Chapter 12 - The light at the end of the tunnel is near!

Sharon put Abby's lab on speaker,

"MI-6 Forensics' to NCIS Forensics'…. Abby do you have any idea how we can get out of this pickle?!"

Abby rapidly replied, "Sharon, Director Vance left for a meeting with our head of security…"

"Abby, don't want to burst your bubble but director Vance is not a heavy player in that kind of decision. Be it on English or US waters, this helicopter must go down at sea. We might have a window of opportunity if there's a sub that can reach us in time. I look at my right and I have one of your fighter jets and I look at my left and I see its twin. Girl, they have orders to escort us to the safest dumping ground at sea and dump us in it,"

Abby yelled, "No Sharon, we don't do that!"

Eyal shook his head and took Sharon's headphones, "Abby, damn, get out of your rose garden, put that creative mind of yours to work. We need help here!"

Ziva pinched his arm, "Eyal, stop! NCIS doesn't deal with this kind of shit, give her some slack, she's not Rivka!"

Tim spoke, "Guys, do you think you have time to jump before being hit by the missiles?"

"No can-do Tim, with the draft these fighter jets are making, we jump and our bodies will be like little birds who meet up with the reactors of a plane. I prefer to die being taken down by missiles."

Ziva and Eyal approved!

Abby stuttered but succeeded in getting out, "Can you sign to the one of the pilots?"

Sharon answered, "Yes, they are in my face so to speak."

Gibbs spoke, "Sharon, found a sub that agreed to rendezvous with you; ETA 10 minutes. From NCIS, we cannot communicate with those fighter pilots. They are on target lock down, only a head of state can recall them. Tim is trying to get a visual but NSA is blocking all lines. They want this to be 'an unfortunate accident at sea'! The pilot who is at your right, if it's the usual formation, is a friend. Want you to sign; Gibbs asked to pull back, code 1499. He owes me big and knows I would never put our country in danger. He might, and I repeat, might, give us a very short window of opportunity. Want you all to strip, you must hit the water as 'pure' as you were born. The sub won't pick you up otherwise. Guys, it's going to sting, go in feet first and try to tuck in everything you can!"

"Gibbs already done that, I'm extreme extraction and forensic…. remember! Royal Marine have the same rules and I've lived by them many times on extractions. I know the drill."

Ziva tried to lighten up the atmosphere, "Well…. at least I'll be clean! Sharon gave us some soap to …."

Eyal answered, "Not soap, it's VASELINE and it's going to save your damn life!"

Sharon replied, "Shut the f_ck up both of you, Gibbs, the water….?"

"Damn cold at this time of year, huddle together if you can."

"Gibbs, crossing my fingers, here goes nothing! Thanks and send out a prayer for us! Signing out!"

The team heard yelling and commotion. All had their fingers crossed as they heard the missile hitting the helicopter. The explosion that followed left a deafening silence!

Abby was fighting tears, Tim could barely breathe, Tony had not said a word since the beginning of the whole ordeal and Gibbs was staring into the empty space in front of him. Director Vance barged in and ordered,

"MTAC now! All of you!"

As they entered, Vance and the technician applauded them and opened a space for the team to see Sharon, Eyal and Ziva being rapidly pulled out of the water. All seemed unconscious but Vance lipped 'They are alive'. Smiles returned to their faces and Abby was the first to question.

"Director Vance, can we speak to them, are they really OK…."

"Abby, what you are seeing is proprietary information, it must not leave this room. Those three will be reported dead…."

"No ... no they can't do that, Eyal's son…"

Director Vance sternly replied, "Eyal approved, do not worry. He was the only one conscious when they pulled them out. We briefly spoke. It will be rumored that they are missing in action and presumed dead. Abby, we can't mother this situation … something needs to break. Tony care to read in your people on how this is going to play out?"

"Look, we need to up the stakes. Nathan will be frantic if he thinks Eyal is dead. We hope his fear will force him to make a mistake that will permit us to track him or that he'll give us a hint of what he's up to. Ziva and Sharon will be the ground tracking crew. He was a successful dead killer for hire…. Well, those girls will try to do the same a dead field agents! Tim and Abby, counting on you to uncover the signal or whatyoucallit that will give us a lead to his hiding place. The news coming out will be that Mossad Officer Eyal Lavin, MI-6 Agent Sharon Welby and NCIS's own Special Agent Ziva David are lost at sea after a miss rendezvous with one of our submarines while on a training exercise. Not far from the true but not quite. Eyal will communicate with Nathan when he senses the guy is at his wits end and claim that he was in a medical induced coma."

Gibbs interrupted, "People, need to inform you that Special Agent Quinn was found unconscious a couple of miles away from the base. She was drugged. Do not worry, the lady is in hospital and doing fine. The Nathan affair and the hazardous gas scare are not related. Sadly, we have one of our very own to blame for causing this last commotion. Seems, as Quinn reported, that he did not accept Tony being promoted to group leaders. The man staged a very ill attempt at getting revenge! I will not mention any names since we still don't have all the facts. I'm sure that by days end you'll have uncovered all the nitty-gritty details! Just be hush hush about it, please. I need to put a team on this investigation. Getting back to our mission; Abby, Tim, we're upped the security of the lab. People, do not talk of the case other than in MTAC or Abby's lab. Nathan or Ari knows this place, we might be bugged. Am I clear?"

All nodded.

There was a knock and Special Agent Abigail Borin of the Coast Guard Investigative Service- CGIS was allowed in. Dr. Mallard was with her.

"Gibbs, we have a delivery for you. I was told to escort them and leave them in your care only. The MI-6 agent should be checked. Our medical team gave me these orders on her behalf."

Vance took the envelope and rapidly read. "Damn, she needs to be hospitalized or kept on bed rest, it's a level three concussion…. with all that it brings. We can't put her in the field!"

Officer Borin added, "I can attest that she is pretty mixed up and that Mossad officer is protecting her like a hawk! Abby would love some heads-up the next time you guys receive such a handsome visitor!"

Borin had, as usual, succeeded in lightening the atmosphere with her bad luck relationship-wise jokes.

Gibbs came back with Ziva, Eyal and Sharon in tow. As Sharon entered the room the first step down MTAC stairs caused her to lose her balance. Ziva helped her and Eyal extended his arm for her to lean on.

Borin outed a long sigh and said, "I've often dreamed of waking up to such wonderful eyes and face!"

Sharon hit her head with both hands. Abby spoke, "Hey, don't make your condition worst. You don't fool around with grade three concussion."

Sharon managed to ask, "Bathroom, now! I need to throw up!"

Eyal picked her up and got her to the nearest bathroom … the men's'!

Sitting on the bathroom floor as Sharon came out, Eyal stated, "No going to ask how you're feeling… I know. Been there a couple of times. Don't fight it, only time will help. There's no pill for that kind of injury."

"I know, also been there a couple of times. Move over!"

He helped her sit next to him. She signed "Is it safe to talk?"

Eyal winced, "Yes, I'll bring you up to par: We are presumed dead. Look at your wrist … no more chip. Mine is also out. While on the sub talked with Vance. We are upping the stakes and forcing Nathan to make a move. Abby and Tim, as we speak, are trying to track all incoming communications. His conversations are still being sent to my phone and your iPod if we are within reach. I'll come back to life if I sense he's losing it."

"Your son?"

Eyal's shoulders sank, "He's as safe as can be. If MI-6 and Mossad can't save him…. I could not do better."

"How did you succeed in taking out the chip without him being alerted? It must be trigger sensitive"

"Ziva keeping her chip is permitting us to stay one step ahead of Nathan. Abby is one smart lady!"

Sharon smiled, "Let me guess, implanting the chip in my wrist was not only for me being able to monitor your conversations. She also added sensors to be able to study what makes it tick!"

"Bingo! I am now a free man, so to speak…. Damn, it feels good!"

He gently pulled her towards him and started to kiss her.

She pulled back and ran towards one of the bathrooms.

He chuckled and said, "Must admit never had a woman throwing up as I tried to kiss her!"

Splashing cold water in her face, she replied, "Why don't we take a rain check on the 'getting to know each other'…. I'd prefer it not be on a bathroom floor."

"Sharon, that kiss was to thank you. You have a raincheck for the real thing! Hey, you saved mine and Ziva's life today. MI-6 are lucky to have such a quick wit thinker and no rules apply operative! Extreme extractions are your niche … fight for it!"

"Tell that to my father! He doesn't think much of my way of doing things!"

"Don't worry…. I plan to!"

"Eyal….. he's my father but also head of MI-6 and can be a s_n-of-a-bi_tch at times. After this shit is over, I'd really like for us to get to know each other more. If you piss off my father, we'll be doomed before 'we' can start something."

"Well, if we do start 'something' it will have to be off grid or off books as you say it. At Mossad and I can safely say, at MI-6, there is a rule; Don't date a foreign spy. My agency adds…. You do…. You die!"

She answered with an 'I know something you don't' face, "Who said I was a foreign spy?"

At that she pushed her hair back and pulled on her left ear. Eyal's eyes widened as he saw a tiny tattoo of the infinity sign with an anchor at one end and an olive tree of life at the other.

"How did you get a well-kept Kidon tattoo? Ah, I get it…. Nathan or another Mossad spy you spent some downtime with…. You saw and like the design. I have to say it's a very good copy of the original!"

Sharon had a teasing smile as she answered, "It's mine, all mine and the real thing! Where's yours … in the usual spot!

A surprised Eyal pulled his head back as they heard people approaching, Sharon whispered,

"Look, now is not the time to get into that matter. I'll come clean later, promise."

Intrigue, he nodded as she helped him up the bathroom floor.

Gibbs and Tony entered. They both saw something had gone down between the two.

Tony spoke, "OK, we need to get back in MTAC. You OK, Sharon?"

"No, but I know the drill; I'll suck it up."

Tony put his arm around her shoulders as they headed towards MTAC,

"Maybe as a spy or under MI-6's rules, but Officer Welby you are part of my team. My people, I'm sure it's the same for Gibbs, do not work with a grade 3 concussion. Tim will be replacing you and you'll assist Abby in the lab. It will permit you to see how different Abby's work is from yours and vice-versa."

Sharon winced, "Don't want to put anyone down, but Tim with Nathan…."

Eyal spoke, "Officer Welby, Nathan knows how spies think and operate. He cornered me well with that knowledge. I admit; never seen him coming! Tim, on the other hand, does not think like a spy, but he has enough training to protect himself. What he is missing, Ziva can compensate. Tim might just turn out to be our ace in the hole. I agree with Tony, you are not fit to be sent into the field."

"Not your call…." Sharon answered,

Tony squeezed her shoulder enough to make her wince, "No, it's mine. You'll assist Abby, case closed."

Sharon, from experience, knew when not to argue … this was that kind of when! Plus, Tony and Eyal were right. She did not feel good; her body was hurting; her head was spinning and the need to vomit was only a move of the head away. She had been the last to jump but the first to hit the water. Her parachute was a smaller size, too small for that kind of jump. She had hit the water with more force than Ziva and Eyal. She remembered Eyal grabbing and untangling her from the chute but her memory stopped there.

"Damn, why didn't I ask him about how he felt! The man thanked me for saving his life when in fact it might be the other way around. Think I need to give selfish old me a kick in the butt!"

They entered MTAC and Abby flew past Gibbs and Tony directly into Sharon's face, "You OK, you look so pale!"

"Abby, I'll be fine. Seems will be partners, look forward to learning from you!"

Gibbs called on all to sit. Ziva went next to Sharon and Abby. Sharon discreetly asked Ziva,

"Ziva, I don't have any memory of what went on after I hit the water. Did you stay conscious?"

"Barely. Girl, we owe our lives to Eyal! You hit the water first, Eyal and I about the same time. For me, the impact brought flashbacks from a mission gone very wrong. Had Eyal not been there to get me out of my stupor, I've drowned. Then he went looking for you. Your chute was too small for such a jump, you hit the water fast and hard. Sharon, Eyal has genuine feelings for you. Never seen my friend Eyal's eyes so worried. We'll talk later… I can sense Gibbs staring at us!"

Sharon looked past Ziva and she was right…. Those blue eyes were not friendly at this moment!

"If you ladies are finished rating us men, we like to talk about what is expected from us in the next 48 hours."

Ziva nodded and whispered, "Sorry."

Tony spoke, "OK, here's a rapid summary of what we are facing. We have one resurrected Nathan Haswari, twin brother of whom we called Ari Haswari, brothers of Ziva David. The man is planning a coup of some sort. Officer Lavin's son is serving as a bargaining chip. Nathan has a grade 4 pancreatic cancer; the man is dying. Sharon, your hunch was right for the Kraken King author Ms. Brooke. We just receive the DNA analysis and it proves at 81% that Ari/Nathan could be her father. She is being closely watched by Abigail Thomas. The woman is a friend of Tim, an author and ex-CIA. Time was of the essence, Sharon. We could not use your MI6 asset. From the little we know from Abygail, Ms. Brooke does not seem to be involved. Back to our case; Nathan communicates with Eyal through an old Mossad tracking chip. That gadget sends messages to Eyal's iPhone. It also can transmit voices to Haswari but only at a very short range. Abby will brief you later in all the possibilities of that toy (most of you know them). Let's say it's quite a gadget! As of now, Sharon, Eyal and Ziva are MIA. We might be playing with fire but from what Dr. Mallard could profile from Eyal's texted conversations, Nathan is desperate for something. The last attempts to reach Eyal were very dark in nature. He's nervous…. we are in the process of resurrecting one Ziva David. We hope this will give us time to put in place a protocol to squeeze Nathan out of his hiding place. If not, Eyal will also be 'resurrected'."

Director Vance was looking at Sharon, he asked, "Officer Welby, are you OK?"

"Yes, I'm OK…. I'm asking myself; what could a presume dead and dying cold-blooded killer, with nothing to lose, want in America that he can't get elsewhere? It doesn't make sense. Revenge on NCIS/Mossad/Ziva, he had many years and opportunities to execute a plan, money – he has more than he needs….. Hate it when my head decides to take over my being. Sorry, when I get in this kind of thinking mode, it's like an infamous ear worm that won't go away. Normally I welcome it, ... but my head is not in a good place at the moment."

Tim spoke, "Sharon, I reread Kraken King and there is one long sentence that stuck in my mind. It is powerful. Maybe it could help you conclude something. Ariq is talking to his would-be lover: 'I am your sword and your shield. I am your wolf and your steed. Mountains will tremble at my approach, for they know I will tear them apart if ever they stand between us. But you need not be afraid, Zenobia Fox, because my heart is iron and my will is steel."

Sharon slowly said, "Damn … it's related to Ms. Brook, I'm sure. What could a dying father …"

Sharon swore. "Tim, can you get Ms. Brook's medical files? Nathan might not be the only one dying!"

Ducky repeated Sharon's swear words and all looked at him. Never did the man swear in such an 'American' way.

"By God, think that girl is onto something. A father would want to protect his child from harm's way. Save her from an illness at any cost!"

Eyal spoke, "Hey, we've been through that line of thinking. Ms. Brook is not in the picture. What could US National Security give a successful and rich author! She could not use any of that knowledge for her books, she'd be arrested before it got published. She's a love story author not a spy or mystery novelist!"

Sharon shot out of MTAC….. another vomiting episode.

Tony asked Ducky to check on her. "Ducky, she really should be hospitalized. Think you can convince her?"

"No, but I can watch over her. She'll be OK, that she rests with us or in a hospital bed…. It's the same. Vomiting, in her condition, is normal. I, for one, would like to hear the rest of her line of thoughts."

Sharon came back. "Sorry all, I'm fine … till the next one. Eyal, I disagree. Since stumbling upon the Kraken King book lead, I had questions and a puzzle in the making and I'm filling in pieces…. And she is right in the middle! Why now; why did he pick you and not Ziva or another Mossad officer; why threaten your son; what does the book bring into this story and more Here are a couple of pieces of my incomplete puzzle: Piece # 1- She's his daughter; Piece # 2; She might be sick – maybe even dying; Piece # 3; You have medical knowledge and a button he could press on – your son! ... "

Eyal's face expressed annoyance, he was about to say something but Abby was fast to come to Sharon's defense. "Eyal, Sharon has a right to express herself. This is not an official campfire but …."

Tim nervously called all to look at the screen, "Eyal 0, Sharon 1. Ms. Brook is badly in need of a kidney transplant. She had one in 2014 by an anonymous donor but her body is rejecting it. She's presently in dialysis with no donors in sight and losing many battles as the time passes."

Ducky added, "Nathan was that anonymous donor and now he can't because of his cancer and only one kidney left. But why …."

Sharon shot Eyal an 'I told you so' defiant stare and completed,

"In what year was the Kraken King written – 2014, same year as her transplant. Yes Ducky, Nathan was the anonymous donor and he arranged for Ms. Brooks to find him! He wrote the book with her while they were both in convalescence. It's the only possible explanation, no successful author would claim a story as her own when it was written by another. He easily convinced her not to mention his participation … him wanting to stay anonymous! Tim, those strong words you cited…. I am your sword and your shield, etc., gave me answers (puzzle pieces), very good thinking on your part!. Everything is so fitting: Nathan was on top of the world at that time; He was a very successful killer for hire and had just saved his daughter from death. He was on cloud nine, feeling invincible a superman! He must have decided, since he didn't have anything else to do; to contact his daughter while they were both healing. Don't know how the writing came about. That book will not give us a hint of what he's planning … it will give us a time line of him thinking of himself as the King of the world! The more I remember the book, the more I see the man and his motives! That is what inspectors do; try and find a motive! We just did! Pretty sure Ms. Brook has no knowledge of him being her father, she knows him only as her miracle donor and savior! Just like he wanted it! Now, she's at square one again…. And he's a fallen hero!"

Ducky spilled out, "Ohhhh how right she is…. That's him … 100% him! Once a ba_tard always a ba_tard! I will read that book! Listen to what the word Kraken means and you'll understand more that Sharon is dead on!

Below the thunders of the upper deep;
Far far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
About his shadowy sides; above him swell
Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;
And far away into the sickly light,
From many a wondrous grot and secret cell
Unnumber'd and enormous polypi
Winnow with giant arms the slumbering green.
There hath he lain for ages, and will lie
Battening upon huge seaworms in his sleep,
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by man and angels to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die."

Gibbs sternly looked at Ducky, "Enough with the vulgarity … bring back the conservative Ducky!"

"Dear Jethro, where Ari or Nathan is concerned, permit me to be one badass operative for once! What that man did to us … all of us, he does not deserve 'conservative' me!"

Abby softly spoke, "I agree with Sharon and Ducky and I can add to it. It is difficult for 100% Americans to find a compatible donor. Ms. Brook is of Israeli and Arad descent, making it a lot harder for a match."

Eyal rubbed his eyes, "Why in the hell are you sidelined at MI-6,?! That mind of yours is … well… Sharon, you're thinking is scaring the hell out of me! Look, I get that my medical knowledge could fit in this picture. If he wanted a kidney of mine, he could get it …."

Tim screeched out, "Eyal, you just gave me a lead, I might be wrong … he's not after you but the mother side of the family. She was maybe a Marine and he wants her records. She may be dead, alive, he wants to find her family tree."

Tony asked, "Wouldn't it be easier to just ask, or use a go-between …. He has the money to buy two-timing traitors! Why go through so much trouble?"

Ziva had been quiet, she had not spoken a word since the beginning of the undrapping. She got up and faced her teammates,

"I don't know why he is using Eyal and Avi, but he must have a reason. My father always said that Hasmia Haswari had asked him, beg him … to put an end to her suffering…. acute kidney failure. He was telling the truth! He didn't murder her. Ari must have come to the same conclusion I just did! My brother went rogue, became a black op to get a vengeance on Eli…. and he was wrong! He wrote that book to glorify and maybe purge himself because deep down, he knew … his lifelong vendetta was for the wrong reasons … my … his father didn't kill his mother!"

Tears were streaming down her face as Eyal pulled her towards him and hugged her.

Gibbs whispered to himself, "That's a Redhead for you!"

To be continued!