Tony knew that this semester was going to be busier and harder for him than last year. Between the declining respect from Tim and Ziva, Gibbs leaving, the Director wanting him to go undercover and the overall tension in the office would distract him from the classes and beginning his thesis.

He was glad that after discussion with his advisor he chose classes that would work best with his thesis giving him some time and resources to work on it. He needed to find a way to deny the Director's undercover assignment. He is going back and forth between talking with Fornell and talking with Tom Morrow. Tom is the one he is leaning towards after building a strong relationship with his former director. He will play it by ear and know soon.

He has plans in place that may be needed. He started to record his meetings with the director to have evidence of what she was asking. He has a feeling that it is not a sanctioned mission because he does not have appropriate backup and that is something he will never subject himself to in his career. He decided to update his resume in case he needs to pick another agency.

He emailed Tom Morrow his schedule like he has been doing:

SOC 6998: Thesis Research

SOC 6232: Qualitative Methodology: Doing Field Research

SOC 6257: Criminal Law

He also included that he would like to meet with him in about a month. He is giving NCIS another month before he would sit down and determine his choices and future. He did not want to leave the MCRT while Gibbs was still away but he needs to be respected for what he is capable of. He knows he puts up the frat boy mask but he really thought that his team could see through it. He knows that Gibbs did and respected him for this way of finding connections.

Tony quickly found that Criminal Law was one of his easiest classes after years of being a cop then federal agent. He learned a lot that he did not encounter often but he knew and understood most of the laws. He loved the Thesis research class and that fact that he is able to do this class remotely for the most part which opened some time in his schedule.

Tony worked closely with some high profile individuals in his cases as the lead of the MCRT including SECNAV which he did not expect to happen. He met with the other team leaders and grew closer with some like Ric Balboa and Malcolm Federico. He sat down with them to get their opinions and ask about how he can be an effective team lead. He started to adapt his methods introducing new ideas such as campfires.

As the first month past with more meetings with the Director, Tim and Ziva starting to leave early or just not come in Tim seems to have forgotten all that Tony had helped him with but Tony wasn't surprised, he saw how Ziva David manipulated and guided Tim so easily. He recorded more formal reprimands for them and even some of the other team leads and head of cybercrime have filed official reprimands against Tim and Ziva. Director Sheppard just disregards it.

The meeting with Tom Morrow is the following morning because it is a Saturday and they are off duty for the weekend. He made copies of the whole file he keeps locked in his desk drawer. He made sure to label it as well and grab a USB drive for the recordings of the meetings. He doesn't know why Tim thinks he cannot use technology when before McGee joined the team Tony did all the computer work. They were a two man team and Gibbs never cared to learn more than needed.

He walked into the building for Homeland Security and got his visitors' pass. He put in on his belt and put away his credentials for NCIS as proof of who he is. He followed an agent up to Morrow's office.

"Good morning Tom" Tony said, sitting in the chair in front of the desk.

"Good morning Tony. How are you doing?" Tom asked, leaning back in his chair. He was fairly relaxed recently and happy to be seeing one of his favorite agents again.

"I have been busy sir but things at NCIS have taken a turn. I came here because I need advice and maybe help." Tony said reluctantly. He did not like asking for help like this because it was something he felt he could not fix.

"Okay what has been going on?" Tom asked, leaning forward, paying more attention now. He folded his hands on his desk and gave Tony his full attention.

"I am currently the team lead for the Major Case Response Team after Gibbs was in an explosion and lost years of his memory. Tim McGee and the new Mossad Liaison, Ziva David, decided that I am not fit to be a leader so are extremely insubordinate and have stopped listening to and supporting me. I have been doing entire cases myself and even once they did not show up to a crime scene when I called them leaving me to do all the work myself with the local LEO's. The new Director wants me for an undercover op that I do not think is sanctioned, threatening my job if I do not take it, and she would be my only backup. I am also busy with classes and my thesis which I think you would like." Tony said. He took off his backpack with the file and USB and opened it. He put them on Tom's desk.

Tom grabbed the files and USB pulling them closer. "What is all this? Tony do you need some help? Tell me what you have been thinking."

"That is a file I created with every formal compliant against the two junior members of the team, from myself and other team leads in NCIS. It also have all of the fixed reports because Officer David did not feel the need to write it in English leading me to eventually learn arabic to translate it after the 50th time asking her to fix it and being blown off by her and the director. Leads me to wonder what else she can get away with. The USB is my recordings of the meeting with Director Shepard about the UC mission. I am here to ask for help. I have been thinking about possibly a change in agency but I do not want to leave without talking with Gibbs." Tony said.

"Okay, leave this with me for now. I want you to keep recording everything and making note of things. I will look into this and use some of my contacts to see what else I can find. You focus on yourself and your classes. If you feel you need to move agencies you know that you always have a job here with me, the FBI is always trying to get you and if you want to stay with NCIS but leave the team there are a ton of other offices." Tom said. They took some time wrapping up their talk and just catching up about what the other has been doing. Tony decided to try and call Gibbs and talk to him soon. He needs his mentor and father figure to help him settle his mind on this.