"Status, Agent Callen!"
"Deeks and Kensi on their way back with two of the agents," Callen whispered, looking in every direction for signs of movement.
"And the other two missing agents?"
Callen could hear the irritation in Kilbride's voice over his ear wig.
"Sam and I are working on extraction from the cave they're being held in."
"And how do you expect to do that with only two of you?"
"Still figuring that part out," Callen replied, looking over at Sam who merely rolled his eyes.
"Any sign of Hetty?"
A lump formed in Callen's throat. It had been over 72 hours since the DC liaison had gotten a check-in from Hetty. And when the LA team made it to the GPS coordinates where she had last been located, the small hideout had been completely ransacked, showing clear signs of a struggle and blood splattered on the ground.
"Agent Callen?"
"No sign of Hetty, Admiral," Sam called through the comm, watching his partner closely.
Sam had seen a crack in Callen's well-built emotions earlier that day…and knew his partner was still thinking through every possible option to what may have happened to Hetty. He had tried to get Callen to talk as the team followed tracks to find this hidden cave where the other captured agents were being held.
But it was all for nothing.
Callen was closed off…focused on one thing and one thing alone. Find Hetty.
"Damn woman…"
Kilbride's exasperation was clear across the comms. Even in the dark, Sam could see Callen's jaw clench in anger.
"We'll work on extraction plan and update you ASAP," Sam said, reaching up and turning off his comm.
He smacked Callen on the arm and pointed to his ear. Callen followed suit, turning off his comm, and settled down against the tree where they were currently hiding.
Sam continued to watch for signs of movement before asking the question neither of the pair wanted to pursue.
"You think Hetty is in there with the other agents?"
"Only way to find out is to go in," Callen answered, wiping a hand over his head before replacing his helmet.
Sam sighed, knowing how deeply this affected his partner, but not wanting to do anything rash.
"Let's think through this, G. We find two agents in the woods…left for dead."
"With their injuries, they'll be lucky if they make it," Callen replied.
"ISIS didn't want injured hostages slowing them down," Sam continued. "They're moving fast…probably to get away from something."
Callen took a moment to think before responding. "Hetty was here to extract the agents who had been posing as journalists. But…there was talk that one was leaking information to the Russians…"
"Maybe that agent stopped checking in with Russia. And Russia's now coming to collect…making sure their asset isn't giving up intel to ISIS," Sam mused.
Callen knew Sam had hit the nail on the head. But there was still one unanswered question.
"A threat from Russia would get anyone moving quick. But that still doesn't answer where Hetty is," Callen replied.
"G, Hetty could have moved to another location."
"Or ISIS could have her. There was a lot of blood in that hideout, Sam," Callen answered.
Sam caught his partner's eyes and unfortunately, he knew Callen was right. Hetty had probably turned from handler to hostage. And they needed to find her….fast.
"I have eyes on the hostages," Sam whispered, keeping his position as steady as possible behind the rock where he was hiding.
"Their status, Agent Hanna?"
"Bumps and bruises- tied together- can't tell if they have leg injuries that would impede movement," Sam answered.
"Any ISIS around?"
"Four…all with automatic weapons and lots of ammo behind them."
"Can you hear their conversation?" the Admiral asked.
"No…Callen?"
"Something about moving in the morning," Callen replied from the other side of the cave. "But a problem with the package in the back. Can't make out exactly what they mean."
It was another fifteen minutes before there was shouting from deeper in the cave.
"What's that?" Sam asked quietly.
"Not sure," Callen said, squinting to see what was happening.
The hostages on the ground tensed as the yelling echoed throughout the cave, the female ducking her head in between her legs while the male whispered quietly to try and calm her down.
Two guards moved to the back of the cave, pushing a large boulder across the back wall to reveal a lit tunnel. They hurried down the corridor as the screams bounced off the cave walls.
"Sam, they hid the tunnel entrance."
"I see it."
"Can you get the agents out now?" the Admiral's voice sounded over the comms.
The two remaining guards were deep in conversation, neither paying attention to the two cowering agents on the ground.
"G," Sam moved to the side to eye his partner from his side of the cave, "Good?"
Callen knew this could be their only chance. Nodding at Sam, he firmly gripped his gun and took a few quiet steps from behind the rock where he was stationed. "On three, we take them from behind…try to limit gunfire if at all possible."
Sam nodded.
"One…two….three!"
