GETTING THE MESSAGE.
"There has to be a better way to do this" McGee mutters to himself as he walks over to Tony who is standing by the photocopier.
"What was that McMumbles?"
"I was just saying that there has to be a better, more efficient way to do this."
"Do what?"
"Arrange the office. Especially now we have more agents working here. Surely if the copier were moved...maybe over ..."
"You really need a girlfriend or perhaps just to..."
The mail room guy takes a package from his trolley and calls out "Package for agent Gibbs."
Ziva springs out from behind her desk and slams him to the ground sending the package flying.
DiNozzo and McGee rush over as other agents begin to surround them. "Jesus Ziva don't shoot the messenger."
"Why would I want to shoot him Tony?" she queries looking up from the floor where she is kneeling on the guy's back and frowning in puzzlement.
"It's just a...oh never mind. What are you doing?"
"Don't you recognize him?" She yanks the man back by his hair so that the guys can see his face.
"Yeah, he's the new mail room guy. Started the other week when you were off exploring your Miami vices with CI Ray."
"But isn't he the suspect from the Collins case a few months back? You remember we thought he was just a friend of the victim and by the time we had the evidence of his involvement he went missing?"
"Well I guess he looks a little like..."
"If I might be permitted to say something?" The guy asks his voice trembling.
"What?"
"I was throughly vetted when I started here and the question came up then. The guy you're looking for is my identical twin. We lost contact years ago when he became involved with drugs. I've no idea where he is. Can I get up now?"
Ziva stands and helps him to his feet. "Sorry."
"Can I go now?"
"Sure." He hurries away obviously anxious not to hang around any longer than necessary.
"Well Ziva let that be a lesson for you. Things are sometimes not as they appear." Tony grins trying to break the slight awkwardness of the moment.
"Or to put it another way never judge a book by its cover."
"Huh? Where do the books come into it?"
"Probie! That is really not helping." Tony rolls his eyes in exasperation. They all return to their desks. A few minutes later a question occurs to Ziva.
"Tony?"
"Yes?"
"Am I allowed to shoot people in the building?"
Unsure if she's joking or not he decides to respond as if she is. "Well I don't think Director Shepard would approve. Gibbs probably wouldn't mind as long as you avoid spilling his coffee."
"Okay then." She smiles at him. After all she does not actually need her weapon to cause pain and with a colleague like Tony DiNozzo she has often fantasized about it.