AUTHOR'S NOTE:Hey! Sorry for the delay. I got up this morning and found that my computer was NOT connecting to the internet... SOOOOOOO, I went out and we helped chop down an huge maple tree in our front yard... 10 hours later... I'm sitting on my far infrared heating pad and my computer has decided to join the living. One chapter left after this. I need some mission ideas... if you have any, please let me know...
Please do me a great big favor and review when you finish reading. I'll be honest, I like it. The rush of seeing someone has left one. But, also, it helps me see how I'm doing with my writing. I really want to become a published writer and this is great exercise. So thank you in advance.
"Uh, guys! Damian Romanov is in the second car… It's Iosif's younger brother!" Eric called out, "I caught him through Kensi's button cam as she came out the back. Be careful."
Coms fell silent and for a moment the lightshow stopped.
"G" came a soft voice meant only for the man in question.
"G. He doesn't know you are here… we'll get him." Jess said reassuringly.
"Don't be so sure. We're not the only one doing facial rec." Eric added… "Oh, sorry."
Deeks watched as Callen processed the information. He could almost swear he heard the increased heartbeat and in the blink of an eye a darkness descended over the man next to him.
"Listen Callen, our job is to keep them at bay, nothing more. Jess is right, we'll get him." Deeks carefully placed a hand on the man's shoulder, not surprised when he stiffened.
"Stay in the game, G," Jess added.
1 breath, 2 breaths, 3 breaths… deep breaths with long releases could be heard as Callen cleared his mind of the demon that begged to be released to wreak havoc on the night.
Once more the night sky lit up, showing where the enemy was. They were now close enough to return fire.
Tossing Callen an automatic rifle, loaded and ready to go, they continued their assault as back up boxed in the trouble ahead of them. The situation's urgency for a conclusion was lost on no one. They needed to keep Callen off Damian Romanov's radar.
"Callen, look!" Deeks pointed up at the helicopters above, bringing them reinforcements.
"Callen, Deeks!" Sam yelled as they exited their car having separated themselves from the remaining criminals and approached from the far rear side of the building. "You can stop your theatrics… we have you covered."
"Whoo!" Deeks yelled through the adrenalin rush they had been running on.
"Alright Deeks, calm down or I won't let you play with Callen again," Kensi joked as she walked up next to her partner, "Well done though," she replied to both.
"It's not like it's the first time we've used this stuff." Callen stated stiffly.
Sam glanced back at the take down then motioned for Jess to get Callen out of sight.
"G, we need to move." Jess said as she lightly touched his arm, knowing the night ahead would be fraught with nightmares of his time with Iosif, Damian Romanov's older brother. In the time she had been back she was well aware of how little he slept and what evil made up the majority of his dreams. Iosif Romanov had been a part of his nightmares for years… long before this last stent with him.
"G Callen!" a voice called out of the darkness.
"Oh sh… how…" Sam growled, glancing once more behind them then back to where the voice came from… A laser light resting on Callen's chest, stopping all movement.
"I thought you were dead, G Callen… along with my brother, Iosif, whom I've heard you were well acquainted with." Damian taunted.
"Your point." Callen hissed.
"Personally, I thank you for getting my brother out of my way… from the business standpoint, you understand. However, from the family's point of view, you have proven yourself to be… problematic. So, now I'm torn. I feel your pain, I do. He was a sadistic bastard even as a kid. I couldn't keep a pet," he sighed.
"You're an idiot," Deeks stated, "You're surrounded. Put your gun down and give it up already."
"Not so much as you may think," he grinned as more laser points landed on the chests of Kensi and Jess, "One move by any of you and someone you care about dies."
"What are you waiting for? You're here, I'm here. Get on with it." Callen growled darkly.
"Now, now, all in good time. We need a distraction." Damian explained lightly, almost amused by Callen's response.
As if on cue, an explosion made them all turn as the commotion camouflaged the single gunshot.
"G!" Jess screamed, bringing their attentions back to their team lead, lying on the ground bleeding.
"Damn it, G!" Sam bellowed as he fell to his knees and began his triage, "It nicked an artery. I need to create a tourniquet," he said more to himself than anyone as he set about doing what needed to be done.
"Where was he shot, Sam!" Hetty demanded.
"Shoulder," he grunted as he tightened the tourniquet.
'I have alerted our friends on the ground. Get him to the helicopter." Hetty ordered.
"Jess" Callen pulled a grenade from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. A momentary look passed between them. She knew that as long as he was alive, Damian posed a threat to G and in turn all of them. She looked at Callen and allowed a small smile as she pulled the pin and took aim at the man who was walking away.
"Damian Romanov!" she yelled, bringing him to a halt, turning just as she took aim and threw the grenade. "Time to visit your brother!" she yelled, as it met with its intended target. She watched with satisfaction only a moment to be sure her objective was met before kneeling once more.
"So much blood," she whispered to no one.
"That's my girl," Callen whispered back for the second time that night.
"Don't you die, G Callen. Don't you dare die on me. Not when we are finally together. I love you!" she spoke softly, yet it could still be heard by the team that fought and prayed tirelessly that their friend might one day be blessed with a relationship like they'd observed between these two.
Callen felt the all too familiar sensation of floating that came with blood loss, along with the rush in his ears and the cold… he hated the cold. However, through it all, he heard it. He heard her. Summoning what energy he could gather, he responded the only way he could.
"I love you, too."