03x04 - Deadline

Episode transcripts for the TV show "NCIS: Los Angeles". Aired: September 2009 to present.*

Moderator: Phnxgirl

Watch/Buy Amazon  Merchandise


The Naval Criminal Investigation Service's Office of Special Projects takes on the undercover work and the hard to cr*ck cases in LA. Key agents are G. Callen and Sam Hanna, streets kids risen through the ranks.
Post Reply

03x04 - Deadline

Post by bunniefuu »

WOMAN: In these tough economic times, necessity is often the mother of invention.

It certainly is the case here.

Because of one woman's ingenuity, the spirit of that character is alive and well on the boardwalk.

From Venice, I'm Adriana Gomez.

That was great.

Okay, you were great.

The story...

Could have been worse.

(chuckling)

You know, Edgar better come through with that Villaraigosa assignment.

I was wondering, you want to go to--

You know what, Steve?

I've got to get back to the van and get my head together for the next segment, okay?

All right. I'll finish sh**ting some more B-roll.

♪ ♪

(rapid g*nf*re)

STEVE: Adriana!

Adriana! Adriana!

Adriana!

No.

No.

Call an ambulance!

Somebody!

Look at me.

Look at me. Look at me.

It's going to be okay.

Okay? You're going to be okay.

♪ NCIS: LA 3x04 ♪

Deadline
Original air date on October 11, 2011



(grunting)

CALLEN: What was her name?

HETTY: Clara.

Her name was Clara.

I first met her in Langley, Virginia, in 1966.

Liked her right away.

She had been recruited to return to Romania, and I was to be her handler.

My mother worked for the CIA?

And her father before her.

You see, Mr. Callen, it's in your blood.

Her father-- your grandfather-- was George Callen.

He parachuted into Romania in 1944 to help King Michael overthrow the fascists who had sided with h*tler.

After the w*r, your grandfather hunted down w*r criminals, including the Comescu family.

That's where this all started?

Yes.

He met and married a Roma girl in 1947.

That was when the Comescus sought their revenge.

He was m*rder*d.

She fled to America with their child.

My mother.

Clara.

HETTY: She went back to Romania as a student.

That was her cover.

For more than a year, everything was fine.

But then something happened.


She vanished.

Six years later, she reappeared, desperate to get out of Romania with her children.

You and your sister.

She contacted me through prearranged channels.

At the last minute, they ordered me to abort the mission.

We'd agreed to meet on the beach.

(chuckling)

So now you know why I went back.

All these years.

Forgive me.

(panting)

It's not going to happen.

Why don't you go find a fire hydrant?

Chase a cat.

(whines)

Deeks!

What's up?

Why is this mutt here?

Well, I got a houseguest, and she kind of has a problem with him.

Let me guess.

She can't stand his begging, either.

Actually, it's more about the red hives that break out over every inch of her smoking hot body.

Kind of puts a damper on the fun times.

Ew.

He asked.

CALLEN: Really wouldn't k*ll you to share a little bit of your breakfast with him, Sam.

This is my breakfast.

I paid for it with money I worked hard for.

KENSI: Come on.

Give Monty a break.

CALLEN: You know, I think you're forgetting how Monty came through with some b*mb-sniffing action not too long ago.

Yeah, and after that sniff, what did he do when I put myself in harm's way?

DEEKS: You mean leaving the area?

He was just following protocol, Sam.

He was saving his furry butt-- that's what he was doing.

That why they retired him?

Actually, the vet that did his psych eval said he had a nervous condition.

It's kind of like a canine PTSD.

Puppy traumatic stress disorder?

(whimpers)

Exactly.

(high-pitched whistling, barking)

(Monty growling)

Cool.

Dog whistles really work.

Case is up, guys.

Stay.

Sandwich better be here when I get back.

(whimpers)

KWLJ3 reporter Adriana Gomez.

She'd just wrapped up a puff piece in Venice when she was sh*t and k*lled.

It was a drive-by.

Her cameraman, Steve Downey, was still rolling when it happened.

There was also a serious side to Ms. Gomez's reporting.

What kind of serious?

Enough for her to receive several death threats from Libyan nationalists.

She did a series of stories on Asad El-Libi.

He was a Libyan expat living here in L. A.

When the crisis hit, he moved back and started his own version of "Radio Free Libya" after Gaddafi shut down the Internet.

The guy is a tech wizard.

He set up a Web site that got around the firewalls.

It's become a clearing house of intel for the rebels.

No one knows who he is or where in Libya he broadcasts from, but he's become this...

Sort of a folk hero.

Well, looks like somebody wasn't too happy that our local news station was cheering him on.

I'm still not getting why we're involved with this.

Adriana Gomez had been in contact with a Naval Intelligence officer, Commander Gavin Madison.

He is the go-to guy on Libyan affairs.

He knows more about Asad El-Libi than anyone.

He and Adriana traded phone calls.

Twice the day she was k*lled.

If this incident compromises our national interests...

Kensi, Deeks...

And Monty.

CALLEN: Get a FISA warrant for her files.

Head over to the newsroom.

Sam and I are going to go talk to Madison.

Done.

STEVE: Seen it all-- fires, floods.

More death than I care to remember.

You get used to it.

Get the sh*ts, grab the interview, move on to the next story.

You work with her much?

Every day for the past two years.

Partners.

STEVE: You get pretty close to someone when you spend that much time with them.

Yes, you do.

We'd get into it a lot-- differences of opinion-- but even in the middle of that, there was...

Heat?

Did she feel it, too?

Maybe.

All right, going to need some password help here, Eric.

I'm going to have to teach you guys the basics of encryption bypass one of these days.

That's cool. Then I can, uh, read Kensi's diary.

Oh, I already did.

You do not want to go there.

Did you know about the death threats?

She reported them to the cops.

Lot of good it did.

Is there anything you can think of?

Um, someone Adriana may have been talking to?

A source, maybe?

Yeah, she had a contact-- a Libyan expat.

She met him a couple times at some Libyan restaurant.

Name?

(sighs) Sorry.

And the restaurant?

I remember she had this Libyan dish-- liver and raisins.

Mmm.

Adriana would do anything for a good story.

ERIC: Not much in her files.

A few research links, typed interview notes.

Looks like her main source was Madison.

We get any notes from her call with him yesterday?

Nada.

May not have gotten to it yet.

You didn't read Kensi's diary.

Did you?

Hey. Did you really?

(beeping)

Eric?

Hello?

I think you secretly like Monty.

Not a dog person.

Cats?

Nope.

What if you want to get a pet?

Not going to.

Fish.

Fish.

Low maintenance, don't make any noise.

They even poop in their own environment.

Yeah, well, you can't pet a fish.

Exactly. And if things don't work out...

Sushi.

Sushi.

(knocking)

Commander Madison?

What do you want?

NCIS. Like to talk to you about Adriana Gomez.

Sorry, not a good time.

All right.

We're just going to have to make a call-- get a warrant.

I think you know the deal.

Do that.

Federal agents!

Any more?

No.

(tires squealing)

They wanted to know about Asad El-Libi, where he's operating from, how to find him.

I got the feeling they knew more than I did.

Seen them before?

No.

Adriana Gomez called you twice the day she was k*lled.

Yeah, she left me a voice message.

Said it was important.

What about those stories she did last month?

I just gave her some basic background. Nothing classified.

Things everyone on Gaddafi's side would know about anyway.

But I think she was on to something else.

Asad El-Libi's real identity?

That or where to find him.

And for whatever reason, they didn't want her doing any more stories on him.

I guess they suspected I knew what she knew.

If you guys hadn't arrived when you did, it'd be my photo you're taking, not his.

NELL: Salim Akim.

He's been linked to Gaddafi's secret police.

And his partner is still out there somewhere.

ERIC: Partners.

They started out as a quartet.

NELL: Hakim Selani, Navid Mufar and Yuseff Aman.

CALLEN: The last one.

NELL: Yuseff.

That's the one who escaped from Madison's house.

All four came through LAX on tourist visas and counterfeit passports.

They vanished into the L. A. melting pot before the Feds could track them.

It's hard to do that without help.

Maybe Yuseff and his team came here to find out where in Libya Asad El-Libi was broadcasting from.

Adriana found out where.

If she goes public with that story, Asad El-Libi relocates and they're back to square one.

The agents are probably on their way back home to hunt him down.

We have no way to warn him because we don't know where he is.

She had a source.

Right. The cameraman said he didn't have a name, but he also said that she met him at a Libyan cafe.

Can't be that many of those in town. Eric?

I'm on it.

All right, Cafe Tripoli.

She had lunch there three times in the past couple months, according to her credit card records.

CALLEN: Kensi, Deeks.

And Monty.

Bring me back some baklava.

I mean, look at him-- he's perfect for our cover.

The young, hip couple wanting a taste of exotic Middle Eastern cuisine and our rescue dog.

It's actually a requirement for all young hip couples in Los Angeles to have rescue dogs.

There's only one hitch in your little plan there, buddy.

Dogs aren't allowed in restaurants.

We've considered that, haven't we, Monty?

Have you?

He's also a service animal.

They use them for blind people, people with seizures, all sorts of things.

There's even a woman in Minnesota with an anxiety monkey.

Really?

Yeah, I read about it in Bark magazine.

Do you get that?

Bark magazine? No?

Their motto is "Dog is my Co-Pilot".

No? Not gonna fly?

All right, Monty, you heard the woman.

You're staying here.

Don't give her kisses.

Aw, really?

You're staying here and I'm going to put the radio on for you.

A little NPR, yeah?

Loves All Things Considered.

(over radio): Finding a donor isn't all that hard.

Finding out where to bike to get the best meal is.

As NPR's Joe Palca explains, scientists think they--

(distorted male voice speaking Arabic)

Welcome.

That's Asad El-Libi.

You know of him?

Yeah. Actually, one of our friends is a reporter who did a whole bunch of stories on him.

Yeah, she's the one who recommended this place to us.

Maybe you know her--

Adriana Gomez.

Oh, yes, yes, from the local station.

Yes, exactly.

She usually comes in here with a Libyan friend for lunch.

My God, sweetie, what's his name?

Oh, what is his name?

Libyan guy, comes...

I cannot recall.

We'll go check on Monty, huh?

Sure.

Not moving?

Really?

No.

(groans) sh**t.

Eric, I need you run a plate for me.

Two, S as in Slayer, M as in Metallica, A as in anthr*x, Five, Six, Four, P as in, uh... Parsnip.

Parsnip?

Your lettering system is heavy metal bands and you're giving me a root vegetable for "P"?

I don't know, man, I drew a blank.

Pantera? Hello?

Oh, Cowboys From Hell.

What was I thinking?

Car is registered to Farag Hijazi.

He's 38, Libyan ex-pat, lives about a half mile away, off Glendon.

Owns several small businesses, including a auto glass shop that closed several months ago.

Which is why a large power bill last month makes no sense.

Okay. Thanks, man.

They're not talking.

Poison... possessed...

Pentagram...

Really, Deeks?

Monty!

CALLEN: Com's up.

We're at the auto shop, Eric.

SAM: Hijazi must've had a lot of late nighters doing his books.

No computer.

There was.

Ethernet, high-speed, high capacity.

Like someone was running an on-line business.

Or something bigger.

He never went to Libya.

Asad El-Libi's been broadcasting here the whole time.

The question is, where is he now?

Asad El-Libi uses a remote access system, so anybody tries to track his IP address will think it's coming from Libya.

SAM: So he's still broadcasting?

DEEKS: But something must have spooked him.

He left Hijazi's shop in a hurry.

Could this be a re-broadcast?

Negatory.

Asad El-Libi only broadcasts live.

Eric, can you find him?

I mean, eventually...

If he's still using remote access, but...

I'll keep working on it.

Time to find Hijazi.

(over radio): ...that's when a woman is 35 or older at the time of delivery, and doctors start mentioning statistics-- statistics that show increased risk of miscarriage...

Have you ever considered that maybe Monty just likes the sound of voices on the radio, and it doesn't really matter what it is we're listening to?

...monitoring and genetic testing...

Wait for it.

(tuning radio)
(whimpering and barking)

Okay, changing it back, buddy.

Changing it back.

(over radio): I used to think I was a terrible gambler.

At the slots...

The therapist explained it to me.

In Monty's archetypal canine subconscious...

Okay, stop.

It's actually Pavlovian...

No, you have to stop.

This is getting far too weird. No...

DEEKS: Here comes Hijazi.

Let's go.

Monty, protect the car.

Good boy.

(begins "shave and haircut" knock)

(finishes knock)

Yes?

Hi. We need to speak to Farag Hijazi.

He's not here.

Federal agents.

We saw him pull up.

Want to try again?

Federal agents?

DEEKS: Yeah.

Why don't you spend your time finding t*rrorists instead of bothering my son.

We are good citizens.

We pay our taxes.

We pay your salaries.

We have a right not to be harassed by Federal agents.

I guess the lecture's over.

Yeah.

(clearing throat)

Afternoon.

KENZI: Did you guys get him?

Yeah, we got him.

Asad El-Libi was broadcasting from your shop.

No sign of forced entry.

Guess you gave him a key.

You were Adriana Gomez's source, weren't you?

And now she's dead because of what you told her.

I did not k*ll her.

Maybe the Libyans k*lled her because they couldn't get to you, Hijazi.

They couldn't get to you yet.

I told her nothing.

We can protect you.

You just tell us what you told her, help us find the guys before they find Asad El-Libi.

It's your only option.

We're trying to help you.

You think he's playing us?

If he is, he's a good actor.

CALLEN: I want you to think about it, Hijazi.

Because if you're not telling the truth and we can prove that...

So, uh... who, exactly, do you write about in that diary of yours?

I don't have a diary.

No.

CALLEN: What do you say, we have a deal?

It's a journal.

SAM: I don't think we have a deal, G.

You were her source.

The Libyans k*lled her.

Then they tried to k*ll the Naval Intelligence commander she was talking to.

It's only a matter of time before they find you.

All right, look, if you don't our protection, that's fine. Just tell us where Asad El-Libi is, so we can protect him.

I wouldn't betray Asad El-Libi.

The Libyans are still here looking for him.

You lie.

I want to see Asad El-Libi.

You went to my shop; you have him.

Farag... he wasn't there.

Neither was his computer.

We're trying to keep him safe.

We're on your side.

My side?

First you accuse me, then you want my help?

I want a lawyer.

I think we found the car the Libyan agents used in Adriana's drive-by.

Now, Steve Downey's footage didn't get enough of the car for us to I. D. anything specific.

Just that it was a brown Impala.

So checking traffic cams in the area around the time of the sh**ting, we found one with two guys who matched up to our LAX photos of the Libyan agents.

CALLEN: Who's it registered to?

It's a rental.

And the address they gave for the rental doesn't check out.

Not unless they're renting rooms at the Chuck E.

Cheese on Jefferson.

All right, well, get us whatever you can.

Uh, I got a parking ticket.

I'll take it.

Issued this morning, 2:00 a.m., for parking on a residential street without a permit after 6:00.

There's no way they'd be that careless.

♪ ♪

Pop the trunk.

(crying quietly)

It's him.

My Asad El-Libi.

His name was Tarek Al-Kousa.

We met a few years ago when he came to my shop.

We both loved our country, but what could we do?

It's why we were both here.

And then the Arab Spring began.

Tarek was an I. T. tech and a programmer.

When Gaddafi shut down the Internet, he saw a way to help the rebels.

Why not do it from Libya?

Tarek felt he could be more effective from here.

It was easier to hack through the Libyan firewalls.

Less chance of him being discovered.

But he made it seem like he was in Libya, for morale.

He knew the people had to feel he was with them for them to have faith in what he was doing.

He needed a safe place.

My shop was closed.

Tarek insisted I stay away, for my own protection and his.

If anyone saw me visiting my closed shop...

Gaddafi has many resources.

The broadcasts continued.

I assumed he was still there.

You ever seen these men before?

HIJAZI: No, I don't know these men.

CALLEN: They never tried to call, they never sent you any messages?

HIJAZI: It was too risky.

You have to understand, back in Libya, the government monitored everything.

I'm sorry, just to clarify, what is the difference between a journal and a diary?

Diaries are for seven-year-old girls.

So, um, you would say that a journal, then, has more adult content?

Good to know.

Good to know.

...knew it was possible Gaddafi had sent people here.

Maybe he had already sent them.

Maybe if I had gone to check on him...

Farag, this is not your fault.

We know who did this.

There's a chance we can catch them.

Now, are you sure you're the only one that knew what he was doing?

He has a sister Shari.

But he would never have told her he was still here.

He wouldn't put her in such danger.

She was his only family.

NELL: Any luck with the facial recs?

I'm into traffic, ATM, security cams, anything my system can access or hack into.

Three guys in a city of ten million.

Asad El-Libi is on-line again.

What? How can that be?

(distorted voice speaking Arabic)

It's live.

And he's clearly referencing events that happened after we found his body.

Hey, guys, Asad El-Libi is broadcasting again.

Either someone has taken Asad El-Libi's place or Farag is lying to us.

Maybe her brother told her more than Farag thinks.

Kensi, Deeks.

And...

Monty, come on!

Come on!

Yeah, you want to drive?

Probably better than Kensi.

(distorted voice speaking Arabic)

It's not the man, it's what he stands for.

Which means they'll come after this guy, as well.

Whoever he is.

(distorted voice speaking Arabic)

I'm so proud of him, what he did.

I just...

I wish I had known that he was still here this whole time.

The thought of him being so close, and now he's gone.

(sniffles)

You know, your brother knew what he was doing was dangerous.

And he wanted to protect you.

Yeah.

(sniffles)

Shari, someone has taken over your brother's broadcasts.

Can you think of anyone that would do that?

The only one he would trust to do something like this is Farag Hajazi.

Did you notice anything out of the ordinary in the past few days?

Strangers, cars, anything you can think of?

A few days ago, I thought I was being followed.

Did you see who it was?

It was a red van.

And I... I kept seeing it in the streets, in the parking lots where I went shopping.

When was the last time you saw it?

This morning.

We need to go now.

Please.

Whoever this new Asad El-Libi is, he's good.

At least I've got a bead on the fake IP in Libya.

Yeah. He's sending out encrypted messages.

Looks like they're going out to several of the rebel leaders.

Can we read them?

Not from his end.

Okay, why don't you try BOTH: ...accessing the message through the recipient's IP.

If you start appearing in my dreams, I'm going to be really freaked out.

Well, you've already appeared in mine.

Really?

Only you were old.

And really fat.

And wearing my dress.

Weird, huh?

Yeah.

(computer beeps)

Oh, got one.

Uh, Asad El-Libi is telling them to meet.

Some kind of a summit in...

Quarat as Sawadiq.

Mm, small town, 50 clicks southwest of Misrata.

Uh-oh.

What oh?

Uh, something I saw earlier on the Naval Intelligence updates.

Gaddafi pulled a large part of his a*tillery and troops away from Misrata.

Which wouldn't make sense, considering the battle for control over that city is pivotal in the w*r.

Unless...

He knows about the rebel summit.

(computer beeping)

(typing)

This just gets worse.

I'm seeing more encrypted messages from our new Asad El-Libi.

Only, these aren't going to the rebels.

They've been sent to Gaddafi's m*llitary command.

Eric, Asad El-Libi is setting up the rebels.

How much time do we have?

Uh...

The summit's scheduled for 2:00 a.m. Misrata time.

We have less than two hours to stop a m*ssacre that could change the course of the w*r.

Hetty has been in contact with the CIA, who are in turn trying to tell the rebels.

Not a lot of love lost between those two.

In addition to no coherent command structure, the rebels are now being forced to make a choice between the word of the CIA and a man they believe is the voice of the revolution.

Any way to jam the broadcast, send out a warning?

The signal's being bounced through a dozen different countries.

The only way to do it would be from Asad El-Libi's actual computer.

Eric, check traffic cams around Hijazi's restaurant in the last couple days.

What are we looking for?

Red van.

Shari Al-Kousa said she'd been followed.

Red vehicles, red vehicles.

Red van.

There's writing on the side.

Arabic.

Grocery store.

Could be a Halal market.

Yeah, there's lots of markets.

There are...

But this one's real close to where you found Asad El-Libi's body.

(computer beeping)

CALLEN: Looks like you're going shopping, Sam.

(Middle Eastern music playing over speakers)

SAM: Salaam Alaykum.

Alaykum As-salaam.


How can I help?

I have family coming in from Sudan-- my father's birthday.

Oh, a feast.

Yes.

How many?

25 to 30. I need lamb.

CLERK: Whole or butchered?

Whole.

You mind if I select it myself?

Everything we carry is slaughtered and prepared by strict Sharia standards.

I mean no disrespect.

It's a family tradition.

Superstition.

Get the feeling not everything back there is Halal.

Sir, sir, sir, where you going? Sir...

Federal agent!

Stop!

Put down the Kn*fe.

Allahu Akbar!

(groans)

Eric, we need an ambulance.

Now.

Dead guy is Navid Mufar.

Going over the calls from his cell phone now.

Running out of time here, guys.

This is strange.

Mufar got a ten-minute call from Hijazi's home at 3:00 p.m.

We've had Hijazi at the boat shed since 2:00.

Exactly.

So who was at Hijazi's house calling Mufar?

KENSI: We need to speak with your son.

Thought you'd like to know we've had a breakthrough.

Within the hour, we're gonna know the address of where the men that k*lled Tarek are staying.

HIJAZI: Thank you.

His death will be avenged.

(door opens, closes)

(line ringing)

ERIC: He's making a call.

NELL: Come on, let it be close.

ERIC: Pasadena!

NELL: 432 North Woodway.

There is a problem.

(man speaking Arabic over phone)

(man speaking Arabic)

Stop!

Federal agents!

Got one coming back your way!

On your knees!

Clear!

Eric, we're good to go.

ERIC: Okay, guys, but we're gonna have to move.

This summit is about to start.

All right, connecting to you now.

I just got to get into their setup.

(computer beeping)

You good?

Getting on-line to transmit.

Nell.

(typing)

Putting up his image.

ERIC: We are a go from Ops.

(voice distorted): According to our Agency friends, most of the rebels heard the message and were able to avoid the trap.

Thanks to a special friend who has taken up the torch, Asad El-Libi lives on.

And in special recognition of your past contributions, Monty, you are now an official honorary member of our team.

Good boy.

SAM: I don't believe this.

Problem, Mr. Hanna?

Nothing.

Has Homeland picked up Mr. Hijazi's father?

Taken into custody a couple hours ago.

HETTY: Unfortunately, too many members of his generation bought the lies of tyrants.

The new Asad El-Libi, hopefully, will help remedy that situation.


(camera beeps)

(speaking Arabic)

You want some?

What?

Do you want some of this?

CALLEN: Hetty.

I have a question.

How did we get from Romania to America?

No one knows.

It was two years before I found out you were here.

Too late again to save your sister.

But not you.

You got me out of the orphanage?

And into every foster home.

I was determined to find you a family.

You were a challenging child, Mr. Callen.

I asked the Agency to trawl the archives.

It's an old friend paying back an old favor.

I wish there was more.

What about my father?

We never found out.

♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Post Reply