The Bad Guys Never Forget & Never Forgive
Chapter 8
"The key to making someone suffer is to know what causes them the most pain," Harkins said.
"Just remember, every cut, every scream, every way I can make him suffer...it's for you: to remind you what happens to those who defy me, betray my trust," Harkins whispered menacingly.
...NCIS LA...
"Nooo...," Deeks jolted awake with a strangled yell, flailing around on the bed as though trying to ward off an unseen attacker.
The hands he felt on his shoulders making him fight all the more, "No...no, it's me...not him..."
"Deeks! Deeks, come on wake up...come on, it was only a dream," an urgent voice kept calling to him, "Deeks, you with me...open your eyes..."
The tight, worried voice of his partner finally broke through the terrifying images that assailed him and Deeks let out a shuddering breath as he slowly opened his eyes, "Kensi?"
"Yeah, partner...it's me," she said gently, a small smile on her face, "...you back with me now?"
Looking around the room dazedly, he realized he was in a hospital room, "Uh, yeah...uh, what, what happened?"
Kensi looked down at her partner in concern, "you were hurt...when the...,"Kensi sighed heavily, "... Deeks, the convoy...it was ambushed..."
"The convoy..." Deeks asked slowly, confusion on his face before it was replaced with horror as the memories came crashing back.
He suddenly threw the blankets back, attempting to rise from the bed, exclaiming wildly, "the convoy...god, the convoy...it was attacked; Harkins...Kensi, we have to go—we have to go now..."
Kensi moved to block her agitated partner from getting out of the bed, while Deeks attempted to push past her; suddenly crying out in pain and falling heavily back against the bed before sliding to the floor as a searing pain shot down his arm, nearly taking his breath away.
And that's how Sam found them moments later when he stepped into the room, "What the hell...?"
A few quick strides and Sam was stooping down to help Kensi hoist the gasping man back into his bed and despite her worry, she couldn't help chastising him, "Serves you right...what the hell did you think you were doing?"
As the pain subsided and his breathing came under control, Deeks looked from Kensi to Sam: both agents could see unmasked fear on the detectives face as he said hoarsely, "We gotta go...ya' gotta get me outa' here, Sam. Harkins...Sam, Harkin's...he has Callen..."
Looking away in shame, Deeks continued in a voice tight and cracking with emotion and pain, "... it's my fault...Sam. I'm sorry...it's my fault. Harkins is gonna hurt Callen...torture him because of me; we've got to go...we have to find him..."
Sam grabbed Deeks good arm, as the detective's growing agitation was causing his breather to come in short pants, putting him in danger of hyperventilating, "Hey, Deeks man, calm down...look at me...we'll get him back. We've processed the scene and replayed the footage from the thermal satellite imaging...Eric was able to follow the chopper for about six miles before it was out of the satellites feed..."
"Processed the scene..." Deeks gasped out slowly, his agitation not diminishing as he demanded, "how long have I been out? Why are you still here...we have to go—now!"
"You, are not going anywhere...you just had surgery to clean and debride your shoulder wound and you have a hairline fracture to your cheekbone and are a hair's-breathe from being diagnosed with a concussion," Sam warned.
Again attempting to rise and easily being held in place by the larger agent, Deeks said with agitation, "you don't understand...I have to go...Callen's dead for sure if I don't go...it's the whole point, to see me suffer...he sees a team roll in he'll kill Callen before you can breach. He wants to see me...wants me to see what he can do to people I care about...if I go there's a chance of stalling him long enough to try rescue Callen..."
"What are you talking about...?" Kensi asked worriedly, "how do you know that's what Harkins is planning?"
Falling back in his pillows and looking away from the agents, Deeks choked out sadly, "because...because, I've...I've seen it before..."
Deeks mind went back over the conversation that he had had with Callen at the prison...and the memories that went with it...
...
"all this...there's something off...it's one thing to take precautions; anyone would with a prison transport...but, I don't know, something feels off...almost forced, about the whole thing..."
Sighing deeply and shrugging his shoulders, Deeks continued, "I don't know, maybe I'm just edgy seeing Harkins again...knowing he's thinking of all kinds of ways to torture me for setting him up."
"You're definitely not on his Christmas card list," Callen responded, adding, "and we got the same feeling...there is definitely something off about this transport."
A dark, haunted look in Deeks absent gaze set off Callen's radar, causing him to ask pointedly, "you saw it didn't you; were there when Harkin's had some of those men tortured..."
"Not for the party, but I definitely saw the aftermath," Deeks said with a hoarse whisper, unable to stop the small shudder that swept over him, "if I would have been there while it was happening...I don't know; I don't know if I coulda' maintained it man...even if it was another crook he was torturing...I don't think I coulda' kept cover; not helped the poor bastards..."
...
"When Harkins found out that three of his 'men' were planning on branching out on their own...taking some of his 'business' he decided to teach them, and the rest of us a lesson about loyalty and betrayal..." Deeks explained with a heavy sigh, his eyes downcast and haunted as he relived the experience, "it was two brother's and a cousin...after he had them beat nearly to death, he tied them up and made the two older ones watch as he whipped and tortured the youngest...then, god, then he gave the older brother a choice-watch his kid brother die a slow and painful death...or-or he could pull the trigger himself and put the kid out of his misery..."
Kensi was horrified at the thought of her partner witnessing such cruelty, and couldn't help the tears burning in hers eyes. Sam's face was a hard mask as he attempted to reign in his emotions; anger and horror at what the detective described fighting for dominance against the cold fear in his gut as the worry for his partner reached suffocating proportions.
"G's tough, he'll hang on 'til we find him," Sam finally said, laying a comforting hand on Deeks shoulder, "and this time; this time Harkins going down-and he's staying down."
...NCIS LA...
a/n: yeah, I know-too short: but I just needed a transition from the crime scene to the rescue...so, is Harkins sounding evil enough? AND, I just love those team bonding moments...