Chapter 2
Sam pulled up outside Joelle's house and waited expectantly for Callen to pass comment. Instead Callen opened the car door before Sam could switch off the ignition. Sam pursed his lips and followed, thinking it was going to be a long day.
"You got a key?" he asked as Callen paused by the door.
"We've been seeing each other for a few weeks. Do you really think I have a key to her place?"
"Whoa, I was just asking! In that case do you know if she hides a key?"
Callen just looked at Sam. Did he really need to tell him that Joelle was not the kind of person to hide a door key under the mat? And her neighbourhood was way too suburban to make that assumption. Instead he pulled out his pick lock set and discretely started twisting the lock's levers until the mechanism tumbled into place and clicked open. He pushed the door and motioned Sam to follow.
"I can't believe you just broke into your girlfriend's house," Sam shook his head in disbelief. "Why didn't you just ask her to meet you here or borrow a set of keys?"
"This way is much quicker and cleaner," Callen explained, heading towards the dining table where he could see the brown paper packaging from Joelle's parcel.
"Yeah whatever," Sam muttered, glancing around the living room.
Two large sofas were positioned in one corner of the room covered with throws and scatter cushions. A large ornate bookcase filled one wall, packed with what appeared to be a combination of fiction and non-fiction paperbacks. Some heavy weight leather-bound books filled the bottom two shelves. A sleek modern fire adorned the back wall, with large stones and church candles strategically placed at either side and an expensive looking rug covered the oak flooring. To the far left was a rectangular dining table which was covered in the morning's post and a single coffee cup.
Sam grinned at Callen's back as his mentally compared Joelle's lovingly decorated home to Callen's barren house.
"Only one cup on the table?" Sam asked mischievously. "Play your cards right and you'll never have to furnish your house G. You can just move in here."
"Hmm," Callen replied without bothering to turn around. "Let's just do what we came here for."
Sam joined Callen at the table and the pair pulled on gloves to examine the packaging and book, which had been left on top of the paper.
"No post marks, label was printed and stuck on." Sam said, turning the thick paper over and scrutinising every inch. "Parcel was taped together, cut with scissors so no saliva to analyse."
"And I doubt we'll find any prints on the paper or anything useful on this," Callen said as he handled the book, carefully turning the pages.
It was a standard second hand paperback printed ten years ago. The edges were curled and the spine showed the book had been repeatedly read, probably by numerous people. That meant there would be a high number of fingerprints and DNA, and Callen doubted whether that could be whittled down to a single suspect. Janvier and whichever lowlife he had employed were far too clever. He pulled an evidence bag from his pocket and carefully placed the book inside, holding it open for Sam to add the paper.
"I'd love to see how you're gonna explain breaking and entering and stealing this to Joelle," Sam asked, taking off his gloves and pocketing them.
"You let me worry about that," Callen replied as the pair walked towards the door. "You just con-"
"Did you hear that?" Sam turned abruptly and glanced around, suddenly aware that they had not cleared any rooms when they had entered.
"And you call me paranoid," Callen replied quietly, signalling for Sam to start searching the rooms to his left.
Callen took out his gun and moved to his right, checking the narrow gaps behind the sofa and peaking through the windows to the back garden. Nothing. He quietly stepped into the kitchen, clearing the utility room before reaching the back door. He could hear Sam opening the second bedroom door and he waited a heartbeat, anticipating a shout or a gunshot. Still there was nothing. He gingerly reached out his right hand and slowly turned the door handle. It was unlocked.
"Sam," he called gently.
His partner appeared, gun held steadily in front of him, nodding to give Callen the go ahead.
With one swift movement Callen opened the back door wide and moved to the side, allowing Sam to step outside and to the right. Callen quickly followed and took the left side, sweeping their sight and guns round the garden. Again, there was nothing. The garden was clear and both agents lowered their weapons.
"Are you sure you're not paranoid?" Callen asked with a grin.
Sam took one last look around him. He knew he had heard a sound and the backdoor had been found unlocked. Sam was convinced they were related. He squinted into the morning sunlight and caught sight of a black barrel pointed in Callen's direction.
"Get down," Sam shouted.
He dived to his left and tackled Callen to the ground, hearing a whizzing sound as a bullet passed close by his ear. He lay on top of Callen, forcing the younger man's head to the grass as Callen struggled in vain to get up. He remained there for several more seconds until he was sure the danger had passed. Callen moved his arms and with all his strength attempted to roll Sam off his back.
"Will...get...off..." Callen struggled to catch his breath. Sam's dive had winded him and his weight was driving the air from his lungs which he was unable to replenish.
Sam pushed himself up, "You're welcome," he said as he offered Callen his hand, which was gladly taken.
A quick glance told Sam that Callen was fine, and he sprinted to the back fence, pulling himself up to catch sight of the shooter. The scene beyond was devoid of any one; he had the perfect view in to all the neighbouring gardens but there was not one single movement to catch his eye. He held himself up on the fence a short while longer before dropping back down to the grass and walking back to Callen.
"How about next time someone tries to kill me, you don't follow it through by trying to suffocate me." Callen said as he stood and watched Sam walk back to him. He was slightly bent forward and was moving his hands to his rib cage.
"How about next time I let someone kill you, rather than trying to save your ungrateful ass?" Sam looked about him as he worked out where the bullet might have landed.
"I think you've broken something," Callen tenderly touched the left side of his chest and inhaled deeply. "Ah, there..."
Sam stopped and looked at Callen. "Really? Next time I'll make sure there's a soft mattress for you to land on."
"No," Callen replied and stopped prodding his side. "I'm good, maybe a little bruised. You found that shell casing yet?"
"Hmm, from the trajectory I reckon it must have landed about here." Sam pointed to the brick wall beside the door. "What the-?"
Embedded into the drain pipe adjacent to the brickwork was a small dart. Reaching for one of the gloves he used earlier he carefully eased it out and held it for Callen to examine.
"You've gotta be kidding me," Callen said, shaking his head and scanning the horizon. "A dart that is what, laced with poison or tranquilizer? What, does someone think they're in a Bond film or something?"
"I don't know but I think we've overstayed our welcome. You need to have a serious chat with Joelle as I am not letting her come back home until this is over." The tone of Sam's voice left no doubt as to the consequences if Callen did not comply.
Callen rubbed his hands over his face and met Sam's stare. He knew he had to talk to Joelle and feed her some more little white lies as to why she couldn't return home for at least another few days. He wasn't ready to tell her the truth about the threat; that a psychopath was hell bent on revenge because he was really an undercover Federal agent, and because of him, her life was now in danger. Hell, he wasn't sure he would ever be ready to reveal his secrets to anyone, but they were thoughts and decisions for another day – a day that would probably never arrive.
"I know Sam," Callen opened the door and walked back into Joelle's house with Sam following. "I know."
An hour later the team reconvened in the ops centre. Deeks had been able to confirm that Janvier was still securely in lockdown for twenty three hours a day and had little interaction with either prison guards or prisoners. He had received no visitors or packages and the only calls he had made or received were to and from his daughter.
"Nell has confirmed that the calls originated from Paris and Adeline Janvier is still there; she hasn't left the country. There have been two calls out and three calls in between the two and all were recorded." Deeks advised.
"I haven't been able to verify what was communicated verbally during the calls, I'm still waiting for the audio files to be sent to us," Nell advised. "But I am in receipt of the transcripts."
Nell opened a file and sent the document to the large screen in front of them. The calls were no longer than three minutes in duration and the words consisted of the generic prison-visitor conversations of:
'How are you?' [Adeline]
'I am well, you? [Janvier]
'How are you being treated? [Adeline]
'Fairly enough, how are your studies? [Janvier]
The short question and answer session between father and daughter continued in a similar vein. Half way through they slipped in to French; a translation had already been provided by the prison and there were no surprises.
"There is nothing here that suggests Janvier has passed coded messages on to his daughter," Nell summarised. "Maybe when we hear the audio files it will give us a different interpretation."
"Maybe," Callen responded, "What about guards, prisoners..."
"We looked through those," Eric swiped two more documents on to the large screen. "The prisoners are on the left. Janvier has only interacted with two of them; a Mexican named Jose Sanchez who is in for five counts of murder, all drug related. Sanchez has a wide network of contacts both inside and on the outside. We're currently compiling a list of his known associates and cross referencing them with Janvier, police records and where they are now."
"The other guy is an American low-life called Bobby Skinner, a forty five year old lifer. Again he has a number of contacts on the outside and we're looking into his known associates." Nell continued. "I've also been looking at the three prisoners who have been released in the last six months and one former prison officer. So far there is nothing to connect them to Janvier or you."
"Keep digging Nell," Callen said. "There will be a link somewhere; we need to keep looking until we find it. Janvier has connections at all levels. Eric, any luck with camera footage?"
"I've scoured all the home security cameras surrounding Joelle's house and come up with this," Eric spun around his chair and loudly smacked a button which brought up scratchy film footage of a man on a bike pulling up outside Joelle's house.
The team watched as the rider reached into his leather jacket and retrieved a small brown parcel. He walked up to the door and pushed it part way through the letter box. Seconds later he returned to his bike and drove off.
"As you can see he kept his helmet on the entire time, is dressed entirely in black leathers and has removed the plates from his bike. What I have found is that he is riding a 2010 Yamaha, and he continued north until he reached this shopping mall car park, where we lose him in a blind spot."
"Have you tracked his movements prior to arriving at Joelle's?" Sam asked.
"We have indeed," Eric replied. "He originated from the same shopping mall car park. There are hundreds of people going in and out-"
"Keep looking," Callen ordered. "Send that shopping mall address to our cells, Sam and I will check it out. Deeks, help Nell look through the prison guards and tracking Sanchez & Skinner's associates. Call in any LAPD favours you can to track them through to LA."
"On it," Deeks responded.
"Eric can you also check home security cameras and traffic cams for any lead on the shooter this morning."
"Er, what shooter?" he asked warily.
"Some joker decided to take a pot shot at Callen with a dart." Sam elaborated. "The techies down below are analysing the dart and sending it off to the lab. Presumably it was laced with some chemical or drug."
"Are you OK?" Deeks asked Callen.
Callen rubbed his ribs which were still slightly sore from where Sam had landed on top of him. "Yeah, if you call having two tonnes of muscle land on top of you and then refuse to move, OK."
"I told you the bromance was going strong," Deeks winked at Sam and quickly wiped the smile from his face as Sam took a threatening step towards him.
"So we can gather the book was just to entice you to the property Callen," Nell thought out loud.
"Yeah, so some joker can use you as target practice," Sam added.
"Does that mean that Joelle is safe? I mean if they wanted to injure or kill her, they've had ample opportunity," Nell continued.
"No," Callen offered. "Janvier is playing games again. He might be playing the long game but there is nothing to suggest that Joelle or any of you are safe. I have a feeling that dart will be laced with nothing. It's the psychological power that Janvier wants over me. To always be looking over my shoulder. But sooner or later there will be bodies, until slowly but surely he has destroyed everyone around me. And then there will just be him and me. Only one of us will walk away from this alive."
The team stood in silence for several minutes as they digested the seriousness and the implications of Callen's words. As long as they were associated with Callen, their lives were at risk.
A/N - Thanks to everyone for the reviews so far! To Skippy1967 - thanks for your review of ch 1 - there is loads of Callen to come!
And a reminder that this is for the NCISLA Magazine Callen's Corner Challenge #4 which means there is a prize for the best reviewer as well as story. So please review my story AND all the other entries...