St Petersburg

Detective Marty Deeks shoved a black beanie over his blond viking locks to aid him in blending in with the darkness around him. Unlike Gibbs and Callen, who could always blend in to being locals whilst in Russia, he and Sam could not. Which is why moving in on their targets in the dark of night made sense, to hide Sam from standing out like a sore thumb. Marty had to zip his mouth shut and stay in the shadows, otherwise he would be discovered being in the beautiful northern city illegally. He could never speak Russian nor hide his strong American accent.

His companion was a young female agent who was based in Estonia, and moved to St Petersburg a week ago when they arrived, to provide support. Agent Elena Aldia, who by looking at her dark curls, you could see she wasn't far from her heritage roots in Romania. Even though the NCIS agent was as American as he was, she looked like she belonged in Europe, which assisted him in being partnered up with her for this mission. If they were captured, they could pretend they were a couple in love and lost in the city.

His blood rushed passed his ears, blocking sounds as his adrenaline pushed through him. He needed to calm himself down so he could listen to any sound which may put them in jeopardy. He took the hand of his temporary partner as they headed south from their apartment through the streets of St Petersburg. They needed to look inconspicuous—locals who belonged there.

Elena pulled Deeks into the shadows of a doorway as movement caught her attention. She wrapped her arms around him and lifted her eyes up to him. "Kiss me," she told him urgently.

Deeks' eyes widen at her request, he'd not kissed anyone other than his wife since they were partnered up, but it was the pleading and urgency in her voice which made him capitulate.

Footsteps running echoed behind him. He kept his focus on Elena and hoped whatever was going on would fade away and they could continue on their way. But the sound became louder and closer. *What the heck was going on?*

His mind whirled. He turned his head slightly, but Elena pulled him back to face her and only her. If they looked lost in passion, maybe they would escape the happenings which were going on. But having his back to the situation behind him had him on edge.

The footsteps faded, pulling Deeks out of Elena's hold. His head turned and watched the last of the black kitted out soldiers as they turned the corner—the direction in which they were heading.

"We must leave the city, it's not safe to continue," Elena urged him.

They were on blackout with the rest of their team, no time to warn them of the impending arrival of the soldiers. They looked like they were on a mission of their own, silently as much as their footsteps would allow them as they ran as a unit along the street towards the location of General Kuznetsov.

There were two possibilities. One—news of their arrival to attack the General had reached the Russian military, and they were heading into a trap. Two—which Deeks hoped was the case—the General's dealings over the Fabergé egg's theft, and the killings of US agents, and now his own government had sent soldiers in to arrest him. Which meant their mission was no longer required, although, to ensure Callen and his father remained safe, they'd preferred the General to die than to act on his vengeance, even though they'd kept the ruse of Callen's death in place.

Deeks wanted to warn Sam and Gibbs, but with no means to contact them, they were on their own. He hoped and prayed, they hadn't reached the General's residence as yet, and watched the take down from the shadows.

Elena urged him forward to their waiting vehicle to drive along the E20 into Estonia. She held his hand firmly, not wishing to lose him on the meandering she took him on, through the south western suburb of the city.

Deeks felt helpless as he left the others behind, even though he knew they were more experienced and trained than he was, both men with their military training. But there was no way the four of them could overcome the group of soldiers who were heading their way.

Callen glared at Hetty, watching her eyes widen, displaying the worry and fear for their people in St Petersburg. The call was from Director Vance. No one had reached the boat in Estonia, to escape to Stockholm and then fly home to the U.S.

"What time were they supposed to have arrived at the port?"

Her eyes shifted to her watch as Vance told her. They were eight hours overdue. Her heart squeezed tight and her breath hitched with worry.

"Is it possible some had made it out but were waiting on the last to arrive?"

"They knew protocol, Henrietta. Get out quick, regardless of who made it out, they had to go all the way to the port and onto Stockholm."

"Yet, Sam and Gibbs are trained to never to leave a man behind, Leon. You know as well as I do, that those men would not leave until they knew they all made it out of there."

"There is something else. Chatter has reached us," Leon continued, not liking what he had to share one bit.

Hetty's spine stiffened. "Tell me, Leon."

"The Spetsnaz moved in on General Kuznetsov's location last night. There was a battle, and no one at the residence survived. We have no intel on whether any of our people have been caught up in this attack." The Spetsnaz were special forces for the Russian Military, sent in to take the general captive, to answer for his dealings which almost caused an international incident with the United States. It looked like the general and his men fought to the death instead of conceding arrest.

"Do we have confirmation General Kuznetsov is dead?"

"We are only assuming at this stage. Our ambassador to Russia is enquiring confirmation of his death."

"We need confirmation, Leon. And we need to quietly find our people."

"I agree. We cannot afford for Russia to know we had people within the city last night."

"No, we cannot." Hetty heaved out a heavy breath. "Keep me in the loop, Leon."

"I will, Henrietta."

She disconnected the satellite phone, Callen's eyes stayed on her.

"They are eight hours overdue arriving at the port in Estonia. It was a black op, no communication with each other or with our agency from the moment they left the apartment, to when they reached Sillamae.

Callen squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, taking in the news. "What else?" His eyes refocused on her.

"The Spetsnaz moved in on the general's location last night. There was a firefight and no one from the general's men, survived. We have no information on what's happened to our people, if they had reached the residence when the Spectsnaz entered, or if….." She couldn't continue.

"They were caught up in it and became collateral," Callen finished for her. Air rushed out of his lungs, winding him. He took a few greedy breaths to steady himself.

"Sam and Gibbs are well trained. Better than any standard agent with their military background. We cannot give up that they've been caught up in this." His mind whirled. "They would have ensured Deeks remained safe."

"They were split up, Grisha."

"What?"

"They were paired up with agents we had on the ground in Europe, and intended on invading the residence from three sides."

"They were put with people we don't trust?" Callen snapped.

"It was too big of a job for just the three of them."

"With people we don't know or trust." Callen couldn't believe it.

"They are our people, Grisha. We have to trust people within our own agency. If we cannot, then what hope do we have?"

"This was too important and highly classified. Why wouldn't you have Gibbs' team involved?"

"We had to use people already on the ground in Europe who have slotted into the life there, to help provide cover for our men."

"Tell me how Sam can fit in, huh?"

"It is why night time was chosen for our people to move in. The intelligence about the Spetsnaz was not picked up to stop them from their mission."

"Then they should not have gone." It was plain simple to Callen. "They better be alive…"

"Or what, Grisha? What will you do to Director Vance who orchestrated this mission? What can you do, when you're supposed to be dead?"

"Does Vance believe I am dead?"

"No, he does not. He's one of the few who's in the loop on the truth."

"Then it's time my family leave this place. It's not safe. Someone obviously has leaked to the Russians about our people being in St Petersburg. For all we know, they could be on their way here to finish us all off."

"You are over reacting, nor are you in the position to fly."

"I flew here, didn't I?"

"Yes, but your actions were foolish."

His face flushed with anger. "I needed to be with my family to heal, Hetty." He bit into the side of his right cheek and held strong for Sam, Deeks and Gibbs. He couldn't afford to lose any of them.

"I realise that."

"Then let us go."

"Wait, until someone finds out more."

"It could be too late then. John can fly us there. I hear he has his pilot license?"

"Yes, he does." Hetty nodded her head. She understood Callen's paranoia, but unfortunately, his reality proved his gut instincts way too often.

"Gather your family. We will all go."

"To Moresby Island?"

"Yes. To your father."

"Thank you, Hetty. Please, if Vance calls you, don't leave anything out."

"I will keep you apprised on the situation at hand."

Callen felt dizzy when he stood, and decided it was due to the lack of water in his body, and the stress over his three brothers missing in action. He gripped the back of the wooden chair for a moment, before exiting the study. He needed answers and reassurance, that they were not in danger where they now hid from the outside world.