CONTACT

Chapter 1

Summary: Aiding a car accident victim has deadly consequences for a member of the NCIS Special Ops. Just a quick little story seeing the team watching out for one and other.

A/N: this story is being "doubly adapted"…the original idea came from an old TV show in the 70's "Quincy": then I adapted it to the characters from "The Sentinel"-that story can be read at my old, abandoned account…adsh (and if you decide to give it a read I'll apologize now…10+ years ago my writing sucked). And since it's adapted from a cop show we get to see Deeks do what he does best…be a detective!

a/n: I've also decided to place this story in my "Partner's" story-verse…though there won't be an overmuch of 'brotherly bonding' moments as this is mostly a team story. Not necessary to read "Partners"-only to know that Callen/Deeks are 'foster brothers'.

…..NCIS LA…

The sun was shining, the breeze warm through his open windows, and the early spring temperatures of the LA coast not yet scorching; and G Callen briefly wished he had a convertible instead of the Martin that morning on his way to work. Catching a glimpse of the early morning surfers as he drove up the PCH, towards Ops, he briefly considered, again, taking Deeks up on his offer to teach him to surf.

Callen was suddenly pulled up short when the car ahead of him began suddenly began weaving erratically for several seconds before suddenly accelerating and swerving sharply to slam into the highways retaining wall.

"Damn," he swore, whipping in behind the car and pulling out his cell to call 911, "This is Agent Callen. I'm on the PCH, mile marker 74; got an SVA, need an ambulance."

"Roger that agent Callen. Squad and ambulance rolling," the 911 operator replied.

Callen threw his cell on the seat and ran over to the other car. He saw that the entire front end of the wrecked vehicle was crumpled in, pinning the cars single occupant tightly against the steering wheel. Scanning the damage, he noted the driver's door was also bent sharply inwards. So focused on his struggle to open the door and get to the victim he failed to notice the ragged cuts and scrapes he was inflicting on his own hands and arms from the jagged glass and metal.

With an ear piercing wrenching of metal on metal, Callen finally managed to open the door a fraction of the way, sliding, with some difficulty, between the car's interior and the door; grabbing the steering wheel to balance himself as he stooped to assess the victim. His fingers searched for the carotid pulse and found nothing. He dropped his hand and let out a defeated sigh, lowering his head into his hands; several moments later a hand on his shoulder startled the agent.

"Sir, we need you to move away, we need to get to the victim," A paramedic said.

Callen just shook his head with a sigh, "To late guys, she's already gone."

He grabbed the seat and the steering wheel and pulled himself up and wiggled back out of the tight space between the car and the door, "You're going to need the jaws, she's wedged in there pretty tight."

"We'll take it from here sir. Do you need any assistance, you look kind of pale?" The paramedic asked.

"I'm fine, just not the best way to begin a day," Callen answered.

"Why don't you let me clean up your hands at least," The paramedic pressed.

"Huh, oh yeah, guess they are a mess. Had a hell of a time opening the door." Callen said, noticing his injured hands for the first time.

While being tended to by the paramedic, Callen watched absently while EMS services cut the victim from the car, answering questions as the patrol officers took his statement.

By the time Callen reached Ops, some two hours later, his bandaged hands were burning and tingling and the beginnings of a sick headache was forming at his temples.

"You all right their partner? PD called Deeks when they recognized your name, told us what happened," Sam asked with some concern as Callen plopped heavily into his desk chair. "You don't look so good."

"Just been one hell of a day all ready." Callen said with a sigh.

"Your hands?" Sam questioned with a nod towards the wrapped appendages.

Callen held his injured hands in front of his face and wiggled his fingers. "Trying to get the door opened." Grinning wryly he added, "Think it'll get me any sympathy points with my partner and he'll do the paperwork?"

Sam rolled his eyes and groaned, "You cut your little *piggies* and you think you're dying…"

Callen just wiggled his injured fingers and gave a pout.

"Marty been giving your lessons?" Sam groused good-naturedly, swiping up some files off Callen's desk. "Never let it be said I don't help out my partner."

Coming up from the firing range, Deeks called out, "Callen, PD told us what happened. Are you all right?"

"Just a few cuts," He answered, adding grimly. "…victim was DOA."

"Tough break. You need to give your report to patrol?"

"At the scene," Callen replied. "I'll sign off on it when they finish up."

"Sounds like it's wrapped up then." Hetty said, giving her agent a good look, especially at his bandaged hands, "Are you sure you're feeling all right? Maybe you ought to go home and rest…those hands will make it rather difficult to get much work accomplished…"

"Thanks, Hetty, but I'll fine, really," Callen said.

Not quite convinced but willing to let it go for now Hetty agreed, "If you start feeling any worse you head home."

"Yeah, Hetty, I will," Callen answered. Hetty eyed Sam, who gave a nod, before heading back to her office.

"You sure you're okay, Callen? You look kind of pale?" Deeks reiterated everyone's concern as he tried to take up one of Callen's bandaged hands to get a better look.

"Dammit, I'm fine, alright," Callen snapped, pulling his hand away from a surprised looking Deeks.

Noting the surprised looks his team was exchanging only made him angrier," Look, I got a few cuts and bruises…it's the young girl on the slab downtown that has the problem," slamming his hands on his desk for emphasis.

The action had Callen hissing in pain and pulling his injured hands to his chest, trying to fold in on himself; pain sending waves of dizziness washing over him

"Damn, Callen, you all right?" Sam exclaimed, jumping to his partner's side. "Let me see."

Callen just shook his head as he rasped out, "Sorry… It's just…she was so young…"

"It's okay man. It had to be hard," Deeks said, putting a comforting hand on Callen's shoulder while Sam stooped to begin his own assessment of his partner's injuries.

Callen nodded shutting his eyes tight against the pain that was now burning up his arms.

"Guess that wasn't the smartest thing to do, was it?" He said in pained huffs.

"We've never accused you of being bright," Sam teased as he sent a quick look towards Deeks who gave his own chuckle.

Hand still on Callen's shoulder, Deeks felt the slight tremors coursing through Callen's body, saw the blood seeping through the bandages that Sam was inspecting, "Those bandages probably need changing…"

"I'm fine, really." Callen hissed through clenched teeth.

"Sure you are." Sam said skeptically.

Shrugging his shoulders, Sam gave Deeks a quick wink before saying nonchalantly, "Okay. We can take a look at them here or we can make a quick trip to the hospital."

Deeks watched, in amusement, as the protective instincts of the teams "mother hen" kicked into overdrive and was curious just how long his brother was going to fight this losing battle.

"Really, guys," Callen started to protest, but stopped with a heavy sigh, seeing he was up against not one but two immovable forces-his partner and his brother!

With a frown and a roll of his eyes he quietly held out his injured hands to Sam, who chastised him gently, "Look what you've done here! They're bleeding again. Pound your hands like that again and you're going to end up needing stitches."

"Now you're a doctor?" Callen quipped.

"Nope, but that medic training has certainly come in handy," Sam said with a smirk. "…now, let's get to the bathroom so I can grab the first aid kit."

"Is all this necessary?" Callen complained, uncomfortable with the attention.

"Okay," Deeks shrugged, "hospital it is."

Callen aimed a pleading look at his partner then to his brother, before pinning a look on Kensi, "I could use some back up here."

Kensi just chuckled and held up his hands in surrender, "Don't look to me for sympathy, I agree with them."

"You're so much help." Callen grumbled. "Fine let's get this over with."

"I knew you could be reasonable," Sam said with a triumphant grin.

Callen hissed in pain as Sam's hands wrapped around his elbows to help him up.

Deeks's brow furrowed in concern, "What is it, Callen?"

"My arms, they hurt almost as much as my hands do." Callen answered.

"Maybe an infection is setting in all ready," Deeks said worriedly.

Matching Deeks frown, Sam shook his head, "To soon for an infection, but maybe they missed something; maybe they missed a piece of glass or something. Time to get you checked out at the hospital-like you should have been to begin with…"

"Guys, ease up. I just cut my hands up a little bit, okay. Let's just get them re-bandaged so we can all get back to work before Hetty puts us all in the hospital," Callen said in exasperation.

Giving an impatient huff, Sam relented with a nod and started to lead Callen out of the bullpen, Deeks and Kensi following right behind.

"I don't need an audience," Callen snapped, adding with an apologetic grin, "Besides, I'm gonna need help with all that paperwork while I recover from my injuries."

"Oh, funny man," Kensi snarked, "keep it up G and I'll put you in the hospital, myself."

Sam sat Callen on the bench and undid the bandages. He frowned as he turned Callen's hands over to inspect the damage; there were dozens of cuts and scrapes on each hand and up his forearms, each raw looking and oozing blood, chastising, "You call this a few cuts, your hands and arms look like hamburger here. Your hands are warm and red, and they're becoming swollen."

"Well, slamming them down on the desk didn't help much," Callen stopped as Sam began to run his hands up each of Callen's arms. "Uh, Sam, what are you doing?"

The frown never leaving his face, Sam asked. "Did they paramedics give you an antibiotic shot at the scene? Your arms are starting to swell, they feel warm to the touch." Giving the other agent a pointed look he asked, "Are you having any other symptoms?"

Callen, uncomfortable with the mother hen routine and a little startled by his partners growing anxiety, answered slowly, "Uh, well, I do have a bit of a sick headache; feel a little dizzy and nauseous. Thought it was because of the pain. And no, I don't think I got a shot, I really don't remember."

"No argument Callen, I really think you need to go the hospital." Sam said, quickly rewrapping his hands.

"Sam, you're making me a little nervous here…" Callen said with a weak chuckle.

"Then let's all feel better by getting you to the hospital. Now." Sam replied, grim faced.

Sam hustled Callen out of the bathroom and back into the bullpen, calling to Deeks.

"Change of plans, Callen is going to the hospital," Sam directed. "While the doc's are cleaning up those cuts they need to do a blood test."

"A blood test?" Callen and Deeks exclaimed in unison.

"Callen, nothing gets infected that fast; especially since you were treated at the scene. Now you're showing signs of a fast moving infection," Sam explained.

Sam nodded to Deeks and grabbed up his and Callen's jackets and hustled his partner out the door, calling back to Deeks, "Tell Hetty where we're going."

"Call as soon as you find out anything," Deeks called after them.

…..ncis la…

"I don't know which is worse. Waiting in the ER for a doctor to tell you something or sitting here waiting for the phone to ring," Deeks complained, sitting back and looking at the clock. "It's been over two hours."

"He can't call if he doesn't know anything," Kensi said. "We'll give them another thirty minutes and give them a call if we haven't heard anything. I could use a break, how about you? I think there's a candy bar in the break room calling my name."

"Think I'll stick to my trial mix, thank you. Least I know what's in it," Deeks replied, shivering melodramatically as he pondered his partner's sugar habit.

"Yeah, great snack, if, you're a squirrel," Kensi shot back, heading out to the break room.

On her way back from the break room she scooped up Callen's ringing telephone as he passed by the desk, "Agent Callen's desk."

"Kensi? This is Rose, Agent Callen around?" the usual perky tone of the city coroner tight with worry.

"No, he wasn't feeling well…" Kensi replied; Rose's tone setting off warning bells in her head, "why, something up…?"

"I thought he'd want to come down and see this," Rose continued, "I got the prelim tox-screen back on his SVA victim from this morning; looking for the usual- drugs, alcohol. What they found instead was a complex toxin the lab cannot even begin to identify."

"A toxin? You mean poison?" Kensi asked, sitting on the corner of Callen's desk. Shooting a look towards her partner who was eying her curiously. "Rose, I'm gonna put you on speaker. Now, are your saying that it wasn't the accident that killed that girl?"

"I'm saying that with what the girl had coursing through her bloodstream she was most likely dead before she hit that retaining wall," Rose replied.

"So, we're looking at a possible homicide," Deeks asked as he stood and made his way to Callen's desk, crossing his arms and giving his partner a concerned look, "Has she been identified yet?"

"According to the ID card in her wallet, her name was Julie McCabe, twenty-six, unmarried. She worked for Jamar Labs and Pharmaceuticals," Rose answered, turning pages in the file.

"So she could have come in contact with this poison at work?" Deeks surmised.

"It's a possibility. But if that's the case, then either that lab has a serious breach in protocol that needs to be addressed, she was a very careless worker…or…" Rose's voice trailed off knowingly.

"…or she was murdered," Deeks finished the sentence grimly.

Deeks was starting to get an uneasy feeling about all this, "Rose, does the report say how the poisoned was introduced?"

"I've only done a preliminary examination of the body; showed no signs of burning or lesions around the mouth, esophagus or nasal cavities so it wasn't ingested or inhaled, one guess would be by injection," Rose theorized.

"Which leads back to murder," Deeks said. "No one would intentionally inject themselves with a toxin," Kensi noted Deeks brow furrow in thought, his features tightening in worry as her partner asked, "What about absorption…through the skin? Could it be some kind of a contact poison?"

Seeing Kensi's confused look, Deeks held up his hands and wiggled his fingers, mouthing, "Callen."

Kensi's eyes widened in surprise as Deeks continued to question the coroner, "Were the victims hands and arms red or swollen?"

"Yeah, how did you know…?" Rose answered in surprise.

"And can poisons be absorbed through the skin…?" Deeks pressed, as dread took hold of the detective.

"Some toxins can be absorbed...yes…" Rose answered quickly.

"How long would it take them to start affecting the victim…?" Deeks asked tightly.

"Depending on the toxin and the introducing agent….where on the body it is being absorbed…" Rose said, thinking aloud, "it could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours…"

"And it someone with open cuts or wounds were to come in contact with toxic agent…" Deeks pressed.

"It could be just a matter of minutes, maybe a few hours…again, depending on the toxin…" Rose said.

"Where is that car?" Deeks demanded.

"Most likely the impound yard by now, why?"

"Have it brought to the PD evidence garage. I'll bet you a week's pay that somewhere in that car you'll come across the poison that killed her. And whatever you do don't let anyone near that car unless they are suited up," Deeks said earnestly.

Understanding where Deeks was leading this line of questioning, Kensi asked worriedly, "Deeks, you don't really think…Callen…his hands?"

"What's up Deeks? What about Agent Callen…Kensi said he was ill…?" Rose questioned.

"Callen cut up his hands pretty bad trying to help that victim this morning, and by the time he got to work his hands and arms were swelling like they were infected…and he was feeling ill," Deeks explained.

"And you think…?" Rose cut her question off suddenly realizing time was of utmost importance on this case. "I'll get a rush put on trying to identify the toxin; and Detective Deeks, if Agent Callen isn't all ready at the hospital he needs to be there now."

"That's where he was heading when he left here. You need to fax that tox-report over to Cascade General, send one to us too. Two labs can work faster than one. We need that toxin identified." Deeks said.

Deeks motioned Kensi towards Hetty's office. Understanding his intent, Kensi went to inform the operations manager of the situation as Deeks hung up from Rose to redialed Sam's cell, "Sam. It's Deeks. How's Callen?"

Sam's tone was tight, "Not good man. By the time we got here he he'd started running a fever and had a nosebleed. His arms hurt him so bad that he couldn't stand for the doctors to touch him. They had to sedate him. They took blood, trying to find the infection."

"Sam, listen to me. It's not an infection. We think Callen was poisoned."

"Poisoned?"

"That car accident victim this morning, toxicology came back; she had large amounts of an unknown toxin in her body. The lab hasn't been able to identify it yet, but Rose is pretty sure that's what killed her," Deeks explained, adding, "Rose is faxing the victim's tox report to the hospital, so their lab can compare it to Callen's blood sample."

"How in the hell did Callen come in contact with some poison?" Sam questioned angrily.

"Right now the theory is that it was some kind of contact poison, somewhere in the car. Having the car taken to the PD evidence garage now so a team can check it out…"

"This isn't adding up to an accident is it?" Sam commented grimly.

"No, it looks like a homicide," Deeks replied.

"You said the lab couldn't identify it? What if the hospital can't either," Sam questioned suddenly.

"The victim has been identified. We're going to go check out where she worked; a pharmaceutical company, name of Jamar labs. Hopefully they will be able to ID the toxin," Deeks said.

"But if that is where the toxin originated from…and this does turn out not to be an accident…" Sam intoned knowingly.

"I know," Deeks said with a sigh, finishing Sam's thought, "We have to find the killer to find the antidote."

"Like they're just going to hand it over…" Sam grumbled.

"Right now, just find the doctor, tell them to expect that tox report. Find out if they have anyone on staff who would be familiar with toxins, venoms, or anything like that; put them on Callen's case until Kensi and I can check out the pharmaceutical company," Deeks directed.

"I'm on it," Sam replied, suddenly distracted by a flurry of activity down the hall near his partners cubical, "What the…"

Sam had dropped his phone to his side, as he watched dazedly as medical personnel suddenly flooded Callen's room…over the line Deeks and Kensi could hear all that Sam was witnessing….

"Code Blue. We have a code blue in exam four. Code blue." A harried voice came over the intercom.

"Sam? Sam, what's going on?" Deeks questioned tightly, gripping the phone and practically yelling at the agent, "SAM?"

"He…Callen, he's in exam room four! God, Deeks, they just called a code," Sam gasped out.

"Damn." Deeks hissed under his breath, struggling to hear what was happening through the open phone line. "Stay with me Sam, don't hang up."

In the flurry of activity no one notice as Sam moved up to stand just outside of Callen's ER cubicle…getting a front row seat to the doctors and nurses working frantically to save his partner's life….

"Intubate…critical, but stable…move to crit. Care ICU stat…round clock monitoring. Rush on the lab work…" Deeks heard snippets of the drama over Sam's open phone line.

Several moments later a grim faced doctor stepped into the waiting area, coming straight to Sam. "Agent Hanna?"

"What happened? What's wrong?" He asked, the phone still gripped in his hand.

"Your partner stopped breathing…we had to intubate. He is now on a respirator to help him breathe."

"What are his chances?" Sam asked.

"Honestly, until we can identify what is causing these reactions…"

"He was poisoned…some kind of toxin, but the coroner's lab can't identify it…" Sam interrupted quickly, adding with a shake of his head, "We thought it was just an infection…a piece of glass…but he was poisoned…."

The doctor nodded, asking, "you said he was a government agent…he came across this in the field…?"

Sam shook his head and quickly explained the car accident, the quick onset of symptoms and then the report his agency just received from the city coroner.

Taking it all in, the doctor said, "We need to identity that toxin…so we know the right course of treatment; and at the rate Mr. Callen is deteriorating, we need to do it in the next twenty four hours. Right now the best we can do is treat him symptomatically and try to keep him stabilized until we nail down this toxin."

Sam shook his head mutely as the doctor continued, "We're moving Mr. Callen to the critical care unit on the sixth floor. When he's settled you can sit with him for a while."

Sam was pulled from his stupor by the tinny voice yelling for his attention. He raised the phone to his ear. "Deeks…he, Callen is…"

"I heard Sam, I heard…" Deeks said. "You sit tight, Kensi and I are on it. We'll find that antidote."

"Hurry." Sam said hoarsely as he ended the call.