Michelle doesn't say a word when she hears Nahili utter her name.
She can only stare up at him as blankly as she can and wait for his next arrogant, ever taunting remark. From the months she had to follow around Sidarov as Quinn, the pair had met with Nahili five times in Switzerland and Somalia. Five daylong meetings, including a night rendezvous Sam doesn't know of, with Nahili gave Michelle enough time to analyze and know this man inside and out. Nahili will taunt her until she cracks or he gets bored.
"I like the name…it fits you a lot better than Quinn," Nahili says. He sighs and looks upwards in reflection. "Our night in Bern was beautiful- you know that before I found out that you're just a traitor- bitch, I was actually considering let you live. But you are a traitorous whore that charms a man to do whatever she wants for cash. How much of a cut was Sidarov going to give you?"
"Who made me?" Michelle growls. She takes in a painful breath and watches Nahili stand up and brush off his pants. He takes a couple steps back and then cocks his head at her as if she was suddenly the most adorable thing in the world.
"I wonder how long it's going to take the men I sent to the clinic your husband and cop friend to be found and brought back here," Nahili comments, his eerie smile still managing to shine through the darkness. "Ten minutes? Twenty? Either way, I expect them here ready to die by lunch."
In fifteen minutes and with a miracle under their belts, Deeks and Sam manage to sneak out a back door, merge with the crowds on the streets and make it to the Abu Dhabi Mall across the bay.
"I think we should be ok," Sam states as they walk under a walkway in the open-air mall. He hikes up his duffel bag over his shoulder as he quickly walks and scans every open window, door and entryway. The business of the mall masks the sound of his panting partner who is falling behind. Deeks isn't out of breath, but his head and jaw are burning and making it hard to concentrate. "Sam…." He calls out.
Sam stops in his tracks and turns to see Deeks leaning over with his hands on thighs. "I was fine when he left….now I just…..can we stop?"
Sam jogs back to his partner's side and pulls him along. "No, we can't. Just a couple more blocks and we can take a break." He can feel a little more life in Deeks as the two continue for another two blocks. On the third block, Sam spots a white three story apartment building with the door to the foyer open because of the heat. It's a little conspicuous but it will do.
He guides Deeks into the doors and lets the detective step aside and slide down to a sitting position against the wall. Sam drops his duffel bag to the side and begins pacing back and forth, muttering, "Ok, ok, ok…..what next?"
"Call Kensi and Callen," Deeks calls out. "They were supposed to be here."
"I know, I know." Sam pulls out the satellite phone from his bag and begins dialing Callen's number. The call goes straight to voicemail. Sam sneaks a quick glance back to see Deeks hanging his head between his knees and knows that for the sanity of both of them, he needs to get in contact with someone ASAP. He dials the OPS center secured line and gets Nell after two rings.
"Nell?" Sam calls out. He can hear arguing between two analysts who he can't place their names at the moment, Eric mumbling his usual nonsensical things whenever he works during chaos and Nell yelling at what he assumes to be two agents twice her height.
"Who is this? Sam? Ok, hold on..." Nell answers. There's a crumpling noise followed by the sounds of keys clicking before Sam sighs and cuts her off, "What's going on-"
"Sam, I am so sorry, but is this is an emergency- well, your wife is there alone, which also makes it an emergency…Charlie, I wanted a full screen satellite shot, not a half shot! I am so sorry, Sam. Is there any way I could call you back in like five minutes?"
"Not really, Nell. We've just been made and had to get the hell out of the clinic! Callen and Kensi aren't here-"
"What?!" Nell exclaims. She lets out of an irritable, loud sigh and says, " I spoke to them a few hours ago when they took off from the military base in Afghanistan. Have you-"
"Called them? Yes and it went straight to voicemail." Sam pauses when he looks over to the window and sees that across the busy street, a man is speaking anxiously with a policeman and pointing at the apartment building. Out of a panic, Sam reaches over and pulls Deeks up to his feet and towards the stairs. "Nell, I think we're being followed. You need to give me something- somewhere to hide, someone where we could stay- anything!"
Nell takes in a deep breath before she continues quickly, "Ok- Hetty's on her way to you guys and Callen and Kensi should have been there by now. I don't know what happened with them, but I'll try to get someone into it. Just so you know- Nahili just offered to sell the nukes to the highest bidder a few hours ago. I will do everything I can to find Callen and Kensi and get you in contact with Hetty. They've either been delayed or are out looking for you both….or worse and hopefully not likely scenario- captured. I can't really look for a place for you guys at the moment, but if you think you're being followed, get out of sight. I'll call you within an hour, two hours tops."
"Ok." It isn't the answer the SEAL is looking for, but with Deeks groaning in pain and the news about the weapons, both men are out of options. "I'll text an encrypted message when we've found somewhere to hide until you call."
"Good luck," Nell says before hanging up. Sam pockets the satellite phone in his cargo pants leg and scans the hallway. Every door looks the same- a dark cream door with no numbers or designs.
"No one's going to let us in their house," Deeks mutters. "We're screwed."
"We don't have a choice, Deeks. You can barely walk and I'm sure we drew attention on the streets from police and the locals," Sam pulls out his Sig and badge, holding his gun with one hand and the badge with the other. Holding the Sig out of sight, the SEAL knocks on the closest door and begins praying for a quick answer.