DOUBLE TAKE

Chapter 20

The drive back to John and Beth's house was a more vibrant one, as they talked about what they had read in the case file ,and what their plan would be to take the Jankovic family down. It felt like normal to them, although the circumstances and their location was far from normal. So much had happened to Callen, Nell and Kensi over the last five weeks, it was going to be a long road back to normal for them, if ever. But they adapted, because that was what they had been trained to do. Whether it was for an undercover role, or from the horror they saw on the job.

Callen pulled into his father's driveway and exited the car. When his team had all climbed out, he pressed the lock button on the remote and entered the house. The next step of the plan was to tell his father about Kevin's CIA recruitment, and the danger he posed on their family—-especially the women. As he walked over the threshold, he saw whom he was expecting and no more, which he was relieved, as he only wanted these members of his family to know the truth: Hetty, Charlie, Jackson, John and Beth. Michel was looking after his grandchildren back at Charlie and Jackson's, to give them time alone, as the topic of conversation was no where near suitable for children.

John had seen Callen's mood at the cemetery and supposed it was because he felt guilt from not being able to save his brother. Boy was he in for a shock. John stood and walked over to greet his guests, hoping for a chance to talk to his son alone. Callen looked around and saw Hetty nearby.

"I need to speak with the two of you, alone." He told his father and Hetty.

Hetty knew Callen was ready to talk, as she could see it in his eyes. They were filled with determination.

Hetty and John followed Callen into the study, where Callen closed the door and faced them. "We have a problem," he began. "Charlie is not safe, and neither are the women in this family. We need to set up security protection for them, while my team and I go to Prague."

"What on earth are you talking about, George?" Hetty was surprised to see her nephew switch into team leader mode.

"George, what is it?" John asked him.

He knew he was going too far ahead for them, there was so much information swimming around in his head, he found it hard to know exactly where to start. He took a deep breath. "It's about the case we were working on, Hetty."

Her eyes widen with surprise that he was thinking about the case they had been working on, and not grieving about Kevin. "Why is Charlotte in danger, George? I wish you would start from the beginning and not talk in riddles."

"It all started with Kevin." He looked at his father, who still had no idea about Kevin's role in all of this.

"I don't understand, son. What does your case have to do with Kevin?" John was puzzled, until he saw the anger return on his son's face, and put two and two together. "No, George. I told Langley to leave my family alone. They wouldn't dare," he growled.

"Oh, they dared alright, and Kevin went along with it. Used a different name, dyed his hair and wore contacts to change the colour of his eyes. He worked with Trent Cort and they have become rather close over the years." Every muscle in Callen's body tensed as he thought about Cort.

"Well I never," Hetty began. "Who would ever thought Kevin had it in him to be one of us." She shook her head, as she was surprised at what Callen told them.

"Kevin and Cort got into trouble in Prague with a major Czech crime family, named the Jankovics. They major in illegal weapon and drug trade as well as kidnapping of underage girls for prostitution." Callen fisted his hands by his side to try and regain control of his emotions. "They threatened the female members of his family, and Kevin thinks they have made a connection between himself and Charlie. Which is why they sent a threat to him by hiring locals to kidnap daughters of marines to get closer to Charlie." His body raised in temperature from anger. "They had Nell, for goodness sake. I could have lost her and our baby if Kevin hadn't seen them and we rescued Nell when we did," he shouted. Callen took a few deep breaths before he continued, because this case had become too personal. "But it was a trap. Nell remembers hearing a gunshot from above the building they were beside. She said no one fired a weapon of the four men who kidnapped her until we arrived. Two of the men were fighting Kevin, and he was doing a good job holding his own against them."