"All right what is this about? And why don't you want my son hearing our discussion?"
"He has been through enough." Gibbs answered.
"That is one thing that we agree on." He said.
"Is this room bugged?"
"No." Gibbs said quickly.
"Trent Kort. Tell me what you know about him." Gibbs demanded.
"He is a British nationalist, who works for the CIA."
"Hmmm." Gibbs responded waiting for a real answer.
"He is a rogue agent, who likes to bomb cars and make threats when he doesn't get his way. It is even more interesting the things that he was responsible for under his "real" name, not just the alias."
"And?" Gibbs said.
"He is the source of Anthony's guilt trip right now."
"Is your son aware that you hired some of your questionable associates to follow Kort?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know what you are referring to, Boss."
"Don't call me Boss. And, you better come clean because you know I will get the answer." Gibbs threatened.
"Are you mad because my son came to me, rather than you, for help?"
"Noooo. Trent Kort is lying in a hospital bed right now. He made some interesting accusations towards your son, and Tony doesn't seem to know anything about them."
"You and the FBI are the reason the girlfriend was killed. How could you go to Trent Kort for help?"
"What?" Gibbs said more in irritation than anger at the accusation.
"The girlfriend was in hiding because Trent Kort was trying to kill her. She came to testify, and you brought him right to her."
"Where are you getting your information?" Gibbs responded angrily at the accusations.
"In the last year and a half, I have had regular contact with Anthony after having seven years with none at all. I have never before heard my son actually say to me that becoming a cop was a mistake. He has now said it on three separate occasions, and I know he has tried to quit a few times. This is all because of this ordeal with Trent Kort."
"Whatever evidence you have against Kort will never stand up in court, especially because of the way you illegally obtained it." Gibbs explained.
"Well, I never intended to use the court system." He admitted, which caused an angry gasp from Gibbs.
"It was unfortunate that Dr. Berkley wasn't more proficient at firing a weapon." He added, which caused a horrified reaction from Gibbs. "Blackmail isn't as effective as just taking him out. Weren't you a Marine Sniper?"
"Is Trent Kort still making threats against you?" Gibbs asked irritably as he stood up.
"Let's just say—he messed with the wrong guy. As you said though, he seems to think my son is responsible for his being followed, which I'll need to fix. And, there was the matter of us both being poisoned."
As Gibbs started to get up from his chair, he froze from the comment about the poison. Gibbs gave him a hard stare, but he remained quiet.
"There is a connection, then?"
"Don't ask the question that you don't want to hear the answers to, Agent Gibbs. It has been handled." He said shortly.
"Well, thank you for your time sir. It is always a pleasure." Gibbs said in an extremely forceful and sarcastic tone.
"Just glad your son turned out to be nothing like you." Gibbs said under his breath.
Gibbs watched as Tony's father walked down the stairs towards the squadroom before making his way to Director Vance's office.
Tony heard footsteps heading towards him.
"Hey Dad, I like to introduce you to Ziva and McGee." Tony said as all of them stood up and approached.
"Anthony has told me so much about you. He speaks very highly of both of you, especially you Agent McGee."
"Really?!" Both McGee and Ziva responded in disbelief.
"Ah, we have heard a lot about you as well." Ziva nodded pleasantly, but she did not elaborate on how Tony has referred to his father in the past.