A/N: Thanks for your continued support and to those who have left reviews.
Chapter 34
Nothing passed Garrison, like his son, Hetty observed. She'd barely finished her conversation with Mr Beale, when he beelined for her, for a private conversation.
"Henrietta, tell me," he pressed. "Stephen has updated me, I know what's going on, if I can help, let me make a call."
"Mr Deeks and his partner are safe. Unfortunately, I do not know for how long, since they remain within Russia's borders."
"Where?"
Hetty drew in a deep breath and expelled it. "Walk with me, Garrison." She didn't want anyone to overhear their conversation. They headed for the jetty and she took in the serenity of the place, the stillness of the inlet, with forest covered mountains to the east. Why would anyone wish to live anywhere else, when you had this? she mused.
"They have refuge in Beseda."
"That is near the Narvskoye Vodokhranishche. I have a trusted friend who could get them into Estonia by boat. Isn't that where they were supposed to have reached?"
"Yes." Hetty's mind whirled. "It would be better to get them out soon. Who knows who is searching for them?"
"You can use my satellite phone to make your call." She pulled the brick out of her jacket pocket and handed it over to Garrison. Why hadn't she thought Garrison may know of someone to help them? Her worry was clouding her judgement and she wasn't thinking clearly.
Garrison spoke in fluent Russian to his trusted friend, and he stopped and looked at Hetty for the address. She gave it to him without hesitation, understanding the need to trust Grisha's father with this task. Garrison made a second call, before handing the phone back to Hetty.
"Thank you." She took the phone and made a quick call to Eric to update him. He quickly sent a coded message to Deeks, hoping he saw it and expected the arrival of Garrison's friend.
The wooden door to the bedroom quietly opened. Elena peeped her head out, she too had heard the noise and went on alert. Her eyes scanned the sig in Deeks' hand and nodded, pleased he held the weapon in his hands. She knew he was a good marksman, one had to be when Hetty was in charge. She tiptoed to the kitchen for a knife, and held it in her hand, waiting for the attack.
A faint knock sounded. "Aunt Bertha and Uncle Barty? I have your kitten food for delivery." The man held a Russian accent, and neither Deeks or Elena trusted the man.
"We do not have a cat which needs the food," Elena responded with perfect Russian. "You have the wrong address."
"A friend sent me. Garrison is my friend. He asked me to get you into Estonia quickly. A Miss Henrietta Lange is with him."
Deeks' head whirled. Garrison was the alias Callen's father used these days, and the last he'd heard, he was in a safe location, rescued and hidden by a relative of Callen's mother. His eyes shifted for the laptop and moved every so quietly to see if Eric sent another message. They remained cautious since their rescuer had arrived a day early. However, this man knew too much and only someone sent by Garrison and Hetty, would know this kind of detail.
Deeks spied the message. "Good news, Aunt Bertha and Uncle Barty. We have someone close by who can deliver your kitten's food sooner. Be ready to receive your order."
A sigh expelled out of Marty's lips, and nodded to Elena. "It's safe."
Elena nodded in return and walked to the door, unlocking the door. The knife remained in her hand, just in case.
"Please come in."
The man placed a bag of kitten food on the floor near to the door. His eyes moved between Elena and Marty. "Have you heard from your friends if they are safe?"
"We don't know where they are or if they made it out," Deeks told the man.
"I'm sorry. No word has reached Henrietta, you two are the only ones who have made contact."
Sadness filled Deek's chest. He couldn't go there and think the worst. Not Sam or Gibbs.
"Come, we must leave now."
"I need to leave a note." Elena scrawled something in Romanian to Felix, before she placed the knife back in the block and grabbed a bag. Somehow, she'd managed to keep hold of the backpack which held their documents and emergency supplies.
She watched Deeks walk outside first, before following behind. Her eyes scanning around them, ensuring they were safe, even though she knew in her gut that they were. Felix lived in a normal village in Russia. Nothing untoward was going to happen to them, as long as they stayed far away from the E20.
The man had a van, and the two of them climbed into the rear. They settled in while their contact firmly closed the door, sending them into darkness. The seating was basic, but there was a seat belt to keep them in place for the journey. As the tires scraped along the bitumen, they fell asleep from the smooth drive. They'd made a few turns, disorientating Deeks before he succumbed to the sleep his head obviously needed. The pounding continued to send daggers inside his skull, waking him up now and then.
The van came to a stop and their driver opened the rear door—the brightness of the sun blinded them, they quickly shielded their eyes from the light as they unclipped their seat belts. Their eyes slowly adjusted, but Deeks concussion refused to let up and he swayed as he jumped down from the van. Elena held a strong grip on his arm.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Her eyes measured his response before letting go of him.
"I'm fine. Just taking a little longer to gather my bearings. Man, I could do with some more pain relief."
Their driver threw him a pill bottle. "Take two with water." The man gestured for them to move towards a boat. It was a medium size boat with a cabin. "Stay down below."
Elena made sure Deeks' head did not hit the roof as he bent down to go inside the cabin, he didn't need an other knock to the head. Satisfied this man who had come to take them to Estonia was safe, she joined Deeks down below. So far, their journey had been uneventful and she hoped it remained that way.
"I have a vehicle waiting for you on the other side. We must depart after we reach land in Estonia." The man remained unnamed, and he only referred them to the aunt and uncle names Marty had messaged Eric with earlier. Best if they don't reveal their true identities.
The hum of the boat's engine came to life and they moved forward. Deeks took a steady breath, they were leaving Russia behind, and he couldn't be happier. Well, that wasn't true, he would be happier if his head didn't pound, and he was reunited with his wife and son. He'd been away too long from them and he couldn't wait to be reunited with them. He hoped he would never again be separated from them.
He looked out the window of the cabin at the lake they were crossing, smaller boats dotted the view here and there, but otherwise it was peaceful on the lake. They had a long journey to go, as they were still in the arm of the lake. Once it opened up, it wouldn't be long before they moved into Estonian waters, and safety, he hoped and prayed.
The land remained close to the north of the boat, but behind him, Deeks noticed the land pulled back and revealed the main body of the lake. Their driver was keeping to the northern edge of the lake, to a pier just across the border, so they could get into their awaiting vehicle and head to the port where they were supposed to have taken a larger boat to Sweden. Stockholm awaited them, but would he be allowed onto a plane to fly home to his family, or would he be taken into medical care until his head felt normal again? The uncertainty of his fate hung heavily on his shoulders. If only he could lie down again to get some sleep.
Elena knitted her brows in concern over Marty Deeks' concussion. He looked like he was about to collapse, and she moved to sit beside him for support. Her right arm held him up.
"I need to lie down. Need some shut eye," Deeks mumbled.
"I need you to stay away and alert. Until we get to the next boat. Okay?"
"I wish I could agree, but I don't think I can."
"I'll help you. Talk to me about anything."
Deeks' mind whirled in circles. "I can't. My head hurts."
"Try. Who do you have back home waiting for you?"
"I can't say. Not safe."
"Do you have any funny stories you can tell me?"
"I was in a band once. Lead singer."
"That's a start. So you can sing?"
"Well, I never said I was good."
"What was the name of the band?"
"Touching Wood."
"Interesting." Elena pressed him more with questions.
"How well did you do?"
"Not good, but we thought we were back then."
Moving on. "When did you first shoot someone?"
"Now, that's an interesting question."
"Why is that?"
"Because I was eleven at the time, and it was either me shoot my father or him shoot me and my mom."
"I'm sorry." Elena bit her tongue after that.
"Don't be. It is was it is. I got my mom away from a violent situation."
"And yourself."
"Yeah!"
"Is that what made you become what you are today?"
"Oh that. Well, I'm not what you think I am." Deeks' gave her a lopsided grin.
"What are you then if you're not what I presumed you are?"
"I'm a cop. A detective for LAPD."
"Oh! Not for,"
"Liason officer. But," Deeks drawled out, "someone higher decided to move someone in over Hetty, and she pushed me out back to LAPD."
"I don't understand, how come you were sent here, if you're not part of—"
"Long story. But one of our cases ended up one of their cases. I was thrown back into my old team, which I am thankful for. Being back with my family is where I belong." His heart squeezed tight and he fought the emotions that threatened to topple him.
"Sam and Gibbs are well trained in the military before they joined. If anyone can get themselves out of a difficult situation, it's them."
"I hope so." Elena hoped for Deeks and Hetty's sake, that her men returned safely, especially after the recent loss of Callen. Elena tried to remember the blue eyed man he'd become. Of course, Hetty never introduced them, but she knew about him. Like her, hidden from the Comescus. It was something the two of them had in common, yet, she never existed to Callen. He'd had a rough childhood and his teenage years being moved about in the welfare system. It wasn't good for any child or teenager to go through what he'd been through, and Hetty had done all she could to keep him safe, but, Hetty had been adamant, it wasn't safe for the two of them to be together. The two Romanian children she'd hidden from the Comescus, could never be seen together.
There was a niggling in Gibbs' gut that something wasn't right. "Pull off the main highway, we'll head north from here and see if we can find a boat to take us into Estonia that way instead."
Sam listened to his older companion, understanding that gut instincts with Gibbs' weren't taken lightly. They had barely left the outer suburbs of St Petersburg when morning broke, and they were hours behind schedule. When they went to find their vehicles, they had been stolen. Vanished from sight. The car they drove now had been hot-wired, and the less they were in it, the safer it was. They were on their own, and getting out of Russia towards safety was their highest priority.
Leaving the E20, Gibbs settled from the tension that had gripped his stomach hostage. The road was sealed at least and it didn't take them long to reach the Gulf of Finland.
"I think it would be safer for us to hop on a fishing boat and head to Finland, and from there, get across to Stockholm another way," Gibbs told Sam.
"I like the way you're thinking, since we don't know if Estonia is safe." Sam looked at his watch. "And we're way behind on time. Our contact wouldn't have waited for us. It would have been reported that we missed our meeting point on time. That we are missing."
"I hope Deeks and Elena made it out safely." Gibbs wasn't sure on the two's ability to get themselves to safety without help.
"And that Elena is safe, not a rogue agent."
"There is that possibility." Sam hesitated as he pulled up beside a small fishing port. Doubt settled in his mind that leaving Russia without Deeks was a huge mistake.
"Let's keep to the plan, just in case Deeks needs us."
Gibbs nodded, thinking of the detective. "A small boat then, one which we can manoeuvre into Estonia."
Sam allowed Gibbs to assess the boats they found and stayed with the vehicle until the older man gave him the nod that he'd found the one. It was quiet along here, most of the fishing boats had already left port, and their timing was bad for their Finland plan anyway. Sam pulled himself out of the vehicle and headed down the jetty towards Gibbs. His eyes scanned the area, and the hairs on his back of his neck stood on their ends. It meant one thing, they were being watched. His eyes met with an older man, who was watching their move. Sam gave the man a nod and kept walking, not wanting to stay, especially now they had an audience.
Sam unhooked the ropes and jumped on board the smaller boat and settled besides Gibbs at the helm. Both men were comfortable on the water, and allowed Gibbs to start the motor, the roaring of it echoed around them. Gibbs pulled the boat out of the slip and headed out to sea. He gave the elderly fisherman a wave with this hand as they left, hoping, they weren't reported and had the Russian authorities after them.
It was the risk they needed to take, and both men sighed with relief as they moved along the coast and into Estonian waters.
"There's the pier we were supposed to meet." Gibbs pointed out to his colleague.
Sam's eyes peeled the area, ensuring it was safe for them to head in to land. "It's quiet. Too quiet." Like it had been back in Russia.
Gibbs and Sam remained alert as they pulled the boat into a smaller pier. Sam jumped out and looped the rope over the posts, helping Gibbs secure the boat, before the engine cut out.
"I wish I had some way to thank the owner for the loan of his boat and leave him gas money." Gibbs didn't like stealing other people's hard work. And this boat had been the life line for someone's family.
"I think I can help you with that." A man appeared from within one of the sheds near to where they walked. He'd been watching them arrive, being tipped off from a contact from where the boat had been taken. He was around Gibbs' height, slightly stockier, and appeared friendly.
Gibbs stopped mid stride and walked over to the man who had spoken to them. "Do you know the owner of the boat?"
"I do." He studied the older man and his companion more closely. "I also happen to have heard you're late for your next leg of your journey."
"Who are you?" Gibbs stared into the brown eyes of this stranger.
"A friend of a friend. And, you're both fortunate it was a friend of mine who watch you leave in that boat. If it had been anyone else, you'll be dead by now."
"What do you mean, dead?" Sam questioned the man, closing in the gap.
"Steady on, Agent Hanna."
Sam frowned at the mention of his true identity.
"I am a friend of Garrison's. He made contact with me to look out for a blue eyed, white haired man, late sixties, with a largely built African American. He's asked another trusted friend to collect two of your colleagues from a small village close to the border." He looked at his watch. "They should be here within the next half hour."
"How do we know we can trust you?" Sam eyed the man.
The unknown man spoke fluent Russian to Gibbs and only Gibbs. "Is he always this suspicious?"
"He is, after being betrayed by his so called partner, who tried to strangle him."
The man arched his brow, and looked back at Sam. "Strangle you, huh?" He couldn't see any ligature marks on his skin.
"He failed, obviously," Sam told him, plainly.
"And what about your partner, Agent Gibbs?" The man returned to Russian. Garrison must have told him that Gibbs was fluent in Russian.
"He also attempted to kill me."
"Which explains why you're both without them. I will make contact with Garrison. Come with me, we have time before the other two arrive."
Sam and Gibbs followed the man into an old shed. It smelled of gasoline and fish. The insides were wet, someone had washed down the blood from the fish which had been caught during the night.
The man pulled out a satellite phone and made a call. It didn't take long and a woman answered it. "Hello? Who is this?"
The man handed the phone over to Sam. "For you."
"Hetty?" Sam walked away to the furtherest point inside the shed to the stranger, who remained with Gibbs.
"Mr Hanna." Hetty sighed with relief. "You made it to the port? Is Mr Gibbs, and the other agents with you?"
"Only me and Gibbs, Hetty. Grasby attempted to strangle me, and I found Gibbs wrestling with Evans when I went looking for them. We tried to get out of Saint Petersburg sooner, but our vehicles had been stolen, and we had to find another vehicle to get out of the city. We took a boat the rest of the way."
"We have been extremely worried about the two of you."
"Are you sure Deeks is safe with this woman?"
"Miss Aldia can be trusted, and from what I have heard, she's worked hard to keep Mr Deeks safe. They were lured off the E20 with a detour sign, into a fire fight, sending them off the road into a ravine. Somehow, Miss Aldia managed to pull an unconscious Mr Deeks out of the vehicle before it exploded, and got away from the wreckage and called her cousin who lives nearby. They've been hiding out there until Garrison could get a contact to them to extract them."
"How did you know all of this?" Sam's mind was trying to keep up.
"Mr Beale found information on the security feeds on the E2o after hearing reports about a shootout nearby. Mr Deeks made contact via the kitty food website, and Mr Beale spotted it immediately. I chose Miss Aldia especially to go in as Mr Deeks' partner. Unfortunately, we had no information to hint about Grasby and Evans. I am sorry, Sam."
"On the bright side, Hetty, the betrayals stopped us from entering the property when the army arrived."
"Thank you for that news, Sam." Hetty smiled, pleased and thankful her men and Elena were safe. Soon, they would be home.
"I will advise Director Vance of the situation with Agents Grasby and Evans, and Mr Gibbs' team will investigate to get to the bottom of it. Stay safe, Mr Hanna."
"Thanks, Hetty. How is, you know?"
"He is recovering well, and will be pleased to hear this update." She smiled for the first time in a while.
Sam disconnected the call and walked back over. "All is well back home."
"Good." Gibbs nodded, pleased.
"Come, we should wait now on the boat." The man led them outside towards a large fishing boat, much bigger than the one they'd just arrived on. The men scanned the area, they would not relax until they had arrived in Stockholm. And even then, they would still be on the lookout. After all, Grasby and Evans knew every step of their plans.
An unfamiliar silver sedan appeared, and headed towards them. The occupants were obscured from the reflection of the glass. The vehicle came to a stop and Deeks stepped out.
"I don't believe it." He held his balance firmly on the vehicle as he stared at Sam and Gibbs. "How long have you been here waiting for us? Eric said we were the only ones who'd made contact with him."
Elena appeared beside him. "Are you okay to walk?"
Sam and Gibbs walked over, concern etched in their eyes.
"You're injured." Sam turned to Elena. "How bad is he?"
"His head is pounding and he needs medical assistance. He won't be up to flying home once we reach Stockholm."
"I'm sure after some sleep, lying down would do me good," Deeks protested.
"Has he had any pain relief?" Gibbs was never good at taking tablets for pain, but clearly, Deeks needed something.
"He has," Elena reported. Looking at her watch. "Two hours since his last lot."
"Let's get you settled on board." Sam assisted Deeks up the long ramp onto the boat.
Gibbs looked at Elena's bandaged arm. "How is it?"
"Sore. Hurts like a bitch, but I'll live."
"Maybe you should think about taking something for it?"
"I have, don't you worry." She winced when she moved her arm.
"Let me take a closer look at it on board the ship."
"I had someone clean and patch me up."
"Sam and I have experience patching people up out in the field. Let me take a look."
"Okay." She capitulated and followed Gibbs on board.
The man who had assisted Sam and Gibbs waved them off. "Say hi to my friend for me."
"We will." Gibbs nodded his head. "Thanks for your help."
"It's my pleasure."
Sam settled Deeks down below on a spare bed, while Gibbs asked for a first aid kit and unwrapped Elena's bandaged arm.
"I'll be right here when you wake up. Rest, Deeks."
"Thanks, Sam." Deeks closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep hours ago, but Elena insisted it hadn't been the time. Relief washed through him, Sam and Gibbs were safe.
"You never answered my question," Deeks mumbled.
"We'd just arrived. We'll tell you everything when you wake up."
"Deal." Deeks' lips stilled and his facial features relaxed as he drifted off to sleep.
Gibbs' jaw tensed as he assessed Elena's graze. "It's infected. You're going to need antibiotics for this."
"Felix washed it out for me."
"Is he medically trained?"
"No." Elena closed her eyes as Gibbs poured saline over the wound to wash it out, before adding an antiseptic solution, which made her jump and her eyes opened wide in shock.
"I'm sorry. No way around it, it had to be done."
She watched him pull a needle out and a cigarette lighter. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to stitch you up. Best to get it stitched to prevent too much scarring."
"You can do that?"
"I'll numb the area first, if that helps." Gibbs searched in the first aid box until he found what he was looking for. A needle.
Elena bit on her lower lip.
"I know what I'm doing," Gibbs reassured her.
Hetty had raised her to be tough, but she had no energy left to stay strong.
"It's okay if you don't want to look." Gibbs met her brown eyes.
"Thanks, but I'll watch. Hetty raised me to be tough."
"You can change your mind at any time." Gibbs refocused on the job at hand.
Elena watched his every move. His sterilisation of the needle, the thread going into the eye and then into her arm. The skin around the wound and the muscle underneath, had gone numb from the anaesthetic, and she watched his handy work.
"You're neat."
"I've had plenty of practise."
"I can tell." She was pleasantly surprised.
"Now, tell me about this Felix. Who is he, and how did you end up at his place?"
"He's my cousin. Hetty knew I had Felix as a backup if needed. He's no threat to us."
"Good." Pleased, he placed everything away neatly, as if he hadn't used the kit.
"Thank you, Gibbs."
"You're welcome. Thanks for having Deeks' back."
"Anything for anyone close to Hetty."
"If you want to move stateside, you can let Director Vance know there will be an opening in my team. I'm retiring after this."
"You were close to Callen. I am sorry for your loss."
Gibbs looked quizzically at her. "You knew him?"
"We've never met, Hetty made sure of that, but I've known about him for a long time. He's a bit older than me, but I've known all that Hetty's done to protect him."
"You're another of her orphans, aren't you?"
Sam's eyes shifted to Elena, when he heard Gibbs.
"Yes."
"Where are you from?" Gibbs asked her Russian.
"Constanta." She replied in perfect Russian. "I know you can speak the local language there too, Agent Gibbs," she added in Romanian.
Gibbs tilted her head. "Why did Hetty take you in and raise you in the States?"
"Same as she took Callen. To keep us safe from the Comescus."
Sam's eyes widened. "Are you a Callen?" Sam furrowed his brow, studying her closer.
Elena shook her head. "No, but my father was killed by them, including the rest of my family, I only am left."
Sam heaved in a deep breath and exhaled.
"Sounds too familiar," Gibbs stated.
Elena looked at Gibbs. "But I was raised by Hetty and Duke. I was never placed in the system. I know it sounds so much like your friend, but I was never at risk like Callen was. However, Hetty didn't want to take any risks, just in case."
"That makes sense. You're safe from them now, and if you want to move to D.C. I'm sure Director Vance will be happy to place you with my team." Gibbs rubbed his hand over his face.
"It's been a few crazy weeks for you." Elena looked between Gibbs and Sam. "Hetty knew the two of you could take care of yourselves. She was right."
Sam nodded. "Yeah, we're alright." He didn't mention he helped Gibbs fight off Evans. Gibbs was strong, but he was ageing faster than he wanted. Fighting off another agent who was rogue, was not what he needed.