Chapter 4

Mira

Disclaimer: as ever, I'm glad to use the #NCISLA characters in this storyline. None of them belong to me though.

A/N: all the things I come up with in this storyline, are 'just imagine' thoughts. Who knows… Thank you again for reading the previous chapter and all the reviews that you've left!
This chapter may end with quite a cliffhanger, just saying.
Hope to upload a bit faster next time!

Kni®benrots

o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)

Palos Verdes Boulevard, near Sepulvada

There was the promise to be called back in two minutes, and Callen knew that if he kept driving, he'd only needed some minutes more to reach Hetty's place. However, he kept his car where it was and with its engine still running. He needed time, time to proceed all that was going on.

Most people considered two minutes as quite a short period of time.

Nell had answered his phone call within three rings, which actually was between five and six seconds.
Her greeting took perhaps two seconds more. His message 'get a SWAT team to Hetty's beach house, immediately, and give director Vance an 'agents in distress' message,' cost maybe ten seconds. All in all, half a minute went by.

The next minute and a half seemed to last like hours. Callen was all too aware that no matter what team Nell was going to alert, they would need another quarter of an hour at least to group and be briefed, before they'd be ready to head over to the place.
There were only two scenarios he could think out in another half a minute. None of them would seem to work really well in his opinion.

In a minute from now, Vigo Comescu's man would call him back. This remaining minute felt like a lifetime.

Although he expected the call, he was startled when his phone rang. He let it buzz once again before he had the guts to answer it. He needed a deep breath before he answered it. His 'Yes?' wasn't too self-assured, but it matched his feelings.

"We were curious to hear about your next step, agent Callen. There is a way to let your co-workers know that they still can work together, albeit they will need to find another team-leader." There was something like a chuckle from the man. With his croaking voice, it sounded like a series of coughs.

Callen needed to swallow several times. "How—" He started again, trying to make sense of what the other man meant. "What do I need to do to let them go?"

"It is quite simple. You need to decide to come on over and switch places with your team. If you'd decide differently, well… Our team won't hesitate to make our own decision. Ponimat? Understand what I'm telling you?"

Was there any choice at all? "Yes. I understand." Softer then and with a slight hitch in his voice, he added "I will be there."

o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)

Torrance Beach || Paseo de la Playa || ten minutes later

He'd parked the car opposite of Hetty's place. Nothing suspicious for the eye, which was even more dangerous. Sure, he saw the car Kensi usually drove and a posh Mercedes which could only belong to Arkady Kolcheck. Callen heaved a deep sigh. Who-ever was behind this, definitely knew what to do. Probably the result of a careful observation of the place.

Once again, Callen considered if there was a way to get all of his friends out. A way, a scenario he hadn't seen until now. But this time, his thoughts were far from resourceful. It was as if he was fighting a losing battle, no matter what. Yet, it was his battle — and never the one of his friends. No way he could have turned his back and not knowing what would happen.

Still, Callen didn't know the rules for this kind of endgame. All he realized was that he was losing it. Losing the control. No plan B, no back-up team. It was his battle and feeling he was about to lose it was like having to let go a slippery thread from his hands.

He swallowed several times, then clenched his jaw and fisted his hands. Only after he controlled his breathing, he opened the door of the car he'd driven and got out.
Then he more or less dragged himself from the sideway to the driveway. He intended to go just to the front door, see if there was a possibility to just keep talking and stall whatever went on.
Maybe Nell would have a team around sooner rather than later.

o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)

Inside

Oh how she recognized his voice. And oh, how she hoped he would have stayed far from her place, no matter with or without any back-up. And frankly – she knew him well enough. He never deliberately wanted to be a hero, not now. This was personal.
Hetty kept her breath just to try and hear what he was saying. "V-o see — ee … em-Go." It was too far from the place they were staying, and still outside. What followed were only some hums. Whether or not those were positive, she could not tell.

"Oh bugger Mr. Callen," she sighed, ignoring the grim smile of leader of the heavily armed men who kept them guarded in the den of her very own place, which was now her prison for the time being.
Henrietta Lange swallowed several times, seeing no way out for her, Arkady, Deeks and Kensi. Not now, unless Callen had taken his own army to come marching in. But knowing him, her boy, the fear of some completely different outcome grew with the second.

o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)

Outside

Instead of being able to head for the front door, the croaky voice of the man who called with Deeks' phone sounded behind him.

"A wise decision, it really is, agent Callen."

Contrary to what Callen had pictured, the man was small and rather fat. It was the look in his pale brown, watery eyes though that made him aware of the fact he might deal with a weasel like person. For a brief moment, the man let his gaze go over Callen, as if he were checking if the other man could be trusted. When finally, his eyes met Callen's clear blues, he nodded several times as if he was pleased with what he saw.
He lifted his left hand and put the ends of a cigarette between his lips and inhaled with the satisfaction of a survivor.

Callen raised his arms, showing he came unarmed. "So you wanted me in here, and here I am."

"You are," the man replied. Without any words, he made Callen accompany him from the front of the house along the side wall to the back of the house. This time, the man sniffed his nose aloud.

"Vigo wanted to see me?" Callen asked as he managed to put a bravura in his voice and behavior he never felt.

"Uhuh," was the only comment he got.

He straightened his shoulders and stated "You promised to let them go. That's the deal, so show me you're keeping your promise."

The man flicked the rest of his cigarette aside. There was a short smirk and a flicker in the eye that Callen caught as well. "We'll let them go."

Callen shook his head. "You need to prove it."

Two pair of strong arms pulled him backwards, away from the house. Out of sight, to the back of the secluded garden. "Now wait," he said. "I was told that Vigo wants to see me, but I don't see him around."

This wasn't going the way he expected and there was no way he could keep his cool.

Another grin on the man's face. "Never mind. Did I tell you he wants to see you, dead or alive? Oh man… I see I forgot that part of the message."

He started to hyperventilate. A bodybag.

"Get on your knees, ankles crossed. Hands on your head."

This... Callen didn't want this. This all went too fast, it came too unexpected. But it seemed there was no choice, no-one to stop it. No Sam. No back-up.
Were they watching? 'Please don't'... had he been pleading? Or only silently, in his head? "Let'm go."

His words came out as a whisper, and his eyes widened now a gun was raised.

A split of a millisecond later, he recognized the small explosion. Within the same flash the bullet which exited hit his body and the force of it made him stagger. From farther away, he heard a scream. It was odd to register those things at this very moment, Callen thought.
Two more shots sounded and he filed the sudden and excruciating pain and the limp feeling that came over him. So different from what he ever experienced. At that point, all his thoughts left as everything made way for a total darkness.

o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)o)

Torrance Beach || Paseo de la Playa || fifteen minutes later

Eight heavily armed men waited until the petite young woman with the red hair let her eyes go over the familiar location. Nell let her hand go over her eyes, knowing she was the one to make a decision.
Sure, she could've contact NCIS director Vance again, but he'd given her green lights already. The back-up team was all hers, and all she could do was to send them in. She didn't have to go in with them, or lead them. Yet, all of this situation gave her the creeps.

Callen's earlier call was unexpected and his message had scared her to death. From what she had expected, it would need an army to defeat an army. Now here they were, an arrival at a scene with no actors around.

Nothing. Only four cars, including the ones she recognized, from Deeks and Hetty. No voices, only silence, except from the beaches behind the gardens. She envied the happy families who were spending a splendid sunny morning near the ocean, unaware of the horror that came with her job and the jobs of the men who she worked with.

She let her hand go through her hair this time. For those who knew her well, the small gesture was a sign of her being on the brink of nerves.

Now, she became aware of the clock which was ticking and she was worried sick for the ones she cared for. "It's all too quiet in there," she said.

A short nod came from Thomas Gardener, the team leader. "We should go and check it out. You may go and wait in here." He gestured at his men, held up four fingers and motioned to the left where they should check the premises entering from the backside. Nell shook her head and got her gun ready. "I'll be going in with your men."

"Need to wait two minutes more. Let O'Shane and his men get into position first," Gardener explained. "Stay behind my last man."

Most people considered two minutes as quite a short period of time. Not Nell. To her, those two minutes felt like a lifetime.

Thank you for reading. As ever, a review is welcome!