Merci to my French reviewer who loves a bit of Deeks as lawyer, and thanks again for the continuous reviews, comments, follows and favourites.

Chapter 12

Sam had briefed Kensi and Deeks as soon as he had exited the boatshed and the remaining team members had met at a food truck close by. Kensi had gotten straight on the phone to the Ops centre, passing through Callen's instructions for them to keep an eye on Granger's movements. According to Eric, Granger was safely in Washington, and scheduled to visit the New Orleans office the following day, arriving in LA the day after. For the time being, they could discount him as an additional threat to Callen. Sam spoke to Deeks, explaining the delicate situation that Callen found himself in and how he had requested Deeks' expertise in the legal field. Sam made sure he also added that the CIA would be delving into Callen's family history and that he may be required to 'entertain' the agents. Deeks had smiled broadly and confirmed to Sam that he had all the skills necessary for the job. With the wheels set in motion, the team split up; Deeks headed to the boatshed while Kensi and Sam headed back to the Mission.

The new pairing walked in to Ops and stood in the centre of the room with their backs against the large interactive table. Eric was furiously tapping away at his work station while Nell was examining the data on the screen in front of her.

"Any news on what's happening in the boatshed?" Sam asked Eric.

Eric swivelled his chair to face Sam and Kensi. He tapped his tablet twice and a live feed to the boatshed appeared on the screen.

"It's going," Eric said. "We've only got the feed for the main area. Hetty wanted Callen's interview recorded but kept private so we've not seen or heard anything. We only get access if something goes wrong."

"Trouble is," Nell picked up. "We've had an alert that both the audio and visual feed's been cut from the interrogation room, which was about the same time the CIA agents left the room. Looks like Callen and Deeks needed some time out."

"So you have squat," Sam summarised bluntly.

"Hmm not quite," Nell smiled smugly and swiped a file onto the screen. "What we do have is our CIA friends discussing the case in the boatshed, clearly unaware that we can see and hear them."

"So what have they said so far? Are they out to get Callen?" Kensi asked.

"Well," Nell drew out the word. "It seems they're interested in the trauma Callen experienced as a child and how that has shaped him as an agent."

"So they are out to get him," Kensi stated. She stared at the screen which showed the two CIA agents calming talking and occasionally glancing towards the interrogation room and gesturing with their hands.

"They can't suddenly claim Callen's a bad agent, he's been in the game over twenty years. He has a proven track record," Sam waved his right hand towards the screen. "What they saying now?"

"Just let me..." Eric turned back to his desk and within seconds the picture was enlarged and the audio came off mute.

The voices of CIA Agents Fordham and Bolton came through the speakers at little more than whispers.

"Sorry guys," Eric said. "They're talking away from the hidden mics, so this is the best I can get at the moment."

Kensi and Sam moved closer to the screen, straining to hear every word.

'...clearly too young to have remembered anything that's gonna be of use," CIA Agent Jessica Bolton was saying.

'Well the people smuggling doesn't really matter. The paper evidence linking Anton Zevlos to the Comescu family will put Zevlos behind bars for the rest of his life. The Romania war tribunal is tracing any remaining members of the Comescu's to see who they can prosecute.' Fordham folded his arms round the trunk of his chest, a serious expression crossed his face as he waited for his partner to speak.

Bolton started pacing around the room, thinking out aloud. 'So that leaves the Russian sleeper agent investigation. I'm interested in finding out about Callen's relationship with the Russians. Maybe something happened when he was a small child with the sleeper agent couple that we can help him remember. '

Fordham chuckled. 'Wow, you must be clutching at straws Jess. You just admitted Callen can't recall anything from early childhood. And you saw how closed off he is generally - but the moment you mentioned therapy...well, you've got no chance.'

Bolton gave Fordham a despairing look. 'Tom, make a call and get someone to look into his social services record. Get them to work with a judge to have them unsealed if needed. I want all his foster placements examined – starting with this Russian Rostoff family that taught him the language. And then get the analysts to focus on every Russian case he's been involved in. Include all agencies. We already know he has a long history with former KGB operative Arkady Kolcheck so when we've finished questioning Callen, we need to visit him and the Rostoff's, if they're still in LA.' Bolton turned towards the interrogation room. 'Do you think they're nearly done?' She asked in exasperation.

The team in Ops exchanged looks as Agent Bolton voiced her concerns about Callen's relationship with the Russians.

"This is not good," Sam muttered, shaking his head. He stared intently at the screen, hoping that when the CIA returned to questioning Callen, he wouldn't be his usual awkward self.

"No," Kensi agreed. "We need to get to Arkady fast. Eric can you trace his cell?"

"Already on it, he's at home." Eric said.

"And where's Hetty?" Sam asked. Whenever they needed her support, she was either very noticeable with her presence – or very noticeable by her absence. Sam had not seen Hetty since he had left the boatshed; she had not been in her office downstairs and from the live feed, she was no longer in the boatshed either.

"Hetty is..." Nell paused and tilted her head to one side. "I'm not exactly sure where Hetty is. I imagine she's been viewing Callen's interview somewhere in private."

"Hmpf," Sam sighed in frustration. Hetty worked in mysterious ways and today he didn't really have the patience to deal with that particular enigma. "If the CIA's questioning Callen while their analysts pull his files...that gives us a chance to get Arkady to a safe house and prepare him. Ok. C'mon Kens, I think you can work your magic on Arkady."

Kensi smiled and tucked a strand of dark hair behind her left ear. "Arkady has a certain – charm," she admitted coyly, enjoying the shocked expression that crossed Sam's face.

"Yeah, well he can charm you and you can flirt to make sure we get all the information we need and the CIA gets nada."

Sam and Kensi both gave a final glance at the screen and left the Ops centre, heading for Arkady's lavish Los Angeles mansion.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Agent Callen," CIA Agent Jessica Bolton had sat down in the chair opposite Callen, who was still on the criminal side and lounging back, exuding an air of nonchalance. When Callen failed to respond, Bolton continued. "Agent Callen, you said earlier that your flashbacks were triggered by being on the same beach in Romania as when your mother was killed by the Comescu family. When was the first time you heard of Comescu's?"

"It was two days before the mission to rescue Hetty. We were here in LA and investigating Hetty's whereabouts. She had a file on them which they had become aware of, which is why they were after her."

"And during this time no one made you aware of your connection to this family?" Bolton asked.

Callen shook his head, deliberately neglecting to add that Director Vance had told him the Comescu family wanted him dead as part of an ongoing family feud and had ordered him off the case. Vance had left that out of the official report so no reprimand would fall back on him or his team. "I only found out months afterwards, the information was withheld from me until Hetty returned from injury."

"That's pretty important information to have been deliberately withheld from you. How did that make you feel?" Bolton studied Callen for his response.

"What do Callen's feelings have to do with Romanian people smuggling?" Deeks interrupted, not allowing Callen a chance to answer even if he ever had any intention of doing so.

Bolton turned her attention fully to the LAPD liaison. "I'm just trying to understand how Callen managed with the momentous news that a career criminal family, specialising in people trafficking, murdered his mother; and that highly regarded Federal agencies deliberately withheld this crucial, life changing information."

"I still don't see how it helps," Deeks had quickly assumed his role as legal advisor. "Callen, don't answer that one." The questions so far had been rather innocuous but moving on to feelings would allow the CIA to focus in on a whole new area.

Callen looked at Deeks. He was used to having Sam jump in to protect him, but Deeks? A small part of him was annoyed that he was beaten to answering Bolton himself, but Callen realised that if Deeks did all the speaking for him it would only serve to frustrate the CIA more and may even force them to show their hand early.

Bolton turned her attention back to Callen. "You've said that memories of your mother and Romania had been triggered by being in that very place. Have you ever experienced anything similar with Russia – places, language..?"

Callen stared back at Bolton. As far as he was aware, news of his father had not spread any further than their unit, although whether Granger had taken steps to update his records or declare his findings to Leon Vance or even to the SECNAV, he was not so sure. The question was not directly about his Russian heritage so he decided to make the assumption that Bolton was referring the missions that took place in that country.

"Never," Callen kept his reply short.

"When you first heard Russian, this was from the Rostoff family you sent to live with, is that correct?" Bolton asked,

"Yes,"

"And did that trigger any memories, feelings, any sense of familiarity?"

"There's that word again 'feelings'," Deeks again answered before Callen could. "You know I had no idea the CIA were so interested and so in touch with their feelings and those of others. This really is an eye opening experience – thank you for allowing me to be part of this. Are all your interrogations so therapeutic? Is this a new direction for the CIA? You've given up on water boarding? Maybe it's become a little too mainstream, I mean that is so yesterday. Callen you were in the CIA, were they ever interested in feelings then?"

Callen turned in his chair to face Deeks. He had suggested Deeks be his counsel due to his quick wit and non-stop smart-ass remarks which would go hand in hand with how he himself sometimes handled situations; well maybe not the non stop talking, but certainly sarcasm and smart-ass comments were a speciality of his and had been well utilised in the past to wind up all kinds of authority figures and bad guys.

"Come to think of it," Callen deliberated slowly. "No, not once when I was in the CIA did anyone once ask about my feelings – certainly not agent to agent. And never when I was interrogating anyone did I ask what they were feeling." Callen faced Bolton again. "Wow, the agency really has moved in to the twenty first century."

"Gentlemen please," Bolton glanced between the two men. She had already been prepped in advance for Callen; his reputation and personnel file from the CIA had confirmed his 'talent' for evading questions on anything he didn't fancy answering, especially when it related to his personal life. But she realised now why Deeks had also turned up. If these two put their minds to it, she would be lucky if she would even be able to ask another question, let alone get one answered.

"Sorry, Agent Bolton," Callen said, a slight smirk on his face. "Didn't mean to hurt your...feelings..."

"Boom!" Deeks exclaimed loudly and passionately. "That's what I'm talking about man!"

He made his right hand in to a fist and pumped his arm forward towards Callen who returned in kind for the fist bump.

"Hey, I'm a bit worried about that giant of a CIA agent that was in here earlier. Did he get lost on the way back from the rest room?" Deeks asked.

"I think he must have. Y'think maybe he took a wrong turn and exited in to the sea?" Callen answered.

"Oh man, I hope he can swim." Deeks turned abruptly and looked at Bolton. "Can the giant swim?"

Bolton chewed her lip. She was unsure whether she should get mad or start to smile. She paused for a moment to gather herself before speaking. "Agent Tom Fordham had some calls to make, I'm sure he'll be back in here shortly."

"We'd better wait then," Callen suggested to Deeks.

"Oh yeah, we probably shouldn't even have started without him." Deeks answered him back, ignoring Bolton.

The door to the interrogation room opened suddenly and Agent Tom Fordham stepped in, leaving the door wide open. He was holding his cell and nodded to Bolton.

"Wow, did you see that Callen?" Deeks asked. "They can communicate telepathically, just like you and Sam. Is that something they teach you at Langley? If I become an agent, will that take me to a whole new level with Kensi? Man I would love to know what goes on inside her mind."

Fordham looked quizzically at Deeks. "What the hell are you talking about..? Jess, have you finished here?"

Bolton looked at the two men in front of her. "Yes, Agent Callen has no recollection of being placed with the sleeper agents. There is nothing further he can assist with - for the moment." She looked at Callen. "Agent Callen, thank you for cooperating and answering questions on what must be a painful subject. Should we uncover anything else that can help you understand your past, I'll be sure to let you know."

Jessica Bolton gathered her papers together, carefully placed them in her briefcase and stood up. "Gentleman, it's been an experience," she said, with a slight smile. "And you two should really partner up. You'd make a formidable force."

"Really, you think so? What d'ya reckon Callen?" Deeks said.

"Sam and I were talking about swapping partners the other day. Somehow he thought he and Kensi would partner up well together." Callen tilted his head to one side, pretending to give the notion some serious consideration.

"That's because he just couldn't handle the awesomeness that I bring to the party. You, my friend," Deeks pointed to Callen. "You could learn a lot from me..."

"OK, now you're just being ridiculous," Callen shook his head and narrowed his eyes.

"Too far? Really? See, this partnership thing's working already. You're keeping me grounded man," Deeks paused to look at the two Federal Agents who had been observing the dialogue between the two of them. Bolton looked vaguely amused; Fordham looked like he had entered a room in the local psychiatric hospital. "I'm sorry, I'll see you out now we're all done here."

Callen remained seated as Deeks escorted the two CIA Agents to the door, making sure they exited the building rather than hovering around in the boatshed. When he returned a minute later, Callen was still sitting at the table.

"You good?" Deeks asked.

"Hmm," was the tentative response.

"Y'know we don't really have to be partners, I'm sure Kens will have me back." Deeks tried to continue with the jovial banter they had revelled in during the last ten minutes.

"It was just too quick and too easy," Callen considered. "They had no need to interview me. Everything they found out makes no difference to their case against Zevlos; it's water-tight." Callen stood up. "Where do you think they're going?"

"I don't know," Deeks replied. "But I'm gonna call the wonder twins and see if they can track these guys. I don't trust them at all."

The two men exited the interrogation room and moved to the large table in the centre of the boatshed. Deeks pulled out his cell and speed dialled Ops, placing the call on loud speaker.

"Nell, can you track the two CIA agents, they left here about two minutes ago,"

"We're already on it. We had audio-visual feed on them when you two were alone in interrogation and they were going to question Arkady Kolcheck, as well as finding out more on the Rostoff family."

Callen stood still and leaned towards Deeks cell. "They're covering the Russian angle. They're going to put me under investigation as a double agent or a sleeper agent." He looked up at Deeks. "We've gotta warn Arkady."

"Sam and Kensi are already on it," Nell reassured Callen. "They left here about half an hour ago to pick up Arkady and take him to a safe house."

"Which one?" Callen asked.

"Erm I don't want to compromise you by saying..." Nell hesitated.

"Which one, Nell," Callen persisted.

"Lincoln Avenue, Culver City," Eric answered for Nell. "Just – be careful."

"I always am," Callen turned to Deeks. "C'mon partner, let's see how Arkady fits in to this puzzle."