12x07 - Overdue

[bunniefuu]

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...

- (g*nf*re)

- (GASPS)

(MAN GRUNTS)

(PANTING)

(g*nf*re)

(TIRES SCREECHING)

(GASPING)

- 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 k*ll 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 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. : p.m.

See, there you again with the schedules.

I promise you, it's going to k*ll 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 d*ed.

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 b*ating so fast?

I feel like I'm having a heart att*ck.

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.

sh*t 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 sh*t.

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 g*n, 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.

- sh**t.

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 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 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 $ 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.

m*llitary files.

For over 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 d*ed.

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 b*ttlefield.

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 m*llitary 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 sh**ting, 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 k*ll 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)