Falling Through the Cracks

Chapter 2

When consciousness returned the next time, he held himself still.

Breathing hurt, the left side of his chest was on fire. He mentally tried to take stock, but the pain was sharp and intense all throughout his body.

Not daring to move in any way, distantly remembering the last time he had tried that, he focused on opening his eyes to orient himself. He didn't sense anyone being close by, but with the pain robbing him of much of his awareness, he couldn't be sure he was really alone. Sounds of nature made it into his subconscious, rustling leaves and birdcalls. His right eye still refused to open, but he managed to pry his left one open. It took a while to focus, or rather it took a few moments to understand that the blobs he saw in front of his face were leaves scattered on the ground mere inches from him.

Letting his vision stray into the distance, he could make out dense forest around him… moss, ferns, trees, rocks. Without turning his head - not daring to - he couldn't see far but in his line of vision, he didn't see anyone close by.

It seemed he was alone, lying face down on the ground, hurting all over and still absolutely unclear on how he had come to be here or what had happened to him.

The only thing he did know was that he was injured badly and in need of medical help. With no one around, it fell to him to save himself… just as usual. His whole life had been a lesson in solitude and endurance. This was just one more chapter in the book.

Breathing as deeply as the pain allowed, he shored himself up to beginning to move. His left hand was in front of his face and he moved it slightly to get purchase on the ground. Pushing up just slightly, he instantly slumped back down to the ground with a sharp cry of agony when his body let him know that moving wasn't on the agenda.

Pain crowded him and he tried blinking the stars away, tried to hang on to consciousness, but once more he couldn't fend off the nothingness that embraced him.

Xxxxxxx

Hetty arrived at the hospital an hour after Deeks had been brought in.

"How bad is it?" she asked, directing her question mostly to Sam. Kensi sat in the corner of the room, nervously biting her nails.

Sam shrugged and stood, meeting their operations manager at the door. "The wound itself didn't look too bad. The bullet was still inside but from the location it shouldn't have done any damage to internal organs. Not sure if the shoulder blade is intact though. They took him to surgery to get the bullet out. I guess we'll know more soon."

Hetty nodded, her features easing slightly with relief. "What could he tell you?"

Sam sighed, "not all that much. He said he'd been made but that it took him by surprise. They turned on him in the shipping yard but he managed to get away. He said that Callen left with some of the guys two days ago to some unspecified secondary site further north. Eric is already checking that but he doesn't have much to go on."

Worry for his own partner was sharp.

Callen and Deeks had been undercover together in some new radical cult that had been blathering on about the superiority of the white race. They had been on the watch list of Homeland Security for a while, but the stakes had been upped lately when the group of misfits had managed to get their hands on some highly classified naval drone technology and had begun to sharpen their swords.

The setup of their operation had been much argued about, but eventually, everyone had agreed - or been forced to admit - that there was no other way. Callen and Deeks had gone in as half-brothers to back each other up when there had been no other outside backup available.

The group was highly suspicious of newcomers and any and all electronic devices were confiscated and the members of the group were regularly searched for any gadgets. Getting any bugs or earwigs into the compound had therefore been out of question. No one had liked it, but getting inside the group had been imperative to find out what they were planning and to hopefully being able to stop it.

On top of Callen and Deeks going in blind and without the comforting help of Ops and their team mates on call, there was no way to run overwatch without being spotted. The camp was on a huge set of private land. It was exposed and anyone approaching could be spotted from miles away. The FBI and Homeland Security had tried anyway and had been caught trying to sneak in. Sadly, the group had acquired some sneaky lawyers as premium members and they had won the previous lawsuits against the federal agencies.

It hadn't left anyone feeling particularly good about the setup of the operation, but both Callen and Deeks were capable and experienced undercover operatives and they knew how to take care of themselves and each other. Plus… there had been no other choice.

The operation had been ongoing for five weeks and Callen and Deeks had been deep under. There had been no contact with the team aside of some previously arranged dead drops to exchange information.

The last package of information from Callen and Deeks had been six days ago and there had been no hint of them being worried or considering dropping out.

Just as Deeks had said, there had been nothing to suggest they might have been made.

"What do we do now, Hetty?" Sam asked quietly.

Their operation manager gave him a calm stare. He knew that she would also be worried, but in seeing her strength and confidence, he felt his own rise up to match hers. "I have contacted some friends from Homeland Security and other agencies. We'll meet in an hour and then determine a course of action."

"You think Callen has been made as well, don't you?"

This time, it was Hetty's turn to sigh. "They were undercover as half-brothers so it is plausible that they weren't only suspicious of one of them. Mr. Callen is resourceful and has managed to draw his head out of a noose before, but I don't think we can let this go on any longer."

"A raid?" Sam suggested.

"Possible. But we don't have anything on them yet. Any information Mr. Deeks and Mr. Callen recovered so far will not hold in court against the group. We need those drones to make the case stick."

He knew that, but it didn't bode well for his partner. "G might not have that long."

"I know," Hetty said softly, "try to gather as much information from Mr. Deeks as possible once he's awake. We need all we can get to make an informed decision." She reached out and pattered his arm before she turned away and left the room.

Xxxxxxx

He listened to the repetitive and annoying beeping of a heart monitor for a while before he managed to pry his eyes open. Hospital. Dull pain in his back. Woozy feeling of painkillers.

"They shot me in the back," he mumbled, angry and irritated.

Two figures appeared in his line of vision. Kensi and Sam.

No Callen.

Fuck.

"Callen?" he asked, already knowing the answer would be negative, but needing to know anyhow.

Sam shook his head and even drugged to the gills, Deeks could see the worry in Sam's expression.

Deeks cursed softly, shifting to change his position. Despite the pain medication, he hissed and squeezed his eyes shut.

Kensi reached for him and helped reposition him, not exactly to his liking, but better than before. "Take it easy there, Deeks," she told him softly.

"The only easy day was yesterday," Deeks gave back with a slight smile, hoping to break some of the tension with his usual inane chatter. A moment later, he grew serious. "Callen got close to Anthony over the last ten days or so, did and said a few things the guy liked. The two of us had some arguments in plain view when it seemed they were somewhat wary of the united front we presented before. Obviously brothers in twist with each other were easier to take or to control… who knows?" Deeks shook his head when his mouth wanted to run off on a tangent. "We discussed it and he withdrew from me. It felt like we would stand a better chance that way and Anthony took notice. He drew Callen in closer and started opening up to him more."

Deeks sighed and closed his eyes, exhausted but knowing he couldn't stop here.

Kensi smoothed a hand through his hair and he was glad that neither of his team mates suggested he take a break. He knew he should - as did they - but he also knew he couldn't, knew that Callen's life hung in the balance. If he had been made for whatever reason, he didn't think that their team leader was safe. Taking a break was out of the question and he was glad they didn't suggest it so he wouldn't have to waste his breath on arguing.

He listened to a glass of water being poured and gratefully accepted it when Kensi put it against his lips. Taking a few sips, he took a deep breath to continue.

"There was some talk about starting a secondary site further north, even more isolated and easier to protect - as if the one here wasn't bad enough. Anthony and Dean were real secretive about it… well, more secretive than they were about everything else. Anthony showed Callen some blueprints of the compound they were planning. It was big and Callen said it was designed like a fortress, difficult to breech. I can give you a rough sketch from what he told me and some things he sketched out."

"You're doing great, Deeks," Sam encouraged, "anything else you can give us?"

"They left two days ago… or three now, I guess. Thursday morning. Took provisions and stuff with them. Dean said they would be gone for several days."

"Who went along with Callen?" Sam prodded.

Deeks reached up with his left hand, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Peter, Steve, Thomas and Anthony. Steve and Thomas are muscle, Peter is in Dean and Anthony's inner circle of confidence. Been with them for years."

"Would it be strange for them to take muscle on that trip?" Kensi asked softly and he knew it was a question to find out whether or not Callen's cover was blown as well and had been from the start of the trip.

Deeks pondered the question silently. "I didn't think so at the time. In hindsight? Maybe, but Steve and Thomas were often part of the team surrounding Dean or Anthony, so maybe not." He sighed softly, "get me some paper so I can make that sketch. Maybe Eric can find some property that will fit the criteria."

It was a vague hope… there was a lot of ground 'up north'. Then again, Eric and Nell had drawn rabbits out of their proverbial hats before.

When Sam straightened away, he called after him, "and check with the doctors when I can get out of here." His current partner, his team-leader, someone he had begun to consider his brother not only in terms of the mission, someone who had at least become some sort of friend - as much as Callen allowed anyone to become a friend at least - was in danger and Deeks wouldn't just lie around and wait for the others to find him.