Chapter 45
After a couple of hours, Tim relaxed enough to fall asleep. Tony was relieved and he carefully moved Tim over so that he could lean back in the seat and be comfortable. After freeing himself from the seat, Tony quickly used the bathroom and then, walked over to where Ahmed was lying. They had reclined a seat into a bed for him. Agent Carroll was checking his wounds.
"How is he doing?" Tony asked, keeping his voice soft.
Carroll looked up at him.
"He'll survive, but we're keeping him sedated as much as possible until we have a chance to get him to a hospital for real treatment. It will be easier for him if he can escape from the pain."
"Can you tell everything they did to him?"
"Not everything. It's clear they weren't trying to kill him. They didn't want him to die due to the treatment. They weren't being very creative, though," Carroll said. "Their methods were pretty crude, but probably were effective."
"Were they just doing it to hurt him or do you think they asked questions?"
"They probably were hoping that he could tell them where Agent McGee and his family went, but after it was clear that he didn't know, they were getting him into a state where he would be so obviously hurt that Agent McGee would do anything to get him free. They just didn't anticipate what anything means to someone like Agent McGee."
"Why do you say that?" Tony asked, curious about what a CIA agent would have to say about Tim.
"A lot of the guys say that Agent McGee has a streak of steel in him, that you'd never want to cross him. What some don't realize, and obviously these guys didn't realize, is that the steel isn't the problem as far as a situation like this. The problem is how hot Agent McGee runs. When he gets into the right state, he runs so hot that the steel melts and you have no way of knowing if it'll explode all over you or if it will just lead to a collapse. No one wants Agent McGee to explode...and I mean no one."
Ahmed groaned in pain.
"This could have been a lot worse," Carroll said in a low voice.
He bent over and checked Ahmed's legs. Tony winced seeing the numerous wounds. They probably hadn't been particularly deep since Ahmed was still alive, but they must have been agonizing, especially since it was obvious that they had been repeated over time. He could identify with Ahmed's situation far too easily. He could also identify with Tim's point of view on the situation far too easily. All in all, he wasn't really happy with the situation, but he would do what he could.
After a few moments, Carroll gave Ahmed another dose of painkillers and it didn't take long for him to become somnolent again.
"Shouldn't he get something to eat?"
"Yeah. We're using the IV for now just because it gives him some relief from the pain and doesn't require any extra energy, but it's not as good as just having him eat something. We'll probably let him wake up and eat next time, but like I said, it might be easier for everyone if we just keep him out until he gets to a hospital."
Tony nodded and walked over to Edwards who was talking quietly to Omar.
"How much longer?" he asked, trying to be polite for Tim's sake.
"We'll have to refuel once. This plane doesn't have the range to cross the Atlantic without that, unfortunately. I'd rather just keep going, but we can't. We were just deciding where to land," Edwards said. "While I find it hard to believe that Russia could have people on hand everywhere just in case, until we get Agent McGee back to American soil, I don't want want to risk it."
"What if that happens?"
"We're prepared for a shootout if necessary, but I'm hoping it's not necessary. Not only will that risk all our lives, I don't want to put any other nation in the middle of all this."
"So... which nation?"
"France, probably. That will give us the shortest trip across the Atlantic. Like I said, I really don't think we'll have a problem, but I just don't want to let our guard down. When we land, no one gets off, especially not Agent McGee. It might be nice to have Mokrani seen by a doctor but we're not taking the risk. So he's not getting off either. No one gets off the plane. We land, refuel and take off again."
"Fine by me," Tony said.
"Good. ...because, quite frankly, I don't care if it isn't. Now that we're on this plane, I will tie you both down if I have to."
"Understood."
"Is Agent McGee all right?" Omar asked.
"All right enough for now," Tony said. "Is there any way to contact his family and let them know he's on the way?"
"Not until we're over the Atlantic," Edwards said. "Again, we're not going to risk anyone listening in."
Tony could see that there was no way around it and so he just nodded. Then, he got up and walked back to where Tim was still sleeping. He sat down beside Tim and tried to relax himself.
Things were as good as they could be and maybe that would stay the case.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Zahara was sitting watching as Jonathan and Salma played with Marra. Salma was still genuinely fearful and she wasn't as much playing as keeping close to their dog. Jonathan wasn't showing any outright fear, but he had shown reluctance to be out of sight of anyone in the family which wasn't normal. More and more, Zahara was feeling that Dr. Hicks had been right... for all of them. They all would need help to get through this. The one positive was that Marra was her usual excited self and was genuinely playing which did help get everyone else to lighten up as much as possible.
The phone rang and she looked at the display and then looked again.
It was Tim's phone.
Quickly, she answered.
"Tim," she said. Nothing more.
There was a pause.
"Zahara."
"Ahmed?"
"He's alive. He's with us."
Zahara sighed with relief, but she knew that didn't mean he was fine.
"You are coming home?" she asked.
"Yeah. We're coming home. Just a few more hours."
"What? So soon? Where are you?"
"On the plane... over the Atlantic."
Tim's voice was carefully controlled, but he wasn't as bad as she had feared he might be. His voice didn't have that dead sound that it had before.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm functioning. Tony helped."
Meaning that he'd had some problems already. She had known it would likely happen, but she had hoped she was wrong.
"Can we be there to see you when you come or must we wait?"
"I don't know. Just a minute."
There was a muffled conversation. Zahara wasn't sure whether or not Tim wanted them to see him right when he got back, but she was going to push for it if it was safe to do so. Tim would need them, and she wanted to see her brother, no matter what state he was in.
"Zahara?"
"Yes?"
"They'll contact your guards if it's safe and then they'll take you to the airport. They don't want to make the decision yet."
"Very well. Will you speak to your children?"
There was a hesitation, and she knew why. Tim was afraid of making things worse, as he always was in these situations.
"It will help them. They miss you."
Another pause.
"All right."
Zahara made sure to smile.
"Salma, Jonathan. Guess who is on the phone!"
"Baba?" Salma asked, the painful hope visible in her expression.
"Yes, it is your Baba. He's coming home. And he found your uncle Ahmed and he is coming, too, but he's hurt and will have to go to the hospital first."
Better that they know in advance, even just vaguely.
"Do you want to speak to your Baba?" she asked.
Jonathan came running over, hands out to take the phone. Salma came as well. The answer was clearly yes. Rather than just giving the phone to the kids where she couldn't hear Tim's voice, Zahara put it on speaker.
"Say hello to Baba, Jonathan," she said, warning Tim that the kids were now there.
"Baba! You come home?" Jonathan asked, eagerly.
"Yes, Jonathan. We'll be home soon."
"Are you all right, Baba?' Salma asked in a small voice.
A slight pause, but no more than that.
"Yes, Salma. I'm all right. I didn't get hurt."
"Are you sad, Baba?" she asked.
"Yes, a little. I'm sad that our trip got ruined and that your uncle got hurt."
Zahara tried to think of something to say, but then, to her surprise, Jonathan suddenly piped up excitedly with a smile on his face.
"I had fun, Baba! And uncle Ahmed comes home with you. I want to see him again! It's a good trip!"
Zahara smiled at Jonathan's simple enthusiasm. He'd been frightened and he probably would be again, but right at this moment, he was seeing the good things that had come from the trip in a way that few would be able to. She tried to think as her three-year-old son was thinking.
"Yes, Tim. We will be so happy to see you both. And Tony, too."
"You'll be home soon, Baba?"
"Yes, Salma. Very soon."
Salma paused and then she swallowed.
"Baba... will you come to school with me?"
"It's still summer, Salma. You don't have school."
"When school starts again. Will you come to school with me?"
Another pause and Zahara knew it was because Tim was regretting Salma's fear.
"Yes, Salma. I'll go to school with you."
"Thank you, Baba. I love you."
"And I love you!" Jonathan shouted.
"I love you all... more than I can say."
"All right. We will hang up now, but please hurry home. I love you so much, Tim."
"I love you, too. Bye."
"See you soon," Zahara said and then hung up the phone and hugged her children tightly. "Do you want to make something special for Baba and your uncle Ahmed?"
Jonathan instantly clapped his hands and jumped around. For the moment, his fears were completely allayed by knowing that his father would soon be home. Salma was not so easy to calm, but she seemed better for having spoken to Tim. Zahara knew she'd have to convince Tim that he made things better and not worse, but it was good to see her thinking about something else.
Zahara put out her hands and her children took them so she could lead them into the house and get out the crayons. No matter what else, she would make sure that her husband and her brother had the best welcome they could.
Ziva sat down and helped them color, not showing the slightest bit of impatience. Zahara was grateful for her presence. If Salma and Jonathan needed Marra around to feel better, Zahara needed someone with her to help her get through this stress. And while anyone would be there if she asked, Ziva was the one there right at this moment.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Tim sat next to Ahmed as he slept. He hated what had been done to his brother-in-law. He hated seeing it. He hated that he knew far too well how Ahmed felt. He hated that, at this moment, he could do nothing but sit here and stare.
And at this moment, he didn't really know how else he felt. He'd had his meltdown and now, he was trawling in the numbly calm waters on the other side of his freak out. It wouldn't last. It couldn't, but he wasn't as overwhelmed as he had thought he'd be. He was thinking clearly and he knew he was. He felt horribly guilty for what had happened, but he wasn't in that state of complete breakdown that he'd been in years before.
There was one question that he couldn't help asking in his mind, though.
Will Ahmed hate me for this?
He knew that Ahmed had been ambivalent about Tim in the past. He knew that Ahmed had been uncertain about the marriage initially and that Tim's mental problems had caused him concern about the quality of his sister's life. Would the obvious pain he had gone through and was still going through lead to his complete rejection of his brother-in-law? And if so, what would Zahara do?
Tony clapped him on the shoulder and sat down beside him. Tim was a bit startled but not as much as he would have been a few hours earlier.
"It's going to be okay, Tim," Tony said. "Stop thinking it's not."
Tim took a deep breath and let it out.
"I don't know," he said softly. "He might wish he was dead. He might wish I was dead. I'd trade places with him, if I could, Tony. I hate that anyone has to feel what I've felt before... but at least, I've gone through it and know what to expect. Ahmed's life was never like that. His life was normal... but..."
"No, Tim. This isn't your fault and you need to stop taking the blame for it. You did everything you could to get him free once you knew what had happened."
"Yeah, I did."
"How did you do it?"
Tim actually was able to smile a little.
"The rule still applies, Tony. I'm not telling anyone."
"Okay. Just thought I'd check. Edwards is contacting the CIA and they'll contact the agents guarding Zahara so she can meet us at the airport."
"Maybe she shouldn't."
"She should. You already told her about Ahmed. She knows what she might be seeing. Let your family love you, Tim. You haven't ruined them. They just want to have you home again."
Tim nodded but he still felt that same ambivalence.
Tony kept his hand on Tim's shoulder as Tim stared at Ahmed until they were coming in for landing. Then, they all had to be in normal seats with their seatbelts on. Ahmed was secure already.
Tim was still feeling unsure about his family being there to see him and Ahmed right when they arrived. Would he be able to maintain control of himself?
The plane touched down and Tim felt the brakes dramatically slowing the plane down as he was pressed against the seatbelt.
Finally, the plane began to taxi to the hangar in the small airport they were using. After landing, Edwards and Omar left the plane to check their surroundings for safety and then they got back onto the plane.
"Okay. Come on. We'll get Mokrani out," Edwards said.
Tim hesitated, not wanting to let Ahmed out of his sight, but Edwards just gestured.
"We'll get him."
"I'll stay with him, Tim. You go see your family," Tony said.
Tim swallowed and nodded. He followed Edwards and Omar down the steps of the plane.
Then, he heard a sound.
"Baba! Baba!"
He turned and his family was there. He had been unsure of what he wanted, if he wanted to see his family right at the moment of return. He hadn't been sure if it would make him feel better or worse, but seeing Jonathan's excitement, Salma's smile... and seeing Zahara with them...
Tim started to run toward them.
Salma and Jonathan both broke free from Zahara's grasp and ran to him. Tim knelt down on the concrete and put out his arms and hugged both of his children at the same time.
"Baba, I missed you so much! I love you!" Salma said.
"Baba! Love you!" Jonathan echoed.
"I love you. Both of you," Tim said.
Then, he looked up and saw Zahara there. He stood up and felt that same guilt as he saw the strain in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said softly.
There was a pause and then Zahara stepped forward and grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug, the kind that let him really feel her strength. He hugged her back and she leaned forward so that she could whisper in his ear.
"I love you, Tim. You have nothing to apologize for. I love you."
"I love you," he whispered back.
And he just held her tightly.
He was home.
