A/N: Thanks to those who have reviewed. I really appreciate your comments and support and if you're a writer as well, you'll know just how much those comments mean to me. Here's another chapter which I've decided to split. Just to let you know I've decided to finish this story before going back to work on my other stories.
Disclaimer: A reminder that I don't own NCIS LA or its characters. They're the property of CBS, Shane Brennan and R Scott Gemmill. Thank you for letting us play with them.
Chapter 12
Sam rolled his eyes at his partner's comment. Plan B usually meant 'better think of something quick'. "Be careful G" as he turned to follow the Principal out of the building.
Callen knew the odds were stacked against them. He had wanted to speak to Jake before the abductors arrived. He just hoped that the boy would remember the games Callen and Garrison had played with him in which they made him pretend they were not known to him. It had all been part of self-defence lessons given to Alex and Jake in an attempt to give them a fighting chance should any of his or Garrison's enemies target them. Callen brought his thoughts back to the present. He needed to get inside the gym without spooking the abductors or endangering the children or staff.
Callen looked around him and espied a janitor's closet. Opening the door, he slipped inside and closed it behind him. It was only then he switched on the light. Peering around, Callen saw what he needed: a small wheeled trolley with a garbage bin by the pushing handle, a couple of open shelves for cleaning materials and a space for a bucket and mop. Taking his gun, backup weapon and spare ammo clips he hid one in the bucket under the mop and the other in the garbage bag and the ammo on the shelf amongst cleaning materials. He knew they would be found if an intensive search was done. In which case he was screwed but Callen would have to chance his luck that the abductors would not suspect a janitor. Satisfied his weapons could not be seen at a casual glance but were within easy reach, he took a coverall off the hook and slipped into it. Now I know why Deeks always complains about going undercover as a janitor thought Callen as he felt the cheap material against his neck.
Activating his comms, Callen asked "Is there any change in the gym?"
"No" answered Eric. "The sentry's still by the gym entrance but no-one's at the locker room door."
"How are the kids and teachers holding up?" asked Callen.
"The teachers look scared but appear to be putting on a brave face for the kids. Not surprisingly most of the kids are crying which isn't going down too well with the bad guys. They're getting impatient and one in particular is getting angry."
"Dammit" said Callen. "Which one is he? I'll need to target him first."
"You can't miss him" interrupted Nell. "He's the biggest by far. Built like Sam, only more so."
"Great!" muttered Callen. "Okay thanks. I'll keep the comms open. Let me know if anything changes. I'm going in." Exiting the closet, Callen made his way to the locker rooms.
Meanwhile Sam and the Principal had successfully made their way to the classrooms on the other side of the gym and were getting the kids and staff out of danger. Sam noticed two other school buses approaching the school.
"Are those buses for your school?" he asked the Principal.
"Yes" she answered.
Sam rushed over to the gates and stopped the first bus by standing in its path. Holding up his badge he said "Federal Agent. I've no time to explain but I need you to block the gates with the buses now. Then go over to the other bus and wait there with other agents."
Sam then went to the second bus and told her the same thing. When both buses were in place, he asked the drivers "Are there other buses due here?"
"Yeah" said the female driver "they take the older kids but they're due here soon."
"Okay. Can you contact them?" Sam asked. She nodded. "Is there another vehicle entrance to the school?"
"Yeah there's one at the back but it's not used by the buses" she said.
"Get them here ASAP and tell them to go to the rear entrance and block it like you've done here. Tell them to come round the front and find the agents. It's imperative that they hurry and don't let any vehicles in" ordered Sam. The male driver hopped onto his bus and contacted his colleagues.
Sam activated his comms and spoke. "G, the front entrance is blocked with school buses and the rear entrance should be blocked soon as well. It won't stop them for long but it'll slow them down. Eric, can you do anything to delay them from getting here?"
"I'll hack the traffic lights and try and stop them with a red light" replied Eric.
"Good. Let LAPD know what you're doing" Sam answered. Satisfied that everyone was as safe as they could be, he said "G, I'm on my way to you."
"Okay. I'm about to go in. I'll keep my comms open and the Wonder Twins have got eyes in the gym. I've still got four to contend with so stay in the locker room but be ready" replied Callen.
Callen sauntered into the gym unobtrusively assessing the situation and noting the positions of each gunman. He had also located Jake and was pleased that the boy had not reacted to his presence. "Hey, someone called for me?" he asked.
The angry gunman spun round and pointed his automatic rifle at Callen. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he yelled.
Callen raised his hands and said "I was told some kid had thrown up in the gym. I'm just here to clear it up. I get the worst jobs."
"No-one's thrown up here" shouted the gunman.
"Okay, I'll go. "Once less job for me to do" said Callen as he turned to leave.
"No! You stay" the gunman said. Motioning to one of his buddies, he ordered "Pat him down. See if he's armed."
"I'm just the janitor" said Callen glancing at Jake who nodded his understanding as the other gunman patted him down.
"He's clean" he said going back to his post.
"Sit down" said the angry gunman and as Callen went to sit where he was, added "Not there stupid. Sit with the kids."
As Callen walked past him, the gunman hit him with the butt of his rifle catching him on the side of the head, drawing blood and making him stumble, which caused the children to scream and cry loudly. The gunman shouted at them which only made matters worse so he raised his gun to the ceiling and fired.
Hearing the gunshots, Sam was tempted to enter the gym but he heard Callen say "It's alright kids. Don't be frightened."
"Shut up!" shouted the gunman at Callen and then "Shut up all of you!"
"What do you expect?" asked Callen. "You're scaring them. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"What's it to you?" the chief protagonist said.
"Hey, I may be just a janitor but if I'm gonna be stuck here with masked men waving guns around, I'd like to know why."
"He's got a point" said the other gunman. "He might tell us what the others won't."
"You" shouted the angry gunman as he pointed his rifle at Callen "Do you know Jake Reynolds?"
"Name rings a bell" said Callen. "Problem is I know a lot of the kids without knowing their names. What does he look like?"
"If we knew that stupid we wouldn't be asking you" sneered the gunman.
In his ear Callen heard Sam speak. "G, I've just heard LAPD have neutralised the other two teams so there's only four to contend with. Kensi and Deeks have just arrived and Kensi's gonna find high ground to see into the gym. Stall them the best you can."
