DOUBLE TAKE

Chapter 25

Nell had been relieved when she heard Jackson's words that Callen was safe. Her phone vibrated and saw it was an incoming call from Callen.

"Hey, babe."

She fought back the tears that threatened to spill. "Hey. So glad you're okay."

"I'm sorry to put you through the worry, Nell. We didn't expect for me to be recognised by any of Jankovics' people as Kevin's brother." He paused for a moment before he broached the subject of the Comescus. "Thanks for changing Kevin's DNA profile so it wouldn't match mine. But I was surprised about the match with the—-"

"I didn't, G," she interrupted him.

"You didn't?" Shock rippled through his body. "But, I don't understand?"

"Neither do we. Hetty's been extremely quiet about it all, she left Ops when we all looked at her for an explanation. She looked really upset, I've never seen her like that, G. Charlie has no idea either."

"She knows, Nell. She has to. If she knows, maybe my father knows too." Callen looked over at John and noticed him watching him talk on the phone. "He's been awfully quiet since they got me out of there. Something is going on, Nell."

"I know. Be careful, G. Taking Vasil down was too easy."

"My thoughts exactly, Nell. This op should take us more than a month, but we've taken down one operation of the Jankovic's in a matter of hours. I get the feeling there is a lot more to this case than Kevin's let onto us. They knew who he really was. And that he was CIA."

"Please be careful, G. All of you."

"Go home, Nell. I don't want you watching anymore. Please." He pleaded to her. "For your sake and our baby's. I need you to do this for me, so I can concentrate on the mission, and not have to worry about you."

Tears fell down her face. "It's I who should be worried about you, G, not you worrying about us."

Eric looked over at Nell and saw her crying. He knew she was talking to Callen, and he was concerned what this mission was doing to her and the baby.

"I love you, Nell. Both of you. Please, go home. Go home to your family, so you're not alone."

"I can't, G. I need to know you're okay." He could hear her cry on the other side of the phone. "I love you."

"Nell. Please."

"I will make sure she does, George." Hetty had entered Ops and picked up the conversation Nell was having with him. Nell jumped at Hetty's words and looked defiant at her boss for a moment, before looking down at her lap as she caved in. She knew it was a lost battle when it came to Henrietta Lange.

"I will ring you again soon. I promise," Callen told her.

"I'll hold you to it, G." She hung up her phone and looked at her boss. She noticed that Hetty had something on her mind and wondered if she should ask her. "Hetty?"

"Miss Jones, I agree with George, you should go home to your family while this operation is going on. It's not good for you in your condition to go through this kind of stress. Here is your plane ticket home to your family."

Nell's hand shook as she took the plane ticket off her boss. "Thanks, Hetty. But I wasn't going say anything about this—-it's about what Vasil Jankovic said. About G being familia with the Comescus." She heaved a sigh as she managed to get out what she tried to speak to Hetty about. She noticed all the colour drained from Hetty's face at the mention of Callen and the Comescus.

"Miss Jones, please, not now," she whispered. Hetty knew she needed to speak to Charlie and George first before anyone else. She quickly regained control of her emotions. "I need you to do me a favour first before you fly home though."