A/N So here we are the last chapter of another story, I want to thank Silver Sentinel who inspired this story and all of you for reading it. and a special thank you to those who reviewed. I appreciate you all for taking the time to read this and leaving me your feedback.

Chapter 19

Arkady's mood was black as he gunned the car engine.

Sergei had misused his friendship with Arkady and even worse; he had hurt his son. This would not go unpunished.

Sergei smiled and nodded to his bodyguards as he saw Arkady's car pull up, "My friend, I have been meaning to contact you. Did your son turn up?" he asked his voice and face totally innocent looking.

Arkady smiled, this was going to be fun, "Yes he did and he is currently sleeping off the effects of his little trip," he said with a friendly tone. "I am about to go for coffee. I wondered if you wished to join me?" he asked.

Sergei knew he'd gotten away with it; Arkady only invited a few people to go to coffee with him. He puffed up a bit at his own audacity and grabbed his coat.

Kort looked up, "Are we going somewhere?" he asked.

Sergei smiled, "I have…how you say… pulled the sheep over the old goat's eyes my friend, and we are going for coffee with Arkady."

"Wool," Kort corrected him with a sigh. He didn't know what Arkady was up to but he grabbed his coat and followed Sergei.

Climbing into the car, Sergei sat at the front as Arkady pulled away from the office. Trent followed them in his.

Sergei chatted about his business and how much he was looking forward to the new developments that he was sure to be in on.

Arkady smiled and nodded as he drove just waiting for the predetermined spot where he would pull over. "So," he said pulling into a parking space near the Florida swamps. "My boy was at a motel for the last two months when we couldn't find him?" he asked still with a friendly smile on his face.

"I…yes, I told you. I think he met a nice girl, you know what the young are like," he replied, trying to simulate a confident smile.

Arkady nodded and got out of the car.

He walked around to the passenger side, opened the door and squatted down while pulling his gun from the holster, "You told me he was in New York. Get out!"

Sergei held his hands in the international position of surrender. "Arkady, my friend."

"Enough!" Arkady's voice boomed causing the birds in the nearby trees to flee. Trent pulled his gun, "I can't let you hurt him Kolcheck."

Arkady looked over at the British man, "Trent Kort, this is none of the CIA's concern," he told him flatly.

Trent nodded. "I have a meeting at your home later. It'd probably be best if we didn't turn up together," he said as he turned and walked to his car.

"You can't leave me!" Sergei screamed at Kort who ignored him, climbed into his car and drove off.

"Apparently he can." Arkady smirked and turned his attention back to the matter in hand.

"Arkady…I meant nothing bad by it. I didn't realize he was really your son. I was told he was a spy; if I had only known." Sergei's voice dropped to a whimper.

"Sergei Malenkov, you discovered something that I went to great pains to hide and you hurt my son."

"But you told me he was your son!" Sergei protested as he struggled at the handcuffs Arkady had just attached to his wrists.

"You took a blood sample." Arkady shook his head. "Big mistake."

Sergei looked around wildly hoping to see someone, anyone.

"I went to great lengths to keep him safe, not from you, but from others who will hurt him if they know who I am. You put that in jeopardy," Arkady spat.

"But he does know he's your son?" Sergei countered still trying to save his own life.

"No he does not. He thinks I'm the foster father he was placed with as a young teen. That was a mistake on my second wife's part as she had no idea about my Clara and his sister in the old country, and she never will. Callen will continue to believe that I was Anatoli Rostov and that I had no idea why people were after him."

"I won't tell anyone now that I know he's not a spy with the CIA," Sergei promised as his eyes still searched for a way to escape.

"But he is a spy with the DEA and no, you won't tell."

Arkady produced a knife from his belt and cut several small cuts along Sergei's face before kicking him backwards into the swamp.

Arkady wiped his hands on the handkerchief he pulled from his pocket and walked back to his car. A smile crept from his lips, as he heard not the sounds of the alligators entering the water, but the piercing screams of the man who tortured his son and the unmistakable sound of those deathly tails thrashing through the water.

Sergei's screams were muffled as he closed the car door and drove off.

Callen woke up and saw Peters sitting at the end of his bed.

"What happened?" he asked

"You were missing but returned to us a few days ago with the information we needed. That CIA lady, Hetty, took the information and passed it on."

"Who were we looking for?" Callen asked.

Peters frowned, "You don't remember?"

Callen sat up clutching at his head, "Not really. I only remember Malenkov and being questioned by him. There was a guy with a British accent who helped me. I don't remember much else except some bits and pieces of a room and people but not their faces.

"When you're up to it we will have to get back for a debrief. I had to hand this over to the CIA. Sorry kid, but according to our superiors, you screwed up."

Callen scowled at him, "What do you mean I screwed up? I got the Intel and I didn't let my cover get blown."

Peters sighed, "You know how our boss is when other agencies get involved."

Callen nodded in understanding. Although it was an unwritten rule, it was held in highest regard amongst the administration – unless there wasn't any other way to get the job done.

"Fine." Callen said. He didn't care, as it was time to move on. "We did get them and stop it, right?

Peters smiled at him, "For today." He watched the young agent lay back down, his eyes closing as his head hit the pillow. Peters couldn't help but feel sorry for him, the orphaned street kid. "You got 'em kid," he whispered as Callen fell asleep.

He looked up to see Hetty standing in the doorway and followed her out.

"Do you really think the DEA will fire him over this?" she asked as they walked to the living room and sat down.

"I do. Maybe not right away because he's a damn good agent and they will use that to their advantage -until they no longer have a use for him." Peters was developing a soft spot for Callen and felt he should convey that as well as his professional opinion. "He's one of the best I've worked with, however, if you tell him that, I will deny it," Peters said.

Hetty nodded as she filed that piece of information for later as she was known to do on occasion. It was a trait that had proved quite valuable overs the years.

"I have to leave," Hetty said. "I'm being recalled. You'll need to co-ordinate with our agent when he gets here and then I will debrief him when he gets back." She stood up and extended her hand, "Good to work with you Agent Peters, I hope to have the opportunity to do so again." She walked to the door and left, leaving Peters to wonder just what it was the older woman had been thinking when she shot a longing look towards Callen's door as she left.

A few moments later the door opened and a tall clean-cut man walked in, "Agent Peters, DEA I presume," he said in a slightly sarcastic tone that was made more apparent with the British accent.

"Yes, and you are…?"

"Trent Kort, CIA. I'm here to debrief you, Arkady Kolcheck and Agent Callen," he replied.

"Kolcheck is out, he'll be back soon and Callen is resting," Peters said gesturing the man to step on the carpet.

"Resting?" Kort feigned innocence.

"He was captured by Malenkov and held for a few months. We only got him back two days ago."

Kort nodded and turned as Callen, dressed but still looking disheveled, limped into the room. He leant against the door-frame glancing over at Kort. He looked familiar but couldn't quite place where he had seen him. After a few moments, it hit him, "You're the guy in the car," he said moving around the room keeping as much distance between himself and the CIA agent as possible.

"Yes Callen, I am," Kort said waiting for more.

"Did you get them? The guys who questioned me?" he asked.

Kort raised an eyebrow. Callen didn't recognize him from Sergei's basement.

"Yes we did. We need to debrief you. What do you remember?" Kort asked as he positioned himself so that Callen could get a good look at him.

"Not much, they were asking me stuff. Things about Arkady; Who I was; I don't remember much else right now." Callen stopped and looked intently at him, "You're CIA. I remember that. Did I tell? God! I told, didn't I? I blew the whole operation." Callen stood up and started pacing towards the door and then the window.

"It's my fault. I blew the whole operation!" Callen started to hyperventilate but kept his arms protectively wrapped around him, not wanting to let on how much he hurt.

"Callen. Uspokoit'sya syn, vy budete vred sebya snova!" Arkady said as he walked through the door shooting Kort a piercing look before he positioned himself beside Callen.

Callen slumped carefully into the chair that Arkady guided him to. "You must rest," he said.

Callen shrugged, "Why? I can't do my job from a chair," he argued.

Arkady looked at him, "Your job is over. The financing has been pulled and Malenkov has left town under mysterious circumstances," he said looking at Kort who nodded.

"It is time for you to return home," Arkady said swallowing a small lump in his throat that threatened to betray him.

Callen, not thinking, just stood up and walked to his room to grab his bag as Peters followed.

Kort placed a hand on Arkady's shoulder, "The street kid. That's not an act, is it?"

Arkady shook his head, "No it is not."

"Does he know? I mean now?"

Arkady shot him a glaring look and walked towards Callen, where he then pulled him into a one armed hug, "You know, I think my business interests may be better served if I relocate to Los Angeles," he said.

Callen smiled, "I may find myself working there sometime soon as well. We should keep in touch," he said

Arkady nodded, "That would be good. Safe journey Callen," he said and watched as the two Agents left.

Kort walked over to him.

"He doesn't know does he? I mean that you really are his father," Kort clarified.

Arkady shook his head, "For a while, due to a twist of fate, I became his foster father. That's what he knows of me. He knows nothing of his mother."

"I looked up the name Callen and found a file on a Clara Callen. Shot on a beach in Romania while her son …" He stopped as Arkady put a hand on his shoulder.

"This information you have, you need to lose it," he said, although kindly, the hidden threat was clear. "I owe you for saving my son, but his life would be in danger if he ever found out, as would his little sister's. I have already lost one child, do not put my other ones in danger," he said.

Kort nodded in understanding. Having heard and seen what Arkady was capable of, he knew he would never tell Callen or anyone else about this conversation. And Arkady Kolcheck being in his debt might just come in handy someday.

Translation

"Callen, Calm down son, you'll harm yourself again!"