NCIS Los Angeles s05e16 Episode Script

Step on it, Mateo.
He's gonna be mad.
Nina, where you been?! What the hell happened?! The plane was two hours late.
Big storm off Costa Rica.
Doors open in five minutes.
You're costing me money.
Ponte las pilas.
Got it, jefe.
It's always our fault, right? Always.
Excuse me.
Come on, Betsy.
Oh, sweet baby.
You look so cuddly.
What's up, Deeks? You going on a ski trip? No, man, I'm just trying to stay toasty.
We got a lot of winter ahead of us.
Oh, yeah? In case you haven't heard, couple weeks ago, the groundhog saw its shadow.
Groundhog.
So you get your weather forecast from a groundhog? Where do you get your financial advice-- squirrel? No, 'cause that would be nuts.
You see how quick that was when I said nuts? That's a No? Yeah, I get it.
Nuts is right.
Really, Deeks? The temperature drops into the 50s, and everyone starts walking around town with the down jacket and nose warmers on.
L.
A.
breeds weather wimps.
No, no, I can handle the cold, man.
You try surfing Mavericks in a one-mil suit.
Try bivouacking the Serbian Alps in a blizzard.
Tracking down Russian mobsters in Yakutsk, where the January high is 34 below.
Yakutsk? Mm-hmm.
All right, fair enough.
I admit defeat.
You guys have the biggest icicles.
It's left over from my Presidents' Day party.
I bet that was quite the shindig.
Well we really are alone here.
the wholesale fish market down at the harbor.
Ooh.
Yeah.
The bomb blast killed two: Eduardo Barajas and Young Jae Kim.
Looks like it could have been worse.
Who targets a fish market? FBI and LAPD are currently on the scene, but Hetty wants us down there to see if this was just an isolated domestic incident or the beginnings of an international threat.
Keep your mittens on, Deeks.
You're coming with us.
They're fingerless gloves.
Isn't that an oxymoron? If the glove fits Watch your back.
My son had a gentle soul like his mother.
Did you see anything suspicious before the blast, sir? No.
Nothing.
Business as usual.
Have you or your son had any conflicts with any workers or other vendors? We all like a family here.
Originally from Korea? Yes.
Why? Have either of you traveled to North Korea in the past year? No.
No family there? I have two sisters in Seoul.
I should go now.
My daughter-in-law and grandchildren, they need me now.
Of course.
Thank you.
I'm, uh I'm very sorry for your loss.
Nothing useful out of the father.
Bomb squad confirmed it was a pressure cooker.
It's just like Boston.
Probably got the recipe off the Internet.
Gunpowder, blasting cap.
But only a small amount of nails and screws for shrapnel.
Lucky for us, they didn't know what the hell they were doing.
What are you thinking? Just seems weird, this location, the device.
You think test or specific target? I don't know.
Checked the office.
Somebody covered their tracks.
The security camera hard drive was erased from 1:00 a.
m.
until 2:45 a.
m.
So, we see the explosion But we don't see who placed the backpack.
Did you find anything else? Thought I did.
Turned out to be this.
What is that? Don't ask.
He's got to know.
Deeks, I'm warning you.
Trust me.
Walk away.
It's a red herring.
Uh, uh Come on, man.
This is an actual red herring.
Don't encourage him.
I'm not! I told you that I work here, right?! Ma'am, this is a crime scene.
Where's Eduardo? Where's the body? Stay back or you will be arrested.
Okay.
All right.
Thank you.
Ma'am! Who else died? I have friends.
I have friends in there.
Whoa, easy.
Just let go of me! Aah! Hey, take it easy.
You just assaulted a federal agent.
I am a federal agent.
Undercover DEA.
We have to talk.
Officer, we got it from here.
One of the men who was killed, Eduardo Barajas, he imported fish from Ecuador.
I think somebody wanted him dead.
Why? He, uh he contacted us because he was suspicious of one of his new employees.
Are you all right? Yeah.
Um the guy's name was Mateo.
Does Mateo have a last name? Nina! Whoa! Watch your head.
She's barely breathing.
Call for a paramedic.
Guys, move it! Come on, Nina, wake up.
Nina, come on.
She's shocky.
Elevate her legs.
Got something here.
What? Fresh puncture wounds.
There's fragments in the skin.
They're hard and sharp.
Oh, what is that? That is a dorsal spine from a stonefish.
Deeks, get some hot water.
It'll destroy the venom.
On it.
You learn to stay far away from these when you dive.
How toxic is it? Another five minutes, she'd be dead.
It wasn't an accident.
The spines came in from the side with force.
And she didn't feel it? Somebody wanted to shut her up.
For good.
She must have been close to something.
So, she's signing herself out AMA, refusing further medical treatment.
She's a tough little lady.
Why don't you take her back the boatshed and find out what else she knows.
We're gonna track down this Mateo character.
And if she refuses? Charm her.
She'll love it.
There you go.
Sure you, uh, don't want to go to the hospital, Nina? I'm sure.
Actually, it's Talia.
Talia Del Campo.
Marty Deeks.
Yeah, sorry about the mittens.
I'm sorry about the elbow.
I was undercover.
Couldn't let anybody know I was cooperating with the investigation.
Listen, somebody tried to kill you and you almost died.
You sure you don't want to just take a break, let us take over? No chance.
This is my case, my collar.
All right.
You okay? Yeah.
Maybe I should just stay off my feet for a bit.
Yeah, you're lucky to be alive.
Why weren't you working with a partner? 'Cause they just complicate things.
Mmm.
What's your excuse? I'm a one-man army.
It went down and you can't find it? What about a rescue team? You got night vision.
Do your damn job.
Keep searching the area.
What's going on? We lost a chopper somewhere in here.
You know this area? It's where Sabatino ditched me.
You been in contact with him? No.
Get dressed.
We're heading out at first light.
Yes, sir.
What do we have, guys? Well, our suspicious driver, Mateo Orantes, he has a valid visa from Ecuador.
His passport's also genuine: holograms, watermarks, everything.
Where does he live? Well, he moved out of an apartment in Van Nuys two weeks ago, no forwarding address.
Isn't that convenient? All right, keep working on it.
Anything from the fish market? Good news and bad news.
Deeks was right.
The video surveillance was wiped leading up to the explosion, but not the aftermath.
Here's the hallway from the loading dock.
And here's where the DEA agent was stabbed with the fish spine.
Suspect's back is to the camera the whole time.
He's either very smart or he's very lucky.
You got any other footage of him? He kind of disappears for a few minutes.
And then this guy shows up outside wearing a motorcycle helmet.
He's got the same build, the same tennies.
- Who picked him up? - Not sure yet.
And I'm still working on this license plate.
Well, is this a genuine terrorist threat or another example of the world going to hell in a handbasket? It's too soon to tell.
Wonderful.
Mr.
Deeks? The boatshed, charming our DEA agent, we hope.
These are our suspects? We think so, though unfortunately, they remain mystery men at this point.
All right, English breakfast coming up.
So, why don't you tell me what happened? Everybody was running outside.
It was crazy.
Some guy dropped a huge ice chest on my foot.
Thanks.
That's probably when you were attacked by the toxic fish.
I mean, didn't it even hurt? Not compared to having dropped on your toes.
Right.
It stung a bit, but I shook it off.
'Cause you're a tough guy? You know, my leg is cramping a little.
You got any shiatsu skills or anything? I could use a little deep tissue work.
You mind? You want me to do deep tissue work on you? Why don't you, uh Why don't you tell me about the guy that dropped the fish? I may be able to pick him out of a lineup, but he was pretty ND.
What about Mateo? Most of Eduardo's employees are full-time.
Mateo was a part-time driver.
So why was he so shady? He only wanted to be paid in cash-- no taxes, no withholding.
Sign me up.
Eduardo wouldn't do it.
He was the president of the Ecuador-American Business Club.
Always played by the rules.
Nobody got paid off-books.
So, then, why'd they bring in the DEA? Mateo was picking up shipments from the airport.
Boxes were opened between LAX and the fish market with the occasional empty freezer bag found in the ice.
Those bags tested positive for cocaine.
Well, Ecuador borders Colombia, and the smell of fish can throw off a drug dog.
I've been working Mateo, gaining his trust.
When's the last time you saw him? We were both outside for the blast, and then the next thing I know, he was gone.
Anyway, I really got to go.
Uh, no, no, you can't go.
I mean, this is ridiculous.
You can't even you can't even walk.
You got attacked by a stonefish.
I got to pee.
Oh, that was All right, uh Sure, right through there is the bathroom.
Okay.
Wow, okay.
A little help here.
Okay, let's get you a cane, maybe get you some crutches.
I would settle for a shot of tequila.
Definitely looks like an RPG attack.
Who was onboard? Special Forces.
Hard to believe anybody could've survived this.
Yeah, they didn't.
Where are the bodies? Insurgents must have taken them along with everything else they could strip out.
Bargaining chips? With these guys, you never know.
I'll send in the coordinates.
Hey, you getting anywhere with the motorcycle plate? Well, far too blurry for the human eye, but through the magic of digital enhancement, we now know that the motorbike is registered to one Raul Herrera.
Another Ecuadorian that entered the country the same week as Mateo.
You think they're playing for the same team? I got an address.
Well, I'll call it in.
So you guys want to come over for dinner on Saturday night? Who, me and Deeks? What? Don't "what" me.
This is how you're gonna play it? I don't know what you're talking about.
Hope you're a better liar next time we get in trouble.
I mean, seriously, your lips are moving, words are coming out, but they don't make any sense.
It's like you had a stroke or something.
Fine.
You can tell me or Jill can tell my wife, and then she'll tell me.
Oh, this is about that? Yeah, this is about that.
Well, that has nothing to do with this.
Oh, so it's serious? It's not serious; it's just personal.
So we don't share anymore, hmm? Since when are you interested in my love life, huh? Since you started having one.
All right, excuse me for wanting to keep some things private, okay? "Some things"? You make Howard Hughes look like an extrovert.
I'm talking long hair, germaphobic, saving his own urine Hughes.
Hell, you won't even tell me your first name.
We done? Guess so.
Although I do find it interesting, you saying "love life" instead of "dating.
" Don't get your hopes up, Martha Stewart.
You won't be planning a wedding any time soon.
I enjoy being single.
What are you gonna do when you get old and lonely? Who's gonna take care of you then? I'm gonna move in with you.
Only if I get Alzheimer's and forget who you are, 'cause you sure as hell ain't putting your pee jars in my garage.
Raul Herrera? We got a runner.
Federal agents! If you're in here, show us your hands! Back door! Bring the car around.
Sam, you got a beat on him yet? Copy that.
I'll be heading east on Yucca.
Raul, no te muevas.
Pon las manos arriba de la cabeza.
What? I said, "Put your hands on your head.
" I don't speak Spanish.
You're from Ecuador and you don't speak Spanish? Bring it in, Sam.
I got him.
I've been doing this for a while, Raul.
Most of the time, innocent people don't hide under beds unless they're eight years old.
I owe a guy some money.
I thought you guys were coming to collect.
Money for what? A motorcycle.
Oh, you mean the bike you brought to the fish market this morning? What fish market? "What fish market".
We saw you ride off with a crime suspect.
My motorcycle was stolen last night.
Really? Did you file a police report? I was about to, but you guys broke in.
Yeah, uh-huh.
Our timing sucks.
You know what I don't understand? How it this a guy raised in Ecuador doesn't speak Spanish? My father was Ecuadorian.
My mother came from the U.
S.
to work for the Peace Corps.
Peace Corps? Now, that's ironic.
When I was two, my father died.
I grew up speaking English.
I went to an American school in Quito.
What are you doing in L.
A.
? Student visa at CSUN.
Uh, but to be honest, I failed a couple classes, so just taking the semester off.
We have any police reports in the car? I think so.
Stick with us a while.
Good news is you're gonna have time to fill out the paperwork for your stolen bike.
Hopefully Ops can work their magic with fingerprints and an iris scan.
Yeah.
Any news on our guy Mateo? Well, he didn't clock out of work today.
That's a big surprise.
No electronic footprint, no bank accounts, credit cards.
And no car registered in his name.
So what, we just think he takes the bus everywhere? He drives an '81 Toyota Corolla.
What? I've got the, uh, license plate and VIN right here.
Hey! I'm sending it to you now.
You want to explain to me why you didn't share that with me? Because it's my case, and I already told you that.
Well, technically, it's my case.
No.
Actually, now it's our case.
Consider this a joint task force.
Mr.
Deeks, Ms.
Del Campo will be your new partner.
You want me to partner with Talia Del Campo, this is Hetty Lange, my boss, and I'm pretty sure she's the master of the universe.
It's lovely to meet you, ma'am, but I won't be needing a partner.
Thank you.
It wasn't a request, my dear.
In all fairness, Hetty, uh, why are we even on this? It seems like the DEA and the FBI have it covered.
If we find there's no connection to international terrorism, we'll stand down.
Meanwhile, let's play nice.
Play nice.
Deeks, I just got a hit on Mateo's car.
I'm sending it to your phone now.
Deeks? Anyone? Hello? Explain to me why I'm taking orders from you.
Wow.
Because you are a smart girl with a promising career, and I'm assuming you'd like to keep it that way.
That, and I've already cleared it with your boss.
Really? So you spoke to Williams? Uh, no.
I spoke to his boss, who happens to be my godson.
- Any further questions? - No! No further questions.
Yes, I We're good.
I'm I can get my own bag.
See you later.
We're gonna go check out the car.
Yeah, okay, I got it.
Oh, hang on, they just got back.
A convoy of armed insurgents has been spotted making a run for the Pakistani border.
Here.
We think it's the White Ghost.
That's close.
It's probably the same bastards who shot down our chopper.
I'll get my gear; find me a bike.
What are you gonna do? What you brought me here for.
You can talk me in.
There's Mateo's Corolla.
They found it using Kaleidoscope.
Right.
So how'd you get started in this game anyway? When I was a little girl my parents got gunned down by drug dealers.
I vowed to get even.
Um I'm just messing with you.
'Cause you do realize that's the origin story for Batman, right? You know, I started off in LAPD.
We probably busted some of the same drug dealers.
Probably not.
Most of my work is international.
Mexico, Colombia, Afghanistan.
Undercover? Yeah.
Inside the cartels? Let's just say this little assignment is my vacation.
Wow.
Give me a second, I'll, uh I'll pick the lock.
Passenger door's open.
You're welcome! Thank you.
Glove box is empty.
Looking for gunpowder, batteries, detonators, wires, anything that could be used for Back's empty, too.
I think he ditched the car and dumped the evidence.
Well, not so fast.
He left this.
What's with your little nut? Possible shrapnel for an IED.
Or this is an old car that's falling apart.
We also got this-- crumpled-up cash receipt for Club Hardware.
I mean, this could nail him.
What are you what are you doing? Checking for drugs.
Okay, that's not why we're here.
So, if you feel the need to swab, maybe you can swab with this, check for explosive residue.
You can go swab yourself.
Hey.
You smell that? What? Your Britney Spears body mist? Cute.
Nah, it's something industrial.
Passenger floor.
It's an organic solvent.
It's not muriatic acid.
It's not ether.
Think these guys were into meth or khat? We're here to connect this car to a pressure cooker bomb, so I don't care if they're sniffing glue and smoking bananas.
What are you doing? Really? That's not gonna help the resale.
So, fall transcript, electric bill.
What else can you tell us about Raul? Well, no hits for fingerprints or iris scan on any of the usual watch lists.
The CSUN story hold up? Yeah, he was a registered student.
He failed Geology 101.
What kind of idiot fails Rocks for Jocks? The kind that's busy building bombs.
We'll take another run at him.
Thank you, gentlemen.
Is that NCP code? Mmm, old-fashioned but effective.
A backdoor into the Army databases from the Middle East.
The Army? Has fingerprints and iris scans on every local they encounter.
Not readily available to law enforcement.
Hetty, you have skills.
UCLA computer science department.
Wasn't that the year of the first ARPANET transmission? Mmm, yes, it was.
Hetty, you were there when they invented the Internet? Ha! There it is.
See if our suspect has a Middle Eastern pedree.
My gut tells me he's in there.
We are on it.
Status report, Agent Blye.
I see the convoy.
Getting into position.
All right, let us know when you have positive I.
D.
on the White Ghost.
You see him? Yeah, I see him.
Can you make the shot? He's behind the truck.
Do not let him get away.
That's an order.
I got him.
Take the shot.
Take the shot, Agent Blye.
Agent Blye, take the shot.
Oh, my God! I'll take "Trans-Atlantic Treks" for $200, Alex.
And the answer is Ba-boo, boo, boo! The Daily Double.
What do we have, guys? Uh, any progress with Raul? Uh, he's sticking to his story.
Not for long.
His biometrics are a perfect match to a guy by the name of Massil Al-Hawati.
It's an intelligence file from Iraq.
Mr.
Al-Hawati is actually from Yemen.
He was suspected of building IEDs as a foreign fighter.
How'd he get a passport from Ecuador? Five months ago, he flew from Tehran to Panama.
Panama to Caracas.
Obviously made it to Ecuador.
Where he created a new identity and passport.
He slipped through security at LAX without a hitch.
This is about to get interesting.
You guys are actually letting me go? Your story checked out.
Sorry to trouble you.
How do I get home? Called you a cab.
Should cover it.
You know, I-I've heard about brutality from American law enforcement.
But you guys aren't so bad.
Allah yatik el afyeh.
Allah yatik.
As-salamu alaykum.
You've spent a lot of time in Yemen.
The al-Qatan district of Hadramat is lovely this time of year.
Well, we got Mateo at the hardware store.
Got him paying cash for five pounds of screws, nuts and bolts.
Still got to catch him.
What's your Wi-Fi password? Ah, that's classified.
Are you serious? Well, we got good 4G if you need to check your e-mail.
I need bandwidth for the DEA site.
Come on.
Listen, if you want Wi-Fi, there's a coffee shop right down the street.
You can grab me a latte while you're there.
Well, I am starting to see why they don't give you a partner.
And I had a partner.
Really? Where is he? She.
Oh.
I get it.
You get what exactly? Nothing.
She's on a classified mission if you really must know.
Look, I had a partner a long time ago, and, um, things got complicated.
And? I did something stupid, and it didn't turn out so well.
It's a long story.
After a few margaritas, you might get it out of me.
So, what are you actually looking for? Score! Clippers game? DEA lab, chemical analysis.
The substance found on the floor of Mateo's car it's a proprietary mix of enzymes and bacteria used to treat septic systems, and it is unique to that industry.
So, you think Mateo's cleaning septic tanks? More likely he's driving a truck.
You have any idea how many septic tank companies there are in Los Angeles? Nope.
But I'm about to find out.
We can cut you a break if you tell us who's with you.
We know Mateo's boss was getting suspicious at the fish house, so you put an end to him.
Almost took out a DEA agent, too.
My guess is AQAP.
Al-Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula.
That is quite a crew.
Looks like we got a little sleeper cell going here, G.
Then arrest me.
So I can experience the famous American system of justice.
Innocent until proven guilty.
What's your plan? I'm a tourist.
I want to travel all over your beautiful country.
Read the Quran.
The prophet prohibits the killing of women and children.
Tell that to your Army.
What the hell happened? I didn't have a good shot.
Did you even take one? Yes.
And? And I missed, okay? I missed.
I'm not I I'm not even sure it was him.
You saw his face? Blye! Barely.
Was he a Westerner? Yeah.
No.
Maybe.
I don't know.
I could I couldn't tell.
He just looked like a mooj.
But he didn't look like Sabatino, did he? No.
Anything else? Yeah.
I want a detailed report in my hands within the hour.
Fine.
I'm gonna go take a shower.
Septic tanks.
If you want yours pumped clean in L.
A.
, you've got 112 choices.
Yeah, but who's got the best reviews on Yelp? We've been running facial rec on all security cameras near those businesses.
Two days ago, we have this.
Voilà.
Hello, Westlake Septic Service.
Hello, Mateo.
We should probably go pay him a visit.
Might not be necessary.
Yeah, we've been tracking their trucks.
Last night, one was parked at a closed gas station after midnight.
Coming off the truck.
That is one big hose.
Going into the underground tank.
What's the truck's capacity? That's a pretty decent fireball.
Where is the truck now? Don't know.
Never came home.
All right, guys, track every vehicle from Westlake Septic.
Yeah.
Sam, Callen? You step out when you have a chance? They better get something big out of this kid before it's too late.
Eric? I got the septic truck driving south on Lincoln Boulevard in Playa del Rey.
Headed right for LAX.
Airport security's on alert.
Your guy have anything new to say? He's clammed up.
Okay, got it.
He's passing the airport.
Looks like he's heading for Manhattan Beach.
South Bay.
Any events there today? Checking.
The refineries, the harbor He'd have a hard time making it through the gates.
Our plan is to minimize collateral damage.
We need to get them to an unpopulated area.
Yeah, but if they get suspicious or we start shooting Ka-boom.
These guys would go up with their truck as martyrs.
Oh, my.
What? The USS Iowa.
It's their anniversary festival.
That's the perfect target.
This is the same group that bombed the USS Cole in Yemen.
The Iowa is expecting Group that size is gonna need a lot of port-a-potties.
And a septic truck passes right through security.
Pretends to service the restrooms.
The blast and the fireball takes out the crowd and the crew.
All right.
They're gonna be in San Pedro inside an hour.
Let's do this.
Showtime, Eric.
Stop, dog, stop.
Light's turning red.
Ready, Sam? Good to go.
Talia? Confirming Mateo in the passenger side.
Driver's the fool who dropped the fish on me.
Deeks? We got a whole wad of plastic explosives on the underbelly.
Give us five seconds of cover.
Sam, all yours.
Bull's-eye.
Green light.
Got it.
All right, let's move it out, but keep your distance, everyone.
Okay, we got the exit.
He's moving to the far end of the parking lot.
He's all yours, Sam.
Looks like you guys could use a hand.
Uh, nah, it's okay.
Doesn't look okay.
Looks like you got some major radiator problems.
Yeah, we know that.
You want me to get you some water? Get you a tow truck or We're good.
My friend here is a mechanic.
Oh, that's good, 'cause I'm a federal agent! Put your hands on the hood! Spread your feet! Don't move! I said hands on the hood! I got the runner! I got the bomb.
Deeks, he's coming your way.
Watch for a carjacking.
Look out for bystanders! Copy that.
Hold on tight.
Get out of the way! Stay down! Freeze! Get out of the car! Get out of the car! Shut up! I got a cell phone detonator on the truck.
I can disable it in a minute.
We may not have a minute.
He's got his cell out.
Your shot, Deeks.
Hostage.
No shot.
No shot! Damn it, he's dialing! Sam, get out of there now! Shooter down! Lucky shot, Deeks, huh? Thanks, brother.
Sam, you good? I'm good.
What do you say we hit the Iowa festival? Yeah.
That's what I need right now, is a churro.
Thanks for the ride.
It's my pleasure.
Such a long day.
You know, I picked up the fish van this morning at 1:00 a.
m.
Yikes.
Oh, you are gonna like this.
What do you have? So Customs found a plastic bag of contraband in tonight's seafood shipment.
Ten bucks on cocaine.
$100 bills.
Mm-hmm.
And that's how they funded the sleeper cell.
You know, you can always find some drug residue on cash from South America.
That is actually how I got pulled into this kettle of fish.
Ba-dum-bum.
Ba-dum-bum.
You know, uh you don't need me to tell you this, but you did good today.
Thank you.
It was good working with you, too.
It was different.
Different.
Different.
That's a positive connotation, right? Mm-hmm.
You know, you never finished telling me what happened with your old partner.
Well, you know, you, uh, never got me liquored up.
Short version is Sophie's choice, Morton's fork.
Kobayashi Maru.
A no-win situation.
Yeah.
And so what'd you chose? I chose to stay with the DEA.
I had to.
And what about your partner? He had to leave the agency and me.
Anyways, sorry, I have to get some sleep.
Of course.
You know, if you're ever a free agent, the DEA is really not a bad place to work.
Okay.
Good night, partner.
I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some ikura.
Ruibe.
Ika-somen.
What? Ika-somen.
Didn't you hear? Talia got to know one of the sushi chefs down at the, uh, fish market.
Not just any chef.
Nobi Kusuhara.
He's like the Rick James of sushi.
What better way to celebrate a victory? And we get our own private tasting menu.
Just for us.
Yeah, I don't know Deeks.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime deal.
Yeah, I know, I just, I'm kind of I'm just kind of beat, you know? Beat? Come on, Deeks.
You'll get to meet Callen's lady friend, have a little sticky rice Okay.
You know what? Yeah.
I, um why don't you guys go, and I'll maybe I'll rally later.
I'll meet you there.
Oh, that'll be nice.
iawase ni, Deeks-san.
And you'll hear a lot of that at the restaurant, so, you know you should come.
Come on.
Six more weeks of winter.