Disclaimers disclaimed.
Drama on the way!
Enjoy!
Chapter XXX - Ride The Wave
It was Sunday again, and this time, the DiNozzo house seemed to be back to normal. Tony and Ziva sat at the dining room table with Orli, having breakfast and chatting about old times while Tali and Anthony hung out in the teen's room.
"Sooooo, you going to see spy boy today?" Anthony chuckled at the death stare his older sister gave at the use of their father's nickname for Hunter. "What?"
Tali shook her head, "I hate that nickname. Abba really needs to stop saying it and so do you!"
"Fineee", he whined. "Are you going to go see Hunter today?"
"Um, I'm not sure. We haven't really talked. He's not answering his room phone and he still doesn't have a cell." She sighed in defeat, "I just wish I could get a hold of him before I show up, you know? To know where his head is before hand."
"I don't get it, I thought he had memory loss", Anthony stated while not hiding his confusion.
"Yeah, so?"
"Sooooo, wouldn't his head be like kinda gone?"
Tali chuckled, "not really. I helped him remember pretty much everything, but he kinda shutdown on me the last time we talked. He was really upset."
"And you don't want him to spaz on you again, I get it." Anthony stood from Tali's desk chair and went to lay beside her on her bed. He looked at her pensively, wondering if he should ask his next question or not.
While he was trying to figure out exactly how to ask, Tali picked up on his change in demeanor. "Don't think too hard III, whatever it is, just ask."
"Well", he sighed while rolling on his side to face her directly. "I guess I just want to know what it was like."
Tali raised her eyebrow at him, "what what was like?"
Anthony lifted her arm gently and rubbed his finger over one of Tali's scars. "Being captured", he said in an absent whisper while lowering her hand back in the place it was. "You talk in your sleep now and you're always calling for Hunter or screaming at the man that took you. It's kind of scary but I can't ..."
"Can't stop wondering what it must have been like?" Tali finished for him and he nodded. "It was scary", she sighed. "And painful. The worst week and a half of my life ... but there was a silver lining in all of it."
"You mean something good happened, besides being rescued?"
"Yeah, when I think about it, it could have been a lot worse." She spoke honestly, "they could have taken you instead and then I would have failed at being your protector. I don't think I would have been able to handle it if they'd taken you. And I never want you to know the kind of pain and torment I went through ... my silver lining is that you were here, well at NCIS, helping the team find me and being safe."
Anthony was astonished by the honest confession. He didn't know what to say, so he just nestled into his protector's embrace and silently thanked God that she was finally home and their life was back to normal.
Downstairs, the conversation got quiet as Ziva's laptop started to sound the notification of an online voice call. Orli and Tony looked at her in curiosity while she looked at the number in which was unfamiliar.
"Uh Zi, you gonna answer", Tony asked when he realized how stuck she looked.
Ziva nodded then cliked 'accept' for the call to connect. After the computer chimed the call's connection, she spoke, "Hello? Who is this?"
"Shalom Agent David", a man's voice came through the laptop's speakers. His use of the typical Hebrew greeting and Ziva's maiden name causing alarm to everyone present.
Ziva looked confused at Orli who shrugged to note that the voice was unfamiliar to her. "I have not been Agent David for almost 14 years, now who is this?"
The man chuckled, "Right, it is DiNozzo now, correct? Your father must be turning in his grave knowing you married the American. I will not disrespect his legacy by calling you as such, Agent David."
Tony opened his mouth to speak but Orli quickly signalled him to remain quiet and nodded for Ziva to continue speaking.
"Look, just tell me who you are and what you want. Why have you called?"
"Mossad wonders why you are in contact with Officer Paza Balsam and, former director, Orli Elbaz? It was their knowledge that you cut ties long ago. My interest is your interest in The Tribe, why are your people and two Mossad employees in communication about classified information?"
"I do not know who you are, but Mossad is very much aware of who I have spoken to and why. Now if you do not want to reveal yourself then I will have to end this call."
"Who I am does not matter", his tone was almost creepy. It sent a chill through Ziva and Tony as well. Feeling no further need to keep the call going, Ziva prepared to end it but paused after the mystery caller's next question. "How is Tali recovering, by the way? I'm sure she must be happy to finally be back home in her bed again. But does she feel safe?"
"My daughter is NOT your concern! If you are looking for a problem, you are certainly going to ha ..."
"Agent David, it is not a problem I seek to have. I'm just wondering why you would put your daughter, or your entire family for that matter, back in the line of fire?" The man paused to clear his throat then resumed his speech, "Time is running out. You're not safe at home and neither is your family. The Navy Yard isn't safe either. Sooner or later we will get you and drag you all to hell. Tali knows a lot about hell, ask her ... if you can find her."
Both DiNozzo parents looked at eachother with widened eyes full of horror. Ziva ended the connection and ran up the stairs with Tony following right behind.
"Tali!" Both yelled as they busted through the door to their daughter's room.
"What!?" Tali yelled, startled at her parents sudden frantic appearance.
Anthony also jumped in shock, "what's going on? You guys look totally freaked!"
Ziva grabbed Tali while Tony pushed Anthony out the room. Before the left completely, Ziva spoke in a hushed tone to Tony, "Plan Z".
"Ima, what is going on!?" Tali kept struggling to get out of her mother's grasp but failed miserably.
"Listen to me!" Ziva's grip tightened as she finally got Tali to stop trying to get away. "Tali, listen, was there anyone in the warehouse that looked or sounded Israeli?"
The teen looked at her as if she had three heads. "What?"
"Was there anyone in that warehouse that looked or sounded Israeli", Ziva asked more sternly.
"No", Tali sighed. "I mean, I don't know. All the men wore masks and they never spoke in front of me. Why, what is going on?"
Finally, Ziva loosened her grip and walked over to Tali's closet. Reaching up to the shelf inside, she pulled down a duffle bag and brough it over to the bed.
"Um, why are you packing my stuff?" Tali watched on as her mother started putting random clothing items in the bag. Ziva moved methodically and did not say a word. "Ima, can you tell me what is happening?" Still, Ziva said nothing as she finished up packing the bag. Tali became increasingly impatient, "MOM!"
All motion stopped as Ziva's head shot up to look in her panicked daughter's eyes. She sighed as she zipped the bag, "hush motek, please. I will explain later, now get dressed quickly and meet us downstairs."
Before Tali could protest, Ziva was out the door with the duffle bag in hand. Without having any other instruction, she did as told and got dressed quickly so she could go get the explanation she felt she desperately needed.
When Ziva returned back downstairs, Tony was coming back in the living room after placing bags by the door. He took Tali's bag from Ziva's hand and put it with the rest.
Orli walked into the living room and watched as Ziva and Tony both moved to separate sides of the room to open different safes. In the one Tony opened, he placed their NCIS credentials and weapons then retrieved two burner phones and a laptop before closing it. From the other safe, Ziva pulled out four passports, a set of keys, and a couple stacks of cash then closed it back and pressed a button to hide the safes again.
As Ziva handed Tony his passport, she looked over at Orli, "are you sure you do not know who that was?"
"I am positive. The voice was not familiar, what are you planning?"
Orli's answer was honest so Ziva trusted her to know the truth, "we obviously have a problem and we need to make sure the kids are safe. Whoever that was is from the past and knows way too much about what has been going on the last two weeks. We are taking them to safety and I think you need to get back to Mossad."
"Mossad knows everything that happened now that we are working together Ziva, I hope you do not take what you have just heard as someone who is still associated with the agency."
"We're not", Tony chimed in, "we trust you and the current Mossad director. But you heard that guy Orli, we don't want to take any chances."
"Take any chances on what?" Tali asked as she and Anthony came down the stairs now fully dressed.
"Motek, we have a security issue and so we need to leave", Ziva explained. "Abba and I cannot say now where we are going, but you will know soon."
"Another security issue? For government agents, there are a lot of security issues happening in our house", Tali yelled in frustration.
"Tal, calm down and look at the brightside, we don't have to go back to school tomorrow", Anthony spoke trying to ease the tension.
"Motek, please, we need both of you to give us your phones and leave your iPads and laptops here as well."
"So basically, anything that can be traced", Tali asked with an attitude.
Ziva ignored her tone and responded, "yes, anything that can be traced stays. Now do it quickly."
Both DiNozzo children reluctantly did as they were told as Ziva looked to Orli, "did you fly commercial or did you use my father's jet?"
"His jet, my dear, but I would assume that you need it now?" Orli answered, ready to make arrangements to have the family fly wherever they need to go.
"No, you take it back, we will charter a plane. Whoever this man is will probably know about my father's plane. Does all of Mossad know about what I inherited in his death?"
"The information of his will and your inheritance is only something you, Tony, myself and your father's lawyer knew. His lawyer has since passed, no one else outside of this room knows. You are going to one of the properties then?"
"Yes, but not in Israel. If someone is looking for us outside of DC, that will be the firsf place they will look."
"I can make sure you are all under the protection of ..."
"No", Tony interrupted, "we don't want Mossad involved in protecting us. We will protect ourselves. You just keep working the present case from there and we will be in touch."
Orli hugged all of them and spoke her goodbyes. When she reached the front door, she turned back to Ziva who was walking behind her, "please be safe. I wrote that number down and will make sure it is traced. I am certain your plan does not include informing NCIS?" Ziva only nodded to inform she was correct. "Might I suggest that you let me go to the Navy Yard to inform only your main team so they can work at this end?"
"We gave the team off today to finally rest, so go to them tomorrow. Just tell McGee 'plan Z'. He will know where we are and what to do. If you have anyone trace that number, let it be my team. I don't want Mossad in on our leaving just yet. As my husband said, we trust you but I have my doubts about certain things with this man's obvious knowledge. McGee will give you a way to contact us, please be safe as well Orli."
With a soft smile and a gentle kiss on the cheek, Orli nodded her understanding then left. She was hopeful in her heart that all would turn out for the best, but something in her also said it might be the last time she saw them. Please God, keep them safe.
.
The next day, after flying all day and night then taking a private boat that morning, they finally arrived to their destination.
"Whoa", Anthony exclaimed in excitement, "we own a private island and you guys never brought us here!? This place is insane!"
He ran off to explore their own little slice of heaven, while Ziva and Tony chuckled. Tali, however, moved slowly towards the entrance, taking in the sun rays and salt water breeze that came from ocean front property.
"Hey III", Tony called out when they reached the door to the beautiful secluded villa, "come on buddy, you should see the inside of this place!"
Anthony ran over as Ziva pulled out the keys and unlocked the door. He was the first to push past her and enter, "seriously!? Why have you guys never brought us here!? This is so dope! Im going to find my room!"
With the youngest DiNozzo running off towards the bedroom, Tony shook his head and grabbed the bag that carried their laptop and burn phones, "I'll be in the office, getting this stuff up and checking your father's inventory. We're 9 hours ahead, so Tim should be making contact soon."
Ziva nodded as she closed the door behind her. Tali just stood in the foyer silently. Something was bugging her. Thoughts plagued her mind about why they were running and what she left behind. Hunter.
Noticing her daughter's facial cues, Ziva sighed and pulled Tali further into the house to the kitchen area. Tali sat on one of the island bar stools while Ziva checked the cabinets and fridge. "Good, they have come to stock everything."
"Who is they", Tali asked in a tired tone.
"My father's people from the mainland, I alerted then before we came to prepare the house, which mostly meant stocking the kitchen." The teen grunted and rolled her eyes. Ziva sighed, "what is on your mind motek?"
"What's on my mind", she scoffed. "Prom is in 3 weeks, my graduation is in a month, I still haven't decided which school I'm going to respond to about attending this fall, and now I don't even know if ANY of that is happening for me now! You won't even tell us why the hell we're here! Why are we even running!? How do we even know this place is safe!? What the hell is 'Plan Z'!?"
"When all else fails and the family is at risk", Ziva explained, "Plan Z is our safety net. This house was one of many left to me by my father when he passed. It is the safest place because it is the most remote. Only me, abba, Orli, and Uncle Tim know about this place. And now you and your brother." She paused to pour them both something to drink then continued, "Technically, we are not running, we are away because DC is not safe right now and I need to protect you. All of you. As soon as we track down the rest of the terrorists and neutralize the threat, we can go back home."
"How do you even know there's still a threat?"
"I received a call yesterday from a man making threats. We could not take anymore chances."
"What kind of threats?" The silence the fell between them instantly was unbearable. After a few minutes, Tali asked again this time raising her voice. "What kind of threats!?"
"The kind that I do not take lightly Tali!" Ziva's voice now matches her daughter's in this sudden yelling match. Her thick accent returning, the signal that her anger was getting the best of her. "All your life we have sheltered you and done our best to keep you safe ..."
"Yeah and what a great job you've done up until two weeks ago", she interrupted sarcastically.
"That was not easy for any of us Tali, you were not the only one affected!"
"Who was affected? None of you seem to understand what I had to go through! Last I checked, I'm the one that got kidnapped, raped, and tortured! So much for keeping me safe!
A very emotionally Tali finally stood and started to walk away but Ziva grabbed her by the arm. "You are not just going to walk away from me. Crucify us if you want! Blame us for everything but we tried our best Tali! Yes, you were taken but you need to also recognize that seven agents died trying to save you! Your father and I risked our careers and our own lives to find you! And as for what you went through, you keep pretending as if no one knows or understands how you feel but there is at least one who knows everything!"
"Yeah right, who!?" Tali yelled while pulling her arm away and stepping back.
"ME!" In that moment, the flood gates opened. A waterfall of tears started flowing from Ziva's eyes. Involuntarily, she started to shake and her voice broke. "I know ... from experience ... and not just the one time you think you know about, it happened far before Somalia ... I was younger than you the first time. And then years later when Somalia happened, I never thought I would survive. I know that pain. I know the agony then the eventual numbness. I understand praying for death and losing all hope. Then being saved and the constant feeling of being unclean. The unsettling nervousness when someone you do not know comes too close and the guilt you feel when you are afraid of the people you love. I still have the nightmares ... still look at my scars and have flashbacks as if it were real all over again. I have been where you were, so do not act as if no one understands!"
Tali was frozen by her mother's vulnerability. This woman who was always stoic and strong, was now showing a side of herself that the teen never remembered ever seeing. There was a brokenness that was exposed that rendered Tali silent.
"Those threats I received yesterday", Ziva sniffled as she tried to compose herself, "the man said that he was going to drag us all to hell. Then he insinuated that you had been kidnapped right from under our roof again. In an instant, my heart dropped because I thought I had lost you again. That I failed as your mother again. I could not live with myself if you had to go through any of it again so, I made a split second decision to keep us all safe and your father backed me ... now we are here." She shook her head as she sighed, "I do not know how long it will take to neutralize the threat, but I do know that I am trying my best to end all off this. It may not make sense or even be good enough for you Tali, but all I can do is keep making the choices I know will benefit us all until the job is done."
There was nothing left to say. Ziva had nothing left in her and Tali could not force what was in her mind out to form words. After a few moments, Ziva left the kitchen and disappeared down the hall leaving Tali to just stand there in a daze. The teen sighed and stared out through the large window at the waves crashing onto the beach. It was an image of how she felt at the moment, there was a harshness and still a beauty to it all. She hadn't meant for things to go that way with her mother at all, but she felt different because of it. A little less burdened if that was at all possible. Eventually, she would have to apologize and seek the help she need. For now, she just wanted to stay put and continue to emotionally ride the wave.
Where are they? I know, do you? LoL ... McGee will tell us next chapter.
Plus, we make headway on tracking The Tribe and get their story.
More drama and then some much deserved peace!
This story is almost at its end ...
REVIEW! Later peeps!
