Tim observed the bullpen and the people working around him, trying to focus, wondering if he could really compare his own situation to someone else's. He rubbed his forehead and oriented his eyes on his computer, memories penetrating his mind...
''I will never be like you. Not really.''
''What do you mean, McGee ?''
''I'm not a field agent.''
''You're not ?''
Tim briefly chuckled and looked away from Gibbs for a minute, eyes on the boat.
''You know what I mean, boss. I went to the MIT, I'm not like Tony, or Ziva. Not like you.''
''Well, good for us we're not all damn clones on this earth.''
''Computers are my world'' Tim added almost straight away, as if to apologize.
''I'm waiting for the end of your sentence'' Gibbs calmly pronounced while emptying two glasses of their screws, grabbing the bottle next to them. Tim slightly smiled and took a new look at Jethro as he started facing him again. There was something a bit sad about him, maybe nostalgic, something Gibbs wasn't really sure how to name at the very moment. ''You're an agent, McGee'' he finally continued and gave him some Bourbon, not getting any reaction in return.
''I know, boss. It's just...I only feel that I'm not exactly on the same level as you all. I haven't been trained at first to be...''
''...a field agent, I know. You've already said that. Now what, Tim ? What is your fear about all this ?''
Tim slowly breathed in and took a sip of the strong liquid. He then softly stroked the wood next to him, wondering if he even was allowed to.
''I'm afraid I might let you down one day because we don't have the same kind of...skills.''
Jethro raised an eyebrow and slowly approached Tim, pressing a hand on his shoulder.
''Rule 51, McGee.''
''Rule 51 ?'' Tim repeated, confused. ''What is rule 51, boss ?'' Gibbs could see Tim's brain getting more active now, as if the perfect intellectual he was now needed to check if he had learned his lessons. ''I'm...sorry, boss,'' he said in the end, ''I'm afraid I don't remember which rule you are talking about.''
''Sometimes you're wrong.''
Tim's hand unconsciously tightened around his small glass.
''I didn't know that rule, boss'' Gibbs' agent finally confirmed.
''Me neither. But one day something made me change my mind.''
Tim grinned a bit sadly and took a look at the brown inside of his glass, thinking aloud.
''And you hope it'll change mine, now.''
''Exactly.''
Files brusquely falling on his desk suddenly made him jump on his seat, interrupting his thoughts.
''Yo, McGeek, don't you think it's time to work, instead of nap time ?''
Tim immediately sighed and refocused on his screen, secretly mad to have been found by Tony in such a vulnerable state.
''What is it, Tony ?'' he asked the smiling man, trying not to groan.
''Preselection, McGeek.''
''Tony...''
''We've found eight men and women who could match our Invader's profile, if we do consider he or she was part of the FBI. One still in medical leave, one in vacation, three undercover, two resignations and one promoted, in charge of a new team in Mexico. They all had the authorizations to access the system, and especially these documents. You read, we contact them.''
''Alright, Tony, I'm gonna look at their profiles. But what if our suspect isn't from the FBI ? I know it would require a lot of skills to hack their database, but it can still be possible for...''
''You mean for some geeks like you, McGeek ?''
''Tony, could you please stop...''
''Anyway, that's all we have for the moment, McGeek, so work on their profiles until we have something new to explore, then we'll...''
''Could you stop calling me like this for once in your life ?'' Tim suddenly exclaimed, standing up.
''Why, Tim, aren't you one of them ?'' the other male agent smiled and started questioning his teammate, facing him. ''Gosh, this is just a nickname, a joke, relax, Tim. Why do you always have to be so sensitive ?''
Tim heavily breathed in and out and spit the words, not noticing Gibbs and Ziva down the silver stairs.
''I've always been wondering, Tony, are you constantly trying making fun of me like someone would do with a member of his family, or is it just a way for you to evacuate everyday's pressure with any target in here at NCIS ? What, pretty girls weren't available today ?''
Tony suddenly raised both eyebrows, bewildered.
''Hey, what the hell, McGee ? What's going on with you ?''
''Nothing'' Tim answered and got rid of the hand on his shoulder, rolling his eyes.
''Great, then why don't you just work on these files I gave you, like I just told you to do, in order to find our new terrorist of the month ? In case you haven't heard Gibbs earlier, this is non-negotiable.''
''Can't Fornell's team do that, themselves ?''
''Not for now. They just called to say they might have a hit on...''
''...something, yes, so they're probably already on the field.''
''What...'' Tony tried to say, still not understanding what on earth had just happened because of a way he had used to call him. ''You know what ? Just do your damn job, Tim, and tonight we'll all go home and sleep. You seem to be needing it anyway. Hey,'' he continued, ''where are you going with these things ?''
''Working away from you, Tony !''
The voice resonated in a corner of the bullpen as the first male agent vanished from that same place, the second one raising both arms in the air.
''Unbelievable.'' Tony's palms were softly hitting his hips, falling down, when Gibbs confronted him. ''Hey, boss. You heard that ? What the hell happ...'' A hand unexpectedly slapped the back of his head, so he looked for a supportive figure, but Ziva's face didn't share any compassionate reaction. ''What was that ? Did we just witness two different situations, or...'' Another slap hit his skull and he felt like he was about to kill someone, this time. ''Goddamn it,'' he desperately said, ''what the hell did I...''
''Leave the boy alone, DiNozzo'' Gibbs' calm voice threatened him.
''I'm gonna talk to him'' Ziva immediately proposed, but Jethro's palm stopped her.
''Don't. I'll talk to him later. Now he's got to review different profiles to see if they could coincide with the kind of suspect we're looking for, and thanks to Tony, he's a raw nerve. He'll work better.''
''I'm glad I've helped...'' Tony lowly complained from behind his desk, groaning, but Gibbs' terrible eyes made him close his mouth for the biggest part of the day...
...The beep of his phone took him out of his dreams, his head aching. Years and years later, he was still sleeping extremely bad. He rubbed his forehead, secretly cursing duties and honor for a second, before pressing the green button of the item.
''Gibbs.''
''Boss, it's me.''
''McGee ?'' Jethro asked, taking a look at the time. 5 a.m. Someone was really working hard out there. ''What's happening, McGee ?'' he continued, reflexively heading to the kitchen.
''Well, I've been reading everything I could about the different profiles. By the way, did you finally manage talking to all of them ?''
''We had the lead agent in Mexico through MTAC. They continue the investigation on-site. Fornell's team reached the other ones, except the one on vacation and the one on medical leave we're still trying to contact. But that's not why you called, is it, McGee ? You could have asked me at work'' Gibbs wondered, now grabbing a cup for an early morning coffee.
''You know me well, boss.''
''So ?'' the male voice said, the man preparing his drink.
''Boss, I'm not sure this is all about the FBI.''
''We can't get rid of the two missing agents, McGee, including further investigations about them all.''
''I know. I know, but still, I think we might go the wrong way.''
Jethro sighed and rubbed his forehead again. Tim thinking at 5 a.m. certainly meant something.
''Whenever you're ready, Tim...''
''Okay, so I was thinking : all these agents have or had the authorizations to access these files, right ? So trying to access them, if we believe they tried their own, traditional way, should have been immediately noticeable.''
''I'm sure they could manage other ways, Tim. Now what I asked you was to get into our suspect's head, not to stay awake at night. Did you even sleep ?''
''I couldn't, boss. The problem is, besides the lack of infos we have about our suspect, that I was trying to get into his head, wondering 'what would I think if I was hacking the FBI ?', but...''
''So what is your gut telling you, Tim ?'' Jethro asked him all of a sudden, taking a first sip of his coffee.
''I didn't want to call Ducky, not at that time, but I thought we might as well explore a psychiatric point of view. Something more about personal revenge, maybe. This is a first idea, of course, but I can't stop telling myself : what if I wasn't someone who had worked for the FBI, but someone who had always wanted to work for the FBI ? In fact, I can't stop picturing this : why not hacking something, especially because this is something I cannot get ?'' Tim suddenly noticed the silence on the other side of the line and wondered for a second if Gibbs might have fallen asleep... No, that was stupid. Gibbs never was. He was about to say 'boss' again when the whole recent conversation came up to his mind, including a coming headache. Okay, that sounded extremely stupid, now. Very, very stupid. Why even calling Gibbs in the first place ? And what should he do now, hang up ? Yes, he might as well say that he didn't think about it at all anymore, but that would confirm he had woken him up for nothing. ''Boss...?'' he finally dared pronouncing, impatience now killing him to the bone. ''I...uh, you know, I think I have watched too many thriller movies with Tony...and with the lack of sleep, my mind seems to be messing up with me. I'm sorry. I promise I won't...call again.''
The sound of someone breathing in suddenly echoed and Tim then strangely feared a bit for his life.
''That sounds quite twisted, McGee.''
''Like I told you, boss. I'm sorry. Really, really sorry. I'd better try to sleep before head...''
''That sounds twisted, but that might still be a lead. Interrogation room in thirty minutes.''
''Wait, what ? But, boss, I don't...''
''I'll call Ziva and Tony on my way. Don't be late, Tim.''