Author's Note:

Well, a sick day allowed me to upload this chapter- hope you enjoy!

This is dedicated to JaniceS. Please be safe and all my love.

-C

Callen might have built up some mistrust and perhaps even the smallest hint of resentment of Hetty over the past year, but he couldn't deny that having her as ally was one of the best advantages one could have- regardless of the situation. He grew even more of an appreciation for her tactical prowess when she fed them a plan she spent the past twenty minutes concocting. There were holes. Some larger than others; Hetty seemed to have a Plan B for her Plan B.

They took the next several hours to recess. Food was eaten, naps taken, and details reviewed. Callen especially spent most of this time on the couch, pretending he was fine. His stomach was on fire from where the glass had penetrated his skin- the bullet wound a now dull throb in his thigh. He quietly and reluctantly requested Sam to change and tighten his bandages so that he wouldn't be as bothered by it.

Finally, the time had come to get moving. It was roughly four in the morning- the assault on the cartel's compound was to begin in two hours.

Callen and Nell climbed into the backseat of a car Hetty owned and kept on the property. Sam drove them into downtown LA, only bending the traffic laws a little bit. The pile of equipment rattled between the intelligence analyst and the agent in the backseat, not unlike their nerves at the moment. This was the most uncertain part for the moment about the mission. If this failed, Plan A would still be in action, but with prominent alteration.

Sam pulled up to the back of the hospital where the EMS vehicles drop off their patients. Callen made eye contact with his partner through the rearview window, offering a slight nod before letting himself out of the car. He and Nell waited outside as Sam typed in the four digit passcode required by EMTs before entry. Finding it was easy enough- it only took a quick scan through the security footage.

The ex-Navy SEAL disappeared for a while before returning with a bundle under his arm and a wheelchair dragging behind him. Even though Callen knew what was expected in order for them to complete this preliminary stage of the raid on the compound, it didn't mean he was any less embarrassed about Nell, dressed as a nurse, pushing him around in a wheelchair.

Nell threw the nurse's uniform over her regular clothes as Callen sat himself down. Sam gave them a once over before sending them off.

"Remember-"

"Room 418, B Wing. We know," Nell assured.

Sam nodded, handed Nell an extra weapon and the equipment and returned to the car. Nell tucked it in the basket underneath the chair and then set off.

The pair entered through the entrance Sam had cleared and proceeded to an elevator down the corridor. Fortunately, they didn't encounter anyone other than a janitor mopping the floors. He gave them a slight nod, but no trouble. Nell hastily slammed on the button that would take them to the fourth floor without a word.

Callen could see the hard line her jaw was set in. It was understandable, given the circumstances, but there remained an intense fire in her usually calm eyes. He didn't interact with her as much as the rest of the field team, but it crossed his mind that Kensi and Deeks weren't the only ones dealing with sexual tension.

"Did you see him when the building came down?"

"Only briefly," Nell answered curtly, and didn't offer any more details.

The elevator dinged when they reached the fourth floor. There were a few nurses bustling about, but nobody took a second glance at them. It didn't take long to reach the B Wing and find the appropriate room. Nell bit her lip briefly before hesitantly knocking on the door.

Callen sighed and just pushed it open, rising out of the wheelchair. He dragged Nell inside the room and shut the door behind them.

Before them was an unconscious Eric Beale. He had a thick bandage on his forehead but his breathing seemed to be even and he wasn't hooked up to so many machines. Nell glanced over his chart hanging from the footboard of the bed.

"He had internal bleeding but the notes here say that they fixed it without a problem and he's been conscious for the past twenty four hours."

"Yes, he has," a voice softly moaned from the bed.

"Eric!" Nell exclaimed, taking one hand in hers.

He blinked his eyes open. "What's going on?"

Nell furrowed her brow. "Don't you know about Ops? What happened?"

"That I know," he mumbled, blindly reaching for his glasses next to him. "Where's everyone else? Are they okay?"

Callen positioned himself by a door cracked open to check for any nurses that might come into the room. He listened as Nell tried to explain everything in a timely fashion. It took a while, but Eric was wide awake by the time she was finished.

"So you're going with them to get Kensi and Deeks back?" Eric asked.

There wasn't an answer from Nell. Callen turned to see her nodding.

"We need somebody to watch our backs. If you're feeling up to it."

Nell put the package on his lap. Eric opened it and pulled out a laptop, coms, and a weapon.

"When?"

"An hour and a half from now. We'll sync communications with you fifteen minutes before the assault begins."

"Go get 'em," Eric rubbed her shoulder and gave Callen a meaningful nod.

Nell and Callen said their good-byes and left the same way they came. Sam was waiting for them outside and began the long drive across LA and to the compound to get their teammates back.

Callen had been dropped off on a service road along the Cliffside twenty minutes prior with a sniper rifle an extra ammo. His position only covered one side of the complex, but it was also along their exit route—the more important of the two details.

Currently Sam and Nell, and Nate and Hetty were split into the aforementioned pairs. Hetty and Nate would hold the docking area while Sam and Nell raided the compound. Of course, they would have a little help from the outside. All four of them were hidden from sight by boxes of equipment at their respective entrances.

"Ok, I'm ready. Operation a go?" Eric's voice announced over the coms.

"Sam and I are good," Nell confirmed, licking her lips with anticipation. Sam gave her a reassuring nod. He had no doubt that she would do fine.

"Set it off Eric," Hetty signaled.

"And in three…two…one…"

The fire alarms began blaring, the sound of the industrial sprinklers followed a commotion inside. Sam waited a few seconds before kicking down the door.