Story: Invincible Summer (part 6 of 7), Tess, Kensi/Deeks
TITLE: "Invincible Summer"
AUTHOR: tess_dicorsi
RATING: R A smidge of adult language and situations.
GENRE: Relationship/Angst
CHARACTERS: Kensi/Deeks with a an occasional OPS staffer showing up.
DISCLAIMER: Recognizable characters are not mine. Just playing with them and promise not to break them. There are a few original characters, they're mine. I'm also trying not to break them.
SUMMARY: "In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." Post "Descent" multi-chapter story.
6. "They can kill us and they can eat us but that don't mean we have to taste good." - Peter Gent, "The Franchise"
"It took some time to find you, Detective. I had to leave in a hurry when the agents came to rescue you. We never had a chance to finish our conversation," Isaak Sidorov said as he pointed his gun at Deeks. He was leaning on the railing where Kensi sat and opened up to him about eighteen hours ago. Seemed obscene.
Deeks put his planned dinner down on the deck table. He was going out with some dignity this time. "You know, I realize you probably grew up in the Soviet Union in the 1970's where it was all communism all the time but seriously, this country has private property laws. You can't just invite yourself in. We don't do the whole collective thing, not that the KGB guys like you ever did."
"Is that what they taught you in your public schools?" he asked with a condescending grin.
"Among other things. I know I was taught manners. So you know, when you're here in America, you go to the front door and knock if you want to visit. You just can't bigfoot your way in because you're KGB or MVD or an SOB. Now if you want to go outside and knock, maybe call ahead, that's what we do here. I don't even have enough food for you so I wind up looking like a lousy host," Deeks said as he prayed Sidorov was alone.
"You were a surprise to me."
Batting his eyes, Deeks said, "Ah, Isaak, flattery will get you nowhere."
Sidorov chuckled and Deeks didn't find that comforting. "The drill certainly didn't."
"No it didn't." Deeks was surprised the comment about the drill didn't bother him. Adrenaline is a wonderful thing. "Let me guess, you want to know about Quinn. I'm sorry, Quiennn," Deeks offered his best-worst imitation of Sidorov.
"You're making fun of me?" Sidorov looked slightly amazed.
"You're easy to make fun of."
"You were crying and screaming like a little bitch the last time I saw you."
"You had one of your minions drill holes into my mouth. Too damn lazy to even torture your prisoners yourself. No wonder you guys lost the Cold War."
"You wouldn't have lasted five minutes in Russia."
"I don't know about that. Guys like you always like to look at Americans as soft but we manage to hold up. I survived what you did to me but you, you my friend are a different story. Yeah, drill my teeth into oblivion and I'll scream and cry like a bitch as you so artfully put it. But look at you. You are whipped, my brother. You fool yourself into thinking you're this important Russian arms dealer, killer, badass. But you've got a woman leading you around by your dick. A woman who was sleeping with an undercover fed, a woman that's in protective custody with that fed, probably still sleeping with him. And you're here to threaten me and demand I tell you about Quieenn while she's getting all her special needs met. What a joke. You think she even remembers you?"
Sidorov lifted his gun higher. "So you know where she is."
"Of course I do. It's what's keeping me alive, isn't it. The odd chance that I know - and I do - and I'm your last lead," he taunted, hoping like hell Kensi would hear him talking, stalling, and come out with her gun. "How pathetic are you? That's not a rhetorical question. I want a real answer."
"Pathetic enough that I was able to find you."
"But you can't find her. Very telling," Deeks noted. "You'll have to mention who told you I was here. Need to send them a thank you note reflecting the joy your visit is bringing me."
"You'll tell me where she is."
"After you tell me you shared this place with you."
Sidorov looked at his weapon, then at Deeks. "You're not in a position to negotiate."
"You can put the gun away. You're not shooting me. I know where Quiennn is. What's it worth to you?"
"What's your kneecap worth to you? Where is she?!" Sidorov yelled.
Deeks said nothing and said nothing for a while.
"Where is she!?"
"Tell me who told you I was staying here. You tell me, I'll tell you. Quid pro quo. Or Quinn pro quo, in your case." He was oddly proud of that last line.
"Hey, Deeks stop looking at the sunset. Thought you were going to start the barbeque." Kensi was carrying plates, glasses, utensils and also opening the door with her foot. Monty was right behind her.
Shit, Deeks thought as Sidorov's smile grew. He'd hope she would have seen Sidorov before he saw her. "Hey babe, we have company. You remember Isaak, don't you?" Deeks's voice dripped with false hospitality.
As always, Kensi was remarkable. She put what she was carrying on the table. "Let me guess, he's looking for Quieennn," Kensi imitated Deeks imitating Sidorov.
"So are you an agent or a detective?" Sidorov now had his gun pointed right at Kensi. "You seemed a bit too preoccupied to be a model."
"That's another question, Izzy. We'll need something for that answer, too. So I'm going to have to know who told you I was here before we even consider swapping secrets," Deeks said as he tried to position himself between Sidorov and Kensi. She was having none of it.
"Tell me where Quinn is or I start shooting. And I'll shoot the girl first."
Deeks heard Monty start to growl. In a stage whisper to Kensi, Deeks said, "Can you believe the leash Quinn has on this stupid son of a bitch? If he didn't have one of his minions work me over, I'd actually feel sorry for the poor bastard."
Kensi wrapped herself around him. "Women can tell a real man from someone making up for his inadequacies by playing with big weapons." Kensi eyed Sidorov head to toe. "He may be carrying a .45 but I guess he's packing a .22."
Deeks knew long before they arrived at the guest house that he loved her but at that moment he realized she was a goddess. He tapped her once on her right thigh, their old signal for get ready. "Who told you I was here?"
"No!" Sidorov yelled, getting Monty to start barking. "Tell me where Quinn is now or I'll shoot the girl and pull out all your new dental work."
Deeks tapped Kensi again on the thigh before yelling "Monty, Elmo!" and charging Sidorov. The two fell to the deck in a heap. Deeks tried to slam Sidorov's right hand into the deck to loosen his grip on the gun.
Monty went straight for Sidorov's leg, biting his inner right thigh and causing the Russian to howl. Kensi stomped twice on Sidorov's right wrist before it made a sickening sound. As the gun came free, she kicked it away from the two men.
"Sidorov, stop it," Kensi ordered as she picked up the gun. When he didn't stop struggling with Deeks, Kensi kicked his wrist. With another howl, Sidorov stopped moving.
"I'll kill you both," Sidorov told them as Deeks pulled himself up and dragged Monty away by the collar.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Deeks said as he pushed Monty back into the guest house. The dog kept barking as Deeks pulled one of the Adirondack chairs back over to their prisoner. "Get in the chair, Izzy," he ordered, pointing to the chair. "And if there's any nonsense, she's a sniper by training." Not quite the truth but close enough.
"What do we do?" Kensi asked.
"I'll babysit our uninvited guest; can you go into the truck? The back seat behind the driver pulls down. There should a laptop bag there. Can you get it?"
"You going to be OK?"
"Sure," he lied. The fight left him sore. "Izzy and I are going to relive old times. Fun by the pool in LA. Rough housing here on the deck. Visiting East L.A. and propping up a man when he's down in the mouth. We have plenty to discuss, don't we," Deeks forced some cheerfulness into his voice as he glared at Sidorov.
Handing him the gun, she kissed him on the cheek. "Don't do anything stupid."
"Me, never."
Turning to Sidorov, Kensi warned, "Don't move. He might not kill you for what you did but I want to," she warned before jogging to the sliding door.
"The woman is tougher than you."
"Yes sir."
"I can make you a wealthy man."
"Now, see, before when you had the gun, it was all about what you wanted. Now you're worried about my needs. Didn't seem to have the same concerns when I was crying like a bitch."
"I did misjudge you."
"Most people do," Deeks said without humor.
Kensi jogged back onto the deck with the back pack, her rifle strapped on her back and her Sig in her right hand. "What's the plan?" she asked as she handed Deeks the bag. She took over holding Sidorov in place with her gun.
Deeks ejected the magazine from the gun, putting it in his left pocket and the gun in the right pocket of his board shorts. "We're going to secure Mr. Sidorov here," Deeks told her as he opened the bag. Matthew's 'bag of tricks" didn't disappoint. A package of plastic cuffs, rubber gloves, a stun gun - God bless you Matthew - and a five-inch folding knife.
After he handed a smiling Kensi the knife, Deeks ordered Sidorov to put his hands flat on the chair's arms.
"And if I don't."
Deeks fired up the stun gun. "After what you did it me, do you really want me coming at you with this?"
Sidorov put his healthy left hand on the chair's arm and made a production of placing his obviously broken right wrist on the other. Deeks fastened the left arm down at the wrist and near the elbow as Kensi moved to standing six feet in front of the Russian. She flipped on the laser scope, pointing the red dot directly at his heart.
After Deeks anchored down Sidorov's left elbow, he wrapped the second plastic cuff half way down his forearm, avoiding the broken wrist. "Just a reminder that I'm better man than you."
"Not better, just weaker."
"Kick me and she'll hurt you," Deeks warned, handing Kensi the stun gun. He made quick work of cuffing Sidorov's ankles and calves to the chair legs.
"We good?" Deeks asked Kensi.
"Never better," was her reply.
"I'm going to put the chicken back in the fridge. We still have work to do," Deeks told her. It was his turn to jog into the house. He returned with two bottles of water, his phone, an agitated Monty on a leash and his "Life's a Beach" hat. Tying the leash to the table leg, Monty growled at Sidorov.
"Elmo?" Kensi asked, holding her gun by her side.
Monty started barking immediately. "Monty was trained by a guy who used Tickle Me E-L-M-O-S as a training tool. He's also terrified of a Roomba."
Kensi smiled. "Now what?"
"Trust me?"
"In all things."
"Good answer," he said, smiling. Kissing her, he handed her bottled water. Turning to Sidorov, he said "smile shithead" and took a photo of the prisoner with his phone. Sticking the Life's a Beach hat on Sidorov's head, Deeks then took a selfie with a very visible Sidorov behind him.
"What are you doing?"
"Good guys variation of proof of life." Deeks had a plan. Now he just needed to execute it right. "What's the time difference between here and Tuscany?"
"Nine hours I think. Hetty?"
"Nobody at NCIS knows where I am besides you. He got our location from..."
"..LAPD."
"Hetty first," Deeks hit the speed dial number he was so happy he loaded before they left. "She'll probably be thrilled I'm getting her out of bed at 4:15 in the morning."
"She's going to be thrilled," Kensi kissed him on the cheek before he walked a few steps away from Sidorov.
"Lange," Hetty answered.
"Hi Hetty, it's Marty Deeks, I'm so sorry to be calling you so early in the morning."
"Mr. Deeks, I'm always happy to hear from you no matter the time of day. And since I'm enjoying some scotch and some wonderful company in Montauk, it's 10:15 in the evening here. I would imagine this isn't a social call so what can I do for you?"
"Something's come up and I need your help."
"We've done this before, Mr. Deeks."
"Yeah, we have. There's even a guy with an accent involved again. I'm sending you a picture." Deeks thought about sending the photo of Sidorov alone but realized the selfie was, well, more him. He hit send and waited. The gasp on Hetty's end meant it arrived.
"Mr. Deeks, is that Isaak Sidorov?"
"In the flesh."
"Mr. Deeks, where are you?"
"The middle of nowhere, Oregon. A very nice middle of nowhere but not near anything big."
"Is Sidorov secure?"
"Tied to a chair with plastic handcuffs."
"Are you safe?"
"I think he's alone so everything's good."
"Is your new phone number 310-555-1761?"
"Yes."
"I will call you back in about five minutes with a number of people who can help."
"Hetty, make sure Roger Bates is on that call."
"Do you think that's wise?"
"I think it's the only way I keep my job. But Hetty, only Bates and maybe Warner. I think Sidorov got my location from LAPD."
"I'll get right back to you," Hetty said and quickly disconnected the line.
"She's calling me back." Deeks said as he rejoined Kensi. Looking down at the ground he asked, "Do you want to be here for this?"
"Excuse me?"
"Everyone's going to know you were here with me. Is that okay with you?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Kensi looked at him.
"People are going to make assumptions."
"Not incorrect ones. Let 'em," she answered defiantly.
"We never talked about how public this, us, we're going to be."
"Half of them think we've been sleeping together for years. If they ask, I'll answer. Make them ask. Unless you want to do something different."
"I'm cool with a don't ask, don't tell policy in this case," Deeks answered.
"Look at you two. When I find you, again, I'll skin her alive in front of you before I start working on you. And I'll do it myself this time. I'll cut your eyes out first, then your tongue," Sidorov growled at Deeks.
"Hey man, I saw 'Princess Bride' too. You're going to cut off everything but my ears so I can hear the screams of those who are horrified by me. Weak, man. Weak. And lazy. Again," Deeks replied dismissively.
"I'll be right back," Kensi said and she made her way back into the house.
Deeks sat up on the deck railing across from Sidorov and smiled at the man. "So, what's Russia like this time of year? I'm thinking of going one these days. I saw a documentary on the Travel Channel about surfing in Kamchatka. It think that's how you say it. There was snow on the beach but the waves were awesome."
"When I'm done with you, you're going to wish I killed you in Los Angeles."
"Nah, I've had fun on my vacation. Then we caught you. Really, after the really bad thing last May and a shit load of dental work. I'm good and watching your ass being flown to Gitmo or some other place where they're probably pissy about you…awesome, awesome way to end my vacation."
Kensi returned without her rifle but with something he couldn't quite figure out in her right hand and her gun in her left. Walking up to Sidorov, she had a piece of duct tape in her right hand which she slapped across his mouth. "I've heard about enough from you."
Deeks lifted an eyebrow at Sidorov. "Not so fun when someone controls your mouth, huh?"
"Now what?" Kensi asked.
"Another one of your open ended questions," Deeks smiled at her. "Tell Hetty and company he's here. See how fast they can get this shit off the deck." Deeks pointed at Sidorov.
"You should run all that."
"Me? Sidorov isn't an LAPD investigation. Hell, I have no jurisdiction up here anyway."
"He's an LAPD investigation because he tortured and assaulted an LAPD detective. He's your capture. He's also your ticket back in to LAPD. You're hardly disabled if you're running this."
Deeks looked at Kensi and smiled just as his phone rang.
"Put it on speaker," Kensi told him, "I want to hear."
"Deeks," he answered.
"Detective," Hetty started, "you're on the phone with Lt. Bates, Deputy Chief Warner of the LAPD, Director Vance, Mr. Callen, Miss Jones of NCIS and Secretary of Navy Clayton Jarvis."
"Sorry to ruin everyone's Sunday night."
"Detective, it's Nell. I'm tracking your phone location right now. I have you about a two miles north of the city of Tututni Beach in Oregon. You're in a small guest house near a bed and breakfast just off the water."
"Yes."
"Callen, I'm sending you and the team the location now."
"Team?" Deeks asked.
"Mr. Callen had a lead on Janvier and we had a team on standby," Hetty explained.
"How long is it going to take you to get here?"
"Mr. Callen was at San Francisco International waiting for plane to Hawaii."
"The team is in Hawaii?"
"No, they're with Mr. Callen in San Francisco. There are helicopters coming from Bridgeport to rendezvous with the team. We have an ETA of 20:45 your time."
"Deeks, are you hurt?" Bates asked.
"No sir, I'm fine. Couldn't be better actually." Deeks smiled at Kensi.
"Can you tell us what happened, Detective?" Director Vance asked.
"Sidorov was standing on the deck when I went to barbeque some chicken for dinner," Deeks started to explain as Kensi shook her head and waved her hand. After she mouthed "not here," he continued, "I explained that it was rude to break into someone's place uninvited and especially rude after you caused about a hundred thousand in dental bills for your unsuspecting host."
"Deeks," Bates warned.
"Anyway, Isaak's more of a lover than a fighter. He wanted to know where Quinn was, I wanted him in custody. Winner, winner but no chicken dinner."
Kensi smiled. Deeks hoped Hetty, Nell and Bates were smiling too. He really wasn't worried about his entertainment value for the rest.
"Who knew you were in, I'm sorry, I didn't catch the name?" asked Deputy Chief Warner.
Deeks sighed, this wasn't going to win him any friends at LAPD. "Tututni Beach. Sir, I didn't tell too many people where I was going. Lt. Bates, Jackie Thompson and Mike Regan were the only ones who officially knew."
"Who are these people?" Jarvis demanded.
"Jackie Thompson has been my administrative assistant since Deeks was in college. I trust her with not only my life but with the lives of my detectives. She's beyond reproach," Bates told the group. "I have IA looking into Regan. He's HR and if he's selling access, we have a big problem."
"Detective, you didn't tell anyone else?"
"Nobody knows I'm here. Rode up in a borrowed vehicle, didn't use GPS. I was sold out."
"Do you know if Sidorov was alone?" Callen asked as it sounded like he was running.
"Nobody's come to his rescue," Deeks told him.
"Deeks, we're on our way up, can you keep your cell phone on?" Callen said as the helicopter noise made him hard to hear.
"All charged up, we're good. But Callen, this is a small town. Nice people. I've ruined things enough bringing Sidorov into their town, you need to come in quietly."
There was no answer from Callen.
"We've lost him Detective," Nell said.
"If we can get him back, I'd like him to come in sane and normal."
"Detective, you sit tight. Help's coming," Jarvis advised, "We've got this covered. Director, Ms. Lange, we'll speak once Sidorov is in custody. And we're done here."
Deeks looked at Kensi as the line went dead. "I think the Secretary of Navy just cost NCIS a liaison officer. Help's coming? We got this covered? When did Jarvis become part of we?"
"Deeks…" Kensi's answer was cut off by his phone ringing.
"Bates," Deeks told her. "Good evening Lieutenant," this time, Deeks wasn't on the speaker.
"What the hell was that?"
"I believe that was the Secretary of the Navy acting like an asshole."
"Detective," Warner chimed in, "do not allow NCIS to big foot this."
"Sir, Sidorov is going down a deep hole. He was trying to sell nuclear weapons, set one off. Murdered people in several locations including a CIA agent, or officer, whatever the hell he was. We're never getting him on assault charges."
"I don't expect we will Deeks but I expect everyone to know LAPD is responsible for this."
"Does this mean I still have a job?"
"We'll discuss it when you return. We'll also revisit the liaison program. I think maybe the Secretary of the Navy needs to remember to municipal law enforcement is the first line of defense against terror. That son of a bitch," Warner's disgust bled through the phone.
"Kid, I'll be up tomorrow to talk. Text me your address."
"Will do."
"And good work," Bates said before disconnecting.
"Well?"
"I may have a job just because Jarvis pissed off the Deputy Chief."
"Works for me."
Deeks looked at Sidorov. "Three hours ago, he was the most wanted man in America. Now look at him."
"You're not feeling any sympathy toward him, are you?"
"I'm feeling a lot of things, Kens. Sympathy isn't one of them. Rage, disgust, triumph, exhaustion, not sympathy. No, it is just more about how things change."
She smiled at him. "Change is good."
"It is. But…two and a half months ago I was trussed up like that in a dark, awful room at that son of a bitch's mercy. Now, I'm with you and things are looking up."
"Cause and effect?"
"Maybe," he told her, knowing it was actually true. "Well, since we're not having a barbeque, how's about I make us sandwiches."
"I'll do it, grilled cheese?"
"Wow, Kensi Blye's made me two meals in two days."
"You're the luckiest man in the world."
He wrapped his arm around her waist as she tried to pass. "Yes, I am," he said sincerely.
x-x-x
Deeks heard helicopters just after 8:30PM. Dinner was done, dishes in the dishwasher, an exhausted Monty inside the house and a blanket put around Sidorov so he couldn't bitch that he was cold outside the house. They also had every light on the property on so they could be easily found. The helicopters, though, seemed overkill. Deeks didn't know what they were sending but he didn't expect the helicopter scene from "Apocalypse Now" unfolding in front of him. Hell, all that was missing was "The Ride Of The Valkyries" playing in the background.
Deeks pulled up two Adirondack chairs near Sidorov as two helicopters landed on the beach. So much for coming in quiet. His first call would be to Sheriff Tate.
As the team got near the deck, Deeks called "We're here, come on up." Deeks sat and waited. Kensi decided to sit on the arm of his chair. Not the reaction or location he expected but both made him happy.
Callen was the first one up the deck steps followed by three tact team members and Paris Summerskill. All wore black, serious body armor and had M16 rifles. Deeks felt wildly underdressed. He also noticed Callen's visible reaction to seeing Kensi by his side.
"LAPD," Callen told the team members, pointing to Deeks. "NCIS," he said pointing to Kensi.
"Deeks," he pointed to himself, "Agent Blye."
Callen looked at Sidorov. "We've been looking for you. Nice hat."
"All the cool kids are coming to Oregon. Life's a beach up here," Deeks said as he stood. "You and Paris should visit someday soon." He slowly removed Sidorov's gun and magazine clip from his board shorts. "He had this when he arrived. I didn't pat him down before putting him in the chair. Immobilizing him was my priority."
"You two did good," Callen told them as he took the weapon.
Deeks noticed there was a camera on one of the tact team member's helmets. He was going to get that video for Bates, no matter how things wound up.
The team quickly cut Sidorov loose. Before putting him in waist and leg irons, a pat down discovered Sidorov had a pair of snub-nosed pliers. "Why'd he carry these?" Paris asked as handed Callen the tool.
"Probably to rip out my new teeth," Deeks answered for Callen.
"Oh my God," Kensi gasped.
"Good thing you were here, Kens," Callen said before an "all-clear around the parameter" came across the team's comm links.
"We've got a car with the local LEO in it. What should we do?"
"I'll deal with them," Deeks said as he watched Sidorov shuffle to the stairs on the side of the Deeks. "Just hold up a sec," Deeks called to the tact team. When they stopped, Deeks crossed over to Sidorov and whispered in the prisoner's ear. "When you're in some super max prison, Gitmo or some rat hole of a gulag, locked away until you die, remember me. I was the weak one. I was the screaming and crying bitch. And I'm the one who will be surfing, eating food when I want where I want and you, you'll be lucky to see an hour of sunshine a day. It sucks being the weak one. Sucks more being the one who got his ass put away by the weak one." Deeks gave him a hardy pat on the back. "Thanks for taking out the trash, gentlemen," Deeks told the tact team members as the pulled Sidorov away.
"I don't know if you should talk to the locals, Deeks," Callen said. "This is way above what they deal with."
"Their nice quiet town was just invaded by what, a dozen military tactical officers."
"Sixteen, not include Paris and me."
"Great. So this town that has a population around two hundred saw a team four times the size of their local police force invade the guest house of one of their biggest attractions and a guest house owned by the richest man in not only this town but likely from here to Portland. Oh yeah, he sells ships to the Navy and is probably on a first name basis with the Secretary of the Navy."
"Who was unbelievably rude to Deeks," Kensi added.
"I'm talking to them," Deeks told Callen. "Tell the perimeter guys not to shoot me."
"It's not a good idea."
"So few of mine are," Deeks said as he started to walk away.
"Deeks," Callen called to stop him. "What are you going to tell them?"
"The few people here who know my background think I was beat up by a drug dealer. Just run with that story."
"The tact team is likely staying in place through tomorrow to see if Sidorov had help."
No, Deeks thought to himself, they're staying to see if Janvier shows up too. "Just upped my bad guy to a narco-terrorist, if that's okay with you."
"Agent Callen, are you returning to with us to Lemoore?" a voice asked over the comms.
"I'll be right there," Callen replied. "I don't like it but do what you have to."
"I usually do," Deeks said as he walked away.
"Kens, you work with Agent Summerskill. Vacation's over."
"It was about two hours ago," Deeks heard Kensi snark as he walked through the house.
One of the tact team members had an NCIS windbreaker, which allowed Deeks to walk to where a growing crowd of people were being held behind a barrier. Deeks saw Sheriff Tate and Frank from the B&B standing front and center. "They're with me," Deeks said to the tact team officer standing guard. He pointed to the two local men.
"What the hell happened here?" Tate demanded when he was on the other side of the barrier.
"Someone from L.A. came looking for me."
"Not that I don't think you're some big shot down there but this is overkill," Tate told Deeks.
No, it's not, Deeks thought to himself. "Can you get us into the B&B?" Deeks asked.
"That's a question?" Frank asked.
"More being polite asking than ordering."
"Yes I can and thank you for asking." The three men started walking across the main lawn to the B&B. "Do you have a list of every residence in the area. Phone numbers, contacts?" Deeks asked.
"Sure, in my office."
"Yeah, well, I have a feeling if you leave here, you're not getting back in" Pulling out his phone, he called Nell.
"I am so proud of you."
"Be proud when I see you. Can you get me a list of every resident in the Tututni Beach area? I'm with the Sheriff and we want to make sure Sidorov didn't hurt anyone before getting to me."
"Oh, good idea," Deeks heard Nell working the keyboard. "I have 153 residences and phone numbers. I'm sending it to your phone now."
"Thank you."
"Can you tell Kensi to call me when she gets the chance? We have a lot to talk about."
"I will," Deeks smiled and decided that two can play at that game. "Say hi to Eric when you see him," Deeks told her as his farewell.
"Whatcha got?" Frank asked.
"I've got a list of 153 residences we should start calling."
"You two have just been deputized," Tate announced.
"Again?" Frank complained.
"He's done this to you before?"
"Since we were kids. We're both Franks so in a small town when one of us was doing something, half the people thought it was me, half the people thought it was him," the Sheriff told Deeks. "Now we just do everything together, it's easier. Especially since he married my sister."
"Well Franks, if you can find some paper and some a couple of phones, I'll start downloading the numbers from my phone." It was going to be a long night.
-30-
AUTHOR: tess_dicorsi
RATING: R A smidge of adult language and situations.
GENRE: Relationship/Angst
CHARACTERS: Kensi/Deeks with a an occasional OPS staffer showing up.
DISCLAIMER: Recognizable characters are not mine. Just playing with them and promise not to break them. There are a few original characters, they're mine. I'm also trying not to break them.
SUMMARY: "In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." Post "Descent" multi-chapter story.
6. "They can kill us and they can eat us but that don't mean we have to taste good." - Peter Gent, "The Franchise"
"It took some time to find you, Detective. I had to leave in a hurry when the agents came to rescue you. We never had a chance to finish our conversation," Isaak Sidorov said as he pointed his gun at Deeks. He was leaning on the railing where Kensi sat and opened up to him about eighteen hours ago. Seemed obscene.
Deeks put his planned dinner down on the deck table. He was going out with some dignity this time. "You know, I realize you probably grew up in the Soviet Union in the 1970's where it was all communism all the time but seriously, this country has private property laws. You can't just invite yourself in. We don't do the whole collective thing, not that the KGB guys like you ever did."
"Is that what they taught you in your public schools?" he asked with a condescending grin.
"Among other things. I know I was taught manners. So you know, when you're here in America, you go to the front door and knock if you want to visit. You just can't bigfoot your way in because you're KGB or MVD or an SOB. Now if you want to go outside and knock, maybe call ahead, that's what we do here. I don't even have enough food for you so I wind up looking like a lousy host," Deeks said as he prayed Sidorov was alone.
"You were a surprise to me."
Batting his eyes, Deeks said, "Ah, Isaak, flattery will get you nowhere."
Sidorov chuckled and Deeks didn't find that comforting. "The drill certainly didn't."
"No it didn't." Deeks was surprised the comment about the drill didn't bother him. Adrenaline is a wonderful thing. "Let me guess, you want to know about Quinn. I'm sorry, Quiennn," Deeks offered his best-worst imitation of Sidorov.
"You're making fun of me?" Sidorov looked slightly amazed.
"You're easy to make fun of."
"You were crying and screaming like a little bitch the last time I saw you."
"You had one of your minions drill holes into my mouth. Too damn lazy to even torture your prisoners yourself. No wonder you guys lost the Cold War."
"You wouldn't have lasted five minutes in Russia."
"I don't know about that. Guys like you always like to look at Americans as soft but we manage to hold up. I survived what you did to me but you, you my friend are a different story. Yeah, drill my teeth into oblivion and I'll scream and cry like a bitch as you so artfully put it. But look at you. You are whipped, my brother. You fool yourself into thinking you're this important Russian arms dealer, killer, badass. But you've got a woman leading you around by your dick. A woman who was sleeping with an undercover fed, a woman that's in protective custody with that fed, probably still sleeping with him. And you're here to threaten me and demand I tell you about Quieenn while she's getting all her special needs met. What a joke. You think she even remembers you?"
Sidorov lifted his gun higher. "So you know where she is."
"Of course I do. It's what's keeping me alive, isn't it. The odd chance that I know - and I do - and I'm your last lead," he taunted, hoping like hell Kensi would hear him talking, stalling, and come out with her gun. "How pathetic are you? That's not a rhetorical question. I want a real answer."
"Pathetic enough that I was able to find you."
"But you can't find her. Very telling," Deeks noted. "You'll have to mention who told you I was here. Need to send them a thank you note reflecting the joy your visit is bringing me."
"You'll tell me where she is."
"After you tell me you shared this place with you."
Sidorov looked at his weapon, then at Deeks. "You're not in a position to negotiate."
"You can put the gun away. You're not shooting me. I know where Quiennn is. What's it worth to you?"
"What's your kneecap worth to you? Where is she?!" Sidorov yelled.
Deeks said nothing and said nothing for a while.
"Where is she!?"
"Tell me who told you I was staying here. You tell me, I'll tell you. Quid pro quo. Or Quinn pro quo, in your case." He was oddly proud of that last line.
"Hey, Deeks stop looking at the sunset. Thought you were going to start the barbeque." Kensi was carrying plates, glasses, utensils and also opening the door with her foot. Monty was right behind her.
Shit, Deeks thought as Sidorov's smile grew. He'd hope she would have seen Sidorov before he saw her. "Hey babe, we have company. You remember Isaak, don't you?" Deeks's voice dripped with false hospitality.
As always, Kensi was remarkable. She put what she was carrying on the table. "Let me guess, he's looking for Quieennn," Kensi imitated Deeks imitating Sidorov.
"So are you an agent or a detective?" Sidorov now had his gun pointed right at Kensi. "You seemed a bit too preoccupied to be a model."
"That's another question, Izzy. We'll need something for that answer, too. So I'm going to have to know who told you I was here before we even consider swapping secrets," Deeks said as he tried to position himself between Sidorov and Kensi. She was having none of it.
"Tell me where Quinn is or I start shooting. And I'll shoot the girl first."
Deeks heard Monty start to growl. In a stage whisper to Kensi, Deeks said, "Can you believe the leash Quinn has on this stupid son of a bitch? If he didn't have one of his minions work me over, I'd actually feel sorry for the poor bastard."
Kensi wrapped herself around him. "Women can tell a real man from someone making up for his inadequacies by playing with big weapons." Kensi eyed Sidorov head to toe. "He may be carrying a .45 but I guess he's packing a .22."
Deeks knew long before they arrived at the guest house that he loved her but at that moment he realized she was a goddess. He tapped her once on her right thigh, their old signal for get ready. "Who told you I was here?"
"No!" Sidorov yelled, getting Monty to start barking. "Tell me where Quinn is now or I'll shoot the girl and pull out all your new dental work."
Deeks tapped Kensi again on the thigh before yelling "Monty, Elmo!" and charging Sidorov. The two fell to the deck in a heap. Deeks tried to slam Sidorov's right hand into the deck to loosen his grip on the gun.
Monty went straight for Sidorov's leg, biting his inner right thigh and causing the Russian to howl. Kensi stomped twice on Sidorov's right wrist before it made a sickening sound. As the gun came free, she kicked it away from the two men.
"Sidorov, stop it," Kensi ordered as she picked up the gun. When he didn't stop struggling with Deeks, Kensi kicked his wrist. With another howl, Sidorov stopped moving.
"I'll kill you both," Sidorov told them as Deeks pulled himself up and dragged Monty away by the collar.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Deeks said as he pushed Monty back into the guest house. The dog kept barking as Deeks pulled one of the Adirondack chairs back over to their prisoner. "Get in the chair, Izzy," he ordered, pointing to the chair. "And if there's any nonsense, she's a sniper by training." Not quite the truth but close enough.
"What do we do?" Kensi asked.
"I'll babysit our uninvited guest; can you go into the truck? The back seat behind the driver pulls down. There should a laptop bag there. Can you get it?"
"You going to be OK?"
"Sure," he lied. The fight left him sore. "Izzy and I are going to relive old times. Fun by the pool in LA. Rough housing here on the deck. Visiting East L.A. and propping up a man when he's down in the mouth. We have plenty to discuss, don't we," Deeks forced some cheerfulness into his voice as he glared at Sidorov.
Handing him the gun, she kissed him on the cheek. "Don't do anything stupid."
"Me, never."
Turning to Sidorov, Kensi warned, "Don't move. He might not kill you for what you did but I want to," she warned before jogging to the sliding door.
"The woman is tougher than you."
"Yes sir."
"I can make you a wealthy man."
"Now, see, before when you had the gun, it was all about what you wanted. Now you're worried about my needs. Didn't seem to have the same concerns when I was crying like a bitch."
"I did misjudge you."
"Most people do," Deeks said without humor.
Kensi jogged back onto the deck with the back pack, her rifle strapped on her back and her Sig in her right hand. "What's the plan?" she asked as she handed Deeks the bag. She took over holding Sidorov in place with her gun.
Deeks ejected the magazine from the gun, putting it in his left pocket and the gun in the right pocket of his board shorts. "We're going to secure Mr. Sidorov here," Deeks told her as he opened the bag. Matthew's 'bag of tricks" didn't disappoint. A package of plastic cuffs, rubber gloves, a stun gun - God bless you Matthew - and a five-inch folding knife.
After he handed a smiling Kensi the knife, Deeks ordered Sidorov to put his hands flat on the chair's arms.
"And if I don't."
Deeks fired up the stun gun. "After what you did it me, do you really want me coming at you with this?"
Sidorov put his healthy left hand on the chair's arm and made a production of placing his obviously broken right wrist on the other. Deeks fastened the left arm down at the wrist and near the elbow as Kensi moved to standing six feet in front of the Russian. She flipped on the laser scope, pointing the red dot directly at his heart.
After Deeks anchored down Sidorov's left elbow, he wrapped the second plastic cuff half way down his forearm, avoiding the broken wrist. "Just a reminder that I'm better man than you."
"Not better, just weaker."
"Kick me and she'll hurt you," Deeks warned, handing Kensi the stun gun. He made quick work of cuffing Sidorov's ankles and calves to the chair legs.
"We good?" Deeks asked Kensi.
"Never better," was her reply.
"I'm going to put the chicken back in the fridge. We still have work to do," Deeks told her. It was his turn to jog into the house. He returned with two bottles of water, his phone, an agitated Monty on a leash and his "Life's a Beach" hat. Tying the leash to the table leg, Monty growled at Sidorov.
"Elmo?" Kensi asked, holding her gun by her side.
Monty started barking immediately. "Monty was trained by a guy who used Tickle Me E-L-M-O-S as a training tool. He's also terrified of a Roomba."
Kensi smiled. "Now what?"
"Trust me?"
"In all things."
"Good answer," he said, smiling. Kissing her, he handed her bottled water. Turning to Sidorov, he said "smile shithead" and took a photo of the prisoner with his phone. Sticking the Life's a Beach hat on Sidorov's head, Deeks then took a selfie with a very visible Sidorov behind him.
"What are you doing?"
"Good guys variation of proof of life." Deeks had a plan. Now he just needed to execute it right. "What's the time difference between here and Tuscany?"
"Nine hours I think. Hetty?"
"Nobody at NCIS knows where I am besides you. He got our location from..."
"..LAPD."
"Hetty first," Deeks hit the speed dial number he was so happy he loaded before they left. "She'll probably be thrilled I'm getting her out of bed at 4:15 in the morning."
"She's going to be thrilled," Kensi kissed him on the cheek before he walked a few steps away from Sidorov.
"Lange," Hetty answered.
"Hi Hetty, it's Marty Deeks, I'm so sorry to be calling you so early in the morning."
"Mr. Deeks, I'm always happy to hear from you no matter the time of day. And since I'm enjoying some scotch and some wonderful company in Montauk, it's 10:15 in the evening here. I would imagine this isn't a social call so what can I do for you?"
"Something's come up and I need your help."
"We've done this before, Mr. Deeks."
"Yeah, we have. There's even a guy with an accent involved again. I'm sending you a picture." Deeks thought about sending the photo of Sidorov alone but realized the selfie was, well, more him. He hit send and waited. The gasp on Hetty's end meant it arrived.
"Mr. Deeks, is that Isaak Sidorov?"
"In the flesh."
"Mr. Deeks, where are you?"
"The middle of nowhere, Oregon. A very nice middle of nowhere but not near anything big."
"Is Sidorov secure?"
"Tied to a chair with plastic handcuffs."
"Are you safe?"
"I think he's alone so everything's good."
"Is your new phone number 310-555-1761?"
"Yes."
"I will call you back in about five minutes with a number of people who can help."
"Hetty, make sure Roger Bates is on that call."
"Do you think that's wise?"
"I think it's the only way I keep my job. But Hetty, only Bates and maybe Warner. I think Sidorov got my location from LAPD."
"I'll get right back to you," Hetty said and quickly disconnected the line.
"She's calling me back." Deeks said as he rejoined Kensi. Looking down at the ground he asked, "Do you want to be here for this?"
"Excuse me?"
"Everyone's going to know you were here with me. Is that okay with you?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Kensi looked at him.
"People are going to make assumptions."
"Not incorrect ones. Let 'em," she answered defiantly.
"We never talked about how public this, us, we're going to be."
"Half of them think we've been sleeping together for years. If they ask, I'll answer. Make them ask. Unless you want to do something different."
"I'm cool with a don't ask, don't tell policy in this case," Deeks answered.
"Look at you two. When I find you, again, I'll skin her alive in front of you before I start working on you. And I'll do it myself this time. I'll cut your eyes out first, then your tongue," Sidorov growled at Deeks.
"Hey man, I saw 'Princess Bride' too. You're going to cut off everything but my ears so I can hear the screams of those who are horrified by me. Weak, man. Weak. And lazy. Again," Deeks replied dismissively.
"I'll be right back," Kensi said and she made her way back into the house.
Deeks sat up on the deck railing across from Sidorov and smiled at the man. "So, what's Russia like this time of year? I'm thinking of going one these days. I saw a documentary on the Travel Channel about surfing in Kamchatka. It think that's how you say it. There was snow on the beach but the waves were awesome."
"When I'm done with you, you're going to wish I killed you in Los Angeles."
"Nah, I've had fun on my vacation. Then we caught you. Really, after the really bad thing last May and a shit load of dental work. I'm good and watching your ass being flown to Gitmo or some other place where they're probably pissy about you…awesome, awesome way to end my vacation."
Kensi returned without her rifle but with something he couldn't quite figure out in her right hand and her gun in her left. Walking up to Sidorov, she had a piece of duct tape in her right hand which she slapped across his mouth. "I've heard about enough from you."
Deeks lifted an eyebrow at Sidorov. "Not so fun when someone controls your mouth, huh?"
"Now what?" Kensi asked.
"Another one of your open ended questions," Deeks smiled at her. "Tell Hetty and company he's here. See how fast they can get this shit off the deck." Deeks pointed at Sidorov.
"You should run all that."
"Me? Sidorov isn't an LAPD investigation. Hell, I have no jurisdiction up here anyway."
"He's an LAPD investigation because he tortured and assaulted an LAPD detective. He's your capture. He's also your ticket back in to LAPD. You're hardly disabled if you're running this."
Deeks looked at Kensi and smiled just as his phone rang.
"Put it on speaker," Kensi told him, "I want to hear."
"Deeks," he answered.
"Detective," Hetty started, "you're on the phone with Lt. Bates, Deputy Chief Warner of the LAPD, Director Vance, Mr. Callen, Miss Jones of NCIS and Secretary of Navy Clayton Jarvis."
"Sorry to ruin everyone's Sunday night."
"Detective, it's Nell. I'm tracking your phone location right now. I have you about a two miles north of the city of Tututni Beach in Oregon. You're in a small guest house near a bed and breakfast just off the water."
"Yes."
"Callen, I'm sending you and the team the location now."
"Team?" Deeks asked.
"Mr. Callen had a lead on Janvier and we had a team on standby," Hetty explained.
"How long is it going to take you to get here?"
"Mr. Callen was at San Francisco International waiting for plane to Hawaii."
"The team is in Hawaii?"
"No, they're with Mr. Callen in San Francisco. There are helicopters coming from Bridgeport to rendezvous with the team. We have an ETA of 20:45 your time."
"Deeks, are you hurt?" Bates asked.
"No sir, I'm fine. Couldn't be better actually." Deeks smiled at Kensi.
"Can you tell us what happened, Detective?" Director Vance asked.
"Sidorov was standing on the deck when I went to barbeque some chicken for dinner," Deeks started to explain as Kensi shook her head and waved her hand. After she mouthed "not here," he continued, "I explained that it was rude to break into someone's place uninvited and especially rude after you caused about a hundred thousand in dental bills for your unsuspecting host."
"Deeks," Bates warned.
"Anyway, Isaak's more of a lover than a fighter. He wanted to know where Quinn was, I wanted him in custody. Winner, winner but no chicken dinner."
Kensi smiled. Deeks hoped Hetty, Nell and Bates were smiling too. He really wasn't worried about his entertainment value for the rest.
"Who knew you were in, I'm sorry, I didn't catch the name?" asked Deputy Chief Warner.
Deeks sighed, this wasn't going to win him any friends at LAPD. "Tututni Beach. Sir, I didn't tell too many people where I was going. Lt. Bates, Jackie Thompson and Mike Regan were the only ones who officially knew."
"Who are these people?" Jarvis demanded.
"Jackie Thompson has been my administrative assistant since Deeks was in college. I trust her with not only my life but with the lives of my detectives. She's beyond reproach," Bates told the group. "I have IA looking into Regan. He's HR and if he's selling access, we have a big problem."
"Detective, you didn't tell anyone else?"
"Nobody knows I'm here. Rode up in a borrowed vehicle, didn't use GPS. I was sold out."
"Do you know if Sidorov was alone?" Callen asked as it sounded like he was running.
"Nobody's come to his rescue," Deeks told him.
"Deeks, we're on our way up, can you keep your cell phone on?" Callen said as the helicopter noise made him hard to hear.
"All charged up, we're good. But Callen, this is a small town. Nice people. I've ruined things enough bringing Sidorov into their town, you need to come in quietly."
There was no answer from Callen.
"We've lost him Detective," Nell said.
"If we can get him back, I'd like him to come in sane and normal."
"Detective, you sit tight. Help's coming," Jarvis advised, "We've got this covered. Director, Ms. Lange, we'll speak once Sidorov is in custody. And we're done here."
Deeks looked at Kensi as the line went dead. "I think the Secretary of Navy just cost NCIS a liaison officer. Help's coming? We got this covered? When did Jarvis become part of we?"
"Deeks…" Kensi's answer was cut off by his phone ringing.
"Bates," Deeks told her. "Good evening Lieutenant," this time, Deeks wasn't on the speaker.
"What the hell was that?"
"I believe that was the Secretary of the Navy acting like an asshole."
"Detective," Warner chimed in, "do not allow NCIS to big foot this."
"Sir, Sidorov is going down a deep hole. He was trying to sell nuclear weapons, set one off. Murdered people in several locations including a CIA agent, or officer, whatever the hell he was. We're never getting him on assault charges."
"I don't expect we will Deeks but I expect everyone to know LAPD is responsible for this."
"Does this mean I still have a job?"
"We'll discuss it when you return. We'll also revisit the liaison program. I think maybe the Secretary of the Navy needs to remember to municipal law enforcement is the first line of defense against terror. That son of a bitch," Warner's disgust bled through the phone.
"Kid, I'll be up tomorrow to talk. Text me your address."
"Will do."
"And good work," Bates said before disconnecting.
"Well?"
"I may have a job just because Jarvis pissed off the Deputy Chief."
"Works for me."
Deeks looked at Sidorov. "Three hours ago, he was the most wanted man in America. Now look at him."
"You're not feeling any sympathy toward him, are you?"
"I'm feeling a lot of things, Kens. Sympathy isn't one of them. Rage, disgust, triumph, exhaustion, not sympathy. No, it is just more about how things change."
She smiled at him. "Change is good."
"It is. But…two and a half months ago I was trussed up like that in a dark, awful room at that son of a bitch's mercy. Now, I'm with you and things are looking up."
"Cause and effect?"
"Maybe," he told her, knowing it was actually true. "Well, since we're not having a barbeque, how's about I make us sandwiches."
"I'll do it, grilled cheese?"
"Wow, Kensi Blye's made me two meals in two days."
"You're the luckiest man in the world."
He wrapped his arm around her waist as she tried to pass. "Yes, I am," he said sincerely.
x-x-x
Deeks heard helicopters just after 8:30PM. Dinner was done, dishes in the dishwasher, an exhausted Monty inside the house and a blanket put around Sidorov so he couldn't bitch that he was cold outside the house. They also had every light on the property on so they could be easily found. The helicopters, though, seemed overkill. Deeks didn't know what they were sending but he didn't expect the helicopter scene from "Apocalypse Now" unfolding in front of him. Hell, all that was missing was "The Ride Of The Valkyries" playing in the background.
Deeks pulled up two Adirondack chairs near Sidorov as two helicopters landed on the beach. So much for coming in quiet. His first call would be to Sheriff Tate.
As the team got near the deck, Deeks called "We're here, come on up." Deeks sat and waited. Kensi decided to sit on the arm of his chair. Not the reaction or location he expected but both made him happy.
Callen was the first one up the deck steps followed by three tact team members and Paris Summerskill. All wore black, serious body armor and had M16 rifles. Deeks felt wildly underdressed. He also noticed Callen's visible reaction to seeing Kensi by his side.
"LAPD," Callen told the team members, pointing to Deeks. "NCIS," he said pointing to Kensi.
"Deeks," he pointed to himself, "Agent Blye."
Callen looked at Sidorov. "We've been looking for you. Nice hat."
"All the cool kids are coming to Oregon. Life's a beach up here," Deeks said as he stood. "You and Paris should visit someday soon." He slowly removed Sidorov's gun and magazine clip from his board shorts. "He had this when he arrived. I didn't pat him down before putting him in the chair. Immobilizing him was my priority."
"You two did good," Callen told them as he took the weapon.
Deeks noticed there was a camera on one of the tact team member's helmets. He was going to get that video for Bates, no matter how things wound up.
The team quickly cut Sidorov loose. Before putting him in waist and leg irons, a pat down discovered Sidorov had a pair of snub-nosed pliers. "Why'd he carry these?" Paris asked as handed Callen the tool.
"Probably to rip out my new teeth," Deeks answered for Callen.
"Oh my God," Kensi gasped.
"Good thing you were here, Kens," Callen said before an "all-clear around the parameter" came across the team's comm links.
"We've got a car with the local LEO in it. What should we do?"
"I'll deal with them," Deeks said as he watched Sidorov shuffle to the stairs on the side of the Deeks. "Just hold up a sec," Deeks called to the tact team. When they stopped, Deeks crossed over to Sidorov and whispered in the prisoner's ear. "When you're in some super max prison, Gitmo or some rat hole of a gulag, locked away until you die, remember me. I was the weak one. I was the screaming and crying bitch. And I'm the one who will be surfing, eating food when I want where I want and you, you'll be lucky to see an hour of sunshine a day. It sucks being the weak one. Sucks more being the one who got his ass put away by the weak one." Deeks gave him a hardy pat on the back. "Thanks for taking out the trash, gentlemen," Deeks told the tact team members as the pulled Sidorov away.
"I don't know if you should talk to the locals, Deeks," Callen said. "This is way above what they deal with."
"Their nice quiet town was just invaded by what, a dozen military tactical officers."
"Sixteen, not include Paris and me."
"Great. So this town that has a population around two hundred saw a team four times the size of their local police force invade the guest house of one of their biggest attractions and a guest house owned by the richest man in not only this town but likely from here to Portland. Oh yeah, he sells ships to the Navy and is probably on a first name basis with the Secretary of the Navy."
"Who was unbelievably rude to Deeks," Kensi added.
"I'm talking to them," Deeks told Callen. "Tell the perimeter guys not to shoot me."
"It's not a good idea."
"So few of mine are," Deeks said as he started to walk away.
"Deeks," Callen called to stop him. "What are you going to tell them?"
"The few people here who know my background think I was beat up by a drug dealer. Just run with that story."
"The tact team is likely staying in place through tomorrow to see if Sidorov had help."
No, Deeks thought to himself, they're staying to see if Janvier shows up too. "Just upped my bad guy to a narco-terrorist, if that's okay with you."
"Agent Callen, are you returning to with us to Lemoore?" a voice asked over the comms.
"I'll be right there," Callen replied. "I don't like it but do what you have to."
"I usually do," Deeks said as he walked away.
"Kens, you work with Agent Summerskill. Vacation's over."
"It was about two hours ago," Deeks heard Kensi snark as he walked through the house.
One of the tact team members had an NCIS windbreaker, which allowed Deeks to walk to where a growing crowd of people were being held behind a barrier. Deeks saw Sheriff Tate and Frank from the B&B standing front and center. "They're with me," Deeks said to the tact team officer standing guard. He pointed to the two local men.
"What the hell happened here?" Tate demanded when he was on the other side of the barrier.
"Someone from L.A. came looking for me."
"Not that I don't think you're some big shot down there but this is overkill," Tate told Deeks.
No, it's not, Deeks thought to himself. "Can you get us into the B&B?" Deeks asked.
"That's a question?" Frank asked.
"More being polite asking than ordering."
"Yes I can and thank you for asking." The three men started walking across the main lawn to the B&B. "Do you have a list of every residence in the area. Phone numbers, contacts?" Deeks asked.
"Sure, in my office."
"Yeah, well, I have a feeling if you leave here, you're not getting back in" Pulling out his phone, he called Nell.
"I am so proud of you."
"Be proud when I see you. Can you get me a list of every resident in the Tututni Beach area? I'm with the Sheriff and we want to make sure Sidorov didn't hurt anyone before getting to me."
"Oh, good idea," Deeks heard Nell working the keyboard. "I have 153 residences and phone numbers. I'm sending it to your phone now."
"Thank you."
"Can you tell Kensi to call me when she gets the chance? We have a lot to talk about."
"I will," Deeks smiled and decided that two can play at that game. "Say hi to Eric when you see him," Deeks told her as his farewell.
"Whatcha got?" Frank asked.
"I've got a list of 153 residences we should start calling."
"You two have just been deputized," Tate announced.
"Again?" Frank complained.
"He's done this to you before?"
"Since we were kids. We're both Franks so in a small town when one of us was doing something, half the people thought it was me, half the people thought it was him," the Sheriff told Deeks. "Now we just do everything together, it's easier. Especially since he married my sister."
"Well Franks, if you can find some paper and some a couple of phones, I'll start downloading the numbers from my phone." It was going to be a long night.
-30-