Comescu. This is how my world fell apart.
As the doors slid shut behind me I let the breath out. I ran my hands over my face and shook my head. I hated Hetty in that moment. She had left the mess and expected the rest of us to clean it up, but we didn't have the answers. I looked up and Hunter was stood there with almost sympathetic eyes.
"Don't say anything Lauren." I said firmly as I marched past her and found the Director heading towards Hetty's desk. "Director?" I asked as I fallowed him over, Hunter hot on my heels.
"Sit." Vance said as we all sat at Hetty's desk. He unbuttoned his jacket and sighed glancing to Hunter. "I know you both worked Operation Comescu. Do I need to remind the pair of you that this file is still classified?"
"No Director." Hunter replied. I didn't say anything. Vance turned to me with a raised eyebrow.
"Agent Cooper?" He asked me firmly.
"Sir, with all due respect, this is total crap." I said plainly and watched the surprise on his face. "Hetty is missing. People are going through her house and it's got to be linked to Comescu. Your best agents are sitting up there in the dark. If we just-"
"We can't just read them into this Coup." Lauren said shaking her head. "You know Hetty wanted Callen kept at arms length on this."
"Excuse me? I know nothing. All Hetty told me was my job. Psych evaluations on the team and Comescu family. I don't know what this actually has to do with Callen, if you feel like sharing, now would be a good time Lauren." I said glaring at the woman.
"I tell you and what's stopping you from running to tell Callen and his team?" Lauren snapped at me, the anger in her eyes as clear as my own. We sat there glaring each other and all I wanted to do was punch her in the face and make her talk. Maybe I'd spent too much time in Afghanistan, where rules were more flexible on interrogation.
"Ladies." Vance snapped and we turned to him. "Agent Hunter, we need to find those mercenaries, go, see what Eric can find out."
"Yes Director." Lauren nodded before getting up and leaving me with Vance.
"Sir-" I started to say when he raised his hand to me cutting me off.
"Agent Cooper, I am aware of how close you are to this." Vance said studying me closely.
"Sir, I am not too close to this." I said shaking my head. Vance lent forward and sighed while he still studied me.
"You know the Comescu family?" Vance asked me without blinking.
"As good as Agent Hunter, probably better." I said plainly.
"You know the crimes they've committed in the name of revenge?" He asked me firmly.
"Yes sir, the names were blanked, but I knew what the Comescu's did to get their revenge." I explained again without blinking.
"The name of the family the Comescu's were getting revenge on was Callen." Vance said plainly and my eyes widened.
"Callen? G's family?" I asked shocked. I had read the reports, the type of people the Comescu's were. The thought of them tracking down G and the things they could do to him. It made me feel sick.
"Exactly. They are still after Agent Callen, I believe Hetty has gone to track down the Comescu's and convince them he's dead." Vance explained and I looked straight into his eyes.
"She's dead if she does that." I said feeling that ugly feeling in my gut turn into sickening fear.
"I'm aware of that Agent Cooper that's why we need to find the mercenaries connection to Comescu." Vance said sitting back in his chair. "That is always why you can not tell Agent Callen or the team what Comescu is."
"He's going to find out." I sighed wiping my eyes the gravity of the situation hitting me harder then any fist to the gut.
"I know, I just pray we find Hetty before hand." Vance said nodding to me.
Oddly the gym was empty. It was hardly ever empty, but I was glad for the space. My mind was drowning under all the information, the terror that was doing the rounds. Vance had filled the blanks in for me. Comescu's and Callen's in an age old feud, it sounded like it should have been a film, not real life. Callen was the last surviving member of his family, he was in danger. If the Comescu's knew he was alive, the thought wasn't even possible. But maybe they did know where he was, that could have explained Hetty's disappearing act and why should wouldn't tell us anything. She didn't want us to fallow, she didn't want us in danger when she just walked into the lions den. I slid down the side of one of the walls and rested my head on my arms as I brought my knees up.
"Damn it Hetty... why didn't you just share it with us? We could have helped." I cursed to myself as I sat there processing everything. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't hear the gym door open and Sam, Deeks and Kensi walk in. It wasn't until they were stood over me that I realised I wasn't alone.
"Coup?" Sam asked bobbing down to my level. I looked up and saw his big brown eyes searching my own. Out of the three there I knew Sam the longest. We worked together for a life time, we were a family.
"Please don't ask me." I begged looking back to Sam. My voice came out weak and broken, more like a scared child then a trained agent.
"But you do know?" Kensi asked watching me carefully. I pushed myself back onto my feet and nodded. Her eyes were cold and hard, she was studying me.
"Yeah, I know." I answered honestly.
"Then why can't you tell us?" Deeks asked leaning on the wall near me.
"You're still new to this game," I said looking from Deeks to Sam. "You know the rules."
"We do Coup. But we know Hetty. She's missing Coup." Sam said studying me closely. They were all watching me, studying me, interrogating me with their silent looks. I had expected this, three years of waiting and it still came too soon. I never wanted them to feel betrayed, never, but here we were.
"I know Sam. But anything I could tell you... it wouldn't help." I sighed and started to walk away from them.
"What? So you're just going to walk away?" Kensi snapped as I went for the door. I stopped and turned to face her, the anger was clear with Kensi. "You know something that might help us find Hetty and you're just going to walk away? Does family mean nothing to you? Does Hetty mean nothing to you?" She snapped marching over to me. Kensi was a little taller than me and she was trying to use her height to intimidate me. But it wasn't working, the fact she was calling me heartless, saying I didn't care. That's what got to me.
"I want to find her Kens, I really do. I pray we find her before anything happens to her! But what I know about Comescu, it wont help." I said trying to get her to understand. She didn't look like she was believing me.
"How do you know? I thought you were part of this family Coup?" Kensi asked me, the hurt in her eyes shining through. I fought the lump in my throat and swallowed it, letting it feed the anger that was bubbling in my stomach.
"I am." I defended myself as I started to loose my temper. "I am trying to protect this family!" I snapped feeling the rage build inside me.
"You have a funny way of showing it! Family sticks together Alex! They don't side with the enemy!" She snapped at me, the rage pouring off each word. I knew neither of us were really that angry at each other, we were scared. Scared of loosing Hetty and not being able to cope without her.
"Enemy? What are you talking about?" I asked raising my voice to match hers.
"Hunter! You were talking to her in Op's before. We all saw it! We know you worked with her! What? Where you here just to spy on us all?" Kensi asked throwing her arms around.
"I don't work for or with Hunter! I wanted to know what she knew! We have a past sure, but nothing to do with this!" I snapped back. Kensi scoffed and shook her head.
"How long have you worked Comescu?" She asked glaring at me. We stood there glaring at each other for a few minutes. I was so mad, so scared, so infuriated that Kensi, one of my closest friends couldn't just trust me enough to let me work the case my way.
"Three years or so." I admitted without a blink. Hetty had told me to tell them the truth. That was the truth. I saw Kensi's eye widened and I realised in that moment, the truth hurt. It hurt both of us. I felt the slap before my mind registered what was happening. Kensi had hit me, hard.
"You've lied to us for three years?" Kensi cried out. "I don't know you any more Alex. Just, just stay away from me." She added before barging past me and out the gym. I stood there and watched Deeks fallow her out, his eyes never meeting my own. This left me alone with Sam. He just stood there with his arms by his sides, just watching me. I didn't know what to say. What could I say? It was clear they all hated me. I looked to the floor and then back up at Sam.
"We need to find her Sam. She's in serious danger." I whispered out, all the rage completely gone from my voice. I was just scared for her life now.
"How? What's happening Coup?" Sam asked taking a step towards me.
"I think, I think she's on a suicide run Sam." I said feeling my body shake a little. Sam put his large hands on my shoulders and rubbed the tops of my arms.
"Do you know where she went?" He asked looking me dead in the eyes.
"No. All I know is it would be East Europe, there's so many different places she could go..." I admitted softly. "I'm sorry Sam." I added softly.
"I know. You were only doing you job." Sam said rubbing my arms.
"If she dies... it's on me." I said coldly.
"Coup-" Sam started to say.
"Coup." I herd G's voice and I looked up to Sam. He was watching Callen walk over to us. Callen stopped at my side and turned to Sam. "Give us a minute?" He asked softly.
"Sure G." Sam nodded, giving me a quick glance before walking out of the room. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. To see the sadness, the disappointment in his eyes, the betrayal. I stood there and focused on a small spot on the floor. Minutes went by and I could feel his eyes on me, studying me, looking for that explanation.
I don't know how long I was stood there, but I refused to look at Callen. I refused to open my mouth and let the guilt wash out over every word. I had to keep him safe. Hetty wanted him safe, she was risking her damn life for it, so I had to respect her.
"What's Operation Comescu?" Callen asked breaking the silence and making me jump. I didn't answer. I just looked at that same damn spot. "Coup, what is Operation Comescu?" He asked again standing in that damn spot.
"No." I said looking up into his eyes. It was the hardest no I had ever said and by G's reaction not the way he wanted this to go.
"No?" He asked confused and annoyed.
"No." I repeated.
"No what?" He asked folding his arms over his chest.
"No I wont tell you what Comescu is." I said plainly. Inside I was crashing and burning, but I guess that is the advantage of being a good agent, being able to lie to those closest to you.
"Alex," G sighed running his hand over his short hair. "I thought we-"
"We agreed that it wouldn't interfere with our work." I said coldly. G looked annoyed.
"I'm sorry Alex, I can't just switch off the way I feel about someone. Or was that a part of Comescu too?" He spat back at me. I took a deep breath and held the poker face although I was scared that it was going to break at any moment. His words, the harsh tone, my heart was breaking and I had to pretend like it was all ok to keep him safe.
"You can play the relationship card, try and goad me into telling you. You can yell, scream and shout, but I wont tell you." I said plainly. The tough guy act was getting harder to keep up as he stood there, his once loving blues turning cold and hard.
"I, I thought you loved me?" He asked shaking his head a little. He was so damn hurt and it was all my fault.
"I do." I choked out, mentally slapping myself for letting the emotion fall out with the words.
"Then why wont you tell me about Comescu, why wont you help me find Hetty?" Callen asked softly, his eyes searching mine for any sign of life.
"I'll help you find Hetty." I said regaining my agent voice.
"Great, what's Comescu?" Callen asked me, studying me closely.
"G, I can't." I said shaking my head.
"Because Hunter says so? Or Vance?" Callen scoffed getting mad at me. "This is Hetty Alex! She brought you into this family! Do you even remember what she did for you?"
"I could never forget G!" I snapped back. "She saved my life! That's why I can't G!" I said as my defences started to break down. I couldn't stand there another minute and face him. Face the man I loved attacking me. I walked out of the gym, hearing him call my name.
The Mission was starting to feel pretty damn small, where ever I went eyes fell on me, Deeks, Kensi, Sam, Eric, Nell... they all knew. They were all asking the silent questions in their heads of how I could keep it all from them. It was getting too much for me. I headed to Hetty's desk to talk to Director Vance when Lauren appeared, taking my arm.
"We need to talk." She said leading me into an empty room. She closed the door behind us and I sighed as I rested against a wall, running a hand over my face.
"Lauren. I haven't said anything, and I wont." I sighed as I looked up at her.
"Alex, are, are you ok?" She asked carefully. It threw me, badly, I stood up straight and raised my eye brow.
"Excuse me?" I asked confused.
"Are you ok? I saw Callen head into the gym, then you come out." She said taking a step towards me. "Hetty explained you two had a close partnership..."
"What?" I asked shocked.
"Hetty said you two-" Lauren started to say.
"Stop Lauren! Just stop." I said pushing myself away from the wall and pacing the small room. "I... I did my job for Comescu, and now... I want to leave." I said turning to face her.
"Alex, I know how hard it is, being so close to someone and then having to betray that trust." Lauren said watching me closely. It was like Lauren was trying to relate to me. It was awkward and uncomfortable but she was the only person actually being nice to me. It was like I had landed in Bizzaro World or something.
"I'm an agent, I trained to do that kind of thing." I said coldly, I really didn't want to discuss my life with her of all people.
"But it's different when-" Lauren tried to explain.
"He was just a partner, never anything more. I did the job Hetty gave me and now I really want to just track her down." I sighed softly.
"Do you know where she might be?" Lauren asked me, a spark lit up in her eyes. She knew more than she was saying, I was certain of it.
"No, I just want to find her..." I sighed.
"We will find her Alex." Lauren said softly before walking out. I sighed and shook my head. The place was getting too much for me. Too many secrets, too many hurt feelings, it was all just getting too damn much. I'd hurt too many people to be able to fix it. But the look in Hunters eyes, she knew more than she was saying. We both did. I walked out and decided to check something out. I went up to Op's and was greeted by Nell and Eric working away at the computers.
"Um, guys, can I borrow a computer?" I asked softly. The pair turned to me and I saw Eric look nervously at Nell. He didn't know what to do, he was a good friend, but I had proven I had messed things up. "I just need it for five minutes." I added honestly.
"What for?" Nell asked firmly folding her arms over her chest. She was giving me a typical Hetty look and it took everything within me not to smile. Nell was really protective of the team and it was a good quality to have.
"Honestly?" I asked plainly, letting my arms drop by my sides.
"Yeah." Nell nodded. I took a deep breath and held it in.
"I need to access my files on Comescu, there's a link on the main server. It might help us track Hetty..." I half lied. I did need to access my Comescu files, but only to check a location.
"If you access them, will you let us read them?" Nell asked firmly.
"Of course, you, Callen, anyone." I admitted.
"And what about the Director and Hunter?" Eric asked softly.
"I'll take full responsibility, I kinda wanna get fired anyway." I half heartily laughed. Eric and Nell trained a worried look.
"Coup, you don't need to leave NCIS." Eric said softly as I walked over to their computers. I gave him a sad smile and nodded.
"I do. So please, let me try and make it up to you guys before it's too late?" I asked softly. Eric and Nell traded one last look before Nell stood from her computer. I gave her a small smile and hit a few keys. A few minutes later the files, my files on Comescu was up on the screens. I opened the file I needed and double checked the location.
"You wrote evaluations on all of us?" Eric said sounding hurt. I glanced and the pair were looking at the file names.
"I had to. I'm sorry." I explained as I copied the files to a flash drive. "They aren't bad. In fact, if you read them... I was trying my best to help. The whole time." I admitted as the final file transferred across. Eric's screen flashed as I stood up and looked at him confused. "What's that?" I asked confused.
"The teams running an Op. They're about to start. I need to get the Director." Eric explained pushing his glasses up.
"I should get going. Director Vance is going to love me when he finds out I opened these files." I sighed and walked out of Op's.
I went to Callen's desk and flicked the pen drive around and around in my hands. I wasn't sure how helpful it would be but I wanted them to know how much I wanted to help. I tucked the pen drive into my pocket as I saw Vance storm over to me. His face said he knew what I'd done.
"Agent Cooper, fallow me, now." He snapped walking over to Hetty's desk. Hunter was already stood there and I waited for the brunt to hit me. "Just what do you think you were doing?" Vance asked me the anger clear in his eyes. Hunter glanced from him to me with a questioning look.
"What did you do?" She asked me. Her eyes watching my every move but I just continued to look forward to Director Vance.
"She opened her files on Comescu and let Eric and Nell read them." Vance snapped and glared at me.
"What? Do the others know?" Hunter asked shocked as she looked between me and Director Vance. I just stood there watching Vance. Not blinking, not thinking just waiting for him to sack me.
"No, and thankfully they wont find out." Vance said and watched me carefully. "What were you thinking Agent Cooper?"
"I was thinking about what Hetty said to me before she left, Director. She wanted me to tell the truth." I said without a hint of emotion.
"We all want her back Agent Cooper. We are all working on locating her and bringing her back alive. Do you really think putting Agent Callen's life in danger is the best way to bring back Hetty?" Director Vance snapped at me.
"No sir, but if she is on a suicide run, I believe Agent Callen and his team have a right to know why." I said standing my ground.
"You don't have the authority to choose that Agent Cooper. We have rules for a reason." Vance said his eyes glued on me. We stood there watching, playing a game of chicken on who would blink first. I know he was weighing me up, trying to figure out my plan.
"What do we do now?" Hunter asked softly. She was like a child in that moment caught between fighting parents. Director Vance's expression changed for a few seconds and he sighed before turning back to a pissed off Director.
"Well I have no choice do I Agent Cooper?" Vance glared at me as he stood up from the seat. The look Vance shared with me. It was like he almost knew what I was going to do without being told.
"No sir." I said pulling out my gun and badge and placing them on the table.
"You're firing her?" Hunter asked watching the situation unfold.
"Am I firing you Agent Cooper?" Vance asked watching me.
"No sir, I am resigning this temporary position." I said taking a deep breath. "Thank you for all your patients Director Vance." I added plainly.
"Be safe Ms Cooper." Vance replied with a sharp nod.
"You're going after Hetty?" Hunter asked me, her eyes widening.
"I don't have a job here any more. I need to leave the country." I said plainly.
"You don't even know where she is!" Lauren cried out as I looked over to Vance.
"Where do you think you'll head to Ms Cooper?" Vance asked watching me, the smallest of smiles on his lips.
"I have friends in Eastern Europe, thought I'd crash with them for a while. Site see." I replied. Vance nodded knowing that my friends would give me the location and back up I needed to find Hetty and rescue her if it was possible.
"Safe travels." Vance nodded as I nodded to him and walked out of The Mission for the last time.
I headed to the one place I knew I could go. The one place that would be empty. The one final loose end I needed to tie up before I left for Europe. I needed to explain everything to him. Explain why I did what I did, and how I tried to help. I refused to let him get hurt, but before I left, I wanted to make some kind of peace. I sat in his living room and waited to hear the door unlock. The sun had set and I was just sat in the dark, drinking a beer on the floor.
"I didn't think you'd come." I said as Callen walked into his living room. He was wearing a blue shirt, jacket and trousers, Hetty would have been proud of his choice of clothes.
"I got your text. Sounded important." Callen said with no emotion in his voice, standing at the edge of his living room. I stood up and put my hands into my back pockets.
"You wanted answers. You wanted to know about Comescu." I said plainly.
"Vance has explained it all to me." G said with stone cold icy blue eyes.
"He did? Wow, didn't think he'd let you know." I shrugged surprised.
"I know Hetty's trying to protect me." G explained without any emotion again.
"She only ever wanted to protect you G. This whole time, she never wanted to give you more than you could handle." I said standing there watching G.
"I should have been the one to judge that." Callen said firmly setting his jaw.
"I agree." I nodded. "Every evaluation, every time I was asked. I wanted her to tell you. I didn't know what Comescu had to do with you. But I knew it was something to do with your past. I knew you had a right to know." I explained taking a step towards G.
"You could have told me. Told me that she was having me watched." Callen said firmly. He was still mad at me, really mad at me.
"It was her call G." I said reaching into my back pocket.
"It was your call." G said with such anger in his voice it sent a cold shiver down my spine.
"It is now," I said tossing G the flash pen with all my files on, except the one that included the location I was heading to. "It's not much now, but that's all my work. Might give you a clue where to look."
"Why are you giving this to me?" Callen asked confused. "Vance will have your ass for it."
"If he finds out, and what's the worst he can do? I quit already." I shrugged as I headed to the door. As I became level with G, he grabbed my arm and looked into my eyes.
"What are you planning to do?" He asked, his icy blues searching my eye, boring into my soul for all the answers. The stare alone would have made someone crack, but I knew how important it was to stay strong. To keep G safe and alive.
"Trying to leave." I stated and G turned to face me fully.
"This." He said waving the flash pen. "Quitting. Where are you going? Do you know where Hetty is?" He asked me firmly. This wasn't the G Callen I knew as a friend and partner, this was Agent G Callen interrogating me for answers.
"I don't G. I've just had enough of the secrets and the lies and the tension. I'm heading to Europe to hit up a few contacts. See if I can find her." I answered almost truthfully. I was heading to Romania, I knew the Comescu family home was there and with a bit of luck Hetty would be too.
"She went to protect me." Callen said letting go of my arm. "I wont let her risk her life for me."
"You don't get a choice in this one G." I said softly.
"No. I do." G said glaring into my eyes. "I know she was last seen in Prague. We're heading there ASAP."
"Vance gave you the green light?" I asked confused.
"I quit too. We all did." Callen smirked before shaking his head. "I wont let anyone hurt her." He added firmly.
"Neither will I G." I said softly before taking a deep breath. "I wont apologise for keeping all this from you. It's kept you safe for years now. But I will apologise for sleeping with you. I should never have done it, I knew you'd find out soon and... I'm sorry for loving you G." I said looking up into his eyes. I saw the confusion on G's face as he studied me, trying to understand what I was going to do.
"Was it all part of the mission?" Callen whispered softly, looking dead in my eyes.
"Would it make it any easier if I just said yes?" I replied softening by the second. I would rather him be mad at me then know the truth. Know I was still in love and doing everything I could to protect him.
"Does it ever?" He asked me, his eyes locked on my own.
"I guess not." I admitted softly. I went up on my toes and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "Stay safe G Callen." I whispered before walking out of his house. My heart breaking as I closed the door and found myself walking away from the one person I really loved in this world.
I got on the next plane to Romania, but a delayed flight out of German meant I lost precious hours. When I finally got to Romania I knew I had to hit the ground running. I knew if Hetty was alive it would only be a matter of time before someone changed that fact. I needed to get supplies, find her and get her out alive. I walked into a small shop close to the beach. It was a place I'd visited a few times when I'd had trips to Romanian for both the MOD and NCIS cases. It was my boat hole for the area.
"Hello, can I help you?" Dorin, an old friend and arms supplier asked in Romanian as I walked into his shop. The couple of customers collected their things as I walked to his counter.
"I hope so I was looking for some help with a little problem." I answered in Romanian as the couple left.
"Coup, it is good to see you alive my friend!" Dorin smirked as he walked to his door, turning the sign to closed and locking the door. "What brings you back to Romania?" He asked turning to face me. Dorin was in his early 50's, salt and pepper hair, greying moustache and small and dumpy. He'd helped me out a few times when I was short of equipment during a mission. He was a trusted ally in Eastern Europe.
"Dorin, it's good to see you too. How's the family?" I asked as he led me to the back of the shop where he dealt with special clients. Dorin paused, turning to me with a frown on his face.
"You are in trouble, no?" Dorin asked studying me closely.
"Can't an old friend drop by unexpectedly?" I asked leaning against his chest of drawers.
"No, when that old friend is you." Dorin smirked at me, shaking his head. "What trouble have you got yourself into this time? Drug dealers? Smugglers? Traffickers?"
"How about all of the above." I stated sighing softly. Dorin frowned at me again shaking his head.
"You are too young for this game Coup. You should go live a normal life. Leave the spying game to the old coats." Dorin sighed moving a picture on the wall and unlocking his safe. "Who are you going after to?" He asked pulling out a couple of shelves with guns, id's and cameras on.
"Dorin it's safer if I don't tell you." I sighed picking up a Sig and examining it. Dorin always had the best black market weapons, ones you could really rely on.
"Coup, you know I will find out." Dorin sighed picking up a camera and checking it's charge. Not only did Dorin help kit out travellers to the country, he was also a local informal informant. He knew pretty much everything and had connections to near enough everything. Sure Dorin wasn't a good guy, but he wasn't the worst bad guy either. Lines became very blurred when you worked undercover.
"Dorin really." I sighed checking the sight of the gun.
"Please, you are an old friend. I do not have many of them left. Who are you here for?" Dorin asked taking the gun out of my hands and looking me dead in the eyes. I stood there for a few minutes and sighed, pushing my hair out of my face.
"The Comescu's." I stated and saw the blind panic in his eyes.
"Coup that is a suicide run. The Comescu's are untouchable here. They own everything and everyone." Dorin said seriously.
"Yeah, I've done my homework Dorin. But they have a friend and I need to get her back alive." I said looking him dead in the eyes.
"Then I'm afraid your friend may already be dead. The Comescu's do not take kindly to having outsiders interfere with their plans." Dorin explained softly.
"I need to find her Dorin. I need to get her back." I said taking the gun out of his hand and checking the clip. "I wont let her die." I added shaking my head.
"You know she is still alive?" Dorin asked shaking his head softly.
"No, but I'm praying." I sighed putting the clip back in. Dorin walked over to a laptop and hit a few keys.
"This friend of yours, is she travelling with three men?" Dorin asked me over his shoulder.
"No, why?" I asked tucking the gun down my back and covering it with my jacket. I walked over to the screen and saw a picture with Sam, G, Deeks and Kensi. "Dorin where was that taken?" I asked looking at the quality of the photo I knew it was an airport of security check point of some kind.
"Prague, but the Comescu's are asking for information on where they are now." Dorin explained as we looked at the photo. My heart jumped into my throat as I thought of G being in the line of fire when the Comescu's found him.
"And where are they now?" I asked trying to keep myself level headed, getting into a state and panicking over the guys wouldn't do anyone any good.
"Here. Romania. Who are these people?" Dorin asked turning to me. I was just stood looking at the picture. If they were here they knew where the Comescu's lived. Which meant, after taking some cover for a base they would start to scope out the place. If I could get to them, scare them off before hand... I'd need them to leave before I could get Hetty out and the only way I could do that was making them think she was already dead. But I knew G. He'd want proof. I needed to get to the house and get her out before Callen. Time was getting even tighter. But, but if the Comescu's knew about G and the team, they knew he was alive, maybe, just maybe, they were keeping Hetty to smoke out G. It was a good thought, gave me a chance.
"Dorin, do you know if anyone has told the Comescu's about these guys?" I asked pointing to the screen.
"Yes of course as soon as they landed. The Comescu's know they are heading for them. Are these friends of yours? Are they trying to save your friend as well?" Dorin asked looking confused and worried. I took a deep breath and grabbed the camera and some other things, packing them into a back pack. "Coup, please. Are these your friends?" Dorin asked getting in my way.
"If they go up against the Comescu's they will die. He, will die painfully." I said pointing to Callen in the photo. "I need to get to my friend before they can."
"Coup, you are willing to die for these friends, yes?" Dorin asked softly.
"Yes Dorin. They're my family." I said looking him dead in his eyes. "I need to protect them whatever the cost."
"God be with you Coup." Dorin said stepping aside so that I could leave. "God be with you all." He added softer as I nodded to him before walking out the door.
Time was really running out on me. If G and his team were here they would act the first chance they got. That meant that I needed to act even faster. I drove down to the beach and parked up, pulling out my camera to get a good view of the house. There were plenty of guards patrolling the place, a driver out front keeping close to a car and too much muscle for me, or G and his team to take out alone. As I sat there taking a few surveillance photo's I noticed Deeks sat across on a small wall eating an ice cream. I checked and he was alone. I groaned inwardly. I knew if Deeks was watching the place, it meant the guys were forming a plan. I didn't have any time left, and there was far too many people to take out alone. I was going to have to get Sam, Deeks and Kensi to help me while G stayed out of the way. Like that was going to happen. I sighed, pulling on my aviators, leaving my camera in the car and tucked my Sig into my back as I walked over to Deeks. He was just sat on the wall eating ice cream and watching the people walk by. I noticed the guys at the Comescu house were watching everyone on the street. It wasn't a good sign, if Dorin was right, they knew G was there. I walked up to Deeks with a wide grin on my face.
"Hey stranger." I acted like a girlfriend and stood in front of him, blocking his view of the house.
"Coup. Ok, didn't expect you to stay away from this." Deeks smirked at me as he licked his ice cream.
"Where's Callen?" I asked softly.
"Near by." Deeks replied plainly.
"Where?" I asked sighing a little.
"Um... where was it again..." Deeks pondered.
"Deeks, I get it. You don't trust me. Fine. But I need to talk to him." I said firmly.
"Yeah, I don't think he wants to talk to you." Deeks said plainly taking another lick of his ice cream. "He read your files, we all did. And can I just say, I do not use comic relief to distract others from my insecurities around dominant male figures."
"Deeks, please-" I started to say when his phone rang. He passed me his ice cream, held up one finger and answered the call. I rolled my eyes, taking a lick from the ice cream making Deeks eyes widen a little.
"Hey wifey, I was wondering when you were going to call. We got a plan?" Deeks asked glancing at me with a sarcastic smile. He stood there listening to Kensi as far as I could tell. "So that's the plan? Just kill them all? Um hmm. Has anyone actually figured out how we're going to do that? Right ok. Well listen I'm on my third ice cream here, and I'm beginning to wonder if my new wife has up and dumped me. But... ok fine, my sister. And I was just- hold on." Deeks said down the phone as he glanced over my shoulder. "Ok I'm starting to feel exposed here, I'm going to move. I will um, I'll call you back." He said hanging up.
"We got a problem?" I asked smiling at Deeks.
"Yeah, yeah you could say that." Deeks replied.
"You've been made?" I sighed rolling my eyes.
"I have not been-" Deeks glanced in the direction of three guys heading our way, one I recognised as a Comescu family member. "Oh joy. Come on." He jumped over the wall holding my hand and I fallowed him, before we jog across the street and then I noticed the guys beginning to chase us.
"You got made." I sighed as we started to run. We ran through an old paper mill and out the back. I prayed to God Deeks knew where he was heading. We ran down little side alley's and round zig zag back ways. We ran around a corner when one of the men was stood there waiting for us.
"Whoa!" Deeks cried out as he fought with the guy, knocking him to the fall. The guy turned to get back up again. "Really?" Deeks cried out in shock. I punched the guy hard in the face, knocking him back to the ground.
"You know where you're heading?" I asked as we started to run again.
"Yeah, can you keep up?" He asked as we ran.
"Yeah." I answered as we noticed the other guys spotting us.
"I hate Romania!" Deeks cried out as we took off down another alley. I fallowed Deeks to a old garage with a broken pump outside and he burst through the door. I was seconds behind him. "I got three prisoners!" He called out as Sam, G and Kensi pulled their gun and looked at me. "Not her." Deeks added.
"Where?" Sam asked firmly.
"Right behind us." Deeks answered and as if on queue, all three ran in.
"Who are you?" Callen asked in Romanian. "Can we help you?" He asked.
"Yes. I think you can." A guy behind us answered as they all pulled guns. Deeks, grabbed the guy who talked and pulled his gun out of his hands. Sam, G, Kensi and myself shot the other three guys.
"Ok, make that one prisoner and two dead guys." Deeks said aiming at the guy on the floor. As G and everyone else rushed over to us. I kicked the gun away from the guy nearest me as Deeks cuffed his guy.
"You got made." Kensi said looking at Deeks. She wouldn't even look at me. It was exactly as I expected, I mean the guys read my reports, I knew they weren't just going to forget everything I wrote.
"I didn't get made." Deeks replied going through the guys pockets. G looked at me and I just gave him a small nod.
"You definitely got made." Sam added as Deeks tossed G a wallet. Sam gave me a small smile and I nodded to him. I knew Sam as long as I knew G, they knew I wasn't the enemy, least I hoped they did.
"Not because of anything that I did. Tell them Coup." Deeks said glancing at me.
"One ice cream too many?" Kensi suggested.
"Dracul Nicolae Comescu." G read the guys name from his drivers licence.
"Well I definitely didn't get made, they knew who to look for." Deeks said pulling out a piece of paper, that was the same photo Dorin had shown me. Deeks showed it to G. "Looks like somebody knew we were coming." He added as Sam and G traded looks.
Sam tied up Dracul and checked out his cut while Deeks and Kensi talked softly away from me. I was stood in front of Callen praying I could convince him to leave saving Hetty to me. Well that was the plan anyway. I pulled my aviators off and clipped them to my t-shirt.
"This is leaving?" Callen asked as we walked to the top end of the garage out of ear shot of everyone. It didn't take a psychology degree to know they all still didn't trust me and I knew I could probably never rebuild that trust.
"No, this is travelling to Europe." I corrected him as I lent on the wall. "They know your here." I added folding my arms over my chest.
"I see that." G answered holding up the picture. "You know about this?" He asked watching me closely.
"When I spotted Deeks at the beach, I went to try and warn him, but he wouldn't let me talk to you." I sighed looking over to Dracul. "Then we got chased." I added.
"I read your files Coup." Callen said looking me dead in the eyes. There was no tell of emotion on his face and I really didn't know what he thought out my reports. My heart seemed to stop beating for a minute, I really didn't know how to react.
"Yeah I expected you too G." I sighed pushing some hair off my face.
"You...the reports they're kind of bias." Callen said with a little nod.
"Well that's what Hetty said too, personally I thought they were accurate." I shrugged.
"Some of the things you wrote... You were watching me, us, for a long time. Years." Callen said and I spotted the hurt in his eyes.
"I, yeah." I admitted and looked to the floor. There was an awkward silence as the realisation of what I had been doing and just how long had kicked in.
"Since I got shot?" Callen asked and I looked back up to his icy blue eyes.
"About a week after you were shot, yeah." I nodded, I didn't want to lie to him any more.
"You think you can get her out alone?" Callen asked sighing, he looked like he'd been overloaded with information, he looked tired, angry, scared and alone. It hurt to see him that way, knowing, most of it was my fault.
"No, not a chance." I said honestly and a small smile crossed his lips. "But if Sam, Deeks and Kensi helped, a good plan, maybe." I answered and looked up to his eyes. G stopped smiling and his face went to stone.
"I'm not walking away from this one." Callen said firmly. "I'm too close."
"Exactly. Too close. They want you dead Callen. The Comescu are trying to kill your whole family line." I said shaking my head.
"I know Alex. I, I remember being here as a child. I... I was there when they killed my mother." G whispered softly, looking away from me. I could see the hurt in his voice and it kicked me in the gut. I just wanted to take the pain away.
"Jesus Callen... I'm sorry." I said softly, taking his hand in mine and giving it a soft squeeze. Callen looked at our hands and then back up at me.
"You didn't have to come here." He whispered squeezing my hand back.
"I couldn't let her die. Least not alone." I added taking my hand back.
"We are not going to die, they are." Callen said firmly, setting his jaw. He blinked and his eyes softened a little. "Does Vance know your here?" He asked plainly.
"Nope, no one does. I've used my underground contacts to get here. You?" I asked plainly.
"No. But we have a problem." Callen sighed, he looked troubled.
"Apart from the family of murders after your head? And the fact we have no back up. And the fact they're all pissed at me, oh and the fact Hetty will personally hand each of us our arse's for even stepping foot on Romanian soil to get her back?" I asked with a soft chuckle. "You mean we got one more problem to add to the list?" I joked and Callen smiled shaking his head a little.
"This one is serious." He said loosing the smile.
"So were the others." I quipped.
"Hunter's here." Callen said plainly. I took a moment to think about it, work out exactly why she was here and what she could be doing.
"Where?" I asked thinking it through.
"The Comescu house, we know she knows the family well." Callen added. "You know what she did as part of her work for Hetty?" He asked folding his arms over his chest.
"I don't. Hetty compartmentalised the Op so we only knew what was directly effecting us. She'd be the only one who would know apart from Hunter." I explained trying to think of a reason she could be with the Comescu's. "You don't think?" I asked searching G's baby blues for a sign of an answer. It was clear he didn't trust her and the fact he knew where she was made him more nervous around her.
"I honestly don't know Coup." Callen sighed shaking his head. I stood there for a few seconds looking into G's eyes. I knew he wasn't going to sit on the side lines for this one, like he ever would. But I felt a little better, knowing I could be there to protect him and keep him safe. It's all I ever wanted to do.
"Well we need to make a plan. Get Hetty out of there as soon as." I said and looked over to the others who were all talking by the table softly. "They aren't going to trust me to have their backs are they?" I asked watching them.
"They'll trust you more then Hunter." G said and I glanced up to him.
"You trust me to have your back?" I asked plainly. I needed to know, otherwise there was no point in me being there.
"Your a good Agent, great marksman, good instincts. I know you'll have my back." Callen said with a nod.
"But you don't trust me." I stated.
"I... I don't know what to think Alex." Callen said running a hand over his short hair.
"Just, just forget I asked. You know I got your back. That's the important thing right now. Got any idea how to convince them?" I asked glancing to the table again.
"Sam knows. Kensi is just mad at you, Deeks will fallow Kensi's lead." Callen shrugged as we walked back over to the table.
We walked over to the table as they were discussing Hunter and what role she was playing in all of this. We didn't know if we could trust her or not. G picked up a tablet with her picture on and walked over to Dracul with Sam. Deeks, Kensi and me just stood by the table and watched.
"Who is she?" G asked Dracul. "She's a good looking woman Sam, you think she's his girlfriend?"
"Woman like that wants a man with power and money. You got power and money Dracul? Didn't think so. Your just temporary muscle, twenty times removed from the head of the family." Sam said to Dracul.
"How about this one?" G asked changing the picture. "What's her name?"
"Why don't you knock on the door and ask her yourself?" Dracul asked G.
"Right answer." Sam said firmly.
"We might just do that." Callen added before walking back over to us.
"She's alive." Kensi said sighing a little.
"For now." Sam added as we sat around the table. Kensi and Deeks looked a little confused.
"As soon as they get G, they'll kill Hetty and anyone with him." I explained as they turned to me. Callen was watching me closely. "They want G to suffer, so he'll die when the Comescu's want it to happen, and not before. Me and Kensi, we might get lucky, a bullet to the head or heart. Quick, painless. Sam, Deeks, they might take a little more time. Slit throat, suffocation. All the time Callen will be made to watch. These are nasty people we're dealing with. We mess this up, and we're all dead." I said looking at everyone and finally meeting Callen's eye.
"This is what you did for Comescu?" Deeks asked shocked.
"Pretty much." I nodded a little. Callen walked away from the table and started to pace around while Kensi gave Dracul a drink of water. I sat at the table looking through Dracul's wallet while Deeks went through his phone.
"You really think they would do that?" Deeks asked me softly and I looked up meeting his eyes. His face was the most serious I had every seen it be, and he looked worried. But not for himself.
"They'll probably do worse to us because we're with G." I admitted softly.
"So that whole bullet to the head or heart, you say that for Callen and Sam?" Deeks asked me softly so the others couldn't hear.
"Yeah, and you. Trust me Deeks, you don't want to know what they'll do to her." I said glancing at Kensi who was watching Dracul.
"I think I can imagine." Deeks replied also looking at Kensi.
"I pray to God you can't." I admitted before looking at the wallet again.
"Coup, I think I get why you did this. Why you kept it all from us." Deeks said looking at me.
"Yeah?" I asked softly, unconvinced he could ever actually understand.
"Family. You protect family." Deeks said before going back to searching the phone.
"What do you want to do with him?" Sam asked leaning on a gurder. "We could tie him up, call an ambulance once we clear the beach house." He was watching G who was in turn glaring at Dracul. "Or do you have something else in mind? Your call." Sam added making G look at him. We all knew the something else meant a bullet to the skull, a plan I wasn't exactly unhappy about.
"I found something," Deeks said passing the phone to Callen. "It's in his address book." Callen marched over to Dracul fuming.
"Tell me about Ilena!" Callen demanded, showing Dracul the phone.
"She's not the woman you need to be afraid of." Dracul explained.
"If you still want to be breathing when you walk out of here, you tell me about her." Callen snapped.
"You think she's my girlfriend." Dracul scoffed.
"Tell me!" Callen snapped.
"I've known her all my life, we've played together when we were children. Ilena is my cousin." Dracul explained as suddenly everyone's phones went off. Not mine though, which meant only one thing.
"I'm so not expecting a phone call." Deeks said as they all pulled out their phones and checked them. It was a simple text message saying to call home.
"They found us." Kensi said looking at us all.
"Eric's good." Deeks sighed as Sam headed over to G.
"Eric and Nell are good." Kensi corrected him. Sam walked over to G and showed him the message too.
Sam and G came back to the table and Callen called home. We sat around the table and waited to see what Director Vance and the others wanted. We all just sat there and listened to Callen's conversation.
"Huh, a couple of days ago I would have agreed with you. Right now I'm not so sure." Callen said walking away from us. I watched him closely. "Not my team. We're fine. Yeah, she's here too." Callen said glancing back at me. "She's in a beach house a couple of blocks from where we are. They knew we were coming. They've been tracking us since we've landed in Prague. Have you herd the name Ilena Vadim? Cousins or according to Dracul Comescu. He has no reason to lie. Some body told them we were coming. Ok well that is one explanation."
Suddenly Dracul's phone started to ring. Deeks picked it up and passed it to Callen. Callen decided to answer it and put it on speak so we could all hear it.
"Yes?" Callen answered in Romanian.
"Dracul where are you?" Hunter asked in Romanian.
"He's with me." Callen said plainly.
"Callen, you're here already?" Hunter sounding slightly surprised.
"Dracul couldn't make it to the phone." Callen said plainly as he paced.
"He's dead?" Hunter asked. Callen paused and looked at Dracul.
"Bleeding." He stated.
"Where are you?" Hunter asked sounding slightly worried.
"Close enough to see you arrive at the beach house. Hetty?" Callen asked.
"I haven't seen her yet, but their keeping her alive to flush you out." Hunter explained.
"Well it's working." Callen said looking at all of us.
"How do you want to do this?" Hunter asked softly.
"Well I am open to suggestions." Callen replied.
"Tell me where you are." Hunter stated. Callen paused and thought about it for a few minutes.
"An old auto work shop, two blocks off main street, one block south. There's a broken gas pump out front." Callen explained exactly where we were. Deeks and Kensi shared a panicked look. I looked up at Sam and he just nodded to me, we knew Callen had a plan. There was no way he would give out our position without one.
"Give me ten minutes." Hunter said.
"Ten minutes." Callen echoed before hanging up, and picking up the phone to the Director. "You get that? I gave up being an agent when I turned in my badge. Yeah. Save Hetty." Callen said and hung up his phone.
"So we have a plan right? I mean something with more details than just save Hetty, right?" Deeks asked looking at Callen.
I sat in the back of the car and checked my gun. I trusted Dorin to get me the best, but still taking guns from the black market always had it's dangers. No guns were 100% checked and up to standard; it was only when you fired the guns that you found out if you had a dud one.
"Where did you pick that up from?" Sam asked glancing at me in the rear view mirror.
"An old friend." I replied, tucking it down my back.
"Dorin get you it?" Callen asked in Romanian. Looking at me in the rear view mirror.
"Dorin got me the gun, and warned me about the Comescu's." I replied watching the road.
"He's a good man." Callen said.
"A dying breed around these parts. He got me onto that ship, remember?" I asked with a smirk.
"Yeah, it was when the op went bad and we had no way of getting you out. He smuggled you out of the boarder onto a ship to Greece. You thought you were going to be sick the whole trip." Callen laughed softly. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, losing my smile.
"You know I'm not going to let you get killed in that house." I said looking into Callen's icy blue eyes through the mirror. I meant it. I wouldn't let anyone hurt Callen in the Comescu house. I loved him to much to see him get shot. "Hetty would kill me." I added before I gave away how I still felt about him. Before he could say anything Sam spoke.
"You know I am in the car right?" Sam asked slightly frustrated.
"How could we miss you big guy?" Callen asked with a smirk before a convoy of old black 4x4's rolled out past us.
"Heads up." I said as Callen started the car.
"Kensi, Deeks, go, go go." Sam said into a phone as the cars passed us.
"I counted 12 it evens out the odds." Callen said working the gears.
"Till they've discovered we've gone." Sam added glancing at G.
"You guys see Hunter?" I asked as the car started to move.
"Nope." They said in unison. The car pulled up outside the house and both me and Sam were the first out of the car, with our guns drawn. Callen got in front of us and I cursed under my breath as he shot the first couple of guys. Sam took the lead as we entered the garden and shot a guy coming down the stairs. We went into the house and cleared it, each of us shooting a couple of guys.
"On your right!" Sam yelled out to Callen, who turned and shot without even thinking. I gave Sam a quick nod and carried on clearing the place room by room. I lost sight of Callen and glanced around, clearing the room as I went.
"Sam? Callen?" I cried out as I walked into another room.
"Coup!" I herd Sam shout from a room behind me, I turned a spotted a guy aiming at me. We shot out at the same time. His bullet hit me in the top left shoulder.
"Damn it!" I cried out as he fell to the floor dead. Sam rushed into the room with his gun pointed at the dead guy. After Sam registered he was dead he turned to me.
"You've been shot! You ok?" Sam asked rushing over and looking at my shoulder. "The bullets in there." He added checking it out.
"I know. Where's Callen?" I hissed feeling the searing pain rip through my left arm.
"I thought he was with you." Sam said looking around the room. We herd two gun shots coming from downstairs and raced down. I fallowed Sam with my gun drawn in my right hand. Sam walked into the open room and I was right behind him.
"We good?" Sam asked as I fallowed him in.
"We're good." Callen replied. The head of the Comescu family was dead on the floor with Agent Hunter stood over her, Callen was looking at the pair and Hetty was sat at a table.
"Hetty time to hussle, Deeks and Kensi are at the car." Sam said walking into the room. I walked over to Hetty.
"Hetty you ok?" I asked as Hetty tried to get to her feet. The guys turned around to face us.
"Hetty?" Sam asked confused as Hetty started to fall to the floor.
"Hetty!" Callen cried out both guys racing to catch her.
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