OPS Manager: Yeah, you're right. They're both hard on themselves. Glad you like the characterization. Thanks for your reviews!

nwirislady: Heh, yeah. She was one of the villains that were never really explored much. She wasn't originally part of the cast of 'Manhunt', but I eventually noticed that I would need more than one corrupt person to get the case against Callen going. And Janvier just didn't have those contacts… but Rathburn did. Thanks for your lovely comments throughout this story.

Amjm: Awwww, sorry. I don't think there will be a follow-up on this story. It feels well rounded for me and for the moment there's nothing to add to that (never say never though *g*). As for making your Fridays… consider this a temporary break. I will come back with more stories (though admittedly maybe not as long as this one). Thanks so much for commenting throughout much of the story.

Guest: Thanks so much for your compliment. I'm glad I could entertain you and give you something to look forward to with my writing.

trscrny: The interaction between Callen and Sam was an important one; Callen is hard on himself and bears the responsibility as a team leader. Sam's input and strength is important to Callen and will help him move forward from the roller-coaster ride he was on. As for the happy ending… read on. Thanks so much for all of your comments throughout this story. I've been really looking forward to your insights and kind words.

Xxxxxxx

Manhunt

Chapter 25

They'd remained in Morocco for another week before returning to Los Angeles.

Having watched over his friends as they healed, Callen had slowly relaxed his guard, lowering his defences. They'd all gotten better, but they had a long way to go to heal completely.

There had been similar conversations with both Sam and Deeks to the one he'd shared with Kensi. None of them were sure where to go from here. It was in a way surprising and at the same time it wasn't. They'd worked together for many years, had seen each other through various scrapes, scuffles and injuries, and in a way, it felt right that they found themselves at a crossroads simultaneously.

Callen had also spoken to Hetty. For years, she'd been his mentor, guiding light and a source of valuable input, so it had felt natural to go to her, despite having been at odds with her lately.

He'd seen that she wasn't the least bit surprised by what he told her. Hetty had always had a canny ability to read them, understand what was going on and what each of them needed to proceed.

She'd offered him insight and options, but he hadn't reached a definitive answer yet - none of them had. Kensi, Deeks and Sam were still on medical leave, all of them still recovering from what had happened to them.

Callen had returned to OSP, but the Mission felt different. It wasn't quite shrouded in despair like it had been the days after the ambush, but it felt bereft of life anyway. The badge that was once more in his pocket and his service weapon that was back in his possession… neither felt fitting any longer.

Things had changed, the team had changed and he had changed. He suspected only time would tell where they'd end up eventually, but he was certain that they would make their decisions somehow together and come out fine with it.

Callen glanced up when the buzzer sounded, and the lock opened. He shook his head free from the wandering thoughts he'd entertained while waiting. It was time to put his game face on. Turning, he watched as Marcel Janvier was brought into the room.

The man faltered for a second upon seeing him before hobbling on, his steps shortened by the chains securing him.

"I expected to see you here someday. Though I admit I thought it would be in a different set of clothing and that you'd be seated on my side of the bars," the man said bluntly once he had settled himself opposite of Callen, a grin playing around his lips.

A multitude of emotions ran through him - from anger, to dismay, to faint amusement. Callen worked on not letting any of them show.

Janvier leaned forward, his arms on the table, excitement in his eyes. "Tell me, how bad was it to watch them die? To be unable to do anything?"

Callen arched an eyebrow but swallowed the more explosive reaction down. Instead, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a postcard that he slid over to Janvier.

The man picked it up and then glanced up at Callen. "What's this?" He asked as he waved the card at Callen, the photo of two chess figures barely visible to him due to the card's angle. One of the figures - the black king - was toppled over with the white one being the victor.

Callen smiled mildly and stood, "this is checkmate," he answered calmly. He stepped away from the table and turned towards the entrance.

"Maybe next time, then," Janvier boasted behind him.

Callen glanced over his shoulder at the man, "there won't be a next time," he told him serenely before he knocked lightly at the door to signal that he was ready to leave.

"There'll always be a next time, Agent G Callen. I'll set up the board and make you enter the game again," Janvier vowed, his words taunting and haunting at the same time.

Callen stepped out of the room after the door was unlocked. He turned around to face his nemesis, meeting the man's gaze head-on. "No, you won't," he contradicted simply and then pulled the door closed behind him.

He'd come to deliver his message - and the verdict. Janvier just didn't know that last part yet.

Xxxxxxx

Callen barely glanced up at when a note was put down on his desk.

If he'd known there would be this much paperwork, he never would have agreed to take the job. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, wondering if he could swing it somehow that one of the other three ended up having to do his stack of work.

Sam's knowing smirk when Callen speculatively glanced over negated that idea.

"I never should have let Hetty talk me into this," he muttered.

"I'm still wondering how she convinced all of us to do this," Deeks agreed with a soft moan, his fingers curled somewhat awkwardly around a pen. Some of the fingers of his right hand had remained crocked and a damaged nerve effectively made him lose feeling in two. It had rattled him for some time, but eventually, Deeks had bounced back to his usual behaviour. His eyes remained on the paper in front of him when he continued, "I think I remember copious amounts of Scotch and Tequila… and come to think of it: after that I don't remember anything at all."

Callen, Kensi and Sam chuckled in something close to agreement.

Still, Callen couldn't say that he cared too much about how they had ended up here - here being a new training facility. Each one of them had - individually and together - decided not to return to active duty at NCIS (or any other Agency that had tried to snatch them up for themselves when it became known that NCIS had lost the confidence of the team).

At the risk of losing a wealth of experience and tactical training to simple retirement, Hetty had interfered.

Their new jobs revolved around basically what Sam had once planned to do in-house at NCIS: training a new generation. FLETC and various other government agencies had training programs that educated their agents, but what they were offered here was an extended version of training, specializing in undercover work but also offering a multitude of yearlong experience and tactical expertise at thwarting terrorist plots the team around Hetty had gathered over the years. The only part that didn't meet Sam's original plans was that it wasn't a training on the job kind of thing, but more from the side-lines. Still, they were all confident it would be worthwhile.

The whole thing had been torn out of the ground within the span of just four months after they had returned to LA.

They were outside the chain of command, had set up shop as an outside contractor to the US government to cater to various Agencies but make a stand on their own. Callen hadn't felt comfortable returning under the purview of the government, burnt one time to many by disloyalty and accusations. The others hadn't needed much convincing either.

It had made things a bit trickier to set up, but all the more satisfying in the end.

Hetty had pooled in a lot of her money (and probably some of the gold left over from Vietnam) and all of them had chipped in, to make this endeavour theirs.

The first round of trainees was due to start next week, and they were finalizing all that needed to be done beforehand.

Callen leaned back in his chair and reached for the note that had been placed on his desk by one of their recently hired employees. He opened the envelope and withdrew the letter, his eyes scanning the words, satisfaction rising inside of him.

"You good, G?" Sam asked and Callen glanced over to meet his partner's eyes. He gave him a small smile and a nod.

"Yeah, just got confirmation for something I've been waiting for," he gave back simply and tucked the letter back into the envelope, the letterhead of the Federal Bureau of Prisons the last to disappear from view.

The simple two paragraphs that made up the information resonated through his mind even though the words weren't visible any longer.

Regarding Prisoner Marcel Janvier.

As per the standing order to alert you in case of anything to do with Marcel Janvier, we hereby inform you of said prisoner's death. Marcel Janvier died of a heart failure on Tue, 23rd.

Callen put the letter down and returned his focus to his paperwork. There were things that needed doing, things that needed to be taken care off, but Marcel Janvier wasn't one of those things any longer.

Xxxxxxx

Note: Can you believe it? The last chapter of Manhunt. Six months of weekly posting. I'm kind of sad to see this story go. It was an incredible ride and I really hope I could entertain you, no matter if you sent words, kudos or preferred to read in the shadows.

What's next? I do have some stories more or less ready to post (next one will be in the Taggert 'Verse), and I really hope that I will be able to write somethings again soon. It's been a while since I've had time to sit down and write and it's been even longer since the muse struck and let me be creative. I have some vague ideas that might turn into stories, but as if yet, I'm not sure about those.

Also, I may just be considering taking prompts, so if you have an idea for something, drop me a note. I am absolutely not promising to take up those prompts, but maybe there's something jostling the muse into getting some work done.

So, yeah… this is it.

Thanks everyone!