A/N: After far too long, this story returns thanks to @perfectcomputerfire’s request.
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Ain’t it a Kick in the Head, Part 16
Deeks ignored Kensi’s exclamation, swaggering out as though they weren’t in immediate danger and he wasn’t likely to collapse at any moment.
“I couldn’t help but notice you seem a little conflicted,” he said, and the brothers immediately stopped talking.
“This isn’t your concern, Max,” Dimitri told him. “Go back to your girlfriend. We’ll tell you once you’ve decided.
“Or, you could tell me now and then Bella and I can decide how far we want to take this.”
“You’re not in a position to barter,” Paul said through his teeth.
“And you could use all the help you can get. So, either tell me the plan, or we’re figuring our own way out,” Deeks warned, flipping from easygoing to calculating in a second.
Kensi didn’t know what he planned, or who Novikov was, but clearly he was important to Deeks. At any other time, she be impressed by his commitment. Now she hoped it wouldn’t get him killed. Either way, she didn’t intend to leave him behind.
“Or I could just shoot you and be done with all your talk,” Paul threatened. Deeks didn’t show any signs of fear, but Kensi tensed, ready to step in if needed.
“Yeah, who got us out of that warehouse? Your backup is almost gone and if you kill me, you’ll be fending for yourselves soon. I may be annoying as hell, but I’m also pretty damn useful.”
Deeks let that hang in the air, quietly smug, though Kensi noticed his left hand hovering close to his waistband in case he needed to defend himself. Paul’s wright shifted towards Deeks, and Kensi clasped the butt of her gun, sure this was about to get a lot more bloody. Then Dimitri pulled his brother back, regarding Deeks’ with disdain, but a resigned sigh.
“A business partner is arranging for a plane to take us to a safer location,” he said.
“Yeah, that’s a little vague. I’m gonna need—”
Deeks’ sentence was cut short by the door bursting open and shouts of “NCIS!” Kensi spotted Sam and Callen run in before the Kaisers’ two remaining guards charged forward, opening fire.
Kensi saw Deeks drop to the ground just as a bullet flew way too close to her face, and she ducked behind the pallet. She peeked out in time to see Sam exchanging one of the guards and Paul Kaiser. The other guard had hidden behind a piece of machinery. Deeks wasn’t anywhere in sight.
She checked her gun, preparing to pop up when there was a lull in the shooting.
“Well, this is cozy,” Deeks said, sliding in next to her. He had wood splinters in his hair and a half smirk.
“You’re insane,” she hissed, and he shrugged, looking around their barrier.
“You wouldn’t be the first to make that observation,” he told her, crouching next to her again. “You want to me to be the bait?” He nodded in Phillip’s general direction.
“No. Stay down and try not to bleed out,” she ordered, standing before Deeks could object. She aimed and fired three shots, each of them just missing Phillip, who turned and aimed, his bullets hitting the pallet a second after she’d ducked back down again.
Her second round, one of her bullets hit its target; Phillip jerked and fell backwards. Dimitri Kaiser took his place, but before she could even aim again, Deeks had moved in next to her, aimed, and fired. Dimitri grabbed his knee, collapsing to the ground with pained shouts.
In the middle of the room, Callen and Sam were taking custody of Paul, who seemed uninjured.
“See, I told you we didn’t need any backup,” Deeks said breathlessly, leaning heavily against the wall behind them. His jacket bunched up around his side, revealing fresh red blood soaking through the fabric of his shirt.
“Oh my god,” she murmured, reaching for him as he slid a few inches lower.
“But I might need that doctor now.” He gave her a faint smile, then sucked in a pained breath and went limp.









