Authour's Note: Good god. I can't believe I actually wrote another chapter this fast. It's a short one though. Enjoy!
A cut along the arm. Then a demand. "Tell us what you know about NCIS."
She said nothing and earned another cut on her arm as a result.
It was the same as usual. Her captors demanding information, beatings for not answering, and being left alone in the darkness of the room she was imprisoned in. Insults were thrown at her and punishments were given just as freely.
As the man left the room, unsatisfied yet again on the lack of answers he enlisted from her, she just sighed and concentrated on breathing in and out, ignoring the pain radiating from her arm.
It was always like this- the routine was her only sanity. She needed it just like she needed the scraps of food and water they offered her. It stabilized her.
But sometimes, she wonders if it'll be better if her captors just slit her throat and leave her to die instead. After all, what did they really expect? She was raised as Mossad; she wasn't going to give away information no matter what they did to her.
The only thing that stumped her was why they wanted information on NCIS. And how they knew so much about her. They must have known she was trying to infiltrate the camp. They must have been tipped off. Rivkin… She shook her head. But he was dead. It was impossible.
Thinking about him still left a dull ache in her chest but she had been thinking a lot about him, considering she has nothing to do but think considering the situation she was stuck in. She realizes now that maybe, after all this time, she never really loved Michael, at least not in the biblical sense. She had always admired and respected him ever since she was assigned to his Kidon unit. But now, she is aware that respect is not the same as love- you respect the ones you love, but you don't have to love the ones you respect.
Things were coming together now, piece by piece. It actually all seemed a little crazy to her but maybe Michael had really been working for the other side. It would explain a lot. He could have turned rouge, just like him... just like Ari…
The name left a bitter taste in her mouth as the word whispered itself involuntarily from her mouth. Or maybe it was just the taste of her blood from biting her tongue. She shook her head as to get rid of the crushing feelings she knew was bound to come but the action bought on pain instead. Wincing, she made a mental note not to do that again. But the guilt was certainly creeping up on her now. Guilt at killing her beloved brother. Guilt for not noticing what he was going through. And underneath it all, sadness and anger at his betrayal.
Her self pitying session was interrupted when the door was swung open suddenly and a voice emanated from the darkened hallway, "Ready for another round Princess?"
She arranged her facial features, her face not giving anything away. The man roughly grabbed her hair and yanked her head up, gaining a small cry of pain in return. The man smiled predatorily.
"Now," he said, his breath foul, "Tell me everything you know about NCIS."
Her face remained closed as the man growled at her and back-handed her across the face. As blood trickled down the side of her face in slow tendrils, she just glared right back at him, smirking because she knew that these curs were never going to get what they wanted from her.
No matter what they do to her, she had already decided, no, she had already knew deep down inside of her, that she was never going to crack and give information. Especially information on NCIS where her friends (family) are. She'd rather die first. Their lives depend on her.
And if anything, Ziva David does not disappoint. She was not planning on disappointing them now, like she did when she walked away from them.
As Gibbs, DiNozzo, and McGee strap themselves into the seats of the plane, DiNozzo wonders at how, after what was all said and done, it was actually McGee and Abby who pulled through to get the plan in motion. If it was just Tony and Gibbs, they would've just burst into Eli's office, threaten him at gun point to tell them what Ziva's mission was and where she was last seen, and scoured the deserts of Africa for her.
As the plane lifted off, Tony scoffed as he remembered exactly what happened just a couple days ago in Vance's office.
Right after the silence that snared the room, DiNozzo had promptly told the director that he was going to go after Ziva no matter what he said and there was nothing he could do to stop him. Gibbs said the same thing in more or less words and McGee just nodded at whatever was being said at the moment.
Then Vance asked them a question that stopped their rambling, "Do you even know where she is right now?"
DiNozzo just gaped open mouthed at the director as he goes on to say, "As much as I would like to help you, I cannot since Director David has not been forthwith with information concerning Ziva. Even if David did tell me information, there is nothing we can do since she is no longer our jurisdiction. But we can still work ways around it if only we know where she is and-"
"Somalia."
Everyone's head swiveled around to look at McGee who had interrupted the Director.
"Pardon me McGee?"
McGee's face was slowly turning a pretty shade of red under the combined scrutiny of the three men. He cleared his throat and said again, "Somalia. That's where Ziva is."
Vance quirked an eyebrow. "And how did you come across this information?" he asked at the same time as Gibbs smacked McGee in the back of the head and growled out, "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
McGee rubbed the back of his head rather sheepishly. "Well it was really all Abby's idea-"and stopped, eyes wide. "Well I mean it was also my idea cause I mean we were both curious as to why Ziva wasn't responding to our e-mails and letters and Abby was getting worried and she might have- Director Vance, please let this slide cause we were just trying to find out where Ziva went and-"
This time, it was DiNozzo who smacked Mcgee in the back of the head. "Get on with it McGee! We don't have all day!"
McGee fidgeted and took a breath in before plunging forward in his story.
"Well, as I was saying, Abby and I have been trying to find out why Ziva hadn't contacted us yet." He turned to Tony. "I mean, I'd understand if she didn't contact you but us too?"
DiNozzo looked at the floor at that.
"So Abby and I have been poking around Mossad and-"
"So that means you've been snooping around Mossad? You do know that is a crime right?" deadpanned Vance.
McGee reddened even more when Vance posted that question until he noticed Vance's eyes filled with amusement and acceptance.
"And, er, to make a long story short, Abby found out that Ziva took over Rivkin's position and mission in the Kidon unit," McGee went on, glazing over Rickin's name real quickly. "And so, she was put on a freighter called the Damocles that was bound for the Horn of Africa. Somalia specifically." He finished lamely and fidgeted some more under Vance's critical gaze.
There was a pause until Tony smiled just a little and said to Vance, "Does this mean I get to go to Africa?"
Turns out DiNozzo was wrong on the I part since I turned to we when Gibbs huffed and said he could call in a favour to get a plane to Somalia if McGee and Abby were that sure that that was where Ziva is.
Things snowballed from there and blurred into one gigantic gray mass and now they're all on a plane that Gibbs 'borrowed' from his friend (more like forced him to give it to him).
McGee was already snoring away, his limbs sprawled out, spilling on to the aisle.
As Gibbs and the pilot converse in low urgent whispers, Tony was lulled to sleep. And his last thought before falling into a dream about closed doors and a graceful figure twisting away from him was that he was not going to let Ziva down, like he did when he let her walk away from them when he knew she wanted to stay.
So the next chapter might not come that quickly like this one cause I have to study for Russian. Ugh.
Oh and another thing! Try Hazelnut Soy Ice Coffee at Starbucks! It's mad good!
Once again, reviews are much appreciated.