Chapter Twelve
Ziva sat in Gibbs' basement nursing a mason jar of bourbon getting very drunk and watching him build his boat. Her usually buried emotions were coming to the surface. Gibbs was using his hand sander on a rough piece of wood while letting her deal in her own way.
"Fornell said he was too busy to interrupt Tony," said Ziva.
"Yup. He was bringing in a mafia enforcer. He wanted Tony to have his head in the game," said Gibbs.
"Still, he could have told him. Tony chew a candy bar and walk at the same time," Ziva said.
Gibbs stopped sanding and looked at her for a moment wondering if he should correct her idiom. He didn't know whether to be amused or annoyed that she was drunk on his bourbon. Of course, after the past couple days she had a right to tie one on.
"You miss, DiNozzo," he said.
She smiled then blushed, which made Gibbs roll his eyes and wish he hadn't asked.
"I am in love with him, Gibbs, and I love him. It is strange but I can't help myself," Ziva said.
"Well, you'll talk to him soon," he said.
This was then that Gibbs cellphone rang. He took it out of his jeans and looked at it then answered.
"Yeah," he said.
"Boss, is Ziva alright?" Tony asked.
"I'm looking at her right now. She is drunk but fine," he said.
"Drunk? Ziva is drunk. It takes a lot to get her drunk, boss," he said.
"I know. She's been drink my bourbon. You owe me a bottle," sighed Gibbs.
"Mossad let her go?" Tony asked.
"Yup. Kicked her out of the country, too. She has no place to live, no job, and a boyfriend in New York working for the FBI instead of being here to console her," he said.
"Can I speak to her, boss?" asked Tony.
Gibbs held up the cellphone and said: "It's DiNozzo. He wants to talk to you."
She rushed over and took the phone and spoke to him: "Ahuvi, I miss you."
"I miss you, too, Zi," Tony said.
"I have no home," she said almost sounding like a lost little girl, which broke Tony's heart.
"Yes, you do," he said. "You have a home with me. You will always have a home with me."
"Do I?" she said with her eyes filling up.
"Yes, my love. Don't worry about staying in the country. We'll take care of that. Tell Gibbs that I'll marry you when I come back to DC," he said.
"Marry me?" she repeated.
"Of course, I'd marry you. I love you and I'm not letting you go anywhere," he said.
"I love you, too," Ziva said and started to cry.
Gibbs took the cellphone away from her and then wrapped his right arm around her. He put the cellphone up to his ear.
"Thanks for leave me with a crying woman on my hands," he growled.
"I told her that I'd marry her boss," he said.
"We'll deal with that when you come back to DC," snarled Gibbs then he hung up.
"Come on, Ziver, it's time to go to sleep," he started to walk her to the stairs.
"He loves me, Gibbs, and wants to marry me," she sobbed. "I made the right choice, right?"
"Yeah, you made the right choice," he said.
NCIS
Tony's newest problem was finding information on Scalia which would help Malachi in his mission. He was less than thrilled with the idea of being involved in an assassination but he knew he needed to protect Ziva. Malachi could be protecting her six in Israel, which meant he had to help him.
He dressed in jeans, OSU tee shirt, a fisherman's sweater and his leather jacket then clipped his badge to his belt and his gun back on his right hip. Once he exited into the hallway he saw Manetti trying to quietly exit Mullen's room. This brought a grin to his mouth. He cleared his throat and she looked at him guiltily.
"Oh, about one in the morning he finally signed out AMA because he was sick of the nurses checking on me. I stayed with him to make sure he was alright," she explained.
"Yeah," Tony smirked. "If you see Fornell then tell him I've gone out doing some scouting."
"Sure," she said then added. "Do you need backup?"
"No. I'm not going to do anything dangerous. Just scouting some things," he said.
He smiled to sell his lie. She smiled back. It was sold. Tony continued towards the exit to the staircase. Once he was out on the street he headed to the parking garage where they were keeping the cars. He had the keys to the Charger.
The last time he texted Marco and asked him where to check for Scalia and his crew, he responded by telling to look in Inwood near The Cloisters. Marco had actually been in contact with the Young Turks, who assumed he would join them. No one realized he already had a deal worked out with Agent DiNozzo. Inwood was above Harlem starting at Dyckman Street and going to Harlem River. On the westside of Inwood there was an ethnic mix, while on the eastside it was mainly Latino.
Scalia knew better than to place his safe house in one of the areas where the Five Families were strong. Inwood allowed him to have a sense of safety. Of course, Marco told him that Scalia had a fetish about the cloisters. He liked to visit there almost on a daily basis, when he was up in Inwood hiding.
The cloisters overlooked the Hudson River. Created by an endowment from John D Rockefeller it incorporated five French cloistered abbeys in Fort Tyron Park. It was now a branch of the Met housing medieval art work, as well as performances of medieval music. As Tony walked around the rooms of the Cloister, he wondered by it appealed to Scalia. He wanted to get into the man's head a little, yet he couldn't reconcile Scalia's actions and his love the Cloister.
Exiting the Cloisters he caught a glimpse of a man in black cashmere overcoat with black hair. Tony noticed the shoes he was wearing were expensive Italian shoes. He followed the man who walked to the parapets that were by the edge of the land. The man stopped their and stared out at the New Jersey Palisades. He remembered that Scalia was from the Palisades and this was a beautiful view of the Palisades. Scalia didn't visit the Cloistered, but instead he visited a view the place he was born and grew up. He was staring at his past.
Scalia turned after ten minutes and walked away. Tony took out his smart phone and called Malachi.
"Yes, Tony," he answered.
"Scalia visits the Cloisters everyday but not for the museum. He visits for the view of New Jersey," Tony told him.
"If I was to show up tomorrow and wait long enough then he would appear," said Malachi.
"Yes," replied Tony.
"So tomorrow could be his last day, if I am in the right place at the right time," he said.
"Try between two and three in the afternoon. He loves the view of the Palisades," Tony told him.
"I need his number two also," said Malachi.
"You didn't ask for him before," said Tony.
"I need his number two, also. Deputy Director David told me to kill him, also," said Malachi.
"His name is Joey Notaro," said Tony. "He will be a little more difficult to find. Joey likes to stay in motion."
"I wouldn't have a problem if you killed him for me instead of found him," said Malachi.
"I'll find him," said Tony.
"Good. Find him," Malachi said. "Thank you, Tony. By helping me you are helping Ziva. Just keep that in mind."
"Does Daddy David know I'm helping?" he asked.
"Yes," said Malachi.
"He wanted Notaro the moment he found out I was helping you," he said.
"He doesn't know about our deal, Tony. He only knows that you helping me," Malachi said.
"That's for the knife in my back," Tony said.
"Tony, I am Mossad," Malachi said then paused. "You're right I would put a knife in your back."
"He wants something to hold over my head, doesn't he?" said Tony.
"Probably," said Malachi.
"How will he use me? Will he use me to get to Ziva?" he asked.
"You are too valuable an asset just to use against Ziva. He will save you for something important," said Malachi. "I will try and give you notice before it happens. Now find Notaro."
"Good working with you," Tony said then hung up.
Tony looked over at the verdant view of the palisades. He took a deep breath of fresh air then exhaled.
"I am fucked," he said to himself then took his phone out and texted Marco.
NCIS
When Gibbs came home he found Ziva sitting in the dark in the living on the sofa. Her hair was down and she looked as if she had spent the day reliving memories, as there was a haunted quality to her face. He understood that look, as he had seen it many times in the mirror.
"What's wrong, Ziver?" he asked.
"Thinking about my life, Gibbs," she said.
He took off his overcoat and hung it up then went and sat beside her.
"My father trained me from an early age to be a killer, not a daughter but a killer," she said.
"Your father is an asshole," he said.
"He wanted me to be the sharp end of the spear in order to keep Israel safe," she said.
"Still doesn't change the fact that he is an asshole," he said.
She smiled and put her head on his shoulder then he shifted his arm and put it around her giving her comfort.
"When I was ten and my mother was taking me to ballet classes, I loved them. I loved the toe shoes and the tights and dancing. Once class was over, my father or one of his friends would pick me up and take me to martial arts training," she said. "The joy of dancing had to be balanced with the discipline of fighting."
"You should have had only dancing in your life, Ziver," Gibbs said.
"I wish I had been your daughter, Gibbs," she mumbled.
He kissed the top of her head.
"Well, you and Abby are now the closest thing I have to daughters. I don't mind that," he said.
"I would like that very much," she said. "Eli loved me as a tool. I'd like to be loved as a daughter."
"Okay, Ziver," he said and he relaxed into him.
"I wish Tony was here," she said.
"He is a lucky man to have you. Do you know that?" he said to her.
"I am lucky to have him, though I have a hard time showing him that," she said.
"He knows, Ziver. He knows," Gibbs said.
NCIS
It was the second time he caught Manetti leaving Mullen's room, but this time Mullen was leaving with her. He looked over at Tony and smiled lasciviously and blushed at the same time. It was quite a feat.
"I need to change," she said and went to her room.
Mullen walked over to Tony who was tucking his blue dress shirt into his jeans.
"What does Fornell have in mind for us today?" Mullen asked.
"I guess she doesn't mind you being FBI any longer," Tony remarked.
Mullen smiled again: "I told her I'd transfer if she wants to have a relationship beyond New York City."
"And her response was?" asked Tony.
"So, how do I apply to be on your team?" asked Mullen.
"You mean Gibbs' team," Tony said.
"After this they have to give you a team of your own. I mean your team," he said.
"PJ, I'm Gibbs SFA," Tony said.
"If you say," Mullen said. "I'll be on Gibbs team then."
"Maybe," smiled Tony.
Fornell exited his room and looked at Mullen and Tony.
"What are you two up to?" he asked. "You look guilty."
"I'm not guilty of anything except being me," said Mullen.
"That's enough for me," said Fornell. "And you, DiNozzo?"
"I'm guilty of so many things, Tobias, it's just not worth mentioning," he said.
"What are you going to do today?" asked Fornell.
"I was going to see if I can get a lead on Notaro," said Tony.
"Sounds good to me," said Mullen.
"You sure you are up to it?" asked Tony.
"Yeah. Batter and bruised but unbowed," said Mullen. "Where do we look for him?"
"Strip joints in Queens, Manhattan, and New Jersey," he said.
"Like you could keep me away from that," Mullen smiled. "We have to stop so I can get a shitload of singles."
"You're not supposed to be enjoying yourself, Mullen," said Fornell.
"I'm only human, Fornell," said Mullen.
"I'd tell you to make him behave but I'm not too sure about you," Fornell said.
"Trust me, Fornell, all I want to do is find Joey Notaro," said Tony.
"Get out of here the two of you," said Fornell.
NCIS
They were on their third strip club of the day. Mullen was ogling the young woman with the surgically enhanced breasts on the stage, while Tony worked the bartenders and the waitress trying to get a bead on Notaro. The smell of the stale liquor was starting to get on his nerves, so he grabbed Mullen and exited onto a street in Queens.
"Come up with nothing again?" asked Mullen.
"Nothing and they're not lying," Tony said.
It was just then that his smart phone rang and he answered it.
"DiNozzo," said Tony.
"We finally found Tommy Scalia," said Fornell.
Tony's heart skipped a beat then ended up in his throat.
"Where is he?" asked Tony.
"Dead. Two bullets in the back at the Cloisters. I'm having the body brought to the FBI MEs," said Fornell.
"The one of the Families did it?" he asked.
"Who else?" said Fornell. "We have to find Notaro."
"I got you, Fornell," Tony hung up then looked at Mullen.
"What's wrong?" Mullen asked looking at Tony's expression of upset.
"Scalia has been knocked off," he said.
"One down," smiled Mullen, "a shitload to go."