In Darkness, Light
Chapter 3
Inside the club it is already super crowded. People move around the room, drinking and mingling as they make their way from one end of the room to the other. The lighting in the club is not very bright, but it is adequate nonetheless. As the partners survey the massive, open main room they find the different levels of social hierarchy easy to pick out amongst the mingling blur of faces that make up the large crowd.
"We're in." Deeks says in a low voice out of the corner of his mouth.
"Gotcha." Eric replies over the radio in their ears. "We've got you on surveillance now." He tells them.
The plan they've set up is a fairly simple one. Deeks' cover story for this phase of the Op is that he is here to meet with a potential client, one Mr. Derek Cassellas—a role that will be filled by G. Callen. They chose the club as their meeting spot, as both men enjoy good booze and beautiful women. Kensi's cover story is that she is accompanying her brother for a night on the town, which includes a somewhat brief stop at this club.
All fingers are crossed that the plan will work out like they hope it will.
Deeks pretends to scan the room for a bit. Then he finally finds his target. Callen is sitting in the back of the main room in a slightly darker, more private corner. "Ah, there he is." Deeks says aloud.
"Oh." Kensi replies following Deeks' gaze. "That's your friend? He's actually kind of cute."
"Uh, no." Deeks says pointedly. "Don't even think about it, Sis."
Kensi gives a slight giggle. "I love watching you squirm." She teases. "Its so much fun. Besides, he's not really my type anyway."
"Let's keep it that way. Tell you what, why don't you go wait at the bar. Get yourself a drink." Deeks says with a smile. "I shouldn't be too long." He adds, as he heads off into the crowd.
Kensi shrugs, but obediently heads towards the bar at the opposite end of the room.
Kensi reaches the bar within just a minute or so. She plops down onto one of the bar stools, and sets her shoulder bag down on the counter top. Behind the bar, disguised as a bar tender, is the muscular ex-Navy Seal member of the NCIS team—Sam Hanna.
"What can I get you this evening?" Sam asks, as he approaches the female federal agent.
"Hi," Kensi says with a bright smile. "Do you know the Pink Lady?" Kensi asks.
Sam scoffs under his breath at the question. "Do dogs like trees?"
Kensi giggles once again, and suddenly finds that she's really beginning to hate that nauseating, girly laugh she's stuck doing for at least the rest of the night.
"Good." She says, maintaining her smile. "Then I'll have one."
Sam nods, and flashes a smile back at Kensi. "Alright. One Pink Lady coming right up."
Sam reaches down underneath the bar, and returns with a bottle of Gin, Lemon Juice, Grenadine, and Cream. He mixes the ingredients together with the finesse and flourish characteristic of most seasoned bartenders. A shot of the gin, a splash of the lemon juice, a splash of the grenadine, and a splash of cream are all mixed together. Next comes one egg white added to the mixture, which is then given a few extra shakes until the whole concoction is thoroughly combined. He finally pours the whole thing into one pre-chilled Martini glass, which he also retrieves from a built-in mini-cooler underneath the counter.
"Any sign of our guy?" Kensi asks in a low voice, once she's sure that no one else can hear.
"Nope. Not yet." Sam replies quietly, as he finishes off the drink by garnishing it with a single cherry. "Here you go, Miss. Enjoy." He says with a smile, sinking back into character as one of the other bartenders passes by within earshot of the two of them.
"Thanks." Kensi replies with a bright, girlish smile. "Looks yummy." She adds with a wink. She tips the glass to her lips, and takes a long sip. "Hmmmmmm." She licks her lips, and moans afterward. "That's the best."
Sam nods and smiles in appreciation.
Kensi fishes some money out of her purse and passes it across the bar to the muscular bar tender.
Deeks steps up to the edge of the private corner, and stands staring across the way at the NCIS team leader, G. Callen. Callen is sharply dressed, as is called for by his cover identity, and he has a very attractive young blond straddling his lap.
Deeks clears his throat to get the other man's attention. "Guess the rumors about you are true." Deeks remarks.
Callen stops what he is doing, and looks around the blond woman. "Which ones?"
"You know, the ones about business and pleasure." Deeks replies, with a smirk.
Callen looks up, and appears to say something to the woman. After a second or two the woman finally gets up, winks at Callen, and then walks away—swinging her hips seductively as she goes.
"For your information," Callen says at last. "Her business is my pleasure." He says, cracking a wide smile.
"I see."
Callen stands up then, and extends his hand out to Deeks. "Look alive everyone." The team leader says in a quiet voice. "Our guy just entered the building." Callen can see the front entrance from where he is positioned.
Across the room, Diego Espinoza and two other guys are walking away from the entrance, and are heading in the direction of the bar.
"I see him." Sam replies over the radio.
"You must be Isaac Hayes." Callen says, shaking Deeks' hand. "Derek Cassellas." He adds, referring to himself. "Good to meet you, I've heard good things about you and your…company."
Deeks laughs lightly. "Yeah? Well, don't believe everything you hear." He says humorously.
"A sense of humor." Callen muses, pointing a finger playfully at Deeks. "I think this could be the start of a beautiful partnership."
"Maybe." Deeks says in agreement. "What do you say we get a drink first, then talk business?" Deeks offers, with a grin.
A wide smile spreads across Callen's face, and he claps a hand against Deeks shoulder. "My friend, I like the way you think."
Kensi watches carefully, from out of her periphery, as the tan-skinned Diego Espinoza approaches the bar. He steps up just to her left, and leans against the counter top. The two other men that were with him just moments before, have gone off in different directions at this point.
The man lays a couple of bills down on the counter, and then motions for Sam. Sam approaches Diego, and puts on his best 'fake' bartender smile. "Yes sir?"
"Scotch. On the rocks, please." He says in a low voice.
"Coming right up." Sam replies. It takes only a minute or so for the muscular man to fix the drink, and then hand it to the tan-skinned man across the bar. "Enjoy."
The man starts to turn away, but before he gets too far—he turns back and eyes the tanned beauty sitting at the bar. "You must not be from around here." He says, his accent silky smooth as he speaks.
Kensi turns on her seat, taking a long sip off of her drink, and faces her addresser. "What makes you think that?" she asks cutely.
The man chuckles as he takes the seat next to Kensi. "I'm good with faces," he tells her. "One so lovely as yours is not easily missed…or forgotten."
Kensi smiles. "Flattery. How original."
He chuckles lightly and the sound of it is like sweet music as it floats through the air. He nods in agreement at Kensi, and takes a sip of his scotch. "It is much more than mere flattery though, I assure you." He says softly.
She smiles and averts her eyes, feigning slight embarrassment. "You're right. I'm not from around here." She tells him at last, between sips of her drink. "I'm in town with my brother—it's a business thing for him."
"Interesting. And yet, you're here…alone." The man muses aloud, as he takes another sip of his scotch.
"Oh no." she replies with a chuckle. "He's here too."
"I see. And would he be offended if I asked you…to dance?"
"Not at all." Kensi replies with a mischievous grin. She sets her drink down on the bar, and stands to her feet. At this point everything seems to be going according to plan. She knows now that she has at least one foot in the door, so to speak.
Diego downs the last of his scotch, and then sets the glass down on the bar next to Kensi's Martini glass. He extends his hand to Kensi, and as she offers her own in return their eyes meet. The fire that flickers within the depths of his chocolate-colored eyes is utterly mesmerizing, and threatens to nearly end her where she stands.
"Shall we?" he asks quietly, looking deep into her eyes as he speaks.
Kensi only nods in response, as the words seem to fail her at present.
He gently pulls her away from the bar, and leads her towards the dance floor. At first it feels as though she has no control over her own two feet. Its like her body has been put under some sort of hypnotic trance, and even though her mind is still very much aware of what's happening—she's helpless to stop it.
"Sam, you still have eyes on Kensi?" Callen asks quietly over his earwig radio piece.
"Not at the moment, no." Sam replies. "She and Don Juan just hit the dance floor."
"Alright. Stay alert. Deeks and I will be watching over this way." Callen says quietly.
"Understood."
Kensi and Diego find an open spot on the dance floor rather easily, and almost instantly the music takes hold of them. It thunders loudly in their ears as they begin to move rhythmically in time with the beat, and with each other. Diego quickly takes the lead, and Kensi can't help but follow it.
It doesn't take long once they start. The heat between them is undeniable, and it is growing stronger with every move they make together. It pulls them closer and closer to one another until she finds herself unable to resist the longing she feels towards him. The ache is simply unbearable, and her thoughts are ruled by images of being in his arms and feeling the warmth of his skin against her own.
Finally, the song stops and so do their bodies. They are breathless, and both are panting for air as they stand only mere inches apart. The heat between them is now so intense that it threatens to consume the female federal agent entirely.
"I must admit," he says at last, his voice low and soft. "You are unlike any woman I've met before, and it excites me. You have ignited a fire within me, and it must be quenched or it will surely end me."
Kensi finds herself leaning in ever closer, drawn to his warmth. Suddenly, he presses himself against her and kisses her fully on the lips. But it's different. She knows what she's used to, and this is anything but that—it feels almost alien. When she kisses Deeks, he gives her everything. The passion and the wanton desire in his heart is poured out for her in that one simple act. Now, however, wrapped up in the embrace of a stranger she feels differently. This new kiss is dark and savage, and it evokes an emotion in her that she knows for certain she's never felt to such a strong degree before in her life—fear.
She pushes away from the tan-skinned man almost instantly. Now once again in control of her full faculties, she wills herself to maintain her composure…and her cover.
"Is something the matter?" he asks, moving towards her. "I am sorry if I startled you…I could not help myself."
"Startled?" she repeats the word humorously. "Not a chance." Kensi chuckles lightly. "I do have rules though." She tells him in a low voice. "If you want what I have to offer…you're gonna have to work for it. Understand? I'm not that easy."
A small smile begins to play across Diego's face. This time though there is no fire in his eyes—only darkness. "You should understand something as well." He says in a low voice. "I do love a good challenge." He adds with a sneer. "And I always play for keeps."
The way his eyes seem to burn into her now sends a shiver down her spine, and she hopes like hell that it doesn't show.
…TBC…
Author's Note: I sincerely apologize for the delay in updating this story. Work and School have been particularly stressful these last two weeks, and I've also been fighting illness on top of that. That said, I hope that you guys found this latest installment well worth the wait, and I hope to have more updates for both of my stories ASAP. I will be trying to balance this with my work load from school over the next week or so though, so please be patient with me—I promise you won't be disappointed by the next set of updates.
P.S. I hope you guys (and your families) have a wonderful (and safe) Thanksgiving, and that afterward you will rejoin me for more of this exciting thrill ride.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!