Author's Note:

Thank you guys so much for all your support! This chapter mostly focuses on Callen and Kensi, so I hope you like it. Please let me know what you want to see improved or what you like!

-C

Sam and Deeks ran several blocks, finally losing the Salinas cartel amongst the Los Angeles traffic and back alleys. Even after growing up in the city, Deeks had no idea where they were. It was a combination of everything that had transpired in the past forty-eight hours and the blinding pain in his useless arm, but the blond had a festering feeling of despair.

"Now what?" Deeks panted as they ducked behind a kiosk selling over-priced shirts for tourists. He held his right arm in his left, trying to take some of the pressure off of his dislocated shoulder.

Sam looked around before answering, "Now we go to the safe house Hetty told us about. We should take a taxi about four blocks out and walk the rest of the way. You think you can handle that?"

Deeks nodded. "We can regroup and then begin hunting for Kens and Callen."

The two made their way over to the curb where somebody was just exiting the yellow vehicle. The blond grimaced as he hit his arm against the car door. He was thankful that the taxi driver didn't notice. He was barely keeping his head raised Deeks was so fatigued.

Sam relayed the address and patted his temporary partner on his good arm. Deeks acknowledged it, thankful for his friend's support. It was quite remarkable how much their friendship had progressed since first meeting.

Deeks rested his head against the window, closing his eyes against the pain. But he was not trying to protect himself from the shooting agony in his arm, rather against the fact that he had no idea where Kensi was, and even if she was still al-

No, Deeks berated himself. He had to stop thinking that way.

"She can take care of herself, you know."

The sound of Sam's voice broke Deeks out of his thoughts. The detective smirked.

"Trust me when I say I know that better than anybody else."

"How much ammunition do we have?" Kensi questioned, looking around the vicinity for anything that could help her break open the compartment and then hotwire the car.

"Not enough," Callen grimly replied.

The brunette reached for her gun that wasn't there. She cursed vulgarly, as shifting her weight to reach for a crow bar sent hot pain up her leg. Kensi began trembling, and it took everything from crying out.

"Hand me a gun," Kensi demanded once she broke the barrier and was able to access the wires for the car.

"You can't keep your hands still," Callen argued, reloading the semi-automatic weapon.

"Try me," she protested.

The team leader smirked, but it didn't last long. Something sounded from outside, causing Callen to lunge from his cover and shoot through an open window. Kensi heard the dying cries of a man and returned to her work.

Suddenly gun fire erupted, bullets flying into the shop. Kensi covered her head and sank lower in the car seat in attempt to protect herself. Rounds shattered the windows, causing a hail of glass to rain down on her. The special agent ignored the superficial cuts and forced the two wires together.

The engine sputtered and rumbled to life with protest. Kensi turned back to see Callen taking cover underneath the window, occasionally firing rounds into the night. It wouldn't be long before the Salinas Cartel realized that there was only one shooter.

Kensi climbed out of the car and used the nearby trollies of equipment or other vehicles to hop along towards the desks. She collapsed behind one, searching the drawers for a box cutter. She seriously doubted that there would be anything better in the garage. Finally finding her target, Kensi had all of two seconds to flick the blade open when the back door burst open.

She pulled her arm back and expertly let the weapon fly towards the assailant. Callen turned from the window just long enough to see the man fall with a bright green handle sticking out of his jugular vein. Kensi didn't waste time celebrating her victory and moved towards the car once again.

"Nice hit," Callen congratulated.

She snatched the crowbar from where she had let it clatter on the concrete floor and didn't reply. The brunette saw a shadow quickly growing on the wall in the moonlight. Moving into position, once again using piles of crates for support, Kensi was poised and ready to strike.

The cartel member didn't make it two feet before being smacked with the crowbar. Because of the poor lighting, Kensi misjudged where his head was and instead hit his torso. She didn't have the upper hand for long, for the malefactor rapidly recovered

He caught Kensi's next strike on the long barrel of his shotgun and disarmed her. The Salinas Cartel member landed a punch to her nose, instantly breaking it and resulting in her collapse to the ground. Kensi would have normally struck at the assailant's ankles with her leg and caused them to fall as well, but the weakness in her dominant foot rendered the blow useless. He didn't even stumble. The brunette made a desperate reach for the crowbar, a teasingly few inches away from her outstretched fingers. She gasped as she felt the man's weight on her chest, and then pain when he punched her across the jaw.

Kensi spat blood in his face, but he just hit her harder. Suddenly, the man collapsed against her body. It took all of her remaining strength to push the lifeless corpse off of her. Standing above her, gun still raised, was Callen.

"Need some help?" He extended a hand.

Kensi gratefully took it and fell into his body trying to keep the weight off of her ankle.

"Would it have killed you to help me three punches ago?" She grimaced.

"We need to-"

Callen was abruptly cut off as another hail of bullets sailed into the garage. They must have been reloading at the time Kensi was fighting the cartel member. The team leader hauled her to the side towards the car in attempt to find cover.

They didn't make it two steps when Callen grunted and hit the ground.

"No!" Kensi yelled in desperation. She sank to the concrete after him, but Callen was already getting right back up.

"It's a leg wound. I'm fine," he gruffly dismissed her. Out of pure adrenaline, the team leader dragged Kensi towards the still-running SUV and practically shoved her inside. Callen climbed in the driver's seat and hit the accelerator. He blasted through the deteriorating garage door and back onto the deserted road.

Bullets from unseen assailants implanted themselves in the car's body. Kensi snatched the semi-automatic from Callen's lap and returned fire in unforgivable night. They thought they were in the clear when a hiss from the engine accompanied with rising smoke told them otherwise.

"Shit!" Kensi exclaimed, smacking the dashboard in anger.

"I'll take it as far as we can go, and then we need to find someplace to rest, preferably a motel," Callen said in a resolved tone.

"Where are Deeks and Sam? Why haven't they done anything?" Kensi shot Callen a look.

He shook his head. "Our cover was blown. I wouldn't be surprised if they found out about them too."

"But that doesn't explain why they weren't with us or why Hetty didn't send anybody else!" Kensi threw her hands up in frustration. She was in pain, fatigued, and more importantly worried about her partner.

"What do you want me to tell you, Kensi!?" Callen snapped, taking one hand off the steering wheel to hold to his thigh. Blood gushed from in between his fingers, soaking his pants.

Kensi sank back into the seat, letting her head fall against the bullet-torn leather. Her ankle began throbbing uncontrollably, almost sending her into delirium.

"Did you hear me?" Callen asked.

Kensi shuddered, waking from her stupor. "Sorry, what?"

"There's a motel about five blocks from here. We have to ditch the car," he repeated as he pulled off to the side of the road.

Kensi looked behind them as the agent in charge got out of the car and limped over to the other side of the car. She couldn't see any sign of cartel members, but she caught herself wondering how long that would last.