Chapter Nine
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Chapter Nine
Callen followed the group into the industrial size warehouse, despite all the background knowledge he had he was still astounded by the amount of weaponry within the premises.
"Wow" he commented lightly. "There are enough guns and explosives here to start a war" he stated, mostly for his team's benefit.
"That's the idea Jamie" Jake responded lightly, clapping the younger man on the back. "Now we just have to secure the deal to ensure we get them"
"Who are we waiting on?" Callen asked softly.
"Our lead supplier- the guy that managed to get all of this, plus the stuff we already have" Jake replied, "he should be here any minute" he finished, walking away to join the rest of the team.
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"You getting all of this Eric?" Sam questioned.
"Loud and clear and recording digitally" Eric responded, monitoring from Ops alongside Hetty.
"We just need the supplier to arrive and then we can move in" Sam stated softly, keen to get there and get his partner to safety as quickly as possible. At his words Kensi double checked her weapon, ready to move in at a moment's notice.
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"Jamie this is David Casey- our military contact" Jake introduced the man to the undercover agent with a smile.
"Good to meet you" Callen greeted, shaking hands with the other man.
"Likewise- Jake recruited you?" he questioned softly.
"Something like that. I work at the bar and we discovered we shared some similar political views" Callen replied with a small smile.
"Good this is my colleague Lieutenant Carl Masters" he continued, and Callen desperately tried to prevent any reaction from showing on his face. Luckily the years of experience as an undercover agent served him well and he held out his hand and shook as if he had never met the other man.
"Good to meet you" he stated.
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"Eric what do you have on Masters?" Sam questioned, not liking the change in the playing field.
"Searching now" Eric replied, before the result came back surprisingly quickly. "Oh dear" he stated as he read through the information briefly.
"What is it Eric?" Kensi questioned, concerned at her reaction.
"Masters has met Callen before- when he was with the DEA he worked a sting that involved Masters' arrest" he told them.
"When was that?" Sam questioned.
"Nine years ago" Eric replied.
"Nate anything from his tone to suggest he has recognised Callen?" Sam questioned, a new sense of urgency in his voice.
"Hard to say when he hasn't spoken to him directly Sam" Nate replied.
"Mr Hanna move in closer and get ready to strike" Hetty instructed, now fearful for her lead agent. Sam did not need to be told twice and within a heartbeat he was out and moving, fully aware that Kensi was hot on his heels.
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Callen looked on as the two military men spoke, occasionally involving Jake in their conversation, he was certain he must have been made. Masters had met him several times some years ago during another undercover investigation- and although he didn't know Callen's true identity he knew that he wasn't a job to job bar tender and that in itself could prove lethal, but it all depended on if the other man recognised him or not.
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"I'm in position" Sam whispered, listening as he heard the other teams also check in. He had not heard his partner use the distress word yet, but somehow he felt in his bones that his friend was in danger, and there was no way he was going to wait until it was too late to act. Callen had been in many a situation where he had literally had a gun held in his face and had refused to use the distress word that would summon immediate help, whether it was stubbornness or the sheer fact that throughout his life he had only had himself to rely on- but G Callen did not ask for help no matter what.
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"He looks familiar Jake" Masters whispered urgently. "He ain't called Jamie I am almost sure of it" he continued, his voice serious as he spoke with the other man.
"Listen the kid passed all of the tests I gave him and his background checks out" Jake argued, there was no way he would believe anything else of Jamie.
"I think he's a cop" Masters stated, his tone taking on a level of iciness that sent a chill through the bar manager.
"Isn't my word good enough?" Jake queried, his palms opened outwards in outrage.
"Not if it means us all going to jail" Masters responded, nodding his head towards Casey to call the other man to the corner of the room. "I don't trust him, he is a cop or a fed" he told the junior military man softly.
"How do you know?" he asked in reply, keen to cement the deal and get out of there.
"I recognise him- I don't think he is who he says he is, I don't know for sure who he actually is and that's what worries me" the lieutenant continued.
"What do you want to do?" the sergeant asked, now worried for his own liberty.
"I think you and I should have a little chat with Mr Stewart" he suggested with a smirk. The other man nodded and went to immediately get the man at the seat of their concerns.
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"Jamie, can we have a word please?" Casey shouted across the room, Callen's gaze locked up and he couldn't ignore the unfamiliar stomach roll. He nodded and began to head over coughing lightly as he moved, and ignoring the niggling wheeze that he felt building up. He contemplated how to drop the word fountain into conversation at that moment, yet something stopped him. He wanted the deal to be completed to secure the best evidence, but at the same moment it crossed his mind that he really wasn't up to any type of combat. He needed this to be over with and soon.
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"This can't be good" Sam muttered as he heard his partner being taken away from the main room- by the very people that suspected his current cover. "Eric do we need to be worried?" he asked via the comms link.
"I am" the tech simply answered, as he, Hetty and Nate wordlessly watched the feed.
"G I need you to speak to me, do you want us to breach?" he questioned softly, hoping that his partner would find a way of getting an answer to him.
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Callen could hear his partner's concerned voice in his ear, and he had to admit at that moment he shared his worries and then some, but he had to remain focussed on the mission.
"What's up guys?" he questioned the two military men in front of him, keeping his tone deliberately light and airy.
"You are" Masters simply replied before nodding at the sergeant. Casey stepped forward and Callen suddenly had an overwhelming sense of foreboding.
"Who are you?" he asked softly.
"I am Jamie man, you know who I am- Jake has told you" Callen replied with a smirk, intent on maintaining his cover as much as possible.
"I don't believe you" Masters interjected, his look as hard and callous as any Callen had seen. Without any further words Casey was back in front of the undercover agent and within milliseconds a range of blows were raining down on him, almost before he could react. He raised his arms against the two men that were suddenly punching at him, he parried and swung back in return celebrating internally as his fists connected, but not giving up on the fight. The two men were well trained- but so was he and he was more desperate, but he was also suffering from a deadly illness and his lungs struggled for each breath his overtaxed body took. Finally he managed to overpower both men, and as they collapsed to the floor at his feet he slumped back against the wall- the copper taste of blood filling his mouth as dizziness overwhelmed him. He closed his eyes as the darkness threatened and just before he passed out managed to whisper one final word.
"Fountain"
End Chapter Nine
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