stepped back from Trent, my mind frozen in fear but my body moving faster than I've ever made it move before. I bumped into Gibbs' desk before my hand latched itself onto Kort's wrist. He looked uncomfortable, like he wasn't use to human contact, before he could say anything I hissed, "It's one of them! Look! See that bald fat dude climbing the stairs? He's a customer."
I sidestepped to Kort's right side positioning myself between him and the desk; he turned pretending to talk to McGee effectively blocking me from view. Gibbs tapped me on the shoulder and motioned me over to him silently, sliding out from behind Trent I went to him. "How many do you know?"
"I had six regulars and around seventeen one timers. He was a regular. Every Friday night at eleven." I said biting my lip. I looked at him, trying to discern his reaction, I grew not to care along time ago, but for some reason what this man thought of me was important. I bit my lip, thinking about my father before turning shining eyes away from Gibbs' face and to Trent's sideways profile, I could see the bitter lines on his face, and his offensive stance, the way he shied away from others. Something wasn't right with him, I could tell but my loyalty was with him not Gibbs, yet I was still drawn to Gibbs in a fatherly way. His voice echoed in my head, "You shouldn't trust Trent." but why not? Hadn't Kort done nothing but earn her trust?
But he also earned Ares trust too.
I shook my head, not wanting to think of the possibility that the only person who had ever seemed to care about me, might be lying to my face, faking it all. The thought left me numb and pained me, shaking my head more firmly I glanced up at Gibbs whose blue eyes penetrated me, making me feel uncomfortable. I shrunk back at the feeling of being X-rayed and folded my arms across my chest, my defensive walls going up quickly. Not quick enough.
"We're going to talk about that look later. For now though you are going to see a sketch artist and then report to Agent Dinozzo their names and the places they used for their business." Gibbs said directing me up the stairs.
"And what are you gonna do? Hang with my Da--Kort?" I said, blushing.
"No we will be interrogating the man you pointed out to us." He said calmly.
"Oh. I won't have to see him or testify will I?" I asked quietly in a small voice, fear creeping in.
"I doubt it, but if you do I will be right there." Gibbs said softly.
"In the courtroom?" I asked turning around as we reached the door, Gibbs turned the handle but didn't open the door.
"Yes right in the front row, on your side, so you can see me." Gibbs said looking me straight in the eye. I chewed my lip and felt a lump rise as I looked down at Kort in the bullpen.
"But he won't be, will he?" I said more in a statement then a question, my insides were burning with an aching need, a fire of pure pain at the thought of trading him in, of being forced too. I wanted Trent to be there not Gibbs but I couldn't have him, I never could. He was never there when I wanted him, when I absolutely need him, yes but when I wanted him, no. Maybe that's what discerned the call of duty and going the extra mile. Maybe that was the difference between being a good person and being a Father.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked suddenly turning back to him, he looked at the door handle thoughtfully, avoiding my eyes until he brought them back up minutes later and said, "Kort never taught you the idiom 'don't look a gift horse in it's mouth'?"
"I never had a true gift horse, most of the time it was just an illusion someone made for me so they could get me to do something they wanted…" I said shrugging, for once not feeling sorry for something I had said.
"I'm not an illusion." He said gruffly.
"Yeah the other ones said that too." I said giving him a soft smile, my eyes showing I didn't believe him for a second, he opened the door, letting it fall all the way open he told me to sit in the conference room and that someone would be with me shortly. I looked down at the table wondering if Trent was an illusion, if he was out for himself and was using me, like he had the others.
MEANWHILE.
Usually he liked to keep them waiting for hours upon hours, let them squirm in their seats, people will often go over lies they will use to cover something they did up, they will get detailed and when one little tiny detail is destroyed they start stuttering and soon enough their whole story unravels. All he had to do was some paperwork and drink coffee until he felt that they were ready for him. However this time was different, this time he had a nineteen year old girl whose world was being turned upside down once again by the very same people who made her childhood hell. He wanted this over with fast, for Adesa's sake, the sooner these bastards were off the streets and out of her life the sooner she could recover and go on with her life. He didn't look when he felt Kort join him, the man was using Adesa for his own good, not hers, it was just a coincidence that what was best for her was best for him as well, the fact that he wanted to use her as bait was debatable.
Stepping into the elevator, they silently made their way to interrogation, before they parted ways, Gibbs to the actual interrogation room and Kort to observe, he turned and said, "Let me deal with Adesa."
"But like you said, she wants me." Kort drawled smirking.
"But you don't want her." Gibbs said stating a fact everybody but Adesa seemed to know.
"Do I seem like the kind of man that would even think about considering fathering someone?" Kort said raising an eyebrow. Gibbs half-smiled and silently shook his head.
"Let's hope not, or your children are going to be in a lot of trouble, or be a lotta trouble." Gibbs said lightly. Kort smirked and sighed in suppressed laughter.
"I'm not giving her up though. She still has her purposes; I haven't completely used her yet. When I'm done with her though you can have her." Kort said as if they were discussing a book.
"She's mine Kort, and I don't care what either of you want. I'm going to protect her, from others and herself. Be careful with her Trent." He said threateningly before stalking down the hallway and slamming open the interrogation rooms' door.
"Mr. Desmare, you are one of our technicians up in MTAC." Gibbs stated looking at him; the man had his fingers clenched together in front of him, looking at the table, sweat dripping off his forehead.
"Yes." He answered shortly.
"Any idea why you are here?" He asked giving the man a chance to give himself up.
"No." Desmare replied.
"We had a victim in today, she was attacked last night and I brought her with me here. She saw you and remembered you from when she was a kid. Eleven years ago." Gibbs stated dryly.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Desmare said nervously, playing with the ring on his finger.
"Let me refresh your memory, Every Friday night at eleven pm, you go have some fun raping eight year old girls." Gibbs practically whispered with disgust in his voice, he hadn't wanted to throttle another suspect so badly since the case where the father had his wife and daughter kidnapped for money.
He watched as Robert Desmare swallowed and looked down, "I want a deal."
"No. Ares, what is his real name?" Gibbs asked flatly.
"Not without a deal." Desmare replied arrogantly, Gibbs grabbed his shirt and pulled him in, whispering in his ear, "You do know that Officer David is a trained killer and can kill you without leaving a trace, and she can do it slowly and very very painfully. Don't you?"
"Are you threatening me?" He gasped outraged.
"No, just warning you of the consequences of obstructing justice and this investigation." Gibbs smirked calmly at him, waiting for a name.
"Holden Marcom." Desmare finally said looking down. Without a word Gibbs left, Trent following behind.
He flipped open his phone and dialed McGee's number.
"McGee! Holden Marcom. I want background, bank statements, addresses and any and every property he owns or rents!"
He hung up before he could hear the "On it Boss!" And got on the elevator with Kort.
"You know McGee won't find anything, nothing that will lead us to Marcom anyways." Kort said matter-of-factly.
He growled frustrated, "There has to be a way to do this without endangering Adesa, we will find that way and use it."
"Or you could use her as bait, it's not like she won't have back up." Kort said.
"She's not going to be fond of the idea." Gibbs answered swiftly.
"Let me talk to her. And it will be fine." Kort replied.
"I don't like this." He said softly.
"But it's the only way." Kort said knowingly.
"I really hate when you are right Kort, it usually bodes ill for everyone." He stated flatly, Kort openly laughed.
"I do apologize."
BACK TO ADESA.
I amused myself by spinning myself in Gibbs' desk chair and listening to Ziva's stories about her days In Mossad, she had even taught me how to throw a knife. I smiled feeling safe for the first time since the two men had come for me, suddenly I heard Gibbs' asking Tony what had happened to his face, as Tony took the ice off his nose he said, "I…uh….well…"
Ziva broke in and said, "He hit on Adesa and she punched him. It was quite a hit, almost knocked Tony out. I was impressed to say the least." She was smiling as she remembered, I stifled a laugh as Gibbs smacked the back of his head.
"Anything McGee?" Gibbs shouted across the bullpen as he came around to me and gently moved me and the chair out of his way.
"Nothing boss, no unusual withdrawals, he only owns one house, and no criminal record, obviously." McGee said, Gibbs sighed and looked up at Kort nodding.
I watched as Kort approached me, I bit my lip as he told me to come with him. I followed behind at a safe distance, we finally came to a halt at the vending machines.
"Adesa, there's only one chance we have of getting these men, and that's for you to go back home. We need you as bait to lure them out so we can follow them back and catch them all. Otherwise these men will never go away." Trent said quietly.
"Will you be there?" I asked quietly, my gut clenching, my heart racing and my mind spinning, as fear rose up in me.
"I will. Can't have Dinozzo screwing things up now can we?" He said smirking, I gave him a small smile back, warmth blossoming in my chest.
"I mean, like…forever." I whispered with hope in my thin voice, it was silent for many moments.
"My job will not allow that. I can not be there for you any longer than I absolutely have to." Kort said coldly.
"But you said….when I was ten, you promised…." I said, tears welling up in my eyes as panic took over.
"You were ten years old. You'd believe anything. All I wanted was to keep you happy until I found you a foster family." Kort said turning away. I grabbed onto his wrist and slipped my hand into his, holding it. Tears falling down my face.
"You can't leave me! You can't! You were the only one to have ever cared! You can't just……you can't." I sobbed, my heart breaking.
"Will you do it or not?" Kort asked annoyed I nodded and numbly let go of him, sinking to the floor next to the vending machine, I brought my knees up to my chest and sobbed, shaking like a leaf; hoping to melt.
It was minutes later that Gibbs found me.
"What's wrong with me?! Why am I so unlovable?! I didn't….it's not my fault….I….all I'm good for is to be a whore!" I cried out, my hands in my hair, Gibbs kneeled down, and gently brushed a strand of hair out of my swollen eyes.
"I loved him Gibbs, he was the only one I had. Now I'm all alone."
"You're not alone. You've got me." He said gently, laying a hand on the side of my head, I put my knees under me and leaned my head against his chest, crying, "Don't hate me."
"I don't."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, there's something wrong with me, and nobody wants me, and I just want to die all by myself!" I said hysterically, hiccupping.
"There is nothing wrong with you. People are bastards, but you have me now and I won't let anything happen to you."
I snorted, "Yeah like Kort had me? I rather not go through this again!"
"No, not like Kort, like a real Father." He whispered, I looked up at him with eyes begging to be loved.
"I'm sorry, I'm nineteen years old and I'm sitting here crying because someone doesn't like me. I'm pathetic." I sad, blushing, embarrassment and shame rising up in me, not understanding how anyone could want me, a sniveling cry baby, who should be grown up and independent by now. Instead I was sitting there acting like a five year old who lost her first pet.
"Never apologize, it's a sign of weakness." Gibbs repeated automatically.
"What if I am weak?" I questioned innocently.
"Don't show your enemies." Gibbs stated flatly.
"But you're not the enemy." I countered wondering where this was going
"How do you know that?" He said, I just shrugged. "Exactly."
I bit my lip, and blurted out, "Because I trust you."
"Like you trusted Trent?" He said raising an eyebrow.
"No. More." I said quietly, he smiled and squeezed my hand, I squeezed back and looked up into his eyes, I let him help me up, and I graced him with a beaming smile. He placed a hand on my shoulder and steered me out into the bullpen again, a warmth radiating off both of us. I clicked with Gibbs, I didn't know what it was about him but everything seemed to fit perfectly, he was the one I felt safest with. Walking into the bullpen I sat down next to Ziva, on her desk and looked questioningly at Gibbs.
"Ok, first things first. I've never lost an agent undercover, or a victim. None of you are gonna screw that up for me. We will not lose Adesa. Is that understood?" Gibbs yelled across the bullpen, a chorus of "Yes Boss's" went up before Gibbs stared at all of them.
"Alright then, here's the plan. Adesa is going back to her place, and we're going to have it bugged and taped, there will be two agents, Dinozzo and Ziva that'll be you, outside her place. Let them take her, tail them but do not be seen. Kort and I will be down the block, give us the description of the vehicle, and we will trail far behind. Let them take her inside and then wait ten minutes, then we will go in. Any questions?" Gibbs said. Everybody shook their heads and got the paperwork ready for that night, I played with one of Ziva's knives before looking up at her, watching her.
"What was it like, at Mossad?" I asked quietly, "Do you miss your family?"
"Mossad was like the army but stricter. You do what you're told no matter what, even if it's to kill the person you love the most. If you do not you are tortured until you do. And tortured in every way possible. It is very ….exciting but also frightening for many, the training is relentless, and there is no mercy. My father is the Director, my younger sister was killed in a suicide bombing when she was ten and Gibbs killed my brother Ari years ago." She said emotionless. I watched her, with sadness in my heart.
"And yet here you are fighting for good." I stated hoarsely.
"Yes….." She trailed off not sure where this was going. I smiled.
"One day, I want to be just like you Ziva." I stated seriously. She blushed and smiled.
"Thank you Adesa, but there are things I've done that I'm not proud of, and my demeanor…it's not always good to have. I'm often….cold. It's hard to have relationships with people." Ziva explained hesitantly.
"Yeah I know. Not sure who you can trust and frankly you don't really care because you don't want to let anyone in, yet deep down there's an aching need for someone, anyone to care and you know that people do but it's not in the way you want, not in the way you need. So you ignore them in your quest but even when you find the one it's either too late or you just can't do it. Because you can't see that he's the one, you want a one way relationship but that's not how it's done. There's too much hurt." I said solemnly, sighing I looked up from her keyboard and into her eyes, she was surprised.
"Yes…..I don't mean to pry but what exactly are we saving you from?" Ziva asked, I sighed and played with my fingers suddenly nervous, I looked around, Tony had looked up and I just shook my head.
"Didn't Gibbs tell you?" I asked in a whisper, pulling my knees up to my chest.
"No. He just told us you needed our help. He's been handling the investigation with Kort." She explained. I felt nauseas at the idea of telling them, I imagined telling her alone and it didn't bother me, nor did the idea of telling Ducky. I quickly got up and took her wrist, walking she followed behind.
"Where are we going?" She asked
"Autopsy." I replied shortly. "I don't want anyone else to know but you and Ducky. Especially not Tony."
"Alright." Ziva said, I could hear the doubt in her voice, it irritated me but I swallowed my indignity down. The doors whisked open in Autopsy minutes later, Ducky was at his desk doing paperwork while Palmer cleaned utensils in the sink. Ducky looked up at Ziva and I and placed his pen down.
"What can I do for the two youngest ladies in my life?" He called out.
"I wanted to tell you and Ziva why I'm here." I said quietly.
"I see. Mr. Palmer would you be a good lad and finish my paperwork up in the next room please?" Ducky said jovially.
"Of course Doctor." He said gathering up the paperwork he left, leaving Ziva and I sitting on a slab with Doctor Mallard in front of us..
"I don't know how to start it but…when I was a five my father had me kidnapped, I was traded for money. And the people that were my kidnappers wanted me for their business. They ran a Child Slavery Ring……A sex slave." I said in a tiny voice choking over my voice as tears welled up in my eyes, Ziva gripped my hand tightly, as Ducky's mouth fell open, he gripped my arm lightly, and I gripped his back.
"I was…used….from the time I was five until I was ten, until Trent Kort saved me. He let me live with him for a month before he found me a good home. He came to visit every once in a while to make sure I was doing ok. I thought he cared, he was the only man I ever trusted, the only real father I ever had. But I was wrong. He admitted it today. He just wanted to use me, like all the others. Not in the same way but in the end that's what it came down to." I said openly crying.
"It's not fair! What did I ever do?! I don't remember being bad, I must have been born with this defect, Unlovable piece of shit!" I yelled lashing out, wanting to punch something, I started kicking and hitting, Ziva grabbed me from behind as I struggled against her, minutes later I exhausted myself and slid to the floor, sobbing. Ducky kneeled down in front of me and placed an arm around me, leaning on his shoulder I just continued to cry, Ziva stood awkwardly at my side patting my shoulder.
Half an hour later my tears ran out, I spoke quietly, "When I first saw Trent I was nine, about to turn ten in three days. He came in with nothing but a suitcase and the clothes on his back. I looked him over, he seemed to be a first timer, he said he was a banker by profession when asked by Ares. He said he liked little girls with my hair color and eyes. Ares left me alone with him. I was so afraid, he seemed more scary then the rest, but I just wanted this over with so I began to strip and when I was naked, I started undoing his belt, he watched calmly as I slid it out of his pants and then started unfastening his pants. He grabbed my wrist to stop me. He took off his coat and threw it around me, he opened the suitcase and there were snacks in there and toys, and a blanket and pillow, he even got me a new outfit. He quietly handed me my clothes and some snacks and watched as I played with the toys. I remember, waiting for him to do something, he came for weeks afterwards. He wouldn't let anyone else have me. I heard him and Ares fighting about it, he was paying good money for me to have me saved for him specifically. And one night, he just up and decided he didn't want me living in a room with white walls and nothing else but a sink and bed. So he grabbed me, unlocked the rest of the doors and we all went through the door. There were dead people every where's…."
"That doesn't sound anything like the Kort I know…" Ziva said hardly.
"Yeah I know it was all a lie. But you know, everyday for that month I was his in that cell, he never once talked. He didn't talk to me until I threw a temper tantrum and almost shot him." I said softly. Ziva laughed and Ducky tightened his arm around me chuckling.
"Adesa, it's time to go." Gibbs said speaking from the door. I nodded and got up, Ducky wished me luck and Ziva reassured me she wouldn't leave me completely alone.
But I still had a bad feeling about that night.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.