A/N Sorry for the delay between chapters. A combination of lack of time and disgruntlement over the finale contributed. Thank-you for the support. and for feedback and comments.
Warning: Please take this seriously (no pun intended). If you are a big Gibbs, McGee or Vance fan then you shouldn't proceed any further and if you do, then don't bother complaining about my analysis of their behaviour. Take it up with the NCIS writers or showrunner since it's based on cannon. I guess, strictly speaking I should give a spoiler alert - most especially for seasons 11-13.
Serieux Part 2
Chapter 3 A Faustian Bargain
Tony didn't know whether to be peeved or amused by having Fornell follow him around like a duckling sticking to the momma duck as he entered Director Vance's outer office. Krista Delaney was a temp from the secretarial pool and she filled in for others who were on vacation or sick leave. If Leon's regular PA had been on deck, she definitely would have questioned Fornell's presence. As it was, it seemed like the gods must be smiling on him, since Delaney waved them both through into Vance's inner sanctum. The director's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Tobias but that was the only outward indication that he'd been caught off guard.
"Come in, Gentlemen. I must have missed the memo about you attending this meeting, Tobias." He commented rather pointedly before shifting quickly into compassionate mode. "So how is Emily doing?"
Ever since Fornell's ex-wife had been murdered, Leon had seemed to feel a genuine sense of brotherhood with the newly single father."
Tobias grimaced. "She's back at school and trying to stay busy. We've survived the first Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas… somehow. It's actually all a bit of a blur but there's still Diane's and Emily birthdays to endure. Not looking forward to either of those, but I guess we're doing okay."
Vance nodded. "I won't lie, that whole first year is the pits – not just the big events and holidays but all the little milestones and moments. The first time they get sick and their mom isn't there. The first time they get a bad grade or a good one and they want tell her about it and then realise that's never, ever going to happen. The first fight with their best friend…well you get the drift. We should get our daughters together when Emily is home from school; they have a lot in common."
Fornell nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Thanks Director."
"So what can I do for you?"
Tobias looked momentarily wrong-footed, as if he'd only just realised he should have anticipated this fairly obvious question when he showed up trailing around after Tony. Except that coming up to the interview with Tony had been totally spur of the moment. Thinking on his feet, he stated the first thing that popped into his head.
"Ah yes well… I'm here on protection detail."
Vance's millimetric eyebrow lift was so subtle it was almost imperceptible, his gaping jaw less so. "Is there a threat to Agent DiNozzo that I haven't been made aware of?" He asked, and the implication that if there was a threat then he absolutely should have been informed, was pretty damned clear.
Tony shot an incredulous look at Fornell, who didn't look at all contrite; if anything he looked like he was hugely enjoying his little adventure in extemporization. "Sorry, Director, I'm afraid that information is purely need to know. I'm sure you understand."
This time Director Vance's tell was much more apparent; his dark brown eyes appeared to bug out of his head in anger. "I need to know. I'm the director – DiNozzo is MY agent and I HAVE security clearance. So spill it now, Agent Fornell!"
"Sorry, Sir. You may have security clearance but I'm afraid you don't have high enough clearance for this information." His glib reply told Tony the grizzled FBI agent was enjoying himself hugely. Still, Toby didn't have to work with these people – but he did. For the next few weeks at any rate.
When Tony observed the rapid tic of Leon's eyebrow, along with his eyes that seemed to bulge even more, a la Marty Feldman, he became extremely worried that Tobias would cause Vance to stroke out. Picturing his two motherless kids, Jared and Kayla Vance, Tony sent him a glare that clearly said, 'back off now.'
The Fibbie shrugged ingenuously. "Perhaps after you've listened to DiNozzo, you might have a better understanding of the situation, Director." He grinned wickedly and mimed hitting a tennis racquet, meaning 'the ball's in your court, now'.
Shaking his head in exasperation, Tony took over. "So I know that we've had a number of conversations about my future within the agency since I returned from Shanghai, Director."
"Yes and we decided that when the next SSA position in the Asia Pacific region came up, that you'd apply for it. There's a spot opening up in Manilla in seven months' time with Barnes retiring but as you know, a slot could also come up before that." What he avoided saying in so many words but all three men understood implicitly was that if someone was killed on the job, and that was a risk that they all took every day, then a job would come up much sooner.
"Yes, well I wanted to inform you that I won't be needing that job, Director. I've accepted another offer. I just wanted to give you a heads up and figure how long I'm going to need here to finish up all my affairs here at NCIS. Primarily any cases I might be required to give testimony in, since I'm not going to be available to return to DC for cases after I leave. I figure if we can work with Legal to figure it out and get this all settled, then I can hand in my official notice."
Vance frowned. "Look Tony, I know that things have been tough for you here lately, but perhaps we can find you a position in Europe ASAP."
Tony stared at him, realising that Vance thought he was trying to hustle him. "I know that you can't just pull a job vacancy out of thin air, Director. That's not what this is about – I meant what I said. I've accepted a job overseas that would make it difficult to return easily."
"The CIA offered you a job?" Vance asked him.
"They did, and I turned them down."
"Then where are you going?"
He sighed. "I'm going to England." He proffered rather reluctantly.
"Okay, so that's not like outer Mongolia. Why would it be difficult for you to return, should we need you back to testify in a case?"
"It's not the geographical location. It's the nature of my job that will make it difficult, if not impossible."
"I don't understand what could be so important."
Fornell huffed in frustration. "Oh for Pete's sake, just tell him, Tony. As the director of an ultra-classified law enforcement organisation in London, coming back for routine court cases, it would be a security nightmare to orchestrate your appearances."
Vance who had his customary toothpick between his teeth, nearly swallowed the small, sharp sliver of wood. "Director, classified law enforcement agency. Which agency?"
"Sorry, Director. That's classified information and you don't have adequate clearance to be read in on that information." Tony replied, careful to keep his tone from seeming smug, whilst trying to project contrition for not being able to tell him which organisation had offered him a job. He was after all, essentially a pragmatist after working for Gibbs for all those years. He still had to work out his notice, so why shoot himself in the foot by pissing off Vance unnecessarily?
"Then why do you two know about it? I have higher security clearance than either of you."
Fornell smirked cheerily. He was clearly having the best time and Tony hoped that he didn't make everything more uncomfortable than it already was. He just wanted to keep a low profile until his departure.
"The FBI have dealt with this department before, which is why I also did the probity and background security clearance checks on DiNozzo before his position was approved by the Minister." Perhaps a slight exaggeration about the FBI but not the checks. "And DiNozzo also encountered the group at some point in his professional past." Again the truth but not entirely.
"But the director…that's one helluva huge leap up the pay grade from SFA and why headhunt an American? We wouldn't appoint a Brit to such a high profile position." Leon protested…dazed.
Tony grinned. This was a relatively easy one to answer. "I am half British, have dual citizenship. My mother's family is a prominent one in England. And why me…they want my experience plus my ability to think outside the box to help in restructuring the organisation. They like that I've got such a varied experience in law enforcement, like that I understand how a humble beat cop thinks and feels.
"They made me an offer that I couldn't refuse. Since there was no guarantee that I would get a promotion here anytime soon and Gibbs wanted me gone months ago, I'd be a damned fool to turn it down."
He was pensive at the end of his explanation and Fornell and Vance imagined he was probably wondering how after all his years of service to Gibbs, he'd ended up throwing it back in his face.
"But you've never expressed a desire to move to the management side of the job. You live for being a field agent," Leon argued, not wanting to lose Tony.
Especially not now that he had been appointed as director of an ultra-secret agency of an ally, but also ultimately a competitor. It was a case of grossly underestimating his agent and being rudely reminded that they'd under-utilised his talents for far too long and now they'd pay the ultimate price. They would lose him permanently.
He wished that he'd been a lot more proactive in finding him a job, but he'd been complacent. It was sad but true that you didn't appreciate someone until they were gone.
The truth was that Tony had no intention of just sitting in an office all day, though. He fully intended to help with training and lead any cases that were complex. It was one of the conditions of him accepting the job.
Fornell interposed his five cents worth before Tony could speak. "He's already being recruited by MI6 and Scotland Yard. They're desperate for him to act as a consultant with them on difficult cases or those that utilise his unique skillset and experience, Director. He has approval from the relevant minister to still maintain his field status, working within certain protection protocols," he stated gleefully and earning the Leon Vance double barrelled glare.
"So this is the reason for DiNozzo's protection detail? His new job?"
Tony glowered at Fornell. "I'm really not happy about this. I don't accept that I'm in any danger and even if I was, the appointment has yet to be announced publicly – well as much as it will be. So I'm sure we can drop the body guarding stuff in the US, Toby."
Fornell grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Until I can confirm that with Madame Minister, I'm not willing to let up on your protection detail, Director DiNozzo." He replied deferentially, noting with amusement how Vance looked as if he'd swallowed a lemon at his use of the director honorific for Tony. Given his partiality for the boxing ring and his clenched fists, Fornell was willing to bet he'd be spending quality time with a punching bag some time in the near future.
After they left the office, Tony turned on the veteran FBI agent furiously. "What the hell was that? We both know I don't need protection."
"Yeah, but it was the best I could come up with when Leon put me on the spot, and besides, it gives me a great excuse to hang out with ya here today. That's all I wanted… a chance to watch the upcoming fireworks. So it's all good!"
Shaking his head in irritation, Tony capitulated, albeit reluctantly. "Fine, but just for today. I don't need you following me around like a lost duckling; it's embarrassing. And for the love of Mike, Tobias, stop grinning like a loon. It's freaky and besides that, the others will smell a rat!
~000~
Leon watched DiNozzo and the FBI agent protecting him, Tobias Fornell, leave his office after dropping a freakin huge bombshell. He couldn't believe that after fifteen years on the MCRT and with the agency, that the guy was resigning to accept a position as Director of some super-secret organisation in Britain. Obviously he should have worked much harder to find a SSA position for him when he'd first come to him requesting a transfer. He'd been really hoping that Gibbs would get his head out of his ass and sort out his problem with DiNozzo – whatever the hell his problem was with him taking down Daniel Budd and The Calling.
Since Gibbs was going to be retiring in the very near future, it had made perfect sense for DiNozzo to step up and take over the team - just as he'd done so successfully several times in the past. Leon totally didn't want to find someone else to take over the team when Gibbs was dragged, kicking and screaming out of the bull pen for the last time. Hopefully to take up a desk job, but more realistically, to sulk away the days in his basement, getting rotten drunk on cheap bourbon.
Technically, he was pretty sure that Gibbs should have been banished from field work quite a while ago, even if according to his jacket now it gave him a couple more years before mandatory retirement kicked in. The main problem being that Leon had doubts about the accuracy of the gunny's personnel file, but then again, he didn't want to look too closely. Leon preferred to have plausible deniability. As Director he absolutely needed plausible deniability.
Somewhere along the way, he and Gibbs had started a quid pro quo relationship. What it meant was when Gibbs screwed the pooch, he couldn't afford to respond appropriately as Director of NCIS, due to Gibbs possessing information about him which was equally damning. It had started with the case of his best friend's murder and Gibbs figuring out their foolish identity fraud. Leon wasn't sure what had tipped him off – the enemies he had in the CIA or one of the enemies from within NIS – take your pick. It could even have been courtesy of those damned dirt files that the vile old dinosaur, Mike Franks gifted to his probie when he'd retired.
At the end of the day, who had tipped the former Marine the wink didn't really matter. What did matter was that Gibbs knew Leon's MOAS and right then, their relationship, their whole dynamic shifted irrevocably. And at least from where he stood, not in a good way. No doubt Gibbs saw it differently.
Leon had looked the other way when Jethro's ex-mother-in-law, Joanne Fielding killed an Admiral who'd been involved in her daughter and grandchild's deaths. Gibbs had deliberately stuffed up the investigation by not advising her of her Miranda Rights when getting her confession to prevent her being convicted. Vance pretended it was an accidental slip up, even though Leon knew damned well Gibbs had messed up on purpose.
He'd also deep sixed Dr Sciuto's forensic report proving that Gibbs had killed Pedro Hernandez – the person believed to have fired the shot that killed the NIS Agent Mitchell, who was protecting Gibbs family. Mitchell's death caused the car accident that caused Gibbs wife and daughter's deaths when Gibbs was serving as a Marine, and on deployment in Iraq.
In return, Gibbs had also turned a blind eye, not reporting him or charging him for his interference in several cases which were highly personal where he foolishly became involved (despite protocol) and abused his position. He'd browbeaten a confession out of Nick Perkins, intimidating the kid with an axe, determine to prove he'd killed his father who'd been a good friend of his at Annapolis. And then his spectacularly naïve and stupid insistence that his brother-in-law had nothing to do with a murder victim – that it was just a case of wrong time, wrong place. He'd wilfully and deliberately obstructed the MCRT's investigation. Without Gibbs' protection, at the very least he'd have faced charges of obstructing justice and interfering in a federal investigation.
Then, Gibbs had developed a very opportune case of acute myopia after Eli David was killed and Jackie was tragically caught in the cross fire. His bad eyesight allowed him to stand by as Ziva David and Leon plunged deeply into a black abyss of hatred, intent on avenging their loved ones. The director owed Jethro, big time for looking the other way. If he'd ended up in prison for conspiracy to murder, or accessory to murder the deputy director of Mossad, Ilan Bodnar, his life would have effectively been ruined. His children would have been swallowed up by the foster care system.
Which was why, last year when DHS and the CIA demanded an inquiry into Gibbs actions (or lack of actions) that allowed The Calling's Daniel Budd to escape capture in Iran, Leon had called in markers to derail the review before it could get off the ground. Furthermore, he'd also turned a blind eye to Gibbs lack of mandatory psychological counselling after almost dying, fudging the requisite clearances that enabled him to resume his duties.
Of course, on that score he didn't really have a choice, since the pig-headed ex-Marine flat out refused to attend counselling and because of his Faustian bargain, there really wasn't anything Vance could do to force him to accept psychological help. Not if he wished to keep his own job, and also stay out of prison. When it came to enforcing NCIS rules and regulations, Gibbs effectively had him by the short and curlies.
Leon had figured out some months ago that the mistake he'd made, which landed him in this current mess and ultimately led to DiNozzo resigning from the agency, was asking Gibbs to come back early to babysit Bishop and McGee. That was a big mistake! With the benefit of hindsight, what he should have done was to farm out Agents Bishop and McGee to another team. That or brought in a TAD to lead them while Tony was in Shanghai.
He should never have had Gibbs come in to supervise them via desk duty, because once Gibbs had his foot in the door, he just forced himself all the way back in. The problem was Leroy Jethro Gibbs never listened to anyone else's rules but his own, so he'd ignored the desk duty restriction accordingly.
Jethro was so utterly convinced of his own indispensability to the agency that he couldn't grasp the concept that NCIS was capable of functioning just fine without him, including taking down Daniel Budd and The Calling. Of course, that whole crap with Parsons from the DOJ several years ago, including how everyone had bent over and presented themselves, willing to be screwed over to save Jethro's ass had probably contributed greatly to his delusions of grandeur.
And wasn't it just too ironic that the agent that he'd happily have jettisoned almost eight years ago, when he'd taken over the big chair from Shepard, was now the one that he'd do almost anything to keep. Over the last several years, Leon had been gradually changing his mind - and not just about DiNozzo, who he'd previously seen as an anachronistic dinosaur and irrelevant for the 'golden age' of NCIS he'd planned when he'd taken over the directorship. He was also in the process of revising his previous opinion of McGee, who he'd seen as the ideal prototype for future NCIS agents under his watch. The last several years had been something of a revelation for Vance as he'd watched these two agents side by side. The results were definitely not what he would have predicted, even five years ago.
It had kicked off when he'd grudgingly been forced to respected DiNozzo for resigning in solidarity with his junior team mates to protect Gibbs' ass. He'd resigned even though he had been the only one who Richard Parson's hadn't accused of betraying his oath as a law enforcement professional. He had to admire his loyalty to his team, though he wished he possessed more personal ambition
Leon was also impressed by the way, when his apartment had been shot up, DiNozzo had taken it upon himself to make sure his former teammates were warned of the danger they were all in. Something Gibbs had seemed surprisingly unconcerned about even after discovering they were targets - so much for Gibbs' Marine Corps mantra of 'leave no man behind.' There was no doubt in Leon's mind that McGee owed his life to DiNozzo's quick thinking and action that day, since the last thing the former junior agent would have been expecting was a drive by shooter targeting him.
Sure DiNozzo had gotten his job back again but he had no way of knowing that would occur when he'd sacrificed a blameless eighteen-year law enforcement career to save his mentor's less than squeaky-clean ass. Even before Parsons had turned up with Gibbs in his sights, most people were well aware of the skid marks. Ziva David, facing charges of premeditated murder and Timothy McGee of illegal hacking of federal and classified data bases and conspiracy to murder, also had far less to lose than DiNozzo when they'd handed in their badges.
Indeed, certain cynical types might argue that their resignations were as much about them saving their own butts and staying out of jail, as it was altruism to protect Gibbs. Especially since Parsons hadn't followed through and prosecuted either one.
Vance still couldn't reconcile himself to the fact that Gibbs had seemed to be curiously unmoved by his team's self-sacrifice in resigning to protect him - taking it as his due. Not only had he forbidden them from defending themselves or him, but he'd seemed surprisingly unconcerned with their safety either, following their resignation and it was still very much a bone of contention for the director. After all, he didn't have an injury or head injury at that time that he could use as an excuse for his callous disregard of David, McGee and DiNozzo's lives.
Learning that his former agents were targets, even while he was still in Iran on his super-secret classified mission and not bothering to inform them or NCIS was just plain negligent. Vance was frankly appalled by his apathy for his former team. If it had been anyone other than Gibbs, Vance probably would have investigated the feasibility of charging him with withhold evidence and endangering lives. Their quid pro quo relationship made that impossible, unfortunately and so he'd skated again.
Candidly, after seeing the crime scene photos of DiNozzo's apartment, Leon decided it was sheer dumb luck that he hadn't been killed. Certainly no thanks to Gibbs, who should have, at the very least, given him a heads up when he came home, if not before. The director wouldn't have blamed Tony one bit if he'd throttled Gibbs for his omission - yet he'd been way more forgiving of him than Vance would have been if he'd been in his shoes.
And with regard to his growing respect for DiNozzo, he'd been suitably impressed, not to say incredibly relieved at his resourcefulness and grace under fire when he'd saved Admiral Kendall's daughter from her own impetuousness. Not to mention saving her from several moles working for Iranian Intelligence, who'd been hell-bent on her demise. The SFA's stubbornness, creative problem solving abilities, plus his undercover skills had allowed him to see beyond the party girl façade of Amanda Kendall and saved the spy's life where others (including himself) probably would have given her up as a self-absorbed spoilt brat.
Leon had also been pleasantly surprised and really impressed by the mentoring relationship he'd formed with the probationary agent, Eleanor Bishop after she joined the team. Watching the pair over the last few years, it became very apparent that it was DiNozzo who was responsible for training the team, not Gibbs, who was far too impatient, intolerant and cranky to be an effective teacher. A fact that made DiNozzo's departure even more of a blow for the MCRT and NCIS – effective trainers were worth their weight in gold. Combine that skill with his leadership abilities and he was a resource that Leon would long lament losing to someone with more vision.
There was also the outstanding job he'd done in coordinating the hunt for Daniel Budd after Gibbs had been shot and the monster evaded their net. He'd earned glowing endorsements from Joanna Teague, Ned Dorneget's mother. She was a highly experienced CIA operative, not easily impressed and DiNozzo had been commended by other agents on the joint taskforce which also included the Department of Homeland Security.
They'd all worked together as a well-oiled team to bring down Budd. Actually, it had made for quite a pleasant change for Vance not to have to field complaints about Gibbs' attitude and inability to play nicely with others, a quality that DiNozzo seemed to have in spades. And he'd let him get away!
In contrast, these last few years he'd begun to question McGee's competencies and his ability to step up to the role of a senior field agent. Something he'd always taken for granted up until a couple of years ago. He'd just assumed that anyone on Gibbs team wouldn't be there for over a decade and not be a highly capable field agent. Guess what they said about assumptions wasn't such a wives' tale after all.
Oh sure, Timothy McGee was a highly competent individual when it came to the technical side of the job. Stick him in front of a computer and he was an impressive individual – a very valuable asset for the agency, without a shadow of a doubt. However, the director had begun to notice certain details about his field competencies and instincts which were concerning, to say the least. The junior agent was the one who Gibbs planned to promote to SFA, if his recent actions were any guide to his intentions. They'd included: benching his obscenely experienced SFA after his return from Shanghai, ignoring, even actively encouraging McGee's bypassing the chain-of-command or giving Tim point on a routine investigation, despite DiNozzo, his direct superior, being willing and able to handle the case.
Plus, he along with the rest of the bullpen, had taken note of Gibbs effusive plaudits of McGee since his return after the shooting in Iran simply because McGee had done his job. He'd taken down a suspect who was threatening himself, Gibbs and a DEA agent with a gun. Competent work without a doubt, but only what every agent was expected to do in similar circumstances. It was hardly earthshattering or worthy of one of Gibbs' rare as hens' teeth acknowledgements.
It certainly seemed overly excessive if you contrasted it with Jethro's failure to even acknowledge DiNozzo's superhuman effort to save him and a civilian female from a submerged car years ago - a civilian Jethro had managed to drown. excessive. Not only had Tony hauled them out of the submerged and flooded car to safety, he dived into filthy water with crap lungs, but he'd also resuscitated Gibbs and the girl. And for good measure, managed to dispatched two really bad guys.
But DiNozzo superhuman efforts was apparently 'just doing his job' and didn't merit Gibbs' acknowledgement, let alone gratitude. Yet for McGee firing his weapon and neutralising a threat it had? It sure seemed like a massive double standard to Leon and further evidence of how much of a bastard he was acting to his 2IC, then and now.
Not that an air-headed titian director back in the day, hadn't added insult to injury. What could possibly justify her recommending and presenting Gibbs with the Navy's Meritorious Civilian Service Award weeks after he screwed the pooch and drowning Ms Tyler – a civilian. Either said former director was trying very hard to get back in her former lover's pants or her brain tumour had affected her thinking at that point, since for that escapade alone, Gibbs should have received a suspension. Well suspension and/or a loss of rank, certainly not a damned freakin medal!
Still, all that aside, McGee was Gibbs' newest golden boy, and DiNozzo's likely successor. Yet there remained a number of valid reasons why the director hadn't felt comfortable with him filling in for DiNozzo while he was in Shanghai chasing down Budd. And nothing had really changed in the months since he'd made that judgement call for Leon to revise that view either, especially now that he knew DiNozzo was shipping out for good.
There'd been a number of incidents in the last couple of years that had Leon questioning his initial impressions of McGee being his prototypical agent. Perhaps first and foremost was the major stuff-up last year when MCRT were working a murder that ended up intersecting with the DoD. They'd discovered McGee's girlfriend was posing as the disaffected social media bait for a terrorist who was recruiting disenfranchised individuals and radicalising them. Leon couldn't begin to describe how negligent it was, in his humble opinion, to have Fielding, a paraplegic, doing undercover work since obviously she couldn't pass quals.
Meanwhile, the heir apparent to DiNozzo's job, had gone running off to inform his girlfriend, Delilah Fielding that in the course of the investigation, they'd discovered that the terrorist appeared to have developed an unhealthy obsession with her. While seemingly gallant to run to her rescue, McGee had unknowingly let their terrorist trail him straight to his girlfriend's safe-house, placing Delilah in very grave danger in light of her physical situation. For an agent with his decade of experience, there was NO excuse for McGee allowing himself to be followed.
Hardly surprisingly, the Department of Defence to wanted his head served up on a platter for blowing their undercover Op with a tail that any rookie should have shaken. As if that screw-up hadn't been enough, he'd compounded that error not once but twice more. Upon arriving at the safe-house, McGee had proceeded to argue with Fielding because of his jealousy over her male boss staying in the same apartment. So when their terrorist - the target of the whole sting - knocked on the door, he failed to check who was outside and simply opened the door and let him in, assuming it was one of the good guys. Tim also failed to draw his firearm, per protocol when he opened the door. He simply let him in, placing his life, Delilah's and a highly complex and costly undercover operation in extreme jeopardy.
Which all added up to three highly rookie type, massively stupid errors from a supposedly highly trained and seasoned MCRT agent. So it hadn't come as a great surprise when after the debrief and wash-up, Fielding's boss plus the Department of Defence had wanted McGee's balls. Personally, Vance couldn't blame them, any one of the mistakes would have been unforgivable lapses – combine all three and they were totally inexcusable. Frankly, it was an embarrassment for the agency.
Yet somewhere along the way Tim had become Gibbs' golden-haired agent and he'd called in favours to save his butt, just like he'd done when the dumbass had lost his creds. Good God… using social media to track that plane wasn't exactly an amazing innovation worthy of White House lionizing, after all it was merely a modern variation on a BOLO or public appeal on the six o'clock news. Yet for someone of McGee's experience to lose his creds at a concert was unbelievable. Damn it…did he need someone to put a chain through them and attach it to his buttonhole, like Jackie used to do with Kayla and Jarrod's school bus passes when they were small, so they didn't lose them?
The truth was that Vance had been dragging his heels when it came to finding DiNozzo a new team to lead. He'd been desperately hoping that Gibb would extract his head from his ass because even IF his jacket was correct, he only had a couple more years before he had to retire and it was clear to him that DiNozzo would make an excellent leader of the MCRT.
He'd procrastinated, thinking that having to bring the SFA back from overseas in a couple of years to take over the team had seemed like a waste. He also had concerns that with DiNozzo gone, McGee wouldn't be able to keep control of Gibbs the way Tony could. Even with their relationship in the toilet, he was still able to keep the team somewhat on an even keel. Frankly, he'd been concerned about the welfare of the whole damn team if Tony wasn't around, based on performances he'd seen recently.
But it wasn't just that McGee led a terrorist to the residence of undercover agent or essentially invited him inside, which worried him. The fact was that McGee was far too easily intimidated by Gibbs or people like Ziva David and Abby Sciuto, who could make him cave in to pressure in a nanosecond. He knew about the illegal use of MTAC for one of Abby's friends at Christmas and obviously he knew that Ziva had convinced Tim to misappropriate highly valuable government equipment to help her track down Ilan Bodnar.
Vance was totally aware how hypocritical it was to blame McGee for that hacking exploit because he'd tacitly approved of them tracking Bodnar down and killing him. Well Leon Vance - husband, lover and father of Jackie's children had definitely approved of it and been very grateful. Yet he was also the director of 'NCIS the agency' and as such, with the benefit of a little distance and time, 'Director Vance' could not condone their behaviour, nor could he afford to countenance McGee being so damned laissez-faire about 'borrowing' hundreds of thousands of dollars of advanced computer hardware and software from the agency.
Unfortunately, it didn't stop there either. There were more examples of ineptitude he couldn't overlook, like a couple of years ago, McGee entered a hotel room with an extremely inexperienced Bishop in tow. As the senior agent – the one with experience and training he was supposed to be watching her six. Yet, after discovering the murder victim, not only did he failed to draw his weapon he'd also failed to clear the crime scene to ensure that the killer wasn't still on the premises. That failure had endangered himself and the still very much rookie, Ellie Bishop and could so easily have gone pear shaped. He'd actually stood around joking instead of following standard operational procedure when discovering a murder scene.
McGee's response demonstrated he couldn't follow protocol, that he had poor situational awareness and failed to understand the serious repercussions of not having his partner's six. It was also a scarily similar circumstance in many ways, to what occurred with Delilah Fielding a year later, indicating that hadn't been a one off lapse. So for the good of the team, the question need to be asked. How the hell was he supposed to trust that McGee was capable of looking after himself… not to mention his teammates or set an example for junior agents?
And he had to admit Tim's childish pouting regarding that 40-year-old cold case of the Colombian airport bombing last year had not impressed Leon overly much. He'd had a mini tantrum after learning that Gibbs, DiNozzo and David had already been read in on the situation back in 2013 following them catching a break in the case. Since it was a need-to-know situation involving multiple command structures, Vance hadn't been permitted to read McGee in, prior to the case becoming active once again last year. Tim had been sulky, angry that DiNozzo knew and he didn't. He seriously believed that Tony should have ignored orders that it was classified and have revealed data about the case to him, even though he was under orders not to do so.
That was greatly concerning to Vance. After all, McGee had been placed in a very similar situation to DiNozzo during the Domino investigation and had kept his mouth firmly shut as ordered. He would have sacked him if he hadn't so Vance was very disappointed with the agent's immature attitude now. It was a bit rich for him to turn around and throw a tantrum because he felt left out. Leon had heard Tony venting to Dr Palmer about Tim's whining that because he shared all of his illegal hacking activities with him, Tony was supposed to reciprocate with classified intel because he owed it to him.
Evidently DiNozzo was supposed to ignore direct orders from his superiors and share classified data with a junior team mate, just his feelings weren't hurt. McGee had expediently ignored the fact he'd lied and concealed the whole unauthorised hunt for Bodnar from Tony. Frankly, his rationale sounded like it had come out of the mouth of a puerile teen, not an experienced federal agent aspiring to a supervisory role.
Such a childishly self-important attitude meant it was only natural for Vance to question his suitability for promotion. Particularly since the role of the second in charge, frequently required for that person to subjugate personal opinions, desires and ambitions and put the welfare of the rest of the team before themselves. And as Gibbs was so fond of saying, actions speak louder than words.
Although Tim's attitude went some way to explain why, when Gibbs attended to a family matter several years ago, McGee had felt entitled to be openly insubordinate and ignore DiNozzo's orders. He'd objected to the task the SFA had assigned him – wanting to do what he wanted. He'd then compounded his actions by going over his superior's head, complaining to Gibbs' about DiNozzo 'bossing' him around.
And inexplicably, instead of tearing him a new one for his insubordination, Gibbs had rewarded McGee's disregard of protocol and ignoring his superior's orders. In truth, Jethro had acted more like an inept parent who'd been hoodwinked into settling a tiff between siblings, than a supervisory agent enforcing proper procedure. He'd not only rewarded actionable behaviour, he'd compounded the insult to his second in command by giving Tim point on the investigation. Leon had difficulty understanding how a Marine, a gunnery sergeant no less, could be such a shithouse agent and supervisor. Unfortunately, though, Gibbs also had him over a barrel.
It was obvious by his actions that Tim considered himself DiNozzo's equal, if not his superior as an agent. The director, in hindsight hoped that he hadn't contributed to that misconception – although he feared he had. McGee clearly felt he had license to ignore any regulations and protocols that inconvenienced him and equally clear to Leon that Gibbs would 'officially' promote the junior agent to SFA. He had after all, pretty much been performing the role in Gibbs mind for quite a while now.
Vance had real concerns that Gibbs was not firing on all cylinders after the shooting, and not merely from the physical consequences. That meltdown in the bullpen when they were heading off to Togu in South Sudan which was surely not a coincidence. It was an overseas mission, the first since his shooting that sparked his collapse and more evidence that he wasn't fit for the field.
Having an ineffectual and conceited agent as Gibbs' 2IC, plus having responsibility for two junior agents and Gibbs literally scared the shit out of Vance. Particularly since he couldn't veto Jethro's decisions, as much as he wanted to. And he did want to! Sadly, Gibbs was an unstoppable force – realistically, the only thing that could stop him at this point was retirement. Leon's or his!
Perhaps he should just bite the bullet and shoot Gibbs himself, then get down on bended knee and beg DiNozzo to stay. Although, SSA of the MCRT really couldn't compete with a promotion to director of an ultra-secret law enforcement agency.
Feeling a wave of despair wash over him, Vance opened his top desk drawer and took out the bottle of whiskey, totally ignoring the shot glass, swigging the liquor direct from the bottle before swiping his hand across his mouth. Looking at the clock, he grimaced before taking another very healthy swig of the alcohol regardless. It was still morning and things were bad enough for him to be drinking and not giving a shit. He was so screwed!
He should probably get out while he still could – take a job in the private sector. SecNav Porter had already foreshadowed his job was on thin ice when she almost forced him to resign last year over the fallout from the reappearance of former NCIS Agent Kip Klugman. So why had he ignored just how badly FUBAR Gibbs and his team had become? Oh yeah…that's right! His Faustian bargain with L. J. Gibbs.
Crossing the floor to lock the door of his office, - which he probably should have done before he started drinking on the job - he informed Delany he was not to be disturbed until further notice. Rummaging around in his bottom desk drawer, he finally found what he was looking for. He pulled out a calico doll… um a calico-representation-of-a-person that he'd bought at a market a few months ago when he was spending some quality time with his daughter. It was a novelty item from a stall that specialised in jokes, collectibles and tension relieving crap like novelty stress balls that looked like heads of celebrities or iconic characters.
The doll…uh cloth-representation-of-a-person was fairly unpretentious. Its four appendages were detachable, supposed to be cathartic to be able to dismember the calico representation-of-a-person. The face was deliberately blank so you could draw your own specific features on it, and his figure's face had steely-blue eyes and grey hair. Leon was a bit embarrassed to admit he derived childish satisfaction in taking out his intense feelings of frustration and powerlessness onto a piece of cloth and stuffing.
Sighing, because as a highly intelligent, well-educated and he liked to think of himself as highly evolved person, he really should be above such childish behaviour but damn, it felt so good! Grabbing his stress doll, he held it down on the desk and pictured a certain thorn in his side while restraining it. Taking the right arm firmly, he ripped it off the body, the hook and loop Velcro fastening separating and it made a most satisfying ripping sound that soothed his troubled spirit. Taking hold of its right arm firmly, he proceeded to use the detached appendage to beat the crap out of the cloth-representation-of-a-person, feeling his anger and frustration bleeding off him.
Finally, feeling like he was ready to face the world without the need to drink himself into a stupor for surrendering his power to Gibbs, he took a deep breath. He'd definitely gotten the worst of their bargain – probably because he had a lot more to lose if he ever decided to call Gibbs' bluff. Scowling as he contemplated how impotent he was as director, he suddenly thought about the X-rated version of the doll um cloth-representation-of-a-person he'd seen on the market stall. Obviously, he couldn't very well buy it with his fifteen- year old daughter there but sometimes he really wished he had one so he could emasculate it like he felt Gibbs had castrated him.
He'd had such high hopes when he'd first taken over from Director Shepard, now his whole tenure was tainted and DiNozzo's departure did not bode well for the immediate future.