The creaking of the floorboards suddenly woke Nettie up from where she sat. Though she's blindfolded, with her hands bound behind her using a rope neatly tied into an intricate set of knots, she could tell that they've placed her on a metal chair that is firmly fixed onto the floor.

"You're slipping, Netalya."

Nettie chuckles as she recognized the owner of the voice. It has been far too long, yet meeting him again didn't actually surprise her. Who would've thought that she'd still get a shot at having this much excitement at her age? "Am I? I found you did I?"

"Arrogant as always," he commented, clucking his tongue in distaste. Staying in the same room with one of the two women instrumental to his incarceration years ago makes his blood boil. "I knew there's a reason why I never liked you."

"I shall take that as a compliment." A throaty laugh escapes her. "Prison treated you well, I hope?"

He knew she's merely trying to bait him, and he'd be damned if he would ever let history repeat itself. It's how she caught him the first time. He scoffed. "You think this is simply about that? That I'm holding you hostage because of a decade-long grudge?"

"You are many things, Yosef, but simple minded isn't one of them." The old woman tilted her head from one side to the other; each movement releases a bunch of soft popping sounds from her grating joints. She's indeed getting old. "But then again, I did put you to jail. There's got to be an element of stupid in that brain of yours, yes?"

"I wouldn't take away your right to brag about being the one to ultimately throw me into a prison cell all those years ago." The increasing sound of his footsteps told her that he's moving much closer to where she's slumped, close enough to lean next to her face and mutter softly to her ears. She could feel his breath as he talked. "It was impressive, what you did."

She wouldn't exactly describe what she did as impressive, but then again, who is she to rain all over his parade? Besides, a chance to watch him waste his time blowing his own trumpet while attempting to intimidate her is quite difficult to pass up. It is pure hilarity at its finest. She hasn't had that in a while.

"But your niece," He began, teeth gnashing harshly against each other at every word. "—her debts to me are piling up."

"So you chose me as what, a bargaining chip?" It was Nettie's turn to scoff. "And here I thought that you cannot be that much of a fool."

A hand suddenly found its way to Nettie's cheek, caressing it gently much like a feather's touch. "Bargaining chip?" He chuckled at the incredulity of the thought. "No, no—Come on, Netalya. You know me better than that. If I needed a bargaining chip, you'd be the last one I'd pick. I attack people's weaknesses, not their strengths." Her unparalleled spy skills are common knowledge in Mossad. She's a legend. Anyone would be a fool to challenge her.

"Another compliment." Nettie noted with a smirk. "Careful, Yosef. You are going to make me blush."

He ignored her comment completely and screamed to her ear. "She killed my son!"

If she wasn't blindfolded, she probably would've rolled her eyes. "A well deserved death, I'm sure." When his breathing shifted, she knew she'd struck a raw nerve. "An eye for an eye, yes?"

The gentle caresses on her cheek quickly turned vicious. He grabbed Nettie by her chin, tugging her face closer to his own as he hissed, "I don't care if she's American now, or if she's protected by whoever god she's decided to trade her loyalties for, she's mine."

Nettie dismissed his tirade with a shrug. She's fairly confident that her niece can take care of herself. Yosef will never be able to get to her in a thousand years. "Whatever floats your boat, Yosef."

"The only thing that could float my boat is a pool filled with the blood of Eli David's imbecile daughter when I slit her throat." He hissed.

Nettie made a mental note to ask Ziva if Yosef did actually use that idiom right. He does not sound like he did. "Maybe it is better if we simply stick to speaking Hebrew, Yosef. The English language does not suit you."

"My English is none of your concern." He replied dismissively. "But let me ask you, Netalya. You know your niece well enough, yes?"

The old Israeli woman rolled her eyes underneath her blindfolds. "I believe this is where I am supposed to say, 'duh?'" She chuckled. She's been watching a couple of American shows lately. She has to admit—they are quite educational.

Yosef ignored her quip. "And since we have already established that you are clearly not her weakness, perhaps by now you could tell that my plans do not exactly revolve around you."

"Are you planning to ever get to your point in this conversation, or am I supposed to wait for it until I die here of old age?" She asked in a bored voice. "I do not think I still have to emphasize that you are on a strict deadline on that one, if that is the case."

"You know her weakness, do you not?" He asked.

"Yes I do." Nettie admitted without so much as batting an eye, figuratively speaking. "I believe they call it Air Guitar?"

She got a good hearty laugh from him for that one. "You and him, you are more alike than I thought. No wonder your niece became very fond of him."

Nettie clucked her tongue in disapproval. "Don't you dare compare me to that CIA toolbag my Ziva is dating."

"Now, now, this is what I call slipping." Yosef noted. "Oh come on, Netalya. You can't tell me you do not know who I am talking about. After all, he did give you those amazing purple tulips years ago."

And every year after that. But Nettie's pretty sure that he already knew about that, too. He knows about Tony.

"Your former flame Pinkhas thought he could protect you." Yosef said. "And he's right, he would. He'd be arriving here in a couple of hours with that Shin Bet operative of yours, I am sure."

"Did he tell you that?" Nettie asked, incensed. She and Shmiel will be having a very long conversation about this soon. "I told that old man not to tell anyone. It was just one date! And happened so long ago, not even during this decade!"

Yosef knew better than to let Nettie derail him from his true purpose. "And you know what else would happen in a couple of hours?"

Nettie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She finally understood what's happening here. Yosef is using her as a distraction, so he can isolate Ziva from all the people who could protect her. With her kidnapped, Shmiel's attention will be fully focused on her. And of course, knowing Ziva, she would not let Shmiel to work alone. She'd send a trusted someone, too. More people focused on rescuing her means less people protecting Ziva. Yosef would milk that for all that's worth.

"I finally got your attention, didn't I?" Yosef asked. Nettie could practically hear the smirk in his words. "Well," he exhaled loudly, "look at the time! Forgive me but unfortunately, my presence is greatly needed elsewhere. I shall leave you to your thoughts now, yes?"

"Any particular reason for travelling to Hawaii, Mr. Murphy? Is it business or pleasure?" The pilot, a kind-looking man in his late thirties, asks his passenger conversationally. He genuinely seemed like he's interested in knowing his answer, so Thomas obliges.

"I'd like to say it's purely business, but I'd be lying." He grins. "If you know what I mean."

The pilot nods in understanding, as he gives Thomas a knowing smirk. "I do love playing with fire from time to time."

"We all do." Thomas agrees. "This fire though, she's far more interesting than the others." Or so he was told.

"I see." The pilot says. "Well, I wish you luck with your fire. I hope this trip will be memorable for the two of you."

Thomas stares through the window and takes a long and leisurely breath. He could hardly contain his excitement for what is about to come. He whispers to himself, "I'll make sure it will."

I apologize for the lack of Tiva in this one. They will return in the next chapter, I promise.