Dorneget and Smith couldn't find Agents Riley, Patrick or their car. They did find, however, some blood splatter where they should have been stationed."

"Shit!" Gibbs exclaimed under his breath. "Now we have two missing Agents as well."

"Or, and I really hate to say this Jethro." Fornell spoke softly. "One of those Agents was in on this, shot the other Agent and drove off with Mrs. Vance."

Gibbs looked at his team. It was bad enough that Mrs. Vance was involved, but possibly another one of their own?

Just when he thought the news couldn't get any worse, his phone rang. He looked at the readout:

"Director Eli David."

Vignette Nine: "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Three

Gibbs sighed as he read the name. He didn't really want to talk to the Director of Mossad about his daughter in a hospital waiting room.

He motioned to the front desk clerk that he needed the conference room again. She pressed the button letting him in.

As he was doing this, he answered his phone. "Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

Eli David wasted no time. "What is this I have been told about my Ziva? Is it true? She has been shot? I demand a full explanation!"

"Director David, I am getting a conference room so that we may talk privately. If you can wait a minute, I will be able to answer some of your questions."

Gibbs could hear him muttering on the other end of the line. At least he didn't put him on hold.

Finally in the conference room, he closed the door. "Ok, Director, I can speak freely now. Yes, I am sorry to have to tell you Ziva has been shot. She was on protection detail for Mrs. Vance…"

"Who shot her?" Eli David interrupted Gibbs before he could continue. "Did you apprehend this person?"

Gibbs was pissed. "With all due respect, and excuse me if I use the term 'respect' lightly; but I just told you your daughter has been shot and your first question is who shot her? How about: 'Is she ok?' 'Is she dead?' Anything of concern would be appropriate at this time."

Eli David actually chuckled, but it was a wicked one. "Do not chastise me, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. When I hear one of my Officers has been shot in the line of duty it is always my first question. Personal emotions have no place."

"Except Ziva is not one of your Officers. She is my Special Agent. And her condition was my first concern, not who shot her. And it should have been yours, since she is your daughter."

"Do not tell me how to be a father to my child, Gibbs. And I still consider Ziva Mossad, whether you like it or not!"

"How about whether she likes it or not? She's an American Citizen now. I don't know what the outcome of this will be, but regardless, there will be no Mossad reprisals, am I clear?"

"Agent Gibbs, I do not think you are in a position to tell me what I can or cannot do. I will speak to Leon. He will tell me what I need to know."

He paused. "Since you are refusing to answer my questions, I will ask the one you will answer: How is my daughter?"

Gibbs wanted to tell him to piss off, but knew he wouldn't get away with it. "She was shot twice; right upper chest and right abdomen. She is in surgery now. I have no further details regarding her condition."

"I see." Gibbs could detect no emotion in Eli's voice. "Tell me; where was her favorite partner, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, while my daughter was being shot?"

Gibbs swore. He knew he would somehow find a way to blame Tony. He had to choose his words carefully. "They were assigned as backup to the vehicle that was taking Mrs. Vance and her children to a Safe House."

"There has been a threat against Leon's family?" Eli cut in, showing more emotion for them than for Ziva.

"Yes, but I will not share the details with you. Mrs. Vance suddenly returned to the house and Ziva followed her as her backup. The house had been cleared and locked up."

"Tony remained outside, but they both had their walkies in case Ziva needed backup. Ziva reported that she and Mrs. Vance were coming back out. Then gunshots were heard."

"Once Agent DiNozzo got into the house, which was probably less than a minute, Mrs. Vance was gone and he found Ziva. And that's all I can share with you at this point as it is an ongoing investigation."

"So you do not know who shot Ziva? Or you are just refusing to tell me? You are covering up for Agent DiNozzo again?"

Gibbs worked hard to control his anger. "Agent DiNozzo was not present when Ziva was shot. I am sure if he had been he would have either apprehended and/or shot the person who shot her, or like one of your Zombie Mossad Officers, leaped in front of her to take the bullet for her."

"And in case you're wondering, if their positions had been reversed, I'm sure Ziva would have taken a bullet for Tony, which I am sure you would still find some reason to blame him for."

Eli chuckled again, but not the same evil chuckle as before. "You are right. I do not like how close they are, but that is Ziva's choice, not mine. And I have no doubt that he would have done everything possible to have prevented this, if it was in his power to do so."

Gibbs remained silent, thinking about what he had just said about Ziva's choice about how "close" she and Tony were.

"I see. Well, as I said, once I talk to Leon I will learn the…remainder of the truth."

"Everything I have told you is the truth, Director." Gibbs replied.

"But not the whole truth." Eli David challenged.

"Director Vance knows less than you do right now. He was not present and is currently on his way into NCIS so we can talk to him."

"Please let his own Agents take the responsibility for telling him his wife is missing and one of his best Agents has been shot."

Eli David sighed heavily. "Of'course, you are right. I know Leon will call me when he has the chance." He hung up.

"What a cold-blooded bastard!" thought Gibbs.

Eli David sat quietly at his desk. He looked at the photo of Ziva and Ari and reached for it. He traced Ziva's face with his finger. "My Ziva." He said softly.

Gibbs stormed back into the waiting room. "Went that well, huh?" Fornell asked.

Gibbs just glared at him. "Come on, we need to get to NCIS and wait for Vance. McGee!"

Tim came trotting over. "I'm sorry, I know you want to stay here, but I am going to need your help with the recording when we let Director Vance hear it." McGee nodded.

"Understood, Boss. Can Abby still stay? I know Tony will be here." Gibbs looked over at Abby, sitting with Tony. "Yeah, until we need her to start processing evidence."

"Thanks, Boss." Tim went over to Tony and Abby and told them he was going back to NCIS with Gibbs and Fornell for the conversation with Director Vance. "Abby, Gibbs said you can stay here until they really need you for evidence processing."

Tony just looked at McGee and nodded. Tim went and sat by him. "Tony, I know this is hard; it's hard on all of us. But please try to keep positive thoughts."

"This is the same woman who survived three months of torture in the deserts of Somalia! She's not going to let this stop her." Tony looked down, then back up a Tim. "Thanks, McGee. I'll try to stay positive."

McGee nodded. He turned and headed back to Gibbs and Fornell. They left and headed back to NCIS, dreading the coming meeting.

NCIS

They were all waiting in the bullpen when Director Vance arrived. He glared at Gibbs, then at Fornell. "My office, now!"

Silently, they all followed Director Vance into his office. Before he turned his wrath on Gibbs and Fornell, he turned to McGee. "Why are you here, Agent McGee?"

"We need McGee for the technical portion of our…discussion." Fornell replied.

"Why is this beginning to sound like an interrogation? Where is my wife?" He banged in fist on his desk.

"Leon," Gibbs said quietly, "We're going to play for you a recording of what transpired earlier at your house. When you have finished listening, we will begin the questions…and answers."

Just as he finished, Secretary of the Navy Clayton Jarvis entered the room. He turned and nodded at McGee.

Vance looked concerned, but nothing could have prepared him for what he heard on the recording.

All color drained from his face when he heard the gun shots, hearing his wife apologize to Agent David.

When he realized that it was Agent David who had been shot, he would have been lying if didn't say he was relieved it wasn't Jackie who had been shot, but it was short lived because she was one of his Agents and the daughter of the Director of Mossad.

When the recording ended, Tim packed up his stuff and left the room. Vance sat there unmoving for a few moments, unable to absorb what he had just heard.

"There had to be some mistake! There was no way Jackie…"

"We know what you're thinking, Leon." Gibbs said quietly.

Vance straightened up. "And what is that, Agent Gibbs." Not so subtly reminding Gibbs that he was his superior.

"What you are thinking, Director Vance," Agent Fornell stepped in, "is that there is no way your wife would shoot an NCIS Agent, and that someone else was there and pulled the trigger."

"I'm sure that's exactly what happened." Vance said forcefully.

Gibbs shook his head. "Director, are you telling us you were there?"

Vance looked shocked at that. "What? No, of'course not! I wasn't there. I was at the safe house waiting for my family!"

"Then you can't be exactly sure what happened." Fornell stated simply. "There is no other person on the recording."

"Agent David gave so signs that there was an intruder or another person present. There were no signs of a struggle and Agent David did not draw her weapon."

"I think if there had been someone else in the room, she would have at least attempted to draw her weapon and let DiNozzo know there was a problem. She did not."

"Director Vance, did you have prior knowledge that you wife would make this attempt to kill one of your agents, or that she was planning to escape from our security force?" Fornell's look was daunting.

Vance looked shocked. "You think Jackie planned this? That she purposely…no, that's not possible. I refuse to accept it."

"That's your prerogative, Director; but right now, that's exactly what it looks, and sounds, like. At this time, we do not consider you a suspect, but you will understand that you are hereby relieved of your duties."

"Agent Gibbs will replace you as Acting Director of NCIS until this matter is solved. You are suspended until further notice." Jarvis finally spoke after listening to the exchange.

"You will take no part in this investigation nor have any access to any evidence gathered until when or if you have been cleared of any involvement with this case."

"If your wife tries to contact you, you are not to go off on your own. You are to report it immediately and the team assigned to this case will take it from there. The FBI will be running point. Questions?"

"Just one: Where is my wife?"

"We don't know, otherwise she would be in interrogation as we speak."

Vance nodded stiffly, opened his drawer and removed his credentials and his gun. "Am I allowed to go back to the Safe House and be with my children?"

Gibbs looked at Fornell. Fornell nodded. "You will be escorted back under armed escort, in case there is an attempt on your life as well. We will assign two FBI agents to stand guard at the Safe House with the agents already assigned by NCIS."

Vance looked down. "May I speak with Agent Gibbs privately? I don't care if you record it, I just don't want anyone else in here."

Jarvis looked at Gibbs, who nodded. Fornell looked at Gibbs, and then followed the SecNav out of the office.

Vance removed himself from behind the desk. "I guess this seat is now yours."

"That's not what I wanted, Leon. You know that, or at least you should know that."

Vance found a small smile, but then became serious. "Agent David. What is her condition?"

Gibbs hesitated. He wasn't sure if this followed under the SecNav's edict that he was to have no access to any information about the case.

"Just a second, Leon." Gibbs went to the outer office, where he knew Jarvis and Fornell were waiting. They both looked up.

"He's asking about Ziva's condition. Is that off limits? I have already spoken to Director David and he will be calling Leon for more details."

"He will become suspicious if Leon has suddenly been replaced after his daughter has been shot."

Jarvis chewed his lower lip. "I say tell him what you know right now about Agent David. If Eli David calls him, he will not be able to say much more than that."

"I am sure Leon will not reveal that his wife is the main suspect in her shooting. After that, all calls will go through you."

"The Director has stepped aside since the case involves his missing wife. Period." Gibbs nodded and returned to the office.

Vance smiled grimly. "Did you get permission?"

"Leon, this is very serious. We do not want Mossad breathing down our necks because we suspect your wife shot the daughter of their Director."

"And yes, she is considered a suspect in the shooting of Agent David and of fleeing the crime."

"We are also considering the possibility that she was coerced into doing something that led to this, but right now the only evidence we have supports the first scenario."

"I have spoken to Eli David. He will be calling you for updates; not on Ziva's condition but on the investigation."

"You can take his first call and tell him what you know about Ziva and that your wife is missing; and because of this you have removed yourself from the investigation."

"Any further calls from him will go through me, explaining you are with your children during this trying time and I have assumed temporary, and I repeat, temporary command of NCIS."

"He may still try to call you, but your phone will be monitored, Leon. We will know if Eli David or your wife has called you."

"Which brings me back to my question: What is the status of Agent David?" Vance persisted.

Gibbs then did sit down, Vance following. "It's not good Leon. She was shot in the right upper chest and right abdominal area."

"She was intubated at the scene, and had a chest tube put in at the ED for a collapsed lung. She was still in surgery when we left the hospital to come here."

"What about Di…" Gibbs held up his hand. "None of this is Tony's fault. I had to take him off the case because he is…well, his job right now is the stay with his partner."

"Is it?" Vance asked. "Was he this distraught when Agent Todd was shot? I don't recall him not being able to scour the scene for evidence then, in the pouring rain no less."

"I guess right now the difference is that Kate was killed and Ziva was not…" Gibbs couldn't finish.

"If that's what you want to think." Vance answered. Gibbs looked at him, and then stood. "There's a detail ready to take you to the Safe House."

"Your home is still a crime scene so you can't go there. If you need anything, someone will have to get it for you."

"Understood." Vance sighed. He turned to Gibbs. "Can I ask one favor?"

"You can ask, I won't promise." Gibbs replied honestly.

"Please ask that they make every effort to bring my wife back alive." At that, he turned and left his office.

Gibbs sat back down and rubbed his face. He pulled out his phone and called Abby.

"Gibbs! When are you coming back?"

"Leaving shortly. Any news?"

Abby was silent. "No, but that could be a good thing, right?"

Gibbs had to smile. Somehow, she always tried to find the bright side of the worst situation. "How's Tony?"

"Uh…" He could tell that Abby had gotten up out of her seat and was walking away from his ears.

"He is really just 'not here', Gibbs. I mean, this is almost like a replay of when we thought Ziva had died on that boat."

Gibbs sighed. "Well, keep talking to him, Abby. Have any of you eaten? Ok, we will bring food."

She brightened. "Ducky's here! He sent Palmer back to do whatever he could do with evidence."

"Well, he can start by getting the blood type of whoever was shot in the back of the house."

"What?" Abby asked, incredulous. "Why am I now hearing about this?"

"Abby, do you want to go back to your lab and start working on evidence?" Gibbs asked.

"No….."

"Then forget what I just said. I'll talk to Palmer. Can he work your DNA thingy?"

Abby cringed. "I don't think so, and I'd rather he didn't."

"Well, didn't you put that in your 'Forensics for Dummies' booklet you made out for emergencies like this?"

"Well, yes."

"Ok, then. See you soon. Take care of Tony and Ducky"

Gibbs headed down to autopsy. Palmer looked up. "Agent Gibbs, any more news about Ziva?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Palmer, I need your help in Abby's lab. You're going to get a blood sample from either Agent Dorneget or Smith. I want you to check for blood type."

"Sure thing, Agent Gibbs. Glad to help."

"Palmer, do think you can work that DNA matching thingy Abby has?"

Palmer looked a little less sure. "I'm pretty sure she has the instructions in her book she wrote, 'Forensics…'"

"Yeah, I know. 'Forensics for Dummies.' Can you do it, Palmer?"

Jimmy felt Gibbs' eyes were looking right through him.

"Yes, absolutely."

Gibbs looked at him. "Ok. You can call Abby if you have any problems."

Palmer nodded and watched Gibbs leave. "Ok, you can do this, you can do this, you can...oh hi, Agent Dorneget!"

"Do you have some evidence there? Agent Gibbs asked that I handle it."

Dornie looked a little surprised, but signed it over to Jimmy anyway.

Jimmy took the blood samples, and signed the form. He then headed upstairs to Abby's lab, which he had to call Abby to get the door key code for.

He could tell she didn't want him touching her "babies" and he promised he would do as little as possible to get the required results.

Finally getting her off the phone, he located the "Dummies" book and scanned the table of contents for the section on DNA matching. It actually looked pretty simple.

First he prepared a slide and did the test to determine blood type, which in this case turned out to be "A" positive.

He then meticulously followed the instructions in Abby's book, spinning down the blood, extracting the serum and placing the tiny vial in the machine.

He set up the parameters of the search engines and turned the machine on. Now all he could do was sit there while waiting until a match was found, if there was already DNA of his person's blood in the system.

Much to his surprise, about an hour later, the plasma dinged and the results were put up. Jimmy's jaw went slack.

"Oh, this is not good. This is definitely not good!"

I have no idea how they do the DNA tests, and we all know in real life DNA tests takes weeks, not hours. Poetic license. Thanks for the great reviews as always!