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Chapter Nine: Search…

It was cold…so cold that Jordan could see her breath. The floor that she was laying on was like ice. It numbed the cuts that now marred her arms, legs, and face, but gave the rest of her body little comfort.

Jordan was no longer tied up, but only because she didn't need to be. She couldn't raise her hands to push anyone away, much less stand up and try to escape. All she could do was lie there and pray that someone would find her, or that her captors would give up and kill her.

Every time that thought crossed her mind, images of Woody would pop up and push them all away. No matter how bad it got, Jordan couldn't give up. She knew Woody would not stop looking for her until he found her, so she had to stay strong for him. She only hoped it wouldn't be too much longer…

"What do you got, McGee?" Gibbs asked impatiently. The problem with all this techy stuff was that the results took way to long for a situation that required urgency.

McGee didn't even spare Gibbs a glance while replying. "We've followed this guy through several other computers…he's re-routing his signal through places all over the East Coast."

"We've already been through the New York Public Library, a school in Vermont…he's even used government sites to hide himself," Nigel added.

"How long?" Gibbs and Woody yelled.

This time, McGee did look up. "Don't know yet…it would help if there was a live feed we could follow," he replied quietly. Woody swore.

"Boss!" Tony called suddenly. "We got a match!"

Tony clicked the remote and pulled up a mug shot onto the plasma screen. The face staring back was the taller of Jordan's two assailants. "Meet Nazim Ahmad, Hamas terrorist."

Ziva took over. "He's been a low-profile member for just over five years, but started attracting more attention in the last six months when he kidnapped a somewhat high-profile Mossad agent. His specialty is interrogation and torture." She finished with a significant look at Gibbs, reminding him of their earlier conversation.

Gibbs turned away from the screen. "Get his background information—cell phone, address, easy bake oven wattage, everything! McGee, keep tracking that video!"

"On it, Boss!" three voices called back in unison.

"Wake up, gorgeous," Ahmad sneered. He kicked Jordan's side and she groaned.

He drew up the chair that Jordan used to be in, while his counterpart set the video camera up again. "Are you ready to talk to me? To tell me the truth?"

Jordan didn't answer…there was no point. She didn't know whatever he wanted, and denying it would only make things worse.

However, her silence didn't please him either. He grabbed Jordan by the hair and pulled her up until she was inches from his face. "TELL ME!"

"I don't…know." Jordan whimpered. Tears began to leak out of her eyes. She just couldn't take anymore.

"YOU DO!" Ahmad shouted. He threw her back on the floor. "I would have thought that my…incentives…would have persuaded you. It seems that you are tougher than you look."

Jordan whimpered again and tried to back away from him. Behind him, the camera was turned on and the other man joined him by Jordan's feet.

Ahmad took a lighter and a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He laid them on the floor right in front of Jordan.

"Any second thoughts before we continue?" he said. "You can stop all of this, you know…all you have to do is tell me the truth."

Jordan shook her head. "Please…don't," she said. She renewed her attempts to get away from him, but the other man took hold of her feet so she was trapped. More tears came. When Ahmad reached down to pick up the items, Jordan cried out.

Without speaking, Ahmad lit a cigarette. Jordan watched him in fear, but he made no move toward her. He simply smoked the cigarette until it was gone. He took out two more, lit one for himself, and then on for his cohort.

The minutes dragged on…although Jordan was sure they would use the cigarettes to burn her, her body couldn't stay tense for that long. As soon as she relaxed fully, Ahmad grabbed her arm and moved the cigarette toward her exposed flesh.

"No!" Jordan screamed. She began to sob. "I'll tell you! I'll tell you whatever you need to know!"

Ahmad stopped. He put out the cigarette, but kept the lighter and the rest of the pack in his hands.

"You are Ziva David?" he asked.

Jordan nodded. "Yes."

"You work for Mossad?"

"Yes."

Ahmad smiled…it was an evil smile. "Now, tell me all about Operation Zodiac."

Nigel and McGee were still typing furiously on their keyboards. The computer made a noise, and both me watched in horror as another video feed came in. Nigel made a noise, but McGee stopped him from alerting the others.

"It'll just make Woody upset," he explained. "And now we can do the trace faster."

Nigel looked pained, but nodded.

The rest of the team had identified the other kidnapper, Jamil Abdar, and were trying to track down a place of residence. They were coming up empty, which was to be expected since the men were foreign and weren't supposed to be in the US at all.

Minutes ticked by like hours. All at once, both men stood up. This time, both of them shouted loud and clear: "We got it!"

The others ran over. "Where, Nigel?" Woody asked.

"In an abandoned warehouse at 5703 Pike Street," he replied.

By the time Nigel had spit out the full address, the rest of the team was halfway to the elevator, guns in their holsters.