Chapter One

"Grab your gear," Gibbs announced as he entered the bullpen where his team were only too eager to step aside from the mountains of backdated paperwork that Director Vance had ordered to be completed by the end of the week. It seemed like another routine crime scene but the team were to soon learn that there would be nothing routine about this day.

"On your six, boss," Tony replied, relieved, grabbing his crime scene gear. "Dead body?"

"Bodies," Gibbs replied, sipping his coffee and pointing to the TV screen that the other NCIS employees had congregated around.

"How many?" McGee asked as Gibbs' team moved closer to the TV screen where CNN was showing live footage of the aftermath of what looked like some kind of bombing. Through the smoke in the area they could see ambulances, medics and bodies covered with sheets as the sounds of sirens and screams broke through.

"Eight at the scene," Gibbs answered. "Possibly more to come."

The reporter on the TV screen in front of them reported a suspected suicide bombing.

"That's-" Ziva started.

"The Israeli embassy," Gibbs said, finishing her sentence.

"Then why are we-" McGee started to ask.

"Director Vance and several senior NCIS employees were on route to the embassy for some important talks at the time the blast occurred. They were running late and it saved their lives. They were supposed to be in the line of fire."

"But-" Tony started.

"We investigate it as a targeted attack against NCIS until proven otherwise. Clear?"

"Crystal," his three agents answered in unison.

"Bastards," Gibbs muttered angrily under his breath as they watched the carnage play out in front of them on the monitor.

"Is nothing sacred?" Ducky asked, approaching them, saddened by the awful sight in front of them.

"Let's go," Gibbs said, deciding that his team had seen enough and spurred on by the fact that he could see that other agencies had already arrived on the scene.

"Hey Ziva," McGee said nervously.

"Yes, McGee," Ziva replied, wondering why he seemed so anxious.

"I'm sorry," McGee stammered.

"Why? Did you organise this bombing, McGee?" Ziva asked as they stepped into the elevator.

"Well, no," McGee said. "It's just that it's your country and-"

"'I'm sorry' is a figure of speech, Ziva," Tony spoke up. "McGee is displaying empathy. And Probie, not every Israeli knows each other. She's fine, aren't ya, Ziva?" Ziva nodded.

"Yes," she answered, looking ahead. "I am fine."

"Ever seen a mass suicide bombing before, boss?" Tony asked as they rode the elevator.

"Nope," Gibbs replied, taking another sip of his coffee.

"So its unchartered territory for all of us," Tony said.

"Not all of us," Ziva spoke up as they exited the elevator. "I'll drive."

"It's okay. I didn't want my breakfast anyway," Tony said to Ziva as the team made their way past the waiting media and through the security to the area where the blast had occurred."

"Then why are you still whinging?" Ziva snapped back at him.

"Cut it out, you two," Gibbs warned them as he spotted Vance amidst the carnage. Vance had seen the explosion from the car he had been travelling in.

"Leon," Gibbs said as Vance approached them. Tony, Ziva and McGee began working the crime scene with the Agents who had already arrived.

"Gibbs," Vance replied. "You'll be co-ordinating with the FBI. I've convinced the CIA to stay out of the investigation but you'll need to keep them in the loop. They have no jurisdiction on United States soil but that's never stopped them before."

"What was that meeting about?" Gibbs asked. Vance looked hesitant. "I know there was a meeting, Leon," Gibbs said impatiently. "That's why you were on your way here."

"That's need to know information," Vance answered.

"This doesn't qualify as need to know?" Gibbs asked, irritated and gesturing at the carnage surrounding him. Vance sighed and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Ali Amrozi was captured in California and charged with conspiracy to commit a terrorist attack. He works for Zechariah Abas. Both men are Hamas terrorists wanted for crimes against the State of Israel. Rumour had it that Abas was dead but top-secret evidence proves otherwise. Evidence from Amrozi's case mysteriously vanished and it didn't look like we had enough evidence for a guilty verdict. We were going to extradite him to Israel to face trial when he offered information that would lead to Abas' capture. Israel was willing to offer immunity from prosecution if this information led to the capture of Abas. We were going to supervise Amrozi's meeting with Israeli diplomats and observe the outcome."

"Was Amrozi with you?" Gibbs asked. Vance shook his head and pointed to a body that was covered with a sheet.

"Its pretty coincidental that Amrozi was killed in a suicide bombing when he was about to give information to the Israelis on one of the worlds most wanted suicide bombers."

"I don't believe in coincidences," Gibbs said. "I want his body taken back to NCIS along with the other evidence."

Five hours later the NCIS team were in the evidence garage processing every single object that had been found at the scene. Ducky and Jimmy Palmer were completing Ali Amrozi's autopsy and Abby was analysing the bomb remnants in her lab, displeased to be accompanied by an FBI forensic scientist.

"At least he died wearing good shoes," Tony said while examining the expensive leather shoes worn by one of the bombing victims. "It's such a shame to ruin such good shoes." Two of the FBI Agents looked at him questioningly.

"You get used to it," McGee told them. He paused for a moment. "Actually, no. I take that back. You never really do."

"Gibbs Gibbs Gibbs Gibbs!" Abby shouted as the elevator doors opened. She rushed out. Everybody gathered around Abby.

"Guess what?" Abby looked pleased with herself. "Every terror cell has their trademark bomb. It's like a fingerprint. I can conclusively say that based on the evidence from his previous bombings in Israel, Zechariah Abas was behind this bombing. Now all you have to do is find him. Vance filled me in. Good luck doing that now that Amrozi isn't gonna lead you to him."

A strange sound escaped Ziva. Almost like a muffled cry of shock. Everybody looked at her, causing her to feel embarrassed by her sudden lapse in self-control. Ziva went to speak, to cover her tracks but no words came out.

"Excuse me," was all she managed to stammer before leaving the room, stepping into the elevator with her back to her colleagues so that they could not see her face.

When she had reached the empty bullpen, Ziva pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialled a number, which, after the events of the last few months, she thought she would never dial again.

"Shalom," the familiar voice said.

"Eli," Ziva managed to choke out.

"Ziva?" Eli asked, obviously shocked by hearing his daughter's voice. "I… I didn't expect this call," he stammered, composing himself.

"I did not expect to find out that Zechariah Abas is alive," Ziva hissed into the phone. There was silence on the other end. "Did you know?" Ziva asked. Still silence. "Did you know?" Ziva asked again with quiet anger. Eli sighed on the other end.

"Yes, I knew," Eli admitted.

"Why did you not tell me?" Ziva shouted, seething with more anger than she could ever remember feeling. "You said that he had been killed!"

"That is what we initially thought… However later evidence suggested otherwise. I knew that if I told you it would consume you and you would not be able to focus on the tasks in front of you."

"Like killing Abas!" Ziva shouted, shaking with anger. "What greater task is there than to kill the man who killed Tali! Your own daughter! If you had told me I could have found him. I could have killed him!"

"We are working on it," Eli said. "And we seem to be getting close."

"Its too late!" Ziva snapped back. "He had eight people killed this morning. Five of them were Israeli! How long are you going to let this go on? I know that you thought nothing of sending me on a suicide mission but Tali did not sign up for this! She was sixteen! She did not hurt anybody in her life!"

"Ziva!" Eli shouted, silencing Ziva. "I am aware of what has happened. I have people in the area working on it. You need to trust me on this."

"I stopped trusting you a long time ago," Ziva snapped. "She deserved a father who would fight for her and you let her down!" Ziva noticed a slight tremor in her voice and ended the call, hoping that her father had not noticed it as well. Ziva took a deep breath to try and calm herself but it was futile. In a fit of rage she threw her cell phone at her desk, not hearing Abby step out of the elevator.

"Hey," Abby said, sympathetically. "I was just coming to check if you were okay." Abby watched Ziva pace angrily, barely acknowledging that she was there. "Aw, you need a hug," Abby said extending her arms and walking towards Ziva.

"Do not touch me!" Ziva snapped, shocking Abby who stopped in her tracks. Ziva stormed past Abby, out of the bullpen and the out of NCIS.

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