Rules of M-TAC

Rule #2: No ordering LEOs to stakeout Rock Creek Park.

People don't realize the costs of stakeouts until they have to look over the expenditures. The cost of manpower and overtime is too much. All Stakeout requests must be run by the Director first. Contrary to the popular belief... Special Agent Gibbs is NOT the one in charge of NCIS. The one who is in charge is the one and only ME. ME is the person who authorizes stakeouts.

Gibbs paced around the bullpen. His mind wasn't really on the real reason why he was in M-TAC... Hell , he couldn't even remember what he was doing there in the first place. Another body had turned up at Rock Creek Park. He always wondered what it was about dumping bodies in Parks like that. Perhaps they needed to stake it out...

YES! His mind ordered him. It'd prevent a lot of crime. Cut it down quite a bit. That'd reflect positive on the agency and law enforcement in general. Ordering the stakeout was the best idea he had all day.

"Samantha?" He asked the female tech. Samantha was one of the only Tech he liked. She wouldn't question his orders like the others would.

"Yes?" She asked. She waited with her hands at the ready to carry out the order.

"Can you send a message to the Police Precincts surrounding Rock Creek Park that we need a round the clock surveillance at Rock Creek Park," Gibbs told Samantha.

"Reason?" Samantha asked. She knew you just couldn't decide to send out a request like that without valid reason. She also knew that there were proper channels but there was no way that Lead Agent Jethro Gibbs would make her do anything that was improper or downright against the code of conduct.

"We suspect that someone will be dumping a body in the Park within the next week. We don't have any idea when or even whereabouts within the park this will occur," Gibbs explained. He waited patiently for her to do as ordered.

"Done," Samantha said with a small triumphant smile.

"Good," he waited for details to be relayed to him so they could work out a round the clock surveillance. Fortunately it didn't take long for the responses to come through. It seemed that Gibbs wasn't the only one to have that idea. It also wasn't long until a whole routine was worked out.

"All organized, Agent Gibbs," Samantha flexed her fingers.

It was surprising how quickly they all worked together on that idea and also NCIS hadn't slotted in a shift for themselves. Just as long as they knew that it was NCIS that issued the order. There weren't any complaints about the issue.

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Eight Days Later

Things had been running smoothly for NCIS. Vance sometimes classed this as the calm before the storm. He liked times where he had to solve problems and keep his active mind busy. He had been watching a flawless operation on the large M-TAC screen.

He stood up to leave M-TAC. Another video feed appeared on the screen. Usually when this happens that meant some trouble was brewing somewhere. The Police Officer was unrecognizable to Vance and he wondered why a LEO was calling M-TAC.

"What can I do for you?" Vance asked. His face hid his curiosity.

"I'm Officer Johnson," LEO Johnson introduced himself.

"What can I do for you, Officer Johnson?" Vance began to sound impatient.

"I can not afford the manpower to continue with the stakeout of Rock Creek Park. I know it was only for a week but we hadn't heard back from your office yet," LEO Johnson said.

Vance wasn't about to let slip that people were acting without his orders. His head snapped around when he heard someone snort as to try and hide a laugh. "Yes... The operation is over... Thank you for your co-operation," Vance responded. The list of suspects who could be responsible for issuing the stakeout was quite short... In fact it was only two names with a possible third one.

"Something funny, Samantha Jones?" Vance asked the female tech.

"No, Sir," she answered all too quickly.

"You do not do anything under the orders of anyone but me... You got that?" Vance said in a harsh tone.

"Yes, Sir," Samantha responded quickly.

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Gibbs: - Rule needs a subtext... Takes too much time for Samantha to call you every I need to talk with somebody different. Especially when you're hard to find.

DiNozzo: - Actually staking out Rock Creek Park is a brilliant idea!

Samantha: - Should've put a time limit on it.

Ziva: - Wow it was a full week without a body turning up in Rock Creek Park. That should be done more often.

a/n sorry for the late update. Hurt my ankle and been in a bit of discomfort to concentrate on my work. I know, pitiful excuse