Isobel

ISOBEL Chapter 1

Callen woke up in a sweat, breathless, as he tried to remember his dream. He knew he had dreamed of 'her', the brunette, who had managed to break down his barrier and made him fall in love with her. She was unlike any woman he had ever met, nor since. It had been 13 years since he had seen her and yet, she still managed to haunt his dreams. But this dream was not like the others, this was a nightmare. He could hear her screaming out his name, Peter—as that had been his alias for the operation in Russia. He'd been assigned to work with her, Gibbs and Jenny on 'Operation Michailov.' Her name was 'Natalia', but he knew it was, like his name, an alias. It was those weeks after the mission when they were snowed in some European apartment with Gibbs and Jenny, that they had broken down each other's barriers and revealed their true selves, falling in love. It remained his favourite Christmas.

Callen's thoughts were interrupted by his phone ringing. It was only four in the morning, and he was surprised to see Hetty's name appear on his screen. Although he hadn't slept through the night in thirteen years, Hetty wasn't usually awake at this time. If an urgent case arose, he'd get a text from Eric or Nell.

"Hetty, is everything okay?" he asked.

"Mr Callen, you are needed urgently in Ops," she replied.

Callen noticed something was up with the way Hetty spoke, even in bad times, she always managed to keep her calm.

"I'll be there in ten," he responded whilst changing into his jeans and shirt, grabbing his gun and keys.

Callen quickly pulled up at the mission and ran through the building and up the stairs—his feet echoing through the empty building. He was surprised and annoyed to see Assistant Director Owen Granger standing by the table, with his hands shoved inside his trouser pockets. When anything bad happened, it always involved that man. Callen tensed not liking his presence, but then froze as he saw the photos of Natalia and a CIA agent whom he knew well, beside her.

"Please tell me she's okay," he quietly breathed out. What was wrong with him? It had been thirteen years, but seeing her photo up on the screen, winded him.

"NCIS Agent Isobel Finnan is alive. Just. But her CIA husband, Simon Finnan is not," replied Granger.

Callen let out his breath he had been holding and looked at Hetty. It was unlike Hetty to be so silent and for her to let Granger take over. Callen took a few steps towards Hetty and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Hetty, you're not okay. What's wrong?" Callen searched for an answer from Hetty, but she just took a deep breath to stop herself from shaking.

She sat on the nearest chair and told Callen to do the same. "Mr Callen. Please sit. I need to tell you something," her eyes looked sadly at him.

He swallowed hard and nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"Forty years ago, I went to Russia to get inside one of the Russian Mafia families, the Michailovs. I was to find someone I could trust to provide intel and proof of the family's terrorist activities. There I met Alexander, who was the eldest son of the Mafia boss, Sergei Michailov. He was a good man, unlike his family, and he was studying to become a doctor. Yet his family had other plans for him. Although they permitted him to complete his degree, they wanted him to patch up the people they tortured, so they could torture them more. This horrified Alexander, but he was not in a position to argue with them. Alexander and I became closer than we should have, and he provided intel on his family. But my superiors at Langley were concerned about me having my cover blown, so I was swiftly extradited out of Russia." Hetty took a moment before continuing. "It was soon after I returned, that I discovered I was expecting Alexander's child."