HAUNTED DREAMS

Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine.

Chapter 15

Santa Ynez Valley

Martha Reddington looked up from her laptop with a smile, ready to greet guests to their estate. Her smile faded when she saw two familiar faces. "John, Abi, what are you both doing here?" She saw grief written over their faces. She moved around her desk and embraced them both. She saw their granddaughters, who looked distraught, to say the least. "Where's Carrie?"

"We don't know." Came John's reply, which even to him, sounded foreign. They had spent the whole day on the run, detouring to ensure they weren't being followed. The sun was lowering, so they knew it was safe to arrive at the estate. Visitors would be leaving or left by now.

Maddison and Sophia held hands, but they remained behind their grandparents. It had been hard for them to grasp the fact that they now might be orphans.

"Nick isn't here. He had an urgent errand to run in Los Angeles." She poured them all a drink of water from their fountain. "Here, drink this. We'll hide your car and get you settled in the house." She sent her son a message to come immediately. Within two minutes, Ben stood in the doorway, waiting on his mother to stop fussing over their visitors. Martha stood and walked over to him. "Move the car into the garage. Call Alice. I need her help in settling them into the guest rooms tonight."

"Where's dad?" Ben gazed over at the visitors and he knew something was amiss.

"He's gone to Los Angeles for a few days." Martha exhaled slowly, understanding the need to stay calm for her guests.

"Who are they?" Ben didn't recognise any of them.

"They are old friends of your father's." Martha handed him the keys and returned to her guests. "Let's get you into the house." She locked the front door of the cellar and led them out the back, over to the house.

The sky was darkening, giving them good cover, if they were being watched. It was something she had learned over the years from her husband. She didn't know who he really was, only that his life was in danger. She had helped him start fresh with a new life, although she saw grief in his eyes over his first wife and children. All he had left was a son, who was out there somewhere, alone. It pained him to be separate from him, and even though she had suggested that they find him and bring him to live with them, Nicholas had shaken his head, telling her that he was safest apart from him. Then three months ago, he got the surprise of his life, when his old friend Archie turned up with his daughter, who was very much alive, married and a mother. Her husband had brightened that day, like he had been mourning for the past thirty years since they had been together. It wasn't like they had been unhappy prior to then, it was the grief she saw in his cerulean eyes. But worry had returned earlier that day, when he received a phone call. She wondered if it was news of his son. She prayed that both of them were safe.

Martha unlocked the house and led them through the back to the guest bedrooms, on the lower floor. "You must be hungry. I will prepare you some dinner." She returned to the kitchen and went to work in preparing a meal for the seven of them.

She heard a couple of cars pull up in the driveway, raising her awareness of possible danger. She peered out of the window and tried to see who it was. She didn't recognise the vehicles and she was one step away from digging the glock out of the cupboard, when she saw her husband. Relief washed over her and she met him at the front door. She froze when she saw the man beside him. His son. He's brought his son home. How could she not recognise her children's older brother. Benjamin was so much like him. She should have been prepared for this moment, after meeting Nick's grandson, Daniel. She knew they were aliases, Nick's daughter and her family. Although she did hear her husband call his daughter Amelia on occasions. He would quickly correct himself and call her Carly. The James' had settled in well to the second house on the estate and she had enjoyed the expansion to the family. Alice and Ben had been really good about giving their home to their older sister and her family, moving back into the main house.

"Nick, you had me worried for a minute." She turned to the younger man beside her husband. "You must be Nick's son. I'm Martha." She moved in and hugged Callen, much to the agent's surprise. She was so welcoming, however it was evident that she didn't know his name.

"I'm Gav Callen," He replied with his name. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." He turned to his team. "This is my partner, Agent Sam Hanna and other members of my team, Detective Marty Deeks and Agent Kensi Blye."

Martha raised her brows, puzzled over who they were.

"I work for a Federal Agency, NCIS." When he saw Martha's puzzlement remained, he continued to explain. "Naval Criminal Investigation Service."

"Oh!" Martha nodded, although she had no idea why they were all there. "I wasn't expecting visitors." She remained at the front door, not budging.

"Are you going to allow us in, Martha?" Nick asked her, slightly amused by her hesitation.

It was Callen who picked up on her angst over what to do. "Has Admiral John Watkins arrived here with his wife and granddaughters, Martha?"

Martha gulped, before nodding. "They looked grief stricken. I've settled them into the guest bedrooms and Ben's parked their car in the garage. What's going on?"

"Can we come in?" Callen gently asked. His surmise had been spot on over her hesitation to allow them in. She was protecting them.

"Oh of course. Please." She stepped back and allowed her husband and the agents access. Alice walked down the stairs and stopped midway. She stared at Callen, as he did her.

"Alice, sweetheart. Come and meet your older brother. Gav, meet your sister, Alice." Nikita beamed as his son met the rest of the family.

Alice welcomed him with a hug. "Hi, Gav." She stepped back and looked over at the other guests. She shook hands with Sam, Deeks and Kensi, her eyes widened when she saw their badges. "Are we in danger?" She inquired.

"We're here for the Watkins family." Callen explained.

"Who?" She had no idea of the other guests.

"Some friends of your fathers arrived only half an hour ago. Ben will be here, in a minute." As she finished speaking, Ben entered through the garage door.

"Hi, Dad. Mom said you'd gone to L.A." He froze on his spot when he noticed Callen. He looked from the visitor to his father and back again. "Is someone going to explain what's going on here?"

"Ben, I would like you to meet your brother, Gav." Nikita's smile broadened.

"Hi." He shook Callen's hand, but he was still miffed with his father.

"Hi, Ben." Callen saw the annoyance in Ben's eyes with their father.

"First a sister shows up out of the blue, now a brother?" He turned and looked at Sam, Deeks and Kensi. "Please don't tell me you're also family?"

Sam chuckled. "We work with Gav. Hi, I'm Sam." Sam shook Ben's hand, hoping to break the ice. Deeks and Kensi followed suit.

John heard his old friend's voice and walked out to see a room full of people. Nikita turned around, relieved to see him safe. "John. We've been worried about you." He hugged his old friend.

John looked over at Callen and furrowed his brows. "Gavriil?" John looked over at Ben, Alice and then back at Nikita again.

"Gavriil? What kind of name is that?" Ben asked. He looked at his brother, curiously.

"It's Russian." Nikita turned to explain.

"Why does my brother have a Russian name?" Ben asked confused.

"Because I'm Russian." Nikita admitted to his wife, daughter and son.

"You're what?" Martha, Alice and Ben all asked at once.

Callen smirked over the situation. Now they were the ones left out of the loop for a change and not him.

"You don't have to do this, Nik," John urged him.

"Yes I do." Nikita persuaded them all to sit down.

Callen grabbed John and led him into the kitchen to speak with him privately. He showed his badge, so John knew he was with NCIS.

"You're daughter was targeted by a black SUV whilst cycling, this morning, Sir. She's in UCLA Medical Centre, safe for now." Callen kept his voice low. "She's sustained a few broken bones, bruises and a head injury. The Doctor wants to look further at her spine and skull in two days time to fully understand the extent of her injuries."

John Watkins gasped over the news, his eyes welled up, as emotion ensued him. "Is she going to live?" Fear for his daughter's safety had worried him all day. "We knew something had happened when she didn't return from her bike ride. She's always on time. Then the letter showed up. We fled for our lives."

"She's been placed into a coma for forty-eight hours. She's being guarded by our agents. We think there's a leak at the FBI, for your real identities to have been revealed. We've got the names of the men who ran her down. Unfortunately, they have diplomatic immunity at the Russian Consulate."

"Why are the Russians after me? I don't understand?" John looked older than his years, from the grief and fear that gripped him over the past five years. "First they killed Michael, and now they are after Carrie. Will they not stop until they've killed us also?"

"Unfortunately, we're all in danger," Callen revealed to the Admiral. "The Stelmakhs are behind this. They are hiding behind their people they've been paying for years in their government. They are seeking revenge for you helping my father for all of these years, and they also know about your mother's family."

"The Bälans," John breathed out. "I knew about the blood feud with the Comescus, but now the Stelmakhs as well?"

"The Stelmakhs and Comescus have close ties. However, we've either eliminated or arrested any Comescus who have come after us. I don't see them as a threat any more. Only the Stelmakhs. We have a plan to end them as well. We have someone inside, who can get my team close to end them. But we have to fake your deaths, before we can go to Russia, to end this war."

"Fake our deaths? How?" John's voice raised from concern over this plan.

Callen sat down with the Admiral to go through the details. When they returned to the living room, all eyes were on them. "The Admiral's agreed to our plan." He told his team and father. "I suggest everyone gets a good night sleep and we head off in the morning to arrange the next stage of our plan."

Ben stood, but hesitated. "I'm sorry, Gav, for reacting that way over your name. It's just a shock to see someone who looks like me, but I've never heard about before. I have always wanted a brother."

"Thanks, Ben. Me too." He gave him a smile, that made his younger brother relax.

"I better get on with dinner, with so many mouths to feed. You all must be starving." Martha headed off to the kitchen, with Sam on her heels.

"I'll give you a hand." Sam gave her a warm smile. "I'm used to helping my wife out. The others are hopeless, when it comes to home cooking."

"I can cook," Callen called out.

"Me too," Deeks added.

All eyes rested on Kensi, who only shrugged. "I can service and repair an engine," Kensi told them, in her defence.

Alice and Ben laughed. "You guys sound like a great bunch." Ben walked over to the bar. "Whose thirsty?"

Grins appeared on their faces at the sign of a descent drink. "Got any beer?" Callen inquired.

"Sure do." Ben threw him over a local boutique beer.

"Stickee Monkee," Callen read. He raised his brow, curious to the brew. "I'm game." He smiled over at Deeks and Kensi as they caught their bottles and joined him in tasting the brew. "Not bad." Callen, Deeks and Kensi were all impressed.

"It's from a local brewery here in the valley." Ben told them, proudly. "It's good for business to be friends with the locals." He pulled out a different one and opened the bottle. "If you want, you can try this one next." He held the bottle up for them to read the label. "Lizard's Mouth."

"Creative," Deeks commented, as he took another swig on his beer.

The table was crowded with twelve people sitting around it, with a feast of antipastos, breads, cold meats, and an array of salads. Bottles of pinot blanc and chardonnay were uncorked and poured out for the adults. Nods of approval for the Reddington's own wines were given. Callen was impressed over the success of his father's business, although in hiding from a nasty Russian crime family, he still managed to make something of his life from it. "You've done really well for yourself, Papa," Callen commended him. "This wine is superb."

"Thank you, Gav. I've had good advice and great help from Martha here, who I have to admit, it the reason behind the success of our estate. She grew up on a vineyard not too far from here, many years ago. Moving here ten years ago, was like coming home for her." Nikita grinned over to his wife of thirty years and winked at her. He felt blessed to have had a second chance of love and family. And now that he was reunited with both of his children, he couldn't have been happier. Well except for the overshadowing threat of the Stelmakhs. He prayed his son and team as well as his nephew, all made it out alive and succeeded in his son's plan. Clara, my love, you would be so proud of our boy.

Moscow — three days later

Eduard looked tense as he exited the plane from Los Angeles. He had the proof of death of the Watkins family in his briefcase, to give to Roman Stelmakh. He was fully aware that his cousin and team were already on the ground in Moscow, as they flew in the night before on a private jet. How they had managed to do so was a mystery to him. The less I know, the better.

He saw his name on a placard, being held by one of the Stelmakh men, whom he had seen often enough over the ten years he had been working for Roman. Although he had never spoken to him.

"Gde tvoi companitons ?" Where are your companions? Iosif Borenstein asked him. When Eduard had left for Los Angeles, he had Yegor Gise and Matvei Komorov keep him company. But he had managed to avoid them since being captured at the hospital. They were still hiding out inside the Russian Consulate, as far as he was aware of, after running down Sienna Matthews down on her bike.

"Oni pryachutsya ot amerikanskikh vlastey vnutri konsul'stva posle togo kak oni upravlyali zhenshchinu vniz." They are hiding from American authorities inside the consulate after they ran the woman down, Eduard explained.

Satisfied by the information, he took Eduard to the limousine that waited to take him to the man himself, Roman Stelmakh. He remained quiet on the drive to the Stelmakh estate and focused on his part of the mission. He had a chemical marker which Gav had sprayed on the back of his neck, to trace his movements, even if he was forced to change his clothes. Roman Stelmakh was well known for his paranoia.

He had provided as much intel to his cousin before his departure, so he was certain that Gavriil and his team were hiding out near the estate, where Roman Stelmakh was enjoying the summer months. It gave him some comfort that although his nerves were on tender hooks, he wasn't alone. He was a trained marksman and hand to hand combat fighter, thanks to Roman —- who ensured he could kill the Admiral. The photos he had in his cell and printed copies in his briefcase were smothered in blood. It had made him vomit, when he first saw them. Fear entered his eyes over the cold blooded images of the Admiral and his family's dead bodies. There was no way he could have gone through with the killings himself, so he was thankful for his cousin to have faked their deaths. But he had no idea that the images they would provide him, would be so graphic. Slit throats on all four members and the broken dead body of the daughter from the car incident had him convulsing on his lunch. Although he knew they were fake, the effect they had on him were very real. He had looked into his cousin's matching cerulean eyes in wonder, how he had achieved such a bloody show. There was so much to learn about him. The man who he had played with as a child was a stranger. He had lived a very hard life, so he had learned, but yet after all he had been dealt with, he had chosen to be the protector and not the monster.

"Eduard. Welcome home, son." Roman greeted him, like always. The older Russian appeared happy, which was a good sign for Eduard, meaning that word over his capture, had not yet reached him. We've come in time, he thought.

Roman led him into the dining room and invited him to join him for dinner. "You must be hungry after such a long flight. I hear you have some good news for me." Eduard unlocked his briefcase and handed over the photos of the Admiral and his family's dead bodies.

A huge grin spread over Roman's face, pleased with Eduard's work. "You have done well, my son. Let's celebrate."

Eduard laughed, as he relaxed over the happy reception he received by the head of the Russian Crime family. They toasted to his success and drank the champagne poured out into their glasses. Both men enjoyed their dinner and chatted like old times.

Callen, Sam, Deeks and Kensi moved in close to the building, where Eduard and Roman were eating. They were supported by SEAL teams six and nine. They moved stealthily over the walls, with the help of Eric and Nell, who managed to tap into the security system and override the feed. The Stelmakhs had been hacked and they were going blind as far as security was concerned. Eric and Nell were surprised how easy it had been to hack into their security system, but relieved at the same time. Anything they could do to help their team members keep safe was a bonus.

Satellite imagery had the positions of all people on the estate, with Eric and Nell feeding them the latest intel through to the tablet Callen held in his hand. It enabled him to speak with the leader of each SEAL team on their movements into the compound.

The three teams were in place, ready to breach the buildings. Eduard choked on his dessert as his body refused to obey him. He looked over to Roman Stelmakh who had evil in his eyes. A twisted smile crossed his face as he laughed. "Did you think I would save you, after you completed your mission for me? For ten years, I have trained you for one thing. To kill the Admiral and his family. You are no longer useful to me." His laugh echoed through the building, sending shivers to Callen and his team as they entered the upper level. "You were so gullible to believe me, Eduard. Nephew of Nikita Reznikov. Betrayer of our people. Aiding Russians to flee to the United States of America. Who fell in love with an American spy. My men will soon be home, after he has ended your uncle and cousins' lives. Soon you will all be dead, like the Admiral's."

Eduard struggled to breathe. He fell off his chair and gasped for air on the persian rug. "Help me," he tried to call out. His vision blurred and eventually everything went black.

Roman's laughter stopped when Callen and his partner entered the dining room. "Who are you?" He looked puzzled as he looked at Callen. "No, it cannot be. My men have tried to locate you and kill you." Fear entered Roman's eyes as he realised his men had failed.

"I am Gavriil Reznikov," Callen stated. "It's time to end this feud." Callen felt movement behind him, making him drop to the floor, flip around swiftly and shoot his mark in the chest. A guard fell to the ground before he could get a shot at Callen. Callen turned and found refuge behind a large pillar. Sam came from the other direction and had Roman Stelmakh in his sights. "I wouldn't move, if I was you," Sam quietly stated.

Footsteps were heard from numerous directions, causing Sam to find refuge behind a cupboard. As Stelmakh's men ran into the dining room, Callen and Sam aimed and shot them on target, either in the chest or temple, for an immediate kill. They fell like dominos as they entered the room. More came running, unaware of the danger they entered. Deeks and Kensi moved in from their locations and shot them from behind, giving Callen and Sam time to reload their clips. SEAL team six supported them, with intel form Eric and Nell on how many heat signatures now remained of the enemy. Twenty men, were now reduced to twelve. They came from all directions, the latter, moving more stealthily, making taking them out more drawn out. The message had gotten through that the others had been killed.

Callen looked over to Eduard with concern. He laid unconscious on the floor by the table. He knew they needed to act fast to save him. "Give up now, Roman. You are surrounded. Your men you sent to Los Angeles are all dead. We killed the last of them five days ago. You will never find my father or my sister. I have come for revenge for my family and the Watkins family."

"You are good," Roman admitted. "However, I do not believe you. There is no way you could have killed them all, without me knowing."

Callen threw his cell over to Roman. "This is proof." Roman looked at the image of his son's dead body shot in the head, laid across a sofa in their hideout, as well as the images of all the other men, including the two who had hidden out at the Consulate after they had run Sienna Matthews over. But they had made the mistake of leaving the consulate and were killed by NCIS agents, who were at the ready to grab them and arrest them.

Anger rippled through Roman Stelmakh's body. He pulled his weapon out and aimed it at Callen. Callen knew there was a high chance Roman was armed. He ducked down behind the pillar, just missing the bullet that flew over in his direction.

More armed men appeared at the entrance to the dining room. He fired back, hitting Roman in the shoulder. Gunfire splintered the gold painted carved wooden furniture, that must have been at least one hundred years old. But life was more important than antique furniture. The pillar Callen hid behind was slowly chipping away from the bullets that came his way. The cupboard Sam was seeking refuge behind was also disintegrating from the gunfire. Gunpowder misted the air in the high ceiling room, with paintings from Van Gogh, Picasso, Warhol and Monet, which hung on the walls. So far neither artwork had yet been damaged, but no one cared.

SEAL team nine appeared behind the latest armed Russians, surrounding them on all sides. More gunfire echoed throughout the building, then silence came in a suddenness, that made all survivors nervous.

"You've killed all of the enemy, but one." Eric's voice come over the comms.

All of Stelmakh's men were dead, except for Roman, himself. Callen came out of his hiding place and stepped closer to him. Roman held his weapon in his direction, to protect himself. "You will pay for this," Roman spat out. He pressed his trigger, but Callen was faster. A bullet pieced is right temple, throwing his head back over the edge of his chair. As Callen walked closer, grey eyes stared back at him, blank. Relief flooded through the seasoned agent, as the man who had haunted him since childhood was finally dead.

Sam moved over to Eduard and found his pulse weak. "We need medical attention for Eduard, Eric," Sam called out. "He's been poisoned, but we don't know what with."

Brent Chatswood, the leader for SEAL team nine, moved forward. "I found this in the kitchen. Rat poison. Here, give him this." He handed him a syringe filled with a vomiting induced drug. "It will make him vomit the rat poison up." Sam injected the syringe and waited for Eduard to react.

"He's not responding," Sam confirmed.

"He needs an anti-anticoagulant." Brent handed Sam another syringe.

Sam injected the second syringe into Eduard. "He needs a hospital." He lifted Eduard up over his shoulder. He looked to Callen with concern in his eyes.

Callen stood staring at Roman Stelmakh, unaware of Sam or Eduard.

"G." Sam called out to him.

Kensi walked over to Callen and caught his attention with her hand on his arm. "Callen. We've got to get Eduard to a hospital. He's eaten food laced with rat poison."

Callen looked blankly at her. She shivered from the cold piercing of his blue eyes. Normally she saw warmth in them, but now she saw hatred.

"Callen, it's Kensi." She looked at him with concern for his wellbeing.

Callen snapped out of his trance, knitting his brows together in confusion. He looked over at Sam and realised he had forgotten about his cousin. He moved swiftly over to his partner. "How is he?"

"He's been poisoned," Sam told him, plainly. "We've given him some medication, but he needs the hospital."

Callen nodded and followed his partner out of the building. Deeks and Kensi followed with SEAL teams six and nine behind them. They back tracked their movements outside of the compound and back to their vehicles. Eric came through with a rendezvous point for a medical helicopter, that Hetty had procured through her many contacts.

Los Angeles — seven days later

Callen was beyond exhaustion as he entered his home. He threw his keys and weapon into his bedside drawer and fell asleep. Sleep came to him easily after the knowledge that all threats to himself and his family were either dead or locked up. He breathed easily through his nose as his breathing slowed and his mind drifted off to happy memories of his childhood, prior to his mother's murder.

Amelia, Eduard and himself were playing up a treehouse out back of his aunt's house in the seaside town of Semibalki, in southern Russia. He remembered the white sand there and the lush green fields. The treehouse seemed too high for the four year old, but he was brave and climbed the ladder up to the platform high up in the tree. He could see the water from the treehouse. If he peered through the telescope, he could spy on the boats that moved about on the Black Sea. Childhood adventures took over his thoughts as he drifted off to sleep. "I see pirates," he called out to his cousin and sister. "He's got a black patch over one eye and a hook for a hand," he added.

Below he watched his mother and father laze under the tree with his aunt and uncle, drinking iced tea in the warm summer afternoon. It was a fruit tree, he remembered, bright red apples that tasted so delicious, he was tempted to climb out on the branch to pick one. "Gav, don't fall," he heard his sister call out.

He saw four pairs of eyes look up, horrified over his risky behaviour, as he slowly moved along the high branch. "Gavriil, stay still. I will come and get you." He heard his papa call out.

"I am fine papa. I am just picking an apple," he replied.

"Gavriil Alexander Reznikov. You stay right where you are." His mother's voice echoed up into the tree. He saw the glistening in her eyes, tears of emotion, as she worried over him.

"I can do it, Mama." He tried to comfort her. He hated to see his mama cry. He loved to hear her laugh, she had the most beautiful face and brown eyes, he had ever seen. The rest of his family had blue eyes like his, but not his mama. She was special. She was beautiful.

Nikita climbed quickly, until he was as high as he could go, without breaking a branch. "Crawl backwards to me, son. Papa's got you."

He had finally reached the apple that had caught his eye. He knew his papa was behind him, but he wanted to prove to them that he could do it. He leaned out and pulled at the fruit and grasped it in his hand. "Look, Papa." He lifted his hand out to show him what he had picked, ignoring the fear from those around him. A broad grin crossed his face, with his eyes sparkling with pride from his success.

Nikita shook his head as he saw achievement in his son's eyes, not fear. "You will be the end of me, moy syn. Always trying to be a dare devil." Fear had left his father and joy replaced it, as he realised his son was fine.

Gavriil sat on the branch and took his first bite into the apple. The fruit flowed with juice that dribbled down his chin. Yum.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty." Sam prodded his partner, surprised he had slept so long.

Callen opened his eyes, surprised the sun was so high in the sky. "What time is it?"

"It's after ten in the morning. We're waiting for you to travel up to your father's vineyard. Deek is eager to do some wine tasting. Can you believe it? Deeks drinking wine." Sam chuckled.

Callen wiped his face with his hands, trying to shake the cobweb of sleep that remained. "I had the best dream," he admitted to Sam. "I was four, and I was up an apple tree, where Eduard's treehouse was. I could see the Black Sea, I was so high and I ate the most delicious apple you've ever tasted."

"I think you've got a knock on the head," Sam mused. He continued chuckling as he watched the new Callen before him. Relaxed, happy and finally sleeping. "We're all waiting outside for you. Hetty's allowed us the Ford for the weekend."

Callen furrowed his brow.

"Don't worry, G. I'm driving." He shook his head in amusement as he saw relief flash over his partner's face. Knowing how Callen drove, he was surprised how sick he got when Kensi was the driver.

"I'll be there in five." He grabbed a fresh change of clothes and moved into the bathroom. He was truly happy for the first time in his life. No enemies after him or his family. Carrie Brady, the daughter of the Admiral was doing better than the doctors thought she would and she was expected a full recovery and would be home in a few weeks. They were able to return to the East Coast to their lives before her husband Michael was gunned down, five years earlier. Eduard continued to recover from his poisoning and he was home with his family in Southern Russia. He promised to come and visit with his wife and children once he was back on his feet. He looked in the mirror and smirked. "Gavriil Alexander Reznikov. The hunting is over, it's time to live your life."

THE END.