New Friends New Enemies
A 16 year old Ziva walked into the Rocky Mountain Gymnastics Training Centre in Boulder Colorado, or the Rock as it is fondly known. She looked around at the different apparatus which took her breath away. She never had any equipment like this in Israel. They only had one of each apparatus which had to be shared between 50 girls and 20 boys who trained at the Tel Aviv centre for Gymnastics.
An average looking man in his late 30s with light stubble and large muscles walked over to where she was stood.
"Ziva David" He said in his English accent.
"Yes, coach Belov?" The young girl questioned
"Welcome to The Rock Miss David. OK a few ground rules. You must be here every morning at 6 00 and there is the obvious no dating rule. We don't want to distract from your future career do we now?"
"No Sir. Are the rest of the team here yet? I would like to meet them if that is OK?"
"They are still rather upset about the recent departure of their teammate and friend Emily Kemetko. She left because she broke the rules. Felt the consequences and had to go to Las Vegas to have her baby and we are 99.9% sure that she will never do gymnastics again"
"I understand what you are trying to tell me Coach Belov"
"Please call me Sacha unless I'm shouting at you!" The coach says laughing "Ah here they are. Payson, Lauren, Kaylie over here"
Three girls jog over to where the couple are stood.
"Girls this is Ziva David. Her father is working as the cultural attaché to the American Embassy in Colorado. Ziva is the Israeli national champion and will be joining your team in the place of Miss Kemetko. Ziva this is Payson Keeler, Lauren Tanner and Kaylie Cruz, the team captain"
All three girls lean in and give Ziva a hand shake.
"Welcome to Colorado" Payson says "We should go to the pizza shack some time for some team bonding"
"Whatever Pay...Lauren Tanner" She flicks her hair over her shoulder "We should all have a slumber party at my house"
"Or mine...welcome to the team Ziva. I'm sure that we'll get on really well." Kaylie says flashing her perfect white teeth.
"To work ladies. Ziva I believe that we need to sort a few more things out. I have your World's jacket and leotard in my office. Follow me please"
Suddenly the girl called Lauren turns around. "Wait! We have to work our butts off to get onto the world team and she just gets on like that! That's not fair! We've waited our entire lives to be on the US team she's not even a US citizen. We don't even know what she can do!" Ziva is obviously hurt by this but she uses her Mossad-ninja powers on emotion suppression to hide this.
"I understand Miss Tanner and that is why I have organised a 'welcome to the team Ziva' friendly meet tomorrow. We will compete between the different gymnasts here at the Rock. The prize will be the best room when we go to London for a meet with the British Team next week. Miss David, follow me please."
Ziva walks away from the very annoyed Lauren Tanner and up the metal stairs to the small office at the top. When she walked in two women came to meet her.
"Hello, you must be Ziva. My name is Kim Keeler and I manage basically everything around here!" The woman says and shakes Ziva's hand.
"Keeler? Payson's mum?"
"Yep! All her life" The two girls laugh and a thin, blonde woman steps forward and shakes Ziva's hand.
"Hi, I'm Summer I am basically a friend to all of the girls here at the Rock. I need to have a talk with you about something that I am a firm believer in later. Can you stay after practice tonight?"
"No, not really. We came here yesterday, all of the boxes are in the hallway and I need to help unpack them. I also need to train for this meet that Sasha has organised. Is next week OK?"
"Of course I didn't realise that you only arrived yesterday! I will do it some other time, but it has to happen."
"Thank you Summer. Sasha did you say that you had a jacket for me? I really should get back to training." Ziva says and takes a white jacket off Sasha and rubs her hand over her name written on the back and thinks about how proud her mother would be right now "Bye thank you. I will see you later"
Ziva jogs down the stairs and starts to warm up.
"Time here will do here good...other people who aren't assassins or her father. She can make real friends" Sacha follows her down the stairs and starts the vigorous training that is needed for the meet.
