"The doctor who just informed Ziva… she may be having Tony's baby… on Christmas, is in fact, named Gabriel…the angel." McGee spoke quietly and slowly while processing what he was saying out loud.
"What do you think about coincidences now, Gibbs?" Vance looked at Gibbs pointedly with raised eyebrows and a slight head tilt. He had tried to warn the man not to go down this road or he wouldn't like what he found. None of this could ever end well for Ziva and in the end, if they took her child, she would rather be dead.
"I think…it doesn't matter what I think about it." Gibbs answered quietly feeling his own heart drop and roll picking up speed at one too many ironies in this situation, "What matters is what they are going to think about it. And how much more danger this puts Ziva into if they believe there is some value to her child they can use for a gain." He paused, "Someone already tried to hide this baby from her and our knowledge, knowingly putting it into harms way given the medication Ziva was on without the knowledge of being pregnant. Someone already wants this baby gone."
"Someone who wants her bloodline to end." E.J. added quietly thinking along the same lines as Gibbs seeing where he was going with this.
"And what about Liat then…and our child?" Malachi asked with terror in his heart, "She has the same bloodline as Ziva. What about her? She is also with child!"
"Liat is pregnant?" Anthony asked with wide-eyes not having known this information before during his last visit. "And you're the father? What happened to her fiancé? Asa?"
"It is a long story, Mr. DiNozzo. But yes, Liat is pregnant and the child is mine." Malachi answered with pounding heart, "Your Officer Cruz," He looked directly at Gibbs, "Said that this group would want my first born child…this baby, will be my first born. And Liat's…this baby is both of ours. And Ziva's…" He shook his head rubbing his fingers over his temple trying to absorb what this could mean, "If they believe that these children stand in their way to that seat on The Council as the living heirs from the House of David, then, they're all in grave danger now. If Bodnar is really after that seat, he won't let Liat go, even if Ziva turns herself over to him and he kills her. Liat and our child will still carry on the bloodline, they would be next in line after Ziva and her child as the next heirs. He will kill them too, if this is what he's really after." His heart began pumping wildly in his chest at not seeing a way out of this now.
"But remember what Cruz said," McGee offered a small bit of hope, "He told Ziva that as long as The Council still needed their bloodline, they wouldn't allow Bodnar to hurt her. They would step in. She hasn't given over any of her eggs yet and neither has Liat. So they would still need their genetic material so to speak, being they are the ones who want this bloodline to continue. They will fight Bodnar to keep it."
"But he also said, McGee, that once The Council had the genetic material from Ziva, or Liat they would likely kill them both or let Bodnar do it." Malachi answered throwing his arms around wildly, losing control at the idea of Liat being killed.
"So, Ziva's being pregnant…may have just bought them both time." Ducky countered analyzing the situation. "If The Council want Ziva's bloodline and child so badly in looking for their Messiah, they wouldn't risk losing this child to Bodnar. Ultimately, they want that baby. And likely Liat's too, as a spare heir of the Davidic bloodline, as it were." He looked at Malachi trying to offer hope, "So if this knowledge is put forth to The Council, it may buy both of them time from further harm."
"It buys us time to come up with a better plan as well. If they really want Ziva's child." McGee nodded quietly, agreeing with Ducky's logic.
"That's a lot of 'ifs' hinged on this pregnancy," Gibbs countered them all quietly, "Which the doctor just explained is most likely not going to survive the next few days or weeks. If Ziva loses this baby…"
"We go right back to where we started." E.J. finished quietly.
"And Bodnar kills Ziva and likely Liat too… takes Liat's baby and possibly her eggs instead to barter his position with The Council as Cruz suggested, they only care about the bloodline continuing." McGee continued quietly swallowing hard and watched Malachi go completely ashen at the thought. "Boss, now what do we do?" He looked helplessly to Gibbs for answers.
Gibbs sighed heavily not knowing what to do and seeing all eyes on him for answers, "First thing we're going to do is get them the hell out of here." He nodded towards the closed hospital room door where Tony and Ziva were both recovering. "It's not safe here for either of them." He turned his attention to Vance, "And then we're going to sit down somewhere secure and discuss this source of yours and what we're going to do about this situation. We need to come up with a plan, and quickly. Right now they are too many steps ahead of us."
"Boss, if what Anthony said is true about there being thousands and thousands of members of The Council… how are we ever going to stop them from going after Ziva and the baby?" McGee asked feeling real fear for the first time in an enemy that seemed too large to ever conquer.
"We don't have to stop them all, McGee." Gibbs answered quietly, "We just have to find one of them at the top…change their minds, if they're the ones making the decisions."
"And there in lies the problem, Gibbs." Vance answered him crossing his arms over his chest, "With the new changes taking place within The Council and its own internal war going on with divided sides, of the Old and New Guards, no one gets to those at the top. Hell," he scoffed, "most don't even know who those people are anymore!"
"Then we'd better starting figuring that out, Leon." Gibbs answered with determination, having his protective Papa Bear nature going into overdrive now.
"I may have an idea of where to start." Anthony raised a finger stepping forward, his own mind racing with the news of Ziva's pregnancy and also feeling protective now of not only his son and Ziva but for his unborn grandchild and the realization he was about to become a grandfather. "When I was on that flight with Mayfield to the Royce Global Conference," He reminded them of the case not long ago where he was a murder suspect for being on that same flight, "I heard Mayfield discussing with Iverson the changing events happening within The Council… with everything up in the air at the time and no real leadership, everyone was scrambling to take avantage of the situation…in this case, Mayfield selling the lost bomb for profit. He mentioned something with kind of a arrogant smirk, Mayfield, and then chuckled at his turn in fortune thanks to The Phoenix."
"The Phoenix?" Gibbs repeated with narrowing eyebrows, as that wasn't much to go on. "And who is he supposed to be?"
"Not he, Gibbs." Anthony shook his head with raised eyebrows, "She. Mayfield said some day he'd like to thank her in person for 'taking down the Old Salts.' At the time, I had no idea what that meant but given what Director Vance just said here, perhaps he knows more." He looked pointedly at Vance and all eyes shifted to him.
"Are you sure they said The Phoenix?" Vance asked shifting uncomfortably and saw Malachi's eyes flash with his, given their positions as Diretors, they'd both heard this name before.
"I'm positive." Anthony nodded, folding his own arms over his chest and staring at the man given his reaction.
"What do you know about The Phoenix, Leon?" Gibbs asked quietly, seeing from his reaction the name registered something inside Vance that made him nervous.
"Nothing that can be discussed here, Gibbs." Vance shook his head.
"There are rumors about The Phoenix. Most, do not know if she really exists. She is a myth now, a legend amongst the agencies." Malachi offered not willing to be so quiet with Liat and his child's lives at stake. He was caring less and less for protocals and caught Vance's hard stare.
"Who is she?" McGee asked quietly with wide eyes seeing the look in Malachi's face as well as Vance. To hear of someone the Intelligence Agencies of the world describe as a myth and legend amongst those giants, made them all take a step back at what they could be up against if this one person had something to do with the fall of the mighty Council.
"Supposedly, a former American Spy," Malachi continued, "Who went through such an intense training program to become one of the Supreme Elite of Assassins in the world…it made Operation Frankenstein and The Hashshashini Project look like Nursery School in comparison."
All of their eyes widened knowing how intense both of those projects had been and couldn't imagine anything worse, and to such a degree it would make those programs only seem like a small child's Nursery School.
"Why do they call her The Phoenix?" McGee gulped knowing the folklore behind the majestic bird called many things by many cultures throughout history.
"They say, it is because every time they would break her down, she would rise again from her own ashes much stronger." Malachi explained quietly as though telling a dangerous secret. "The stronger she became, the more determined they were to possess her and the more elusive she became."
"Enough! We are not discussing this here." Vance cut off any further information. "I will share what I know when we are back at David's. But not here." He promised with an intent look in his eyes towards Gibbs and then Malachi. "Not here."
Malachi's phone began to ring and he answered it quickly speaking in Hebrew and then rapidly snapped it closed. "My team says they are ready to move them."
"That was incredibly fast." E.J. noted clearly impressed at the efficiency of his people.
"I used my own personal security to get this done quickly." Malachi answered softly, "Asa is helping me. I trust no one else now but these individuals. We should start preparing them now, Agent Gibbs. Transport will be here soon."
"No one says anything to Ziva about this. Go it?" Gibbs ordered with hand on the door handle as they were about to enter. "She has enough to deal with right now without adding any of this to it." He added realizing that she wasn't even aware of anything they'd discovered about The Council or her and Tony's involvement and what Anthony and Vance revealed. She was completely in the dark and he would like her to stay that way presently given her situation.
Gibbs knocked twice and waited until he heard Ziva respond, when he didn't hear anything, he quietly opened the door to see she'd fallen asleep, lying on her side facing Tony. He lifted his finger to his lips as he turned around, indicating for everyone else to be quiet as they shuffled inside and then dropped a light kiss to her head. He had no idea how he was going to help her in this, but was certain he wouldn't leave her side until they figured it out together.
"I feel like we're having a secret meeting." McGee whispered as he took a seat in the immense library section of Eli David's former office in Ziva's home. They'd transferred both Ziva and Tony from the hospital earlier and now both were settled in the same bed upstairs having slept for the last couple of hours while the others ate dinner and now gathered to speak of their earlier discussion. They'd been waiting for Malachi to arrive.
"We are having a secret meeting, My Dear Boy." Ducky spoke quietly as well watching as Malachi closed the tall heavy wooden doors behind him.
"I think Ziva knows we're up to something." McGee voiced his concerns, "Did you see the way she was looking at each of us as we settled she and Tony in their room? I've seen her do this before. She was trying to figure out what we were keeping from her."
"Is everyone here now?" Gibbs asked with a deep sigh taking a seat on the leather sofa beside Ducky and McGee, wanting to face Vance who sat in the chair beside them. He looked around at all of the faces of those present. McGee, Ducky, Vance, Malachi, Asa, E.J., Anthony, and…someone was missing. "Where's Schmeil?" He asked realizing who was not present.
"Oh no," McGee stood rapidly shaking his head remembering where Schmeil had gone after he finished his dinner, "Ziva!" He immediately looked down to Gibbs, "She knows he's the one to get information out of! He can't resist those big doe eyes of hers and the way she needles him to get what she wants. We have to stop her! It's how she found out about Tony kissing her and telling her he loved her when he thought she died! The poor man caved near instantly when she gave him a look."
"Too late, McGee." Schmeil announced softly from the doorway catching all of their attention. The door pushed open even further revealing Ziva standing beside him in her new pajamas, pulling her IV pole along with her for nurishment and support. "I already caved." Schmeil spoke again looking down softly and shuffling forward a step with Ziva holding onto his arm for support.
"How much did you tell her?" McGee asked rushing to their side to help Ziva.
"All of it." Schmeil sighed deeply, "I cannot keep anything from her like this. Not anymore. Not when she looks at me that way." He shook his head knowing it was true. Having believed she died their last trip to Israel, he swore to God he would never refuse her anything again if she asked him so sweetly and to this day, he could not say no.
"Why did you want to keep this from me?" Ziva asked trying not to sound angry seeing them all congregated together in a secret meeting discussing her life. "This is my life."
"Yes, it is. But you need to rest." Gibbs tried to reason with her taking her arm for support and guiding her down to the soft leather recliner at the other end of his sofa. "You're still supposed to be in a hospital, Ziver. This stuff can wait for you. We've got this. You need to rest."
"I cannot rest!" Ziva bit back sharply and then looked away with tears stinging her eyes. Upset that she'd snapped at Gibbs, and upset at everything else that wasn't happening like it was supposed to.
Gibbs knelt down in front of her, taking her hand in his and trying to get her to look back at him, "Hey," he called out softly and when she still wouldn't look at him, gently turned her face towards his. He knew she was trying to hold back her tears by not looking at him. "It's okay to be upset. We're all upset too. But we are here for you, okay? You don't have to do this alone. Let us help you figure this out. You just focus on you and Tony right now." He didn't want to mention the baby given what the doctor had told them about the likely possibility that she would lose it. Speaking of it would only bring more tears. So as long as she didn't mention it, they'd all agreed amongst each other not to mention it either.
"I can't. There are too many things…" Ziva began and felt the tears threatening to fall. "I need to find a way to get Liat back and keep Tony safe…all of you safe, at the same time. I cannot put you in danger anymore. He made it very clear by going after Liat and then Tony, that he will use those I love and care for against me until I submit to his wishes."
"Ziva, you are not going at this alone! Do you hear me, David?" Gibbs turned on his authoritative voice to get through to her as fear gripped his heart seeing that determination in her eyes again to go it alone. "We are a Team and together, we will figure this out!" He calmed himself and took a deep breath, "As a wise man once said," He spoke slowly with eyes glancing over to Ducky in acknowledgement, "Firefighers never run into a burning building. They walk…lest their haste create critical errors."
"What?" Ziva asked him with fallen shoulders and tears at not understanding this American Idiom.
"It means, My Dear, that we must be careful…take our time and think this through or we may end up making things worse with a criticial mistake. We walk at this problem, Ziva. We do not run." Ducky clarified his own saying for her to understand, happy to hear that Gibbs had been listening that day and had learned something.
"We do not have time to walk, we must run. Illan has Liat and the baby…" She shook her head crying softly unable to control her emotions now and it seemed the harder she tried to hold them back, the more they insisted on coming out. Thinking of Liat's baby and situation instantly reminding her of her own.
"He won't harm them, Ziva." Gibbs tried to assure her, hoping to reassure himself with the logic. "He needs her for leverage. As long as he does not have you, Liat is safe. This is buying us time and Liat time… if it is true, and The Council wants your bloodlines and your children, they will not allow him to harm her until they get what they want in return as well. We need to figure out how to best go at this situation. Walking. No running. You got that?" He looked at her intently again, holding her dark gaze and using his fatherly tone rather then Boss.
Ziva nodded slightly as to not give too much commitment to this idea and instead, sighed deeply and sat back against the cushions readjusting the heavy stabilizing board surrounding her damaged hand on her lap. "So what now?" She asked wiping the tears from her face and finally looking up to the sea of faces spread out before her taking their seats in her father's den and library.
"We are trying to figure out a way to speak with someone who is at the top of The Council. Someone whom we can bring to our side and find a way to protect you from Bodnar and from whatever the Council's intentions are for your child and bloodline." McGee answered her and then went quiet when all eyes flashed to him that he'd mentioned the baby in his nervousness, "Sorry, Ziva." He apologized looking down sadly, feeling miserably that they could not be happy that she was having a baby given the news she was likely going to lose it.
Ziva shifted her feelings about the baby, unable to process them at the moment and chose to ignore what McGee had said, instead, focusing on what she could do. "Do you have an ideas as to whom we could speak with?" She asked not knowing anything of this group or how it worked other then what Schmeil had briefly filled her in on. "I was told that due to the major shifts in power, Schmeil no longer knows for certain who holds what seats on the actual Council… other then, there are those trying to kill me presently to get the seat I inherited." She swallowed hard still thinking of how surreal this all felt.
"Ah, yes," McGee nodded with eyes looking quickly back and forth between Ziva and Schmeil, wondering if he hadn't told her everything, "We had discussed briefly someone who goes by The Phoenix as potentially being able to help."
"I never mentioned that part." Schmeil confessed and Ziva's eyes immediately zeroed in on him as to why, "There wasn't anything to really tell you about this person, Ziva. And by this point in the story, you were already getting out of the bed to come discuss this yourself with them. I figured what was the point? You would learn as I would learn from those who knew more." He shrugged and the others couldn't help but smile at the interaction they were witnessing. Schmeil really was putty in Ziva's hands. The man could not deny his granddaughter anything.
"All we know about her thus far is from Malachi, that she's supposedly a legend, a myth that circulates the world intelligence agencies." McGee filled her in, "And according to Mr. DiNozzo," He looked at Tony's father, "He overheard Mayfield on his Royce flight to the US, discussing the fall of the old Council in the past few years and that' he'd have to thank The Phoenix for it and that it was a she."
"What do you know about her?" Ziva asked Malachi directly with narrowing eyes having never heard this name before and surprised he knew. She knew he was now given access to privileged information as Director of Mossad, but to hear him say he still only believed this person to be a myth was strange to say the least. He should have known one way or the other.
"Only what McGee just told you, Ziva," Malachi sighed and sat back against the sofa, "And that she was American spy and the program she was put through to become one of the few Supreme Elite Assassins…made the Operation Frankenstein and Hashshashini Project breaking methods seem like Nursery School in comparison."
Ziva stare at him in disbelief, "This does sound like a myth or crazy legend, Malachi." She swallowed hard, "But given my own crazy story and what I have just learned this evening… I am beginning to believe that every far fetched theory is in fact, the truth." She shook her head, "Or at least enough of the truth to some they are willing to live and die for it." She added quietly thinking of those who believed her bloodline to be the carrier of the next Messiah. And idea she found preposterous in theory, but in actuality, there were thousands of people out there who had spent their lives and those of generations past breeding her family members in search of this very thing. She could not ignore their beliefs inspite of her own.
"If she was an American spy, why can we not ask the CIA for access?" Ziva asked looking to Malachi, then Gibbs and Vance as those with the ability to do so. "Even if she was classified as a Black Ops Mission, given the connection with our case and having jurisidication over the investigation into my father's death as the Director of Mossad, surely we could get the SecNav or someone to release something about this person if she does infact exist."
"The CIA will neither confirm nor deny, any involvement with anyone by the code name Phoenix, Ziva." Malachi tried to explain, "I've already asked and looked into it. They all looked at me as though I were crazy to believe the rumors and myths surrounding the name."
"That's because she never belonged to the CIA…she was on loan." Vance finally spoke up and shifted in his seat whle everyone turned their' attention to him. He took a deep staggering breath, "I am likely forfeiting my career by discussing it. Only a handful of select people know anything about this. The Phoenix was so deep cover when she did work for The Agency that she spent most of the time off the Grid. Whatever she worked on was usually so Top Secret it was Eyes Only for the Director of the CIA, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and the President himself."
"If she was an American spy, but was on loan to the CIA… who did she belong to, Leon?" Gibbs asked quietly not understanding the chain of command.
"The Council." Vance answered plainly, "Technically, she belonged to the North American Division as she was born an American. But she was trained in the E.H.W. Program Division of Northern Europe. So her Master, ultimately, was the man who was in charge of that Program and her training. He loaned her from The Council back to The CIA to use when they needed her, but she worked for all the major intelligence agencies on missions at some point. MI:6, ISI, FSB, ASIS, even Mossad." He looked between Ziva and Malachi, stunning them both.
"What is E.H.W?" E.J. was the first to ask the question they all had.
"Elite Human Weapons Program." Vance answered quietly with apologetic gaze drifting briefly towards Ziva. "And Director Ben-Gidon was correct. This program made the others seem like Nursery School."
"In what way?" Ziva asked quietly feeling fear pitting in her stomach at the idea.
"Imagine, what you went through, Ziva…only beginning as a child. Starting at around the age of 5 and continuing in such a way that by the time you were 14 years old, you were already a fully functioning highly trained assassin." Vance answered her quietly and the others gulped to hear such a thing. "This particular program began in the 1960s. These children were born and raised to be nothing but the most Elite Human Weapons. Years of genetic breeding to create the perfect super soldiers, it was the Northern European Division had finally mastered it by the Third Generation. A group the same age as you, Ziva. Some slightly older and other slightly younger. The Phoenix is the only surviving member of her group, in that entire class of hundreds of children that began their training with her." He paused watching their eyes widen further.
"She was the perfect weapon to them, nothing more then property they bartered for, trading favors inside The Council and agencies. Her entire life was at their command. But she broke the rules; she fell in love with someone she was never allowed to be with. Had a child with him, she was not authorized to have and so they took that child and the one she was pregnant with away from them both." He swallowed hard losing his compsure for a moment seeing the new tears flooding Ziva's eyes and the instant fear.
"And when they broke her again, for breaking those rules they made an amazing discovery inside her genetics…that when those she loved were harmed or hurt, she rose up against those attackers with a furious vengence, coming back even stronger then she had been before. You are not the only one in the world with curious genetics, Ziva." Vance focused his attention on her, "The Phoenix is said to have come from her own powerful bloodlines, dating back to Christ and before even…Whatever they discovered inside her genetics after taking her children away, became so Top Secret she was renamed The Phoenix and a new weapon was born, known as The Phoenix Protocal. They had erased her memories of those she loved and was forbidden from having contact with and instead, given an activation sequence to her mind that when given, turned on the weapon they called The Phoenix." He went quiet for a long while staring at a spot on the ground thinking.
"Well… what happened?" McGee finally asked being the one to prompt him to finish as they were all on the edge of their seats hearing the story and then seeing the far off look on Vance's normally composed features.
"A man who loved her, refused to give up on having a life with her. He wouldn't stay away and being near his vicinity began to break down the walls they'd built into her mind to block the memories and the power she held. She began to remember." He took a deep breath, "And what happened next…changed the world as we knew it. The Phoenix is now said to be the one holding the power over the Divisions of North America, Northern Europe and Eastern Europe and Russia…having the final say but with people in those seats until the rightful heirs of those Divisions are of age."
"How is that possible? To hold more then one seat?" Malachi asked quietly with mouth hanging open slightly in shock to hear such a dramatic change of events, going from a piece of Council property to now holding more then one seat on that same Council.
"Her children, Director," Vance began to explain, "Are each an heir to those regions given their bloodlines."
"She found a way into each of those bloodlines to gain that power?" McGee asked with wide astonished eyes.
"No, McGee… they found a way into hers. She also supposedly carries the Grail Bloodline, related to you in someway I'm sure, Ziva, given she descends from the Stewarts and Sinclairs as well." Vance informed the group gathered, further shocking them with this story. "They wanted her bloodline to mix with theirs, and so they each sought her out to create an heir, unwilling on her part of course. And they did not want her to have anything to do with the children given her station beneath them in life. She did not agree and fought back. The Project they created rose up against them with a vengeance."
"Sounds like Cobb." E.J. added quietly thinking about the similarities.
"Yes and no. Cobb became a serial killer with no purpose other then revenge for what they'd done to him. The Phoenix wasn't out to kill, simply to seek revenge. She had a purpose. She wanted her children back and those who stood in her way, were burned to the ground." Vance continued watching them all shift and swallow hard, "The Uprising began as others like her who were sick of the oppression came to her aid, standing up against what they deemed abuse of authority by those who'd taken the original intent of The Council in a horrific new direction." He paused taking another breath, "By the time they'd called a truce at the end of the Three Years War, thousands of lives had been lost on both sides. An agreement was finally arranged. She would raise her children. They would become the heir of those Divisions and until such time, they were to be left alone. She would hold the power of those Divisions until the children reached a certain age, and someone she trusted in each Division would be the Liaison for her. The Phoenix, herself, was now off limits as a weapon from any intelligence agency and The Council with no futher children of hers being taken by The Council ever again."
"She sounds exactly like the person we need to speak with." McGee nodded with bright eyes and an enthusiastic head nod, feeling the spark of hope, "Her situation sounds so much like Ziva's, surely she would be willing to help us find a solution."
"What happened to the father of her children? The one she was forbidden to love and broke their rules for? You said they took the children from them both." Ziva asked quietly thinking about what it would be like if she were forbidden from loving Tony and having a child with him. To have him and their' baby taken away.
"Not all love stories have a happy ending." Vance answered softly and Malachi immediately felt his heart lurch, remembering Liat saying the same thing to him as she walked away the last time he saw her.
"What happened?" E.J. asked just as curious as Ziva about this part of the story.
"Given his responsibilities on the World Stage…a compromise was made. She would be able to raise their child to become the heir to his family's seat on The Council and he," Vance answered them quietly, lacing his fingers together somberly as he leaned forward with elbows resting on knees. "Would marry another… and raise the heir to his family's throne in the monarchy as was his duty."
"He was a prince." E.J. gasped softly in realization and immediately began to wonder which prince in the world it could be.
"The prince and the spy." McGee shook his head slowly as it sounded like something out of his next novel.
"You said her two other children were also to become heirs to other Divisions. What about their fathers? I am assuming there was more then one given the three different Divisions and seats to be filled." Malachi asked what became of those men; not like the end result of the first man. The one who ended up sacrificing the woman he loved and their child for his duties on the world stage. It reminded him far too much of his situation with Liat and their child and her reasons for not wanting to even tell him she was pregnant.
"The second was killed in the war to get her children back and as far as I know, she is still married to the third." Vance answered quietly and watched the stunned expressions reappear on their faces. "The third is helping her to raise the children as his own."
"Where is she now?" McGee asked wondering what became of her.
"No one knows, McGee." Vance answered honestly, "She disappeared after the truce was made. Finding her is a near impossibility. There are those in the Old Guard of The Council, who still very much want her dead. Want to change things back to the way it used to be, hence, the continued warring for the remaining seats. She has turned into a legend, never existing and that is exactly how she wants to remain. I was tasked with tracking her went she first went rogue and started her justified killing spree across Northern Europe. I was one of many working Counter-Terrorism on this situation for the CIA." He finally admitted how he knew this information, "She's off the grid completely now. No one knows how to reach her."
"I do." A voice came from nowhere again, startling everyone, though it was recognizable now to most. "Shalom Ziva."
"Hello Kevin." Ziva answered back shaking her head softly as she looked around the room. Of course he would have found a way to hack into her father's den given the nature of what he did.
"Sorry to eavesdrop on you, Ziva but I wanted to make sure you were okay and help if I could." Kevin answered from thin air. "I also wanted to congratulate you on getting engaged. Tony is a fun guy. I like him." He paused a moment, "I wish him a speedy recovery."
"Thank you." Ziva answered him softly.
"I'm sorry, but who is this and where is his voice coming from?" Anthony spoke up with bewilderment all over his face to hear the man's voice echoing around the large den.
"Allow me to introduce myself, Mr. DiNozzo. My name is Kahlil but I go by Kevin. I've worked with your son and my sister for the last several years at NCIS. Given my precarious state within The Council, I'm very limited in how I can interact with Ziva and help her right now. I hacked Eli's security system to keep an eye on her given the recent turn of events." Kevin answered him quite plainly, "I'm listed as the World's Number One Cyber Terrorist to the average citizen, but really I'm Ziva and Liat's half-brother via the Genetics Program and working for The Council."
"He's MC?" Vance looked around at Gibbs, Ziva, McGee and E.J. with clear surprise on his face, having not known this before; his relation to Ziva and Eli.
"I didn't know you had another brother." Schmeil looked at Ziva with surprise in his eyes.
"I didn't know either until recently." Ziva shrugged. "What do you know about The Phoenix, Kevin?" She asked getting down to business, not comfortable speaking about her father's contributions to program or why, when she was faced with this problem herself.
"I was part of the same Third Generation she was in, only I was sent into Cyber Division and she went into the Field Division. I had some contact with her over the years while she was operational but dealt mostly with another Third Gen by the name of Rogue who was sometimes her partner in the field and other times her Control Officer. Rogue had some of the same Cyber training that I went through which is how we originally met. The Phoenix was elusive even then. She was hard to get to. A lot of people insulating her. She and Rogue were pretty close, I do know that. Like sisters from the time they were children going through the program together. By the time we were all teenagers, rumor had it that several of the male heirs were fighting over her and that was the catalyst that started the change within The Council."
"Have you actually ever seen The Phoenix, Kevin?" Ziva asked wanting to know if this person were real or simply a myth, someone else's cover.
"Not in person, but I watched her in action over the video feed during Operation Sunshine. Completely badass!" Kevin sounded impressed. "That and she's incredibly beautiful, so watching her kick major ass was all the more intriguing. She's like a deadly Super Hero."
"Kevin." Gibbs immediately chided him as in the old days out of habit, reeling him back in, forgetting to whom he was really speaking with now instead of shy and timid Kevin their Techie Geek.
"Sorry, Agent Gibbs." Kevin apologized immediately also out of habit and stunned the rest of them.
McGee, Asa and Malachi were all the more intrigued now from a guys' point of view over who this woman really was to have men and wars fought over her. She began to sound more like Helen of Troy. The mystery surrounding her was undeniable and feeding their curiosity.
"What was the nature of Operation Sunshine?" McGee dared asking the man, remembering why he missed the guy and their conversations over hacking and love of female super heroes.
"She unleashed hell on earth, on the Russian compound fortress where they'd taken her children. It took nearly seven weeks and over 3,000 deaths from both sides before she finally went in herself and succeeded in getting them back." Kevin had a definite air of awe to his voice. "I'll show you the photos and clips from that mission I have."
They were slightly surprised when the large television screen above the fireplace before them came to life with Kevin's mechanations and a grainy black and white photo collage appeared before them. Surveillance snapshots of the same young woman appeared in each of the six photos. She had long blonde wavy hair, dark eyes and a athletic build with visible muscle. In all of the photos but one, she wore dark glasses so her eyes were hidden, looking very serious and definitely mission orientated. The one single photo where they could see her eyes also revealed a soft smile as she was looking back over her shoulder at something or someone while standing on a beach somewhere with her long hair blowing around her, taking away some of the lethalness they saw in the other photos.
"I can't believe she's real." Malachi shook his head in amazement, "After hearing about the myths and legends surrounding this person."
"I assure you, Director Ben-Gidon, The Phoenix, is real. She may be a legend now, but never a myth." Kevin answered him and changed the images on the screen to a clip of video feed. "Video feed from inside the compound when she finally broke through." He explained as the images came to life. The Phoenix came exploding into action with other soldiers all in tactical gear beside her taking on what seemed like a small army inside several corridors as the screen split into different views. Hand to hand combat, gun fire, knives, automatic weapons coming out of the walls; it was like watching a video game come to life with the full blown intensity.
"My God, what kind of security was on this place?" McGee marveled shaking his head at what he was seeing before him with the automatic weaponry and the Indiana Jones way the teams and The Phoenix had to maneuver through the booby traps before them. Bodies crashing dead to the ground every few seconds as they blasted their way in.
"Tighter then the NSA, bro." Kevin answered, "I worked for nearly two months non-stop to even get this feed access."
The feed lasted only a couple of minutes and then was gone. What they'd seen was incredibly impressive. The Phoenix had taken down twenty-six heavily armed and large men on her own in the less then three minutes moving at a lightening pace that didn't seem human. She seemed to know what the others were going to do before they did it, constantly giving her the advantage.
"You helped her?" Ziva asked with surprise to hear Kevin had somehow helped this woman to fight back against The Council and get her children back.
"Yeah," Kevin answered quietly, "I'm not a bad guy, Ziva." He spoke slowly realizing she still didn't trust him fully yet, "She was Third Gen, like me. We kind of formed our own family and she needed my help. We tried to stick together, especially after they started hunting us down." He paused, "Besides, Rogue asked given this is my area of expertise and she was hard to say 'no' to. She was beautiful and charming in a deadly way as well." They could hear him smile slightly on the other end.
"Was?" Ziva asked hearing him use the past tense and also the affection he held for this person in his voice.
"She's gone now." Kevin sobered quickly and changed the subject, "The Phoenix is unreachable to everyone, save through one person. All questions must be fed up a Chain of Command that if thought worthy enough, are passed onto The Phoenix. She wants no part of this life anymore. Given you and Liat are my sisters, and she owes me now after I helped her…she may be willing to hear you out, Ziva, as a favor to me. The only problem is that it takes weeks sometimes months to get a message through to her. When the Guardians protecting her, hear people are asking about her, they tend to make it more impossible to find her. Given she keeps her ear to the ground on matters of The Council she likely knows about you already, Ziva, but has the wrong impression. If she thinks you're anything like Eli, and given his involvement in his own Divisions Human Weapons Program with the Hashshahini Project she won't want anything to do with you. She'll be waiting for them to eradicate your line, believing you are part of the Old Guard who still want her dead and to abuse the authority of The Council." He paused, "But if we can get her to back you, that's it. You'll be safe. The others will cower down immediately. They're immensely afraid of The Phoenix backlash now. They can talk a good game against her but when actually standing face to face with her, knowing she is her own master now, no one dares make a move against her anymore, fearing the repercussions."
"Well we definitely need her on our side then." E.J. nodded enthusiastically, hearing that once The Phoenix sided with you in The Council the others backed down. It was exactly what they needed.
"We don't have weeks or months to wait for our plea to go up the Chain of Command though," McGee shook his head with a deep sigh feeling slightly defeated looking over at Ziva and thinking of Liat, "We need her help soon."
"I will do what I can to get word to her more quickly. In the meantime, all of you should start asking questions about The Phoenix. The more chatter that starts to come across Echelon and by word of mouth, will undoubtedly bring her Guardians walls up and sooner then later, they will intentionally seek out who is asking the questions to confront them about why and silence them. This is not the best way as it will obviously make her keepers angry we're bringing it up so causually, but it will certainly be the quickest." Kevin suggested.
"Like intentionally getting caught gets you inside faster." McGee answered speaking from experience and sliding his gaze over to Ziva thinking about how they got inside Saleem's camp, by getting captured on purpose.
"Yes, if someone asks you why you want to speak with her tell them a, Sunshine Ally needs a favor." Kevin instructed and then paused clearly taking a deep breath of his own, "Bodnar knows you're pregnant Ziva. He also knows that Malachi is the father of Liat's baby. He's made some sort of deal with those on his side with The Council that he's allowed to kill you when he's finished with you, in exchange for handing Liat back over to them. They intend to keep the baby as the heir in your bloodline for their Genetics Program, and continue with breaking and training Liat for the Elite Assassins program. Unfortunately, when she killed Kazmi, who had been one of the Elite's, she became all the more desirable to them as a human weapon for her skills. They only saw her maximum potential given further training if she were already this skilled as to bring down an Elite without the extreme training. The good news is that he cannot kill her or the baby which gives you time. The bad news is," He swallowed audibly hard, "They've already begun her breakdown. I was able to secure these images from their file on her."
An image of Liat staked to the ground in much the same fashion that Ziva had been suddenly appeared on the screen causing everyone to gasp softly and their eyes to well with tears. Malachi and Asa both visibly tensed with clenched jaws to see her for the first time since her abduction and in such a vulnerable state. The next image was of her chained to the wall with thick metal shackles around her wrists, clearly upset and anguished by the look on her face and the way she was pulling against her restraints. The dark blood oozing from around the cuffs indicative to the struggle she was putting up.
Rage filled most of the men in the room while anguish filled Ziva. She immediately brokedown into silent tears and felt nauseous at the sight of Liat in the same positions she had been in. It was too much and she turned her face violentely away, closing her eyes. A part of her felt relief to see Liat still alive but mostly she felt devastated for what was happening to her and Ziva's inability to get to her faster.
Thankfully, Kevin pulled the images down quickly and spoke, "I'll be in touch when I know more. I'll try to get word to The Phoenix…and I'll try to do the same for Liat."
"Please tell her… that I love her." Ziva finally spoke opening her eyes, "And that I will come for her." She said resolutely that left little doubt in anyone's mind of her intentions to save her sister.
"I will." Kevin responded quietly, "Take care of yourself, Ziva."
"You too, Kevin." Ziva acknowledged him, "Thank you."
"Kevin!" McGee suddenly called out hoping he wasn't gone already.
"Yeah?" Kevin asked still on the other line.
"I have to know...what does MC stand for?" McGee asked having wondered about this for some time.
"Master of Ceremonies." Kevin answered with a clear smile in his voice of pride at his abilities.
McGee nodded with a soft smile that it made sense given what Kevin was capable of in running the show. "Tony will be disappointed it doesn't stand for MC Hammer. I think he was quite fond of that theory given your moves."
They could hear Kevin chuckle on the other end, "Take care everyone. Ziva." He addressed her again softly and then was gone.
"So we're going to just let him off the hook for everything he's done?" Vance asked them looking around the room slightly astonished at their reactions to Kevin.
"If he's helping to keep them safe right now, Leon. I don't care what he's done in the past. I care about what he's doing now." Gibbs answered calmly, having had a lot of time to think about his reactions to Kevin since that day in the elevator.
"I'm going to start trying to make contact. Get the word out we want to speak with The Phoenix." Malachi suddenly jumped up, feeling intensely motivated with pounding heart after seeing the condition Liat was in. His need to find her and fast reaching an all time high.
"Me too." Asa followed behind him, "My father must have connection with this group as well given the nature of the Diamond Business. I will see what he can do."
"I'll call Tobias." Gibbs looked at his group softly, "See if he can't get that ball rolling stateside." He stood walking towards Ziva, "You need to get back to bed and rest. Come on. I will take you." He left no room for her to argue as he held her to stand and then swooped her up into arms. Walking all the way down had already worn her out and so he would carry her back up.
"I'll start calling everyone I can think of with a The Council connection to spread the word we're looking for The Phoenix." Anthony stood with determination. "Make Junior proud hopefully, that all this schmoozing over the years his old man has done will come in handy now." He smiled happy that he could actually help here.
"Good thinking, Mr. D. on remembering The Phoenix." McGee smiled at Anthony that the idea for help had come from him. "If this saves Ziva, I'm sure Tony will be more then proud of you."
Gibbs didn't say anything as he lay Ziva down in the large bed next to Tony's still form. Simply covered her up with the blankets and kissed her forehead, sitting quietly for a moment on the edge of the bed and looking intently into her eyes. "Rest. Get better. We'll take on the world together...when you're healed." He gave her a small smile and then kissed her forehead again. "I love you." He whispered pulling back, "You're not alone, Ziva."
Ziva felt the tears prickling her eyes as she returned the soft smile and wrapped her one good arm around his neck for a hug, needing one badly herself at the moment as everything seemed to be too much. "Thank you. I love you, too."
"So tell me the truth, Leon." Gibbs sat down when they were alone in the den once more, "How do you really know about The Council."
"I am one of them." Vance answered cooly, sitting back in his seat, "You don't get to be the Director of any US Agency, or Secretary of State or Defense or Navy, or even a sitting President... unless you are a part of The Council, Gibbs. Even Jenny Shepard was a member passed down from her father as mine to me. How do you think she was fast tracked to the top so quickly?" He tilted his head to look at Gibbs curiously. "It wasn't founded to be evil. At its heart, it was meant to do good. To keep WWIII from ever happening and to work together to bring peace and advancement to all countries. Some took advantage of the power, and used it for their own gains. It used to be a legacy to be proud of. I hope some day, it will again."
AN: There are nearly 30,000 different readers from around the world following this story. There are 25 of you who review on a consistent basis. THANK YOU very very very much to those who take the time to review! I really appreciate it! And to the others out there reading and enjoying, (I THANK YOU TOO!) but if it weren't for these 25 people who have been reviewing, I would have quit writing this story quite some time ago believing no one was interested. So you may wish to thank those people too! For keeping my muse fueled to keep writing, which allows you to keep reading! I hope that by the end at least, I will have heard at least ONE review from everyone who read the story and enjoyed it. That is my goal now. That in the end, you'll have all been pleased you took the ROE journey! -Wild