Chapter Seven

"So, what we know so far," Fornell started the meeting in the conference room at 26 Federal Plaza, "is that the Five Family is having a summit to discuss business and Tommy Scalia seems to have put a target on Agent DiNozzo's back. We need to know where?"

Tony had his smart phone in hand and was texting back and forth with someone Fornell assumed was a CI, though Tony just considered him a childhood friend.

"We can start wiretaps," said NCIS Agent Goode, "on the underbosses of the Five Families."

"Atlantic City in three days is the summit," Tony spoke up, as he put down his smart phone. "They are staying in Caesars."

Mullen tried to hide a smile. Who else of them would find out but the guy who could walk into Rao's and have dinner with a caporegime, or make a social call and end up lunching with Vincent The Butcher?

"You sure about this?" asked Fornell.

"Positive," said Tony.

"Okay, who do we send?" asked Fornell.

"You, me, Mullen, Stabile, and Manetti," smiled Tony.

"Agreed," said Fornell who then looked at Sacks. "Keep investigating the murders and get us wire taps for the capos of the Five families. We need to know how they are going to react to Scalia."

"I think I should lead the group to Atlantic City," said Sacks.

"Lead, as if we would follow you, Slacks," smirked Tony. "Anyway, Fornell and I are co-leading this Task Force. You get back to overseeing the investigations of the murders."

"You aren't my boss," snapped Sacks.

"He is on this Task Force," said Fornell, "and if I can convince him to stay with the FBI, he'd be the permanent head of this Task Force."

Toy looked at Fornell, but didn't speak up. Maybe he would be better off bringing down the Five Families. He did a lot good at NCIS, but he'd do more making sure the Mafia did less harm. Wasn't that the reason he became a cop in the first place?

"Since when did we put the fox in charge of the hen house?" asked Sacks.

"Are you saying that I'm like my father, Slacks?" Tony asked in an even cold voice. "That I'm one of them."

"DiNutso, you are a DiNutso. It doesn't take a great stretch of the imagination to figure out who side you'd be on. Isn't the saying blood is thicker than water?" he answered.

"If I was a true DiNutso, then you'd be weighted down and taking a swim in the East River," Tony noted.

"Are you threatening me, Agent DiNutso?" asked Sacks.

"No, I'm pointing out the difference between me and my father. He doesn't care about laws and I uphold them," he smiled.

"From what I've seen of you and Gibbs and the way you work then you don't uphold them all the time," said Sacks.

"You really are looking for an ass kicking, aren't you?" smiled Tony.

"Agent Sacks, Agent DiNozzo isn't his family. You should keep that in mind," Fornell said. "Now you have murders to investigate including Franco Moretti. Get to work."

Sacks stood up and stormed out of the conference room. Fornell looked over at DiNozzo. His eyes, which usually expressed his emotions, were dead. It sent a shiver down Fornell's spine because sitting there was the Tony DiNozzo who could have been a mafia prince. He preferred Gibbs' DiNozzo than the one staring at Sacks' vacated spot.

"DiNozzo," he barked in order to get his attention.

Slowly, Tony came out of his reverie and looked at Fornell.

"Are you here?" he asked.

A smirk crossed DiNozzo's lips that could be read in his eyes: "Where else would I be?"

Fornell smiled in relief.

"Okay we should make arrangements for a trip to Atlantic City," he said.

NCIS

Ziva paced her hotel room. Tony just missed being killed. It was on the news, though they called him and unnamed FBI agent instead of giving exact details. They were probably being withheld because of the Task Force, she assumed. Michael came back and told them what he saw. Part of him was amused and part of him was pissed that he almost lost his chance to kill DiNozzo.

"His instincts were better than I thought," said Michael. "That bastard acted like he knew it was coming and got behind a car then took them out. I'll have to be quieter."

"You won't do a damned thing unless there is a reason," said Malachi.

Michael smiled: "Sure, Malachi, you are in charge."

He then left the room with Malachi following him. Now Ziva was sure she was going to have to do something she hoped she didn't have to do. Soon she was going to have to make her presence known to Tony. She was going to have to come clean with him. Or she was going to have kill Michael. Either way, it was something she didn't want to do.

NCIS

Tony knew they were the capos and men would be staying at Caesars, so Fornell booked three room, two doubles and a single for him. Tony and Mullen paired up in one room and Manetti and Stabile in the other room. Of course, Manetti sleeping in the same room as Stabile drew Mullen's attention.

"Do you think they are, you know, doing it?" he asked Tony.

"No," he answered.

"How do you know?" Mullen asked.

"Look at Stabile. I watched him and he checks out blondes and red heads. He doesn't like brunettes, especially ones that look like voluptuous Italian princesses," he explained.

"You saying Angels is hot and I want her?" asked Mullen.

"You know you got a problem, right? You are not allowed to be jealous unless you are dating the woman," Tony said Mullen.

"I'm not jealous," mumbled Mullen.

"You are, too," he said.

"I…," he paused and thought honestly about his reply. "I find her incredibly attractive."

"Listen, once we settle into our suite," Tony said with a laugh, as their room consisted of two double beds, a small desk, chest of drawers, and a TV, "we'll go walk on the Boardwalk and look at all the pretty girls."

"It's kind of chilly out there," said Mullen.

"Afraid of the cold?" Tony asked.

"No, I'm just wondering how many pretty girls there would be out there," he said.

Tony got dressed in jeans, a grey shawl collared sweater, and suede jacket then he and Mullen went for a walk on the Boardwalk. Even if the light blue sky of dusk overhead and a chilly forties degrees, there were tourists milling about. Tony grabbed a warm large soft pretzel with brown mustard on it from a vendor and started to nibble on it.

Past the storefronts and vendors they walked until they stopped and stared out at the grey, rough waters of the Atlantic.

"You worried about what's coming up?" asked Mullen.

"You guys are going to keep a close eye on the capos and I'm going to surprise them with a visit in the hopes that they listen to me," said Tony.

"Not going by yourself," said Mullen. "I'll be by your side."

"No, PJ, too dangerous," said Tony. "I'm probably going to piss them off more than convince them to listen to me."

Mullen looked over at the Ferris wheel and rollercoaster on an extended pier.

"You feel like going on a rollercoaster ride?" Mullen asked.

"Nay, too busy thinking how I can piss the mafia off and get myself killed," smiled Tony.

"Good point," Mullen laughed. "Hey are you going to go all mafia and wear a suit and look like a member of the Rat Pack when you interrupt their meeting?"

"Thought I forego looking like one of them this time," said Tony.

"Good. I like dressing up, but I hate ruining a good suit in a fight," smiled Mullen.

"I was hoping to avoid trouble," said Tony.

"Yeah, and I was hoping to avoid a sunburn in the desert but with my color that's impossible and with your luck trouble seems to follow you," Mullen said.

"Thanks, PJ," said Tony then he looked over his new friend's shoulder and saw Ziva standing on the Boardwalk looking at him.

She was dressed in cargo pants, a sweater and a wool overcoat with her hair pulled back and little makeup on, yet his pulse sped up just looking at her. Mullen followed Tony's eyes.

"You know her?" asked Mullen.

"Know her. I'm in love with her," he said.

"Oh," he smiled. "I think I'll go see get dinner, see a floor show, maybe have a few drinks, who knows where that will lead me. See you much later."

Mullen gave him a slap on the back and walked away. He started walking towards to Ziva and she started walking towards him. When they finally met in the middle, he grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her. She responded by wrapping her arms around him. They remained kissing until both of them needed to stop or make a complete public spectacle of themselves.

"I need to talk to you, Ahuvi," she said.

"God, I missed you, Zi. Did Gibbs send you?" he asked.

"I am on a leave of absence from NCIS. I am here for Mossad," she said.

Tony blanched at this. As Officer David Mossad liaison with NCIS she was his partner and his lover, but as Officer David, Mossad, she was an assassin and someone who he worried about where her loyalties lay.

"Let's go back to my room and talk," he said.

"I think that is a good idea," she said.

NCIS

When they entered his room, they first intentions were to talk, but emotions and desire got in the way. A simple kiss led to another less simple kiss and then they were standing on that slippery slope of sexual longing. Soon they were naked in bed and wrapped around each other until Tony drove first Ziva to an intense and loud release and then himself to a less loud but no less intense release.

As they lay sweaty and naked in his bed, Ziva decided to just come clean with him. Holding back was going to help her now.

"My father gave me an assignment with two other members of Kidon to come to New York and find out which of the Five Families sold weapons to a terrorist group that used them against Israeli citizens. We are supposed to discover who okayed this sale and kill him and those who support him," she said calmly.

"Zi, this is the United States you can't just come and assassinate mafia capos and his crew on US soil," said Tony. "I know they are bastards and they caused deaths to Israelis, but there are laws."

"Eli orders us what to do and we have to do it. One does not argue with Eli David," she said.

"God, Zi," he said then kissed her head, "I wish I could get you away from Mossad."

"Really?" she asked him sincerely.

"Yeah, really," he said and tightened his grip on her as he held her in his arms.

"Malachi, who is leading this mission, found out that it isn't any of the Five Families but a rogue who is looking to make a power grab," said Ziva.

"Scalia," sighed Tony. "One of the ways he must be financing himself is selling weapons to terrorists. It makes sense in a way because trying to make a move on the Five Families is an expensive proposition. His crew is going to expect to be well paid. Loyalty is bought in the mafia. You and the Mossad have to stay out of this way, Zi. The Task Force I'm leading with Fornell are going after Scalia."

"That won't be so easy," she said. "Beside taking out those who sold the weapons one of those sent was given a special assignment by my father, and that is to kill you."

"What?' Tony said.

It felt like someone had just kicked him in the stomach. He started to shift in the bed, but Ziva wouldn't let go of him. She was going to let go of him.

"Michael Rivkin is his name," she said. "I once had a relationship and now my father wants him to kill you because he said want me with you."

"And you are just telling me this?" he asked.

"Malachi and I have been keeping an eye on him. Neither one of us would let him carry out his order, though he is getting difficult to track as he gets to know he terrain better," she said.

"Mossad wants me dead. Mossad and the mafia, I really have problems with organizations beginning with an M," he stated without emotion.

"Not so much Mossad as my father wants you dead," she corrected him.

"Why?" he asked

"Because he doesn't think you are good enough for me. He is threatened by your presence in my life, afraid that he won't be able to control me any longer," she answered.

He laughed. It wasn't an ironic laugh but a real full throated laugh. Ziva sat up in bed and stared at him as if he was crazy.

"Why are you laughing?" she asked him.

"I sometimes think that I'm not good enough for you, but I never thought it would get me killed. I thought it would just get my heart broken," he said.

"Oh, Ahuvi, it is I who is not good enough for you," she said softly and kissed him. "Do you hate me now?"

The answer was what she feared most. How could he love her? She had mixed loyalties and was an assassin? She had done horrible things. And then there was what she felt for Tony. At first, she thought him a player and a buffoon, but he proved her wrong. Yes, he fooled around with him, but he was more than just a simple player. He was a good man, so good he turned away from his family because of who they were. She knew who her father was and what he was capable of and yet she still took his orders.

"Hate you? Zi, I love you. I always will," he said. "Your father and his fucked up shit is his shit. I know you have been involved in things you regret and you think yourself irredeemable sometimes, but I've seen you do a lot of good as a NCIS agent."

"But when I was given this assignment by my father I didn't come to you right away, even though I knew it affected you. I should have, but I acted like the good Mossad officer at first, even when I heard what Michael might do to you," she said.

"But you came to me eventually, Zi. If anyone knows that family is complicated it is me. I've got a father who would cheer this Rivkin along in his efforts to kill me," smiled Tony as he lifted his right hand to her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb.

"I do not want to be part of his games anymore," she said.

"Then we need help to get you separated from Mossad," Tony said.

"That is easy thought then said," she said.

"Easier said than done, Zi. The idiom is easier said than done," he smiled.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes at him.

"We need to talk to Gibbs and Jenny about how to get you away from Mossad," he said.

"They cannot help," she said.

"I think they can," he said then he put his hand behind her neck and drew her close for a kiss.

It started slow but soon they were devouring each other's mouths then there was a knock on the door. Tony broke away.

"What?" he growled.

"I'm staying with you, boyo," called Mullen.

"Hold on," Tony smiled.

"Who is that?" Ziva asked.

"PJ Mullen, my current partner," he said.

He got up and put on his jeans. Ziva covered up with the sheet and leaned against the headboard. Tony turned in the light then he let Mullen into his room.

"Sorry to be such a pain in the ass, but I sleep in here," Mullen said.

"PJ," Tony started to talk, but Mullen put up his hand.

"Except tonight. I've got this comely showgirl in the lobby waiting for me. I just needed to grab my backup piece and I'll leave you two lovebirds alone," he said.

"Why do you need your backup piece?" Ziva asked.

"Some showgirls are part of a scam where they lure you to their place then you are jumped and robbed. I want my backup piece just in case," he smiled.

"You are going to go with her even though you do not trust her?" asked Ziva.

"Ziva David, this is PJ Mullen. I thought I'd introduce the two of you since you're having a conversation," Tony interrupted.

"Well, Ziva, and that is a very pretty name, yes, I'd go with her. You see she has a set of tatas on her that could take an eye out. I'm a weak willed man," he explained.

"I can see why you are Tony's partner," Ziva laughed.

"Okay," said Mullen, who grabbed his back up piece and strapped it to his right ankle. "I'm gone."

"Goodbye, PJ," Ziva said.

"Goodnight, Ziva. I guess I'll see the two of you for breakfast. It'll be on me to make up for the interruption," he said then left.

"I like him. He reminds me of someone I know," said Ziva with a sly smile playing on her lips.

"Okay, back to the subject at hand. We need to get Gibbs and Jenny involved in dealing with your problem," he said.

"Tony, my father won't let me go," she said.

"Zi, can we try?" he pleaded. "I don't want to lose you."

Ziva looked at him and her heart melted. She couldn't refuse him, which sometimes annoyed her.

"Yes, we can try," she said.

"That's my girl," he smiled.

"Now come back to bed and convince me I made the right choice," she said.

He turned off the light, undid his jeans, and got back into bed with her.