Rule 39: There Is No Such Thing As Coincidence (Tony DiNozzo Love Story)

In The Wind

Erin's POV

    Walking through the entranceway, I head straight for the rotunda. It's packed with tour groups of tourists and school children on field trips. I glance around and quickly notice all of Ivann's men standing around, quickly at hand if he needs them. Continuing to look, I see Ivann standing near a group of school children who are listening to their tour guide talk about the Declaration of Independence. I walk slowly over as the group moves away and Ivann stands along in front of it. I stand next to him, saying nothing as I look over my shoulder to see Ivann's men watch me closely.

    "It's nice of you to meet me here," he says as he stares at the document under the glass.

    "Well, I didn't really have a choice, did I?" I ask as I turn and look towards him.

    "No need for the attitude," he says as he turns to look at me. His familiar cold eyes burning into me.

    "What do you want Ivann?" I ask.

    "To talk, is that so much to ask?"

    "We both know there's more than talking you want to do," I say. He smiles and I hold my ground as he looks over my shoulder and nods slightly.

    "Walk with me," he says as he takes a step away and heads for the entryway. I follow after him as we step out back into the sunshine.

    "Do you know why I chose this place?" He asks as he walks, his hands folded behind his back.

    "So that I wouldn't be able to kill you," I say as I look around at the groups of people, all smiling and laughing, taking photos on the steps.

    "Precisely."

    "I could still kill you without harming anyone else," I say. He smirks.

    "Yes, I know, but my men would't. The moment you pull a gun, they will grab a child and shoot. You know, I think I like you more as a blonde," he says as he looks at me and I hold his stare.

    "If you want to kill me, get on with it," I say.

    "No, no, Matrona, I want to torture you. Beat you until there is nothing left in that beautiful head of yours. Then, I want you to tell me your final wishes and desires so that I may tell your friends. So those words haunt them for the rest of their lives, and then I am going to kill you."

    I watch him as he smiles to a passing group of people and I step forward grabbing his arm.

    "Ah, I wouldn't do that," he says and I look over to see his men stepping towards groups of children.

    "Fine, fine, I'll do what you want," I say.

    "In time, my love. In time," he says as he pulls his arm from my grasp and leans forward, kissing me on the cheek before stepping back and walking away. I watch as he walks and his men follow.

    My phone rings and I look down to see that its McGee calling. I ignore the call, putting it on silent and toss it into a nearby trash can.

McGee's POV

    "She's not answering, but I'm having Abby track her phone to see if she had any recent calls," I say as I look up at Gibbs.

    "What's the plan Gibbs?" Tony asks. I hang up the phone and look around the group.

    "Guys, she had a call twelve minutes ago while she was heading up Capitol St. The call only lasted thirty seconds," Abby says rushing into the bullpen.

    "Could you trace the call back to see who it was from?" Gibbs asks. She shakes her head.

    "All I could get was that it was here in DC but I couldn't pinpoint where," she says.

    "Where's her phone at now?" Gibbs asks.

    "The capitol building," she says.

    "Let's go," Gibbs says. We head for the elevator and to the garage.

Tony's POV

    "We will figure out what this is, Tony," Ziva whispers when we get to the garage. I glance over to her and nod my head, even though deep down in my stomach I can't help but feel that something terrible is about to happen and that I might actually lose Erin this time.