Chapter 4: Nigotiating
I had too much going on in my head at once so the mission goes on through this entire chapter too. It will spill into Chapter 5 but hopefully NOT Chapter 6!
A black NCIS issued SUV pulls up around the side of the motel, behind the old blue rental Tony and Ziva had pulled up in about half an hour before. A silver haired Gibbs jumps out and surveys his surroundings. Making sure he can't be spotted from the Drug Room, Gibbs moves to the main entrance of the motel.
"McGee, what do you got?" Gibbs asks bluntly into the mic on his sleeve.
"We've got a male, about forty-five approaching the entrance from the north side, boss." McGee responds checking the street cameras from the safety of the hotel room.
Not knowing what the man that they were looking for looked like made the job that much harder. However, with Gibbs as the main agent behind this, he quickly picks up on the social ques associated with a drug user. Within seconds of hitting the streets, the customer is hauled away, back towards the black SUV.
"Okay, Tony. It's all clear." McGee says into the mic connected to a headset. Tony calmly opens the door to his room and steps out. Ziva stays by the door and closes it as soon as the Italian leaves.
Tony slowly makes his way to the Drug Room, the whole time he's preparing himself for what outcomes could happen if not the one he wants. DiNozzo knocks on the door next to his and is answered by a voice in his ear.
"One is just getting up, Tony." Ziva says into a mic as she looks at the video on Tony's laptop. Seconds pass and the door is pulled open a few centimetres.
"Can I help you?" The man asks. It's not same man that had seen Tony and Ziva an hour or so before and Tony now has the faces of both men plastered into his mind.
"I was told I could get some… help." Tony plays it off, hoping to sound as paranoid as a cocaine addict would in this kind of situation.
"What kind of help?" The man asks. Tony isn't sure how to go about this.
"A friend of mine said you guys have what I need; coke?" Tony stiffs and pinches his nose quickly, faking what would normally be irritation due to the cocaine.
The man swallows, looks around and replies.
"As far as I'm concerned, I don't have what you need… unless of course you have what I need…"
Now we're talking. Tony thought.
"How much?"
"Small or large?"
"How. Much?" Tony repeats. He needs an answer if he wants this to go as planned. The man takes a second before responding.
"Ten for a baggy; hundred for a kilo." Tony's mouth opens in awe, amazed that people pay so much for something that could leave you dead. The man notices this and continues. "My prices are reasonable. If you think they're bad, you're not who I think you are.
Ziva watched from their room. She can hear the conversation and realizes it's going downhill fast.
"C'mon Tony, think fast." She whispers to the empty room. Ziva hears Tony stutter through the mic and get up to leave the room.
"I know… they-they're reasonable. It's just I—"
"It is just that we did not bring that much with us…" Ziva moves up to Tony and presses against him.
"Then take a few baggies. They're three ounces a pop." The man negotiates.
"We need a kilo…" Tony interrupts. He knows that the more he gets, the longer the police will be able to hold the two men in custody.
"Dude what is taking so long?" The taller man that had seen the couple kissing earlier that day steps into view. "Hey, I saw you two. You're next door!" The two men tense quickly.
"We're in town, needed a place to stay is all." Tony covers again. Ziva is throwing her flirty eyes at both the men.
"I am sure we can work out a deal. We were friends with Joshua…" The taller man hangs his head,
"He was a good guy, Josh." He eyes the two customers in front of him. "Mark, let these nice people in."
Tony and Ziva walk into the room, still without drugs or information about the murders.
"I heard he was stabbed." Tony states as he sits on the couch across from the man named Mark. He notices that the drugs and wads of cash earlier seen on the hidden camera were all gone. Hidden from view and for good reason. These were professional guys working for guys who work for even more professional guys. Ziva sits across Tony's lap, her back on the armrest and her feet hanging off the side. The taller one nods.
"He got us some trades on his ships. Nice guy." The man turns his gaze to Ziva. "Now, about that deal."
"Do you know anybody that could've wanted to kill him?" Tony interjects hoping to spare a few extra minutes. Mark huffs and leans back in his chair, wanting only to get the drug deal over with.
"There are lots of people who hated Josh, don't know why they would though." Again the tall man's eyes flit to the Israeli. He takes a step closer and continues. "Do you two want what you need or not?" Ziva smirks, her gaze held by the man.
"Yes. But how are we ever to pay you?" Ziva fakes modesty and tilts her head to the right just slightly.
Tony knew before Ziva said that they didn't have enough money, something terrible could happen. It was the best way to save themselves a few minutes prior, but if they were to lie and say they do have the money just to get Ziva out of the situation… who knows what these people do to liars. The taller man smiles.
"We can do fifty for the kilo, and get a few rounds with the girl." He says it as if knowing Tony wouldn't mind.
The Italian knows this is all part of the plan, and Ziva can handle herself. If things start to go sideways, the ex-Mossad agent can easily fight her way out, and they can add the charge of attempted rape to their list of wrong doings. But that was asking too much of a couple undercover NCIS agents.
"No way." Simple answer. The two words flew from Tony's lips faster then even Ziva thought possible. She turns to him wide-eyed, telling him that she can do it. That she can help put these guys away longer. They needed the deal to pull through so they can bring in the men and get questions about the two murders answered.
"Why not… Kyle?" Ziva asks, really wondering. She knew just as well that the drug bust needed to pull through if they wanted answers. The look that Ziva passed to Tony said more then just the single why however.
"Ì don't want to watch my girl get passed around is all." Tony answers completely honestly. Ziva realizes he's not just talking to keep them covered, he's saying this to her for real as well. The Israeli contemplates this for only a second.
"Kyle is right. Can we do seventy-five and call it even?" The smile on the taller man's face fades and is replaced with the most serious, blunt looking expression Ziva's seen since… well, since she'd last seen her father. "…We knew Walter too." She adds, hoping these small connections could get them off for cheap.
"I don't care who you knew. They're dead. Dead because they couldn't realize who was a bad sell!" The man's voice rises and he steps closer to the two agents. Tony flinches, not to get further from the advancing man, but to get ready to stand and fight.
"Yo, Chris. It's cool man, just take the seventy-five and we can move on." Mark stands slowly from his chair, eyeing Ziva but in a more brotherly way.
"I want my money in full, or a quick one with delicious here." Chris takes Ziva by the upper arm and Tony quickly wraps his arms around Ziva's waist before standing too. Chris turns suddenly and pulls a small gun from the back of his pants. He points it at Tony's head and Tony quite reluctantly lets go of his girlfriend. "I will get my way, weather you like it or not." He assures Tony, before taking Ziva to the back room.