To Die Standing
Chapter 4
It had not been what she would call an emergency, but she wanted to get back to work. In hindsight, she could live with a day or two not knowing. Or a week or two. They scheduled her the appointment that same afternoon and ran some physical tests. Then, out of the blue, they asked for a blood sample.
Ziva had physicals before. They do occasionally ask for blood samples, but that was for testing things like cholesterol. She already had her cholesterol tested before and it was fine. Did they think her blood sugar was low?
The results came back unusually fast. In fact, the results came back that evening. Normally it takes a month for bloodwork to be completed, or at least she believed that was the case in the US. They called and asked her to head over to the hospital. The doctor had something important to say.
Tony had once joked that Jewish people have the most genetic disorders. Ziva hid her true thoughts on the matter, but she had felt deeply offended at the time and had refused to talk to Tony that day, until, to her surprise, the man actually sensed it and apologized to her. In his own way. Ziva would not even call it an apology if it came from anyone else, but this was Tony DiNozzo. The fact that he even came that close was a miracle of God.
So there is no cure.
Of course not. If there was a cure, would it be so bad? Would the doctor have asked her to come to the hospital to personally tell her of the bad news?
Well there must be something! Something that can be done! This is the twenty-first century!
Yes, but the twenty-first century cannot outsmart death. Not yet, anyway, if ever.
Are they doing anything at all?
They are testing treatments, however none of them have been proven to work on humans. It is possible that in time a cure will be found. Until then, there is no way to alter its course.
How long do I have?
Not long. Several years, perhaps, but the disease is progressing rapidly. She would be bedridden long before she succumbed.
What to say to Gibbs? Ziva wondered. What to say to her father? Does she even want them to know? She could pretend nothing is wrong. She will go through physical therapy on the side.
I won't have you jeopardizing my team. And that would be exactly what she is doing if she chooses to hide this.
But what would happen if she spoke? Gibbs would not keep her on the team. It would not make sense. She just as dangerous to the team if they knew what was going on. And her father? He would call her back, most likely. There is no sense keeping his daughter here.
She will spend the rest of her life in ignominy. However long it is.
One last case. Ziva thought to herself. Can't keep this from Gibbs. What if they try to save you and got hurt in the process? Have to tell Gibbs. But no leaving. Get Gibbs to have you in for one last case. How much longer will this case take, anyway? It would be solved with enough progression to spare. And he now has a dispensable team member. There is no one more dangerous than one without anything to lose.
Will he agree?
Blackmail. You've used it before. In interrogations. Gibbs will not respond well to her interrogation tactics, but Ziva was desperate. You saved his life. You killed your own brother for his sake. God damn it, he owes you this much!
What about the director?
The director must not know. She would be dismissed, for sure, if the director knew. And her father? He does not have to know either. Not yet, anyway. Later, perhaps.
She reached for her keys in the dark. She had come home without turning on the lights. In fact, she had come home without even putting her bag aside, simply dropping onto the couch to stare at the life she had known. It took her several tries to grab them successfully. She ignored it. With any luck, she will be dead before she cannot grab them at all.
oO
Earlier that day they reached a bit of a block.
" Everything we generated is accounted for." Said the head of the lab. " Don't go in there! It's dangerous!"
" Well someone pumped a marine full of radioactive drug." Gibbs said dryly. " Obviously, everything is not accounted for."
" If it's not, then we did not generate it." The man replied. " I'm sorry sirs, but I can't help you."
" Is it possible," McGee stepped forward, " That someone here did not record in the log?"
" You mean they secretly made it?" The head of the lab said dryly. " Impossible. This stuff is dangerous, and we have guards posted out to keep people out. Every time someone needs to go in there they have to sign out uniforms and write down why they're going in there."
" Can we talk to your guards then?" Gibbs asked.
The guards kept a log as well, and when compared, everything was, as the head of the lab said, accounted for.
" Dead end then," Tony muttered.
Literally, as Gibbs' cell phone rang as soon as he stated this. The older agent moved to the side to speak in relative quiet while McGee and Tony looked at each other. It felt strange not having Ziva with them. Three is a crowd. Tony decided. And I guess I like crowds.
" Wonder what happened to Ziva." McGee said out loud.
Hearing McGee sounding concerned made Tony think he, himself, was not, even though a minute before he had actually wanted to say the same thing.
" Probably falling over dead guys again." Tony grinned.
" I don't think it was that simple." McGee said seriously. " You think something's wrong with her?"
" It's Ziva." Tony said carelessly. " What do you think?"
Used to Tony's attitude, McGee shrugged half-heartedly. " She's still human."
" McGee! DiNozzo!"
oO
It was another body. This time Ducky was not around to analyze it at the scene; he had gone home.
Hung by the back of the neck again. Tony thought, the words resonating with Ziva's voice, kind of like that time when he conjured up the vision of Kate in the Catholic schoolgirl's uniform, and her ensuing scream afterwards. Killer wants us to know it's him.
" Leeches again." McGee grimaced. " Why are they always covered in leeches?"
" Don't know." Tony replied. " Bag them, McGee."
" What?" McGee protested.
" Hey, I bagged them last time. It's your turn."
McGee made an expression of disgust.
" What, scared?" Tony teased.
" Not scared. But they're still gross. They're even worse than maggots."
Tell me about it. And apparently Ziva ate maggots once, if McGee's story was anything to go by. Tony wondered if she ever ate leeches. That sounded like something totally different from maggots. Even if they were both wriggly and slimy.
At least the leeches were mostly dead this time. This one's heart was not pumping because it was a normal heart.
" Not a marine." He heard someone say to Gibbs. " He's part of the air force. Was going to be discharged next week, too."
" Any idea why someone would want to kill him?" Gibbs asked, in a bored tone.
The answer was not conclusive, so Tony turned his attention back to the scene. God it's so weird not having Ziva here.
" Ugh." McGee made another face.
" Got a problem, McGee?" Gibbs called over in an irritated tone.
" No Boss." McGee called back, a bit resigned. " I'm alright."
Gibbs, who was not really interested in whether McGee was alright, turned his attention back to the inspector.
" Wish Ziva were here." McGee muttered under his breath, but Tony heard him.
Yeah. Tony admitted to himself. Me too. But hell will freeze over before anyone catches him saying that out loud.