Warnings: Spoilers for Season 7.

A/N: As promised here is the next part. Promise I won't keep you waiting too long for more updates. Sorry that I didn't get to respond to your reviews this time. Been extremely busy. But I did read them and appreciate them :)

wytygr- Did you mean Ziva? Otherwise, I have no idea who Tuvia is haha.

McGee felt faint. Finally he had gotten a hit on the facial recognition. Little too late, he thought, as he wiped the sweat from his brow. Tony and Natalie are missing. His hands shook as he took the steps two at a time up to MTAC. Gibbs had been sequestered away in there since Tony had missed his second check-in. Dunham had found the Jeep that Tony and Natalie had used, and was ordered to secure it, but not touch it. Gibbs wanted to run the investigation—it was his people missing. And Vance had the entire agency on alert now that the rumors were flying that both Tony and Natalie were dead. He couldn't afford to think like that. Tony was his friend. And he was really starting to like Natalie. If they were…gone…NO! STOP!

"Boss…"

"Yeah, McGee?"

McGee took a deep breath, trying to desperately steady himself under the intense gaze of both Gibbs and the Director. "I…I got a hit on that photo Tony sent me…the man…the man they thought was observing them?"

Gibbs didn't like the sudden fear in the younger agent's voice. "Yeah? Who is it?" McGee looked helplessly at him, nervously shifting about on his feet. Gibbs felt his patience thinning. They didn't have time for this. Tony and Natalie's lives depended on it. "Well! Spit it out, McGee!"

McGee shuddered slightly. "The man in the photograph that we positively identified was Malachi Ben-Gideon—he's…he's Mossad, boss."

Instantly Vance's face went dark. "Get out of here, Gibbs. You take the next military transport to North Africa. You report to me the moment you find them—safe and sound—do whatever you have to do to get them back. This is considered an act of terrorism, and we do not negotiate with terrorists, " he ordered the lead agent, as Gibbs sprinted up the steps, McGee on his heels. The former marine paused and looked at him, asking an unspoken question. "I'm going to get back on the phone with Eli David—because now their operation concerns NCIS."

"Send him my regards, Leon," Gibbs replied sarcastically, letting the door to MTAC slam shut behind him.

"Do you think Mossad has something to do with their disappearance boss?" McGee asked, anxiously.

Gibbs sighed, heavily. "If Eli David believed that Tony and Natalie caused a problem with his operation—he would absolutely make them disappear, kill them, use them to gain access to Saleem Ulman, barter to release a prisoner—whatever it took so the job was done."

McGee swallowed the nervous bile in his throat. Dear Lord what had Tony and Natalie stumbled upon? "Do you think…do you think they're dead, boss?"

"Not yet…" Gibbs whispered. "No. Tony…will do whatever he has to do to keep them alive…to give us time to find them." He reached out and grabbed a hold of the younger agent's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Tim…we're going to find them. We're going to get them home."

"I…I know boss," McGee stammered.

Gibbs reached out with his free hand and pat the young man on the cheek affectionately. "Tony and Natalie need you at your best, Tim. I need you at your best. First thing we need to do is get on that transport and get to North Africa."

McGee nodded and focusing on helping his partners, matched Gibbs long stride. "Abby gave me the coordinates for Saleem's camp. If that's where Tony and Natalie were taken…of course I'm not sure how we're going to know where they were taken at this point. Somalia is a hotbed for terrorist activities and there are various camps throughout the region. And then… well…if it was Mossad, there is the very real possibility that they were taken back to Israel."

"Tim!" Gibbs snapped.

"S-sorry, boss," McGee stammered, "I'll…focus. Promise."

Gibbs took a deep breath as they grabbed their gear, leaving NCIS behind without saying so much as a good-bye to the others. I'm coming for you, DiNozzo.

Tony could only smell burlap. And all he could see was…darkness. He reached his fingers out and found Natalie's. It was the only way he knew that she was still with him. Every thing had rapidly gone down hill when the tires of their Jeep were blown out. In a flash they were swarmed, disarmed, blindfolded—and now were driving quickly over the desert to who knew where.

His heart was in his throat, adrenaline was pumping wildly through his veins. Tony was furious at himself for allowing them to get into this mess. And now…now he didn't know how he was going to protect his partner. By now he'd missed his check in with Gibbs, which would no doubt send the former marine jumping through hoops to find his agents, but could Tony keep them both alive long enough for NCIS to mount a rescue operation?

Natalie's fingers curled around his. Tony felt the slight tremble in her hand. He latched on and gave it a squeeze. If he was honest, he didn't know if he could keep them alive long enough for NCIS to find them. But he was going to do everything in his power to do so.

Tony lost the grip on Natalie's hand when the Jeep came to a grinding halt. They were roughly pulled out of the vehicle. He could hear voices shouting in Arabic as a gun was pressed to his back and he was guided along blindly. He felt the temperature shift, no longer felt the sun on his face and knew that they were being brought inside. It smelled like sweat, vomit and urine. Doors were opened and slammed shut and he was yanked back, the barrel of the gun pressing firmly into his flesh.

"So. You have brought me the Americans," a voice stated.

His hood was pulled off and he winced at the brightness of the room. Tony watched as their credentials were thrown at a man's feet. Jaw clenched tightly he glanced at Natalie, whose hood was already pulled off, revealing her ball cap gone and her hair down.

"Special Agents Anthony DiNozzo and Natalie Callahan," the man read from creds. "Welcome to my little camp. My name is Saleem Ulman."

"Delighted to be here," Tony shot back, sarcastically. "Although I would have preferred an invitation instead of a gun shoved in my face."

"I apologize for my men, Agent DiNozzo. They have not been taught the finer art of hospitality. Please…agents…have a seat."

Natalie looked at him, helplessly. Tony silently snarled at their captor. "We'll stand, thanks."

His eyes flashed with anger and he snapped some orders in his native tongue. Both Tony and Natalie were roughly shoved into chairs. "It was not a suggestion, Agent DiNozzo, it was a request. And around here you will follow my requests."

"Or what?" Tony challenged, eye narrowing. "Kill us? We're pretty much as good as dead out here anyways. And if you kill us we won't be much leverage for when the Marines come knocking."

"You are rather brash, Agent DiNozzo," Saleem sneered, moving towards the two agents. "Tell me…would you be just as brash if I were to hold a knife to your partner's throat?"

Natalie's neck was snapped back and one of the guards placed a hunting knife directly on her jugular. Tony's jaw twitched, not a lot, but just enough for their captors to know what his weakness was going to be.

"I didn't think so," the terrorist said with a chuckle. He signaled for the guards to let Natalie go. "I am a patient man when I need to be, Agent DiNozzo. But right now, time is of the essence and I need to know—what is NCIS' business out here?"

"Something tells me you already know," Tony retorted, angrily. "Otherwise, my partner and I wouldn't be your prisoners."

"You both were rather interested in a man named Daniel Cryer."

"He was a marine."

"Former marine."

"No such thing," Tony snapped.

Saleem was silent for a moment, sizing Tony up. He had spent a great deal of time in America getting to know the culture. It didn't make the agent's sarcastic, biting remarks any easier to take. "Did you come here hoping to find what information Cryer was selling?"

Tony glanced for a moment at Natalie. "You confessing to buying information from him?"

"Unfortunately, Agent DiNozzo," Saleem replied, "Cryer and I never got to complete our transaction. Which is why I am very happy you are here."

"Oh? Really?"

"Yes. You will be giving me the information that Cryer was supposed to supply."

"And if we don't know it?" Natalie asked, her voice hoarse.

Saleem tossed her a smile, one that filled with evil and contempt. "Then I suppose, Agent Callahan, it will be your blood on my hands."

Natalie glared at him. "Something tells me you don't mind having blood on your hands."

"Men can change the world with rivers of blood."

"Or destroy it."

Saleem looked away and took a sip from his canteen. "What will happen if you do not report in with the Marines?"

Tony and Natalie were silent. Saleem turned and fixated his dark eyes on them. "What will happen if you do not report in?" he asked, again, in a dark tone. When neither agent answered he moved, swiftly across the room and pulled Natalie from her chair, striking her across the face. She collided with the wall, letting out a startled gasp as the terrorist circled her.

"NO!" the SFA shouted, shoving Saleem away from her and landing a right hook in his jaw, clearly putting himself in the line of fire.

All the terrorist had to do was look at his men. Tony was roughly held down while the others punched and kicked him furiously—until finally Saleem shouted for them to stop. He tossed the SFA against the wall with Natalie, who was shaking from head to toe, silently, angry and terrified after watching, helplessly, as her partner was beaten.

Saleem wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Maybe you will be more cooperative in the morning." He shouted orders at the men in the room, and they were gone in a flash, slamming the heavy wooden door shut behind them.

Natalie pulled herself up onto her knees and inspected Tony's injuries. He looked at her, dully, when she touched his face. "Tim was right…you have a way with people," she said, softly, fighting her tears.

"I'm sorry, Nat," Tony rasped, eyes filling with regret. "I'm sorry I got you into this mess."

"It's okay," she assured him, sliding back against the wall.

Tony let out a slow, painful breath, steadying himself as he reached out and found her hand, grabbing a hold of it. She held it tightly, resting her head against his arm. "We're going to get out of this…you know…Gibbs…he's gonna find us."

Natalie nodded and closed her eyes, wishing that when she woke up, they weren't going to be in this awful place. And somehow she knew that Tony was speaking the truth—that Gibbs was going to find them—she had to believe it if they were going to survive. "I hope we give him enough time to do so."

Chad Dunham had once heard not to mess with one Leroy Jethro Gibbs when his people were in trouble. Seeing the heated, almost feral like look in Gibbs eyes as he combed over the Jeep, Dunham pitied the man who had Gibbs' people hostage.

"Boss…pulled a slug from the back tire," Tim McGee reported, breaking the intense silence of the desert. "Looks like a long range sniper rifle."

"Shooter could have been hiding in those hills," Gibbs pointed out, gesturing with his chin. "Once the tires were blown, the rest moved in to take Tony and Natalie."

McGee looked at the Jeep. Tony and Natalie had been worried about being followed. If only he'd been able to come up with the facial recognition before they'd been captured, maybe when Tony learned that Mossad had their eyes on the two agents he would have pulled out, going back to the safety of the Enterprise. But that hadn't happened.

Gibbs had been on the warpath since Tony had missed his first check-in. When he missed the second one, Gibbs had stormed MTAC and tried to reach the agent on his SAT phone. By that point both agents knew that something was wrong, especially when Tony didn't pick up his phone. McGee and Gibbs had taken the first available military flight out of Andrews' to North Africa. They hadn't even waited for blessings from SecNav. Not that McGee believed for a moment Davenport was going to be upset that Gibbs had gone off on his own like this—not when two agents' lives were hanging in the balance. And Vance had ordered them to go.

Vance himself had other problems to deal with anyways. Mainly Eli David and his pack of lies.

Dunham crossed his arms over his chest. He'd been out here for months, snooping around and no one had shot at his Jeep as he went from place to place. If Saleem had wanted an American hostage, well, he could have gotten one months ago. No, there was someone else at work here, and judging by the look in Gibbs' eyes, the older agent felt it was well. "You said the man that was following them was Mossad?"

Gibbs' shoulders stiffened. "Officer Ben-Gideon was positively identified from photographs Tony took. Couldn't identify the woman—she was covered, made to blend in."

"You don't think…Mossad sold them out…do you?" Dunham asked, honestly.

"I think Eli David would do anything to make sure his war was fought," Gibbs snarled. "And if that meant disposing of my agents—then that's exactly what happened."

Dunham felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, even in this oppressive heat. He watched as a cloud of dust started in the horizon and then turned into another military jeep, parking alongside the abandoned one and the one that the three NCIS agents had ridden out here in. "Captain?" he questioned when he saw the Navy seal climb out of the vehicle. "Something up?"

The tall man pulled himself to his full height. "Just got word from my scouts, Agent Dunham—Saleem Ulman's camp has been found—and he has at least two captives with him—one man and one woman. My men didn't see the captives but…it's believed that the captives are Agents DiNozzo and Callahan."

McGee swallowed, nervously, watching as the dark storm clouds played out in Gibbs' eyes. "Does this mean…they're still alive, boss?"

"For now they are," Gibbs said, tightly. "We're going to have to move fast."

"Boss…"

"Do you have a plan, Gibbs?"

Gibbs sighed and smiled, woefully. "Yeah. Always have a plan, Dunham. Always anticipate."

McGee wasn't sure what the plan was here. Going into the camp, guns blazing would surely set off an explosive chain reaction—leading to Tony and Natalie getting killed. He looked down at the bullet he'd pulled from the back tire on the Jeep, waiting to be shipped off to D.C and Abby. He'd already sent her a photograph of course so she could make a guess on what type of bullet it was—but he wasn't sure that was necessary now. "What are we going to do, boss?"

"Tony and Natalie were coming to meet up with Dunham to check up on a settlement reported to be a terrorist camp."

"Yeah…"

"We're going to finish the job for them, McGee."

McGee glanced at Dunham. "Boss…the Seals just said…"

Gibbs shot him a glare. "Yeah…McGee…I know…they confirmed it was Saleem's camp. But Saleem doesn't know that."

"You proposing a raid, Gibbs?" Dunham asked. "Because…that can turn to a bloodbath and fast."

"No. He's going to be expecting the Marines to come storming in once Tony and Natalie don't report in. We need to catch him off guard."

"How are we going to do that?"

Gibbs just smiled. When the time was right he'd let them on his plan. For now, he needed to get Tony and Natalie back—and back alive.