06x03 - Praesidium

[bunniefuu]

Thomas: This phase of our investigation is a fact-finding mission.

Why did you send Special Agent Blye to Afghanistan?

We've got trouble, intruder alert.

Who are they?

Don't let them in until we know.

Nell: Department of Justice?

This is an order from the Executive Branch for a forensic audit of this facility and all employees.

Deeks: So, what are they looking for?

amm*nit*on to bring down Hetty-- they need a sacrificial lamb.

I will check in with you every day.

However, should I fail to do so, follow the enclosed directions as soon as possible.

Chauvenet is a Dark Net Deep Web site that deals in billions of dollars of illegal goods and services.

That's Hetty's house.

Somebody paid $250,000 to find out where Hetty lives.

Man: Stop right there.

w*apon on the ground.

(groaning)

(groaning)

♪ NCIS: LA 6x03 ♪
Praesidium
Original Air Date on October 13, 2014

♪ ♪

(TV playing indistinctly)

(cell phone buzzes)

Ugh. Stop kicking me.

We're being called into Ops.

What? What time is it?

It's just after 6:00.

In the morning?!

Yeah, no.

I need my beauty sleep.

More like a beauty coma.

(groans)

You're obviously not a morning person.

It's not morning, yet.

Get up.

God, I wish you had a snooze button.

(cell phone dings)

(cell phone beeps)

(cell phone buzzes)

I'll call you.

Mm-hmm.

What's going on?

Hit it.

Eric: Last night a private security guard sh*t an armed intruder.

That's Hetty's house.

You've been to Hetty's house?

Eric: The address was sold on the black market Web site, Chauvenet.

This is security cam footage from her front parlor.

That's Duke.

Eric: He was sh*t by a second assailant.

Both intruders got away.

Ah, damn.

What was he checking out on the ground?

Sam: Zip ties and a syringe?

That thing that looks like a bag is probably a hood.

Those intruders were there to kidnap Hetty.

Wait, so who's Duke?

Hetty's security guard, David "Duke" Fletcher, former British Special Air Services.

He's now in critical condition.

Does he have any family?

No, he's worked for Hetty for the past nine years, so she's probably as close as it gets.

Hetty did give me this before she left in case of an emergency.

Nell: In addition to her Hollywood house that was just breached, code-named Dovecote, Hetty also has an Encino property, code name Briar Patch, a beach house in Venice, code name Ancora, a loft downtown, code name Callisto, and, of course, her boat, Lady H, code name Sanctuary.

Wow, I'd heard Hetty slept in a different house every night.

Thought it was Hetty lore.

Now you know why.

That's a classic Arafat move.

Guess where he learned it.

Bring up the addresses that were flagged on Chauvenet.

Send us the addresses for Ancora and Callisto.

We'll check them out.

Already on it.

Callen: Kensi, Deeks-- check out her boat.

Where's Granger?

Uh... sent him the alert. He's not in, yet.

Late night?

Handling LAPD and Hetty's nosey neighbors.

Cops have agreed to sit on things for 24 hours.

Well, that doesn't give us a lot of time.

Well, we don't have a lot of time.

Special Investigator Wallace and her minions will be back any minute to create even more trouble.

What'd they find at the house?

Not much, maybe a boot print in a flower bed.

These guys are pros.

Classic black bag job.

The important thing is they didn't capture Hetty.

Who knows what they would have done to her.

I can think of a few ideas.

We're gonna check out the rest of her residences.

All right, be careful.

Let me know what you find.

Yo.

You okay?

Yeah.

Yeah, I was just, uh, thinking about what Deeks said.

You know, if Hetty had been home.

She wasn't. If she had been, it'd have been worse for the guys who broke in.

Yeah, maybe.

Are you kidding me?

Boot prints in her flower beds?

Someone steps on her daffodils?

She's probably k*lled for less.

Daffodils?

Doesn't even look right coming out of your mouth.

They're prize winning.

How do you know that?

First of all, why do you know that?

We talk gardening on occasion.

Gardening?

Gardening, investment strategies, woodworking.

Just because the art of conversation is lost on you...

I can have an artful conversation.

Yeah, right.

How's your vinyl collection these days, huh?

That was lame.

It's an icebreaker.

Yeah, okay.

It's a starter.

Yeah, I'm warming up.

Hetty has friends in high places.

Yeah.

She's gonna need 'em.

Do you have any idea who's responsible for this?

I don't know.

She's also made a lot of powerful enemies.

Can I ask you, are you at all worried?

I'm sorry.

What?

No, it's just that...

Hetty always told me to remain vigilant and cautious, but leave the worrying to your enemies.

That's good advice.

Does she have any idea any of this has happened?

No, not yet.

She should be briefed.

I'll handle it.

Okay.

What is it?

Duke passed away on the operating table.

Thomas: Miss Lange, the mission in Afghanistan was a debacle.

The unsanctioned mission that you approved to rescue one of your agents totaled over $3 million.

How do you justify such a costly mission?

(cell phone buzzes)

Miss Lange?

Miss Lange, the mission?

Yes, I'm sorry.

Could you repeat the question?

You were about to defend your egregious policy violation of negotiating with known t*rror1st organizations using the funds of the United States government.

Some of the money was mine.

Okay, and the rest of the money?

The rest was funneled through our operating budget.

In other words, the U.S. government's.

No hospitals reporting males with GSWs to the knee and shoulder.

They're too smart for that.

Yeah.

Where are Callen, Hanna and Blye?

Did you try the burn room? Did you try the car pool?

You two keep playing me, you're gonna find yourself working in the IT department at Petco.

Is there a problem here?

I owe a report to Congressman Thomas by tomorrow morning.

Let me talk to your people, or I'll shut your office down immediately.

Well, if you want to interview someone, interview me.

Deeks: Yeah, I could do this.

I could handle living on a yacht.

On your salary?

Maybe a rowboat.

Not if I had a shipmate.

You'd need about 20 shipmates to make this work, Gilligan.

What about you?

Nah, it's too rich for my blood.

I mean as a shipmate, me and you.

Split bills, save some money.

Maybe get a cooler place.

Are you serious?

What? I'm non-smoking.

I-I'm tidy, I'm professional.

I-I put my dishes in the dishwasher.

I buy toilet paper before it's even necessary.

That's incredible.

I would live with Monty before I'd live with you.

Yeah, that goes without saying,

'cause Monty's a catch.

I'm saying that we come as a package deal.

Oh, so I get a dog and a mutt?

No, thank you.

Touché. All right, you know what?

That's fine. It's probably better this way.

I couldn't put up with your hoarding anyway.

Okay, for the thousandth time, I'm not a hoarder.

Oh, you're a dirty little hoarder.

You're hoard city.

This is messed up, G.

If they can get to Hetty...

They can get to any of us.

Federal agents!

Stop!

(engine starting)

(tires squealing)

Drop that w*apon on the ground!

(grunts)

G?!

I'm good.

We're clear back here.

(clears throat)

Eric?

Yeah?

I'm sending you a photo of the sh**t as well as a number to trace.

You got it.

A find a blue Mustang leaving Ancora.

I'm on it.

Henrietta Lange.

All-powerful.

I'm sorry?

I thought we were doing word association.

Henrietta Lange has repeatedly acted outside of her role as manager of operations for the Office of Special Projects.

And has twice threatened to resign over it.

Well, I thr*aten to resign at least once a week.

Doesn't that suggest someone who's volatile?

Potentially unfit as a leader?

Well, they're not mutually exclusive.

Churchill had a few volatile outbursts here and there.

If you're comparing Ms. Lange to Winston Churchill...

Sounds like you are.

Lauren Hunter.

Before my time.

Ms. Lange trained her well beyond NCIS protocol before she became an agent.

The same with a woman named Grace Stevens.

Women mentoring women.

I guess it's not all competition and cat claws.

Mentorship?

Or indoctrination?

I thought these questions were supposed to be about me.

What do you want me to say in my report?

That Ms. Lange's team won't comply?

Well, Ms. Wallace, I can't help you with your homework unless you ask me questions that have to do with my role as assistant director.

Thomas: Ms. Lange?

You have shown nothing but a blatant disregard for your orders from the Secretary of the Navy.

I was operating well within the bounds of my authority.

Woman: If that were true, we wouldn't be here.

I did what n...

...need to.

You disobeyed direct orders.

Hetty, would you like some water?

Air!

(all gasping)

Hetty?

Hetty?

We know at least three people are involved.

Two of which are out of commission.

But we still don't know who they are or what they want.

What they want is Hetty.

Who they are remains to be seen.

The bigger question is how did they get Hetty's personal information in the first place?

I mean, she's one of the most private people on the planet. She's also one of the most skilled in tradecraft.

Exactly.

So how the hell did her information get compromised?

She got b*rned by someone in Washington like this Congressman Thomas.

Maybe. I don't think he's got the resources.

Then who?

Maybe we have a mole.

Come on, Hetty vets (door opens) everyone on her team herself.

How else would you explain this?

(door closes)

Hey.

Granger got a call from Washington.

Hetty collapsed at her committee hearing.

I hope you're pleased with yourself.

Where are you taking her?

Madison General.

(line ringing)

What's going on?

Still waiting to hear something.

Okay, got it. Thanks.

Nell?

She's being rushed to Madison General.

What the hell happened?

They couldn't tell me.

But I can try to find out who's treating her.

You think somebody got to her in Washington?

Nobody even knows she's there.

Nobody knew her home addresses last week either.

I swear to God, if somebody hurt Hetty...

We need to be on the next plane to Washington.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

We don't know what's going on yet.

Hetty's in trouble, that's all I need.

Maybe she just fainted. She's under a lot of stress.

Hetty? Fainted?

Really?

She has a resting heart rate of 50 when she's being sh*t at. Hetty did not faint.

Kensi: Okay maybe she didn't faint.

But Deeks is right. We don't know what's going on.

Sam: I agree.

We need to focus on what we do know.

And what's in front of us right now.

We don't have anything!

What if we're wrong?

And someone got to her while we're chasing our tails?

Then we do what we do best.

We rain hellfire down on their sorry asses.

Eric: Guys?

Kensi: Eric?

Tell me you got something on Hetty?

No, sorry.

Facial rec had nothing on your dead guy either.

But I did get a hit on that local number in his phone.

Guy's name is Craig Lennox.

He's a former German national who runs a custom furniture shop.

You got an address?

Yeah, it's downtown off the Willow Street alley.

All right, we'll check it out.

Callen?

If you need to go to Washington, we can handle things here.

No. Find out what happened to Hetty.

Eric send us the address.

Did it. Let me know when you get any news.

Not bad.

Can I help you?

You just did.

Glad I could be of service.

Ah! You won't be needing this.

And I'll take that.

Man: Please state for the record your official title and job responsibilities, Mr. Beale.

I have to use the restroom.

You're not leaving that chair until you've told us everything.

"Everything"?

Man: We're here.

This is the spot.

No security cameras till the end of the alley.

You're certain?

100%, ma'am.

This'll do just fine.

Thank you.

Callen: This is a waste of time.

Sam: It's the only lead we've got.

Want to take a walk around?

Be my guest.

I'm pretty sure it's your turn.

I'm not feeling it.

(laughs): So?

So, it'll show in my performance.

In your performance?

Yeah.

The key to undercover work is authenticity.

If I don't believe it, nobody else will.

And that can be dangerous.

Uh-huh.

I think you're watching too much of Inside the Actor's Studio.

What's your favorite word?

What terrifies you?

You.

(laughs)

Eric: I was caught in a brutal crossfire.

expl*sive rounds were going off so near my head, I could barely see.

But I kept my cool.

I waited for them to reload and the second they stopped sh**ting, I charged across that roof towards sweet, sweet freedom.

Until that b*llet tore into my neck.

In a computer game.

Not just "a computer game."

I lost the '93

Junior World Championship to...

Oliver Pinkerton.

Scheming Australian trickster.

I felt like I let everyone down, you know?

Most of all me.

Uh-huh.

Now, when I'm helping my team at NCIS, I compete against myself to see how fast I can do my job.

Find the unfindable.

Hack the unhackable.

"Unfindable.

Unhackable""

And then I'm not that scared little middle-schooler again, you know?

I guess I feel... empowered.

I've never told anyone that before.

Thank you.

Yo, G.

The blue Mustang just pulled up.

You're a hard man to find, Agent Hanna.

Are you kidding me?!

I'm in the middle of a case!

Well, so am I. I'm on a stakeout.

Then I suggest we get back in the car before you blow your cover.

Yeah. Let's do that.

Get in.

Get in! Move over.

What the hell are you doing here?

I need to speak to both you and Agent Callen.

(laughs)

You do realize now isn't a good time, right?

Oh, it is.

Unless you prefer to go back to the office.

(man speaking German)

One of you guys the owner?

Yeah. Can I help you?

Yeah, I just got a, uh, mid-century craftsman in Silver Lake that's gonna need some work and I was just hoping I could...

I'm right in the middle of something.

But if you call back, leave your information...

Can I just show you a photo?

I said, I'm busy, man.

I know.

I'm a Federal agent, man.

They're running!

And sh**ting!

sh**t's heading your way, Sam.

I got Lennox.

(tires screech)

Buckle up. We're on it.

(tires screech, engine revs)

Lennox?

Come out with your hands where I can see them, you still may walk away from this.

(crashing nearby)

(both grunting)

Sam, I got Lennox under control.

Sam?

Sam: You want to ask me questions? Ask 'em.

What can you tell me about Afghanistan?

We were sent, we located the enemy we rescued our agent. Next question.

I-I'd prefer you concentrate on your driving.

I am.

Either ask a question or get out.

(horns honking)

(tires squealing)

Sam: You wanted to know what we do? This is what we do.

Whoa. Whoa.

Wallace: Whoa-oa!

Sam: Any more questions?

Did Ms. Lange provide you with funds to appease the Taliban?

Duck!

Hetty used some of her personal funds to help us complete the mission and locate and rescue our agent.

Shouldn't you be writing this down?

Oh! Hold on!

Damn it.

Eric, run a facial rec on the traffic cam at 4th and Molino.

Eric: I'm still searching traffic cams, trying to see which way our sh**t went.

Callen: All right, thanks. Keep looking.

Any news on Hetty?

No, we're still waiting.

All right. Keep me in the loop.

No, I understand that, but this is the information I was given.

Okay, well, please call me if you do find her.

Find her?

(sighs)

Madison General has no record of Hetty being admitted.

Well, she probably used an alias.

No one matching her description, either.

(door closes)

Where's Lennox?

He's in holding. Where you been?

So this is where you've been hiding.

I'm sorry, this is a private club.

I'm going to have to ask you kids to leave.

You must be Detective Deeks.

Deeks: Deeks?

No, he left.

You literally just missed him and his partner.

Yeah. Actually, if we hurry up we can still catch them.

No one leaves here until I'm finished interviewing them.

And I'll start with you, Agent Callen.

Callen: I don't think so.

We have a case.

Wallace: I have a subpoena, which compels you to stay here and be interviewed.

That authorizes me to detain you, should you choose not to comply.

Callen: Then you better cuff me, because I'm not staying.

You heard the man.

Put him in the other room.

Sam: You just don't know when to stop, do you?

This is completely ridiculous.

No, this is serious, Ms. Blye.

And since you people refuse to realize that, you leave me no option.

Get out of the way or get hurt.

Don't go far, Agent Hanna.

I may have more questions for you after I'm finished with your partner.

What about some coffee?

(siren whoops)

You won't be needing that, Ms. Lange.

If we wanted you dead, you would be.

What do you want?

We'd like you to come with us.

Hetty: Why?

Who are you?

This way, please.

Son of a bitch!

(seagulls squawking)

(chuckles)

How was your swim?

Surprisingly refreshing.

I should have thrown that lady out when I had the chance.

Yeah? So why didn't you?

I mean, I usually like a woman that wants to put me in handcuffs, but... not that one.

Oh, no, no.

Hold on, hold on, hold on.

Did you hear what you just said?

What?

Sounded like something Deeks would say.

Oh, God, you're right.

Think I held my breath underwater too long?

What's the blast radius of a nuclear w*apon with a ten-kiloton yield detonated at ground level?

I like cheese.

You're fine.

Look... if this whole thing is about somebody wanting to get to Hetty... maybe it's time we just hand her over.

So you guys twins? Huh?

My friend, uh, Darrel Dinkins had a twin-- unborn twin, actually-- in his armpit. It wasn't, like, a full twin, it was just like a big cyst but it had teeth and hair and...

Do you ever shut up?

What are you talking about, man? I'm just trying to make conversation, here. You know what I mean? I'm trying to interact.

(phone buzzes)

This guy, huh?

Obviously the grumpy twin.

I have to get back to Ops.

Fine. Go.

(clears throat)

I have to get back to Ops.

To...

Nope. Gonna... just gonna sit here.

This okay?

Just back down...

Oh!

So we're doing this, huh?

What do you guys do for fun?

Tweedledee and Tweedledum?

Wallace: Let's go back to the beginning.

Who was Jack Simon?

He was a Marine.

A Marine you were engaged to?

Mm-hmm.

A long time ago.

The CIA believes Jack Simon was the White Ghost-- a Western civilian helping the Taliban.

We all know how accurate the CIA Intel is, don't we?

Was your fiancé the White Ghost?

There was no White Ghost.

So you went halfway around the world for several months chasing misinformation?

Looks that way.

During which time, you were kidnapped by the Taliban.

How'd that happen?

What do you mean, how did that happen?

Why were you off the forward operating base alone?

I was following a lead.

In hostile territory, by yourself, without telling anyone where you were going and what you were doing?

That's stupid or intentional.

Either way, it cost the taxpayers several million dollars for the operation to get you back, including $1 million in cash that was paid to your captors, and that seems extraordinary, considering it's been this government's policy that we don't negotiate with t*rrorists.

Do you have any idea how many g*ns, bombs, U.S. deaths that money will finance?

Do you have any idea what I went through in captivity?

♪ ♪

(door buzzes)

Think they bought it?

It's hard to say.

My guess is they watch all of her houses.

All right, where do you want me?

Upstairs.

Hopefully Kensi and Deeks will be free of Wallace before we get any company.

Deeks: Oh, it's about time.

They're done!

Hey, did you finish your book report?

All right, my turn.

Wallace: We're done for now.

We'll be in touch.

Oh...

You're missing out,

'cause I know where the bodies are buried.

I also know the Colonel's 11 herbs and spices.

That's right, secret recipe.

See you later.

You okay?

Yeah, why wouldn't I be?

I don't know, what'd they ask you about?

Um... just Hetty.

Uh... Afghanistan.

You want to talk about it?

Nope.

I always find that it helps me when I talk about the... things that are bothering me.

That's funny, 'cause, um...

...it never helps when you're bothering me.

(laughs)

Touché.

Except I'm being serious.

Come on, partners don't keep secrets.

Partners?

I mean, that's what we are, right?

We're partners.

Come on.

Low five.

Hit me.

Don't leave me hanging.

You didn't really even connect.

You gotta make good contact, otherwise it doesn't count.

Oh, my God. Come here. It's okay.

(crying): I just want to forget what happened.

I know you do. I know you do, but you can't. And the harder you try, the harder it's just gonna fight back, trust me. You just gotta let it out. You gotta make peace with it. But that takes time.

(sniffs)

I'm so much tougher than this.

I know you are.

You're tougher than me, and that's tough.

Even with this... adorable... veneer.

(laughs)

My God. And just like that... the moment is way gone.

That's okay.

I got more moments.

Okay.

All locked up.

Any movement?

No. But I think one of us should leave.

They're gonna assume Hetty has security, but if they are watching, they'll be more likely to move a move if they think there's only one of us.

Keep your eyes open.

I'm glad you're having fun.

Uh-huh.

(car door opens)

Follow me, please.

(elevator bell dings)

Wait here, please.

Man: I'm glad to see you've made such a speedy recovery.

I hope you have a damn good explanation for this, Leon.

It's nice to see you, too, Henrietta.

What's the meaning of all this?

You've got a leak in your operation.

Oh, the hell I do.

Your personal information was sold online.

Information that wasn't even available to us.

How long have you known this?

Long enough.

Long enough to have informed me?

Doing so could've tipped off the people who are behind this.

So, you used me?

I protected you.

Still am.

And the hearing?

Thomas has an Axe to grind.

Always looking to make a name for himself.

So, it wasn't that hard to push him in the right direction.

You set him on me?

It was the only way I could ensure that you would leave Los Angeles.

(laughs)

Oh, well played, Leon.

I had a good teacher.

But... by protecting me, you put my people in even greater danger.

It's been my experience that your team can take care of themselves.

I still don't like this.

Nobody does.

So, what's next?

You remain here in D.C. protected until we find those responsible.

What other options do I have?

You don't have any.

I can't protect you outside of my chain of command.

Is that why you brought me here?

To tell me that I'm a dinosaur?

I just like the museum.

(tires screeching)

Here we go!

Could use a hand, G.

Nell: I count three coming in the front.

Two more headed around back.

Man: Upstairs. ires screech)

Callen: Nell, status?

I'm holding the high ground.

Copy. Kensi and Deeks are five minutes out.

(cell phone buzzing)

(door closes)

Hetty: Nell?

What's going on?

We're under att*ck.

Where?

Dovecote.

You're in my house?!

Yes, and we're outmanned and outgunned.

Oh, bugger.

Listen to me carefully.

(grunts)

(grunts)

They came for Hetty at night with sedatives and syringes.

These guys aren't here to kidnap anyone.

(g*nf*re)

They're here to k*ll us.

(g*nf*re upstairs)

Nell!

(grunts)

Nell?!

Go! I got these jokers!

Go!

Nell?

You okay?

Yeah.

Follow me.

(g*nf*re continues)

Nell, this is a dead end!

Nell!

Of course Hetty has a secret passageway.

Who do you think put the trapdoor in the boatshed?

Sam!

(clock chimes)

I love Hetty.

I just wish she wasn't so small.

(sirens wailing)

(helicopter blades whirring)

(indistinct shouts)

Federal agents!

Don't even think about it.

I have had a terrible day already.

Down!

Deeks: All the way.

How are we gonna explain this to Hetty?

We're not. I'm sure you'll think of something.

Oh, I get it.

You get to have artful conversations about, uh, butterflies and flowers and I get to give her the bad news?

It works for me.

Uh-huh.

(door opens)

(door closes)

Just got word that Hetty's fine.

What was it?

Exhaustion.

So, who the hell are they?

No I.D. And they're not talking. Eric's looking at their biometrics.

Who's the suit?

Their lawyer.

Guy came before we could take them away.

Interesting.

Where is everybody?

Kensi and Deeks took Nell home.

She okay?

She's never k*lled anyone before.

It was him or her.

Sam: Doesn't make it any easier.

Keep an eye on her.

Let me know if there's a problem.

She'll be okay.

Hey, I've got positive I.D.'s on one of the men you arrested and one of the deceased.

I'm still working on the rest.

Elias Bauer and Fabian Schneider.

They both came in three weeks ago on legit EU passports issued by Germany.

What do the Germans have against Hetty?

Could be g*ns for hire.

They were both on a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt via Toronto.

I decided to check LAX security to see if any of the others were on that flight.

And?

No. But... I did find this.

Mattias.

Why would Mattias come after Hetty now?

With Hetty's personal information for sale, it may have been too much of a temptation.

He probably thought he could go in quietly and grab her.

We warned him what would happen if he ever tried to hurt her again.

So, what do we do now?

We make good on our promise. We hunt him down... and we k*ll him.