Chapter 3

"Are you alright?"

Callen's voice broke her out from her reverie. Sitting at the back of the taxi her team leader was driving, Kensi removed her sight from the window to glance at him. "Yeah, I'm fine." She replied while her fingers were unconsciously toying the gold band her left ring finger was sporting.

"Lt. Bates confirmed that he already got a hold of his undercover detective. Max Gentry is expecting you." He informed her.

"How is this Max going to know who I am?" She asked.

"You were described to him. He was told that his wife Isabel would be coming."

"And me being there all of a sudden won't compromise his work?"

"Don't worry, Kens. This Max guy is one of the best, Lt. Bates said so himself. He knows what to do."

She just nodded. Despite her initial reluctance in putting her trust to this Max, Kensi knew there was nothing much she could do. NCIS needed an access to Anton Hernandez to apprehend their suspect and this undercover cop was unfortunately the only way they have.

Their case for today involved two marine officers, one, Corporal Timothy Powers, was already dead suspected to have killed by the other one, Corporal Ismael Abbott. According to their initial investigation, these two men smuggled weapons from their latest mission in Iraq and were about to sell them to an illegal arms dealer. But somehow their partnership had gone sour, ending in the death of Corporal Powers while Corporal Abbott was at large with the weapons.

Eric and Nell had managed to identify the illegal arms dealer interested in buying the smuggled weapons as Anton Hernandez. According to his profile, he was a businessman engaged in manufacturing. It was very timely that it was his birthday today and a party will be held in one of LA's well known hotels in celebration.

Tracking Corporal Abbott's cellphone, the wonder twins of Ops Center discovered the officer's deal with Hernandez was going to take place during the party. When and where exactly were the questions they didn't have the answer yet. Wise enough, the businessman/illegal arms dealer wouldn't disclose the details of the trade during his short conversation with Abbott. But one thing was for sure, they needed an entry to Hernandez's celebration.

How did Hetty learn that an undercover cop was currently posing as one of Hernandez's men was beyond Kensi's imagination. But the older woman knew things they, ordinary agents, did not. The shorter woman had connections wide, deep and gained through the years. Only Hetty would know that LAPD Lt. Bates had a man in Hernandez's team. Only Hetty would discern that they could use the undercover cop's help in completing their mission.

So here they were right now on the way to the party with Kensi posing as Max's wife Isabel and Callen behind the wheel as a taxi driver while Sam was on stand by.

Kensi had no idea who Max was but she was hoping their marriage would be something believable. She didn't want to compromise the undercover cop's identity, knowing how hard it was to gain and maintain a persona right in the middle of the enemies.

Earlier that day

Deeks

I cannot believe this. He muttered to himself while passing through the door of the diner he was in with hurried steps. As soon as he was outside, he stopped and let out an exhale. Federal Agents. He spat the words with a little disdain. He cannot believe that Lt. Bates would risk jeopardizing his mission to help these agents. He had nothing against these federal people personally but they can be a pain in the ass at work. From his experiences with them through several instances, Deeks had not been a fan.

He took several deep breaths to appease himself and subtly roamed his eyes around. Not wanting to risk somebody recognizing him, he quietly left the area. Walking towards the bus stop, a view from inside a store caught his eyes. Deeks halted and without thinking twice entered the place.

An hour later, he was back to his cover place. It was a studio type apartment in one of LA's questionable neighborhood. The 20 square feet room was perfect for his alias, a man known in the street as Max Gentry. Max was a mysterious man with a suspicious background who arrived in the area 6 months ago. He rented the small space for a year and paid fully in cash to the surprise of the landlord.

Nobody knew what he really does for a living but whatever it was, people was sure it was crooked and illegal. Deeks had heard that some of his neighbors believed that he was a hit man while others speculated him to be a member of a gang. Having those kind of hearsay about him actually made him glad because no one would dare cross him and they would be wary when interacting with him.

Not that it would be a problem if somebody would be stupid enough to provoke him. Deeks could take care of himself, he was after all a cop. But he didn't need complications. He was in a mission. The less intricate his life as Max Gentry would be the better for him.

He let out a sigh when he remembered what his handler had told him when they met up an hour ago. Early that morning, Deeks received a coded message on his cellphone from LAPD asking him to meet his handler in a diner not too far from his place. It was an emergency meeting and his presence was very much required. Sensing the hastiness in the message, he went without hesitation.

To his surprise, he was told to help a team of federal agents in their case. They needed an access to Hernandez and only he could give them that. Deeks was loathing to agree but his handler said that Lt. Bates wouldn't take no for an answer. Left with no other choice but to say yes, he exited the diner in annoyance.

A woman would pose as his wife and would attend the party with him. These federal agents needed to know the exact place and time Hernandez would meet their suspect. Deeks knew of his boss' wariness in his illegal deals. If the older man sensed a danger in the trade, he would change the details at the last minute. And if that happens, it would be impossible for the authorities to catch him in the act. That was why he understood the need for these agents to be as near Hernandez as they could be. According to Lt. Bates, they were not after the businessman/illegal dealer so there would be no effect on his own mission but Deeks was still reluctant to help them.

"Why can't I just text them the details of the trade? There's no need for one of them to be with me." He argued to the blonde woman sitting across from him.

Detective Mason rolled her blue eyes. "Like that would work. Besides, Lt. Bates is adamant to help them."

Deeks frowned at the answer. "Why? He hates them."

"I don't know, Deeks. Makes me wonder too."

Silence filled them. He watched his handler and also good friend ate her pancakes while he sipped his coffee.

"This agent is going to be my wife?" He asked.

"Yes. You'll introduce her as Isabel, your wife of 2 years. I don't know what her real name is. Boss didn't give me. But she's dark haired with hazel eyes and will be wearing a sparkling strapless black gown. You'll recognize her. Lt. Bates said she has mismatched eyes. One is darker than the other."

Deeks felt his heart skipped a beat at the description of his supposed to be wife. "Dark hair with mismatched eyes?" His thought flew to a certain young girl with dark hair and mismatched eyes, a friend he met and lost 12 years ago. 'Could it be? After all this time?' Mentally, he shook his head. 'Impossible.' Time had not been so kind to him this past decade and seeing her again after everything would be next to impossible. Hope died in his chest as he resigned himself in the unlikelihood of meeting Belle again.

"Yes. Why? Never saw yourself not marrying a blonde?" Detective Mason teased, oblivious to the turmoil going on in his head.

He cleared his throat and did his best to act normally. "Like a blonde woman could make me settle down."

A french fry thrown at him was the response he got from his friend.

Deeks left the diner bothered at the prospect that his mission could be ruin if he failed to convince his boss that he was married and this Isabel was his wife. Max Gentry was one of Hernandez's trusted men. He worked hard for the past 6 months to gain his confidence. Any doubt from the illegal dealer would compromise his alias and would put him in danger. If there was one thing the older man hated the most, it was betrayal. Deeks had already witnessed several times what happened to the person who deceived him. All he could say was they all disappeared without a single trace.

Although a part of him was annoyed that he was forced to help a team of federal agents, Deeks was slightly looking forward to meeting his wife. Hearing how Mason described her, he couldn't help but wished that Isabel was Belle.

Still thinking about his lost friend, Deeks fished out a jelly bracelet from his pocket and gazed at it with longing. He saw the colorful bands for sale in a store while walking on his way to the bus stop and bought one immediately. Tracing his fingers on the bracelet, he recalled how he was introduced to that bright colored trinkets years ago.

12 years ago

"What are those?" He plopped himself next to the girl sitting on the couch.

Not bothering to spare him a glance, she answered. "Jelly bracelets." Her eyes were glued to the numerous colorful rubbers. Some were on her wrist. The rest were on her lap. "I accompanied Roberta at the mall earlier today. I saw them and she was kind to buy 20 pcs for me. I think I'll start collecting them." She looked up to him and smiled.

Deeks was speechless. 'Belle's' smile was so bright it made him lost for words. He didn't know why she had that kind of effect on him. He just met her almost two weeks ago but somehow she had managed to entranced him. She was a mystery. She told his family that her name was 'Belle' but that was all they knew about her. According to the doctor who checked her up, she was suffering from amnesia. It was a unique kind given that she remembered her first name but not her surname and basically everything else. 'Belle' was a healthy teenager who was most probably in between 14-17 years old. Nobody in their small town recognized her. Despite their efforts and attempts to look for her family, no one came to pick her up.

Roberta, her mother, had a friend working in Social Services and was able to obtain the right to look after 'Belle' for a while. The young amnesiac girl was currently staying in their home with him and his parents. For someone who had no recollection of who she was, she was fairly optimistic that her memories would come back eventually. She had a bright attitude that Deeks admired. She was like sunshine.

"Sunshine." He didn't realize he mumbled the word loud enough for Belle to hear.

"What did you just say?" 'Belle' questioned.

"Uhm, nothing."

She shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention back to her accessories. "By the way, Gordon called. He said to tell you that he would like to see you in his office at 3 pm."

"What were his exact words, Belle?" After the event of last night, he needed to ask.

"Are you sure you want me to tell you?"

"I grew up with him. No need to sugarcoat the big guy."

"Alright. If you say so." She cleared her throat before speaking, trying her best to mimick Gordon. "Tell that useless son of mine to meet me in my office at exactly 3! He could kiss his car goodbye if he is late!"

Deeks tried not to wince at his father's sentences. "I'm sorry you have to hear him say those words."

'Belle's' eyes grew wide. "Are you kidding me?! Deeks, I should be the one apologizing to you. I shouldn't have repeated his message. He is mean to you. You don't deserve to be treated like that."

"But I do."

She looked thoughtful for a while. "Can I ask you why?"

Running a hand through his hair, he replied. "I told him last night that I don't want to follow his footsteps. I don't want to be a lawyer like him. He got mad. Really mad."

When he was younger, he wanted to be like his father. Gordon Brandel came from a family of lawyers. Deeks' great grandfather was a lawyer so were his grandfather and most of his uncles and aunts. Brandel and Associates was a famous law office in Seattle. It was founded decades ago by his great grandfather.

His father, who found himself settled in their small town, had successfully put up a branch of his own and was expecting his only son to continue the legacy and be a lawyer too. Deeks thought he wanted to be one.

But as he grow older, he found himself no longer as interested in taking up law in college as he was once before. Discerning it would put him in trouble if his father found out that he would be taking a different course once he graduated, Deeks kept everything to himself. Last night when Gordon asked him about the status of his college applications since he would be graduating in 6 months, he disclosed how he really felt about being a lawyer.

He was prepared for his father's outburst, knowing how disappointed he would be, but looking at the hatred in Gordon's eyes almost broke him. If Roberta wasn't there to calm her husband, he was pretty sure Gordon was going to hit him. Not that it would be the first time. But it would hurt him nonetheless.

In the end, it was Roberta pleading him to consider following the family's original plan. Seeing his mother's teary eyes, he acquiesced with a heavy heart. She had always been his weakness. Deeks couldn't afford to bring her pain.

"You really don't want to be a lawyer like your father?" 'Belle' asked.

"I don't."

"Then what is it that you really want to do?"

Her question made him think. He had been too busy not wanting to be a lawyer that he had not thought what was it that he really wanted to do. "A policeman maybe. I don't know. I'm not sure."

"Hmmm..."

Confused at her reaction, he asked. "What's hmmm?"

She rolled her eyes. Deeks noticed that she had a habit of rolling her hazels whenever she was getting pissed.

"I was thinking. Since you still don't know what you want to be why not consider taking up law first? Maybe you'll find yourself interested in that career again. If not, you can take or shift to another course. At least, you'll make your parents happy while finding it in yourself what you want to be."

"Your idea isn't so bad. Thanks Belle." Standing up, he ruffled her hair in fascination. For someone as young as she was, she was mature beyond her years.

"Not my hair!"

Laughing, he stepped away before she could punch him.

The next day

"Wow! 30 pcs!"

Deeks watched with a smile on his face as the dark haired girl beamed at the content of the gift bag he brought her.

"I already have 20 from yesterday plus these 30. 50 pcs of jelly bracelets! Thanks Deeks! "

He was surprised when she wrapped him in an embrace. "You're that happy to received my present, aren't you?"

She pulled herself from him and punched his arm. "Shut up!"

Hiding his feeling bereft when she removed her arms on him, Deeks smiled.

"Why though?"

"You said you wanted to start collecting them. So I decided to buy some to add to your collection. And I want to thank you for yesterday. You know, your advice. It helped me with Gordon."

"He is no longer mad at you?"

"Can't say that. But I followed you. Told him that I'll be taking up law in college as a start but if I found what course I really want, I'll shift and he can't do anything about it." He explained.

"And he is okay with that?"

"He isn't, honestly. But it's my life. I think I need to do whatever it is that will make me happy." He tugged her hair in gesture. Deeks found himself loving the way her hair felt in between his fingers. 'Belle's' tress was soft and silky.

"Well, I think you're right. I'm happy for you. And if you want to be a cop, although I can't imagine you to be one, I'll be happy for you too."

The next day, he bought and gave 'Belle' 5 jelly bracelets to add to her growing collection. The last time Deeks saw her, she got 72 pcs colorful rubbers in her possession. Most of them were from him, while the rest were from his mother and the people who grew closer to her during her 6 month stay with them. He knew Gordon had also given her a couple of the trinkets.

Through the years, whenever there was a chance to buy jelly bracelets, he would get one. Deeks didn't realize that he had made a collection of those bright colored accessories himself.

Remembering 'Belle' and how she disappeared in his life without words, Deeks hoped that wherever she was, she was happy and healthy. She was a great friend to him and to his friends, and an almost daughter to his parents. Putting back the bracelet in his pocket, his mind drifted to the present. He began his preparation for the party tonight.