Chapter 11

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Kensi and Deeks were on the road and were heading to the meet with Sam and Nell following behind in the charger. Sam looked over and saw her looking out the window as he drove.

"Nell, you alright?" He asked as he drove.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just a little nervous I guess." She said as she turned to face back forward.

Sam smiled. He knew that Nell had, had field training, she wasn't exactly the field agent type. "You got this Nell, trust your training and trust us to have your back.

Nell smiled softly. "I know I will." She said.

Sam opened his mouth to speak but Nell cut him before he could say his first word.

"I just...I don't get how it got to this...that Adrian shot Callen that he's behind this. I mean I never led him on. I didn't do anything to encourage him. I mean I just thought we were friends, that's all I never thought him as more than that."

"Sounds like he thought of you as more than friends." Replied Sam.

"Callen said when we were first doing the ballroom dancing" Nell smiled as she thought back to those early days. "That he had a crush on me and I brushed it off. Maybe...Maybe if I had addressed it, said something, this wouldn't have happened."

Sam glanced between the road and Nell. "Hey, no" He said as she shook his head. "No, this isn't your fault Nell, don't you blame yourself. This is no-one's fault but Adrian's. You understand me?" Said Sam.

Nell nodded.

"Alright, now do you want to go through the mission plan one more time, put some of those nerves at ease" He said as he shot Nell the reassuring smile that she had seen many a time before.

"Yeah, so the plan is Kensi and Deeks go in first, order a cup of coffee, locate Adrian and find a table nearby. They'll text you that they have Adrian in the sightline and that you're good to go then 2 minute after you leave. I make my way to the cafe, make eye contact with You Kensi and Deeks, locate Adrian and sit down and then see where it leads."

"Exactly" Said Sam as he nodded. "One piece of advice?" He said.

"Yeah, please."

"I know your mad at Adrian shooting Callen, we all are, but the key to this plan is getting Adrian to admit to being involved in the shooting and key to that is to take your emotion of it, as much as you want to you can't get angry at him, no matter how much you want to." Said Sam.

"Yeah I understand Sam, thanks." Said Nell as she smiled softly.

"Now, after we arrest him for Callen's attempted murder is a different story" He said as he smiled.

Nell chuckled as they all parked down the block from the cafe.

"You good to go?" Asked Sam

Nell took a few seconds before responding "Yep. I'm good."

"Kensi, Deeks, you there?"

"We're here Sam." Replied Kensi

"We're good to go." Replied Sam.

"Alright we're heading over to the cafe now." Said Kensi as her and Deeks got out the car and headed towards the cafe.

Callen had been listening quietly the entire time over the comm, not saying a word, just listening to Sam reassure her, listen to her running through the mission plan perfectly.

"So Operation Sidestep good to go."Said Callen suddenly.

"Callen?!" Said Nell as she jumped from hearing his voice for the first time since they left the mission. "How long have you been listening?" She asked sheepishly.

Callen smiled. "A while" He said. "Sam's right, you're gonna be just fine Nell. Remember you'll have me in your ear the whole time and Sam, Kensi and Deeks have got your back. I trust them to have your back and I trust you to get him to admit what he did."

Hetty stood at the door of the operations centre listening to Callen talk to Nell, smiling. She was wary about Callen and Nell's relationship from the start but as it evolved she could see that both Nell and Callen were bringing out new sides to each other. Nell had opened Callen up to notion that he is worthy of love and even though he keeps it sown into his Kevlar vest locked away from everyone, Callen had love to give. To his teammates, his family, to Nell.

On the otherside of things Callen had given Nell confidence, both professionally and personally. Something that Hetty knew she needed. Nell was confident as long as she was in her comfort zone inside of OPS. Hetty was glad that Callen had given her the confidence, the push that she needed.

"Everything going okay with operation Mr Callen." Said Hetty as she came up behind him.

"So far so good Hetty. Our team has just arrived at the scene. Kensi and Deeks are on their way to the cafe now. Nell's with Sam waiting for Kensi and Deeks to ID Adrian.

"Ms Jones?" Said Hetty over the comm.

"I'm good to go Hetty." Said Nell before Hetty had even asked.

"Very good Ms Jones." She said. "The game is yours Mr Callen." She said as she walked out of OPS.

Meanwhile back at the meet Kensi and Deeks arrived at the cafe hand in hand playing the happy couple as they spotted Adrian one of the outdoor tables. Deeks went inside and ordered the coffees as Kensi kept her eye on Adrian as she pulled out her phone and texted Sam. "Got eyes on Adrian." She texted as Deeks came back to the table.

Sam's phone beeped with the text message from Kensi.

"Kensi and Deeks have got eyes on Adrian. I'm gonna head in. Remember two minutes, then you come in. You got this Nell. We got you. Callen's got you." He said as he placed his hand or her shoulder and got out of the car and walked over towards the cafe.

The next 2 minutes went quick as Nell got into the headspace she needed to, to get through this, when suddenly Callen's voice was in her ear.

"Nell?" Said Callen

"Nell jumped, she was still not used to having Callen in her ear speaking a random moments.

"Sorry, yeah 2 minutes is up. I'm heading there now." She said as she got out of the charger and walked towards the cafe.

"You got this Nell."

"Yep" She said a little too quickly causing Callen not to believe her.

"I know there not me" He said as he smiled and Nell chuckled. "But they've got you covered. "You've got this. Trust your training, trust your team."

Nell smiled. "I will." She said as she came upon the cafe and spotted Kensi and Deeks at one table. Sam at another and then Adrian as she smiled as she walked up to him.

"Hi" He said as he smiled and got up to greet Nell.

"Hi" Smiled Nell

"Hope I didn't drag you away from anything important." He said as they both sat down.

"It's all good. It was about time for a coffee break anyway."

Adrian smiled.

"So uh what did you want to talk about?" She asked as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Well uh actually I'm not sure if you realised this but, um, well I like you. When I asked you for coffee I was trying to ask you out." He said.

"Oh" She said as her face went almost as red as her hair. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm actually seeing someone."

"Greg right from dancing, that's who you're dating,? Like still dating right now"

"Yeah, of course. Why?" She said skeptically

"So Callen is still alive." He said as his expression changed

"I'm sorry, did you say Callen is still alive."

Meanwhile Eric was monitoring the video footage while Callen was monitoring that and the audio feed when a pop up came up on Eric's tablet. He clicked on it as all the colour drained out of his face.

"Uh Callen."

"What is it Eric?"

"We've got a problem." He said as he put the details up on the big screen.

"How the hell did we miss this?"

"His file was classified, I mean we ran his face against the databases and nothing came up. Why the hell is coming up now?"

"I don't know G"

"Find out Eric, we thought this was just about a love struck guy. We we're wrong."

Meanwhile back at the cafe Nell was trying to wrap her head around what Adrian had said as Callen tried to get in touch with Sam.

"I know that you've got an ear wig and that your team was listening to everything that we've been saying. I know that you're not here alone. I recognised Chief Hanna the moment he walked in the cafe, guy like he doesn't retire."

"Who are you and what do you want." Said Nell as she sent an agent needs assistant alert from her phone.

"Later, now it's time to go." Replied Adrian as he moved over to her side as he escorted her out of the cafe.

"They're on the move" Said Deeks as he got up as he Kensi followed them. "Nell's in trouble Sam, Agent needs assistance alert, just came through"

"Alright, I'm gonna circle round on foot. Try and intercept them." Said Sam

Meanwhile Nell was trying to get answers from Adrian "Why are you doing this?" She asked "Who are you?"

"Wow NCIS is really slipping these days. I thought you might have figured it out by now, Let's just say I'm someone who's gonna get they want. I would have been happy to give them proof of life, but now I know that Callen's alive. Now I know he'll do anything to get you back, looks like you've just become my hostage. Move!" He said as they continued to walk along.

Nell looked around desperate for some help. She knew Deeks and Kensi were behind her but she didn't know how far, she couldn't even see Sam. She hadn't heard from Callen and she couldn't say anything, she knew that Adrian would rip the earwig from her ear and she'd lose all communication with anyone.

Suddenly Callen's voice appeared in her head.

"Nell, I don't know how we missed this and we'll fix it but right now we need to get you safe. Alright in 10 seconds Sam is gonna come out of the side alley I'm gonna need you to use your elbow and slam it hard into his ribs with as much force as you can. Once he let's go of you I want you to run towards Kensi and Deeks."

"Mmmm" She said

The next 10 seconds felt like it was eternity coming. Nell counted down in her head and as the timer clicked down. Nell wound up her arm, and slammed it straight into his ribs causing him to let her go for slight second which is all the time she needed to run towards Kensi and Deeks.

"Kensi, Deeks, talk to me." Said Callen into comm

"We've got Nell, she's good" Said Deeks as he and Kensi watched on as Sam dealt with Adrian. Sam had come up on him from behind and put him in a choke hold, he started to thrash, however Sam's vice like grip quickly slowed him down passing out a few minutes later.

"What the hell happened? I thought this was a love struck guy." Said Sam

"Yeah a love struck, with some serious intel and moves."

Sam tapped on his comm. "Eric, Callen you guys find out who Adrian Bodene actually is?"

Callen and Eric looked at each other. "Yeah Sam, say hello to Naval Warfare Special Operator Ray Gunderson."

"He's a SEAL?" Said Sam

"Yeah. Highly decorated, highly classified status. " Said Eric.

Kensi, Deeks, Sam and Nell looked down at the slumped body of Gunderson who lay on the concrete.

"We're heading back with Gunderson; we'll meet you at the boat shed.

"See you soon Sam." He said as he tapped off his comm..

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