Chapter Nine
Vance walked into MTAC and Eli was already up on the screen waiting for him. He had known Eli a lot years and he'd never seen him so angry. This was personal. Anthony DiNozzo had thwarted one of his foolproof plans. Vance laughed to himself. Tony had a way of doing that.
"You agent killed my officer. I expect him extradited to Israel when this is over. We will see that justice is done here," said Eli.
"You officer killed two marines and one of them was an innocent soldier. When you officer did that you were fine with it. It was about the op and nothing more. Well, Rivkin's death is part of the op and nothing more. He is collateral damage and the op goes on," said Vance.
Eli stared at him. This stare was without anger. It was cold and calculating. He was deciding how far he could go with and how far Vance would let him go.
"You agent murdered my officer. They were supposed to be partners," said Eli.
"Yeah, and partners aren't supposed to have kill orders out on each other, are they, Eli?"
"What are you saying, Leon?" asked Eli.
"Michael had orders from you to kill DiNozzo because he had an affair with your daughter several years ago," Vance said then paused. "But it was more than an affair wasn't it? Ziva and Tony were in love and you had to end it because you would decide who she is to love. She was your weapon and no one else's, right?"
"You are being silly," said Eli.
"I am being spot on like I was trained to be," said Vance.
"You have no proof," said Eli.
"I have the word of Agent DiNozzo and Officer David that Michael said he was supposed to kill Tony. That's a start," Vance said.
"Bullshit. You have DiNozzo. Ziva will be ordered to shut up," said Eli.
"Love does go away that easily, Eli. Separating them didn't make the love go away," Vance smiled. "You overplayed your hand here and now you have one choice."
"And what is that?" asked Eli.
"Operational control is now handed over to NCIS completely. We will handle everything from here. I will share the information with you, but you role in this op is over," Vance said.
"What about Ziva?" asked Eli.
"She is more NCIS than Mossad now, Eli. Open your eyes. She is no longer the weapon you trained," said Vance.
"She is still my daughter," he said.
"Then you should have treated her like one instead of a super officer. Human beings need to be loved or they become monsters, Eli," said Vance.
"Really?" said Eli.
"Leave Dinozzo alone. I hope one NCIS agent isn't worth your country losing a special relationship with the US," said Vance.
"Our countries are tied together too strongly for his death to cost that," said Eli.
"Don't underestimate the stink I can cause. And don't underestimate the pain Agent Gibbs can cause. That man is on a chain right how and if you do something stupid, I'll let the chain off the hook. He has a lot of people who owe him favors, Eli. I don't recommend fucking around here. Play the smart move," said Vance.
"I am not checkmated, Leon," said Eli.
"Oh, hell, Eli, you will be checkmated and worse. Don't be stubborn on this. Your brilliance is in being able to read the board and no when a defeat is a defeat and when a win is a win. Be that man not the egomaniacal stupid bastard who caused this clusterfuck," said Vance.
"I am not mated, yet," said Eli.
"You will be," said Leon.
He gave the kill sign and the screen went blank. With that, he turned on his heels and walked out of MTAC. Eli was stopped for now. The rest of Gibbs plan should stop him the rest of the way.
NCIS
Tony spent three in seclusion with Jospin. At dinner and at bedtime Ziva would see him. He would eat like nothing was happening then in bed he would make love to her like his life depended upon it. When she'd ask him what was wrong, he'd tell her that he'd explain when the right time came. At the end of the fourth evening, he had a few scotches then walked over and kissed her passionately in front of everyone. When he had a chance he whispered in her ear, "I need to talk to you."
"Anthony, we should make it an early night. I am needing you," said Ziva.
"I always need you, Sophie," he said.
"You are a lucky man who is getting luckier all the time," said Jospin.
"And I have you to thank for it," said Tony.
"My pleasure," said Jospin. "Go upstairs and enjoy each other."
Tony and Ziva went upstairs like they were told. As they entered the bedroom. Tony grabbed her and kissed her hard on the mouth. Ziva responded in kind. He desire drove her desire and soon they were on the bed making the beast with two back, as Shakespeare put it. Once they had both come to an orgasm, Tony collapsed beside her in the bed. He then moved close to her ear and started to whisper the situation.
"Jospin has been offered the chance to guy a nuclear warhead from North Korea. He and I are supposed to leave in five days. We are going there with ten million in bearer bonds, meet with some General named Pong. Jospin wasn't amused when I asked if he was named after to video game. So, we buy the nuke warhead then leave the country by boat with it. I need you to get this information to Gibbs and Vance. They need to stop Jospin and me even if they have to kill us with a predator drone," said Tony.
"You are not going to die on the op," she replied.
"I have to if it is the only when to stop Jospin from buying a nuke," he said.
"I'll tell Gibbs. He and Vance will work something out," said Ziva. "Now make love to me again. I'm afraid."
"I'm sorry, sweet cheeks. I love you, you that, don't you?" he asked her.
She nodded yes.
"I never stopped loving you, even when we were separated and I know you no longer loved me," he said.
"Tony I have always loved you and still do. I am not letting anything happen to you," she said then kissed him again.
"Can I trust you, Zi?" he whispered in her ear.
"With your life," she answered. "And I trust you with my life."
NCIS
Ziva made any drop with information for Gibbs. He hadn't done this sort of spy work since he was in Paris with Jenny. They acted as assassins back then on a special op that the Director Tom Morrow didn't trust the CIA to handle. Funny how much he missed Jenny right now.
Once back to the room, he deciphered the code and felt sick to his stomach. A nuke warhead in the hands of Jospin meant anyone in the world could purchase it just as long as they had the money. If Jospin was paying ten million then they starting price would be twenty million. There were a few terrorists groups that could come up with that nut and it sickened.
He called Vance on the encrypted cellphone.
"Leon we have a big problem," said Gibbs.
"What is it now?" asked Vance.
"Jospin is buying a nuke warhead from the North Koreans. I am talking a function weapon of mass destruction," said Gibbs.
"We have to stop this," said Vance.
"DiNozzo on the inside. He is our way to stop this," said Gibbs. "We have to keep eyes on him and prepare for a Seal Team to snatch and grab."
"I need to talk to the SecNav and SecDef. This is a big one now," said Vance.
"I need DiNozzo to come out of this alive, Vance," said Gibbs.
"I agree. If just to spite Eli, he has to come out of this alive so you can complete your little plan," said Vance.
"Knowing Ziva she'll extract herself from where she is to join me. We can be the eyes," said Gibbs.
"Who else do you need?" asked Vance.
"I need tech and someone to run it. I need McGee," he said.
"He'll be on the first plane to your location," said Vance.
"Sell this one good, Leon. We can have Jospin, his external hard drive and a nuke from North Korea if this is done correctly," said Gibbs.
"I let you know in a day or two," said Vance.
"I'm not going anywhere," said Gibbs. "Is Eli handled?"
"For now," Vance answered.
NCIS
Jospin and Tony sat in his study. They had just had lunch and were going to get down to planning their North Korea itinerary.
"Maurice, I was thinking of sending Sophie to Paris for a week to keep her out of our hair," Tony said.
"Tired of her?" asked Jospin.
Tony smiled, "Never."
"Then why do you want her to leave?" asked Jospin.
"Because women can be a distraction and I do not want to be distracted right now. This is too important. Anyway, you have to spoil the ones like Sophie otherwise, they begin to stray. Paris is a way of showing her love and reminding her what I can give her," Tony explained.
"You are definitely a man who understands the mind of a woman. Excellent, Anthony. What do you need? The use of the jet. A bodyguard for her?" asked Jospin.
"I need a first class ticket to Paris, a reservation at Hotel de L'Elysee, and a black credit card," smiled Tony.
"You do spoil her," said Jospin.
"I can track her via the credit card usage," Tony said.
"The more you speak the more I have made the right choice," said Jospin. "I shall make arrangements. You tell Sophie. I know she is out enjoying the beach."
Tony walked out onto the private beach to find you Ziva in a black bikini walking in the surf. She looked gorgeous. He was glad to get her away from this mess.
Taking off his loafers, rolled up his linen pants and he walked over to her. She immediately fell into his arms and kissed him.
"You are going to Paris," he whispered to her.
"No, I am not," she said.
"I've arranged it all. You staying at the Hotel de L'Elysee and you'll have a black credit card. Your usage on it will be the way we keep track of you," said Tony.
"What are you doing?" she asked then kissed him to keep up appearance.
"Getting the woman I love out of a situation which can't end well," he said.
"Damn it, no, Tony," said Ziva.
"Yes, Zi," he said. "I'm not risking your life along with mine."
"I will not argue with you," she said.
"I know," he said. "I've already arranged it and you cannot refuse or you'll risk blowing my cover. You'll be safe and that is all that counts, Zi. I can handle this better knowing that you'll be safe."
"What about me?" she asked.
"If you love me then you stay alive and unhurt," he said.
"Tony, do you realize we have been making love and I have not been using contraception," she smiled.
"Zi, you're kidding me," he said.
"No, I am not. There is a good chance we have conceived a child. I am at my most fertile time of the month. You are not going to risk your life now. I will need you if I am pregnant," she said.
"Now, you are definitely getting on that damned plane and going to Paris. You are too damned important not to stay here," he said.
"Tony," she said and cuddle his neck. "I need you."
"And I love you, Zi. You're leaving tomorrow," he said.
"Then I better go into town to buy a few things for the trip," she said.
"That's my girl," he said.
"Don't think you won," she smiled and started to walk back to the house.
Tony watched her walk. If she is pregnant and I don't make it through this then I going to come back and haunt. I'd forgotten how difficult she can be. He smiled. I had forgotten how much I love her.