Ashes on the Wind

Epilogue

...

The smell of death fouled the air. The lives of the scattered dead had been squandered because of greed and vengeance. Some had fought for money, some for power, most because violence was what they knew, all of it now meaningless in Deeks' mind. The somber scene of dead bodies was like a bookend to how this mission had started. It made him melancholy and so very tired. He watched as Petruso's men wandered wearily among the bodies picking up weapons, reminding him that their war wasn't over, that they would face more days like today until the Russian threat was ended. He just hoped the intel and their new Russian asset might make that possible. Even though his defection might spare Ukraine from another attack, Petruso wouldn't speak to the Russian. He told Deeks he didn't trust him, scoffing at the idea that he was doing this for Ukraine at all. Deeks couldn't fault his cynicism, because he doubted the man's motives were completely altruistic himself. But whatever Fyodor Orlov's reasons were for defecting, he had given them the intel they needed to halt an imminent attack on this long vulnerable border with his homeland, at least for a while. Now that this mission was completed, their goal was getting home.

Callen was in bad shape, and it wasn't hard to see how worried Sam was about him. He rarely spoke unless asked a question as they prepped for the trip to pick up Marko. A couple of Petruso's men brought a mattress out of the house for Callen to lie on in the truck bed, along with some musty blankets that had seen better days. He didn't protest or say anything sarcastic, so Deeks and Sam both knew it was a sure sign he was hurting. His silence made Sam anxious, and he was on the phone now with Hetty, getting an update on their exfil.

"You really think you'll win an argument with Hetty?" Deeks asked when he finished the call.

"I didn't. She wants us in Kiev," he replied. "There's a good hospital there."

"She's worried about Callen," Deeks said softly.

"Yeah, she is, and about you too," Sam said. "Our exfil location is right here. She's sending a medivac helo out from the embassy."

"What about Marko?"

"We do not need you to find Marko, American," Petruso said, grinning at him. "We do this before you come."

"Yeah, no...I know...it's just..."

"You worry about him," Petruso said softly. "This is nice. I will tell him."

As much as Deeks wanted to go home, he felt a strange reluctance to leave without making sure Marko was okay. Petruso seemed a little surprised by his reaction, his expression quizzical as Deeks struggled to find the words to say goodbye.

"We take truck, yes?" Petruso said.

"Of course," Deeks replied.

"Marko is very strong," Petruso said. "Do not worry."

"He's a good man," Deeks said.

"He is pain in ass," Petruso scoffed. "Stubborn bastard. Always argue with me."

"But he was right a few times on this trip," Deeks said, huffing out a soft laugh.

"You tell me I am Ukrainian Robin Hood, remember?" he replied. "Marko is just one of Merry Men. He should do what I tell him. This was true in comic books, yes?"

"You read comic books?" Deeks asked, giggling and trying to picture the tough bandit doing that.

"It is good story," Petruso said with a shrug.

"Don't believe everything Deeks says," Callen warned. "He's got some crazy stuff floating around in that head of his."

"He was crazy to try to find you and black man," Petruso said, suddenly sounding very serious and angry. "But he go even when I tell him it is stupid...dangerous. That he would be killed. He did not listen. Sam would be dead and you would be in Russian prison if he wasn't stubborn bastard like Marko."

Callen looked surprised by his vehemence, and so was Deeks.

"And if Hetty hadn't offered to pay you to help me," he said with a grin, trying to ease the sudden tension.

"I am not stupid," he said. "But she does not need to pay me now. Bidenko pay me. It is enough."

"Seriously?"

"I have a feeling he's serious most of the time," Sam said. "You stayed when you didn't have to, Petruso. I thank you for that, and Callen thanks you too."

"He speaks for you?" Petruso asked Callen.

"Even when I don't want him to," Callen said. "Kind of like this Marko you're talking about. I guess it's what partners do."

"Partners," he said softly to himself as if trying it out. "I will tell Marko what you say. He will like it."

"You take care, Petruso," Deeks said. "And please thank Ivanna and your father for their kindness."

Petruso reached out and shook his hand, but looked uncomfortable doing it, as if it might show weakness. Then he turned and began shouting at his men in Ukrainian and pointing at the truck. Deeks felt the sudden break keenly, and Sam seemed to understand, resting a hand on his shoulder as he watched the men load the extra weapons into the truck.

"How about letting me take a look at that bullet wound in your side," Sam said.

"Its just a deep graze. My shirt stuck to it, so it's not bleeding anymore," Deeks said.

"It still needs to be cleaned out," Sam said, giving him the look that meant he wasn't taking no for an answer. "If you get an infection, Kensi will kick my ass."

Deeks smiled softly at the thought and was ready to agree when Petruso grabbed his arm. "Barn is on fire."

"What? How?" Deeks asked, all of them turning to look.

Flames licked out of the vents on the roof and smoke drifted out of the windows and the crack in the barn doors.

"How the hell did that happen?" Sam said.

"Bidenko," Petruso breathed out in disgust, pointing at the lone figure crawling under the aluminum fence on the far side of the barn.

"Are you kidding me? He's been here the whole time?" Deeks was stunned.

The man disappeared into the woods as Petruso fired on him. None of them seem to have the energy to go after him, the day already too exhausting. Deeks suddenly felt cold inside, remembering the conversation about torture he'd had with the man. He said nothing as he walked out toward the barn. Deep down he knew what he would find, and even though there was nothing he could do about it, for some reason he had to see for himself. Petruso cursed, falling in beside him as he walked silently toward the fire. They looked at each other when they reached the barn doors, nodding in agreement before they pulled them open. Thick white smoke billowed out as the flames roared higher inside. They both gagged on the smell of burning flesh. Bidenko had lashed Kalashnik to one of the center posts. Musty piles of old hay had been piled around his legs, and now hungry flames crawled up his body, engulfing him in a funeral pyre. Deeks couldn't make out what else Bidenko had done to the man, but he could still see remnants of the massive gag that had kept all of them from hearing his screams. Petruso pulled him away.

"It is done," he said.

"But Bidenko is still out there," Deeks replied.

"He is nothing. He is man with no family, no friends," Petruso said. "If I see him tomorrow, I will kill him. We are alive. Today is for us. You go home, and we go find Marko, then to Ivanna's for good food."

"After what I just saw, I'm not sure I'll be able to eat anything ever again," Deeks said as they walked back toward the truck.

The man reached over and gripped his shoulder briefly and smiled. "You are tough sonofabitch, Deeks. Bastard back there earn his death. Remember that."

"So you're telling me to eat, drink, and be merry?"

"For tomorrow we die," he replied solemnly, striking Deeks with the thought that the man was more than he appeared, and that what he said could well be the truth for both of them.

The sound of gunfire interrupted a question he was about to ask, and they both pulled their weapons as they ran for the truck.

"Back in the trees," Sam yelled. "Not coming our way though."

"Maybe Pro-Russians bastards," Petruso said, but hesitated as the firing stopped.

"Or Bidenko," Deeks said.

"If it was, he wasn't shooting at us," Sam said, as they all crouched behind the truck.

"Marko and Pavlo," Petruso whispered and then began shouting in Ukrainian.

He took off running toward the woods, his men running after him. Deeks only hesitated for a moment before he started to follow. Callen grabbed his arm, but he pushed him away.

"If it is Marko out there, I'm not letting him die. He's a good man and a friend. He saved my life, Callen."

"Let him go, G," Sam said. "They've got history."

"Then you better go with him," Callen said. "Watch his back."

"No," Deeks insisted. "We don't know who's out there. It could be a militia coming for you and the Russian, so Sam needs to stay."

"You're right," Callen admitted. "Go do what you have to, Deeks. We'll hold up in the house."

"Watch yourself, brother," Sam said, squeezing his shoulder, his expression intense.

Deeks nodded and took off after Petruso, moving as fast as his body would allow, fear clawing at his gut as his anger flared. He wasn't going to let the Cookie Monster be killed by a real monster, and entered the cool air of the oak forest with his gun leading the way. He hadn't realized just how exhausted he was as he hurried to catch up. Every part of his body ached, but he did his best to ignore the pain, listening intently for any sound that might alert him to which way Petruso had gone. The gunfire had ended before he entered the woods, and it confused him and made him even more fearful. If they had come upon a militia group, there would still be sounds of a firefight, which turned his mind toward Bidenko. He heard the horse before he saw him, the animal cutting around the trees, groaning as he ran. Deeks pressed himself against a huge oak as the horse came into sight. He was shocked when he saw Bidenko desperately clinging to the animal. Stepping away from the tree he leveled his gun at the man and shouted.

"Bidenko! Stop!"

The horse never broke stride as Bidenko steered it directly at him, riding him down before he could jump out of the way. His shot went wide as he crashed into the trunk of a large oak. He couldn't breathe, his vision blurring as he watched the horse disappear down toward the dairy.

"The sonofabitch is going for the truck," he whispered as he struggled to his feet and staggered after him.

He moved through a silent world except for his own labored breathing, stumbling forward on nothing but pure will. If Sam or Callen didn't see the man coming, he would kill them all and escape. He wouldn't risk letting them live. Him either. If they were all dead he could blame everything on Petruso. He could spin whatever story he wanted and be believed, because he could prove Petruso was a known bandit. Once again he heard the horse before he saw him. The lathered animal was pawing the ground with its head down at the edge of the woods. Deeks took cover behind one of the trees, but realized Bidenko wouldn't fire on him for fear of alerting Sam and the others. He scanned the whole area, but saw no sign of him, so he moved forward, patting the sweaty shoulder of the exhausted horse and walked tentatively out into the open. He wrapped his arm over his ribs, wondering if they were broken, the new pain making it hard to breathe. Crouching low as he ran, he made his way along the fence toward the house where Sam and Callen said they would be. He could almost feel Bidenko's eyes on him, because he knew he was watching. When he saw Sam come out of the house he grabbed the top bar of the aluminum fence to steady himself. Then he heard the whomp of helo blades cutting through the deadly silence, and hope rose in his chest. Sam began waving at the medivac chopper even though it was still far off. Deeks was about to yell for him to get back inside when a hand grabbed the back of his neck and shoved him against the fence. Bidenko jammed the cool muzzle of his pistol up under his ear and pressed in close behind him before he had a chance to react.

"Drop your weapon, and put both hands on the top bar of the fence," he hissed, and Deeks let his gun drop at his feet and complied.

"You won't get away, Bidenko."

"Shut up," he growled. "You get to that truck or I'll knock you out and kill Sam. Don't doubt that. I'm an excellent shot, even at this distance. He doesn't see us, Deeks. He's watching that incoming chopper, and won't know what hit him. Then your other friend will come out and I'll kill him too, and the Russian traitor. Your choice."

"Okay, okay. Just take it easy, man."

"Good boy. Now step through the fence and walk to the truck."

Deeks did as he was told, crawling over onto the other side. As Bidenko was bending to slip through the fence, Deeks spun on him and tried to take him down. The agent countered his move and slammed the butt of his pistol into the wound in his side and he cried out, collapsing to his knees at the brilliant pain. He heard Sam yelling his name as Bidenko yanked him to his feet. He put him in a chokehold in front of him, shielding himself as Sam pulled his weapon and started down the steps. Bidenko began firing at him and Sam was forced to drop behind the low wall fronting the house.

"Move, Deeks," Bidenko hissed, dragging him along as this vision began to gray out.

Adrenaline suddenly surged when he saw Callen limp out of the door of the pink house. Bidenko took aim at him, but Deeks planted his feet and shove him off balance. The missed shot enraged the man, and he tightened his chokehold, jamming the muzzle of his gun into the wound in his side once again. The pain was blinding and he choked on it.

"Next time I'll put a bullet in your leg," Bidenko warned as he dragged him ever closer to the truck.

The helicopter suddenly made a low pass over the farm. Bidenko cursed as it banked overhead, kicking up the dirt in a swirling backwash.

"Give it up, douchebag," Deeks choked out. "Your plan won't work now. You're surrounded."

"They won't help you," he growled in his ear. "See the insignia? It's a medivac chopper, asshole. No shooters."

They both watched as the helo moved off, hovering just over the trees. His energy faded along with his hope. But as Bidenko opened the door to the truck, Deeks made one last attempt to free himself, slamming the heel of his boot down on top of his foot. Swinging his elbow up, he caught the bastard in the jaw as he spun out of his hold, but he stumbled and lost his footing, landing in the dirt. He was completely vulnerable, and saw nothing but raw fury on the man's face. Deeks sucked in his breath, waiting for the pain as the man pointed his gun at him. A rifle shot cracked, and Bidenko's head instantly snapped back, his blood painting the side of the truck as he fell, his weapon dropping harmlessly to the ground.

"What the hell?" Deeks whispered, but collapsed flat on the ground with tears of relief in his eyes.

"Deeks?" Sam yelled.

"Great shot, Sam," he whispered, when he knelt in the dirt by his side.

"It wasn't me, brother," he said, pointing at the helo as it settled to the ground inside the fence and cut its engine.

Kensi screamed his name as she jumped out of the open door of the helo and ran for him.

"Kensi?"

"I'm here, baby," She said and dropped to her knees beside him. "You're safe now. You're all safe."

"Helluva shot, Kens," he whispered, finding himself unable to do much more than smile at his wife. "I just need to rest a minute."

Medics suddenly surrounded him, but he resisted. "Callen needs you more than I do."

"There'll be enough of us for both of you. We've got another medivac on its way," one of them said, as he and another medic began checking him over. "Let's get an IV going on this one."

Kensi never let go of his hand, and he kept his eyes on her, still amazed she was here, right in front of him. He felt like he was dreaming until the medic shoved a needle in his arm.

"Ouch."

"A little something for the pain, sir," a very young medic said. "You look like you need it."

"You're not gonna pass out are you? He doesn't do well with needles," Callen explained, smirking down at him.

"Come on, G," Sam said. "Let's get you on that helo before you fall on your ass. You could use some pain meds yourself."

"Good timing, Kens," Callen said. "Neither one of us had a shot."

Deeks had no idea how the man was still standing. He looked worse than when he first saw him. A concerned medic took his arm to help him, but he remained unmoving, staring at Deeks and blinking back tears.

"Sam told me some of what you went through," he said softly. "I don't know how you did it, but I'm glad you two made it. I can't tell you how glad I was to see that dirty mop of hair, Deeks."

"Teamwork makes the dream work, G," Sam said solemnly as he squeezed his shoulder.

"Good to be part of it again," Callen whispered, sounding exhausted.

"I really think we need to get you onboard, Agent Callen," the medic said.

"Good idea," Sam said as Callen finally let the medic lead him toward the medivac chopper.

"Sam?" Deeks called out.

"Yeah, Deeks..." Sam said, turning from following his partner.

"Could you find out about Marko? Bidenko was riding his horse."

"He probably just fell off again," Sam said gently. "But I'll find him. Petruso too."

"Is that them?" Kensi asked and Deeks strained to see, pushing the medic away to rise up on his elbow.

Petruso and his men straggled out of the woods and through the gate. Two men were carrying Marko between them, and Petruso was helping Pavlo. They paused by the helo before Petruso saw him on the ground and quickened the pace to reach him. They were a weary looking bunch, but Deeks found it wasn't hard to think of them as a modern day interpretation of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, not that they looked all that merry at the moment.

"Bastard is dead. Good," Petruso said, as he looked down at Bidenko's dead body. "You shoot him, Deeks?"

"That would be Kensi. My wife," Deeks said as he pushed himself up to a sitting position.

"Kens? Meet Petruso, and his partner, Marko, a man in need of riding lessons."

"I did not fall off horse, Deeks," Marko insisted as the men lowered him down to lean against the front tire of the truck. "Tell him Pavlo."

The man simply shrugged and sat down heavily on the ground. Both men looked as if they'd been in a fight for their lives, but all of them just kept staring at Kensi with soft smiles.

"You are very beautiful woman, and still you marry this man?" Marko asked.

"Yes. Happily," she replied.

"He is very lucky bastard." Petruso said, a melancholy look clouding his face.

Marko started scolding him in Ukrainian, and they argued for a few moments before Petruso apologized for his language.

"Thank you for helping my husband," she said and began to shake each man's hand. "I'd like to return the favor by offering to take your wounded to the hospital in Kiev."

"You would do this?" Petruso asked, his natural wariness apparent in his eyes. "This is not a trick to arrest us?"

"Arrest you? Why would we arrest you?" Kensi asked, truly stunned. "You fought for your country and helped our team recover intel that's vital to your country's survival. I think you all deserve medals for what you did."

"I would like medal," Marko said. "And wife like Kensi. Do you have sister?"

"Don't act like idiot, Marko," Petruso said. "Just get up and get in helicopter. You are bleeding again."

"You coming, Petruso? You're wounded too," Sam said as he and one of the medics helped Deeks to his feet.

"I am good here," he replied. "I do not like Kiev. And I do not like hospital."

"That's too bad," Kensi said. "Hetty was looking forward to meeting you. She said to tell you she has your money."

"Hetty came to Kiev?" Deeks asked.

"She wanted to see for herself that you were all okay, and well taken care of. She knows the ambassador...of course," Kensi replied. "And she wanted to meet Petruso. She wants to thank you."

"She insult me in Ukrainian," he said, pouting just a little. "Now she want to meet me?"

"You saved her team, Petruso. She won't forget that," Sam said. "You're in her debt now."

"She thought you might be here," Kensi said. "It's why she sent two medivacs...in case you and your men might need medical attention."

"I like this woman," Marko said. "Don't be stupid, Truso. She want to give us money. You like money."

"Okay...partner," Petruso said. "We will go to Kiev and meet this little Hetty woman."

"And see my daughter, Anya," Marko said quietly. "Mama will come and bring food to hospital for all of us. You will like it very much."

They all turned to watch the second medivac land beside the other, and plans were made for leaving. Petruso spoke with his men, who eagerly climbed aboard the Russian truck, now fully loaded with guns and gear and stuff they had stolen from the house. Medics helped Deeks toward the helo, while Kensi led the Russian defector along behind. Callen was stretched out on the floor of the chopper with IV lines and monitors hooked up to the onboard equipment. As the medics got him settled, Deeks saw Kensi hold her hand out to Fyodor Orlov, who looked quickly over a Callen, who stared back at him, the look in his blue eyes intense. The defector nodded and pulled a thumb drive from his pocket and handed it over to Kensi. Deeks suddenly let out a breath of relief, knowing the op was now truly over. They had done their jobs and had survived, but just barely. Sam was the last one in, settling down as close to Callen as he could get. The team was together again and it felt good. As the helo lifted off, Deeks caught a view of the dairy barn, which continued to burn. As they flew over, its walls collapsed in on themselves, sending up a column of heavy smoke, the ashes swirling up into the wind as they headed toward Kiev, the last stop on their way home.

...

...