Chapter 3

He already knew it. It was not going to be a good day. Something was off. Something, someone was not where they should be. Gibbs looked around the bullpen. Then he figured it out. Tony's desk was a lot cleaner than he had ever seen it. In fact, DiNozzo's desk was completely clean. He discovered, much to his dismay, after frantically opening and closing several drawers.

Tim and Ziva came in just in time to see Gibbs mumbling to himself and frantically going through his senior field agent's desk. It made them a little concerned for his mental health.

"Where is DiNozzo?! Where the HELL is DiNozzo!?" Gibbs kept repeating over and over again.

Once more he opened a few drawers. This time concentrating on the file cabinet. Not finding what he expected to find. He slammed the drawers shut and spun around to confront Tim and Ziva.

"Have you seen him?!" Gibbs demanded. "Well?"

"Gibbs who, what are you talking about?" Tim asked he passed by his boss and put his backpack on the floor beside his desk.

"What is gong on?" Ziva asked.

"DiNozzo! DiNozzo is gone!" Gibbs said, frantic now. His voice rising as he irritation increased. "His things are gone. EVERYTHING is gone! Where the HELL is DINOZZO!?"

Tim and Ziva looked at one another in shock. They then looked at their boss. They were just as clueless as to what had happened as Gibbs was.

"Boss, we…I haven't seen him. He didn't say anything about any trip. I don't." Tim replied.

Gibbs was huffing out breaths now. He got in Tim's face. "Find HIM!" Gibbs breathed.

"Friday was…." Ziva started.

"Find him! FIND him! FIND HIM!" Gibbs paced the floor, running his fingers through his hair. "I don't care about FRIDAY! I don't gave a DAMN about Friday. I am concerned about now, RIGHT NOW! And I want somebody to answer my DAMNED question!"

NCISNCISNCISNCIS

It had to be quite the spectacle. Many agents were just showing up to work. They could hear Gibbs shouting and cursing in the elevator. And, when the elevator stopped in the 4th floor it took a moment for one brave agent to poke his head out of the door to see what was going on. Knowing they were far enough away to not be a part of the fiasco or possible bloodshed, the agents quickly and quietly exited the elevator. They made their way to their desks and put their things away. They then grabbed their cellphones and began recording the happenings in the bullpen. Or the Lion's Den as many called it. They had all expected this to happen. And, in fact many polls had been made and bet on concerning the MCRT. But, the bets had always been on the cubs, not the lion himself.

Gibbs had no idea and no thoughts of the scene he was making. He was furious that he had been duped. Anthony DiNozzo had a lot of explaining to do. Gibbs thought as he left the bullpen and started up the stairs to the director's office.

Gibbs stopped when he saw the director coming down the stairs to meet him.

"Where. Is. DiNozzo?" Gibbs demanded, barely able to hold back his rage. He planted he feet on the step and glared up at the director.

Inside, Vance was loving what he was seeing. He had heard the early-morning commotion and had come out of his office and to catch a little of the show. He could not deny the small amount of glee he felt. He then schooled his expression and prepared himself to handle his irate agent.

Vance sighed and looked at his watch. "I imagine right now he's going to bed. Getting ready for his first day of work with his team."

Gibbs, Tim and Ziva all stared for a moment.

"Team? DiNozzo doesn't have a team! He's a part of my team." Gibbs retorted. "And, he's not here. His…his desk is cleaned out."

Vance nodded. "That's right. He no longer works from this office."

"Well, then," Gibbs hissed. "Which…OFFICE does he work from?"

"Tony's team?" Tim sneered. "Yeah, right!"

"Tony?' His own team?" Ziva scoffed.

"I offered DiNozzo a job promotion and relocation. And, he took it." The director stated.

"You can't just take my agents and…." Gibbs started.

"You are my agent, Agent Gibbs. EVERY agent in this building is MY agent." Vance said, keeping his cool, despite the erupting volcano he had in front of him.

Tim and Ziva were still in disbelief.

"Agent DiNozzo has requested an adjustment period." Vance explained.

"DiNozzo with his own team. That…." Tim started, shaking his head.

Ziva shook her head, also. "There is no way…."

"I don' give a damn what DiNozzo…requested!" Gibbs fired back, not getting the answers he wanted. "He is MY agent! He's on MY team! And I need to know where he is. I need to know…!"

Vance took a deep breath and blew it out slowly in order to calm himself. "What you NEED to know, Agent Gibbs…is what I tell you, you need to know. Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, Jr. has been promoted to Team Leader. I offered him that position with the choice of three different locations. He came to me Friday with his choice. He is now getting accustomed to his new job and his new surroundings. That, Agent Gibbs is ALL you NEED to know." He paused. "Oh, and Agent Gibbs. This is your first…and only warning. You were allowed an indulgence here. I understand, to some extent, your upset and concern. But, if you ever, EVER, address me in that manner again, you are gone! I don't care how long you've been here, or who you have in your back pocket! Am I understood?"

Gibbs nodded. He had calmed down a little and had realized that his tirade had drawn onlookers. He was actually too embarrassed to speak. And, he still did not understand DiNozzo's actions.

Vance then turned his attention to Tim and Ziva. "I find it astonishing, Agent McGee and Agent David…. You had worked with DiNozzo for how many years? And yet you didn't know your coworker. When I was a field agent. I read up on every person on my team. I even knew their brothers', sisters', and parents' names. You never bothered to get to know Tony. You have no idea who you tossed aside. And, I feel sorry for you for that. You were the ones who missed out."

Vance then addressed the room. "Okay, everyone back to work." He then turned and headed back, up to his office.

The director looked up from his paperwork a couple of hours later. The bullpen had been subdued since the morning's outburst. Leon had been listening. He had taken Team Gibbs off rotation for the rest of the week.

"I'll not put up with a repeat of this morning, Gibbs." Vance said before looking at his papers once again.

Gibbs didn't say anything for a moment. He just took a seat in front of Vance's desk. "Tony left because of me."

Vance looked at Gibbs for a moment, formulating his answer. "DiNozzo left for a lot of reasons, Agent Gibbs. But, yes, you were in the top three."

TBC