A/T: As promised, here is the new chapter before tomorrow's episode.
As always my love to GCallen37 for her help. Girl you are a sweetheart and a beautiful person! Remember that!
Can't wait to hear your thoughts.
Enjoy!
Deeks freezes for a second at the sound of that familiar voice. That is the man who spoke to him on the phone the day Kensi was abducted. Kensi was right.
That man is the White Ghost.
That man is his brother.
How could he not recognize him in the first place? Sure, they haven't spoken in years, but he is his brother. He ought to know his voice.
Deeks turned around quickly still holding his gun in his hands, only to find Max holding Kensi at gunpoint only a few feet away from him in the middle of the empty, sandy road.
This is the fifth time he has to witness Kensi being used as leverage and it doesn't feel any easier.
"Max?" his eyes widen in shock.
"Long time no see brother," Max smiles at him while wrapping one hand around Kensi's throat and aiming at her side with the other.
"What...what are you doing? What are you doing here?"
"The question is what are YOU doing? Pointing a gun at your own brother? Your own blood? It's become a habit of you."
"You see...that's my partner you're holding there. Let her go and I'll lower my weapon."
Kensi looks at Deeks straight into his eyes.
She is scared.
She doesn't actually show it, but her eyes betray her. Her eyes never lie to him. He can see her trembling under Max's touch. They've been in this situation again, only this time, the circumstances are different.
The enemy is his own brother and Kensi doesn't urge him to take the shot.
"I can't do that. She is one of them," Max snaps full of malice.
"One of who? What are you talking about?"
"You know what I am talking about. She is a federal agent," he tightens his grip around her neck.
She fights to keep her balance but she is too worn out. She can feel her legs giving out on her, but she doesn't say anything.
Pain has taken over her whole body. Her throat remains dry. She is thirsty and bleeding and weak. This time she can't ask Deeks to take the shot.
She doesn't expect him to kill his brother just to save her. She can't possibly demand such sacrifice.
"That's true! She is a federal agent which means she is working for our side," Deeks tries to explain.
"No! That's what they make you believe. They are killers. They send people here under false pretenses. What business do we have half way across the world huh? Why are the only troops in this country? Did you ever think about that? It's all about power. The Government wants to spread its tentacles; they want power. And we, marines, soldier, seals, agents...we are the means to it. We are just their puppets. Do you know what they did to me? They used me. They used my skills and will to kill. And then, when they had enough of me, they pulled me out. They called me unreliable and a loose cannon. I followed their orders to the letter and this was how they thanked me. They called me crazy and tried to lock me down."
"Listen, from what I understand you suffered from Post Traumatic Stress. Maybe you still do. Trust me, I've been there. I know what it feels like trying to find a reason to live. Trying to feel the void in your heart and mind. "
"I am sorry brother but you have no idea what it feels like. Did they ever tell you I tried to look for you? I needed your help but you were nowhere to be found. I needed your support and you bailed on me."
"I didn't know you needed my help. You know me well enough. If I had known you were in trouble I would have come to your aid. I would do anything within my power to help you. Don't forget that I came to visit you in juvie countless times but you always refused to see me. YOU walked out on me. Not the other way round."
"I only tried to protect you," Max tries to justify himself.
"Just listen to me. Trust me. Let her go and I will help you now. It's never too late," Deeks sucked in a deep breath trying to overpower his rising panic.
"No! She needs to be punished. She is a sniper. A coward killer. First chance she got she would have pulled the trigger to kill me."
"Like you said, she was just following orders. Let her go!" Deeks shouts.
"No! I need to make an example of her. Anyone who comes after me, dies. To be honest with you, I didn't expect her to make it through the night, but she in one tough bitch; I give her that. She thought I was going to kill you. She wanted to protect you by keeping you away from me. She must really care about you since she was willing to die for you!" he laughs at the irony.
"And I care about her. I am sorry but can't let anything happen to her," Deeks voice softens a bit.
"What is this little brother?" Max squints his eyes.
"Are you fucking her? Is this what it's all about? Well, I can't blame you, she is one nice piece of ass. If I had more time I would have tasted her myself," he removes his hand from her throat and roughly cups her breasts.
Kensi struggles in discomfort and tries to remove his hands from her body, but she is too weak to defend herself. She hates this feeling if uselessness.
"Don't touch her!" Deeks yells and makes one step forward in anger.
"Oh, come on! Remember when we were kids? We used to share all our toys."
"She is not a toy to play with."
"I've got a shot!" suddenly Jack's voice is heard through the coms and that's when Deeks sees him is standing a few feet behind Max, waiting to take it.
"No! Don't shoot!" Deeks yells in panic. "Don't kill him. I can handle him."
In the meantime, Callen and Sam are waiting impatiently inside the house where Kensi was held. They haven't made a move out of fear of alarming Max, but they have waited long enough.
Both of them were left speechless when Max addressed to Deeks as a brother.
All of them have kept parts of their private lives secret, but not Deeks. He is an open book or at least that's what he pretends to be.
How could he not mention a brother during all these years. He surely must have had a reason, but they are running out of time and patience right now. Questions will be asked later. All that is important now, is freeing Kensi from the custody of this lunatic.
"Deeks! Are you sure you can you handle him?" Callen asks, the deep concern and shock evident in his voice.
Deeks lets out a deep breath. "Yes. I will finish this."
Max is taken off guard by the sudden commotion and tightens his grip around Kensi's throat in defense.
"I see you are not alone! Are your friends going to shoot me or are you going to shoot me like you shot our father?"
"He deserved it."
"Do I deserve it?"
"Please, don't make me chose," he pleads him with his eyes. He knows deep down that if it comes down it, he will pull the trigger. Even if that means killing his own brother.
"The fact that you are even considering your choice makes you an even bigger disappointment. I am ashamed of you. I would have given you everything you ever wanted," Jack tightens his grip around Kensi's neck again.
"You don't know what I want," Deeks bluntly responds.
"You always wanted to help people. Well, this is your chance," Max isn't ready to give up on Deeks yet. He desperately wants to recruit him.
"These are the enemies Max. I won't do anything to help them," he once again declines his brother's offer.
"You forget one thing Marty. You could have been me. We are twins, therefore not as different as you may believe. The same blood runs through our veins. We share the same genes."
"I am not like you. I will never be like you."
"You could have been me!" Max shouts one last time but before he has the chance to pull the trigger on Kensi Deeks fires his weapon first and shoots him on the shoulder.
Max grins is pain and loses his balance but he doesn't drop his gun. During those milliseconds, Kensi finds the opportunity to escape his grip but she is not fast enough.
Max grabs her arm and pulls her close to him only to pistol whip her hard across the face.
The impact takes her by surprise as she feels her legs giving up on her and she lands, head first, on a nearby rock.
"Max, don't move!" Deeks shouts on top of his lung.
He wants to run to Kensi but fears that as soon as he lowers his own weapon Max will fire his. But he will not aim at him. He will aim to kill Kensi.
"Max, I am not going to ask you again, drop you weapon and get away from her." Deeks yells again.
"Dad was right Marty. You are a huge disappointment and I hate you too," Max's words are filled with venom.
Suddenly everything is clear to Deeks. This man standing in front of him is not the brother he once knew. Well, to be honest, he never really knew him that much.
When Deeks was staying home hiding under his bed to avoid their abusive father, Max was always out leading his gang.
When Deeks shot their father to protect himself and their mother, Max was robbing another drug store.
When their mother died Deeks stayed by her side till the end while Max was touring though South America.
When Deeks tried to make something out of himself, Max kept throwing away every opportunity he had for a better future.
When Deeks tried to contact him, Max shut him out.
Unlike Callen and Sam, Max has never really been a brother to Deeks.
Doubt, fear and dilemma are no longer clouding his judgment.
Suddenly, time seems to be standing still. He takes a look at Kensi's lifeless body lying on the ground and his face hardens. She is pale and covered in blood. The bruises on her face seem more vivid under the light of the bright sun and he knows they are all results of this man who dares to call Deeks his brother.
No one hurts Kensi and gets to live. No one!
All Deeks needs is one clear shot and he's got it. His breathing is even, his hands are steady.
Without blinking an eye he quickly aims at Max and fires his gun. One bullet to the heart is enough and Max drops dead on the ground.
Finally, this nightmare is over. Callen, Sam and Reilly run to Kensi's aid, while Deeks unconsciously walks towards his dead brother.
He should be rejoicing now that the threat is dead, but an uncharacteristic sorrow takes over his heart. He kneels next to his lifeless body and swallows hard as he checks for a pulse.
Nothing…..
Max's eyes are still wide open staring at the void and Deeks gently covers them with his hand to shut them.
A lump begins to form in his throat and he tries to divert his look from his dead brother.
He gets up and looks over at Kensi.
He should be the one holding her, whispering comforting words in her ear, but sadly he has been replaced.
Jack is already kneeled right next to her softly caressing her cheek.
Apart from all her previous bruises, her landing on the rock has granted her now a deep cut on her forehead.
Sam quickly removes his scarf from his neck, pours some water on it from his bottle and hands it over to Jack to clean her wound.
As soon as the wet cloth makes contact with the bleeding wound, Kensi flinches in pain and opens her eyes.
"Hey hey…." Jack whispers to her " It's over now, you are safe."
Deeks witnesses the awkward scene but is unable to react. His whole body has gone numb and his mind blank. He looks like a lost soul.
Kensi tries hard to focus on the figure above her. Her vision is blurry at first but then she sees him.
"Jack?" she exclaims in shock before fading away leaving both Callen and Sam speechless and staring at Deeks unresponsive form.