Till Death Do Us Part

Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine.


Chapter 29

Santa Barbara

Alex was in a daze, she felt strong hands rock her shoulder. They were insistent, which brought her suddenly out of her sleep. A frown creased in between her brows. She cleared the fog of her brain and saw her father. "Dad. What's up?"

Oscar Holden had her bag in his hand and appeared to be in the middle of packing.

"We can't go anywhere. Samuel's too small."

Oscar held his daughter by the shoulders as he sat on the edge of her bed. "G's arranging for a transfer for Samuel. You're all in danger."

The word danger had her agent skills kick in and she instantly looked towards the door. "From who?" As far as she was concerned, they were safe there.

"Hetty."

Alex saw the seriousness in her father's eyes and furrowed her brow. "Dad. What aren't you telling me?" She studied him further and she knew instantly that he knew much more than he'd let on to anyone.

Oscar sighed. "Sweetheart, you need to trust me for now. When we're safe, I can tell you everything." The burden that he'd carried for all of these years started to shift. It was the right time to tell her, once they were to a safer location.

Alex nodded and shifted off the bed. "I need to gather my things. What about Katie?"

"Gibbs is packing up at your house and he'll be here soon with Katie."

"Good. Make sure he finds the photo album at the back of the closet…"

"He's already got it, Ally. I told him about it. It's safe."

Alex took in a deep breath and levelled the adrenaline that flooded her system. "Thanks, Dad." She helped him gather everything that she had for herself and for Samuel in the room.

Callen popped his head in and gave her a comforting smile. He whispered in Oscar's ear before walking over and kissing her and leaving again. It had happened so quickly, she wasn't sure if she had imagined it.

Her doctor entered the room. "Kelly, is everything okay?" She'd overheard Callen's request for Samuel to be transferred to a hospital north of their location.

Alex's eyes darted over to her father's before turning back to look at Karen Elliot. "No. I'm sorry, Karen. For your protection, I can't tell you anything. But we have to move."

Karen knitted her brows together, watching her patient with her father quickly pack everything up. "Are you in danger?" Concern for the Sheer family grew deep within her.

Alex stopped what she was doing and looked over to the kind doctor who had helped her through her pregnancy and Samuel's delivery. She had been good to her and she knew that the woman deserved to be told something. "Yes. I'm sorry, but the safest thing for you is to not know anything."

"Okay." Karen noted the seriousness in her eyes. She wondered whether Tom was really Samuel's father, those cerulean eyes stared out in stark contrast to the brown eyes the family possessed. Perhaps the real father has threatened to take him away.

Callen appeared again with Samuel in his arms. "You ready?"

They nodded and looked over to the doctor.

"Thanks, Karen for everything." Alex hugged the woman.

"Thanks, doc. We won't forget you." Callen carefully removed his contact lenses. It wasn't worth him hiding his eyes anymore. Hetty knew what he looked like now with his contacts in. "I'm sorry, but we can't tell you who we really are."

Karen's eyes widened at the surprise of Tom's true eye colour. It made sense now as to Samuel's vibrant blue eye colour. They must be a family in the witness protection and they have to move again. "Stay safe." She watched them leave and as she stood at the window, she saw them climb into an unmarked black SUV and vanished.

Mendoza, Argentina

Samuel paced the office and heard a car door slam shut. Elena's husband, Santino, had returned. He entered the home and made his way to the kitchen and boiled the kettle. He poured himself a cup of tea and opened up his laptop. It was a quieter time of the year in the vine harvesting. He'd been up at the crack of dawn checking his vines, to ensure they were surviving the overnight temperatures. He'd placed a special net over the vines to keep the frost from them and it had proven to be successful in all the years since he'd taken on his own vineyard. He'd learned much from his father and he was teaching his sons to carry on the family tradition in like manner.

"We have company." He turned and smiled at his wife's aunt.

"I noticed a strange vehicle out front. Are they in with Elena?"

"Yes, they are. They have travelled far to see her."

"Should I be worried?" He noticed how settled Alexa was as she sat at the kitchen table, pouring over old family recipes and writing out a shopping list.

"They are friends with your sister-in-law and brother-in-law."

Santino's eyes widened. "Friends of Lexi and Gavrill?"

Alexa's smile widened. "Yes. Apparently you have a new nephew. Samuel."

"And you, a new great nephew. Congratulations. Your sister would have loved to see her girls grow up into the women they are now. I gather that means that Gavrill's returned to be with Lexi then?"

A small chuckle escaped her lips. "It appears so." The news brightened her in her older years. Hiding away in this beautiful part of the world had helped her with the sadness of what her cousin had caused on their family.

Elena exited her office and found Santino and her aunt conversing in the kitchen. "We have guests, Sant. Friends of my sister's." He saw the smile on her lips, but he also noted the worry in her eyes.

"But you are worried."

"For Lexi and her family. She's recently given birth to a son. He's eight weeks premature. But Oscar Holden is moving them to a safe location."

"It's a good thing that your father asked Oscar to take good care of your sister. He's a good man. Can these visitors be trusted?"

She nodded her head. "The woman was hired to get in close with Hetty and watch her closely. The man, he's Gavrill's best friend. He sent them here for Lexi. She's just found out who she is and she is worried about the blood feud."

"Does this mean that Hetty no longer has a hold over Gavrill?"

"I think so. He's been away from her for over a year, but Nell and Sam are worried about them being found. I think Gavrill's been in contact with Hetty recently and has told her where they've been hiding."

Sadness for her sister took over her expression. "She was burned in the Ukraine and almost died. Gavrill and another colleague went in under old aliases and rescued her. They've been hiding ever since from Hetty and the agent who'd burned her. The rogue agent has been arrested, but Hetty is still a risk. But I've also been told by Nell and Sam, that the Ukrainian whom they rescued her from, a Roman Basara, is also looking for them." She shuddered over the danger that her sister was in.

"We can help with the Basara problem. Send our people into the Ukraine and kill him."

"He's got men in the States, looking for them."

"I'll make a call." Santino left them and walked out to the rear building to his office, he made a call. His wife's family came in good stead in situations like this. They knew people who would kill for them to protect family. It gave him reassurance that they could end this Roman Basara once and for all. For his wife, he'd do anything.

Los Angeles

Henrietta Lange paced her office. It had been three days and she'd not heard once from Nell or Sam. She'd tried their cells but both were switched off. She picked up her phone and dialled the NCIS office. "This is Hetty Lange from OSP in Los Angeles. Could I please speak with Special Agent Glen Hadly?"

Jack Spencer knew exactly who Hetty was, but he said nothing as he passed the phone over to his boss. "A Hetty Lange from the Los Angeles office."

"But we don't have an office in L.A." Glen furrowed his brow and sat in his chair as he watched Jack shrug and leave the office.

"Special Agent Hadly. Miss Lange, how can I help you?"

Hetty smiled as she heard the team leader of the Argentina office answer her call. "Mr Hadly. I have two of my people in your neck of the woods. I haven't heard from either of them in three days. I was hoping that you and your team might be able to search them out to see if they are safe."

Glen Hadly sighed. They were a small team and already busy with their own work, let alone check up on this woman's people. "Why wasn't I informed of your people coming down here, Miss Lange? This worry of yours could have been prevented if we knew of their presence."

"They've gone down there for a personal matter. It's out of my domain."

"I'm sure that they're fine. Send me through their details and we will look out for them."

"Thank you, Mr Hadly. Your assistance is much appreciated." She disconnected the call and dialled through to Ops.

"Mr Beale. Can you please send Nell and Sam's details through to Agent Hadly in the Argentina office."

"Will do, Hetty." Eric Beale looked over at Owen Granger who stood behind him with his hands in his pockets.

"What has she asked for you to do?" Owen Granger stepped closer to the Technical Operator.

"Send Nell and Sam's details through to an Agent Hadly down in Argentina. Why would she ask me to do that?"

"She's worried. Send them through."

Eric raised his brow. "Is Nell and Sam down in Argentina?"

"Yes." Owen kept his composure, he didn't want to startle the tech, who would give the ball away to Hetty if he said anything to him.

"Are they okay?" Beale looked over at him over his glasses.

"I'm sure they are. She's not dealing with having her people out of the country. She has no control over their visit. It's a personal one, she has no jurisdiction." Inside, Owen chuckled over it all. After Nell's phone call earlier, he'd expected as much from the Operations Manager. She was going down and he was glad about it.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Special Agent Glen Hadly opened up his email and stopped short when a familiar face appeared before him. He looked over to Jack and waved him over.

"Has Nell been in contact with you recently?"

Jack shrugged. "Maybe."

"I take that as a yes. Please tell me that you know that she is in the country and that you know where?"

"I do, but if that was Hetty asking you for information, I've been asked to tell you to stop right there."

"Jack, I've known you for almost fifteen years. We're a close unit and I also know that you and Nell were close back in the day. What's going on?"

"They're not here for work, Glen. They are looking for someone for a friend. That is all. Low risk. I've done some surveillance and risk analysis for her and her partner. Big guy, no need to worry about either of them."

"Their Operations Manager in L.A. begs to differ. Tell me where they are, Jack."

"No. Sorry, Glen. I am not helping this Hetty woman."

"Have they gone rogue?"

"No. You know Nell. She's clean as a whistle. Her partner is a former Navy SEAL. He's full of honour and integrity. Both clean. Director Vance and Assistant Owen Granger will vouch for either of them."

"Are you telling me that Vance and Granger know about their visit, but it's personal? I'm missing something, aren't I?"

"It's complicated and I cannot tell you anything more. If you would prefer, I can call Nell for you so you can ask her in person?"

Glen Hadly felt that he was being placed in between a rock and a hard place and he didn't like it one bit. "I think I will take you up on that offer, Jack."

Jack dialled his cell and waited for Nell to answer.

"Hi, Jack. What's up?"

"Glen wants a word."

Nell looked over to Sam who had returned to sitting, but his feet were itching to move again. He didn't like sitting where he was, waiting for news that his partner and family were safe. "Hi, Glen. Long time. How's it going?"

"Nell. It's good to hear that you're okay. Your Operations Manager is worrying about you and your partner. She's asked that we find you for her."

She and Owen had been right in their thinking. Hetty just couldn't help herself. She was only concerned about protecting herself. She really wasn't worried about her or Sam, but that she was safe from them finding out the truth. "We're fine, thanks, Glen. Just don't let her know that you know me. Can you do that for me?"

Glen looked over to Jack who sat on the edge of his desk, waiting. "Now why don't you want your current boss to know that your old boss knows you, Nell? What's going on?"

"You'll have to ask Director Vance or Assistant Director Granger for that answer, Glen. Got to go. See you." Nell disconnected the call and took a large gulp of water.

"What was that about, Nell?"

Nell looked over to a concerned Sam. "Our boss has been asking my old boss about us. Jack rang earlier to warn me. Hetty's worried."

"So she should. After all the damage she's done, she's covering up her tracks and refuses to be found out. She was adamant that we didn't come here and now we know why. She's not worried about our safety, but her own." Anger surged through Sam and once again he felt the need for revenge for his partner and his family.

Elena returned with morning tea. "Have you heard anything yet?"

"Only that Hetty's been inquiring with the team leader of NCIS down here to find us. I've just got off the phone from him. I told him to talk to our Director and Assistant Director for information."

"Good." Elena nodded her head. The last thing they needed was the local NCIS unit digging into matters that were none of their concern.

"Where are you staying?"

"At a safe house."

"NCIS safe house?"

Nell and Sam nodded.

"This isn't good. I can go with you to collect your things. It's best to make sure. If Hetty is trying to find you, then we need to make it harder for her." Elena looked at them both with worry. "I'm afraid that it won't be safe for either of you to return the same way you came. We need to return your hire car and help you get back home undetected."

"How?" Sam looked over to Nell not liking this one bit. Worry about his own family and the rest of the team grew within him. Not to mention the worry for his partner and his family.

"On land. It's okay, Sam," she tried to soothe him. "I will come with you. It's time for me to be reunited with my sister.

Sam's cell rang and he quickly picked it up.

"Sam Hanna? This is Oscar Holden. The Sheers are safe."

"Thanks, Oscar. Keep this line open for future contacts. Hetty's not got this burn phone details, it's safe to use it."

"Will do. Contact me when you're back in the country with Elena. I will tell you where to go from there."

"Thanks, Oscar. I know that Elena is eager to reunite with her sister again."