Not long after hanging up with Tim, Nate picked up the phone and dialed the number he had for Gibbs. It was answered on the second ring.

"Yeah, Gibbs."

"Hello, Agent Gibbs," Nate said.

"I recognize your voice. You're the jackass that called me a few days ago wanting to talk to McGee. Who the hell are you?" Gibbs asked in a demanding tone.

"My name is Doctor Nate Getz. I work with Tim," Nate said.

"Yeah, I remember you. You were the shrink there when Macy was in charge too. You're also the son of a bitch that betrayed Tim the minute things looked bad," Gibbs said.

"First of all, Agent Gibbs, Not everything is as it seems. And second of all, are you really one to be calling me a traitor?" Nate asked. He would take the abuse from his team because he knew that anger was clouding their better judgment and that they had Tim's best interests in mind, but he would not take it from the man who spent the majority of Tim's career treated him like he was less than.

There was silence on the other end for a minute before Gibbs finally spoke again. "What do you want?"

"It's not what I want. It's what Tim needs. I think it's the least you owe him after seven years of hell," Nate said.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked.

"He's asked that you and that lab tech of yours track Kort's movements, both physically and technologically. He wants to know when Kort makes a mistake," Nate said.

"Alright, give me his information so that I can contact him," Gibbs said.

"No," Nate said simply. He wasn't giving this guy any kind of information on Tim, not even a phone number. He didn't trust Gibbs one bit.

"Excuse me?"

"I believe you heard me just fine, Agent Gibbs. I'm not giving you anything in reference to Tim or his location. When something happens, you'll contact me and I'll get the news to Tim," Nate said.

"Like hell! I don't know you from Adam. All I know about you is that you told three people in an interrogation room that you believe McGee is guilty. For all I know, you're moonlighting for Kort," Gibbs said.

Nate wasn't surprised that Gibbs knew that. Tim had told him enough to know that the man had probably been in the observation room when Nate was being interrogated. "I could say the same thing for you. The difference is that you have a history or betraying Tim. And that is why I will not trust you with so much as a phone number. You have a chance to prove that you're not a total bastard here. The question is will you?"

Just then, Callen walked into the room, causing Nate to stiffen. "Uh, I have to go. I hope you'll do the right thing. I'll be in touch."

"Who was on the phone? Kort?" Callen asked.

"Of course not," Nate said.

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised. You already betrayed this team. It wouldn't surprise me if you went all the way," Callen said bitterly. When he first decided to go see Nate, he hadn't planned to be so confrontational, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to try to get Nate to see how ridiculous he was being, but all he could think about was how the man had betrayed them and he just couldn't play nice.

Nate sucked in a breath. Callen's words continued to cut him, but he reminded himself that they were spoken out of concern for their friend. He also had to remind himself that Callen was buried very deep in anger. His anger was clouding his better judgment, as well as everyone else's. Nate was sure if his team wasn't so focused on their anger that they would see that Nate would never do what he'd alluded himself to have done. It had simply worked to his and Tim's advantage that the team was so unbearable angry. "It's interesting that you call me a traitor when I'm not the terrorist."

"Neither is he!" Callen yelled as he slammed his hands down on Nate's desk.

"It's okay, Callen. I know you have to believe he's innocent. You can't bring yourself to believe that someone you trusted, someone you've been a mentor to, could set you up for a crime you didn't commit," Nate said. He knew he was pissing Callen off more and that was exactly his intention. He knew that the minute Callen's anger began dissipate even a little, he would start to think clearly, and once that happened, he would realize that Nate's 'betrayal' was as much a lie as Tim's guilt.

"Don't try to shrink me, Nate. I believe Tim is innocent because he is!" Callen said firmly.

"Did you come in here just to antagonize me?" Nate asked.

"I came to try to appeal to you and the sense of loyalty I used to think I had! But after this crap you're spewing, I realize that I was insane to think I could get through to you," Callen said before angrily walked away.

"Then I guess I did my job," Nate said once Callen was gone.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Nell led herself and Eric into a supply closet and then closed the door. "Okay, I think this is about as safe a place as any."

Eric let out a breath. "I can't believe we're reduced to talking in a supply closet."

Nell nodded her agreement. "The team is just so divided right now. Tim's MIA, Callen, Sam, and Kensi are ready to kill Nate, and God only knows what Hetty's doing."

"I can't believe this was happening. I thought it couldn't get any worse when Callen was arrested," Eric said. He had certainly been wrong about that. Callen was back, but now Tim was in the wind and Nate had betrayed them. He would ask how worse it could get, but it probably would get worse.

"Right. Callen may be back, but we're still down an agent and friend, and the team is pissed! No one more than Callen. I've never seen him so angry," Nell said. She'd seen Sam and Kensi angry plenty, but not Callen. No matter how mad he was, he always managed to keep a cool head. Not this time. There seemed to be no bounds for his anger.

"Well, you gotta understand that Callen has been Tim's biggest supporter since the minute he got here. He sees him kinda like a little brother he has to protect. Also, Tim gave up everything to free Callen. I think that angers him a lot. Add that to Nate's betrayal and I'd say that he's got so much rage that he's going to explode real soon," Eric said.

"Are we sure Nate's betrayed us?" Nell asked. She certainly wasn't. Nate just wasn't the type to turn his back on a friend based on some evidence that could ever well be, and in her opinion was, fabricated.

"He believes Tim's guilty despite all the good he's done. If that's not betrayal, I don't know what is," Eric said.

"But are we sure he believes it. Anybody can say they believe something, but that doesn't mean they do. We're an undercover unit. We specialize in lying. Nate has been in the Middle East for months. You can bet that if he couldn't lie well before, he can now," Nell said.

"You think Nate's lying?" Eric asked.

"I'm not saying anything for sure. I don't know if Nate really believes what he's saying or if he's playing the game from the inside. I'm just saying we shouldn't completely count him out," Nell said.

"Yeah, I guess it's possible. I like it much better than the alternative. Should we tell the others?" Eric asked. The rest of the team was so angry with Nate. Maybe they should know that it could all be a lie.

Nell shook her head. "No. If Nate is working from the inside, for whatever reason he doesn't want anyone to know. We should just let this play out and hope it all turns out okay."

"Okay, deal," Eric said.

"Okay, let's get back before someone misses us," Nell said before leading the way out again.