Tony obliged to the man with the gun to his head, doing as was asked of him. Actually he was rather strangely glad that he was practically being sent to his death. He would much rather be there than to spend all day, and whatever remainder of night, worrying what was going to happen to Ziva. Yes, this was better.
He was led around the corner, the gun now being pressed into his back and leading him in the desired direction. It wasn't the same car though, it was an SUV. Meaning that the BOLO they had out wasn't going to do much when it comes to finding Ziva, well Tony kind of found her already but that wouldn't help much. "Your gun, Agent DiNozzo," the man says holding his hand out expectantly. Tony unwillingly hands him his SIG. "Cellphone," was his next demand and was also relinquished to him as well. Tony knew this man, it was the one that had been following Ziva before. "Knife."
"Not on me," Tony remembers aloud. He would have left his gun too, had it not already been holstered from earlier that day. Well maybe it was the day before now, he did not know, nor did he care. The man checks Tony, making sure he is telling the truth.
"No knife," he confirms to himself. "Breaking a Gibbs Rule?" he asks and Tony is surprised for a moment before remembering what else it was that this man had said. He had clearly stated that he and Ziva had been intimate, perhaps it was in more than one way. If she had been having a relationship with this man than it would not surprise Tony too much to know she had told him of her friends back in DC. "Hands behind your back. Thumbs up," he instructs and Tony does as told. Wincing slightly as the cuffs became just a bit too tight, and then wincing more when they were way more than a bit too tight. Someone needed to teach this guy the proper way to put hand-cuffs on to other people. "Get in."
Tony does as instructed and finds himself next to Ziva. Her eyes were shut and Tony felt everything in his body shut down as he saw her lack of motion. There was no blood but they were Mossad assassins so that did not mean much. He felt his heart restart when he saw her move though and then her eyes opening. Thank God. She seemed out of it for a moment until the pieces began to click together in her mind, then a look of absolute horror crossed her face. "We were hoping he would help relieve some of your obstinance to do as asked, Ziva," the man tells her and she shoots him a look. Tony was pretty sure if looks could kill that this man would be slumped back into the passenger side seat with his heart stopped.
"It will help me hate you more, Michael," anger is obvious in her tone but so is exhaustion. He wondered if she was truly that tired or if she had been drugged. Whichever it was she looked ready to slip back into sleep at any moment, but Tony could see her force her eyes back open and staring over at him. "Did they hurt you?" she whispers to him, her eyes small slits that were slowing slipping forward more by the second.
"No harm done," he reassures her, smiling the best he can. "You?"
"I am fine. Is everyone else okay?" Ziva asks opening her eyes as much as she could handle at the moment. She stressed the word everyone and hoped Tony would pick up on it. She was worried for all of them, Gibbs, Abby, McGee, but right now most of her concern was for a certain little girl.
"They were all fine when I left." More like was forcibly removed. Left was a better choice though.
"If you are speaking of Hannah she has not been harmed." This voice came from the driver's seat. It was a man who Tony presumed to be Ziva's father. The thought made his skin crawl.
"Why is she..." Ziva starts but her eyes are shut and her entire body relaxed before she can finish. Definitely drugged.
"Why did you send her here?" Tony asks, finishing the question for Ziva. They were both very grateful for Hannah being brought to them, however they did hope that it was not for a reason that would end badly for her. He could only imagine the hell both them and her would go through if she was sent back to Israel...Or worse.
"Let's just say none of this went as I had planned for it to. Due to her lack of cooperation and your involvement I was forced to make certain decisions. Hannah no longer serves any purpose to be here and if you had not come barging in she never would have stayed here. However I am a man who knows his priorities and she was not one of them. So I left her behind. I will remove her from your custody once I've accomplished what needs to be done."
"Not going to happen, Director David," Tony tells him. If he lived he was going to make damn sure it didn't.
"You are going to stop me?" he says as more of an observation than a question. An observation that was filled with mockery and a bit of a vindictive laugh.
"Nope," Tony says. "Kill you."
"I wish you luck with that," Eli replies, completely ignoring the threat.
When Tony glances out the window he can see just how fast they were going. Ziva had clearly inherited her father's driving skills. Now Tony wasn't sure where he wanted his thoughts to go. They were scattered everywhere. One part of him was screaming to fight and kill, to defend himself and Ziva. Another part of him was focused on Ziva and completely on Ziva, his worry for her very heavy and very real. He was glad to be with her now though, no matter what the consequences may be. He had already decided that, being able to be with her and to know she was safe was such a mind calmer, though it did not relax him too much. He was glad he could watch her sleep and know she was unharmed but he knew what came next.
Now his curiosity had gotten the better of him and he leaned slightly to his left in order to look between the driver's seat and the passenger's and see his desired target. The time. It had been bugging him quite a bit but the other concerns superseded it. 0330, he hadn't really known what time he had suspected it to be but he was surprised at what it was.
His physical needs were becoming more obvious to him; how heavy his eye lids were, how much his head was throbbing, the stiffness of his joints. It was now apparent, not important though. Ziva was important, Hannah was important, surviving was as well. Just not as important as they were. He didn't think anyone or anything was. He sighed and leaned his head back, it would be a long night tied with a long day. There would be no sleep and therefore no way to signify the end of one part to the beginning of another. Night would just become dawn, and perhaps life would turn to death. Tony was surprised at how calmly he sat there thinking of his impending demise. That part of his thoughts must be too far down on the list to matter.
"Why?" Tony suddenly asks. He wanted to know and if he didn't ask he was going to kick himself for the rest of his life, although that may be rather short. An answer was what he wanted.
"Excuse me?" the director questions calmly.
"Why are you doing this."
"I have already told you," he says and sighs deeply, as though that was supposed answer the question. "I have my priorities and I have my duties. Sometimes others need to be sacrificed in order to accomplish what has to be done. Ziva just happens to be one of the others this time around. I figured since she was competent and able, a brilliant asset as well, considering the alliance and trust she holds at NCIS, I thought I would put the rest of her life to good use. I thought it would be good to give my daughter's death meaning. I do not need her in order for this to be accomplished, there are many other routes I could have chosen. However once she discovered my plans I knew I had no choice but to persuade her to my side or kill her. I tried to explain it all and make her understand, she would not comply though. The other option was the only one left.
"The more time Michael and I spent with Ziva the more we learned just how close she was to those at NCIS. She spoke highly of Agent Gibbs and told of how much she cared for Ms. Scuito. She slipped a few times when mentioning McGee saying how he was a dear friend. A certain man with a nick name of Ducky she said was someone I would get along with. She told me that this man had stories I would enjoy very much. Then there was you, Tony. I trained my daughter to hide what she really meant but it was because of the fact that I was the one to have taught her that I knew exactly what that look in her eyes meant. Unfortunately, Agent DiNozzo, I realized she had fallen in love with you. I saw my opportunity when she was explaining to me how she could not betray this, Agent Gibbs.
"I am a resourceful man, I took the power I had now discovered I now had over her by endangering all these that she so treasured and used it to my highest ability. Yes, she is angry with me and that can be understood. In the end though this will end right. She will use the life that was given to her and the abilities she worked long and hard to obtain for a greater cause. It is the absolute best for her. At least the best I can offer her as of now."
"That it?" Tony asks feeling no sense of contentment or even the slightest bit of understanding. He thought maybe this man had at least some reason for what he was doing, although Tony was rather sure it was not a very good reason, but somewhat of a reason nevertheless. His reason was to give his daughter's death purpose! Why not give her life purpose? Why did death have to be brought into this at all?
"What did you expect?"
"Nothing that makes sense," Tony tells him when he rethinks just what it was he wanted to know. He had wanted to know why Ziva had to die, no reason was good enough for that. "You just confirmed what I already knew."
"Which is?" Eli questions. He was rather interested in how up front and blunt this man was. No wonder he held a certain place for his daughter. It was a very admirable quality.
"That your a sick self-absorbed bastard." Truthful was very good.
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"Anything?" Gibbs questions Abby as he stares over her shoulder to the computer she was standing at. The letters and numbers scrolling by made no sense to him but he couldn't tear his eyes from the screen.
"Got it!" Abby exclaims happily.
"Where are they?" he asks reading the address off of the screen before Abby could say anything. They were moving still, to God knows where. It had been a smart move, following his gut usually tended in his favor. Tony hadn't questioned when Gibbs had asked him to put a GPS tracker in his shoe. Tony was sure to be a major target and walking outside of the more protective walls of NCIS headquarters was sure to leave a hole in his defense system. Of course Eli would take advantage of that, he was a man who took whatever opportunity he had and put it to his greatest use. Eli taking away another of his agents most certainly gave him an advantage. However, Gibbs sending his agent to be kidnapped and having him hold the one way to find them all, that was even more devious. "We ever get a final count on how many men were involved?" The movement stopped, leaving them in stationary in one place.
"Um," McGee says quickly doing a mental count. "At least five. Maybe more."
"C'mon, go grab your gear," he tells the junior agent who gives him a look of disbelief.
"What? Boss, you-you can't be serious."
"I am. Go grab your gear," Gibbs repeats giving McGee a look that left nothing up to questioning.
"Gibbs," Abby says her voice fearful and her eyes wide. "Don't do this," she demands of him. He wasn't about to go running off into the mine field and get himself blown up. She wasn't going to let him, and McGee, go get themselves killed.
"Have to, Abby," he tells her and leans over giving her a kiss on the cheek. "No choice. Not anymore."
"You're out numbered," she reminds him. Hoping to use logic to make him understand and realize the common sense of the situation. "Five to two."
"One target, Abbs. Only one." And with that he turned and left.
"Don't get yourself killed, Timmy!" Abby instructs him, pulling him into a hug. "And bring Tony and Ziva and Gibbs back safe too. Okay?"
"Yeah, Abby. I will," I hope he adds silently. Tim turns as he hears his name being called from his boss and the familiar "Ding" of the elevator meaning it was waiting for the passengers to load. "See you soon."
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Will he? Will any of them? Hmm you're going to have to review to find out. Sorry this was intended to be up earlier today but my darn internet went out. I know its short but the next will be longer and with much more action in it. Thanks for reading and have a great day :)