Boulevard of Broken Dreams

chapter 2

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Los Angeles || NCIS' office of special projects || 8.45 AM

Half an hour later, all of them gathered at Ops.

"Morning all," Eric greeted them. "So, we've got this." He patted his tablet and without looking at it, he continued while he re-watched the scene which was new to the others. "This is Petty Officer Olivier. Definitely on the run."

On the large screen they saw how the person ran across the busy avenue, avoiding cars, looking over her shoulder, nearly made it until a car hit her.

"Ouch," Deeks remarked.

"Pretty good landing," Sam added. "Olivier survived?"

"She did," Fatima said after she checked the information on her own tablet.

"So, what's the case?" Callen asked. He was curious why this was so special. It appeared to be an everyday accident. "Do we know why this Olivier was on the run?"

Eric hummed and tilted his head to the screen again. "Not really. There's this, in slomo. And from another angle."
They all watched and rewatched the footage.

"That motorcycle has something to do with it," Kensi concluded. "Its driver followed Olivier."

"Why? What else do we know, Eric?"

The tech shrugged. "Don't know. In fact, we know practically nothing yet, Callen."

He nodded and decided it may be an ordinary case which should be solved by the end of the day. "Fatima, could you go and inform with Olivier's superior about the more personal information. Send the address to Sam and Roundtree, so they can check. Perhaps there's a partner or parents who know what's going on. Deeks, Kensi, how about the two of you check the scene. Let's keep each other informed."

As Fatima looked up the information she needed to make the phone call, Kensi and Deeks already left Ops.

Sam frowned. "And you?"

Callen shook his head. "I'll take the easy bit and check the hospital. Eric, you know how Olivier is doing?"

Eric shook his head and was about to tell, when at the same time a short message appeared on his screen. "Hold on", he said. "Olivier was shot."

"Shot?" Sam was fully surprised. "Where? Do we have footage of it?"

Eric shook his head. "This was the hospital. While in the ambulance they focused on the headwounds, a broken wrist and the blood pressure - after all there could be internal bleeding - it was in the hospital where they found out about it."

"C'mon... there ought to be blood 'n all," Roundtree stated.

"Obviously not. Not on the jacket anyway," Eric said. "And by the way, Olivier was in surgery after she arrived in the hospital and hasn't been awake yet. They'll give a call from recovery the moment they know more."

"I'll check the hospital once she's awake," Callen repeated. "Since there's more than we know now, make sure hospital's security is on alert already."

"Will do so," Eric said.

Sam glanced at Callen, only to be sure his partner was serious about staying at the office without him. Knowing Callen, there was no doubt in any of his action. So he addressed Roundtree and suggested We better get going."

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With a fresh cup of coffee, Callen hid a short sigh when he put the unfinished paperwork back in the 'in-box'. Instead he'd started summarizing the facts of today's work in progress for the next file.

Half an hour later his phone rang. He checked the screen and without any further introduction he said "Hey Sam, what's up?"

"Olivier was a 'he', first name Samuel."

"What?!"

"You heard me. Samuel Olivier was part of the flight deck crew on an aircraft carrier as a hook runner. Died in 2019 in a tragic accident on board of the Ronald Reagan when a catapult exploded and hit him so hard in the chest that every single organ stopped functioning. Place we visited was his widow's indeed. Ella Olivier showed pictures of her late husband. But G, she also showed us her garage."

Callen was a quick thinker and at this moment he already knew what Sam was going to say.
"The place where the wife kept the uniform, which in fact she should've returned. Then a stranger manages to enter and was able to take the jacket of Olivier's working uniform, and his cap. Probably as a disguise."

"There's smears of blood and drops in there too. Hence the gunshot wound. And there was duct tape."

Callen knew how to use it. In fact he'd taped it on a bleeding wound himself in the past, when in a hurry or when there was nothing else to work with. "It didn't work out quite the way she hoped. I mean, you can practically see Deeks and Kensi work. It's what... not even a mile or so from where you are. She didn't really escape."

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk. 'So who is she and where did she come from? And who is after her?"

"Get Eric and Fatima look into footage around this street too. Back to when she arrived in here. Not after she left," Sam suggested. "And maybe find out who were on the motorcycles. Like Kensi suggested, she may've been on the run from them."

He hummed "Push rewind."

"We'll see if there're any other clues in here and work our way to the others. Unless there's any news from Ops."
Sam ended the call without any otiose greetings.

Callen rose and took the stairs in two steps at the time. The sliding doors were open already and without looking up Eric simply stated "We're on it already. Y'see, Roundtree informed us while Sam called you "

"I should have been more specific, I guess," Fatima said. "I mean... well, I asked about Olivier and his, although back then I supposed it was a about 'her' instead of him. Well, the superior only agreed about the terrible accident and was more than willing to share the address and so on with me. I mean, the place where agents Hanna and Roundtree went to visit." She smiled apologetical his way and shrugged. "Sorry for that, Callen."

"So basically we've got a Jane Doe in here," Eric said. "No papers, no tattoos, no jewelry. No fingerprints to enter the systems. No better way to test our new version of Kaleidoscope. So far, nothing to ID her with."

"Nothing yet," Callen agreed. "Which no-one is to blame for, since we all figured it was about Olivier. I'd better check the hospital and see if there's anything else to work with. I'll let you know. Meanwhile, if you or the others have anything new, just spill it, will you?"

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Los Angeles || AlhambraHospital

It was the first time Callen entered this hospital. It was in a part of town where lots of foreign people were admitted to and as for their patient X, it was about the closest where there was room for an emergency. At the entrance, Callen identified himself and he was told that the patient had been moved from critical care to one of the ordinary patient wards and that in fact, she was doing alright. One of the security crew guided him through the corridors until they arrived at room 32 on the 3rd floor.

Somehow the feeling that there was something going on that was probably bigger than he expected hit him once he entered the hospital room.

'Jane Doe' looked younger, smaller and innocent in the hospital bed. She was pale and bruised, and on one side of her head there was a bandage which covered the part above her left eye as well. A netting kept the bandages in place, but he still saw how it had dark stains of stirring blood. It probably would need redressing any time soon. He noticed how the netting covered dark hair.

Nothing about the color of her eyes, nothing about what language she spoke. If there was a family missing her.

It felt wrong when he quickly shot two pictures which he send to Ops.

He let the air escape out of his nose. Best stay here, he figured, until there was a moment she would wake up and he'd find out more.

---

Do you know what's worth fighting for

When it's not worth dying for?
Does it take your breath away
And you feel yourself suffocating?
Does the pain weigh out the pride?
And you look for a place to hide?
Did someone break your heart inside?
You're in ruins

One, twenty one guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight

[Green Day – 21 guns]