Tsunami

Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine.

Chapter 9

Prague

Sacha Pajari had looked at her too close for comfort, like he had undressed her with just his eyes. Memories of their visit to his Moscow villa haunted her at night. Jennifer Ashley was wide awake sitting on the window seat, looking out at the city of Prague. It was beautiful and old, and if the buildings could talk, they could reveal many secrets.

"Are you okay?" She'd become awfully quiet, and this change in her behaviour concerned Callen. He sat beside her and watched her. If she wasn't up to continuing, it was up to him to make the decision to pull her from the operation.

She turned and faced him, the moonlight shone across his face. "How do you do it? Be a man like Vladimir, when you are nothing like him?"

Callen looked out over the city for a moment as he contemplated her question. "It's not easy. I have to push who I am into the back corner of my brain and pull out the kind of guy I've got to become for the operation."

"But how do you change like that? Where do you learn to be, really be someone you detest?"

He heaved out a sigh. This was something Sam had asked him many times, how he could push his personal feelings to the back of his mind and not appear to be affected by what was going on around him. But the truth was, it did and he fought a battle within him to keep his emotions locked away until he could be alone. That's when he unravelled and dealt with his raw emotions.

"I suppose it's from growing up with no family. Being moved about so much, I've found playing other people easy. Tried out a lot of variables along the way to see who I really am."

"So it's true then, you have no idea what your name is?"

He knew he had to keep his personal stuff close to the chest. Keep his family a secret, he couldn't risk placing them in danger by slipping up and telling anyone about them. Only the team, his team knew about who he really was. So he did what he had to do. He lied.

"No. I've played around with names over the years, Greg, Gavin, Geoff, Graham, George. But none seem to fit."

"Ever tried a Russian name?" Callen tilted his head, slightly taken back by her comment.

"Why Russian?"

"I've watched you, you appear very relaxed as a Russian, like you were meant to be."

He chuckled. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not. But let's just say, I've had plenty of experience with the language and operations in Russia over the years."

"Well if I hadn't known that you were American, I would believe that you really were Vladimir Dorosh."

"Then I'm doing my job right. Thanks." He gave her a smirk, but he noticed something was still bothering her.

"You sure you're okay?"

She shrugged. "Not sure. Sacha, the way he looked at me, he gives me the creeps."

"I'll keep you close, he won't hurt you. Not on my watch."

"But what if you can't? You have a job to do tomorrow night, to buy a girl, to keep your cover intact."

Callen knew exactly which woman he'd buy too. He'd memorised Anna in his brain and he was determined to buy her. Arkady had sent him money into his alias' bank account to make the trade.

"Ethan will be there. He'll have your back if I can't." He didn't trust Ethan, but he had no other option, since he'd been separated from his team. For a moment his thoughts went to Sam, Kensi and Deeks and he hoped that they were all safe.

Chateau Mcely — the following night

Callen pulled up in front of the Chateau, the expanse grounds surrounding the 17th Century building reminded him of England. For a moment he forgot where he was. As he stepped out of the Porsche, he assisted Jennifer up the steps to the entrance. He showed them their invitation and they were led through to the rear of the hotel. They scanned the area, Sacha had taken over the whole hotel for his meeting, which he'd filled with the most beautiful women Russia and Czechoslovakia had to offer. They were dressed in ball gowns, no expense was spared. He felt Jennifer's grip tighten on his arm and he gently squeezed her hand for reassurance. She could so easily get lost in a place like this and he hoped he found Ethan sooner rather than later. After all, he had a job to do. Knowing how little Sacha valued women, any confidence Jennifer had before went out the window.

Ethan Wiles stood to the side, puffing on a cigar. Sacha and he had chatted on route to the hotel and now he watched his fellow operatives sweep the hotel with their eyes. He needed to be careful, so far he'd managed to stay under the radar from being caught as a double agent. He'd tried to get what he could on Agent G. Callen, but the man was very much a mystery. Every operation he'd worked on was blacked out, and there appeared to be no record of family or friends. The man was a ghost and although he'd tried to get the man's files unsealed for this operation, he had failed. Sacha was losing patience, he wanted to know more about Callen. Jennifer was a distraction and from what he could see, she was working. He saw the concern for her in Callen's eyes and Ethan knew that he'd worry about her if anything happened to her. She would become a weak spot and his undoing. He smiled at how well his plan was going. Every man had a weak spot. For G. Callen, it had to be a beautiful woman. Jennifer Ashley was the perfect choice, it was unfortunate that he had to use her in this operation to bring Callen down. He was still unclear why Sacha was so interested in Callen. But as long as Sacha continued to pay him well, he'd do what it took to please the Russian.

"Ivan, where have you been hiding?" Callen walked up beside him and looked over the crowd of people from his vantage point. Callen and Jennifer hadn't seen Ethan Wiles since they'd left London and Callen's suspicions on the CIA operative were growing stronger by the minute.

"I've had work to do. Sacha likes you. I think he has his eye on your woman."

"I think he only likes me because of my woman." Callen studied Wiles, the man was hiding something. Arkady had sent him a message, warning him that there was a leak in the operation and to trust no one. He was surprised by the message, since when was Arkady working for the U.S. Government? But he knew the history Arkady had with his father, when he was undercover as Nikita Reznikov. Perhaps news from Hetty had come through for him to watch his back.

"Have you the money ready for trading?"

"I have." Callen stared his cerulean orbs into Wiles own blue ones, trying to figure out the man's motives.

"Good. Let's begin." He led Callen into a back room, where a few other men stood around, waiting.

Callen scanned the room and he hid his surprise when he saw Deeks and Sam in the background. He was pleased to see them and glad that Sam had Deeks with him at least. This gave him hope that he could pass Anna across to them to get her out and hold onto Jennifer. A shot of vodka was handed to him and he swallowed, his eyes on a side door, where a woman entered. She had a number pinned to her dress and she walked around the room, her eyes not meeting any of the men. She was subservient and up for sale. Callen's gut clenched tight, suddenly the urge to rescue every women who entered this room pulled at him. But he didn't.

A man to his right raised a paddle. "15,000 Euros." Callen quickly did the calculations, US$16,720.00. That was a lot of money for the woman and he wondered what was expected of her once she was sold. Men bid on her and the final offer was accepted. This continued for the next half hour but still no Anna. His eyes narrowed slightly when a man entered and dragged his wife into the room.

Sacha watched on amused, "you don't want her anymore? Come and join us."

"You can't do this to me. I am your wife." The woman turned and Kensi looked at Callen, surprised to see him, but thankful just the same. She looked around the room at the men who watched her, the lust in their eyes made her skin crawl. Then she spotted Deeks and she quickly darted her eyes away from him. She couldn't let on that she knew him, Sam or Callen. Her so called husband, DOD Major Steve Hudson, had hurt her when he dragged her through to the back room. She was unprepared for her to be the main attention of trade. Anger surged through her and she fisted her hand and collided it with her so called husband's jaw. She heard laughter and a paddle erected, "20,000 Euros. I like them feisty." She recognised the voice, Deeks was bidding for her. She was surprised to see him and Sam there, they were supposed to be in Los Angeles. Another man's voice echoed through the room and she was being fought over. Her breath hitched as she waited and prayed Deeks won his bidding.

"Congratulations, Jason." A unknown man to Kensi patted him on the back. Lance Young was amused at how much Jason wanted the unwanted and feisty wife.

Deeks smirked and walked over to her. He jolted her head back, pulling on her hair. He studied her and Kensi knew he was tapping into his alias of Max Gentry for this role. "You better be worth my money. He'd spent 40,000 Euros on her in the end. But at least he kept her safe from someone else taking her and placing her in danger. He took her out of the room and led her upstairs to his room. Once he had her safely behind closed doors, he scanned the room for bugs. Satisfied they were safe, he studied her more closely.

"Why did your partner drag you in like that?"

"I have no idea. He's been a bastard since we were teamed up. Walks in on me while I'm having a shower, looks at me like I'm his." She shuddered.

Deeks slipped his jacket from off him and draped it over her shoulders. "You think he's working for Sacha Pajari?"

"Yes. I've tried to find who he's been partnered up with before me, Nell said another three female agents were paired up with him and they've all vanished."

Deeks fisted his hands, as anger raged within him. "You're safe with me. We'll take you back home."

"How did you and Sam link up?"

"I was sent to the local law firm, Harrison Clark, who've been working with Pajari and the street racers. I was invited to a party, my partner had no idea I would be sent over here with Lance Young, one of our suspects. I have Franklin Worthington to thank for that."

"Callen's brother?"

"Yeah. He's been undercover with NCIS for a few years on this operation. He stressed not to let on who we know to anyone, there's a leak within the agencies on this operation. Until they're found, we need to tread very carefully."

"Is he here?"

"No. I told him Callen was sent to Russia to get in close with Sacha. Both of them will be burned if he showed up, so he sent me with Lance instead."

"I've missed you," she stroked her hand over his beard.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you." He heaved out a heavy breath. "So this guy who sold you, do you want me to injure him for you?"

"It's good to see chivalry isn't dead. But I'm good. I want to do that myself. If I get the chance."

Deeks smirked, "that's my Fern." He captured her lips with his, taking in her taste and scent. A groan escaped his throat. His hands roamed her body, "we can do this, you know. For once, we can do this on the job."

Kensi came up for a breather and looked deep into his eyes. She saw his pupils dilate and she knew he wanted her right then. "I know." She nodded and he picked her up and carried her over to the bed. He was home, he had his Fern with him once again and she was safe.

Downstairs

The bidding continued, Callen began to worry he'd yet to see Anna. But then he spotted her. The last bid of the night. Sacha looked over and saw the desire in Callen's eyes for Arkady's daughter. He had to chuckle to himself, the game he and Wiles were playing with Callen. He would get his revenge on both Arkady and Nikita Reznikov for what they did to his father. He and Wiles would destroy Callen and Anna, and the other woman, Layla, whom he knew to really be Jennifer Ashley, would be his.

It was a win win situation and he was becoming more powerful and rich at the same time. The weapons had arrived the night before and they sat in a warehouse in downtown Prague. He'd congratulated Lance and Torez for their success in the raid on Pendleton. He had the U.S. Government worried, but their agents all worked for him.

Now he had a new problem, what to do with Callen and his fellow team mates. His contacts had come through, good as gold. He looked around and spotted the former Navy SEAL, Sam Hanna, who he knew to be Callen's partner for NCIS. The woman, Kensi Blye had been sold and he was glad that Lance's new guy had bought her. He would leave her to him to deal with. Although Jason was a new business associate, Lance assured him that Tom had vouched for him. He had a record that was dirty and had history with Ortega and Lazik, which pleased him. They had three federal agents to get rid of, as well as women to trade and weapons to sell. They'd become the biggest new organisation in Europe before the year was out.

Callen's paddle raised, "20,000 Euros." The blonde woman glared at him, she was no subservient woman, she was feisty and Callen was intrigued. He hoped he could get her out safe, Arkady was waiting in the woods down the road for him to take Anna out of there safely. Then he could focus on keeping Jennifer safe from Sacha's grasps.

The bidding for Anna increased and after ten minutes, she was Callen's for the sum of 50,000 Euros. He was glad it was Arkady's money and not from his budget for this operation. He hoped they could take Sacha down sooner rather than later and get the money back for Arkady. The main focus for that moment was that Anna was on her way to being safe.