------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[Long Beach. A drone is flying. A man and his son are on a pontoon]
BOY: Daddy, look! The plane is flying so low.
MAN: That's not a real plane.
[The drone is over the water]
[Hotel room. A man is picking up hi stuff; a woman is in bed, filming with a phone]
MAN: Where's my phone? Have you seen it?
WOMAN: Nope. Haven't seen it.
MAN: I need to go. Give me my phone.
WOMAN: I'm not finished with my movie yet.
[She glances out of the window]
WOMAN: Look at this thing. It's heading right for us.
[The drone is indeed coming close - She’s still filming]
WOMAN: Is that one of those flying camera things?
[The man doesn’t answer but grabs the stand of the champagne bucket and rushes to the balcony; he wants to strike away the drone but it explodes. And the guy toppled over the edge…The woman runs to the balcony, looks down: the man is on the ground among the debris…]
♫ ♫ NCIS: LA 6x07 ♫ ♫ Leipei ♫ ♫
♫ ♫ Original Air Date on November 10, 2014 ♫ ♫
[Shooting range. Sam is training. He’s shooting with his left hand and 3 different guns at a moving target. Callen comes in]
CALLEN: Another weak-hand shooting exercise? What is that--twice this week?
SAM: Three times.
CALLEN: The instructor is supposed to get a higher score than you. That's why they call him the instructor.
SAM: That's not the point. The point is it's a learned skill. It's something you can get better at.
CALLEN: Uh-huh.
SAM: So, why not get better?
CALLEN: And this has nothing to do with you wanting to beat the instructor's score next time he comes?
SAM: Not at all.
CALLEN: You realize, of course, he is a subject matter expert? All he does is shoot with his left hand. And never at a target that's actually gonna shoot back. And the more I think about it, who's to say he wasn't born left-handed, huh?
SAM: When's he coming back?
CALLEN: Three months?
SAM: Well, he'd better bring his lunch.
[He shoots again – left hand, three guns, moving target. He’s pleased with the result! Kensi and Deeks are just coming in: Kensi whoops, Deeks whistles]
KENSI: Impressive.
SAM: Thank you.
CALLEN: Sam wants to make a name for himself in the highly competitive world of weak-hand shooting.
DEEKS: Oh, yeah? I don't really endorse the term "weak-hand shooting." 'Cause I like to think of myself as a gunslinger born in the Wild West, you know what I mean, with a, a six-shooter in each hand. My trusty steed between my legs, riding through the sunset. What's up, Trigger?
KENSI: And yet you have a nine-millimeter in one hand and a dog with anxiety issues in the other.
DEEKS: What? "Anxiety issues"? He's a bomb dog. He doesn't have anxiety issues.
KENSI: Okay, so what would you call it? Stage fright?
DEEKS: I'd call it a sense of decorum. He likes to do his business in private. He wants to deuce out without you looking at him like...
SAM: You finished hijacking our conversation?
DEEKS: I wasn't hijacking any conversation.
KENSI: You were.
DEEKS: She started attacking Monty out of nowhere...
[The door opens]
ERIC: Good morning, friends. I just wanted to wish you a happy...
CALLEN: Perfect timing.
[He rushes out – Sam follows – and Kensi]
SAM: Oh, we caught a case?
ERIC: Yeah.
KENSI: See you in Ops?
ERIC: Sure.
[The door closes]
DEEKS: Ha! She drives me so crazy.
ERIC: You all right?
DEEKS: What? No.
ERIC: What's going on?
DEEKS: Monty likes to do business in private. And she keeps wanting to label him with anxiety issues. And I think that labels are, you know, dangerous.
ERIC: Oh, totally. Uh, back in junior high, there was this huge audition for the school musical. And it was-- I was clearly the frontrunner, right? But the other guy was totally gunning for it, and he, you know, he was...
DEEKS: I'm so sorry. I can't, I can't do it.
[He opens the door]
ERIC: What?
DEEKS: I got to go to Ops.
[He’s gone]
ERIC: So, before the audition I killed my rival and buried him under the stage.
[The door opens]
KENSI: Hey, you coming?
ERIC: Yeah.
[OPS center. On screen footage from the woman’s phone]
MAN: [Over video] I need to go.
GRANGER: This is Antonis Cosse.
[Video freezes]
NELL: He was killed today at a hotel in Long Beach.
ERIC: Long Beach PD collected video footage from the victim's cell phone.
CALLEN: The victim's phone?
GRANGER: Yeah, the footage was shot by a witness. Play it, Beale.
SAM: Remote controlled drone.
DEEKS: Wow. The killer gets points for originality.
GRANGER: Play it back in slow-motion, Eric.
[Sam chuckles]
SAM: Drone must've had a camera on it. The pilot blew the charge before Cosse could knock it down.
GRANGER: Whoever did it wanted to make sure they hit the correct target.
CALLEN: So, who is this guy? Why did we pull this case?
GRANGER: Because Antonis Cosse wasn't his real name.
NELL: ATF was on-site because of the explosives. But when they ID'd the victim, they realized his real name was Elias Minas. Now, Minas, as it turns out, was a member of the Greek terrorist organization Polites tin Katapolemisi tis, or PK.
DEEKS: Polites Katama who?
KENSI: It's Greek for Citizens Combat.
CALLEN: PK's the group that had the RPG attack on the U.S. Embassy in Athens.
SAM: Yeah, and they have a lot of different ideologies. But at the core, they're an anarchist group.
DEEKS: And their members are-are Greek. Just thought I should add to the conversation.
NELL: Minas was a person of interest for Homeland, which is why they placed him on the no-fly list.
KENSI: And yet, he made it from Greece to L.A.? That's impressive.
CALLEN: Could've come by ship to Mexico and then muled up.
ERIC: I checked his cell phone. No GPS data on it.
GRANGER: Now, this guy was a high-ranking PK member-- I want to know what he was doing in L.A. and why he was killed.
NELL: Homeland is sending an agent familiar with Minas to the boatshed. Hetty would like to meet the two of you there.
DEEKS: Done.
KENSI: Got it.
[They walk out]
GRANGER: Sierra Fisher took the cell phone footage. Long Beach PD is holding her and what's left of the drone. Go do what you do.
[They nod and start heading to the door]
ERIC: Um, Nell?
NELL: Um, what?
ERIC: You know. Come on.
NELL: I know. I'm gonna.
ERIC: #Like, when?
NELL: #Like, now.
[She opens the mouth but Granger interrupts her]
GRANGER: If you two don't cut out the Ewok routine I'm gonna send you home.
ERIC: Nell is an expert in the field of radio controlled aircraft.
CALLEN: Expert, huh?
NELL: Well, more of a hobbyist really.
ERIC: Modest much? She's won two Ventura County titles in aerobatics and is one of the finalists...
SAM: We get it, we get it. Nell, grab your stuff, let's go.
NELL: Okay.
ERIC: Go get 'em, tiger.
[He clicks his tongue.]
[Off to...]
[...Boatshed. Observation room. Hetty, Deeks and Kensi are at the table with a woman]
HETTY: Let me get something straight, Agent Rollins. Homeland was working with Greek authorities to target Mr. Minas. But yet he was still able to gain entrance to the U.S.?
ROLLINS: The Greeks alerted us that he was using a false passport to board a plane to the U.S.
HETTY: So, you just let him come?
ROLLINS: We placed undercover air marshals on the flight and took him into custody when he landed at JFK. Minas had planned several of PK's attacks. He was a big get.
DEEKS: So, let me guess. He gave up something on his Greek friends so that his stay in America could be a little less prisony?
ROLLINS: He told us everything he knew about PK. Their leadership structure, past attacks they were involved with and what they had planned. The Greeks arrested two of PK's highest ranking members based on his Intel.
HETTY: And for this, you granted him witness protection.
ROLLINS: Yes.
DEEKS: You got to be kidding me.
KENSI: Wait a minute. You took a known terrorist on a no-fly list and put him in witness protection?
DEEKS: Was he, at least, under surveillance? I mean, did you have a team outside the hotel when he was killed?
[Agent Rollins looks embarrassed]
HETTY: What is it, Agent Rollins?
ROLLINS: ...Until we were informed this morning that Minas had been killed, we had no idea where he was. He was placed in witness protection and given the new name Antonis Cosse. And then three months ago, we lost him. Leapfrogged through a couple of international flights and...he vanished.
DEEKS: Nobody put his new name on the watch list and the no-fly list.
ROLLINS: The situation was remedied as soon as we found out.
HETTY: Do you have any idea why he was in L.A.? Or who killed him?
ROLLINS: I don't know why he was here, but he betrayed every member of PK. If they knew he was here in L.A., they wouldn't hesitate one second to go after him.
[Hetty and Kensi exchange a look...]
[Long Beach. Nell is checking what remains of the drone, with Sam studying the crime scene]
CALLEN: Long Beach PD has the witness. They're gonna bring her over here.
SAM: Straight TNT would've blown up the whole drone. This blast looks more directional. Stable. Bet it's gonna come back from the lab as Octol.
CALLEN: That makes sense, the charge would have been small. Be an easy payload for a drone this size.
SAM: Yeah. What's the drone telling you, Nell?
NELL: You don't walk into a hobby shop and buy this sort of thing. Three high-torque servos. This thing is totally custom. It would've looked beautiful in the air.
CALLEN: Hobbyist, huh?
SAM: Any idea where it took off from?
NELL: Not yet. See, there's this HD camera attachment here for the feed back to the pilot. But I doubt there's any onboard recording. I may, however. be able to track the takeoff point using the drone's 3G control system.
CALLEN: Great. Take it back to Ops.
SAM: Good job.
[G spots the woman who filmed the scene]
CALLEN: Ms. Fisher?
SIERRA: Yes.
CALLEN: We're NCIS. Agent Callen, Agent Hanna.
SAM: You have someone coming to pick you up?
SIERRA: No. Nobody knows I'm here. I'm married. And not to the guy that blew up.
CALLEN: Did you know Antonis well?
SIERRA: Tony?... I mean a little. I met him at the gym. He didn't talk much, didn't ask questions. Just the strong, silent type.
[She stares at Sam]
SIERRA: You know anyone like that?
[Sam sighs]
SAM: What'd you see this morning?
SIERRA: Uh, sir, I didn't see anything. Just the explosion. Do you guys think I could get Tony's phone back? There might be some photos on there I'd like to delete.
[She looks at their faces]
SIERRA: It was just a question.
[Callen looks around and speaks to Sam]
CALLEN: You know, we've got a lot of reporters out front. I mean, I'm sure they'd love to have a chance to interview an eyewitness.
SAM: Yeah, I think that's good thinking. Get her on the local news. Shake the tree a little bit. Maybe some other witnesses come forward.
SIERRA: Come on, guys. A little help?
CALLEN: You first.
SIERRA: Okay, look. Tony went downstairs to grab a coffee. When he came back, he was freaking out. Said he needed to grab his stuff and go. And that's when that crazy robot killer flying bomb thing came at him. The whole thing was...It was awful. That's everything I saw. It's all I know. I promise.
CALLEN: We're gonna hold you. If your story checks out, you'll be released.
SIERRA: Thank you. I just don't want anyone to find out I was here with Tony. My husband's, like, totally paranoid that I'm cheating on him.
SAM: Hmm. Wonder why?!
[OPS center. Eric is playing footage from the surveillance camera set in the hotel lobby]
ERIC: She was telling the truth. Minas was down in the lobby getting coffee right before the explosion. Then he spotted someone in a silver Nissan across the driveway and bolted.
[Long Beach]
CALLEN: Can you ID that driver?
[OPS center.]
ERIC: I was able to find him from a second security cam and I ran him through facial rec. His name is Frank Kouris. He's a Greek national that arrived here five months ago on a legit passport. He's also one of the people that Minas turned on, ID'd as a PK member.
[Long Beach]
SAM: Why wasn't he picked up after Minas outed him?
[OPS center.]
ERIC: FBI was searching for him, but he was in the wind.
[Long Beach]
CALLEN: All right. Thanks, Eric.
SAM: Kouris was in L.A. before Minas was.
CALLEN: If Kouris wasn't sent here to kill Minas...what did PK send him here to do?
------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[NCIS office. Sam parks the Challenger near the wooden door]
SAM: I mean...you believe they put a known terrorist in witness protection and just lost him?
CALLEN: Yeah, I do. I've seen a lot of crazy stuff happen when, uh...paperwork's involved.
[He smiles]
SAM: What?
CALLEN: Nothing.
[But he smiles again, staring at Sam’s hand grippers]
SAM: It's good for strength, dexterity and endurance...
CALLEN: Perfect for weak-hand shooting drills.
SAM: What's your problem with me wanting to get better at a skill that could potentially save your life?
CALLEN: I don't have a problem with you getting better at anything. I merely question your need to become proficient at every new thing you hear about.
SAM: You're the same way.
CALLEN: No, I'm not. I am an expert at certain skills--skills that pertain directly to this job.
[He gets into the office. Sam follows]
SAM: So weak-hand shooting doesn't pertain to this job?
CALLEN: No, it does. 100%. I get it, but this is just the latest stop on the Sam Hanna World Tour of Skill Acquisition.
SAM: Everything I learn is valuable to me, to the job and to my partner.
CALLEN: That strange breathing thing?
SAM: Ginástica Natural? And me controlling my breathing and heart rate doesn't benefit me in a gunfight?
CALLEN: The magic class.
SAM: It wasn't a magic class. It was restraint removal in stressful situations.
CALLEN: You were handcuffed in a box underwater.
SAM: It was tactical training.
CALLEN: Okay, Houdini, how are you gonna explain the bird thing, huh?
SAM: Falconry?
CALLEN: Let me guess, you took the class because your plan is to deploy hawks in our next hostage situation.
SAM: Nah, raptors are just cool.
ERIC: Hey, guys.
[He’s in the stairs with Nell]
ERIC: Kaleidoscope just got a hit on Kouris' silver Nissan. It's parked outside a restaurant on Ventura.
NELL: And I was able to isolate the cell signal used to control the drone. I then triangulated the first ping to a garage in Long Beach. That's where it launched from.
CALLEN: All right, we'll pick up Kouris. Send Kensi and Deeks down to Long Beach.
ERIC: Got it.
NELL: Yeah.
[Off to...]
[...Long Beach. Kensi stops her car in front of the garage]
DEEKS: It's a pretty good place to launch a small drone.
KENSI: Long Beach. The L-B-C. Home of Snoop Dogg and the Queen Mary. My kind of town.
DEEKS: Oh, no. Forget about that haunted ship. Long Beach has the El Dorado Skate Park. You know what that is? That's 15,000 feet of smooth concrete skateboarding bliss.
KENSI: What is it with you and skateboarding?
DEEKS: What do you mean?
KENSI: I mean, I get the surfing thing, the ocean, dolphins, the Zen stuff, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
DEEKS: "Zen stuff, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah"?
KENSI: But kicking a board down a dirty street dodging cars? Not interesting.
DEEKS: All right. But you and I, skating a pool? You know what I mean? The wind in your hair, flowing through transitions? You do that once, I guarantee you, you are gonna be hooked.
KENSI: Okay. I'll trust you. I'll try it. Why not?
[She points at the lock of the door – hit by a bullet. They pull out their guns. He’s still thinking of her words]
DEEKS: Okay. I mean, I feel like you're messing with me, but I'll... I'll set it up.
KENSI: How hard can it be? I mean, you can do it.
[He kicks the door open]
KENSI: Federal agents!
[They check the garage – it looks empty. Deeks spots blood on a plastic cover hanging from a container]
KENSI: Clear!
[Deeks opens the lid]
DEEKS: Kens.
[She comes and looks: flies are buzzing around a man; a body; a bloody body]
[Sam parks the Challenger across the street of “The Great Greek” restaurant]
SAM: There's Kouris' car.
CALLEN: Well, maybe he's in there enjoying some moussaka. Maybe he's meeting with some PK members.
SAM: He's trained. You don't want a guy like that running. Be best to box him in, take him in the restaurant.
CALLEN: Lot of civilians in there.
[Sam nods]
CALLEN: You remember that sushi spot in Thousand Oaks?
SAM: That'll work. This time, we switch roles.
[Inside the restaurant. Kouris is eating with a man; another guy keeps watching around; a body guard. G comes in carrying a form]
MANAGER: Ah. Table for one?
CALLEN: Excuse me, I need to speak with your manager, please.
MANAGER: I am the manager.
CALLEN: Oh, sir, pleasure to meet you.
[He’s speaking loudly]
CALLEN: I'm Steve Bishop. I am with the County Health Inspector's Office.
MANAGER: Oh, we've already had our inspection. We got an "A" rating.
CALLEN: Yes. I'm, uh, very well aware of that. That's, uh, why I'm here today. I'm afraid there has been a small clerical error.
MANAGER: Clerical error?
CALLEN: You were given the wrong rating.
MANAGER: Oh, what... what happened?
CALLEN: I'm sorry, but I'm gonna need to put the new sign up, with your, uh, revised grade.
MANAGER: What kind of rating are you giving us?
CALLEN: You received a "C."
MANAGER: Oh, oh...
CALLEN: And we're gonna need to have you close this down until everything is resolved.
MANAGER: Wait…
CALLEN: Again, I-I-I'm very sorry.
MANAGER: A "C," "C"? Why a "C"? We are always an "A."
CALLEN: The rating was given due to...rodent infestation of the food preparation area…
MANAGER: Oh...
CALLEN: ...insect infestation of the refrigerated area...
[The manager laughs]
CALLEN: ...mold on and around...
[Sam is sitting at a table – a client. He rises]
MANAGER: St...
SAM: Whoa, whoa. Excuse me. Did you just say there were rodents and insects in the kitchen?
[The manager chuckles]
CALLEN: Technically, it was rodents in the kitchen, insects in the refrigerator.
MANAGER: No...
SAM: What kind of rodents?
MANAGER: No rodents.
CALLEN: Rats.
SAM: I don't have a good thing with rats.
WOMAN: Did he say "rats"?
SAM: Look, were these rats near my food? Be straight with me.
[People stand up and leave]
MANAGER: Wait. Wait.
SAM: Was it the brown ones or the white ones?
CALLEN: I really, uh, can't go into specifics.
SAM: Not the ones with the red eyes.
MANAGER: No, no, no. No rodents, no rodents. Wait, wait.
SAM: Hey, red eyes ain't right.
MANAGER: Don't leave. Don't leave. There's...
[But people flee – not Kouris and his men, though]
MANAGER: You see what you did?
[Callen pulls out his badge and speaks quietly]
CALLEN: Get out of here.
MANAGER: What?
SAM: Now. Take the busboy with you.
[The manager waves and whispers]
MANAGER: Come.
[Everyone is out. Sam comes up to Kouris’ table from one side, G from the other]
CALLEN: Frank Kouris. Want to tell us what you're doing in L.A.?
KOURIS: The health inspectors in America, they speak like cops.
SAM: Federal agents.
CALLEN: Weapons out. On the ground.
[A man rushes inside the restaurant]
SAM: Gun.
[Sam shoots and hits him – meanwhile the other three pull out their weapons and aim at G. The 2 body guards protect Kouris heading to the back door. G hits his 2 opponents]
CALLEN: I got these two. Go. Get Kouris.
[Sam runs outside towards a car wash station]
SAM: Federal agent! Out of the way, out of the way.
[The employees obey. Sam steps forwards – Kouris dives and tackles him against a frontshield; it crashes. They fight. Kouris grabs a can and hits Sam’s face; he takes a hosepipe and tied it around Sam’s neck. But Sam is getting pissed off – he strikes back, and gets to cuff the guy grunting in pain. G appears]
CALLEN: You good?
SAM: I'm good.
CALLEN: What took you so long? I mean, you just had the one guy, right?
SAM: Not in the mood.
CALLEN: My two guys are cuffed to a table back there. I also rounded up the busboy and the manager for questioning.
SAM: I got hit with a can of Turtle Wax. You ever get hit with a can of Turtle Wax? I didn't think so!
------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[Boatshed. Interrogation room.]
KOURIS: I come to Los Angeles for a vacation. I watch TMZ, and it looks like fun place.
CALLEN: You entered the U.S. five months ago and you've been underground since. That does not sound like much of a vacation to me.
KOURIS: Eh, that depend on your frame of reference.
SAM: A guy that betrayed your organization was blown up while you were parked right outside. Explain that.
KOURIS: No, I don't have to. In America, that is called, uh, circumstantial evidence. I also watch the Matlock.
[He winks]
CALLEN: That's a good point. Besides, you didn't come here five months ago to kill Minas. You were here before he even entered the country. So I'm wondering, what is PK planning? And why'd they send you here?
KOURIS: Nobody send me anywhere.
[He looks at Sam]
KOURIS: Hey, my friend, do you know where I can get a picture with Yanni?
[Sam chuckles; Kouris laughs]
SAM: Yanni. That's funny. You and your two buddies aren't talking. I get it. None of you have anything to lose. Your nephew, on the other hand, just got accepted into Stanford.
CALLEN: Impressive.
SAM: Kid like that has got a lot to lose. Future's bright.
CALLEN: You're in this life already. And you're going away for a long time. Why do you want to make us drag your sister and your nephew into this?
KOURIS: You-you don't talk to my sister, okay? ...She raised a good boy. You leave him be.
CALLEN: PK wanted you in L.A. for a reason that had nothing to do with Minas. But when they found out he was here, you got the call to kill him.
KOURIS: What do you want to know?
SAM: How did you find Minas?
KOURIS: His weakness. Okay, you want to track a man, you find his weakness.
SAM: Minas loved women.
KOURIS: Yeah, he always do. My brothers, they find one of his girlfriend in Athens and they...convince her to help us.
CALLEN: She knew he was in L.A.?
KOURIS: Yeah, the idiot, he tell her that he gonna fly her over to see him in a few months, so...I track him to an apartment and then I follow him to that hotel where he hook up with another girl there.
CALLEN: What apartment?
KOURIS: Some rat hole off of, um, Washington.
[G looks at Sam]
KOURIS: Look, guys, that's all that happened, huh? That's it.
SAM: Yeah? You left out the part where you blew him up.
KOURIS: Minas deserved to die. He-He's a man who is loyal to the highest bidder. We never expect that he gonna be greedy or so stupid to betray us. But, no, man, I did not kill him. PK did not kill him. Someone beat us to it. That's all.
CALLEN: You almost sound convincing.
KOURIS: Ah, come on. I would never use explosive. If I going to kill him, I going to do it with a knife, so I can see his eyes.
[The agents look at each other]
[Observation room. Nell from the OPS via video]
NELL: [Over video] Hey, guys. The body Kensi and Deeks found at the location where the drone was launched was just ID'd as the owner of the building. We're gonna dig into his past, see if we find any criminal ties.
CALLEN: All right, thanks, Nell.
NELL: [Over video] No problem.
[She vanishes from screen]
SAM: The owner could have been working with Minas.
CALLEN: Either that or it was a case of "wrong place at the wrong time." You buy what Kouris just told us?
SAM: Guy like that? Nah, he couldn't help himself. If he did Minas, he'd want us to know.
CALLEN: So, if PK didn't kill him, who did?
SAM: I don't know. But Kouris trailed Minas to that apartment on Washington. That's a good place to start.
[G heads to the door]
[OPS center. Eric and Nell both work on computers – opposite sides of the room]
ERIC: So, how was it out in the field with Callen and Sam?
NELL: Good. Did you miss me?
ERIC: Oh, every single solitary second. Come on, no one knows those drones better than you. I was happy to loan you out.
NELL: Loan me out?
ERIC: Yeah, I own you now, didn't you get the memo?
NELL: Oh, yeah, I got it. Got to tell you, I've always been a little embarrassed about those aerobatics titles. I mean, they're kind of nerdy. Even for me.
ERIC: Oh, please. If that were me, I'd have, like, a full-on championship belt made. Like, a sash with, like, a crown and a scepter. And, like, a ticker-tape...
[His computer beeps]
ERIC: Chauvenet.
NELL: Huh?
[She rolls with her chair to his side]
ERIC: When Kouris said that Minas would sell out for the highest bidder, I decided to run a search though the database of that, uh, Darknet site that we took offline, Chauvenet.
NELL: Mm-hmm.
ERIC: There's a part of the site where you can hire someone to commit crimes. Minas had an encrypted account.
NELL: Hmm, nice work, Bealeski.
ERIC: Yeah. And get this--he was paid $50,000 in Bitcoins. Okay, the whole thing's encrypted, but let me try to find out who paid him.
NELL: So, Minas had experience in plotting successful terrorist attacks against the United States.
ERIC: Yeah, pretty small fraternity of people who can claim that.
NELL: Exactly. So, if he's offering his services to the highest bidder, don't you think he could have earned a little more than $50,000?
[Eric thinks about this...]
[Long beach. Kensi and Deeks are still at the garage. They search the place]
KENSI: Hey, Deeks?
DEEKS: Yeah.
KENSI: Didn't Nell say that the drone was made of carbon fiber?
DEEKS: Yes.
KENSI: Well, I have bags of carbon fiber here, soldering iron, epoxy. They didn't just launch it from here, drone was built here.
[Deeks comes up]
DEEKS: Something doesn't add up. Eric and Nell couldn't find any criminal ties to the owner. By all accounts, he's an upstanding citizen. So, what is it that's so special about this place, they had to break in and kill the owner just to gain access? I mean, there's lots of empty garages around here.
KENSI: Right, but the owner could have surprised them, or, uh...maybe the killer's just sick.
DEEKS: Oh, that's for sure, but...Wait a minute.
KENSI: What? What do you got?
DEEKS: My buddy owns a custom car shop. He says that you can form carbon fiber into any shape, you just need an oven to cure it.
KENSI: Okay. That's great, but the drone was 20 inches long. You wouldn't need an industrial oven this size.
[She points at the oven]
DEEKS: Unless...
[He looks at some long boxes on the ground, pulls off the cover of the top one – it’s a mold]
DEEKS: Put it down there.
[He pulls off the plastic cover from the 2nd]
DEEKS: Oh, you've got to be kidding me.
[They grab a third one, bigger]
DEEKS: You'd need an oven that big...
[He looks at another mold]
DEEKS: ...if you were making...
[He puts it on the ground with the others – he’s panting]
DEEKS: ...a much larger drone. The drone that killed Minas looked exactly like this, except for it was smaller.
KENSI: It's a scale model. $50,000 is not a lot of money to pay him to carry out a terrorist attack, but it's pretty good money for a proof of concept.
DEEKS: And after he delivers the full-scale drone to the buyer, then they just use the original proof of concept to kill him.
KENSI: Close the loop. Smart. And all the evidence leads back to Minas.
DEEKS: Who just happens to also be the victim.
[He looks around]
DEEKS: Question is-- who was he building it for?
------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[Sam and G are walking to the apartment on Washington]
SAM: 15-foot drone made of carbon fiber? Carry upwards of five pounds of explosives. Maybe more, depending on the distance.
CALLEN: If it's loaded with five pounds of that same stuff that blew up Minas, they're looking at a lot bigger target and a lot more casualties.
SAM: Finding out who Minas was working for is our best shot at finding the drone. Here's the apartment where Kouris said he followed him to.
[G goes to the door and listens carefully. Sam spots an arm and a leg and tells his buddy with his fingers; G pulls out his gun and knocks at the door]
CALLEN: Excuse me, we're doing some painting in the neighborhood and wanted to know if you wanted a free estimate.
[G hears a muffled clattering and Sam sees the guy running]
SAM: He's headed out the back. Head him off.
[Sam catches up with the man carrying a gun]
SAM: Federal agent. Drop the gun.
[Of course the man wheels around and raises his weapon; Sam shoots him.]
[G comes from the opposite direction; Sam shakes the head...G sighs]
[OPS center. ID and booking record of the dead man on screen. Granger comes in]
GRANGER: Who was the guy Callen and Sam had to take down?
NELL: His name's Eric Swanson. He's a member of a fringe group called Live Free First.
GRANGER: And what's that?
ERIC: It's a cult based out of Cleburne, Texas. It's run by this guy, Rand Palmer.
PALMER: [Over video] Live Free First is declaring war on the ones that control everything from natural resources to money. In the past, countries like the great United States controlled these things.
GRANGER: Charismatic fella.
PALMER: [Over video] But today they're all owned by corporations. We're declaring war on these corporations.
NELL: Palmer has stated that he believes the capitals of corporate greed are New York and Los Angeles.
GRANGER: Looks like we found out who Minas was building the drone for.
NELL: Kensi and Deeks just sent over images of the carbon fiber molds.
ERIC: And I put them in a modeling program.
[He puts “a plane” onto screen]
ERIC: Minas attended the University of Patras studying aeronautics, which explains his impressive work.
NELL: Now, this drone is most likely being operated on a 3G connection just like the one that killed Minas. Meaning that its range is virtually unlimited, and it could go on as long as its fuel lasts.
GRANGER: We need to narrow the playing field and find this thing.
[He walks out; Eric sighs]
[Washington. G joins Sam near the body]
CALLEN: We're not gonna be able to get anything off the computers inside the apartment. They were smashed open and the hard drives were doused with hydrochloric acid.
SAM: Mm. I got nothing. He's clean. No phone.
CALLEN: They didn't have the finances or the connections to hack into a military drone. Hiring Minas to build their own was a pretty good option.
SAM: Live Free First didn't want any links between them and Minas.
CALLEN: So they pay him for proof of concept, but then they kill him before they have to pony up for the real deal.
SAM: Minas had traitorous tendencies. He showed that. Maybe they didn't trust him.
CALLEN: It's a pretty good bet.
[Sam kneels and takes the body’s watch off his wrist]
SAM: I got one of these. It's a hiking watch. It's got an altimeter, compass. Also tells you where you went.
CALLEN: GPS.. Nice.
[Bullpen. Deeks, Kensi and Granger are in front of the monitor near the agents’ desks.]
DEEKS: The town is full of viable targets for that drone.
GRANGER: Big events today at Staples Center, Dodger Stadium and UCLA.
KENSI: Not to mention malls, studios, tourist spots. It's a target-rich environment for Live Free First to start their war on corporations.
GRANGER: I hate those things.
DEEKS: What-- cults or corporations?
GRANGER: Both. Well, cults more. These guys went to a lot of trouble to hire Minas to build that drone.
KENSI: And now we're closing in on them.
[Hetty appears)
HETTY: So, what would you do if you were Palmer?
DEEKS: I would get that drone in the air as soon as possible.
[Sam and G hurry in]
SAM: Kensi, you ready?
KENSI: Yes, I downloaded the app for the watch.
[She connects the watch and her laptop]
KENSI: Here we go-- here's the GPS data from this morning.
[A map pops up onto screen: Swanson started north and headed south to Long Beach]
CALLEN: Swanson was at the Long Beach garage, same time as the explosion at the hotel.
DEEKS: Probably piloting the drone that killed Minas.
CALLEN: Where did Swanson go after the explosion?
[Swanson headed back north]
SAM: That's the trail going to the apartment where we found him.
GRANGER: Let's look at the old routes from the past week.
[Kensi puts the map with the data onto screen]
GRANGER: Zoom in to the area near Long Beach.
[She obeys]
GRANGER: He went to that place a few times in the last week.
KENSI: Looks like an open space-- a field, maybe. Let me check it out. Hang on.
[She switches to the satellite view]
KENSI: City's building a recycling plant there.
GRANGER: He's doing a recon.
SAM: Perfect place to launch a drone.
HETTY: I'll alert the FAA and Homeland.
CALLEN: Let's move.
[They leave; Hetty looks at Granger]
HETTY: Sitrep, Owen.
GRANGER: I assume you're not referring to the drone.
[She shakes the head]
GRANGER: There is no sign that anyone on this team is leaking your planted information. But we're still no closer to finding our mole.
[The cars are running fast- There’s only earth for now at the construction site; and a van, the drone and three men.]
CALLEN: There they are.
[When they see the cars, the men rush to the van and grab weapons. Palmer is on the passenger seat with a tablet]
MAN: Boss, we got company.
PALMER: I need more time. Take care of 'em.
[Gunfire starts. Luckily there’re also stones piled up in a container behind which the agents hide. The guys have automatic weapons. The drone starts moving; G hits one man and Palmer leans briefly out]
DEEKS: That's Palmer in the van!
SAM: Drone's gaining speed! It's taking off!
[Indeed the drone flies short over their heads – they shoot helplessly at it...Meanwhile the guys jump into the van and it leaves]
CALLEN: Pilot's in the van.
------------------ ZAPPING -----------------
[Agents’ cars are chasing the van.]
[OPS center.]
ERIC: The drone is headed west.
NELL: It's not banking towards downtown or Hollywood.
GRANGER: They're going after the South Shore Oil Refinery.
ERIC: It's about as corporate as you can get.
GRANGER: Alert the refinery and get L.A. Fire rolling now.
NELL: Copy.
CALLEN: [Over com] There's not gonna be anything they can do.
[In the Challenger]
CALLEN: The refinery doesn't have systems in place to stop a drone attack.
SAM: That's why it's not gonna get there.
[OPS center.]
ERIC: Guys, if one of the refinery's gas tanks blows up, it'll most likely set off a chain reaction.
[In the Challenger]
SAM: How many kilotons are we looking at?
ERIC: [Over com] Close to three kilotons...
[OPS center.]
ERIC: ...in a highly populated community. Okay, in Texas City in 1947, there was a 2.7 kiloton explosion of ammonium nitrate and oil.
[Cars chase]
ERIC: [Over com] The blast leveled 1,000 buildings and killed over 500 people.
[Callen spots an arm out of the window]
CALLEN: Gun!
[Because of the gunfire, Sam brakes heavily and the Challenger skids in the dust. So Kensi is now just behind the van]
SAM: We're coming up right behind you.
[The back doors of the van open: a guy shoots with an automatic weapon at Kensi’s windshield. She turns left and stops in the earth. Deeks aims through the window – and hits the rear tire]
SAM: Nice shot, Deeks.
CALLEN: Kensi, you guys good?
[Kensi tries to back]
KENSI: Yeah, we're all good. But I think the axle's busted.
[Gunfire resumes, this time at the Challenger]
CALLEN: Look out!
[♫]
CALLEN: We can take them here.
[The van takes the right at a fork, the challenger runs left; then it spins and stops in the van’s way. The agents get out and open fire. The van driver loses control and it finishes on its side. One of the guys crashes the windshield to fire. He’s hit by the agents. Another one runs and fires opposite to Palmer climbing to the top of a mound]
SAM: Go! Get Palmer! Get Palmer!
SAM: Federal agent!
[He kills the man]
[The drone is flying toward the tanks. Palmer is piloting it with a tablet. Callen appears in his back]
CALLEN: Federal agent! Turn around slowly!
PALMER: You're already too late. Drone's on its approach. Let's burn in hell.
[He throws the tablet away and wants to takes his riffle; he’s hits by G’s bullets before.]
[Callen secures the place and runs to the tablet]
CALLEN: Palmer is down.
[He picks up the tablet]
CALLEN: I got the drone's controller.
[OPS center.]
ERIC: Callen, the drone's over Seaside, headed for the refinery.
GRANGER: You can't bring it down over that area.
[Long Beach.]
GRANGER: [Over com] Too many civilians.
CALLEN: We could land it here at this construction site. There's plenty of empty land.
GRANGER: [Over com] Can you control it?
CALLEN: I need some help here, Nell.
[OPS center.]
NELL: Okay, tell me exactly what you see on the tablet's screen.
[Construction site and OPS]
CALLEN: Nothing. The screen is dead.
NELL: Okay, press your thumbs down on the lower right and left-hand corners of the screen at the same time. These are your control sticks. We need to see if this tablet is still operable.
CALLEN: Okay.
NELL: As soon as you do that, autopilot is disengaged, and you will be in complete control of the drone.
CALLEN: All right, copy that. Doing it now.
[The drone is already going down]
ERIC: We're losing altitude. Drone's dropping fast.
CALLEN: Talk to me, Nell.
NELL: All right, tilt the screen towards you. Slowly.
[And the drone straightens up]
NELL: Good news is you just leveled out.
CALLEN: Bad news is I'm flying blind?
NELL: Yup. The screen's dead, but the tablet is still alive. The gyro is still controlling the altitude.
CALLEN: All right, how do I turn this thing?
NELL: Apply pressure to the left thumb control. Now, slowly bank it to the right.
[And the drone turns right]
NELL: You're doing great. It's turning.
GRANGER: Hold that line, Callen. It's heading back towards the construction site. Dump it in the northeast corner of the lot.
CALLEN: I have eyes on the drone. I've lost control. The gyro's not responding. Drone's heading towards the dock!
NELL: The drone went offline. Callen, we need to reconnect it. Press down on both thumb keys at the same time. Now try the upper left-hand corner.
CALLEN: Okay, I'm back online.
[The drone turns round]
CALLEN: It's heading towards me, but I...I'm not controlling it.
NELL: The homing function was engaged when the tablet went back online. It's coming for the tablet.
CALLEN: Blast radius?
NELL: 100 feet.
[G throws the tablet and dives on the ground just in time – the drone crashes into the van at the bottom of the mound and it blows up in a ball of fire. G, still on top of the mound, is safe]
GRANGER: Callen?
NELL: Callen, do you copy?!
[G is panting]
CALLEN: I'm good.
[He chuckles]
[Later]
[Armory. G and Sam bring back their gears]
SAM: All I'm saying is, you had all those acres of open land, and you had to bring that thing down right next to all of us.
CALLEN: It was full of explosives and I was flying it blind.
[Sam chuckles]
SAM: Let's take the "it's gonna blow the whole world" thing out of the equation. Flying that drone was pretty cool, right?
CALLEN: Don't.
SAM: Don't what?
CALLEN: Don't go out and buy one of those things.
SAM: Nah, that's not my thing. I was just curious how you felt about it, that's all.
CALLEN: ...It was pretty cool.
SAM: That's what I thought. So, I went searching online. We should get a drone of our own.
[G stares at him]
SAM: Go in 50-50.
CALLEN: A drone of our own?
[Sam nods]
CALLEN: I hate robots, any kind of robot. Why do you think I returned that-that Roomba thing you gave me?
SAM: So, you don't want to join a drone club, maybe enter a competition, have a little high-altitude family photo time?
[G laughs]
SAM: How do you know you weren't meant to fly one of these things?
[G walks out – Sam shouts]
SAM: Don't fight your destiny, G. Don't fight it!
[Hetty’s office]
NELL: Granger said you wanted to see me?
HETTY: I do. Let's sit.
NELL: Okay.
[Hetty takes 2 full glasses and points at the couch]
HETTY: It's been a long day. Take a load off, Ms. Jones.
NELL: All right.
[Hetty settles down at her side]
HETTY: What you did today...what you've consistently been contributing, has not gone... unnoticed.
NELL: Oh. Well, I was just trying to help the team.
[Hetty raises her glass – they clink glasses]
NELL: Is this whiskey?
HETTY: Pappy Van Winkle.
NELL: Oh, boy.
[They drink]
NELL: Wow. I didn't think I liked whiskey.
HETTY: For four generations, the Van Winkles of Kentucky have been making whiskey. But not like anyone else, they use wheat instead of rye.
NELL: Well, thank you for sharing it with me.
HETTY: I'm sure you're aware that a multitude of potential undercover agents have come under my command over the years.
NELL: Yes, ma'am.
HETTY: Most of them viewed their predecessors as road maps. They read their résumés as recipes to be followed. But you've never made an effort to do that.
NELL: No. No, I haven't.
HETTY: But you still want to do covert work? Be an undercover agent?
NELL: Yes. More than anything, I do.
HETTY: But you don't want to get there doing it as it's been done?
NELL: I don't know if I can.
HETTY: So, you'd risk not attaining the goal you hold most dear, because you feel compelled to follow your own path?
[She chuckles quietly]
NELL: I'm not big or overwhelmingly athletic. I'm not an amazing sniper. To be honest with you, Hetty, going in undercover scares me. I'm never going to be like the others, and I know that. I can't do the things that they do in the way that they do them, because...
[She sighs]
NELL: ...I have to do them my way, even if that means never making it.
HETTY: Amazing what happened when the Van Winkles made whiskey... their way.
NELL: Hmm.
[She nods]
[Hetty hears footsteps approaching and rises]
HETTY: Drink up... Ms. Jones.
NELL: Yes, ma'am.
[They’re all approaching]
ERIC: Hey, there's my partner.
CALLEN: Nice flying, Nell.
NELL: You did the hard part.
KENSI: Way to go, sister.
NELL: Thanks, lady.
[Sam congratulates her with a pointed finger and a nod]
DEEKS: Wait a second, is that...? Am I seeing libations here?
HETTY: My treat for my team. Good job.
[She raises her glass – they appreciate]
HETTY: There's, uh, some Maker's in my cabinet.
SAM: Maker's, huh?
[Nell smiles.]
[Black screen]
SAM: It's not Pappy, but it'll do.
------------------------ THE END ------------------------
