Author's Note: Cross-posted on AO3

Xxxxxxx

Nowhere Fast

Chapter 5

He had caught a few early waves, needed to have a bit of time to himself. It had been four days since they had brought Kensi back home and while he was glad to have his partner back safe and sound, their team leader was still missing. The atmosphere at OSP was heavy with the prospect of loss. No one quite wanted to admit that Callen might be dead by now, but with each day that went by without contact, the odds grew steeper.

Sighing, Deeks slung his go-bag over his shoulder and locked his car. He had decided against returning home to shower and change. It would have been crazy to tangle himself up in rush hour traffic when it was way easier and quicker to head to the boatshed and clean up there.

Striding towards the boatshed, he was about to enter when he stopped short, his hand about to touch the handle when his eyes registered something unusual. There was a smudge of blood on the handle. His eyes wandered over the door, homing in on another bloody smudge on the doorframe.

Quietly putting his go-bag down, Deeks reached for the gun at the back of his belt. He drew a slow breath, centering himself before quietly slipping into the boatshed, his gun drawn and held at the ready. Deeks slowly and carefully made his way inside, checking the interrogation room for intruders first before heading on to the main area.

He frowned when he didn't see anyone, about to turn towards to the stairs and make his way to the upper level when he noticed a pair of legs sticking out from between the couch and table. He crept closer, angling his approach so that he would not leave himself open to an attack.

What he saw when he rounded the couch table made him freeze: Callen was lying face down on the floor.

Deeks instantly tucked the gun away and with two long strides crossed over to where Callen lay. He dragged the couch table away and knelt in the newly opened space, his fingers instantly going for the older man's neck, silently praying he would feel the steady beat of a pulse.

There was a pulse, but it wasn't steady, instead fluttering somewhat faintly under his fingertips.

Still… it was a pulse.

Deeks retreated his hand, giving Callen a once over to check for grievous wounds before he carefully turned the other man onto his side, securing him in recovery position and making sure he was breathing fine.

The fact that Callen didn't wake from his touch or from being turned over, worried Deeks. Callen was known for springing awake if anyone interrupted a nap by just walking past him. As far as Deeks was aware, only Hetty managed to sneak up on Callen.

The other man's breathing was labored and sweat made his dirty and torn clothes cling to his body. Heat was radiating off his frame. There was blood on his forehead and the half of his face that Deeks saw was puffed up and bruised, the skin raw and red.

Deeks reached for the phone tucked into the back pocket of his jeans, speed dialing Ops. He hoped that either Eric or Nell was already there, knowing they came in even earlier than usual to scour the news, the internet and any other obscure, official, or unofficial resource they could get their fingers on to find Callen. He could call 911 as well but going via Ops would speed up the official process and mean he wouldn't have to call the rest of the team as Nell and Eric would take care of that.

"Hey Deeks," Eric's voice greeted tiredly after the second ring.

"Eric, I need an ambulance at the boatshed," Deeks demanded firmly instead of a greeting, interrupting Eric moments later when the tech stuttered a confused 'what' with a short explanation, "Callen is here, unconscious and in bad shape."

The vacuum of surprise and disbelief hung between them for a second before he could practically hear the resolution slam into Eric as he listened to him pass his demand on to someone else.

Deeks glanced over his team leader once more, cataloguing the torn, bloody and dirty clothes. His eyes zeroed in on a dark patch on his left leg and he wedged his phone between his shoulder and ear, reaching for Callen once more. His hand came away bloody when he carefully probed that leg. Since there was no pool of blood beneath Callen, the bleeding probably wasn't too bad, but Deeks quickly made his way over to the kitchen, fetching a fresh towel and returning to where his team leader lay. He took off his own belt before he knelt and then pressed the towel down before firmly securing it around Callen's thigh with his belt.

And still, Callen didn't wake.

While working, from the corner of his eyes, he saw the monitor usually connecting them to Ops during cases flicker on.

He turned his head towards the monitor, meeting Eric's worried eyes with his own. Letting the phone fall to the floor, he used their face-to-face connection to issue his next demand. "Try to get a hold of Sam."

Sam had refused to return to LA.

They had picked up Kensi just north of San Diego and the last sign from Callen had been when his access codes had been used just off the coast south of San Diego several hours later. Following the trajectory, they suspected that he had been taken further south and into Mexico. They had scoured the coastline without any results. The US Coast Guard had also looked for the yacht that Kensi had said they had been confined to, but they hadn't found it, neither had the satellite data given them any leads.

So, Sam had gone to Mexico, ripping the country apart in hopes of finding his partner - one way or another. Hetty had tried to demand his return, but Sam had blatantly ignored her orders. He hadn't been prepared to accept that Callen was out of their reach and possibly dead. Deeks could relate, on the one hand angry with himself for not sticking like glue to Sam and helping him trying to find their missing leader, but on the other hand knowing Kensi needed his support here and he could be of help coordinating the search from within OSP. At least, that's what he had told himself over and over again.

Nell's face appeared next to Eric's on the monitor and her eyes fell onto Deeks and what part of their prone team leader they could see, her features tightening in worry. "Ambulance is four minutes out."

Deeks simply nodded, knowing he couldn't do much more than stay with Callen and keep him steady, make sure he continued breathing.

When the EMTs appeared a few minutes later, Deeks breathed a silent sigh of relief. He was out of his league. Sam might be capable of determining what Callen needed, but Deeks didn't know what he was doing.

"What happened?" the medic asked as he knelt down by Callen's head.

"He's a Federal Agent. We lost contact with him five days ago. We know he was beaten, but above that, I don't know. I found him here a few minutes ago. He's been unconscious the whole time," Deeks reported, shifting away when the second medic asked him to give them some room.

He watched over his team leader as the medics turned him onto his back and checked him over. Deeks hissed in sympathy when they cut off the shirt and revealed massive bruising on his torso, individual bruises bleeding into each other.

One of the medics started checking Callen's chest and abdomen, prompting a gurgling groan and a defensive shift but still Callen didn't wake.

The other medic took off the makeshift bandage Deeks had applied to the leg and, after cutting the pant leg open, revealed a crude bandage that was saturated with blood. Cutting through the bindings, a sluggishly bleeding wound could be seen. Kensi had told them that Callen had been stabbed. "His partner said he had been stabbed in the thigh, but that was five days ago," Deeks told the medics who didn't look up, instead nodding and focusing his attention on the wound.

The medics kept their assessment and ministrations short, deciding to bring their patient to the hospital without further delay.

Deeks snatched up his phone and followed them outside and into the ambulance after they strapped Callen down on a stretcher. He typed a message out to Eric and Nell when the medics told him they would be taking Callen to Cedars, knowing their two techs would forward that information to Sam, Kensi and Hetty.

Deeks jumped when his phone started ringing in his hand a few minutes into the drive, sighing when Sam's number flashed on the screen.

"I don't have much information for you yet, Sam. They are taking him in for a thorough check up," Deeks told the other man without preamble.

"But he's alive?" Sam asked urgently and Deeks could hear the desperation swinging in the other man's voice. Sam may be physically intimidating, may be a calm presence in pretty much any tough situation, but Deeks knew that losing his partner, his best friend, scared Sam more than just about anything. Sam had lost his wife a few years ago and aside of his children, Callen was the closest the man had to family.

"Yes, Sam," he said gently, trying to soothe and calm his teammate, "he's alive." He didn't dare tag on - or even think - the words 'for now'. The heart monitor was beeping regularly, and he took comfort in that, even though Callen looked bad.

Deeks glanced up at his team leader's face when he saw some sluggish movements. He watched as Callen's eyes flickered under their lids. The eyes fluttered for a moment, but they didn't fully open, instead merely revealing small slits. There was a glazed and unfocussed look in his eyes that made Deeks doubt Callen was really with them. The sluggish movements slowly sharpened into defensive shifts though and moments later, Callen tried to lever his body up.

"Hang on, Sam," Deeks muttered and let the phone drop into his lap while he leaned closer to the injured man. He shot a quick glance at the medic who was about to reach for his patient, "stay back," he murmured firmly, watching the man lift his hands away more in surprise than in deference to the order.

Deeks ignored the paramedic and turned to the man on the gurney instead. "Easy, Callen," he spoke to his team leader, trying to direct his focus and keep him from freaking out. Despite being laid up and wounded, Deeks was certain that Callen could pose a danger to them if he reacted out of self-preservation. After surviving whatever he had been forced to go through, Deeks didn't doubt that he would instinctually lash out to protect himself first before asking questions. "Callen," he called again, watching the man's eyes roll around before eventually coming to rest on him, "you're safe, Callen. Relax."

Vague recognition flickered over the other man's features and Deeks was relieved to see the lead agent slump back down moments later. The fact that he did so when it was Deeks doing the reassuring made something warm pool in his belly. Callen didn't trust easily, and Deeks was honored to obviously be on that short list of people their team leader trusted.

Callen settled back down, his eyes slipping closed. Deeks was about to pick up the phone when Callen's eyes shot open again and his hand reached for Deeks, somehow managing to accurately find and grip his forearm despite Callen's badly compromised state. "Kensi?" he mumbled urgently, apprehension and uncertainty easily visible in the man's usually guarded face.

Deeks leaned forward, his eyes locked with the other mans' to convey his sincerity, "she's alright. Kensi is safe, Callen."

When the words registered, Callen let his head fall back onto the gurney, his grip on Deeks' forearm loosening and then falling away. The readings on the monitors that Callen was connected to remained stable and when the medic gave him a small nod, Deeks sighed softly before he picked up the phone again. "Sam?"

"What's going on?" The voice was frazzled, and Deeks grimaced in sympathy. He knew he would feel the same if it was Kensi in the ambulance with Sam or Callen and him miles away.

"He regained consciousness. I think he considered becoming combative. Didn't want him to take the ambulance apart so I had to put you away for a moment," he explained breezily.

Xxxxxxx

Deeks slowly paced the corridor in front of the trauma room Callen had been taken into. He hated that he hadn't been allowed to follow the gurney inside, hated to let his team leader out of his sight. He just hoped that Callen wouldn't become combative when he once more regained consciousness or things might get ugly in there.

Despite his state, Callen's grip had been strong, and Deeks didn't doubt that he would try to tear that room apart if he felt threatened.

"Mr. Deeks," Hetty's voice rang out, her figure appearing beside him seemingly out of thin air and making him jump and swivel round.

"Hetty," he breathed. She watched him in that solemn and penetrating way of hers and Deeks shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't know anything yet. They have been working on him since they brought him in. I wasn't allowed to follow." He gestured helplessly towards the room that held Callen.

Hetty nodded calmly, reaching out and giving his arm a gentle pat. "You know that's the way it works," she reassured him calmly. "Now, what can you tell me?"

Deeks shrugged and allowed her to lead him several steps away from the entrance door of the room that held Callen, sinking down into one of the chairs while she sat down next to him. Some part of his brain had the capacity to marvel at the poised control Hetty's movements belied, the rest of him was too worried and distracted to care. "I caught a few early waves. I just needed some time to myself and…" he broke off, shrugging helplessly. Again, Hetty pattered his forearm, and he closed his eyes before he shook his head and went on, "I decided to clean up at the boatshed instead of at home. There was a smudge of blood on the handle and doorframe that put me on alert. When I checked the place, I found Callen face down on the floor. It looked like he had not quite made it to the couch, instead collapsing between the couch and the coffee table."

Hetty nodded. "Mr. Beale and Miss Jones checked the security feeds. They said -"

Her words were interrupted by Kensi's appearance. Deeks stood and drew her into an embrace before she could fly past him and into the trauma room. "We can't go in there, Kens," he murmured as he brushed a hand down her hair, holding her close while she strained to go past him. Her appearance brought home just how close they had come to losing one - if not two - of their team, making him tighten his hold on her. Letting Kensi cling to him for several seconds, he then moved them both to where Hetty remained poised in her chair.

Kensi discretely wiped a tear away from her face. "How is he?" she asked quietly, glancing between Deeks and Hetty.

Deeks gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "We don't know anything yet," he told her quietly, "he wasn't awake when we arrived at the hospital though he regained consciousness for a few moments during the drive."

"What happened?" Kensi asked the next question.

Before Deeks could reply, Hetty spoke, "as I was just about to tell Mr. Deeks, Nell and Eric checked the security cameras. It seems that Mr. Callen entered the boatshed not quite an hour and a half before you found him there. They retraced his movements outside and found he arrived on a quad."

Deeks frowned, turning his focus inwards and rewinding to when he had arrived at the boatshed. "There was a quad parked a few slots over," he muttered, distantly remembering the vehicle at the edge of his perception, "I didn't think any of it."

Hetty gave him a sad smile, "and why would you?" She shrugged dismissively, "our crime techs have already picked up the quad and are starting to check for anything that might be useful. Mr. Beale and Miss Jones are likewise occupied with retracing Mr. Callen's steps further. The quad's registration number came up for an off-road rental shop in the Anza Borrego Desert. The shop owner reported a break-in about an hour ago."

Deeks sighed and glanced towards the room where Callen lay. He put his hands onto his thighs, duty warring with reluctance to leave. "We should go and check it out," he murmured, glancing at Kensi from the corner of his eyes.

"Oh, no, Mr. Deeks," Hetty shook her head, "you'll stay here."

Both Deeks and Kensi looked over at her, confusion on their features. "But Hetty-" Kensi frowned.

Hetty held up her hands, forestalling their protests. "I've already sent Agent Torres to follow that up. I want you to stand down and stay here. Agent Torres' team is well capable of handling that. For now, you're more valuable here."

In a way, Deeks was glad for her directive. Having seen his team leader laid up like that, completely out of sorts and defenseless had shaken him more than he had expected. He knew their presence was irrelevant, because Callen was safe here, but he didn't want the other man unprotected and alone. Callen had trusted him in that ambulance, and he didn't want to let him down. Also, Sam would kill them if they left Callen alone.

On top of that, Deeks still hated the desert. Since coming to work with these people, he had found himself in one desert or another more often than he was comfortable with, had even gotten used to it in some fashion, but he still didn't have to like it.

Any further discussion was aborted when the door to the trauma room opened, and a doctor approached them. All of them stood and were relieved to see the face of someone they knew. It would be easier like this.

"How is he, Steve?" Kensi asked. The only thing that belied her turmoil was a slight warble in her voice, uncertainty and fear getting away from her control.

The other man stopped in front of the group. He glanced around, a small frown on his features when he noticed one of the team not in attendance.

"Agent Hanna is on his way," Hetty explained softly, "please, bring us up to speed."

Steve nodded and turned his focus back to them. "First off: he's stable. They'll be taking him up for a scan because of several visible head wounds and the obvious bruising of his face indicating he was beaten quite severely. There's no indication for any grave problem, but I want to be on the safe side. Most worrying for the moment is his badly dehydrated state and what I suspect is heat exhaustion. Adding to that, he lost quite a bit of blood, though not enough to be immediately life-threatening. Other than that, the knife wound in his thigh is infected, as are some cuts on his upper arms. We've already put him on intravenous antibiotics. X-rays showed three broken ribs on his left side, but they are still aligned, so I'm confident that they won't give us much trouble other than being uncomfortable. We've seen massive bruising on his torso and abdomen, but the ultrasound revealed no free fluid, no internal bleeding. Outwardly, we have a multitude of smaller wounds and some considerable sunburn."

There was a stifling silence as they digested the laundry list of injuries. "He gonna be ok?" Deeks asked quietly.

Steve rolled his eyes, "knowing Callen, he'll be trying to escape from my ward by noon," he muttered, rubbing a hand over his forehead. The tension within the group did lower some at the remark because they all knew their team leader and his tendency to skip medical treatment. "No, seriously… he's still unconscious and that does worry me a bit. The EMTs said you lost contact with him a few days ago and seeing his physical state, I'd put it down to exhaustion for the moment. Since he briefly regained consciousness in the ambulance and - from what the medic said - seemed lucid and responding to you, Deeks, I'm not too worried yet. For now, we'll keep an eye on him and get him settled."

Kensi nodded and gave the man a small smile, "thanks, Steve."

Steve returned the smile, "I'll have the nurses get you once he's settled."