"I want her to have a security detail anytime she leaves the building." Gibbs' request was heavy and unyielding—a demand more than anything else.

"Agent Gibbs, you have no solid evidence that Cobb is even after her—"

"Kort's videos are solid, Leon! He's completely broken away from the rest of humanity, and the only person he could ever feel a kinship to is someone he thinks is exactly like him. And that's exactly what Ziva is."

Vance gave a moment's pause, considering Gibbs' words. "How do you figure?"

"He knows this agency, and he knows my team. He knows that Ziva used to be Mossad, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what she did for them. Even if she hasn't through the same training as he did, she's seen the same things he has. Hell, she even left the people who created her, just like he did!"

His words hung in the open air, and Gibbs was distinctly aware that he was effectively painting a target.

"If what you say is true," Vance delivered carefully, "then wouldn't she be the one person in this Agency who'd be safe from Cobb?"

Gibbs shook his head. "He's not gathering information on her just to leave again. He's gonna approach her, and when he does, it's going to be all or nothing."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that he's gonna be looking for something from her, and I guarantee whatever it is, she's not going to play along. And when that happens, the protection of kinship is gone. He'll kill her."

For a long moment, Vance didn't say anything. Gibbs knew he was taking the information seriously though—he could see the Director he used to know emerge. The person Vance had become would have ignored him, sent him packing, but this Vance was nodding in confirmation.

"All right," Vance decided finally, getting to his feet. "I'll assign a detail to her. Have you told her all this?"

"Not yet. But I think she knows. She's been feeling it for a while."

Vance nodded. "Yeah… I bet." He tucked his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels. "I suggest you tell her before the detail shows up."

"I will." Gibbs turned to leave, but then turned back. "Any word on Barrett's team?"

"Barrett and Levin are stable, and Cade just came out of surgery, slated to make a full recovery. They each have security details as well, to be on the safe side."

Gibbs bobbed his head in approval. "Barrett's not going to want to stay off the case any longer than physically forced to."

"And I won't stop her," Vance told him. "You have lead on this case now, but she'll stay on it as long as she's not a liability. She's earned that much."

Gibbs bit back a countering retort, and nodded wordlessly. Vance motioned that he could leave, and Gibbs took the opening, quickly exiting the office. Trotting down the stairs, he discovered Ziva in the same place he'd left her, sitting at her desk.

She looked up at his approach, her eyes shadowed.

"Vance has assigned a protective detail," he delivered firmly, cutting straight to heart of the matter.

She didn't look surprised. "For me?"

He nodded. "We think Cobb is going to come for you next."

"But I'm not chasing him any more than you are…"

He shook his head. "Not as prey. A partner, or… something. But he's set his sights on you, and I'm not going to let him get anywhere near you." The last was spoken in little more than a murmur, telling her exactly how serious he was.

Cobb had made it personal, unwittingly or not.

"Chaka…"

Her voice was soft, so soft Gibbs barely heard it. "What?"

She looked up at him, her eyes wide with sudden concern. "Chaka. He's at the apartment. If Cobb is after me, and he was at your house to watch for me, then he's got to know about my apartment… If he goes there, Chaka will attack him, and if that happens—"

Cobb would have absolutely no qualms about shooting a dog. But it could already be too late, and Cobb could be lying in wait.

"Ziva…"

"I'm not going to let him kill my dog, Gibbs."

Her razor-sharp tone told him that arguing would be futile. If he forbade her, she would only find a way to get the mutt anyway, and leave her pissed at him to boot.

He sighed. "All right," he acquiesced. "I'll take you—"

"Boss!" DiNozzo's shout cut him off, and they both turned to face him. "Kort just called… he has a bead on Cobb."

Mild surprise washed over Gibbs at the fact Kort was willing to let them assist in the takedown, but in the end he looked back to Ziva. She nodded.

"Go. I will wait for the detail, and then I will get Chaka. He will be allowed in the building?"

"I'll clear it with Vance on the way out." He eyed her for a moment. "You promise you'll wait?"

She smirked. "Yes."

With a nod and a wink, he turned back to his two remaining agents. "Gear up. Let's go."

An hour later, they and half the agency were swarming the building Kort had indicated. All had been briefed, and this time, no one would get overwhelmed like Barrett had been. But as the search continued, and more and more of the building had been covered without a trace of Cobb, a shadow of nagging doubt stole over Gibbs.

He pulled back, and as his team moved on to the next floor, began to move outside. DiNozzo and McGee caught up to him, confusion clear across their features. "Boss, what are you doing-?"

"He's not here," he stated bluntly.

"How do you know that?" McGee asked.

Gibbs began to rip his Kevlar vest from his chest with brusque, angry movements. "It was too easy," he barked. "Even injured, he wouldn't have let us track so fast. He's not here, it was a lure. Another goddamn lure."

"But if he's not here, then where—?"

Gibbs froze, icy fear gripping his gut as realization set in. Then, just as quick as it took hold, he broke through, and pulled out his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. His heart pounded in his ears, nearly drowning out the sound of the other end ringing. As it rang once, twice, three times Gibb's apprehension grew.

Just as he was about to motion for DiNozzo to call Vance, the speaker in his ear clicked, signaling that she'd finally picked up.

But it wasn't Ziva's voice that greeted him.

"Hello, Agent Gibbs…"