A/N: Thanks to all who have left a review. Your comments are very important to me and I appreciate your continued support. Not many chapters left now before you find out whether the rift between Callen and Alex is healed or not. I will then look to work on my other stories which I have neglected. Please read, enjoy and review.

Chapter 14

Having heard via his earwig what Callen had negotiated, Deeks waited in the locker room for the door to open. The line of frightened girls, still sobbing and shell-shocked but now with a touch of relief etched on their young faces streamed past him with the school secretary bringing up the rear. He spoke encouragingly to them as they passed and ushered them into the corridor where the Principal and LAPD officers were waiting to take them to safety. From his vantage point, Deeks could see into the gym and saw Callen standing by two of the gunmen, with the remaining boys and teacher sitting on the floor. A quick glance around the gym showed him a third gunman at the main entrance and the fourth standing by the locker room door with his back to Deeks, his attention on his two associates and Callen. Deeks took the opportunity and stepped silently into the gym and placed his arm around the gunman's throat in a choke hold and his hand over his mouth to cut off any sound, dragging the man into the locker room. The man struggled but was soon unconscious and Deeks lowered him to the ground, calling over his comms for an officer to come and take him away. Taking off the man's flak jacket and balaclava, Deeks put them on and grabbed the assault rifle before zip tying his hands behind his back. Satisfied he would not regain consciousness before the officer arrived, Deeks slipped into the gym closing the door behind him.

"I've taken out the gunman by the locker room and I'm now inside. Don't shot me by mistake Kensalina" said Deeks via his comms.

"Good work Deeks" said Sam. "We're ready when you are G" he added.

Callen had failed to retrieve his weapons from the trolley because of the threat to the teacher and he felt his chance had passed. He was not unduly worried as he had the skills to disarm one of the gunmen and now Deeks was in the gym disguised as a hostile, the odds were more evenly stacked. However Callen was worried for the safety of the boys and the teacher and was thinking hard how to get them out.

"Why don't you let the boys go too?" asked Callen. "I'm enough of a bargaining tool to get him to come out of hiding. Having the boys here is just a liability."

"Shut up!" said the gunman. "I want the grandson too."

"That's difficult 'cos he's not even here" bluffed Callen.

"I know he's here so stop talking and sit down with the rest" ordered the gunman.

"No!" refused Callen. "I'm not doing anything until you let these kids go."

The gunman took his rifle and swung it catching Callen on the side of the face. He staggered before falling down dazed amongst the kids who started to cry more loudly. The two gunmen were now talking animatedly and not paying any attention to Callen or the kids. Returning to a seated position, Callen touched the side of his head gingerly and felt blood. That didn't go so well he thought. Turning his head to the boy next to him which to his surprise happened to be Jake, he quietly said "I'm gonna I stand up and distract the gunman. I need to know that you and the boys are safe should anything kick off. So I want you all to lay flat and place your hands over your head. You'll know when. Whatever happens Do NOT stand up. Pass it on." Jake's eyes burned into Callen's before he gave a slight nod and turned to his classmate. Confident that Sam and Deeks had heard as well, Callen sat patiently waiting for the message to get round to all the kids and the teacher.

"What you got in mind G?" he heard Sam say.

"You'll know when it happens" Callen whispered.

"That's what I'm afraid of" muttered Sam. "Be careful."

Having seen what had happened via the security cameras and heard the chatter over comms, Nell phoned Hetty to apprise her of the current situation knowing the older woman would not be watching or listening as she would want to protect Alex from further trauma. "Hetty, Callen has managed to get some of the children released. Only the girls I'm afraid; the boys and a teacher are still being held. Deeks has also got inside the gym disguised as a hostile."

"Thank you Miss Jones. That's encouraging. Please keep me posted" said Hetty.

Alex looked at her anxiously. "Is there any news?" she asked.

"Some. Mr Callen has got the girls released but unfortunately not the boys" explained Hetty. "However he's no longer alone in there. Mr Deeks has managed to join him unbeknown to the hostiles."

"Is that good? Jake's still in danger" said Alex, as she got up and starting pacing again. "I hate the waiting, not knowing what's happening. When will this be over? It's taking too long" moaned Alex.

"With lives at stake you do not want Mr Callen to rush" said Hetty. "Now come and sit down again. Pacing is not going to help."

After finishing their heated conversation, the second gunman walked towards Deeks. Callen knew the likelihood of Deeks being compromised as soon as the hostile got closer was high so he had to cause a distraction to give Deeks a fighting chance.

"What are your intentions?" asked Callen standing up.

"Sit down!" shouted the gunman as Callen edged closer to him.

"Assuming you find the grandson, what do you intend to do with the others?" Callen continued ignoring the man's demands. "You gonna let them go? I won't help you unless you do."

"I've told you before you're in no position to make demands" answered the gunman who was now standing toe to toe with Callen.

"But I am" said Callen "without me you've no hope in Hell in getting my father to give himself up."

Callen could see out of the corner of his eyes that when the second gunman turned back to see what the commotion was, Deeks swiftly grabbed him in a strangle hold and pulled him out of the gym. Good, two down, two to go thought Callen. The gunman roughly pushed Callen back and grabbed a boy yanking him to his feet. He held him tightly in one arm with the gun aimed at his head. Dammit. That wasn't supposed to happen thought Callen as he looked into the face of the young boy who was trembling with tears threatening to fall. It was Jake.

Callen glared at the gunman. "Let him go!" When the gunman tightened his grip, Callen switched his attention to his nephew and looking him calmly in the eyes he said "You'll be fine. Just remember what you learned at school." The gunman frowned at the comment.

"I've not got a shot" said Kensi. "Repeat NO shot."

Now back in the gym, Deeks whispered via his Comms, "I've taken out another hostile but Jake's been grabbed. Callen's close to him. You might wanna think about coming through that door, Sam."

"Coming through in 3" said Sam and hoped that Callen would be ready. "3, 2, 1." The gym door flew open, taking the hostile guarding it by surprise and Sam quickly subdued him.

The moment the door burst open, Callen shouted "NOW!" and Jake, with all the strength he could muster, kicked the shin of the man holding him, causing the grip to loosen allowing Jake to wriggle free and dive for cover as Callen stepped forward to engage the hostile. Callen could see the kids and the teacher had flattened themselves on the floor but he knew they were still in danger of being hit by stray bullets should the gun be fired.

Despite the size difference, Callen's superior fighting skills meant he was at least holding his own. With both men holding on to the assault rifle trying to gain supremacy over it, Callen feigned a move, which put the larger man off balance. Callen was able to use the rifle to smash the man in the face causing him to lose his grip and Callen tore it out of the man's hands. However a deftly placed punch from the larger man meant Callen dropped it sending it scattering across the floor. The hostile then pulled out a hand gun and the two men grappled for supremacy over the weapon. Neither Deeks nor Sam could afford to shoot as they did not have a clear sight of the hostile and were afraid of hitting their friend or the children.

Deeks saw an opportunity to get some of the boys out of harm's way. Keeping a careful watch on the ongoing fight but shielding the boys from potential danger, Deeks managed to get all the boys except four out of the gym. Suddenly two gun shots in quick succession were heard and the large hostile fell to the ground, the gun lying on the floor beside him, leaving Callen standing.

Jake, who had been one of the remaining kids in the gym, ran over and gave his uncle a hug, happy that the ordeal was finally over and Callen was victorious. Callen placed an arm around his nephew and looked down. Sam did not like the expression on his friend's face and started to move towards him. Jake stepped away from Callen in shock as the latter dropped to his knees and both Sam and Deeks could see a red stain growing larger on his body. Callen looked at the blood on his hand that he had unconsciously held against the wound. He sank further back on his heels, raised his face towards his partner who was approaching fast and keeled over as pain and shock took over as the adrenaline subsided.