Tim was currently in his hotel room. It had been three days since Abby had hacked into the CIA and he had gotten the information to Ziva. To say that he was getting a bit antsy was an understatement. He'd spoken to Ziva at least twice a day since then. It got to the point where she'd demanded his temporary cellphone number and told him she'd call when she knew anything.

The time did give Tim the chance to start putting his plan for Kort into motion though. Nate wasn't really that happy about his plan. He didn't like it one bit. In fact, he spent nearly an hour pointing out all the flaws in it. But when Tim made it clear he wasn't going to change his mind, he'd finally relented and agreed to help.

Speaking of Nate, he chose that moment to walk through the door. "Hey. Any word?"

"No, not yet. I guess it takes a while to prove someone isn't a terrorist. Listen, you know I have to put things into gear the second I get the call that Callen is in the clear, right?" Tim asked. He had to do it that way. He had to have things started by the time Callen was released. If Callen knew what he was planning, he would try to stop him.

Nate sighed. "Are you sure about this?"

"What else would you have me do, Nate? Let Kort get away with what he did? I can't and I won't do that," Tim said firmly.

"This has the potential to end bloody either way," Nate said.

Tim shrugged. "War is bloody. And that's what this is. It became war the second Kort decided to call Callen a terrorist. He can't just be allowed to do that."

"I just want to make sure you've thought this through. One way or another, it could end you," Nate said seriously.

"I take that risk every day. Every time I go undercover, there's a risk of me not coming back. Yes, the stakes are higher this time, but it's not going to stop me anymore than it does any other time," he said.

"But every other time, you have backup. You won't this time. You're playing blind and you have no recourse, no out if it blows up in your face," Nate said.

"Like I said, higher stakes. Look, Hetty and Vance would never back this mission. They would never agree to take on the CIA," Tim said. Not that he blamed them. The CIA had much more resources than they did and they weren't afraid to play dirty.

"There's a good reason for that. Look, I'm begging you, think this through," Nate said.

Tim was about to speak when his phone rang. He immediately answered it. "This is McGee."

"McGee, it is Ziva."

"Ziva, please tell me you have good news for me," Tim said.

"I have news, but I do not believe I would call it good," Ziva said.

"You weren't able to clear Callen?" Tim asked dejectedly. He had really hoped that Ziva and her father could undo Kort's damage. He was sure they'd be able to. Callen was innocent and Mossad had the resources to prove it.

"No, we were able to do that. My father was able to prove that Agent Callen was framed," Ziva said.

"He was? That's great! What's the problem?" Tim asked. That seemed like good news to him. Callen was coming home and Tim could move forward with his plan.

"The problem is according the evidence my father came across, the person who framed him was you," Ziva said.

Tim's mouth slowly formed an 'o' shape as he took in what she was telling him. He couldn't even speak he was so shocked. This was too much. First Callen, now him? What the hell did Kort think he was doing?

After the shock wore off, Tim was left with determination. If Kort thought he was going to lie back and play dead, he had another thing coming. This did not change a damn thing for him. If anything, Kort had just made it that much easier for his plan to succeed. He had planned to present himself as a terrorist to get Kort. He wouldn't have to lie about it now. According to the evidence, he was one.

"McGee, say something," Ziva said.

Tim finally found his voice again. "How long do I have?"

Ziva sighed on the other end. "I do not believe that Kort is planning to use this against you. I think this is just his way of sealing you into a corner."

"Box. He's boxing me into a corner," Tim corrected.

"Whatever. The point is, he is hoping that by framing you for framing Callen that you will back off in your attempt to exonerate Callen. Look, no one is giving up. We will just have to wait a little while before getting Callen released."

"No," Tim said simply. There was no way in hell he was going to let Callen spend another day in that hellhole if it was in his power to get him out. Besides, he had no intention of switching places with him.

"What?" Ziva asked as if she's misheard him.

"You heard me. Callen is going home tonight. I want you to send everything you have to Vance," Tim said.

"McGee… Tim, you will go to prison," Ziva said.

"The hell I will! I have no intention of letting Kort make me his next scapegoat. Just as I have no intention of letting him beat me. If Kort thinks he can stop me by pulling this, he's got another thing coming. All he has done is made me that more determined to end him. Send everything, Ziva," Tim told her again.

"I cannot aid in you being charged with terrorism," Ziva said.

"Yes, you can and you will. You owe me, Ziva. This is what I want from you, Ziva. Send the evidence. I'll take care of the rest," Tim said before hanging up.

"That the hell is going on?" Nate asked as soon as Tim hung up. He was able to gather from the one-sided conversation he heard that while Callen was going to be exonerated, there was another problem.

"That conversation we were just having is immaterial now. Kort just took the decision out of my hands. He's setting me up now instead of Callen," Tim said.

"What?" Nate asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. According to what Ziva's father was able to uncover, I'm the one setting Callen up," Tim said.

"His thinking being that you'll never sacrifice yourself for Callen," Nate realized.

Tim nodded. "Another miscalculation on his part. Callen's not staying in jail and I'm not going either. I just have to be gone before Vance gets the information to free Callen, which was the plan anyway. I need something from you though and you're not going to like it."

"I don't like anything about this," Nate said. This whole situation was terrible. Two of his friends had been accused of the worst crime imaginable and neither one was guilty.

"I need you to convince people that you think I'm guilty," Tim said.

Nate looked at him like he had two heads. "Why don't I just go jump off the roof right now. It'll probably be less painful than what Sam and Callen will do to me if they hear me even suggest such a thing."

"It's the only way, Nate. You've been helping me. You're the reason I'm going to get away without being detected. The only way for you to stay clean is to claim that I tricked you," Tim explained. He would not let Nate go to jail for him, not anymore than he'd let Callen stay there for him.

Nate shook his head. "I don't like this."

"I know, but it's necessary. Trust me, things will be alright. I'll make sure of it. Now I better get ready to go. I need to be gone before anyone knows I'm being framed."

Nate nodded. "Be careful."

"You too," Tim said.

Nate looked at him once more and walked out of the room.