A.N: I am soo soo sorry for how late this update is! I am on holidays but it seems life is still hectic and this is my first chance to write. This is only a small, filler kinda chapter I guess, well I try not to have filler chapters so it is half and half :P Thanks for all those amazing reviews! And I would like to say a massive congrats for SarahBear370 on having a baby girl last thursday! YAYAYAY! I saw your profile pic and she is absolutely stunning! I hope she is giving you at least a little sleep at night haha.
Anyway here is the chapter! Enjoy!
The hotel coffee shop was again deserted at 00:15 and Shirley the barrista had two hot chocolates with extra chocolate ready for when Tony arrived. She beamed at him as if she looked forward to the meetings which had now become a routine and slid the two cups across the bench.
"You have them made already! Jeez thanks Shirley, what would I do without you!" The middle aged woman giggled as she flapped her hand in an 'it was nothing' gesture.
"Will I be expecting you again tomorrow Tony?"
"No, I'm sorry to say but I'm heading back to DC tomorrow morning." She frowned a little as she whipped down the coffee machine.
"Looks like it will go back to long nights with no customers."
"Why do they even have this place open if no one comes?"
"On the off chance of a customer like you. Although it doesn't happen very often in a hotel where just outside beers on tap." They stood there in silence as he tried to think of what to say instead of just an awkward departure.
"Well it was nice to meet you Shirley."
"You too Tony" He gave a warm smile before exiting the coffee shop and heading for the lobby. Five minutes later after stopping at almost every floor in the lift he made it to Ziva's door. Knocking on it, he called out her name with no response. She wouldn't be asleep that's for sure.
"Hey Ziva, you in there?" Pounding.
"Ziva" Complete silence was returned and after two minutes he decided that she was most definitely not there. He turned to walk away when an image of her on the floor entered his mind. What if she was inside and needed help? What if something had happened? He walked swiftly back towards the door and fiddled with the handle; locked. He needed a key, he needed to make sure that she wasn't there and that she is fine. He reached for his mobile and dialled McGee's number.
"Special Agent McGee"
"Is Ziva there?"
"What? No, I haven't seen her all afternoon. Why?"
"Just wondering where she is, talk to you later." He cut off whatever McGee was about to say and snapped his phone shut as he paced towards the lift. He rode it down to the lobby and was out of the lift before the doors could fully open.
"Can I speak to the manager?" A young freckled faced man looked up from behind the counter alarmed by the urgency in his voice.
"Is there something the matter sir, are you unhappy with your stay?"
"No, I just need to speak to the manager." He had been informed that the manager was the only person made known of the undercover operation and to get a key for Ziva's room he was the man to talk to.
"I am sorry but he is unavailable at the moment."
"No, you don't understand…"
"I am sorry sir but unless I can help there is nothing we can do." Deep breath; what to do? Flash the badge? It's not like we are undercover anymore, well I wasn't in the first place anyway…
"Look I am special agent Anthony DiNozzo…" Badge, "and I need to speak to your manager." The young man looked up, face stone, expression cold. He finally caved and sighed before walking into a room behind the counter. It was less than a minute later when the manager emerged, expressions worried and alert.
"What can I do for you agent DiNozzo?"
"I would like another key for the room in which one of our agents is staying in."
"Is there a problem?"
"No, we just need an extra key so that we can get in if Agent David is out." Although he had no idea what that meant, the man nodded as if he was following and slipped Tony a new key card.
"Thanks, will return it tomorrow morning." He realised he still had with him two hot chocolates which will no longer be needed and looked at the two men behind the counter. "Here have these as a token of appreciation." He quickly retreated leaving the two cups on the counter. "They are extra chocolaty!" he yelled from over his shoulder as he entered the lift.
Standing in front of Ziva's door again, he felt nervous although he didn't really know why. He again knocked and waited for an answer to make sure she hadn't returned before sliding in the key card and slowly opening the door. This time he knew where the light switch was situated as he made his way left to the door and felt across the wall. The lights casted a soft yellow glow across the room and the first thing he noticed was the absents of his partner. What scared him most was how his brain switched to crime scene mode as his eyes fell on the trashed room; and his heart plummeted when he saw the blood which was most likely Ziva's.
His partner was gone, blood was pooled on the hardwood floor and he had no idea whether she was still alive and if she was, for how long?
Her vision was blurred as her eyes adjusted to the soft light flooding the room. She could make out a single metal chair and table a couple of meters away from where she was lying on a mattress. The smell of dirt filled her nose and the air felt thick and damp around her. Where she was, was a mystery. How she got there, no clearer. Her current situation, by the pain through her wrists and back, she knew her hands were bound behind her with what felt like a plastic zip-tie. A headache had spread from the back of her scull through her eye sockets, hit on the back of my head? With what? Her eyes adjusted and she saw she was in a small concrete room with a small metal table, one chair; one tiny, barred window near the roof on the opposite wall; and one blood stained, dirty mattress which she was now sitting up on. She shuddered at the thought of whose blood it may be and she could hear 12 women screaming in her head. Light bulb, memory, she knew what had happened to her. Ryan Addison standing over her with a gun, the smell of wine mixed with the distinct smell of blood. She stood up needing air as she realised she may be number 13, and she walked towards the small window but it was too high to reach. Looking around the room she spotted the metal chair and dragged it towards the window with her foot. She knew the sound would alert whoever was outside the steel door that separated her from the outside world but all she needed was a peak, a hint as to where on earth she may be.
She started to hear and smell things that were not noticeable to her before but the distinct sound of crashing waves and seagulls told her all she needed to know. She stood slowly on the metal chair and saw the white sands and vast ocean. Nothing but sand and sea, nothing that could possibly tell her where on the coastline she may be. It was no use. The sound of the steel door behind her made it evident that she was not alone and she didn't even turn as the footsteps approached her.
"Enjoying the view?" She recognised the voice instantly and it made her blood boil.
"Very much"
"Why don't you come off that chair and take a seat."
"Is that an order or a suggestion." Cold.
"Whatever you prefer."
"Why me, you know they are going to find out. You have just taken hostage a federal agent. Smart move bastard." She turned around to face him, stepping off the chair to then sit on it.
"Well it didn't go quite according to plan you see." He walked closer to her as he spoke. "You see, if only you would have just returned my gestures then this wouldn't of happened. You see I wasn't quite expecting you to become delusional that night in your room. I have always been… Fascinated by you Ziva David; the others, they were just women. But you, I never wanted to harm you, I wanted you for myself." She forced herself not to show the absolute disgust she was feeling and put on an expressionless face. He walked up to her and stroked the side of her face as he spoke softly. "But when you had your little freak out I knew you would remember soon and blame me. They would investigate me. It was too dangerous; I knew I had to… keep you quiet."
"You do not think it is dangerous now? You are disappearing when I go missing."
"Who said anything about me disappearing? Infact I would love to stay and continue this lovely conversation but I have a job to get to." We must be close to the safe house then… "We will continue this later." With that he kissed her cheek and left the room. The thought of him working with her partner, her team on finding her made her sick and also lose a little hope. If they too are fooled by him they may be steered in the opposite direction and never find her or the truth.
A.N: Not my best I know but it is an update and I hope it wasnt too bad :) Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks for again reading!
Keely :o)