AN: Im going to do my best to finish this story by Monday the 21st. There may be some time jumps, but I'll be sure to keep it smooth. :) Enjoy! And thanks for reading!!
---
Gibbs clenched at the thought. "Not a chance McGee."
"Boss…"
"Not risking it…"
"What? My life? Yours? Theirs?" He set his jaw firm. "It's an impossible choice boss…I don't blame you for not wanting to make it…but it's the right thing to do." He waited a full minute for a response but it never came. "If I go after her…I could bring her back."
"Or you could die trying…" Gibbs countered.
"You've trained me well boss…I'm not ignorant. I know the risks, and I'm still here…I could come with you, but there's no guarantee I'll survive that either…so let me do this. Let me do this for Ziva, boss…for all of us."
"That's quite a speech McGee…"
He cleared his throat. "Meant every word boss…"
"I know," he took in a breath.
"So does that mean you're saying yes?"
"With a hell of a lot of conditions…"
Tim almost smiled. "Should I write them down?"
Gibbs only glared in return.
Ducky was working hard on nothing in particular when Director Vance paid him an impromptu visit.
"Ah, Director…what brings you down to my docile?" He barely finished his question; knowing full well why he was there.
"Seems Gibbs and Co have gone MIA…you have any idea where they might be?"
Ducky resisted asking why he didn't phone and began sifting through the random files in his hand. "I'm afraid not…things have been a bit quiet since…well, since Officer David departed."
Vance followed as he started to step away. "When was the last time you heard from them?"
He tried not to hesitate. "Last night via telephone…spoke with Agent DiNozzo for some time."
"May I ask regarding what?"
"No, you may not…" He was as polite as possible. "Between friends…I'm sure you understand."
Leon nodded towards him . "I'm starting to."
Ducky didn't respond and simply went about his work.
"Would you mind sending them my way, if you happen to hear from them?"
The ME sensed a bit of sarcasm but answered forthrightly. "I shall."
"Thank you."
Ducky nodded his goodbye, and watched him exit before letting out a deep sigh. He was getting much too old for this…
"Frequent contact…every hour on the hour. Understood?"
"What if I'm compromised?" Tim caught his glare. "I'm just saying…"
"Then you contact me as soon as humanly possible…"
His tone caused Tim to cringe inside. "I will boss…"
"Now, you're gonna need more than a sig and a suit…we get a location, we get you supplies and we get you back up."
"Back up?"
"Did I stutter McGee?"
"Well no, but I thought we were alone in this boss?"
Gibbs met his eyes. "We're never alone McGee…"
Tony spat some blood on the ground as he awakened. "Where can a guy get some mouth wash around here?"
One of his captors approached slowly. "Perhaps we should get you a new mouth?"
"I'm kinda found of my own…the ladies are too, if you know what I mean…" He managed a small wink before being struck across the face. "Some guys have been known to like it too...but that's not my thing…" And another strike.
"Do you want us to kill you?"
Tony shook his head. "I'd prefer you let me go…but you know, whatever."
"You Americans are all the same…"
"How's that?" He spat a bit more blood towards the ground.
"Weak…stupid…"
"Now come on…you can't stereotype like that…you don't see us calling all Muslims terrorists…" He thought for a moment. "Okay, not everyone…but that was after nine eleven…and we were pretty pissed…"
"Shut up!" His captor yelled for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.
"Okay, you don't have to yell…I can hear you know?"
The man picked up what looked like a steel pipe.
"Shutting up." Tony relented and watched him circle around his chair.
"If you shut up for a pipe…it's a wonder what you'll do for this." He pulled out a nice sized blade from his pocket and ran it across Tony's face.
"What do you want?" His tone shifted from his previous sarcasm.
"Unfortunately, it's not what I want that matters…"
"Then who?"
The man turned to see the door opening and smiled slightly. "See for yourself."
Tony squinted through his swollen eye lids and swallowed hard.
"Nice to see you again Anthony…please don't get up on my account."
The ride to meet the middle man was relatively silent. Tim remained fixated on the view outside his window while Gibbs ignored the speed limit. In a sense it was no different than any other day…except that it was.
"Try and act like a tourist."
Tim took the direction with a nod and followed a few steps behind him as they made their way to the destination.
"You two are blending well."
Gibbs didn't want to waste any time. "Was told you could tell us what we need to know."
"And I was told you wouldn't be pleasant…" He gave a trying smile. "Your Agent is here…" He handed him a slip of paper along with some cash, and glanced behind him at McGee. "That all the back up you have?"
"He's all the back up I'll need." Gibbs countered quickly.
"Right…well I wish you the best of luck…you're gonna need it."
Tim overheard the last words well, and took a step forward. "From what you know…do you think he's alive?"
He turned back. "Honestly?"
Tim's expression said it all.
"No…" his answer was simple and cold but he didn't seem to feel remorse. "Better to get the truth kid…you'll learn that early."
Gibbs touched McGee arms and motioned for them to go. It wasn't until they arrived back at the car that he spoke.
"Boss…"
"No use theorizing Tim…we're here to bring him back."
"Dead or alive?"
Gibbs swallowed hard, but an answer never came.
There was work to do.
"She cannot tell us anything if she is not conscious."
"She is relentless sir…we have gone as far as we can…she does not value her own life."
He didn't look concerned. "Time for plan B yes?"
"Sir?"
"If she doesn't value her own life…perhaps she'll care for another."
"I'm glad to see you've made yourself comfortable," Eli continued as he moved towards Tony's chair.
"So…this is what I get for pissing you off eh? Cant imagine how you disciplined Ziva growing up…or wait, maybe I can."
"Still a smart mouth…" He shook his head. "Somehow I am not surprised."
"It's a gift."
Eli grabbed his face tight and met his eyes. "Embarrassing me was not smart…but given your Agency, I should have expected nothing less."
"Now that hurts…" Tony mocked him outright….something told him he wouldn't be going home anyhow.
Eli only smiled. "Keep talking…that is of course, until you cant any more." He motioned for them to finish him off. "I must say, it will be sad to tell my daughter of your disappearance…she will be heartbroken I'm sure."
Tony gathered himself and sat as upright as he could. "I'm amazed a woman like her could come from the likes of you…Ari I understand…but Ziva…"
"Do you think insulting me will make me change my mind?"
"No," he took in a short breath, his mind coming to terms with his fate. "Just making my last words count for something…"
"Next you will tell me, I will not get away with this yes?"
"That's one thing I can die being sure of…"
Eli shook his head. "Then you will die a fool."
"And you will die at the hand of one pissed off marine…" His head was pulled back by his hair, as the knife once again appeared near his throat.
Eli nodded at his men before stepping outside the door, a small smile falling across his face.