DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to the NCIS or NCIS:LA characters, only my own
Amanda stood in their bedroom folding the last of the laundry from their trip. They were only gone a week, but still had three loads to do. Callen came in holding a box. "Hey Amanda, did you order anything from a company in Colorado or know anyone there?"
"No, why?" She asked when Callen showed her the box. "What's the name on the return address?"
"It says MJ Industries out of Colorado Springs." He told her.
"I don't recognize the name. It's addressed to Mrs. Callen. If I'd ordered something it would come as Amanda Rogers or Amanda Callen."
"Do you want me to open it?"
"No, let me make a call first. Who delivered it?" Amanda asked as she walked out of the room.
"Fed Ex." He called and followed her.
Amanda walked into the living room and picked up her cell phone off the table. "Hey Kevin, I just received a package via Fed Ex from an MJ industries. Neither G or I ordered anything nor do we know anyone in Colorado. It's addressed to Mrs. Callen, can you trace the origin of the package and research the company name for me? I'd do it but our office is closed for another week."
"Sure I'll get back to you as soon as I get something on it. Are you suspicious of it?"
"Yeah I am."
"Give me twenty minutes." He said and hung up.
"Who'd you call?" Callen asked when she walked back into the bedroom.
"A friend at the CIA, he told me he was going to work through the holidays, just taking Christmas Day and New Year's Day off if I needed anything."
"Are you worried about this package?"
"There's only one person I know of in Colorado and he shouldn't be able to sent stuff like this."
"But he can have someone do it for him." Callen said and lightly shook the package. He set it down and called Hetty. Per her instructions, they took the package to Rose at the ME's office to have it x-rayed.
"It looks like a bottle of wine or some kind of liquid and some chocolates." Rose said looking at the digital copy of the scan. "It looks like there's an invoice and an additional envelope in it."
"I know how this is going to sound, but do you have a Geiger counter?" Callen asked.
Rose laughed then composed herself when Callen stood straight faced. "You're serious about this?"
"Amanda didn't order anything and we only know one person in Colorado."
"His initials just happen to be MJ, too." Amanda said and her cell phone rang. She stepped out of the office and into the hall. "Hey Kevin what have you got?"
"You were right to be suspicious. There is no business license for an MJ Industries in the US and I could find no other business records. It was dropped off at a FedEx store near the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. I've got my guys going through the camera footage so we might be able to figure out who the sender is."
"Alright Kevin, thank you. We're at the LA County MEs office right now. They've x-rayed it and it appears to be a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates. There also appears to be an invoice and additional envelope in the box. When you called, G asked if they had a Geiger counter."
"Wow" he laughed. "A Geiger counter? Are you being a little paranoid?"
"No, if this is the guy we think it is he's responsible for my accident last year along with about a million other things over the years. The only problem is that he's currently a resident of the Federal Super-Maximum Prison in Colorado."
"Oh shit. That would be Marcel Jeanvier?"
"Yes."
"Call your director; see if you can't send the box to your forensic lab here in DC. Test the chocolates and the wine, fingerprints, the whole nine yards."
"I will, thanks Kevin."
"As soon as I have an ID on the person who dropped it off I'll let you know."
Amanda walked back into the office and laughed as Callen was dusting the box for prints. "Is the server up while everyone's on vacation?" He asked.
"I can call Leon and ask, Kevin suggested sending it to Abbey."
Callen nodded. "Yes just to be safe, I think we should. We can run these prints if we can log onto the server."
Amanda walked back into the hall and placed her call to the Director. After explaining the box and the lack of information on the company he agreed that they needed to send the box to Abbey. He laughed when Amanda told him Callen had already dusted the box for prints and wanted to run the prints through the programs if they could get on the server.
The Director said he'd have Abbey run them when she received the package. With that, the call ended. They carefully placed the box in a plastic bag and placed it in another box for shipment to Abbey. They hope to have word back soon and within a week, Abby has a list of names of those who had handled the box. All but one of the set of prints belonged to FedEx employees. The other set belonged to an Anthony Ware. As soon as the office was open again, Amanda ran a background on him.
Amanda knew when she woke up and Callen wasn't in bed that he gone for a run. She rolled out of bed and started her day like she did every morning with very full bladder. After a trip to the bathroom, she walked up the hall and into the kitchen. There was no coffee, turning around she realized none of the lights were on and checked the time again to make sure she didn't read it wrong since she hadn't put on her glasses yet. It was six forty-five. He should've been back thirty minutes ago.
She walked through the kitchen to the back door to see if he was out back, but it was locked. Amanda ran to the front door and it was locked too. Panicked she ran to his old room and threw open the door knowing that he would sit in there if he had something to mull over and needed to be alone. He wasn't there. She ran to the bathroom but the door was open and the light was off, besides he used the bathroom in the master bedroom. Growing more and more worried by the moment she called for him and got no response. Amanda stopped at the door to the spare room and threw it open; he wasn't there either. She called him again and again but got nothing.
Call him, she thought and ran back to the bedroom for her cell phone. Without removing the charging cord, she dialed his number and listened. Five rings and it went to voicemail. She couldn't think, she didn't know what to do. A wave of nausea washed over her and she bolted to the bathroom. After dry heaving for ten minutes, she went back into the bedroom and called Hetty, she answered on the second ring.
"Good morning Mrs. Callen." She said.
"He's gone; he should've been back from his run by now." Amanda told her.
She heard the clank of Hetty's porcelain tea cup. "When did he leave?"
"He usually leaves at five thirty and runs for a half hour to forty-five minutes, comes home starts a pot of coffee and showers. The front and back doors are both locked and he's not anywhere in the house."
"Did you call him?"
"I did it rang five times and went to voicemail."
Hetty gave a pensive sigh. "I'll have Ms. Blye come sit with you and."
"No, I'm coming in." Amanda told her cutting her off.
"I think it would be best if you stayed at home Amanda."
"I can't I have to find him."
"Get yourself dressed, I'll call Ms. Jones and Mr. Beale and have them start searching for him. I will call Ms. Blye and have her pick you up; you don't need to be driving right now." Hetty told her and hung up knowing Amanda was going to fight her on waiting for Kensi.
Amanda sat on the bed for a moment as another wave of nausea hit. With a few deep breaths, she opened the drawer in her nightstand and took out a sleeve of crackers, she ate a couple and waited for it to pass. When it had, Amanda got dressed and sat in the living room waiting for Kensi. It seemed like forever before the knock came. She rushed to the door and pulled it open.
"Is he back yet?" Kensi asked.
Amanda couldn't speak, only shook her head grabbed her bag, her keys and walked out the door locking it behind her. Leaving Kensi standing on the porch, she walked to the Cadillac and got in the passenger seat. Finally Kensi quickly walked to the car and got in and looked at Amanda before she started the engine. She had worry written all over her face.
"We're going to find him Amanda." She said reaching over and grabbed her hand.
Amanda shook her head fighting off the tears. "We have to."
Hetty was waiting for them when they arrived, expecting Amanda to come see her, she was a little put out that she headed immediately up to Ops. Kensi walked into the bullpen, Sam was already there worried, waiting. "Was he there when you got there?" Sam asked. He'd called Callen several times after Hetty had called him, but got the same thing as Amanda; five rings and voicemail. They left their bags sitting on their desks and headed up to Ops.
"Please tell me you've got something." Amanda said when she walked into Ops.
"Do you know the route he ran?" Nell asked.
"He changed it every morning, never ran the same route two days in a row. He never told me which he was running."
"We've got his phone at St. Louis and fourth Street; the North East corner of Hollenbeck Park. Deeks stopped there on the way in and found his phone in the trash bin. There were several missed calls from you and Sam." Nell told her.
"I'm searching traffic cams in the area; do you know what time he would've hit the park so we can narrow the search time?" Eric asked.
Amanda slowly sat in one of the empty chairs at another computer. "No, like I told you he never runs the same way. He could've taken any one of a number of streets."
Kensi and Sam walked in and could feel it in the air. They went to Amanda's sides. Dizzy and nauseous Amanda leaned into Kensi. Then she bolted to the door hand covering her mouth. "This isn't good for the baby." Sam said.
"We need to get Mrs. Callen home and relaxed if at all possibly. I know she's going to fight it, but Ms. Blye would you take her home?" Hetty asked.
"Yes Hetty." Kensi said and nodded.
"Mr. Hanna, call your wife and have her come up and sit with them, I hope her presence will help to calm her. I'll pay for your children's afternoon care if need be."
"They can go to the neighbor's house, they'll understand. As soon as I tell them it involves G they'll do anything they can to help."
"Very well Mr. Hanna. As soon as Mr. Deeks arrives, I want the two of you chasing any leads we may find. The Director has contacted Special Agent Cooper and asked that he assist with the search for Mr. Callen. Deputy Director Granger will be landing at LAX in three hours he will help as well. It's Tuesday, I want Mr. Callen found by the weekend." Hetty said and went to find Amanda.
Hetty walked past Amanda's office on the way to the restroom and notice the door was ajar. She knocked and opened the door. Amanda said in a ball on the couch sobbing. "I'm having Ms. Blye take you home. Mrs. Hanna will meet you there. As soon as we have any leads we'll call you. This is not good for the baby, you need to calm down and relax."
"How Hetty? This is G, my husband."
"We all love and care about Mr. Callen, maybe not as much as you, but you've got to trust that we will do everything possible to find him. Special Agent Cooper is on his way up from Pendleton to help as well as Deputy Director Granger. Director Vance promised as many more agents as we need to find him. We will find him Amanda." Hetty told her and put her arms around her.
"I'll go if you promise to call every hour with an update."
"That would be more time consuming. Let us focus on finding him, we'll call you periodically throughout the day." Hetty told her.
Amanda sighed and wiped away the remaining tears. "Fine."
Kensi, Sam, Nell and Eric found it. Callen was mid stride when a white van pulled up and two men got out. He fought them until one hit him over the head with a crowbar. After they got him in the van, they took his phone from the holder on his upper arm and threw it in the trash. Then doors closed and the van was gone. Eric tried in vain to access other angles to get a look at the license plate number, but every attempt failed. Nell accessed other traffic cams trying to find the van, but at that time in the morning when several companies made deliveries it was impossible to pinpoint the right van.
Hetty walked back into Ops as they were replaying the footage for the tenth time trying to get a shot of the plate. She stopped dead, fear rising in her gut. Finally, she went to Kensi's side and told her Amanda was in her office. Kensi grabbed Amanda's bag and walked out.
"Mr. Beale can we get anything on that van?" She said once the Ops doors were closed.
"We've been trying everything, there were hundreds of white vans out at that time making deliveries, we're going to have to take it frame by frame to see if we can find any damage or distinguishing features that we can put in to Kellidescope to start a search. Without a license plate number it could take hours or even days and we may never know exactly where the van wound up." Nell told her.
"Not good enough. This is Special Agent Callen, we have to do everything humanly and technologically possible to find him. This team cannot function long-term without him. If we don't find him for that reason, then we need to find him for Amanda." Hetty told them.
Amanda was completely silent on the way back to the house. She didn't want to go home, anywhere but home and thought about suggesting going to Kensi's house. Home meant she had to stare at everything that was him, them and she didn't know if she could handle it. When they did pull up out front of the house, Amanda sat in the car for a few minutes before she got out. Hetty had called Martha and she watched from the front window. Finally Amanda got out and slowly walked to the front door. She handed Kensi the keys so she could unlock it. Once the door opened and Kensi stood in the living room, Amanda hesitated again.
Amanda threw herself on the couch and tried not to look around. Kensi started a pot of coffee since neither of them had had any yet. In the four years since Amanda's case, Kensi finally had perfected her coffee making skills and regularly made pots at work that everyone willingly drank. Once it was brewed, she made up two cups and brought them to the living room. Handed one to Amanda and sat on the loveseat watching her. By ten thirty, Michelle was there. No matter what she or Kensi tried, Amanda withdrew more and more into herself. At one, Amanda retreated to the backyard. Kensi knew she had a pack of cigarettes stashed out there and figured it was better than having Amanda go crazy with worry.
Without knowing how many cigarettes were left in the pack, Michelle headed to the store and bought her two more. She sat them on the counter by the back door so all Amanda had to do was open the door and grab another pack. It wasn't good for the baby, but neither was the stress and worrying. Martha couldn't take it anymore, even though she was horribly weak and in a great deal of pain, she grabbed a couple joints and headed next door. As soon as Amanda heard her voice, she was in the house. "Martha?" she said hugging the frail woman.
"Oh Amanda, Henrietta called me and I wasn't going to come over, but I watched you sit out in that back yard and smoke like a chimney, I figured I'd come smoke with you. It's better than sitting out there alone."
Amanda smiled. "God I'm going to miss you when you're gone."
"Well, here's to hoping it won't be for a while yet." She said but felt worse and worse by the day. There were mornings she'd wake up and wish she never did. Those were the days she contemplated ending it all. But she couldn't for Amanda's sake. She promised she'd do everything she could to be alive when Little Chris was born and she fully intended to make good on that promise.
Jason had a bad feeling all day. From the time he'd woken up that morning to the time he walked in the door that afternoon after school. After dropping his backpack at the door and going to the pantry for a snack and not finding anything appetizing, Roxanne finally asked him what was wrong.
"Something's wrong, I just know it." He told her on the verge of tears.
Roxanne sat at the table and pulled him over to her. "What do you mean something's wrong?"
"I don't know, but I hurt, my heart hurts." He said and Roxanne put the back of her hand to his forehead.
"You don't feel like you're running a fever, do you want some Tylenol?" She asked.
"No Mom, it's not me. Have you seen grandma, grandpa and nana Katherine today?"
"I have they're fine, we can go check on them right now if you'd like?" she offered.
"What about Amanda and G, have you talked to them today?"
"No, but I imagine they're at work. You can call and leave them a message if you'd like."
Jason nodded and Roxanne got the cordless phone for him. He dialed their number from memory and waited for the answering machine. He looked up at Roxanne and grabbed her hand when Amanda answered. "Amanda what are you doing home are you okay?"
"I'm okay, I'm good, I'm fine." She said.
"No you're not, I've heard that before when a girl came to the home after her Dad killed her mother and beat her so badly he put her in the hospital. Let me talk to Uncle G." he said,
Amanda whimpered and her voice cracked as she spoke. "Baby, Uncle G isn't here."
"What do you mean Uncle G isn't there, where is he?" He yelled.
"Jason Uncle G didn't come back from his run this morning."
"He what?"
Seeing the look on Jason's face, Roxanne grabbed the phone from him. "Amanda what happened?"
"G didn't come back from his run this morning. His phone was found in a garbage can at Hollenbeck Park."
"Did you call the police?" she asked and nearly hit herself. "Never mind, I damn near forgot who you worked for. They are looking for him, right?"
Jason saw the worry on his Mom's face, grabbed her cell phone and ran up the stairs. He was about to go into his room when he remembered the promise he'd made Amanda about only being happy in that room. With tears streaming down his face, he ran to Amanda's old room and pulled open the closet doors. He dialed Callen's number and waited.
"Hetty, we've got a call coming into Callen's phone." Nell said.
"Who is it?" She asked coming up behind her.
"It's a phone registered to a Roxanne Rogers; Amanda's sister-in-law. Whoever it is, is leaving a leaving a message."
"As soon as the call ends, I want to hear that message." She said.
"Uncle G." He cried into the phone. "You have to answer your phone, you just have to. We need you."
Nell replayed the message for everyone to hear in Ops. It was a heart-wrenching plea from a child. Hetty assumed it was Amanda's nephew and stopped Nell from playing anymore after hearing the child's sobs. They all sat silent after Nell stopped it.
"Was that Jason?" Sam asked recognizing the boy's voice from the handful of times he'd taken his son over to Callen and Amanda's to play.
Hetty turned to him. "I believe it was Mr. Hanna. The boy has quite a friendship with Mr. Callen."
Sam nodded. "I know he does. I've seen them together."
Jason quickly dialed his father's number as soon as David answered he sobbed into the phone. "Daddy, Daddy Uncle G is missing. Aunt Amanda said he never came home from his run this morning. I had a feeling something bad happened."
"Jason, where's your Mom?" he asked desperation in his voice.
"She's on the phone with Amanda." He cried.
"I'm on my way home." David told him and hung up.
Jason sat there for a few minutes trying to collect himself. When he realized it wasn't going to happen he got up and ran out the door, down the stairs and out the front door. He didn't stop until he was standing in his grandparent's kitchen. Pat, Miranda and Katherine all sat around the table and looked at the poor boy. "Jason what's wrong?"
"Uncle G is missing." He said and with that all three adults were up and on the way out the door.
Roxanne met them on the porch. "Is Jason here. He ran out of the house and I couldn't get off the phone quick enough to stop him."
"He's right here, what happened to G?" Miranda asked.
"Amanda said he never came home from his run this morning before work and his phone was found in a garbage can at Hollenbeck Park."
"Oh God." Pat said.
"Daddy's on his way home." Jason told them.
"You called your father?" Roxanne asked kneeling in front of him.
"I didn't know what else to do, I tried calling G's phone thinking he'd answer if he saw it was me but he didn't." he cried.
Roxanne pulled him into her arms. "Oh Jason. As soon as your father gets here we'll go to Amanda's to sit with her."
Jason nodded as he sobbed into his mother's chest. "We're going with you." Pat said. Miranda and Katherine were already in the house grabbed jackets and purses.
David stopped, brakes screeching when he saw everyone standing outside his parent's house. Only putting the car in park he got out and ran to Jason who was running out to him. They met half way up the walk. David hugged him and carried him to the car and belted him in. Roxanne ran home, grabbed her purse, hers and Jason's jackets and locked the door behind her.
Katherine, Pat and Miranda were already in the car waiting for David to move so they could pull out of the driveway. They sped down the freeway as fast as traffic would allow. Forty minutes later they were pulling up to the house when Jason bolted from the car before it stopped. Both David and Roxanne yelled after him. He ran up the walk screaming for Amanda, jumped onto the porch and threw open the door.
Amanda and Martha sat in the back yard and heard him coming. Amanda ran for the back door. Once Jason saw her he ran to her and buried his face in her chest, sobbing. "Jason, we told you to stay in the car until we stopped." David said when he and Roxanne finally got into the house.
"It's okay David." Amanda told him with tears streaming down her face.
David and Roxanne walked to her and hugged her. "Is there any news?"
Amanda just shook her head and burst into wretched sobs when her parents and Katherine walked in. They too went to her and enclosed her in their embrace. Martha stood at the back door watching as did Kensi and Michelle; the two women on the verge of tears themselves, holding one another. After Miranda noticed the other three, she went to each of them and thanked them for being there. Then asked what Amanda had eaten if anything.
Kensi and Michelle frowned and shook their heads. "She's only had coffee, she won't eat. We've even offered to go get her whatever she wants and she's refused." Michelle told her.
"I don't blame her, but she needs to eat. She's been smoking?" Miranda asked having smelled smoke on her.
"Sorry it was all we could think of to calm her." Kensi said.
"It's fine. I'm not upset. I thought about stopping and buying her some myself. G will kill us when he finds out, but he will have to deal with it." Miranda smiled squeezing Kensi's and Michelle's hands. "Have you three eaten?"
"We have." Kensi told her.
"Good, we can't have you three passing out or anything. Martha how are you feeling?"
"I've been better Miranda."
She laughed, "Haven't we all."
An hour later; Sam, John, Deeks, Hetty and Granger arrived. Amanda looked expectantly at them praying there as news. When Hetty shook her head, she fell back on the couch and clung to Jason. They told her that there were a few leads that they were following but as of yet there was nothing solid. Miranda asked Amanda repeatedly since their arrival what she could or wanted to eat. When she didn't answer, she turned to Kensi to ask what she'd been craving lately.
Pat and David left to pick-up several buckets of fried chicken with a myriad of sides with the hopes that something would be appetizing to Amanda. Even with everyone eating around her, Amanda couldn't bring herself to eat even a bite. The smell of the food was making her sick, not able to fight it anymore, she quickly wound her way through everyone and ran to the bathroom in their bedroom. Miranda found her sobbing with her head hung over the toilet and pulled her hair back, twisted it and grabbed a claw-clip off the vanity and put it in her hair. Then rubbed Amanda's back until she calmed. Amanda pushed herself off the floor and got into bed, pulling the covers to her chin. Miranda was going to sit on the bed with her, but Amanda told her she wanted to be alone.
She was hurt that Amanda didn't want her there, but understood at the same time. When she went back out to the living room, she reassured everyone that Amanda was okay, but wanted some time alone. Everyone nodded and talked quietly amongst themselves. When no one was looking Jason snuck out of the living room and up the hallway to the bedroom. He opened the door and saw Amanda curled into a ball with a box of tissue beside her and dozens of crumpled tissue around her. He smiled at her when he walked in and took off his shoes when Amanda pushed the tissues onto the floor and pulled the covers back. He climbed into bed next to her and she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close.
It was thirty minutes before anyone realized Jason was gone. David knew exactly where he'd gone and walked back to the bedroom. Jason and Amanda were asleep, so he left them alone and went back to the living room. At nine, instead of heading back to Tustin, Katherine went to Martha's for the night while Pat, Miranda, David, Roxanne and Kensi stayed with Amanda. Sam and Michelle headed to San Diego; Hetty, Granger, Cooper, and Deeks left as well. All prayed for some type of news in the morning.
Amanda got up at three to use the bathroom and went to the kitchen for something to eat. Kensi and her Mom were sitting in the living room talking. Amanda walked in with a plateful of chicken and mashed potatoes. They both smiled when she sat on the couch. "I thought you guys would've headed back to Tustin."
"No, we're not leaving until G comes home." Miranda told her.
"Jason has school."
"David and Roxanne think he's not going to be able to focus enough in class, so they called his teacher and explained the situation. She's going to send his school work for the rest of the week up by currier this afternoon."
Amanda smiled. "I'll help him with it, it will take my mind off all of this. Is there any news?"
Kensi shook her head. "Nell and Eric said they'd call as soon as there was anything."
"Are they working all night?" Amanda asked concerned.
"No, Hetty let them off early so they could rest, they went back in at midnight and took back over."
"The other techs are helping the search?" Amanda asked.
"Director Vance has at least one tech from every office in the state helping, even a couple in DC. Gibbs called at eight, but we didn't want to wake you."
"What did he say?"
"Hetty sent Callen's phone to Abbey. He wanted to let you know that she got it. He's asked the director if he, Tony and Tim can come out to help."
Amanda smiled. "Is Leon going to let them come out?"
"I don't know. Gibbs said they didn't have any cases right now and anything that came in could be handed off to another team."
Amanda rubbed her belly, the baby's movement followed the path of her hand. She smiled and remembered the ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby was scheduled for next Wednesday. Amanda frowned and set the plate on the table. "I'm sure G will be back in time." Her mother told her knowing exactly what she was thinking about.
"If not I'll cancel it and reschedule it until after he's home." She said.
"Is the baby moving a lot now?" Kensi asked.
Amanda got up and moved to sit next to Kensi and grabbed her hand, placing it on her stomach. The baby kicked and turned beneath her hand. Kensi laughed. "That feels so weird. I can't begin to imagine what it feels like for you."
"It's fun sometimes. Chris always lets me know he or she is there." Amanda smiled.
"G's felt the baby move?" Miranda asked.
Amanda smiled. "He has, Chris kicks his kidneys all night."
"Is that what those bruises are on his side?" Kensi asked remembering Callen had taken off his t-shirt after a workout on his way into the locker room.
"Yeah, he loves those bruises." She said and began crying.
Kensi put her arms around Amanda. "He'll be home soon, Amanda. I promise."
"We all know Jeanvier hates G with a passion, what if G doesn't come back?"
"Amanda we aren't even sure Jeanvier is behind this." Kensi told her.
"He is I guarantee it. Even though he's in prison, he's playing the part of the puppet master and controlling this."
"How can you be sure, Amanda?" Her mother asked.
"As soon as G told me about him and after we found out he hired someone to kill me, I've been doing my own research and keeping tabs on him. If Hetty would let me in the office, I'd be able to give you guys a list of guys he may have hired after Verbec was arrested."
"You've got a server here, don't you? Can't you get into your computer remotely from home?" Kensi asked.
"I've already tried they've disabled my server so I can't know what's going on. Hetty knows I'd be sitting in front of my laptop watching every part of the investigation."
"What about calling Nell and Eric, can they get into your computer?"
"They couldn't get past the encryption and firewalls. They're good, but not that good."
"Get dressed." Miranda told her.
"Why?"
"You two are going to the office. Even if you have to sneak in. If you've got a list of possible people who kidnapped G, you've got to get it to them."
"Kens are you willing to do this?" Amanda asked.
"For you and Callen, anything."
Within five minutes, Kensi and Amanda were out the door and headed to the mission. It was dark when they pulled into the parking lot. Nell and Eric sat at their computers running check after check. Nell happened to look at the bottom corner of her screen. "Someone's just pulled into the parking lot."
Eric leaned over. "Put it on the screen."
"It's Kensi and Amanda." Nell said. "What are they doing here?"
"I don't know, unlock the door, we'll find out soon enough."
Kensi and Amanda opened the door and knew when it was unlocked that Nell and Eric knew they were there. They hurried up the stairs and into Amanda's office. "What are you two doing here?" Nell asked from the door.
"Ever since Jeanvier sent me that package, I've been keeping tabs on him and whoever tries to visit him. I've got what I think is a pretty good list of possible suspects for you guys to start running."
"Does Hetty know about this?" Eric asked, excited and fearful at the same time.
"If she hadn't sent me home yesterday morning and had you guys not disable my home server, you would've has this yesterday."
"You could've called, we could've gotten into your computer." Eric told her.
Amanda laughed and looked at him over the rim of her glasses. "I'm sorry Eric as good of a hacker as the two of you are it would've taken you years to get into my computer. I set the encryption and firewalls myself. They're set to change configurations whenever someone tries to hack into them."
Eric smiled and sat on the corner of her desk. "Really, where'd you learn to do that?"
"I've worked Intel for the government for over twenty years, you'd be surprised the things I've picked up over the years. I could probably hack into the NCIS server faster than the two of you put together if given the change."
"Then why didn't you?" Nell asked.
"The Director would have my job if I did. I can't do it undetected from home. I could from Pendleton or another government facility."
"Undetected?" Eric asked.
Amanda smiled. "Eric, my clearance is as high as Hetty's. That's what twenty years of government service has gotten me. My clearance is higher than the First Intel Battalion CO's."
"Wow." Was all Nell could say.
"Ok, I sent you the list of names and everything I have on all of them. Hopefully it's a good starting place. Please don't tell Hetty we were here."
"Our lips are sealed." Nell assured her.
Miranda was waiting in the same place she'd been when they left. As soon as the door opened, she was on her feet. "Did you get it?"
"Nell and Eric have it." Amanda smiled.
"Thank God. Now to bed with you, Jason's already been up once looking for you."
Before walking down the hall, Amanda turned to Kensi. "Wake me if you hear anything."
Kensi smiled for the first time since the previous morning. "I will."
Nell and Eric worked their way through the list of names and by eight in the morning, had narrowed the list down from fifteen to five. When Hetty came in for an update, they presented her with the findings. Hetty was pleased but very curious as to where the list of names came from. Nell and Eric mentioned nothing about Kensi and Amanda's visit.
Callen woke abruptly when someone kicked him hard in the side. He gasped for air and coughed violently, writhing on the ground. It was a small room with no windows. He could smell moisture and faintly mold. There was an echo reverberating off the walls as he heard himself hacking. His head pounded.
"You've been out long enough, get your ass up." A man said pulling Callen to a sitting position by the back collar of his t-shirt. The last he remembered, he was on the way home from his morning run, thinking about Amanda when he was jumped. He looked down at his knuckles swollen and bloody and smiled knowing he'd gotten in a few good hits. "What are you smiling about you think this shit is funny?"
Callen leaned his head back on the wall. "What the hell do you want with me?"
The man knelt in front of him, but an arm and leg's distance away in the even Callen swung at him. His jaw still smarted from where Callen had landed a punch when they tried to get him in the van. "It's not what I want, it's what my boss wants. I guessed you pissed him off pretty bad if he's gone to these lengths to get you."
"I guess your boss doesn't have the balls to do this himself, he's got to hire a pathetic street punk like you to do it for him?"
It took everything he had not to him Callen for the comment. "My boss told you he was going to make you suffer. When Verbec fucked up and didn't kill your precious wife he hired me."
Callen laughed. "Jeanvier never was good at hiring capable henchmen, that's why he did it all himself."
The man hit Callen. "Yeah and because of you, he can't do that now can he?"
Callen spit a mouthful of blood at him, the hit caused him to bite his cheek and tongue. "I should've done what he wanted and killed him when I had the chance."
"Yes you should've now he's going to make you and your wife pay for your failure."
"Leave her out of this, it's between Jeanvier and me."
"Oh no." He said pulling a large knife. "Boss was flaming mad when he found out your partner and that cop survived what Sidorov did to them. He told you he'd take everything you loved away from you. When Verbec didn't take care of your wife and you wouldn't leave her bedside so he could finish it, Boss decided on a different method of approach; me."
Callen laughed to himself. This kid thought too much of himself. He probably had never handled a knife before judging by the way he held it. This could be easy or the kid could get lucky. "So what exactly does Jeanvier have planned for me?"
He smiled. "You wife has your heart right? Boss wants it to literally be in the palm of her hand."
Callen swallowed hard at the thought of Amanda opening a package to find his bloody heart inside. "You're bluffing, you don't have the balls."
He brought his arm back and backhanded Callen, his head hitting the wall hard behind him, knocking him out cold. "Who's the bitch now?" he laughed and slammed the metal door behind him.
Callen felt a presence near him and opened his eyes trying to focus. His head hurt and as soon as he focused his vision blurred again. He heard breathing and footsteps. "Who's there?" he mumbled, his tongue and cheek swollen. He heard no response. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"You're okay G. Keep your cool, they're going to find you." The voice said.
He moved his head towards the voice and tried to open his eyes. "Who are you?"
"Don't worry about that right now G, we're here. We aren't leaving until they come for you." Another voice said.
"I'm losing my mind." He said recognizing both voiced, then he passed out again.
Amanda sat on pins and needles waiting for word from Nell and Eric. Her cell phone rang, she grabbed it off the night stand trying to answer before it woke Jason. "Can you explain to me where Mr. Beale and Ms. Jones got this list of names?"
Amanda crept from the bed and left the room before she spoke. "Are you going to have my ass on a plate if I tell you the truth?"
"Your server was disabled, how Mrs. Callen?" Hetty demanded.
"I went into the office last night and sent them the file, I thought it was a good place to start."
"As angry with you and Ms. Blye as I am at the moment, these are the best leads we've had yet. You should've told me about them before I sent you home yesterday morning. We've wasted valuable time."
Amanda smiled. "Have they been able to narrow the list?"
"They have to five names. All are here in southern California at the current time."
"That's what I was hoping to hear. I bet I can guess the names, too."
"You very well may be able to, but your part in this investigation is over Mrs. Callen. No more sneaking into the mission no more trying to access the server. If you have a suggestion, you may call into Ops, that's as far as your activity goes. The Director doesn't want you over stressing yourself. If Mr. Callen is still in the area, we'll have him by the weekend. The Director wanted me to let you know that he's sending Jethro Gibbs and his team to us."
Amanda's smile grew wider. "Thank you Hetty."
"You're welcome. Now how is Jason doing?"
"He hasn't gotten up yet this morning."
"Assure him that we have our best agents looking for his uncle."
"I will." Amanda told her and ended the call.
"Do we still have jobs?" Kensi asked leaning over the back of the couch.
"Of course we do. She just said that I should've told her about it before you brought me home yesterday. Leon is sending Jethro, Tony and Tim out." She said from the kitchen as she got herself a cup of coffee and a leftover biscuit from last night's dinner.
"Good, that will help." Kensi said.