Tim found himself in closest library to Gibbs' house. It was the only place he knew for sure would have a community fax machine. He'd already called Ziva to ensure that she would be a fax machine so that no one would intercept the documents he was sending.
Tim quickly looked around to make sure no one was paying him any special attention. He'd learned very early in the game that a healthy dose of paranoia served you well, especially in his line of work. Besides, it wasn't really paranoia when they really were out to get you, which they were.
After assuring that he was safe, Tim sent the documents. He then walked out of the library and took out his phone. He went through the channels to get Ziva on the phone and then spoke. "Hey, did you get it."
"Not yet. Oh, wait, it is coming now. Do not worry, I will send them to my father immediately. He has already agreed to help," Ziva said.
"Thanks, Ziva, I really appreciate this," Tim said.
"Of course. Is there anything else I can do?" Ziva asked.
"Yeah, ask your father to look into Kort. Something tells me he is in this whole thing up to his eyeballs. Callen is his fall guy," Tim said.
"Someone really does need to crash that little cockroach," Ziva said.
Tim chuckled. "Crush, Ziva, not crash. And with your help and your father's, I'm hoping to do just that."
"Same difference. Alright, well, I had better get all this to my father. I will call you when I have something," Ziva said.
"No, I'll call you. This phone is being discarded as soon as I hang up," Tim said. He didn't need anyone accessing his call log if they happened to get ahold of the phone. He would pick up another phone later.
"You are good at this," Ziva said, sounding very impressed.
"Thanks. I better go," Tim said before hanging up. He immediately dropped the phone to the ground and stepped on it. He then picked up and threw it in a wastebasket nearby before heading for his car. He stopped dead in his tracks when he got there. Vance was leaned against the hood.
"You OSP guys are harder to find than needles in haystacks," Vance said.
"Director," Tim said simply.
Vance stood up straight and walked over to him. "I spent the last day and a half looking for you, McGee. See, when I checked in with your team yesterday afternoon to make sure my orders were being followed, you were nowhere to be found."
"Well, I had some unused vacation time, sir. I decided to take it. I decided to come see my sister," Tim lied.
Vance shook his head in disbelief. "It's amazing how much better you are at lying now, McGee. You wouldn't have been able to say that with a straight face two years ago."
"I don't know what you're talking about, sir," Tim lied again. Once again he managed to do it while sounding like it was nothing but the truth.
Vance ignored him. "You know, I knew you'd do better with OSP. I knew you'd find yourself and come out of your shell with Callen and Hetty there to steer you in the right direction. What I didn't consider was that you'd become such a pain in my ass!"
Tim resisted the urge to laugh, an act that proved very difficult.
"I made myself very clear to Hetty and I know she made it clear to you. No one from NCIS is to investigate this case," Vance said sternly.
"Who's investigating? I'm just taking a vacation," Tim said.
"If you keep going the way you are, you may be taking a permanent vacation. Trent Kort was in my office today. Apparently someone hacked into the CIA and retrieved information about Agent Callen's predicament," Vance said.
"I'm not sure what that has to do with me. I certainly didn't do it," Tim said truthfully.
"Oh, I know. Kort was sure you were responsible. He wanted me to bring you in. Unfortunately for him, Doctor Mallard happened to walk in at that moment and explained that that simply wasn't possible because you were with both him and Kort when the break-in occurred. That's how I found you by the way. I figured if you were willing to go to one member of your old team, you'd probably go to others as well. I followed you from Gibbs', which believe me was a chore with how you went in circles trying to avoid a tail," Vance said.
Tim shrugged. "Well, I figured it was time Gibbs and I buried the hatchet. I thought maybe we could do some male bonding.
Vance snorted at the very idea, but his face remained serious. "You're playing a very dangerous game here, McGee."
"Sir, if I was playing such a game, which I'm not saying I am, I didn't start it," Tim said.
"But you're gonna finish it. Is that right?" Vance asked.
"I didn't say that," Tim said, though it was certainly his intention to imply it.
Vance sighed. "The CIA traced the connection to an internet café here in DC, but the time they got there, the hacker was gone."
"Bully for them," Tim said without one trace of sympathy in his voice.
"I could end this, you know? I could send your ass right back to LA right now," Vance told him.
Tim didn't say a word. He did know that though. He knew Vance had the authority to revoke his 'vacation' and send him back to work. Even if he did though, that wouldn't stop him. It was like he told Hetty, he'd quit if he had to. He'd do whatever it took to save Callen.
"But I don't like it when people come after my agents, even if they are technically supposed to be on our side. Now I don't know what Callen is accused of doing, but from the way Kort was acting, I doubt he's guilty. Now like I said, this is a dangerous game you're playing, and if you lose, I won't be able to help you," Vance warned.
Tim nodded. "Understood, sir."
Vance looked at him once more and then walked away.