Chapter Four

"The hell she will." Callen retorted and then added without thought of how Nell would perceive it. "No one is going to believe that she and I are together, let alone are married."

Nell visibly flinched which made both Eric and Kensi glare at Callen. Deeks, too glared, but he also took three steps to his right, which effectively placed himself behind Nell, and placed his hands upon Nell's shoulders as if to comfort her. The thought of 'way to be subtle, G,' crossed Sam's mind, as he made a whistling motion with his lips yet no sound came forth. Hetty arched an eyebrow as if to contradict that statement, but thought it not the moment to do so verbally. For a moment, Granger thought that the plan would not work, before he realized that Callen was working them.

"Whatever do you mean, Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked as she made a mental note to speak to them both privately before they went out into the field.

Callen took a deep breath and said through his teeth. "Nell is not trained for what this mission will require. She is an Intelligence Analyst. One of, if not the best, but out in the field she will be out of her element. She is not a field agent and I will not have the time to train her to be such."

"Agent Callen," Granger countered. "This temper tantrum will not change the fact that you and Miss Jones will be the ones initiating contact with John Doyle and his organization. Calm down so we can go forward with the briefing."

"No." Callen snarled, as his blue eyes became slits and his mouth a harsh line, his jaw clenched and unclenched. He was in hostile interrogation mode. "You want to put a girl who's only undercover field experience has been a field trip compared to what this case is going to require of her. We could be in nonstop deep cover, working this case for months." He looked at Hetty, as if what he had said would change her mind, reconsider Nell's role in the op. When he realized that it had not, he continued to glower at her, a look that was a mixture of anger and pleading. "Has it not registered in either of your minds that you're sending an inexperienced girl without any field experience, undercover in a case that statistically concludes is a suicide mission?" He paused, as he considered his next wording, as he did not want to continue to offend Nell, but the truth sometimes hurt, and if his next statement did not make Hetty budge on this, then nothing would. "You realize that this case may at some point require her to be in both compromising and dangerous positions?"

"I have faith that you will take care of her." Hetty stated. She realized what he meant by compromising and her swallow of discomfort was subtle, but Callen had seen it.

"Damn it, Hetty!" Callen exclaimed. "I rarely ever question you, and never have I actually meant that doubt, but this crosses a line, several lines. Nell isn't prepared for this."

"I disagree, Mister Callen," Hetty retorted. "I think that it is you, who is not prepared."

"You're damn straight." Callen responded in disbelief, bordering on panic. "I am not prepared. Any man who is prepared to possibly rape someone needs to be…"

"Rape?" Nell squeaked as an interruption. She was shocked to the core. She was confused and scared about the upcoming Op. "What, what is going to be required of me?"

No one, not even Granger, would answer her question. The silence was awkward and disheartening; it was broken by the beeping of a cell phone, the sound originating from Granger's phone on his belt; he unclipped it and looked at the display. He reluctantly excused himself and left. Callen stared at the double automatic doors long after Granger had left.

Deeks cleared his throat as he gently patted Nell's shoulders in comfort. "Nell, this John dude is a dangerous man; I met him once, well his alias, when I worked at the club, and he gave me the creeps, he's a force to be reckoned with." He paused. "What Callen meant is that Doyle is a voyeur, which is why his club specializes in voyeurism. According to what Hetty said about his neighbors, he and/or his house staff are Peeping Toms. It wouldn't be a far stretch to assume that in order to gain his trust or attention; you and Callen would have to…"

"Be intimate." Kensi interjected quietly, in the attempt of saving both her partner and Nell from further embarrassment.

Deeks could not leave well enough alone, he had to elaborate on Kensi's comment. "Nell Bell, The Starship, it can get a bit kinky, depending on things, and the night."

Nell's mouth dropped to form a perfect 'O' in understanding. She braved a glance toward Callen, who looked as uncomfortable as she felt, refusing to look her way, looking at the exit instead. Eric closed his eyes and bit the inside of his cheek to prevent him from commenting and lashing out. Hetty, whom was not one for fidgeting, fidgeted.

"Miss Jones," Hetty said her tone of voice desolate. "What is being asked of you is quite unexpected and sensitive in origin. I understand if you would rather not participate, as it may be at the least, uncomfortable, but I have faith that you will excel in this undercover work as you have all previous times, however limited those were. At this time, you are our only hope. Mr. Callen will keep you safe from any sort of harm."

"This isn't a matter of being afraid of uncomfortable," Nell admitted, halfway lying. "Well a part of it is, but I am more worried that I will not be able to pull it off."

"What are your reservations, dear?" Hetty asked.

"As you all are aware," Nell stated as she wrung her hands together, mindful of her hurt wrist. "I have serious control issues. If something doesn't go as planned, I freak out."

"Really?" Callen sarcastically asked. "I hadn't ever noticed."

"Mr. Callen." Hetty reproved.

"No, Hetty," Callen stated, as he realized that if Nell and he could not get on the same page, Hetty would not send them on this assignment, as their uncooperativeness would get them both killed. "She's right; I have to agree with her. She can hardly be submissive in her desk job, let alone a highly secretive and dangerous deep Op that depends on what she can do and handle, and what she can't."

"Mr. Callen." Hetty once again reproved. "I am on to you. No matter how uncooperative you are here, I know you would never put Miss Jones or yourself in a situation that would get either of you killed. You two will get on the same page, as not only this mission, but your lives will depend on how you two act and react."

Callen bit his tongue and hung his head in disbelief. No matter what he did or say would prevent the Op from happening, but he would insure that he would control how much damage, emotionally and physically, would happen to the young woman who's life he would hold in his hands.

"Hetty, he's right." Nell stated quietly. "As much as I respect authority, I am just as insubordinate." She continued onward as she rambled and revealed more than she had wished. "I'd constantly be trying to top from bottom. Our marriage would be highly unrealistic which will make it unbelievable, which will put everyone in danger, get us killed. He said it best, no one will believe that we're together."

In that moment, he realized why she was being so apprehensive, so fearful. It had nothing to do with her control issues, but everything to do with trust and doubt. She doubted they could convince anyone that they were a couple, although he had stated it first, it irked him that she believed it. Her doubt in the possibility of them, for the moment dowsed whatever attraction or hope came from that attraction he held for her. Most of all, it pissed him off that she did not trust him to keep her safe, alive. He quickly surveyed the room, and for the first time realized that Deeks had his hands on Nell's shoulders gently squeezing and patting them.

"Deeks," Callen barked making the Detective jump, which made him remove his hands from Nell. Callen swallowed, and transformed the barking tone of voice, to a neutral authoritative one. He had not meant to bark, but seeing Deeks touching Nell had set him off; Callen refused to acknowledge the reason why. "Get an invite to Friday's scene."

"Invite?" Deeks asked confused. "My alias was a Monitor, not a participant, never a participant."

Callen ignored Deek's protests, because he knew the protest would stop after what he told Kensi. ""Kensi; go to wardrobe, and get fitted for attire appropriate for a high end scene, you two will scope all of the club out, before Nell goes anywhere near it."

"Hot damn, Sugar Bear," Deeks retorted, injecting comic relief into the situation. "We're going undercover,too."

"Deeks." Kensi rolled her eyes at his innuendo.

"Marty." Hetty censured.

"Uh, hi, Hetty," Uncomfortable, Deeks said. "I didn't realize you were still there."

"I am aware." Hetty retorted with a hint of a smile at the end of her lips.

"Sam," Callen demanded, "Infiltrate the clubs security, there's got to be a bouncer position open, if not bartend, wait staff, something." Sam nodded. Callen looked at the Liaison Officer and asked. "Deeks, if they ask you to be a monitor again, offer Sam up as a replacement."

"Will do." Deeks agreed.

"Eric," Callen commanded, "Start backstopping everyone's aliases, and reinforce Deeks' for the past four years and beyond. I don't trust LAPD's track record. Have them done in an hour."

"Already on it." Eric stated as he had started Callen's earlier, but would have to redo Kensi's as he had believed her to be the one to be Callen's partner, and Deeks as he had not known the Detective had connections to the club. Everyone else he would have to start from scratch.

"Nell," Callen faltered as he considered where the best place would be for what he had in mind for her, before he ordered. "Boat shed now!"

She quickly nodded and left the Command Center. As soon as Callen left, following closely behind her, Hetty glanced around at the rest of her team. Each had perplexed looks with varying degrees of concerns, curiosity, and panic. She exhaled a deep breath before her gaze settled on her Tech Operator. Although, what she was about to request for him to do, could be considered an invasion of privacy of her Agents, she requested anyway. One forfeited their right to privacy during an Undercover Operation, even more so, when that operation had sexual connotations. "Mr. Beale, bring up the boat shed surveillance."

Eric swallowed, his eyebrows raised in question, and his Adam's apple bobbing up and down in fear of both what the surveillance feed would find, and what would happen if he disobeyed Hetty's order; however she requested it, Eric knew it was an order. Hesitantly, he brought up the feed and they waited five minutes before the pair arrived. Eric located and followed both his best friend and Senior Agent In Charge; he, they, watched his eyes bulged in shock, the others in surprise.

As they watched, Deeks stated more in seriousness than comic relief. "Hot damn, they're sure as hell convincing me that they are a couple, no could be right there." He paused and added jokingly. "How old is Callen? 'Cause I think I could age a few years to go on assignment with her. Who knew Nell was such a firecracker?"

Sam smacked the back of Deeks head as Eric glowered at both the screen and Deeks.

"Hey!" Deeks exclaimed rubbing the back of his head. "I was joking." He reconsidered what he said and added, "Well, not the part about how old he is or Nell being a firecracker." Kensi stepped on his foot and elbowed him in his ribs. Deeks continued onward. "In high school and college, I should have paid more attention to the nerds."

Eric threw a pen at Deeks, which hit him squarely on the forehead.

"Hey, that hurt! I love nerds." Deeks retorted, looking apologetic towards Eric. "You and Nell are my favorite."

Eric took a step toward Deeks, but before he could say or do anything, both Kensi and Sam took a hold of one of Deeks' arms, and forcefully pulled him across then out of the Command Center.

"Mr. Beale, when, ahem," Hetty coughed. "Miss Jones returns, please direct her to my office."

Eric tipped his head toward the screen. "It might be a while."

"Understood," Hetty replied as she averted her eyes from the surveillance feed and left. Once outside the doors, a small smile formed across her lips. Her dream for her dear Mr. Callen was slowly start to form. She hoped that dream would remain intact after the mission was over.

Meanwhile, back in the Command Center, Eric quickly closed the surveillance feed, as he had no desire to watch, he would leave that to John Doyle, in the near future. As he slid a hand over his face, in the attempt to get him to refocus, the thought of him having a chat with Callen was coming more of a when than an if.

He had faith that Callen would not kill or hurt him, but just in case, Eric would make sure that there were witnesses nearby to see the exchange, not necessarily hear it.


Thank you for reading and to all who have reviewed. I appreciate all of the readership, alerts, favorites, reviews, and constructive criticism. I hope that you enjoyed reading, what was your favorite part?