The director of NCIS and a deputy director of the FBI were having coffee. This in itself wasn't particularly notable since medium level G-men had coffee together all the time. The gossip columns didn't even bother reporting it unless something interesting happened. Something, perhaps, like the deputy director leaning over and slapping the director on the back of the head.
"Ow!" the director of NCIS exclaimed, and then lowered his voice. He'd been director less than a year, but it hadn't taken long to learn that discretion was the better part of staying out of a blog.
"What the hell was that for, DiNozzo?"
"That was for the fact that we got the collar on Commander Richardson," Tony replied smugly. "Although, Navy, isn't that your jurisdiction, McDirector?"
Of all the McNames that had been bestowed upon him over the years, McDirector was one of his favorites. McGyver was probably still his absolute favorite, but there was something nice about McDirector. He knew Tony used it because he was proud of McGee's ascent to that particular position, even when he was giving him grief about a joint op.
"He's in custody, DiNozzo," McGee pointed out, rolling his eyes and sipping his coffee. "He's off the streets and the arms ring is in shambles. That's all that matters, not who actually made the arrest."
"Oh, that is so very much not all that matters," DiNozzo teased, and ostentatiously read a lede out loud. " 'The FBI, along with other federal agencies, conducted a sting yesterday that brought down the leader of an international arms ring. Newly appointed director Tobias Fornell, speaking to reporters at a brief press conference, praised the hard work of his own agents as well as those in sister agencies, including NCIS and ATF.' "
At least they'd been second on the list. The time NCIS had been mentioned after several state agencies had been a little annoying. He'd admit that, but never to Tony.
"I can't believe Fornell is the new director," he replied instead. "Did someone warn the elevator repair guys?"
DiNozzo chuckled. "I hear they started renegotiating their contracts the moment they heard about it."
"Heard about what, Tony?" one of the associate directors of the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations asked. Why Tim knew the English translation for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim, well, it came with the job. This particular director was in charge of the Political Action and Liaison Department, a position she had recently taken with great reluctance and only after Director Ben-Gidon had personally requested it of her five times, or so the chatter said. Chatter could be almost as unreliable as the political gossip columns, though, so it was best not to put too much reliance on anything heard that way.
"Your plum new assignment, Associate Director David," DiNozzo replied without missing a beat, as usual. "Does it come with a corner office? Three assistants to bring your coffee? Four more to kill people with paperclips?"
"You make it seem like I should also have a partridge in an apple tree," Ziva protested.
"Pear tree," Tim corrected automatically.
"Pear tree," she continued without a break. "I have only one assistant. And I do not like even having that."
Tim grimaced and saw Tony doing the same. They all had assistants, they all disliked having so much paperwork that they needed assistants, and they all knew they'd be lost without them.
"To our assistants," Tony offered, raising his coffee. "May they keep the coffee hot, the paperwork straight, and the CIA out of our offices."
Tim raised his coffee in answering toast, then put it down and slapped Tony on the back of the head...just as Ziva did the same.
This was definitely going make it into a gossip column.