Anthony and Ziva took Liya back to NCIS headquarters where they introduced Jethro and Liya.
"Boss, this is Liya David. Also known as Emily Prentiss." Tony said
Jethro stood up from his desk and walked over to shake Liya…Emily's hand.
"Agent Gibbs. It's nice to meet you." He replied, giving his name, "Which do you prefer? Should I call you Emily or Liya?"
"Emily Prentiss is dead." She told him
Jethro nodded, "Okay. Liya it is. What were you doing at the crime scene?"
He didn't mind questioning her here in the squad room. She wasn't a suspect. She was merely just an asset. A person who has answers that he needs.
"Following someone. I think my target may have killed your marine. It is my fault, and I'm sorry."
Jethro hummed, "What's the name of your target?"
"His name is Macsen Hinsley. He's wanted in connection to child abuse, child endangerment, arranging of child brides, trafficking and terrorism." Liya explained, "We've connected him to a child trafficking group that ships kids out of Israel to be married off to the children of religious cult leaders."
"We?"
Liya nodded, "Mossad."
"So you work for Mossad now?"
"Not now, Agent Gibbs. Again. I worked for my father once. Then his actions got my baby sister killed. I left. I came back because being in Mossad is safer than witness protection."
Liya had been extraordinarily close with her youngest sister Tali. When Tali was little, she and Liya were together all the time. Practically inseparable.
"As I was saying Macsen is a danger to Israel. To the keeping of our faith and our heritage."
Macsen was not just a danger to Israel and to children in general, but he was also a danger to his family. To his eight children and twelve step-children.
"We've found marriage records for three of his daughters and three of his step-daughters, and of those six, only two were older than twelve. None of them were legal though. Not one of those girls was eighteen." Liya added, "The oldest one was seventeen."
"What is Captain Melton's connection to Macsen?"
Liya paused. This next part was going to kill her. She didn't want to sully up the marine's good name. He had a clean service jacket, but this was the facts as she knew them.
"Melton's niece went missing two weeks ago. Around the same time he made a deposit of twenty thousand into an offshore account located in Cancun."
"Where is Macsen now?" Ziva wondered
Liya let out a sigh, "I wish I knew, but he got away after he shot at me." She shook her head as she rubbed her arm where the bullet had grazed her, "I was so stupid. I didn't see him. I should have seen him there. I should have gone after him."
Ziva turned and said something to her in Hebrew. The only word that Jethro and Anthony recognised was 'Abba'.
".אבא טעה. אתה שווה יותר מהמשימה"
Liya gave a small smile as she nodded.
".אני יודע. הרגלים ישנים"
Liya never imagined that she'd be learning things from her little sister. She has always worried about her sister, but it seems that this team has been good to Ziva. They had taught her a lot of the things that Liya…Emily had learned herself from her BAU family. Unfortunately, their five years of work with her had all been undone in less than three months. The five years of love, care and comfort that had been poured into her, had all been undone by her father in just a few weeks.
Liya turned away from her sister, focusing her attention back on Jethro, "Can I go now, Agent Gibbs?"
"No." He said, simply
"Please." Liya begged, "I need to get back out there."
With that marine dead, she wanted to get back out there and search for Macsen. It wasn't just Macsen that she needed to find, but Melton's niece too. Finding Macsen was her best chance at finding that little girl.
"You still have information. I need you." He started walking away, heading to the stairs to go up to MTAC.
"McGee, can you find Macsen's family?" Ziva questioned
Timothy nodded, "Probably, but I don't know if I should."
"Just do it, McGee." Tony added
Timothy hummed as he shrugged, "Fine."
Liya gave a heavy sigh as she sat down at her sister's desk, "I need to be out there."
Ziva turned to her sister, confused, "Li? What are you not saying?"
"Nothing."
"Come on, Li. Do not shut me out."
Liya let out a breath, uttering something in Hebrew. She didn't want anyone but Ziva to know what she was going to say.
Meanwhile, Timothy wasn't finding anything on the family of Macsen. It was like they didn't exist, but Liya had confirmed they did.
That wasn't the most interesting thing though. The most interesting thing was what Liya had said to Ziva. No one but the two of them knew what was actually said, because Liya had spoken in Hebrew. She obviously didn't want anyone but her sister to know what she said. The question was why, and was the information pertinent to the case.
Anthony and Timothy shared a glance with each other as both wondered what Liya was hiding.
Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated. In fact, they keep me going.
What would you like to see happen next?
Translations
אבא טעה. אתה שווה יותר מהמשימה. = Abba was wrong. You are worth more than mission.
אני יודע. הרגלים ישנים = I know. Old habits.