OMG TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY? Amazing I know, but I feel that you guys needed another chapter to get you all hyped for what will be coming next.
Thanks for all the reviews and the favorite-ed/story alerts for HALO!
Disclaimer is in Chapter 1: Who?
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Stryker
While Travis remained in ops center with fellow techies Eric and Nell, Annie worked with Callen and his team. They were all reviewing the un-redacted file on Damien Stryker. Annie knew it pretty well and so when she got to the jobs where she was involved with Stryker, Annie would glimpse at her coworkers and see how they reacted to what they were reading.
Deeks was by far the most expressive; the disgruntled look grew to horror and shock as he read how progressive Stryker's torturing methods got over time. Kensi and Sam were less so but Annie could read it plainly across their faces just like Deeks. Callen's jaw was set firmly and his eyes were narrowed as he calmly read the reports. All in all, they were taking it better than most hardened agents would, especially Callen. However, Annie's observation was cut short when her regular everyday cell phone started ringing.
She took the blackberry out of her coach purse and saw that she had received a new email; this one was flagged as urgent. But, Annie didn't recognize the email address. She could feel the NCIS agents' focus on her as she opened the email. When she did a live video stream popped up and what she saw made Annie want to scream and throw up at the same time. She settled for the first.
"TJ! ERIC! NELL! HACK INTO MY EMAIL ACCOUNT NOW!" Annie screamed at the top of her lungs as she bolted from her seat and towards the ops center. Of course, Callen and company followed in her wake as well as Hetty who appeared from her office for she was making a few calls with her extensive contacts to see if they had heard of anything from or about Stryker.
"Oh my god," Travis muttered when she entered the ops center and the video stream was on the largest screen in the room. It broadcasted two unconscious people tied up in a rusting metallic room. One was a child barely ten years old and the other was a fully grown man with buzzed-cut black hair. Both TJ and Vixen went straight to the front of the room to view the screen and look at their children who were sweaty, dirty, tied up, and gagged.
"I see you have gotten my email, good, good. You two haven't changed one bit over the years." Damien Stryker's voice filtered through the video as he strolled into view. He then bent down to smack his two hostages awake.
"Say hello to your parents, kids." He goaded and the way the two widened their eyes at the camera Annie felt her blood begin to boil in combination with this feeling of being helpless which she did not like at all understandably.
"Aisha!" TJ yelled and took a step forward but stopped himself, knowing that he couldn't walk through the screen to his daughter. Stryker smiled at him and grabbed Aisha's jaw, the fear in the little girl's eyes tripled. Her normally long, silky black hair was half up in pigtails and half down from the struggle that must have taken place when Stryker and his team attempted to take her. The little Indian girl that Annie called her godchild was still in her pink princess pajamas.
"You have quite the beautiful daughter here Johnston. You should really take care of her better; it was easy taking her and killing her grandparents… They were Gabriel's parents, not yours correct?" Stryker continued in the same tone as before and Annie noticed Johnston clenching his fists together. She then noticed that she was doing the same.
"Oh yes, this child is also your godchild correct Annie? Tsk, tsk, tsk. But don't worry, as you can see, I have also taken your child as well. Jason Smith, is it?" Stryker got up and did the same to her adopted 23-year old son who tried to avoid Stryker's grasp and kick out. She ignored the collective surprised gasps come from their audience behind the two NSA agents. Annie was about to respond when her cell phone went off once more. Emma the caller ID read, and Annie's fear rose when she looked up to a smirking Stryker.
"It's Jason's lovely and pregnant wife, I think you should answer that my old friend." He taunted and Annie did what he said as she answered.
"Emma?"
"Annie- It's Jason- he's gone!- I haven't heard from him since yesterday!- He called me- to tell me that- that he was on his way back home from work- and I- I- I tried staying awake for him- but- but I fell asleep on the couch! He didn't wake me so I knew something was wrong- but- but – the police told me to wait- they said he probably came home and then went back to work- so- so I should wait for him to be missing for 24 hours- but- but- I know Jason!- he-he would have woke me up!- I don't know where he is!- Please-please-tell me that you have seen him!" Emma, her daughter-in-law sobbed in near hysteria. Annie glared at Stryker who probably could hear everything because of how loud Emma was. But she was also relieved that Emma was not harmed when Stryker took Jason.
"Ssh Emma, ssh. Calm down, you don't need to upset or hurt the baby." Annie said soothingly over the phone, much calmer than she actually felt.
"Trust me; I will bring Jason back to you. But I need you to do something for me." She continued and heard Emma exclaim a frantic "Anything!"
"I need you to call up Jason's marine unit, tell them that you need them to stay with you until he gets back. Tell them that you don't feel safe or that you need them for emotional support; tell them whatever you want as long as they agree. You understand me?" Annie asked and when Emma agreed, Annie nodded to show everyone Emma's response and hung up. Annie could see the ocean blue eyes of her son convey relief and appreciation at Annie for getting his wife protection and calming her down.
"Still as cool and confident as ever Annie. So, how are you going to get back your son and your godchild? I know that you can't trace this video feed back to me and my location and there are no windows or landmarks for you to scrub either. How is the amazing and fearsome Annie going to keep her promise to the 8 month pregnant woman?" Stryker mused as he patted Jason's head while his other hand grasped his own chin in mock-thinking-pose.
"What do you want Stryker? You wouldn't have kidnapped Aisha and Jason if you didn't want something from us." Annie growled and Stryker's smile grew a fraction and his eyes lit up in amusement.
"I thought you would never ask. Well, the thing I want is you, Annie," He said pointedly and then added nonchalantly, "and Johnston too."
"Us for our children?" TJ asked to clarify and Stryker rolled his eyes.
"Obviously… I want you two at the vacant lot on Templeton Street and North Eastern Ave in three hours. Oh, and Annie, leave your pets at home unless you want another stabbing on your hands." Stryker then looked directly at Callen, "glad to see that you are still alive, I betted that you were a fighter when I heard your first plucky greeting."
All the blood drained from her face when Stryker confirmed that it was he who had stabbed Callen. Stryker gave her one last smile before signing off and the screen went black. It was silent for a while and Annie's gears were turning as she thought of a possible way to get Callen and his team to agree to these terms.
"You guys are not seriously thinking about doing what this bastard is telling you to do?" Deeks exclaimed and confirmed her theory that they would not agree to this.
"It's our children, of course we are considering it!" TJ retorted as they turned to face the NCIS agents across the table. But what TJ said set something off in Annie's brain. He said "our children" but that wasn't true. They were "our children" and Annie's godchild. This meant that both hostages held familial importance for her and not for Travis. Yes, he was a close family friend, but when Annie had adopted Jason she signed legal guardianship, or godparent status, to her parents. That couldn't be a coincidence that Stryker kidnapped her son and her goddaughter.
Also, everyone he has recently killed, or attempted to kill, held a close connection to Annie. First, it was her ex-husband and his brother and then there was the stabbing of Callen, a close coworker who Stryker had clear intentions of killing that night since it was Annie who was supposed to be there. Then Stryker killed Gabriel, involving Travis, both were her best friends that she inadvertently set up all those years ago. Everyone was connected through Annie. Then there was the kidnapping operation as a whole that reminded Annie of a job that she and Stryker did together years ago. Plus, every time Stryker spoke he was either directing it at Annie or he was maintaining eye contact with her. This told Annie one thing…
That Stryker wanted her and her alone.
The only question now was how she was going to do it? She knew that none of her friends were going to leave her alone. Callen and his team feared that she and Travis would sneak off without them to go see Stryker and Travis would stick close to her just in case they had to resort to that tactic. She had to get booted off the case. That was her only option.
"No, we are not considering it," Annie spoke and all eyes turned to her in shock. She then added, "We are going to follow Stryker's instructions to the letter. TJ and I are going to go to that vacant lot in three hours, alone, and get our children back."
"Annie, no, I will not let you do this." Callen replied vehemently and put his hands on the computerized table doing exactly what Annie had imagined he would do.
"Yes, you will. I promised my son when I adopted him six years ago that I would protect him and will never let anyone hurt him again and I intend on keeping that promise, especially when he has a pregnant wife and a marine unit back in Long Beach that need him. Damn it, I will not lose him too!" Annie responded in the same tone and mimicked Callen as they locked eyes.
"Ms. Smith, you of all people know that you can't get too emotional in this situation." Hetty forced her to break her standoff with Callen.
"Hetty, that's my son and my goddaughter, like hell I am not going to get too emotional!" She countered and then turned to face off against the ninja, the duchess of deception, the Henrietta Lange. Annie just prayed that she survived to put her plan in action.
"I understand Ms. Smith but if you do not reign yourself in then I will be forced to take you off this case." Hetty's tone was grave and the woman radiated intimidation. Normally Annie would have backed off by now but she knew she had to do this. She knew she had to push the limits.
"No, Hetty! You don't understand! You have only lost two agents in your career, two! And they were agents! Nothing more than colleagues! This is my family that Stryker is messing with! And you expect me to just sit here and plan something that would endanger my family if it goes wrong, which it probably will? If that's the case then you don't know me that well Hetty." Annie shouted and waved her arms in the air for emphasis. Hetty just stared at her with her laser vision.
"Annie, calm down," Travis said softly and placed a hand on her shoulder. Annie hated herself for what she was going to do next. She shrugged off his hand and turned to face her best friend, the man who has been there through thick and thin with her.
"What's wrong with you TJ? That's your daughter up there! Your last remaining connection to Gabriel, the love of your life! Don't you want to protect that? If you did then you would be right here with me! Do you even love your daughter or Gabriel?" She spat out with venom and knew that she hit him in the worst place possible. She could see it when a pool of anger, pain, and grief clouded her friend's normally warm and reassuring chocolate brown eyes.
"That is enough, Ms. Smith! Mr. Callen, please take her back to her apartment so she can cool down. Ms. Smith, we will talk in an hour and see if you have calmed down and will listen to reason." Hetty ordered and the two nodded their heads. Annie walked in step with Callen and before she left the ops center she sent Travis one last apologetic look. She and Callen remained silent as they left NCIS headquarters and drove back to her apartment.
When Callen stopped outside her apartment complex, the two just sat there in continuing silence. But it was in this prolonged silence that everything finally caught up to Annie. She fully comprehended the situation before her and it overwhelmed her. In this internal, emotional hail storm of hers Annie didn't realize that she had started to cry. It wasn't until Callen had wiped away the tears that she realized it. But instead of being able to control it and stop the tears, it seemed that they continued to flow. The tears just kept coming and before Annie knew it she was racked with sobs. No matter how hard she tried to restrain herself, it seemed the more she cried.
"Come on, let it all out." Callen said soothingly as he incased her in a hug. Annie just wrapped her arms around him and clutched onto the back of his shirt for dear life in fear that she was going to drown in the emotional turmoil that took over her body and the never ending tears she was shedding. Annie realized that she didn't want to do what she had planned, but she had to.
Annie didn't want to sacrifice herself so she could be killed in a sadistic way by a man she loathed. She wanted to continue to live her life. Annie wanted to continue to work for Hetty as a fashion consultant, to see Callen and his team every day, making jokes with them, having a meal or two with them all, sparring with Kensi, giving tips to Eric about how to get Nell while simultaneously telling Nell so the two could finally get together as a couple, teasing Deeks about his own flirting habits, ganging up with Sam against Callen, and drinking tea with Hetty. She wanted to continue visiting Jason and his wife Emma on the weekends, preparing for the baby. She wanted to continue to Skype with her family back in D.C. as well as Travis, Gabriel, and Aisha. She wanted to continue to live. But she couldn't have that anymore. So, Annie just cried and hugged Callen as he muttered soothing words into her ear and rubbed circles on her back.
She cried and cried and cried… and cried. Soon enough she was hiccupping. Annie wanted to shoot herself for how she probably looked like to Callen. Callen… Annie would never see him again after this. That much she knew and this just made her even more upset. Special Agent G Callen was the first man since O'Riley's death that she held any romantic feelings for. She knew she was falling for the man ever since his stabbing and she realized how much she needed him in her daily life. Annie wished now that she hadn't fought those feelings and had embraced them instead. But she was also grateful, for this would have made it even harder to say good-bye to him.
"G, thank you... Thank you for everything." Annie told him when she could finally speak without sobbing or hiccupping. She only pulled slightly away from him so she could look Callen in the eyes; to memorize how electric blue they were, to memorize their shape, and the way the corners crinkled when he smiled at her like he was doing now.
"It's no problem Annie; I will always be here for you if you need me. I figure you have cooled down now huh?" He added humorously and Annie smiled at what Callen was doing.
She had been noticing lately that every time Callen would say something flirty to her or something with romantic undertones he would cover it up with a joke of some sort to make it less serious. She knew that he was restraining himself around her because he obviously could tell that she wasn't in the mood to date anyone. He could tell that she was uncomfortable with the forward advances of his male colleagues including Deeks. Annie appreciated that and she respected Callen for him respecting her and not pushing like every other male would do.
"Do you want me to drive us back to headquarters then?" He asked after Annie nodded in response to his previous question.
"No, I think I need the hour to gather myself some more before I go back there and face Hetty and everyone else, especially TJ. But thank you for the gesture and thank you again for before." Annie stated and motioned to her probably blotchy face. Callen just chuckled at this but stopped when Annie hugged him again. Before she let go Annie pecked Callen on the cheek, taking in the smell of his aftershave for the first time since being in such close proximity to him today.
Annie exchanged one last meaningful look with him where she acknowledged the stunned look on his face. She smiled at that and left his car before he could do or say anything else. He still hadn't left by the time Annie had entered her apartment and looked out the window. Callen was looking up and when his gaze landed on her he smirked that sexy smirk of his that pulled a smile to her face and with that he drove away. Now it was time to put her plan into action… unfortunately.