703 strikes - out
Authors Note: Loosely – very loosely - based on a real life news item from July 2019 which let us know how Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) assisted apprehending sailors and Marines because of human smuggling and drug-related offenses. The arrestees were all from the same unit.
"How did you envision that your life was going to end, agent Callen?"
He'd thought about that question many times during his youth, and later, during his career in one of the alphabet soup of agencies.
Kni®benrots
o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)
Los Angeles || July 20th 2019
The black Dodge Challenger halted on the street opposite Deeks' bar, the 'Bar with no name', where Callen had found a new place to live only a full year ago. All was quiet on this small street; different from the freeway and the broad avenues Sam already drove and where traffic was manically busy every single part of the day.
Sam Hanna heaved a deep sigh once he took in the surroundings. The green Mercedes which Callen currently drove was nowhere to be seen.
'Damn, G... You could've called me,' he muttered. He wasn't amused at all, after taking the long road to pick up his friend and partner for an early Monday morning start. All for nothing.
He turned the key in the contact and put his car back in gear.
o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)
Los Angeles || NCIS office of special projects
Sam dropped his bag on his desk and looked around. None of his coworkers' laptops were booted on the desks and he shrugged as he glanced at his watch.
"About time, agent Hanna," Eric spoke from the balcony, a smile on his face as he caught the surprise on the senior agent's face. "New case on board!"
That explained, Sam figured, why the others weren't around. He took the stairs with two steps at the time and pressed the green button to open the sliding doors to the Ops center. Deeks and Kensi, Eric, Nell and Rogers waited for him. "Hetty not around?"
"A good morning to you too, agent Hanna", Rogers replied and he retorted "Agent Callen not around?"
"Don't see him," Sam said in a matter-of-factly mocking voice.
Then Nell scraped her throat and said "About the case..."
Now everyone's attention went to why they were around in the Ops center she continued "Early this morning a group of cyclists found a body on Hermosa beach. Shot and, so it appears, died on the spot. Some yards further from this body there was a woman, shot like the male victim, but still alive."
"Our, or rather your, case since both of them were Naval officers. Don't ask how I know — I was told it is obvious since both were wearing their uniforms," Rogers said.
"That's right," Eric agreed, "And for your information, Lieutenant Ellie Gerard is the officer in the hospital, Manuel Franklin, also a Navy Lieutenant, the deceased."
"Blye, Deeks, I suggest you two go and visit Gerard and see if she's able to tell what happened."
Kensi nodded at Rogers' suggestion.
"Long Beach Medical Center," Nell told her.
Before the two of them left Ops Rogers said "Hanna, you go and pick up your partner and head out to Hermosa Beach."
o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)
The second soft buzz reached his brain and Callen's eyes shot open in the realization it was his phone instead of the alarm clock. He gently rolled his body until he could grab the phone with his left hand.
"Yeah," he simply introduced himself.
"Yeah what... where the hell are you?" Callen heard Sam nearly shout on the other side of the phone.
He coughed once and groaned softly as he hoisted himself up. "Good morning to you too, Sam. I ehm, guess I overslept."
"Where are you?"
"My place. Where else?"
There was the near silent curse coming from his partner "Your car wasn't there."
Callen let his hand run over his face before he unconsciously scratched his bare chest and hummed. "It isn't. Figured I'd better take a cab last night. Listen, I'll be in there in half an hour." He was on his feet already.
"Be ready in fifteen," Sam replied. "We've got a case. I'm on my way to pick you up."
He heard his partner sigh deeply before he hung up. He could only imagine what kind of a night Callen had had and he chuckled to himself.
Ten minutes later Callen turned off the shower tabs. He would've preferred an even longer shower right now but he also knew Sam's 15 minutes were exactly 15 minutes. He toweled off quickly and walked back to bedroom where he took a clean set of clothes and got dressed. He glanced at his watch. No time to brew a decent cup of coffee and so a glass of fresh water had to do.
The roar of the Challenger outside already reached his ears and he searched and found his boots. Sandy. Sam wouldn't like that and so while walking down the stairs he reminded himself to stamp his feet first, once outside. He blinked his eyes against the bright light and headed to the car where he eased his still tired body into the passenger seat. A Styrofoam cup was held in front of him and he gladly took it.
"Figured you could use one of these. Black, no sugar," Sam said, dimples appearing in his cheeks with the smile on his face. "So, had a rough night?" Sam tried.
There was just a confirmative hum as an answer and nothing more. Knowing his partner it was useless to get anything else as a reply.
Callen yawned before he took the first sips of the hot beverage. The caffeine did what it needed to do and he started to wake up to the usual himself, though quite slowly. He let more explanations about the questions go and said "So, what've we got?"
"Dead Marine. Hermosa Beach."
"What's new." Callen commented. It was true, this all sounded like a usual crime. Traffic was a crime too though and it took them more time than usual to get where they wanted to be. Callen was quiet and leaned his head against the cool window, keeping eyes closed.
"Was she worth the while?" Sam tried again.
"Don't recall any 'she's', Callen replied. "Honestly, hardly anything happened, Sam."
The large special agent just shook his head and said, more serious again, "Kensi and Deeks are on their way to the hospital. The second victim didn't die, you see."
Callen opened his eyes and turned his attention to what Sam mentioned. "Wait, there were more people involved?"
"Like I said. There was a double shooting. Both Navy Lieutenants."
"So we've got what, the crime scene and a dead one. And they've got a talking victim, let's hope, who's a witness as well?" He half-turned to his friend.
Sam nodded. "Sounds easy, right?"
TBC
Thanks for reading!
