Chapter Nine
After contacting and picking up Ducky, they headed for the Andrews and the use of the SecNav's Gulfstream. Once they flew into LaGuardia, an SUV care of Fornell and the FBI was waiting for them. The driver was Special Agent Angela Manetti. Ducky got in the passenger while Gibbs, Ziva and Jenny got in the back. She brought them up to date.
"He was given fifteen lashes with a bullwhip and after he was hit with a blackjack," said Angela.
"What happen to his backup?" asked Gibbs.
"He was hit with a blackjack and then beaten. He's in the hospital also," said Angela. "It was a snatch and grab. A cargo van pulled up, they pulled the door open, pointed guns at them, once in the van blackjacked, and woke up chained to a wall in an abandoned warehouse in the old Brooklyn Navy Yard."
"Where are they?" asked Jenny.
"NYU Medical Center," said Angela.
"Do they have a good trauma team?" asked Ducky.
"Good enough, doctor," said Angela.
"Is Tony in much pain?" Ziva asked quietly.
"Well, I have to admit if you go by Fornell's reaction, it must be painful. It seems that small lead balls were tied to the end of the bullwhips tongues causing even more damage," said Angela.
"Who was behind this?" asked Ziva.
"The Five Families. The guys were delivering a message because Tony had the audacity to interrupt their summit. More than likely it was either his uncle or his father who order this," said Angela. "Some family he belongs to. No wonder he wants to put them all away."
Arriving at the hospital Ducky sought out a doctor to find out details about Tony, while Ziva, Jenny, and Gibbs were given his room number. Entering the hospital room they found Tony lying on his stomach with gauze covering his back. He was medicated and asleep. Jenny looked over at Gibbs and was surprised to see an almost fatherly look of concern for his senior field agent.
"I need a coffee," said Gibbs.
"I'll go with you," said Jenny, as she eyed Ziva, who pulled a chair up close to the bed so that she could sit with him.
She sat down in the chair and started whispering to him in Hebrew to the sleeping agent. Jenny and Gibbs exited the hospital room.
"She really does love him," Jenny said.
"I know," sighed Gibbs. He could hide the conflict he felt over Ziva and Tony.
"What are we going to do about them?" she asked.
"First, we deal with Tony's mafia problem then we deal with Ziva's Mossad problem. She is not going back to Mossad and her father," He said.
Jenny smiled as he now sounded more like a father than an agent.
"How do we save her and Tony from her father, Jethro?" asked Jenny.
"You told me that you've gotten good at politics, Jen, well, let's make this a political problem. Mossad really doesn't want Israel to have a political problem with the US," he said.
"You mean we make the problem simple for Eli: he either leaves them alone or he loses his job as deputy director because the Prime Minister of his country has been told that the United States might be reviewing their relationship with Israel, a country which threatens to assassinate it's federal agents," she smiled.
"Sounds like you really are good at politics, Jen," said Gibbs then he kissed her cheek.
"Let's get coffee," Jenny said.
"I like the way you think," said Gibbs.
"Is that right, Jethro? So how do you handle the mafia?" Gibbs asked.
"We find Scalia and his crew and put them behind bars then we put the fear of God in DiNozzo's family so they leave him alone and let him finally forget about them," he said.
"That doesn't sound that easy, Jethro," Jenny said.
He smiled: "It never is easy, Jen."
"You like difficult, though, do not you?" she teased him.
"I used to like difficult but difficult chose her job over me, so now I just accept difficult," he said.
She blushed at his comment: "Believe me, Jethro, difficult has regrets."
NCIS
Ducky explained to Gibbs and Jenny that Tony was feeling intense pain and would need to stay in the hospital for several days as they wanted to make sure he didn't get any infections from the lashing. He also told him that he wanted to see Gibbs alone.
Gibbs made his way to Tony's room. Fornell had an agent guarding the door just in case there were any more threats on his life. The agent let Gibbs into the room. When he entered and smelled that antiseptic hospital odor, it reminded him too often of all the hospital rooms he had visited DiNozzo since he had known him. Gibbs felt his jaw tense as he stared at Tony lying in the hospital bed on his stomach dealing with his pain.
"I smell coffee, so it must be you, boss," said Tony.
"It's me, DiNozzo," he said. "Who the hell is responsible for doing this to you?"
"Boss, I'm going to say this once and once only: this is family business and I don't want you involved in this shit. I'll deal with it and I'll deal with it so no one can misinterpret the message. I need you and Jenny to help Ziva more than help me. You see this Scalia business, all that is up to me to deal with," he said.
"This isn't a competition, DiNozzo," said Gibbs. "I can help you and not step on your toes."
"No, it isn't that boss. I'd let you tap dance on my ties. This is family sending family a message and I have to give the reply and no one else," he said, "otherwise they'll perceive me as weak. I can't let them think of me as weak, Gibbs. They'll never leave me alone if I do that and I really do want to be rid of them."
"Tony, I hope you know that you are part of my family, too," Gibbs said.
"I know, boss. And that's why I need you to take care of Ziva. Right or wrong, rule 12 or not, I love her and I need her protected from her father and Mossad. She means the world to me," he said.
"Breaking my rules, huh, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said.
"Some rules you have to break otherwise they break you, boss," he said. "I really do need her."
"You and Ziva, it's going to be a hard road for you. Both of you have more than your average amount of luggage and issues," he said.
"Did you think I'd take anything other than a hard road in life?" Tony asked.
Gibbs smiled: "Nope."
"Help her and I'll take care of this. When I make my move, they won't like it one bit," he said.
"From the hospital bed?" asked Gibbs.
"Doctors told me I'd be in here for three more days because of the pain and such," he laughed. "I'll be out in two. I just need to be able to put on a shirt and I'm out of here. This hospital doesn't know me too well."
"Okay, DiNozzo, I'll take care of Ziva for you," Gibbs said.
"Thanks, boss," said Tony.
"You know I'd do anything for family, Tony," he said.
"I know, boss."
NCIS
Gibbs left Ziva sitting in Tony's room, as he and Jenny sought out another cup of coffee, especially out of this hospital so I can get some fresh air. After walking around the village, they walked into the unique interior decorations of Café Reggio and found a table in an alcove then sat down.
"DiNozzo doesn't want me involved in family business," Gibbs told her.
"And you are going to listen to him?" she asked.
"I think I have to let him handle this on his own. He needs to break things off with them in his own special way and it was to be final," Gibbs said.
The waitress came over: "Can I take your order?"
"I'll have the double espresso and tiramisu," Jenny ordered.
"And you?" she smiled at Gibbs.
"I'll have a coffee black and éclair," he said.
She smiled again and left them to talk.
"Do you think it honestly is wise to let him handle this on his own, Jethro? They whipped him. They could have killed him," Jenny said.
"I don't know, Jen. Part of me wants to make sure the bastards who did this to him are caught and punished, but there is another part of me that realizes DiNozzo knows what he is doing when it comes the Five Families," said Gibbs. "He wants me to take care of Ziva for him."
"He loves her," Jen smiled, "and she loves him. I guess your rules aren't foolproof after all."
"The emphasis is on fool," he sniffed.
"Now, Jethro, just because it didn't work between you and I that doesn't mean that they are doomed to fail like us," Jenny said.
"A Mossad assassin who wants out of the Mossad and a womanizing man with the instincts of a homicide detective, they don't sound well paired to me. Do you think that they are well paired?" he said.
Jenny smiled: "I think they are very well paired."
"There has to be ten years difference in their age, too," he sighed.
"I think they'll do find, just as long as we can get Ziva away from her father," said Jenny.
"You seem to know Eli David well," said Gibbs, "what kind of man is he really?"
"He is the kind of man who would sacrifice his daughter's life to teach her a lesson," she said.
A surly, almost feral expression crossed Gibbs' face. Fathers were never supposed to sacrifice their daughters in his world. Fathers loved their daughters at all cost. Ziva deserved such a father.
NCIS
Once he fell into a sound sleep, Ziva slipped out of Tony's room at midnight and then out of the hospital. On a street on a chilly night with the concrete gargoyles of New York staring down on her she made a call to Malachi.
"Yes," he answered his smart phone.
"Malachi, we need to meet and talk. It is imperative," she said.
"Ziva," she heard him sigh on the other end of the phone sounding as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Where do you want to meet?"
"East River near Gracie Mansion in half an hour," she said.
"I'll be there," he said.
Ziva took a cab up to 93rd Street and East End Avenue. After paying the driver, she walked through Carl Schurz Park and Gracie Mansion to the walk way near the East River. Leaning against the railing she waited for Malachi.
Staring at the dark water of the river with the jacket wrapped tightly around her to keep the chill of her bones, she contemplated her request to Malachi. She knew him as a man who kept his word and a patriot for Israel. This meant her request couldn't be one that hurt Israel.
"Ziva," he said.
She turned to see him standing there in a pea coat with the collar up.
"Malachi," she said then started walking. He fell in step beside her.
"I have asked Director Shepard's and Agent Gibbs' help to get my release from Mossad. I have had enough being a tool for my father and his machinations," she said.
"This will be difficult. He will not let you go. You are all he has," he said.
"She will making this a political problem for Eli, which means it may cost him his job. He has played in the backyard of the United States too often and this time he has put a hit on an American federal agent," said Ziva. "You said that you wanted to protect my father because you think he protects Israel best. Here is your chance to protect him."
"How, Ziva?" he asked.
"First, make sure that Michael doesn't kill Agent DiNozzo or I will not stop Gibbs and Shepard from doing their thing," she said.
"Even if I have to kill Michael?" he asked. "Is that what you really want?"
"Even if you or someone else has to kill Michael to stop him. That is what I want. I don't care as long as he is stopped," she said then stopped and turned to stare at the East River again.
"Okay. I will stop Michael," Malachi said.
"This is the harder one for you, Malachi, protect my father by getting those close to him to force him to let me go. The Prime Minister will have his job if the Americans start complaining about Mossad wet ops on American soil. He will lose power as deputy director and no politician will allow him to get it back," she said. "Get those who can rail him in to rail him in."
"Like who, Ziva?" he asked. "You know your father and the power he wields."
"Director Meir. He could do it and you know. He is the overall director of Mossad and a political force in Israel and a friend of my father. Jenny and Gibbs when they get back to DC with me will start planting seeds. I can delay them for a time but I will let them do it if I don't think action is being taken. Don't let these seeds get watered and grow or Eli David will no longer have his position," she explained.
"You are more like him then you like to think, Ziva," Malachi said.
"Do not insult me like that, Malachi," she hissed.
"Oh, Ziva, he would be proud at how well you have put me in a box. I must help you, which means I will probably have to kill a fellow Mossad officer in Michael and I will use my contacts, which you know that I have, to get Director Meir involved to get you your release from Mossad and pull in your father's fangs against you," Malachi said. "Eli could not have done better. You are definitely his daughter."
"Insult me one more time, Malachi, and they will be fishing your dead body out of this river," she growled.
"Do you hate him that much?" he asked her.
"He has threatened the life of the man I love because he does not want to lose control of me, Malachi. And what does he want to do with that control – he wants me to kill for him. I am nothing but a weapon to him not a daughter. What do you think?" she spat.
"I will talk to my contacts," he sighed.
"You are a true patriot, Malachi," she said.
"You know you will never be allowed back into Israel if you do this," he said.
"Sacrifices have to be made. I love Israel but I cannot be my father's tool any longer," she said.
"Shalom, Ziva," Malachi said. "I hope you find what you are looking for in this country."
"I already have," she said. "Call me when you have put things in motion."
"Of course, Ziva," said Malachi, who then walked away
NCIS
"Are you going to be a last=y bastard forever just lying around on your tummy?" Mullen asked Tony.
Against his better judgment Tony opened his eyes to see Mullen sitting in a pair in a hospital gown, robe, and flip flops. The ginger headed agent had a smirk on his face as he stared at Tony.
"What is it, PJ?" asked Tony.
"I was wondering when the two of us can sign out of this place AMA and kick some mafia ass," he said.
"Help me to sit up," Tony said.
He moved onto his side and slowly moved his legs over the side of the bed then grabbed Mullen's offered right hand and let Mullen pull him into a seated position. Tony scrunched up his face in pain for a moment then offered Mullen a false smile.
"Call Fornell and tell him I need jeans and my zip up hoodie. I see no reason to stay here any longer," Tony said.
"That's my fearless leader. My dizziness is gone and my headache is manageable. I'm ready to get a real meal, have a drink and kick some fucking mafia ass," Mullen said.
"This is the man covering you six?" Gibbs asked as he walked in on Mullen and Tony.
"PJ Mullen, this is my boss: Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs," said Tony.
"The two of you need a few more days in the hospital," said Gibbs.
"Haven't you seen an Errol Flynn movie? He'd be lashed in the morning and swashbuckling my dinner," said Mullen.
"This isn't the movies," Gibbs growled.
"I know. They haven't served popcorn and soda pop since I've been here," said Mullen.
Gibbs glared at Mullen making Tony laugh.
"Gibbs, when are you leaving?" Tony asked.
"In two hours. Director Shepard and Ziva should be here soon to say goodbye," said Gibbs.
"Are you going to take care of what we talked about?" Tony asked.
"It's already started. Jenny made some calls to State and I've talked to a few people I know at DOD," he said. "We are working on something."
"Good," smiled Tony.
The door opened and Ziva and Jenny walked it. Both women were surprised to see Tony sitting up.
"Ahuvi, should you be sitting up?" asked Ziva.
"I'm bored," he said.
"That does not answer my question," she said.
"I'm fine, Ziva," he said.
"Tony. I think you are looking much better," said Jenny then she looked at Gibbs and Mullen. "Gentlemen, why don't we give them some privacy to say goodbye?"
"DiNozzo, head on a swivel and watch your six," said Gibbs as he followed Jenny out of the room.
Mullen got up smiled and then said, "Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Mullen left.
Once alone Ziva moved in between Tony's legs, placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him. For a few moments all his pain disappeared as he lost himself in the kiss. She stopped and stepped back.
"Are you going to be alright?' he asked her.
"I am going to be fine, Tony," she said. "Once I am free of Mossad I am coming back to New York to be with you."
"I trust Gibbs and Jenny," he said.
"And I have faith that others will help," she smiled.
"You aren't telling me something, are you?" he asked.
"Do you trust me?" she asked him.
"With my life," he answered.
"Then trust me," she said and kissed him again.
"Okay, I'll trust you," he sighed as she pulled away.
Ziva started towards the door and stopped: "If Mossad lets me go, then I won't be able to go back to Israel and NCIS won't be able to employ since I'm not a citizen and Mossad will expect me out of my apartment. What will I do?"
He looked at her as she stood there smiling.
"You'll live with me and we'll just have to get married to keep you in the country," he smiled.
"Is that a proposal?" she asked.
"Yes, it was," he said.
"Then I say yes," Ziva laughed and then left Tony sitting on his bed with a grin on his face.