Renko quickly fell asleep.

For Callen, it didn't work. He had slept on this couch so many times before, but his mind was too restless right now.
He could not remember any days without Hetty at the office. She was the one to make decisions about which cases to handle, the one to back his own decisions, the one to debrief with after cases. Above all, she had the gift to feel one needed support, and hell, she supported this division. And now, the team wasn't too sure where she could be right now and if she was in danger. Of course, she was tough. But with her niece involved, it was clear that she was vulnerable as well right now.

Letting his thoughts run, he tried to be completely honest to himself. He was worried about Rhys. He could hardly remember having feelings like this for a woman. She was brave, perhaps nearly fearless and she seemed unaware of her good looks.
He admitted that he had avoided relationships. Sure, there were nights out with friends, which were of course his team mates. Sure, he had dates, every now and then.
However, he had seen too many broken relationships during his youth, but also as a grown up. And with his job, he saw deceit, there was murder, there were ruined lifes. Things he wanted to ban from his own life, even if it excluded some of the fun. His feelings were hurt too many times, he was not going to let that happen again.
He should handle this case professionally. Just another victim, just another case.
Still…
He sighed. He knew it would be another sleepless night.

He decided to rise. He took a fresh shower down at the gym, put on his shoes and made some fresh coffee. Then he joined Eric and Nell in ops. He saw that Nell was very tired.

"Hey. Any news?" he asked them.

"Nearly there", Eric answered. It was obvious he had taken enough caffeine. "Granger gave clearance for hacking into the DEA phone records as well, before he left. There's hardly any on Simms' cell phone and this will take a while, perhaps. Firewalls…"

"Did Granger leave?" Hmm. He must have had a catnap after all, not noticing that.
"Nell, why don't you go home. I'll be here with Eric", he said. "But before you leave, could we please listen to the tape once more. Try to translate as good as you can".

They listened to the tape once more.
"They will not let you fly, she says", Nell translated.

"Thank you", Callen said. "Now, go and catch some sleep Nell. At home, or have the couch downstairs."

Nell decided to go home, and Callen stepped down with her to get a cup of coffee, which he took upstairs again. Against the rules, but rules were there to be broken at 4.15 AM, he thought.

Sipping his coffee, he played the tape once again.
There was an explosion on the background. He remembered Simms' secretary saying Simms was at a study leave, so it should be near a conference hall. He put a map of the city and its surroundings on screen, then afterwards he opened a file with all reported accidents, incidents and more, that took place during the last 5 hours. There was only one explosion reported near a convention center. It was the explosion in Long Beach, the one he was involved in himself.

"Eric, any chance you can find Hetty's car somewhere in Long Beach? And is there a way to find out if Simms owns or uses any property in there?"

Eric turned his chair. It was as if he had forgotten that Callen was in there as well. "Ehrm. Sure. Can do both. System's still running. Why?"

"Relistened the tape", was all he explained, "and perhaps we'll find Hetty somewhere in there. Focus on that!"
Then, he leaned back, put his feet up a desk and listened again to the tape.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She felt cold and alone.
Yes, they had her talk to an iPad, showing Henny on screen.
But Rhys did not know what Henny knew.
Rhys felt terrible that two more men died today, because of her. She should have stayed in that stupid boathouse where Callen had taken her, and this would never have happened. She should have waited until Callen would have come back to her. She wanted to look into his blue eyes again, and she wanted to see those eyes smile. Now, that would not happen anymore, because she had decided to leave.

She didn't know where she was. The only thing she knew that these bastards that guarded her, threatened to kill Henny if Rhys did not cooperate.
If only she could communicate to … well, Rhys did not know who to turn to if ever there was an opportunity.

Years ago, Henny had taught her there was always a way out. This time, Rhys could not find it. She had never felt so alone and she started to cry. She cried for all the people she had lost, for all the people she missed. She cried because she was angry, and because she was afraid.
She sat down in a corner, knees drawn up, and still, she was so cold.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXxx

Callen closed his eyes and thought back of everything he heard earlier. Rhys who flew a plane, filled with drugs, to Los Angeles. Renko's case: finding out who imported weapons into Colombia. How difficult would it be to ship large crates with weapons in a plane to Colombia? It would be so suspicious…

Suddenly he understood Hetty's words. They wouldn't fly. They would not let Rhys fly, of course not.
Shipping crates as large like that would go with large containerships. Containerships that were leaving from Long Beach, the largest container terminal in California.

"Bingo!" a shout out from Eric disturbed his thoughts. "Inside the inside information!"

Callen saw him desperately hitting all kind of buttons on his computer, numbers coming on screen in large green rows. It all looked like abracadabra to Callen, but he noticed how enthusiastic Eric had gotten. He had opened another screen with even more numbers scrolling down.

Eric looked very concentrated, turned towards a third screen and typed some commando's in there as well.
Callen recognized the Kaleidoscope-system, which started searching again in an area Eric had narrowed down to the seaside in Long Beach.
Then, there were bleeps from the second computer and Eric swiveled his chair towards the other screens again.

"Callen, I have got two outgoing calls that are very interesting. First one going to Juan Cortez. Second suspicious one, only some minutes after, went to Nicolas Reynolds at the Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach, which happens to be near Long Beach".

"Can you find Cortez?"

"Yeah, I can use his phone only and track him down. If you can call him, see if he answers. Keep talking as long as you can, and I will locate the phone and its owner!"

Callen stared at Eric. "Come on. It's in the middle of the night. Nobody answers a phone right now, unless you are a cop or a nurse. You'ld only scare a person and who knows what panic might cause".

"Right. Didn't realize clock was working against us…" Eric said.
This time, he was saved by a bell: Kaleidoscope had a hit on Hetty's Jaguar. It was parked near an apartment complex near the convention center.

On an ordinary day, Callen would simply allocate tasks between the two couples in his team. Right now, he was alone, and Eric would have to call in the others. He had to consider how to handle all the facts and tasks.

"Eric, you call in Sam, Deeks and Kensi, have them in here as soon as possible. Oh, call in Granger too. I'll wake Renko, he'll be briefing the others with you. Try Cortez's phone anyway in about half an hour, have Renko talking to him and send me all the information you have at that moment."

Callen got down, took another cup of coffee and woke Renko.
"Mike. Listen, I think we found the location where Hetty may be kept. Eric is calling the others, they will be in soon".

"Uhhuh". Renko was still sleepy, but alert enough, so Callen continued: "You and Sam can find Hetty. I want Deeks and Kensi to find a guy Reynolds. Eric knows all details".
Callen took a jacket and his bag.

"And you, Callen, where are you going?"

"I'll be chasing Cortez" was the answer.

XXX

He took his Mercedes from the parking and drove east. It was quiet on the road at this early morning, so, while he drove he studied his the COMAND navigation system to find all piers in from where containers were shipped through Panama and further, to Colombia.
There were six different warehouses near the docks that would fit.
He hoped Eric would call soon, to give an exact location.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhys had dozed off. She woke up when she heard footsteps coming towards the cold place they had put her in.
"Nearly time to go, sweety", a mean looking Ruiz said. "Maybe you need a bathroom and shower first? We're at your service, so, how about that?"
He and one of the Spanish speaking men laughed and they pulled her up, dragging her by the shirt.

She tried to look as tough as possible, but deep down she felt cold panic raging her body.
"Before a shower, you should undress. Need a hand?"
Before she could answer, he tore down the turquoise shirt she still was wearing. He came closer and asked "Do you know what we are going to do once we're out of the country? We'll have even more fun… Showering is just a starter", he said with an evil grin. Then, he grabbed her hair and forced her to walk next to him. It hurt, and whilst it hurt, Rhys felt that anger won over fear.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Callen was driving on Seaside Freeway already when Eric called him.

"We did the best we could. Renko called and I could narrow down the phone to a part of the docks I just sent to your system. Two warehouses to check Callen, can you do that?"

"Have to", he said.
"No, you will not", Callen heard Granger say. "You're on your own in there, agent Callen, until back up arrives. Your team has done great until now. They're on their way for assistance. Wait until they arrive before you go in".

Callen shut off the conversation. He parked his car, took his Sig and carefully walked to the first warehouse.

[liked to write this chapter. Hope you liked to read it as well. Your comments are, as ever, very welcome!]