KING'S RETURN
/Chapter 13/
A/N: I'm trying...I really am, but this is proving much, much harder than I anticipated...there are sooo many ways this last bit could go down, I'm having a rough time deciding how much "whumping" I'm gonna do...
...also, take all medical info with a grain of salt. I researched what I could but could not find out exactly the information I was looking for...so I am manipulating it to suit my needs and purpose... so, as we suspend belief to watch our favorite TV shows...so, too, suspend belief for the sake of this story line...
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
A slap across the face and a bucket of icy water dousing him roused the semi-conscious man to wakefulness.
Deeks shook his head, trying to clear the water from his eyes and the fogginess from his head; his eyes scanned the barren room, before coming to rest on his captors.
After a moment of tense silence on both sides one man stepped apart from the others to stand in front of the tied man, "Nothing to say Mr. Deeks?"
Without missing a beat, his usual cheekiness absent, the detective met the man's cold eyes and responded tonelessly, "you're under arrest."
The men continued to lock eyes...trying to get a read on the other. The detective knew he and his team had finally run out of time; that he was not likely, at this point, to get out of this alive. He let his mind briefly touch on Colby, wondering what had become of the FBI agent, knowing somehow that no matter what he himself was facing at the hands of Cho Lin, Colby's fate would be a thousand times worse; and he offered up a silent plea to any god who deigned to hear, that his teammates (and Colby's) would not let their disappearance and deaths go un-avenged.
"Mr. King said you were an insolent bastard," the Chinese man said with a dry chuckle, taking a step away from Deeks and hitting him again across the face. "Perhaps the first thing we should do is cut out your tongue."
The thought terrified the detective; yeah, in his time as cop, he'd been threatened and beat up by thugs and drug dealers, been in some tight undercover situations; but here...now, he was facing down people who used honest to goodness torture as the first line of assault...and from their casual stance also appeared to enjoy the work: and for the briefest of moments cold terror clutched at his heart...he was trained as a cop for god's sakes, not some international spy or agent...
...an agent, wait...an agent...maybe not in any official sense—but he had served in the capacity of an NCIS agent for a few years now and the sudden thought of giving in to his fears, of letting his team mates down was not an option.
Thinking quickly he decided to play on the man's want for revenge and said impertinently, "What, and miss the chance to hear me 'beg' for mercy...maybe give up a few state secrets..."
The man was back in Deeks space in a heartbeat, grabbing the detective's hair and pulling his head back painfully; causing Deeks to gasp out in pain.
"Beg for mercy...now that would be music to my ears detective; but somehow I don't think that's the kind of man you really are," Lo Chin said in a low, vicious voice, the blade that suddenly appeared in his hand, gently caressing the side of the detective's face.
"Hey, a relationship is all about change..." Deeks replied cheekily though discomfort colored his tone. He decided, if he was going to die at this man's hand he was going to do it on his terms..."you may kill me, but you won't get away with this. My team will find you, and you won't get off as easy as your brother did...won't give you a chance to go all Hari-Kari..."
Lo Chin released his grip on Deeks hair, shoving his head forward and causing the detective to cough harshly at the sudden change in pressure to his neck and throat muscles.
"If it is your intention to anger me into killing you quickly you are sadly mistaken...my brother suffered for weeks..." the man said pointedly, continuing almost conversationally, "I never imagined that my vengeance would actually have the chance to come to fruition...never thought it would be anything but a festering wound, that would lay bare until the day I died: but now I have one of you that caused my family such shame and despair...you and your team shall suffer every bit as much as he did."
Fear swelled in his gut again as he spat out, "You won't catch them...they're to damn smart for you..."
The man cocked an eyebrow and smiled thinly, "There are many, many ways to make one suffer, Mr. Deeks, without ever laying a finger on them."
Unable to help himself, Deeks asked guardedly, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Cho Lin just favored the detective with a cruel smile before turning to one of the other men standing in the room, "you know what to do..."
Though knowing it was useless, Deeks still struggled against his bonds as two men approached him, one uncapping a syringe.
"What the hell, what is that..." Deeks demanded as one of the men grabbed his arm to steady it while the other jabbed him with the needle, empting the clear liquid into his veins.
Within seconds he felt a burning sensation up his arm, he was suddenly finding it difficult to breathe, his heart felt like it was going to hammer out of his chest and his vision was starting to gray around the edges...
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
The SUV tore through the narrow streets of the port, the six minute drive from the freighter to the marina like a lifetime to the agents...
Finally skidding to a stop, the agents poured from the SUV and ran down the pier to the slip...the empty mooring taunting them; they all scanned the open ocean...
"There, two o'clock...that has to be it," Callen called, pointing to a boat that was quickly shrinking from view in the distant horizon.
"Eric, call up the Coast Guard..." Sam demanded.
"Sam, it would take nearly twenty minutes to get to your location," Eric reported.
"Damn..."
"We don't have that kind of time," Kensi yelled, looking around frantically, finally coming to a decision, she hoped onto a large speed boat.
"Call them up and lock onto our GPS signals, but tell them to hang back until they hear from us," Callen directed, jumping into the boat behind Kensi.
Kensi was already under the wheelhouse pulling out wires when Sam jumped onto the boat, followed seconds later by David.
David couldn't help a raised eyebrow, as he saw Kensi unstringing and stripping wires...
"Piece of cake...she hotwired a Cessna once," Sam said with an amused chuckle, as he undid the mooring ropes.
Standing over Kensi, at the wheel, Callen immediately throttled up the boat as the engine sprang to life; and it shot out of its slip so quickly it caused the agents to scramble for footing.
Though the yacht was clearly some miles ahead of them already, the agents easily kept it in sight and were making some gains, the occupants of the yacht unaware, at the moment, that they were being followed.
"We can't keep this up forever, it's not gonna take them long to realize were tailing them," Sam said grimly. "We need a plan."
"I'm betting the tourist in distress isn't gonna work on these guys," Kensi said.
Callen looked over to his partner and shrugged, "I was plannin' on just shootin' 'em."
"Direct approach..." David questioned.
"I don't like it, they could kill Deeks before we have a chance to board," Sam countered.
"So, a little bait and switch..." Kensi said, as she pulled opened a storage hatch and showed it to Sam.
Sam nodded in understanding, reaching into the storage locker.
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
Lo Chin watched the struggling man with calculated detachment, knowing the poison that was administered was not a lethal dose. Seeing the fear in the eyes of one that he held responsible for his brother's death, as Deeks struggled to take in a breath, gave Lo Chin a perverse sense of satisfaction. His mind toying with ideas on how to make the rest of the NCIS team suffer right along with their struggling team mate.
His musings were intruded upon by a rap at the steel door.
He watched impatiently as one of his men answered the door to deal with the intrusion to his sport, "Well, what is it?"
The man nodded to the intruder, who quickly took his leave, before turning to his boss to report, "There is another boat that seems to be on an intercept course with us...the captain says it is moving at full throttle and it changes course with us."
Lo Chin's face became thunderous in its sudden anger, "King assured me that NCIS was not anywhere near figuring out what happened to their man. I won't be denied my vengeance..."
"But it has to be his people...they've found us somehow..." one of his men said cautiously.
Anger suddenly drained from the man's face, to be replaced with a thoughtful look, "Perhaps it was meant for my enemies to suffer their fate together; that I see the face of my enemies as they realize they have lost...as my vengeance is complete..." Lo Chin said with a gleam of madness in his eyes.
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
Kensi lowered the binoculars from her eyes and said tightly, "Something's going on...the boat is slowing..."
With a tight grimace, Callen let up on the throttle, stating the obvious, "They know we're following them."
"So they're letting us catch up," David questioned, "Why does that not strike me as a good thing?"
"It's not," Callen agreed.
"So, now what..." David asked.
With a shrug, Callen replied, "we catch up."
Within minutes Callen had caught up to the yacht, that had throttled down and was now gently drifting in the calm sea.
The agents eyed the yacht with suspicion, drawing their weapons, as Callen throttled down the speed boat when they got to within twenty feet of their target.
Kensi and Callen exchanged grim looks, "I don't like this...it's too quiet...where's the 'welcoming' committee; what is Lo Chin playing at?"
Indeed, the agents were more than a little unnerved by the lack of resistance...and gunfire...trading uncertain looks, Callen called out loudly-
"Lo Chin, this is NCIS...you are ordered to prepare for boarding."
The man in question, flanked by two of his men, came into view on the deck, "This is sovereign ground and these are international waters...by what right do you demand boarding this vessel?"
"You are charged with conspiracy and kidnapping of a federal agent," Callen shot back.
Lo Chin raised an eyebrow, asking with feigned innocence, "Really, and you would suspect such a thing of me-why?"
"Stan King is in custody...it's over..." Kensi said deliberately, her weapon trained on Lo Chin, she demanded, "Where is he-where is Deeks?"
Lo Chin took on a thoughtful countenance for a moment, "Deeks? Should that name be familiar to me?"
"I'm about three seconds from putting a bullet in you..."Kensi spat out angrily, "Now tell me...where-is-my-partner?"
Chin smiled disarmingly at the agents and stepped back with a sweeping motion, "By all means agents, in the name of international cooperation, board this vessel and see for your selves."
Of all the things they were expecting (a bloody firefight or a hostage situation ranking at the top of their list); an open invitation to board the vessel was not one of them.
The agents exchanged uncertain looks, prompting the Chinese man to taunt lightly, "And now you hesitate...why is that? Do you now doubt your information; which is it agents—you are either convinced he is here or you will cease and desist this harassment and let me be on my way."
"Callen? We can't let him leave," Kensi questioned.
"It would be rude not to take the man up on his offer," Callen replied quietly.
"I'd rather just shoot him," Kensi snarked.
"And how long do you think Deeks would stay alive if we started a firefight?" Callen answered.
"You know it has to be a trap, right, he's not gonna just let you freely search his yacht and find your man," David supplied, "he wants his revenge on all of you...and you just want to walk right into the lions den."
"Right now, it's all we got...we can't back down now...we either board or let them go," Callen replied, adding, "...until we get eyes on Deeks we can't risk engaging Lo Chin and his men; we don't know how many men he has...they could kill him before we take down Lo's men..."
"For the record, I really hate this idea," David said, blowing out a breath.
"You and me both, Sinclair...you and me both," Callen answered, turning to the yacht he said, "We accept you offer..."
While Kensi and David kept their guns on Lo Chin and his two men, Callen maneuvered the speed boat closer to the yacht; a rope ladder was tossed over the side for the agents to board the vessel.
Callen boarded first, Kensi and David still standing alert, weapons aimed; the agent quickly drawing his weapon as soon as he had his feet planted on the deck.
To his surprise, Lo Chin and his men just stood there waiting as the rest of the agents boarded the boat, drawing their weapons in similar fashion.
His head nodding towards the drawn weapons, Lo Chin asked, "Is such an inimical display necessary...my men are unarmed..."
"I doubt that..." Callen shot back with a smirk.
"Then I shall rephrase—these men offer you no threat or resistance...as do I," Lo Chin replied, waving his hand around the boat, "So where do you wish start your search?"
"Whatever we do we are not separating..." David said pointedly.
"Agreed," Callen said, looking to Chin he said, "We'll start on deck and move below...one room at a time, nice and slow..."
Spreading his arms wide he answered, "As you wish."
Chin and his two men led the way, followed by Callen, Kensi and David watching their rear flank as they first checked out the command deck, then the main room of the deck.
The room was ornate, decorated in expensive Chinese art and silks, the wood a mix of cedar and cherry; a large, 500 gallon -tank taking up a far wall.
"You're in the middle of an ocean and you need a fish tank on your yacht," Callen snarked, as he peered at the exotic fish in the tank.
"Reminds me of home," Chin replied unapologetic.
"Whatever," Callen huffed, waving his gun slightly, "now the lower decks...and we're gonna want to see every room..."
"By all means, agent..." Chin said unconcernedly, waving the agents to follow him like he was giving a tour for 'Better Homes & Gardens', "do follow me."
Guns still in their hands, the agents followed Lo Chin and his men down into the lower deck of the yacht. At each door, Chin opened it with a flourish and stepped back to allow the agents access, smiling smugly as they cleared each room.
They had searched a small kitchen area, three staterooms and a room that amounted to a mini-med bay and were growing increasingly frustrated when Chin asked mildly, "Satisfied?"
"No," Callen barked, getting up into Chin's face, "we know he's here somewhere..."
"You've searched the entire yacht, agent," Chin challenged, not backing away from Callen.
"Not everywhere...that door there, it leads to the engine and maintenance rooms," Kensi said.
"Now, that wouldn't be a very hospitable place to house a guest; now, would it," Chin replied, his tone issuing a subtle challenge.
With a huff, Callen answered the challenge by raising his weapon to within inches of Chin's forehead, "No, it wouldn't...so let' see it."
With an indifferent shrug, Lo Chin said, "Very well, don't want to disappoint after all..."
They again followed Chin and his two lackeys down into the engine area, finally coming to an over-large, sliding steel door at the aft end of the boat.
"What's in there?" David demanded, waving a gun at the door.
"A locked door, always holds surprises...don't you agree," Chin said.
The three agents raised their weapons, "Open the damn door." Callen demanded.
"Such impatience..." Chin said, waving to one of his men to unlock the door and slide it open...the sight that greeted them filled them with surprise, rage, terror and relief.
Relief flooded through them as the first thing their eyes rested on inside the barren room was Marty Deeks...
...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...NUMB3RS...NCIS LA...
A/N: sorry to cut off the rescue here, but the chapter was proving to be too long (and complicated)...so, now we have 4 agents in need of rescuing...but I swear its almost over.../I almost wish this was a XO with 5-0, Sam could really use Steve's help with all this/