Disclamer: Eh. You know the drill.
Sorry for the slow update. But I'm rewarding the wait with my longest chapter yet! Yay...
Well it's finally moving along. sorry to any who were getting bored. i just realised I'm up to chapter eight and they hadn't even gone after Ziva yet. Woah. Slow. And i do realise the unrealisticness of this chapter- you'll see- and I'm very ashamed of that. But I couldn't think of another way for them to find her... I know, I'm a failure... :D.
Anyway, Review with your fave lines! I love that.
So, enjoy. And review.
Abby didn't heed Vance's warning; as soon as she was off the phone to him she was on the phone to Gibbs.
"Gibbs! It's not her blood!"
While she sure hadn't expected a public display of jubilation- it was Gibbs, of course- she had at least expected relief. Instead, she was greeted with:
"Anything else, Abs?"
Confusion won out over logic. "Didn't you hear me, Gibbs? I said-"
"I know what you said, Abs. I'm asking if there was anything else on the necklace."
She furrowed her brow. "Well no, but I don't see why it's important anyway if Ziva's safe. Are you sure you understand-"
"I understand, Abby. Check your email."
She was confused, but complied anyway.
"Don't be alarmed, Abby," Gibbs' voice came through the phone. Just open the attachment and stay calm."
As soon as she clicked on the attachment she regretted it. The screen was filled with photos of Ziva. Battered, bruised and bloodied Ziva.
"Gibbs! What is-"
"Stay calm, Abby. These photos were with the necklace. I need you to analyse them. Find anything and everything."
"But Gibbs, how-"
"Abby!" Gibbs yelled. "Just do it." Pause. "Please."
She bit her lip. "Okay. Call you in thirty."
"Make it twenty."
She called him back in ten.
"What did you find, Abs?"
She pressed her lips into a thin line. "No. What did you find? Why are you so sure she's not safe?"
"You saw the photos, Abs."
She narrowed her eyes as she clutched the phone to her ear. "That doesn't mean anything, Gibbs. Someone could be setting us up. It wasn't her blood-"
"You saw the photos," Gibbs said again.
"Yes, but-"
Oh, Abby, ever the optimist...
"Just tell me what else you found."
"Gibbs, what-"
"Abs!"
Abby swallowed. "I thought I saw something on Zi... uh, her... her collar."
"And?"
One more try. "If I tell you this will you promise not to go on some crazy mission to-"
"I'm not going to negotiate with you Abby."
She stayed firm. "Then I won't tell you."
Finally, Gibbs lost his patience. "Do you want her to die, Abby?!"
That struck hard. Abby fought back a tear. "Die? She... she could..."
When he spoke again, his voice was soft, but taut. "Abby. Tell me what you found."
Deep breath. Exhale. "I saw something so I zoomed in. It was shady, but pretty distinctive. An insect."
"Yeah?"
"I found out that it is exclusively found in Africa, specifically Somalia."
Pause. "That's good work, Abs."
"Gibbs, please don't-"
"I'll call you later. You did good."
Click.
Abby sucked in a breath and dropped to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest.
But it wasn't her blood... it wasn't her blood... it wasn't her blood...
She didn't realise she was crying until she dragged a hand across her face and felt the wetness on her sleeve.
And then it turned into full blown sobs. Because she felt absolutely powerless.
Director Leon Vance held the receiver to his ear, waiting for the click that would tell him that he was connected. He didn't know what Eli David was trying to accomplish, but he was thoroughly sick of the lies, trickery and deception. It was time for the truth, cold hard facts... and Vance knew that this conversation would be no walk in the park.
He was rapidly coming to the conclusion that there was no one he could trust anymore. Once upon a time he would have stayed optimistic, continued to believe that his old friend would have some perfectly good explanation, but those days were gone. Long gone.
Click.
"Shalom, my friend," came the familiar voice of Director David. "I was not expecting your call-"
"And I was not expecting my top MCRT team to be blown up at your hand." Bite the bullet. Straight to the point.
Silence. "Are you really accusing-"
"Why, Eli?" Vance cut in, all Director Mode. "Just tell me why."
"Leon, I assure you I had nothing to do with this bombing you speak of. I cannot believe you think that I would be involved." Shock.
Vance leant forward in his chair, a gesture that would have been intimidating had anyone been there to witness it. "Be straight with me, Eli. What are you trying to do here?"
Snap. "I am not trying to do anything!"
"Except kill my team?"
"No!" Eli said. "I promise you I had nothing to do with this. Why would you think so?"
Pause. Sigh. Speak: "The method."
"Method?"
"Yes," Vance said, his confidence in himself wavering. Eli had always had that effect on him... "It was blown up the same way Ziva's apartment was."
And then Eli laughed. It shocked Vance at first; it was not the reaction he had expected.
"And you think that because they had the same method they must be connected?" Another light chuckle. "It is a technique that is commonly used. It is no secret, no 'Mossad special trick'." Tut tut. "I must say I am disappointed in you, Director Vance. It is not like you to jump to such... rash conclusions."
Director Vance.
And with that Vance suddenly realised the full extent of what he had just done. He had just severed the best connection he had, the best source of Intel at his disposal. He'd broken a vital rule. Never screw over the director of another agency.
Especially one that had trained assassins at its disposal.
There was a moment of silence, in which Vance fought for words and Eli simmered over this betrayal of trust.
David was the first to speak. "For the record, Director, I had nothing to do with the bombing."
Click.
Conversation over.
Vance leant back in his chair, wondering what the hell he'd just done. Incriminated his best connection with no more proof that a method? Ruined international security and relationships. He'd been an idiot; there was no proof that Mossad was involved.
Of course David would deny it. What had Vance expected; that he would just start sobbing and admit? Never. It had gone just as expected. David had denied all involvement, got very pissed and severed the connection.
And the worse part? Vance knew he wasn't lying.
The flight attendant, Karen Little, had given the silver haired man a strange look as he stepped onto the plane, a not so subtle limp to his walk.
"Are you alright, sir?"
The man had shaken her off. "I'm fine," he said gruffly, brushing past to take his seat.
A tall brown haired man behind him spoke up as he too walked past. "You'll have to excuse him- he left his happy pills at home."
He received a slap over the head for the remark.
Karen raised an eyebrow, but turned away nonetheless, one ear still on the conversation.
"If you don't shut up DiNozzo I'm gonna shove this pen up your-"
She walked to the front of the aircraft, laughing softly to herself.
Strange couple.
Taking her place at the front of the aircraft, she began the safety measure demonstration.
"Welcome aboard everyone. There will now be a short safety demonstration in the event of the need for emergency evacuation. It's a sunny day outside and perfect conditions for flying. Sit back, relax, enjoy your flight and we hope you have a pleasant stay in Somalia..."
A/N: Thoughts? Critisism? Fave lines? REVIEW!