"I can't undo the past, but maybe I can give you a future. But you have to put that gun down now, before you do something you will live to regret just like I regret having to kill your brother," Callen said bowing his head to stare at the ground. If this failed, at least he wouldn't see the bullet that ended his life.
A deep stillness settled over the room broken only by the ragged breathing of the two men. Time slowly dragged by until Joel gradually lowered the gun, placing it on the floor by his chair. "You're right," he said voice raspy with emotion. "I thought killing you would make everything right but it won't."
Callen dared to raise his head, and studying the broken man in front of him, felt an overwhelming desire to help him. "Look, I was doing my job but I get what you are feeling. Let me go and this stays between you and me. No one will come after you. I promise."
Joel's eyes held a glimmer of hope as he processed Callen's words. "Why?"
Callen swallowed hard. "I know what it is like to lose someone. It can mess with your mind… big time."
"But why! Why did you kill Jake? My brother was a good man. We lived thru hell growing up but we survived! We were OK. He was OK. I don't know why he was running from you but surely that was no reason to kill him!" Joel cried out in anguish.
Then Callen got it. Joel had no clue what his brother had done. "What do you know about your brother's arrest?"
Joel wiped a hand across his sweating brow. "Not much," he admitted. "The cops told me he stole something and was killed resisting arrest."
"I was chasing your brother because he tried to sell me classified Navy data."
Joel shook his head in denial.
"Did you know your brother was into drugs?" Callen asked quietly.
Joel nearly went for the gun again as he spat out, "You're wrong. My brother would never do drugs. NEVER!"
"He was on drugs that day. The autopsy conclusively proved it," Callen calmly explained to the outraged brother.
Confusion was written all over Joel's face. "There was an autopsy? How come I wasn't told?" He thought back to his brother's death. Yes, it did seem like it took a while for them to release his brother's remains, but he was so upset he really hadn't given it that much thought. He'd had the body cremated so he never saw the body after they took his dead brother away that day.
'Boy our system is screwed up,' Callen thought to himself. "Your brother had a high level of cocaine in his system. There was no way he was thinking right that day. After he sold me the documents, I pulled my badge and told him he was under arrest. He bolted down the sidewalk into that Café. What you didn't see was he grabbed a bartender, an innocent girl, and was holding a knife to her throat. He'd started to slit her throat, drawn blood and when I asked him to drop the knife he refused. I'm sorry, but I had no choice." Callen rubbed a weary hand across his face. "Look. I'm sorry. He left me no choice," Callen's voice trailed off.
Tears streaked down Joel's face. "Drugs. Why would Jake turn to drugs. After all we'd been through, after Dad and Mom. He swore. Maybe it is some sort of cruel twisted fate," he laughed bitterly. "Drugs killed my whole family. Guess I'm next."
"Just because your parents and your brother screwed up their lives, doesn't mean you have to screw up yours. You can escape. I know. Trust me," Callen said sincerely. You're in the Navy, right?"
Joel looked startled, "How did you know?"
"Gun was Navy issued, the zip ties, haircut, posture, a lot of things. So what do you do in the Navy?"
A small proud smile crept across Joel's face. "Electronic tech. But I'm applying for officer school. I think I have a good chance."
A smile of encouragement crept across Callen's face. "That doesn't sound like a loser to me."
"But this," Joel waved his hand aimlessly through thru air.
"Never happened," Callen said shaking his head slowly. "No one will ever come for you. I promise. Let me go and I'll walk out of here and you and I have never met."
"You'd do that for me. After what I did to you?" Joel asked bewildered.
"Like I said, I get it. It is hard to lose family and can drive one to do, well, really stupid things," Callen finished with a knowing smile.
Still not believing his luck Joel muttered, "He said you'd be there. I saw you. You and your partner in that sporting goods store and the only thing I could think of was revenge."
"How about taking these things off," Callen gestured referring to the handcuffs.
"Sure," Joel said as he got up from the chair, went to the garage and retuned with a pair of snips. Callen moved away from the wall so Joel could cut his hands free and once free he massaged his wrist. Joel held out a hand and Callen gratefully took it and leveraged himself off the floor using the wall to steady himself until he found his balance. Joel backed off a few feet and watched the man he had injured. "You're not going to arrest me?" he asked again
"Never saw you before in my life. I just had a little accident while out jogging. Hurt my ribs and leg when I fell. I really should be more careful."
Joel grinned in relief being offered a 'do over'. Maybe this man was right. Maybe his parents and his brother lives did not have to define him.
"Let me clean up in your bathroom then how about a lift back to my car. Except this time I get to ride in the front, not the trunk. Deal?"
"Deal," Joel confirmed.
"And secure that weapon. I suspect you are not supposed to have it off base." Joel's stricken look confirmed Callen's suspicions.
Walking into the bathroom, Callen firmly shut the door before collapsing against the sink. A monster headache had lodged itself in his skull, his ribs screamed in protest at every breath and his right leg felt like it was one massive bruise from his ankle to his groin. Glancing in the mirror he saw his face matched his body; lip split, right cheek sporting a cut surrounded by a bruise and he was going to have a hell of a shiner. There wasn't much he could do to improve his appearance other than wash the blood off his face and wrists. That accomplished, he joined Joel back in the living room, noting the man had secured the gun as requested.
Callen tried not to wince as they made their way to Joel's car, got in and drove away. On the way back to the beach, Joel told Callen his life story. By the end, Callen knew he'd made the right decision. This kid was dealt a raw hand but maybe, just maybe, he could make a good life for himself.
Callen glanced out the window as they approached the parking lot where he'd left his car and spotted Sam's Challenger just pulling up behind his Mercedes. "Keep driving," Callen commanded Joel. "Don't pull in." Though confused, Joel did as he was told.
Callen looked over his shoulder to see if they had been spotted; it appeared not. Sam was getting out of his sleek, black car and walking over to examine Callen's.
"Turn around, drive up the coast about a ¼ mile and then drop me off."
Joel looked at him questioningly.
"My partner. He is at my car. I don't want him to see you. That will make things… complicated."
"You really mean it," Joel said his voice hopeful. "I mean I know you said it but…"
"I mean it," Callen confirmed. "You and I have never met."
When they got a ways away from the parking lot, Callen instructed Joel to pull over. "This will do." Joel stopped the car and the two men sat in silence for a minute. Then Joel suddenly remembered he had Callen's keys and dug them out of his pocket. "You might need these."
"Thanks," Callen replied taking the keys and exiting the vehicle. He leaned back in the window adding, "Put your brother behind you. Live your own life," and with that, the battered agent turned and walked away.
Chalk it up to his injuries, but it wasn't until he started to walk away that a statement Joel had said earlier registered. Joel had indicated that someone had told him Callen and Sam would be at that sporting goods store. Swearing under his breath for not catching that sooner, he turned around to question Joel, but guy had already pulled away into traffic. Shaking his head at his own stupidity, Callen turned back and headed down the path towards his car.
What neither man noticed was the third party, who had been watching them from a nearby car.
