Chapter 2

Gibbs felt his stomach turn as he pushed the accelerator on the car down harder. When McGee called he could hear Ziva voice on coming thru the phone Gibbs heart had sunk. He knew intellectually that he could not always keep them safe but in his soul he understood that all of them where his responsibility. When Ziva had shot Ari to save him; her broken soul became his to guard he had felt it instantly. They were all broken in some way except maybe Abby but they were all his, they were all his family. He tried McGee's phone again but there was still no answer his.

"Damn" Gibbs swore as he finally turned on to Ziva's street with tires squealing he pulled into the parking structure he knew the firefight was over when he could barely pull his car into the structure. There were cop cars everywhere he parked off to the side. Got out of the car and pulled his badge to show the officers that were approaching him and took off running. First he noticed the fire department putting down the flames on Ziva's car, than he saw the ambulance with McGee standing next to the door.

"Boss!" yelled out McGee indicating where they were.

That is when Gibbs saw Tony walking next to a gurney. He looked up to see Gibbs.

"How bad?" when Gibbs came in contact with them turning to look at Ziva lying there looking up at him. He notices the cut to her face, the tube sticking out of her chest and her leg in a splint.

"I am fine, Gibbs" now looking more pissed off than scared. He smiled slightly.

"You're late" he teased lightly trying to gage just how hurt she really was.

"I ran into a few obstacles," smiling wryly softening her eyes.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Tony" Gibbs pulled him away from the gurney as they loaded Ziva into the ambulance.

"Yeah, boss"

"You're with David"

Tony nodded. He had already planned on going, but he was glad he didn't have to fight with Gibbs about it.

"Do not let her out of your sight, whatever hospital says" He pierced Tony with one of his Gibbs stares. "We don't know when or if someone is going to take another run at her, Call me when you know something. McGee you're with me" with that he stormed up toward the smoking car with McGee behind him.

Tony jumped into that back of the ambulance, taking a seat next Ziva's head as the doors slammed behind him. He saw momentary relief in her eyes before her wall of strength flew back up.

"Tony, you do not have to come I am perfectly capable…." Her voice trailed off into confusion as he smiled widely at her rolling his eyes.

He took her hand in his and leaned down next to her ear and whispered "close your eyes, I have your six now"

Ziva wanted to fight him but she felt the fatigue as she relaxed into his words and when Tony lifted his head she had closed her eyes letting the tension slip away.

Gibbs and McGee watched as the ambulance pulled out toward the structures exit. They were pulling equipment out of the bullet riddle car that Tony and McGee had arrived in. Gibbs pulled out his cell, walking a few feet away from McGee.

"Director Vance office" Cynthia answered. Gibbs winced a little at the name; it would be easier if it was Jen he thought.

"It Gibbs, I need to speak to him, now" a little miffed for having to go thru her.

"He is in a meeting Agent Gibbs can I leave him a message" sweetly, she had been around through several directors and dealt with Gibbs through all of them. She never took him personally no matter how gruff he got.

"Put him on the line Cynthia, I have an agent down" strictly as if he was talking to a pupil.

"Hold on"

"Gibbs" Vance came on the line with tension in his voice.

"David, at her home" Gibbs answered the question that had yet to be asked "not sure of exactly what happened, but it looks professional"

Gibbs in his own distraction had left out the details that Vance had wanted the most.

"Gibbs how is she?" Vance rubbed his temple knowing his next call would be to her father.

"I think she going to make it looks like a broken leg and some other miscellaneous injuries DiNozzo went with her to Bethesda." He paused hoping he was right.

"What do you need there?" Vance pulling him back to the present.

"I need another team with a truck. The scene is huge. At least 10 guys down, we need Duck" Vance was making notes nodding his head.

"I will contact the MP at Bethesda to back up DiNozzo" as he hand off a note to Cynthia "Cynthia, get Director David on the phone ASAP" calling after her. He turned his attention back to Gibbs "I will have the rest of them down there in 30 min, you said it was professional, are we talking Mossad enemies or do we know yet?"

Gibb knew Vance well enough to know what he wanted; the information for the Mossad Director.

Gibbs looked down at one of the dead men lying in the middle of the mess, he was an African American looked about 20. "Not on the surface but anything you can dig up from the director could be helpful" At that moment McGee who was now inside the Black Van signaled him. "Got to go"

"Keep me updated"

Gibbs shoved the phone into his pocket and walked up to the van. "What do you got?"

"Boss I don't think these guys knew who Ziva was" Gibbs looked at the younger agent waiting not very patiently for him to explain. McGee jumped down out of the van showing the older agent the photos and notes. There were a handful of photo coming and leaving her apartment, one of her at a crime scene with her hand on Tony's arm in the NCIS wind breakers, and one of her Mini. The notes talk about the bomb, firepower and her comings and goings. "It was a job, these guys just thought she was a fed not Mossad, look on the note they referred to her as an NCIS Special Agent not as a Mossad Officer." McGee looked up to Gibbs waiting.

"Good work, bag it" was all Gibbs said, not entirely convinced but this just left him confused as to whom was behind this, He was sure of one thing these guys were just the hired help, the cheap hired help. The knot in his stomach tightened telling him that this was not over yet.