll be there sooner than you think.
And it's truly terrifying.
Well, so is the fact that David Lao
may be our only chance
at finding her alive.
Got it.
I don't have to talk to you.
You're right. You can call your lawyer.
(SCOFFS) Don't need a lawyer.
My country will come for me.
(SCOFFS) That's where
you got this all wrong, man.
You're just a cog in the machine.
You've served your purpose.
Now you'll spend life
in an American prison.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
All right? You can turn this
around right here, right now.
My allegiance is to my country.
Look, man,
you've been brainwashed to believe that.
They don't care about you.
We can help you.
Doesn't matter.
You're too late.
We're not.
If you tell us where Dr. Chan is,
we still have time to save you both.
It's your call.
Think it over.
China's been running a global
kidnapping campaign for years.
I mean, they snatch up doctors,
lawyers, professors.
They find out
she's developing a technology
that could transform
their military landscape,
so they force her
back into the country
to get her to develop it for them.
And the people that China kidnaps
are never seen or heard from again.
Meaning if they
get out of the country
Dr. Chan's a ghost.
Eric, where are we?
In a purgatory of our own making.
I mean, with finding Dr. Chan.
Oh, right. Sorry.
Still not used to you being in charge.
Yeah, me either, so just go with it.
Uh, Kaleidoscope's AI has zeroed
in on transportation hubs.
Searching a five-mile radius
of private airfields, ports,
border crossings.
Good. Because they're gonna try
to get her out of here
come hell or high water.
FATIMA: Looks more like high altitude.
I just got a hit on the van from
the library.
It pulled into Whiteman Airport
ten minutes ago.
Well, you can't fly to China
from Whiteman.
No, but you can fly off U.S.
soil and change planes after.
All right, alert TSA, DOT, ATC.
You tell them to figure out
where these guys are, and
by all means necessary, stall.
Do not let that plane take off.
All right, Eric, contact Callen and Sam,
tell them to get the team to Whiteman.
We do not have long before
these guys are on to us.
- Yes, ma'am.
- No ma'am.
Never ma'am.
Felt wrong from the get-go.
Yeah.
I hear you're writing a book.
Don't start.
Sam and the Art of RV Maintenance.
It's got a nice ring to it.
Rountree,
I'm gonna destroy you.
Sam, I-I-I swear, I only told Eric.
KENSI: Oof. That was a mistake.
It is a good starting point
for your podcast, though.
Anybody got eyes on Dr. Chan?
KENSI: I see the van.
Two guys inside the hangar.
No sign of Dr. Chan.
I see a room on the north side.
Maybe they're holding her there.
Yeah, but no telling how many
guys are in there with her.
How do you want to play this?
We start shooting, they could react,
take out Chan in the process.
Then let's not let 'em react.
Get in positions. Wait for our go.
KENSI: Copy that.
SAM: Go.
(GRUNTING)
(GRUNTS)
Hey!
Dr. Chan, are you okay?
(PANTING): I think so. Thank you.
(PANTING): I got Dr. Chan. She's alive.
Thanks.
That is one brave woman.
She's Navy.
- I'd expect nothing less.
- Mm-hmm.
LAPD ID'd the rest of the men inside.
None of them were
Lao's accomplice Jimmy Fang.
That means he's in the wind.
Right, but for now he's empty-handed.
Dr. Chan was able to
keep quiet until we got here.
Because of her,
DARPA's classified technology
will manage to stay that way.
Well, speaking of which, I, for one,
was not looking forward to
having to fight bionic soldiers.
You planning on going somewhere?
Well, I think we'll
hopefully be retired by then.
Speak for yourself.
I was told I'm far too young.
Uh-huh. Well, somewhere
there is a VHS copy of Taps
that would beg to differ.
(CHUCKLES)
SAM: Rountree.
(CHUCKLES) No worries.
We'll watch it together.
(SAM CHUCKLES)
Okay. Okay. Okay.
Wait, so that's that's it?
Wasn't so bad, was it?
(EXHALES) Feels like you're more
of an authority on that one.
Detective Deeks,
I've been through a
lot of these interviews.
I can't tell you
how this is gonna play out.
No. Of course. I'm sorry.
But I can tell you this.
Not many people can take an
objectively bad first impression
and still come out
with the respect of those at
the highest ranks of their team.
Yeah, I've been told
I come in a little hot.
Even fewer would invest
in their friend's
business endeavors one time,
let alone seven,
especially when said friend
is so, uh
Skulduggerous.
The word you're looking for is
"skulduggerous."
And just for the record, it was eight.
Most importantly
it's exceedingly rare to find someone
who's willing to speak out
against what is wrong
no matter what the consequences.
But as I was saying,
it would be highly unethical
for me to tell you how you did.
Of course.
So I'll just leave it at this:
It was a pleasure meeting you
Deeks.
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
(RELIEVED EXHALE)
(KNOCK AT DOOR)
You want a drink?
Does Alla Pugacheva know
her way around an altar?
I have no idea.
Russian pop star?
Married five times.
I brought vodka.
(CHUCKLES)
So
this is, uh
where you live with my Anna?
For now.
This is nice place.
Communist bloc chic.
(CHUCKLES)
Have you talked to Anna recently?
With COVID and fires she is very busy.
The world would be lost without her.
At this point, I think I might be, too.
You have become soft, old boy.
I have become aware
of how much I miss her
when she's not here.
She means a lot to me,
and I think it's something
you and I need to talk about.
What is there to talk about?
You hurt her,
I hire someone to kill you.
(CHUCKLES)
She's your daughter?
Da.
And, uh
is she happy?
I like to think she is.
Then that's all that matters. You,
me, Anna,
- we are all the same.
- I'd like to think we're not.
You work because there is no work.
Right now you are good.
When you are not, you are not.
Ne need to complicate things.
It's not as if either of you
are the marrying kind.
(CHUCKLES)
Can you imagine?
You'd have to call me Papa.
(LAUGHS)
That is something I (CLEARS THROAT)
Cannot imagine. (SIGHS)
Enough about my daughter.
You want to talk
about something serious.
Right.
We're looking into a man
I believe he was former KGB
Ivan Lebedov.
No, never heard of him.
Do you want me to ask around?
No, not yet. Uh, just something
I needed to run by you.
Say no more. I will keep my ears as open
as Alla Pugacheva's heart.
(CHUCKLES)
Pretty big fan, huh?
And soon you will be, too.
Drink up.
Mm
(EXERCISING VOCAL CORDS):
Muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-
muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-
muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-
muh-muh-muh-muh-muh.
Muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-
muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh
(SNIFFING, EXHALING)
Okay, I'm singing now.
(CHUCKLES)
(DRINK POURING)
AUTOMATED VOICE (OVER PHONE):
Ten cuidado. Los patos están heridos.
Ten cuidado.
Los patos están heridos.
"The ducks are wounded"?
I better not see
any wounded ducks in Cancún.
- (PHONE CHIMES)
- (SHOUTS)
Cool Ten points. Oh, um
- (GUNFIRE)
- (GASPS)
(MAN GRUNTS)
(PANTING)
(GUNFIRE)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(GASPING)
911.911.
- Good run, champ.
- (CHUCKLES)
You know, I got an idea.
Last time you said that, we
were dropped into Budapest
on Thanksgiving with nothing but
a headlamp and a roll of tape.
The headlamp was part
of the deluxe package.
Ooh, and I am thankful
for that to this day.
You're lucky I'm proud of you right now
or I'd make you run
another ten miles with me.
Oh, yeah. With you or ahead of you?
- 'Cause
- Mm.
You're funny.
- I get that from Mom.
- Mm.
And I get my desire
to Zen-fully celebrate
on the inside from you,
so can we change the subject?
Not a chance.
You just got accepted
into the Naval Academy.
That's a huge accomplishment.
Couldn't have done it
without your support.
- Hmm.
- Oh, and as a thank you,
I guess I'll let you tell me
about this idea of yours.
How about over spring break,
we go over to Annapolis,
do a few dry runs?
And here I thought Aspen with my friends
was gonna be my best offer.
You worked really hard for this.
I want you to be prepared.
June is a long way away. I've
got plenty of time to prepare.
- It'll be here before you know it.
- Dad.
(SIGHS)
It's been a really weird year.
Can we just take this
one step at a time?
(LAUGHS SOFTLY)
You're right. There's nothing wrong with
focusing on the present, right?
Speaking of, I've only got
a few days of winter break
- left with my friends
- Say no more.
You earned the right
to have a little fun.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Yeah, yeah.
I got an hour to kill before
I have to be back here.
You want a ride over to the boat?
That's okay. You can just drop
me in the center of El Segundo
with some duct tape.
I'll find my own way.
Yeah, why don't you find
your own way to pay for Aspen
- while you're at it?
- Ooh.
Ooh.
Got to go.
Mm, yeah. Deuces. Yeah.
(DOOR OPENS)
No, I can explain.
No need.
Look, I forgot I had
a standing meeting every Monday.
What, you couldn't call
and tell me that?
Well, it's not exactly standing
if you know what I mean.
- (LAUGHS)
- Okay, just stop, right there.
No, it was with woman. Zola.
- You'd like her.
- Okay, well,
you were supposed
to meet me here 40 minutes ago.
See, this is your exact problem:
Schedule, schedule,
schedule, schedule why?
When you give up time,
that's when you get
where you need to be.
Uh-huh. Who taught you that? Zola?
No.
Goop.
(SIGHS) Look, Arkady,
I really need to talk to you.
Then talk.
- Not over the phone.
- Why not?
Is my Anna okay?
Anna is fine.
Ah. Ah, then it's the Russians.
They finally took that jumpy
Urkel who mumbles in your ear.
(CHUCKLES)
His name is Eric, and he's fine, too.
Look, I just need you
to weigh in on something.
Text me where you'll be this afternoon.
I'll come to you.
How can I know?
I'm like great white.
I stop moving, I die.
Arkady, this is important. 3:00 p.m.
See, there you again with the schedules.
I promise you, it's going to kill you.
Yeah, well, so will that cigar
you're smoking right now.
DEEKS: Garfield, Arthur,
Cleveland, Harrison, Cleveland.
Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland,
Harrison, Cleveland.
Still trying to memorize presidents?
No, I've moved on to matchmaking
with Kat, Mindy, Mandy,
Tiffany and Tiffany.
- (LAUGHS)
- Mm.
I already told you that
presidential history
is not on your DCSA interview for FLETC.
How can you be so sure?
Uh, for one, I've actually,
you know, been through FLETC.
That sounds vaguely familiar.
And two, I don't think
law enforcement training
requires an intimate knowledge
of Zachary Taylor's death.
Contaminated cherries.
- Hmm?
- That's how he died.
Contaminated cherries, which, sidenote,
is also the name of the punk
band I started in college.
Yeah, you might not want
to talk about that today.
Why? I think it humanizes me.
Listen, babe, I've
already done my interview
with DCSA Agent Martinez yesterday,
and believe me, you have
nothing to worry about.
Okay? This is one last teeny-tiny hurdle
before you get through FLETC.
Okay, but why is my heart
beating so fast?
I feel like I'm having a heart attack.
In, like, real time. It doesn't matter.
You're fine you're right.
You're right. You are the
calm in my storm,
you are the wind in my sails.
You are the, uh
Apple of your eyesore?
It's so weird that you would say that.
Side-sidenote,
the Contaminated Cherries,
that was their greatest hit.
I know.
She didn't.
- She did.
- No!
Yes. Mama D sent me the whole album,
and it's wonderful.
You don't have to share that
with anyone,
especially not, you know, Sam.
'Cause I think that he would
I don't
- You should just bury it.
- Hey.
You're gonna do great today.
- I'm gonna be great.
- I promise.
Now let's go, because
I have to get to work
because I have a job.
Yeah, no, no. I definitely
realize I have no job.
ERIC: Her name was Moonbeam.
Or maybe it was Carol.
Either way, she was about five-foot-two,
lived in a yurt kissed with turquoise,
and I really thought that tea
she gave me was oolong.
Mr. Beale, get to the point.
The point. The point,
the point is, Agent Martinez
is that I saw God
on that mountaintop that morning,
and whether it was the tea
or my altitude sickness,
I'll never know.
But what I do know is this:
I could never live with myself
if I didn't tell you the truth.
I don't care about Moonbeam
or what kind of tea it was.
See, now I'm thinking it was,
like, a rooibos or something.
We're here to talk about your colleague.
(GASPS) Ah, yes, the whole reason
why you asked me to fly down here today.
I did suggest a Zoom call.
Well, I'm here now,
so let's-let's dive in.
I assume you
and Detective Deeks are close?
To answer that question, Agent Martinez,
I'm gonna have to ask you a question.
Mm-hmm.
Are you familiar
with a little app called Jervis?
Unfortunately, I'm not.
That's because it doesn't exist.
But I can explain.
Settle in.
So, what it is, right,
what it does, it's-it's-it's
Well, this one's just
filled with floppy disks.
ROUNTREE (SIGHS): Tell me again
why we're doing this.
Well, because most of
this stuff is archived
and Nell wants to make sure
it's all logged in
before we consolidate.
Or is it because Nell
wants to keep us busy?
I'm not following.
Think about it.
We're young, we're attractive,
we're elite, we are
A little full of ourselves?
But I'm not saying you're wrong.
We are in high demand.
Right? Out on the open market,
we would sell like hotcakes.
And, um, how do hotcakes sell, exactly?
I have no idea.
But I imagine that's
exactly how Nell wants it.
Or maybe she just wants us to clear room
for a new shredder bin.
You're probably right.
I fell asleep watching
that new cult documentary
you recommended last night.
Think it stuck with me.
Look, the only thing
that needs to stick with you
is that we are all happy
to have you here.
- (CHUCKLES)
- (TABLET BEEPS)
Oh, looks like we got a case.
Will you, uh, take these
floppy disks while I look into it?
Uh, yeah, sure, as long as you
tell me what a floppy disk is.
(LAUGHS) Yeah, right.
(CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY)
(CLEARS THROAT)
Here. See for yourself.
Uh
What is?
You can't play dominoes, Mr. Callen,
without making a few trips
to the boneyard.
Nailed it.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Oh. Hi.
I hope I'm not interrupting.
Oh, no, no. I was just, um,
practicing delivering hard truths.
An unfortunate part of the job.
That it is. So, what do you have?
Well, another unfortunate part
of the job. I just got an alert
that Personnelman First Class
Joel Bellamy
was found dead last night
outside a public library.
Shot twice in the back.
That's terrible.
- What do we know?
- Well, at this point, not much.
Bellamy was a reservist
at the Navy Medicine Operational
Training Center in San Diego,
and the rest of the time,
he worked nights
as a security guard at the library.
What about the crime scene?
Security footage?
The library's cameras were down,
and so far, we only have one witness.
It's possible that he saw someone
doing something they shouldn't.
You know, tried to intervene.
Things went south.
Personnelmen do have access
to sensitive files
on hundreds, if not thousands,
of officers and enlisted reservists.
Well, the witness did say
that Bellamy was chased
before he was shot.
Does feel more targeted.
And if this has something to do
with those highly sensitive files,
then it's gonna get
a lot more complicated.
Sorry about that.
Had to put out a fire. Literally.
Someone took a match to a Robert Frost.
Well, I guess that's one way
to take the road less traveled.
Really thought I'd seen it all
until last night.
Yeah, so, besides the fact
that this guy had a gun,
did anything else stick out about him?
It all happened so fast.
Yeah. Well, that's okay.
How about the van?
A dent? A scratch?
"Don't take it personal"?
- I won't?
- No.
That's what it said
on the license plate holder. Um,
I'm sorry I don't have more.
It's something.
Look, I'm gonna take a look around.
If you think of anything else,
just find me.
Oh, um, if you get hungry,
there's a grilled cheese truck
around back.
It's really gotten me through
some hard times. (CHUCKLES)
How often is that truck here?
Oh, pretty much daily.
They park here overnight.
MARTINEZ: Sorry to keep you waiting.
No need to apologize.
I'll take the silence when I can get it.
It's an honor to meet you, Agent Hanna.
Your reputation precedes you.
As of today,
it just may succeed me, too.
Oh. I won't let you retire.
You're far too young.
And you're far too kind,
but I was talking about my daughter.
Just found out she got in
the Naval Academy.
(SIGHS)
Congratulations.
You taught her well, I see.
I wish I could take the credit.
She did it all on her own.
I'll be certain to keep
an eye out for her.
Thank you.
But in the meantime, we should
probably get to the matter at hand.
Oh, we were having such a nice time.
All right. Where you want to start?
How about the beginning?
Why don't you tell me
about your first impression
of Detective Deeks.
I hated him so much, I had to punch him.
In the face.
A few times.
You can quote me on that.
But instead of "hate,"
let's go with "despised."
Uh (CLEARS THROAT)
Okay.
Oh. Eric, what are you, uh
what are you doing here?
Since I was in town, I thought
I'd personally stop by,
make sure my new version of
Kaleidoscope is fully operational.
It's part of the white-glove
service we provide.
You're really bored
without us, aren't you?
- It's very lonely at the top.
- Mm.
Oh, hey, how did your interview
with Agent Martinez go?
Oof, exhausting. That thing took longer
than all seven seasons
of The Gilmore Girls.
- (LAUGHS)
- NELL: Ah, finally.
Someone who knows how I like my sitreps.
(CHUCKLES) Unfortunately,
no time for pleasantries.
- I have an update for Kensi.
- Shoot.
So, we got permission to access
Bellamy's bank statements,
and they indicate a bit
of a gambling problem.
His credit cards were used
almost every day at Hollywood Park.
Well, I guess that tracks.
I mean, his landlord said
that he was kicked out
of his apartment a few months ago.
Rountree's been trying to find
out where he's staying ever since.
- Hmm.
- (TABLET BEEPS)
- I remember that sound.
- Ooh.
I remember that look.
Okay, so Fatima just found
an encrypted file
on Bellamy's phone.
It contains the names
of over 100 reservists.
Well, either he had the unfortunate
job of throwing an office party
NELL (CHUCKLES): Yeah.
Or he was planning
on selling these names
and paying off his gambling debts.
The only way we're gonna
find out is if we isolate
each one of those names,
cross-reference it with
That's what
I'm gonna pop over to the server room,
check in on the new Kaleidoscope.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Hey, Eric, um, if you get done early
and you want to go give Fatima
a hand at the knobs,
I'm sure she wouldn't mind.
You know, if you're bored, that is.
If you're bored. (CHUCKLES)
If I'm bored.
- Yeah.
- Of course.
(CHUCKLES)
(BUTTONS BEEPING)
- How long you been out here?
- What? No.
I-I ju I literally just
I walked in right now.
So you haven't been trying
to watch my interview?
What? You were doing an inter
I didn't even know that.
I wouldn't do that.
Camera's off.
The cameras are off.
Agent Martinez had 'em shut down.
(SIGHS) Like an underage kegger.
Mm. You okay?
- Yeah. Mm-hmm.
- You, uh,
- look a little pasty.
- Pasty?
Yeah, no, that's just my, uh,
Central Coast Viking heritage in me.
- Deeks.
- What?
Speak.
Okay. Uh, you know how we go out
every single day
and we have a plan, right?
- Mm-hmm.
- And if that plan
doesn't work out, it's fine,
because we have a backup plan.
- Mm-hmm.
- And that's how we do it.
That's how we stay protected.
- It's how we survive.
- Right.
- Yeah.
- Right, well, in real life,
I don't have a backup plan.
Right, I have all my eggs
in this basket, so the reason
I'm out here is because I'm nervous,
and I'm nervous because this
listen, man,
this has to work out for me.
- Deeks, I'm gonna tell you something.
- Okay.
And I'm only gonna say this
one time, so listen closely.
I've waited my whole entire life
to join the Sam's Club, so
You're good at what you do.
You have instincts.
You have the guts to follow them.
If you keep following your gut,
you won't need a backup plan.
That's good. Thank you for that.
Uh, just one more thing real quick.
- D, don't ruin this.
- Yeah, no, I just
I mean, I know that you said
that you're only gonna
say this that once,
but that's in addition
to having just said it
to Agent Martinez, right?
- I'm leaving.
- No, no, no, no, no.
I just feel like that's the kind
of solid gold
that belongs on the record.
- (CHUCKLING)
- Did you tell her that?
Because that seems like
it would be important.
- (GRUNTS)
- (DOOR CLOSES)
Cleanup on aisle two.
Oh. I was just on my way to you.
Oh, yeah? What do you got?
Well, besides 15 paper cuts
and a possible dust allergy
(CHUCKLES)
Well, why don't you take a break
and, uh, catch me up to speed.
I just hung up with LAPD.
Turns out Bellamy
has been living in an RV
ever since he got evicted
from his apartment.
It's been ticketed all over the city
but recently got a boot
in a vacant lot in Burbank.
Interesting.
Well, Sam just finished up his
interview with Agent Martinez.
Why don't you have him meet you
down at the RV, see if you can find
any explanation as to why Bellamy had
the encrypted list of names
on his phone in the first place.
Copy that. I'll keep you posted.
Great. Oh, and, uh, Rountree,
you be careful.
I hear there may be
a lot of dust out there.
(LAUGHS)
Yeah. Good one, Nell.
FATIMA (OVER PHONE): Hey,
I got the footage you uploaded.
I thought the library's
cameras were down.
They were. I got it from
a food truck around the corner.
Guy had been held up three times
in as many months,
so he got himself some cameras.
Nice find.
The quality isn't great,
but I cleaned it up the best I could,
and you're gonna want to see this.
(SIGHS)
CALLEN: And here we go.
You know how that ends.
CALLEN: Oh, yeah.
So our dead guy Bellamy, he had access
to reservists' files
from across the country?
Which could include information
on their classified assignments,
civilian jobs, families.
The list goes on and on.
And he's also a gambling addict
who is swimming in debt,
so he's desperate.
Could've sold that intel
for a pretty hefty sum.
Well, that would explain
the list of names on his phone.
So he takes the names,
puts an offer online, gets a bite.
Reservists also work for universities,
government contract firms,
think tanks all across the country.
There's no telling how many
people he may have put at risk.
Or how many are after them.
We need to figure out if any of
his intel is inside that envelope.
And if it is,
who the hell has it now.
Eric, what a pleasant surprise.
Pleasant?
I'm flattered. Surprised, I think not.
You're right. I saw you ride in.
Hope it's okay if I help out
a little bit today.
Well, of course.
I mean, at least I think so.
You do still work here, right?
Technically, sort of.
Uh, but I also work for myself.
And then there's
my contract with the DoD,
so I guess I work for them, too,
which, duh, begs the question,
is my nonprofit work even actually work?
You know, 'cause it feels
like it's just charity
Never mind. It's great to have you back.
Catch me up to speed.
Okay, so Callen found this footage
outside the library,
which caught Bellamy
making some sort of exchange.
Do you think it's possible
it has something to do
with the list of names that
you found on his phone?
I think it's more than possible.
Get this.
So I found this ad that Bellamy
posted on the dark web.
Now, it doesn't list
any names, but it's clear
that he's offering to sell
his sensitive info.
Mm. Nice work.
- I learned from the best.
- Mm.
I'm surprised Nell let you out.
Especially in that again.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah, well, she
said this time, if I break it, I buy it.
I think she was serious.
Hetty handed off a pretty strict baton.
Yeah, tell me about it.
I was knee-deep in a box
of wardrobe receipts before I left.
- Mm.
- Speaking of, if I'd have known
Hetty would've sprung for Tom Ford,
I would've joined NCIS a lot sooner.
Let's focus on this case,
so you can hang around a lot longer.
(LAUGHS) Good idea.
So, Fatima discovered
that Bellamy was selling
a list of names and locations
of reservists for a fee.
Iran, Russia, North Korea.
They constantly hack our
database to get that kind of access.
I saw it a lot in the FBI.
It's responsible for over $350 million
in identity theft alone.
Something tells me identity
theft is the least of our worries.
Callen, we have problem.
I knew this wasn't gonna be easy.
I have important business just come up.
Everything okay?
It's Vladlena. She's in trouble.
What kind of trouble?
Do you remember her brother?
Abram Sokolov. But he's dead.
Da, but he had ex-wife, Nadya.
She's even more dangerous.
What, she's after Vladlena?
No. She's dead, too.
But she put curse on Vladlena
that her bounty would not prosper.
Now Vladlena has bar,
and it does not prosper.
So you have to help her.
I'm going to help her bar prosper.
Can we talk tonight?
Well, that depends on if
you're gonna cancel again.
No, I will come to you.
And, Callen,
if this is about a kidney,
you can have one of mine, no problem.
Oh, I think there'd be
plenty of problems with that.
Good luck with Vladlena.
(CHUCKLES)
It'd be problem if it might be my liver.
(LAUGHS)
(HANGS UP)
I got nothing out here.
Got a set of spare keys.
That's about it.
Yeah, well, he must not have been
too concerned with somebody
driving off in this thing. (CHUCKLES)
- You ever ride in one of these?
- Oh.
Every year when I was a kid.
(LAUGHS) I can't see it.
It was a different time.
No, no, I-I can't see you as a kid.
I mean, you must have
crushed at tag literally.
(CHUCKLES)
So, where'd you guys go?
We had family in Ohio,
so my father insisted
that we drive there to visit every year.
Why not just fly?
My dad said, "If you want
to serve this country,
you need to appreciate every inch."
I like that. That-that sounds fun.
There's nothing fun
about eating canned beans
and watching a VHS copy of Taps
every night
for two weeks straight.
(LAUGHS)
Maybe it was more so about
the life lessons, you know?
Yeah, well, I learned
a couple of things.
One: Always call your bed first.
Hmm.
Then two
(LAUGHS)
Always keep your valuables hidden.
I could've never learned that
in the office.
No, you couldn't have.
What are they?
SAM: Let's see.
Military files.
For over 20 different people.
Well, Bellamy's list had
over a hundred names on it.
These are all high-ranking officers.
He must have narrowed it down to
the people with the most value.
Hopefully, Fatima and Eric can
use these files to do the same.
Hopefully.
I needed a change of scenery.
- Please.
- Oh.
Okay, great. Yeah, no.
That's a good i Good idea.
So, how, uh Just out of curiosity
How does this, uh, how does this work?
Um, I put two minutes on the clock
Okay.
and you write down the name of
every president, and how they died.
I'm kidding, Detective Deeks.
- (CHUCKLES)
- Wow.
Did not see that coming.
- Touché. Wow. Well played.
- (CHUCKLES)
Having met some of the people
you surround yourself with
over these past few days,
I gathered you might appreciate
- a little humor.
- Yeah.
No, I'm-I'm very lucky to have them.
You should probably call
and tell your mother that
- more often.
- Oh, God, what did she say?
I'm not at liberty to share.
That's fine.
I'm sure it's all up on her
YouTube channel by now anyway.
I've asked her to take it down.
Good. I should just go, then, right?
- I should see myself out?
- And miss all the fun?
Relax, Detective Deeks.
This first part should be easy.
Yeah.
I just need to hear about you
in your own words.
- Just about me in my own words.
- Mm-hmm.
Okay. Yeah, I can do that.
Um, my name is, uh,
Martin Atticus Deeks.
Uh, Martin to my mom,
Atticus to nobody,
uh, and Deeks to my friends.
You're one of the more, uh
(CLEARS THROAT)
Seasoned applicants I've seen.
Yeah, you can, uh,
you can just say "old."
Everybody else does.
(CHUCKLES) Why don't you tell me
about your life before NCIS.
Yeah. No, of course.
Uh, before, I was, um, uh, a lawyer,
which seems like a lifetime ago.
What made you get into law?
Um, that's a great question.
Uh, growing up, I saw, um,
a lot of injustice.
I saw a lot of things
that weren't right.
You wanted to fix them.
Turns out there's a few more questions
on the California bar
I had to answer first.
Hmm.
We have any leads?
Yes. Uh, Fatima and Eric
managed to get in touch
with all the names that were
on the files that Sam found
except for one,
Lieutenant Commander Natalie Chan.
Also a reservist.
Yeah, she's a Navy research
psychologist. She was born in China.
Her parents moved to the
U.S. when she was five,
and she now runs a private practice
out of her home in Van Nuys.
Any connection to Bellamy?
Eric's still trying to find one.
Well, I suppose they could've
crossed paths at Pendleton.
Well, if that's true,
it may be where he learned
that she was also working with DARPA.
If he knew that Dr. Chan was
involved with defense research,
it would explain
why he was focusing in on her.
- Mm.
- Do we know what she was working on?
No. But Sam and Rountree
are on their way
to her house now to find out.
Hopefully, they get there soon enough.
(ENGINE STOPS)
Yo, you should, uh, write a book
about your time in the RV.
That's never gonna happen.
(CHUCKLES) Come on, man.
What about a podcast?
That's never gonna happen, either.
- You seeing what I'm seeing?
- ROUNTREE: Yeah.
Excuse me!
Yo! Federal agents!
(PANTING)
(GRUNTS)
(GRUNTING)
That's a bad idea.
(GRUNTING)
(ROUNTREE CHUCKLES)
Yo, I was right. You do crush at tag.
Suit yourself.
Stay put.
My guy's not talking.
What a surprise. Neither is mine.
Fatima hasn't been able
to locate Dr. Chan.
Nobody's seen her or talked
to her since last night.
Inside of the house is ransacked.
There's no sign of forced entry.
Yeah. They had house keys.
Found them on my friend here.
So you think she was kidnapped?
Starting to look that way.
And I think these two
might have been trying to find this.
Laptop. Hard drives.
If this has anything to do with her
work with DARPA,
they're hoping she
brings it home with her.
Something tells me
she's too smart for that.
We need to figure out what
they want her for and why.
We need to do it fast.
MARTINEZ: I talked to some of
your former colleagues at LAPD.
You don't seem to have
a lot of fans down there.
Yeah, well, you know,
you can't be
everybody's cup of tea, right?
No shortage of tea references
around these parts.
There's a reason
we work so well together.
Is there a reason why you
didn't work so well with LAPD?
As a former lawyer,
I know when you're leading a witness.
You can just ask the question.
The internal affairs investigation.
And there it is.
Dead partner.
Missing informant.
It's a complicated file,
but the one clear
through line is that you
did not look good in any of it.
I'm sorry, I didn't I didn't
hear the question in there.
Your LAPD files don't make
you out to be a team player.
Do you have any regrets about that?
- I'll rephrase that.
- No, you don't have to.
I, uh
spoke out against a partner
and a significant portion
of that department
that was rotten to the core.
And in turn, they retaliated against me.
So, do I have regrets about that?
Absolutely. Yeah, I'm lousy with them.
But not because of
the punishment or the backlash.
My only regret is,
I didn't speak out sooner,
louder and more often.
I'd say that answers that.
Agent Martinez,
the world can be an ugly place.
And you can trust me when I say
that I have seen
the absolute worst of it.
And my greatest fear,
the thing that scares me the most
is not being able to fight to fix it.
And I've thought a lot
about this. I've thought a lot
about NCIS over the last year,
and I think it's true.
I think sometimes you got
to lose something to love it.
But this is more than a job to me.
This is more than an occupation.
This is about purpose.
'Cause the world's always
gonna have that dark side,
but at least here, I get to get up
every single day with a team
that I love and respect
and go out and do everything
we can to shine some light in.
So, if you need to write anything down,
it's that I will do everything
that I can to keep doing that.
This feels like a good time for a break.
(BEEPS)
Dr. Mooring?
Hi. Thank you
for meeting me here. I appreciate it.
Oh, and please, uh, call me Rocket.
- Rocket.
- It's a nickname.
Ah. Yes, I gathered. Why Rocket?
'Cause you don't want to mess
with a guy named Rocket.
That makes sense.
Also, I have a doctorate in aeronautics.
That makes a lot more sense.
Uh, so, you and Dr. Chan
were working closely with DARPA, right?
Um, can you tell me what
you were working on?
Are you familiar with neurotechnology?
I believe it allows the
brain to communicate
with external devices?
Yeah, through an exchange of signals.
Soon, you'll be sending an emoji
just by thinking it.
But the possibilities are endless.
Natalie and I were using that
same brain-computer interface
for an emerging nonsurgical therapy
to help soldiers with PTSD.
Wow. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
World needs a lot more people
like you and Dr. Chan.
Do you know of anybody else
who was working
on some similar technology?
Uh, foreign governments,
private contractors, universities.
We're all racing
to gain technological supremacy,
but we're at the forefront.
That may explain why somebody
was after Dr. Chan.
She's integral to the whole operation.
Natalie's an immense talent.
She's my colleague, but
she's also my friend.
You're gonna find her,
right?
We're doing everything we can.
Okay?
Get this.
"Don't take it personal. Take it home."
Well, well, well. I should have known.
You swept in here like a
little millennial mouse,
quiet, calculated, succinct,
waiting for the day that
you could take over Ops
- and send me away for good.
- What?
No, Eric, that's the slogan
for Fast Frank's Used Car Dealership.
ERIC: Oh, well,
in that case, yes, of course. Um
(CLEARS THROAT) Please scratch
that last bit from the record
- and continue.
- Okay.
Fast Frank,
who actually talks quite slowly,
has sold six vans in
the last two months.
I'm searching for them as we speak.
Hmm. Nice work.
And very succinct. Speaking of which,
I traced the e-mails that
interacted with Bellamy's online post.
- And?
- And, uh,
two were college students from
Germany who got cold feet,
one was a single mother from Calgary
with a rogue ten-year-old,
and the last one
was (CLEARS THROAT)
Kelsey Miller, who rented an apartment
to
Jimmy Fang.
And who is Jimmy Fang?
No, I have no idea,
but he did enter the country
with David Lao,
aka the man that Rountree and
Sam currently have in custody.
Okay, you could've just skipped
to the David Lao part.
Oh. You're new here.
You'll learn how things work.
Always bury the lede
for dramatic effect.
(CLICKS TONGUE)
Hmm. Noted.
Yeah.
FATIMA: Lao and Fang are
Chinese nationals.
ERIC: Who entered L.A. from
China just shy of a month ago.
Which times out almost exactly
with when Bellamy posted his ad.
NELL: Please tell me you have something.
I'm getting an awful lot of heat
from DARPA and NMOTC.
And it's just a matter of time before
the rest of the acronyms join in.
Mm-hmm. So, Kensi said Dr. Chan
was working on some emerging therapy
for PTSD?
And Fang and Lao
were presumably sent here
from China to go after it.
So, let me get this straight.
China wants Dr. Chan
to turn over our technology
because they're concerned with
the mental health of their soldiers?
Yeah, that doesn't sound
like something they would do.
That's because it's not.
Dr. Chan does primarily focus
on mental health, but
DARPA said that her technology
could be used across multiple arenas.
Like the battlefield.
Cyber defense mechanisms.
Intelligence gathering.
The use of unmanned systems
could transform warfare as we know it.
Mm. I feel like I'm living
in a sci-fi movie
Eric used to make me watch.
Well, if China gets their hands
on Dr. Chan's technology,
we'll be there sooner than you think.
And it's truly terrifying.
Well, so is the fact that David Lao
may be our only chance
at finding her alive.
Got it.
I don't have to talk to you.
You're right. You can call your lawyer.
(SCOFFS) Don't need a lawyer.
My country will come for me.
(SCOFFS) That's where
you got this all wrong, man.
You're just a cog in the machine.
You've served your purpose.
Now you'll spend life
in an American prison.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
All right? You can turn this
around right here, right now.
My allegiance is to my country.
Look, man,
you've been brainwashed to believe that.
They don't care about you.
We can help you.
Doesn't matter.
You're too late.
We're not.
If you tell us where Dr. Chan is,
we still have time to save you both.
It's your call.
Think it over.
China's been running a global
kidnapping campaign for years.
I mean, they snatch up doctors,
lawyers, professors.
They find out
she's developing a technology
that could transform
their military landscape,
so they force her
back into the country
to get her to develop it for them.
And the people that China kidnaps
are never seen or heard from again.
Meaning if they
get out of the country
Dr. Chan's a ghost.
Eric, where are we?
In a purgatory of our own making.
I mean, with finding Dr. Chan.
Oh, right. Sorry.
Still not used to you being in charge.
Yeah, me either, so just go with it.
Uh, Kaleidoscope's AI has zeroed
in on transportation hubs.
Searching a five-mile radius
of private airfields, ports,
border crossings.
Good. Because they're gonna try
to get her out of here
come hell or high water.
FATIMA: Looks more like high altitude.
I just got a hit on the van from
the library.
It pulled into Whiteman Airport
ten minutes ago.
Well, you can't fly to China
from Whiteman.
No, but you can fly off U.S.
soil and change planes after.
All right, alert TSA, DOT, ATC.
You tell them to figure out
where these guys are, and
by all means necessary, stall.
Do not let that plane take off.
All right, Eric, contact Callen and Sam,
tell them to get the team to Whiteman.
We do not have long before
these guys are on to us.
- Yes, ma'am.
- No ma'am.
Never ma'am.
Felt wrong from the get-go.
Yeah.
I hear you're writing a book.
Don't start.
Sam and the Art of RV Maintenance.
It's got a nice ring to it.
Rountree,
I'm gonna destroy you.
Sam, I-I-I swear, I only told Eric.
KENSI: Oof. That was a mistake.
It is a good starting point
for your podcast, though.
Anybody got eyes on Dr. Chan?
KENSI: I see the van.
Two guys inside the hangar.
No sign of Dr. Chan.
I see a room on the north side.
Maybe they're holding her there.
Yeah, but no telling how many
guys are in there with her.
How do you want to play this?
We start shooting, they could react,
take out Chan in the process.
Then let's not let 'em react.
Get in positions. Wait for our go.
KENSI: Copy that.
SAM: Go.
(GRUNTING)
(GRUNTS)
Hey!
Dr. Chan, are you okay?
(PANTING): I think so. Thank you.
(PANTING): I got Dr. Chan. She's alive.
Thanks.
That is one brave woman.
She's Navy.
- I'd expect nothing less.
- Mm-hmm.
LAPD ID'd the rest of the men inside.
None of them were
Lao's accomplice Jimmy Fang.
That means he's in the wind.
Right, but for now he's empty-handed.
Dr. Chan was able to
keep quiet until we got here.
Because of her,
DARPA's classified technology
will manage to stay that way.
Well, speaking of which, I, for one,
was not looking forward to
having to fight bionic soldiers.
You planning on going somewhere?
Well, I think we'll
hopefully be retired by then.
Speak for yourself.
I was told I'm far too young.
Uh-huh. Well, somewhere
there is a VHS copy of Taps
that would beg to differ.
(CHUCKLES)
SAM: Rountree.
(CHUCKLES) No worries.
We'll watch it together.
(SAM CHUCKLES)
Okay. Okay. Okay.
Wait, so that's that's it?
Wasn't so bad, was it?
(EXHALES) Feels like you're more
of an authority on that one.
Detective Deeks,
I've been through a
lot of these interviews.
I can't tell you
how this is gonna play out.
No. Of course. I'm sorry.
But I can tell you this.
Not many people can take an
objectively bad first impression
and still come out
with the respect of those at
the highest ranks of their team.
Yeah, I've been told
I come in a little hot.
Even fewer would invest
in their friend's
business endeavors one time,
let alone seven,
especially when said friend
is so, uh
Skulduggerous.
The word you're looking for is
"skulduggerous."
And just for the record, it was eight.
Most importantly
it's exceedingly rare to find someone
who's willing to speak out
against what is wrong
no matter what the consequences.
But as I was saying,
it would be highly unethical
for me to tell you how you did.
Of course.
So I'll just leave it at this:
It was a pleasure meeting you
Deeks.
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
(RELIEVED EXHALE)
(KNOCK AT DOOR)
You want a drink?
Does Alla Pugacheva know
her way around an altar?
I have no idea.
Russian pop star?
Married five times.
I brought vodka.
(CHUCKLES)
So
this is, uh
where you live with my Anna?
For now.
This is nice place.
Communist bloc chic.
(CHUCKLES)
Have you talked to Anna recently?
With COVID and fires she is very busy.
The world would be lost without her.
At this point, I think I might be, too.
You have become soft, old boy.
I have become aware
of how much I miss her
when she's not here.
She means a lot to me,
and I think it's something
you and I need to talk about.
What is there to talk about?
You hurt her,
I hire someone to kill you.
(CHUCKLES)
She's your daughter?
Da.
And, uh
is she happy?
I like to think she is.
Then that's all that matters. You,
me, Anna,
- we are all the same.
- I'd like to think we're not.
You work because there is no work.
Right now you are good.
When you are not, you are not.
Ne need to complicate things.
It's not as if either of you
are the marrying kind.
(CHUCKLES)
Can you imagine?
You'd have to call me Papa.
(LAUGHS)
That is something I (CLEARS THROAT)
Cannot imagine. (SIGHS)
Enough about my daughter.
You want to talk
about something serious.
Right.
We're looking into a man
I believe he was former KGB
Ivan Lebedov.
No, never heard of him.
Do you want me to ask around?
No, not yet. Uh, just something
I needed to run by you.
Say no more. I will keep my ears as open
as Alla Pugacheva's heart.
(CHUCKLES)
Pretty big fan, huh?
And soon you will be, too.
Drink up.
Mm
(EXERCISING VOCAL CORDS):
Muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-
muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-
muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-
muh-muh-muh-muh-muh.
Muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-
muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh
(SNIFFING, EXHALING)
Okay, I'm singing now.
(CHUCKLES)
(DRINK POURING)