------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[NCIS office. Nell is waiting for Sam and G in the entrance]
CALLEN: What's going on?
SAM: Where's Hetty?
NELL: She asked me to brief you. Have you heard from Deeks?
SAM: No.
[At that right moment, Marty opens the patio-door]
DEEKS: What's up? - Besides us at 3:30 in the morning?
NELL: We're going tactical now. I'll brief you in the armory. Let's go.
[She hurries in the hallway- they follow]
DEEKS: Wait a minute. Where-where is Hetty?
NELL: Please, stop asking me that.
CALLEN: Then brief us!
NELL: As of 72 hours ago, Special Agent Blye disappeared into the mountains east of Khost, Afghanistan.
[She stops in front of a monitor in the armory]
DEEKS: Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. What do you mean "disappeared"?
NELL: There is a strong likelihood she's being held by a group of Taliban fighters believed responsible for attacking U.S. military out of Camp Chapman.
DEEKS: Why isn't Hetty here?
CALLEN: Deeks.
NELL: Assistant Director Owen Granger went searching for the group 72 hours ago. 12 hours ago, both the CIA and U.S. military lost all contact with him. You will be briefed on all available intel upon your arrival at Camp Chapman.
DEEKS: We're going to Afghanistan?
NELL: The mission is to locate and rescue Agent Blye.
CALLEN: I want to talk to Hetty.
NELL: Transport is waiting at LAX. Wheels are up in 20. Grab your weapons and your go-bags. Quickly.
CALLEN: Okay, let's move.
[The men leave the armory; Nell sighs…]
♫ ♫ NCIS: LA 5x19 ♫ ♫ Spoils of War ♫ ♫
♫ ♫ Original Air Date on April 1, 2014 ♫ ♫
[Carrying weapons and go-bags, Sam, G and Deeks are in the hallway – Hetty hails them from the gym]
HETTY: Gentlemen?
[She’s standing there, 2 cases on the floor at her feet]
HETTY: Don't forget your most important weapon. There's a half a million dollars in each case. It was the most I could get given the short notice. Use it to buy information. Put a bounty on their heads. Whatever it takes.
CALLEN: Hetty...
HETTY: You're saving a team member, time is of the essence. I need to speak with Mr. Hanna for a moment. Would you take these cases?
[G and Marty obey; they leave the gym; Hetty sighs]
HETTY: Mr. Deeks is emotionally involved.
SAM: We all are.
HETTY: Yes, but I'm sure you'll agree his is a different circumstance. He's also not a soldier. Let alone a Navy SEAL.
SAM: You want me to watch his back.
HETTY: Quite the opposite. I want you to single-mindedly remained focused on Agent Blye. If you need to separate Mr. Deeks from the team, do so.
SAM: I understand.
HETTY: I need you to bring her home, Sam.
SAM: I will.
[He walks out]
[Helicopter blades are whirring- in Afghanistan, outside Camp Chapman. It lands. A man is waiting, watching G’s photo on his phone. Deeks, Sam & Callen grab their gears and head towards the gate. The ANA officer speaks when they passes him]
OFFICER: I love the sunset in winter from the Santa Monica pier.
[They stop dead]
CALLEN: My father used to take me on Christmas evening to see it.
OFFICER: Agent Callen.
CALLEN: Who are you?
OFFICER: Sergeant Makar, A.N.A. Special Forces. You're to speak to no one on base. No CIA, no military intelligence.
SAM: Under whose authority are you addressing us?
MAKAR: Owen Granger.
CALLEN: You know where he is?
MAKAR: You have to change out of these clothes. Come with me. Quickly.
CALLEN: We're supposed to be briefed. Now you're telling me I can't even speak to an intelligence officer? What the hell's going on?
MAKAR: Welcome to Afghanistan, gentlemen.
[He goes to a car – they exchange puzzled looks…]
[Makar stops the vehicle in a village. The LA guys are wearing local clothes]
CALLEN: So, now what?
MAKAR: Wait here.
[He goes out, closes the door behind him;4 men appear. One of them is hiding his face]
CALLEN: We may have been set up.
[Their guns click- the man shows his face]
CALLEN: It's Granger.
[Owen sits down behind the wheel.]
SAM: I thought you were lost in the desert.
GRANGER: Does anybody besides Sergeant Makar know you're here?
CALLEN: No. Why weren't we briefed?
GRANGER: I tracked a Taliban courier from the mountains east of here to that house across the street. My assets say the courier's affiliated with the group that's holding Agent Blye.
SAM: Who lives there?
GRANGER: No idea.
CALLEN: That doesn't answer my question.
GRANGER: Do you remember CIA Agent Sabatino?
[G nods]
GRANGER: He and I were part of a task force targeting a man called the White Ghost.
SAM: Yeah. I read the intelligence reports. He's a Westerner aiding the Taliban.
GRANGER: That was the story. A lot of the intel turned out to be falsified. I suspect the CIA has other reasons for wanting the White Ghost dead.
CALLEN: Does Sabatino still want him dead?
GRANGER: I don't know. He disappeared three days ago.
DEEKS: What does this have to do with Kensi?
GRANGER: Hetty had Blye brought in to be the shooter. She acquired the target, and she missed.
CALLEN: You think it was intentional?
GRANGER: I know when I'm being played, Agent Callen. Until I figure out what's going on, this mission is dark, as in black as night. We're on our own out here.
[A man leaves the house across the street]
CALLEN: Is that the courier?
GRANGER: Yeah. I got to stay with him, follow him back to the rat's nest.
SAM: Deeks, you stay here, find out who lives in that house.
DEEKS: What are you talking about? I'm coming with you.
SAM: Hey. That's a direct order.
[He waves]
SAM: Leave him with a translator.
[Deeks goes out of the car; Makar comes close to Granger’s door; the assistant director opens the window]
GRANGER: Stay with him. See who's in the house.
MAKAR: Okay.
[The courier starts the engine of a pickup]
CALLEN: He's moving.
[Granger‘s car starts on its tracks]
[Deeks is ready to open the door of the house across the street; Makar is just behind. The door creaks open: a man inside is cooking. They enter]
MAKAR: [In Arabic] Don’t move.
[There’s only one room, only one man; they aim at him with automatic weapons]
MAKAR: Don’t move.
[The man answers in Arabic]
MAN: Who are you? What do you want?
[He steps forwards]
MAKAR: Stop!
MAN: What do you want?
[He keeps stepping forwards]
DEEKS: You need to tell him to stop moving.
MAKAR: I did. Stop!
MAN: Get out of my house…
MAKAR: We have guns…
[Deeks turns on his flashlight]
MAKAR: …And will shoot you if you don’t stop moving.
[The man’s eyes are white]
DEEKS: Don’t shoot. He's blind.
------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[G and Sam are watching the pickup through binoculars. The guy stops his vehicle, gets out and…rides a camel]
CALLEN: Looks like he's going off-road.
SAM: Terrain's too rough for a truck.
CALLEN: Oh, we can't keep up with a camel on foot.
SAM: Granger's gonna need to get you a horse, cowboy.
CALLEN: I hate horses.
[OPS center.]
ERIC: I just received an e-mail...from Kensi. It's a video file.
NELL: Play it.
[Eric sends the video file onto the large screen and stands up to watch it. Kensi appears on screen]
KENSI: [Over video] I was asked to kill a man named Jack Simon. I knew Jack Simon a long time ago. He was a profoundly good man, and now he's being hunted by the CIA. So, I'm headed to the desert east of Khost to find out what the hell is going on. This is being sent automatically with a time delay. So, if you're seeing it, it's not good. It was an honor and my pleasure to work with all of you. Wouldn't change a second of it.
[She has tears in the eyes when she cut the recording off; Eric is also deeply moved]
NELL: Find out everything you can about Jack Simon.
[House in Afghanistan. The blind man is sit at the table]
DEEKS: Please tell him again that we're not here to hurt him. With all respect, we just want to know his name.
MAKAR: I think his name is Mullah Fazlur Muhammad.
[He’s reading the name written on an envelope]
MAKAR: He's a cleric. Has a wife, maybe a son.
[They look at a photo of a teen. Deeks sits down in front of the man]
DEEKS: Mullah Muhammad... you're married, yes? You have a wife?
[Makar translates in Arabic. The man answers- in Arabic]
MAKAR: No. My wife has died.
DEEKS: I'm sorry.
[Makar translates]
DEEKS: I have someone that I care about very much. And I'm here looking for information regarding her. She was here delivering humanitarian aid, and...we believe the Taliban has mistakenly taken her.
[The blind man keeps silent at the end of Makar’s translation. Deeks glances at the agent- and resumes]
DEEKS: You're a man of God, yes? My friend is a good Muslim and a good person.
[The man replies – and Makar sighs]
MAKAR: She's unclean now...like a rat.
[A beat]
DEEKS: I don't believe that.
[Makar translates; the man speaks in Arabic]
MAKAR: Your women don't cover themselves. They do not obey.
DEEKS: Hmm. Mm-hmm.
[He clears his throat and grabs a case from his bag]
DEEKS: I want my friend back very much.
[Makar translates; Deeks opens the case and pulls out money]
DEEKS: And I'm willing to pay a great deal of money.
[Makar translates and puts the man’s hand onto the bills. The man frees it angrily. Deeks looks at Makar who sighs; the man starts speaking again]
MAKAR: His neighbor's daughter didn't want to marry...and ran away. So they cut off her ears and nose, to show the women in town to obey. Understand?
DEEKS: Yeah, I understand.
[He puts back the bills in his bag; takes cuffs and kneels down near the blind man.]
MAKAR: You're going to torture him?
DEEKS: I don't do that.
MAKAR: You have morals?
DEEKS: What, you don't think Americans have morals?
MAKAR: I've seen what man is capable of. All men, from all sides.
[Deeks tied the man, legs, hands]
DEEKS: Well, I hear you, brother, and with all due respect, I just want to find my partner and go home. And for the record...I have morals.
MAKAR: Maybe in California. But it is different here. Being in this war changes a man. And not for the good. So tell me, then, what kind of magic trick are you going to use to get this man of God to give up his secrets?
[Deeks stares at him…]
[Armory. Hetty is listening to Nell- she looks uncomfortable]
NELL: Jack Simon is a former Marine. He left the Corps due to PTSD and resurfaced six years ago in Afghanistan working as a military contractor. Now, digging deeper, we found that Jack was also working for...
HETTY: The CIA.
[She sighs]
HETTY: Jack and I were friends. He fell in love with an Afghan woman. Had a child, a daughter.
NELL: Well, according to this, Jack's wife was killed in a drone strike.
HETTY: They used his vulnerability to coerce information from him. They forced him to become an asset.
NELL: So...why did the CIA make up the story about the White Ghost?
HETTY: To give validity to his execution. He knew they were coming for him. He'd asked me for help. And I sent Kensi...to be his executioner.
[Nell is puzzled…]
HETTY: Bring up a file called "Jack's Ghost."
[A pic of a happy couple pops up on screen: Kensi and Jack]
HETTY: They were engaged, ten years ago.
NELL: So you knew if Kensi was the shooter, she'd never take the shot.
HETTY: I was trying to protect a friend. Trying to give him a running start from the wolves. But...just not at Kensi's expense.
NELL: Hetty, don't blame yourself.
HETTY: That's just impossible, Ms. Jones. It's all my doing.
[Afghanistan; horse riders catch up with the camel, alone]
CALLEN: Hold up, there.
[Men speak Pashto. G, Sam and Granger come carefully closer to the animal]
SAM: Courier went through the mountains. Too steep for horses. A lot more men came through here. At least a dozen.
SAJADI: [Afghan Sergeant] Water's completely gone. We ride any further, and we'll kill the horses.
GRANGER: All right, take the horses, bring back supplies and more men. As many as you can get discreetly. We'll head into the mountains on foot.
[A man with all the reins in hands starts riding away. Sajadi and one other man stay with the agents]
SAJADI: You know, with no water, there's no walking out of here, now.
CALLEN: We're all aware of the situation.
[This silences Sajadi]
[They’re walking, following Sam. He raises a hand, picks up a paper]
SAM: MRE. We're close.
[They step forwards and stop: they see a cave’s entrance]
SAM: That's the rat's nest.
GRANGER: Let's take it.
[They enter a dark cave – there’s a light, though; at the bottom, a guard. Sam speaks in Pashto, looking in great pain]
SAM: I’m hurt. I need help…
[The guard steps forwards- Sam shoots]
SAM: Clear.
[They’re in a place with a fire; and a bloody stone…
GRANGER: The courier kept moving, probably towards Pakistan.
CALLEN: Sam. Blood. I'll type it.
[There’s a big map on the stone wall]
GRANGER: Tracking U.S. troop movements.
[They hear quick footsteps: Sajadi hurries in]
SAJADI: There's a latrine area outside. It's fresh. From the size, I estimate at least 20 men.
[Callen looks at the test card]
CALLEN: Same blood type as Kensi, B-positive.
SAM: Nine percent of the population is B-positive. Doesn't mean anything.
[But G obviously does think it means something…]
[They unlock a crate; find a laptop that G opens at once; meanwhile Sam and Granger look at saws…bloody saws…G finds photos: the first is a bloody man, looking dead with his cut throat]
CALLEN: You know this guy?
GRANGER: No.
[The second photo is Kensi. Bloody, cut throat…Sam glances at it, steps away]
CALLEN: I'm not buying it.
GRANGER: Not buying it...or are you not accepting it?
[Callen can’t answer…]
------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[OPS center. Kensi’s bloody corpse is on the large screen]
NELL: Can we take down this photo of her, please?
HETTY: No. Study it, tear it apart. I want to know if it's real.
NELL: Yeah.
[There’s an electronic ringing]
ERIC: Line's open.
[Afghanistan; they’re all out of the cave. Granger is on phone]
GRANGER: I should have been made aware of your relationship with Jack Simon, and not as the assistant director, but personally. You owed me the truth on this.
HETTY: Owed you the truth? That's a debt you've not paid me tenfold, Owen.
GRANGER: Not in a situation like this.
HETTY: You were part of the team sent to kill Jack Simon.
CALLEN: Maybe he still is. Shouldn't we know that?
GRANGER: I don't answer to you, Agent Callen. You answer to me.
[He comes close to G; Sam comes up]
SAM: We're deep in the field, Assistant Director.
GRANGER: What are you saying?
SAM: What I'm saying...is we stay on mission. I don't buy the photos.
ERIC: [Over sat. com] I can't find any evidence of Photoshopping.
CALLEN: I don't care. If they know Kensi and Jack Simon are intelligence assets, they could have left the photo to...discourage us from crossing the border into Pakistan.
SAM: We keep tracking the courier.
HETTY: There's something else that you should be aware of.
NELL: Uh, piecing together intel, I've discovered what I believe is a CIA team seven miles to the north of you, and they've accessed intel on Jack Simon.
CALLEN: They're hunting him.
[The satellite phone beeps.]
SAM: Our comm's almost done. This'll be our last communication for a while. You can still track us by GPS.
HETTY: Then Godspeed. To all of you.
GRANGER: We'll see you on the other side.
[He turns off the phone]
GRANGER: Let's move.
CALLEN: We should do a quick search of the area…For bodies.
[Cleric’s house. There’s a loud clanging: Deeks is banging on a pan with a wooden spoon; the asleep blind man jumps – Makar is lying on a couch]
DEEKS: No, no, you know the rules. No eating and no sleeping...until you talk. Tell him again.
MAKAR: I believe you've made that point abundantly clear in the last 48 hours.
[Deeks eats and sniffs; he puts the pan near the man’s face]
DEEKS: You smell that? Mmm. Smell that garlic? Mmm, 'cause you got to admit, I'm one a hell of a cook. Well, that's not true. You'd have to admit it if you could taste it, but you can't. You can if you tell me who it is that you're communicating with in the Taliban. And all you got to do is give me a name. What can that hurt? Translate.
MAKAR: I thought we weren't going to torture him?
[Deeks sighs]
DEEKS: Brother, I know what torture is and this ain't it.
MAKAR: Seems to be getting pretty damn close.
[The man starts speaking Arabic – he spits his words; Makar translates]
MAKAR: Allah Almighty will strike you American infidels. Our jihad will spill blood in the streets.
[Deeks’ phone buzzes]
DEEKS: Hold that thought. I don't want to miss a word. Let me just get this. [On phone] Go for the American infidel.
HETTY: [Over phone] Mr. Deeks.
DEEKS: Hetty, please tell me something good.
[OPS center.]
HETTY: You should know: Agent Callen has sent us a photograph of Agent Blye that appears...
[House; Deeks whispers]
DEEKS: Hetty.
[OPS center.]
HETTY: ...as if she's been killed. But w-we believe that the photograph is highly suspect.
[Deeks can’t help crying…Then gets angry]
DEEKS: Send me the photo.
HETTY: There's no need.
DEEKS: Hetty, show me the...Hetty, send me the photo.
[OPS center. Hetty pats Eric’s shoulder; he types]
HETTY: It's on its way.
[House. Deeks watches the photo…]
HETTY: [Over phone] Have you gotten any information from the cleric?
[…and needs a long, deep breath]
HETTY: [Over phone] Mr. Deeks...
DEEKS: You know what I'm looking at right now? I'm looking at a picture of my partner with her throat cut.
[His voice is half-broken. Makar steps back]
DEEKS: Is that what you do to women? Huh? You cut their throats...
[Makar is translating]
DEEKS: ...you cut off their ears and their noses? Oh, that's right. That's right,' cause you're the guys that shot that little girl in the face--what was her name, Malala-- because she wanted to go to school. Is that Islamic law?
[The man answers in Arabic]
DEEKS: To shoot a little girl in the face?!
[He shouts and punches the man in the chest- he fells backwards with his chair]
DEEKS: That's Islamic law?
[The man grunts; he’s panting – Deeks pulls out his gun; aims at the face]
DEEKS: Tell me who is contacting you from the Taliban. Give me a name. Translate.
[Makar grabs his arm]
MAKAR: Stop it. Get off him.
[Deeks pushes him harshly backwards]
DEEKS: Get back. You tell him to give me a name or I swear to God I will shoot him in the chest. Translate.
MAKAR: This is not gonna get you an answer.
DEEKS: [Loudly] Give me a name.
MAKAR: [Loudly] This is not gonna get your partner back.
DEEKS: That...that is my partner.
[He shows the photo…]
DEEKS: Now translate what I told you.
[He’s panting…]
[Mountains. Sam finds red drops on the ground. He whispers]
SAM: Blood.
[They go ahead; quietly; carefully. They spot someone moving behind bushes. Sam speaks in Pashto]
SAM: come out with your hands up
[A man is on the ground there]
SAM: come out with your hands up
[The man stands up- steps forwards, limping slightly- he’s carrying a knife. Sam looks surprised; Granger lowered his riffle: Sabatino is standing in front of them…]
SABATINO: I could use some water.
SAM: All out, Sabatino.
SABATINO: That sucks.
GRANGER: Did you see Agent Blye?
[Sabatino shakes the head)
SABATINO: No. I caught up to the Taliban. They shot me.
[There’s blood on his hand, coming from the arm]
SAM: They headed to Pakistan?
SABATINO: Fast. Sure could use a pressure bandage, gentlemen.
CALLEN: What about Jack Simon?
SABATINO: Didn't see either of them.
GRANGER: Don't lie to me. Is Jack Simon the White Ghost?
SABATINO: There is no White Ghost.
[Sam Sam and G exchange a look…]
SABATINO: That was made up. Jack Simon did some work for us. His only mistake was he ended up knowing the identity of a half a dozen of our assets. Jack wanted to stay in country. Only problem is...CIA can't have Jack Simon living in some hut, knowing their names and faces.
CALLEN: So you're gonna kill him?
SABATINO: Nah. I wanted to get to him first. Talk him into going back to the U.S.
SAM: What about the CIA team to the north of here?
SABATINO: They are here to kill him.
CALLEN: And they're not gonna give a damn about Kensi.
GRANGER: Which is why, gentlemen, we are dark. Give the man a bandage.
[An Afghan man steps towards Sabatino but there’s a gunshot- he falls down. They run to a safe place, carrying the man. Sajadi looks at his wound while Sam, Callen, Granger start shooting back]
SABATINO: Give me your Sig.
CALLEN: You got an eye on him?
SAM: 20 feet south of the peak.
CALLEN: I'm heading up. Keep him occupied.
[Granger looks at the Afghan guys…the bloody chest proves there’s no more to do]
GRANGER: Damn it.
[Callen is on top of the hill; in front of him, the shooter is still replying to Sam’s gunshot. G speaks in Pashto]
CALLEN: Put down your rifle. Put down your rifle!
[The shooter obeys; stands up, hands up]
CALLEN: Take off your head scarf.
[Surprise: it’s a girl…]
------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[The girl is sitting on the ground]
CALLEN: Ask her her name.
[The Afghan soldier asks in Pashto]
GIRL: Khatira.
CALLEN: Khatira. Is your father a member of the Taliban?
[The soldier translates; she answers]
SAJADI: Her parents are dead. The Taliban uses orphans like this. Suicide bombers, soldiers, slave labor.
SABATINO: They sent her out here to slow me down. They don't give a damn if she lives or dies.
GRANGER: Ask her if the Taliban has any American prisoners with them.
[Sajadi translates, she answers in Pashto but they didn’t need translation…]
KHATIRA: No. No Americans.
SAM: Doesn't mean anything. She says yes, she says no, we're still going forward.
GRANGER: We have no communication. No water. And we're gonna have to move damn fast to catch the Taliban before they get to the border.
CALLEN: What's your point?
GRANGER: What do you want to do with her?
SAM: We leave her here, she dies of exposure or the Taliban finds her.
GRANGER: And she tells them all about us. Position, number of men.
SABATINO: We can't leave her alive.
CALLEN: We're not gonna kill a child.
GRANGER: Agent Callen, why don't you ask your partner what we should do.
[G looks at Sam]
SAM: We'll take her with us.
[G was waiting for these words…]
GRANGER: If she slows us down--and I want you to understand this--you're trading her life for Kensi's.
SAM: She won't. End of discussion.
[Sam lifts her up on his shoulder]
SABATINO: 75-pound girl across the desert with no water. How long is that gonna last?
[Sam glares at him… They start walking…]
[Cleric’s house. The man is lying on his back; Deeks tied a gag on his mouth and heads to the kitchen]
MAKAR: Truth is, the cleric's never going to talk. We should be leaving here, now. We're in danger.
[Deeks grabs a container]
DEEKS: We're not leaving.
[He opens the water tank’s faucet, filling the improvised bucket – rummages in a drawer, looking for a piece of material]
MAKAR: Maybe you should stop before you do something you regret.
[He turns the faucet off- Deeks pushes him back]
DEEKS: No, get back.
[The water runs again]
MAKAR: Please. Don't do this. He's not gonna tell you anything.
[Deeks sniffs]
DEEKS: You want to know the truth? I don't even care if it works.
[He sighs…]
[Mountain. Sajadi, Granger and Sabatino are leading the group, climbing a hill. Sam is far behind, G at his side…In the middle of the climbing, the ex-SEAL puts the girl back down with a grunt and sighs]
CALLEN: You good?
SAM: Yeah.
[Granger crawls to the edge of the hill with Sabatino and watches with binoculars. He sees a long line of Taliban fighters]
GRANGER: That's them. Too far away to identify Kensi. Damn, that's a lot of 'em.
[He hands the binoculars]
SABATINO: Too many.
[G catches up with them]
GRANGER: We spotted the Taliban in the valley.
CALLEN: How many?
GRANGER: 35.
SABATINO: Way too many to attack.
CALLEN: [Angrily] What are you suggesting?
GRANGER: Well, we don't have much ammo. We're outnumbered seven to one, and he's wounded.
CALLEN: I'm not letting them walk into Pakistan.
GRANGER: I'm willing to cross the border. But we're gonna have to wait to attack until the Afghan soldier comes back with more men...
CALLEN: [Shouting] He may not come back. How's he even gonna find us? I'm not waiting.
SABATINO: It's suicide.
CALLEN: They cross over that border, Kensi is as good as dead.
GRANGER: She might be already.
CALLEN: I'll do it myself if I have to.
GRANGER: You'll wait. That's an order, Agent Callen. And make no mistake, I'll do whatever it takes to make you wait.
[Callen sighs…]
[Cleric’s house. Deeks pulls the gag off, sits him up; the cleric speaks in Arabic]
MAKAR: He's talking about how much he loves the Taliban. He's not gonna tell you anything.
DEEKS: You tell him I need the name of somebody holding the American. You tell him to give me one name and I won't do this.
[He covers the man’s face with a cloth. Makar translates the question, then the answer]
MAKAR: I don't know any names.
DEEKS: Tell him I'll see him in hell.
[He pours water on the cloth; the cleric struggles, yelling]
DEEKS: Give me a name. Give me a name!
[The man is gurgling in panic]
DEEKS: God, give me a name!! Give me a name!!!
[Deeks pulls away the cloth]
DEEKS: Breathe, and give me a name, you s... (
[The man is gasping, spitting- Deeks kneels at his side]
DEEKS: Shh, it's okay, it's okay.
[He pats the face of the coughing man]
DEEKS: It's okay. You're okay. you're okay, you're okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, you're okay. You're okay, all right? Promise I'm not gonna do it again. Tell him I'm not gonna do it again. You're okay.
[He yells- tears in the eyes]
DEEKS: Tell him! [Gently] Shh, it's okay.
MAKAR: Like I said, this place changes a man.
DEEKS: It's okay, shh. It's okay.
[He and the man calm down, in an odd hug…]
[Mountain. G is back with Sam and the little girl.]
CALLEN: They spotted the Taliban. They number about 35. Granger doesn't want to engage.
SAM: We're outnumbered, we don't have much ammo. But we've got money.
[G looks at Khatira, then at Sam.]
GRANGER: We got to keep moving. Stay with us.
CALLEN: Send Sajadi back here.
GRANGER: [To sajadi]Go on.
[Callen opens the bills case]
CALLEN: I need you to translate every word I say.
[Sajadi nods. Callen hands the girl a wad]
CALLEN: This is 10,000 American dollars.
[Sajadi translates]
CALLEN: We have 500,000 here.
[Sajadi translates]
CALLEN: 500,000 U.S. dollars for the American prisoners. Do you understand?
[Sajadi translates; the girl nods]
CALLEN: We are small in number, but we will pay.
SAJADI: Why would you say that?
CALLEN: Translate!
[Sajadi translates]
CALLEN: Take the cash and you deliver the message.
[Sajadi translates; He helps the girl going back on her feet]
CALLEN: Run, up the next canyon-- fast.
[Sajadi translates; they look at her, running away…]
[Cleric’s house. Deeks is cooking]
MAKAR: You know, it's stupid to beat yourself up 'cause you're a man too good to torture another human being.
DEEKS: If I knew it would have worked...I would have cut off his head off with a razor blade.
[Makar has a quiet laugh]
MAKAR: Oh, torture...it only works in giving our rage a place to go. And you my friend--you have a lot of rage.
[Deeks sighs]
DEEKS: My partner, um...My partner is the person I care about most on this planet. And she's here because of me.
MAKAR: Like you, I despise this man and the Taliban. But in the end, the question of war and torture--it's not what it does to our enemies, but what it does to ourselves.
[Deeks has filled 2 plates; he gives one to Makar; looks at the Cleric, at the 2nd plate – and goes to the table. He puts the plate in front of the man, cuts its cuffs off]
DEEKS: Here.
[He closes the man’s fingers around a fork]
DEEKS: Tell him to eat.
[Makar speaks in Arabic]
[Mountain. Khatira is running fast…]
SABATINO: Granger? That's our girl.
[Granger raises his riffle; he shoots, but the gunshot misses: G has deflected the weapon. Sabatino aims at him but Sam is in his back]
SAM: Don't even think about it.
GRANGER: Something tells me she didn't escape.
CALLEN: I sent her. She's gonna offer money in exchange for the prisoners.
SABATINO: She's going to tell them everything about us--our position, how many men we have.
SAM: It'll at least delay them going into Pakistan.
SAJADI: He told her about the rest of the money.
GRANGER: They'll be coming for us now. But I guess that's what you wanted.
------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[Hidden on top of a hill, Sam and G watch the Taliban]
SAM: It worked. Here they come.
CALLEN: You say that like it's a bad thing.
[Sam smirks]
SAM: It's time to dig in. Let's get to higher ground.
[Cleric’s house. The man is eating]
MAKAR: Before, when he was asking for forgiveness from the Taliban, saying what I thought was a term of endearment--"I love them like my son"--I think what he was saying was, "I love my son," and wanted forgiveness from him.
DEEKS: You mean, if he told us anything, he'd be betraying his son?
MAKAR: I may be wrong.
DEEKS: Yeah, no, but you found the photo of that boy. I mean, maybe... Maybe he's the father of one of 'em.
MAKAR: And if a courier is coming here, then his son must be someone of high-ranking.
[The cleric is eating; he doesn’t understand English; he’s blind: he doesn’t see hope lit into Deeks’ eyes…]
[Sam hurries back to the “fort” the agents are building with stones; he’s panting]
SAM: They're coming in just from behind me, just north.
[Sajadi joins them]
SAJADI: They're coming up from the mountain, from the east.
SAM: Sabatino? Here, tag these mags.
[Callen gives him more]
CALLEN: Here.
SAM: Here, here.
GRANGER: I see 'em. I got six here. Wait a minute. They're sending the girl back.
[Khatira yells in Pashto]
SAJADI: She says they won't kill us if we give them the money.
CALLEN: No. The deal is for the American prisoners.
[Sajadi speaks Pashto; Khatira speaks to the Taliban]
SAM: She gave 'em the message.
[There’s a silence…and then a rapid gunfire. Sajadi yells, hit in the leg. Taliban and agents shoot at each other; Sajadi is grunting in pain]
GRANGER: Conserve your ammo! Let 'em get closer!
[Well, they’re already close…Sam applies a tourniquet around Sajadi’s leg. It hurts a lot]
SAM: Look, you keep fighting.
[He pushes him backwards.]
SAM: Keep fighting! Keep shooting! Turn over!
[Bravely Sajadi grabs his riffle]
SABATINO: Nine o'clock!
GRANGER: I got eight over here. It's too many. Sabatino.
[Sabatino starts moving and yells]
SABATINO: I'm hit!
SAM: Granger, help him!
[He takes Granger’s place]
GRANGER: Hang on! Hold on.
[The rapid gunfire is heavier than ever; bullets are ricocheting, shell casings clinking]
SAM: Ammo's going fast. Reloading.
SAJADI: Maybe we should surrender. We're going to die if we don't.
CALLEN: They're gonna kill us anyway. We run out of ammo, we got two hands, we got knifes, we keep fighting.
[Sam pulls out a hawk; drives it in the ground]
SAM: Hell, yeah. Let 'em come.
[Gunfire continues]
SAJADI: Reloading. Last mag.
[More gunfire]
SAM: Aah! Ah, it's jammed!
[He spots a man with a rocket launcher – raising it]
SAM: Incoming!
[The rocket explodes- they are protecting their heads; it misses the right place where they are; but Sam hears only muffled sound of groaning and gunfire; and coughing. He hears a muffled yelling]
SAJADI: I'm out of ammo! We should give up! We should give up!
[Sam is still hearing muffled, indistinct sound of gunfire and groaning. But Callen hears something else]
CALLEN: You hear that!? Do you hear that?!
[G hears helicopter blades whirring no far of them. Sam then hears him clearly]
CALLEN: Do you hear that?
[Yes, Sam is listening to the helicopter blades whirring; they’re all listening to them. Makar’s voice echoes]
MAKAR [over P.A.]: Rafik Shahidi.
[He’s speaking Pashto over P.A. in the helicopter]
CALLEN: What are they saying?
SAJADI: They have the father of someone, and they want to do a prisoner exchange.
[Makar speaks Pashto; at his side, the Cleric. Deeks too: he watches the Taliban still shooting. One of them yells]
RAFIK: [In Pashto] Cease fire! Cease fire!!
[Makar is still shouting]
CALLEN: They stopped firing. They stopped shooting.
[Huge relief…that was close…Sam looks at a photo stuck on his wrist: Michelle and their daughter.]
SAM: Allahu Akbar.
[He kisses the photo]
SAM: Allahu Akbar.
[He’s exhausted]
[The chopper has landed. Deeks holds the cleric’s arm. Sam, Callen and Granger have their weapons ready; they look at the Taliban in front of them, shouting orders]
CALLEN: Let's go.
[Deeks heads to the Taliban fighters with the cleric. They cross Khatira pushing Kensi’s back with a rifle – the agent can barely steps forwards; she has been tortured; Khatira has another rifle – this one against Jake’s back. He’s been tortured too. When they reach Sam and Callen, they pull off the ropes holind the rifles. Sam pulls off also Kensi’s gag]
SAM: You okay?
KENSI: No. [It’s a groan…]
JACK: They beat her up pretty bad.
CALLEN: Let's get the wounded on the chopper. We got another one coming for us.
[Meanwhile, the Taliban men stop Deeks, grab the cleric, wave to him to go back; they shout orders and run away. Deeks gets back to the chopper; Khatira to the group, dragging the rifles. Granger is speaking on com.]
GRANGER: Grandmother, this is Fox Three-Zero, requesting immediate close air support.
MAN: [Over com] Roger that.
MAN 2: Raptor One on station. Standing by for nine line.
GRANGER: Copy all, Grandmother, Fox Three-Zero out.
CALLEN: You're calling in an air strike on the Taliban?
GRANGER: Yeah, they won't make it half a mile.
[G looks at the little girl, alone, following slowly the men – he runs]
CALLEN: Khatira? Khatira? You go with them, you die. Come. Come with me.
[The first chopper is about to leave with Jack, hugging Kensi; Sajadi; Sabatino…Callen speaks to Makar]
CALLEN: Put her on the chopper.
GRANGER: Agent Callen? That was a good mission.
CALLEN: Yeah, it was.
[They exchange what might be their first “I-believe-you-thank-you” look]
CALLEN: Let's go. Get 'em out of here.
[Camp Chapman. Deeks stops walking: he looks at Jack, his hands on Kensi’s face. He sees them hugging. He doesn’t want to come close]
JACK: If there's any way, I'll be in touch.
[She nods]
KENSI: Take off. Granger won't be able to hold off the CIA for long.
[He nods; speaks in Pashto]
JACK: come on, we’re going.
[Khatira gets out of a tent]
KENSI: Okay. Bye.
[Deeks steps towards Jack and Khatira]
DEEKS: Callen talked you into taking her?
[Jack looks at the little girl and smiles]
JACK: Didn't have to talk too much.
DEEKS: Um... thank you. Uh, good luck.
JACK: You, too.
[They leave him; he stares at Kensi; she’s looking at him; in pain; or rather she’s looking to Jack…He joins her]
DEEKS: Hey.
[She doesn’t look at him; she doesn’t move]
DEEKS: Um... Sabatino and Sajadi are out of surgery. Doc says they're going to be okay.
KENSI: Oh, thank God. That's good.
[She speaks too fast. She’s watching Jack near the water tank]
DEEKS: I'm really glad you're alive.
[She nods. She’s fighting against tears. She takes one step, he opens his arms; they hug…Sam and Callen are coming close]
CALLEN: How come you never hug me like that, huh?
[They stop the hug…Deeks wipes away some tears]
SAM: They laid out a spread for us in mess. Wheels up in two hours. And Granger got us a direct flight into Edwards.
KENSI: Thank you guys for what you did.
CALLEN: See you at mess.
DEEKS: See you at the mess.
[Kensi looks again at Jack; she sighs heavily. He voice breaks; she starts crying]
KENSI: It was really bad.
DEEKS: Shh. No, it's okay. Come here. Come here.
[He closes his arms around her; she’s crying]
DEEKS: It's okay. I got you. We're going home.
[Black screen – Deeks’s voice breaks]
DEEKS: We're going home.
----------------- THE END ---------------
