Chapter 4

Ziva had zoned out, blocking out the background chatter and going back in time, a time in her old life where she had to kill for her country, to kill in retaliation, to kill for survival, to kill for freedom.

She had no problem blocking out the past, she was taught to bury it, was told after her first kill it will get easier, that she wouldn't think of them as human beings but monsters and the devil who want to destroy their way of life and that you should get them before they can get you. You will get it wrong from time to time, mistakes will be made, but that's the reality of war. If you think about it too much, then you wouldn't stand a chance; you kill or you be killed.

It's those mistakes that had kept her up half the night, screaming; it had gotten worse since her return from Somalia. It was her first time to be held captive. Salaam was going on and on about NCIS, what are their plans? She really didn't know anything. She went in honour of her father who had seen her as a traitor when she wanted to stay with NCIS. He guilt her into choosing a side as she couldn't have both and she had chosen his. A decision that she regretted as soon as she made it. But since Tony killed Rivkin, she felt betrayed and he was her father and all the family that she had left, what was she suppose to do?

When she saw the condition of the bodies those memories were brought up, she had seen it before and the woman behind it was truly evil and needed to be stopped... and soon.

"YO! ZIVA!" Tony shouted, to get her attention he was observing her, she was quiet and motionless he was worried that it might be too much for her and asked to take down the witness statement, who was outside. Ziva agreed and went out to do just that. Tony watched her walk out he will mention his worries to Gibbs and that she didn't reply about being watched.

As Ziva was outside she took a quick look, almost kicking herself for not doing it sooner she had a photographic memory and she would straight away notice anything out of place, but now she could not remember which car was parked in the street or hadn't been there before.

A blonde woman stood nearby eyes red and swollen she was wearing her joggers, her face ashen. Taking a deep breath she went to take her statement. "Hello I'm agent David, I be taking your statement can you describe in detail what happen? How you come across the crime scene? How did you know the deceased?"

"He's name is...was Simon Kearns he was a Lance Corporal. We started of as friends, became jogging partners I just live a few doors away. Next thing you know something clicks between us and before you know it we're sharing breakfast in bed together, it was still early days for us, but it was good." Ziva smiled. "What made you check up on him?"

"He would come round mine at 05:30 before we jog, it was like clock work and always, always on the dot. I gave it ten minutes and went to call on him to see if he was alright. I was going to knock when I notice his door was ajar. I open it, went in and..." Ziva put her hand on her arm in reassurance. "Do you believe in soul mates, agent David?..." Ziva didn't answer as the girlfriend carried on. "I believe that he was mine. The body is so badly...um... damaged... I mean there could be a slim chance that, that's not Simon right?" She asked Ziva with a glimmer of hope. "Miss...?" Ziva started.

" Lawrence, Sharon Lawrence."

"Miss Lawrence... We have our ME do a thorough examination to confirm his identity but I am sorry it looks like..."

"I know it just the thought that he was alone and in pain I...God... Who would do this? He had no enemies, he... " She broke off and broke down. "He had no enemies, there was no reason for this..."

"How long have you known him?"

"Two years."

"In that time any trouble from anyone, that you can think of?"

"No nothing, he was a good man agent David, promise me, you find the bastard that this to him, promise me."

"We try what we can. Here's my number if you can think of anything."

"Sure." Sharon Lawrence took the card and stay where she was, Ziva smiled sympathetically and was turning to go back inside the house, where that feeling of being watched still bugged her. She looked at the street, she just saw a crowd of people and empty cars nothing out of the ordinary, but the feeling wasn't going to go away anytime soon and again she kicked herself, she has lost her touch. She stood there a few good seconds before she realise her name was again being called out she hesitate but it was Gibbs who was calling her and knowing Gibbs 'don't keep him waiting, when he calls your name' was probably one of his golden rules. Knowing her luck it was probably in his top ten and shouldn't be ignored.

If Ziva had looked carefully, really looked she would have see a red beetle with two women inside watching her every move.

TBC...

Hope you like!