Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.
A/N: I am SO SORRY for making you guys wait so long. The past several months have been, ahem, painful to say the least. But, I am back and would appreciate it if you guys would review this next chapter, if for no other reason than it will prompt me to keep going. Enjoy! Again, I am so sorry!
"First house on the left."
Callen turned on his blinker. They'd gotten off the highway and entered a fairly wealthy neighborhood and were, apparently, nearing the end of their car ride.
He glanced around at some of the houses, impressed. Nell, surprisingly, didn't bat an eye when he commented how remarkable they were.
He pulled into the driveway and shut off the engine. The Latino got out first, aiming his gun at Nell all the while, just to ensure that Callen didn't get any ideas. Then he urged the pair out of the car.
As soon as Nell and Callen were clear of the vehicle, she grabbed his arm and clung to it. He patted her hand, trying to help reassure her.
They were forced into the house and down a long hallway into what appeared to be a billiard room.
Several men were in there, playing pool, smoking, talking to beautiful women on their laps, etc.
One of them looked up and saw them and his face broke out into a grin. Lifting his hand, he snapped his fingers. The girls left, as did a few of the men, leaving a small group in the room.
The man who grinned tossed his pool cue to one of his lackeys and strolled over to them, rubbing his hands together.
"Ah, the mysterious Special Agent G. Callen," he chuckled. "Is it true that you do not know your real first name?"
His accent was Spanish, just like his employee's.
"What do you want?" Callen asked, not answering the question.
"Straight to business, then, eh? As you wish. My name is Santiago. I need something – a document, if you will – and I need someone to get it for me. That someone is you."
Callen didn't blink.
"So why have your lackey bring her?" he asked, glancing back at Nell, who was huddled behind him, peering fearfully at the strangers.
Santiago saw her and his gleeful, happy look vanished.
Instantly, he snapped his fingers and two more men came over and pulled the kidnapper over to Santiago, who began berating him in Spanish.
"Why'd you bring her?" he yelled in English. "Eh? You want me dead, is that it?"
"I figured we could use her as leverage against him," the man protested, looking at Callen.
"Oh you did, eh? Leverage against him," Santiago snorted. "What are we gonna use against him, eh? You better not be thinking we'd use her for leverage against him, because if you do, you should be put down for being so loco."
"He'll never know she was here!"
"What if she tells him, eh? What happens when he finds out that she was kidnapped? She's seen our faces, she could tell him the second she gets free."
"We'll make sure that doesn't happen."
Santiago chuckled bitterly.
"I hope you are not thinking what I think you are thinking," he warned his lackey. "Because to do that, it would be suicide!"
"He has no authority here!"
"What about the others, eh, smart one? Do you really think they'd let us get away with that? He has contacts in Los Angeles, my friend, contacts that would drag us kicking and screaming to him if he found out!"
"He won't find out!" the other man protested. "We'll kill her and hide her body!"
Nell let out the tiniest of whimpers.
Santiago chuckled again and patted the man on the shoulder, turning to walk away before suddenly spinning around, gun in hand, and shooting the man three times in the chest.
Nell screamed, burying her face in Callen's shoulder. He stared in horror at Santiago, who calmly holstered his gun and wiped some sweat off his forehead before saying something to the men in Spanish and turning towards Nell and Callen.
Staring past Callen, at Nell, he bowed his head slightly.
"I am sorry you had to witness that, Miss Jones. I never intended for him to bring you here. I promise you, you will not be harmed."
Then he snapped his fingers and another man stepped forward. "This man will take you and your friend to a comfortable room to wait until I determine what should be done."
Callen would've refused to go, but he was bursting with questions; questions he suspected Nell could answer.
