03x13 - Exit Strategy

[bunniefuu]

Previously on NCIS: Los Angeles

My name is Elmslie.

The Global Criminal Tribunal is trying to indict ex-governor Khaled for crimes against humanity.

You're a spy.

k*ll him.

HETTY: That's Khaled's sister Jada.

You could come to America with me.

I love you.

I love you, too.

(g*nsh*t)

You're on American soil now.

You'll be asked to testify against your brother.

You'll never see me again.

(elevator bell dings)

Clear.

♪ ♪

(fastening seatbelts)

(engine revs, tires squeal)

(tires squeal)

Reverse! Punch it!

Come on, man! Come on!

Get her out of there!

Get her out! Get her out!

Get out!

(engine roaring)

(anxious gasping)

♪ NCIS: LA 3x13 ♪

Exit Strategy
Original air date on January 10, 2012

Is it true?

What's that?

Scuttlebutt is Granger's gone.

Oh, that.

Do we need to check your trunk?

I wish.

No, I think this is a temporary reprieve.

I think he's off tormenting some other division.

He'll come back when he grows bored with making their lives a living hell.

At least we've got something to look forward to.

Mm.

My money's on Hetty.

Always bet on the little mongoose.

Mm-hmm.

(whistles)

Come on, man, we haven't even sat down yet.

No rest for the wicked.

I think he's talking about you.

(laughs)

(sighs)

ERIC: Early this morning, an NCIS protection detail was att*cked by a masked man driving an unmarked SUV.

They were transferring a high-profile witness to a safe house.

DEEKS: Well, they certainly weren't discreet about it.

Fortunately, there were no casualties.

Who was the witness?

Jada Khaled.

Is she all right?

ERIC: She's fine.

Jada's first deposition for the Global Criminal Tribunal officials was scheduled for this afternoon.

Our friend, Alex Elmslie has been here in Los Angeles working with U. S.

Officials on the case.

Someone doesn't want Jada giving up information on her brother's mass killings in the Sudan.

I'll give you three guesses on who that is.

What do we have on Khaled?

Tahir Khaled is currently in hiding.

He last popped up on the grid in Somalia, but the trail went cold a few weeks ago.

Where is Jada now?

Since the att*ck, she's been under the GCT's protection at a safe house in Glendale.

Anything on the SUV?

I'm running it through Kaleidoscope, but nothing yet.

Nell, get in touch with Elmslie.

He should have info on Khaled.

Kensi and Deeks, talk to Jada.

We'll take the parking garage.

ERIC: Sending addresses to your phones.

We cool?

Cool.

I wouldn't think any less of you if you decided to sit this one out, Mr. Hanna.

I don't sit things out.

AGENT: Guy came out of nowhere, didn't have much time to react.

He gave up soon as we opened fire on him.

CALLEN: Doesn't exactly point to a well-planned job.

No problems before today?

AGENT: Nothing out of the ordinary.

Preliminary questioning and routine transfers were all on schedule.

Okay.

Thanks.

You got it.

It's not the best spot for an assassination attempt.

Got a security cam, two agents, one escape route.

Everything about this screams amateur hour.

Well, that or desperation.

You know you're gonna have to speak to her at some point.

I know.

They may have been amateurs, but they had some pretty damn good intel on where Jada was gonna be and when she was gonna be there.

Somebody could be feeding Khaled info.

We need to talk to Elmslie.

Jada?

I'm Special Agent Kensi Blye, and this is Detective Marty Deeks.

I remember who you are.

I know you've had a tough morning, but we do need to ask you some questions.

Do you have any idea who would do this?

Do you think that your brother would try to hurt you?

I think you know the answer to that.

Has Khaled tried to get in touch with you at all?

He has not.

Does your brother have any contacts in the U. S.?

He did, but...

I do not know if they are here anymore.

You got a name for us?

Bakri.

Absalom Bakri.

(auto-dial beeping, line rings)

Thank you.

CALLEN (over phone): What do you got?

SAM: Any luck on Khaled?

Not yet.

Thanks, Kens.

All right, Khaled had a U. S. Operative.

Absalom Bakri--

B-A-K-R-I.

Let me see what I can dig up.

NELL: Guys?

Elmslie hasn't reported in today.

He rents a house here in Los Feliz with his family.

No answer there and no one with the GCT has heard from him in the last 24 hours.

Elmslie is missing.

Elmslie's cars are still here.

They're cold.

(banging on door)

Federal Agents!

Elmslie?

It's Sam and Callen.

Side door's open.

So was the front door.

Clear.

Clear.

Clear.

DEEKS: All clear.

No sign of forced entry or struggle.

Something doesn't feel right.

SAM: Looks like they left in a hurry.

But they didn't take their cars.

Cab to the airport?

Eric, see if there's any airline reservations under their names.

Also, pull up their cell phones.

Maybe Elmslie thought his family was in danger because of the att*ck on Jada, decided to move them.

Or they actually could be in danger.

CALLEN: Eric?

No plane tickets and both Elmslie and his wife's cell phones are turned off.

KENSI: What do we have here?

Huh.

Solves that mystery.

Eric, we got the cell phones here.

ERIC: Perfect.

They could've ditched them before they took off.

Maybe somebody else ditched them so they couldn't be tracked.

Eric, look at everyone Elmslie spoke to in the last 48 hours.

Texts, e-mails, cell phones, everything.

(Eric typing, computer blipping rapidly)

All right, from the looks of it...

Elmslie spent the majority of his time at the Federal Building on Wilshire.

Other than calls to his wife, most of his communication is with GCT Officer Daryl Marru.

Huh.

Elmslie and Marru have been working closely with U. S. authorities on the Khaled case.

NELL: Got a hit on Absalom Bakri.

Took a little digging, but it looks like he's been operating under a few false identities, one of which is attached to a lease on a warehouse in Koreatown.

All right, Eric, see if Hetty can talk to Marru and find out if he's heard from Elmslie.

Kensi, Deeks, talk to Bakri.

Sending Bakri's address and photos your way.

You get a hit on that SUV?

Kaleidoscope's got nothing.

You'd think that a car with front-end damage and b*llet holes in the windshield would make this easier.

This is L. A.

Maybe they're just laying low.

Hm. Or maybe they just switched cars.

S- witched cars.

Jinx. You owe me a soda.

What?! I never played with soda rules.

I always played with dead arm rules.

What's dead arm?

Dead arm.

Aah!

(clears throat)

I like soda rules better.

Mama.

Are you okay?

(clears throat)

Yeah. No, totally.

I was... I was just...

I wasn't ready.

I can't feel my fingers.

We've all been there.

You did what you had to do.

For the greater good?

Yeah, for the greater good.

You saw the grave.

We were taking down a mass m*rder*r.

And yet Jada's the one who's locked up and was almost k*lled today.

Sam, you did the right thing.

Did I?

Look, S*ddam, Qaddafi-- they all end up in a hole in the ground.

Hell, even h*tler d*ed in his bunker.

You and me-- we're putting Khaled in that hole.

HETTY: Gentlemen?

Elmslie told Marru he was going out of town for a few days with his family.

But the hotel name Elmslie left him doesn't seem to exist.

What was the name he gave him?

The Desert Jewel.

They can't find it because it's not there.

It's in Khartoum.

That's the hotel I stayed in with Jada.

It could be Elmslie asking for help.

Or warning us to back off.

KENSI: All right, this is the warehouse Bakri's leasing.

(sniffing)

Smells like a roller rink out here.

Who goes to a roller rink?

You never went as a kid?

(laughs) No.

How do you not go?

You're talking about, uh, you know, arcade games, disco balls, couples skates.

Hey, triples skate.

Well, I was just more into building campfires and going fishing.

That's right; you were the poster girl for the Tomboys for America.

I forgot.

Uh, actually, I was just outdoorsy.

Know who else is outdoorsy--

Labrador Retrievers.

I don't know why I bother talking to you sometimes.

Real question is: do you think you were born a tomboy, or you become one because your dad really wanted a son?

You did not just say that.

No... no, no, no, that...

That came out wrong.

I was just asking the classic question of nature versus nurture-- aah!

(grunts and coughs)

Shh.

Oh. Yeah, no, no.

That's definitely genetic.

Oh, man. Wow. Really?

Think you might be packing an extra Y chromosome there, Ms. Klinefelter.

(whispers): Are you ready?

(various indistinct conversations, phones ringing)

Federal agents!

Don't move!

KENSI: I'll take the back!

No. No!

Oh-ho! Snap!

Calf-roping champion?

Yee-haw.

No more questions until I get a lawyer.

You might want to get two lawyers.

One for a credit card scam, and one for the attempted m*rder of a federal witness and two agents.

I don't know what you're talking about.

SAM: Which part?

The illegal funding of Khaled's t*rror1st operation, or trying to k*ll his sister?

Khaled who?

I'm a businessman.

I never tried to k*ll anyone.

This is racial profiling.

Now, you want to arrest me, go ahead.

Your jails are so overcrowded, I'll be out by lunchtime.

That's what I thought.

Sit the hell down!

Get your hands off me unless you want an as*ault charge.

I'll take the charge.

CALLEN: Sam?

Sam!

(panting)

(panting)

Your partner...

Has anger issues.

He'll be hearing from my lawyer.

I didn't say you could leave.

You can't hold me here.

What, you didn't check your t*rror1st manual?

I can keep you here, and I will keep you here.

Hell, I'll send you to Guantanamo Bay if I want. Now, sit down.

(door opening)

What's he doing?

SAM: I got questions.

You're going to give me answers one way or another.

He-He can't...

He-he can't do this!

Aren't you going to stop him?

This is against the law!

So are credit card scams and attempted m*rder.

I never tried to k*ll anyone!

Well, somebody tried to k*ll Jada this morning.

It wasn't me.

I swear.

I was in my apartment.

I have witnesses.

When was the last time you talked to Khaled?

How long ago?

Three weeks! Three weeks.

He order a hit on his sister?

No.

Why would he do that?

She's testifying against him for w*r crimes.

I don't know anything about this.

Where is Khaled?

Last I heard, he was in Somalia.

I swear.

What do you think?

I think you scared the hell out of him.

In fact, you were starting to scare me.

That was the point.

Point taken, but assuming he's telling the truth, we got a problem.

Yeah.

Outside of Khaled, who else would want to k*ll Jada?

Any enemies would want her alive, to better the chances of Khaled being indicted.

Well, unless it's not one of his enemies.

Maybe it was one of his old friends trying to bury their relationship, so they don't go down with him.

Hmm.

But what's the connection to Elmslie?

Did you find anything on Bakri's laptop?

Still working on it.

Now that Khaled's IP is off the grid, it doesn't really do me any good.

I mean, if he was online, we could run a trace route through the log files on Bakri's computer.

Got a hit on our SUV from the roof.

Where?

Downtown.

Here's the video footage.

This is five minutes ago.

CALLEN: Alex Elmslie?

SAM: Doesn't make sense.

KENSI: Unless...

Elmslie's been playing us all along.

Maybe he used us to get Jada into the country for his own purposes.

The building they're entering is owned by a legitimate commercial developer.

It's still under renovation.

Right there.

What-What are they looking at?

Can you give us a sh*t of the street, Eric?

(scoffs) Can I give you a sh*t of the street? Hello.

CALLEN: Nothing really of note.

Eric, go back to when he pointed and zoom in, would you?

ERIC: And... there we go.

DEEKS: What is he saying?

He's saying, "Welcome to Hollywood."

He was pointing at the Hollywood sign.

So Elmslie's giving star tours?

He knows he's on camera.

He's pointing at the Hollywood sign to get the others on camera, too.

Why would he do that?

I think he did it for us.

Run these guys.

We're headed downtown.

ERIC & NELL: Good luck.

Jinx. That's two.

Federal Agents!

Stay where you are!

Kensi, Deeks, third floor.

Callen. Sam.

Hands where we can see 'em!

I'm sorry.

Alex... what's going on?

They took my family.

Said they'd k*ll them if I didn't k*ll Jada.

Who?

I don't know who they are.

I was hoping you could find out.

I'm assuming they work for Khaled.

That's why you put them on camera.

Where are they now?

Left just before you got here.

You tried to k*ll Jada?

I had to make it look like a real assassination attempt.

It was just to buy me some time.

You come in with us.

We can help you.

Too risky.

They could still be watching me.

I've already endangered my family just by talking with you.

Why you?

Payback.

For me and you.

They knew I'd have access to her.

CALLEN: You can't do this on your own, Elmslie.

Stop!

CALLEN: He's got a grenade!

Oh, come on! Who does that?

I appreciate your help, but I can't come in with you.

I only have 12 hours to find my family.

What if you can't?

I don't have much of a choice.

Are you really prepared to k*ll Jada?

Please don't try to follow me.

I'm sorry.

(grunting)

It's only a smoke grenade.

(engine starting)

(tires squealing)

Clever little bastard.

ERIC: We've got a hit on Elmslie's guys.

NELL: It's an interesting group.

We've identified three so far.

These two are former DGSE.

SAM: French External Intelligence Agency?

CALLEN: Why are former French spooks working with Khaled?

What are former French operatives doing in this country, period?

Yeah, you'd think they would have learned their lesson after Kensi kicked one of their freres in the croissants the last time we met.

You know it.

Who's the third guy?

That would be Adrien Montalban.

He lives in Prague, but he's also a French citizen.

Runs a legitimate consulting firm.

Montalban International.

They offer a wide variety in business and career advice for multinational corporations, politicians, startups, you name it.

They have branches all over the world, including Los Angeles.

Unfortunately, their data servers are in a private cloud.

We'd have to be on-site to access anything, assuming we had a warrant, of course.

Of course.

SAM: Bakri didn't think Khaled had anything to do with the att*ck on Jada.

But Elmslie thinks these guys are working with Khaled.

You think they have Elsmlie's family?

I don't know.

Maybe it's time to go to the source.

Who's the source?

Khaled.

But we don't know where he is.

Yeah, but if Bakri is working with Khaled, he obviously has a way to get in touch with him.

Yeah, even if he does, he would never tell us.

I think he might.

Kens, if Hetty can get you a warrant, you think you and Deeks can get into Montalban International?

Oh!

Bien sur, mon ami.

Pas de problem.

I love it when you talk dirty.

Looks like you're packing or going hunting.

Oh, no, no, no.

Just routine maintenance.

Right.

So we need an expedited covert entry search warrant for Montalban International.

Mm. I'll make a call.

How's your partner?

He's good.

Not, uh, on the verge of waterboarding anyone?

Of course not.

There's a lot at stake, Mr. Callen.

It's not just Jada whose life is on the line.

Now Sam has the lives of Elmslie and his family hanging over his head.

We are all concerned about them.

Yes, I know.

But you don't blame yourself for this.

Sam would do anything to save Jada and Elmslie's family.

Even if it means sacrificing his own life.

You really need to be extra careful.

For both of you.

I will.

Ugh, office buildings make me nauseous.

What do you got, Nell?

NELL: Okay, you need to get to the server room.

It's located on the second floor.

Get a cell phone connected to one of the hubs in there, and we should be able to copy their database.

I'm sending floor plans to your tablet now.

Copy that.

These things make me feel like I'm in a noose, but... good God, do I look breathtaking.

Oh.

I prefer you in a noose.

Oh, a little bondage play?

Really? You naughty little librarian.

Where do you guys get this from?

Ugh. Okay.

How do you want to play it?

Pope in the Pool?

With a Swedish Handoff?

You suck at the Swedish Handoff.

Are you kidding me?

I practically invented it.

Certainly perfected it.

Oh.

Good afternoon...

Maribel.

Welcome to Montalban International.

How can I help you?

Christopher Stone.

Stone Electronic Solutions.

SES, if you want to be quick about it.

Good afternoon, Mr. Stone.

Indeed it is.

Only thing that could possibly make it better is my meeting with Montalban.

That and maybe seeing that beautiful smile one more--

And there it is.

I'm afraid Mr. Montalban is unavailable this afternoon.

Are you sure you have the right time?

110% sure.

In fact, if you could just check your records again, I'm sure I'm down for 3:00 p.m. sharp.

Yes.

Yes.

I'm sorry, I'm not seeing anything.

Darcy. Darcy!

Mr. Stone?

Please tell me that you remembered to make this appointment last month, because I only reminded you about 5, 000 times.

KENSI: Of course.

Uh, I mean, I think so.

Of course you did or you think so?

Which one is it?

'Cause those are two very different things.

MARIBEL: If you'd like, I may be able to set you up with one of our senior advisors.

Mm-hmm. What I'd like is to have an assistant that isn't a complete incompetent moron.

What about you, Maribel?

You seem smart.

They pay you enough here?

Well, I...

I'm sure you can type circles around this one.

At least we know you can put together an outfit.

Which is much better than-- Really?

With the tears again?

Every single day with the tears and the sobbing.

I'll tell you what.

Here's the deal, missy.

I'm gonna plant my wingtips right here, and I'm not leaving until Mr. Montalban walks through one of those doors.

Sir, I think it's time for you to leave.

We're just having a slightly animated conversation.

It's good for the blood.

No reason to, uh, become alarmed.

(chuckles): This guy.

It's my job to be alarmed, pal.

Okay, my real pals know not to touch me.

That's mistake numero uno.

Okay, come on, let's go.

Oh, we're doing this?

Mm-hmm.

You want to do it?

Come on.

Right now?

That's fine.

We'll do it.

(Kensi sobbing)

Hands off, huh?

I can walk myself.

(in distance): You guys validate parking?

I'm so, so sorry.

Don't even worry about it.

It's just been one of those months, you know.

(sniffles)

Oh, look at that, I'm all blubbery.

(chuckles)

Do you have a bathroom that I could use to freshen up a little bit?

Sure.

It's right down the hall.

Thank you.

(elevator bell dings)

Plugging the phone in now.

(phone beeps)

NELL: I've got the signal.

And I'm in.

Copying their database.

Hide it well.

The phone needs to be on for at least a few hours to complete the transfer.

Copy that.

Put your rear in gear, honey!

That car ain't driving itself!

(snaps fingers)

You need a new job.

Yeah, tell me about it.

Okay, I'm plugging in the IP addresses Sam got from Bakri.

Eric.

I know, I know, we're running out of time.

Just because I make this look easy, doesn't mean it is.

Yeah, we know that.

Just relax and take your time, okay?

Just not too much time.

ERIC: Okay, I think this will work.

All right, I've pinged the IP addresses you got from Bakri, basically, just alerting them to...

I think I got something.

How do we confirm it's Khaled?

I'm gonna try to a Trojan, could allow me to initiate a video conference.

Do it.

Just promise me you won't hurt me if it doesn't work.

Have I ever hurt you, Eric?

No.

But there could always be a first time.

(beeping)

I got something.

(laughs)

I can only applaud your American ingenuity.

And apparently Bakri's inability to keep his mouth shut.

Hm.

Takes a special kind of coward to force somebody else to k*ll their own sister, Khaled.

This from a man who makes lying his profession.

I'm a liar; you're a m*rder*r.

I think we're both familiar with each other's professions.

And yet you clearly don't know me.

I would never allow anyone to harm my sister.

No...

When Jada dies, it will be at my hand...

As will you.

Your friend Adrien Montalban says different.

Yes, every country wants to be your friend, but when you don't get what you want, you toss me to the wolves.

Just like you have my sister.

You did that on your own, Khaled.

I am not the one who kidnapped her.

We rescued her.

I'm sure she feels differently.

Look at you with all your technology, and yet...

I am still free.

I wouldn't get used to it.

You have shamed my family.

And there is a day coming when I will bring shame to all of yours.

(sighs)

Eric?

It's gonna take me a bit to pinpoint his exact location.

Keep trying.

Come on.

I'm getting a ton of encrypted files off Montalban's servers, but it's gonna take me a while to look through everything.

Well, narrow your search for the years Khaled was in office.

Look for anything in Sudan.

Got it.

You're thinking Montalban's in business with Khaled.

I'm thinking he's a middle man for the French government.

The French have a long history in that area.

Could have been trying to get a foothold in Sudan.

And then they hear rumors of his w*r crimes?

Not exactly who they were hoping for.

So they "threw him to the wolves."

But they weren't expecting us to get Jada out.

If she testifies as to what really went down, not only is Montalban gonna take hit, but the French government is going to have some serious explaining to do.

Nice work at Montalban's.

BOTH: Thanks.

We're running out of time.

Which means Elmslie's family is running out of time.

If Elmslie was gonna k*ll Jada, he would have already done it.

He knows there's no way they're gonna let his family go.

The only leverage he has left is Jada.

And if he doesn't plan on k*lling Jada?

He's going to try to grab her and force a trade.

Jada said she still wants to make a deposition this afternoon.

She wants to get it over with.

Which means they're gonna move her again.

You think Elmslie knows that?

I think he's counting on it.

(horn honking)

Don't move!

Hands on the dash.

Hands on the wheel.

What are you going to do with that, smoke me to death?

(door opens)

You recognize any of these men?

I have never seen this man.

But these two had several meetings with my brother.

I believe they were arms dealers.

More or less.

Thank you.

DEEKS: How have they been contacting you?

I call them from a burn phone, hang up, and then they call back from another number.

You're going to tell them you have Jada, and you want to trade for your family.

That was your plan, wasn't it?

What if they don't go for it?

KENSI: They will.

If they want Jada.

They think they're dealing with one desperate operator.

They won't be expecting us.

(computer chirps)

All right, guys, we've managed to decrypt Adrien Montalban's files.

Looks like he was filtering weapons to Khaled from a rogue source within the French m*llitary.

And unfortunately, he did a good job of covering his tracks.

At best, you might be able to tie Khaled to Montalban.

But Jada's testimony can change all that.

She just I. D.'d two former DGSE agents who met with her brother.

Jada ties them to her brother, we tie them to Montalban.

And the walls come tumbling down.

Exactement.

(click, chirp)

SAM: When they call back, you tell them you know Montalban was brokering weapons from the French to Khaled.

That should give us the edge we need.

(keypad beeping)

(line ringing)

Now we wait.

No. No, no.

Oh.

Well, at least we still have audio.

(hissing, static)

Wow.

All right, I'm just gonna ask it-- the giant elephant in the room question.

You think anything ever happened between those two?

Sam's the most honorable man I know.

Jada...

No.

You do not get to speak to me.

You get to listen.

You made me trust you, Sam.

You made me turn my back on the only family I had left.

You made me k*ll for you.

Life with my brother was not perfect, but at least I thought I had you.

I believed that I had you.

And now I have nothing.

I don't know what else I can say other than I'm sorry.

Sam, I do not want your textbook apologies.

What I want I cannot have.

You weren't part of the plan.

You just happened.

Why did you speak to me on that first day?

Why?

Because you looked alone.

They're calling back.

(phone buzzing)

(beep)

MONTALBAN: Is it done?

No.

Jada's still alive, but I have her.

That was not what we discussed.

But it's what we're discussing now, Adrien.

If you want the deals that you brokered between Khaled and the French kept secret, then I suggest we arrange a trade.

My family for Jada.

We meet in one hour.

I'll text you the location.

We'll keep her safe.

I don't especially like being told what to do.

I just want my family back.

That all depends on you.

(muffled groans, whimpers)

This is how it's going to work: We take Jada with us.

I leave one of my men here with you and your family.

Once we're safely away, I'll call my man, he'll leave.

I'm not a fool.

That's not what we discussed.

But it's what we're discussing now, Elmslie.

Do you even have the slightest idea of who you're dealing with?

(shouting)

(shouting)

Allez! Allez!

It's okay. It's okay.

What? What is it?

Montalban. He's gone.

(sighs)

(crying quietly)

Everything that's happened...

...everything we've been through...

... I had no choice.

I am trying to understand.

I wish I could.

Oh, hey, what's that for?

All the ones I owe you, plus a little more.

Nell...

Come on, it's just a game.

It's not... not for real.

Oh, I can take 'em back.

No, no, no...

Since you went through all the trouble, just might as well hang on to 'em.

Yeah. Hey, Bubbly Cola.

That's my favorite.

How did you know that?

I may or may not have been doing a little Facebook stalking.

HETTY: Excuse me.

I think I've been quite clear with my "no food or drink in Ops" policy, don't you?

Sorry.

Sorry.

Ha!

Jinx.

Looks like I win.

Wha...

Good night.

Eric found Khaled.

He'll brief you.

And Homeland Security grabbed Montalban trying to board his private jet to Morocco.

No surprise there.

Sooner or later, our sins seem to catch up to us.

Good night, Mr. Callen.

CALLEN: You're the second one I found in here today cleaning their weapons.

Apparently, you and Hetty have more in common than I thought.

Eric found Khaled.

He's in Spain.

He's making his way here.

(assembling g*n)