Hi everyone. Sorry it took me so long to update. I've actually been out of station for quite sometime now and didn't have the facilities to upload the next chapter. But I did this as soon as I came back -which was yesterday. Thank you so much for the reviews. It really means a lot to me. If you could just take out some time and keep reviewing it would be much appreciated. Oh and please excuse any errors in this chapter because I wrote it at 2AM and didn't have a whole lot of focus. :)
XOXO
The automated doors of OPS slid open and Callen walked in followed by Michelle. Their breath was heavy; they had run all the way from the parking lot to OPS.
Eric and Nell were sitting shoulder to shoulder, typing away. To everyone else they were just making random movements with their finger. To Nell and Eric, it was like a dance. A dance that only they could understand. Their dance. Eric looked over to Nell who was staring at the screen trying desperately to block out any expressions, any feelings, trying to stay strong for her team. Eric, however, could see right through it. She was scared. She was worried. She was frightened. He could see it all. He knew that at some point or another she would break. And when that time would come, he needed to be there for her. He was going to be her shoulder to lean back on. He was going to get her through everything. Every now and then Eric would look away from the screen and turn to Nell for a few seconds to make sure she was hanging in there. She needed to hang in there. She knew it. He knew it.
'How is she' Callen said in a low-pitched voice as he walked over to Hetty standing in front of the island. He didn't need to specify who. Hetty knew. Hell, everyone in OPS knew. Hetty turned towards him. Worry written all over her face. Her team was breaking apart. She couldn't have that. It was her team. It was her responsibility. More importantly the team members were like her children. She needed to protect her children.
'Ms. Blye is on her way to the hospital as we speak.' Hetty replied with a worried tone. 'We are currently unaware of her condition. Mr. Callen, do I need to remind you what the matter at hand is? We have to get our agents back and catch Sidorov. You need to put Ms. Blye aside for now and focus on this.'
Callen nodded. He knew that getting Sam and Deeks back was the priority right now. Hetty just gave a nudge to push all his guilt, all his emotions aside and focus on the mission.
'Eric, the coordinates?' Callen said as he adjusted his position next to Hetty. Michelle was standing beside him. Eric and Nell got off their seats and held their iPads. With a few quick taps on the screen, a picture of an old, seemingly abandoned, rustic warehouse popped up on the big screen in front of them.
'So Nell and I triangulated the coordinates you sent us. It led to this warehouse. It was previously a storage facility owned by one, Ivan Sergei' Eric said and looked over to Nell expectantly.
'The storage facility was used to store mainly electronic appliances and motor parts like thrusters and compressors for planes and tanks. A few years ago Ivan disappeared and left the warehouse to his brother Gregory Sergei who is, according to Intel, working with Sidorov in arms trafficking.' Nell continued.
Callen glanced away from the screen for a few seconds over to Michelle to make sure she was okay. He could see she was worried, stressed but he could also see a glimmer of hope in her eyes which he had not seen before. He looked over at Nell and Eric. 'Do we have a layout of the warehouse?' He asked them
Without saying a word Nell swiped her finger over the screen of her iPad and the blue prints and virtual images of the warehouse came up in front of everyone on the big screen. Callen studied the layout. Carefully looking over every inch of the Warehouse. He needed to come up with a plan that had no chance of going wrong. After a few serious yet awkward moments, Callen decided to speak.
'Is there any vantage point near the warehouse? Anything that could give us eyes in there? Anything that could possibly give Sidorov the upper hand?'
'Not really. The warehouse is pretty far from the city. Its in the middle of nowhere. It doesn't even have a proper escape route.' Eric responded.
'Either Sidorov's got a plan up his sleeve or he's just really desperate. Why would he choose a location like this?' Callen said still looking at the screen, formulating a battle plan.
Callen turned back towards the island and leaned against the frame. He was going over every part of his battle plan. He had formulated it pretty quickly, there were bound to be a few errors. So far he couldn't think of any opening that would give Sidorov the upper hand. He couldn't waste anymore time thinking and re thinking the whole plan. Time that Sam and Deeks didn't have.
'Okay here's how we're going to do.' Callen hinted everyone to turn their attention towards the island.
'There are two entrances. One towards the side and the other in the front. Sidorov's always one step ahead of us. So we need to be three steps ahead of him. He's bound to have some of his men scoping the area from the roof. They'll spot us coming towards them. They'll alert Sidorov who would try to move. But he wouldn't have enough time to get out without us noticing him. So he's going to post his men towards the side entrance knowing that since it's more obscure we'll probably attack it from there. He's going to then try to get out from the front entrance while we're distracted towards the side.' Callen took a slight pause, working out the rest of his plan before continuing.
'We're going to do exactly that. We're going to attack the side entrance. But as a distraction. When he'll go to the front, we'll be waiting for him.'
Hetty looked up at Callen, examining his facial expressions. He was confident. But then again in these kind of conditions he needed to be nothing but confident. It was a good plan. A simple but good plan nonetheless. Hetty nodded.
'Mr. Callen, Ms. Hanna, go to the weapons room and get yourselves ready. Mr. Beale, Ms. Jones, get their transportation ready. I'll go gather up your backup.' Hetty walked out of the room leaving the rest of the team to absorb the entire plan in and get ready for perhaps the most difficult situation that they'll ever face.
Deeks was woken up by a huge splash of water to the face. His golden locks that had blood dried in them were now soaking wet, dripping a mixture of blood and water onto his shirt. He didn't care. He didn't have the energy to care. He didn't have the will to care. Mikhail yanked Deeks' drooping head up by his hair. He was now looking at Sidorov who held a folder in his hands.
'Had a nice nap, I see.' Sidorov said with a smirk swept across his face. 'Well, while you were enjoying your 'nap'. I did a bit of research. Detective Marty Deeks, LAPD. I'm happy that at least you told me the truth about that part.' Sidorov said with a slightly pissed tone now. 'What you didn't tell me is that you're a NCIS/LAPD liaison. And that you have a very fine partner. Agent Kensi Blye. She is beautiful. It would be a shame if anything happened to that beautiful face of her.'
Somehow Sidorov's words had an effect on Deeks. He suddenly felt a rush of energy rush through him when he saw the picture of Kensi that Sidorov pulled out of the folder in his hands. He started flinching. Mikhail let go of his hair and he was able to hold his head up. He started pulling at the restraints on his hands which only bruised his wrists more than they already were. He bit his lower lip, trying to control his emotions. He bit so hard that blood had started to fill in his mouth. He didn't care. He tried to convince himself that Kensi was safe. That she could handle herself. He tried but he kept failing.
'I had to pull a lot of strings to get this information from my contacts. But it's not all the information I have.' Sidorov said as he flipped through the folder.' I know where your partner lives. I know where she gets her coffee from. I know what she drives. I know your partner more than you do.'
Deeks tried to hide his emotions from Sidorov. Tried to show him that Kensi was no one. That he didn't even know a 'Kensi Blye'. He tried to keep her safe. But it was Kensi. She did mean something to him. Something he couldn't quite describe. Something that was strong, stronger than just being partners. Something that showed in his eyes every time he heard her name. Something he couldn't hide.
Sidorov dropped the folder on the floor near Deeks' feet. Kensi's photo parted from the folder just enough for Deeks to see her mismatched, beautiful eyes.
'I'll give you some time to think over this. But here's the thing. You don't tell me whatever I need to know, I'm going after her. And I'm going to do to her what I did to you but a bit more slowly, more painfully, while you're watching.' Sidorov left the room followed by Mikhail.
Deeks was still looking into Kensi's two-dimensional eyes. They still looked so beautiful, so perfect. She's okay. She's probably with Callen and the others by now. She's fine. She's protected. Deeks tried to reassure himself.
It didn't take Sidorov too long to figure out everything about Deeks. It was only a matter of time before he found out about Quinn/Michelle. And if he does, he'll surely kill both Sam and Deeks. Deeks looked up at Sam who wore the same worried expression. They were both thinking the same thing.
Come on Hetty. Come on Callen. What the hell is taking you so long? We don't have any more time. Hurry the hell up.