[A minivan is running by night in the streets. The driver, a woman, grabs her phone and dials a number. The phone rings in a bedroom – it’s 3.06 am.]
DEEKS: Hey, it's Marty. Gone surfing. Leave a message.
[But Deeks opens the eyes, takes the phone]
DEEKS: Hello.
[The woman is panting]
WOMAN: Marty, it's Jenny.
DEEKS: Jenny?
JENNY: Jenny Radler-- I need help.
DEEKS: Jenny, it's 3:00 in the morning.
JENNY: I found something big.
DEEKS: I'm guessing it's not sobriety.
JENNY: I'm in trouble.
DEEKS: Okay, what's going on?
JENNY: They're stealing luxury SUVs, shipping them to Asia. One blew up the police station in Jakarta. There was a kidnapping in Kuala Lumpur, a-a drive-by in Manila. The cars are from the Westside, and then they go to Long Beach, and get put on...Oh, man, is that them?
[A SUV has just appeared at her side- Marty is wide awake, sit on his bed]
JENNY: I thought I lost them.
DEEKS: What do you mean? You lost who?
JENNY: Oh, no. Oh, no, no. They're trying to kill me. Oh, God, Marty. Oh, God.
DEEKS: Jenny, where are you? Jenny!
JENNY: Oh, my God. Marty!
DEEKS: Jenny, you got to talk to me. Pick up your phone.
JENNY: Marty, no, no!
[She screams: The SUV forces the minivan to crash into a rubble container]
DEEKS: Jenny.
[Dial tone droning- He stands up]
♫ ♫ NCIS: LA 4x11 ♫ ♫ Drive ♫ ♫
♫ ♫ Original Air Date on January 8, 2013 ♫ ♫
[[NCIS office. Kensi comes in –G and Sam are already at work at their desk]
KENSI: Good morning.
CALLEN: Morning.
SAM: Morning.
KENSI: Does anybody want coffee?
SAM: I'm good.
CALLEN: My New Year's resolution--I'm off caffeine. Never felt better.
KENSI: Awesome-- I've made it a week without refined sugar.
SAM: So pathetic.
CALLEN: Wait a second. Did I just hear Sam "My Body Is a Temple" Hanna give us a hard time about being healthy?
SAM: Every year, people say the same thing--"I'm gonna lose weight, "I'm gonna quit smoking, I'm gonna spend more time with my family"-- and 92% of them fail before February. Why even bother?
KENSI: Wow.
CALLEN: You know, my second resolution was to not be judgmental of others.
SAM: I wasn't being judgmental; I was quoting scientific studies.
KENSI: Well, scientifically, we could be part of the eight percent who actually do succeed.
CALLEN: The few, the proud.
SAM: Hmm. Where's Deeks? Oh, I know. His New Year's resolution was to get to work on time.
[Deeks clears his throat- he’s upstairs]
DEEKS: Let's go. I've been here for hours.
[OPS center. They listen to the phone call audio record]
JENNY: [Over tape] One blew up the police station in Jakarta. There was a kidnapping in Kuala Lumpur, a-a drive-by in Manila. Oh, no. Oh, no, no.
DEEKS: [Over tape] Jenny, where are you?
JENNY: [Over tape] Oh, my God. Marty!
DEEKS: [Over tape] Jenny, you got to talk to me. Pick up your phone.
JENNY: [Over tape] Marty, no, no! [She screams –the car crashes]
[Marty stops the tape]
DEEKS: But there's more. Nell, play the tape.
NELL: This is what we pulled from a nearby traffic cam.
DEEKS: And right after the crash, she was abducted by these two guys.
[The team sees them pushing Jenny into their SUV on the video]
CALLEN: I take it the victim is a friend of yours?
DEEKS: Jenny Radler. Back in the day, I was her public defender for a few misdemeanors--uh, shoplifting, cocaine possession.
KENSI: You keep in touch with all your former clients?
DEEKS: No, she's not exactly on my Christmas card list if that's what you're asking, but when I made detective, she tried to be an informant, and I emphasize "tried" because the most she ever got was 20 bucks for ratting out a tagger.
SAM: Sounds like LAPD can handle it.
NELL: Though her descriptions of Southeast Asian acts of terrorism were spot-on.
KENSI: Couldn't she have just found that out on the Internet?
[Hetty enters]
HETTY: Not without the highest SCI clearance. Mr. Deeks and I enjoyed the sunrise this morning. It was glorious. Mr. Beale.
ERIC: Stolen SUVs are making their way across the Pacific for use as paramilitary vehicles. They're behind numerous civilian deaths.
HETTY: One day, it's a soccer mom's SUV in Beverly Hills. Two weeks later, it blows up a government building in the Philippines. This informant may hold the key to dismantling an international terror ring.
KENSI: Could be the reason she was kidnapped.
CALLEN: Are you tracking her cell phone?
ERIC: It's been off since the crash.
[A computer beeps]
NELL: Ooh, I just found something. Her daughter Talia is a sophomore at Whitley University.
DEEKS: Are you kidding me?
KENSI: What?
DEEKS: Nothing. Just the last time I saw her, she was just a little kid running around a homeless shelter. Time flies.
CALLEN: Why don't you two check out the college? We'll look into the minivan.
[Forensics garage. Sam and Callen meet a LAPD Officer]
CALLEN: Find anything?
OFFICER: No drugs, no alcohol, no weapons. We're kind of done here.
SAM: Except for the driver.
OFFICER: Jenny Radler is a homeless drug addict on parole. Looks like she crashed and fled the scene.
CALLEN: Where you looking for her?
OFFICER: We have a warrant out. When she shows up, she's going back to lockup.
SAM: Mind if we take a look?
OFFICER: Knock yourself out.
[They pull on gloves and look inside the minivan – it’s full of clothes, shoes, foods, books – mixed and messed…]
SAM: Definitely overdue for maid service.
CALLEN: Mm-hmm. Trip to the Laundromat.
SAM: How do you live like this? Kung pao chicken. Judging from the lack of mold, I'd say it's last night's dinner.
[Sam chuckles]
SAM: Double-shot espresso, G., sealed and untouched. You must be ready for a little pick-me-up.
[Callen finds a note]
CALLEN: 2013 Range Rover HSE, Lexus LX 570, Cadillac Escalade ESV. It's a little beyond her means.
SAM: Oh, interest rates are low. There are some attractive leases out there.
CALLEN: Could be a stolen car wish list.
SAM: Something under the gas pedal. It's all over the floor mat.
[He picks up a bit of metal and sighs]
SAM: Looks like a USB thumb drive.
CALLEN: A very dead USB thumb drive. Bag that for Eric.
SAM: Let's hope the boy wonder can bring it back to life.
[Kensi and Deeks are at the University]
DEEKS: You mind if I take the lead on this?
KENSI: Be my guest.
DEEKS: I helped Jenny retain custody when Child Protective Services was trying to take Talia away, so we have a little bit of a history together.
KENSI: She might feel more comfortable with a sympathetic female.
DEEKS: I don't know, I'm pretty in touch with my feminine side.
KENSI: Yeah, see, that's the problem. If you did have a feminine side, you'd be touching it all the time.
DEEKS: Wow. And yet, so true. Kens, there she is.
[He waves]
DEEKS: Talia, hey. Hi. I'm, uh, Marty Deeks.
[Talia’s friend leaves them]
DEEKS: I'm sorry. I knew you when you werejust a... a little girl. I, um... I was helping with, uh...
TALIA: I don't remember you.
DEEKS: Uh, you and your mother were living at the shelter. I was a...a lawyer...
TALIA: What's your name again?
DEEKS: Marty Deeks. That's okay, I'll just start from the top.
[He clears his throat]
DEEKS: Detective Marty Deeks, LAPD. This is Special Agent Kensi Blye.
KENSI: Can we talk to you for a sec? It's about your mother.
TALIA: Is my mom back in jail?
KENSI: No.
DEEKS: But we think she's in trouble.
TALIA: She's always in trouble.
[Deeks chuckles]
DEEKS: This is true, but we really need your help on this.
TALIA: Yeah, and I could have used her help for the first 18 years of my life. You ever pee in the back of a minivan, take a bath in the sink at a diner? How about fighting off perverts at a homeless shelter?
KENSI: That sounds horrible.
DEEKS: I'm, uh... I'm sorry. When's the last time you talked to your mom?
TALIA: Tuesday, December 21, 2010. It was my birthday. Look, I can't miss class.
DEEKS: Okay, I get it, all right, but this is your mom and she may have been kidnapped.
TALIA: Every day, I wake up totally prepared to hear that she's dead. I'm sorry. I can't help you.
[She walks away]
KENSI: Well done, counselor.
DEEKS: I thought that went well.
----------------------- ZAPPING -------------------------
[OPS center. Eric and Nell are working on the USB drive]
ERIC: Nothing—crystal oscillator's shot.
NELL: We're not giving up. 300 millivolts?
ERIC: I guess.
[There’s whirring and a prolonged beep; Nell groans]
ERIC: I'm calling it.
[G and Sam come close to them]
CALLEN: Any luck with the recovery?
SAM: Anything?
NELL: The trauma was extensive.
ERIC: The mass storage controller was pulverized.
NELL: We used all our capabilities.
ERIC: But the damages are beyond repair.
SAM: Time of death: 10:45. Anything from Kensi and Deeks?
CALLEN: Mother and daughter are estranged. We're back to square one.
NELL: Not quite. Even though the getaway car had no plates, there was a torn-off bumper sticker.
ERIC: Based on the coloring and a couple of partial letters, we got a match.
[Sam reads]
SAM: "My child is an honor student at McCadden Elementary."
NELL: We crossed school records with recent motor vehicle thefts and got you an address.
CALLEN: Good. Kensi and Deeks are in the neighborhood.
SAM: What do we have on stolen car rings?
[Eric sighs]
ERIC: Over a hundred to choose from.
CALLEN: Now, who do we know that can tell us about stolen cars?
[Sam smiles]
[Jaime is running, panting; Sam and G are walking on his heels]
JAIME: I didn't do anything.
CALLEN: We didn't say you did anything.
SAM: We just want to talk to you, Jaime.
JAIME: I did six months at County, man. I'm on parole, homes, staying straight.
CALLEN: Yeah, then, why are you running away?
JAIME: 'Cause you guys are the cops.
SAM: We're not cops; we're federal agents, Jaime.
JAIME: Same difference.
CALLEN: Thought you said we were cool.
JAIME: You weren't chasing me then.
CALLEN: We're not chasing you now.
SAM: We just want to talk.
[Jaime stops, wheezing]
CALLEN: Jaime, Jaime, Jaime.
SAM: Want some water?
[He nods]
[Kensi stops her car in front of a beautiful house]
DEEKS: Boy, oh, boy, this year is just flying by, huh?
KENSI: It's January 8.
DEEKS: Special day-- ocho de enero, January 8. Just like you blink and... eight days are gone.
KENSI: Wow, what are these, two-acre lots?
DEEKS: Yeah, the next time we go undercover as a married couple, this is going to be our neighborhood.
KENSI: I would get lost in such a big house.
DEEKS: Well, you need room for five kids, couple of dogs, cat, hamster.
KENSI: Ha, five kids. You want to drive your wife crazy?
DEEKS: It won't be so bad. Have a Swedish au pair, French maid.
KENSI: Huge alimony.
[They meet a gardener at work]
KENSI: Buenos días.
MAN: Buenos días.
[A woman is getting out of the house]
KENSI: Mrs. Hall?
HALL: Hello.
KENSI: Special Agent Blye. This is Detective Deeks.
HALL: The police were here last week. I already did a report, so I'm not quite sure why you're here.
DEEKS: Well, we're actually part of a special task force.
KENSI: Your car was used in a major crime last night.
DEEKS: Do you know exactly when it was stolen?
HALL: Friday, at 2:00 in the morning.
KENSI: Did your security cameras pick up anything?
HALL: A guy opened the door and drove away. Couldn't see his face.
DEEKS: So, the keys were inside the car?
HALL: No. We had a break-in a couple weeks ago. All they got was some jewelry from the bedroom. We didn't realize they stole a spare car key from the kitchen.
KENSI: Well, we'd still like to review your security video, if that's okay.
HALL: The detectives went over it frame by frame. You can't see anything.
DEEKS: It would really help us out a lot.
HALL: Uh, does it have to be right now?
KENSI: Yes. A woman was kidnapped last night. They used your car.
HALL: Oh, okay. Well, make it quick. I have a doctor's appointment.
[She leads the way towards her front door]
KENSI: Seem nervous to you?
DEEKS: Hmm. She just doesn't want to be late for her Botox shot.
KENSI: Wow.
[OPS center. Photos from the surveillance footage are on screen with Mrs. Hall’s ID]
NELL: The surveillance footage on Allison Hall's house is squeaky clean. And no way to I.D. the guy who stole her Mercedes, either.
ERIC: Cell phone and texts seem to show nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing that's suspicious is her credit card statement. $10,000 a month at Barney's, Neiman Marcus, Saks?
NELL: Poster child for S.A. It's Shopaholics Anonymous.
ERIC: Mmm, trying to cut back myself.
NELL: You're a compulsive shopper?
ERIC: No, no, no--collector. I can easily drop two grand a month.
NELL: On fantasy action figures?
ERIC: Yeah.
NELL: That's an expensive hobby.
ERIC: Mmm, not a hobby; it's an investment. The alien infantryman I got last year for 1,000 bucks now is worth $1,500.
NELL: Impressive.
ERIC: Try getting that kind of return in the stock market.
NELL: Mmm...
ERIC: How about you? Any, uh, New Year's resolutions?
NELL: Well, mine are kind of weird and personal, so...
ERIC: All right, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.
NELL: No, it's okay. Okay, um...Do you know when we're at work together...
ERIC: Yeah?
NELL: Well, we are surrounded by these supercomputers and satellites and databases. So, on the weekends, I've decided to go unplugged.
ERIC: Meaning?
NELL: No cell phone, e-mail, text.
ERIC: What if I have to call you?
NELL: Why would you have to call me on the weekend?
ERIC: If there was an emergency at work.
NELL: I'll have a pager!
ERIC: How very 1980s of you. So, uh...what's that number?
NELL: Hetty has it. Kensi's going to need that smartphone app really soon, so...how's it looking?
ERIC: I'm, uh... I'm all over it.
NELL: Great.
ERIC: Great.
NELL: Great.
[Boatshed. The door of the interrogation room opens: Jaime enters with G and Sam]
JAIME: No, no, no, those are worth nothing. You jack an old Honda, Toyota, chop them up in an hour, the parts will get you three large.
CALLEN: We're looking for someone that specializes in SUVs.
SAM: Luxury SUVs. Three rows, all the bells and whistles.
CALLEN: Jaime...
SAM: What do you know?
JAIME: Nothing.
CALLEN: Now, why don't we believe you?
JAIME: I know a guy that likes SUVs.
CALLEN: A lot of guys like SUVs.
JAIME: I mean the ones that you're looking for. He used to boost a few. Now it's more like 20 a month.
SAM: What's his name?
JAIME: No. No, I can't. No, these are some badass dudes. They find out you're a snitch, you're muerto.
CALLEN: Jaime. We got your back.
JAIME: Yeah, right.
SAM: Someone to stay with you. Someone to keep you safe.
JAIME: Never gonna happen.
[There’s a knock on the door]
CALLEN: I think that's your new partner now.
[Jaime is stubborn – he looks at the opposite of the door when Kensi comes in]
KENSI: Hi. I'm Kensi Blye. Nice to meet you.
[She shakes the hand of a stunned Jaime-he looks at Sam and G]
JAIME: For reals?
[G nods]
JAIME: And you're gonna pay me, too?
CALLEN: Mm-hmm.
SAM: Top dollar.
JAIME: Well, I guess this is starting to sound okay.
CALLEN: Great. Now we just need you to get Kensi into the crew as an undercover car thief.
[Jaime laughs]
JAIME: Estás loco! What you been smoking, cuz? It'll never work. These are OGs. They'll chop her up and-and feed her to the dogs.
[Callen looks at Kensi- she gets it and grabs Jaime’s neck]
KENSI: Oye, you little bitch. You come at me again, I will kick your sorry ass all the way to Chula Vista. You feel me?
[She frees the guy- he gasps]
JAIME: Damn. Where'd you find her?
[Not far from a garage entrance, Deeks is waving a big sign up and down]
DEEKS: Cell phones, $14.99! Get 'em while they're hot! Get 'em while they're... phones. Teléfonocellular-o. Muy barato! Llaman México, gratis.
[Kensi dresses like a gang girl is heading to the garage with Jaime]
KENSI: It's “llamar a México." You don't have to conjugate the verb.
[Deeks chuckles]
DEEKS: Well, excuse me, Dora the Explorer, but my undercover dude failed high school Spanish.
KENSI: Probably not the only thing he failed.
DEEKS: Easy, tiger. I'm the one that's got your back. And, seriously...keep an eye out for Jenny in there.
[Inside the garage a man is checking the cars]
MAN: Bumper looks good, but the finish is uneven. Next time, not so thick on the paint, vato. What do have we here?
JAIME: Buenas tardes, Señor Esposito.
ESPOSITO: Jaime...you big fat fool. Come here.
[He hugs Jaime and chuckles]
ESPOSITO: Who's this flower?
JAIME: Oh, that's my cousin, Carlotta.
ESPOSITO: Con mucho gusto.
[He raises a hand Kensi shakes]
KENSI: Mucho gusto.
[Esposito looks at her wrist, reads Krafty]
ESPOSITO: Oh, you brought me a gangster. How come they call you Krafty?
KENSI: Something's wrong...I fix it.
ESPOSITO: I bet you can. How come I never seen you before?
JAIME: She's visiting.
KENSI: From Tucson.
ESPOSITO: I guess you like it hot. If you came looking for work, Jaime, you picked a bad day.
JAIME: Oh, not me, mano. My cousin Carlotta needs a job. She's got mad skills. She can get you any car you want just like this.
ESPOSITO: Cállate!
[He grabs Jaime – pulls him away]
ESPOSITO: Estúpido. You...you bring a stranger into my place of business, and in front of her, you accuse me of being a criminal?
JAIME: I know what you need-- I'm just trying to help, you know?
ESPOSITO: I can't even trust you not to talk about what I do. Marco! Paco! Teach this payaso to keep his mouth shut.
KENSI: Hey, we don't want no trouble. You let us walk out of here, I'll pretend I never saw this place.
[A guy punches Jaime’s chest]
KENSI: Hey, hey! Yo, that's my cousin!
[She gives hard time to Marco and Paco, grabs a tool and stands in front of Jaime]
KENSI: Come on, man! Véngate!
[Kensi yells in Spanish]
ESPOSITO: Alto! S-S-Stop! Stop. Stand back. That's one tough chica. See what else you can do.
----------------------- ZAPPING -------------------------
[Kensi is walking with Esposito]
KENSI: When I was 12, I could plug the windows, hot-wire the ignition.
ESPOSITO: Yeah, well, these new keys have a transponder chip. Without it, the fuel and starter systems are totally dead. If you don't know that, why are we here?
[They sit down on a bench; Kensi takes her phone]
KENSI: 'Cause I'm with the functions. Memorized the VIN.
ESPOSITO: What are you doing?
KENSI: Remember that commercial where the lady can't find her key and the baby's all, like, crying inside the car and the operator has to save her ass?
ESPOSITO: Yeah.
KENSI: I got friends who know computers. Here we go. Alarm off.
[A car is parked nearby; its alarm chirps]
ESPOSITO: You're kidding me, right?
KENSI: No. Let's unlock the doors.
[Lock clunks]
KENSI: Let's start the engine.
[Deeks is hidden in a car and points the key at the car-the engine starts]
ESPOSITO: I don't believe it.
DEEKS: Reel him in, Krafty.
KENSI: What are we waiting for?
ESPOSITO: You could do this to any car?
KENSI: Pretty much.
DEEKS: May we be of further assistance?
[Kensi takes the wheel]
ESPOSITO: You hungry?
DEEKS: Well, I show a Krispy Kreme a mile on the right--I think you need it.
KENSI: Ah, I'm good.
DEEKS: Drive safely, ma'am, 'cause we are always here for you.
ESPOSITO: This could work out, chica. This could seriously work out.
[Kensi doesn’t completely stop at a stop- at once a siren wails- they’re chased by the police]
KENSI: Ah, what the hell, man?
ESPOSITO: You didn't come to a complete stop.
KENSI: Yeah, I did!
ESPOSITO: This is why I never take girls in my crew. Are you crazy?
KENSI: From head to toe.
ESPOSITO: You can't run from the cops.
KENSI: I did in Tucson.
ESPOSITO: This is L.A., girl--they got helicopters. In about two minutes, we're gonna be up on CNN.
KENSI: In two minutes, I'll be losing their sorry ass.
[A car horn blares- the police car has to stop to avoid the accident]
KENSI: Whoo!
[She makes the tires squeal, driving fast- siren is wailing again, cops are back in the chase. Kensi spots a truck, back doors open and …]
ESPOSITO: Oh, no, no, you can't, you can't go... No!
KENSI: Close your eyes, niña.
[Tires screech – the car stops inside the truck- she’s done it!! They hear the siren wailing, the police car drives further – they laugh! The policemen are no others than Sam (the driver) and G, in uniforms]
CALLEN: Kensi, you drive like an old lady.
SAM: Could have totally nailed your ass.
[Kensi laughs –Esposito chuckles]
[Parking lot]
ESPOSITO: Put it over there on the left. Damn, that was some driving, girl.
KENSI: Whew.
[They get out]
KENSI: What do we do now, man?
ESPOSITO: Nothing. It cools off for a day, make sure there's no LoJack, and then someone else takes over.
KENSI: Wait, you sell the car to somebody else?
ESPOSITO: Something like that.
KENSI: And then...where do they take them?
ESPOSITO: Far away, across the deep blue sea. Forget about it. You just made 1,500 bucks.
KENSI: That's cool.
ESPOSITO: And it can go up from there. You like tequila?
KENSI: Who doesn't?
ESPOSITO: We should celebrate. You want to get a drink tonight?
KENSI: I can't, man. I'm busy.
ESPOSITO: Doing what?
KENSI: I got plans.
ESPOSITO: So break 'em. You just got a new job that's gonna make you rich. I think it's time to party.
KENSI: It's my mother. We're making tamales for la Candelaria, you know?
ESPOSITO: Oh. Why didn't you say so? Another time, then. What's more important than la familia?
[OPS center. Nell and Eric are briefing Hetty]
NELL: According to the registrar's office, Talia has a 2:00 p.m. psychology lecture.
HETTY: Send Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna to the scene.
ERIC: [On his mic] Crockett, Tubbs, you still with me?
[Hetty glares at him]
ERIC: It's, uh... their code names for the operation.
CALLEN: Roger that, dispatch.
ERIC: How close to downtown?
SAM: Five minutes.
ERIC: We've been running Talia's electronic footprint.
NELL: She claims to have lost touch with her mother.
HETTY: Not according to her e-mails or her phone records.
CALLEN: She's got something to hide. Where is she?
ERIC: We've been keeping tabs on Talia's cell phone. At the moment, she's stopping every two blocks. Even the green lights.
SAM: You think she's on a bus?
HETTY: Either that or she's selling Girl Scout cookies.
[Sam parks the police car on the side road just when Talia crosses the street]
CALLEN: Red hair. That's her.
SAM: I got a bad feeling about this.
CALLEN: Not necessarily. She could be volunteering at a soup kitchen.
[Suddenly a guy grabs her and throws her onto the ground]
TALIA: Hey!
[She grunts: the guy tries to takes her bag over]
SAM: Told you.
[The police car starts running, the engine revs, tires screech- they head towards Talia and the man]
MAN: Give it to me! Let go! Let go!
TALIA: Stop!
[Tires screech, siren chirps- they rush outside the car]
SAM: I'll check the girl. You got him?
CALLEN: I got him.
[He runs on the tail of the guy]
SAM: Are you okay?
TALIA: I think so.
[The guy spots a biker about to ride away- he pushes the guy down the ground, takes the bike and goes away]grunting)
MAN: Hey! Hey!
CALLEN: Eric! We got a fleeing suspect on a motorcycle-- Latino male in his 20s, black hoodie.
ERIC: Roger that.
SAM: I'm Special Agent San Hanna. We know about your mom. You got something you want to tell us?
TALIA: Yeah. Now they're going to kill her.
[Sam hugs her, looking around]
----------------------- ZAPPING -------------------------
[Boatshed. Sam and G are in the observation room with Talia]
CALLEN: When did they call?
TALIA: It woke me up. 6:00 in the morning.
SAM: Caller I.D.?
TALIA: Blocked. They told me to bring my laptop to Hollenbeck Park or they'd kill my mom. And don't even think about going to the police.
CALLEN: Which is why you lied to Kensi and Deeks. We're going to help you.
TALIA: You showed up dressed like cops. I don't want her to die.
SAM: They need something off your computer. They don't have it. Which means she could still be safe.
TALIA: People must think I hate her for being homeless. But that's just how it was. I mean, she did her best, always had me under her wing. I mean, she used to help me with my homework by streetlight if she had to. I wouldn't have made it without her.
CALLEN: She sounds like a great mother.
SAM: Last time you two talked?
TALIA: Day before yesterday.
CALLEN: Did she mention anybody that would want to hurt her?
TALIA: No.
SAM: I hate to bring this up, but we know she had a drug problem.
TALIA: Clean and sober for three years. She was getting it together, learning accounting. She was good with numbers. Even got a few part-time jobs as a bookkeeper to help save up for an apartment.
[Eric and Nell’s faces in the OPS pop up on screen]
ERIC: Sorry. Are we interrupting?
CALLEN: What do you have?
NELL: No luck on the park attacker.
ERIC: He ditched the bike and ran. And there are about a thousand guys with hoodies in that neighborhood.
SAM: Check a blocked call to Talia's cell around 6:00 a.m.
NELL: On it.
CALLEN: How about the laptop?
ERIC: Well, three days ago, her mom sent an e-mail, subject, uh, "Save this for me."
TALIA: There was an attachment. Some file I couldn't open.
NELL: Neither can we. It's password-protected.
SAM: Since when has that ever been a problem?
ERIC: It's not an alphanumeric password-- it requires an audio file.
CALLEN: A voice match?
NELL: That's usually the case.
SAM: Probably Talia's voice or Jenny's voice.
ERIC: Uh, we fed samples of their voice mails to each other into a deciphering program, but... that could take hours.
CALLEN: If the protected files contain damaging evidence, whoever's after Jenny would want it destroyed.
SAM: That's why they need Talia's laptop and password.
NELL: We also found a second e-mail that said, "The key is in the stack."
CALLEN: Key?
TALIA: I was going to borrow her car.
CALLEN: What's the stack?
TALIA: I don't know. The library?
SAM: She ever leave her key for you at the library?
CALLEN: "The key is in the stack"" It's got to be a message about how to access the protected file.
SAM: "Stack" is a computer term, right?
ERIC: Uh, abstract-type linear data structure. Nothing like it on Talia's laptop.
NELL: Ooh. We got a hit on the 6:00 a.m. call. It was made from a pay phone at a bus station.
SAM: We've got some old-school bad guys.
CALLEN: Check security cameras. We'll try and find the stack.
SAM: Whatever that is.
[Talia’s room at the University – Callen and Sam are searching, Talia is ready to say the password]
CALLEN: Anything in the magazines?
SAM: Nothing.
TALIA: It's Talia. Call me when you can.
[Password incorrect]
TALIA: I love you, Mom.
[Password incorrect]
SAM: We're running out of time here. You really think the secret message is on a T-shirt?
CALLEN: Try reading this.
TALIA: "If you judge people, you have no time to love them" - Mother Teresa.
CALLEN: Nice.
SAM: But it's not "open sesame."
CALLEN: Stack of books over there.
SAM: I don't know, G. Eric said the password was an audio file--it doesn't have to be words.
CALLEN: All right, so we could also be looking for a thumb drive or a voice recorder or a... CD-ROM.
SAM: Music CDs?
CALLEN: Give it a try. Anything in here?
TALIA: Index cards. All blank.
CALLEN: What's this?
TALIA: Birthday cards, Valentine's Day, graduation--I save them all.
CALLEN: It's a stack.
TALIA: Mom couldn't afford presents, but she always got me a card.
CALLEN: Do you mind?
TALIA: Go ahead.
SAM: Sketches of Spain. Vintage Miles.
TALIA: With Gil Evans. My mom's.
SAM: She has good taste.
[Talia chuckles- G opens a card, synthesized music plays]
CALLEN: I know that song.
SAM: ♫ I can't give you anything but love ♫
CALLEN: ♫ Baby
TALIA: She used to sing it to me when I was little for a lully. So it was a pretty cool birthday card.
SAM: Think the song is a key?
CALLEN: We found it in a stack.
[Tune plays: password correct]
CALLEN: Bingo.
SAM: Looks like we hit the jackpot.
[The open file is filled with numbers]
CALLEN: "Old VIN," "new VIN."
SAM: They're changing 'em over so they can't be traced.
CALLEN: Esposito's just the middleman. We need to find the big fish that's shipping them overseas.
SAM: "Gonzalo Vargas, Primoroso Landscaping."
CALLEN: I'm sending a screenshot to Ops.
TALIA: How did my mom get all of this stuff?
CALLEN: She is a very thorough bookkeeper.
TALIA: I guess so.
CALLEN: How we doing, Eric?
ERIC: Okay, I found Vargas. Sending you the info now.
SAM: There's our man.
CALLEN: Eric, get me a 20 on this guy.
ERIC: Already working on tracing his cell phone.
CALLEN: Landscaping company in Bel Air, Brentwood and Beverly Hills. That's the perfect cover.
SAM: He's casing luxury SUVs from behind the bushes.
[Esposito’s garage – he’s handing bills to Kensi]
ESPOSITO: 13, 14, 15.
KENSI: One for my cuz 'cause you hooked me up.
JAIME: Sweet!
DEEKS: Hey. You hear they opened Jenny's file? Yeah. Password was in a birthday card. Isn't that amazing? A birthday card.
ESPOSITO: Mad props for bringing her in, J-dog.
[He hugs Jaime]
JAIME: Thanks. That's cool.
[Kensi notices a machine whirring]
KENSI: Hey, what's with the fireworks?
ESPOSITO: He must be welding under there.
KENSI: No, man, that's an engraver. Dawg, you changing the VIN numbers. Wow, you get some fake DMV papers, you get those things through customs, you ship 'em anywhere!
ESPOSITO: So how many tamales you gonna make?
[Kensi laughs]
KENSI: Double batch. About 40.
ESPOSITO: Now, with two of you, it should be quick, so...tomorrow night? You and me? We should hang out, right?
DEEKS: You kidding me? Can he be any more of a sleazeball?
KENSI: Maybe not.
ESPOSITO: Why not?
JAIME: She doesn't want to, man.
ESPOSITO: No, this don't involve you, tonto.
[OPS center. A computer beeps]
ERIC: Got him. Your suspect is traveling north on Tujunga, turning west on Penrose.
[Tania’s room]
SAM: He's headed for the auto body shop.
CALLEN: Deeks, you're getting a visitor.
[Vargas is parking his car at the entrance of the garage. Deeks recognizes him]
DEEKS: Oh, crap. Kensi, you're about to get made.
[Tania’s room]
CALLEN: Get her out of there.
SAM: Stay with us.
[Inside the garage]
JAIME: You shouldn't go out with her.
ESPOSITO: I'm talking about a drink!
DEEKS: Kensi, leave the building now. Right now!
[Kensi speaks quietly to Jaime, keeping her back at Vargas]
KENSI: Hey, you tell 'em I'm going to the bathroom. We'll come back for you.
ESPOSITO: Jefe, ¿cómo estás?
VARGAS: Hey. Escalade ready?
ESPOSITO: About to take it to Long Beach.
DEEKS: The bathroom window is open. Kensi, get the hell out of there.
ESPOSITO: Krafty. Yo, Krafty!
JAIME: Yeah, she's going to the bathroom.
DEEKS: Keep moving, Kens!
KENSI: Just a minute!
ESPOSITO: I want you to meet our boss. Stop. Turn around. Show him some respect.
[Kensi stops]
VARGAS: Heard some good things about you.
KENSI: Hey.
[She waves, keeping her head low]
VARGAS: Mamacita...I met you before?
KENSI: You ever been to Arizona?
VARGAS: Turn around.
ESPOSITO: All the way.
DEEKS: Okay, I need backup, Eric--LAPD, anybody, A.S.A.P.
ERIC: On it.
[Kensi faces Vargas- he pulls out a gun]
VARGAS: I know her. She's a damn cop.
JAIME: What are you trippin' about?
ESPOSITO: No, she's hard-core, dawg. She outran the LAPD.
VARGAS: No, nothing but show, man. She was up at the house where we boosted the Benz. She was talking to the lady like she's a detective or something.
KENSI: No. Man. You're thinking of somebody else.
JAIME: Hey, this is my cuz, I swear.
[Jaime is dragged at her side]
VARGAS: No. Those eyes. The figure.
[He searches her, finds her gun]
VARGAS: The Sig. It was you, puta.
ESPOSITO: You taking up with the cops, homes?
[Jaime shakes his head]
VARGAS: On your knees. Both of you. This is messed up, E.
ESPOSITO: No, I'll take care of it.
JAIME: You're wrong. She's not a cop.
ESPOSITO: You're right. She's not a cop. She's a dead cop.
----------------------- ZAPPING -------------------------
[At the garage; Kensi and Jaime are on their kneel, facing the guns of Vargas and Esposito]
JAIME/ I thought she was real. I thought she was down.
ESPOSITO: Shut up, fool.
KENSI: Hey, you don't want to do this. We got files from your bookkeeper. Details of every SUV and where they went in Asia. Now's the time to be smart, man. Put your guns down. Turn yourselves in.
[Vargas laughs]
VARGAS: DEEKS:
Eric, I need an ETA on Callen and Sam.
ERIC: Three minutes.
DEEKS: We don't have three minutes.
VARGAS: So if you know everything, how come nobody's come for me?
KENSI: They're on their way.
JAIME: They are?
ESPOSITO: She's bluffing.
KENSI: You kill me, you get the death penalty, get it?
VARGAS: They've got to catch me first.
[A metallic crashing sound interrupts them: Deeks wearing sunglasses and walking in has just banged down a hub cap]
DEEKS: Oh! I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't think this thing was gonna be so wide.
ESPOSITO: What are you doing?
DEEKS: I am going door-to-door to offer you an incredible opportunity.
[Jaime and Kensi stand up]
DEEKS: This, my friend, is two free days of promotion and marketing on this spectacular sign. Now, just last week, I was across the street. Doubled their walk-in customers. And obviously, I can't guarantee that that's gonna happen for you guys, but this is an offer that you can't refuse.
ESPOSITO: We're not interested.
DEEKS: You don't understand. There's no money up front. There's no risk.
ESPOSITO: Take off, gringo!
DEEKS: Whoa. Whoa. Gringo? All right, there's...there's no reason to start calling people names.
[He throws the sign onto Esposito and pulls out his gun]
DEEKS: Don't move! Drop it.
MAN: Put it down.
[One of Esposito’s men has a weapon right at Deeks’ head- Esposito laughs, raises his gun]
ESPOSITO: That wasn't so smart, now, was it? Now, toss it to the ground. Toss it to the ground!
[The gun clatters on ground as Deeks obeys. Vargas removes the cap and the glasses from Deeks’face]
DEEKS: Careful, amigo. Those are designer frames.
VARGAS: It's her partner. This is your cavalry? Huh?!
ESPOSITO: On your knees with your friends.
VARGAS: Tie their hands.
[G and Sam make it to the garage]
CALLEN: Stay in the car. Keep down.
TALIA: Is my mom in there?
SAM: Let's hope so.
[They step forwards carefully]
SAM: You ever drive a tow truck, G.?
[Inside the garage]
ESPOSITO: We'll take 'em to the yard. Now we got four bodies to get rid of. Grab some duct tape, tarps and shovels.
[A loud engine approaches]
SAM: Federal agents. Drop your weapons!
[Men start shooting, of course. Jaime is crawling on the ground – he hides under a car; Deeks frees him and picks up the gun of a guy Sam just hit]
SAM: Deeks, on your 6:00!
DEEKS: Callen, on your 6:00!
[It was Vargas]
CALLEN: Deeks?
DEEKS: I'm good.
SAM: Kensi?
DEEKS: Kensi?!
ESPOSITO: I don't know anyone named Kensi.
[He has his gun on her chest, using her like a shield]
CALLEN: Let her go.
ESPOSITO: Step away from the truck!
SAM: Drop the weapon, and no one gets hurt.
[Esposito is at the side of the car hiding Jaime]
ESPOSITO: Keep walking. Back off.
DEEKS: Look at me. You can't get away.
ESPOSITO: If I die, she dies!
KENSI: Guys... lower your weapons, please. Be smart.
ESPOSITO: Listen to your girl.
[Jaime grabs the blowtorch and opens it on Esposito’s leg- guy screams, lets Kensi go]
CALLEN: Drop your weapon!
[He tries to shoot, they hit him first]
DEEKS: Kensi, you good?
KENSI: Yeah, yeah, I'm good. I'm good.
JAIME: Excuse me?
[He coughs]
JAIME: Little help here.
[He’s panting]
DEEKS: I get it, Kens. Hold up your wrist.
[Jaime is grunting]
JAIME: Guys?
CALLEN: Where did they put Jenny? Check all the closets and storerooms.
DEEKS: Jenny?!
KENSI: Jenny?!
DEEKS: Got to check the yard.
[In the yard]
CALLEN: So where do we start?
NELL: According to the manifest, he's shipping out three SUVs tomorrow to Singapore.
CALLEN: Okay, we start with the shipping containers.
SAM: A lot of containers.
DEEKS: She could be anywhere.
KENSI: Hey, Eric, pan over with the infrared.
ERIC: Doing it as we speak.
NELL: We got something, but it's not moving.
ERIC: A dead body can radiate heat for eight hours.
NELL: Sending you GPS coordinates.
[Sam is using the blowtorch onto the lock. They open the doors]
SAM: There's no ventilation in there.
DEEKS: Feels like 120 degrees. She could be baked by now.
[They open the car trunk. Jenny is here]
DEEKS: Jenny? Jenny, can you hear me? Jenny, open your eyes.
SAM: We need to cool her down. Come on. Get her out.
[Deeks carries her to seats when Talia hurries closer- Callen and Kensi block her]
TALIA: Mom!
CALLEN: Give them room to work.
TALIA: Is she okay?
DEEKS: I think so.
KENSI: I'll call an ambulance.
TALIA: Oh, my God.
[Jenny coughs]
SAM: Get her some water.
JENNY: Marty.
TALIA: Mom!
JENNY: Marty.
[Jenny is coughing]
DEEKS: It's okay. It's okay.
TALIA: Mom.
JENNY: Baby.
[They hug]
DEEKS: You're okay.
TALIA: I thought I lost you.
JENNY: You are never gonna lose me.
[Both are crying- Kensi comes back with a bottle of water]
KENSI: Here.
JENNY: Oh, thank you.
DEEKS: So, Jenny, I take it you did some, uh, bookkeeping for Vargas?
JENNY: For, like, five bucks an hour. Cheap bastard.
KENSI: Yeah, well, you didn't get mad; you got even.
CALLEN: Why'd you wait so long if you had the information?
JENNY: I wanted to tie everything up in a bow. Marty always told me, "Don't come to me with half a story."
DEEKS: You did great.
[He presses her hand tenderly]
[NCIS office. Kensi is on phone –Deeks is listening in her back]
KENSI: Yes, 8:00 is perfect. Table for two under the name Blye. Great. Thank you very much. Bye.
[Deeks walks away- G and Sam are coming to their desks]
SAM: You remember that orange soda you had for lunch?
CALLEN: Yeah.
SAM: Well, 41 milligrams of caffeine.
CALLEN: Oranges do not have caffeine.
SAM: Well, there aren't any oranges in what you were drinking. Just corn syrup, red dye 40, yellow dye six, caffeine.
CALLEN: Mm-hmm. Why didn't you tell me?
SAM: You were irritable. It was driving me crazy.
CALLEN: Uh-huh.
SAM: And how are you, Miss No Refined Sugar?
KENSI: Good, actually.
SAM: What is that on your chin?
KENSI: What?
CALLEN: Looks like chocolate.
KENSI: It is not.
CALLEN: Let me see.
[He wipes the bit of something out her cheek with a tissue]
CALLEN: It's chocolate.
KENSI: Oh, you know what? That's organic carob from a protein bar.
CALLEN: Yeah.
SAM: Where's the wrapper?
KENSI: I don't know.
[Sam searches her bin]
KENSI: No, no, no. Sam...
[Sam finds the wrapper…]
SAM: 32 grams of sugar.
CALLEN: That's like eating a big chunk of fudge.
SAM: Fail.
KENSI: Excuse me. I had a gun pointed at me today. Okay?
CALLEN: Why are you all dressed up?
[He’s staring at Deeks in a shirt]
DEEKS: What, this old thing? Just got a little dusty out the.
[Eric and Nell join them]
ERIC: So, Esposito's gang was netting $100,000 per SUV.
NELL: Clearing $2 million a month.
CALLEN: They're returning the cars to all the owners?
HETTY: No, we're reimbursing them. They're going to ship the cars overseas as originally planned.
DEEKS: Really?
HETTY: With some significant after-market modifications.
SAM: Nice.
NELL: We'll be able to track every vehicle.
ERIC: Listen in on every conversation.
CALLEN: A treasure trove of intelligence.
HETTY: I believe a toast is in order. Look at this. A rare 2002 from Reims.
SAM: For the New Year?
HETTY: No. For Mr. Deeks' birthday.
[Sam laughs]
SAM: No way.
CALLEN: Seriously?
KENSI: I thought it was on the 18th.
DEEKS: Uh, yeah, nice try. Actually, I heard you making dinner reservations, so...
KENSI: That was with somebody else.
DEEKS: Yeah, right.
[Cork pops- Sam pours glasses]
DEEKS: What, are you serious?
SAM: Sorry, Hetty. I don't mean to be messy.
DEEKS: It's my birthday.
CALLEN: Here you go, birthday boy.
[He hands them glasses]
KENSI: Thanks.
DEEKS: Thank you.
HETTY: To Mr. Deeks. Long may he run.
SAM: Cheers!
NELL: Happy birthday!
SAM: Happy birthday, Deeks.
ERIC: Happy birthday!
CALLEN: Happy birthday, boy.
ALL: Cheers, cheers.
ALL: Happy birthday.
DEEKS: Eye contact.
ALL: Happy birthday.
DEEKS: Hey, uh, I'm the one that's going to dinner, right?
[At the dinner ♫ Kensi comes in and … Jaime waves at her]
JAIME: Hi. Hey, you look nice. Really nice. Thank you for doing this.
KENSI: Thank you for saving my life. It's the least I could do.
JAIME: Oh, this is my mother, Guadalupe. Mama... [In Spanish]: this is Kensi.
KENSI: [In Spanish] delighted!
MAMA: You’re even more beautiful than Jaime said. I never thought he could have a girlfriend as pretty as you.
[Kensi laughs…but glazes at Jaime]
KENSI: So... what are we drinking?
JAIME: Margaritas. You want one?
KENSI: Yes, please.
[She laughs and puts a finger up]
KENSI: Make that a double.
MAMA [In Spanish]: Do you like children?
[Kensi nods]
MAMA: {In Spanish] I love them too…I can’t wait to be a grandmother!
[Jaime helps himself with his drink, looking embarrassed. The screen becomes dark]
KENSI: Ay, caramba.
------------ THE END -----------
