"I do not think I can kill him, McGee." Ziva said softly. "I am well aware of his sins. As I said to my father, his sins are too great. Can I be the one to pass judgment on him? I am not sure. Can you be sure? I think Ilan's future may be up to the decisions of others."

McGee looked down. Tony put his hand on his shoulder. "McGee, we all have hard decisions to make. I'm not sure that when I finally see him I won't blow him away. But I'm going to make every effort to control my emotions and instincts and handle this the way Ziva wants, for now." Tony qualified.

Ziva had looked at Tony in alarm when he said he might blow Bodnar away himself, but she understood the truth of his words. The truth is none of them really knew how they would proceed until they came face to face with their elusive prey.

Disclaimer: I do not own CBS, NCIS or its character. Damn it.

Vignette Eleven: Part Fifteen

Tony sat quietly for a few moments, thinking. "McGee did you and Abby get a chance to check out those disks?"

Tim looked surprised at the change of subjects, but he nodded. "Abby's not sure of the exact composition but she thinks it has a radioactive component, kind of like what they use in medical testing. The closest thing she could come was to Selenium-75." Tony and Ziva looked blank at that.

"What kind of side effects?" Tony asked quietly. Tim again looked surprised but he shrugged. "With this small amount? Unknown, but doubtful it would be anything horrible, otherwise I can't imagine Interpol would use it."

"Unless they are really a secret weapon to kill their targets instead of tracking them." Stan offered.

They all looked at Stan with their mouths open. Gibbs whipped his head back to McGee. "Is that possible?"

McGee looked stunned. "I don't know, Boss. But I think it would be highly unlikely."

Tony rubbed his face. "Not to mention Ziva and I could put them on anyone we felt like trailing. For them to not tell us something like that would be…"

"Like committing murder." Gibbs added. "Why are you so curious about the disks anyway, Tony?" Gibbs stared at him.

Tony squirmed in his seat. "I put one on my arm." He said quietly. Ziva gasped and then Gibbs yelled "You did what?"

Ziva grabbed his hand. "Why would you do that? Why didn't you tell me?" Her face was pale and constricted.

Tony rubbed her hand. "I didn't tell you before because I didn't want you to think I was only doing it to get you to let me place one on you, Ziva. Look, anything can happen from this point on. We can get separated. One of us could get taken. What better way to keep tabs on each other?" He pleaded with his eyes, begging her to understand.

"You were still worried about me leaving, weren't you?" She asked softly, trying not to sound hurt. She knew Tony and realized that he would do anything to keep her safe.

"You were hoping I would decide to place a disk on myself, so you would be able to track me should something happen."

Tim looked surprised. "I thought you said the 'target' had no idea they were being placed. Why couldn't you have just put one on Ziva yourself, Tony, if you were that worried?"

Tony and Ziva's eyes were locked on each other, not saying a word, not needing to.

"Trust." Everyone looked up as Gibbs spoke. "McGee, you can't lie to your partner in the field, otherwise it puts you both at risk."

Tony looked down, then back to Ziva, speaking to McGee. "Can we find out if these things are safe or not? I really don't want to die because of some stupid piece of technology." Ziva sat up at that, suddenly frightened.

"Maybe we can get something out of Interpol." Stan suggested. "This is their baby; they should know what it can or cannot do."

Gibbs nodded. He walked over to the window and called Vance. "Director? Yes, a bit of disturbing news. Bodnar is the child of Eli David and Ziva's mother. Adoption record, in the pouch with some other documents. Sir, I need you to contact Interpol about the tracking disks. We need to find out what they are and if there are any adverse effects for the person that gets tagged with them. Yeah, I have a real good reason for asking but I'm not going into it right now. Yep, this number is good." Gibbs hung up and looked over at the group.

"Vance will call D'Arcy." He informed them.

Gibbs asked Tony and Ziva to show him what their next plan was and soon they were busy going over maps of Berlin.

"A lot of what you decide to do will come from whatever information Ben-Gidon sends you." Stan reminded them, after twenty minutes of sifting through their Intel.

"That is true." Ziva said. "I do not remember Berlin being specifically mention by Ilan, the few times he spoke of Germany. But I do remember something about a synagogue that was destroyed during the war and was never rebuilt, at least at that time. The members decided it should remain as a memorial to those who had suffered atrocities." She looked unsettled.

Tim took the lap top and Googled "synagogues destroyed WWII and Germany" and came up with a heartbreaking listing of multiple sites. There were ten in Berlin.

"Kristallnacht." Gibbs said quietly. "Night of the Broken Glass, 1938."

Everyone was silent, each lost in their own thoughts. They all jumped when Gibbs' phone rang.

"Director? That was quick." Gibbs answered. He listened carefully as Vance relayed the wanted information. "Ok, Leon, thanks. Yes, McGee and I are heading back tomorrow. Rivkin is schedule to board a plane for New York from Rome. We want to be there to meet him at DiNozzo's apartment. Will do."

Gibbs looked at Tony, whose face was pale. "Vance just talked to D'Arcy. You don't need to worry." He looked at Tim. "He wouldn't give up the composition but he did say they were similar to the thing you said earlier."

"Selenium-75." McGee interrupted.

"Yeah, that. But not that. Anyway, it lasts for sixty days, and the only bad effect they have come up with has been an increased sex drive, if you want to call that bad." Gibbs stared at Tony.

They all looked at each other, and then burst out laughing. "Well, that explains a lot." Ziva said drily, and then put her hand over her mouth when she remembered who was in the room.

Gibbs and McGee both grimaced at the remark. "Too much information, Ziva. But I'm happy to know it's not going to kill you, DiNozzo. Now I know I still have that option." Gibbs growled.

Tony gulped at that, but then smiled when he saw Gibbs smile slightly. Ziva watched them closely then went into the other room. She came out with a sheet of dots.

"Here." She said to Tony. He took the sheet, confused. His eyes opened wide when Ziva held out her wrist.

"Are you sure?" He asked, knowing what it took for her to submit to something like this.

"Yes. I do not want to be lost. If I am taken, I want to be found. Please, Tony." Ziva looked deeply into his eyes.

Tony looked down at the sheet and pulled the next one off. Taking her hand in his, he gently touched her wrist with his fingertip.

It was simple, yet the most intimate act they had ever performed. The significance was not lost on Gibbs, realizing the trust his two Agents had been able to find with each other.

"That's it?" Tim asked in disbelief, breaking the spell.

Tony looked exasperated. "Well, what did you expect, McDisappointed? Fireworks? Swooning? The person getting marked is not supposed to know, it's kind of the whole idea." Ziva just chuckled.

Stan got down to business. "Let's get you two into the tracking program. I'll put you in mine as well, you too Boss." Stan figured the more people keeping an eye on them the better.

"This is like, really great and all; but promise me you won't watch our movements every day. This is in case we need to be tracked." Tony said nervously.

"Hey, no concerns DiNozzo. No one's going to spy on you and Ziva." Stan chuckled.

Tony breathed a sigh of relief. He knew the dots didn't show what the person was actually doing, but the idea of their movements being watched and catalogued wasn't something he really wanted to entertain.

Gibbs looked at his watch. "I guess we better head out. McGee and I can stay at base housing."

"Not necessary, Boss. You can stay here. Ziva and I have our own place." Tony offered.

Gibbs looked around. "Well, ok if you're sure. Our bags are in Stan's car four blocks away."

"I'll go get them, Boss." Stan stood up. He put on a light jacket and headed out.

Gibbs sat on the sofa and rubbed the back of his neck. "Our transport leaves at 3 p.m. We'll get back in plenty of time to intercept Rivkin."

"What is your plan with him, Gibbs?" Ziva asked quietly.

"Well, I'm hoping he'll give up some Intel for us. He may be good leverage, in the case of a hostage situation, although Stan seems to think he's expendable." Gibbs considered that line of thinking.

"If he goofed and wasn't supposed to say Munich and Bodnar found out about it, I would say he is definitely on the shit-list, Boss." Tony commented drily.

McGee chuckled at that. Gibbs just glared at him. "He may be of some use to us. A lot will depend on when you get whatever it is Ben-Gidon is sending you."

Ziva nodded. "I do not like Malachi being involved. I do not think it was a wise choice, he can be very hot-headed."

"Sounds like every Mossad Officer I ever met." Tony said innocently.

Ziva rounded on him, shocked. When she saw his smile, she relaxed but didn't change her mind. "You do not know him as well as I do. I cannot imagine he has been very patient waiting for my contact. He loved my father. He would want to kill Ilan himself."

"Then let him, Ziva." Gibbs said softly. "There is no rule in my book, or any inter-agency memo that's crossed my desk, stating that only Ziva David can pull the trigger."

"Or throw the knife." Tony offered.

"Or snap his neck." Tim added.

Ziva looked at her family in exasperation. "Yes, I know you do not want Ilan to die by my hand, and I have already promised that I will not run into the room with my weapons firing and knives throwing and my hand twisting his head off of his pathetic little neck!"

The room was silent for a few moments. "Tell us how you really feel, Ziva." Tony said, his voice shocked at the intensity of her outburst.

Ziva sat down next to Gibbs and put her face in her hands. "I am sorry. This…I never expected…I thought…"

"You thought it would be easy, nothing to think about, no one to worry about you or for you to worry about them, no one to answer to. Ziva, no one will question you if you are the one to end Bodnar's life. Least of all me. But you need to make sure that it is something you can live with for the rest of your life. Especially given the reason you just gave us why you won't be the one to kill him." Gibbs had his hand on her back, speaking so low that Tim and Tony could barely hear him.

Ziva raised her head, tear tracks visible on her cheeks. Tony sat down next to her and took her hands. "Ziva, that's all I want. I want justice. You want revenge. We can both have it, but we have to live with our decisions. I just want you to make a decision you can live with."

Ziva eyed him sadly. "Will you be able to live with my decision? Will you think badly of me if I choose revenge? What am I saying? He is my brother!" The conflict in Ziva's eyes was heartbreaking.

Tony pulled her into a crushing embrace, kissing her hair. "I will always be here. Aht lo leh-vahd." He said, reminding her of what he had told her when she left to go to Israel and attend to her father's funeral.

Tony looked at Gibbs, worried. He did not want Ziva to go "all Mossad", as he called it, for the simple reason that it was more dangerous for her. He didn't want her to take any unnecessary risks. He'd much rather let Malachi do their dirty work for them. But he knew he had to abide by whatever decision Ziva came to.

Gibbs nodded, reading Tony's thoughts. A light knocking on the door interrupted their musings. Tim looked through the peek hole and turned back. "Stan." He whispered.

He let Stan back in, who was carrying their two bags. He stopped in his tracks at the tableau-like scene in front of him. "What did I miss?" He asked, unsure if he really wanted to know.

"Everything's fine, Stan." Gibbs said. He gave Ziva another small pat on the back and stood up to grab his bag from Stan. "Good thing for you there are two beds, McGee." He quipped, lightening the mood.

Tim had sat silent through Ziva's outburst and Gibbs and Tony's subsequent pleas to her. He never had considered that Ziva would take it upon herself to go after Bodnar, not until she and Tony had left.

But even then, he thought they had planned it together. After what had just transpired, he realized that Ziva's original plan was to go it alone. He was astonished Tony had been able to talk her into taking him with her, but then he reconsidered. Hearing them say they were a couple, and then seeing them together acting like a couple were two different things.

He realized that he really didn't see it before, but it had been there all along. He couldn't believe how naïve he had been. They had probably been seeing each other for years, just not exclusively and in a committed relationship.

He thought back to their undercover assignment as a married couple. The two FBI Agents were convinced that Tony and Ziva had actually had sex while on this assignment. Tim had disagreed, thinking they didn't even like each other that much.

Now he mentally slapped the back of his head. One by one, little pieces started falling into place, pieces of a puzzle that he had not been able to see until now. The final pieces were the big ones, and they all happened with in the past year, since the bombing; the last large piece the killing of Eli David.

Tim figured out that had been the catalyst that had finally brought these two together and on the same page. In a way, it made him sad because the team dynamic would now be forever changed; maybe the team itself.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Now was not the time to be thinking such things. He looked up as Gibbs came back from the bedroom. He realized that Tony and Ziva were getting ready to leave.

They were reluctant to go, knowing it could be a while before they saw each other again. Ziva hugged Gibbs tightly, needing his comfort and support. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her back gently.

Tony watched, smiling slightly. He knew what Gibbs was to Ziva, more than anyone. He always felt that Gibbs had a special place for Ziva in his heart, almost from day one. It was only after Ziva had told him about Ari and Gibbs' basement did he understand the depth of their relationship, a relationship that had been tested through the years but always righted itself. Just like the sea-worthy sailboats Gibbs built in his basement.

"Tony." Gibbs turned to him. Tony shook his hand and then gave him a quick hug. Gibbs slapped him on the back. "Watch our girl." Gibbs whispered to him.

"Always." Tony looked him in the eye, his voice low and serious.

Gibbs nodded, and pulled back. Ziva was hugging McGee. Tony was surprised to see how emotional Tim was, like he was saying goodbye for good.

"Hey, come on McMorbid. We'll see you soon. Come here, give me some love." Tony held open his arms.

Tim rolled his eyes, but hugged Tony anyway. "Nothing's changed, Tim." Tony said quietly, surprising McGee. "And we'll be back."

Tim was mad at himself for feeling tears spring to his eyes. "You better be, Tony." McGee said, his voice hoarse.

Tony smiled. He looked at Ziva and put his arm around her. "We need to go." They looked at Gibbs and McGee one last time.

"We'll see you soon." Tony said, not wanting to end the evening.

"You better go, you two." Gibbs said roughly. They nodded and slowly went to the door. With one look back, they opened the door and were gone.

Gibbs sighed heavily and sat down on the sofa.

"Boss, you ok?" McGee wasn't sure he should ask the question, but did anyway.

Gibbs looked wearily at McGee. "Yeah, McGee. I'm ok. Hit the rack, we have an early morning."

"We do?" Tim asked, surprised since their plane didn't leave until 3 p.m.

"Well, yeah McGee. We're going to be in Stan's office. Hopefully, that package for Ziva will arrive before we leave. I want to get a look at it."

"Before Ziva sees it?" Tim was shocked that Gibbs would open it first.

"I don't think Ziva and Tony will show up at Stan's office, McGee. I'm not going to take anything. But I want to get the ball rolling ASAP if there is something I can use to convince Director Vance that NCIS needs to be in Berlin, right now."

Tim nodded in understanding. Gibbs was always a step ahead of him, much to his frustration. Maybe he really wasn't cut out for the field side of law enforcement after all. He had his doubts, many times in the past. He had even voiced his doubts one time to Tony, but Tony had quickly disabused him of that notion.

But now he wasn't so sure. He had been afraid when Gibbs had selected him to go to Afghanistan with him, and now the idea of physically going after Bodnar scared the crap out of him. Even going after Saleem had been the hardest thing he had ever done. Tony had talked him into it, to avenge Ziva. If he had known Tony's real plan, he never would have gone. He watched Gibbs go about, getting ready for tomorrow just like it was any other day.

Taking a deep breath, he began to speak hesitantly. "Uh, Boss?"

Gibbs didn't look up. "McGee, you are up to this. I know what you're thinking." This time he did look up. "But if you don't want to be on the Berlin team, I won't think anything of it. It's strictly volunteer. No one will think badly of you if you choose not to go."

"That's not true." He blurted out, again amazed that Gibbs knew exactly what he was thinking. "I will. And Abby will. And Tony and Ziva…"

Gibbs held up his hand. "Tim, you're a good Field Agent. But not every Agent is cut out for espionage. This is a different ball game. Believe me, it will be ok."

McGee nodded silently and grabbed his bag.

Berlin, Germany

Ilan laid back in exhaustion. "Woman, you are insatiable." He breathed heavily.

The woman chuckled wickedly. "And you would not have it any other way, Ilan." She nibbled on his ear.

"You are quite correct." He said as he grabbed her hair and began kissing her passionately. "Harah!" He swore as his cell phone began ringing. He angrily grabbed the offending object and punched "answer."

"This better be a very good reason for interrupting me!" He spat at the caller.

"The Director has heard from Ziva David." The disembodied voice responded, not feeling any fear of reprisal. Bodnar sat straight up in the bed, running his hands through his hair.

"When, how?" He demanded.

"She called the Director's private number. She will be coming, soon." The caller's terse answer implied these words were enough.

Ilan smiled in anticipation. Ziva was coming, was she? It was all as he had planned. He would remove the final obstacle of his pain.

"Toda." Bodnar said, ending the call. He looked at the other side of the bed and frowned. His companion had removed herself during his call.

"Come back, my love. The night is young." He called out to the woman lounging seductively in the doorway.

Monique Lisson smiled and shook her head. "I think your mind will be on other things, yes? I will see you in the morning, my love." She turned and walked out the bedroom, taking the short flight down the stairs to her own room.

Naples, Italy

Gibbs and McGee arrived in Stan's office at eight a.m. Stan looked up in surprise. "I didn't expect you so early. Coffee?"

"Ya'think, Stanley?" Gibbs smirked. Tim gratefully took the offered brew as well, having not slept too well the night before.

"Weather's good, so your transport should be leaving on time, Boss." Stan noted after checking his computer.

"Thanks, Agent Burley." Gibbs cocked his head in acknowledgment.

Stan smiled. There was a light knock on the door. Stan looked alarmed. "Cagnani." He mouthed to Gibbs and McGee. Gibbs raised his eyebrow and shrugged.

"Come in." Stan called out. "Marco! Same as always!" Stan stood and shook his hand.

Marco Cagnani looked taken aback that Stan had visitors, visitors that were clearly NCIS.

"Oh, don't worry about them." Stan smiled easily. He signed for the pouch and Cagnani left.

After about five minutes, Gibbs spoke up. "So that's the courier in Bodnar's pocket."

"Yep." Stan nodded. "Let's see what crap he has for us today. Oh, this is good. Bodnar has left Munich and has now gone to Mumbai." Stan chuckled.

"Well, at least they're staying with the 'M's'." Gibbs said sarcastically.

"India? Why would he go there? I mean, I know he didn't really go there, but you would think they would at least have him going someplace logical." McGee wondered if he was missing something.

"Isn't Mossad still working the Mumbai Massacre?" Stan asked, trying to come up with a plausible reason for Bodnar to be in Mumbai.

"Wasn't that in 2008?" McGee asked, incredulous that it was still an ongoing investigation.

"Yeah, and it only makes sense if Bodnar was part of the plot: he's no longer Mossad, remember?" Gibbs reminded Stan.

"Oh, yeah. That was dumb." Stan slapped the back his own head in disgust, much to Gibbs' amusement.

They went through the rest of the Intel report. Gibbs sat up. "There's a reference here to 'MC'." He handed the page over to McGee.

McGee looked at Gibbs in shock and took it. "You're kidding! What does it say?" McGee quickly scanned the report. "MC resurfaced in Madrid. Increase security on all systems." McGee opened his mouth at that.

"Why would they put something like that in their fake reports? If they really know MC, why would they want us to be more alert?" Stan asked, dubious. "Let's not forget this is all crap."

"I think it's more interesting that Bodnar's camp is even thinking of MC. That means Bodnar is aware of him, and knows we are invested in catching him." Gibbs rubbed his face. "Maybe MC was referenced to throw us off of Bodnar."

Stan's phone rang. "Special Agent Burley. Yes! I will be right there."

Stan hung up. "A package just arrived. Hopefully it's what you've been waiting for." Stan got up and left the office.

He returned about ten minutes later, holding a think envelope. He sat back down and opened it up, pulling out multiples pages and photos.

Gibbs grabbed some photos and scrutinized them. He was amazed Malachi was able to get these shots, clearly taken in privacy. He tried to get a picture of everyone with Bodnar at the moment. He didn't recognize anyone, but Ziva might. There was one picture, clearly taken in a hurry. It was very blurry, and it looked like a woman was in the background. There was something Gibbs couldn't put his finger on, like he should know who this was. But the image was just not clear enough. He sighed, and put them down.

Stan handed him the letter from Malachi. "This gives all addresses Bodnar is known to frequent, including what looks to be a residence in town, a place outside of the city limits, and a place identified as the Oranienbergerstrasse Synagogue."

"Look it up." Gibbs ordered. Stan began typing on his computer. "You were right, Boss. This was one of the synagogues destroyed in 1938. It's been renovated recently." Stan looked up.

"That's where we'll find him." Gibbs wrote down some notes.

"Boss!" Stan stopped him. He took the letter and made a copy of it. "Here, you can have the whole thing. Better for Director Vance to see anyway."

Gibbs smiled and nodded. He looked at the photos again. He felt he was missing something, something important. But he had enough to get Vance on board. "Let's head out, McGee. We need to get back."

I was bugged by Monique, even though I like the actress and how fun is it that she was Joel Gretsch's wife in "The 4400"! I remember her telling Ziva she had gotten involved in something she couldn't get out of or something like that. And she pushed Ziva to get a personal life and even encouraged her to give Tony a chance. I thought she needed to be revisited. Reviews have been great, thank you so much!