Authors note: This chapter is rated a strong T for violence. I did not water down Ziva David. She is what she is and that is sometimes rough.
"You are one beautiful woman, Ziva David," stated Rafe Cortez as he circled Ziva, looking her up and down.
Ziva's hair was loose, falling past her shoulders in soft waves. She wore a pale blue sundress and strappy sandals as she stood in a building that was crumbling on the outside but somewhat well appointed on the inside - off a disreputable street in Ecuador. Cortez and seven of his men surrounded her.
The room she stood in must have been a ballroom once upon a time, several French doors with small balconies overlooked the street below. Victorian woodwork and antique mirrors lined the walls, a large chair rested on a platform on one end of the room - no doubt Cortez's self aggrandizing throne. An oblong table surrounded by tapestry covered chairs and half a dozen flat screens hung on the walls opposite Cortez's chair. They stood in the center of this long room on unvarnished floors decorated with Persian rugs and cracked plaster overhead.
She glanced around at the faces that surrounded her; the CIA had given her dossiers on many of these faces. These men were hardcore; killers, rapists, traffickers, willing to do terrorist acts and willing to smuggle everything from chemical weapons to bomb makers. But the worst was Cortez. None of these men would have come as far as they had if not for Cortez. Cortez was some kind of criminal savant; a true genius at plotting and organizing and staying hidden. It had taken Ziva ten months. ten months to reach this point where she was finally in the same room with Cortez. Ten months after leaving Tony, her family back in DC.
Ziva caught one face in the crowd particularly; one of Cortez's least favorite sidekicks, Jorge, stood there with a two gun holster over a grey shirt. The CIA thought that perhaps she could turn him if she needed to, perhaps he would flip to avoid Cortez's displeasure with him after he'd lost a shipment of bomb material.
"But I must ask," Cortez continued, "how is it that such a delicate creature as yourself; such an obviously nice young woman could possibly have enough talent for my team?"
Ziva stepped into Cortez's personal space and one of his other men stepped closer to her. She rubbed the back of Cortez's cheek with the fingers of her right hand used her left and pulled the gun from the other man's waistband. She turned her head, aimed in the blink of an eye and fired. Ziva killed Jorge with one shot between the eyes. She then flipped the gun in her hand and handed it to Cortez.
"How nice am I now?" she asked coyly.
Cortez gestured for his men to back away from Ziva and he took the gun she offered. He stepped back and looked at her.
"I hope I killed the right one?" she asked as she turned with Cortez's gaze, "the one that failed you, correct?"
"Correct," Cortez answered before saying, "leave us."
His men hesitated and Ziva picked up that Cortez was rarely alone but they soon filed out of the room - shutting the doors behind them.
"You have fallen far," Cortez said, "haven't you, Ziva?"
Ziva peered at Cortez then glanced at the body oozing blood by the balcony doors, "Yes, I have."
"Let me catch you," Cortez whispered.
"You requested my services," Ziva said, "and I delivered. I am not looking for a new master. I am simply looking for more work."
"Work I have plenty of," Cortez stepped close to Ziva, touched her shoulder, "women like you in my life. That is a rarity."
Ziva glanced down at the hand touching her shoulder and whispered, "touch me without permission...and I will carve you up into a girl."
"Then give me permission," Cortez intoned. "Allow me to court you."
Ziva knew the body had two guns on it. It would be a simple matter to acquire one of them and kill Cortez right now. But there were few options for escape. The jump down to the street was still a long drop she might or might not walk away from. The men outside the door would see her gunned down in moments. No, she needed to bide her time, pick a better moment - one where she could survive and get home to Tony.
"Perhaps," she replied as she took her turn to look up and down Cortez's body. He was a handsome man, late thirties by appearance. Dark hair, caramel skin and scruff; he reminded her of Michael in some ways. "But I am an old fashioned girl and I am not sure you would have...met my father's standards."
Cortez smiled broadly, "I shall endeavor to live up to the standards that the late, great Eli David would have set for his daughter's suitor."
"You have a wish to see a contractor do her job and then lie in bed with you?" Ziva questioned.
"I'm not sure I want you to be one of my contractors," Cortez's tone was low and seductive as he studied her face. "I have enough of those but you-"
"I am very good at what I do," Ziva narrowed her eyes, "my father taught me well."
"Return tonight," Cortez requested. "I will have a meal prepared for us and we can talk with a better atmosphere."
"I was not looking for a date," Ziva tilted her head, "but...I will join you. Eight?"
Cortez nodded and Ziva proceeded for the double doors, "have the maid clean up," she said before she left the room, walked passed his men and exited the building.
Her skin was on fire, she was so close...so close to ending this nightmare. She had to calm herself and return to the small apartment she'd leased carefully. She did not want to attract undue attention.
When she'd finally entered the small apartment and locked the door behind her, she wanted to scream, wanted to let all the emotion that had coursed through her for so many months out. She was so afraid it was too late; that she had taken too long.
She'd communicated with Tony and the others for a couple of months but then it became impossible to continue after she realized the lengths they were going to to track her. She couldn't have them involved in all of this - she had to keep to her choice and so she cut off the messages. She'd severed all the ties that would lead to her.
Trent had kept her informed over the months to a degree- her communication with Trent had been spotty at best but she had gotten some information. Palmer and his wife had a child, Director Vance was dating a new woman, Gibbs was building another boat, and Tony had a new partner. A woman named Bishop. But more; Jeanne Benoit had come back into Tony's life. Trent said that she had come to Tony to turn over parts of her father's business that still lingered. Ziva had not heard anything beyond that.
She was so close to getting her life back but would Tony want her back after everything? After so much time? She wasn't sure if he could forgive her...she wasn't sure if he had moved on.
Author's Note: Hey guys! OMG! The reviews are killing me! You are all so wonderful! Thank you!
Also, I apologize for typos and grammar mistakes etc. I do not have a beta reader and you guys are basically getting my first draft.
As for the story - we still have some to go. Prepare the kleenex.