Chapter 10
"I need coffee." Callen spoke up as they headed back to Sam's prized car.
Glancing back at his partner Sam smirked a bit. It had been apparent to him since he picked Callen up that the man was tired. At least G was somewhat admitting to it in his own way. Maybe things weren't as far gone as Sam thought. "There's a vender across the street, I'll call Eric and tell him what we found. Don't take forever."
Callen grinned back at his partner with sudden brightness that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Me? I think you have me confused with Deeks."
"Yeah, well hurry your butt up. I wanna get this guy found before the weekend."
"Why? Big plans with the family?" G asked, mildly curious.
"Fishing trip, now go get your coffee!"
With a smirk Callen shook his head and started across the street. "And here I thought I was in charge!" He threw over his shoulder.
"Only when covenant." Sam called back as he flipped out his cell phone.
Arriving at the coffee vender G flashed a smile at the young redheaded barista and gave his order. He was a bit distracted still, eyes glazing over as he waited for the girl to hand him the desired cup of caffeine. Unfocused he thought about the dreams he'd been having…the whale and the purple light hadn't returned. But the images of his friends dying plagued him still. It worried G that even though he slept like he was dead he always woke up exhausted – it wasn't normal.
"Nice to see you again!" A cheerful voice sounded just next to the agent, causing the distracted man to jump and spin around. G looked at the owner of the voice and vaguely remembered her face, and the strange purple strip and her blond hair. "You've forgotten me already? Well I suppose you were a bit out of it when we met yesterday." The girl never lost her bright smile.
Callen eyed her again, memory clicking together slower than it should for a trained professional. "You're the paramedic from yesterday." The one who said she'd be seeing me later, G added in his mind.
"Correct, and you're the hero that saved the day." She winked. "I'm Ava, in case you forgot." She held out her hand in a friendly greeting.
Hesitantly G took the hand and shook it lightly. He watched the girl's eyes dulled for a second and when she didn't immediately release his hand Callen got a bit uncomfortable and pulled his hand free of hers. A frown lit G's face as he studied the stranger as her eyes fluttered back to awareness.
"You're a gifted man, G Callen." Ava smiled up at him finally.
Now Callen was a little more than hesitant – had he even told her his name? "What are you talking about?" He demanded, all masks of strained friendliness vanishing from his stance. G's eyes were like stone, but his face tried to remain unthreatening for the sake of those around him.
"We should chat when you have more time," she announced, glancing over to Sam with a wave. Sam, of course, was watching with narrow eyes from across the street. His phone was to his ear but his eyes were watching the conversation with just as much focus.
"Who are you?" Callen demanded, turning his focus back to the girl.
She smiled back at him kindly, despite all the hostility being thrown at her. "I've already told you who I am, Ava Knight. If you need confirmation you can get your computer friend do a background check on me. I'm not a threat, I just want to help you."
The barista, who hadn't really been paying attention to their conversation, handed G his cup of coffee with an odd look before turning back to the small line that had formed without Callen's knowledge. Crap, he's focus was slipping. With a nod of thanks to the girl, Callen pulled Ava aside. "Who do you work for?" G demanded, his grip on the girl's wrist uncomfortably tight, when she winced he loosened it carefully.
"No one!" Ava gasped pulling her arm free and rubbing where Callen's hand had been, her eyes became dull again. "Oh crap," she whispered, blinked rapidly to clear her eyes. "You're friend, the girl, she's in trouble!"
"Kensi?" Callen's eyes widened for a second before narrowing dangerously. Although a huge part of his mind was telling G that the girl was of no threat to him or his people, the small echo of worry caused him to distrust the stranger. She knew too much to be a friend – Ava Knight had to be working for someone. Someone had to have given her vital information about their team, and Kensi. "What do you want with her? What do you mean?"
The girl sighed, though for what reason or emotion G wasn't sure. "I'm not an enemy, I –" she pleaded only to hesitate and sighed again, this time Callen recognized it as frustration. "Look me up with your technology, if you find anything sketchy you can do whatever you want with me. However, I can help you. I have answers to the questions you are to afraid to ask anyone else."
She smiled at him again in a light way, "here's my number – although I'm sure you'll know where I live and what I eat for breakfast once you're done with the search." She gently took the coffee cup gently from G's hand and reached carefully into her bag – though the movement halted when Callen reached around for his gun. "Just getting a pen, promise." She froze, only moving again when G gave her a small nod. Pulling out a pen Ava scribbled out her name and number onto the cup before handing it back to Callen. "Seriously, call me. I want to help, that's all."
"What do you want with Kensi?" G demanded again, eyes hardening dangerously. Even if this girl was just messing with him he couldn't let her walk away without knowing what she meant.
The blond shook her head and took a step back. "Give her a call in two minutes, it may save her life."
Pulling out his phone Callen watched the girl, motioning her to stay still. Without waiting for the directed time G made the call and pressed the device to his ear.
"Callen! I'm headed back to the station now, my lead was a bust." Kensi chimed on the other end of the line, she sounded as if she were walking somewhere.
Carefully watching the girl's facial expression Callen nodded slightly, so far Kensi was fine. "That's okay, we'll get this guy."
The sound of squealing tires and cursing filtered over the phone causing G to tense immediately. "Kensi? Kensi what happened?"
"This idiot tried to drive his car on the sidewalk! Moron would have hit me had I been two steps closer…" Kensi told Callen before continuing to berate the driving skills of the idiot rather colorfully as he apparently got out of the vehicle. During the excitement Callen had dropped his attention from Ava, and looking up now G saw that the girl was gone. Glaring he turned back to Sam who had finished his phone conversation and looked ready to rush across the street to see what was happening.
"Kensi, what does the car look like?" G asked suddenly, remembering the vision in his dream.
"A black van, nothing special. Dumb-ass kid driver. Yeah, I am talking about you." Clearly Kensi was still in a mood to yell at the kid, but Callen needed one last piece of information before he'd allow himself to jump to the conclusion his heart had already stumbled upon.
"Kens, what's the plate number?" G asked in a hushed voice, so soft he had to clear his throat and ask again before he got Kensi's attention.
"Hold on," Kensi sighed and there was a pause as she checked. "XAC 494, why?"
Taking in a deep breath Callen wasn't sure what to tell her – so he lied. "No reason, I'll see you back at HQ." G closed the connection and rubbed his free hand through his short hair.
From what Kensi had described the van that had almost hit her minutes ago was the same van from his dream. The dream where she had actually been hit.
Searching the crowd for Ava Knight G breathed in deep to calm himself. The girl had known, she must have known – why else had she told him to call Kensi at that moment?
No, it didn't make sense – but at the same time it did.
"I'm losing my mind." G muttered turning back to rejoin his thoroughly panicked partner.
I know it has been a while but shortly after the last post I contracted Mono…dunno if any of you have ever had it, but it sucks. I've been so exhausted and I refused to drop out mid-semester so all my energy went into my classes.
Summer is here though, and I'm feeling better so hopefully I will be updating and finishing this story soon.
My apologies, but life is life. ^^
Thank you to all my supporters (reviewers) you are the reason I keep writing this story ^^
Special thanks to Keviana for the PM that got me to finally post this chapter ^^: