SUMMARY: Sequel to "The SecDef Cheats." Lt. Col Cassidy moves in to NCIS and this will mean for Abby in the long run. McAbby, Drama/Romance/Angst
RATING: T - Adult subject matter, rare mild language, killer smooching.
A/N: I believe a few of you enjoyed the Angry Shepard chapter... Here's a new twist on that one. Probably be the only chapter for a few days though... Got a run going on something else. But don't worry, I have been scheduled for some couch time for the rest of the week, so it'll probably get finished this week.
REVIEWS: I am always trying to improve my writing, so all constructive criticism is welcome. I would also like to thank you in advance for any reviews you might wish to leave. They really are a great boon to a writer's ego and gives you a huge incentive to live up to your expectations.
Chapter 15
It was days like this that reminded the Colonel exactly why she had chosen a military career; civilians in the workplace made her more than just a little crazy. After the third interruption during the interview, Lt. Col. Cassidy had turned off her intercom, but now someone was knocking on her door.
"I'm terribly sorry about this, Dr. Padgett. Apparently they are temporary for a reason." The Colonel stood up from her seat and nodded at Ducky to continue as she dealt with the receptionist.
With Ducky conducting the interview, the Colonel stepped out of her office. "Maybe I'm not speaking English, but when I say no interruptions, I mean NO interrupt-" She was halted in her tirade by the face of Director Shepard. Lt. Col. Cassidy looked over at the reception desk to find the temporary secretary with a frightened look on her face.
The Colonel nodded at the terrified young woman and said, "Why don't you go and get some coffee or something, Ms. Simonette."
The young woman got up from her seat and high-tailed it out of the room, leaving the Colonel with a highly agitated Director Shepard holding what looked to be an official White House report. "Where the hell do you get off, Cassidy took a deep breath before answering, since she knew this was coming. "Excuse me?"
"You walk in here and start making ridiculous demands on staff and resources with this crap, but you don't even have to guts to come to me directly?" It was at that point Lt. Col. Cassidy realized the woman's complexion was rapidly matching her hair color.
"I'm going to assume that you're referring to the response report ordered by the DOD and the DOJ." The Colonel was working to maintain her own calm.
"I see your name on this report, so that makes it yours."
"No, that means my team was responsible for compiling and analyzing the data in conjunction with the team from Quantico. Departmental reports are not called for on a whim, Director Shepard. They typically originate from a carefully documented need for such analysis." Her tone was calm, but her words made it perfectly clear she was not backing away from the Director's assault.
"But it's your recommendation that's being mandated in this agency, right?" Director Shepard pointed the rolled up report at the Colonel's chest for emphasis.
"One of several, but yes… It would appear that my specific recommendation was accepted by the Cabinet, and I stand by that recommendation." She stood tall against the Director's anger.
"Every single member of this agency is being sent to counseling to keep their jobs… Do you have any idea what kind of havoc that's going to play around here?" She was beyond angry at that point and it showed in every precise syllable that fell from her lips.
"Yes, I do… But I consider it a worthy sacrifice in the face of losing your entire agent pool in a three year cycle. I find that to be a far worse tragedy than for your agents to deal with the things that would have caused them to lose their employment in a much more dramatic and terrifying manner." The Director was taken aback by the Colonel's emphatic and direct tone. "It should bother you that your agent's burn out rate is second only in the federal service to that of the CIA, and only third in the nation behind them and major metropolitan firefighters. You are losing good, hard-working agents almost daily, because your agency has not followed the prescribed policy mandates set down to prevent such things from happening in the first place. So, if it takes having the word come down from the President, himself, and thus forcing us to start cleaning house in order to insure the safety of the men and women protecting the law of our land, here and abroad, then I'll be damned if that's not exactly what I was put on this earth to do, Director Shepard."
The Colonel moved to stand in the doorway to her reception area, holding the door open for the director. "Now, if you will excuse me… I am attempting to interview for a new position… One which will alleviate a great deal of the strain placed on my employees by your division."
With a great flourish of anger, Director Shepard exited the room in a huff. Col. Cassidy was well aware that the fight had merely been delayed. It would come again.