Chapter Three

Callen returned to the ER waiting room where Sam and Hetty awaited him. Hetty sat reading a book and Sam had been perusing a sports magazine. No one in their right mind would have thought for a moment that either one actually read a word on those pages. He got the impression that reporting and polite conversation had come to a halt a while ago. He placed the cup of tea by Hetty's elbow and handed Sam his coffee. Hetty ignored him while still examining her book and Sam met his eyes with a question and Callen for once was at a loss as how to answer him. Callen sat down across from them and picked up a newspaper that had been discarded earlier all the while sensing his partner's silent questions. He chose to ignore Sam as Deeks had made it clear, no one was to know where he is and Callen wasn't about to break his promise to the detective; not yet at least.

Hetty seemed to be reading but in reality she looked over the edge of her book and at the two agents. Her sixth sense picked up the silent, but ever present, vibes between the two men in the room with her. Only one thing could be making them this uneasy and that would be Mr. Deeks. He'd become a worry to her as well. She'd have to be more vigilant for now and in the future. She knew that Mr. Callen had somehow had conversed with Mr. Deeks and that he wasn't about to share that with Mr. Hanna or her … yet.

Dr. Renata Anderson, a petite blond, walked into the waiting area and sat next to Hetty. Renata was another of Hetty's "children." She'd found her in the slums of Washington, D.C. living on the streets. She'd fallen between the cracks as Hetty would have called it. Both parents had died in a car crash and she'd been left out there foraging for food and places to stay: some were safe, most were not. When Hetty had been introduced to her she found a quickness of mind that she found exciting. Hetty looked into her background and liking what she found she took Renata in and paid her way through private schools, college and medical school. When she graduated she had a job at Pacific Medical Center and NCIS. Since then she'd proven her worth to Hetty time and time again.

Hetty looked to her protégé and saw worry in the young woman's eyes. She reached across the arm of the chair to pat the young woman's hand. "Well Dr. Anderson how is our Miss Blye?" Anyone listening to Hetty would think that she didn't have a care in the world, but those closest to her heard the inflections in her voice and they were very clear. She'd pulled her hand back and now worried the edge of her sleeve so that made both Sam and G take closer notice.

gazed from Hetty to both of the agents whose bodies she'd worked on many times. She understood what each member of the team meant to her mentor. She drew a deep breath and started in. "Agent Blye was brutally beaten and left to die. She was dehydrated and we're taking care of that currently. The staff cleaned her bruises and lacerations and now we're preparing her for surgery to fix the punctured lung and the internal bleeding that the beating caused. I have a doctor on call to repair her nose and set her two broken fingers. Detective Deeks has given us the permission to do whatever needs to be done." Dr. Anderson stopped to think about how to explain the rest of Agent Blye's injuries to the team, not that everything she'd reported wasn't enough, but the rest would take longer for her to heal from. Her expression went from worried to pain and both men knew that it would not be good. "Agent Blye had been raped before being tied to that post. Detective Deeks does not know this yet. I called in a forensic psychologist, Dr. Mateus, who I've worked with in the past and trust implicitly. He has painted a rather dark picture of our attacker. He states that each bit of the torture, and that is what it is, was systematically done in a precise method to extract the most pain and humiliation before he left her to die in that basement. We've taken all the forensic evidence and made copies of it before the FBI took the originals." She turned to Hetty. "I knew you'd want the evidence as well.

Hetty nodded but her countenance showed grave concern.

Sam spoke up. "Why was he so meticulous in beating her?"

Callen awaited that answer as well.

Renata didn't hold back. "Dr. Mateus has a feeling that you've met this psychopath before. This is his way of getting you angry enough so that you'd make mistakes or perhaps, just a way to flush you out."

Callen turned to the doctor. "He had us at the farm, why wait longer?"

Dr. Anderson shook her head. "I don't know and neither does Dr. Mateus. Either way, be careful, or better yet let the FBI catch him." Knowing the agents like she did she really didn't think that would happen. They would need to see this through. "I need to get back to my patient. Take care of yourselves."

Callen got up from his chair and followed Renata Anderson from the room. "Excuse me, Renata; was it a really good decision to forgo telling Detective Deeks about Kensi? He won't take it well when he finds out. Be prepared."

Renata looked up and down the hallway half expecting the tousled detective to pop out of nowhere. She faced Callen and sized him up before she answered his question. "At first it seemed apropos seeing how broken up he was, but in retrospect and with your concern, maybe not. I'll see if I can find him and talk with him. Why the concern if I may ask?"

Callen knew the detective well. They'd spent many hours talking about how their significant others had walked away. Deeks got his back, Callen hadn't been so lucky. "I understand your reasoning for keeping it from him but it is my job to make sure my people are safe and grounded. I don't need him going off half-cocked and getting himself hurt or killed and neither does his partner."

Dr. Anderson felt chastised and knew that while it stung it was deserved, she'd screwed up. "Agent Callen, I will find him and rectify the situation. If you have any idea as to where I can find him now is the time to tell me."

Callen knew that the promise would've had to been broken sooner or later and Dr. Anderson would not be the problem the other members of the team would be. He hesitated for only a second more before speaking. "He's in the chapel. He needed the alone time. Kensi's beating hit him hard, real hard and I'm worried about what the rest of the news will do to him."

Renata nodded her understanding. "Thank you Callen. He'll be looked after." She left him and walked toward the chapel.

Callen watched her go. Part of him worried for the younger member of the team and the other hoped Deeks understood why he betrayed his trust. He heard a sound behind him and turned to find Sam leaning against the wall. "When were you going to tell me?" His face gave Callen a myriad of information. Sam was pissed; the frown lines and the vein pulsing at the temple gave it away every time.

Sam got off the wall and walked to Callen. "I can help him."

Callen knew where Sam came from he'd seen him do crazy stuff to get to Michelle or to keep her out of harm's way. "He didn't want our help. He wanted to be alone. He needed time to process her beating and now with this new information, he may not want our help at all. We just have to wait and see. Come on Sam. We'll go to the chapel and check on him in a while."

Sam still didn't seem satisfied and G knew he'd hear about it. "Callen we're a team. We're meant to help each other through times like these. We should have his back now but what are we doing? Sitting on the other side of the hospital; let's go.

While Callen agreed with Sam's thinking he remembered the look of emotional loss on Deek's face as they spoke. "Not yet Sam, let Dr. Anderson have a few minutes with him and then we go in. He may need us then." He saw that Sam didn't care much for the suggestion but he knew that a brief delay in helping Deeks as not a complete desertion of their friend.

Sam grimaced and conceded the point. "A half hour and that's all. I'll go in then."

Callen had no argument to give Sam so he acquiesced silently.

Neither agent heard the approach of the little Ninja. "Is there a problem gentlemen?"