Algiers, Algeria
It was midnight in the city of three million but the streets were still relatively busy.
Lights shone from store fronts illuminating sidewalks filled with late night shoppers and lurkers. A few members of the local police force were also walking up the main roads, keeping an eye out for disturbances. The trip to the cabin for the three agents went relatively quickly as they traveled up the hill within two hours.
"I thought the cabin was in Kobou," Kensi whispered to Callen as they crept towards the cabin. The lead agent whispered back, "This cabin sits on the border between Algiers and Kobou. We're technically in the capital now. Wait here."
Callen crept towards the porch of the cabin. Sam and Kensi knelt behind two large bushes, Sam keeping watch on the area behind them. Callen stepped towards the door, knocked gently on the cabin door and then took a cautious step back. As the doorknob turned slowly, the agent's hand went to his gun.
A man in his fifties stuck his head out. He then opened the door further and called out nervously, "You three Callen, Blye, and Hanna?"
Callen took his hand off of his gun. "Yes. May we come in?"
"Of course. I'm Damon," the man replied. He stepped aside and beckoned the three agents into the cabin. It was larger than expected; there was a kitchen, a living room and a two bedrooms.
"I hope that this is alright. When Samantha called me, "Damon stammered, "She said that there would be four of you, not three." The three agents automatically knew who "Samantha" was- an alias of Hetty's.
"No, this is perfect," Callen said. Kensi almost thanked the man, but stopped at the sight of the television. The sound was turned down low, but Kensi was more concerned about what she saw.
There was a picture of Deeks on the screen above the words مطلوب or in English, Wanted.
"Guys, it's Deeks," Kensi called over her shoulder. Sam and Callen came to her side, both shocked of the photo. The picture was Deeks' LAPD photo.
"You said that you were expecting four of us," Sam said to Damon. The agent pointed to the screen. "That man didn't make it?"
"No…."
"He's at least a day ahead of us," Callen muttered, disappointed. If Deeks hadn't made to the first safe house, something had gone wrong. However, if the US was still looking for Deeks, there was still a little hope that the probationary agent was still alive.
"Well, I'm sorry that your man didn't make it." Damon walked over to the kitchen and pulled out sandwiches. "You all should get some rest-"
"Thanks, but we need to…. blend in with the people here first," Sam stated, "Is there any way you can go down to the city center and get us some supplies?"
Damon smiled, pushing a large container from the kitchen floor and into the living room. "Already done. I have colored contacts, wigs, bronzer, hair dye, Arabic clothing- you name it, I got it."
"Thank you." Sam said and gave Damon a weak smile. In the meantime, Callen watched Kensi collapse onto the couch and run her hands through her hair. She paused before asking Damon, "You've kept an eye on the news, right?"
"Yes."
"How screwed are we?" It was the question that had been in Kensi's head since they flew out of the States.
Damon pointed to the television screen, where now Sam, Callen, and Kensi's photos were being shown in the same manner Deeks' had. The man simply stated, "Very screwed."
Hours later, Kensi lay sprawled across an air mattress on the living room floor. "Blending in" didn't take too long for them. Kensi's hair was now short and red and her eyes were now green due to contacts. Callen wore a short hair wig and planned on letting the scruff across his face grow out. Sam could only make changes in the way he dressed.
Deeks would be laughing his ass of right now, the brunette agent thought. Her heart dropped when she remembered that Deeks was out in the city alone. No matter how hopeless Callen and Sam made the situation seem, Kensi knew that he was alive out there somewhere….at least she hoped he was.
Creak.
Kensi shot up and looked towards the window. The creak had come from outside, most likely the porch. Nervous, she turned on her side to see Callen and Sam nodding off on the kitchen floor. Damon was keeping watch for any trespassers from the porch.
It's probably our guy. Kensi leaned back against the mattress, hesitant. Despite his age, Damon seemed perfectly capable of keeping watch. However, when Kensi listened for Damon's footsteps, they sounded heavier than before.
Click.
The second sound was the noise of a silencer.
Kensi pulled out her weapon from under the living room table. With her backpack in her other hand; Kensi crawled over to where she met a fully alert Callen and Sam. Both were prepared and pointing their guns at the door. The footsteps started to increase, traveling slowly towards the door.
"It can't be US or Algerian forces," Sam whispered, "They would have stormed this place already."
"Lyons?" Kensi suggested.
"How the hell would he know that we're here?"
"I don't know, Sam-"
"Shh!" Callen put a finger to his mouth and held up three fingers. Within a minute, the front door opened, revealing a dark figure holding a silenced SIG Sauer P226. At the sight of the individual, all three agents fired, killing the intruder instantly. Sam took a picture of the dead man before the three agents started running out into the open air and towards the city center.
Kensi caught a glimpse of Damon lying head down with a small bullet hole in his neck. She refocused and sprinted after Callen and Sam down the hill and towards the city center. They crossed a street and stopped for a moment to compose themselves. Callen whipped his head around looking for more attackers. Kensi put her hands on her knees to catch her breath before they all heard police sirens.
"Go!" Sam yelled. Sam and Callen led the way down a back alley, neither noticing that Kensi was falling behind. They turned a corner and made it onto an empty market street. Kensi almost caught up to them, but tripped on a curb and fell onto her stomach. Sam and Callen stopped and yelled, "Kensi!"
The junior agent yelled, "Go! I'll catch up! I know where the second safe house is!"
Both agents gave her a nod and took off down the market street.
Kensi pulled herself to her feet and looked around for a place to hide. The sirens were getting louder and louder, telling her the time was about to run out.
Before Kensi could decide, a dark figure pulled her into an empty building and out of sight.