All roads lead to Paris

Part 6

Back in the room Ziva was looking at him with questioning eyes. "Who was calling?" "It was my old coworker, Mcgee." "Mcgee? Timothy Mcgee?" "Yeah. You can remember him?" "Yes. I think we stayed in contact. I have his number in my phone." Tony was shocked and wanted to headslap Mcgee for not telling him this. "What? Why didn't you tell me?" "I thought it was not important to you and its actually out of your business whose phone number is in my phone." "I know but its Mcgee, our coworker! And he knew you were alive and didn't tell me!" "I'm sorry I thought you would not care about it." "Rule 6" "Uh Never say you are sorry, it's a sign of weakness, right?" "Yes." Tony seemed upset which was making Ziva feel guilty. "Why is it so important to you?" Tony could not hold this anymore. "Why? You are asking me why? I thought you were dead FOR YEARS! And Mcgee knew you were alive and didn't tell me although he knew how much you mean to me and that I searched after you for years! He knew I would not stop till I had found you but didn't tell me!" Toy sat down and tried to cool down. The fact that Mcgee knew this and did not tell him was making him crazy. He could had been with Ziva this whole time, but it did not happen. "Tony?" "Yeah?" "I don't want to make you more upset but if you think about it, maybe he didn't tell you because he wanted to protect you." He looked up and looked Ziva in her eyes. He knew that she was right. She is always right. "I have to call Mcgee again. I want to hear why he did this to me." Ziva nodded at him while Tony stood up and walked out again.

"Mcgee why did you lie to me?! Why did you not tell me that you knew she was alive?! You are such a Mcidiot!" "Tony, I don't know... I wanted to protect you. I didn't even know where she was, she just called me and wanted me to check a phone number." "Whose number was it?" "It was listed at an Israeli man named Aaron Agbari. I found out that he tried to contact her. He tried to reach her at Mossad and then at the "old" farmhouse where she hid years ago. It seems like she built a new one at the same place." "Anything else you want to tell me?" "I'm really sorry Tony, I should have told you." "It's ok Mcgee. But when I'm the next time in D.C. I'm going to headslap you till death, you heard this?" "Yes, I've heard you." "Bye." Tony did not have the patience to talk to Mcgee any longer. He just wanted to go home and spend time with Tali. So, he did so. He got home and Tali was already there, earlier than normal. "Hey Tali, what are you doing here so early? Are you skipping school? If so, we need to have a talk." "Hey dad. No, I don't skip school. Why would I do so? Our teacher is sick, so we get to go home earlier." "Interesting. So, I have to postpone this." "What did you do today Aba?" "I was with Ima all day long." "Is she feeling better?" Tony smiled as he saw how much his daughter misses Ziva and cares about her. "She's doing fine the doctors said she can leave the hospital in a few days." "That's great! Can she come visit us then?" "I can't promise that to you, but I hope she will."

On this evening Tony was really exhausted. He needed sleep but, he could not think clear. Mcgee had lied to him for years and didn't even try to tell him. He could not make it up in his mind why he did this to him. Mcgee knows him very well. Why did he do that? Tony looked at his watch. It was 12 am already. But in D.C. probably around 6 pm. Good time for a call. He stood up and searched for his phone. He looked for it on his bed his desk but didn't found it. He thought: "Why do I always lose things?!". He had to find it. He slowly opened the door to make sure not to wake Tali up. He quietly went through the living room searching for it. It was not there. He walked to the kitchen where it probably shouldn't be, but he wanted to make sure. He saw it lying on the kitchen table. He took it with him and thought: "How did it get there. I'm so dumb." As he came back in his bedroom, he dialed his number. He heard the phone ring. Finally, he took the call. "Jimmy Palmer. Who is there?" Tony tried to speak as quiet as possible: "Hey autopsy gremlin. How are you?" "Hey Tony. What a surprise that you call. I'm good. But are you? You sound hoarse." "I'm good. I just don't want to wake Tali." "Oh, I forgot, the time difference. It's late at night in Paris isn't it?" "Yes, it is." "So why are you calling?" "I have found something out Jimbo, but I do not know what I should do. I thought if someone could know about this it's you." "Oh wow. Tony. You make me curious. What is it?" "Did Mcgee tell you about Ziva?" "Oh, uh... I- I don't know what you exactly mean. Mcgee did tell me things, a lot of things, but I don't know what you are talking about."

Tony took a moment to sort his words. "Did Mcgee tell you that Ziva is alive?" Jimmy did not answer. "Palmer?! It's important to me, please answer." Jimmy sighed. "Yes. Yes, Mcgee did tell me that." "And why didn't you tell me? Why is everybody lying to me?" "That's complicated Tony. I think Mcgee should tell you this." "Mcgee told me about the phone number he had to check, but what happened then?" "Tony, I don't really know if I should tell you this..." Tony could feel his anger building up inside of him. He angrily said: "Why does nobody talk to me? Mcgee, you... who else is going to lie to me?!" His voice became louder: "I have to find out Jimmy. It's the only way that Ziva can get her memory back." After his last words he noticed he could have wakened Tali. He tried to lower his voice. "Jimmy, please. I owe you a favor if you do. Please." Jimmy finally answered: "Ok. I tell you what I know, if you promise me not to tell Mcgee." "Yes, I promise. Come on tell me." "Where should I start. So, Mcgee tracked down the phone number to this guy I don't remember the name..." "Aaron Agbari." "Yes, and then Mcgee told Ziva and she said she has to get some information about his stepbrother I think, I don't remember his name. She said that this man was after her and she needed to find out where he is before he would find her. She told Mcgee that she would travel around Europe to meet some contacts and so he would not be able to track her. The last time Mcgee called her she was in Germany; this was about two months ago." "Did she say what she was going to do?" "You are asking the wrong person Tony. I can't tell you more than I know. You have to ask Mcgee for more details." "Ok. Thank you, Jimmy. Could you do me a favor and don't tell Mcgee that I called." "Yes, of course." Thank you."