Hetty got out of her car. Sam had insisted that he accompany her, but with a stare and a very lightly veiled threat he had backed down, opting instead to go with Gibbs to check on Callen.

Hetty rang the doorbell of the large home and waited for a reply.

"I'm here to see Mr. Kolcheck." She said.

The man nodded and moved to allow her entry.

She walked down the hallway, taking a moment to glance at the artwork and the impressive staircase as she was led into his office.

"Henrietta Lange, This is surprise?" Arkady said as he looked up to see NCIS's diminutive operations manager in his office.

"Is it Arkady? I think you knew this day would come." She said her voice serious and even.

"Yes… I believe that Thursday usually occurs once in week."

"That is not what I am talking about. I am here about The Calling." She said.

"I can see you are calling Henrietta, You are more confusing today than normal." He chuckled as he shook his head.

"Alexei Minshev, Marco Marsino and Roberto DiAntonio. Two of those men are dead, Mr. Callen has been poisoned."

The laughter on Arkady's face died away. "This does not sound like a good day for you." Arkady replied.

"How long have you been a part of The Calling? How long have you been watching Mr. Callen."

Arkady sighed and leaned back in his leather chair. "For far longer than you Henrietta. However, I am not a part of The Calling." He admitted.

Hetty looked surprised at that. "You're not?"

Arkady laughed, "That would not be a good idea. I have been watching Grisha since he was a child."

"Mr. Callen told you his name?" Hetty said again surprised.

Arkady shook his head, "His father told me his name, long time ago. You know Callen's parents CIA, yes?" he asked.

"I was aware his mother was CIA." Hetty replied.

Arkady gave a small chuckle, "Yes, Clara was CIA. Callen's father too… Eventually, was CIA. Double agent. No?"

"Sorry?"

"Garrison, he was KGB, then he met Clara. He worked to keep her and their children safe. When Clara died, we lost Amelia and Grisha. I came to America to find and keep safe. But enemies followed, they found Amelia. It was too dangerous to contact Grisha."

"You knew who he was the whole time, Why didn't you tell him?" Hetty asked.

Arkady shrugged, "Never asked me." He didn't feel guilty, well not much anyway, he had spent the better part of 40 years, ensuring the young man's safety, to keep his promise to his friends to save their children. He had failed with Amelia, he would not fail with the son.

"You know about The Calling?" Hetty asked again.

"Yes, yes… I know of them. I am terrible host, I offer you tea, no?" Arkady asked.

Hetty nodded and accepted the black Russian tea that Arkady made for her.

"It is good, Thank you." She said as she sipped the beverage, waiting for Arkady to talk.

"So, for you to be asking about The Calling. Callen has got himself in trouble again?" He asked.

"Alexei Mishnev and Roberto DiAntonio are dead. Heart attack." she told him.

"Callen?"

Hetty suppressed a smile, "Why does everyone ask that?"

"How much do you know of Grisha's time with The Calling?" Arkady asked.

"Not much, some he has told me, some… I gleaned when I overheard his nightmares."

Arkady sighed, "He was such happy child, it is sad that his life did not allow for him to be happy." He took a sip of his own tea savoring the flavor as it coursed down his throat. "Callen was lost when they found him. He had been on streets for a long time. I had placed people in the area, they had kept eye on him."

"Kept an eye on him?"

"Had fake wallets with money, dropped as they went past. Some followed and paid for things he stole in store. We would buy motel room, leave door open and drop key card as walking past, leaving. So he would have a room. But one day we lost him. My men looked for while. We thought that Child Services had him and he was, well, as safe as he could be. But I was told they hadn't seen him for a month." He sighed, remembering the panic at the time, "We had looked for a while until he was located by one of my men."

"You found him?" Hetty asked.

"I have interests everywhere Henrietta, it serves my purpose. The Calling were just group of fanatics at that point. Crazy, but with money. Alexei was looking for help with his new training center. I sent men and one saw Callen."

"He was there with them?"

Arkady sighed, of all the conversations he'd had with the enigmatic woman over the years, this was not one he had wanted to have.

"I went down to see this training center, I had to look like I was interested in The Calling. So I joined, listened to their promoters and read their books. I acted like I was won over by them so I could get close to Callen. He was in the training center. He was fighting like adult martial arts fighter. He learned how to kill using many poisons. It was sad to see what they were doing to him. Then I found a way to get him out."

"The wallet… on the beach… That was one of your men?" Hetty asked.

Arkady nodded sadly. "Having him arrested was not what I wanted for him, but staying there was worse. Then he found you. You were good for him, I could relax, raise family of my own." He smiled thinking of Anna.

"So Anna isn't in the Calling? She didn't poison Mr. Callen?" Hetty said, shocked.

"No… There is an NCIS agent, I do not know his name, but he was coming from Washington to Los Angeles, he is a member of the Calling."

Hetty nodded, "Marco Marsino, also known as Anthony DiNozzo. He was at the boatshed earlier."

"So he must have put poison in water before you caught him?"

"He may still think that Anna is a part of The Calling though, we may be able to use it to our advantage." Hetty smiled.

"I have not asked, but why Callen not tell you this himself?"

Hetty sighed now it was her turn to say something she hadn't wanted to. "Mr. Callen was poisoned. Aconite."

"Where is he!" Arkady demanded, all pretense at pleasantries gone. "Is he… Henrietta I must know."

"He is in the hospital, Anna is with him."

"He will be in danger. We must go to him." Arkady stood and pulled out his cell phone barking orders in Russian. "I have kept him safe for forty years I'm not going to let him down now. I will not let that cult kill him."

Marco sat and listened at first there was chaos outside the door, a few raised voices, then eventually it was quiet.

He sat back for a moment revelling in the silence.

"Hello?!" He called.

A moment later the door opened and an agent walked in. "You have a problem?" He asked.

"I was hoping I could talk to Gibbs." Marco said calmly.

"There's been an incident. Agent Gibbs is unavailable, if you need food, water or the facilities we can help you, otherwise you'll have to wait."

"Fair enough." Marco replied with a bored yawn, "I'll wait."

He watched as the door shut and the lock engaged from the outside.

"Finally." He sighed and dropped his handcuffs on the table.

He knew they would be dealing with the poisoned water, he'd placed in the boatshed fridge a few days before.

Taking off his shoes, as there was no way he was getting those wet he opened the trap door in the boatshed. This get out of jail free plan had been put into place the same day as he'd planted the poison in the water.

He stood for a moment and looked at the camera.

"Thank you boss. I enjoyed working with you, but now it's time that I branch out on my own. Remember your rule, always have a backup plan. You taught me well and this is mine."

With a jaunty salute, he jumped into the water and was gone.