Author's Note: No length of author's note would be enough to cover what I want to say, but I'll try to be as brief as I can. Firstly, yes this chapter is a month late. I've had a lot going on and there was a lot for me to catch up on when I returned from Africa. Secondly, the months volunteer work I did in Africa was beyond amazing, it wasn't easy, some times I cried tears of joy other times tears of sadness. It was an emotional and educating roller coaster, hell I even got tear gassed! (Long story, but tear gas is not fun, it stings and pains so much!) Now I seem to be on another coaster, because, well, I live in Greece. Yep, lived in Africa for three months, came back to England and then moved to Greece. I could be here for a year, maybe two, I'm aupairing for a nice Greek family. Luckily they have better wifi than Africa, and I brought my laptop, so I can write! Okay, so on to the chapter, this was a challenge to write mainly because of the emotion in it. Also because of some logistical errors, it took me a long time figuring out how they got from Somalia to the US, I was googling helicopter ranges, how many galleons of fuel they can hold, air bases in Mogadishu, Addis Ababa, etc. I wanted to get it right! It was also a challenge to write because I haven't written for months and it took me a while to get into the flow. Anyway I hope you enjoy this, and I know I say this every time but please review. It makes me sad that people don't review this as much as my other stories, because I'm proudest of this and it's my favourite! Also I've not had reviews for months, I'm having withdrawal. (Also if there are any mistakes, I may stab myself because I have proof read this seven time, but still tell me in the review!)
Chapter Seven- Salvation
salvation
salˈveɪʃ(ə)n/
noun
1.
preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.
synonyms: lifeline, preservation, conservation, means of escape
"she clung to that conviction, knowing it was her salvation"
You should have left me alone. The words echoed in Tony's mind, was she not even a little bit pleased he had come? Apparently not. He took a deep breath and strained against the restraints. He threw his head back looking upwards unable to control himself from talking.
"Okay, tried. Couldn't," he said with a small smirk, "listen you should know I've taken some kind of truth serum...So if there's any questions tha- you don't want to know the answer t- to-" He couldn't finish, it was too difficult with her looking at him in that way. Ziva looked at him with a defeated frustration, she was angry at his attitude but too weak to feel it properly. Too weak to feel anything. She looked down at her tied hands, her vision starting to blur a little.
"I did not ask for anyone to put themselves in harm's way for me." She had caused enough pain already. "I do not deserve it." Ziva looked back at Tony briefly before hanging her head once more.
"So what you doing out here? Some kind of monastic experience? Doing penance?" His eyebrows were raised high in shock from her last statement, and his voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"It is justified." This time there was no looking away, she stared right at him with heavy eyes and a sad smile to match.
"Get over yourself." It was all he could say. No real words would form. How could Ziva possible think anyone would deserve this? Especially her.
"I have," Ziva said honestly. He would never forget that look, that smile, until the day he died. Tony was certain it would haunt him for a lifetime. She leaned forward slightly, and smiled sarcastically, with a small nod. It was hollow, empty. She truly didn't care.
"Now you tell Saleem everything he wants to hear," She begged, "And you try to save yourselves. I am ready to die." She looked down awkwardly unable to understand why she had told him that. Tony was glad McGee interrupted, he had nothing to say to that. What the hell could he say? Did she want to die?
"That's not how it works," he said confidently looking at the ceiling.
"How what works?"
"The plan," Tony answered her simply. He'd expected to see something, a small flicker of hope, anything. He didn't.
"You have an escape plan?" she asked slightly sarcastically. "Tony, they have thirty men, heavily armed. They have anti-tank, anti-aircraft weapons." There was no escape. "What do you have?"
Tony quickly told her of the events that led them there, not wasting a second, knowing Saleem could return at any moment. Ziva listened quietly, mostly she was focussing on keeping her eyes open, if only to stare at the floor. There was a crushing pain in her head and her vision was getting worse by the second.
"Wait." She almost whispered it. "You got captured on purpose?" She'd always thought Tony to be reckless but this, this was a new level of stupidity. A mixture of emotions bubbled to the surface of subconscious. Why? How did they know she was here, surely Mossad hadn't told them? Also, having been captured and held for three months, Ziva knew the pain these men could inflict. Why would any sane person voluntarily be subjected to that?
"These men are killers Tony."
"I know. That's why we have to stay alive long enough to not get dead." Tony could slowly see the cogs turning in her mind but all he could focus on is the fact she kept saying his name. Tony. It felt odd to hear her say it in her sad defeated voice, he'd heard it shouted in frustration, in concern even, and once under-cover as a breathless moan, but never like the way she said it now.
"Yes it would." He smirked a little.
"How long will it take?" Her interested was definitely captivated now and he so wanted to tell her but he couldn't.
"I don't know how long do you think I've been talking." Stalling, he added silently. They couldn't risk telling Ziva, if she had been here as long as he suspected she may have already been broken to the point beyond repair. She might tell Saleem their plan for fear of more torture, or even as a result of Stockholm syndrome. Unlikely, but not a risk they could take.
"What's the plan?" Ziva hissed annoyed. Tony took a deep breath and she waited anxiously for him to start.
"Well, we fail to contact Dubai, word gets to the carrier group in the Med' and they scramble F22 Raptors that burn sand into glass. How long that's going to take, I don't know. Hours? Or...Days?" She looked away towards the floor. There was no plan, she realised.
"Ziva, can you fight?" It was the first time he'd said her name, the first time she'd heard her name in a long time. All the hidden emotion inside leaked out through a single tear as she looked up at him realising that to him she was still 'Ziva'.
Saleem swung open the door with force and Ziva flinched and lowered her head. This was it.
"Oh, hey Saleem. What's up? What's the commotion?" He had to be acting, Ziva thought, how could he be this calm. Perhaps Tony and McGee had been here longer than she thought, long enough to be tortured into insanity.
"We're moving out." Ziva looked up slightly. He was stood looking out the window, presumably at his men preparing to leave.
"Oh, that's good. I was getting kind of tired of the place." Tony smirked turning his head round towards Saleem who now was moving towards her. In one quick motion he had her by the hair, his knife against his throat. The cool metal blade pressed just enough to hurt, but not enough to cut her. He held her matted hair in a fist close to her scalp and she took deep breaths recovering from the sudden rush of adrenaline.
"No. We're not done yet," Saleem snarled with an evil smile pushing the blade slightly further.
"If they do not check in their people will come looking for them." Ziva cried out to Tony's surprise. He stared wide eyed at her, pleading.
"Ziva. Shut up," Tony growled with an edge almost as sharp as the blade against her throat. She had no idea where to look, Tony was desperately trying to make eye contact but her head was being pulled upwards and it hurt to strain her eyes in his direction.
"Kill me!" Ziva gasped. "You'll need the Americans for leverage." Was she being clever or did she now view them in that way? Tony was lost. Why was Gibbs taking so long?
"I don't make bargains," Saleem retorted pulling her closer to him.
"Do you make pizza?" Ziva looked helplessly at the source of the quizzical voice. Pizza? He had lost his mind. McGee heard the signal and swung and his bound legs to trip Saleem. Tony silently prayed that the knife hadn't cut Ziva when he fell.
McGee rushed to grab the large knife Saleem had dropped, they both scrambled on the floor but it was over before it had barely started. McGee stared into the gun drawn at him and watched Saleem's finger slowly curl around the trigger…
"STOP! Stop!" Tony yelled from across the room in a bid to distract him. "There's something I haven't told you yet." Bluff, he thought, lie, he screamed in his head. Gibbs must have seen the fight through his scope surely, it wouldn't be much longer. It couldn't.
"And what is that?" Saleem laughed.
"Well, I told you about the brains, I told you about the guts, I told you about the muscle. The scientist, the politician, the leader. I told you about every member of the team except myself, the part I play." He couldn't keep stalling, Saleem would catch on soon.
"Yeah, which is?" Tony was well aware Saleem was only doing this for entertainment, whatever answer he gave they were still dead in his eyes.
"I'm the 'wild-card'," Tony stated with a smirk. "I'm the guy that looks at the reality in front of him and refuses to accept it, like right now. I should be terrified right? But I'm not, because I just can't stop thinking about the movie 'True Lies'. You know? Where Arnie's strapped to the chair and shot full of truth serum?" Ziva stared wide eyed at him hoping there was something behind his madness, a plan.
"He picks his cuffs and kills everybody," Tony continued, "You have thirty seconds to live Saleem." Ziva blinked in shock, but Saleem remained unphased.
"You're still bound," He sneered. "You're lying."
"I can't lie," Tony reminded him. "And, I didn't say I was going to be the one to kill you. Remember when I told you my boss was a sniper?" Saleem barely had time to comprehend what his prisoner had said before the glass smashed. Tony and Ziva whipped their heads round to shield themselves from the broken window. Saleem wasn't quick enough to react before the bullet ripped through his skull, tearing through the brain tissue causing irreparable damage. He fell to the floor, blood pooling around his head, staring up at Ziva with open hateful eyes.
The moment Saleem falls to the ground chaos erupted in the camp. Tony could hear the troops moving in, machine guns blazing, shouts in Somali and English.
"Okay," He said struggling against the chair as McGee started to free him from his bonds. "Look out!" The guard in white from earlier burst in with his weapon, his bullets only hit the ceiling as he fell backwards from a sniper shot to the head. Tony's face was full of fear and determination, he only wished Ziva's was too. She still hadn't moved, instead she stared at Saleem on the ground.
"Come on, here we go," He said hopefully as McGee cut the cable ties from his wrist skillfully. Tony reached for the knife to free Ziva's hands, she let him whilst still watching the body.
"Come on, alright, here we go," Tony repeated as he pulled Ziva to stand, she was like a doll, moldable but unable to move herself due to shock. He threw her arm round his shoulder and hoisted the majority of her weight onto himself as McGee copied him. Slowly they began to stumble out of the interrogation room in a fear fuelled daze. McGee's arm swung as he gripped Saleem's handgun. He didn't even think to raise it at the attacker that appeared from round the corner, he didn't have time before the assailant was shot dead in front of them. Ziva stared in shock, another second and they would have been dead on the ground instead. McGee started to walk forward down the dusty corridor panting and pulling Ziva with him. Tony mirrored his actions but couldn't understand how McGee was moving so fast in the heat. Sweat dripped from each of them as they gasped in the hot air. The three of them turned the corner and stood face to face with their silver-haired saviour.
"Let's go home," Gibbs said standing calmly in the midst of the chaos. Tony looked at McGee with glee and McGee wiped his brow in relief. No one looked at Ziva, she just sank into the darkness between them watching Gibbs who had yet to make eye contact with her. A small smile, almost unnoticeable, was playing across her face. It hadn't been real till she saw Gibbs but in that moment she knew, they were going to get out of here alive.
"Come on let's move," Gibbs ordered as they approached, "I'll take her. Move." He repeated as Tony and McGee took their weight from under Ziva and transferred it over to Gibbs. He didn't even talk to her. Did he even see her as he did before? Or was she just 'a victim' or 'the captive'? She opened her mouth to protest, to assure him she could walk by herself, but no sound came out.
"Go DiNozzo," Gibbs said as McGee and Tony stared at the both of them. Gibbs lifted Ziva up in his arms, throwing her over his shoulder in an effective fireman's lift. Ziva felt ridiculous, like a child, as Gibbs carried her out like a corpse. McGee and Tony took the lead, coordinating with the soldiers outside.
"They've got a helo' ready boss," Tony said shouting over the distant gunfire and whirring blades.
"What are you waiting for then?" Gibbs said ducking as he headed towards the aircraft, his eyes burning from the sand swept into the air by the propellers. He loaded Ziva in first, assisted by Tony who was already strapped in and ready to fly. They both reached for the seat belt buckle but she pushed their hands away determined to it herself. Her shaking hands were still struggling when they took off but neither Gibbs or Tony wanted to offer help again.
Gibbs pulled the door shut and signalled to the pilot that they were ready to leave. Ziva stared out of the window as they took off looking down on the camp. It was so small. It had never felt that way, but seeing it from a birds eye view gave her a new perspective, at the time it had felt like an endless maze. She had been dragged back and forth through the winding corridors regularly and it always caused her pain. Her mind was swirling with thoughts, unable to comprehend her new freedom. She could see Gibbs talking to her, but she couldn't hear it.
"I think she's in shock." A muffled voice suggested, Tony's?
"Ziva," Gibbs said, "Look at me Ziva." She tried her best to focus on his voice, to hear his words. Ziva looked up at him but her eyes stared right through him.
"Can you hear me?" She nodded slowly.
"I need you to listen to me now, okay?" Gibbs asked. "You're safe. You're alive." Why was he telling her this? Ziva nodded blankly. Gibbs carried on talking to her, trying to ground her but his voice faded until all she could see was his mouth moving silently.
Were they going to take her back to Israel? She hadn't given much thought to Eli in a long time but now the prospect of facing him was a huge weight on her mind, balanced only with the concept of facing Vance. She belonged nowhere. Tony watched with concern as she stared down out the window, he had no idea what she was thinking, but her eyes watered slightly. He desperately wanted to say something, anything. The only noise in the craft was the roar of the propellors, and the pilot and co pilot shouting back and forth.
"Boss, where we going?" McGee said. Tony could've hugged him in that moment.
"Ethiopia, once we cross the border we'll set down to refuel," Gibbs answered, as he did so he watched Ziva curiously in the corner of his eye.
After that there was only silence between them. Tony continued to stare at Ziva but she was too absent to notice. He watched as she repeatedly pull her hair back from her behind her ears only to push it back again seconds later, he watched as she fought to keep her eyes open and her head up right, and he watched as her eyes filled up and yet a single tear never fell. Slowly they made their descent onto a dry field the air around them filling with dust. Once the helicopter fell silent, and the sand settled around them, Gibbs opened the door. Both Tony and McGee rushed to scramble out and stretch their legs, Tony had spent enough time unable to move in the camp and the helicopter had only made his muscles ache more.
"Uh Boss, is there somewhere round here with a store? We could probably do with getting some water." He subtly turned his head back to the helicopter where Ziva hadn't moved. He couldn't deny that he was thirsty also but she was the priority.
"I think there's a village half a mile west," The pilot said walking towards them, "Shouldn't take us long to refuel, you could try there." Gibbs nodded and Tony went to retrieve his backpack from the helicopter. Luckily it had been left in the jeep, hidden under the front seat, when they were taken and Gibbs had retrieved it for him.
"We're going to take a walk to the town," He said quietly as he checked for US dollars in his temporary wallet. "Do you..er, want to come?" She shook her head almost unnoticeably and went back to staring out the window.
They only had US dollars and were almost certain they were ripped off for what they bought. Tony tried his best to haggle but the language barrier made it impossible, in the end he left the store with six big bottles of grossly overpriced water. At least he could be certain it was clean however. Outside Gibbs was standing, waiting with a pair of boots in his hand.
"How..never mind," Tony said staring surprised at the fact he had managed to find a pair of boots in the chaotic market around them. He'd never been to Africa before, and probably never wished to again given the experience, but everything looked how he would have imagined. There were women with bowls of bananas balanced on their heads, and babies slung on their backs with a sling, children drawing patterns in the sand. A small crowd beginning to gather around them. Gibbs felt uneasy with the attention they were attracting so he motioned for them to get back to McGee and Ziva.
"America! American man." A young boy, perhaps thirteen at the oldest, tugged at Tony's sleeve. He tried to walk away but he felt a wave of sympathy for the boy who was clearly quite poor and gave him one of the water bottles before leaving. They left the chorus of shouts and waves behind them and walked back slowly to the helicopter. Ziva was sat on the grass pulling at what little grass had grown when they returned and McGee was talking to the pilot. Tony handed over four of the bottles to McGee who passed them around between himself, Gibbs, the pilot and the co pilot. The remaining one Tony kept and walked over to sit beside Ziva after taking the boots from Gibbs. He unscrewed the cap and held it out to her. Ziva blinked slowly as she looked at him and her trembling hands took it from him. She cupped it with both as she brought it up to her lips taking small sensible sips. The moment the cool water passed down her throat she gave up on being cautious and began to gulp it down barely taking time to breathe. By the time she was finished she had drunk almost half and a lot had dribbled down her chin and onto her shirt. He put the boots on the ground in front of her, she wanted to say thank you but the words wouldn't form. Tony watched as she pushed her blackened feet into the shoes. He tried hard not to stare but both of them had scars on the soles, two toenails were missing, and he saw severe restraint marks on the ankles that cut deep. No wonder she could barely walk. Suddenly the water began to make it's way back up, clearly her haste in drinking was an error. Quickly she turned her back to a confused Tony and leaned over on the ground making retching sounds. He pulled her hair back as she emptied her stomach, aside from the water there wasn't much in it so there wasn't a lot of mess. Once she was finished she sat back up and wiped her mouth with the cloth Tony handed her. She tried to say thank you but once again, it didn't happen.
They flew to Hara Meda Airport, the closest air base, in Debre Zayit where they were to board a cargo plane headed for the US. The moment they touched down they were surrounded by soldiers which, despite her history, made Ziva David nervous.
"We're here to escort you to the plane," said an African man when Gibbs opened the helicopter door, "This way." The man spoke with a heavy accent and was dressed in greens, his face was formed of strong hard features and his expression made it clear it wasn't an invitation. They followed a little distance behind the man, Tony constantly looking over his shoulder to check Ziva was keeping up.
"Why do I get the feeling they don't like us being here boss?" Tony asked quietly so no one but Gibbs would hear.
"Because they don't." They carried on across the airport in silence until suddenly Ziva cried out in pain as she collapsed.
"Ziva!" Gibbs yelled drowning out Tony's gasp of worry. She had been struggling to walk in the oversized boots, but of course hadn't said anything until it became too much. The soldier turned around and rushed over to join them, crouched down on the floor by Ziva.
"Inya betek'oraret'u yasifeligenali," he spoke into his radio, "āwoni, NCIS ānidu." He turned his attention back to Ziva but Gibbs pushed him away as his hands reached for the ankle she was protectively clutching.
"I have radioed for a Medic, sir." He explained anxious after the hostile act. "I'm trying to help."
"I-I am fine." It was almost inaudible but Gibbs heard her. "I d-don't need a medic." Tony almost thought to smirk and say 'too late', because at that exact moment the medic arrived, sprinting towards to them.
"What happened?" Gibbs was surprised to see a white American medic, he didn't know that the Ethiopian air-force had Americans working for them.
"Nothing- I'm f-fine." Her voice said otherwise, but Ziva insisted again and again as the people fussed over her. In that moment she wanted to disappear, to melt away into the tarmac, and never be seen again. She couldn't cope with all the people, there were too many, their voices were too loud. Everything was too much, too bright, too hot, too-
The light felt like it was burning as she opened her eyes, the room was a blur and the people in it out of focus. She must have passed out again, she often did in interrogation, when the pain got too much. Not again she thought, she couldn't take much more. She could hear something being moved, was it the battery they had electrocuted her with many times? Or the assortment of knives used to cut her?
"I think she is awake," Ziva didn't recognise the voice. "Yes. She is coming around." It was an African accented person, but not the same accent as most of interrogators, who clearly was not confident in their English by the way they spoke. She forced her eyes open despite the pain and saw it was a man dressed in an army uniform, but which army?
"Pleas- Don-" she started to speak.
"Ziva you fainted." Someone interrupted, she knew that voice, she was sure, "The medic here has checked you over, you should be okay to fly. Your ankle is fine, just a little swollen." Ziva sat up and looked around and remembered. It hadn't been a hallucination? It was real. Wasn't it? She glanced at the base's first aid room, there were health signs scattering the wall, a box of opened gloves, two camp still beds, and a desk. It wasn't exactly luxury, but then again compared to where she had been it was a five star hotel.
"Drink." Gibbs ordered her, "Drink, you'll feel better." Ziva drank the water slowly, determined not to make the same mistake twice.
"She needs to eat also." The medic said from the far end of the room. "Carefully, her stomach cannot handle too much." Gibbs and the medic, who's name she heard was 'Dawes', carried on talking like this for minutes. As if she wasn't even in the room…
When they finally boarded the plane it was night time, Ziva felt embarrassed for having delayed the flight and also surprised that they had waited for them. They sat in the cargo hold, strapped in with flimsy harnesses waiting to take off. A soldier came and did a final check before leaving, on his way out of the plane he handed Gibbs a bag 'from the medic'. Gibbs thanked him and eventually they took off. Once they were stable and there was no more turbulence Gibbs released his grip from the harness and unbuckled it to open the bag. Inside was more bottles of water, and food containers and thermoses. He handed a thermos and a bottle to each of his team, and Ziva, before he opened his. He took a long inhale and smelled a thick meaty soup. Ziva felt like she was drunk on the scent of real food, hot, edible, even pleasant tasting, food. She lapped out tongue cautiously, determined not to burn herself and began to drink the stew. It seemed her stomach was more forgiving now that it had been early in the day as she managed to keep it down along with the water. Gibbs knew there was more food in the bag but he ignored it, he felt conflicted but decided it was best. Despite the fact that they were all very hungry, the medic had reccomended that in Ziva's state she shouldn't eat too much as her stomach recovers as it could even be dangerous. He didn't want to hurt her further. Whilst Tony, McGee and himself weren't at as much risk he still didn't get any out as he felt it would be too cruel to eat more in front of Ziva . Ziva finished the soup after a very long time, she knew she was hungry but her stomach wouldn't agree. She'd been starved for so long the thought of eating made her feel sick, but she still tried. Eventually she emptied the thermos, but she still felt uneasy. Tony watched her, waiting to see if he should rush over to hold her hair, but she seemed to be okay.
Eleven hours into the flight, Ziva could take no more and finally got up to go to the bathroom. She awkwardly asked Gibbs for the plastic bag, even though she was not the first to go it was still embarassing. She squatted behind a crate, shielding herself from their view, and once she finished she tied a knot in the bag and left it there to be disposed of later with the other bags. Instead of going back to her seat she paced to the other end of the aircraft and sat down on the floor with her knees held close to her chest. Tony looked over at her and decided her couldn't let her be alone, he had to talk to her, to say something, he had to.
"Hey…" said Tony sitting down a few feet away, not wanting to crowd her. "Listen Ziva I…" She wouldn't even look at him.
"I cannot. Not now." Ziva said quietly before he could get any further. Tony felt hurt, but he understood that she needed time. However much it pained him, it was much worse for her. With great difficulty he stood up and left her alone. Ziva listened as he footfalls grew quieter and then he started to talk to Gibb. Over the whirr of the engines their conversation was muffled and she knew her sounds would be too so she let out a small sob that had been in her throat all day. She'd forced it down multiple times but it had to escape sooner or later. One sob turned to two, and soon she had to cover her mouth with her hand to quiet herself, burying her head between her knees. She felt the tears rolling down her cheeks, stinging, silently she was relieved she could cry. It had been so long since she had, and she needed to, it felt like it had been building painfully and once it was out she felt much better.
Ziva wasn't sure how long she cried for, but by the end she had a severe headache. She heard Gibbs shout for her to strap herself in for landing and she stood up brushing away the evidence. Slowly she stumbled to her seat and buckled the harness, holding on tightly as the plane shook greatly during its descent. The only thing that reminded her it was real was the indisputable pain from being shaken against the hard metal, were it not for that she might have thought it was a delusion and she was still in Saleem's camp. It would not be the first time she had thought she had been rescued...The plane touched down with a loud thud and they all released the breath they had been holding. Was she really home? Well, it had been her home for four years, she wasn't sure what it was now. In that instant it all became real, all the relief she hadn't allowed herself to feel flooded her system, she was overcome by the reality of her freedom unable to comprehend how she felt. Once that plane door opened she was in DC, wonderful Washington with rain and clouds instead of brutal blistering heat, with grass instead of dust. She was so tired but it didn't matter, nothing did anymore, not the pain in her feet, or the throbbing in her head. She was free.
