Gibbs filled the others in on the situation. Before they even had time to grasp what was going on, the bell over the door to the diner chimed as Director Leon Vance rushed inside. He slid into the booth next to Sarah and began to quietly give orders.
"I was hoping you'd be here. Bixby's out," he said.
"Just heard the good news," Gibbs lifted his phone and raised an eyebrow.
"Good, so you're up to speed. Here's some cash. Don't use anything that requires identification." Vance handed Gibbs a thick envelope. "Don't look at me like that. I know you've done this before, but this is different. There is a lot at stake here."
"Thank you," Tim said.
"I had Mona book rooms at three separate hotels as a diversion, but steer clear of that avenue," Vance continued. "The cabin's out. You're too tied to the case, Gibbs, and now that your father has passed, the deed's in your name," he reminded. "A safe house or something off the grid that isn't officially tied to anyone here would be your best bet."
"Mrs. McGee, Sarah, you need to lay low right now, as well. Bixby isn't above using family for leverage."
Tim swallowed remembering how Conner Bixby had used threats against the family of a guy named Mikey to get him to drive the decoy car that would explode…after Conner handcuffed him to the steering wheel and armed the bomb, of course.
"Tony should go," Gibbs said. "I'll stay and coordinate with Fornell on the case."
"We have multiple safe houses, but I'm not sure splitting up is your best option," Vance said. "The more agents that are with the group, the safer they'll be."
"Me, Tony, Gibbs, Mom, Sarah, Abby…," Tim said, "won't that many people traveling together stand out?"
"Actually, it's brilliant," Sarah said. "We'll look like a family on a vacation. He would expect us to divide and scatter, but instead we stick together. Strength in numbers."
"I don't want to hide," Mrs. McGee said. "Do you really think it's necessary?"
"Mom, he will use you against me if he can," Tim said. "I know. I've seen how he operates."
"It's as good a plan as any, just drop out of sight quickly and stay put. Don't take your cell phones. Safe houses have secure phones, or if you stay somewhere else, you can find a landline to check in with or grab a burner phone. I don't want you traceable. Any of you," Vance ordered.
"Aye, Aye, sir," Sarah said, handing him her cell phone. The others followed suit.
"Tony will be here soon. Then disappear. Got it? All of you," he said, pointedly staring at Gibbs.
Gibbs shrugged as Vance left the diner with a bag full of cell phones.
"I've been thinking," Tony said, once he had arrived at the diner, "Bixby may have figured out Tim's a federal agent, but how would he suspect NCIS? FBI did the take down."
"Ducky's history," Gibbs explained. "Once they knew Duck was an agent, they would have dug deep."
"If they had, they would have discovered me long ago," Tim swallowed hard at the implication. He should have been killed months ago.
"So they may not know the NCIS connection," Tony continued.
"Are you saying that as long as we avoid FBI safe houses and stick with our own agency, we're okay?" Tim asked.
"I don't think so," Gibbs said. "Assume nothing."
The thought that Bixby was out and getting more and more desperate was making them increasingly nervous.
"Tony, can you handle this?" Gibbs asked.
"You aren't going?" Tony asked.
"But Vance said…" Tim began.
"I wanna catch this bastard," Gibbs muttered.
"Not sit on the sidelines playing babysitter?" Tim asked, his tone betraying his insecurities.
Gibbs met the younger man's gaze and sighed. "Rule 51." He clapped Tim on the back. "We're in this together."
"Thanks," Tim said.
"Follow me," Mrs. McGee said, a gleam in her eye. She stood and led the group out the rear of the restaurant.
"Um, mom…?" Tim asked.
"I know where we're going, and it'll be perfect. We just need to find a cheap van and hit the road. We can find everything we need there."
Tim shouldn't have been surprised at the steel in his mother's spine, but he was a bit taken aback. Gibbs was smirking, amused but willing to let her take the lead. Everyone else did the same.
"There are some 'buy here pay here' lots where we could pick up something for cash," Tony said. "But you still need ID."
"Craigs List?" Tim suggested. "Sell by owner?"
"Actually, I have a friend who I think will let us use his van," Sarah offered. "Just let me find a landline…" she looked around until she spied a pay phone on another corner. "Over here," she said, heading that way.
"You gonna let them take the lead?" Tony asked Gibbs.
"For now," Gibbs answered. "They're smart, and they're civilians."
"That's my point."
"And mine," Gibbs continued. "Bixby will expect us to think like cops."
Tony nodded his assent, and then looked at Tim. "Any idea where this is going?"
Tim smiled. "If I had to venture a guess, I'd say we were going to Friend House."
"What is Friend House?" Gibbs asked, skeptically.
"A remote house on an island in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Florida. You have to take a ferry since there are no roads leading to the island. Penny has a house there, but it isn't in her name. The deed is in the name of her best friend's first husband. I know it sounds bizarre, but she and her best friends have always shared the house equally. I've been there a few times and it's perfect. There is a large pantry with plenty of supplies and a deep freezer kept well-stocked. If we grab some produce in town before we catch the ferry, no one should have to leave the island until we receive word that Bixby's been apprehended," Tim explained.
"One way in means only one way out," Gibbs said.
"Yeah, but there's no way we could be tracked there. I can't believe I didn't think of it first," Tim said. "If I had to disappear," he chuckled at his own phrasing, "it's where I would go…if I had thought of it."
"As long as we aren't followed, it should work," Gibbs admitted. "I'm hesitant to use a federal safe house."
"We need to pick up Abby," Tony reminded them, looking at his watch. "She'll be outside the bowling alley. She didn't go to her office or her apartment after lunch, so she shouldn't have been followed."
Sarah hung up the phone and stepped over toward the rest of them. "It's a go. The van is parked in student parking over at the university. Key's under the floor mat. He knows I'm taking it, and he won't say a word to anyone."
"What exactly did you tell him, Sarah?" Tim asked.
"Give me some credit, Tim," she said. "I told him mine was in the shop and I was heading out of town to see my mom. He said he wasn't going anywhere. Just park it back in the same lot when I come back."
"Let's take the bus over to the university, and then pick Abs up once we get the van," Gibbs said, moving toward the bus stop down the street.
"Public transportation," Tony groaned.
"Better than the alternative," Mrs. McGee said, patting Tony on the shoulder. "Come on, kid, let's get out of here."