Happy New Year one and all! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Special thanks to Honus47, Stef and Donna.

I do believe in Ghosts - Part 9

Migs sat down at his desk after the video call with Hetty and Ira. He sunk back into his chair. He was a proud Marine but right now he was feeling anything but. He let his friends down. Kensi is in the hands of a lunatic because of him.

The call with Deeks and Werth, to be honest, went as expected. Marty Deeks was a fierce warrior, a gifted undercover operative and THE most devoted husband on the planet. He saw that first hand in Germany after the bomb blast. God help Jack Simon when he meets, who did Hetty say he was? Max Gentry? Migs almost wishes he could be there to see it but someone had to keep things working here. Migs was brought out of his thoughts by a knock on the door.

"Enter"

In walked NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger. The Major knew of him. Knew that he knew Ira and worked in the LA Office of Special Projects. He also remembered that he was not a "fan" of the Liaison Program a/k/a Lt. Deeks.

"Director Granger what can I do for you?"

Owen knew he probably needed to tread lightly with the Major given what he heard happened and the Major's connections with Deeks and Kensi. "Major I come in peace to offer my assistance."

That brought a small smile to Migs who extended his hand. "Fair enough. How did you get here so fast?"

"Actually Director Vance had me working another angle to this mess. I had a few contacts among the hawalas in the village. You know what they say - follow the money. So I was working there when Hetty called me and asked that I check in with you."

Migs nodded. "I appreciate the offer. I think it would be best to keep things simple. Deeks and Damon Werth, of Matthews Consulting, are already on their way to Kensi's last known location. Ira will be here soon and your techs back in LA are going to assist with an internal audit to find out what happened that allowed Miller to slip through the cracks and who else might be involved. I would suggest keeping those two in the loop so we don't miss anything. If that's okay with you?"

Granger nodded. "Those meerkats can do remarkable things."

"Meerkats?"

"A term of endearment, trust me. I've learned a lot about that team. I learned that I was wrong to pre-judge them, especially shaggy looking cops. Deeks is one of the bravest men I know and loyal to a fault. He will give no quarter to anyone hurting his wife. I served with Kensi's Dad and thought I was doing him a favor interfering with their partnership a couple of years ago. I did a disservice to my friend Don Blye, his daughter, but more importantly to Lt. Deeks. Don would've approved of his daughter's choice. After knowing what he went through with Sidorov, I realized I was wrong. Even old dogs can learn new tricks." Granger was looking out the window as he finished thinking of his friend and missions past.

"Leave me your contact information and if I need you, I'll yell. Please keep me informed if you need any backup in the village. I want this ring shut down and quickly."

Both men shook hands and Granger left.

Werth brought Deeks to a small house Matthews kept in a nearby village. So far there had been no sign of movement so they had to assume Kensi was still where they last pinged her. Deeks wanted to just rush in and get her but that was the husband side of his heart talking. The cop side knew this needed to be well planned and perfectly executed. It was more than just rescuing Kensi, there were a lot of other lives that needed to be protected.

Damon had been able to secure two horses from his contacts. Deeks was starting to load gear and supplies into saddlebags on both horses. He made sure to keep his hair covered and sunglasses on when outside. A blonde, blue eyed man would stick out like a sore thumb in this area. Also the men agreed to keep comms on at all times. As he went about his tasks, he made sure to keep his eyes peeled for any sign of Miller or Simon. Who he WASN'T expecting to see though . . .

"Hey Werth, I need you to calmly come outside, we may have a situation."

Werth strolled out to join his partner. "Whatcha got?"

Deeks nodded towards a man, 5 foot 10, with a grown out buzz cut and 5 days worth of growth on his face. "Him. We need to talk to him."

"You know him?"

"Yeah. He's a CIA spook that crossed our paths during the Sidorov case. Tried to hit on Kensi."

"Like that's never happened before." Smirked Werth.

"Yeah but he was smarmy about it. Kensi knocked him down a peg and I finished him off. Afterwards he behaved and was useful. I wouldn't mind knowing why he's here and what he might know and we could probably use an extra set of hands. What do you think?"

Werth put a hand on Deeks shoulder. "I trust you. This is your show, do what you need to do."

Deeks nodded. "Work your way to his left get his attention and I'll come up behind him." Werth started off towards Sabatino. As soon as Sabatino noticed Werth, Deeks made his move. With a gun to his ribs, Sabatino tensed up. "I don't want any trouble."

"No trouble, just checking to see if you've been hitting on anyone else's wife."

Sabatino relaxed when he recognized the voice. "No, I learned my lesson." He turned to see a tense Deeks. He then looked around for his partner. "Where's the missus? Normally you're both joined at the hip."

"She's why I'm here. Could use some help. Can we talk?" Deeks nodded towards their place. Sabatino turned to follow. Werth then fell behind them. Sabatino paused. "Relax he's with me." The three men continued to their destination. Once they were inside, Deeks took off his hat and sunglasses.

"Tell me what you know about the White Ghost."

Sabatino looked at Deeks. He remembered blue eyes that were always full of mirth and a playful smirk on his mouth. But this Deeks was dark, angry. "What's going on Deeks, where's Kensi?"

"A couple of weeks ago Kensi received an email from Jack Simon." Sabatino raised an eyebrow at the recognition of the name. "They were once engaged but he left her unexpectedly on Christmas Day. Hadn't heard from him in about 10 years. I reached out to a CIA contact I trusted and found out he was one of you and was working both sides of the street for profit. CIA wants him shutdown so NCIS along with the CIA are using Kensi to lure him out. When I saw you, I almost jumped to the conclusion that you were in on it but I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, for now, that just maybe we're hunting for the same person."

"AS BAIT!? What the hell were they thinking? Better yet, were they thinking at all? I would think that they would remember that you two work better together than apart!" Sabatino was also surprised to hear Deeks knew other CIA operatives. While he respected the detective, he never thought he was anything more than the LA liaison and never dug deeper. "First I appreciate you giving me the benefit of the doubt but I need to ask, who do you know?"

"Does it matter?" Deeks was not willing to go all in yet with Sabatino.

"Just wondering if we know the same folks that's all."

Deeks was losing his patience. "Look, I don't have time for your spook dance. Either you know of Simon or you don't. If you don't, you can be on your way."

"Easy. I didn't say I didn't know of him, but I've been here a month and keep running into dead ends. I don't want to miss a chance to get this bastard. I want to help you but you gotta share a little here." Sabatino tried to put up a cooperative front.

Werth pulled Deeks aside. "Look we need all the help we can get. Can we use this guy or not? And if you want I can call HIM and double check his story." Deeks nodded and Werth left the room to make the call. As quickly as he left, Werth returned and nodded to Deeks.

"You remember the Siderov case?" Sabatino nodded. "About a year before I had my unplanned dental work, a French national, Marcel Janvier, was stalking Callen. He killed two agents and captured another and was about to sell him to the highest bidder. Callen took him out but was jailed for this trouble. A former contact of Callen's, Ira Weiss, got in touch with me to help get Nate Getz out of Iran. Kensi and I went under with him to rescue Nate."

At that point Sabatino gasped. "Nooo! Xena and Quicksilver was you two!? That file was classified! No one ever knew who the two agents were. Wow! You two did great."

"Thanks. Apparently the file was not so classified anymore. That is how Simon found out that Kensi was with NCIS. I think he knows we're partners, but I'm REALLY hoping he doesn't know we're married. Also there is a leak at Camp Chapman. The CO is a trusted friend of Ira, Werth here and me. He vouched for Capt. Ryan Miller as adjudant. Do you know him?"

"No but I can check around."

"He's the one that grabbed Kensi at the airport."

"Do you know where she is now."

"Yeah. We prepared for the possibility of the OP going sideways. That and I don't trust Simon. She's tagged and we've been following her. Last known location is a ridge north of here. There's a series of caves in the side of a mountain. We are heading out hoping to get there by sundown. Could use an extra set of hands." Deeks looked Sabatino in the eye and hoped he would join in. He got his answer when the CIA operative extended his hand.

"Let's go get this bastard and rescue your wife."

Kensi kept slipping in and out of consciousness. She had no concept of time due to the hood covering her head. What she did know was that her head hurt, her joints ached from her arms tied behind her back and her ankles tied. She was hot, hungry, thirsty and missing her partner. She knows she's being watched but not by who or how many. Any conversations were held out of earshot and without being able to see, no lipreading.

Kensi felt the air move and heard footsteps approach her. The hood was ripped off her head. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light around her.

"How are you Kens?" She couldn't see Jack but recognized his voice. There was never a warmth to it, not like her husband's. Now that she thinks back on it, she was always on guard around Jack.

"Jack whatever you have to say to me, say to my face. You brought me here even though I was willing to help you. Why did you feel the need to drug me?" Kensi was trying to see who else was in the immediate area. She particularly wanted to see Miller. But it was Jack who finally came into view.

"Better? I hope Lt. Deeks is a good partner and gets the wheels in motion for my escape. I had a partner once." Jack walked away from Kensi.

"And?" Kensi was hoping that Jack had not figured out that they were married to each other. "You make it sound like it did not end well."

"It didn't. I killed him. It's never good when partners don't agree on a plan. I wanted to make money. He wanted to obey the law. He was about to turn me in when he met, let's just say, an unfortunate end. I am hoping your partner is more loyal and a helluva lot smarter than mine was."

Kensi refused to answer. Instead she closed her eyes and hoped that Max would get there soon.

Captain Miller quietly slipped back into camp. He had stopped on the way back and roughed up his clothes, rubbed dirt on his hands and face. He needed to sell his "assault to the CO. When he was sure he was ready, he made his way to the office. He didn't bother to knock. He open the door and stumbled in, falling to the floor. A surprised Migs jumped from his behind his desk. But instead of tending to his obvious wounds, Miller was greeted to a pistol to his face and a VERY angry commander.

"WHERE IS SHE? And Miller, you better think very carefully how you answer me." Morales was seething.

"I don't know Sir. We were jumped in the parking area of the airport. I only just woke up a short time ago." Miller was working hard to sell his story but he could see that he was not succeeding. Just then another man came in.

"Migs what are doing?" Ira Weiss came in and immediately pulled his gun.

"Ira, this is the bastard that took Kensi. Now he's trying to sell me on the idea that he was a victim also. Call Deeks and Werth, let them know I have Miller." Migs had turned Miller over to cuff his hands while Ira stood guard. Once the captain was secured, he pulled out his SAT phone and called.

"This is Deeks."

"Deeks it's Ira, I'm in Migs office and we have Miller."

Migs could hear Deeks without benefit of speaker phone. "WHERE IS SHE?" Migs turned to Miller who realized that the jig was up. He knew Jack Simon wasn't going to protect him. It was every man for himself so he gave them the coordinates to the cave they were using. Deeks was able to confirm that it was the same coordinates they had through Overwatch. When Miller heard that Agent Blye was tagged, he was actually glad he was out of it.

"Is there anyway to negotiate my way out of this? How 'bout I take you to where he has her?" Miller thought it was worth a try.

"No, we're too far away from where Deeks and a friend are. But IF you tell me everything you know and every name involved and if Deeks gets his wife back unharmed, we can discuss things." Migs wanted to shoot him on the spot but he was a lawyer also and knew the rule of law was sacred and he would allow the military tribunal to deal with Captain Miller.

"Wife?" There was nothing in their file about them being married but thinking back on it, Morales HAD told him. He can't believe he forgot that nugget of information. Things would have gone down just a bit different if he would have. Miller actually felt bad for Simon when Deeks gets hold of him.

Migs contacted Owen Granger to let them know he would have more information for him shortly. Now to hope Deeks and Werth can get to Kensi and bring Simon back alive.