Hello, everyone.
A MASSIVE THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! After a very long week in work, I returned home last week to discover I have been nominated as Favourite Newbie Author in the Fanactic Fanfics Multifandom Awards. I had no idea my stories were enjoyed enough to receive this nomination. Again, a massive thank you for the nomination, as well as the support for the stories written. Please check out the awards at fanaticfanficswards. blogspot. com (remove spaces). Thank you if you vote for me.
"Good morning," Tim called to the room, his senior staff gathered for the morning briefing. "Where are we with the trip to Europe?" This was something he had not told his children, keeping it a surprise until it had been confirmed.
"Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany have all confirmed, the dates are fine," Mark Carr spoke first, Tims deputy chief of staff.
"Belgium and the Netherlands, along with the UK are also fine with the itinerary," said Jonathan Gupta, Tims half Indian, half American chief of staff confirmed. "Also, the British government want to give you a state dinner at Windsor Castle, with members of the Royal Family in attendance."
"Well, I don't think 'no' will be an acceptable answer for that one, so that's a yes. Make sure everyone knows the protocols for the dinner," Tim was doing his first full tour of Europe as the Secretary of State, having visited many countries in two years, Tim had arranged the tour to coincide with the summer break for his children, and was hoping to get Cassie to join him for some of the tour. "How goes the search for our new Mexican Ambassador?" Ambassador Crichton had resigned due to health issues, and the post was currently being filled by the head of mission, who had told Tim he did not want the post.
"So far, very few people have shown an interest in the post," Deirdre Kirk was the person in charge of the Bureau of South America, and was tasked with drawing up the shortlist for the new Ambassador.
"Well, narrow down your choice to people who deserve the promotion, who speak Spanish fluently, and who want to have my gratitude. Send me a shortlist by Tuesday," Tim had wanted a shortlist for the President by the end of the day, but knew the post would be a hard one to fill.
"Sorry, Sir, I have Ambassador Cardenas calling for you," Mason Black was Tims executive assistant, and the one person who seemed to know what everyone else was doing at any given point. The ability reminded him of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, who, Tim last heard, was living in Hawaii with Hollis Mann. Tim stood from the conference table, moving for his office.
"Johnny, Mark, with me, thank you everyone," Dismissing everyone else, Tim headed through the connecting door to his office. "Did they say why the Ambassador is calling?" Tim asked.
"No, but Ambassador Cardenas told me he would wait on hold for you," Mason told him. Tim knew this was a serious matter.
"Great. Johnny, Mark, not a word, actually, step back a few paces, I'm putting him on speakerphone," Tim stood behind his desk, watching as his two senior advisors kept a fair distance. Pressing the speaker button, Tim began speaking, "Mr Ambassador, a good day to you, Sir."
"It was, Secretaria Senor. Would you care to tell me why the US Government launched a covert operation on Spanish soil without any approval or notice?" Tim had been unaware of any operation.
"Mr. Ambassador, I am unaware of any such operation taking place," Tim admitted, being caught completely flat footed.
"Then allow me to tell you that Navy SEALs, Marines and your NCIS agents arresting Spanish citizens will not be tolerated. Spain has been a friend and ally of your country for many years, and yet you have violated our sovereignty in this manner, sneaking in under the cover of darkness. Your Defense department and NCIS are ignoring my calls, as well as the calls of Prime Minister Fernandez Diaz," Tim knew this was going to be a bad day. "Timothy, it has taken me more than three hours to stop the Prime Minister from speaking to the press about this matter. I trust you will be able to assuage my concerns over this matter?" The Ambassador asked.
"Mr. Ambassador, I will personally call yourself and Primer Ministro Fernandez Diaz once I have some news. Thank you for the call, Jorge," Tim was livid at that moment. Tim heard the call tone, letting him know the call had ended. "Mason!" He shouted. "Not a word to anyone," He ordered the other two people in the room.
"Sir," Mason had entered the room.
"Get me Admiral Wilson, General Marks, Director McGee, Director Coulson and Doctor Janney, I need them all at the same time, on the conference screen. You have five minutes," Tim barked, knowing this was going to be a very serious conversation involving his temper. "Mark, find out what you can, quietly." Watching the two men leave, Tim turned to Jonathan Gupta, his former chief of Staff in Germany and France. "Johnny, what the hell is going on?" Tim queried.
"I have no idea, I have had no briefings on this matter. I've read no reports on persons of interest in Spain. Have you?" Johnny knew Tim read more reports than he did, as he was a member of the National Security Council, and the Cabinet, and had a higher security clearance than himself.
"No, not a one. Let's hope I get some answers. In the meantime, speak with someone at DOD, and speak to Admiral Inverdale, let's see if the Chairwoman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff knows anything," Tim dismissed his Chief of Staff, and waited for the teleconference call to begin. Even after two years, Tim hated having to call Cassie like this, and reminded himself to always call her Director. Tim poured himself a coffee, knowing that his chances of getting out early today had diminished greatly, but he would do his damnedest to get out of the office before six.
"I have everyone, Sir," Mason said from the door.
"Thank you, Mason, close the door, and do not come in, even if I call you, understood?" Tim told the young Princeton graduate.
"Understood, Sir." Mason had only worked for Timothy McGee for nine months but was already loving his job and his boss. Tim grabbed his tablet, accessing the teleconference feature, and at the press of a button, five people appeared on the large plasma screen.
"Thank you all for agreeing to the call. Admiral, General, how are your sailors and marines?" Tim was going to see if anyone would be forthcoming with the information he requested, or if he would have to ask them directly.
"Fine, Mr Secretary," responded the Chief of Naval Operations, his fathers old position.
"All are well, Mr Secretary," Answered the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
"Director McGee, Director Coulson, your staff, all well I hope?" Tim was watching the whole screen, seeing some very uncomfortable faces. The director of NCIS and the Director of the CIA both nodded in the affirmative.
"Doctor Janney, I trust you are fully recovered from your cold?" Tim asked the National Security Advisor.
"Very much so, Mr Secretary," Doctor Samson Janney was not a medical doctor, he had two PhDs, one in Middle Eastern Studies, and a second in Political Science.
"The five of you have anything to tell me?" Tim asked again, deciding to see their reactions when he dropped his bombshell. Hearing no answer, he spoke once more. "Very well, then I will tell Prime Minister Fernandez Diaz of Spain that he was mistaken about US Naval forces carrying out a covert operation on Spanish soil. Thank you, once more, for agreeing to the call," Tim went to end the call but was stopped by one voice.
"You have spoken to the Prime Minister?" The NCIS Director asked.
"I have spoken with the Spanish Ambassador, but I will be speaking to the Prime Minister after I have spoken to the President. After all, we cannot have any country casting allegations like this around, can we?" Tim was more than happy to stay in the dark regarding the operation. "As a member of the National Security Council, I am sure I would have been briefed about an operation on foreign soil, especially in a country with whom we have extensive diplomatic agreements with. Therefore, the only conclusion I can draw is that no operation happened, and the Spanish authorities are in the wrong." Tim rarely raised his voice as the Secretary of State, it had happened on rare occasions, and all of them had been in the Situation Room.
"They're not, and you know it," barked Admiral Wilson. Tim remembered the man from his time as a captain who served under his father in the Sixth Fleet when he lived in Italy.
"Do I? I am unaware of the operation, Admiral," Tim replied, keeping his poker face in place.
"The operation was launched at three am local time, and we all signed off on it at four pm our time, giving the team just five hours to get into positions," General Marks confessed.
"There had been a breach of security regarding these IS terrorists previously, so we decided to keep the circle small," Director Coulson added in.
"So, the five of you decided that I did not need to be told about the mission?" Tim asked, knowing he was not the most liked person amongst the Intelligence and Defence community, with most believing he was too close to foreign government officials. Hearing no response, Tim laid down the law. "Wrong decision. I am a former head of NCIS Intelligence, the deputy chief of the CTOC, NCIS Special agent and have served as the US Ambassador on three different diplomatic missions. And you lot decided I couldn't keep a secret? That I would breach national security?" Tim heard no response to his statement. "The President will be told of this, and I want a full briefing in my office in one hour, by at least two of you, and there better be a very good explanation as to why I wasn't told." With that, Tim ended the call, knowing that Cassie would turn up, with Doctor Janney, as Admiral Wilson and General Marks would not want to explain themselves to Tim, his fathers reputation still commanded a lot of fear, and Director Coulson often struggled to make it to the White House for briefing the President, let alone briefing the Secretary of State. Tim opened his office door, "Blake, get me the President, I do not want to speak to anyone else, not even his chief of staff, just the President." Tim knew the President would be angry over the development, knowing the President, was like himself, dragged into politics, but by a former Attorney General.
Jeffrey MacIntosh had been a civil rights lawyer who had accepted a job on the Senate Foreign Relations committee about thirty years ago, at the request of the AG. From there, he had been pressured into running for his home constituency in California in the House of Representatives. What had once been a safe Republican seat became a safe Democratic seat overnight, when Jeffrey MacIntosh had been elected with an eleven thousand majority. Eight years later, he had been elected to the Senate, ten years after that, he was nominated and confirmed as the Attorney General. When the nominations came around, the party begged him to run, and he accepted, but with certain conditions. Those being he campaigned on his own issues, including traditionally Republican issues, such as tax cuts and abortion. His election result surprised many people, including Tim.
"Tim, the President is on line one," Blake called through the open door. Tim knew the Presidents executive assistant was on line one, no one really expected the President on hold when they called. Tim picked up the phone, and said "Hello."
"Please hold for the President," came the voice of Marcia Harris, the Presidents gatekeeper. Three seconds later, the rich baritone voice of a native Californian came over the handheld speaker.
"Tim, you calling about the Spanish op?"
"Yes, sir. I have just been given the run around by the Navy, Marine, NCIS, CIA and Homeland chiefs, who, in not so many words, feel I couldn't be trusted not to tell Spain what was happening," Tim was not happy with the way the meeting had gone.
"Tim, the argument was not that you would tell them, but that you would argue that we should have told them what we were doing last night," The President valued his Secretary of States opinion, but had been talked around by others in the NSC.
"You would be right, Sir. Spain has always been helpful in the past when it came to these matters. Even giving them a heads up of the operation without any specifics would have been better than nothing, which is what we gave them," Tim was well aware that he would have to smooth a lot of ruffled feathers with the Spanish government after the briefing.
"Tim, I know, trust me, I've been avoiding the Prime Ministers calls all morning," The President admitted.
"Sir, talk to him. You know, as well as I do, that this is the game we play. Speak to him and admit to the op, tell him the results. I'll do some photo ops with him when I'm on the Spanish leg of my European tour. Also, it might help if the Spanish Ambassador was invited to a few dinners at the White House over the next few months," Tim knew that photo ops were some of the most powerful weapons the President and he had. "If we don't get out in front of this, someone in the Spanish government is going to leak the story to the press and we start playing catch up."
"OK, Tim, we do this your way now. I'll speak with Prime Minister Fernandez Diaz, you speak with Ambassador Cardenas, and I'll make sure that any more operations on foreign soil will have your notification to them, even if you don't agree with them," The President knew that Timothy McGee tried to use US forces only as a last resort, rather than the first option.
"Agreed, Mr President," Tim knew this was the best he could get, and Spain would be satisfied.
"Good luck with the Ambassador, Tim. Thank you."
"Thank you, Mr President," With that, the President ended the call, leaving Tim sat at his desk on his own. He wondered what US forces were doing in Spain six hours earlier.
Two hours later, Tim was sat in his office with Samson Janney and Cassie McGee, his anger was palpable.
"We committed more than fifty people to bring in four people who were merely suspected of this hacking?" Tim was amazed by the full results of the operation, and the size of it. "Have you ever heard of the phrase 'overkill'? My God, no wonder the Spanish government were incensed this morning."
"We felt that the size of the force was necessary due to the fact we couldn't access any wi-fi feed from the building, and the fact that they had installed heaters in the upstairs of the building made infrared scans useless," Dr. Janney had wanted to inform the Secretary of State of the operation, the mans intelligence background gave him a much better working knowledge of the NSC than most people who became members of the Cabinet.
"Apart from the leak of the last operation concerning this group, which happened four years ago, there is still no reason not to have informed the Spanish government or myself. I don't know whose idea it was, nor do I care. If this happens again, whether the President likes it or not, I'll tell the press the whole truth, and we'll see what happens. I know the President has told me that all ops involving US forces on foreign soil will get me a briefing, even if I don't agree with them," Tim was angry that Cassie had barely said anything. Her husband or not, they had worked for the same agency for nearly twelve years, and he thought she would have argued much more than she had done. "Thank you, both, for coming in, but I need to talk with Ambassador Cardenas now. We should all cross our fingers that this meeting goes well, otherwise, he will be giving the press a very good story." Tim would not be angry with the Ambassador if he did tell the press what had happened.
"Tim, again, I'm sorry this happened," With that, the National Security Advisor left the two McGees alone, closing the door on his way out.
"Tim, please," Cassie knew how upset her husband was.
"When did you start following the CIA so blindly?" Tim asked bluntly, knowing that there was a lot of bad blood between the CIA and NCIS.
"I haven't," Cassie began.
"Yes, you have. You have supported the CIA on plenty of missions over the last two and a half years, this is just the latest op," Johnny and Mark had spoken to a few people in the hour before Cassie Yates and Samson Janney had arrived. "I can't believe that you went along with this plan." Tim knew that neither he, Jenny Shepard, Craig, or Vance would have gone along with the plan. Former Director Owen Grainger had taken over after Craigs death, before being replaced by Stan Burley. Stan had taken a transfer to Homeland Security two and a half years earlier, leaving Cassie the post, with the blessing of the Deputy director at the time.
"NCIS and the CIA aren't as independent of each other as you like to think, Tim, and I have to work with them much more now than you ever did, I don't have the luxury of being able to say no to them the way we used to," Cassie knew she was a good Director, but was not in the same league as Burley, Craig or Shepard. "I can't say no without a very good reason, and trust me, those reasons don't come along very often."
"How hard are you looking for those reasons, Director?" Tim would not allow his personal feelings into this matter. "The next time the CIA want to conduct a black ops mission using military personnel, I suggest you think long and hard about why they can't use their own people. Either they don't have the people to use, or they don't want to risk them. Either way, don't do their job for them." Tim hated having to argue like this, but this had become part of their partnership over the last two years. "Thank you, once again, for coming over, Director, but I need to speak with Ambassador Cardenas about this matter." Tim watched as his wife walked out, not even saying goodbye to him. Tim knew their current jobs were taking a heavy toll on their personal relationship, and Tim wondered which one of them would resign in order to keep their marriage together.
"Todd, I'm very happy to see you committing to the Advanced Placement courses for next semester," Serena Drury was a very happy woman indeed, knowing the young man sat infront of her had struggled to settle into his life in the United States. "Of course, you will need your parents permission for the courses, but these are the courses you can take." Todd smiled, knowing this would give him more of a chance to apply for colleges in Germany. "AP Calculus, AP Computer Science, AP French Literature and Culture, and German Literature and Culture. There is also an AP course for Comparative Government and Politics, if you would be interested," Miss Drury wondered what he would say.
"No, thanks, Miss Drury," She was not surprised, most students avoided the course, unless they were planning on continuing the course at college.
"Well, take these home with you, and bring them back on Monday, all signed, and we will get you setup for September."
"Thanks, Miss Drury," Todd said, grabbing the paperwork and making his way out of the office. Serena Drury had been a guidance counselor for nearly eight years, and had seen many students request places for the AP courses, but most did one or two, not four courses. However, Todd McGee, along with his younger brother, she knew, were different. They had lived in France and Germany, and were naturally gifter when it came to math and computers. She just hoped that the two boys did not have any more upsets in their lives.
