----------------------- ZAPPING -------------------------
[In a parking lot: 3 men are chasing the woman; one of them at least has a gun; she runs, spots a man closing the trunk of his car]
WOMAN: Call the police!
MAN: What's wrong?
WOMAN: They're chasing me!
MAN: Hey, are you on drugs, lady?
[But there are gunshots and the man falls backwards –hit in the chest! The woman starts running again; about to reach the stairs, she bumps into one of her chasers and screams…]
♫ ♫ NCIS: LA 4x22 ♫ ♫ Raven & the Swans ♫ ♫
♫ ♫ Original Air Date on April 30, 2013 ♫ ♫
[NCIS office. G and Sam are working at their desks]
SAM: Come on, G, it's one day.
CALLEN: A whole day?
SAM: Maybe three hours in the afternoon. It's not the whole day.
CALLEN: Three hours?
SAM: You're her uncle.
CALLEN: I'm not really her uncle.
SAM: She calls you Uncle Callen.
CALLEN: And I'm not very good with kids either.
SAM: Now you sound like Kensi. Kids love you.
CALLEN: Your kids, maybe; other kids, not so much.
SAM: A few weeks ago, that kid in the sewer was about to poison half the city. You talked him out of it.
CALLEN: It's true, but I was also ready to shoot him.
SAM: No, you weren't.
[He pleads with the eyes…]
SAM: She's had to stay with her grandparents while Michelle and I try to flush out the Sidorov thing. I want this to be special, G. Kensi and Deeks are dressing up. You were coming to her birthday party anyway, right?
CALLEN: Not dressed as a werewolf.
SAM: It's not a werewolf, it's Professor Lupin.
CALLEN: You said it was a werewolf. Wait, Lupin sounds like a werewolf.
SAM: Technically, yes, but only during a full moon. This is afternoon.
CALLEN: I mean, if anyone's gonna go as a werewolf, it should be Deeks. The guy's halfway there already.
SAM: All you got to do is wear a robe, carry a wand.
[G sighs]
SAM: For my little girl? Please, Uncle Callen?
CALLEN: Fine. But you owe me big-time.
SAM: Just be glad she's out of her princess phase.
[He laughs as G opens wide eyes!]
[Armory. Kensi is cleaning her gun; Deeks appears]
DEEKS: What are you doing?
KENSI: Shaving my legs. What does it look like I'm doing?
DEEKS: Um, it looks like you're cleaning your gun with my T-shirt.
KENSI: Oh. Sorry. It was on the bench; I thought it was a rag.
DEEKS: No, rags don't have sleeves.
KENSI: All right.
DEEKS: I mean, I've had this thing since high school.
KENSI: Holy shirt, I believe it.
[She laughs, he looks pitiful…]
KENSI: Come on, that was funny. Oh, and no comment on me shaving my legs?
[She imitates Deeks]
KENSI: "Uh, can I help you? Is it from the waist down?"
[She moans]
KENSI: Dude, come on, I'll buy you a new one.
DEEKS: Yeah, you can't get me another shirt because he is the last of his kind, thank you.
KENSI: He's a shirt.
DEEKS: You have no idea what we've been through together.
KENSI: Still a shirt, Linus.
DEEKS: Okay, no, 'cause Linus had a blanket, all right? This is the costume of my rebellion awakening, all right? This was the anthem of my youth.
[He shows letters on the shirt – she reads]
KENSI: "Touching Wood"?
DEEKS: It's the name of my band. We were 15 and made of awesome.
KENSI: Was this a boy band or was it a marching band?
DEEKS: I'll have you know it was a rock band. Yeah, mm-hmm. And I was the front man and lead guitarist.
[Kensi laughs]
KENSI: Oh, God. Really? Please, please tell me there is footage of you singing.
DEEKS: Wow, the amount of delight that you're getting out of this is a little unsettling.
KENSI: With good reason. Sing something.
DEEKS: No, I'm not gonna sing for you.
KENSI: Sing or...I'm gonna tell Callen and Sam. And then I'm gonna use every piece of technology that we have to scour the planet for footage of you performing.
DEEKS: Okay, now you're scaring me.
KENSI: Dance, monkey, dance.
DEEKS: Possessed much?
KENSI: Okay. I'm just gonna text Callen and Sam.
[She types]
KENSI: "Hey, guys, did you know that..."
DEEKS: Stop texting, fine. That's-- I-I will sing. Stop texting. I will sing. You want me to sing, I'll sing. You want me to dance, I'll be your monkey. Here we go.
KENSI: Bup-bup-bup.
[She turns the light to him]
DEEKS: You ready for it?
KENSI: Oh, I'm ready.
DEEKS: Is this really necessary?
KENSI: Action.
DEEKS: ♫ Baby!
[It was bad; he clears his throat and the 2nd try is high-pitched]
DEEKS: ♫ Baby...
[It’s worse; he clears again his throat]
DEEKS: ♫ Me-me-me-me-me, gee-gee-gee-gee-gee-gee-gee ♫ Baby!
[It’s really bad]
DEEKS: Nope, sometimes, you got to really breathe from the diaphragm; it's important. It's been a long time since I really blasted out the pipes, so I just...
[Eric has just stopped dead behind him; both clear their throats: Deeks notices him]
DEEKS: Oh, God, wow. Hi, how are you? What can I do for you?
ERIC: Uh, Hetty wants us...
DEEKS: Awesome, I'd love to be a part of it. Gonna go solve some crimes.
[He’s out before Eric could finish his sentence]
ERIC: ...up in Ops. Wow. That was excitement.
KENSI: No, Eric. That was fear…
[OPS center. All the others are already here with Hetty when Eric, Kensi and Deeks come in]
HETTY: Hit it, Nell.
NELL: A woman was stalked and attacked in a city parking lot last night by at least three men. Two of her attackers are dead, along with a bystander, and the woman is missing.
CALLEN: And this is a case for us because...?
HETTY: Because I'm assigning it to you.
[They exchange puzzled looks]
SAM: Who are the men that attacked her?
ERIC: Haven't been identified.
DEEKS: What about the woman?
NELL: Nope.
KENSI: Okay, so where do we start?
HETTY: I suggest you start with the dead.
KENSI: Of course.
[Hetty leaves the OPS]
[At the morgue. Kensi scanners one of the 2 bodies; Deeks looks at their stuff]
KENSI: Did you find anything?
DEEKS: Mm, cheap cell phone--probably a burner--$300 cash, and that's it. No wallet, no keys, nothing else.
KENSI: Okay, that's weird. If somebody took the wallet, they would have taken the cash.
DEEKS: Wait a minute. These clothes also don't have tags in them.
KENSI: You're kidding.
DEEKS: What do you got?
[Kensi angrily clears her throat]
KENSI: Nada. Nothing on facial rec, nothing on the prints. No tattoos, no scars.
DEEKS: So these guys are ghosts.
KENSI: Well let's hope they're ghosts with dental records.
[Parking lot- Police is still at work]
SAM: Covered all the exits. Closed in from all angles like a pack of jackals. She never had a chance of escaping.
CALLEN: Yeah, no purse or briefcase on her, so she probably wasn't coming from work.
SAM: Every vehicle that came in was accounted for, so either they took her car or she didn't have one.
CALLEN: So what the hell's she doing here?
[Sam spots drops of blood on the ground and follows the trail; at the bottom of the stairs, there’s more blood]
SAM: Exertion made them bleed out faster.
[He stops in the middle of the stairs]
SAM: Stopped to rest here.
[G’s cell phone rings]
CALLEN: What do you got, Eric?
[OPS center.]
ERIC: Actually, I was just checking in to see if you found anything.
[Parking lot. Callen frowns]
[OPS center.]
CALLEN: [Over com] She's standing over your shoulder right now, isn't she?
HETTY: Yes, she is, Mr. Callen. And she's looking for a situation report.
[Parking lot]
CALLEN: We found a blood trail.
[OPS center.]
HETTY: Of the woman's or the attackers?
CALLEN: [Over com] We're not sure yet.
[Parking lot]
CALLEN: Sam's gonna send you some photos.
[OPS center.]
ERIC: That's a lot of blood.
[Hetty looks worried…]
----------------------- ZAPPING -------------------------
[NCIS office. Deeks and Kensi are coming back – they join the others at the agents’ desks]
KENSI: So, if you were in a band, how come I've never heard you play guitar?
DEEKS: Maybe I never bring my ax to work.
KENSI: Oh, your "ax"? Okay, so did you guys play "gigs" and have "groupies"?
DEEKS: Why do you think we had a band? Honeys love musicians. I got so much...personal attention in high school.
SAM: Attention or detention?
[Deeks scoffs]
DEEKS: He's gonna be here all week, folks.
KENSI: So what do we got?
CALLEN: Eric and Nell found additional surveillance footage from the garage's exterior.
KENSI: Okay. And?
[A man threatening the woman with his gun pushes her towards a car; but the woman starts fighting, and knocks him out]
DEEKS: Ouch.
[She’s taken his gun, puts it as a shield against bullets coming from with the others –she shoots too and hits both of them before leaving as fast as she can]
KENSI: Wow. I like this girl.
DEEKS: Yeah, that was impressive.
SAM: That was professional.
KENSI: Never mind the guys. Who is this woman?
CALLEN: Exactly.
[He looks at Hetty’s office: she’s not here; Nell is in the stairs]
CALLEN: Nell. Is Hetty upstairs?
NELL: No. Why?
[Boatshed. Hetty enters carefully – her gun in the hand. She looks around]
HETTY: You're injured?... If you are, I appreciate your efforts not to get any blood on my furniture.
WOMAN: How'd you know I'd come here?
[Hetty smiles, and puts her gun back in the pocket]
HETTY: How did you know you'd be safe if you did?
[A woman appears; the missing woman from the parking lot; her arm is wounded. Hetty points at it]
HETTY: How bad is that?
WOMAN: Won't be wearing a strapless gown anytime soon.
HETTY: Bones?
WOMAN: No. It's just soft tissue. He only grazed me.
HETTY: You're lucky. It'll still need medical attention.
WOMAN: I'll settle for some scotch.
[NCIS office. G is looking closely at Hetty’s desk- rummaging her papers]
SAM: Any walnuts?
CALLEN: No. No bread crumbs either. She's holding out on us.
SAM: What else is new?
CALLEN: That mystery woman's the key.
SAM: Yeah, Hetty's trying to protect her. Question is: from who?
CALLEN: I hate when she does this.
SAM: Sucks, don't it?
CALLEN: Yeah.
[They head to the OPS]
SAM: Yeah, you two are cut from the same cloth.
CALLEN: Hardly. Hetty is, uh, hand-painted silk. I'm more of a...
SAM: Itchy polyester?
CALLEN: I was gonna say denim.
SAM: Well-worn denim.
CALLEN: What the hell's that supposed to mean?
[OPS center.]
CALLEN: Any luck on Hetty?
ERIC: Nothing on her phone. She turned it off, so we couldn't track her.
CALLEN: She's off the reservation. Again.
ERIC: Yeah, but why?
SAM: I think we have to ask her.
[He points at the woman on the video]
ERIC: You got to identify her first.
CALLEN: Where's Nell?
ERIC: She had to run down to the armory.
CALLEN: For what?
ERIC: She didn't say.
[Sam and G exchange a look. ♫]
[Armory. Nell is checking the “Hetty’s drawers”; she doesn’t hear Sam and G coming in and standing in her back]
NELL: Whoa! You guys scared me.
CALLEN: What you doing?
NELL: Just, um, inventory.
CALLEN: Mm-hmm.
SAM: What's missing?
NELL: The derringer and her arm rig. Plus her .32. Three knives, pepper spray and a steel baton.
SAM: What, no hand grenade?
[Callen sighs]
[Boatshed. Hetty and the woman are drinking tea.]
HETTY: This is nowhere near as good as the Pu-erh you used to bring me from Yunnan. But it'll have to suffice.
WOMAN: Thank you.
HETTY: It's been awhile.
WOMAN: Yeah.
HETTY: How long have you been in town?
WOMAN: Not long.
HETTY: Long enough to leave a couple of bodies.
WOMAN: I ran out of options.
HETTY: Well, it happens. You should have called me if you were in trouble.
WOMAN: I'm here now.
HETTY: And I'm glad that you are.
[The door opens – Hetty and the woman both jump on their feet and aim at the visitors with their guns; Sam and G look puzzled]
HETTY: Ah, bugger.
CALLEN: Hope she's talking about you.
HETTY: It's all right.
[She taps the woman’s arm; the visitor puts her weapon down]
HETTY: Oh, well, now that you're here, Mr. Hanna, could you see to our guest's injuries?
SAM: Let's take a look.
CALLEN: You got a minute?
[Interrogation room]
CALLEN: This is where you tell me what's going on.
HETTY: What would you like to know?
CALLEN: Why don't we start with the woman in the other room and what the hell she's doing here.
HETTY: Well, her name is Grace Stevens.
CALLEN: Mm-hmm. And I take it you have a pretty good reason for not telling us who we were looking for?
HETTY: I asked you to identify the men.
CALLEN: Yeah, well, that would have been a little easier had we known who they were after.
HETTY: I told you, her name is Grace Stevens.
CALLEN: That's her name. I want to know who the hell she is.
HETTY: She's one of ours.
[Callen speaks gentler]
CALLEN: Now, why wouldn't you want to tell me that?
[She stares at him, half-smiling]
----------------------- ZAPPING -------------------------
[Boatshed. Grace is briefing Sam and G with photos on screen]
GRACE: Nolan Vandenberg popped up on our radar three years ago, when equipment from one of his manufacturing facilities turned up in Iran. He said it was stolen. Now, the concern is that he's providing equipment that could be used to facilitate the nuclear programs of our enemies. We just haven't been able to prove it.
SAM: How long were you inside?
GRACE: I've been working for him for 11 months. Living with him for three.
[G and Sam looks at each other]
GRACE: My intel flow had dried up. He maintains control through compartmentalization. His employees only know enough to be efficient in their specific area.
CALLEN: So you figured you could gain additional access if he trusted you on a more intimate level.
GRACE: I was out of options. Unfortunately, all I learned is he's an abusive sadist.
SAM: Do we have enough to arrest him?
GRACE: No.
[She sighs]
GRACE: If we arrest him, we tip off those he's helping. The fear is there are others in addition to Iran. If we take him out, they'll find another supplier, and it may take us months to determine who they were and where they are in their nuclear development.
CALLEN: So what's the goal?
GRACE: We want to know who he's supplying, and ideally allow him to continue to do so in a manner that lets us monitor his progress and delay it if necessary.
SAM: Espionage and sabotage. Two of my favorite pastimes…
GRACE: Well, unfortunately, after what happened last night, he may have already fled the country.
[NCIS office. Same photo on screen, downstairs – Nell is briefing Kensi and Deeks; Sam and G join them]
NELL: So we looked into his business holdings, and recent land deeds show that Vandenberg's company has purchased property in the Tula industrial area. It's just north of Mexico City.
DEEKS: They say what for?
NELL: Manufacturing of heat transfer equipment, used in refining, petrochemical and gas processing industries. It could be legit.
SAM: Yeah, it could be. And it could also be a way to move equipment into another country without rousing suspicion. Who's gonna expect uranium refining technology to come out of Mexico?
KENSI: Hmm.
CALLEN: Any luck tracking down the missing cargo van or the other guy that Grace shot?
NELL: Mm, no luck with the van, but he hasn't sought medical attention at any local hospitals. Could've patched himself up.
CALLEN: Or he could be dead.
SAM: What about Vandenberg?
NELL: As far as I can tell, he's still here. He has a three- bedroom suite booked at the Biltmore downtown.
CALLEN: Good. Book us a room close to his.
NELL: Okay, got it.
DEEKS: You guys going on a second honeymoon?
CALLEN: No, you two are.
KENSI: Ah, okay. Nell, make that twins.
DEEKS: Mm, now we're talking. Twins are on my bucket list.
KENSI: Beds. Twin beds.
DEEKS: Uh-huh. Yeah, no, but...
[Callen spots Grace, in clean clothes]
CALLEN: Meet you two in the armory.
DEEKS: You say "twin beds," I say "twin-s."
[They head to the armory]
CALLEN: Feeling better?
GRACE: Never underestimate the rejuvenating powers of a hot shower.
[Callen chuckles]
CALLEN: Look, Vandenberg is still here, so we're gonna go check him out. You can watch from Ops.
GRACE: I'd be of more use on the ground.
CALLEN: It's not worth the risk of him seeing you. Plus, you need to heal. Look, you'll be in contact with us. You can see almost everything we see.
GRACE: Okay.
CALLEN: So, uh...how long have you known Hetty?
GRACE: We go back quite a ways.
CALLEN: Did she bring you to NCIS?
GRACE: Yeah. I, uh, I wasn't on a good career trajectory. Actually, I was in trouble with the law as a juvie. And, uh, fortunately, I met Hetty, and she steered me in the right direction.
CALLEN: Well, she has a way of doing that.
GRACE: Yeah.
[She goes upstairs, he looks at Hetty working in her office…Eric is coming down]
ERIC: Hey. So, I, uh, sent the hotel layout to your phones.
CALLEN: Mm-hmm.
ERIC: And, um, I'll be tapped into their surveillance feed by the time you get back.
CALLEN: Great.. Can you find me some more information on Grace?
ERIC: Sure, yeah. What do you need?
CALLEN: Everything you can find on her prior to joining NCIS.
ERIC: Am I going to get in trouble for this?
CALLEN: Course not.--Just don't get caught!
ERIC: What? Oh, man. Oh, my God, she's watching me.
[Hetty is indeed looking at them]
CALLEN: Just smile.
[Eric sighs]
ERIC: But then she'll know I'm up to something.
CALLEN: Then don't smile.
[Eric doesn’t notice that Callen is already walking away]
ERIC: Okay, but then she'll think I'm hiding something. Oh, man, look at her looking at me. Granger was right, she's got that Gorgon stare. What should I say if s he asks me what I'm doing? Callen? Ca...
ERIC: Hey.
[♫ He waves at Hetty, and speaks quietly]
ERIC: Just...
[He runs towards the OPS- She shakes her head…♫ ]
[A bellman opens the door of the room for Kensi and Deeks and puts their luggage inside; Deeks hands him a bill]
DEEKS: Thank you, Kenneth.
KENNETH: Thank you, sir. Is there anything else I can get you?
DEEKS: Um, I don't know. What do you think, honey? Huh? Little champagne? Chocolate-covered strawberries?
KENSI: Honey, you know I get hives from strawberries and champagne gives me gas.
[She laughs]
DEEKS: Wow. That is adorable. My wife.
KENSI: Excuse me.
[She wants to go inside]
DEEKS: Yeah.
KENNETH: Uh, wait. The-the threshold.
DEEKS: Oh, right. The threshold.
KENSI: Course. Uh...
[She gives Kenneth her purse]
DEEKS: Um...
KENSI: So excited. Well?
[She’s ready for a lift…]
DEEKS: You want to...want to jump up or something, maybe?
KENSI: Okay, this is not ice dancing. Just lift me up.
DEEKS: I mean, maybe you could hand me a leg or something to hold on to. Just put your leg up. Just put your—
[She puts a leg up in his hand]
DEEKS: yeah, there you go. Right like…that. Um...Maybe you should grab the other one.
[He speaks to Kenneth]
DEEKS: She's a lot heavier, actually, than she looks. It's all that very dense muscle mass from pole dancing. That she does.
KENSI: Yeah.
[She chuckles; Kenneth leans forward]
KENSI: He's kidding.
DEEKS: I'm not really kidding. I almost lost my appendix the last time she tried to do the Hungarian bicycle. It was crazy.
KENSI: On three.
DEEKS: On three. One, two... Three.
[He grunts]
DEEKS: Ho! Wish me luck.
KENNETH: Uh, good luck.
DEEKS: Yeah, I'm gonna need it.
KENNETH: And congratulations.
DEEKS: Okay.
KENSI: Thank you.
[Kenneth closes the door, lost in weird thoughts]
[In the room]
DEEKS: Congratulations to us.
KENSI: Put me down.
DEEKS: You laugh funny and your eye looks weird.
KENSI: Uh-huh. Let me go.
DEEKS: Fire in the hole!
KENSI: No!
[She grunts as he throws her down on the bed]
KENSI: Uh!
[He laughs]
DEEKS: I'm so sorry. That was too much. It was inappropriate. I'm so sorry.
KENSI: Oh, my gosh, I can't believe you just did that.
DEEKS: I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. : It was inappropriate.
KENSI: Geez...!
[He helps her getting back on her feet]
DEEKS: You're an agent, we're in a working environment.
KENSI: What? No, Deeks, stop-- oh!
[She back on the bed - Both chuckle]
KENSI: Okay.
DEEKS: See, you know what? You got to have faster reflexes than that. That's what happens when you marry the jungle cat.
KENSI: Yeah.
DEEKS: You want to make little Ninja assassins.
KENSI: You want to play this game.
DEEKS: Obviously, you're gonna have to... oh!
[She kicks his chest, stands up: they’re face to face]
DEEKS: You know what, sweetie, honey, this is how somebody gets hurt.
KENSI: Yeah. You.
DEEKS: I don't want to see you get hurt, honey.
[She attacks; he grunts]
DEEKS: Ow! Don't... St...!
[Hotel lounge- Sam and G have coffee]
DEEKS [over radio]: Ow! Burn. You ca... Ow! Okay, don't make me unleash the beast.
KENSI: [over radio ] Only thing beastly about you is your breath.
DEEKS: [over radio] Dizzy... Kens...
[Objects shatter]
DEEKS: Ow! Ow! Ow!
SAM: Sounds like the honeymoon is over.
CALLEN: You guys in position?
[In the room: Kensi yells when she’s thrown again on the bed]
DEEKS: Huh? Well, one of us is.
[Both grunt when she pulls him onto the bed, and he falls down on her chest]
DEEKS: Oh... Fraggle Rock!
KENSI: No—
[His head is yet stuck in her legs]
DEEKS: ah!
KENSI: Yeah? How you like that?
DEEKS: I don't love it.
KENSI: There you...
DEEKS: I mean, I don't love it as much as I should love it!
[She slaps his head; they didn’t notice Nell, staring at the bed; she’s in housecleaning uniform]
KENSI: You in position now, huh?
DEEKS: No! Huh?
KENSI: You...
DEEKS: This is going a lot better...
NELL: Hi.
BOTH: Ah!
[They make silence, stop fighting, and look at her]
NELL: Is this a... bad time?
DEEKS: Hello, you...
[He grunts because Kensi pushes him away to sit down; she smiles]
KENSI: He started it.
[Lounge]
SAM: Target is alone, but he's gotta have some muscle nearby.
CALLEN: You recognize anyone, Grace?
[OPS center.]
GRACE: The guy with the book is DeGroot.
CALLEN: [Over com] He's not the other one you shot?
GRACE: No, that was Visser. I don't see him.
[Lounge]
SAM: May not have survived.
GRACE: [Over com] Good.
[OPS center.]
GRACE: The guy was a psychopath. I don't recognize anyone else.
[Lounge]
CALLEN: He's down three men. That makes him vulnerable.
SAM: Also makes him dangerous and more likely to do something unpredictable.
[OPS center. Kensi’s face and voice comes onto screen]
KENSI: Okay, Eric, we should be online.
ERIC: Yeah, we got you.
[In the room; Kensi clips a camera button on Nell’s dress. Deeks is on phone]
DEEKS: Nobody's answering.
NELL: No one answered when I knocked.
KENSI: Ready?
[She hands her an USB device]
NELL: Yup.
KENSI: Right. Guys, Nell's going in. Let us know if Vandenberg or his protection move.
DEEKS: Good luck.
NELL: Thank you.
[Nell is pushing the cleaning carriage; she stops in front of Vanberger’s room and knocks at the door ]
NELL: Housekeeping!
[No answer – she removes the “do not disturb” sign from the lock and enters]
NELL: All right, no laptop on the desk...Leave the briefcase.
[She puts it on the table and opens it- Kensi and Deeks follows the scene via their laptop in their room]
NELL: [quietly] Yay. Hey, Doc.
CALLEN: [Over com] You got a laptop?
NELL: No. It's audio and video bug detection equipment. This guy's careful.
[Honeymoon room]
KENSI: Not careful enough. Can you disable it?
[Vandenberg’s room]
NELL: With pleasure.
[She opens the box, cuts wires – but toilet flushes in the bathroom]
NELL: Somebody's in here.
[She hastily closes the briefcase- starts wiping a table; a man appears, his bathrobe isn’t close on his chest: there’s a blood mark on his left side]
[OPS center.]
GRACE: That's Visser! Get her out of there!
[Honeymoon room]
DEEKS: Kensi, go, go.
KENSI: Yeah.
[Vandenberg’s room]
VISSER: What are you doing?
NELL: I am with Housekeeping. I am Housekeeping.
VISSER: I had the "Do Not Disturb" sign on.
NELL: I'm sorry, sir. I must have missed that. I can just come back later.
VISSER: You've been going through my stuff.
NELL: No, no, I was just tidying up. Um, can I get you more towels?
VISSER: You were trying to steal from me.
NELL: No, I wasn't.
[Kensi enters]
KENSI: Hello. Is there a problem here?
VISSER: Who the hell are you?
KENSI: I'm Kelly Smith, hotel management. We've been receiving complaints from this floor that Housekeeping has been walking in on guests even though the "Do Not Disturb" sign was out.
VISSER: I caught her trying to go through my stuff.
NELL: I wasn't!
VISSER: She's lying.
KENSI: Sir, if you could make a list of all your personal effects that you think might be missing...
VISSER: I don't think she had time to take anything.
KENSI: Well, we can let the police decide that.
VISSER: I'm not dealing with the police.
[Kensi looks surprised]
VISSER: I'm on a tight schedule. I don't have time for that.
KENSI: Understood, sir. On behalf of the hotel, we'd like to offer you a complimentary night's stay as a sign of our appreciation.
VISSER: Sure. Fine. Just... get her out of here.
KENSI: Of course. Rita. Once again, sir, I'm terribly sorry.
VISSER: Mm-hmm.
[Kensi and Nell leave his room – both look relieved when they close the door behind them]
----------------------- ZAPPING -------------------------
[Lounge]
CALLEN: Are we cool up there?
[Honeymoon room: Deeks, with Kensi and Nell]
DEEKS: That was a close call, but I think we're good.
[Lounge]
SAM: Vandenberg's got company.
CALLEN: You know these guys, Grace?
[OPS center.]
GRACE: Negative. I've never seen them before. Maybe they're replacements for the guys he lost.
ERIC: I'm running them through facial rec.
[Lounge]
CALLEN: Our boy's got a briefcase.
SAM: Laptop's probably inside.
CALLEN: What are the chances of getting that away long enough to the access the computer?
SAM: Creating a distraction and grabbing the case-- ten seconds. Breaking the combination, if it's locked-- another 20. Copying the files-- two minutes.
CALLEN: Outsmarting the bad guys?
SAM: Priceless.
[OPS center.]
ERIC: I got a match on his lunch dates. They both have diplomatic status in the U.S. The man on Vandenberg's right is Ettiene Indongo. He's an attaché from Niger. The other man is Ousamane Ndakolo. He's Namibian.
GRACE: I doubt it's coincidence that Niger and Namibia happen to be the world's third and fourth largest exporters of uranium.
[Lounge]
SAM: Vandenberg could be expanding his enterprises into raw materials.
CALLEN: We're going to need all hands on deck for this. Kensi and Deeks, you're the distraction.
[Honeymoon room]
KENSI AND DEEKS: Copy that.
CALLEN: [Over com] I will grab the case and hand it to Nell.
[Lounge]
CALLEN: Nell, you're gonna need to clone it and get it back to me. Sam will remain in over-watch position in case anything goes wrong.
[Honeymoon room]
DEEKS: Okay, well, something may have already gone wrong. Visser's leaving his hotel room. We may have spooked him.
[Lounge]
CALLEN: Can you stall him?
[Honeymoon room]
KENSI: I'll try.
[She leaves the room and joins Visser about to take the elevator]
KENSI: Ah, excuse me. Do you have a moment?
VISSER: No.
KENSI: I just need a second of your time, sir. I need you to sign a statement regarding what happened in your room.
[Meanwhile Deeks and Nell run down the stairs]
VISSER: I don't have time right now.
KENSI: Please, sir. This will only take 30 seconds. I just need a witness to corroborate my report for Human Resources.
VISSER: Maybe later.
KENSI: Of course. Have a good day, sir.
[The doors close]
KENSI: Visser's on his way down. I couldn't stall him.
[Lounge – Nell takes a seat- Deeks a newspaper – he leans against a wall]
CALLEN: Deeks, you good?
DEEKS: Yup.
CALLEN: Nell?
NELL: I think so.
SAM: You'll be fine. Just stay frosty.
CALLEN: Kens, how much time we got?
KENSI: Seconds.
SAM: What do you think?
[♫ The elevator bell dings: Visser walks out in the Gallery hallway; one floor above the lounge; he stares around ♫]
KENSI: I have Visser. I can take him out. Just say the word.
SAM: Are we doing this? G?
[♫ Visser steps closer to the guardrail ♫ Vanderberg is still talking with the attachés.]
CALLEN: Abort. Everyone walk away now.
[♫ Visser looks behind him; watches the lounge from above – ♫ and nods to DeGroot who stands up; he and Vanderberg leave the lounge ♫.]
[OPS center. Grace shakes her head; Eric sighs]
[NCIS office. Agents’ desks]
KENSI: What about these two guys? Couldn't we track Vandenberg through them?
GRACE: They're both foreign diplomats, which means they probably have immunity in this country. Plus, the minute we contact them, he knows we're onto them.
SAM: Yeah. Infiltrating Vandenberg without him knowing would be great, but at some point, we may have to give up on that and just bring him in.
CALLEN: Yeah, Sam's right. At the very least, we stop them from providing equipment to our enemies.
DEEKS: Well, we could also turn that to our advantage.
GRACE: Well, how so? With Vandenberg out of the picture, they'll just seek another supplier.
DEEKS: Exactly, and that could be us. I mean, we, uh, create a bogus company that's willing to supply the same equipment. Then we control what it is we give 'em. We know exactly where they are in their nuclear development. No?
SAM: Damn. That's a good idea, Deeks.
DEEKS: You don't have to sound surprised by that.
KENSI: Not just another pretty rock star, huh?
SAM: What's that mean?
DEEKS: Nothing. It means nothing. She's talking crazy.
CALLEN: It's a good idea. Unfortunately, we have no idea where Vandenberg is.
[OPS center.]
CALLEN: How we making out?
ERIC: Uh, less than zero. Nothing on the van or Vandenberg. I don't know how they left the hotel. There are, like, a dozen exits. We're monitoring airport checkpoints, but nothing so far. Sorry.
CALLEN: It's okay. All right, keep working on it.
ERIC: Hey...uh, I just wanted to thank you for your confidence in me, Agent Callen.
[Actually he shakes G’s hand-- to give him discretely a flash drive]
CALLEN: What is this?
ERIC: I'm sorry? What's what?
CALLEN: What is this?
[He shows the USB]
ERIC: Oh, I-I don't know. Where did you find it?
CALLEN: You just gave this to me.
ERIC: I did? How could I have done that? That...Maybe somebody left it on my desk here, and...
CALLEN: Is this Grace's history?
ERIC: How would I know? I don't eve...
[He laughs]
ERIC: I don't even know what we're talking about. I'm totally confused right now.
CALLEN: Eric, relax. What did you find?
ERIC: You should probably read it.
CALLEN: I will, I will; I just want to hear your interpretation.
ERIC: Why? Nell is the analyst. I'm just a technical operator. I'm just a techie. I find data, I steal data, I decrypt data, I do not analyze data...
CALLEN: Eric, what did you find?
ERIC: Nothing... exactly. It's just that...her past seemed surprisingly similar to some other agents.
CALLEN: What other agents?
ERIC: Sullivan, Hunter...you.
[Armory; Callen is reading Grace’s file on a laptop]
SAM: You hiding in here?
CALLEN: No. Just looking for a little peace and quiet so I can concentrate. You guys find Vandenberg?
SAM: Not yet. You good?
CALLEN: Don't I seem good?
SAM: You seem a little off your game.
[G sighs]
CALLEN: Would you have made a different call at the hotel?
SAM: Maybe. Doesn't mean it would've been the right one. What's going on?
CALLEN: Nothing.
SAM: You're worried about getting dressing up for the birthday party?
CALLEN: Yeah, that's what it is.
[Sam laughs]
SAM: Okay. Well, when you're ready, you'll let me know what it really is.
CALLEN: There's nothing to tell you.
SAM: Right…
[Hetty’s desk]
CALLEN: You said Grace was one of ours.
HETTY: She is.
CALLEN: Not ours. Yours. She was an orphan. Turns out, so was the first agent you lost-- Sullivan. Just like Hunter, just like me.
HETTY: Unfortunately, there a lot of children in the world without parents, Mr. Callen.
CALLEN: And how many of them have you recruited? You know what they say, Hetty. Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.
HETTY: I don't like your tone, Mr. Callen.
CALLEN: Then tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you didn't pluck her out of an orphanage and train her or mentor her or whatever the hell you call what you do.
HETTY: I gave her an opportunity, an education, a family.
CALLEN: In return for what?
HETTY: Perhaps that's a question for her.
CALLEN: Well, maybe, I'll ask her. I'd ask Sullivan and Hunter, but they're both dead.
HETTY: Tread carefully, Mr. Callen.
CALLEN: How many?
HETTY: This conversation is over.
CALLEN: How many were there like Hunter and Grace and me?
HETTY: I suggest you stand down.
[But G speaks louder, angrily]
CALLEN: How many?!
HETTY: [Shouting] A lot!
[G is taken aback – Kensi and Deeks at their desks look at her with puzzled looks; Grace, upstairs, has heard too; Hetty regains control]
HETTY: Is that what you wanted to hear? There were...a lot.
[G leaves her, without a word]
----------------------- ZAPPING -------------------------
[Shooting range. G shoots- a whole mag; Grace is watching from the outside; she enters]
GRACE: I messed up this assignment. I'm sorry I had to drag your team into this.
CALLEN: You didn't mess up anything.
GRACE: Oh, no? Can't say I've ever seen Hetty snap like that.
CALLEN: That had nothing to do with this case.
GRACE: I love her; I really do. I wanted to be her. But now she just scares me.
CALLEN: Well, she scares a lot of people. Though you don't strike me as someone who spooks easy.
GRACE: No, she scares me because when I look at her I see myself in a few years.
CALLEN: We should all be so lucky.
GRACE: You think?
CALLEN: Look...Look, this Vandenberg case has been hard on you. You just need time to decompress.
GRACE: Well, the time that I need is long gone. You're not married?
CALLEN: No.
GRACE: Girlfriend?
CALLEN: Not at the moment.
GRACE: So how many moments have there been? Sorry. None of my business. It's just that my longest relationship has been undercover...with criminals. Okay, so forget about Mr. Right. I mean, Mr. Murderer, Mr. Terrorist, Mr. Drug Trafficker...those are my guys.
CALLEN: Look, sometimes we make bad choices for good reasons. It's part of this job. But you saved a lot of lives.
GRACE: Well, that's become my mantra. It's all for the mission. Unfortunately, there's always another mission, another criminal to go after, you know? So when do you stop? When somebody finally puts a bullet in your head?
CALLEN: Vandenberg still wants you dead.
GRACE: Yeah... so I got that going for me.
CALLEN: He wants to kill you.
GRACE: Okay, this isn't making me feel any better.
CALLEN: It might if it helps us catch him.
[OPS center. News channel on screen]
NEWSCASTER: Firefighters have knocked down the blaze and expect to have it under control within the hour. Drivers are cautioned, meantime...
HETTY: Has it aired yet?
ERIC: It's coming up.
NEWSCASTER: …until tomorrow morning.
HETTY: What about the others?
NEWSCASTER:...In other news, the police are asking for...
ERIC: They're in position.
[News channel shows a photo of Grace – with a bruised face, eyes closed]
NEWSCASTER:...the public's help in identifying the victim of a vicious assault. The woman shown here was found in an alley by city workers late last night. She had no identification and remains in a coma at St. Anne's Hospital. Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD anonymous tip hotline.
[Indistinct page over P.A. system -St Anne’s Hospital. Grace is in a critical care bedroom – looking like being in a coma; the nurse at her side is…Kensi; she walks out with a form, hands it to Sam-the-EMT . Deeks is mopping the floor]
KENSI: Need you to sign off on your transpo. It's been two hours.
SAM: Maybe they aren't watching the news.
[The door opens: Vanderberg, with Visser and a 2nd guy]
VANDERBERG: Excuse me. I think my fiancée was admitted here.
[He asked a doctor- Callen!]
CALLEN: What's her name?
VANDERBERG: Grace. She's your Jane Doe.
[He shows a photo –Grace is smiling in his arms]
CALLEN: Oh. Wow, that's amazing. We... we were hoping someone would help. She didn't have any identification on her.
VANDERBERG: Can I see her?
CALLEN: The visiting hours are over, but I'll make an exception, under the circumstances. Your friends are gonna have to wait out here, however.
VANDERBERG: That's fine.
CALLEN: Right this way. She doesn't have any drug allergies, does she?
VANDERBERG: No.
CALLEN: Okay.
[They enter the room]
VANDERBERG: How's she doing?
GRACE: Better now.
[She sits down on the bed pointing a gun at him; G had pulled out his gun too]
CALLEN: Federal Agents.
[Hallway; Kensi comes close to Visser]
KENSI: Hello again.
[He recognizes her, wants to pull out his weapon; like his buddy – Sam and Deeks were quickest]
SAM: Don't even think about it, unless you want to end up on one of these gurneys.
DEEKS: Or you want me to mop the floor with your blood.
[Kensi shakes her head]
DEEKS: What?
SAM: You're trying too hard. Turn around.
KENSI: Hands behind your back.
[She cuffs one, Sam the other; Grace and G pass by with Vanderberg; Callen looks at the woman]
CALLEN: Nice work.
GRACE: Thanks. All of you.
SAM: You're welcome.
DEEKS: Hey, so, uh...just for the record, this is the last time I'm going undercover as a janitor.
KENSI: Ha! Yeah.
DEEKS: I'm serious. This outfit--silver, super itchy...
[NCIS office. Callen is back; he spots Hetty at her desk; he stops dead and sighs- then steps forwards…]
CALLEN: We got him...Vandenberg. He's in the boatshed with Grace and Sam. I'm not sure if he's gonna cooperate, but we're gonna try.
HETTY: Well done.
[She grabs a bottle and 2 glasses]
CALLEN: The last time somebody offered me 50-year-old whiskey, they tried to kill me.
HETTY: Well, I can think of worse ways to go.
[She pours Scotch in the glasses]
HETTY: I apologize...for losing my temper.
CALLEN: I shouldn't have baited you.
HETTY: No, you shouldn't have.
CALLEN: What are we drinking to?
HETTY: The fact that we still can.
[They drink]
CALLEN: Wow.
[G sits down –and sighs]
HETTY: Have you ever heard of Vinnistya, in the Ukraine?
CALLEN: Hitler had a headquarters near there. It was code-named Werewolf.
HETTY: Yes. And years later the Soviets built a town there, where everything--houses, cars, theaters, restaurants, even the people--were American.
CALLEN: A Mayberry behind the Iron Curtain. I always thought that was an urban spy legend.
HETTY: Hmm, yes, well...there are those who say that about me.
[G chuckles]
HETTY: The town was built to train operatives to work in the West. But the Soviets soon realized that it was much more effective to create agents from scratch. So they started a school. Young Soviet children went in...and sleeper agents came out.
CALLEN: Sleeper agents that looked and sounded like Americans.
HETTY: And were schooled in spycraft and the finer arts of...seduction. The males were called voron, and the females, lebed'.
CALLEN: Ravens and swans.
HETTY: They were charming, smart and highly effective.
CALLEN: Is that where they found you?
HETTY: You think I look like a swan,Mr. Callen?
[He chuckles]
CALLEN: Were the children... orphans?
HETTY: No, no. This was the USSR. It was a great honor to have a family member in service of the Communist party...or so was one was led to believe.
CALLEN: It'd be a lot harder to sell that to an American family.
HETTY: Mm...
CALLEN: Orphans, on the other hand...
HETTY: ...could slip through the cracks, if no one was there to catch them. There were many factors that conspired against me having my own family.
[G sighs]
HETTY: But I did my very best to take care of those who fell under my wing.
CALLEN: I think you would have made a great mother, Hetty.
HETTY: Thank you, Mr. Callen.
[Dark screen]
HETTY: I'd like to think I have.
---------------------------- THE END -------------------------------
