trscrny: I think Callen (maybe due to being in the foster care system and therefore meeting new people and having to decide quickly if they would harm him or not) is constantly doing threat assessments and having plans and escape routes for all kinds of scenarios. He's a strategic thinker and very good at adapting on the fly, so that's what he uses here. Glad you think I'm keeping Kensi and Callen in character. I think they both care about each other (and the rest of the team) and they know each other well, so they can support each other even when life throws them one curveball after the other.

altarp2408: Oh, yeah. I bet Sam is downright furious and chomping at the bit to get his hands on the three idiots *laughs*. Kensi getting into trouble for being Callen's "girlfriend"? Yeah, there might be some of that as well ;)

Guest: Of course. There you go :)

Pam11: I'm sure Sam and Deeks and ready to breach the bank themselves, but they have enough tactical sense to know it will end with bodies – worst case with the bodies of their partners. Hetty is more calculating and she will make sure their people are safe. Forgive me for not showcasing their side of this hostage situation. I oftentimes love alternating viewpoints, but in this story I decided to stick to Callen's POV, so everything that's happening outside of that bank is not in focus. And now… here's your update :)

Have fun with Chapter 6 everyone!

Xxxxxxx

Come Hell or High Water

Chapter 6

In the hour after Callen's identity had kind of been blown but not really, tension was rising and falling in waves. At least, the press hadn't leaked any more damning information like the federal agent (or two) being wired for live video and audio. He suspected the FBI and NCIS had closed ranks and restricted access to the command center. If it were him in control, he would have chased off the vultures completely and put up a police barrier four blocks away so no one could get through.

Negotiations were still going slowly. He knew that Cox did his best, but Miller wasn't too receptive of any negotiation efforts, holding firm in his own demands. Having discovered a federal agent among his hostages, the man was certain he held more power than with 'just' civilian hostages. He wasn't necessarily right, but he also wasn't necessarily wrong.

Callen watched worriedly as the man's temper slowly ignited further and further. He shifted slightly from where he was still lying in Kensi's lap, making her eyes drift down to him. He could see the worry reflected in her eyes as well. He tried mustering a smile of confidence for her, but wasn't actually sure how well it worked.

"Come here," he murmured.

He stretched up slightly when she leaned down. He knew she saw his intention, but she didn't draw away, instead allowed his lips to settle against hers in a light kiss. With his hands still bound behind him, he couldn't do much to guide her movements to get her to do what he needed her to do - which was lean down further so he could talk to her. So instead of using a hand to hold her in place, he chased after her lips when she withdrew.

There was a brief moment of confusion in her eyes before she allowed the contact. "Lean down over me," he whispered against her lips.

Kensi drew up her legs, cradling his body higher in the curve of her own and bringing him closer to her while she leaned down at the same time, creating a bubble of space around them as she seemed to cling to him. The shift felt natural and if he didn't know that he had asked her to oblige, he would have thought the move had been her idea. There was a familiarity within the team that allowed these kinds of instinctual behaviors. They knew each other well - even though Callen wasn't Kensi's usual partner - and Kensi was an exceptional undercover agent. She had been tested by time and trial, and he had helped shape her into the agent she was today, making anticipating each other's moves easier.

Kensi's forehead settled against his temple as he turned his head into her body, making sure no one would see him talking to her. Further completing the image of a distraught girlfriend, Kensi rocked them back and forth. Callen hoped it would be enough to keep their hostage takers away.

"Can you get me my earwig?" he asked quietly. He had been without comms ever since he had given himself up. Before standing up, he hadn't been certain how thoroughly he would be searched by the three robbers-slash-hostage takers and hadn't been willing to take the risk of wearing an earwig as it would have compromised the story of an off-duty FBI agent he had come up with. After over an hour of no further scrutiny, he guessed they could risk getting him back online.

It wouldn't exactly help them, but he felt bereft without a direct line to the rest of his team. Also, it might come in handy later.

"Yeah, give me a few minutes," she replied and he nodded to signal he had heard her. "How's your leg?" Kensi asked softly a moment later.

His stock answer was an 'I'm fine', but Kensi was not only asking as a colleague or friend, but as an agent depending on her partner and needing to gauge his state so they could factor it into further plans. It was why he allowed an honest answer. "Throbbing," he muttered, "but the bleeding has stopped." He wasn't perfectly sure just how much weight he would be able to put on his leg, but he knew he would be able to move if push came to shove. For the moment, he remained docile where he was - for one so that he wouldn't be perceived as a threat and for another to give his body time to rest and recover as much as possible.

"Good," Kensi murmured and then slowly straightened. If she was surprised by his honesty, she didn't show it.

When he glanced up, he watched the emotions play over her face. Some of them were real - worry for them, frustration about the situation - and some of them were a façade for those looking - fear and uncertainty. The despair that played around her eyes as she heaved a shuddering breath and then drew a hand over her eyes to wipe imaginary tears away completed the picture.

Callen allowed his eyes to slide away from her and over to the three men who were in discussion around the counter. Miller's eyes were on them, but there was no suspicion in them - there was a calculating glance that Callen didn't like though.

Xxxxxxx

Kensi had managed to slip his earwig in without anyone being any wiser. Being back on their comm.-system helped his nerves settle. Even after all the years he worked with this team, it sometimes still came as a surprise to him how much he appreciated the close knit group and their technical support.

Sometimes, he felt it was a mixed blessing.

In his early years in the business, he had relied far less heavily on technical support. It had been mostly his wit and instincts pitted against his opponent's. It had been a thrill to operate alone and rely primarily on himself, but over the years, he had come to value the strength of a team - the strength of this team and their technical possibilities specifically.

Evening was quickly coming up and negotiations were still going slowly, far too slowly for anyone's liking.

The hostages' nerves were stretched thin by now. They were mostly left alone - even Caroso was uninterested in prowling around to stir up their distress - but the lingering anxiety and fear was still palpable in the room, drenching the area with emotions.

The trio of hostage takers was conferring with each other regularly, but they too were growing more restless as the hours dragged on. They were going onto eight hours since the robbery had turned into a hostage situation. Miller was digging his heels in at every turn, threatening the hostages and the federal agent in their midst in an attempt to put pressure on his opponent. So far it had been an empty threat.

Callen had been dragged over to the phone twice more, speaking with Cox in the role of his alias Alex Vasnev. Right now, it was conversation number four with Cox.

"How's the situation in there, Vasnev?" Cox asked, now that Callen was on the phone again.

Callen glanced briefly at Miller, arching an eyebrow in question and the man nodded for him to answer.

"Everyone's tired and anxious to get this over with," he said somewhat diplomatically.

"The other hostages?" Cox prodded.

"Unharmed, but there's a woman with a preexisting condition. She's diabetic and is running low on insulin," he told the other man. Cox would be well aware of that due to both Kensi and him being wired, but officially he wouldn't know it.

Dina - the woman who had taken care of both the manager and later on Callen - had sidled up to them a little while ago and advised him of the situation. As the outed federal agent, he had become the spokesperson of the group.

"It's getting late. I'm sure you can do with some food. We can arrange that in exchange for the release of her and two more hostages," Cox offered evenly, wording his demand carefully, but at the same time pushing for some success.

"How about I want that car outside and ready to go before she falls into a diabetic coma?" Miller snarled from across the counter even before Callen could glance up.

"Look," Cox stated calmly, "I know this is frustrating, but it always takes time getting these things arranged. It has to be approved by the appropriate persons and that's simply takes a while."

"And in the meantime, you're trying to dwindle down the number of hostages in exchange for food!"

Miller was now positively fuming and Callen grimaced to himself. He decided to speak up and try to reason with the man to cool him down some. "Agent Cox isn't playing for time, but the 'B' in FBI stands for 'bureaucracy," he explained slowly, trying for some levity.

Miller wasn't having it though. He shook his head with a snarl, "get it done, Cox. You've had long enough. I want that car in 30 minutes or we'll start shooting hostages." With that the receiver was slammed down.

Before Callen could react, Miller grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him back towards the other hostages. With his balance still compromised by his weakened leg and his bound hands, Callen wasn't able to keep his feet under him when Miller shoved him forward. On the way down, Callen manipulated his body so he could roll and absorb the energy of the fall to soften the impact. His shoulder took the brunt of the fall, but due to years of training and his advance preparation, the impact was dull and irrelevant.

Miller was prowling around the hostages, venting in furious shouts. The threats he uttered were real, and Callen wasn't sure if the man might indeed escalate the situation and start harming the other hostages - he was becoming more unstable and got closer and closer to the edge.

Callen rolled up into a crouch, his left leg straining, but holding his weight. "Agent Cox is one of the best. He'll get it done, but as he said it takes time," he tried soothing once more, intent on drawing Miller's focus back to him before the man did something stupid - like hurting someone else.

Miller turned towards him with a furious snarl before approaching. Callen braced himself for the next impact, guessing that he would be taken as a punching bag. Miller's fist closed in his shirt and he drew him up. "I know how this shit works. They are stalling for time and trying to steal my hostages away from me," Miller shouted, spittle spraying in his face. The man's eyes were wide and fury was in every aspect of his posture and expression. It was a fury that had nowhere to go but into Callen who had made himself an available target.

Instead of following up with a punch as Callen had expected, the other man threw him backwards though. Unprepared for the move, he didn't react quickly enough to redirect his momentum or twist his body accordingly. Instead he felt his body connect with Kensi's. Bowling her over, they both fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs and pained grunts.

Quickly regaining his wits, Callen rolled away from her. He snuck a glance and found her eyes. They were calm and clear. Callen looked up when someone else drew closer. He tried shrugging off Caroso's grip and he wordlessly snarled at the man when he was drawn away from Kensi.

Before he could contemplate doing anything further about Caroso, his attention was grabbed by Miller, who prowled closer once more. There was pure rage in the man's expression. Callen knew the man was used to being in control and all of the hours of negotiation and not having his demands met were taking their toll on the man's emotions. Expecting to be used as a punching bag now, Callen yet again braced himself before seeing the man's focus was on someone other than himself. He didn't need to follow his line of sight to know the other man's focus was on Kensi who was still lying mere feet beside him, as she had not yet gotten up from when Callen had crashed into her.

He saw Miller draw his foot back, calculated the trajectory of that kick before it really happened, saw the way the man's foot would collide with Kensi's abdomen.

It was instinct.

He strained against Caroso who didn't expect him to wrench free, and somehow got his feet under him as he propelled himself forward.

His last though before Miller's shoe connected with his torso was that this was going to hurt.

Xxxxxxx