Chapter Two.
Ziva's eyes fluttered open, she was in a dark room, a smell of mould and oil stuck to the air. It was dimly lit and the only light was supplied by a small barred vent set near the ceiling. It was only now Ziva began to notice her condition. She was strapped to a chair not unlike the one in the terrorist camp in Somalia.
Her hands and feet were bound with thick leather straps that offered no give. Ziva's eyelids still felt heavy as a result of the drug but she had to stay awake. She tried to remember the events that brought her to be here.
Her car wouldn't start, so she had been offered a lift by Tony, she had accepted when they reached the main gate the guard had fired a syringe at her neck. Ziva looked desperately around her trying to catch a glance of Tony.
It was now that the heavy steel door swung open. A man walked in, he was olive skinned and had swept back dark hair which matched his brown eyes perfectly. He wore a expensive looking cream suit with tan shoes.
"Who are you?" She questioned angrily, defiance glinting in her eyes.
The man made a tutting noise before walking over to Ziva, he stroked her forehead.
"Now Miss David I will be the one answering the questions….." He said, his voice was soft but there was an unmistakable cruel edge to it.
"Tony," She gasped "Where is Tony?!" she demanded.
The man stood up and slapped her around the face.
"Perhaps you did not understand Miss David, but I am the one asking the questions!" He shouted in her face he then slapped her again, harder this time, on the other cheek. Ziva looked up both cheeks burning she stared defiantly at the man.
It was at this moment that the door swung open and a gagged and zip tied Anthony Dinozzo was pushed through the door. He landed heavily knocking the air out of him. Ziva could see his face was already a mess. Blood was seeping from his nose and he had a cracked lip, ugly bruises were already starting to appear.
"Tony…" Ziva couldn't stop the word escaping from her lips.
The man grabbed Tony by the collar and pushed him down onto the chair. Tony's eyes locked into Ziva's they were full of worry and confusion.
"What do you want with us?!" Tony demanded, just like Ziva he received a blow to the face.
"You are going to sit there and answer my questions and if you refuse to or give me the wrong answer – the other one will be punished." The man drew a Bowie knife from his belt. He held it up to the light admiring it, it glinted menacingly.
"Now Miss David tell me all you know about the joint NCIS and Mossad operation 'Indigo'.
Ziva remained silent, time seemed to slow down, anger was etched across the man's handsome face. He was someone who obviously found I hard to hide their emotions.
His grip around the knife tightned and his knuckles turned white, he took a step towards Tony. He brought the knife up and slashed it across his face leaving a bloodied gash from his right ear to the left corner of his mouth.
"Tony!" Ziva shouted she instantly regretted it, she quickly tried to hide her emotions again behind a steely mask.
"Now Miss David, I know you would not tell me what I desire if it were just you but what about your partner, are you willing to put him through pain?" As if to demonstrate a point he brought the butt of the knife cracking down onto Tony's skull. Sending him slumping forward.
"Let's try again shall we?" The man continued " Miss David what is the purpose of Operation Indigo?"
Ziva looked up at Tony her eyes filled with remorse, but she said nothing.
"Weren't you listening to my warning Miss David?" With this the man produced a cigar cutter from his suit pocket with a flourish. "Now we will try one final time and if you fail to answer me in 10 seconds Agent DiNozzo here will loose his finger."
"Miss David what is the purpose of Operation Indigo?" The man asked
Ziva just stared on.
"10…..9……8.." The man started his countdown.
Ziva now looked at Tony her eyes pleading, he gave her a nod trying to comfort her.
"7…..6…….5" The countdown continued the man brought the gigar cutter to Tony's pinky.
"4……3……2" Ziva's eyes glassed over she struggled to hold back the tears.
"1"
Tony's cry of agony ricocheted around the cell.