On Your Six
Chapter Ten - The Reckoning
A/N - Woohoo! I caught some inspiration last night, so here is another chapter a day earlier than I thought I'd finish it. All your reviews and comments keep me going, so thanks!
Spoilers - None this chapter
Disclaimer - I own nothing
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FBI Headquarters, Washington, D.C., Interrogation Room #1; Interrogation Side
Ziva stood over Miriam, half-listening as Gibbs phoned Fornell to report that they'd got a confession and to come get her for FBI questioning. Miriam, on her knees, was quiet now, staring off into space.
Gibbs walked over to Ziva, eyeing her carefully. "You okay?"
She shrugged. "I am fine."
The door opened and the two agents from earlier entered, Fornell and Sheppard following behind. The agents helped Miriam off the ground and she offered no resistance. "Take her to room two," Fornell ordered. He waited until they left to continue. "So, did she confess to anything else besides the murder?"
Gibbs smiled ironically. "If you're asking if my agent did your job for you, then no. Our interest was solely in Westmoreland's murder as I said before."
Fornell glanced around the room, noting the over turned table, the piece of paper and an envelope, and what looked like spider remains on the floor. He shook his head, glancing at Ziva. "Do I even want to know?"
"It was a legal interrogation, Fornell. She wasn't physically harmed or mistreated. She was aggressively questioned using our information and evidence gathered in the field." Gibbs replied tersely. "Her confession was a voluntary response from that line of questioning. It's not your style maybe, but it will stand in court."
"No doubt it will. You've managed it before." He stated dryly, turning to Sheppard. "As much as I enjoy the company of you and your team, director, I've got an interrogation of my own to run," Fornell said, heading toward door and exiting.
"It should take only few minutes for them to get a confession from her on the bombing," Ziva stated quietly, moving around the table to pick up the letter. She folded it and put it back in her pocket. "Miriam does not possess the will to resist any longer."
Sheppard watched her curiously, glancing back at Gibbs. He shook his head, indicating not to ask now, but later.
"Ziva, go help them process and pack our gear in the observation room." Gibbs said.
Ziva nodded and moved toward the door. "And by the way..." Gibbs added, "good work."
She turned back and acknowledged the praise with a faint nod and left.
Sheppard turned back to Gibbs, a concerned look on her face. "I've been keeping SECNAV at bay on this for the past hour, Jethro. I need a report on it all, plus the interrogation video as soon as possible."
Gibbs nodded. "We'll have it to ready in a few minutes, Jen."
"So, she did most of the interrogation?" Sheppard asked.
"Yep and she did a hell of a job, too." He said, his face grim.
"You don't sound happy, Jethro." The red head replied, observing his expression.
"What's there to be happy about?" He replied, running a hand through his hair. "Kate and Annalise are still dead. Ducky and I get to escort the body back to her parents in five hours for the memorial service. That's two memorial services in a month. And even though that son of a bitch Ari is dead, he's still ruining lives. Ziva did a great job getting a murder confession out of her own sister-in-law. Her brother was a traitor and a murderer, to put it nicely. The deputy director is her father. The family from hell probably doesn't even begin to describe it for her. There's no happy in this, Jen, for anyone." He paused. "She wants out of Mossad."
Sheppard raised an eyebrow. "That's not something we can get involved in and you know it. Our agreement with Mossad is---"
"A bunch of crap and double-talk, Jen," Gibbs finished. "The right side of the war on terrorism or not, we both know that David has his own agenda that he won't hesitate to implement without your knowledge, if he deems it necessary. The welfare of NCIS agents, even his daughter, is not a priority for him. But it is to me."
Sheppard sighed. "You know it is for me, too." She shook her head. "But how, exactly, do you suggest I get David to release Ziva from Mossad? She's an Israeli citizen."
"We're going to find a way." Gibbs said, stepping closer to her. "David owes me an agent, anyway."
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FBI Interrogation Wing Hallway
Ziva, leaning against the wall, glanced at her watch. Seven minutes had passed. Once she'd exited the interrogation room, she'd been overcome with emotions she did not wish to investigate further. She slipped her hand in her pocket, fingering the letter, thinking of the other two. Ziva had omitted the third letter's existence from her questioning of Miriam as a matter of tactics. Ari's letter for her was still in the box in the observation room, unopened along with the one for the deputy director. She did not want to read the letter. She just wanted to become numb to it all.
The observation room door opened and Tony peaked out.
"What are you doing standing up, Tony?" Ziva asked, pushing away from the wall, glad to have a distraction.
"I must also protest, Tony," Came Ducky's stern voice from inside the room.
"I'm okay, geez." Tony said as he walked carefully to lean against the wall next to her. "I'm going to stay right here, Ducky, and chat with Officer David."
"Ten minutes," Ducky replied, coming to stand on the threshold. "Then it's back in the chair and to the hospital for you. The interrogation's over." He turned and went back inside, closing the door.
"Thanks, Ducky." Tony smiled at Ducky's paternal tone.
Ziva leaned back against the wall, wondering what he wanted to talk about, but not having the strength to ask.
"You know, when I was a homicide detective back up in Baltimore," He began in an even tone. "we dealt with all sorts of lowlifes, victims, their families, etc. I don't know what I expected from NCIS, but everyday I'm learning something I didn't know or, sometimes, want to know about people. And I'm not even trying to say I know what this has been like for you, but I know a little about the world and a little more about dysfunctional families. I'm from one myself."
"Well, my family takes the cookie." Ziva replied, still staring straight ahead.
"The cake," Tony corrected with a small smile. "And I bet they do. So, are you going to read the letter?"
Ziva glanced at him and then away again. "I don't know."
"You going to give the deputy director his?" He asked.
"You ask a lot of questions, Tony." Ziva said with some annoyance.
"I'm an investigator. That's what I do," he replied unapologetically.
"Are you investigating me?" She retorted, turning to raise an eyebrow at him.
Tony raised his back. "Yes. You don't strike me as the pour your thoughts and feelings out kind of woman. And I need to be informed about my partner."
Ziva shook her head in amusement. "So, you investigated Agent Todd as well?"
"Yep," Tony said with his boyish grin. "She really hated it, too."
"I think I know how she felt." Ziva replied, glancing at him pointedly.
Tony shrugged. "But seriously, do you want to stay at NCIS as an agent?"
Ziva remained silent for a second. "I'm not sure it will matter what I want, but yes, I want to stay."
"And you've told Gibbs that?" He asked.
Ziva looked at him curiously. "Yes. Why?"
"Well, you kicked all kinds of ass on that interrogation, which no doubt earned huge points with him. Plus, we're obviously down an agent because of your brother and by extension, the deputy director. So, knowing how Gibbs' mind works, he's probably going to work that angle to get David to release you from Mossad. Plus, all the sensitive information we've recovered over the last twenty-four hours, including whatever is in Ari's letter to him."
"My father's not a fool," Ziva said with an ironic laugh. "He will either refuse to release me or ask for something he knows he won't get, in return for releasing me. When you join Mossad, it is for life. Mostly because you die young, but also because of the intelligence information I possess."
Tony considered this. "The thing is and don't take this the wrong way, but your brother and who knows who else have already been trading secrets with Hamas and Al-Qaeda for years. You coming to work in the U.S. for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is the least of his problems. Besides, how effective can you be as an officer, now? Mossad maybe could have covered the whole Ari mess up initially. But now, Miriam's going to stand trial for murder and the bombing. The publicity's going to be brutal."
"All the more reason to view me as a liability," Ziva said quietly, looking down at her hands. "Not trustworthy or useful alive."
Tony turned carefully to study her for a moment. "Maybe not to Mossad, but I think they brought that on themselves, Ziva. Your father chose to keep you out of the loop on Ari and Miriam, which could have gotten you killed. You've only been at NCIS for a little over twenty-four hours, but I'm going to let you in on something important. We protect our own."
Ziva returned his gaze unflinchingly, not wanting to feel the glimmer of hope she felt rising in her. She was so used to relying solely on herself for the past few years, her job in Mossad mostly a solitary position. Even moreso now, in hindsight, considering everything she'd recently learned. Everything was different here at NCIS. If she could stay, she'd become part of this very odd team.
The observation door opened then, Ducky wheeling the chair out. "It's time to go, Tony. Dr. Roberts is already going to kill me for allowing you to stand up at all."
Tony flashed Ziva a saucy smile before getting into the wheelchair. "Come on, Ducky. There's no need for him to know, is there?" Tony asked, looking up at the medical examiner with his best innocent look.
Ducky rolled his eyes and glanced at Ziva. "My dear, you may come to me when you need to vent about him," he said with a kindly smile. "Kate always did." He smiled fondly over the memory as he turned to wheel Tony down the corridor.
"That's only because she was in denial." Ziva heard Tony reply jauntily as the two men disappeared into the elevator.
Try as she might, she couldn't stop the real smile from forming on her lips.
The interrogation side door opened suddenly and Ziva ducked inside the observation room quickly, closing the door without a sound.
Gibbs motioned for Sheppard to exit before him, a wry smile on his face. "Pretty good evasion. Could teach DiNozzo a thing or two."
Sheppard returned his smile as they headed down toward the office and a confrontation.
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FBI Interrogation Wing Office, Ten Minutes Earlier
Eli David paced back and forth. "I've been waiting over three hours! I demand to know what is going on." He said angrily in Cassidy's direction, where she stood guarding the door with a FBI agent.
"And I told you that NCIS has finished its interrogation, but that the FBI has to question her as well," Cassidy replied, unperturbed. "Director Sheppard said she would return once she talked with Agent Gibbs."
David frowned darkly, but remained silent, continuing to pace.
"And they still probably won't tell us anything relevant," Rivkin observed cynically in Hebrew. "Surely, you're not going to let her remain working here, now?" He questioned the deputy director.
"My first interest is in Miriam," David replied in kind, sending a glance over at Cassidy and the other agent to see if they understood. Neither appeared to pay close attention to the conversation. "Then we will discuss what to do about her."
Rivkin's reply was cut off by the door opening. Sheppard and Gibbs entered, dismissing Cassidy and the other agent to wait outside.
"Finally!" David exclaimed, switching back to English. "To the point, Sheppard."
The director gestured for the deputy director to take a seat at the table with Rikvin as she and Gibbs did so as well across from them. "Miriam Kaufmann has confessed to the murder of Staff Sergeant Annalise Westmoreland two days ago at the Quantico Marine Base. I cannot share with you details of the interrogation or the evidence, because that information is classified until the trial concludes."
"And I'm supposed to be satisfied with that?" David asked incredulously. "A Mossad officer being tried for murder and that's all you'll tell me is that she confessed?"
Gibbs laughed slightly at this. "What, David? Are you accusing us of using suspect methods to get a confession? Because I'm pretty sure you endorse much worse tactics to your officers."
David eyed Gibbs with unconcealed dislike. "You used Ziva to interrogate her, didn't you?"
"David, I already informed you that we will not discuss details of the interrogation with you." Sheppard interceded, sending a warning look to Gibbs. "We would, however, like to talk to you about Ziva's position as Mossad Liaison to NCIS."
Rivkin noticeably became alert at this statement, Gibbs noticed with interest.
The deputy director eyed Sheppard warily. "If you do not want her anymore, we'll take her back."
"No, we do want her. As a permanent NCIS agent." Sheppard declared smoothly.
David came out of his seat at this. "Clearly, you are not serious," he began darkly. "She is Mossad. An Israeli citizen. Surely there is no way your government would allow such a thing anyway. Nor would I."
"On the contrary, David," Sheppard stated clasping her hands together. "The U.S. government does offer permanent positions to foreign citizens in pertinent departments, if their experience or expertise is deemed valuable enough and they pass the extensive background check. In just this short period of time, Ziva has proven herself as a worthy asset to NCIS."
"A background check," David repeated with a laugh. "Do you really think they'd allow someone with Ziva's professional and family history to become a permanent part of NCIS?"
"We won't hold her unfortunate family connections against her, David," Gibbs said, regarding the man critically. "Unlike her brother, she's demonstrated that her loyalty is dependent on her conscience. When she worked for Mossad, she did so under the belief that what she was doing was helping the cause. She never betrayed that and believe me, I had our intelligence go over her Mossad activities with a fine tooth comb once we encountered her here after Agent Todd's death. And what she's shown me in the last twenty-four hours has confirmed that for me. My gut is never wrong. Besides, you owe me."
"This is nonsense!" David growled, turning away to pace again. "What could I possibly owe you, Gibbs?"
"An agent." Gibbs replied readily as he stood to confront the man. "Because you allowed your son to continue his games, one of my agents died."
David scoffed and Rivkin shook his head. "See?" He said to the deputy director, referring to his earlier assertion. He looked at Gibbs. "You are assuming that Officer David wants to stay. She knows where she belongs."
Gibbs sized up the younger man, before shrugging. He glanced at Sheppard, who nodded her assent. He pulled out his phone and dialed. "David, what's the status on the video? Good. Have McGee get in touch with SECNAV and send it over. He'll have to settle for the report and video first, we'll discuss it with him later. After you do that, come to the office and bring the letters as well. All three of them." He didn't wait for her reply as he clicked off.
He regarded both David and Rivkin with a patronizing smile. "I won't assume anything. Ziva's going to tell you herself."
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Next up...Chapter 11 - Father & Daughter
Rosemeade