NOTE TO THE READER: A map explaining the main players and history of this world and how things got to the point they're at can be read at art/Countdown-to-Looking-Glass-2008-COMMISSION-655407655.

Director McCallister's Office

"You get to the point, don't you?" McCallister replied seconds after he dropped his coffee. "Maybe I need to set you straight."

Ignoring the stain on the director's shoe and pants, Gibbs locked eyes with McCallister who walked to the front of his desk and leaned against it.

"Go ahead," Gibbs said, keeping his glare on McCallister, who looked to his left, then sighed.

"1991," McCallister said. "Amsterdam."

Gibbs sat down at the conference table expecting an answer, offending McCallister's sense of status. The director walked over to the table and sat opposite Gibbs before he began explaining.

"Young man from Chicago recruited out of the Naval War College. Had some ideas the agency was interested in-"

"What ideas?"

"CLASSIFIED," McCallister emphasized. "I led a team investigating a Soviet-backed arms dealer working out of the Netherlands. Vance was part of my team. He was killed during the operation. One more promising agent killed before his time."

"Why?"

"Why are you asking, Gibbs? If you have something to say, say it."

"Say what...Director?"

"DAMNIT-" McCallister caught himself, then looked away before shooting Gibbs a silent stare. Gibbs in turn cocked his head and gave McCallister a blank look.

"I know you don't trust me, Gibbs. I know you looked into me while investigating Director Shepard's murder. I know you think I'm into something."

Gibbs maintained his poker face.

"Over the course of my career I've been involved in hundreds of cases, a lot of them directly or indirectly involving the Communists. Muslim extremists, domestic extremists, and a few assholes crossed my path too. I've done things that were necessary to get the job done."

McCallister then stood up and leaned across the table. "I NEVER would kill one of our own," he said in a low growl, giving Gibbs a look that would peel paint. "I NEVER would kill someone to get their job, and that someone includes Jenny Shepard. I'm an American, Gibbs. There are enough bastards out there trying to kill our own."

Gibbs maintained his impassive demeanor as McCallister leaned into his face.

"Don't question my patriotism, my integrity, my loyalty to my country and this agency," the director said. "In fact, there's plenty of threats to take up you and your team's time...or do you have more on your plate than you can handle? You do realize as director of this agency, that I can relieve you, and your team, of any extra burden that prevents you from doing your jobs. Additional agents, reassignments. Do you have a little too much on your plate, Agent Gibbs?"

McCallister bristled a tad when Gibbs shot him a glare that, as Tony once said, 'turned hardened men into weeping children'.

"My 'plate' is just fine, Director. My people are fine where they're at and how they're doing their jobs."

"Are you including Officer David in that assessment, Gibbs?"

"Absolutely."

"Notwithstanding the...history between her and my predecessor, Officer David's performance record since she arrived here has been outstanding," McCallister said as he sat back down. "I did have some questions, specifically her being the sister of a known Soviet Spetsnaz officer, and the daughter of a man who once worked with the Soviets."

"Eli was a double agent."

McCallister leaned back in his chair. "He was in Mossad when the Israeli government fell in '80 and high up in the Communist regime's State Security Institute in '86 when Romanov nearly ended the world. He was brought back into Mossad when it was reinstated by the new government in '87, there ever since, having trained his kids to follow in his footsteps."

"Eli's a lot of things, Director, but he's definitely not working for the Communists."

"He trained someone who is, Gibbs. You may not know this, but there are people here in Washington who trust and verify and verify again and again. Especially with Officer David's family-"

"Jenny told me she had to call in some favors to get Ziva in here."

"And bend a few elbows of people who don't like their elbows bent by someone as inexperienced and ambitious as Jennifer Shepard. People who don't trust anyone who worked for the other side...even if it was at our request."

"What's your point? Riley?"

McCallister stood up and walked towards his desk. "I was asked by one of those 'people' to revoke the Mossad liaison position, and I pissed that person off when I said no. Just like I was pissed off at first that you considered me a suspect in Shepard's murder."

The director picked up his phone, calling one of his agents to come to his office. "Then I realized that my reputation preceded myself. You were doing your job. You and your people are highly regarded around town. I'd like to keep it that way."

The door opened, and one of the suits walked in, clasping his hands behind his back as he stood next to the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, Gibbs, I have other important matters I have to attend to," McCallister said, "as I'm sure you do."

Gibbs got the hint, and left. With only cold cases for his team to work on, he sent them to their assigned safe house at Ducky's; Gibbs went to the place he always thought through ongoing cases, or things such as murky agency directors: his basement.

click

-there has been no mention in the British media of the South China Morning Post article. However, news of the resignation of two of Prime Minister Powers' cabinet members, the opposition leader in Parliament and the second-highest ranking military official are spreading throughout Britain through the internet and by word of mouth-

click

-WHEN the missiles FLY-ah, if you're RIGHT-ah with the LORD-ah and He keeps YOU-ah ALIVE-ah, and you haven't PURCHASED-ah your TEN GALLON TUBS OF NOURISHING FOOD-ah, you're-ah gonna WISH-ah you HAD. Because-ah your XBoxes-ah and DVD-ah and Cadillacs and designer CLOTHES won't feed you in the world-ah to come-

click

-Charlotte Motor Speedway was packed tonight as an overwhelmingly patriotic crowd watched qualifying for Sunday's NASCAR World 600. Not only were fans waving the Stars and Stripes while watching their favorite drivers, there were plenty of anti-Soviet signs in the stands-

click

-from the home office in a top-secret location, a TOP-SECRET LOCATION, Paul. So secret even the home office doesn't know where it's at. (studio audience laughter) The top 10 places our Congresspeople will hide from...not the missiles...angry voters.-

click

-here at the Shopping Channel, we're selling you a deal you canNOT pass up: THREE YEARS of iodine tablets for six low payments of 19.99-

click

-New America theme park in southern Illinois is seeing a surge of visitors. More than a few are here not to see the Ben Franklin Coaster or the replica of Mount Rushmore but, as a biker from North Dakota put it, a place to live long-term-

click

-the peace vigil was moved to the National Mall, as the White House and Capitol area remain off-limits to everyone other than officially approved personnel-

click

-the facility in the former Catskills Park is known only as 'Command D', and like every other military installation, it's locked down tight. If you belong there, you'll know it; anybody that makes their way there 'to check it out' like that dumbass from Kentucky finds out for himself real quick a place where they DO belong, right there and then: jail, Homeland, Guatanamo-

click

Sitting in Gibbs's basement with a remote in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other, Mike Franks kept hitting the channel button for the television in Gibbs's basement. He settled on a movie, The Magnificent Seven, and watched and waited while he leaned back against the basement's long workbench.

Mike heard the door open upstairs, made sure his handgun was close by just in case he needed to use it, and took the last drink from his glass.

"Took you long enough, Probie," Mike said to Gibbs, who walked down the stairs into the basement with two bags of Chinese takeout food and two bottles of beer. "You could've called ahead. I'd have made dinner."

"Nothin' stopping ya," Gibbs replied as he put the food and beer on the bench next to Mike.

"Sometimes you don't answer your phone. I prefer my food hot."

"Takeout's warm, Mike. Golden Dragon. McGee's recommendation."

"Hope it tastes as good as it smells."

As they ate, Gibbs debriefed his mentor on the day's events, including his meeting with McCallister. "You're convinced he had nothing to do with Shepard," Mike said between bites. "What changed your mind?"

"Lack of evidence. Everything points to Mishnev."

"Ari's, and Ziva's brother."

"HALF-brother."

"But you're convinced Riley's been into a lot of crap."

Gibbs got up, walked past the half-built boat in the middle of the room, to the opposite wall. He pushed aside a metal footlocker that was hiding a panel, then opened the panel so he could pull out a large folder. He handed the folder to Mike, who then began reading through it.

Gibbs took the next hour to explain in detail what Hollis Mann had told him about the portal near the Pentagon, and their trip where they snuck in so he could see it for himself.

Mike's response when Gibbs finished was succinct.

"Horseshit."