HAUNTED DREAMS
Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine.
Chapter 10
The Mission
Deeks and Kensi left UCLA and headed back to the mission. They strolled through the Ops Centre doors, surprised to only see Callen in there. He was pacing back and forth, looking at the monitors, where Nell and Eric usually sat.
"Where's the wonder twins?" Deeks inquired, looking around the tech filled room.
Callen stopped as he saw them enter. He looked up and he was relieved to see Kensi there with Deeks. It confirmed to him that she was indeed fine. "LAX. Sam's taken them on an excursion." He looked closely at Kensi. "Are you good to go if we need you out in the field again, Kens?"
Kensi nodded. "Of course!"
Nell's computer beeped and within a fifteen seconds, so did Eric's. All three sets of eyes looked at the details that came to view up on the large screen above them.
"Whoa! How did you find these?" Deeks asked, impressed that Callen could search for things without Eric and Nell being there. Images of Charlie and Estelle Simmons appeared at Charles De Gaulle Airport in 1975. They were with their parents. The woman was definitely a Comescu. She looked just like Alexa Comescu. "No way. The husband is Alexa's son?" Deeks looked worried over at Callen. He watched every muscle under his T-shirt flex.
Callen sat down at Nell's computer again. He said nothing but searched through the details of Alexa Comescu. Finally he found what he was looking for. He moved the birth certificates of Vladimir Alexandu Comescu and Stefana Alexandreina Comescu onto the large screen. Callen growled as he fisted his hands. He badly needed to find Charlie himself and punch him, like the sand bag that hung in the gym.
"Callen?" Kensi called over to him, concerned. "We will get them, I promise you that. We're all here for you and your sister." Callen slightly nodded and relaxed a little. "Whose the sister?"
"Emily knows her as Estelle Simmons. Her best friend from college, who introduced Charlie to her. Roy is following her with Ruby to San Francisco, whilst the rest of Red Team make their way south." He stood and looked at the images of the Comescu family in Paris. "We need to act fast, as the Stelmakhs are working along side the Comescus this time. We killed the head's son, Maxim, a few hours ago." Callen steadied his breathing, which had escalated from everything that was going on. "We may have started a war with a major Russian Crime family, who goes high up in the political ranks. We need to be prepared that the cold war is over."
Deeks worried as he looked over at his partner. She returned his look.
"What's the plan?" Deeks looked straight into Callen's soul piercing ice blue eyes. Any warmth that had been there earlier, had vanished.
Callen moved over to the electronic table and brought up a map of California. "Paris and her team are following Estelle." He stopped and realised he needed to call Paris. "Hang on, I need to update Paris." He turned his back to them and dialled his cell. "Paris, we've confirmation that Charlie and Estelle Simmons are Comescus. Their mother, Alexa, was the head of the family a few years back, before Agent Hunter killed her. Proceed with caution. However, we need to act fast, as they are working along side a Russian Crime family, the Stelmakhs. They are worse than the Comescus. We need Ruby Simmons extracted safely. Someone is coming to you to take her into protective custody. Once I have an image of the man who is coming to take her, I will forward it onto you."
"Okay Callen. It's too long for us to drive in time, so Kai and Dave are driving the trucks down, but Claire and myself are about to board a plane to San Francisco. We'll meet up with Roy and touch base with you then. Ring you in two and a half hours." Callen looked at his watch and set the time for their next contact.
"Thanks, Paris." He disconnected the call. He turned around to face the junior partners. "Paris and Claire are about to board a flight to San Francisco, where they'll meet up with Roy and make contact again. I have contacted Arkady, who will be assisting us in the extractions of Emily, Ruby and Blake. The Comescus know the four of us, therefore we need to tread carefully on this one." Callen saw confusion on Deeks and Kensi's faces. Suddenly, he realised he needed to fill them in on what happened a week ago. He sighed. "You better sit."
Deeks and Kensi felt they were back in school on detention with the teacher as they watched Callen pace the room once again. They sat in silence waiting for whatever it was that he was going to tell them.
"Last week, I met my father." He watched Kensi and Deeks' face brighten at the news. "He is hiding from the Stelmakhs. He thought that if he hid us, we would be safe. But the truth is, the Comescus have been following Amy and I around for all of these years. They've set a trap for Emily, knowing all along, who she really was. Emily has no idea about any of this, and I had wished to keep it that way. But now, with this new piece of intel, we need to act fast. Sam has taken Eric and Nell to watch Charlie and Blake closely at LAX, whilst Sam hides in the car park. Paris has placed a GPS tracker on Charlie and Blake back in Seattle. We cannot spook Charlie or Estelle, until Ruby and Blake have been extracted. Then Emily can be extracted also and then we can deal with Alexa's children."
"You do realise that your niece and nephew are her grandchildren?" Deeks stated. "Ouch!" Kensi jabbed her elbow of her good arm into his ribs. "What was that for?"
Kensi raised her brows and glared at him.
"I'm only stating the facts here," Deeks replied in his defence.
Callen licked his lips from nerves. "Deeks is right. It's going to be hard to have Ruby and Blake accept what we're going to tell them. They may refuse to leave their dad and aunt." Callen added. His shoulders sagged under the strain of it all. "This is why I am going to have to tell Emily this news first." He pulled his cell out of his rear pocket and dialled again.
UCLA Medical Centre
"Agent Callen. What is the update?" Emily had returned to the ward after stitching Kensi's graze. Granger watched her every move and the people around her.
"It's not good," Callen stated. "I've just found out who Charlie and Estelle Simmons really are."
"Well?" Granger was never known for his patience.
"Alexa Comescu's children: Vladimir Alexandu Comescu and Stefana Alexandreina Comescu. It means that Estelle, is the new head of the Comescu family, since we killed Alexa and Dracul, and captured Vasile and Luca." Callen exited the Ops centre in need for some fresh air. He walked around the balcony and found an open window.
"What's the plan?" Granger furrowed his brow over the news. He knew what this meant. Emily had been lured into a trap willingly. He shook his head, feeling guilty for not protecting her.
"I need you to tell Emily who Charlie and Estelle really are. We are going to need her to help me tell Ruby and Blake the news. Her children will struggle with the news that their father and aunt are enemies of our family." Callen breathed in the late afternoon spring air, a hint of salt clung to the gentle breeze, soothing him a little.
"Yes, of course. You sure you don't want to be here when I tell her? She will need your support in this, Agent Callen." Owen sensed Emily's awareness that he was talking with her brother.
"Is that Gav?" Emily walked over and watched Owen's expression darken. She knitted her brows together, as her mind ran over what it could be. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. Fear began to rise within her.
"I cannot risk her life by being seen with her at the moment. But I will update you soon. Charlie and Blake's flight arrives in ten."
"Okay, I will tell her." Owen hung up and looked at Emily. "We need to talk, somewhere more private."
Emily nodded and led Owen to a nearby store room. Her nerves became shaky, when Owen locked the door behind them. "I've got some bad news." He paused. He was never good at delivering bad news. "Your brother has found out who is behind your attempted kidnapping. You need to sit, Emily. Please!"
Emily obeyed, and found a discarded chair behind her. She lifted her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, to protect herself.
Owen knelt down in front of her, and tried to go slow. He slowed his own racing heart and found his calm voice. "When Callen approached Luca Comescu and the men who tried to kidnap you, Luca said a few things that we had no idea about. He mentioned your husband's name."
"Charlie?" Emily shook her head. "No! He has been a loving husband. He would never betray me to the Comescus. It cannot be true."
"Emily. Look at me." He waited for her to lift her eyes and look him straight into his eyes. "Charlie and Estelle are not who you thought they are." Emily creased her brow in confusion. "They are Comescus, being brought up in Seattle by cousins of their mother's, Alexa Comescu."
Emily shook her head, as tears streaked down her cheeks. "No!" Her voice became faint, as her emotions took over.
"Charlie didn't exist before 1975. He and his sister were brought here to lure you, as you got older. Their plan worked. You said yourself, that something wasn't right."
"Estelle is my best friend. I never had any doubts about her. I might have early on with Charlie…"
"His name is Vladimir Alexandru Comescu. Son of Alexa Comescu. Estelle is Stefana Alexandreina Comescu. She is now the head of the Comescu family, since we killed Alexa and Dracul, and captured Vasile and Luca. Your life and that of your children's are in danger. We need to take the three of you into protective custody, but it will be hard on your children."
Emily sat still and became silent, as Owen's words sunk in. She closed her eyes as she thought back to the day she met Estelle and how they became best friends. She tried to look for a sign that something wasn't right. She realised that Estelle was the one who made all the moves towards them becoming friends. She was over friendly. Why hadn't she seen it back then? She mentally scolded herself for her lack of caution. It had taken her years to let her defences down. She was glad now, that she had never told them that she was adopted. But then she realised that it never mattered. She opened her eyes and caught Owen's caring brown gaze. "They knew all along who I was?"
Owen nodded. "It appears so. Luca Comescu blabbed that Alexa had people watching you and your brother since you arrived in the States. Someone saw me rescue you and they knew who you became. They must have found out your desire to become a nurse and where you would go to college." He placed his hand on Emily's arm. "I'm sorry, Emily. I wish it had been different."
"You're right. This is going to be hard on Ruby and Blake. They worship their father and aunt. They are very close." She gripped the fabric of her pants in her fingers from pain that ripped at her heart. "I need to see Gav. Please!"
"He cannot afford to be seen with you at the moment. Not until Ruby and Blake are safe, then he will sit with you and tell them together." Owen rubbed her arm for comfort. "Come, it's time I took you home. Charlie and Blake will be home soon. It's best this way. You won't be alone, I promise. Is there somewhere I can hide in your house?"
Emily thought over Owen's question. "Ruby's bedroom. It's off limits when she's away at college." Owen helped her up and took her back to say goodbye to Hetty. Another agent was coming to take over from his protection of Hetty, so he could focus on Emily.
LAX
Eric and Nell came up on the large screen in Ops, once they activated their camera feeds and audio. Deeks and Kensi laughed at how cute they looked together as travellers. Callen re-entered the room and stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He scanned the feeds from Eric and Nell and the security feeds from LAX.
Eric clumsily bumped into Blake, causing him to fall over. Charlie gave an evil look over at Eric, as he tried hard to apologise. Nell grabbed Eric and led him away with Charlie's laptop bag in her hand. "You did good." Eric looked over at his partner. "Who ever thought you could swap a bag over without the other person knowing?"
Nell grinned. "I had a good distractor."
They found Sam who pulled up beside the curb, as they arrived out front. They jumped in, just in time before Charlie and Blake exited the building and hailed a cab. They followed at a good distance behind, being aware of their movements from the GPS trackers that Red Team placed on them. They also had the advantage of knowing their suspect's home address. Sam handed Nell her government issued weapon and pulled up around the corner. They saw Granger's car parked under a tree, ten houses up the street.
"Granger's inside with Emily," Sam pointed out. He turned to Eric. "Keep out of sight."
Simmons' home
Emily tried to relax, but her whole body was on tender hooks. She saw the taxi pull up outside and decided to bite the bullet. She opened the door and walked to Blake as he exited the taxi first, and hugged him.
"Mom. Are you okay?" Blake scanned over his mother for any signs of injury.
"I'm fine, sweetheart. I'm just glad you're home." She turned to her husband of twenty-two years and hugged him. It was the most difficult hug she had ever given him. But she took courage that she was from a strong Callen bloodline.
Charlie greeted her with kisses and breathed in her scent. He wrapped his arms around her as any loving husband would. For a moment, Emily forgot who he really was and soaked in his affection. But then her gut instincts kicked in, causing her to step back. "Are you okay?" Charlie asked her, he was always gentle with her.
Emily nodded. "Just tired." She walked into the house with them and returned to cooking dinner. She needed to keep herself busy while she waited for them. It was almost dinner time, so it made perfect sense.
"Smells delicious. What are you cooking?" Charlie looked over her shoulder into the pan.
"Nothing special. Just a stir-fry. It'll be ready in twenty. Why don't you unpack and I'll finish here." Emily kept herself focused on the food as she felt his warm breath on her neck.
"Stir-fry sounds good, Em." Charlie left her and climbed the stairs. Blake and Emily remained downstairs, while Granger and Charlie were upstairs. It was the perfect moment to disappear.
Emily heard the water to their shower come on. She turned the pan off and stopped Blake from going upstairs. She saw Sam's face through the living room window and nodded. She grabbed Blake's hand and bag and led him to the front door. She placed her hand on her lips to keep Blake from talking. When she opened the door, Sam met them and placed some chloroform over Blake's mouth and nose, to make him fall unconscious. He carried him at a running pace, with Nell and Emily behind them. They soon arrived at the challenger and helped Blake into the back seat with Eric. Emily climbed in beside her son and strapped themselves in.
"We've got Emily and Blake. Charlie's all yours, Granger," Sam told him.
Granger smiled wickedly, as he opened Ruby's bedroom door. He moved quietly to the master bedroom and crept inside. He heard Charlie shut the taps off and sing as he dried himself. As he exited the room, Granger met him with his gun aimed at his head. "Federal Agent. Vladimir Comescu, you are under arrest for attempted kidnapping and murder of your wife, Emily Simmons."
Charlie was quick with his reflexes and kicked Granger's weapon from his hand. The two men struggled for domination and access to the SIG that laid on the cream carpet a few feet away.
A knock on his head from behind caught Charlie unaware, knocking him unconscious. Granger looked up surprised to see Callen standing over him with a smirk on his face. "Someone had to have your back." Callen helped Granger to his feet.
"Thanks. Good timing." He bent down and collected his weapon, turning the safety switch back on. "Let's get him into my car. It's just up the street."
"How about we leave here in Emily's car, it's still in the garage." Callen grinned, holding the keys to her blue sedan in his hands.
"Good idea." Together they carried Charlie Simmons down the stairs, where Callen stopped and bound his hands and feet in duck tape. He stuck a piece over his mouth before continuing into the garage. Callen opened the boot, and they threw his body inside.
"I'll meet you at the boat shed." Callen climbed inside and opened the garage door, before starting the engine. Granger quickly walked up the street to his car and followed.
Boat Shed
Callen sat smug across from Luca Comescu, with Granger sitting in the corner. His partner's absence was noted by the Romanian.
"Where's your partner?" Luca was unravelled by Callen's expression and Sam's absence. Something had happened, and he didn't like it one bit.
"He's busy." Callen saw Luca's annoyance over Callen's lack of information. "What! You think you are so important that we have to stop everything because of you? Thanks to your big mouth," Callen smirked, "we have everything we need to arrest you along with your goons, Vladimir and Stefana Comescu."
Luca narrowed his eyes, trying to hide his anger as it boiled below the surface. They know. Damn it!
"Oh, and," Callen stood and walked behind Luca, he leaned over his shoulder and whispered, the others are dead. Dr Hamilton, Artur and Maxim."
Callen stood up straight, but not quick enough. Luca pushed him back against the wall, as his anger escaped.
Callen was winded. He coughed, as he tried to catch his breath. He was relieved when Owen Granger walked over and pulled Luca off him, cuffing him once more. He ensured the cuffs were locked on tight.
Luca winced, as he was shoved back into the hard metal chair.
Callen exited the interrogation room for a drink of water and to get some fresh air. He stood outside the boat shed and looked out at the lowering sun. It had been the longest day that he could remember, for a long time. He shook his head as he tried to gather his thoughts. He closed his eyes, concentrating on his breathing. He felt the gentle sea breeze tickle the hairs on his forearms. A helicopter flew over, but other than that, the area around him was peaceful. Two seagulls squawked as they fought over a discarded fish remains from a fisherman, who had earlier rejected it.
So much of his life had changed in just over a week. He had gone from being alone, to eventually reuniting with his father and sister. On both occasions, people he had cared about, had been either held hostage or almost kidnapped by members of these two crime families. There had been times whilst he was growing up, he wished he could be reunited with them, unaware of the dangers that followed them. Now he had found them, he was having to let them go again, for safe keeping. He had his team to keep him safe. But Emily, she and her children hadn't a way to protect themselves from danger. So he had to hide them away. An ugly battle was coming his way, like a train wreck. Was he ready for it? He thought he was, but now, he wasn't sure. He held so much anger inside of him from the lack of love and family in his life. It just didn't seem fair.
"Are you okay, Callen?" Callen turned and saw Kensi's concern for him. Her dark brown eyes were serious, like she herself was going through his pain.
"Not sure," he openly admitted. He was on uncharted grounds with the emotions that surged through him.
Kensi stepped closer, as the urge to hug him overcame her. But she hesitated, with her injury. Callen watched her move, then stop. "Thanks, Kens, I appreciate your concern. I'll be back inside in a minute."
"Sam's here to collect you. Emily needs you at the safe house. Blake's woken up and is none too pleased about being taken away from his dad." Callen nodded. He knew this would be hard.
"Thanks, Kens." He left her and found Sam's car on the other side of the car park. He hadn't noticed his partner's arrival, from his mind being distracted.
"Are you okay, G?" Sam studied his partner. "Because if you're not, then you need to tell me now."
"Luca caught me off guard and winded me. Good thing Granger was there," Callen admitted. "How's Emily?"
"She's overwhelmed by everything, G. Blake's being difficult. He wants to see his father." Sam started the engine and drove away, leaving Charlie locked up in a storage room, in the boat shed. They were overflowing with suspects in this case, so Granger had asked for Luca and his goons to be transferred to a high level facility until their trial date. Until they were gone, Charlie was left sore and tied up in the store room. He had managed to get the tape off his mouth and shouted words of abuse in English and Romani, confirming his true identity. Granger, Deeks and Kensi were left at the boat shed to finish up talking to Luca and his employees.
Callen remained quiet on the drive over, which although wasn't more than a thirty minute drive from the boat shed, took twice as long, due to the re-routing to avoid any tails. Satisfied, Sam drove into a suburban garage and pressed the remote, closing the door behind them.
Callen breathed in deeply, before exited the vehicle. He looked over the roof of the black challenger, to his partner. "Thanks, Sam. For everything."
"You're welcome, G." Sam gave him a warm smile that revealed his dimples. His brown eyes were soft with warmth. Sam was as genuine as they came. No wonder Callen called him a teddy bear.
Callen entered the house and found Emily in tears. He looked over and saw Eric rubbing his arm in pain. "What happened?"
"Blake's a black belt in karate," Eric breathed out. "Nell had to play bad cop. He's been cuffed and locked in a bedroom."
Callen studied Eric more closely. "What did he do to you?'
"Just a couple of bruises," Eric told him, nonchalantly. He didn't want to cause any more grief for Emily or Callen.
"If you think you need to see a doctor, let Sam know. We cannot take any chances on you being hurt. We need you, Eric." Callen's eyes softened with concern for the technical operator.
"Thanks, Callen."
Callen turned and walked over to his sister. He knelt down in front of her, brushing her long brunet hair from her face. "Amelia." He gently lifted her chin, to look at him. "We're in this together, okay? I'm sorry about everything. I wished it had been different."
"It's not your fault, Gav. None of this was ever your fault. Not when mama was killed, nor this." He hugged her tightly, giving them both the strength they needed to proceed with what they had to do next.
"I know." He knew it. He had always known it. But when you're only five years old and you accept a gift of a tin soldier from a stranger with a Romani wheel tattoo on his wrist, while your mother is murdered before you —- you feel guilty. Responsible for not warning her. The need to protect was felt very early on in him. Perhaps it was the murder of his mother, that brought that instinct out in him to protect the innocent, in the first place. Then there was the abuse and neglect he suffered, growing up in the welfare system. "Come. Let's see if we can make Blake understand." He took his sister's hand and led her to the bedroom where his nephew was being held, with Nell on guard.
"Nell, it's Callen. Can you unlock the door?" He heard her light footsteps and the turn of a key. Nell looked relieved to see him and exited the room, handing over the key to her cuffs as she went.
Callen stood at the entrance of the room, taking in the sight before him. His nephew, the next generation of Callens laid curled up on the bed in the foetal position. His hands were tied behind his back with Nell's cuffs. The scene before him wrenched at him from his core. His nephew, was crying. He quietly moved over to the bed and bent over, unlocking the cuffs and releasing his wrists from them. He placed them on the bedside table and sat down on the bed. He wanted to hug the boy. He was almost a man, with an amazing future before him. He didn't deserve what he now faced.
"Blake." He spoke gently, hoping his calm nature would have an effect on him also. "I'm sorry for what you are going through at the moment. But you, your sister and mom are in danger. We had to remove you from your dad, to keep you safe." His words remained soft, resulting in Blake to stop his crying.
He turned over, rubbing his sore wrists and froze. Froze from the sight before him. A man who looked just like him. Just older. "Who are you?" He asked, barely a whisper.
Callen looked over at Emily and saw her nod. He turned back to his nephew, ready to tell him the truth. "My name is Agent G. Callen. I work for a federal agency called NCIS. My job is to protect people. From gangs, terrorist, drug dealers, and anyone who tries to hurt someone in the Navy or Marines, and their families."
Blake looked to his mom, still confused. "Grandma was in the marines. But she's retired now."
"Yes she was. But she isn't your real grandma." Emily moved forward and sat on a chair, at the end of the bed.
Blake's brows drew together, confused. "What do you mean, not my real grandma? I don't understand. She's your mom."
"My adopted mom," Emily admitted.
"You were adopted?" Blake's brow raised in surprise. "How come you never told us before?"
Emily breathed in deeply, before continuing. "When I was nine, I was on a beach in Romania with my five year old brother Gavriil and our mother. Some men murdered our mom, killing her with a bullet to the head. They were from a Romanian Crime family, called Comescu, or men who worked for them. They killed our mom, due to a blood feud they had with her father. You see, our grandfather, George Callen," Emily's mention of the Callen name, drew Blake's attention back to Callen, studying his features, more closely.
"You're my uncle?" Blake drew his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, for comfort. His head was spinning from all that had happened to him since he woke that morning.
Callen nodded. "I am."
"You look just like me, but older." Blake revealed his observation, surprised he could look so much like someone else. Especially someone he had just met. He felt like he was caught up in a time warp.
"Yeah, I do." Callen gave him a warm smile. He liked the kid, despite the injury he had caused Eric earlier. His heart broke into pieces seeing the effects of the events of just one day, was having on the almost eighteen year old.
"Why did you call yourself G. Callen? And not Gavriil?" He hesitated on the name, unsure he had pronounced it correctly.
"Until just over a week ago, I didn't know my name. Your mom always called me baby brother after our mother was killed. I suppose with all the trauma of seeing our mom being killed, I forgot my name. We were brought to America, split up and thrown into the welfare system. I spent my life in orphanages and foster homes, until I turned eighteen. Then I was on my own." Callen was honest with the boy. He knew it was the only way to get him to trust him. Growing up, he had seen through anyone who lied to him immediately.
"Oh!" Blake felt bad for him. "I'm sorry."
"Thanks, but it's not your fault." Callen looked over to Emily, who had tears in her eyes. He placed his hand on her arm for comfort. It had been an extremely difficult day for her, indeed. And the tough situation they were in was only beginning.
"So these Comescus, is that who you are hiding us from?" He furrowed his brow. "But what's this got to do with dad? I don't understand!"
Emily moved closer to her son and held his hand. "Blake," she urged him to look at her, "none of this is going to be easy. I need you to be patient with me okay?"
He nodded.
"It goes back to our grandfather, George Callen. He worked for the U.S. Government in the Office of Strategic Services, otherwise known as the OSS. He was shipped out to Europe to help King Michael of Romania to capture his enemies, during world war two. Three of the men he killed, were Comescus. After the war, he returned to Romania and fell in love with a Romani girl, Anica Bälan. They married and when their daughter, Clara —- our mother, was still a baby, the Comescus came and killed him. Anica fled Romania to the U.S. for safety. Clara grew up and worked in the CIA. She was fluent in Romanian and Russian, so she was sent into Romania and Russia, to bring down a Russian Crime family, the Stelmakhs. Unbeknown's to our mother, they were close allies to the Comescus. It was while working undercover in the Stelmakh's organisation, where she met a KGB Major. Nikita Reznikov. He was working secretly to help Russians get out and start a new life in the U.S. Clara and Nikita fell in love."
"Hang on a moment. What's your real name then?" Blake suddenly realised that his mom wasn't Emily Davis.
"Amelia Clara Reznikov. But I was hidden with our mother's family name for safety. Amy Callen. When I was eleven, a friend and I escaped the orphanage we lived in, down to a river. I fell in and almost drowned, if it wasn't for a man named Owen Granger. An old friend of our mother's. He was watching out for me. I would have certainly drowned that night, if it hadn't been for him." She paused for a moment, to gather the strength to continue. She knew she was nearing the hardest part yet. "It was then decided by Owen and another lady, Henrietta Lange, to have me adopted by a family they knew."
"Grandma and grandpa," Blake responded.
"Yes." She drew in a deep breath, before continuing.
Callen noticed how difficult this was for his sister. Every now and then, he would rub her arm for comfort.
"The reason why no one was to know I was adopted, was for my safety. There were two crime families in Europe wanting to end the Callen bloodline. The Comescus and the Stelmakhs. The Stelmakhs had it in for our father, Nikita," Emily revealed.
"They had other colleagues of our father's turn on him. He was arrested. We were in Russia, but fled to Romania for our mom's contacts to get us out," Callen added. He was now more up to date with their father's details than Emily. "Our father escaped and has been in hiding ever since from the Stelmakhs. I never knew anything about any of them until recently. I had the Comescus come for me, to kill me, yet I had no idea of their existence up until then."
"What do you mean until recently?" Blake looked between his mother and uncle and saw their grief of being hunted all of their lives. Slowly it sunk into his brain, just how serious this blood feud was.
"A couple of years ago, Comescus came to Los Angeles looking for a file a lady who had watched over us had. We killed a Comescu and some of their hired men in the process. This lady, Hetty, she went to Romania to try to stop this blood feud. My team and I went to rescue her and we ended up killing more of them. Then I came across another in Hawaii, who was trying to sell vials of small pox. I had to kill him to protect the people on the island. Then last year, more came back to Los Angeles, to lure me out, with plans to kill me. They thought they had found my father and they killed him in front of me." The memory of how close he came to his life being ended by Vasille Comescu rattled him still. He'd had many nights awake, restless over it.
"Was he your father?" Blake gulped from nerves, as he listened to the violence his uncle had faced in his life.
"No." Callen shook his head. "But he was a friend of his, who was looking over me for our father."
"Is my dad one of them?" Blake asked out of the blue. Callen looked concerned over to Emily, over his question.
"Yes." Emily's voice quavered. "We've only just found out today. He met with the men who tried to kidnap me, just before he left for Seattle."
"What does the Romani language sound like?" Blake remembered hearing his dad speak a foreign language, a week earlier.
Callen smiled. He always enjoyed speaking his mother tongue. "Romani are o influență Baltice în limba sa. Acesta este situat la Marea Neagră și se învecinează cu Ucraina, Republica Moldova, Ungaria, Serbia și Bulgaria."
Blake's eyes bulged. "What did you say?"
Callen and Emily laughed a little.
"Romani has a Baltic influence in its language. It is situated on the Black Sea and is bordered by Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria," Emily replied.
Callen nodded in approval. He enjoyed having his sister around to talk in Romani together. It felt like old times.
"Wow! That is so cool." Blake smile dissipated and became more serious. "I heard dad speaking something like that last week. I never asked him about it. It was the first time I had ever heard him speak a foreign language." He paused for a moment, before continuing. He looked over to his mother, with a slight furrow of his brow. "Why did dad marry you, if he hates you? And if you hadn't told anyone who you really were, how did he know that you were a Callen?"
"I only found out today, sweetheart. It's a shock for me too." Emily looked over to Callen for an answer. "I hadn't seen my brother for five years, since he was shot, and I looked after him in ICU. Today was the first time I've seen him since and told him who I really was."
"What?" Blake looked back to his uncle. "You were shot?"
Callen nodded. "Yes." He lifted his T-shirt and showed him his scars.
Blake's eyes bulged. "Did a Comescu do that to you?" He began to be fearful of his dad and his family.
Callen shook his head. "No. Someone I had worked with in Russia a long time ago, wanted everyone who had worked with him, dead."
"What happened to him?" Blake's breath hitched. This was like watching a movie. It felt so surreal to him.
"I killed him," Callen replied flatly. He decided to return to the subject of the Comescus. "A cousin of your dad's blabbed his mouth earlier today and told me and my team who your dad really is. I'm sorry, Blake. I know this is hard for you."
Blake flinched at Callen's touch. He wanted to scream and wake up from this nightmare. "Have you killed my dad?"
Callen shook his head. "No! He's locked up in a secure place right now. He can't hurt you."
"Can I see him? Please!" He pleaded. "I need to hear from him, that all of this you are saying is true." He needed to know. His loving dad, who had never shouted or raised a hand on him, his sister or mom. None of it made sense.
Tears welled up in Emily's eyes again. Her eyes already felt swollen from all the crying she had done already. She worried over both of her children.
"Okay!" Callen agreed. "But you've got to promise no karate moves on my team."
Blake nodded. "I promise."
Callen could see he really was a good kid. Trying to do what was right in his life.
They exited the bedroom and found Eric and Nell hovered over a laptop. Blake scowled over at them. He remembered Eric bumping into him at the airport. Now he looked closer at what they had with them. "Is that my dad's laptop?" The charade at the airport made sense now.
"Blake." Callen gently pulled Blake away from them. "They're are just doing their job, okay? We need to take a look at his laptop, to see if there is anything in there that can help us end this blood feud."
"Can I have a look, please?" Eric and Nell stepped away to allow Callen and Blake to take a look. Blake scrunched up his face as he looked at a foreign language. "I don't understand any of it."
"It's in Romani." Callen looked over to Nell. "Is there anything in English we can look at?"
Nell nodded. She moved forward and turned the laptop ninety degrees. She brought up another file and flipped it back to face them.
Blake's visage darkened as he read in-depth detail over his mother's planned kidnapping. His dad and aunt had orchestrated it all. The proof sat on his laptop, in plain sight. Then he came across his name and that of his sister's. Shivers ran up and down his spine over what it said next.
A collection of emails between his dad and aunt.
From Estelle to Charlie:
"Arrangements for Ruby and Blake's transfer to Romania, have been arranged immediately after Emily's funeral. It'll take some persuading, but the close relationship we have developed with them, will aide us in bringing them home to make our family strong again. "
Charlie's reply to Estelle:
"What if they refuse? Blake is set on studying in Seattle, and Ruby still has another two years in her neurology degree. They love their life here too much."
Estelle's reply:
"Then we'll have no choice but to kill them. They are half Callen/Bälan, after all. It will mean the end of their bloodline. Luca is determined to kill the brother, with support from the Stelmakh's. Victory will be ours, brother."
Charlie:
"I cannot kill my children, Stefana. They are my flesh and blood. I love them too much. We'll have to persuade them with all the money they've ever dreamed of. We have to find a way. I've worked so hard at this. Surely you couldn't kill Ruby. She's the daughter you've never had."
Estelle:
"That she is. I believe we will have more chance with Ruby, than with Blake. He is too much a Callen. Just look at him. He looks so much like his uncle. It's hard to look at him sometimes. I know Rugby looks so much like Amelia, but she has the Comescu strength in her. We'll arrange for her to marry someone in the Stelmakh family, that will bring our two families together more strongly. She'll have no choice but to listen to her husband and do as she is told."
Blake slammed the laptop shut. Anger bust through his body. He wanted to find his dad and punch some sense into him. Then he will find his aunt and stab her straight into her heart. Blake shivered as he came back to his senses. Fear overcame him.
Callen looked over at his nephew with grave concern. "Blake, are you okay?"
Blake's cerulean orbs became ice cold. "No!"
Callen knew that look. He looked worried over at his sister. He knew they needed the proof to prove to Blake and Ruby, who their dad really was, but he had wished there had been another way. Suddenly, the boy vanished and the man, Blake Simmons stood tall and determined to seek justice. He had wanted to study law, but his dad had suggested business and law. He had agreed, but now his desire to go on and do what his father wanted him to do, vanished. He looked over at his mother and he felt the need to protect her. She looked vulnerable, suddenly lost, after twenty-two years of marriage to a man she had loved. Only to discover that everything had been a farce. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms lovingly around her.
"I'll take care of you now, Mom. Dad will never hurt you." It was said with promise, that took both Emily and Callen by surprise.
"You ready to see him?" Callen asked him. Knowing full well, this meeting was going to be an emotionally charged one. The change in Blake was extremely noticeable.
"Yes!" Blake swallowed hard. "If Aunt Estelle thinks I'm too much a Callen, then that's what they'll get."
Eric and Nell gave each other a smile, as the boy transformed into a younger version of their team leader. The boy was now a man, who was choosing good over evil. They approved of Blake's character. Even with all the pain he had inflicted on Eric earlier.