Ziva and Abby laid together on the queen sized bed listening to the deafening silence that enveloped the room. Both women were worried about the other. Both women were worried about her significant other. Both women worried if they would make it out of this alive. The silence was broken by raised voices outside of the room. Ziva heard doors closing and got up from the bed pressing her ear to the door. Ziva listened and then hurried back to the bed. Ziva looked around the room and said "I am going to do something that might cause trouble." "So I need you to pretend to be sleep…okay…" whispered Ziva.
Abby nodded and asked "What are you going to do Ziva?"
"It sounds like some sort of storm is rolling in. An Easter storm? The guys left to get supplies. Sounds like we will be staying the night." said Ziva. "That means that they won't be moving you soon…." "I've been waiting for the right moment to use this." Ziva said reaching into her bra and pulling out a small cell phone. Ziva thought back to the attack at her apartment. At one point when she had been knocked to the ground she had managed to stash her cell phone in her bra. But using it before now would have been too dangerous. There had been too much of a chance that someone might have walked into the room. But now the stakes were raised. They would be held captive for longer than Eli had anticipated…and he might decide to cut his loses…and get rid of Abby.
"And Easter?..." "Oh you mean a Nor'easter." Abby looked shocked and whispered. "Okay." Abby lay down and turned over pretending to be asleep. Ziva laid down too using Abby's body to disguise her actions in case anyone walked into the room. Ziva called Gibbs' cell phone. "Please pick up…" whispered Ziva to herself.
Gibbs answered the phone on the second ring noting the phone number. "Ziva?"
"Gibbs I don't have long. I don't know where I am…We are being held in the bedroom…of some sort of house…with plexiglass windows." "But my father kidnapped Abby and me." "He was going to drop her off somewhere for Director Vance to find her." "And then he is taking me back to Israel." "I don't know how long it will be before that happens. They left out for supplies because of the storm that is coming in. No flights are taking off…" "I am going to leave the cell phone on…maybe McGee can trace the signal…" "Abby is doing okay…she wasn't hurt or anything. I am okay too." "Tell Tony that I love him please…"
Gibbs said "You can tell him yourself when I get you back." "I am coming for you."
"I hope…you can save us." said Ziva fighting back tears. Ziva said "I've got to go Gibbs." "Abby and I are okay for now." Ziva hung up and tucked the phone back into her bra. Ziva hoped that it would be enough. That would have to be enough because she was running out of options.
Abby turned over to look at Ziva and said "A nor'easter…is like a bad storm…high winds…lots of rain…" "It hangs around for awhile…" "Maybe…that could be a good thing." "That might give Gibbs enough time to find us."
"If anyone can find us…it is Gibbs." "He'll get here…we just have to hold out…" said Ziva.
Meanwhile….
Gibbs was in the car with Fornell. Fornell had convinced Gibbs to let him drive. Tobias was as bad a driver as Gibbs. He raced through the streets of D.C. heading into Virgina toward a known safe house in Manassas.
"Ziva said that they are staying put because of the storm that is rolling." "Eli David never left the area. For them to be grounded because of the storm..he has to be close…very close." "And we are going to get him." "Ziva has her cell phone and she left it on." "I am going to have McGee search for her location. Gibbs called McGee.
McGee was at his desk at NCIS looking for other known safe houses but was coming up emoty, McGee answered his phone. "Boss? Any news?"
"McGee I need you to check for the GPS coordinates for Ziva's phone." "It is on now but I don't know for how long." "She got a call out. Ziva and Abby are okay…for now." "The storm has pinned Eli down. He can't get a flight out of the area."
McGee asked "Did you talk to Abby? Is she okay?"
"I need you to focus Tim." "The sooner you tell me where that phone is…the sooner I can get Abby and Ziva back safely." "Ziva said that Abby was fine and she wouldn't lie about that." said Gibbs. Gibbs could hear McGee's fingers flying over the keys like lightning. "Gibbs…the phone is sending out a signal from 3440 Rigby Road…in Ashburn Virginia." "Boss he is close to Dulles International Airport." "I'll gear up and meet you over there."
Gibbs said "I can't let you do that." "I need you to brief Director Vance and stay there."
"Boss I can't just stay behind and not help you save Abby and Ziva!" said McGee.
"I need you to tell Tony…and we are closer to Ashburn than you are." "You wouldn't make it here in time." "We will bring Abby home save." said Gibbs hanging up.
Gibbs looked at Fornell. "Let's go to Ashburn." "3440 Rigby Road…"
"Do you think they are there?" asked Fornell as he turned the car around making the tires screech because of the velocity. He sped off in the direction of Ashburn.
"I hope so." said Gibbs. "But either way…we are about to find out."
Back at the hospital….
Tony laid in the hospital bed in the dark staring out the window. The woman he loved had been abducted and he didn't know if he'd ever lay eyes on her again. That pain was only compounded by the fact that Abby had been taken as well. Abby was like a younger sister to him. Tony felt angry and helpless as he laid there unable to move his legs. From time to time he'd try to move as if he could will his legs to do his bidding for him. He was the commander of his body. He was in control! If he wanted to move...he should be moving. And yet...there he sat not even being able to twitch his big toe. And that made him enraged. A fire burned deep within the pit of his stomach. As the time ticked by and he hadn't heard anything from Gibbs, Vance, or McGee his worst fears seemed to run away with him. The infection in his body was taking a toll on him. His fever was spiking at 103 and three and the stress of the abductions was only making him worse.
McGee stepped into the room closing the door behind him. "Tony?"asked McGee in a low voice not sure if Tony was asleep or not.
"What is it McGee?" asked Tony moving his gaze to McGee. "Is there any news?" Tony tried to sit up more in the bed to hear whatever news McGee might have had for him. "I've been waiting forever to hear something…anything."
"I know Tony…we wanted to wait until we had some good news to share before anyone came here to brief you." said McGee.
"Well, what is the good news Probie? Did Gibbs find them?" asked Tony looking at McGee expectantly. He felt his heart racing in his chest.
McGee felt bad for getting his hopes up. He saw how desperate Tony was. He felt that same desperation in his chest. "We think we have a lock on location where Ziva and Abby are being held." "Atleast…we have the location where Ziva's cell phone is located." "She managed to get a call out to Gibbs…" "She and Abby are okay for now." "Gibbs, Fornell, Vance, and a response team are headed there now." "Gibbs asked me to come here to tell you…and not to go there." "But I can't do that…I can't leave Abby and the baby's fate in the hands of other people." "So I've got go…"
Tony coughed and said "Rule number eighteen Probie…it is better to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission." "You go…I'll be okay here by myself." said Tony. "Go make sure you they bring Ziva and Abby home safe." "And Tim…congratulations on becoming a father."
"Thank you Tony…Abby and I were hoping that you and Ziva would be the baby's godparents…" McGee looked at Tony seeing how sickly he was. "Should…I get someone for you?" asked McGee. "A doctor maybe? You look..bad Tony."
"It would be a honor." said Tony. "I don't need anything…except to know that Ziva and Abby are okay." said Tony. "Do that for me." said Tony. "Take care of Ziva for me…" "She's going to need you." said Tony. He felt in his heart that he was going to succumb to his injuries and infection.
McGee nodded and got ready to leave the room but he stopped. He walked over to Tony and set something on his hospital bed. "Just in case…" McGee turned and left the room. He hopped into his car and sped all the way to Ashburn with determination.
Tony laid in the hospital bed and went back to staring back out the window. Tears filled his hazel colored eyes but didn't fall. He trusted Gibbs, he trusted McGee, but that didn't stop the fear in his heart from consuming him. As he stared out the window the storm moved in and soon the view was obscured by the driving rain.