AN: Thanks for the reviews guys! They make my day :) I am sorry if I confuzzled anyone (that was an awesome word by the way Servant05) and I did add a few little details to chapter 2 that you might want to look at, especially SumNumb3rs :) I did address the issue in this chapter, but you had a good point. Hopefully my editing made it more realistic!

One week later…

Tim pulled up the program he'd been working on. A few more tweaks and he would be ready to start the operation. "Hey, Probie!" McGee jumped, blanking the screen on his computer as he turned to Tony. "Tony! Wh-what are you doing here? I thought you left." Tim tried to cover his nervous stutter. He silently cursed himself, could it be any more obvious that he was hiding something?

Tony stilled as he reached his desk. "Uh, yeah, but I left my phone here." Tony held up the device to show Tim. "I thought you would have left by now, too, McGee. Everything okay?"

Tim forced a smile, "Yeah, just had some work to finish up on. You know."

"Uh-huh." Tony wasn't convinced, but decided to let it drop. "Well, don't stay too late Probie."

"Yeah. See ya Tony." McGee watched Tony head back to the elevator. He really hated lying to his team.

The next few days, Tim made sure to leave with Tony and Ziva, returning to the office only after he was sure no one from his team was still working. Still, Tony watched McGee. Something was…wrong. What would McGee keep from him?

When McGee went down to Abby's lab, Tony made his decision. "Boss?"

"Yeah?"

Tony looked over to where McGee had left. "Sometime today, DiNozzo." But Gibbs' voice didn't have the bite it usually held and Tony looked back at his boss to confirm his suspicions. Yes, Gibbs was looking at the same place Tony had been.

"McGee's been acting strange lately. I caught him here after everyone had left, which I wouldn't usually find weird, but he blanked his computer screen. I had a hunch and drove back here a few times after work this week and saw his car in the parking lot, even though I know he left at the same times that I did." DiNozzo checked to make sure McGee was still nowhere in sight. "He won't talk to me, Boss."

Gibbs looked over to McGee's empty desk, thinking. He could tell Tony was worried, and to be honest, so was he. McGee had been acting…nervous around him lately. "Yeah, Tony." He stood up with a sigh and headed up the stairs to Vance's office. Odds were, if it was something work related that McGee was keeping from them, Vance would probably know. And be the reason behind it. If not, then it was something personal…or Vance was lying.

"Gibbs. What can I do for you?" Vance leaned back in his chair, studying the man. He hadn't thought it would take Gibbs long to confront him about McGee, and he was right.

"Leon, you got one of my men working on a special project for you?"

Unfortunately, Vance couldn't tell him the truth. Secrecy was the key to making the mission work. "No. Why? You got a problem?"

Gibbs eyed him, "You sure, Leon? There's nothing you want to tell me?"

"Nope. You done accusing me?"

Gibbs studied him a moment more, then gave a nod and strode from the room.

Tim frowned and leaned closer to the computer monitor. The information that Vance had given McGee showed the hacker targeting files on weapons shipments. However, just to be safe, he had set up several classified files pertaining to different fields, just in case the guy decided to branch out. Several held the information that McGee knew would peak the hacker's interests, like weapons shipments, while several others were on classified missions; some folders even dealt with the security system at NCIS. Or at least, it looked like the folders held that type of information. He was quite proud of the way these decoys had come out. Now, he just hoped the mole fell for his trap.

"What are you still doing here, McGee?" Gibbs walked into the bull pen and McGee stifled a groan.

"Hey, Boss." Tim had been sure Gibbs had left several hours ago. Gibbs leaned back against his desk and watched McGee. Nervous, Tim blanked the screen and looked at his boss, whose eyebrows had lifted when he caught McGee's actions.

"What?"

"I asked what you're still doing here, McGee."

"Oh, umm, just-just some extra work." McGee tried to smile, but failed. Dang, when did he turn back into the nervous Probie? He supposed he should face the fact that he would never be able to lie to his team.

Gibbs crossed his arms," Is everything okay, McGee? Something going on that I should know about?"

Yes! Yes, there is! Come on, Boss. Guess what it is and then I won't break an order. McGee cleared his throat. "No. Nothing, Boss."

Gibbs eyed him, that piercing blue gaze seeming to see straight through Tim's denials. Slowly, Gibbs nodded. "Alright then. Don't stay too late." And with that, he walked off.

Tim dropped his head in his hands. I'm sorry, he said silently.