Callen and Deeks pulled up outside the Mission, the journey having taken place in silence with both men lost in their own thoughts. They had used Kensi's car as Sam had just given them both 'the look' when Callen suggested taking the Challenger, despite or maybe in spite of Deeks backing up Callen's promise to drive carefully. Deeks turned off the engine and twisted to look at Callen as he un-fastened his seat belt.
"I just want you to know that everything I said and did was to force the bad guys hand and help us escape..." Deeks said solemnly knowing that the next few hours would be uncomfortable viewing for both of them.
Callen maintained eye contact with Deeks and slowly and seriously nodded his head. "OK," he said. "You know Hetty has probably seen the footage already."
"Maybe she'll just show us the edited highlights, not the hours of flashing lights and silence."
"Maybe," Callen replied. "But unlikely. C'mon." He gave the younger man a tight, slightly encouraging smile as he exited the SUV and together they made their way up to the ops centre.
Hetty had cleared Eric and a number of other Technical Operators from the hi-tech room, leaving herself, Nell and the two agents, both of whom were glancing between the two women and each other.
"Please gentlemen, take a seat. I have asked Miss Jones to stay in her capacity as intelligence analyst and because of her technical expertise. Your concerns are duly noted, Mr Callen, Mr Deeks." Hetty looked at the two men who returned her gaze, both a little slack-jawed at Hetty's ability to read their minds; neither had uttered one word since entering the ops centre. "Please, sit." She said, as they silently obeyed.
"Everything on this tape will remain confidential, between the four of us unless there is any impact on national security," Nell's attempt to re-assure Callen failed miserably and he squirmed slightly in his seat; the only indication of his discomfort.
"You got any popcorn stashed in here?" Deeks asked Nell, trying to peek under her work station. "This could be like something out of the Jason Bourne films. Except you don't really have amnesia. Or look like Matt Damon. And you do know who you are..."Deeks trailed off as he realised how wrong that was and stopped himself from saying that at least Callen knew his name. Another time and place it might have been amusing and he wondered why he'd never made the comparison before. "I'll shut up now. Roll the tape!"
"Jason Bourne indeed, Mr Deeks," Hetty said, smiled as she continued. "Now I actually met Mr Ludlum back in 1977 as he was writing the first Bourne novel. It was very much a source of interest to the both of us as to how traumatic events and injuries can cause one's mind to close down and protect itself..."
Callen stared at Hetty, wondering whether she was attempting to claim the novel's idea as her own. Or even more scarily, if she was actually referring to him, and that he'd wiped all recollection of having witnessed his mother's murder and memories of his family from his own mind as a young child. He caught Nell's eye and she just raised her eyebrows as if to say, 'you know Hetty, it's probably true...'
"There are two discs, one is marked up as 'Deeks', the other as 'Callen'." Nell turned to both the two agents. "Now as you said you were held separately until Callen rescued you, I suggest we start with Callen's footage and forward to where you entered the basement."
"Makes sense," Callen said. "I remember escaping and rescuing Deeks." The two shared a smile as they remembered recent conversations about who needed saving more. "We examined the basement and then nothing; it's a blank."
"OK then." Nell replied and spun her chair back to her workstation, tapping a few keys.
An image of Callen lying unconscious on the floor of his temporary prison filled the large screen. As Nell scrubbed through the footage, hours of Callen lying still whizzed by until he started moving and broke out of the room. The high-speed images almost comical were the situation not so serious. Hetty stole a glance at Callen, concern washing over her as she realised how long Callen had been unconscious. From what she'd heard and witnessed when she scanned the footage earlier, unknown to anyone else of course, Callen had shown little signs of concussion for having been out for nigh on three hours. There was no way to prove it now; however she wondered whether he'd been drugged much earlier than they had believed. She turned her attention back to the big screen just as Nell tapped at another key and everything reverted back to normal speed.
They watched in silence as Callen and Deeks talked, argued and bantered with each other on the screen. Hetty observed the interactions between the two with great interest. The partnership between Sam and Callen was well established; for over five years now and Deeks and Kensi were also working very well together. On occasion Hetty thought they were possibly too close as partners. Maybe, if a case was suitable she could test the waters to improve team dynamics and understanding. Sam and Deeks were still too volatile in their relationship to be partnered up, however Kensi could benefit from being with Sam. And if they were accompanied by Nell then the field experience for their young analyst would be invaluable. Placing Callen and Deeks together would be an interesting exercise, Hetty mused. Both had a tendency to bend the rules, were great improvisers and were fiercely loyal. Character-wise they were polar opposites; Deeks literally flew by the seat of his pants, as Hetty believed the expression was, and was very much a team player. Callen however, was much more controlled and deliberate in his actions, and of course had a preference to work alone, if given the choice.
"Ah, pause the footage Miss Jones," Hetty asked at the point where the basement light started to continuously flash. "The photo of yourself and the paper with your childhood writing on is evidence, Mr Callen. Please turn it over to me."
Callen looked guilty for a moment as he witnessed his earlier behaviour of having placed this 'evidence' into his jeans pocket. He shifted in his chair and reached into his pocket. He felt the thicker paper of the dog-eared photograph and the folded A4 writing paper. A look of puzzlement crossed his face as he pulled out an empty hand. He stood up and felt in his other pockets before looking up at Hetty.
"It's gone," he said, his voice matching the puzzled and confused look on his face. There was no way he was letting either piece of evidence out of his sight and into the system for all to see.
Hetty stared at her lead agent who had sat back down and continued to look concerned. Hetty narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips; she was unsure whether he was lying, but she'd let this go for the time being. "Very well Mr Callen. Maybe our two prisoners can shed some light on this. Miss Jones, please forward another few hours to when the lights stop flickering."
Deeks studied his hands as the images whizzed by in front of him. So far there had been no reaction from Callen to the cajoling and deliberate antagonising he'd inflicted, and he was grateful for that. He did wonder whether there might be conversations or repercussions further down the line. Deeks was pretty convinced that Callen still had the evidence in his pockets; hell he would do the same if he were in Callen's shoes, and maybe he could use that to come to an understanding with Callen about this whole episode. Not blackmail or anything, just an understanding between two men who had shared an experience. Deeks recalled some of the other conversations he had with Callen in the dark. These scenes were coming up now, and he tried to cover his awkwardness by rubbing his hands over his face and shifting slightly in his chair, so he was a little further away from Callen.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Callen noticed the change in Deeks' body language and he recalled the earlier conversation from the car. Whatever Deeks had been referring to was coming up soon and as darkness enveloped the large screen, Nell allowed the footage to play at normal speed.
Callen concentrated on the screen; well he concentrated on the audio as it appeared that despite the technology which Maria Campbell and the two men had available, they had not seen fit to use infra-red cameras. He felt his heart beat faster as Deeks asked him about abuse at the Campbell's and he had answered. Outwardly he did not react, but sensed that Nell glanced in his direction several times. Deeks himself remained quiet in his chair.
The basement lights came on and the atmosphere in the ops centre lightened slightly as they witnessed some more banter between Callen and Deeks.
"What did I say", Callen turned to Deeks after watching himself whisper to Deeks on screen.
"Just that the bad guys would probably turn the lights off and the noise up, so they could come and get us using night vision goggles." Deeks answered. "And when that happened you'd go to the top of the stairs to take them out and I'd wait at the bottom."
"Good plan," Callen remarked, smiling at Deeks. His smile faltered as he watched the next episode unfold. He looked sharply to Deeks and raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"Hey, I just pretended that what you whispered was an admittance of what the Campbell's did," Deeks spoke quickly and defensively, shifting again in his chair. "I told you to follow my lead in this."
An awkward silence unfolded as the four of them watched Deeks push Callen in attacking him, none of them sure whether Callen's behaviour was part of the pair's improvised performance, or for real. Even Callen himself wasn't sure as he had no recollection of these conversations or his actions.
With Callen and Deeks grappling on the floor, the lights once again went out and all four in the operations centre jumped as a loud wailing suddenly came out of the speakers.
"And coming up next is the moment of my awesome escape," Deeks commented.
"But without the lights, we cannot witness this Mr Deeks," Hetty replied. "And there is no footage of you once you leave the house."
"Well I can tell you it was awesome," Deeks was not put off by Hetty's attempt to dampen his spirits. It was clear that the earlier scene sat uncomfortably with Callen at least, and as usual he felt the need to lighten the mood. "I ran like the wind across the fields, camouflaged myself in the trees, stealthily crept in to the largest out-house and rode that Harley like Peter Fonda in Easy Rider. The rest as they say is history. I can't believe they didn't film that...At the very least it would make for awesome television viewing."
"Thank you Mr Deeks," Hetty said seriously, turning her attention back to the screen, where the lights had now come back to reveal an unconscious G. Callen being carried up the basement stairs. "I think this is where I must ask you and Miss Jones to leave us."
"Of course Hetty," Nell said as she stood up to allow Hetty to take control of the footage.
Deeks stood too, turning to Callen as he reached the doorway. "Are we er..."
"Wait for me in the bullpen," Callen said interrupting Deeks. "We'll catch up for a de-brief when I'm finished here."
"Ah, OK," Deeks answered, unsure if that meant they were good, or if he had seriously overstepped the mark. Callen had given no indication and so Deeks followed Nell out of the room, feeling nervous about the impending debrief with his team leader.