Later that morning Ziva was scheduled to have surgery on her facial injuries to help minimise the scarring. As she was being prepared she received a not so unexpected visitor. Amit Hadar, her father's aide and a former colleague, knocked before entering her room. Upon hearing a male voice in the room McGee woke with a start from dozing in an armchair in the corner. . He sat up suddenly and tentatively felt for his weapon unsure whether he would be needing it or not. Hadar approached Ziva in an apparently non threatening manner. He appeared relaxed and cheerful. Ziva feigned a smile when she saw him. He obviously was completely unawares of her suspicions, her beliefs.
"Ziva, I'm so glad you are well," he said convincingly as he leaned towards her to kiss her cheek. "I spoke to your father. He says you are doing well."
"I am," Ziva replied, her stomach knotting as she did so. How could this man she had known for so long be involved in terrorism? How could he willingly authorise her torture and murder and then stand in front of her as if nothing had ever happened?
Hadar looked over at a wary McGee in the corner.
"Ah, you must be another of the Americans," Hadar said, not recognising him as McGee hadn't been with Gibbs on the previous visit to Israel.
"Special Agent Tim McGee," he replied introducing himself.
"It is good to see that they are looking after you, Ziva," Hadar commented rudely turning his back on McGee once more. Ziva stared at him, waiting for him to do or say something that would give her an opening to accuse him. But Hadar was shrewd. He was not going to let his guard down in front of McGee. He continued his little considerate and caring charade for several minutes until a nurse entered the room to take Ziva to the O.R. As Ziva sat into the wheelchair and Hadar made his excuses and said goodbye, Ziva looked up into his eyes and whispered two words.
"I know," she glared, her expression unfaltering. Hadar's face changed every so slightly. His breathing stopped momentarily. He paled when he saw the lookof hatred in her eyes. He knew Ziva and had seen that look before. A determined Ziva was a dangerous Ziva. He watched as she was wheeled out of the room. He knew he would have to deal with her, sooner rather than later. He wondered who else knew of his involvement. Had she told her father? This could ruin everything. As he left the room he tried to remain calm as he started to realise that his that his position had been compromised. He met DiNozzo on the corridor. DiNozzo recognised him and glanced towards Ziva's room trying to gauge if everything was alright. He was preparing to tackle Hadar to the ground when McGee walked out the door of Ziva's room and nodded that all was well. DiNozzo looked Hadar up and down as they passed each other without a word and Tony stopped and watched him as he called the elevator and eventually left the floor.
"What was he doing here?" Tony asked as he approached McGee.
"He came to visit Ziva," McGee informed him.
"And?" Tony asked.
"And what?" McGee asked.
"Did he threaten or intimidate her?" Tony wondered.
"No. In fact he seemed to be very friendly," McGee told him.
"Really? I'm going up to talk to Gibbs. He'll want to know that Hadar has been here," Tony said. "Where's Ziva?"
"They just took her to surgery. She'll be a couple of hours. I'll wait here for her," McGee replied. Tony hurried in the direction of the elevator. He stepped in and pressed six for the sixth floor. As he emerged from elevator he was met by a concerned looking Ducky.
"Ah, Anthony, I was just on my way down to see Ziva before her surgery," Ducky told him.
"You're too late, Ducky. She's already gone down, should be back in a couple of hours or so. How's the Boss doing?" Tony asked.
"He's not very well at all Tony. He has a serious infection and they're trying to bump him up the operating schedule," Ducky explained.
"I need to talk to him," Tony said, not quite digesting what Ducky had told him.
"He's in no shape to talk, Tony. He's in and out of consciousness," Ducky told him.
"What? I had no idea he'd become so ill," Tony admitted feeling bad for not realising Gibbs was actually sick. With all the feigning of injury Tony had forgot that Gibbs was actually injured and unwell. They reached Gibbs room and entered quietly. Abby sat close to the head of the bed, clinging to Gibbs forearm. Tony was shocked to see Gibbs lying struggling for breath in the same bed where he was downing coffee and take out food the day before. He knew there was no point worrying Ducky or Abby about Hadar. He would just have to be the responsible one for a change and take charge of the entire situation.
"I have to go," Tony said out of the blue. Ducky and Abby looked at him with astonishment. "Let me know how he is later," he asked before turning to leave the room. As he reached the elevator, Abby caught up with him.
"Where are you going Tony?" she asked, suspecting he was up to something.
"To bring this to a end," Tony replied cryptically.
"Be careful Tony," Abby said hugging him before he got onto the elevator.
-----------------------------------
"Director David? I have a Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo from NCIS asking to see you. He says it's urgent," the secretary said through the intercom at Mossad Headquarters. Eli David sat alone in his office. He was surprised by his unexpected visitor and instructed his secretary to show him in.
"Agent DiNozzo, what a surprise?" he said showing him to a seat.
"Thank you for seeing me, Director," Tony said modestly.
"I have to admit that you are the last person I thought would be dropping in to say hi," he laughed.
"Well, I so enjoyed our last little chat, I thought we'd pick up where we left off," Tony replied sarcastically. David smiled. He was starting to like the obnoxious American.
"Tea," Eli offered.
"No thanks?" Tony replied. "But some answers would be nice."
The Mossad Director looked perplexed. He wasn't sure what the young agent was meant by his remarks. Rather than admit it, he waited for DiNozzo to elaborate.
"How well do you know Amit Hadar?" Tony asked.
"Amit? He is my closest aide. I think of him as a son," David told him, suspicious of his motives for such questioning.
"And is he one of those officers who do everything you tell him?"
"Of course," David replied.
"Really? So did you tell him to kill your daughter?" Tony asked straight out.
"What? That is preposterous," Eli retorted indignantly. "Of course not. Why would I do such a thing?"
"I don't know. Old habit? You did order your daughter to kill your son a few years back if I recall," Tony reminded him.
"That was different. You could never understand," Eli snapped, his patience wearing thin.
"Well if you didn't order him to kill your daughter, how come Ziva heard her captors talking to him while she was being tortured? Can you explain that?" Tony asked.
"What? She heard Hadar? I don't understand," Director David stuttered a little shaken by the accusations. How could this be? He trusted Hadar. Could he really have betrayed him?
"If you really think he could not be involved with the terrorists, call him and ask him to meet you. You can ask him yourself," Tony suggested.
Eli considered Tony's suggestion. Of course he would call Hadar. He would ask him outright and see his reaction. He stood up from the coffee table and walked to his desk. He pressed the intercom button and asked his secretary to contact Officer Hadar and get him to his office as soon as possible. Tony sat with a satisfied grin on his face as he watched Eli David mull over the possibility that he had a traitor in his midst. There was no love lost between DiNozzo and David especially after the way Eli treated Tony on their first visit to Israel a couple of weeks previously. Eli waited for his phone to ring. Neither man spoke while they waited. Eventually the secretary called back and informed him that she could not reach Officer Hadar at the moment. She had left a message on his cell and asked him to contact the Director. Eli looked over at DiNozzo.
"How certain are you that what Ziva heard is correct?" the Director asked Tony.
"She has no doubt it was him. If she is certain then I am certain," DiNozzo informed him.
"Does he suspect anything?" David asked.
"I don't think so. He did pay Ziva a visit but as far as I know he is unaware of her suspicions," Tony told him.
"Okay. Then I will try and talk to him. I want him to look me in the eye and tell me that it is all a mistake," Eli told him. DiNozzo nodded. He was actually beginning to feel sorry for the man. He couldn't imagine how he would react if he was told that McGee or Gibbs had betrayed everything he believed in, everything he thought they believed in. But Tony knew that however loyal Eli David was to his friend, his loyalty was greater towards the State of Israel and the prevention of terrorism.
He thanked the Mossad Director for listening to him. He explained that he had to return to the hospital and check up on his own boss and Ziva. He asked that he let him know if and when Hadar made contact.
As DiNozzo left his office, Eli David sat at his desk and put his hands in his head. He had a gut churning feeling that the American agent was telling the truth. He knew that his daughter would not accuse an innocent man unless she was sure. But it pained him to think that she could not entrust him, her father, with her suspicions. The first person she went to was Agent Gibbs. She obviously held him in great standing. He took his cell phone out of the drawer of his desk and scrolled down to Hadar's number. He tried to call Hadar. The phone rang for a few seconds and then went to voice mail. He found that strange because Hadar usually answered his calls immediately. Something was indeed amiss. He contacted the technical bureau of the Mossad and ordered them to trace Hadar's cell and give him a location. Then he waited.
More to come. Hope you're liking where it's going. Hang in there. Probably only a few more chapters in it.
