Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: Los Angeles or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. I make no money from this.
Author's Note: I'm so sorry. I've just been so busy with work that I haven't had much time for writing. Not to mention I've found some good fics recently and what spare time I do have I've spent reading instead of writing. I can't promise that I'll go back to updating every day as work is still busy but I will try to post a couple of chapters a week.
Also, I'm not sure about how this chapter came out. I had ideas for it from when I started this fic but rewatching the episode gave me other ideas as well and I tried to fit them all together. But I'm afraid they don't mesh as well as I thought and that might make the writing seem choppy and fragmented. Please let me know what you think. Should I go back and revise it, take some stuff out?
Sam turned away from the factory they were staking out to regard his partner. "So, I hear there's a special day coming up soon."
Callen smiled slightly. "Callie's birthday."
"Her first one with you. Got any plans?"
Callen shrugged. "She hasn't mentioned wanting to do anything."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Seriously G? You're waiting for her to tell you what she wants to do? Have you even gotten her a gift yet?"
Callen shifted slightly in his seat. "I've got a few ideas." And he did, the design she'd made for Deeks' gift had given him inspiration. But he didn't need to tell Sam that.
Sam gave him a look. "Don't wait til the last minute," he warned.
"I'm not, I've got a good idea what to get her, I just need to get to a store."
Sam snorted. "Yeah, well if your idea doesn't pan out I've had a lot of practice at shopping for girls."
It was Callen's turn to snort in amusement. "Thanks but no thanks. She's going to be 15 not 5, I doubt a souped up My Little Pony is going to do the trick."
"Whatever G." He turned his attention back to the factory. Still no movement.
Callen shook his head slightly before activating the comms. "Anything from the kissing fish side of the tank?" he asked.
Callen caught Eric's slip and sent the two techs an amused look before the contents of the email they put on screen caught his full attention. He glanced at the photo of Amurov, a plan forming in his mind. They needed a way into the cell and here it was. He stepped closer to the screen and asked how tall Amurov was.
Eric glanced at his tablet. "Just under six feet."
"That'll work," Callen said.
Hetty turned to the Senior Agent in Charge. "Work for what exactly, Mr. Callen?" she asked, a slight frown on her face. She didn't think she'd like his answer.
"The red baseball cap," Callen started, the rest of his team catching on to his thinking and continuing the line of thought. He smirked and turned to face them.
"They'll be none the wiser when I show up in his place."
Hetty sent him a look. "My office, Mr. Callen." She was right, she didn't like his answer.
He glanced at her but followed her without a word. "This is our best shot Hetty," he told her as she sat down behind her desk, arms folded over her chest.
"This is a dangerous game Mr. Callen."
He quickly defended his decision, how they had never met Amurov, and how he fit the description. He nearly sighed as Hetty brought up risk assessment. He appreciated her protectiveness and told her so but this needed to be done.
Hetty sighed and nodded as he repeated her Chechen phrase. "Alright Mr. Callen. I still don't like this but we'll try it your way. But the first hint of danger and I'm putting an end to this entire operation." She fixed him with a look. "You have more than just yourself to worry about now."
Callen gave her a look. "Is that what this is about? Callie? I can't stop doing my job just because it's dangerous and might tear me away from her. You don't see Sam shirking his duty because it might take him away from his family."
"Of course not Mr. Callen. I'm just saying that you should be careful and ensure that the risks you take are actually necessary ones."
He nodded. "I am and this risk is necessary. We have no choice but for me to go in." He said again, knowing that he had convinced her. He headed to wardrobe to get ready, asking Nell and Eric for more details on Anwar Amurov. The news that he had a young daughter was helpful in getting him into the role he was about to play.
He felt like he was under constant surveillance, though he knew he wasn't really being closely watched. It was the knowledge that he was on his own, cut off from the rest of his team that made him feel that way. He had to be careful, he couldn't afford to slip up. He been so sure that he'd been made when Chovka had pulled the gun. Relief had filled him when it was James, or Masud, that was killed. But if they were that prepared to kill their own men then it was imperative that he not give them any cause to suspect him.
He was thankful to hear Deeks' voice at the door. The knowledge that his team was nearby filled him with relief. He was thankful they'd figured out a way to get the earwig and camera to him, and he stopped Chovka from tossing the pizza away.
Spotting the looks being sent his way as he sat down with the pizza, he invited them to join him. Not really expecting his offer to be accepted, he was surprised when Gloria did so. She was a real surprise, he couldn't help but wonder how she had gotten mixed up in all of this. So, carefully, he asked about her conversion to Islam.
Her answer filled him with fury, a rage he was careful to keep from showing. How anyone could treat children like that he'd never understand, especially not their own flesh and blood. But it was her age at the time, Callie's age, that nearly made him sick. He couldn't imagine his daughter in Gloria's position. It was only the knowledge that Callie was safe and his years of training and skill that helped him keep the worst of his thoughts and feelings off of his face as he listened to her story.
Callen kept his shock off of his face as he saw the amount of explosives set up in the van and listened to Jamal's speech. Realization began to fill him even before he was handed the pad of paper. He was supposed to be the suicide bomber. He forced himself not to swallow nervously as unbidden his mind flashed to Callie. He pushed the thought away, knowing he needed to focus on the mission if he was to get out of here alive and successfully stop the Jihad.
He noticed Jamal watching as he wrote but the man had been watching him the whole time he'd been here so he didn't get worried. He watched as Gloria was handed a gun, wondering what her job in all of this would be. Following Jamal back to the van, he allowed the man to help him into the explosives vest. He turned back around once the vest was secured into place only to freeze at the sight of a gun being pointed directly at him.
"Over there," Jamal gestured.
Reluctantly, Callen stepped over to where he could now see the pile of explosives had been removed from the van. He tensed, getting ready to fight but froze as Jamal held up a detonator.
"Easy now, we wouldn't want to set it off too soon."
He remained still as Jamal secured him to the explosives. Pulling against his restraints, he glared at the other man. "When did you know?" He briefly closed his eyes at the answer he received. Hetty had been right about assuming that they'd never met Anwar Amurov.
Callen continued to pull at his restraints as Jamal walked away. An image of Callie surged into his mind despite his best efforts to push it away. He couldn't let it end like this, force his daughter to lose another parent.
Gunshots sounded from the other room and relief filled him. "In here!" he called, knowing it was his team. He'd never been so glad to see them as he was at that moment.
Deeks cut his bindings and he quickly got up, moving to the edge of the platform, eager to get away from the explosives. He froze at Sam's shouted warning.
Fear began to fill him as the former SEAL studied the device. "Sam?" he asked, watching as his partner bent down with wire cutters. Why did his partner always want to play the role of the bomb squad? Again, he found his thoughts going to Callie. God, as soon as this op was over he was going to find her and pull her into his arms.
He heard the wire being cut and then Sam was rising. "Good?" he asked.
"Got it," Sam replied.
Callen swallowed, trying to get his emotions under control. That had been way too close. "Thank you," he told his partner sincerely, letting his gratitude shine through his eyes. He stepped off of the platform, a sigh of relief escaping him. "Now can we please get this vest off of me?"
Once it was removed, Sam clapped him on the shoulder. "You alright there partner?"
"I'm good, just want to get out of here."
"I hear that."
Back at the office after filling Hetty in, Callen found himself staring at Gloria's picture on the screen. Such a waste, she hadn't needed to die. And all because Jamal had taken her belief and twisted it for his own purposes.
He told Sam about how she had been inspired by Malcolm X.
"Everyone has a choice G. Gloria made the wrong one."
Callen shook his head slightly. "It's not always that simple," he said, recalling what Gloria had told him about her past, trying not to picture Callie in her position. And that was what was really upsetting him, the thought of Callie ever ending up in a similar situation to Gloria.
He started to pack up his stuff, letting Deeks and the others distract him with the mention of Deeks' fish.
He smirked, leave it to Hetty to find the perfect fish to represent herself. Even her fish was bossing the other fish around. He headed back to his desk and grabbed his bag, meeting Sam's knowing gaze.
"You alright?"
"Yeah, just got to get to the store. Gotta get Callie's gift." Actually all he wanted to do was hug her close but she was still in school so he might as well buy her present now.
Sam nodded, knowing what was going through his partner's mind. He'd had similar thoughts after a few close calls. "Why don't you guys come by this weekend? We'll have a cake for her." And for you, he added silently. Celebrate that you're still alive.
Callen paused. "You know what, I think we will. Thanks." He nodded at him and started for the exit.
"Any time G."
