Conversations

Do you all remember Blowback? Middle of season 4, the team kidnaps an Israeli arms dealer, yadda, yadda, end up nearly taking out Grenouille while Ducky is undercover talking to him? This takes place on the plane, on the way to Canada, where Ducky was to meet Grenouille. Credit for the episode suggestion goes to You-won't-see-an-iguana-here—thanks! And since I, like Gibbs, probably don't express my affection often or well enough, thanks to all of you who have been reviewing! It really makes my day and is part of what gets me to post as frequently as I do.

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Ziva stood in the aisle of the airplane, grinning as she watched Tony talking to Ducky—or, as he was demanding to be called, Charles Harrow. Tony was trying as hard as could to break the man's concentration on staying in character; at the moment, there was some exchange going on about the relative strengths of rugby teams from different Universities that had Ducky gritting his teeth.

She glanced to her left and saw Gibbs sitting staring out the window. The smile faded from her face, and she slid purposefully into the seat beside him.

"Goliath," she said simply.

Gibbs turned to her, his eyes inquiring.

"What are we going to do with him?"

"Oh, state will prosecute," Gibbs said dismissively.

She was clearly dissatisfied.

Gibbs frowned, questioning. "Are his arms dealings related to your sister's bombing?"

Ziva jerked back an inch, caught off guard. "No. But why should it matter? His actions are responsible for many deaths. For someone's sister."

He nodded in agreement. "And we'll make sure he faces the consequences. What else would you have us do?"

Now Ziva frowned. "I was thinking I could call my father."

"For extradition," Gibbs clarified.

Her eyebrows wrinkled in confusion, then Ziva realized he hadn't understood. "If he sanctions it, I could--"

"Ziva!" Gibbs' eyes were wide in surprise as he hissed her name.

"What?" Ziva hissed back, controlling her volume so as not to attract Tony and Ducky's attention. "Tony says you once shot out the gas tank of a man who'd killed a marine, rather than take him in. Biblical justice seems to be your variety!"

"He was shooting back!"

She smiled coyly. "I will not shoot him, just slip something tasteless in his water, mimic a heart attack." She looked at Gibbs skeptically. "Or something else, that I haven't told you about. It would be easy!"

"No," Gibbs said firmly. "That's not how we do things here."

Ziva shrugged. "We're headed to Canada right now. Jenny seems to be willing to do things my way."

"Jenny's getting irrational. She just today told me she'd had DiNozzo undercover for months."

She darted a concerned look at him.

"Not now," Gibbs said quickly, glancing to the front of the plane. "We can discuss it later."

"There is nothing to be gained by keeping Goliath alive," Ziva returned to her point. "And plenty money to be wasted on court fees."

Gibbs sighed. She wasn't wrong, but he forgot sometimes that this was the place her mind went. "Take it to Jenny if you want when we get back."

Ziva nodded in satisfaction and got up, heading forward to watch Tony's antics.

Gibbs frowned out the window after she'd left. He knew Jenny wouldn't approve assassinating Goliath, no matter how she felt about other arms dealers, not once she'd calmed down from the excitement of La Grenouille's appearance. Or maybe she would. No one on his team seemed to be who he thought they were anymore.

But he shrugged to himself as he laid his head back against the plexiglass window. Hell, he'd never been bothered by killing those who needed to die. He just wished he knew why he was on a plane to another country to get rid of this one in particular.