A/N: There's a whole lot of Deeks whump in this one.

"Mom, did they hurt you?" Kensi asked Julia while Deeks wrestled with his boot. She didn't see any obvious injuries but the lighting wasn't good, and anything could be hiding beneath her mom's loose blouse.

"No, not really," Julia assured her softly. "I'm a little bruised. It's nothing I can't handle." Kensi wasn't completely convinced, but let it go. Julia didn't seem in significant pain.

"Good. Did they say anything to you? Anything at all."

"No. I wish I could help you, Kensi, but I don't know anything," she told Kensi. "I was at the store, getting some groceries for tonight's dinner. When I got back to my car, and started putting the bags in the trunk, this man—it wasn't any of the men here—suddenly appeared next to me." Her voice wavered and Kensi saw something shiny track down her cheek. "He had a gun and he pushed it into my back. He said that he would kill me if I tried to escape or scream."

"Mom," Kensi whispered. Even though she'd imagined a similar scenario, it made feel sick and angry at the same time.

"I was too scared not to listen."

"Hey, you did the right thing, Julia," Deeks told her, obviously picking up on the regret in her tone. He offered Julia a reassuring smile, resuming his efforts to remove his boot.

After another minute, he kicked it off with a quiet cheer of triumph. He managed to turn the boot over with both feet, and shook it until the knife fell out. Kensi winced at the loud clatter as it hit the concrete.

"Success."

"We'll have to time this right," Kensi said. "How quickly do you think it will take you to get free?" She watched Deeks painstakingly scoot the pocketknife towards himself, using his sock-covered foot.

"Probably a few minutes," he said, shaking his head. "The blade's sharp, but it wasn't made to cut through thick material like these cuffs. I guess we're just lucky they didn't use actual manacles."

"Be careful," Kensi warned, imagining the knife slipping as he worked at an awkward angle behind his back."

"You got it. It's—"

Deeks stopped abruptly at the sound of a key being turned in a lock. Quicker than she thought possible, Deeks kicked his knife towards the opposite corner of the room, where it was most shadowed, and jammed his foot back in his boot. He got it on just before the door opened, and Michael stormed in.

His eye blazed with anger, nothing like the man who had so calmly taken them hostage.

"Boss, what happened," the shorter of his two men, Ethan, had followed him, and seemed equally dismayed.

"The police just picked up Toby," he snarled. "What did you do?" Michael addressed his question to Deeks and Kensi.

"Nothing," Deeks answered, once again drawing Michael's focus to him. "You took our phones, our comms already. It's not exactly like we had a chance to get new ones."

"Or maybe you already had something extra hidden. Check them."

Jasper and Ethan uncuffed each of them, patting them down, thoroughly, then used a scanner to check for bugs. Kensi was tempted to take her chance now, while they were free, but she held back. The odds still weren't good, especially with her mon so vulnerable.

At the very least, she felt glad for Deeks' quick thinking. They'd have no defense if Michael found the knife. She made sure to keep her gaze from straying towards that corner of the room.

"They're clean," Jasper announced when he finished with Deeks, who stood in the standard search position, hands flat against his pillar. He shoved Deeks harder than was necessary, turning to face Michael.

Beside her, Julia was shaking, and a Kensi discretely squeezed her hand.

"Do you want to move them to a new location?" Ethan asked. "Toby might talk."

"No, not yet," Michael decided. "This just means our plan is expedited. Take him."

"No!" Kensi protested before she could stop herself, moving towards Deeks. Ethan grabbed her from behind, roughly pulling her arms backwards.

"Hey, let her go!" Deeks shouted, evading Jasper's grasp and elbowing him in the face.

She heard the cocking of a gun a second before Michael pressed it to Deeks' temple. They both froze, Deeks breathing heavily while Jasper growled behind him, wiping blood from beneath his nose.

"Better," Michael said. Then faster than Kensi could fully track, he pistol whipped Deeks. He stumbled, falling to the floor with blood instantly flowing down his temple.

Kensi jerked her arms free of Ethan, holding back the urge to go to Deeks. Michael still held the gun aloft, and was unpredictable at the moment.

"Take him out."

Following Michael's direction, Ethan and Jasper roughly grabbed Deeks' legs and under his arms, dragging him from the room.