N/A: Thanks again for your really appreciated comments. I'm surprised and happy you guys like the story so far. Ready for a little bit of action now?
Chapter 4
Deeks checked Callen's landing; it wasn't easy due to the terrain conditions and the short distance from the balloon, but the man put his feet first and rolled four times before standing up. Perfect. He saw Callen folding up the parachute quickly and running between the trees far from his sight.
-"Good jump, he's ok, Kens, you can go."- He announce to his partner as he sent the coordinates and the time for the rescue encrypted to the server provided by Eric and destroyed the phone.
Kensi started to manipulate the balloon's radio. She dialed the stations with military precision and played the role of a silly American tourist lost in a foreign country. Fifteen minutes later both agents landed the balloon and waited for the police to show. The idea was to tell them that the guide had to do an emergency landing and that he gone missing searching for help. Presumably the presence of some kind of authority looking for them and the inexistent guide would disperse the terrorists from the area where Callen jumped.
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Once landed, Callen ran to hide behind the trees. He used the compass for orientation and started to walk in the direction they saw the signal. Twenty minutes later he arrived at the zone that, based on the satellite pictures he studied, and the privileged perspective provided by the balloon, he designed as the meeting point with the rescue team. The spot was perfect: a small rocky surface surrounded by vegetation big enough for the helicopter to land, but difficult to discover without knowledge of the area. He found a hidden crevice big enough to conceal a man and he let the helmet and the parachute out of the sight in order to improve his progress. He drank some water and accommodated the bag pack Kensi had prepared on his shoulders. He felt tired, no much sleep since he leaved L.A. nearly, already, two days ago, but he needed to find the captain and the marine as soon as possible. No time to rest. He knew Washington saw the balloon and that he was able to understand the message. Now he hoped they exit from their hiding place, because if they didn't want to, even all the years of partnership with Sam wouldn't be enough to find the SEALS.
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Sam was pacing nervous around Eric at ops. In spite of the fact that he positively knew that a satellite video connection was too risky and impossible without being detected, he wished to have a look of his partner right now. If everything was going according to the plan, Callen was about to meet Washington. He hoped all the years of partnership where enough for him to deal with a SEAL mode combat on.
-"Roger that, Owen. Over and out"- answered Hetty to the phone.
The operation center was a swarm of people and activity.
-"Hetty!" – called Eric – "Deeks has just transmitted the coordinates and the hour for the rescue." – he said typing frenetically his keyboard, "decoding… ready!"- he smiled spinning round with his chair.
-"Mr. Hanna" – she said- "Time to stop wearing away your soles! I need you to contact the navy SEALS in charge of the rescue operation and make sure they find the spot designed as meeting point."- Then she added: "No official channels Mr. Hanna and don't forget to keep Granger on the loop, he's contending with all the bureaucrats at Washington"
-"Yes madam."- answered Sam.
- "Mr. Beale, Miss Jones, in two hours I need all the satellites ready"- continued to order Hetty – "I want estimations about how long a connection could last without being detected and the area they can cover."
-"Yes Hetty"- replied the wonder twins in unison.
-"Coordination is the key, right now agents." - she affirmed standing firmly with her hands on her hips.
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-"Hey Deeks!" – Kensi whispered standing up- "Get ready". Someone is coming. We need to protect Callen directing the searchers to the East.
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Something was wrong and G could feel it.
A sudden noise.
Stones rolling ahead.
Steps.
One, two, at least three men running.
Cries.
Callen took the ceramic knife with his right hand and held it ready to use. He was too far from the men for being able to understand what they were saying, but he clearly heard the familiar "click clack" of a Kalashnikov being loaded. And that only could mean trouble. Big trouble. His adrenaline began to pump. Zigzagging fast between the trees following the sinister noise, Callen arrived at a little forest clearing just in time to see the two marines being pulled off their hideout behind some wild bush, by the Kalashnikov's guys.
The youngest SEAL seemed unconscious, and even from his distance he could see that Washington was in a bad shape, barely capable of standing. Another "click clack". Dammit. The man with the weapon was about to execute the kid. Callen sprinted and, without thinking, just trusting his instincts and years of training, he jumped over the armed man, who, surprised, fell down dropping the weapon. Not letting him time to react, G stabbed the terrorist on the chest,-one worry less- and quickly turned to the others, blessing the nearest one on the arm that supported his weapon. As Callen secured the rifle, Washington produced a knife and started a fight with the wounded man in clear disadvantage.
The third terrorist, recovered for the surprise, shot a burst that made Callen roll on the land to dodge the bullets. He needed to take him down in order to help the SEAL who was gasping for air, but the bad guy had other ideas. Seeing his weapon unload he used it as a baseball bat and attacked Callen with an enormous force. G dribbled quickly to his left side avoiding the blow and, taking advantage of the other man's impulse, he grabbed the rifle from the cannon and hit his opponent with the butt under the chin. Without losing time he started a series of punches, stomach, jaw, nose, stomach, jaw, nose, and in some minutes the man was reduced to misery. Now his hands hurt. No time to think about it. He turned around and called the big man who was beating the SEAL.
Fighting against the dark Washington saw powerless as the terrorist turned around to confront his savior. He wanted to help but he couldn't manage to remain conscious.
Callen studied his opponent as they circled around each other. It was hard to spot any weakness on the Turk apart from the small wound on the arm inflicted before. The man was big, he seemed agile and he looked really pissed off. Suddenly Callen lunged forward and punched the terrorist's jaw with his right fist, but in spite of the blow and the surprise factor, the man hardly swayed. Shit. Then he pushed Callen on the chest with such a force that he had to struggle to keep his footing, sliding slightly and landing on a knee. Taking advantage of his position the man threw a tremendous kick impacting Callen's right side. An explosion of pain ran G's whole body while he rolled away from the terrorist. Callen's side was hurting badly and he knew he had to finish the fight before the other realized his vulnerability. Gasping for breath he stood up as quick as his body allowed him, and adopted the position of a professional boxer facing his opponent by turning sideways slightly, pointing his non-dominant side toward his enemy and leading with his left leg and hip in order to gain more power in his punches. With a quick turn he dug his knee up into his opponent stomach and threw his left fist to his throat, patting after his groin and kicking his knees. No gentlemen rules when you're fighting for your life. But the Turk, thinking alike, started to punch Callen on the face and belly searching for his soft spots in order to cut his breath again.
Callen, bleeding for an open cut in his lip, tightened his stomach muscles trying to take the blows straight on into his abdominals, protecting his internal organs. Sweat and blood were running free from his face, adrenaline pumping, all his senses alerted, and pain with each breath. Bringing his hands up to his head and trying to keep a steady center of gravity he started to move around him, moving quickly, teasing, bouncing, feinting with his fists and kicking suddenly with his feet, a game that drove Sam crazy while training, making the terrorist to step back. For the corner of his eye he saw the man he knocked out before moving and he knew he hadn't much more time before he loses his advantage.
"Confusion"- G thought, he needed to create confusion! suddenly he stopped moving and asked with a silly smile on his face:
- - "Sen kuzeni Selim misin?" (Are you Selim's cousin?)
And nearly at the same time and in the face of his astonished opponent he threw himself on the ground sliding between the open legs of the Turk and, before the man could react, he jumped on his back and squeezed his neck with both arms.
The other terrorist, still weak, bumbled the distance that separated him from the fighters and just at the same moment the big man fell down unconscious, he griped Callen's shirt and gave him a hard punch on his right side.
Exhausted and in pain G's eyes went full of tears, he gasped for air and tried to focus. No way he give up. He rolled over the man lying on the ground and gained some distance. His new opponent wasn't in good shape from the previous fight and his movements were slow and clumsy. Nevertheless G knowing that his energy level was reaching his limit grabbed an apple size stone and stood up just in time to avoid the furious kick of the terrorist. This time Callen was ready for him and he made his move: a quick and strong strike with the stone on the already bleeding nose of his enemy got the desired result as the man felt face down dead.
It was hard to know how badly G was hurt but a deep intake of breath confirmed his suspicion of a broken rib. Dammit.