Chapter 1:
It had been three weeks since McGee, Ziva and Tony turned in their badges to Director Vance and left their jobs at NCIS. And much to Tony's dismay, Ziva was nowhere to be found. He'd stopped by her apartment, numerous times, but she never answered. She hadn't returned his numerous calls and texts either. And nothing made Tony's curiosity peak more than not knowing what Ziva David was up to.
Through some investigating on his part, he learned she had moved. He asked everyone: Abby, Ducky, Palmer, McGee, Dornegut, even The Director what they knew, but none of them knew anything. It wasn't like her to just up and leave. Just three short weeks ago she was yelling at Gibbs about her family and now without as much as a word to any of them, she was gone.
He went to Gibbs and met up with him in his basement. Surely Gibbs knew something, at least he figured, but he had figured wrong. Gibbs wasn't aware she was gone any more than the rest of the team.
"When she's ready, she'll contact us." Gibbs tried not to make too big of a deal out of it.
Tony ran his fingers through his hair, "I don't know, I don't like it."
"Do you think she's in danger?" Gibbs asked.
"Well the last time she went incognito, we learned she was dead, or so we thought. So Yeah, maybe? Something just isn't sitting right this time around. You know, it's just not like her."
"Okay, see what you can find out. Use your connections." Gibbs instructed.
"Connections?" Tony wanted clarification.
"You know, mutual contacts?" Gibbs said his eye brows lifted.
"I've already asked everyone at work boss." Tony said quite confused.
Bam! The Gibbs slap never failed—"Outside of work DiNozzo. Think outside of work."
"Alright, outside of work boss, got it. Should be no problem," He said that last part to convince himself more than anything.
Tony left Gibb's basement not sure at first who he would call, then it came to him.
He'd track down Schmeil Pinkus.
It took a few phone calls, but Tony was able to meet up with Schmeil in New York the following evening.
After eating a pleasant meal and making Schmeil laugh over one too many drinks, and entertaining him with his character impersonations and movie references, Tony decided it was time to cut to the chase, "You know I have to ask, have you been in touch with Ziva?"
"Not for a couple of weeks? Why? Did you two have a love spat?" His eyes twinkled as he teased the younger man.
"I wish it were something like that, but we quit our jobs three weeks ago and no one has seen her since."
"Yes, I know she quit her job. She wanted to talk about it—on and on and on. But I listened because I would do anything for my Ziva." He explained.
"Did she mention anything about leaving or where she might be headed next?" Tony asked trying to tone down his sense of urgency in the matter.
"No she didn't." he answered shortly, as if he might know something.
Tony's senses were tingling, "Okay then, did she happen to mention she was moving?"
"Ziva moved? She didn't tell me." Now he sounded perplexed. "Tony, relax. If you want to get in touch with Ziva, I'll get you in touch with her. Just give me a few days and I'll see that you have a way to reconnect."
"Thanks, Schmeil." He answered genuinely.
Tony paid for their dinner, saw Schmeil back to his hotel safely as they had both had a lot to drink…then Tony took a cab back to his hotel.
He didn't know where she was, didn't know if she was safe, but he trusted Schmeil to come through for him.
He poured himself a drink, sat down on the hotel sofa and opened his laptop. He checked his email, still nothing from her. He whispered aloud, "Talk to me Ziva, Where are you?"
It was frustrating not knowing. He drank down his drink and then headed for a shower and crashed on the hotel bed.
He held on to the hope that he was one step closer to finding Ziva.